King Chunks

## Starring

Cody Hughett – Ashley
Eric Embleton – Graiar
Logan Laidlaw – Hadrick and Jolyne
Matthew Kok – Monty
and

Aaron Robert Parnell as the Dungeon Master

## Special Guest(s)

Spencer Downs – Devin

**King Chunks** is the forty-fourth session of the *Forgotten Realms Campaign* of Nat19. The party discusses what their next move against Strahd will be, before an unexpected arrival complicates things...

## Synopsis

Monty and Jolyne move to investigate the tomb of King Barov von Zarovich and Queen Ravenovia van Roeyen as the remainder of the party wait outside the magic barrier. Upon opening the king's coffin, Monty discovers a fake body of wax made to resemble King Barov. Monty proceeds to remove the wax dummy piece by piece until he discovers a hidden compartment at the bottom of the coffin, underneath which lay the king's bones. Meanwhile, Ashley waits outside the chamber performing handstands and Devin uses her Primeval Awareness to search for undead, noting a powerful source 4 floors above them and another 1 mile to the west.

Opening the queen's coffin, Monty and Jolyne find a set of bones but no secret compartment. The two then move the coffins to see if any additional secret passages or compartments lie beneath them, but find nothing.

Jolyne suggests the group move on, and Monty laments that they haven't accomplished anything in the room aside from desecrating a grave, to which Hadrick and Graiar site their recent activities in the crypts as doing exactly that numerous times. The paladin also expresses his frustration as he believes there might've been something more important in that tomb. Ashley, forgetting what the barrier does, offers to search the room again and walks on her hands into it, only to be sent back up the stairs.

The group then moves to the last tomb to find it blocked by a portcullis. Hadrick and Monty attempt to raise the portcullis and fail, to which Ashley offers to cast Shatter on it. The party agrees and stands back, and Ashley casts 3 Shatter spells on the portcullis, severely weakening it and allowing Hadrick to ram it, creating an opening just wide enough for everyone to fit through. Upon entering the tomb, Hadrick is overcome by an intense feeling of sadness, though Graiar and Monty feel a sense of tranquility.

Hadrick becomes distinctly aware of Sunrise in his hand and surmises the somber sensation is coming from it. Hadrick has a realization as to the identity of the person inside the coffin and tells the others to stay back but be ready for trouble as he steps further into the room. He attempts to open the coffin but is met with resistance. Monty asks if Hadrick would like assistance with opening it, to which the latter agrees, but informs the former that this tomb likely belongs to Sergei von Zarovich. Monty touches the coffin and the resistance immediately disappears, allowing the coffin to be opened with ease. Inside the coffin indeed lay the body Sergei adorned in shining plate armor.

Hadrick excitedly discusses the benefits of him donning the plate armor and using it against Strahd to both Monty and Sunrise before eventually taking it, the former approving and the latter giving a less somber feeling than it previously was, which Hadrick assumed to be it giving him its permission. Hadrick offers Monty the plate armor he ordered from the Vistani as thanks, though the latter expresses his doubt that they will actually deliver it.

Monty assists Hadrick in removing his armor and donning Sergei's plate armor, which takes approximately 10 minutes. Meanwhile Monty removes his own armor and dons Hadrick's breastplate. Hadrick insists Jolyne not look at him as he's changing, saying it is improper for a princess to see their knight in their armor before said knight is ready. Jolyne is confused but agrees nonetheless, while Devin watches and gives her details about what's happening.

As Hadrick puts the armor on, Devin, Jolyne, and Kasimir hear faint footsteps approaching from the west entrance to the crypts. Devin alerts everyone to the danger and they all move into position as Rahadin enters through the door, swords drawn. Devin releases her arrow towards him, which he parries. The party then enters combat, with Jolyne eventually casting Haste on Hadrick, allowing him to quickly finish donning the plate armor and join the fight, killing Rahadin with a flurry of strikes from Sunrise. The party proceeds to loot Rahadin's corpse with Devin taking his studded leather armor and Hadrick taking one of his scimitars and naming it Fallgrave.

The group settles on resting after the fight and decide to set up Leomund's Tiny Hut inside Sergei's tomb. Once this is done, they discuss the nature of Strahd's wedding and whether or not they should interrupt it. Ashley and Graiar insist on doing so, as it is likely Ireena will be turned into a vampire in the process. They discuss the impracticality of pursuing the dragon skull and returning it to Argynvostholt at this point, as well as what else, if anything, needs to be done inside the castle.

Ashley offers Kasimir a chance to leave, saying that none of them would hold it against him for doing so, to which he responds by saying he knows they wouldn't and that's why he's staying, and that he'd rather die making a difference than live on and know he could've and didn't. They then weigh the benefits of interrupting the wedding versus going to the peak of the castle to trigger the fate Madam Eva spoke of and fight Strahd there. They opt to destroy Strahd's coffin immediately after their rest, regardless of their plans afterward. During the rest, Devin once again uses her Primeval Awareness, and detects that the undead source assumed to be Strahd has not moved, and the one to the west is only half a mile away now. Hadrick speculates the source to the west could be Vasilka, though Graiar expresses doubt.

Hadrick then brings up Griff, and asks if there's any reason they think he won't be a problem. Graiar notes that Griff is too afraid to go against Strahd, so they'll likely have to kill him. When Devin asks if he'll be okay doing that, he responds that he won't, but he'll do it regardless, and apologizes for taking so long to commit to that. They debate the likelihood of being able to track Griff down and eliminate him before the confrontation with Strahd, and acknowledge the possibility of drawing him out by causing a big enough scene by destroying Strahd's coffin.

After leaving a series of noise-makers on and around the damaged portcullis to prevent Griff from sneaking in undetected, the party begins its rest. Devin takes the first watch, during which she spots that a necklace has been added to the ropes along the portcullis. She makes her way over to pick it up, and sees it is a garnet ring attached to a chain, with the name "Aera" inscribed in it. She makes her way back to the group, choosing not to wake Graiar and show it to him. Devin then hears movement, which she assumes to be the sound of Rahadin's body being moved.

Jolyne and Kasimir take the second watch, during which nothing noteworthy happens. Ashley and Khaz take the final watch, during which the latter exits the room invisible to take a look around. He returns to Ashley shortly after and informs her that someone is in the crypts. Ashley looks out the portcullis and sees none other than Ireena intently moving eastward.

Ashley exits the dome to follow her, attempting to sneak behind her. Ireena takes notice and demands to know who's following her, and turns back to find Ashley. Ireena, seeming to be free of Strahd's influence, asks Ashley to help her escape Castle Ravenloft. Ashley agrees to help Ireena to the brazier teleporter, and the two head toward the west exit, firing a crossbow bolt to trigger the trap, alerting her friends who immediately spring to life.

As Ashley and Ireena open the door to head toward the brazier room, they see Strahd von Zarovich about 120-150 feet away from them and slowly gaining. They close the door, with Ireena barring it with her torch. Ireena runs off on her own despite Ashley's objections. Ashley rushes toward the group and hastily warns them of the situation with Strahd and Ireena. They quickly deduce what's happening from her brief explanation and rush off toward Ireena.

Hadrick quickly comes up with a plan for him and Ashley to destroy Strahd's coffin and meet back up with the others and help Ireena escape. Jolyne and Kasimir use Haste and Fly respectively on both Hadrick and Ashley as Graiar, Devin, and Kilala chase after Ireena. Jolyne then uses Dimension Door to teleport her and Monty to the front gate of the castle so they can leave.

(*More to be added...)*

## Featured Characters

### Player Characters

* Ashley
* Devin *(controlled by Spencer Downs)*
* Graiar
* Hadrick Kainwind
* Jolyne Felicity Brioche *(controlled by Logan Laidlaw)*
* Kilala
* Monty of Kinshan

### Returning

* Ezmerelda d'Avenir
* Griff
* Ireena Kolyana
* Kasimir Velikov
* Khaz
* Nightfall
* Patrina Velikovna
* Rahadin
* Sergei von Zarovich (corpse only)
* Strahd von Zarovich
* Sunrise

### Mentioned

* Aera
* Argynvost (not mentioned by name)
* Barov von Zarovich
* Ravenovia van Roeyen