M2S28

## An Unexpected Proposition

The spires of Castle Ravenloft.

“
*-Arbrek: "That's unusually humble of you."
 -Lord Strahd: "... I was being sarcastic."
 -Abrek: "Ah, flew right over my head."
 -Sargon: "Because he's so short!"*
”

**An Unexpected Proposition** was the 28th session of the Strahdborne campaign. In this session, the party arrived in Castle Ravenloft, having dinner with the devil. In it, Strahd offers an unexpected choice to the party.

## Quests

### Ongoing

* **Under New Management (Everyone):** Investigate the coven of hags at Old Bonegrinder mill.

### The Deck of Fate

* **The Symbol of Hope (Everyone):** Claim the holy symbol by finding the tomb of a great wizard with a famous staff. Possibly located in Castle Ravenloft.
* **The Shadow of Barovia (Everyone):** Defeat Strahd. Optional: Suplex Strahd.
* **The Moon (Aellun):** Find the place filled with bones, for the clues you seek lie there.
* **The Headsman (Gromash):** Find the fortress within the fortress, which contains the treasure you seek.
* **The Balance (Thalia):** Discover the whereabouts of Lautrec and Gascarde.

## Quotes

Arbrek: "The Witch is Dead. Someday they'll make a song of this." Sargon: "I would sing, but I'm not that type of gnome."

Rahadin: "Especially the small one, I almost confused him for a rock." Arbrek: "I don't think anyone's given me a nicer compliment here."

Arbrek: "Ooh, time for my yearly tub!" Thalia: "... Yearly?"

Sargon: "Nobody's died yet, that makes it a boring wedding for dwarves!" (Aellun decidedly does not look at Strahd or Lautec as this is said)

## Reflections

* **Arbrek**: "I don't think I've ever enjoyed fresh air except for being able to step outside of that castle for a pipe break. Comparing this heap of Elven stone to proper Dwarvish Masonry? A foolish tyrant indeed. I will muster some nearby clans to level this heap once Strahd has been slain. It is a good thing I am made of stern stuff of I may have vomited my beer from being next to a blood-sucker for so long. Though we were all quite diplomatic at dinner. Not a single punch was thrown. I am sure Thalia will be proud of our diplomatic prowess once we get out of this castle. With the guards coming we may get a proper wedding fight. "
* **Aellun:** "At long last, here is Castle Ravenloft, and it is just as I expected - dark, barren and miserable as anything else in Barovia. It's just another symbol of what Lord Strahd has become, and not merely in its shuttered dilapidation. As a man he lay no claims to such a place, not out of any matters of standing - he was proud even then - but of pragmatism. A castle would be merely an inviting stationary target in the days of dragon invasion. Better in those days to remain on the move, and so he did, leading from the front. Now he is more like those dragons, content to sit on those riches he's hoarded away, even as he covets all that he sees about him which he has already drained of anything that would make it worth keeping. I cannot honestly say that I cannot see how the traits of the man could have become those of the vampire, but even so, I know that were the man still present to see his grim future, he would strike this figure down - not out of right, I think, but disgust. Strahd was not a good man, but he was one of those rare figures possessed of the will to act where the world would grind him down, the kind of man who'd rise against the seemingly inevitable even in a hopeless place like this. It's that conviction, more than the man, that the Owlguard swore to, and what I would hold to now, whatever the vampire in his skin would ask of me. If I bend the knee, it is that I may one day grab your throat, Lord Strahd. That I owe you, and all those who've fallen before me. I will not give in."
* Thalia: "At long last I finally get to meet the former Inspector Lautrec and Constable Gascarde, and I am dismayed by how strongly Strahd has twisted them. Gascarde is barely a shadow of the arrogant and corrupt constable he was, and Lautrec - all reports said he was bad-tempered and vengeful even as an Inspector, regardless of his self-proclaimed professionalism, but I barely can recognize any trace of the guardsman he once was. It seems that STrahd predicted someone would come for him, as he spouted nearly every foul rumor and accusation the lower Guard have ever made about the High Watch - that we ignore the day-to-day crime and corruption in favor of high-profile cases, that we only deign to notice the lower Guard when we're punishing them, that our true aim is not justice and order but keeping Roulan's image clean, and that we act as assassins whenever the law doesn't serve our way. I cannot truthfully say his claims are unfounded, given how long it took for the High Watch to investigate his old preceinct and only when the corruption had spiralled. Yet I was able to somehow get through to him, and I quite nearly removed his curse. If I can get him to Arbrek and cure him, get his testimony and his aid in bringing Gascarde back to Roulan - or at least Gascarde's confession under a Zone of Truth - perhaps Strahd will be less willing to keep him, and we could take Strahd's offer to leave Barovia and never return...Oh who am I kidding. Like a dragon, Strahd would never part with any of his possessions. The only way we're leaving Barovia is over his rotting corpse."
* **Sargon**: "Castle Von Strahdovich was a splendid sight to behold - such deep shadows, such masterful and deadly traps, and all the dark ambience of the underdark without the drow or mindflayers - a unique piece of real estate l should very much like to own one day. After all, at the climax of our escapades, we may very well slay this Count Strahd, and then, l am more than certain that these bright eyed surface dwellers would rather not live in a death trap! It is indeed tempting to take strahd's offer and become a lich, and take up permanent residence here without so much undead bloodshed. Yet, l cannot accept so hastily - he seemed to dangle this final secret beyond a mere pledge of allegiance, but rather, eternal servitude. I can work apotheosis on my own, thank you very much - If l am to be lmmortal, l am going to be the master of my own fate, not stuck forever under the boot of some melodramatic tyrant. Power is no good unless you can use it freely... so, fight we must. And if things go south? Sargon Silverback has to go aground again."

## Appendix

Strahdborne Sessions
**Chapter 1: The Gates of Barovia**
 Session 1 · Session 2 · Session 3 · Session 4 · Session 5 · Session 6

 **Chapter 2: The Fall of Vallaki**
 Session 7 · Session 8 · Session 9 · Session 10 · Session 11 · Session 12 · Session 13 · Session 14 · Session 15 · Session 16 · Session 17 · Session 18 · Session 19 ·

 **Chapter 3: The Muster at Krezk**
 Session 20 · Session 21 · Session 22 · Session 23 · Session 24 · Session 25 · Session 26 · Session 27 ·