Session 1: The Big Bad Wolf

## The Big Bad Wolf

Fate brings the party together in a fight against wolves led by Strahd himself. After the close encounter and some tense discussions, they are urged by the party's gnome bard, Menyn, to meet with Madame Eva regarding a prophecy. The party reluctantly agrees and heads to Barovia. Along the way they find the body of a man, the burgonmaster of Barovia. On his person is a letter, pleading for help, as Strahd had taken a liking to his daughter. The party heads into Barovia where there they meet Ismark, the son of the burgonmaster, who, after mistaking V for Ireena, explains the situation to the party and asks them to help him protect his sister.

## Synopsis

### Beginnings

[Add Seril, Bogdan introductions here]

Menyn, the party's deep gnome bard, was sitting in the tent with the Madam Fortuneteller as she divined that finally, people that could guide him had entered these lands. He'd been there for a little while already as he had traveled in with some Vistani and joined them at their camp by the lake. He had gotten to know a number of Vistani there, but he couldn't find the "trace" of adventure safely in these lands without divination - or so the Fortuneteller said. Menyn rolled with it, simply because he does know the power of divination, even if he messes with it. He learned the three roles of the newcomers and set out to there, after making sure they'd all be welcomed at the tavern in the village of Barovia.

V, the party's rogue, had been traveling through the Svalich woods for a few days, following tracks. She was plagued by dreams and visions of a woman running through the woods, a patch of nightshade clear in the memory. V wasn't sure if it was real or how long ago it happened, but decided to investigate nonetheless. At a clearing with a bush of nightshade, she then flashed to a memory of a girl falling into the brush.

Before V could investigate further, however, the sound of someone approaching interrupted her and she ducked into the brush. Seril, spying V, crouched down beside the brush and spoke calmly. “I didn’t mean any harm.” V ignored her and continued to search through the bush.

Menyn then appeared, playing music on his stringed instrument. Seeing Seril, he asked if she is “one who is traveling between two worlds, one who is between two worlds, or one that has explored many souls.” He explained that a soothsayer sent him and said something about fate and destiny bringing them together. He then finally introduced himself as Menyn Keynan and began calling for the third adventurer. Just as he did, Bogdan burst through the trees, wolves right on his heels.

### Fight with the Wolves

Seril pulled out her gun and shot one of the wolves. A wolf with red eyes, the lead wolf, howled, which caused another wolf to attack her. As she shot the wolves, Menyn called out to Bogdan, asking if he is “the one between two worlds” and informs him they are allies. Meanwhile, V took out one wolf then went to help Bogdan who was being attacked by two smaller wolves. The two wolves managed to take Bogdan down as Seril's gun misfires.

Menyn used Healing Word on Bogdan and brought him back into the fight, then attacked two wolves with a wave of thunder. The thunder killed the wolves and turned them into a heap of blood and matted fur.

Back in the fight, Bogdan’s teeth grew into large fangs and he bit one of the wolves, killing it. After it died, he calmly wiped the blood from his lips. V killed the other wolf, even as she avoided getting close to Bogdan.

The red-eyed wolf, which had been staying back, lunged at Bogdan, who managed to dodge out of the way. The wolf then seemed to laugh before it vanished into a cloud of mist. Upon its disappearance, another wolf attempted to attack Bogdan and V but Menyn killed it with his thunder attack.

During the fight, Seril called Bogdan a vampire. She warned V and Menyn that he was dangerous and to stay away from him. She then pulled out a different gun than the one she had previously been using and rejoined the fight against the last of the wolves. Bogdan made a shadow version of himself appear, which then attacked the last wolf. V got the killing blow on it.

### A Rocky Alliance

With the wolves dead, Seril turned and immediately pointed her gun at Bogdan. Bogdan told her to put the gun down, and Seril laughed and said she wouldn’t. Menyn attempted to talk her down.

Seril asked Bogdan what he wanted and Bogdan said “to kill Strahd.”

“Why? You’re one of his,” Seril said.

“I am not one of his,” Bogdan hissed.

“Why should I trust you?” Seril demanded. Bogdan pointed out that he ate the wolf, not her.

Menyn once again tried to calm them down, Seril called him short, and they began to argue, at which point V walked off. [get the rest of the group's actions from Esme]

V attempted to escape the glade but found it surrounded by mists and knew going into the mists was a bad idea. Eventually she managed to find an area where the mists were thinner than the rest, leading to a possible exit.

Realizing V had vanished, Menyn began calling out assurances, promising her they wouldn’t hurt her. V then reluctantly called back, informing them where she was and they were able to join her.

As they began to leave the glades, Menyn pointed out that none of them had introduced themselves yet. Bogdan and Seril did introduce themselves, but V didn’t, and after a pause, Menyn began to sing as they walked.

During the walk, V noticed the stench of death and veered away from the group to go investigate. In a bush to the side of the road, she found the body of a mangled man. His entrails were pulled from his stomach and had turned green, from which V was able to tell he had been dead for over a weak. His arms and legs had bite marks like that of a wolf, but the ones on his arms and shoulders were much larger. V eventually remembered to tell the group what she found and they joined her.

“I believe he died when his insides became outsides,” Seril said. Bogdan then made a snarky remark about if they were going to keep staring or not. Seril then asked if he was going to eat the body and Bogdan said he doesn’t eat humans.

Seril was surprised the body hadn’t been eaten more and was left the way it was. After a bit of investigation she found a letter on the body. The letter was written by Kolyan Indirovich, theBurgomaster of Barovia. He mentioned that his daughter, Ireena had caught the eye of a vampyr. The burgonmaster begs for Barovia to be encircled so as to contain the vampires within and doom the inhabitants, in order to keep them from escaping into the rest of the world.

Learning of this, Menyn then asked Bogdan how vampire biting works and he admits he was human-born and doesn’t know much about vampire culture.

Menyn then suggested they go see Madame Eva, the soothsayer who sent him, and she could possibly help them escape. “It’s Barovia. There is no escape,” Bogdan pointed out. They then debated on whether to go to Madame Eva’s or the village of Barovia, which is closer. They decided to go to the town, since it was getting dark, but Bogdan seemed very hesitant to go into town. Menyn offered him his hood to wear and urged him to come with them.

### The village of Barovia

The mists guided them out of the woods and into lands with howling winds. Wailing came from the center of town. A huge castle casts a shadow over the village itself. The mists parted, allowing them into the village. It seemed empty and lifeless, except for a few chimneys’ smoke. Some people peeked out their windows at the group but otherwise the town was utterly still.

Menyn led the group to a tavern in the center of town, Blood of the Vines. Across from the tavern is a shop called Bilgerat’s Mercantile.

As they entered the tavern, Menyn called out to two figures, one a woman with a glass of wine and a colorful dress, the other a man with short hair, with patterns shaved into it. Menyn then made introductions, and pointed out he didn't know V’s name, so she finally, and awkwardly, introduced herself. Menyn then asked the woman at the bar about Madame Eva and struck up a conversation with her as well as the bartender, Erik.

Another figure, a chiseled, blond-haired man rushed up to V and grabbed at her but she ducked out of the way. He stared at her in confusion and said, “Ireena, it’s not safe for you to be out. He’ll find you. Come back to the mansion.” V objected, stumbling over her words, trying to tell him she’s not Ireena. After a moment he apologized, saying she is too short to be Ireena, she just looks a lot like her.

After some quick apologies, he asked if the group is from around here, and could they help him with something? He said he is Ireena’s brother, Ismark, and that the devil, Strahd, has attempted to take over his mansion. The devil is obsessed with his sister.

V, confused, asked when Ismark last saw Ireena, and he said he saw her this morning, which confused V even more. Ismark explains he wants to get Ireena away from the devil, as their father was recently killed and their home is under siege from the devil. V suggested possibly making herself as bait for Ireena, but Ismark doesn’t think the devil will fall for it, and she probably wouldn’t survive. Ismark then explains that Ireena is adopted, and was found by their father wandering through the woods about seven years ago when she was roughly twelve years old.

After the party agrees to help, Ismark tells them to meet him at his mansion in the morning, and leaves to go check on Ireena.

After he leaves, Seril got up and followed Bogdan to his room, with V following her. Bogdan asked if she came to assault him, and she said not without cause. Bogdan explains that his father is one of Strahd’s generals. However, Strahd didn’t care much for him and his mother, so he, Bogdan, doesn’t care much for Strahd. Seril warns Bogdan that she does not trust him and if he goes into a blood frenzy and hurts anyone, she will put a bullet in his head. Not that Bogdan knows what a bullet is. She gave a few more threats, then left the room and ran into V who was listening. Once Seril left, Bogdan asked V if she was there to make sure he didn’t snap Seril’s neck and V awkwardly said no, she was making sure Seril didn’t hurt Bogdan, before she ran off to her own room.

## Locations

* Svalich Woods
* Barova
* Blood of the Vines
* Bilgerat's Mercantile

## Featured Characters

### The Party

* Bogdan
* Menyn Kaynen
* Seril Dren
* V

### New

* Madame Eva
* Ismark
* Erik
* Strahd

### Mentioned

* Ireena
* The Burgonmaster