VIBI-04

Link to Episode on Spotify

### Summary

The party head deeper into the werewolf den and make an unpleasant discovery. Hecktor's fortunes keep coming true when they stumble upon the huntress and Pip gets more and more fed up with Emmanuel deMonster.

### Intro

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> *Although you see no water for miles around, you are, like us, marooned. You're stranded in this sad and lonely placed called Barovia. To mix metaphors we are incarcerated. The fog that surrounds us are the bars of our dungeon and Baron von Strahd is our jailor. As far as I can tell there is only one way out, and that is: to kill the Devil Strahd.*
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### Recap

Pip Mandarin searches for animal trails, looking for a location the werewolves might frequent other than their den. There are many wolf prints going back and forth, evidently of both wolves and werewolves. There also appear to be drag marks, and another set of humanoid footprints slightly off the trail, apparently hunting.

Seeming to be fully committed to his previous prophecy, Hecktor enthusiastically ponders whether they might be the hunter/huntress Madam Eva spoke of. Pirrin agrees. Pip’s view is that it’s coincidence and the other hunting party is foolhardy. A conversation ensues; while Pip presses his head against a tree in annoyance, Hecktor proposes using the huntress as a distraction while their party sets up their trap.

Pirrin questions the prophecy Hecktor receives, and declares his belief that resisting destiny only results in frustration and then ultimately being dragged into fate. Exasperated Pip tells A’Gogash to drop the meat so they can go to the rescue of the huntress.

The party attempt stealth as they approach the werewolf den, but are not particularly successful.

There is a cave in the mountain face, the opening of which looks curiously like an open wolf’s mouth.

> *The open jaws of the wolf’s head form a fifteen-foot-high canopy of rock over the cave mouth, held up by natural pillars of rock. The ceiling rises to a height of twenty feet inside the cave. Torches in iron brackets line the walls. From somewhere deep inside, you hear the echoing sounds of a flute.* -Curse of Strahd, Chapter 15, Z1
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At the sound of a weapon being drawn all four turn around and see a person stalking them, an axe in one hand and a silvered sword in the other. She nearly has her sword at A’Gogash's neck before they notice her.

Clearly a Vistana, their attacker has long curly black hair, restrained with a bandana tied around her head. She is kitted out for battle with different vials and alchemical ingredients strapped to her body. Pip recognises them as the sorts of things a person with an Emmanuel deMonster would have about their person. She also has one metal leg as well as one regular leg.

Startling her, Hecktor exclaims “You’re the huntress!”

She introduces herself as Ezmerelda d'Avenir, and after clarifying that they are not werewolves, lowers her weapons. She explains that she heard them following her and doubled back when they weren’t looking. Seeing that she is clearly safe, Pip proposes they return to their trap option, though they left the raw meat back in the forest.

They move away from the cave entrance and introduce themselves, although Ezmerelda is distracted, not even noticing the delicacy with which A’Gogash treats her. She informs them that by her estimation approximately half the werewolves have gone away to hunt and there are several hours until their return. She is evidently distracted by the prospect of the hunt. She clarifies that her purpose is merely to kill the werewolves, she has no interest in entering Krezk.

As they return to the mouth of the cave, Ezmerelda’s impatience is evident.

Hecktor remembers Madam Eva’s words: “*Huntress is dogged. They see their target and fly towards it like an arrow. But every time an arrow lands it becomes more and more damaged, so it is important for Huntress to fly true, lest their time run out.*” He urges caution to her, recommending they lure the werewolves out with a distraction, while Ezmerelda and Pip offer cover. Ezmerelda is eager to confront the werewolves, but Hecktor convinces her that attacking immediately is essentially suicide, convincing her to wait, if only a little while.

Pip, Pirrin, and Ezmerelda hide in the woods, Pip casting ‘Pass Without Trace’ and Ezme becoming invisible, while Pirrin merely blends into the brush with natural stealth. Hecktor makes his spear a magical weapon and he and A’Gogash approach the opening of the cave, pretending to have a loud argument.

Two people, a woman and man in shredded clothing and wielding spears, wander out of the cave uneasily, reluctant to come further than the cave entrance. Cautiously they ask who the two are. The woman introduces herself as Aziana and the man as Davanka. They point out that Krezk is a long way away, and when Hecktor disagrees they announce that they must retrieve Skennis.

The music stops and at third person comes out, looking even rattier than the other two.

Frustrated, Pip reflects that the only advice Emanuel deMonster has on werewolves is “talk to them.”

While the other two stay close to the cave entrance, Skennis approaches them and points out they are in a dangerous place. Before more can be said, the trap is sprung, and Ezme launches herself out of the underbrush, casting a spell.

Seven bolts of magical energy launch at Skennis, striking him and nearly knocking him off his feet. Seeing battle is underway, A’Gogash throws himself forward, the magical effect around his feet flashing and leaving two lines (Back-to-the-Future-esque) as he arrives beside the other two werewolves in less than a second, commencing Rage. He swings his axe and beheads Aziana. Pirrin also rushes forward but, seeing this damage, pauses near hecktor and swears in admiration. Hecktor casts Channel Divinity to make his spear a sacred weapon, dragging his hand along it until it burst into flame with holy light. Pip fires two radiant bolts (homemade!) at Skennis, missing on the first shot but the second hits dead centre of his chest, evidently causing him a good deal of damage.

Skennis stares in horror as Aziana is beheaded, looks back at Hecktor, and his cautious expression turns to rage, before he transforms into a werewolf.

Using his Hunter’s Mark, Pip fires two more radiant bolts at him. The first hits him in the chest, the second in the eye; he collapses to the ground, reverting to human form.

A’Gogash swings at Davanka, beheading him as well. Hecktor stabs Skennis with the spear to ensure he is dead. Ezme estimates there are twelve werewolves in total, and there should be three further inside. Pirrin wonders if the ones they just slew were going to talk to them.

Entering the cave, the party see that the path diverges to the left and right, with the sounds of wolves to the left and the sound of moving water to the right. Pip warns that there are going to be dire and direst wolves as well as wolves (regular) and advises going toward the sound of moving water. Ezme wonders why they would avoid a fight they are going to have inevitably, but Hecktor agrees that maybe they will only have to fight werewolves if they can avoid fighting the others. Unhappy with this, Ezme accedes.

> *A gash in the rocky ceiling allows the gray light and cold drizzle of the outdoors to seep into this dank, torchlit cave, where an underground spring forms a pool of water roughly forty feet across and ten feet deep. A five-foot-high ledge to the north overlooks the pool. A similar ledge spans the eastern wall, with a rough-hewn staircase leading up to it. A few crates sit atop the eastern ledge.*
> Curse of Strahd, Chapter 15, Z4
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Assessing that while the water is possibly waist deep, it is wade-able, but otherwise this appears to be a dead end. “Wolves it is!” declares Pip.

> *A five-foot-high stone ledge overlooks this large cave, which has a smoldering campfire at the far west end. The floor is covered with gnawed bones.* -Curse of Strahd, Chapter 15, Z3
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In among the bones are nine wolves. As one of them howls, the party enters Initiative.

> *Only fire will distract a feasting dire wolf (regular).* -Emmanuel deMonster
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Declaring her pleasure, Ezme goes first. Charging forward, her first and second attacks both hit, killing the first wolf she encounters.

On his turn Pirrin casts Vicious Mockery. “These are just stupid dogs!” As Adam makes himself laugh, the spell does Double Damage, downing a second wolf.

On their turn, three of the wolves swarm Ezme, and she cries out as they bite at her. Two wolves charge past and lunge for Hecktor, who takes two hits for 15 points of damage, and is knocked prone. On his back and looking up at two wolves, Hecktor uses his spear to stab one first in the centre of its chest, then through its head, twisting and throwing it off, and allowing him to stand up.

With his strange magical feat rippling through the area, A’Gogash comes to Hecktor’s aid, swinging and cutting down the other wolf. He then moves toward Ezme.

Pip begins to use his Hunter’s Mark on one of the wolves attacking Ezme, but notices that two of the wolves have not fully entered the fight. As both of these howl he recognises them as dire wolves and alters his attack, aiming and firing twice (with regular bolts, but makes one a defensive shot) dealing 25 points of damage to one.

Recognising Pip as the superior threat, one dire wolf runs along the wall and lands at the back of the party, attacking Pip, who takes 10 points of damage is also knocked prone, while the other dire wolf goes for A’Gogash.

Ezmerelda screams from within the wolves “Call the medic…

…But not for me!” A bolt of electricity erupts from the pile of wolves. Two are thrown clear and fall dead. With one wolf still attacking her, Ezme gets to her feet.

Pirrin turns and helps Pip fight the dire (Direst?) wolf attacking him. He strikes with his rapier and kills the wolf, who falls on top of Pip, then reaches a hand to help Pip up while drawing his weapon out of the animal’s body.

The regular wolf attacks Ezme but misses.

Hecktor helps A’Gogash with the dire wolf attacking him, expending a powerful attack with Smite for 2D8, dealing 20 points of damage. The wolf is described as “not dead, but very unhappy” and this is certainly not improved when A’Gogash drops his great axe and grabs its head, lifting it up and squeezing it ala “The Mountain”1.

Hecktor goes after the Dire Wolf attacking A’Gogash. Expends a Smite for 2D8, dealing 20 points of damage. Not dead but very unhappy.

Pip fires an arrow at the direst wolf, putting it out of its misery. He fires another shot at the regular wolf, which wimpers and (as much as such a creature can) reconsiders its life choices. Ezmerelda attacks, missing first then hitting and downing the recalcitrant regular wolf.

After the fight, only A’Gogash and Ezmerelda appear to have taken any serious damage, mainly to their lower legs. Hecktor does Lay on Hands on Ezme for 4 hit points.

> *A maze of torchlit tunnels and caves expands in front of you. Bones lie strewn upon the floor.*
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> *The ceiling here is 10 feet high. The bones on the floor are a warning system. They crunch loudly underfoot, and creatures have disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to move silently through this area.*
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> -Curse of Strahd, Chapter 15, Z5 ‘Deep Caves’
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The party heads North through a honeycomb of caves. When presented with another choice in direction they head North again.

> *At the back of this cave hangs a curtain made of human skin.*
> -Curse of Strahd, Chapter 15, Z6
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Using the spear Hecktor brushes this abominable feature aside, as Ezme mutters “Savages” and even A’Gogash mutters something under his breath. Pirrin is the least horrified by it.

A set of stairs that spirals upward into the mountain.

They follow the stairs, slowly walking upwards until they emerge on to the edge of the mountain side.

> *A twenty-foot-diameter ring of stones dominates a rocky ledge on the mountainside. Within the ring, you see spattered blood and small, gnawed bones. Lying on the ground outside the circle are several spears stained with dry blood.*
> -Curse of Strahd, Chapter 15, Z8 ‘Ring of Stone’
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Though it is clear something awful happens here, beyond that no one can tell what occurs in this place. Hecktor senses Consecrated Ground somewhere nearby, but it emanates with an awful aura. The bones and spears in this circle are described as “child sized.”
Returning to the caves, they had back down the stairs, facing two East and two Westward options, and head North East.

> *Rough-hewn stairs lead down to a torchlit cave and a bizarre sight: wide-eyed children stand behind wooden bars and stare at you in terrified silence. The cave holds six wooden cages, their lids held shut with heavy rocks. Two of the cages are empty, and each of the others holds a pair of frightened children.*
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> *A crude wooden statue stands between the cages. It bears the rough likeness of a wolf-headed woman draped in garlands of vines and night flowers. Piled around the statue’s base is an incredible amount of treasure. A woman in shredded clothes kneels before the statue. Behind the statue, two maggot-ridden corpses hang from iron shackles bolted to the wall.*
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> -Curse of Strahd, Chapter 15, Z7. ‘Shrine of Mother Night’
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The woman is praying to the statue and has not noticed the party when they enter.

Horrified and enraged, Hecktor takes a surprise attack, as does Ezmerelda. Charging forward she pulls a vial from her bandolier which has a needle tip. She jams this into her thigh; instantly all the liquid is shot into her.

Furious, both Hecktor and Ezme attack. Hecktor literally flies forward, and uses his magical weapon to attack twice. (Aside from his +1 +1, he does an extra 6 radiant damage. Hitting twice with 3D8 and an extra 2D8 (+6) he deals 46 points of damage.) Ezmerelda’s eyes turn vibrant white and shine faintly with light. The light transfers from her eyes down to her weapons, which burn with holy energy. She also hits twice, dealing a further 31 points of damage. Together they do 78 damage total. This splits the woman in two, and she dies instantly. Uncharacteristically shocked, Pirrin puts his hands up and exclaims “Whoa!”

Hecktor fails a religion check (DM Adam Carnevale gets a Bad Boy card) and has no idea what the statue represents, but has a strong urge to push the statue over.

There are eight children in the cages, all apparently in shock. It takes little time to lift the rocks from the cages and free them. Pip quickly notices that seven of them have obvious bite marks, though he can’t tell how old the bites are, and tries to intervene on Hecktor’s rescue attempts.

He knows enough about werewolves to know that the sooner a bite is treated the better the outcome, but once the full moon occurs (and the next full moon is approximately 10 days away) the curse is irreversible (short of an extremely Divine miracle). He pulls out Emmanuel deMonster and conveys that they need to find a powerful cleric as quickly as possible. There is one in Vallaki, though he’s not sure if they are powerful enough to help, and an abbey in Krezk, possibly with a healing pool.

Ezmerelda has been side-eyeing the children dangerously, but it’s clear she hasn’t made up her mind about what to do with them yet. Hecktor, meanwhile, has attempted to comfort the children and promises to retrieve them. The children cannot speak, nodding meekly and following the party.

Pirrin speaks up, pointing out the folly of lumbering themselves with children when there are more werewolves both inside the cave and presumably on their way back soon. Pip wonders if saving the children will be enough for Krezk to let them into the settlement. Meanwhile Ezme topples the statue.

Pip and A’Gogash investigate the treasure that was at the foot of the statue.

Hecktor asks, gesturing to the treasure, if money will be needed to pay for healing the children. Ezme points out a cleric may require payment for spell components, and it will depend on how long ago they were turned.

They find a number of gemstones, which are valuable not only for their monetary value but also as alchemical components; Ezme and Pip split them between them.

* 2 agate
* 6 aquamarine (for grenades)
* 2 malachite
* 5 rubies

They also recover:

* An ornate electrum censer with platinum filigree (worth 750 gp)
* An ivory drinking horn engraved with dancing dryads and satyr pipe players (worth 250 gp)

At this point Pirrin takes an interest, and takes a cut of the following  (all coins of mintages foreign to Barovia):

* 2000cp
* 450sp
* 125gp

### Notes

1 A reference to Game of Thrones 'The Mountain'

### Word Count

2752

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Wizards of the Coast. (n.d.). *Curse of Strahd - Werewolf Den*. DnD Beyond. https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/cos/werewolf-den