RECAP: Curse of Strahd, 10-11-26 (23) and 10-25-26 (24)

Refugee Family: Anton, Tereska, Oronova

Ambush at the Luna River Bridge

Having escaped the increasingly sinister confines of Vallaki, the adventurers continued west toward Krezk, eventually arriving at an ancient stone bridge spanning the Luna River. Though the bridge was illuminated by a curious collection of lanterns, evidence of danger was unmistakable: bloodstains, scattered remains, and the bodies of unfortunate travelers lay near the crossing.

Faline’s reconnaissance revealed several small creatures concealed among the trees and undergrowth on both banks. Rather than blunder into the apparent ambush, the party discussed how best to turn the creatures’ positioning against them.

Their approach quickly provoked a response. The hidden creatures, mischievous and vicious little beings known as nekkers, attacked with hurled pots of unpleasant substances, improvised weapons, and a considerable amount of gleeful mockery.

A chaotic battle erupted along the bridge and riverbanks. Several nekkers were hurled into the river, while others fell to magical attacks. The fighting also revealed an additional danger lurking beneath the water: an electric eel apparently cooperating with the creatures. Although the nekkers proved more troublesome than initially anticipated, the party ultimately gained control of the crossing.

The Knight Who Had Forgotten Time

As the confrontation wound down, the adventurers encountered a most extraordinary figure: a towering, skeletal knight who introduced himself as Sir Lingurvich of the Order of the Silver Dragon.

Despite his obviously undead condition, Sir Lingurvich displayed impeccable manners and genuine concern for the travelers. He explained that he had been assigned to guard the Luna River Bridge and apologized for the depredations of the nekkers, whose mischief had evidently escalated into murder.

The knight claimed allegiance to the noble dragon Argynvost and spoke confidently of the Order’s continuing struggle against an ambitious newcomer who styled himself Count of Barovia. There was, however, a disturbing discrepancy in his account. Sir Lingurvich believed that the war against Strahd was still in its second year.

The adventurers gradually realized that the knight had remained at his post for over a century, apparently unaware of the passage of time or the ultimate destruction of his order. His memories of former comrades, noble families, and important events belonged to a Barovia that had long since vanished. His sense of duty, however, remained undiminished.

Hospitality Beyond the Grave

With evening approaching, Sir Lingurvich invited the party to spend the night at his nearby residence.

The ancient knight proved a gracious, if somewhat peculiar, host. His furnishings and possessions were relics of another age, and he proudly offered the travelers wine from the Wizard of Wines.

Unfortunately, the wine had aged somewhat less gracefully than its host. What Sir Lingurvich considered a magnificent vintage had become a thoroughly undrinkable concoction, although he seemed entirely unaware of the problem.

During the evening, the party questioned the knight about Barovia’s geography and history. He spoke of Argynvostholt, his former comrades, the lands surrounding Krezk, and the Abbey of Saint Markovia. His knowledge was extensive but badly outdated, and he occasionally repeated stories without remembering that he had already told them.

The encounter left the adventurers with much to consider. Sir Lingurvich was unquestionably undead, yet he remained courteous, honorable, and seemingly devoted to protecting innocent travelers. His continuing existence appeared sustained less by malice than by an extraordinary commitment to a duty assigned centuries earlier. Before retiring, he assured the party that he intended to deal with the nekkers and their chieftain to prevent further attacks upon travelers. The party rested safely beneath his roof, while the sleepless knight returned to his lonely vigil at the bridge.

Refugees from Vallaki

The following morning, after bidding farewell to their unusual host, the adventurers resumed their journey west. Their travels eventually brought them into contact with a frightened family struggling along the road with a handcart laden with their few remaining possessions. The travelers were Anton Oronova, his wife Teresa, and their two young daughters Alana and baby Valentina, refugees who had fled Vallaki following the party’s departure.

Their account confirmed the adventurers’ worst fears. Lady Fiona Wachter had apparently consolidated her control over the town, but the new order had brought something far more terrible than ordinary political oppression. The constables were now enforcing a horrifying requirement upon Vallaki’s inhabitants: each household was expected to surrender a person after dark as a supposed contribution to public safety.

Those who refused faced brutal consequences. Anton and Teresa described neighbors being seized and families terrorized by the very men who were supposed to protect them. The couple also recognized that some of the constables were no longer behaving like ordinary human beings. Anton bore an ugly bite wound on his hand, sustained during their desperate escape. The adventurers examined and treated his injury, establishing that it was a humanlike bite rather than an ordinary animal wound. The refugees’ testimony painted a grim picture of a town transformed into a place of fear, where the authorities had become instruments of predation.

A Promise Made on the Road

The party agreed to accompany the Oronovas toward Krezk, offering protection to a family clearly ill-equipped to survive Barovia’s dangerous roads alone.

Anton asked the adventurers for one further kindness. His brother Stefan, a baker living on Vallaki’s north side, remained behind with his two young sons. Should the party return to the town, Anton begged them to tell Stefan that his family had escaped and would be waiting in Krezk.

As the travelers continued together, the children gradually became more comfortable with their new companions. Their conversation also produced an unsettling reminder of another danger the party had previously encountered: the seemingly kindly woman who distributed pastries to Vallaki’s children.

That evening, the combined group made camp. Food was gathered, a fire prepared, and the exhausted refugees enjoyed their first relatively peaceful rest since fleeing Vallaki. Although distant wolves could be heard howling in the north, nothing approached the camp during the night. By morning, Anton and Teresa were visibly refreshed, and the adventurers resumed their journey toward Krezk with the Oronova family in their care.

---

Key Developments and Discoveries

• The Luna River Bridge is guarded by Sir Lingurvich, an undead knight of the Order of the Silver Dragon who remains faithful to his centuries-old assignment.
• The Order of the Silver Dragon fought against Strahd, and Sir Lingurvich’s recollections suggest that he has remained unaware of its ultimate defeat.
• Argynvostholt remains a location of considerable interest, particularly given the party’s earlier Tarokka reading and the knight’s personal connections to the fortress.
• Vallaki has deteriorated dramatically. The constables are enforcing a system in which residents must surrender people after dark, suggesting that the town has fallen under the control of predatory supernatural forces.
• The Oronova family has escaped Vallaki, but Anton’s brother Stefan and his two sons remain within the town.
• The party has undertaken to protect the refugees as they travel toward Krezk.
• The Wizard of Wines and the Abbey of Saint Markovia were both discussed during the knight’s recollections, providing additional information about destinations in western Barovia.

Travelers on the Old Svalich Road

Having survived their encounter with Sir Lingurvich at the Luna River Bridge, the adventurers continued westward along the Old Svalich Road, accompanying the Oronova family toward Krezk. Anton, Teresa, and their two young daughters remained grateful for the protection afforded by their unusual traveling companions. Although the refugees had recovered somewhat from their ordeal, the journey was still a difficult one, particularly with two small children and the family’s few remaining possessions.

As the travelers approached a crossroads, they noticed three wagons approaching from the north. The wagons moved briskly, accompanied by several armed travelers whose colorful clothing and distinctive appearance marked them as Vistani. Given the dangers they had already encountered in Barovia, the adventurers were understandably cautious. Rather than immediately reveal their full strength, several party members remained concealed while others approached the travelers openly.

The Vistani proved willing to speak, particularly when the adventurers offered to exchange news of the road and the terrible events unfolding in Vallaki. Their conversation would provide some of the most disturbing information the party had yet received concerning the fate of the town.

The Vistani’s Terrible News

The travelers belonged to a Vistani group that had recently fled the encampment south of Vallaki. Their party included members of the Barbo clan, among them the elder Bartolome and the seer Fayina. Unlike others who had fled southward, these Vistani had chosen a circuitous westward route, hoping to escape the spreading violence. Their destination was the Wizard of Wines, where they hoped to find shelter and employment among the Martikov family’s vineyards.

The Vistani explained that their people had long enjoyed a measure of protection under Count Strahd. Whatever arrangements existed between the Vistani and the lord of Barovia, they had generally been sufficient to shield the encampment from the depredations of his servants. That protection, however, appeared to have failed. Vampire spawn, accompanied by Vallaki constables, had descended upon the encampment, ostensibly searching for fugitives. When the Vistani resisted their demands, violence erupted. Several people were killed, while three others were carried away alive. More disturbing still was the response when the Vistani invoked Strahd’s protection. The creatures dismissed the claim, suggesting that whatever privileges the Vistani had once enjoyed could no longer be relied upon. The refugees did not know whether Strahd himself had withdrawn his protection or whether his servants were acting beyond their master’s authority. Either possibility was deeply troubling.

The Blood Tax of Vallaki

The Vistani also confirmed reports that Vallaki had undergone a horrifying transformation. Lady Fiona Wachter was apparently still the town’s nominal ruler, but the vampire spawn and their collaborators among the constables had become the true instruments of power. The town gates were heavily restricted. Residents wishing to leave for legitimate business, including hunting, farming, or gathering firewood, were reportedly required to leave family members behind as hostages to ensure their return. The Blue Water Inn had been closed, and ordinary travel into or out of the town was becoming increasingly difficult. Worst of all were the rumors surrounding the so-called Gore Tax.

According to the Vistani, the authorities had begun collecting blood from Vallaki’s inhabitants, establishing a grotesque system of compulsory contributions to sustain the undead. The adventurers realized that the terrors described by the Oronova family were not isolated atrocities. Vallaki appeared to be undergoing a systematic transformation into a community maintained for the benefit of its vampiric masters.

One additional detail particularly concerned the party. The Vistani described a wounded constable being marched away as a prisoner. He wore an unusual ornament bearing the likeness of an eye, an item apparently distinctive enough to attract the seer’s attention. The man’s identity remained uncertain, but his circumstances suggested that not every constable had willingly joined the new order. For the adventurers, the news raised uncomfortable questions about the fate of former allies.

A Meeting of Friends

Despite the grim subjects discussed, the encounter remained peaceful. The Vistani offered to trade, and the adventurers took the opportunity to examine their wares and exchange small gifts. The travelers proved more interested in establishing goodwill than provoking conflict, and their conversation ended on friendly terms.

The two groups ultimately parted at the crossroads, the Vistani continuing toward the Wizard of Wines while the adventurers and their charges resumed the road toward Krezk. Yet the meeting left the party with a renewed appreciation of the dangers gathering behind them. Vallaki was no longer merely suffering under oppressive leadership. The undead were consolidating their hold over the community, and even the Vistani could no longer count upon their traditional protections.

The Shepherdess of Raven River Bridge

Later that day, the travelers approached the Raven River. Unlike the grim stone crossing at Luna River, this bridge presented a surprisingly welcoming appearance. The covered structure stood amid cultivated fields and grazing land, with an old windmill turning slowly in the breeze. Nearby stood several weathered stone figures, apparently positioned as guardians or markers around the crossing. Beyond the bridge lay a modest agricultural holding, complete with a sheep enclosure and fields of ripening barley. For perhaps the first time in days, the adventurers encountered a place in Barovia that appeared peaceful.

Their arrival soon attracted the attention of the farm’s occupant, a young woman named Ovidia. Dressed in practical clothing adorned with grasses and mosses, Ovidia initially mistook the travelers for an expected delivery from the Wizard of Wines. Upon learning their circumstances, however, she proved hospitable. She explained that she lived alone, tending her sheep, raising crops, and grinding grain at the windmill. Much of her produce was sold in Krezk, although trade had become increasingly difficult. Recognizing that the party was unlikely to reach Krezk safely before nightfall, Ovidia offered food and a place to rest. She did, however, have a favor to request.

A Simple Problem with Wolves

Ovidia explained that wolves had recently begun preying upon her sheep. One animal had been taken only two nights earlier, and the persistent threat had become more than she could reasonably manage alone. The adventurers, she suggested, might be able to help. If they would assist her in defending the flock, she would provide food and shelter for the evening. They could also keep the pelts of any wolves they killed, which might fetch a respectable price in Krezk.

The proposition appeared straightforward enough. Nevertheless, experience had taught the party to be suspicious of seemingly generous strangers in Barovia. Ovidia endured their questions patiently, and the adventurers eventually concluded that her intentions were sincere.

A plan began to take shape. Most of the sheep would be secured away from danger, while a few animals remained visible as bait. The adventurers would conceal themselves around the farm and bridge, allowing the wolves to approach before springing their trap. Considerable discussion followed concerning the placement of haystacks, the use of the bridge as a defensive position, and the tactical advantages of various spells. There was even a proposal involving the selective application of fire to a sheep. Fortunately for the sheep, that particular experiment was brief.

Meanwhile, the Oronova family was safely sheltered away from the expected fighting.

Wolves in the Darkness

As night settled over the Raven River, the adventurers took their positions. Ovidia supplied a pungent herbal preparation intended to mask their scent, allowing the party to remain concealed while the wolves approached. The defenders waited in uneasy silence. Eventually, movement appeared among the trees east of the bridge. Dark shapes slipped through the undergrowth, moving cautiously toward the pasture. More followed, until it became apparent that the approaching pack was considerably larger than a handful of ordinary predators.

The wolves moved quietly onto the covered bridge, sniffing the air and testing their surroundings. Despite Ovidia’s herbal preparations, several seemed to sense that something was wrong. The ambush began to unravel as the predators detected the hidden adventurers.

Then came a more disturbing revelation. At least one of the creatures was no ordinary wolf. A towering, manlike wolf emerged among the attackers, its enormous frame and unnatural movements identifying it as a werewolf. The party had encountered such creatures before, and the significance of its appearance was not lost upon them. Ovidia’s livestock were being hunted by something considerably more dangerous than a conventional wolf pack.

Fire on the Bridge

The battle erupted around the bridge and sheep enclosure. Grughilda confronted the advancing wolves directly, drawing their attention while her companions maneuvered into position. Tenzin moved to support her, while the party’s spellcasters unleashed an assortment of magical attacks and battlefield effects.

Hex employed Grease to create hazardous footing for the advancing creatures, while Iggy demonstrated that a sufficiently creative application of fire could transform an ordinary obstruction into a distinctly more dangerous one. Flames spread across the affected ground, inflicting injuries and disrupting the wolves’ advance. The tactic had considerable success, although it also complicated the defenders’ movements and threatened to turn portions of the farm into an obstacle course of their own making. Several wolves became trapped or delayed on the bridge, unwilling to advance into the fire. Others continued their attack, threatening the defenders from multiple directions.

Above the battlefield, Faline and other party members employed their abilities to harass the attackers, while Akuta demonstrated a surprising talent for striking wolves with well-placed sling stones. The engagement was as chaotic as it was dangerous.

The Werewolf Strikes

The enormous werewolf proved a far more formidable opponent than its ordinary companions. It engaged Grugilda directly, enduring powerful blows and demonstrating an alarming ability to recover from its wounds. The party noticed that injuries which should have left the creature bleeding instead appeared to close with unnatural speed.

The monster retaliated viciously with claws and teeth. Grughilda suffered a particularly dangerous bite, requiring a Fortitude saving throw against the possibility of something more sinister than ordinary injury. Meanwhile, the remaining wolves continued probing the party’s defenses. Magical fire, electricity, and other attacks took their toll, but the werewolf remained a serious threat.

The battle had developed into a contest of endurance and positioning. The party’s defensive preparations had helped contain much of the pack, but the creatures were far from defeated. As the fighting continued, the adventurers struggled to control the growing number of attackers while concentrating their efforts against the werewolf.

The outcome remained uncertain.

Key Developments and Discoveries

• The party encountered three Vistani wagons near a crossroads west of Vallaki and exchanged news concerning the growing crisis in the region.
• The Vistani encampment south of Vallaki had been attacked by vampire spawn and constables, leaving several dead and three people abducted.
• Strahd’s protection of the Vistani is now in doubt, although it remains unclear whether he personally sanctioned the attacks.
• The Gore Tax has been introduced in Vallaki, with the undead reportedly demanding blood from the town’s inhabitants.
• Vallaki’s gates are tightly controlled, and residents leaving on approved business must reportedly leave hostages behind.
• A wounded constable was reportedly taken prisoner, raising questions about the fate of the party’s former allies.
• The party met Ovidia, a kindly shepherdess and farmer residing near Raven River Bridge.
• Ovidia requested help defending her sheep, offering shelter, food, and the opportunity to collect wolf pelts.
• The attacking pack included at least one werewolf, whose regenerative abilities made it considerably more dangerous than the ordinary wolves.
• Grugilda suffered a werewolf bite, presenting a potentially serious complication.
• The battle remains unresolved, with the party defending Ovidia’s farm against the surviving attackers.

Where Things Stand

• The adventurers have reached Raven River Bridge, where they have found temporary refuge with Ovidia and secured shelter for the Oronova family.
• A large pack of wolves, accompanied by a powerful werewolf, has descended upon the farm. The defenders have successfully disrupted the attack with fire, magic, and force of arms, but the monsters continue to threaten them.
• Grughilda has suffered a dangerous bite, and the party has yet to discover the full consequences.
• Beyond the bridge lies Krezk and the promise of relative safety for the Oronovas.
• Behind them, Vallaki continues its descent into darkness.