High Rollers DnD - High Rollers: Curse of Strahd #27 | Hunt for Baba Lysaga

Episode Date: February 16, 2021

The team join the wereravens on the hunt for the incredibly powerful witch Baba Lysaga! Support the High Rollers and get early access to podcast episodes (and more) on our Patreon: www.patreon.com/HighRollers Thanks to @jackgtmusic for the Aerois/Curse of Strahd mash-up intro! Music courtesy of Epidemic Sound Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pickaxe. Go back to school with Rogers and get Canada's fastest and most reliable internet. Perfect for streaming lectures all day or binging TV shows all night. Save up to $20 per month on Rogers Internet. Visit Rogers.com for details. We got you. Rogers. Last time on Curse of Strahd. With the loss of Zeros and Ziki, the haggard and desperate heroes flee into the woods, hoping to evade the attention of Strahd's minions. Rose attempts to lead them back to the Wizard of Wines, but something is angry and the

mists of Barovia conspire against her, leading her astray as the sound of large, leathery wings above the canopy begin to search for them. When all seems lost, the very earth and trees seem to stir and hide them from notice as a trail of glowing insects and cleared earth lead them into a swamp where they see dozens of half-buried corpses of adventurers just like themselves. From this pile of bodies, a tiefling rises up and appears to split in two, a rampant fungus-like growth creating body parts for it to become two creatures that introduce themselves as the Maia. Jesper, rightly afeard of the creatures and its ominous and vague messages, draws the sun sword and attacks. One of the Maiars sends spores into the air

that cause Rose to nearly kill Ismark, and tensions rise dramatically. The Maiar shows no sign of hostility, and eventually, the groups do reach an understanding, the Maiar making it clear that it is an enemy of Strahd. With no other options, the heroes trust in the Maiar to help them return to the Wizard of Wines and return the stolen gemstones. With the gemstones returned and explaining the story of what happened to Zeros and Ziki, the were-ravens thank them and welcome them to stay once more in their home over the evening. With the Maya now accompanying the party, they must decide on how they want to proceed in securing the next relic from Baba Lasaga, a witch that lives nearby.

And that is where we begin today's episode. Wonderful, eh? And I believe that it was already morning. You guys had had a long rest already. had a long rest already um and you had met out in the orchards where the maya had pulled itself free kind of creating this kind of leftover growth of mushrooms and red vines and fungus that had almost encased them and then they've broken free leaving chunks of it behind that begin to uh rot and decompose uh enriching the soil beneath them. And that is where we

kick off today's episode. Kind of cute. I mean, there is a point in that recap of the mire made it clear that they were not an enemy. No, they fucking didn't. No, they fucking didn't make it clear. Eventually, I said eventually they did.

Eventually. Eventually they made it clear. It it did took a bit but we were there now we're friends now best buds now yeah best buds symbiotic relationship and yeah the one of the guys choose to like put their hands and then feet in the ground, and that's how you sleep? Yeah. Oh, yeah. Enriched by the soil. One with the earth. How can we be friends with these things?

The mire hasn't eaten food. The mire has kind of planted itself and fed off the energy of the earth, basically. Same way that they can take nourishment from the sun sword or sunlight in general they're going to be skulking around my sword all the time

so I believe that you guys had it had been over the evening just as dawn was peaking that you met the mire you made your way back to the wizards wines within an hour, and then you took a long rest. So we're looking at probably, you know, this is morning, mid to late morning at this point. So Barovia, as always, there is no sunlight in Barovia, but there is this kind of pale gray light that signifies daytime. The clouds overhead are thick and heavy.

There is a light drizzling rain that seems to just perpetually fall. And the soft mud earth of the winery kind of surrounds you. As yeah, you have places to go and things to explore. You still have a lot of choices. Obviously, Jasper, you know that one of these relics, having performed a Taroka reading with the spirit of Madam Ava in the nine hells, with her spirit guiding you, you had performed a Taroka reading,

and that Taroka reading had pointed you to a witch's hut uh and buried kind of beneath it um in this kind of pile of stuff inside her her abode uh there was this gleaming light um that is the only real clue you have the where ravens have said that they can take you to where Baba Lasaga, who is this witch makes her lair but so far you have yet to head out okay so I think Jesper will just gather himself

up and wait for the other two living, breathing people that are completely normal in Jesper's book. And then keep a good safe distance from the mire until those two perfectly find... You awaken so early, Jesper.

Oh, hello. Just waiting for the other party members. You're taking all the sunlight, don't you? Yeah, he looks at the drab sky. What I can get, I suppose. Now, I have a question for you. Which one? You both, I assume, you share.

I mean, you're one half of the other. Are you not symbiotic? Do you have your own personality? I don't understand anything at all. I'd like to indulge in what you are a bit. To help you understand us, we can introduce ourselves separately. I am the maya and this one i am the maya the maya right you may call us the maya we will the maya good to meet you both I have a question I do the rocker or the Meyer I am addressing you

both this is a group session right I'm going to each give you both the same amount of eye contact throughout Baba Lasaka does this mean anything to you Baba Lasaga, does this mean anything to you? For both mayas, your benefit, you would be aware of Baba Lasaga, yes. Baba Lasaga is old. Very, very old. As old as the maya.

Perhaps nearly as old as the land here. She's always been connected to Strahd, even though Strahd has... I mean, the Maya would know that this is not... Strahd has lived many, many times. He's been killed and reborn, killed and reborn.

And Babalasaga has always been there. You know that she is powerful, that she has magic. She keeps herself to herself normally, but of late has been helping these savage druids and barbarians attack the Wizard of Wines. She has been using more of her magic recently. But outside of that, you don't know, like as a consciousness,

you are more aware of what the land would know. You know roughly where she is. She lives in this ruined, swampy village called Beres. And she's powerful. That's all you really know well my her flesh is as old as we are what you made this Tom yeah that's my fault

I made my gross disgusting bed she should have been with us long ago yet she evades our grasp she is of the swamp. That's where she resides, no? Seems similar to you. Some connection?

An ally? Once an ally, now an enemy? Bubble Cypress Waste being her own power. She can draw magic from the land, but she is not betrothed to it. She is not a servant of it. She is her own being. She is as enriched by the soil as we,

but we are the Maya and she is Babalasaga. We are not the same. So she is dead and the risen? She is the land? Like you, but different? So she is dead and risen? She is the land? Like you, but different?

Is there anything we should fear or prepare for? She is very powerful. Right. She holds something. Something that could help us defeat Strahd. I have had a reading and so far they have led us to things such as this. And I hold up the

Sun Sword and give it a little... Yeah, I mean, I guess for like for the Mai's benefit, like the Sun Sword is like a starving person being presented a banquet you know it's it's you know you you can you've been surviving but you it's you know having lived off nothing you are now presented with everything uh it is very very alluring to the maya the sun

sword um just basking in its radiance entrrust us with the sword for just a few moments. No, I don't think that is necessary. I am quite capable of holding onto it myself. Thank you. But the fresh rain, the fresh water

and the sunlight. Perfect. Perfect match. Perfect. Perfect match. Right. Where are the other two? I'm going to wait awkwardly. I'll join.

Sure. Sure, sure, sure. Dog Spotty's been, you've been hearing him in the background just running around playing tag with the kids.

I'll be glancing. every now and again you can hear like a roar you know kind of it's like kind of trying to spook them and yeah dogs honey come on now please i hear it um why have you got the sun sword out right now I am showing them that there are artifacts of power to defeat Strahd and we are heading towards another one

that with all of them we could maybe stand a chance why are they looking at it in that way I don't know it's very strange disconcerting uh irena and ismark uh come out of the house ismark um they've uh he was being treated kind of why you took a long rest um he's he's taken a long rest irena's taken a long rest as well ismark uh his burns on his face have been covered up by a kind of

blackened leather mask kind of wrapped around like the side of his head and then attached with straps um kind of covering like a very phantom of the opera right like it kind of covers covers half of his face uh and then his blonde hair kind of still spilling out of the unburnt side so he has this kind of like real phantom of the Opera kind of vibe to him at the minute. And then he has this long black leather glove that now covers up the burnt arm as well. You can see it's like various straps and belts have been attached to it

so that it kind of stays secure in place. He has all of his equipment. He has the silvered flail. He has his battle axe. And he doesn't, he looks like he is committed to finishing all of this off, he seems resolute. Irina

or Tatiana with her awakened acknowledgement of who she is approaches well I would say good morning but I suppose it already is have you decided what you wish to do next I know that the relic rests with Lasaga

do you know much about the witch of the wilds very little I was trying to gleam some more perhaps from the mire and I I think that our newest companions here if I understand

what they are exactly their knowledge would be it is not dissimilar to asking a tree or a plant what it knows of the world it does not understand necessarily the motivations of people what they are capable of merely what they impact around them

if I understand you correctly Meyer, shall we address you? am the maya and this is the maya we are the maya should we land yes should we maybe have two something to identify which one of you that we are speaking to or do you always just both answer to the one name we are one we are in okay i don't think it matters honestly i think that they are one one mind Lasaga, my memories are still fragmented. My life as Irina, as so many other young women here in Barovia, has interfered with my memories as such. Ah, there was a time that I went by other names as well, but as Tatyana, to an extent, I think many souls here in Barovia. More like many books within one book, many stories of same same story retold the saga there have always been dark

rumors when i was betrothed to sergey um there were rumors about lasaga this old witch who Strahd's mother, Ravinovia, not Ravinovia, yes, Queen Ravinovia, she was always suspicious of this witch, this witch Lasaga. She was exiled, was not allowed to approach the prince, Sergei, myself. We heard stories. She's obsessed with Strahd. Obsessed. She would sometimes be seen flying or lurking around the castle, stealing glimpses at him. I am not sure if he harbors any loyalty to her or any connection, but when people in

the villages, sometimes if they are desperate, they will seek her out to make bargains and receive magics, trinkets, these sorts of things. I have never heard of it going well. She commands magic, powerful magic, but she's not invaluable. She is not Strahd. She is not divinity. She is not the mists or the dark powers that gave Strahd his powers.

She is a mage, a witch, a powerful one, yes. One that has lived far longer than she should have, but still. I think that if we are to proceed, perhaps caution would be best advised. I think that a straight battle against her without other allies could be dangerous.

But I do not know what has changed. I do not know if the years have diminished her powers or if she is even stronger than she was when I knew of her. But I'm afraid that is all I know. Assume the worst

and prepare for the worst. I think we have learned our lessons in the harshest way possible. We've lost a lot of allies along the way through some foolhardy and some bad thinking. I know that we are keen to find this relic that you have seen, Jasper. But... and forgive me, perhaps it is not my place to make these decisions, but is it worth us seeking out further allies? I know that that woman, Esmerelda, was cruel and no ally of our friend dog's bodies but she seemed to know how to fight I would fear us if we do end up in a battle against Babalosago

without any allies at our side I just worry how well it will go there is also the village of Krezik the town of Krezik it has walls and people there that may be able to assist us but I do not know how much we can trust them and what has changed I think that's a very fair point we've lost

a lot of people Jesper if we go in without backup again to someone who is very dangerous by the sounds of it, we might not make it out this time. You and I have somehow... we're the only ones left from our original group. I don't want us to not come out of this one. We need to think carefully because we don't have any backups here. Maybe Krasik is a good shout. Even if Esmeralda doesn't help,

maybe others will. My one concern is this party is doomed and that responsibility of bringing others into the fold dooms them as well and yes we do need strength but how many more losses are we willing to take but you're right we do need something but I will only accept people into the party if

dog's body wishes them to be there so what do you think dog's body this whole time has just been staring lovingly at Irina what what was the question hi lovingly at Irina. What? What was the question? Hi. How are you doing, Irina?

You eating? You slept well? You had enough food to eat? I'm well, thank you. I know you are... It is difficult. If you wish to call me Irina, call me Irina, or Tatiana if you wish. I've had many names. I know for Ismark, it's hard not to think of me as Irina.

And if that is the same for you, you may call me that as well. But I am well, dog's body, yes. I will feel better once we have either found allies or safe walls to hide behind. The were-ravens have shown us a great kindness by harbouring us here, but you all know as well as I do it is only a matter of time till Strahd comes looking for me again.

Whatever is keeping him from seeking me out, it must be important. Speaking of were-ravens, those kids are great, aren't they, hey? Gave me a right run for my money just now. But it reminded me, the witch in the woods, in the swamp,

she has some of these little kitties. You know, she's got some of them, and if we go trotting off somewhere else, I can't help but feel that them kitties is doomed, right? And that's not great. I feel like we owe it to the family. They've done nothing but look after us and give us shelter and food

and not stick things in us, you know, sharp things, not throw bottles at me head. And I worry about them kiddies, frankly and that woman she wants me dead, she doesn't see me as a living thing, she calls me it she sees me as less

than an animal and if you if you need her as an ally fine but she stays away from me that is fair enough and you're right we need to save lives

right now we have an issue and the were-ravens are willing to guide us too maybe they can lend their assistance on getting some of their people back yeah they did say i think um i just need to check their names uh davian's the elder he's the eldest of the the crown but adrian who's the eldest son um elvir stefania uh all basically, the three of them, they're the eldest, basically. They said that they would not only,

they would come with you basically to either try and help you or show you the way at least. They're not the greatest warriors, but they'd certainly be willing to, like for the sake of rescuing their children, they would definitely come with you and you could probably convince them to fight alongside you if needed. Okay.

I think Jesper would be very keen for that idea and would if everyone else is on board, go and approach them and ask them that we are ready to head off and save their children as soon as we can. Really. Sure. Okay.

Yeah, Adrian will come out. He's just like, I'm glad that you have all recovered well. Yes, myself, my brother, and my brother, my sister, my wife, we are all ready to lead you, at least to the village of Beres, and perhaps we can help you

when we get there as well. We have a few simple weapons with us, but mainly we can help you when we get there as well. We have a few simple weapons with us, but mainly we can perhaps provide some reconnaissance, if nothing else. You have people to stay here to protect what you have here? Well, if you've taken care of, if you told me that you had killed all the druids from Yesterhill, they were dead, yes?

Yes. Of course, there are other threats all the time well then well there are although not so much around here uh the woods the wolves and the bats don't tend to come out during the day as much not at least into the the vineyards and uh well i mean unless the devil himself comes looking i don't think that we have too much to worry about. The main threat is Lysaga now. If we are going to hers, to her lands and her lair, then

if we see her flying back this way we come back and we protect our own, but we can at least show you the way perhaps two of us will come back once we've shown you, but I'd rather we have numbers as we travel. Agreed. And I

want to make it clear to you. We draw attention. We have done ever since we've batted together to try and make a difference. So... You're an enemy of Strahd, of course. The devil doesn't like people that don't bow to him

you've chosen not to bend the knee yes? yes we show no defiance and we have paid for it as well and I want you to know that risk in coming with us whatever the devil is up to I don't think it will end well for us anyway. We do what we must.

I know the people of Barovia, a lot of them, their hopes have been trampled, their lives diminished. We've known something else. The blessing of lycanthropy, but also these lands, the wine, the flowers the grass it's given us a taste of what life could be and for that I'm willing to fight let's save your children

thank you can I um as we walk off can I just elbow Jesper and just lean in and in a loud whisper just be like, Oi, you didn't give me this warning when I ended up with you lot. We stumbled upon you, unfortunately, dog's body, in the midst of quite a conundrum, I believe. Sorry that I didn't give you fair warning.

It's alright, mate. It's just, you know. Big boy's coming after me now as well what a motley crew we make I think perhaps dog's body things are yes but it's had a few more sobering moments ever since this is obviously Ismar because he's like rasping through his half burnt throat

things are a little different, I think. We still had some reckless courage back when we met you. Rest your voice, mate. I'm only rustling your jimmies. Let's rustle... What a jimmy is. Some swamp jimmies. I don't know. what the jimmy is some what is swami jimmy's i don't know always you know when you got change in your pockets

uh what is the maya doing both of the mayas what is the maya up to as all of this is going on like we can say that this is like as you guys are like beginning to leave the wizards like if you're happy to just start making progress like you can leave um and then you can decide when you get to the road um it looks like it looks like the adrian will basically lead you up to a crossroads so he'll lead you north um or he'll start leading you north um rather than cutting through the woods and the valleys and the mountains he's going to lead you up to a crossroads uh which from which you can either choose to go to krezik or he can lead you to the ruined uh village of berez which is where uh abu lasaga is

how far is krezic from did we find out how far Krezic is from Krezic? yeah hang on I'm also just going to check the I'm checking the module map for exactly where Berez is as well the lands of Borovia the valley of the land

so right next to us so right next to us let's see here i don't know what were you doing re during that conversation i think my mire would be like just drink like getting a moment to like drink in the fresh rain water because like all they've all they've drunk is swamp water and they haven't had fresh rain for a long time so i guess they're standing there their mouth wide open just drinking in rainwater and then pulling in and then pulling water into their hands and letting all the bugs come around her hands and drink nice drink from her hands yeah i think if there were any kids after you were talking about the kiddies going missing if any of the kids were still around then like that head is constantly

locked onto the kids running around the garden and stuff just watching them i don't know if they actually see you these are were-raven kids so there's actually little fear they find the mire curious but they're not necessarily afraid of it but yeah

they just kind of watch it with a kind of curiosity there's definitely a kind of element of seemingly being comforted by this more natural presence. In terms of distance, each hex on the map is about a quarter mile.

And in a day, you guys can cover about 24 miles if you're just moving at a normal pace. And you can cover about three miles an hour. So one, two, three, four, one mile, one, two, three, four, four miles if you're just moving at a normal pace. And you can cover about three miles an hour. So one, two, three, four, one mile, one, two, three, four, two miles, one, two, three, four, three miles, one, two, three, four. You can get to Krezik from where you are in just over a bit of an hour of travel by walking.

Adrian will tell you that Beres is a little bit further away and it basically involves heading back down to Argenvostolt and then traveling about another sort of half an hour south and that will take you probably about 1, 2, 3, 4 2, 3, 4 1, 2, 3, 4 1, 2, 3, 4

1, 2, 3, 4 that'll probably take you sort of about 3 hours 4 hours 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4. That'll probably take you about 3 hours, 4 hours total to get there to Berez. Okay. Hmm. Interesting. I've got to warn you, though. There's nutters in Krezic. Really weird nutty priest. Abbott. Abbott priest. Abbot.

Abbot priest. One of those. We've seen them passing by. What Dog's Body says is correct. We've had them come by for wine. We've traded with Krezik for years. We send them shipments of wine. They're good people generally, but there has been this fervent

rebirth of religion there in the last maybe month or so, perhaps less. This new abbot has become the talk of the town. Once a bit of a feared outsider, he is now a hero to Krezik. He's repelled Strahd's forces, fended off creatures from the woods. He's put together an army of soldiers that are stronger, faster than normal people. And he is defending Krezik. They have some strangeness about them. He's offered us, he's made many attempts to have us relocate to the town but

obviously we knew about the secret of the gems we couldn't leave the winery but yes very strange zealotous folk fire and light they seem to be obsessed with well I can understand if there's tangible hope.

People will cling to it when there is nothing else. I get it. But it can be easily exploited, so... Well, before we head off, what direction would you like to head in? I can lead you to the crossroads and then you decide. The crossroads is maybe just under... It's not even an hour, really. Half an hour to the crossroads and then you decide. The crossroads is maybe just under, it's not even an hour really. Half an hour to the crossroads.

Do we really have time to spare detouring to another place when your children are in danger? I leave that to you. Our children are taken by Baba Dosaga. We have no hope of rescuing them ourselves. We will try, but I fear that in doing so, we will die. If you choose to go another path to seek aid, that is your decision.

I'll look at everybody else and see what they think. Obviously for us, yes, we would prefer you to go as soon as possible. With your help, maybe we can rescue the children. I'm not saying we have to fight Baba Lasaga, but perhaps with your knowledge, your skills, your magic, we can rescue them. But if you feel that you must go elsewhere, that is your destiny. If it comes to a fight, though though are you able to assist us

we are I will fight yes Stefania, Elvir they are younger they have not fought before we will do what we can I will fight yes as lycanthropes we do have

greater reflexes than most. We are more resistant to weapons, but Babalasaja's magic, well, I don't know how well we will fare against it. But, of course, I will do what I can. Perhaps the others will as well. I'd prefer not. I'd prefer my family. If it was up to me, my wife and I will stay to fight for our children, and I would have my brother and his wife flee. I would have them flee to the rest of my family, gather them, take the gems, and run.

Find somewhere in Barovia to hide, if possible. Well, what does everybody think well if you're ready to leave let us make our way to the crossroads and then you can make a decision there because on traveling to the crossroads I need Roll a d20. Three. No. Three and on. Roll a d20 for me, please. Please. You travel without incident. You arrive.

And it's a familiar scene because on the way you pass by a broken wagon, Esmeralda's broken wagon that had collapsed as you were being chased. You follow this to a bridge and you find that this crossroad, you can head northwards across the bridge and Adrian points, Krezik lies this way, and you can see just in the distance,

kind of nestled up into the mountains, this walled town. You can't see any details, so you can just see the outline of the walls and the buildings, but you can see a walled town to the north. That would be exactly, yes, Krestor. In fact, I will mark it on your maps so S

represents Krezic I'm going to actually just reveal a bunch of stuff that you've already visited S for Krezic yeah it's kind of just stupid oh actually there's the name I can put this here there we go there's the name. I can put this here. There we go.

There's Krezik. Nice. Lake Baratok you've been to. Yeah, the giant stride attack. Yep. The lackey, we've already got unlocked. Yeah, so to the north, you can head towards Krezik by crossing over the bridge,

or if you head south to where Q is, that is Argen Vostholt, where you met Dog's body, where you recovered the Sun Sword and encountered Strahd. And then further south from that, Adrian gestures his leg, beyond Argen Vostholt, following along the Lunar River, we will find the ruins of Berez, where the witch makes her lair. I leave it to you.

I would prefer to follow the road. We could cut the time down traveling through the wilderness, but it is far more dangerous to do that i wish to save the children as soon as we can what of the rest of you you know me i'm in it for the kids? I am too, but I worry that we will end up in a fight here

and we won't have enough. I might end up in a fight with the Abbot and his friends. Abbotty friends sounds a bit culty to me. True, but we know that Babu Zasaga is very powerful and will definitely not take kindly to us.

We don't know that the people in Krezic won't take kindly to us. We can assume. I say that we do our best to rescue the children, but do it stealthily. We try and avoid as fight as best we can, and we run if necessary. Irena looks in. I think that the Rose has the right of it.

As much as I would love to save these children's lives, as much as I feel for them, we cannot help them if we die ourselves. I think that perhaps heading to Krezik may be our best option. What of… You can help if you die. We can help you if you die. You'll still be with us. Always be with us.

Comforting. Do you mean that we will join the Mire? That does not sound like it would be useful to us right now we will welcome you with open arms but not until you serve us for a little bit longer after you expire hmm well uh this thing is beginning to... Is Marcus just like looking very uncomfortably at the mire? I do not like the way it looks at me as if I'm already half buried in the ground. I'll smile then. Knowing that Tatiana has...

of all of us, has the greatest understanding of the threat that Babalasaka faces and poses to us, then perhaps we should at least try and find extra help. Or get wrapped up and embroiled in more problems at Kretic. We'll see. I'm happy to try. If we can be quick about it. We can put a time limit on it. We can maybe give ourselves a certain amount of time.

If we're not getting anywhere, we get back on the road. Very well. You do see, as you are having this conversation, Adrian and the Were-Ravens do look a little bit crestfallen. They do look like they kind of resign themselves. They kind of accept that this probably is not going to turn out very well for them. But they don't say anything.

You can just see that they're like... Their kind of heart breaks a little bit. Adrian nods his head. Well, this is as far as... This is as far as we can take you then. I'll have to have... My brother and I will go and scout out Berez. We'll send our wives back to the others

and begin making plans to see what we can do to rescue our children. I hope that you can find help quickly and that you stay safe. I'm sorry. Is there any chance you can wait for us? we will wait as long as we can we will scout out Borez but if it looks like Lasagra is going to do something with our children we know that she intends to kill them

if we do not give up the gemstones, if we do not give up the land we will do everything we can If we do not give up the gemstones, if we do not give up the land, we will do whatever thing we can. We will wait as long as possible, but I do not know when we will need to act. I'm sorry. We do not act now.

I do not know when we will. But if you think this is the best course of action, you have returned the gemstones to us, you have recovered the one that we lost, you are clearly enemies of Strahd, and if you feel that this is best, if you feel that your destiny lies in Krezig, then so be it.

Not every life can be saved. And they look very sad at that particular line well son of a bitch on one hand he has an NPC that's like we should go to Kresik and on the other crestfallen it's almost like the DM doesn't want to tell you what to do

and instead you guys make your own decisions humans are confusing creatures you what to do and instead you guys make your own decisions. Yeah, of course. Humans are confusing creatures. You seem to keep yourself from death for so long and yet death is being delivered to these children

and we run away. Not now. That is again. The walking swamp does have a point. We go to preserve ourselves and consign these children to death? She holds a relic that... She holds a relic that you desire so much.

Why do we walk away? We have nothing to give her. We have nothing to persuade her. We have nothing to persuade her. Does anyone have any idea how we would avoid a combat and still get what we want out of this? What can we do? Sneak? Steal? Lure her away like some sort of beast?

I need to get more rough when I'm speaking as is Mark now lure her away sneak in rescue the children perhaps we come back for the relic the children must be our first priority though yes rescue them get them back to their parents so that they can

flee then we can come for the relic let us at least go and see what where they are being held if lasaga has them in her clutches then maybe we have to back off but maybe she keeps them separate from herself maybe they are locked away somewhere that we can rescue them true we can take the opportunity to scout at least. Weigh up our options by knowing. But if she finds us, Ismark, if she finds us, Jesper. As Rose says, that will be a battle. A battle we may not win.

Here is another good point. It's almost like these NPCs have their own opinions. How dare they have their own opinions? How dare they? How dare they? How dare they not just tell you what to do? How dare they? I just want to hear, is Mark and Tatiana arguing?

Yeah, just argue. Should we go? Should we just go and Mark can do the next hour? It's like choosing death or death of NPCs. Well, it's like death now, death later.

Yeah. Yeah. He's lost most of the party already, okay? Yes, but I think... Multiple times, actually. Two deaths each for some of them. It's been...

I love how, as well, like, Jesper is, like, flip-flopping as a coin. It's just like, no, we should go and rescue the children. But maybe Kresik is a good idea. No, we must rescue the children. But what if... When anyone brings up a different argument,

he's like, oh, no no you're right that's a good point precipice of like how best can we do you know what where's our best chances of actually making a difference right now that's where yes per is like if we just throw ourselves you know unwillingly into babel attack or die no one is saved versus wasting our time potentially getting caught up in something in Krezic and everybody dies anyways and he's also got the guilt there's a lot of guilt so I think he's

nudging towards helping now I can't let this stand she's thinking about the fact that there's a little green gem in the ground and that's what she wants. So why don't we cover it in bioluminescent algae as a diversion? That's what I was thinking. I was thinking diversion as well. Diversion! No.

But yeah, I think that seeing the guilt, the guilt from, yeah, it's kind of leaning more towards helping now because of them being like, okay. What can I say? I mean, like, this is literally, they know that if you guys walk away, like the were-ravens,

and you can tell this just from insight, like passive insight and things like that. If you walk away, if you go to Krezik, the chances that their kids will die and that they may die rescuing them go up exponentially uh whereas if you help now there is still a great risk but the chances that they can save their kids is higher going up exponentially is tpk tp TPK the sooner we can play something else is firmly team team where Raven like they've been you know he loves kids like he stood right now watching the where Ravens walk off and he's making that you know that really sad

They're not yet. They kind of stood away because you guys are still deciding what to do. So you guys are still deciding He's he's still making sad little noises like oh it's Barovia everything sad everyone's sad All right all right yes yes but what did you say oh sorry yeah what did you say we are many and she

is one yes I thought you were one we are one one and many, but she is just one. Wait! A very low call.

We cannot help you go to Krezik, my friend. I'm sorry. We can't let this happen. We cannot waste any more time. We will help you now. You see a big wave of relief. Just wash over all of them. Adrian's tears kind of glisten for a moment.

Thank you. Don't thank me yet. We'll do our best. But we must be extra cautious. Let's not throw our lives away Yes of course We will follow your lead Good friends And with that he will begin to lead you

On to Barrez And there's a couple of rolls So that was 1, 2, 3, 4 1, 2, 3, 4 So you're going to have to make 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4. So you're going to have to make 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4. Don't worry, Rhi's got this. Definitely.

1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4. It either goes nat 20 or 1 and 2. There's nothing in the middle. 3 D20 rolls. We'll start with the first one. And you just want Rhi to make all of them? You don't want to split these up between anybody? At this point, why?

Alright, sure, Rhi. Roll a d20 for me, Rhi. Take the wheel. Take the wheel. Take the wheel, Rhi. Rhi says take the wheel. Nine. Another hour goes past. Sorry, another half hour as you travel. You make your way through these kind of narrow

woodland trails, these kind of roads, these dirt roads that have been carved between these ominous, twisting woods. You travel. You can begin to see Argenvostolt on the large hill above you. Nothing happens. Second

d20 roll, please, Rhiannon. Oh! 11! I'm getting higher! You're slowly higher. Second roll. You weave past Argenvostolt, this kind of shadowy ruin above you on this hilltop

as you kind of follow the base of the hills around and you begin to see the sight of a winding river rushing beneath you it's probably about sort of uh just before midday uh sort of like a late 10 a.m 11 a.m at this point um you make your way the kind of dead gray grass of barovia beneath your feet to this light drizzling rain just falling upon you I will, you guys are fuckshake you guys had gone up here, you'd had your rest, you've moved your way down

to Argenvostholt and now you are basically en route towards Berez but we need one last d20 roll from Miss Rhiannon please it's alright it's coming no But we need one last D20 roll from Miss Rhiannon, please. It's all right.

It's coming. Oh, Rhiannon. No. 16. 16. 16. You are technically... Fucked. Dead.

Two for dead, one for fucked. Oh, do you count as being on a road here i think you do uh the third and final roll you proceed nothing happens instead what the very edges it's the day so the random encounters thing is it varies depending on the time of day and whether you are in the wilderness or not. So we're actually somehow safe or... You do not encounter anything.

You don't encounter anything on the road. Do we see the new artifact just lying there on the road? You do not. You do not. You do not. So, you guys are coming... Balasaga's dead.

Nope. That's so easy. The children are so easy. Ding dong, the witch is dead. Tra la la la la. They all get knocked off. Absolutely not. The people of Oz are free.

Nope. Nope, nope, nope. It was a dream. They were the children of the revolution. There's no place like home. This isn't a battle map, so I'm just going to put Jesper on there to signify where you guys currently are.

And now I get to read you some text. The trail hugs the river for several miles. The dirt and grass soon turns to marsh as the trail dissolves into spongy earth, pockmarked with strands of tall reeds and pools of stagnant water. A thick shroud of fog covers all. Scattered throughout the marsh, you can see old peasant cottages their walls covered with black mildew their roofs mostly caved in these decrepit dwellings seems to hunker down in the mire as though they had long since given up on escaping the thick mud everywhere you look black clouds of flies dart about hungry for blood the fog is much thinner on the side

on the far side of the river where a light flashes amid a dark ring of standing stones. And you guys are approaching from the north here. Oh, whoops. Okay. And this is what you see before you as you make your way out. I think I can. I think this can be a battle map, actually. It doesn't have to be be so you guys can talk amongst yourselves

I realise I don't have a token for the Maya yet it must be a regular map well no it's more because like if you guys want to explore and move around it's good to know your positions and things like that are these like 10 foot squares rather than five uh these are uh one square is actually a hundred feet so it's massive this is

like a big village right like this is like a huge village basically um it's just for like where you guys move about and like location half a minute to move a square technically it's like 30 yeah, like yeah if you're thinking sort of like a You know, yeah, it's gonna take you a long time to move around But if we get into a combat wheel, we won't use this map It's more like, you know, if you guys want to split up and check out with me buildings and things like that Well the chance of yeah, why would you why would she is crazy? Chancellor yeah, why would you why would she is crazy? About do I have links what's a good

Zombie good token I can use. Yeah zombie or I'm thinking do I have like blights? I mean you think what about like the like a big flying fire mushroom from Mario a Goomba. A Goomba. The one-up. Dry bones. I'll put a vine blight and a twig blight. Here you go. There's the mire. Oh, yeah, the blights are good.

Oh, I hate it. Thank you. Nice. So, yeah, this is what you see. You see this kind of swamp, like just drowned village. Like this village is just completely covered by this thick marshland and swamp. As you get closer, Tatiana slash Irina begins holding her head. And you can see she's like almost unconsciously crying and kind of clutching to herself.

As she gets closer, Ismark is kind of clutching to herself as she gets closer Ismark is kind of like Irina are you alright? and she kind of like touches her face and realises that she's crying yes something bad memories old memories of a life I had here

once when this place before it was a ruin. Anything that could be of use? Ah, no, I don't think so. I remember that I was a girl here once. I was a... Marina was my name. I was a... Marina was my name. A young woman.

Reborn, my soul. When the village found out who I was, what I meant to Strahd, they burned me at the stake. Killed me. Strahd's anger was terrible. So much death he did this and she gestures to the swamp I'm sorry

an old life like so many ruined by Strahd my Sergei if only Nord life, like so many, ruined by Strahd. Oh, my Sergei. Finally. She just kind of trails off. Um, would you like a hanky?

Dog's body holds up. Thank you. It's a hanky. Thank you, dog's body. And she kind of, like, you know, takes your hand and takes the hanky from it um and yeah there's just this like overwhelming comfort when she's kind of like you know her her hand brushes against yours and it is supernatural like there is you feel weird like you didn't have these kind of emotions around irena before but there is this kind of like sense of belonging to her as you kind of do so. Weird. Ah.

Confusing. That didn't happen with Xeros. Dog's body starts having a feeling of like, yeah, he was It was there for Xeros, he's never acted like that. Yeah. If Dog's body was in his wolf form, his tail would be wagging right

now, but it's not. But you can feel his psychic tail. You're twerking. You have that phantom limb feeling. Phantom tail. Yeah. Sure. He's not twerking, Tom. Oh.

I say we keep low and head to the closest buildings, perhaps, over here to the west and work our way down from there um the Adrian will point the middle of the village maybe you can just about

see it but there is an old uh hut built into an enormous tree that is Lasaga's lair that is where she hut built into an enormous tree. That is Lasaga's lair. That is where she resides. It's difficult to see in this fog,

but it's in the middle of the village, so just be aware. Be quiet. I hope your people aren't there. Me too. Let's see if they're in any of these ruins first. Sure. So what's the plan? Yes, but you're going to lead people around this northern edge

and check out these buildings to the... You can see that there's a bunch of buildings to the west and then to the southwest as well. So you're just going to head straight west. If it's all decrepit ruins with no roofs or anything and no chance of any life there i mean it's not i mean the their roofs have caved in they're covered in like mildew and fungus moving through this swamp by the way as well as it's you are moving through a swamp you are wading through stagnant bog water and thick mud that comes up probably to your thighs um it's like like like you can't help but you know it's it's very difficult to move through and it's very difficult

to do so quietly um as you kind of the were ravens probably as they get closer they will transform into their raven form so they are just like you know quite big raven birds and they kind of flap around and land on like the odd tree nearby um trying to you know not get bogged down into the swamp itself can can i cast pass without trace you absolutely can of course what does this look like uh maya when you cast Pass Without a Trace? More bugs! Loads of them. I guess because all the black bugs around would make a black veil.

Yeah, there's all these flies. Yeah. Cool. So you kind of find this kind of shroud of insects kind of surrounds you. They're buzzing, quieting the sound of the waters being parted as of parted as you sploosh and you know slurp your way through this mud this thick veil of mosquitoes and flies just kind of disguising all of you um so read out past without trace just for podcast listeners and stuff as well yeah so a veil of shadows and silence radiates from you masking you and your companions from detection

for the duration each creature you choose of in 30 feet of you including you has a plus 10 bonus to dexterity checks and can't be tracked except by magical means the creature that receives this bonus leaves behind no tracks or other traces of its passage perfect so yeah uh plus 10 bonus to stealth for everybody um yeah so um as you guys make your way over yeah this is going to be stealth checks from everybody except the ravens who can fly, who just kind of fly over and perch on the things. But everybody else is stealth checks with a plus 10 bonus. Nice. Oh, my God.

16. Oh, yeah. Oral to six. 31. You get a plus 10 bonus, don't forget. 17, 18, 19. Oh, I know sixteen thirty twenty

thirty twenty okay um so okay give me a second dear friends

as um as we're as we're squelching, can I just go to the mire and just be like, oh, you two must be right at home here. Squelch, squelch. I mean, are you talking loudly, dog's body? Because if you're trying to be stealthy,

talking loudly is definitely going to mess you up. I know that we're stealth in here. I'm just trying to break the mood a bit. If you guys want to position yourselves in like a marching order, if there's any changes to what I've done.

So I currently have Jesper leading the way with Rhi, Maya, Maya Rhi kind of following with the Pass Without Trace,

Ismark, Irina, Other Maya, and then Rose and Dog's body at the back. But if you want to change that, feel free.

When you, you kind of make your way, this kind of hummingbugs, how long does Pass Without a Trace last, by the way, Rhi? An hour. An hour, okay. Yeah, easily enough. Making your way through, as you approach this cluster of ruined cottages separated by lone stone walls,

you can see a short stretch of dirt road that has remained intact that seems to curve south um you can see that in the middle of this village there would have probably once been kind of crop fields they've all now just been completely swamped but there are still the occasional piece of like wooden fence posts that sticks out of it and jutting out at odd angles and in the middle of the field as you kind of make your way down checking out all of these different houses you eventually kind of make your way all the way down following this kind of elevated road which gives you some relief from the thick waters and mud from the swamp uh there is just kind of like

a couple of lone scarecrows still kind of like outstretched on the uh poles um of these once uh these once farms um just kind of lurking around um positioned what was the lowest stealth check by the way was it uh 16 i think yeah i think it was my one 16 yeah cool yeah you don't seem to draw any attention from any creatures hidden out in this village um yeah you just seem to pass by you do begin to see emerging from the mists the very center of the uh of the the farm um just south of you a few hundred feet away, is this enormous tree. This kind of enormous great oak that's still half submerged. But built into it, you can see the vague outline

of like a ramshackle hut that's been built onto the stump of this like half engraved into the tree itself. And the stump is this hut uh that's been built there is a little bit of elevated land around it um you can see what appears to be oh no okay yeah that's it that's what you can see i fear um I fear that there is nothing here but this

tree this hut and that the children are in close proximity to Baba Lazaga herself I see nothing but ruins and swamp. What about the, uh, standing stones? They're on the far side of the river.

You can see shapes of other buildings, um, beyond the tree. They're just faint outlines in the thick fog. Um, so the buildings you can see on the map, there appears to be maybe what appears to be, like like an old mansion building to the very far south but you can just see like faint outlines it's like a big house um and then there is some sort of monument just very very vaguely um uh west of the tree in the very center um what do you think, Don? It looks like it was once a graveyard. Should we investigate? I'm going to keep going until we find him.

But didn't you guys mention something about a windmill and pies? So I don't know how witches work ovens is that a thing um that was hags I believe with the pies

yes it was hags it wasn't it was different I'm wondering if it's worth maybe if it was different I'm wondering if it's worth maybe if Adrian can fly over the mansion see if there's any sign of life within it

just in case she's keeping the children there if not then I don't see anywhere else they can be other than in the hut itself which is our last resort good idea anywhere else they can be other than in the hut itself, which is our last resort. Good idea. Yeah.

What's the plan? I'd say, yeah, that we're even scouting, seeing anything through the windows. Aerial surveillance. Okay. Yeah, if you kind of gesture to them, they'll nod their beaks and they will fly off. We'll make perception checks with disadvantage because of the mists and the fog.

While they're doing that. Uh-huh. The mire. The one that you have need of us? The bugs. Do you have control of us? The bugs. Do you have control? I have control. Can you see through them?

Scout? I think you can. I'm pretty sure you can. It's okay to take a minute. It's okay to take a second. Check your abilities. I'm having sure you can. It's okay to take a minute. It's okay to take a second. Check your abilities. Okay, you know, this is the Swarm Keeper. I don't know too much about it.

I've not played one. I don't know if you can. I don't think it's like a familiar. Passive Actrice, Concentration. Yeah. From what I remember, it's not like it's a familiar the bugs uh no they can move me they can move you they can move enemies that you hit like with attacks as well can you have um arcane army they can deal damage i don't think i've got arcane eye

i'm having a look that's 13th level arcane eye no. No. 13th level. Yeah. Yeah. You can't quite... The bugs have to remain quite close proximity to you, Maya, to have any sort of control over them in that way. Yeah. I don't know. If you have other spells, like other ranger spells that can help,

I don't know. Let's see. The bugs can deal damage they can move me and they can push other people dog's body uh just while reese check in um dog's body has heightened senses um which means i have advantage on perception with some perception checks that rely on hearing or smell that's only when you're in your hybrid form, I believe. No. Does it not? It doesn't say anything about needing to be transformed.

Oh, okay. I thought you had to be in a hybrid form for that. I mean, hybrid form comes after it, and then it has a hybrid transformation on my sheet. I know, yeah. It says starting when you choose this archetype at third level, you begin to adapt the improved abilities of a natural predator. You gain advantage on wisdom perception checks.

They rely on healing or smell. Yeah, I know, so it's just a separate ability. Yep. I thought it was part of your transformation. I guess, can I try and hear or smell for them? Or just like hear any noises? Yeah, make a perception check with advantage. This will be more hearing

than smell because smell the swamp the kind of stagnant foul water masks most things um in terms of sight the mist blocks most of it but hearing's unimpeded uh so i rolled a 15 and a 13 and i've got minus one on perception, so 14. You're kind of driven. You know, you have voices in your head all the time. It's sometimes hard to separate those out from real things. However, it doesn't stop you from hearing a couple of things. One, you can hear very loud squawking of birds coming from the hut built into the giant tree.

So you can hear constantly like squawking and it's quite loud. You know, anything near there is going to have a hard time hearing anything above the sound of that loud squawking. That's kind of echoing across the swamp. The other thing you can ever so faintly hear because of your keen hearing i wouldn't have given you this as a success without that feature um beyond that squawking to the south maybe in that big mansion building the big ruined building you think you can hear faint sobbing okay kind of like um Okay.

Kind of like... Now, I don't know if this is just Bobbitt who's in me, Ed, but I can hear some crying coming from a mansion in the south. There's also a real ruckus of birds coming from that hut. But, I don't know. I don't feel good about it. The crying is a good source.

A good lead. We should head there first. And avoid the hut if we can. Yeah. I agree. What is the significance of this crying what is crying it can denote sadness it's fear if the kiddies are scared that they've been captured you can cry when you're happy sometimes when you're feeling a bit of mosh and all uh it's when water comes out of your eye ducts so these are your eyes these kiddies here could be happy or sad i probably said um I only said, um, uh, salty water.

Why would they lose it? Because they're scared. Well, that's how scared they are. They don't get to choose, unfortunately. Uh, come, let's try and skirt, give a wide breath of the hut and head south towards these ruins. The were-ravens haven't yet come back, by the way.

Are they good at locating? I don't really know, I guess. All right, so you're going to continue moving through. You have to end up now. How close do you want to get to the tree in the middle? You can move further out and try and skirt it even further by kind of heading up more into the swamp and coming around i might go through this thing whatever that is so all right sure so you guys all begin

moving up following yester's lead um can you guys make other someone else can take the lead sure i'm just moving you at the front because you seem to be making the decisions sure okay dog's body takes the lead dog's body will will take it, like, tracking the sound. Okay, can you guys give me another stealth check? After kind of pausing to scope things out, you begin moving again. Give me another round of stealth checks, please. Yeah. Don't forget your plus 10.

32. 32. 24. Uh-oh. Uh-oh, studios! Then that one 16 but 16 is still with pass without a trace 16 is still 16 some you pass by another one of these like you move through the farm and there is just this this terrifying you can see it's been a kind of toothy grin has been stitched onto its burlap sack of a head. Its hands made from these, you know, twisted, very sharp looking branches.

Scarecrow is just kind of propped up on this pole sticking out of this swampy ground. And it's just, yeah, it's very unnerving the way that it's been built. It doesn't look like a normal scarecrow, but you move through, it doesn't move or react or anything. As you begin moving towards the far side of things, you begin to see a big swarm of angry-looking insects is beginning to kind of gather the further over towards the side of Beres you get,

but Dog's Body and Jesper kind of lead you a bit more south. You come across the remnants of a graveyard, really. It's barely, I mean, it's barely anything. A couple of stone walls. You can see through the fog there is an empty shell of maybe an old stone church at the far end to the south. A cemetery with kind of gravestones enclosed by a very faded rusted iron fence most of it has sunk down into the mire itself but you don't you don't

see anything uh other my ward both myers uh yeah you know both both myers uh you don't see anything untoward you can keep going if you want to try and reach the walls of this mansion fight maya with maya nice dog's body gonna keep leading everyone south i'll follow the dog's body yeah everyone follows in at this point the were ravens probably return and kind of catch up with you um adrian will shift back and you see this kind of black bird it kind of stretches its feathers kind of grow out as its wingspan becomes a pair of arms the black feathers become dark long hair as he shifts back into his human form. We could not see anything.

The mist here is very thick. Most of the ground is covered. From above, it's difficult to really pick out any details apart from... There are ravens calling for help in the hut. We can hear them crying out. They say that they are trapped but they are natural ravens they are not my children that is really all we could hear okay we or dog's body heard something sobbing coming from the ruins just ahead so uh towards the south end of the village

lie the remains of a mansion built on higher ground it has been reduced to piles of stone and rotting timbers empty arched windows stare at you and south of the ruin is an untamed garden runs rampant surrounded by broken walls that are no longer able to contain it uh you can't see this. On the far eastern side, from the opposite side to where you're approaching from, you do glance what appears to be a fence of some kind, and that crying becomes audible to pretty much all of you

as you make your way through. So either you can move through the ruined mansion itself you can try and go down south uh towards the gardens make your way through that or you can go around the front of the the mansion like in through the swamp to do so you will need to pass many of these scarecrows you can see there's lots of them especially around that tree in the middle there's lots of these scarecrows all put on poles and you would get closer to the large tree as well if you avoid the mansion that's a hard pass there mark sure yeah we'll try and go through the top of it i guess around the top mansion towards yeah so like through the top of it, I guess, around the top. The mansion?

Yeah. So, like, through the actual ruins, like clambering over the broken stones and timbers, that sort of thing? Yes? No? I guess so, yeah. I don't know? Could you repeat the question?

I think that's probably the most natural way. If it's not too treacherous, I think. Dog's body, as you begin stepping over the stones, it's really just... The mansion was built on higher ground, so it's not flooded. It's just like soft earth, but all the timbers have collapsed. It's really just the shell of its former self.

And as you step through, you can't help but shiver as this unnatural chill spreads over you like the shadow of death crosses over you Rose, you hear whispered kind of softly in your ear

you just hear why do you invade my home I can't can I, Can I... Do I get the sense that I could talk back in... Is it like telepathically that I hear that? It's not telepathically. It's like a whisper.

No, it's just that I hear that. Like somebody right behind you. You turn around, there's nobody there. Oh, okay. There's something here. There's something bad here. We shouldn't be here. Stones clatter from a broken archway

We just want to find some friends we don't want to disturb you You see this spectral form begins to shift out of the mist itself pallid gray skin its body see-through translucent in the very mists hair kind of swept back and you can see jagged chunks of flesh ripped from its neck as its head almost lops to the side. It limps with one leg, its body covered in multiple claw marks and wounds. Be gone from here! Do we see any sign of anyone else at this point there is still there's enough debris that the walls of the mansion are still blocking the sight of whatever's on the

other side that you could hear the crying coming from you'll need to move through this area and this form has appeared in front of you between you and where you're trying to go are you still here crying and this form has appeared in front of you between you and where you're trying to go. Are you still here crying? Just very faintly, but it's, yeah,

it's like coming and going in waves. Only death. Have you seen any... What do you want? Crying children around here? Crying children. Many children cried when our lord killed them here. Buried my village beneath the water. Punishment for what I did.

I killed so many. One life. A dozen. Why do you deny them, I... I took her life because I knew if he had her, terrible things would come. But in doing so, I condemned all of the people in my charge to timeless, endless death. We are not on his side. We would do the same as you. We want to keep him from her. And you would bring death.

At this point, by the way, Irina and Ismark are behind you with the were-ravens. You're kind of stood in front of them. You deny him. only death awaits you be gone leave this place leave me to my misery we only want the children the living children who are currently here you can do something good you can save them by handing them over to us and we will leave and we will never come back children

she was only a girl when I burned her what are two more lives in all the horrors that Barovia has done that Strahd has done two more lives leave me to my misery to my horrors that Barovia has done. That Strahd has done. Two more lives.

Leave me to my misery, to my bane of what I did. One girl. Burned. Two more lives could be a very big difference. Please please i care only for the one the one i burned my daughter marina why marina you can see that the ghost isn't like thinking logically like this spirit is tormented and trapped in its own memories it doesn't seem to really value the lives

of whatever living children may be here it's caught up on you know this tale it's telling we cannot pass through this creature without either backing away or going somewhere else

I don't know. Let me speak with him. And Irena will kind of save from behind you, Jesper. Yeah, I'll stand aside. So when you stand aside and Irena steps forward, this ghost seems to react. It's almost as if he kind of goes, Be gone. And then it stops you see

irena and she sings this very lol uh this low dull note kind of like uh just like a kind of and then her form shifts and she becomes a girl that none of you have ever seen before she becomes a younger woman with long dark curly hair in a white robe Almost like a nightdress and the spirits eyes go wide He reaches up and his ghostly hands cup Irene is kind of shifted face This kind of illusion spell that she's created around herself, holds the face. You live.

Yes, father. I'm alive because you saved me. You saved me from a fate worse than death. And we will save many more. She touches the ghost's form, and then you just see it vanish. And it just kind of breathes out this one last breath of relief. Marina.

And the air goes still. I'm going to mark off that spell for Irina her form shifts back to the Irina that you know I think that was yes that was I think that must have been Marina's

father the burgomaster of this place. The one who burned her at the stake to save her from Strahd. Tried to purify her. Do you feel anything? Any memories from them? It is like... It is like trying to ask if you...

Asking if you remember the feelings of when you were a child. They are memories, but they are distant. Like a story you were told once, perhaps. I know it, but I do not feel it. Well, it was enough to help us, so thank you. Let's see what's on the other side. Yes. Just remember that Borovia has weathered Strahd many years, many times.

I have lived centuries. Countless different versions of myself have been reborn here. There are many, many tragic tales in this land. have been reborn here. There are many, many tragic tales in this land. And with that, she just nods to the other side of the walls where you can see this continuing.

As you make your way, as I'm assuming you do, you eventually cross over to the other side of the mansion. And Dog's Body, you're the first to see. Whoops. You see what appears to be a fence.

The were-ravens kind of fly overhead. You see a pen, like an animal pen, except for this one, 50 human skulls are mounted on the tops of fence posts around this circular pen. Within the gate, within the kind of penned area, lie dozens of slaughtered goat carcasses, cut open, blood drained until they look dissected and weathered,

and sat bound to a large wooden stake are two, I know, was it three? I think I said three. Three young children. Yeah, two boys and one young girl. They are kind of wrapped up in rope in the middle of this pen. And the pen is like 10 foot high. So like there's these big wooden stakes with skulls mounted on it

in a big circular 10 foot tall pen around them there is a gate like a wooden kind of latch gate and they're just staked in the very middle of it quickly cut them down oh sorry no there is no gate it's just a 10 foot high

quickly we need to find a way in where even can you fly over and start Quickly, we need to find a way in. Where, Ravens? Can you fly over and start pecking at the ropes, something like that, to bring them down? Yes, we can get over, I think. As the Ravens try to kind of fly over, there appears to be some sort of um barrier they just bounce into it and you can

see the faint traces of what appears to be a magic circle that kind of shimmer into life um they kind of bounce off of it and uh they shift in and this time when they shift rather than becoming a human they become these raven humanoidanoid hybrids. The head of a raven with this long beak, but these muscular arms with feathered limbs kind of hanging off it. These kind of clawed talons shift into these half-hybrid forms.

Ah! There is some sort of barrier that is preventing us from getting past. I don't understand it. Can I investigate, like get close to the wall and see if there is any sort of arcane energy coming from it or anything? Yeah, make an arcana check for me. Or markings on the floor.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, make an arcana check. Ten. Ten. I think that you would be vaguely aware of that there are kind of like warding circles that can be placed down you know people can do it to protect themselves from demons or ghosts um maybe this one is attuned to kind of keep the to stop the were ravens being able to fly away or to fly in perhaps uh maybe it's att tune to keep shape changes out, so lycanthropes and the like,

but the exact nature of, like, will it stop you? Will it harm you? You don't know the spell, so... The mire. Yes. Emerged from the ground. Can you go into it and back up the other side?

Um, oh. No. If you wish me through the gate, I can try. There is no gate. If you wish me to go through this open area. Well, yeah, it's like, so imagine like these wooden, like a wooden animal pen, right? Wooden fence, 10 foot high, skulls mounted on top of it,

like 50 skulls mounted in a circular pattern around on this thing. The wooden fence is thick enough that you can't just like step through it, right? It is a fence like you know a fence that would keep animals in like goats or sheeps and stuff like that where do you put things can i take an arrow and just put the end between the does that go through between the posts? So it's kind of got like this thick thatch weaving. If you wanted to put an arrow through it, you would have to force it through,

like break part of the fence to get the arrow through it. I mean, it looks like it's made of like wicker and reeds. It doesn't look particularly strong. I was wondering if there was a magic that came back off if i tried to to do that when you approach it you you don't get the sense that there's any magic that would prevent you from climbing over it or breaking it or anything like that it seemed to stop the were ravens they couldn't do anything they couldn't even move close to the fence like they were being stopped like a few inches away from the fence you can kind of reach in and you if even if you don't touch it you can get your hand closer than the

were ravens can and you can see adrian and stefania the two that have kind of come with you they they're agitated they're just like oh we need to what can we do they like and like the children are like looking oh, we need to, what can we do? They're like, the children are like looking at them with like eyes wide. You can see they've been gagged like by the mouth. Their hands are tied behind to this wooden post, but they're like. Can I try and put, like get near to the post and try see here's the interesting thing technically your type isn't shape changer you have lycanthropy i'm gonna say kim this is gonna be a bit kind of an ad hoc thing i'm gonna say you can't because you are still a lycanthropy

you are still a shape changer but it's just in dnd terms you don't have that because you're a player character but i'm gonna say that for all intents and purposes you are basically a werewolf so you yeah you you're like ah it's like pushing against steel you're like and you can't even push against it am i also a shape changer no no you are not nor are you undead yeah you are there is enough sentient life in the maya that both of you are considered humanoid creatures um you are not a druid though yeah but you're not a lycanthrope is a and a shape changer is a different thing to being able to change for yeah you're magically able to yeah a wizard can turn themselves into things that isn't the same thing as being a shape

changer shape changer is a creature that naturally can shift its form without magic we curse yeah they cannot enter then we'll have to go alone we can break the fence or climb it uh does it look climbable or is it quite um it's tall it's like 10 foot high i mean you could try spiky top um yeah you'd probably have to like wedge some weapons or something into like create handholds or something like that you know otherwise it's like trying to grip just you know almost not sheer but like really thin you know thatched wicker that's been woven together um There's not really a grip. You'd have to break part of it to get handholds. Let us climb the

fence. Follow me. And I will have the red vines encircle me and completely cocoon me and then eight vine-like legs sprout out from this thing and I'm going to wild shape into a spider.

A giant spider. So this fiend is a spider. Yeah, this fungus-y, red vine giant spider kind of shifts out from the tiefling's body. I miss Allura's nice fluffy wild shapes. None of

this. None of this vine stuff. I like this. I'm into this. As a spider, you don't have to break the fencing to climb over the top of it. Follow me, everyone. It's easy to climb. How are they going to follow you? Because others can't do that.

You can climb over it without breaking it, but the others, if they want to physically climb... I think that's the mire. The mire is making a comment. The mire is saying, follow me. i think everyone can do this right gotcha he doesn't really want to do is this see yeah gotcha and i'm gonna climb it can i cast um writhing tide and uh and follow him on my little my little nimbus cloud of flies okay is that so what's that do just explain that ability what's that ability do uh so as a bonus action you're going to you're going to flying speed of 10 feet and can hover this

effect lasts for one minute or until you're incapacitated yeah so like it takes you a little bit of time like you hover over and then you land but yeah the other maya is like lifted up by all these buzzing flies and insects that just surround them and just lift them off the ground it's like buzzing droning sound you wish to save the children follow us the children when the giant spider giant spider can't speak the giant spider can't speak remember that i know um the children are freaking out when the spider is like yeah coming down on them they're like can i try and like it's okay friend sure yeah give me a persuasion

check um persuasion check to try and calm them down um with the uh 18 19 20 22 okay you're kind of and they kind of see you and then they see their parents beside you and they do kind of calm down and they're like with the posts and everything like that is is it all moist and wet? Yeah, it's moist for sure. It's damp. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's like a swamp.

There's just mists and stuff like that. I think Jesper will start trying to carve into it with his sun sword. Okay. The second that Jesper attacks the fence with a sun sword the 50 skulls atop the fence post let out an ear splitting ahhhh that echoes

we were doing so well echoes give me a moment as I have to set up an encounter well is there much point, Mark? Look at the time. I mean, it's six minutes to ten, so... Did you do it on purpose?

What a great cliffhanger. This is the one thing I haven't researched at all, is like the Babalasaga stuff. Well, what a wonderful cliffhanger so let me explain so as the skulls screech you all there's like a beat there's like a heartbeat where you all just stop the screeching dies down and you see all of those scarecrows that were like on those fence posts pull themselves free they land in the ground and these grinning kind of hooded uh burlap masks look up and they come running towards the the pen and a cackling sound is heard from the very middle of berez

now we're fighting an army of scarecrows and a witch. Oh. Thank God. What did we say about being impulsive, Jesper? I mean, I mean. I feel like I was being way more impulsive. I turned into a spider and climbed a dead fence. You didn't attack him with the biggest weapon of stride, though, did you?

We can't blame me. I mean, you can blame me. But my decision is no crazier than a spider crawling over, I feel. I thought mine was going to set off a trap. It specifically says if the characters try to, I mean, obviously there's a different thing. I've put the kids in here. This is a thing that I've done.

If the characters basically dismantle or damage part of the fence the skulls atop the fence post begin howling and screaming and continue for one minute uh i was just like you know what spider climbing that's not going to be enough it's not going to dismantle or damage it you're just like a spider rose almost did it right yeah and that's why i I said you would have to push the arrow through the fence. I bet you didn't. So I was like, yep, okay, no problem. So it wasn't the sun sword specifically. The sun sword

carving into it. That definitely counts as damaging part of the fence. So I was like, okay, here we go. What a knife. Like a butter knife. It's almost like Baba Lasaga put them here specifically to try and set up a little bit of a little bit of a

bait it worked it worked that's it we will see you for the next episode maybe the last episode of Curse of Strahd we don't know we thought that last time we think that every episode yeah i mean every episode might be the last episode of curse of stride exactly every episode

might be the last um amazing amazing stuff good job you know um well i will tell you that you immediately see one two three you see three but i mean because this map is quite big i'll have to probably draw a map or do something but there's more there's more coming there's definitely shapes out in the midst which are fabulous as well oh yeah yes i think we should just run you can certainly try you can certainly try time to leave see you later bye bye

kiss kiss bye bye Thank you.