Recap
The party picked up moments after Donovan had risen as a vampire thrall with glowing red eyes; he won initiative and fled as mist through a crack near the ceiling before anyone could stop him @ 00:00:00–00:10:31. Forcing open the bent bars of the gate he’d left behind, the rest of the party reached a coffin room; Woo failed a save prying the central sarcophagus and briefly turned to stone before Xarthax restored him with Dispel Magic @ 00:16:35–00:36:18. The coffin itself was empty but for a child’s teddy bear and blanket @ 00:42:03–00:43:36.
With no other way forward, the party joined hands and teleported through a magical alcove, arriving directly in front of Strahd himself in an ornate chamber guarded by clay statues @ 00:56:47–01:04:51. Strahd immediately dominated most of the party; only Woo and Xarthax resisted. Under his control, Todd was forced to attack Woo, and — most brutally — Jess’s character sneak-attacked Jake’s character for 21 damage, dropping him to the brink of death; the party burned their last two fate points to force a missed reroll and save him @ 01:00:30–01:30:24. The fight dragged on through Strahd’s invisibility, spider-climbing, a second fireball, and mist form, while the party kept Jake alive with potions and finally let him land two flaming Hurricane Kicks that hurt Strahd even in mist form @ 01:33:00–02:23:10. Strahd escaped into the ceiling cracks as mist; the session ended with the party bruised, out of fate points, and alive deep inside the castle @ 02:23:45–02:25:17.
Key events
- Donovan, now a vampire thrall, wins initiative and flees as mist through a gap in the mortar @ 00:03:28–00:10:31.
- The party squeezes through bent gate bars into a coffin room warded with necromancy @ 00:16:35–00:23:13.
- Woo fails a save prying the coffin and turns to stone; Xarthax’s Dispel Magic restores him @ 00:30:57–00:36:18.
- The coffin is pried fully open and found empty except for a teddy bear and blanket @ 00:42:03–00:43:16.
- The party joins hands and teleports through a magical alcove directly in front of Strahd @ 00:56:47–00:58:14.
- Strahd’s domination gaze takes effect on most of the party; only Woo and Xarthax resist @ 01:00:30.
- Under domination, Todd attacks Woo and Jess sneak-attacks Jake for 21 damage, dropping him to -17 HP; the party burns two fate points to force a miss and save him @ 01:17:00–01:30:46.
- Strahd cycles through invisibility, spider climb, a second fireball, and mist form while the party revives Jake with potions and Fly @ 01:38:05–02:10:47.
- Jake lands two flaming Hurricane Kicks on Strahd, including one that damages his mist form @ 02:10:47–02:22:21.
- Strahd escapes through cracks in the ceiling as mist, ending the fight @ 02:23:45.
Entities referenced
- NPCs: Strahd von Zarovich, Donovan (fled, not directly fought)
- Places: Castle Ravenloft — the barred coffin room, Strahd’s audience chamber, a hidden room with thrones and wraiths
- Items: a golden chest (unlooted), the coffin’s teddy bear and blanket
- Quests: Rescue Donovan (progressed — Donovan is now loose in the castle as a thrall), Defeat Strahd (ongoing)