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Day 40 (Abbey of Saint Markovia)
The tale of Strahd's capture of Ireena, as later told to the party by the Martikovs. Note that this was rolled out by the DM 'off-screen'.

Strahd appears at the g ...

Day 39
Their long rest over by midnight, the party thereafter finishes exploring the temple. Helter turns the remaining poltergeists in the parallel treasure vault, but there is nothing in there oth ...

Day 38
Their long rest over at midnight, Fuine ventures up the spiral stairs of their chamber and finds a library lit by ever-burning candles. Every book she examines is blank. Timzz finds a secret ...

Day 37
The party finishes their long rest at 4:30am. With nothing else at the back of the temple on the upper level, and ignoring the rooms at the front of the temple, they decide to descend to the ...

Day 36
At midnight the party begins their long rest, finishing it at 8am.
They all level to 7th.

In the morning, the party retries the hall of the flameskulls and finds that they have not refor ...

DM's Note on Sources: This post contains spoilers to module S3:Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

Locations keyed in the module are indicated in .

The playdate for this, our eighteenth Barrier Pea ...

Day 35
In the morning, with everyone recovered from the exhaustion and cold (6am), they return up the mountain to the temple (arrive 8am). In the daylight, they have to assume that the wagon has bee ...

Day 34
They have not been traveling in the wagon for long in the morning when the trail takes them above the tree line and up the bare slopes of Mount Ghakis above Luna Lake. A stone wall with a por ...

Day 33
In the morning the party questions the Vistani head in the tower (using speak with dead on Ismark.)

In Vallaki, the body of Baron Vargas Vallokovich, former Burgomaster, still hangs in the ...

Day 32
The party wakens to the sound of Helter banging out the final gauntlet of Vann's armor. He puts the last piece on and greets first light of day in the armor. (now full plate, AC18). They le ...

Alright, they killed the intellect devourer!
Yes! But what do do now about Shefak? Confused

...and we're damn lucky to have you transcribing their adventures for us! Happy

Day 31
The party rests under the care of the Martikovs and Ireena in the Abbey until early afternoon. Then Timzz and Ezmerelda visit the library. Helter continues to work on Vann's armor. Fuine wo ...

Day 30
Ezmerelda steals a horse before dawn and arrives at Argynvostholt after dark, pursued by Arrigal.

The party sets out from the Abbey at first light, having already eaten the breakfast from ...

DM's Note on Sources: This post contains spoilers to module S3:Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

Locations keyed in the module are indicated in .

The playdate for this, our seventeenth Barrier Pe ...

Day 29
In the morning, Helter makes Vann's left grieve to finish the pair she started the night before. She now has more than half of his armor done (and he is now at AC17, or 19 with his shield). ...

Day 28
In the morning, Helter casts remove curse on Vann. They will need to wait to see whether or not that removes his night terrors.

They arrive at Krezk at 2pm, but are met outside the gates ...

Day 27
In the morning, Fuine levels to 6th. Vann has not had a rest and does not regain spells or abilities. They take a short rest in the morning while Timzz heals from the scarecrow fight. Helte ...

Day 26
In the morning, Helter casts remove curse on Fuine and Kellen (removing their lycanthropy) and also Create Food to feed all the children. Timzz' contracted lycanthropy will have to wait. Fui ...

Day 25
The party and Ismark (and Adrien and Muriel) arrive outside the stone walls of Krezk at noon. The Abbey can be seen high on the mountainside above the village. Burgomaster Dmitri Krezkov ini ...

Day 24
In the morning they are ambushed by six scarecrows on the road to the Winery, just as they leave the forest and begin to cross the open fields. Later, they arrive in the afternoon to find the ...

Day 23 (Winery)
The tale of Ludmilla's assault on the Winery, as told to the party by Adrian Martikov the next day: Round 1
Ludmilla said she would just have to leave a message for you, then - and ...

DM's Note on Sources: This post contains spoilers to module S3:Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

Locations keyed in the module are indicated in .

The playdate for this, our sixteenth Barrier Peak ...

Day 23 (party)
The party is low on rations, so Muriel is sent flying as a raven to Vallaki in the morning with the plan of buying supplies for them and then meeting them at the bridge outside of town ...

Day 22
In the morning they set out, and reach Berez by mid-day. Ignoring a strange light from across the river, they take a path leading past the ruins of peasant hovels. When they attack one scare ...

Day 21
In the morning, as Ismark spars with Vann, the Barovian tells the paladin that he is getting faster. If he continues to improve, at some point the party will not need his help any more. But ...

Day 20
In the morning, the party (with Ismark, without Ireena) returns to Yester Hill. The clouds are still thick and brooding about the hill, but today there is no lightning. The bodies of the dru ...

Day 19
The party travels to the winery. As they are about to cross the bridge over the Raven River, Fuine notices something glinting under the bridge. It is a small hand-mirror - but it shows those ...

Day 18
As the sky lightens, the mist thickens - and Timzz, on guard duty, falls asleep. Only Fuine's fey ancestry saves her from the spell. She hears the soft pad of wolf paws. When the mists clea ...

Day 17
From the base of the mountain, the party turns north and finds a Vistani camp at the Tser Pool. The men and women there say that Madam Eva has been waiting for them. She greets them each by ...

Day 16
In the morning the party returns to the Wachterhaus. Lady Fiona thanks them for rescuing Arabelle and says that it will help the town have better relations with the Vistani, as will her fair ...

DM's Note on Sources: This post contains spoilers to module S3:Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

Locations keyed in the module are indicated in .

The playdate for this, our fifteenth Barrier Peak ...

Day 15
The party (including both Ismark and Ireena both) return to Vallaki, arriving before dark. Ernst meets them at the gate and gives them the Burgomaster's riding horse as a gift from Lady Fiona ...

Now I'm wondering whether it'll be a "Call Of Cthulhu"-type encounter (meaning similar to Lovecraft's original story) or a "The Thing" (1980 film) encounter.
Well, for that you'll just have to read a ...

Day 14
The party returns to clear out the last of the blights from Yester Hill. Now knowing about the blights, they approach cautiously and are able to kite Wintersplinter until it can be destroyed ...

I was wondering if, in your Greyhawk, all of the creatures aboard the starship were aliens, or if something like the intellect devourer was native to Oerth. Did the ship crew find the intellect devour ...

Day 13
The party and Ismark sets out for Yester Hill; Ireena remains with the Martikovs at the Winery.

At Yester Hill, what is obviously the Gulthias tree is surrounded by moving needle blights, ...

Day 12
The party leaves Ireena at the winery, under the care of the Martikovs - in particular, she has already become fond of the three young children, and they of her. Ismark and the four party mem ...

Day 11
The party, with Ismark and Ireena, leaves the church at dawn. The burgomaster's mansion has been burnt to the ground and is now just a smoking ruin. At the inn, Elvir and Adrian Martikov are ...

Day 10
In the morning, the party attacks the winery grounds again, this time defeating the druid and her twig blights, as well as some remaining needle blights. They seem to have secured the grounds ...

DM's Note on Sources: This post contains spoilers to module S3:Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

Locations keyed in the module are indicated in .

The playdate for this, our fifteenth Barrier Peak ...

Day 9
The party leaves the church at dawn and checks the coffin-maker's shop but the spawn and their resting places are gone.

They go to the Inn; there are no customers there and they wake up th ...

Day 8
The party rises before dawn and goes the Church of St. Andral for a sunrise service - the investiture of Vann as a full paladin.

In the morning, the winery Martikovs, led by Davian, attac ...

Day 7
The party, Ireena, and Ismark arrive in Vallaki and go to Church of St. Andral. Father Petrovich agrees to keep Ireena safe - except that the church itself is not safe with with the bones of t ...

Day 6
Before dawn the party's camp is attacked by four Strahd Zombies - Ismark and Ireena recognize them as former citizens of Barovia village who attacked the castle of the Devil a year ago. Helter ...

Day 5
The trail climbs into the mountains. At the entrance to the forest they are attacked by five living trees (needle blights) which appear to be guarding the forest or the way beyond. They reach ...

Day 4
In the morning, the party guards Ismark and Ireena as they take their father to the church for burial. Donovich performs a service, during which they are attacked by a dire wolf. The priest r ...

Day 3
In the morning, the party returns to the sub-basement. They refuse to make a sacrifice to appease the House, and are attacked by “Lorghoth the Decayer", a shambling mound animated by the spiri ...

DM's Note on Sources: This post contains spoilers to module S3:Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

Locations keyed in the module are indicated in .

The playdate for this, our fourteenth Barrier Pea ...

Day 2
In the morning, the party enters the basement again and finds the crypts of Rose and Thorn. When they collect their remains from the attic and lay them to rest, the spirits leave them and they ...

Day 1
The PCs walk to Barovia in the morning.
Fog closes in as they enter the village itself, and they are guided to the Death House, where two children ask them inside because there is a monster in ...

A decade ago: The first magic gem from the Winery goes missing.

A year ago: A powerful wizard arrives in Barovia and gets the people to join him in attacking Strahd. The people are killed, the wiz ...

The Curtain Opens: Backstories for the characters
The Hillsdale Public House is a pillar of the village of Hillsdale, a small rural community nestled in the hills, far from cities. It serves simple ...

I ran Curse of Strahd for the first time last year, finishing early this year. My notes are considerably less detailed than for my other campaign journal, but I think I can make a short post once a d ...

DM's Note on Sources: This post contains spoilers to module S3:Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

Locations keyed in the module are indicated in .

The playdate for this, our fourteenth Barrier Pea ...

DM's Note on Sources: This post contains spoilers to module S3:Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

Locations keyed in the module are indicated in .

The playdate for this, our fourteenth Barrier Pea ...

DM's Note on Sources: This post contains spoilers to module S3:Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

Locations keyed in the module are indicated in .

The playdate for this, our thirteenth Barrier Pea ...

DM's Note on Sources: This post contains spoilers to module S3:Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

Locations keyed in the module are indicated in .

The playdate for this, our thirteenth Barrier Pea ...

Your players have really come into their own in their tactics and their role-playing. I love their semi-dysfunctional interactions and their still supporting each other in spite of it all, and their a ...

DM's Note on Sources: This post contains spoilers to module S3:Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

Locations keyed in the module are indicated in .

The playdate for this, our twelfth Barrier Peaks ...

There are no specifically dwarven or elven monasteries of which I'm aware.

I seem to recall LG Perrenland having an elven monastery in the Yatils or Clatspurs...I could try to track it down if th ...

DM's Note on Sources: This post contains spoilers to module S3:Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

Locations keyed in the module are indicated in .

The playdate for this, our twelfth Barrier Peaks ...

DM's Note on Sources: This post contains spoilers to module S3:Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

Locations keyed in the module are indicated in .

The playdate for this, our twelfth Barrier Peaks ...

DM's Note on Sources: This post contains spoilers to module S3:Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

Locations keyed in the module are indicated in .

The playdate for this, our eleventh Barrier Peaks ...

DM's Note on Sources: This post contains spoilers to module S3:Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

Locations keyed in the module are indicated in .

The playdate for this, our tenth Barrier Peaks se ...

Post 176: Backstory for 'Mathias' VI

Seven

The hair of the crone proved a potent token indeed. For one thing, when Leezar carried it on his person, he found he could use it as an arcane focus f ...

DM's Note on Sources: This post contains spoilers to module S3:Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

Locations keyed in the module are indicated in .

The playdate for this, our ninth Barrier Peaks se ...

Ogre magi can polymorph at will into a bipedal form (it isn't specified whether they can impersonate individuals), can cast charm person, and their description indicates a preference for taking slaves ...

I imagine that the stipend is more a PC / LG thing than something that would be administered in-game / to all NPC's equally, but if it was, I could see it coming from church funds for the Veluna branc ...

Post 174: Backstory for 'Mathias' V

Six
Still watching the windows, Leezar backed slowly to an open doorway, passed through and shut the heavy oaken door closed behind him. The room was pitch bla ...

DM's Note on Sources: This post contains spoilers to module S3:Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

Locations keyed in the module are indicated in .

The playdate for this, our ninth Barrier Peaks se ...

Post 172: Backstory for 'Mathias' IV

Five
Leezar did not sleep for the remainder of that night. Morning found him with his traveling clothes packed and all of his valuables stowed. He left Greyh ...

DM's Note on Sources: This post contains spoilers to module S3:Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

Locations keyed in the module are indicated in .

The playdate for this, our eighth Barrier Peaks s ...

Post 170: Backstory for Mathias III

Four
Greyhawk. The City of Thieves. In so many ways the opposite of Veluna. Leezar loved it. He immediately sought out the parts of the city that offered br ...

DM's Note on Sources: This post contains spoilers to module S3:Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

Locations keyed in the module are indicated in .

The playdate for this, our eighth Barrier Peaks s ...

Post 168: Backstory for Mathias II

Three
Leezarius made shore within walking distance of a small fishing village on the river. He pulled the boat into the cover of some overhanging willow branche ...

DM's Note on Sources: This post contains spoilers to module S3:Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

Locations keyed in the module are indicated in .

The playdate for this, our seventh Barrier Peaks ...

Sounds like LG campaign material.
I figured, but thanks for checking.

Where the Javan enters the Rushmoors, Anna has "Keeler's Keep" across the river from Tanner's Ferry.

It is spelled "Keller's Keep" here: https://db4sgowjqfwig.cloudfront.net/campaigns/129072/assets ...

DM's Notes: Although the new PC introduced himself as "Mathias", that is not his name. I will be interweaving his (long) backstory with the ongoing adventures of the party (now including him) until h ...

DM's Note on Sources: This post contains spoilers to module S3:Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

Locations keyed in the module are indicated in .

The playdate for this, our seventh Barrier Peaks ...

DM's Note on Sources: This post contains spoilers for module S3:Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

Keyed rooms from the map are indicated in

The playdate for this, our sixth Barrier Peaks session ...

I haven't had the chance to run ToEE yet, but will definitely be using it when I do!

Thanks for posting.

DM's Note on Sources: This post contains spoilers for module S3:Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

The playdate for this, our fifth Barrier Peaks session, was 5 April, 2019.

Party Wandering Encoun ...

DM's Note on Sources: This post contains spoilers for module S3:Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

The playdate for this, our fourth Barrier Peaks session, was 17 March, 2019.

Party Wandering Enco ...

DM's Note on Sources: This post contains spoilers for module S3:Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

Keyed rooms from the map are indicated in

The playdate for this, our fourth Barrier Peaks sessio ...

Q1. What is your favorite realm or region in the World of Greyhawk setting?

The easy answers are Perrenland and the Shedomar, but those are only because they are the settings of my longest-running ...

DM's Note on Sources: This post contains spoilers for module S3:Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

The playdate for this, our fourth Barrier Peaks session, was 17 March, 2019.

Party Wandering Enco ...

DM's Note on Sources: This post contains spoilers for module S3:Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

The playdate for this, our third Barrier Peaks session, was 8 February, 2019.

DM's Notes: Police ...

DM's Note on Sources: This post contains spoilers to module S3:Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

Locations keyed in the module are indicated in .

The playdate for this, our second Barrier Peaks s ...

What's the next story arc? Are you sending them to the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth, pitting them against the Slave Lords or making them fight Against The Giants?

Yes, one of the three. Wink

...

The journey just getting to the Starfall has been just as exciting as actually starting to explore it. Your players are all very, very lucky to have you as their DM.
And they tell me so, so I am luck ...

DM's Note on Sources: This post contains spoilers to module S3:Expedition to the Barrier Peaks
or indicates specific keyed encounters and area descriptions from the original module.

Lurkers Abo ...

By far the best source for maps of Greyhawk comes from the work of Anna B Meyer. I used Post 156: Save vs. Cold

13 February, 571
protection from cold on one of the watchers, and they will take t ...

So who generally plays Umbra? Is she a DMNPC, or do your other players take turns playing her? I notice she hasn't done much in the last couple of sessions.

Umbra's player was one of the principals ...

You make me eager for Tuesday afternoons. I love large parties and your campaign logs are a pleasure to read.
It is great to be appreciated!

How familiar are your players with Greyhawk canon and ...

DM's Notes:
By far the best source for maps of Greyhawk comes from the work of Anna B Meyer. I used Post 155: The Orcs of Gruumsh
11 February, 571
12 February, 571
Surprise Round
Without war ...

I'm 50...this week...didn't tick the box for 30-40.

I started with Red Box Basic in 5th grade. When I started making high school friends, two guys said we should play first edition and one of them ...

DM's note on sources: Moradinath-Mor is not on Darlene's maps, but appears on those of Anna Meyer. I based my description on Post 154: Moradinath-Mor
10 February, 571
and…” At the unrequested add ...

By far the best source for maps of Greyhawk comes from the work of Anna B Meyer. I used Post 153: The Lake of Rhun to Moradinath-Mor

8 February, 571
9 February, 571
[Clear; low 18, high 40]
...

Post 152: A Druid of the Council of Rhun

7 February, 571
The party is glad of the large fireplace and ample wood, for the night outside drops into the 20’s - the first time it has been below free ...