Episode 56

This is Episode 56 of Dice, Camera, Action.

The Party
(Anna) Evelyn - Human Paladin of Lathander

(Holly) Strix - Tiefling Sorcerer

(ProJared) Diath - Human Rogue

(Nathan) Paultin - Human Bard

Barovia's Past
The group has traveled to Barovia's past.

Strix has a witch's broom. The broom's name is Whiskey.

Strix and Diath appear in a morning-lit rose garden. They hear someone humming. It's Tatyana, who looks very similar to Ireena. She's picking roses.

Evelyn and Paultin appear in Castle Ravenloft. A woman mistakes Paultin for the bard performing at the wedding between Sergei and Tatyana. Paultin plays along. She looks at construct Evelyn, and says she has one of those, too. It's a wedding gift.

This mysterious woman's name is Duchess Dorfinya Dilisnya. Evelyn and Paultin are brought to another room.

In this room is a woman who looks like Ezmerelda. She's drawing cards from a tarokka deck It's a young Madam Eva.

Evelyn says hello to Madam Eva. The woman says her name is Katarina, but she says she likes the name Eva. She'll remember that.

A man with blonde hair enters the room. He appears to be a relative of Paultin's. He as a scar above his eye.

Outside, Strix and Diath watch three people arrive at the castle. It's Strahd, his brother Sergei, and Rahadin. Young Strahd's horse looks a lot like his nightmare, Beucephalus.

Tatyana points at Sergei and declares that he is "dashing."

Evelyn and Paultin take a look at the wedding gifts. They really want to see what's in the big box. Paultin makes a sleight of hand check and is able to remove the wrapping paper without ruining it.

They open it. inside is Simon. He's a fresh toy, well-painted. Clownish and freakish, but not the evil thing that the group knew. Paultin drops to his knees and cries out, "my son!"

Simon
Strix is able to figure out that the group was sent back in time by either a god or someone with a wish spell. She thinks that they might be in a version of Barovia that is locked in time, replaying over and over.

Diath and Strix climb in a window after shooing Tatyana away. They rejoin Paultin and Evelyn. Diath is less than thrilled to see Murderbot.

Strix thinks that whatever they do here will affect Barovia only, not the entire multiverse. The characters won't have to worry about being erased. They might be altered but no matter what happens, they'll know what they know.

Despite this very clear information, Diath is really wary about changing the timeline. He says that it might undo everything and the group won't know each other. He tells the group that they are more important to him than anything else.

The group discusses using Gutter to call on Shemeshka for help. Evelyn wants it to happen. Strix actually throws it out there that they could use the sword to jump through the portal to Sigil.

Diath does not want to use the sword, not at all.

Evelyn thinks Lathander sent them here to kill Strahd.

Rahadin comes into the room and kicks the group out.

They spot a magic lute. An instrument of the bards known as the Caniath mandolin. Paultin claims it for his own.

Tarokka Reading
Eva isn't around, so Strix goes to grab Eva's tarokka deck (Eva's gone). She sees the formation the cards were in during her reading. Sergei and Tatyana stumble into the room, giggling. They are surprised to see the group in here. Evelyn politely tells them: "So. We're from the future..."
 * Top Card: Two of Swords/Paladin (Evelyn)
 * Bottom: Raven (Paultin)
 * Left: Master of Coins/Rogue (Diath)
 * Right: Five of Stars/Elementalist (Strix)
 * The Card Between Them All: The Three of Glyphs - the Healer  (Lathander?!)

Then Strix turns into Sergei and says, "I'm you from the future." Paultin helpfully plays dramatic music on the mandolin. They try to explain to Sergei that he's in grave danger. If history repeats itself, Strahd is going to kill Sergei and Tatyana will kill herself.

The group sees that there are three other tarokka cards on the floor:
 * The Tempter
 * The Marrionette
 * The Executioner

Tatyana's Fate
Suddenly, a dart sticks Tatyana in the neck. Simon shot her with one of his death darts.

Evelyn tries to lay on hands while Paultin quietly disciplines Murderbot. Tatyana's dead.

Strix polymorphs Sergei into a tiny mouse.

Evelyn casts revivify. Tatyana is alive.

The heroes try to convince Tatyana that they really are from the future. To prove that what they are saying is true, Diath shows Tatyana the Tome of Strahd.

Tatyana is shocked. She reads through it a bit, and now she believes the group. Then Simon darts her again!

Luckily, the group has set her up with a protective spell, so Tatyana doesn't die. End of session.