Episode 20

This is Episode 20 of Dice, Camera, Action.

The Party
(Anna) Evelyn - Human Paladin of Lathander

(Holly) Strix - Tiefling Sorcerer

(ProJared) Diath - Human Rogue

(Nathan) Paultin - Human Bard

Strahd Meets Paultin
Kasimir brings Paultin up to a chamber where Strahd is, standing near a portrait of Ireena. There appear to be two people sitting in chairs facing away from Paultin.

Strahd tells Paultin a story about how he befriended the vistani in the past. They can come and go from Barovia freely. Strahd says that Paultin is only alive now because he is a vistani.

The people in the chairs: Kasimir is blocking the exit, holding the hilt of his weapon.
 * Gertruda: A young woman with eyes full of childlike wonder. She seems to like Paultin. She has a little plate of biscuits. One biscuit falls and cracks on the floor.
 * Escher: A beautiful man with grey skin and fangs. He's a vampire spawn dressed in fine clothes.

Strahd says that the waffle crew is confined for all time in the Amber Temple. Strahd is holding a goblet full of blood.

Strahd wants Paultin to join him and be his eyes and ears. The other option is to rejoin his friends in the dark tomb and die with them.

Paultin asks for food first. Paultin notices that someone is lying on the floor, dead. It's Father Donavich, the priest from the second episode.

Paultin is led to the dining hall by Gertruda and Escher. The hall is covered in dust. There's an ancient wedding cake, green with age. They pass through the room and go to another dining room.

Gertruda shows Paultin a pendant that Strahd gave her. A mongrelfolk comes in. He gives Paultin soup with an eyeball in it.

The dusk elf bullies the mongrelfolk a bit. Escher hits on Paultin and shakes hands with him - then holds it. "Your hands are so warm," he says.

Barmy
In the Amber Temple, Evelyn is in gaseous form. Strix is magically disguised as Strahd. She starts doing a Swedish accent and she orders the amber golem to go smash open the entrance.

Evelyn spots a skeletal figure who might be controlling the golem. It looks like the creature told the golem to leave the heroes alone.

Diath and Evelyn hide in a closet.

The creature is a lich. Time has worn its memory and body to the bone. He explains to Strix/Strahd that the golems can't bash the door out of the temple because they can't leave the temple proper. Strix quickly names the lich Barmy.

The lich further explains that there are ancient entities here who know great secrets. He repeatedly refers to them as the "Dark Powers".

The group wants to restore Barmy's memories, so they take him to the library. The lich points out that the "entities" are nearby. He says that they can grant powers.

Strix is staying in the library. The lich leads the rest of the group down to the entities. The group realizes that these are the vestiges of dead gods.

Evelyn points out that during Madam Eva's tarokka reading, she said that an item they need is beyond amber doors. They find amber doors and spot a big pile of treasure in a weird fold in reality.

The Guest
Meanwhile, Escher shows Paultin to his room. While walking through the castle, Paultin sees a portrait of Strahd that is watching him.

Paultin is brought to the room he'll be staying in. Escher is still hitting on Paultin, so Paultin shuts the door in the guy's face.

In Paultin's guest room, all of the candles go out one by one. Paultin senses that someone else is in here. He uses faerie fire, but it reveals nothing.

Mist comes out from under his bed. It's Strahd!

Strahd wants an answer. He wants to know if Paultin will join him and be his spy. Paultin quietly wrestles with the decision for a few minutes. Finally Strahd grabs him by the throat and demands an answer.

Paultin agrees to be his spy.

Back in the Amber Temple, Diath pokes an inert amber statue. Evelyn really wants to find a way to cure her lycanthropy. Evelyn tries to use a magic command word to control the statue, but it doesn't work.

Back in the castle, Strahd leaves, annoyed. Escher tells Paultin that he made a smart choice. That's where they stop.