Episode 21

This is Episode 21 of Dice, Camera, Action.

The Party
(Anna) Evelyn - Human Paladin of Lathander

(Chris Trott) Falkon - Wereraven

(Holly) Strix - Tiefling Sorcerer

(ProJared) Diath - Human Rogue

(Nathan) Paultin - Human Bard

The Tome of Strahd
The heroes are in the library. They discover the Tome of Strahd. Strix is going to use mage hand to pick it up. Suddenly, an amber golem becomes visible. The group slips back through the crack and escapes before the golem can attack them.

The group wonders if it is night time outside. They have no idea. Diath hopefully points out that maybe if Evelyn doesn't know that the moon is out, she won't transform into a werewolf.

The heroes examine the tome. It has a locked clasp. Diath tries to pick the lock and rolls a 28. Nothing!

Diath remembers that he has a mysterious set of keys given to him by a stranger long ago. He tries one of keys in the lock. It works! One of the keys opens the lock. Diath explains to the group that when he was a beggar, a mysterious person gave him the keys.

The group wonders if Strahd somehow gave the keys to him.

One of the vestiges is active. Strix wonders if it was these things that turned Strahd into what he is in the first place.

Paultin in Castle Ravenloft
Meanwhile, Paultin sits down with Escher. Escher comes on to him really strong. "Is there anything I can do to make your stay more memorable?" He licks Paultin's cheek with his dry tongue.

Chris loses his connection for a minute and the group does a bunch of hilarious stuff. Jared declares that he is the DM and prepares to give the group everything they want.

Chris is back. The group goes and talks to the lich. The group finds the lich's spell book.

Falkon's Return
Back in the castle, Escher really wants to drink a bit of Paultin's blood. Paultin is able to convince the vampire spawn to hold off on that. Escher leaves. There's a raven at the window. It's Falkon the wereraven.

He is naked in his human form. Falkon says to Paultin that they are going to need to take down Escher. Falkon transforms into his hybrid form. He is a raven-man.

Falkon hides outside the window. Escher comes back in the room and suggestively feeds Paultin a scone. Paultin casts suggestion and apparently succeeds. He suggests that Escher should stop being loyal to Strahd.

Paultin invites Falkon in and apparently the three of them are going to try to take down Strahd. Falkon takes his human form.

But wait. They know each other! Falkon is Escher's ex-boyfriend! Falkon wants to fight Escher. The players are very excited about this.

The Curse of Lycanthropy
Back in the temple, Barmy the lich's spell book has remove curse. Evelyn kind of wants to remain as a werewolf. The lich points out that Evelyn is only a half-werewolf. Once she kills a humanoid, she will be a full werewolf and she'll be immune to non-magic weapons.

Strix has to learn the spell before she can cast it. Conflicted, Evelyn prays to Lathander and gets a response:

"Seek out the sarcophagus of Zantras the Kingmaker and accept his gift. Then seek out Great Tarhok, the Five-Headed Destroyer. And then, finally, seek out the sarcophagus of Sykane the Soul Hungerer and accept his gift."

This doesn't sound right to the paladin. Evelyn makes an insight check. She realizes that the entity that answered her prayer is not Lathander. Then she hears a deep-throated voice laughing. Evelyn realizes that it is Strahd. She utters a Wrath of Khan-style "Strahd!"

Escape from Castle Ravenloft
In the Castle, Escher senses what just happened. He tells Paultin and Falkon that the Master is awake. Falkon suddenly sinks his teeth into Paultin's neck?!? He rolls a natural 20!

He wants to turn Paultin into a wereraven. Paultin makes his saving throw.

Paultin convinces Escher to let them leave. Falkon goes into hybrid form. He tries to carry Paultin and fly away. They get out the window, but Falkon only rolls an 11 on his strength check. Paultin is too heavy. They will need to land in the courtyard.

Suddenly, three silver crossbow bolts plunge into Falkon. He takes a pile of damage and is dropped to 0 hit points.

As he falls, Paultin spots the assailant on a parapet. It's Ezmerelda. Her face is pale. Did she become a vampire?

Paultin, falling from an incredible height, uses Falkon's body to cushion his landing. Falkon is dead.

Remove Curse
Back in the temple, Strix has learned remove curse. Evelyn really, really doesn't want to have the spell cast on her. For the spell to work, Strix has to touch her. Evelyn keeps dodging her touch.

Evelyn finally consents to the spell and takes a final sniff of each hero. Then Strix casts the spell. Evelyn is back to normal.

Suddenly, the secret door to the library swings open. Six vampire spawn attack. That's where the session ends.