Curse of Strahd Session 10: A Seat Among Monsters

The party attends a formal dinner at Castle Ravenloft with Lord Strahd von Zarovich. During the meal, Strahd claims he did not handpick the party but hoped for experts to solve the valley's 'desperate' situation. Lucian inquires about research for the gnawing plague affecting Lord Wachter, but Strahd dismisses the request, claiming his library is sparse on the subject. The atmosphere remains tense but civil until an unexpected interruption occurs. While the others dine, Riordan uses invisibility to infiltrate Strahd's private chambers. He plants a note and narrowly avoids detection by Rahadin, who enters the room in a panic to close an open window. Rahadin discovers the note and immediately alerts Strahd in the banquet hall. This discovery causes Strahd to abruptly end the dinner, citing urgent business and leaving the party to finish their meal under Rahadin's watchful eye. As the party is ushered out, Strahd intercepts the invisible Riordan in the hallway using Detect Magic and Dispel Magic. A heated confrontation reveals that Riordan is actually Strahd's son. Strahd asserts his absolute lordship over Barovia and banishes the group from the castle. Outside, Chaya confronts Riordan for his recklessness, arguing that his personal vendetta jeopardized their safety and their search for her missing brother. On the road back to Vallaki, the party is ambushed by a pack of werewolves. A high-stakes chase ensues where Riordan maintains a literal bite-grip on a werewolf's throat while being dragged behind the moving carriage. Through a combination of Gretch's Sleep spell and Vesper's combat prowess, the party manages to decapitate one werewolf and outrun the rest of the pack, eventually reaching the safety of the Blue Water Inn. The session concludes with a fractured party. Riordan reveals his true heritage to the group, leading to a physical confrontation where Chaya slaps him for using her brother's disappearance as a cover for his lies. While the group retreats to their rooms in discord, Gretch receives a mysterious package containing a Bag of Holding from an anonymous benefactor, and a flashback reveals Riordan found notes regarding a prisoner named Dallian in the castle dungeons.