Curse of Strahd Session 14: A Hill of Wood and Wrath

The session begins in the heat of battle at Yester Hill, where the party is engaged in a brutal struggle against Druids and Berserkers. Riordan uses his supernatural strength to hurl a Druid across the battlefield, while Stoick and Horvor focus on thinning the enemy ranks. The chaos is interrupted by the arrival of Strahd von Zarovich on his nightmare steed. The Druids and Berserkers immediately cease their attacks, prostrating themselves in fear and reverence. Strahd warns the party to de-escalate, but the group’s lack of trust leads to a fractured response. Gretch attempts to magically manipulate Strahd’s horse with a Suggestion spell, which the vampire lord effortlessly counterspells. Terrified of the potential retaliation, Gretch hides in an open grave, attempting to bury himself to escape notice. Strahd then isolates Riordan within a Wall of Force, trapping him in a shimmering globe. Despite the Dread Lord's presence, Stoick and Horvor continue to strike down the remaining Berserkers, and Chaya uses her spiritual hammer to disrupt a Druid attempting to magically repair a wooden statue through Druidcraft. The tension breaks when Gretch uses a 'surprise tool'—a Message cantrip while invisible—to confuse Strahd. Frustrated by the party's refusal to submit or provide entertainment, Strahd vanishes in a sudden lightning strike, causing the Wall of Force to dissipate. The party quickly mops up the remaining combatants. Riordan gives in to his darker nature, brutally biting the throat of a surrendering Berserker to drink his blood, an act that visibly disturbs his companions. In the aftermath, Gretch and Stoick discover an ornate spear embedded in a skeleton at the base of a lightning-struck tree. When Stoick claims the weapon, it speaks to his mind, and thorns emerge from the handle to bond with his flesh, turning the ivory crimson with his blood. Meanwhile, Chaya secretly spares a fallen Druid, allowing her to flee into the woods. The session concludes with a post-credit scene in Vallaki, where Steinman discovers a hidden compartment in Lady Wachter's library containing an ancient tome marked with a raven crest.