Session 20 - Summary

Recap

9th of Neyavr, continuing from town square. Baron Vargas Vallakovich peacefully abdicated to Lady Fiona Wachter at noon; Festival of Blazing Sun canceled. Strahd von Zarovich arrived on a flaming nightmare horse, rain stopped; Fiona swore fealty. Strahd rewarded the party for thwarting Volenta; after party huddle they asked peace for Barovia Village—safe return for citizens, no Strahd or his forces interfering—and Strahd granted it (Session 20 @ 00:36:16). Baron sobbed after Strahd left; Mercurio deceived him that the coup spared him from Strahd's wrath. Fiona paid 100 gp via Ernst; lands/titles promised later; Baron keeps manor. ~1 p.m. party and Fiona departed for Old Bonegrinder Windmill to save Stella Wachter. Fiona revealed warlock pact with Ezra (Mother Night); imp familiar Majesto relayed messages. Irredel's wolfsbane held—no feral transform tonight. Catering-order deception got party inside; Ember/Saturno stole coven contract (human-flesh parchment, Abyssal) from millstone compartment. Fiona read true names—Morgantha storm reaver, belladonna sunbeam, Offalia worm wiggle—and began ~10-minute plane-binding ritual. Night-hag coven combat; hags offered heartstone loan and Strahd secrets—party refused and killed them. Mercurio Celestial Revelation inner radiance woke sleep victims and finished the hags at 9 HP (Session 20 @ 04:04:42). Session ends at windmill after victory—heartstone retrieval and upstairs children not yet resolved.

Key Events

• Town square ~noon: Festival decorations; Lady Fiona Wachter and Ernst on stage with Baron Vargas Vallakovich (Session 20 @ 00:11:47)
• Baron abdicated burgomastership to Lady Fiona; Fiona accepted and addressed crowd (Session 20 @ 00:11:47)
• Rain intensified; thunder; rain abruptly stopped (Session 20 @ 00:18:15)
• Strahd von Zarovich arrived on pitch-black horse with flaming mane and ember hooves (Session 20 @ 00:18:15)
• Strahd praised Fiona's coup; Fiona swore fealty on one knee (Session 20 @ 00:20:29)
• Strahd recognized party for thwarting Volenta; offered a boon within reason (Session 20 @ 00:25:22)
• Party negotiated privately; agreed to ask peace for Barovia Village and its citizens (Session 20 @ 00:35:09)
• Strahd granted: will not disturb Barovia if citizens do not agitate him further; safe return and no interference from him or his forces (Session 20 @ 00:36:16)
• Strahd departed; Baron collapsed sobbing—feared devil had come for him (Session 20 @ 00:37:30)
• Mercurio deception: coup orchestrated to spare Baron from Strahd; Baron embraced him (Session 20 @ 00:38:53)
• Fiona paid 100 gp to Mercurio; lands/titles to follow; Baron keeps Vallakovich manor (Session 20 @ 00:40:51)
• ~1 p.m.: party and Fiona headed to windmill (~2 hours); Irredel wolfsbane confirmed—no feral transform tonight (Session 20 @ 00:46:21)
• Fiona joined to fight hag for Stella; flame in palm; warlock pact with Ezra (Session 20 @ 00:50:32)
• Fiona intel: night-hag coven contract with true names enables ~10-min binding ritual; must hang back—hags see through her (Session 20 @ 01:04:28)
• Unconfirmed: refugee-camp children missing—Fiona suspects hag link (Session 20 @ 01:24:05)
• Sildir deception 16: festival postponed to tomorrow; bulk catering order at windmill (Session 20 @ 01:35:23)
• Ember/Saturno climbed to 2nd floor; picked millstone lock; Mercurio Identify: coven contract (Session 20 @ 02:02:24)
• Fiona read true names from contract; started binding ritual; Majesto familiar watched party (Session 20 @ 02:03:37)
• 3rd floor: two young hags and child whimpering in closet (Session 20 @ 01:49:08)
• Daughters descended; pastries in oven still raw; combat began as binding ritual completed (Session 20 @ 02:17:24)
• Mid-fight Morgantha offered heartstone loan and three Strahd secrets for lives—party refused (Session 20 @ 03:27:01)
• Morgantha admitted two children upstairs; pastries use human stock; forced cannibalism (Session 20 @ 03:24:48)
• Morgantha, Bella, and Offalia defeated; Mercurio celestial radiance sleep-kill finish (Session 20 @ 04:04:42)
• DM named site Old Bonegrinder Windmill (module name: Old Bone Grinder) (Session 20 @ 04:04:42)

NPCs Met

• Strahd von Zarovich — town square; boon for Barovia peace (Session 20 @ 00:18:15)
• Lady Fiona Wachter — new burgomistress; fealty; joined windmill assault (Session 20 @ 00:11:47)
• Baron Vargas Vallakovich — abdicated; deceived by Mercurio post-Strahd (Session 20 @ 00:11:47)
• Morgantha — windmill combat; true name storm reaver; killed (Session 20 @ 02:17:24)
• Bella — daughter hag; true name belladonna sunbeam; killed (Session 20 @ 02:17:24)
• Offalia — daughter hag; true name Offalia worm wiggle; killed (Session 20 @ 02:17:24)
• Ernst — umbrella on stage; delivered 100 gp sack (Session 20 @ 00:11:47)

Locations Visited

• Vallaki — town square coup and Strahd audience (Session 20 @ 00:11:47)
• Old Bonegrinder Windmill — infiltration, contract theft, hag coven battle (Session 20 @ 01:35:29)

Quest Updates

• Overthrow Baron Vargas Vallakovich — completed; peaceful abdication; Fiona burgomistress; Strahd fealty (Session 20 @ 00:11:47)
• Rescue Stella Wachter — coven defeated; heartstone not yet secured on-screen (Session 20 @ 04:04:42)
• Investigate Vallaki Disappearances — hag coven linked to missing refugee children (unconfirmed); cannibal pastry trade exposed (Session 20 @ 01:24:05)
• Escort Ireena to Vallaki — Strahd boon enables Barovia villagers/refugees to return home safely (Session 20 @ 00:36:16)
• Seek Aid at St. Andral's Church — wolfsbane active; no feral transform 9th night; controlled wolf form if needed (Session 20 @ 00:46:37)

Loot & Clues

• 100 gp sack from Fiona via Ernst (Mercurio) (Session 20 @ 00:40:51)
• Promised lands and titles—arrangement pending (Session 20 @ 00:41:35)
• Coven contract—Abyssal, human-flesh parchment; true names read by Fiona (Session 20 @ 02:02:24)
• Strahd boon: peace for Barovia Village citizens—no harm or interference if they do not agitate (Session 20 @ 00:36:16)
• Baron keeps manor; Fiona seizing/redistributing other Vallakovich assets (Session 20 @ 00:43:07)

Open Threads

• Retrieve heartstone from defeated hags; return to Victor Vallakovich for Stella ritual (Session 20 @ 04:04:42)
• Two children whimpering on 3rd floor—not rescued before session end (Session 20 @ 01:49:08)
• Fiona binding ritual succeeded; hags could not flee ethereal plane (Session 20 @ 02:03:37)
• Lands/titles compensation still pending (Session 20 @ 00:41:35)
• Festival rescheduled tomorrow (10th) per deception cover story (Session 20 @ 01:34:06)
• Blinsky's Toys / Arabelle gift; Wizard of Wines / Davian Martikov still deferred (Session 20 @ 00:46:28)
• Locked Ravenloft tome (Mercurio) from Session 19
• Irredel may need to explain wolf form to Fiona if witnessed (Session 20 @ 00:52:02)

Transcript variants

• Vokta/Voktor/Vector → Lady Fiona Wachter
• Strad/Stride → Strahd von Zarovich
• Milwaukee → Vallaki
• Morgana → Morgantha
• Wallace/Solalus/Syllabus → Sylalys
• Irdel/Iridyll → Irredel
• Aphalia/Ophelia → Offalia
• belladonna sunbeam → Bella (contract true name)
• Mother Night → Ezra
• Pepito → Mercurio's raven