The Squishies talked over the possibility of inviting Esmeralda with them to this fortress. However, Xylil and Azalea still didn’t trust her, despite Qwib Qwib’s enthusiastic endorsement. Somehow the topic became about drugs, which Altheon was down to do. The party remembered the dream pastries and the hags in the windmill who sold them and wondered if they might be able to setup their own edible shop in their place.
An so, they journeyed back toward the Old Bonegrinder, hoping to find gods know what. Reaching the dilapidated old building, Azalea and Rasper opted to stay outside, while Qwib Qwib, Xylil, and Altheon went in. There, they found a new pot on the stove filled with a brewing potion of love. Bags and boxes seemed to suggest new tenants of the windmill. As they inspected the brew, Eldra, member of the new witches coven greeted the group as she came down the stairs. She explained her and her sisters were brought to Barovia and given the windmill by Strahd to replace the hags who were killed her previously. While their magic business isn’t up and running yet, she sells Xylil a special scroll for 5gp before they know what it does. It ends up being a powerful but very temporary Truesight spell.
The group heads back to Vallaki, plans to open their own edible shop in flames. However, in talking about the scroll, Altheon remembers the recipe he picked up from the circus performers back in town. He shows it to Azalea who immediately recognizes the recipe as hiding a magic spell in code. After some investigation, she determines it’s a spell to absorb all the light in a given area to be released all at once to try and weaken a vampire like Strahd. The party somewhat agrees that Rictavio and his lot are on their side.
Back in town, Qwib Qwib invites Esmeralda along to investigate the fortress for equipment. When she mentions it’s south of the town, the hunter immediately recognizes it as Argynvostholt, a cursed manor so dangerous, most other hunters don’t even dare to go there. But she agrees to join Qwib Qwib and the party, to the chagrin of Xylil. While this is happening, Altheon is getting drunk with Rasper and Azalea, who can’t quite hold their liquor as well as the addicted elf, and they end up barfing.
The group travel to the Argynvostholt, a dour manor off the normal west path of the Old Svalich road. They arrive as the clouds darken overhead, and see through the mists a statue of a dragon out front of the building. They determine it used to be some kind of booby trap, and when they step on the entrance stairs, it blows cold air at them. Seems the magic it once used to cast Cone of Cold has long since faded. Inside the manor, the group investigates and hear the shadow of a dragon whispering to them, at one point speaking through the dying embers of an exploded living fire to ask them to “Light the beacon” and save the knights of this manor.
In a storeroom, they find a dusk elf named Savid hiding. They explain they were out looking for a missing Vistani girl named Arabelle, when they were attacked by needleblights. They took refuge in the manor, shortly before the party arrived. Esmeralda gives the elf a healing potion, and Rasper and Altheon escort them outside the manor. Once they’re on the safe road back to the Vistani camp, the two are free to come back.
Meanwhile, Xylil, Azalea, Qwib Qwib, and Esmeralda continue exploring, with Xylil taking the lead into a foggy chapel where three undead knights turn to face them, their faces contorted in an eternal rage and fury. Looks like it’s time for a fight.
