Ravenloft: Town Without Pity

Summer is a bit slow on the uptake. Last session, the servants of Lord Dhelt of Elturel chased a burglar into a forest to retrieve a holy symbol that he stole. They killed him, but shortly after they retrieved the symbol, they were transported through a mist to the Svalich Woods in an alternate dimension. There, they started to hear about the enigmatic ruler of the place, Count Strahd von Zarovich. They found a couple of companions, but the ranger Quill was poisoned in a fight, prompting the adventurers to cut short their exploration of the Old Svalich Road South and head directly to the village of Barovia, hoping to find a cleric, temple, or potion that would cure the condition. It becomes clear quite quickly that this isn't the kind of friendly "service town" of many RPGs. It is depressed and deserted. Most of the buildings are deserted; some are boarded up; the few people on the street refuse to talk with us. Sound effects include shrieking cats, crying babies, and howling beasts.…