Graveyard Shift Gone Wild! A Recap of “Not Curse of Strahd” Episode 4 – “Wolfpack Woes”!
Greetings, fellow adventurers, and welcome back to the recap of “Not Curse of Strahd” [Title]! Episode 4, which premiered on GMWintermute's channel, threw our heroes directly into the thick of it after their eerie escape from the graveyard. Buckle up, because this session was a hairy one, literally!
The episode picked up exactly where we left off: our party of Redone, Atiya (Sheer), Steph (controlling the Varga Alpha and later Varga 9), and Grandma had just made it through the ominous gates of a graveyard, leaving a horde of undead behind. However, their respite was short-lived as they ventured onto a misty road.
After some discussion about camping or pressing on, they chose the latter, with Grandma being the only one fully rested. Redone provided some light with a cantrip on his sword, and Grandma offered her magically delicious (and healing) Goodberries. As they traveled through the increasingly spooky woods, a sense of being watched settled upon them. The sudden appearance of a full moon only heightened the tension.
Redone, ever cautious, used his Lantern of Revealing to try and spot any invisible threats, while Grandma utilized the tiny mirrors on her four-legged walker. A chilling wolf howl shattered the silence, and soon enough, our adventurers were face-to-face with a fearsome wolf-human hybrid – the Varga Alpha!. Three more howls echoed around them, signaling they were in for a pack of trouble.
Combat erupted swiftly! Redone cast Blur on himself for protection, while Grandma unleashed her unique Spiritual Weapon: a floating pot of wax with menacing waxing strips! She also took a swing with her mace. Atiya joined the fray, brandishing her sword, and even Steph got into the action, controlling the snarling Varga Alpha. Atiya followed up with a fiery Scorch spell. Grandma, not one to be left out, used Vampiric Touch, draining life from an enemy to heal herself.
The fight against the Varga pack was intense, with claws and teeth flying! Redone utilized his Polearm Master feat to get extra attacks, and Grandma summoned her Spiritual Guardians, manifesting as a whirling array of kitchen cutlery! Things got complicated when Varga 11 tried to knock Sheer prone. Spells like Atiya's Green Flame Blade added extra oomph to their attacks, and Redone's Hexblade's Curse further amplified his damage against the werewolves.
In a moment of tactical brilliance (or perhaps desperation!), Grandma cast Web, hoping to restrain the agile werewolves. The Varga Alpha failed its saving throw and was stuck fast! However, this came at a cost, as the Web was a concentration spell, ending Grandma's potent Spiritual Guardians. The Alpha, despite being webbed, still managed to claw at Grandma.
Just when things looked dire, with the werewolves proving to be surprisingly resilient and even healing at the start of their turns, Redone pulled out a powerful spell: Banishment! Targeting the Varga Alpha, the spell worked, and the Alpha vanished to another plane!
With their leader gone, the party shifted their focus to the remaining werewolves. Atiya used Lightning Lure, and Steph, now controlling Varga 9, made a tactical disengagement. Grandma, in a humorous moment, dashed off, announcing she “found the puppy”. Redone continued to harass the remaining Varga with Eldritch Bolts, while Varga 1 withdrew into the darkness, and Varga 9 disengaged and dashed away.
The episode concluded with the remaining werewolves scattering, leaving our heroes battered but alive. It seems their graveyard excursion has led them into even more dangerous territory, facing off against a pack of surprisingly tough werewolves! We'll have to tune in next time to see if they can track down the banished Alpha and deal with the remaining members of the pack. What a wild ride!