Session 7 of Not Curse of Strahd was a busy episode that saw the party travel to Vallaki, receive a terrifying invitation, dine with Strahd, and then venture into the haunted marsh of Berez, encountering a bizarre hag and a grieving ghost.
The session began with the morning after the werewolf attack. Grandma was suffering from a hangover and had to be dragged on a makeshift litter as the party continued towards Vallaki with Ismark and Irina.
Upon reaching the walled village of Vallaki, they were stopped by wary guards. Mark identified himself as the son of the Burgomaster of Barovia and explained that they were bringing Irina, who had attracted Strahd's attention, to the safety of Vallaki. However, the guards were suspicious of the adventuring party, especially with the upcoming Festival of the Blazing Sun. Ultimately, Mark and Irina were allowed into Vallaki, but the rest of the party was asked to wait by Lake Zarovich.
While waiting at the lake, Mark eventually returned and informed them that Irina was safe. He also revealed that their next destination, based on the Vistani's card reading, was Berez to find the “master of the marsh”. The party recalled the tale of how Strahd had flooded Berez due to his anger over his failed romance with a village maiden whose father prevented her transformation into a vampire. They decided to camp near the lake before heading to the marsh.
Their peaceful night was interrupted by a fast-approaching, driverless carriage pulled by horses with glowing red eyes. The carriage delivered a formal invitation from Strahd von Zarovich to dine with him at Castle Ravenloft. After a tense discussion, and despite Ismark's desire to fight Strahd, the party cautiously accepted the invitation.
The carriage swiftly transported them to Castle Ravenloft, where they were greeted by a servant named “Jeeves” (a renamed character). They were led into a grand, yet eerie, dining hall where Strahd and his three vampire brides awaited them. During the lavish dinner, Strahd questioned Ismark about Irina and expressed curiosity about Grandma. He then revealed his long and tragic history with Tatiana, a peasant woman he loved who was engaged to his brother Sergei. Strahd confessed to murdering his brother and making a deal with the dark powers to win Tatiana, but she tragically jumped to her death. He believes that Irina is Tatiana reincarnated and desires to be with her to finally break the curse.
The party questioned Strahd about the dark powers, but he offered little information. Strahd then stated the real reason for his invitation: he wants the party to bring Irina to him at the castle within five days, or Vallaki would face his wrath. Ismark vehemently refused. Strahd, after briefly transforming into a terrifying bat-like creature to emphasize his power, allowed them to leave, reiterating his demand and the consequences. They were returned to their campsite by the lake.
Back at the campsite, the party discussed their options and the need to learn more about the dark powers. They revisited the Vistani's card reading for potential clues about their objectives.
The following day, the party ventured into the marsh of Berez. They encountered a wary peasant woman named Muriel near a ring of standing stones. Muriel warned them about Baba Lysaga, a powerful hag who had claimed Berez as her own and stolen something from the Wizard of Wines winery. She described Baba Lysaga's bizarre hut, guarded by caged ravens and a floating giant skull, and mentioned the hag uses murderous scarecrows as spies and guards throughout the ruins.
Radon cautiously approached Baba Lysaga's hut and, upon entering, found a seemingly angelic child in a crib and a tub stained red. Baba Lysaga appeared and claimed the child, named “Strahd,” was her baby and that she was Strahd's mother, much to the party's bewilderment. Audio, using arcane knowledge, determined that the baby was a magical illusion. Baba Lysaga then asked Radon to retrieve a goat from a nearby pen, which was disturbingly adorned with human skulls that were magically warded.
After Radon brought her a goat, Baba Lysaga brutally slaughtered it, letting the blood drain into the tub. Despite the unsettling scene, she revealed that the former Burgomaster of Berez was Laszlo Ulrich, likely now a ghost. The party recalled seeing the name “Ulrich” on a ruined mansion nearby.
They found the ghost of Laszlo Ulrich in the ruined mansion. He was initially hostile but revealed that Strahd had killed his daughter, Marina, after Laszlo intervened to stop her from becoming a vampire. The party explained the Vistani's prophecy, including the “kneeling woman,” and their belief that Marina might be reincarnated as Irina. Laszlo's ghost demanded to see Irina in person before he would provide them with the information they sought.
The session ended with the party at an impasse: they needed information from Laszlo's ghost but were hesitant to bring Irina to the dangerous Berez, especially with Baba Lysaga and her spies present. They discussed the possibility of sending Ismark back to Vallaki to retrieve Irina while they dealt with the threats in Berez. The game master hinted that the current setup, with the hag and the ghost, was likely intended to lead to a confrontation with Baba Lysaga.