The battle with the animated house was gruelling, its massive bird-like legs stomping and swiping at the party with relentless force. The walls groaned and creaked as it lashed out, its seemingly endless energy keeping the adventurers on edge. [[Ellette|Ellette]] stood at the front, casting ice magic to freeze its joints and slashing with her moonblade when close enough. "This thing just won’t quit!" she growled, dodging a swinging beam. [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]] called upon his vines, weaving them through the muck and roots of the swamp to ensnare the house's legs. He yanked them tight, slowing its movements. [[Zara Blackwood|Zara]] strummed her lute, melodies filling the chaotic battlefield and lending the party strength. Every so often, she would dart in with her frying pan, giving the house a solid whack with a determined yell. [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]], staying as far back as possible, hurled fiery spells at the house. "Keep it away from me!" he barked, prioritizing his safety above all else. [[Qwimby|Qwimby]], in a rage-fuelled frenzy, unloaded every bullet he had into the towering monstrosity. "Just fall already!" he shouted, his hands steady despite the chaos. With one final coordinated assault, the house shuddered and collapsed, crashing to the ground in a cloud of dust and splintered wood. The party barely had time to catch their breath before a cackling voice echoed from the ruins. From the debris leaped an ancient, wicked-looking hag. Her hair was wild, her eyes glowing with malice, and her fingers crackled with dark magic. "BABA LYSAGA!" she screamed, firing a volley of spells at the party. [[Ellette|Ellette]] dodged the first, but the second hit her squarely. Her body twisted and shimmered before transforming into a brightly coloured duck. She quacked angrily, flapping her wings. Baba Lysaga's spells rained down upon them, forcing the party to scatter. Her cackling voice filled the air as she unleashed bursts of necrotic energy and fire. [[Ellette|Ellette]] dodged deftly, retaliating with her ice magic, but Baba was swift, darting around with unnatural speed. [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]] summoned a wall of vines to slow her down, though the hag burned through them with ease. "This isn’t going to be easy!" he shouted. [[Zara Blackwood|Zara]] played a fierce battle hymn on her lute, the melody emboldening her allies and throwing Baba off balance just enough for [[Qwimby|Qwimby]] to land several precise shots. [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]], staying well behind, unleashed devastating magical blasts, each strike lighting up the battlefield. Despite their combined efforts, the hag proved formidable, deflecting many of their attacks and landing devastating blows. Baba Lysaga cackled madly, hurling fireballs and necrotic energy, her dark magic threatening to overwhelm the group. [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]] managed to entangle her briefly with vines, but she burned through them with an angry shriek. [[Zara Blackwood|Zara]]’s melodies disrupted her spells, creating openings for [[Qwimby|Qwimby]]’s precise shots, while [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]] rained fire from a safe distance. The turning point came when [[Ellette|Ellette]] unleashed a devastating combination of ice magic and a swift strike from her moonblade, sending the hag stumbling back. “This is for everything you’ve done!” she shouted. In a last-ditch effort, Baba cast a spell directly at [[Ellette|Ellette]]. Unable to dodge, [[Ellette|Ellette]]'s body shimmered and twisted before transforming into a brightly coloured duck. The hag's laughter filled the swamp, but her triumph was short-lived as [[Qwimby|Qwimby]]’s final bullet struck her squarely in the chest. Baba staggered, her body beginning to disintegrate into ash. “No! This cannot be!” she wailed before collapsing, her essence scattering into the air. [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]] grabbed the duck, holding her up with a grin. "Duckette! She’s so cute. Can we keep her?" The duck bit his hand, and [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]] yelped. [[Zara Blackwood|Zara]] quickly played a dispel magic tune on her lute, and [[Ellette|Ellette]] transformed back, glaring daggers at [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]]. "Don’t ever call me cute again," she snapped, straightening her armor. The party regrouped and approached the house’s remains cautiously. As they neared the door, it flung open violently. From the shadows emerged Strahd, holding the gem they had sought. "Oh, look at this," [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]] said dryly. "All the hard work done, and you just swoop in." Strahd smirked. "If the boot fits," he replied smoothly. [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]] stepped forward, his tone uncharacteristically polite. "Could you give us the gem, please?" Strahd’s smile widened. "You'll just have to come see me." With a mocking bow, he dissolved into a swarm of bats and disappeared into the night. [[Qwimby|Qwimby]] let out a string of curses, stomping his foot in frustration. The party entered the remains of the house cautiously, searching for clues or anything left behind. The interior was eerie and barren, the air heavy with an unsettling energy. Despite their thorough search, they found no useful information. Worse, the gem was gone. As they prepared to leave, the walls began to shake, and an ominous laughter filled the air. "We’re leaving," [[Ellette|Ellette]] declared. Outside, the party found the house surrounded by undead. [[Qwimby|Qwimby]] let out another expletive as the shambling horde closed in. Weapons drawn, they prepared for another fight. [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]], stepping forward, activated a spell, transforming into a shadowy figure that bore a disturbing resemblance to Strahd. [[Qwimby|Qwimby]], startled and furious, shot at [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]], disrupting his form and knocking him back. "Enough of that!" he snapped. The battle was brutal, but the party emerged victorious. However, the swamp itself began to churn and roll, the ground shifting beneath their feet. Realizing they were outmatched, the party decided to flee. As they ran, the swamp seemed to come alive, its vines and muck reaching for them. [[Zara Blackwood|Zara]] tripped, her lute flying from her hands. [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]] ran past her without hesitation, muttering, "Weakness." [[Ellette|Ellette]] saw this and snarled. Using her Fey Step, she teleported to [[Zara Blackwood|Zara]]’s side, helping her to her feet. "We’re not leaving anyone behind," she said firmly. [[Zara Blackwood|Zara]], panicked, cast _Dimension Door_ blindly. The spell worked, depositing the two of them at the edge of the swamp. Meanwhile, [[Qwimby|Qwimby]] and [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]] were nearing safety when [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]] tripped and fell. They hesitated, debating whether to go back. Before they could decide, Strahd appeared, lifting [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]] effortlessly and depositing him outside the swamp. [[Ellette|Ellette]] stormed up to Strahd. "Who is [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]] to you? What’s your game?" Strahd laughed, casually dropping a sealed letter at her feet. "You’ll see," he said before vanishing into the night. [[Zara Blackwood|Zara]] picked up the letter, holding it tightly as the party gathered around to argue. [[Ellette|Ellette]] and [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]]’s fight was intense, their words sharp and heated. "You left her!" [[Ellette|Ellette]] shouted. "You left us!" "I did what I had to," [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]] replied coldly. "You’re lucky I’m still here." The argument subsided eventually, the exhaustion of the day settling over them. [[Zara Blackwood|Zara]] quietly opened the letter and read it aloud. It was an invitation from Strahd, cordially inviting the party to a grand dinner at Castle Ravenloft. The tone was formal, yet dripping with malice. “This has to be a trap,” [[Ellette|Ellette]] said, her voice sharp. “Of course it’s a trap,” [[Qwimby|Qwimby]] replied, pacing angrily. “But ignoring it might be worse.” “He’s playing with us,” [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]] muttered, his expression unreadable. “It’s a game to him.” [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]] crossed his arms. “Game or not, we need to be ready. If we go, we’ll have to be prepared for anything.” [[Zara Blackwood|Zara]], still holding the letter, nodded hesitantly. “It could be an opportunity to learn more. Maybe we can turn this in our favour.” The party debated the risks and benefits of attending, their weariness showing in their tense voices. Ultimately, they decided to rest first and make a decision in the morning, knowing that Strahd’s shadow loomed over them regardless of their choice. The party agreed to rest, tension still thick in the air as they settled in for the night. ![[Strahds Dinner Invite.jpg]] [[Chapter 69. journey to Barovia]]