The party moved cautiously through the shadowed streets of Barovia, its oppressive atmosphere weighing heavy on their spirits. [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]], ever curious, cast _Detect Magic_. Faint, glowing wisps of energy appeared, floating through the air like spectral fireflies. The wisps seemed to gravitate toward one building in particular. “Looks like our destination,” [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]] said, nodding toward the crumbling structure. The party approached, their weapons ready. [[Qwimby|Qwimby]] examined the lock on the door. "Simple enough," he muttered, expertly picking it. With a soft click, the door creaked open, revealing a rundown interior. To the left was a musty living room, straight ahead a narrow hallway and stairs, and to the right a dining area, its furniture in disarray. [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]] noted that the wisps lingered here, swirling faintly in the gloom. The party entered the living room first. An old corpse, finely dressed, sat slumped in a decaying chair. Dust coated everything, and the smell of rot hung in the air. [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]] approached the corpse without hesitation, rifling through its pockets to retrieve a coin pouch. “He doesn’t need it anymore,” [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]] said dismissively. [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]] knelt beside the body, examining it closely. “Adult male,” he said, frowning. “Dead for less than ten years.” Meanwhile, [[Qwimby|Qwimby]]’s eyes were drawn to a painting on the wall, perfectly preserved despite the decay around it. It depicted a well-off family standing in front of the very house they were in. “Odd that this hasn’t aged,” he muttered. [[Zara Blackwood|Zara]] joined him, tilting her head as she studied the painting. Spotting something, she carefully lifted the frame and found a key taped to the back. [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]], however, seemed distracted. After rifling through the corpse's pockets for a coin pouch, he stood back and casually cast _Animate Dead_. The once-still body twitched violently before lurching upright. [[Ellette|Ellette]] turned, eyes wide with fury. “Are you kidding me, [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]]?” she spat, swearing in a rapid mixture of Common and Elvish. Without waiting for a response, she stormed out of the room, muttering curses under her breath. [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]], unbothered, simply smirked. “What? He’s more useful this way.” [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]]'s new undead servant shuffled into position behind him, swaying slightly as if awaiting orders. He seemed pleased with his acquisition. [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]]’s eyes then scanned the ceiling, narrowing as he sensed movement. A grotesque spider-like creature with deformed limbs clung to the shadows above. [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]] attempted to communicate with it. “We don’t mean harm,” he said softly, but the creature hissed and scuttled out the window. [[Ellette|Ellette]], meanwhile, was exploring the kitchen. She rummaged through broken cabinets and found a dusty bottle labelled “Barovia’s Finest Wine.” She inspected it briefly before slipping it into her bag. As she turned to leave, she froze. Footsteps echoed faintly from upstairs. “We’ve got company,” [[Ellette|Ellette]] announced, gathering the group. The party ascended the creaking staircase cautiously. [[Qwimby|Qwimby]]’s foot suddenly broke through a step, and before he could react, hundreds of spiders poured out, swarming over him. “Spiders! Get them off me!” [[Qwimby|Qwimby]] yelled, thrashing wildly. [[Zara Blackwood|Zara]], terrified of spiders, shrieked and leapt onto [[Ellette|Ellette]]’s back. Without missing a beat, [[Ellette|Ellette]] Fey Stepped to the top of the stairs with [[Zara Blackwood|Zara]] in tow. Meanwhile, [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]] and [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]] fought off the swarm below. Using spells and quick thinking, they managed to fend off the spiders, though not without a few bites. [[Zara Blackwood|Zara]], still clinging to [[Ellette|Ellette]], inspected the key she’d found. “It has the name ‘Campbell’ engraved on it,” she noted. At the top of the stairs, a rotting hallway stretched before them, its ceiling heavy with decay. Two doors lined the left wall, with one door on the right. [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]], irritated and eager to move on, stormed into the first room on the left. It was a bedroom, its furniture rotted and unremarkable. Frustrated, he left quickly. [[Qwimby|Qwimby]] entered the second door cautiously. This room appeared to be a children’s bedroom, with two small beds and a finely woven carpet bearing Strahd’s crest. Toys were scattered across the floor, and the drawers were filled with neatly folded children’s clothing. “Creepy,” [[Qwimby|Qwimby]] muttered, stepping out. [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]] approached the final door at the end of the hallway, opening it slowly. The room beyond was a study, lit by a single fresh candle. The air felt thick with tension. [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]] stepped inside and approached the desk. Among the scattered papers, he found a pendant. He opened it to reveal tiny portraits of two children. Before he could process this discovery, he felt the cold steel of a blade press against the back of his neck. “Don’t move,” a low voice commanded. [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]] froze, raising his hands slowly. Behind him stood a hooded figure, weapon drawn. Before the figure could act further, [[Ellette|Ellette]] appeared behind them, her moonblade pressed to their temple. “Drop the weapon,” [[Ellette|Ellette]] said coldly. “And show us who you are.” The figure hesitated before lowering their weapon and pulling back their hood, revealing a determined-looking woman. “I’m Ireena,” she said firmly. “Friend of Esmerelda and enemy of Strahd.” The tension eased slightly as the party exchanged glances. “We’re here to kill Strahd,” [[Qwimby|Qwimby]] said, his voice laced with venom. “That’s all you need to know.” Ireena nodded, her expression softening. “Then we have the same goal. But if we’re to stand a chance, we need to talk.” [[Chapter 71. A missing Journal]]