The hag turned to face the party fully, her grotesque smile widening as [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]] stepped forward. “Greetings,” he said cautiously. “My name is [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]]. And you are?” The hag tilted her head, her sunken eyes glinting with amusement. “I am Morgantha, and this is my home. Here, I bake the finest Dream Pies in Barovia. Treats for all who dare to indulge.” [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]] raised an eyebrow. “Dream Pies? What goes into them?” Morgantha chuckled, a sound like grinding bones. “Anything you can think of.” Before [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]] could reply, [[Ellette|Ellette]] stepped forward, her moonblade gleaming in the dim light. She pointed the blade at [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]]’s throat, her eyes blazing with fury. “What are you doing?” [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]] asked, startled by her aggression. “What do you think is in those pies?” [[Ellette|Ellette]] hissed, her voice shaking with anger. Morgantha’s laughter grew louder. “The kitchen below is where the magic happens,” she said mockingly. [[Zara Blackwood|Zara]], standing near the back of the room, noticed shadows shifting unnaturally along the walls. Picking up an old bone, she tossed it into the darkness. A strange crunching noise followed, and the bone rolled back out—cleaner than it had been before. [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]], his gaze steady, asked, “Where are your sisters?” Morgantha’s grin faltered briefly. “How do you know about them?” she asked. “The chicken told me,” [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]] replied, his tone calm. Morgantha clapped her hands. “Sisters, come greet our guests.” Two more hags stepped into the dim light, their appearances nearly identical to Morgantha’s. Their cackles echoed in unison as the door behind the party slammed shut, trapping them in the room. “What are you grinding below for ingredients?” [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]] demanded. The hags burst into laughter. “Ingredients for our Dream Pies, of course,” they said together. [[Ellette|Ellette]]’s temper snapped. “It’s children!” she screamed, her voice shaking with fury. “Children’s bones! That’s what you’re grinding!” Without waiting for a response, she charged, her blade glowing with icy energy. The room erupted into chaos as the party sprang into action. [[Ellette|Ellette]] swung her moonblade with reckless abandon, slashing at Morgantha, who countered with a burst of necrotic energy. [[Qwimby|Qwimby]] unloaded his revolver, his shots cracking through the room, but the hags’ magic deflected many of his bullets. [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]] hung back, hurling fire spells that lit the room in flickering orange light. [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]] hurled a makeshift molotov at one of the hags, but his aim faltered. The bottle smashed against a wall, setting the mill ablaze. Flames began to spread rapidly, filling the air with smoke. [[Zara Blackwood|Zara]], caught off guard, was hit by a spell from one of the hags. Her body shimmered before shrinking into the form of a small puppy. She barked in confusion as she stumbled around the chaotic room. “Great,” [[Qwimby|Qwimby]] muttered, reloading his revolver. “Just great.” [[Ellette|Ellette]] faced Morgantha directly, the two locked in a deadly dance of blade and magic. Suddenly, Morgantha cast a sphere of darkness, enveloping them both. Inside, [[Ellette|Ellette]] heard the screams of children, their cries filling her with a righteous fury. Her magic surged, her attacks becoming wild and devastating. [[Qwimby|Qwimby]], spotting one of the other hags, fired a shot that found its mark. The hag let out a shriek before collapsing to the ground. [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]], seeing the flames spreading, wildshaped into a massive rhino. He charged through the room, smashing furniture and walls alike. The mill shook with each impact, and the fire grew fiercer. [[Ellette|Ellette]] emerged from the sphere of darkness, her moonblade covered in blood. The last hag fell under her relentless assault, her body collapsing in a heap. With the hags defeated, the party scrambled to escape the burning mill. [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]], still in rhino form, charged a wall, breaking it down and creating an exit. [[Zara Blackwood|Zara]]’s polymorph spell wore off, and she returned to her natural form, shaken but unharmed. Once they were a safe distance away, the party turned to watch the mill burn, its flames lighting up the night sky. “We’ve sent a message,” [[Zara Blackwood|Zara]] said quietly, her lute in hand. She played a soft tune, healing the party’s wounds. Ireena stepped forward, her expression solemn. “This is a victory for the people of Barovia. You’ve done something many would not dare.” The party nodded, weary but resolute. They made their way back to the town of Barovia, finding shelter in an abandoned building. There, they rested, knowing that their fight against Strahd and the horrors of his land was far from over. [[Chapter 74. Rest and Revelation]]