The party rests in Vallaki before briefly exploring the town the next day. The dwarven warrior women, Keora and Taryn, meet Gunther a tall blonde haired man with dark skin at the stock yard. He agrees to loan them a horse and wagon for a day in exchange for the barrel of beer that Taryn has been carrying with her. The dwarves convince the rest of the party that they should head back to try and save their comrades who were carried away in the black carriage. The band agrees and sets out to head back through the woods to where their friends were carried off. On the journey they encounter a skeletal horse and rider and the adventurers on foot rush ahead and quickly dispatch the rider, leaving the horse to wander off into the woods. Meanwhile Keora casts Sending and discovers that Dora is waiting in the Vistani camp after jumping from the carriage before being carried into the castle.
Early that afternoon the band is reunited with their friend. Dora tells them that Bastle the halfling didnât jump from the carriage and must be somewhere in the castle now. After visiting with the travelling people the band realizes they have stayed longer that they intended and quickly start back towards Vallaki -- nervous that they will not make it there by nightfall.
On their way they once again see the black carriage, and incredibly 2 of the band decide to creep up and climb on the horses despite the warnings from their companions. To few peopleâs surprise, except perhaps the 2 on the horses, the door to the carriage slams shut and the horses begin a wild gallop up towards the castle -- once again taking 2 of the band with them.
There is a debate as to what to do next but the Clerics and Paladin convince the party they canât leave their friends behind again... and so as the sun sets the band reluctantly starts the climb up the steep mountain road towards Castle Ravenloft.
Chara, 2nd Level Tabaxi Rogue - 500 xp Denna, 4th Level Human Cleric â 5,888 xp Dora, 4th Level Half-Elf Bard â 3,538 xp Drastrix, 4th Level Lizardfolk Ranger â 5,375 xp Keora, 5th Level Dwarf Cleric â 7,307 xp Laura, 4th Level Human Wizard â 6,258 xp Lo Kag, 4th Level Goliath Fighter â 4,925 xp Neko, 4th Level Tabaxi Paladin - 2,788 xp Popshot, 5th Level Elf Rogue â 6,800 xp Quinn, 4th Level Human Wizard â 4,898 xp Taryn, 4th Level Dwarf Fighter â 5,375 xp
