After receiving Strahd’s invitation the group quickly returns to Van Richten’s tower. They tell Ezmerelda and Van Richten of the letter and decide to discuss their next move in the morning.

Marpenoth 8, 1489DR – Leafall (October), Saturday

7am

The general consensus is that Strahd’s invitation may be some sort of ploy or trap. The party decides to ignore it for the time being and instead head over toward the Wizard of Wines vineyard in the south, since Astor was adamant about checking out the place after promising the innkeeper of Vallaki to look into their troubles.

The party reaches the vineyard and discover that the owner, Davian Martikov, and his family have been driven out of their home by evil druids and their blight creatures two days ago. The constant attacks on the vineyard have been going on for at least two weeks. Desperate and with nothing left to lose they ask the party to help them fend off the druids and their minions.

The party succeeds in driving out the invaders who poisoned most of the wine barrels. Davian gracefully thanks them and provides them with some untainted wine for their troubles. The family will try to resume their wine production but the future looks grim…

At this point Davian confides in the party that he suspects the druids came to steal a family heirloom, an item that allows the family to produce the best wine in the land. Without it he fears his crops will die off. He hopes the party would be willing to help him once more. He accuses a witch who resides somewhere south of Argynvosholt. He shows the group the location on the map and wishes them farewell on their travels.

After helping the Martikov’s Astor seems content and decides to return to Van Richten’s tower to aid the old man as best he can, having grown fond of the strange vampire hunter. The rest of the party follow as now they believe it is time to travel towards the Amber Temple the Dusk Elf Kasimir Velikov suggested they visit in a previous encounter.

Marpenoth 9, 1489DR – Leafall (October), Sunday

With Kasimir in tow, the party minus Ezmerelda, Van Richten, and Astor head south towards the Amber Temple.

Marpenoth 12, 1489DR – Leafall (October), Wednesday

On their third day of travel the party comes across some sort of mountain gatehouse. They are blocked by a curtain of green flame, which the party discovers would probably kill them if they tried to cross it. They rest for the night and will attempt to dispel the magic wall in the morning.

Marpenoth 13, 1489DR – Leafall (October), Thursday

The magic wall is dispelled and the party moves through the gate. They investigate a nearby stone guard tower. They find it long abandoned but not entirely empty. Ghosts of long dead warriors appear and attack the group. They defeat the spirits and prepare to cross the bridge to the other side of the pass….