Session 06 — The Hunger Below

Discovery of a mysterious vampire page leads the party to the Church of the Morning Lord, where Father Donovich confesses a terrible secret: his own son Doru has been transformed into a Vampire Spawn and imprisoned in the basement. The party faces an impossible choice—test Doru's control with fresh blood or end his suffering. The combat that follows is swift and brutal, and as the night siege begins, a horrifying gelatinous creature melts the flesh from the defenders.

Pre-Session Recap

The party settled into the servants' quarters of Kolyan Anderovich's Manor after their violent confrontation with villagers. Aleric has spent time with Parriwimple and Father Donovich, establishing connections within the community. The nightly siege is about to begin in earnest, and the party has committed to defending the village. However, a mysterious discovery is about to change their immediate course of action.

Session Summary

Opening

While settling into the servants' quarters, the party discovers a loose page about vampires that has blown in from somewhere. The page contains detailed knowledge about vampire weaknesses, powers, and spawning mechanics. Daisy and Ria investigate the source. When they learn from Irina that the page likely came from a book owned by Father Donovich's son, Doru, the party decides to visit the Church of the Morning Lord to find more information about vampires.

Upon arriving at the church, they find Father Donovich alone in prayer. When they mention the vampire page, his reaction is explosive—he crumples the page and throws it violently into a gap in the floor, revealing his deep emotional turmoil. In a raw confession, he explains that the page and book brought only misery to his life. His own son, Doru, had left with a group convinced they could assault Castle Ravenloft and slay Strahd. None of them returned except Doru—but he was no longer human.

Middle

Weeks ago, Doru returned to the village transformed into a Vampire Spawn. Father Donovich managed to lure him into the church basement and trap him there. Since his return, the priest has been unable to cast spells or feel the presence of the Morning Lord (Lathander), believing he had offended his deity by giving his holy symbol to someone now cursed. When the party offers to end Doru's suffering as a mercy, the priest eagerly accepts, asking only that they spare him from witnessing it.

The party descends into the church's dark basement, where they find Doru—a tragic sight: a young man with ghostly pale skin, unkempt black hair, red and bloodshot eyes, and clothes ripped and filthy. A leather cord bearing a bloodstained bronze sunburst hangs around his neck. When he smiles, pointed fangs protrude from his lips. Despite his monstrous appearance, his voice is still human and cracking with emotion as he begs them to test his humanity.

Doru's request is both heartbreaking and troubling. He wants to prove he still has control over his nature. He asks them to expose him to the scent of fresh blood—his test will be to resist attacking for a full minute. If he succeeds, they should tell his father that his son still lives. If he fails and succumbs to bloodlust, they should kill him without hesitation.

The party's response is divided. Ria immediately moves to attack without negotiation. Aleric physically interposes himself to prevent the killing blow, but Ria is far stronger and bats him aside easily. Daisy, moved by Doru's plight, secretly cuts her own arm to provide fresh blood. This triggers combat.

The battle is brutal. Doru curls into a ball on the ground, begging for a chance, but when combat truly begins, his eyes change—they become completely black and bloodshot, his pupils dilating as the bloodlust takes over. Ria attacks with her silver weapon, forcing him to stay grounded through opportunity attacks. When Doru attempts to leap away, he shrieks: "You wish to bathe me in the light. I wish to bathe in your blood." Aleric uses Thunderous Smite, hurling Doru across the room with tremendous force.

The combat escalates as Doru deals 10 necrotic damage to Ria, reducing her maximum HP by 14 points and saddling her with a severe lingering injury called "Haunted by Death" that gives her one fewer failed death save before death. Aleric, recognizing Doru is moments away from another attack, whispers an apology before using his Morningstar to deliver the final blow. With a prayer to his deity, Aleric swings upward in a tremendous arc, decapitating Doru. His head launches across the room, and his body falls lifeless, blood spilling across the earthen floor.

Closing

After the brutal combat, Aleric carefully approaches the corpse and offers a quiet prayer, hoping Doru can find peace in death. He retrieves the holy symbol and brings it upstairs to Father Donovich, who collapses in grief. When told that Doru was unable to resist the bloodlust, Father Donovich accepts this as confirmation that his son was truly gone—that the mercy killing had been necessary. The priest offers what healing he can manage through prayer, restoring Ria's hit points but unable to reverse her permanent loss to maximum HP.

That evening, as night falls, the siege begins in earnest. The party and town defenders (including Parriwimple and Bildrath from Bildrath's Mercantile) take positions on the barricade to defend against waves of undead. The first creatures are zombies—slow but relentless. Bildrath proves to be a capable fighter. Daisy rolls a natural 20 on a fire bottle attack, earning Parriwimple's respect.

Then, faster creatures emerge—ghouls that move with surprising speed. Daisy holds Parriwimple's belt so he can lean over and shoot a climbing creature. Bildrath throws a fire bottle with passionate battlefield excitement.

But then, something far worse appears. A gelatinous creature—a massive, horrifying ooze-like entity—moves into range and sprays a devastating acidic attack. The description is grotesque: two defenders' skin begins to melt away, their eyes melting out of their heads as they fall to the barricade deck. Bildrath is among those killed in this horrifying fashion, his body literally dissolving from the acid spray. Parriwimple screams, calling out "Uncle? Uncle Bildrath?" as the session ends with the defenders in dire straits, facing an unknown horror.

Key Events

• Discovery of the Vampire Page — A mysterious page about vampire weaknesses is found in the manor
• Father Donovich's Confession — The priest reveals his son Doru has been transformed into a Vampire Spawn
• The Church Basement Encounter — The party meets Doru and hears his tragic plea
• The Moral Debate — Party divided on whether to test Doru's control or execute him immediately
• The Battle with Doru — Doru loses control and transforms into a predatory creature; Aleric delivers the killing blow
• Father Donovich's Grief — The priest craddles his son's holy symbol and weeps
• The Siege Escalates — The first night of serious undead attacks features increasing threat levels
• The Gelatinous Horror — A mysterious creature melts defenders and kills Bildrath

Decisions Made

NPCs Encountered

Locations Visited

Combat & Encounters

Combat Breakdown 1 — Doru the Vampire Spawn

Phase 1: The Basement Encounter

• Party descends into church basement through locked door provided by Father Donovich
• Ria casts light using cantrip, illuminating earthen floor and stone walls
• Party hears anguished screams of young man echoing from darkness above
• Figure emerges from shadows like moth unfurling from cocoon, moving with inhuman grace
• Doru appears: young man with ghostly pale skin, unkempt black hair tangled with knots, red and bloodshot eyes, clothes ripped and filthy
• Leather cord bearing bloodstained bronze sunburst (Father Donovich's holy symbol) hangs around his neck
• When he smiles, pointed fangs protrude from lips
• Voice is still human but cracking with emotion as he asks if they've come to kill him

Phase 2: The Moral Debate and Trigger

• Doru requests: wants to prove he still has control over his nature
• Asks party to expose him to scent of fresh blood while restrained
• Test: resist attacking for full minute
• If succeeds: tell his father his son still lives
• If fails and succumbs to bloodlust: kill him without hesitation
• Party's response immediately divided
• Ria decides he's threat and moves to attack without negotiation
• Aleric attempts to physically interpose himself to prevent killing blow
• Ria is far stronger than Aleric expected; bats him aside easily
• Aleric realizes just how physically different Ria is compared to soldiers he'd served with
• Daisy, moved by Doru's plight and wanting to give fair chance, secretly cuts her own arm to provide fresh blood
• Party's actions trigger combat initiation

Phase 3: The Combat Opening

• Daisy rolls D6 for something significant; rolls 1 (seems to determine Doru will lose control)
• Combat begins
• Doru curls into ball on ground, begging for chance
• Aleric calls for him to stop, saying they should give him chance to prove control
• Ria dismisses this; they already agreed to kill him; questions whether Aleric is man of his word
• Initiative rolled: Daisy gets natural 1; someone rolled much higher

Phase 4: The Combat Rounds

• Aleric holds action, stating he will try to stop Ria from attacking Doru if she attempts
• Ria acts first, attacks with disadvantage (Doru is prone)
• Attack hits, deals significant damage with silver weapon
• Doru's turn: stands up, eyes change — become completely black and bloodshot, pupils dilate as bloodlust takes over
• Attempts to leap away but stopped by Ria's opportunity attack, knocked back down
• Shrieks and attacks Ria, attempting both claw and bite
• Claw misses; bite connects, dealing 4 damage and reducing Ria's maximum HP by same amount (necrotic wound)
• Daisy casts Sacred Flame on Doru
• Attempts to harm with holy light but he steps out of way
• Spell goes off; rafters above glow with holy light
• Doru locks eyes with Daisy across room, speaks with pure hunger: "You wish to bathe me in the light. I wish to bathe in your blood."
• Daisy casts Shield of Faith on herself as bonus action to increase AC
• Aleric, hearing Doru's threat, moves into flanking position with Ria
• Uses Thunderous Smite on Doru
• Doru fails saving throw
• Aleric's Morningstar connects with such force that Doru hurled across room
• Doru lands prone and badly injured
• Ria attempts another attack but her own armor's bright polish reflects light into her eyes
• Momentarily blinded; attack goes wide
• Doru's turn: stands up, attempts to escape basement through rafters above
• Ria's opportunity attack cuts him off, keeps him grounded
• Doru attacks again, deals 10 necrotic damage to Ria
• Damage reduces Ria's maximum HP by additional 14 points (severe lingering injury — "Haunted by Death")
• This condition gives her one fewer failed death save before death

Phase 5: The Mercy Killing

• Aleric recognizes Doru likely moments away from making another attack
• Whispers apology
• Uses weapon to deliver final blow
• With prayer to deity, Aleric swings Morningstar upward in tremendous arc
• Decapitates Doru in what described as hitting home run
• Doru's head launches across room; body falls lifeless
• Blood spills across earthen floor

Phase 6: The Aftermath

• Aleric carefully approaches corpse
• Kneels and offers quiet prayer
• Hopes Doru can find peace in death and soul can rest
• Gently picks up holy symbol and holds it up as though offering
• Brings it upstairs to Father Donovich
• Priest's reaction is heartbreaking
• Looks at pendant, eyes well up with tears
• Clasps symbol so tightly knuckles turn white
• Strangled sob escapes as he sinks to knees
• Cradles it like infant
• Whispers: "My boy. My dear, precious boy. May the morning air forgive me for what I've done and for what I couldn't do."
• Expression hardens like stone; simply says: "It had to be done."
• Priest accepts Doru unable to resist bloodlust as confirmation son truly gone
• Mercy killing was necessary
• Priest offers what healing possible through prayer
• Restores Ria's hit points to 10 HP maximum (limited by permanent loss from necrotic damage)
• Ria's permanent loss remains (requires long rest to potentially recover)
• Priest expresses sorrow; limited by broken connection to Morning Lord
• Before leaving, Ria returns to basement
• Drives wooden stake through Doru's heart to ensure he won't rise again through undead fortitude mechanic
• Searches body but finds nothing except clothes on his back

Outcome: Doru killed after brutal combat; Ria sustains severe permanent injury (14 max HP loss plus "Haunted by Death" condition); Father Donovich's faith begins to heal; party commits to village defense

Combat Breakdown 2 — The Siege (First Night Waves)

Phase 1: The Zombie Waves

• Evening: darkness falls
• Siege on Barovia's barricades begins in earnest
• Party and town defenders (including guards, Parriwimple, Bildrath from Bildrath's Mercantile) take positions on rooftops near barricade
• First creatures to appear: zombies — slow, relatively easy to kill, relentless in attacks
• Bildrath proves capable fighter
• Parriwimple aids with defense
• Daisy rolls natural 20 on fire bottle attack — instantly kills creature
• Parriwimple gains respect for party's effectiveness
• Daisy and Bildrath combat effectively; fire bottles prove valuable against undead

Phase 2: The Ghoul Escalation

• Faster creatures emerge: ghouls move with surprising speed
• Can clamber up walls
• One ghoul attempts to climb up side of barricade building toward Daisy and Bildrath
• Parriwimple, elderly merchant, begs Daisy to hold his belt so he can lean over and shoot
• Daisy agrees despite danger
• Uses strength check with inspiration to avoid dropping him
• Successfully holds old man safely while he shoots at climbing creature
• Bildrath throws fire bottle at one of burning creatures in moment of passionate battlefield excitement
• Critical hit; kills creature
• Party respects his bravery
• Combat continues; party and defenders holding line through multiple rounds

Phase 3: The Horror Appears

• As party and defenders fight with increasing confidence, something far worse appears
• Gelatinous creature — massive, horrifying ooze-like entity — moves into range
• Sprays devastating acidic attack
• Description is grotesque: two defenders' skin begins to melt away, eyes melting out of their heads
• Both fall to barricade deck
• Bildrath among those killed in horrifying fashion
• Body literally dissolves from acid spray
• Parriwimple shocked and screaming for help
• Calls out: "Uncle? Uncle Bildrath?" realizing his mentor is dead
• Ria and one town guard barely standing, badly wounded, nearly dead
• One other defender (likely Aleric) survived acid spray but damaged

Outcome: Zombies defeated; ghouls damaged; at least 2-3 town guards killed by acid spray; Bildrath killed; Ria and remaining defender barely holding; session ends with siege escalating in difficulty and new horrifying threat revealed

Loot & Rewards

Memorable Moments

"My boy. My dear, precious boy. May the morning air forgive me for what I've done and for what I couldn't do."

— Father Donovich, cradling his son's holy symbol

• Doru's Desperation — "You wish to bathe me in the light. I wish to bathe in your blood"—the moment bloodlust overwhelms his humanity
• Aleric's Apology — Whispered before the killing blow, showing the weight of mercy killing
• The Melting Defenders — The grotesque description of flesh and eyes melting in acid spray creates visceral horror
• Parriwimple's Cry — "Uncle? Uncle Bildrath?" as he realizes his mentor is dead
• The Moral Division — The party split between Ria's immediate violence, Aleric's mercy, and Daisy's compassionate sacrifice

Plot Threads

Threads Opened

• The Vampire Book — The source of the mysterious page and its full contents remain unknown; may contain critical information about Strahd
• The Gelatinous Creature — An unknown horror that can dissolve flesh with acid; likely to appear again

Threads Advanced

• Father Donovich's Broken Faith — The priest's connection to the Morning Lord remains disrupted; his healing abilities are limited
• The Siege's Escalation — Creatures of increasing power appear in waves; the siege is intensifying

Threads Unresolved

• What is the gelatinous creature and where did it come from?
• Can Father Donovich's faith be restored?
• What are the other contents of Doru's vampire research book?
• Why does Strahd send increasingly dangerous creatures each night?

PC Highlights

GM Notes