Session 09 — The Cards of Fate

After a harrowing encounter with Strahd at the crossroads, the party travels to Sorrow Pool seeking the counsel of Madam Eva. There, card readings, ancient truths, and stories around the fire reveal the weight of their quest—and the eternal cycle that claims all who fail.

Pre-Session Recap

The party had recently encountered Strahd von Zarovich at a crossroads and buried the Burgomaster. They were directed by Ismark the Younger to seek out Madam Eva for guidance on defeating the vampire lord. They traveled toward Sorrow Pool where the Vistani camp awaited.

Session Summary

Opening

The party's journey to Sorrow Pool was marked by an encounter with a mysterious Vistani woman named Eliza crouching in the bushes along the path—she revealed herself to be following them out of curiosity and interest in their story. After sending her away (though she circled back to spy on them anyway), the party arrived at the Vistani camp: colorful round tents, barrel-topped wagons, and a large central tent lit from within.

Before meeting Madam Eva, the party had a crucial conversation with Irina during their final approach. Aleric revealed his changing nature—specifically his newfound darkvision—and confessed he had shaken hands with "the devil" himself (Strahd). This revelation escalated when Irina learned that Doru, her childhood friend and the Burgomaster's son, had been killed by the party weeks earlier in the church basement. Irina confronted them about being excluded from this information, pointing out she had been left out because of her gender while they told her brother. The party agreed to share all information openly going forward.

Middle

Inside Madam Eva's large, ancient tent, the fortune teller explained that the party could save the land, but only by defeating the vampire who holds it captive—Strahd. She spoke cryptically of items and people who would be their salvation, mentioning a "Chimera, the chameleon, the hidden among you." She then extracted a raven with blue wing-tips from Daisy's hair and identified it as Taru, her beloved pet missing for ten years. With genuine fondness, she asked the party to tell Taru that "Mama loves him" if they encountered him again.

Suddenly, Madam Eva's demeanor changed. Her eyes went white and she hissed a warning: a shadow servant of darkness approached her tent seeking their fortunes. She instructed them not to look at the newcomer or reveal what they knew of their true nature, as the "master" would learn of her intervention and his wrath would descend upon them all. She then passed out.

Upon exiting, the party met Stanimir, an elegantly dressed Dusk Elf storyteller, and Eliza, a warm Vistani woman, both offering hospitality. A third figure arrived: Atori Radanovich, a traveler carrying a gun who was searching for his old friend Rudolf van Richten, a scholar and monster hunter.

As evening fell, Stanimir organized a formal Vistani game of storytelling where participants wagered personal items of value and told stories for others to judge as truth, falsehood, or both. The items wagered included a worn Tarokka card deck (Stanimir's), a collapsible brass spyglass (Eliza's), a werewolf manuscript by van Richten (Atori's), a wooden sunflower hair clip (Irina's), a smooth stone from a lake (Aleric's—his most precious possession), a bone dagger (Rhea's), and a rat dagger (Daisy's).

The stories revealed much about the party and their companions. Stanimir's tale of a wounded prince the Vistani sheltered, who became cursed into a tyrant, directly referenced Strahd's history and the Vistani's binding duty to aid heroes. Atori told a dark fable about a fox whose kit was killed, who then manipulated rats into destroying a flock of sparrows—a story that continues to unfold. Aleric shared a poignant personal narrative about choosing between fatherhood and his oath to the Order of the Gauntlet, keeping a single stone from his last day at a lake with his son. Irina's story was a false childhood nightmare about a direwolf chase that turned to mist. Ria told a tale about her father's stealth and skill, which was both true and exaggerated. Eliza's haunting story of Lugdana, a Paladin of the Mourning Lord with a platinum sunburst amulet symbol, was half-true—the paladin and symbol were real, but no one knew what happened after she fell at Yesterhill. Daisy told the half-true legend of "Pumpkin Chuck," a prankster who was cursed into a pumpkin-headed monster (actually watermelon-scented, but the story became pumpkin).

Irina and Ria tied with four correct guesses each, with Ria ultimately winning. Irina collected all the wagered items but returned Aleric's stone, recognizing its true personal value.

Closing

Later that evening, as the party departed for a midnight meeting at the River Iblis Crossroads, they encountered Eliza again, crouching in the bushes to follow them. Daisy grappled her from behind with a stealth check of 19, and the party sent her away—though both Aleric and Ria watched her circle back into the woods to spy on them anyway.

At the gallows, Madam Eva stood waiting. She warned that Irina's presence complicated matters, but after negotiation, allowed her to stay at a distance. To only Aleric and Ria, Madam Eva revealed a vision of Strahd's true curse: ghostly adventurers marched from the graveyard each night to Castle Ravenloft, assaulted the chapel, climbed the tower, and threw themselves into the crypts below. Every night they failed and repeated the cycle endlessly. These spirits could not be damaged, communicated with, or seen by the living. Madam Eva warned that this was the precipice upon which the party now stood. She offered them a choice: abandon the quest with no shame, or pursue it to either victory or death. The party affirmed their commitment.

Madam Eva had previously read Tarokka cards for them revealing items and guides they would need. The cards included: Card One (Carnival Wagon) describing a man in a carnival wagon who is not what he seems; Card Two (Holy Symbol) a holy symbol of great hope in a throne fit for a king; Card Three (Sword) the Sword of Sun, Sleeping Prince, Brother of Darkness; Card Four (Eight of Swords) the enemy described as a creature of darkness with power beyond mortality; Card Five (The Illusionist); and Card Six (Bottom Card) describing that what they seek lies in the wagon he arrives in. The party would need to decide which card to request clarification on or ask for redraw.

Key Events

• Madam Eva's Identification — The mysterious raven Taru is revealed to be Madam Eva's beloved pet of ten years, missing since before the campaign began
• The Tarokka Card Reading — Madam Eva reads cryptic cards describing items, guides, and a final confrontation with an enemy creature of darkness
• The Vistani Storytelling Game — A formal evening game reveals character depths and earns Irina and Ria significant items, including a worn Tarokka card deck and a werewolf manuscript by Rudolf van Richten
• The Ghostly Procession Vision — Madam Eva reveals that past adventurers eternally assault Castle Ravenloft each night, doomed to repeat their failure forever
• Eliza's Continued Surveillance — The curious Vistani woman is caught following the party and returns to spy despite being sent away

Decisions Made

NPCs Encountered

Locations Visited

Combat & Encounters

No Major Combat

This session focused on roleplay, character development, and supernatural revelation rather than tactical combat. The only potential threat—the mysterious figure seeking their fortunes—never materialized as a direct conflict.

Loot & Rewards

Memorable Moments

"If you wish to put aside this mission, no soul could blame you. There is no shame in flight from a foe that no others have defeated."

— Madam Eva, offering the party an out

• The Raven Reunion — Madam Eva's face softens as she recognizes Taru, speaking of him with genuine maternal affection after ten years of separation
• Aleric's Confession — The weight of having shaken hands with Strahd and his changing nature brings vulnerability to the group's strongest member
• The Eternal Procession — The vision of ghostly adventurers eternally throwing themselves from the tower drives home the stakes of failure
• Irina's Moment — Recognizing the significance of Aleric's stone from his lost son, Irina returns it despite having won it fairly

Plot Threads

Threads Opened

• The Tarokka Card Reading — Cards reveal cryptic guides and items the party must obtain; the party must decide which card to clarify or redraw
• The Shadow Servant of Darkness — An unknown figure sought the party's fortunes; their identity and allegiance remain unclear
• The Eternal Procession — Past adventurers repeat a doomed assault on Castle Ravenloft each night; the party now understands this is their potential fate
• The Carnival Wagon — Card One references a man in a carnival wagon; the party has not yet encountered this figure
• Taru's Significance — The raven's true nature and its connection to Madam Eva raise questions about its role in the campaign

Threads Unresolved

• What is the true meaning of the Tarokka cards, particularly the Sword card's reference to a "Sleeping Prince"?
• Who is the shadow servant of darkness seeking their fortunes?
• What specific items or guides does the party need to defeat Strahd?
• Will the party successfully break the cycle of eternal failure?

PC Highlights

GM Notes