Ox --->Tiger --->Rabbit --->Dragon --->Snake --->Horse Campaign Session #229

 

Ritter Estate Hunting Cabin

Session 229- A Return to Barovia Part 79; Borca 6

7/19/2026

• A scream is heard from Victor’s room in the middle of the night.  

  Tim and Fecus respond to the attack on Victor.

• Victor’s room is filled with poison gas and a pale, dark-veined 

  woman is trying to escape through the window.

• Tim casts Telekinesis on the figure and pulls her into melee 

  range of himself and Fecus.  A quick skirmish ends with Tim 

  casting Sleep on her.

• The Abbot responds during the conflict to remove Victor by 

  flying him out the window of the bedroom.

• Dmitri arrives at the conflict as the assassin is subdued by 

  Tim’s magic.  Tim and Fecus want to interrogate her; Dmitri 

  suggests the oubliette under the wine cellar in the basement 

  of the house.

• Dmitri leads Tim and Fecus and their prisoner downstairs 

  through the wine cellar and shows them the hidden trapdoor 

  in the floor and the key to it that hangs on a peg nearby.

• Dmitri emphasizes the importance of staying quiet and 

  keeping the area clean to minimize the possibility of 

  upsetting Vera, who is focused on preparing the household 

  for its upcoming Summer Garden Party Series event.  He 

  then returns upstairs.

• Tim and Fecus wait for the assassin to wake up.  When she 

  does, she tries to poison them from her position in the 

  oubliette, but Tim and Fecus were expecting her to do 

  something like that and they are able to step away from the 

  locked grate in the floor and avoid her poison gas cloud.

• They have a strange conversation with her, trying to ascertain 

  her motives to injure Victor.  She tells them that she was 

  following their group and picked Victor to target, because she 

  saw him as the weakest link in the party.  Tim casts ESP on 

  her while Fecus continues questioning her.  They learn she is 

  not motivated by gold, but a different currency that is not 

  available to them.  Tim is able to get a visual of immense 

  gardens and a veiled figure who appears to control the 

  gardens and adjacent perfumery.  From what they have 

  learned about the Darklords of Borca in their brief time in 

  the domain, they suspect that the figure and gardens are 

  related to Vana Boritsi.  Tim Wizard Locks the oubliette and 

  he and Fecus return to the main floor of the house.

• When they return to the main floor, they realize that it is 

  breakfast time.  A servant approaches them with letters on a 

  silver platter.  They have received 2 letters, one of them is an 

  invitation to Darklord Ivan Dilisniya’s estate and the other is 

  from Franco Ritter, inviting them to come investigate something 

  at his estate before the Summer Garden Party Series event he 

  is hosting within the week.

• Anya, the youngest sister, tells Team Rams that Vera, Aurek, 

  and Natalia have left the estate to complete administrative tasks 

  in the city of Sturben.  She gives them a warning that 

  Lord Ivan Dilisniya is so very boring.  Dmitri offers to accompany 

  Team Rams to either the Ritter Estate or the Dilisniya Estate; 

  he's eager to get out of the party planning and social stress of his 

  own household.

• Team Rams and Dmitri have breakfast and then pack up and 

  leave Esecklae.  Their trip is uneventful as they travel through 

  the Founder’s Forest.

• They cross the bridge over the Vasha River and begin 

  approaching the hunting cabin they were instructed to meet an 

  employee at as per the letter’s instructions.  Dmitri is familiar with 

  its location; he used to hunt with his brother-in-law Charlie Ritter 

  when Charlie was still alive.

• Arriving at the hunting cabin, Dmitri knocks and calls out for Mario, 

  the Ritter Estate employee they are supposed to contact.

• No response at first, then the door quickly opens and Dmitri is 

  pulled inside and the door is slammed shut in the rest of the 

  Team’s faces.

• Team Rams immediately break into a weird scene going on in 

  the cabin.  There is a summoning circle with a demonic ooze 

  (Adult Oblex) sitting in it.  It is wearing the face of a skeleton and 

  it says “You shouldn’t be here”.  The other weird part is there is a tall, 

  gaunt man standing in the corner over the limp figure of Dmitri, 

  who was chloroformed or otherwise made unconscious.

• The ooze begins to move outside the circle, inching towards Tim.  

  Tim casts Faerie Fire on the creature and Team Rams quickly kill it.  

  The man in the corner seems sad that the creature is deceased, 

  saying that it was helping him remove painful memories from his mind.  

  He allows Team Rams to collect Dmitri and revive him from his 

  unconscious state.

• Dmitri suggests that they go talk to Franco Ritter directly, to find 

  out what is really going on here.

• They leave the hunting cabin, and arrive at the golden arch marking 

  the entrance to the garden of Vetistiqua, the Ritter Estate proper.  

  Waiting at the arch is Franco Ritter who explains that his daughter, 

  Mimsy, has gone missing and he needs her found before the 

  Summer Garden Party Series event in less than a week.  This is 

  the year of her debut.  He is also concerned that the estate needs 

  some slimes and oozes cleaned up before the party.  Team Rams 

  agree to help Franco Ritter find Mimsy and if they have time after that, 

  they will help eradicate the menaces corrupting the estate.

• Ermordenung (Nostalia Romaine) imprisoned and interrogated = 

  1800 XP

• Adult Oblex killed = 1800 XP

• Total XP = 3600 XP

• Tim and Fecus each receive 1200 XP

• Gugula and Shelby each receive 600 XP

Ctyri Ctvrt Chronicles Session #37

Moving through the Spire of Iron and Crystal

 

 

 

Session 37- Inside the Spire of Iron and Crystal Part 3

6/29/2026

• Danika and her adventuring party along with Radomir and his 

  adventuring party circle around the first level clockwise to 

  Room #5 and they enter Room #4 without the door trap taking 

  effect, yet.

• They then go through several already explored Rooms #2, #1, 

  and #12.

• Entering Room #15, they encounter 3 Slitherrats… 1 escapes 

  using its Special Ability: Slide Through Crystal.  The combined 

  adventuring parties fight and kill the remaining 2 Slitherrats.

• Moving into Room #16, they find the escaped Slitherrat.  It is 

  quickly dispatched (Danika crits!)

• In Room #17, they encounter the Korog Technician and 

  2 Oozeanderthals.  In the fight, the Korog Tech uses his Wand of 

  Paralyzation against Pavel successfully, but is ultimately killed.  

  The 2 Oozeanderthals escape after taking damage in the fight.

• The adventurers chase the 2 Oozeanderthals into Room #18.  

  The monsters escape using the Teleport pad.  The adventurers do 

  not follow.

• 3 Slitherrats killed = 360 XP

• Korog Technician killed = 240 XP

• Wand of Paralyzation (4 Charges)

• Total XP = 600 XP

• Danika receives 300 XP

• Hynek and Pholos each receive 150 XP

Ox --->Tiger --->Rabbit --->Dragon --->Snake --->Horse Campaign Session #228

Drinks Before Dinner at the Nuikin Estate

 

 

 

Session 228- A Return to Barovia Part 78; Borca 5

7/11/2026

• Team Rams and the Nuikins have left the House of Lament 

  as night falls and a rainstorm begins.

• Dmitri and Aurek suggest camping instead of trying to travel 

  in the downpour.  Team Rams agree and are grateful for the 

  prepared Dmitri, who skillfully sets camp.

• Dmitri sits the first 2 watches and Fecus takes the 3rd watch.

• As they move through the Founder’s Forest, Victor seems to 

  be feeling like the party is being followed.  A deer comes 

  crashing across the trail, and he attributes his paranoia to 

  having heard the deer before anyone else noticed it.

• In the early afternoon, they pass through the village associated 

  with Esecklae, the Nuikin Estate.

• Arriving at the Nuikin Estate, they are greeted first by Aurek 

  and Dmitri’s youngest sister, Anya Nuikin.  She is beyond 

  delighted that her sister-in-law, Natalia, is alive and well.

• The oldest sister, Vera, although pleased her sister-in-law is 

  alive and returned to the household, is wondering how this will 

  affect the family’s reputation as the Summer Garden Party Series 

  rapidly approaches.  She’s already re-arranging her schedule 

  and plans, trying to factor how the guests, Team Rams, that her 

  brothers have brought home will affect the delicate social 

  standing that each family maneuvers to improve each and 

  every day, especially during the Summer Garden Party Series.

• Rams are shown guest rooms by household servants, and they 

  are able to bathe and change into dress clothing that Vera 

  somehow provided in correct sizes for attending the family 

  dinner later.

• Bathed and correctly dressed, Rams are gathered up by Dmitri, 

  who takes Team Rams to the salon/drawing room adjacent to 

  the dining room and serves them cocktails while they wait for 

  dinner.  Aurek and Natalia arrive in time to briefly chat with the 

  party before the dinner bell rings and everyone is escorted into 

  a lavish and luxurious dining room.

• Vera asks members of Team Rams if they are willing to join the 

  Nuikin family in attending the different Summer Garden Parties 

  hosted at the various noble estates of Borca.  Tim and Fecus 

  speculate that this could be an excellent cover for searching for 

  the Vorpal Sword.

• Vera explains the struggles and disappointments of last 

  Summer Garden Party series that she and Anya suffered, 

  partially due to her brothers disappearing before they could be 

  drafted to attend any of the events.  Vera worries that Dmitri’s 

  behaviour might be interpreted as a slight against one of the 

  Domain’s Darklords, Vana Boritsi.  The third sister, Katya Nuikin, 

  also seems to vex her older sister, and she is conspicuous in her 

  absence during dinner.  Dmitri mentioned to Team Rams during 

  the walk through Founder’s Forest, that Katya has been a bit of a 

  wild card since she was widowed by her husband, drowning her 

  sorrows in carousing and gambling.

• Team Rams agree to attend the first Summer Garden Party event 

  at the Ritter Estate.  That is Katya’s dead husband’s family, and 

  Vera is anxious about this particular event, because she herself 

  can’t attend it; she has other business she must attend.

• Vera is pleased to have appropriate representation to send to the 

  party and immediately begins making new notes in her appointment 

  book, as the rest of the people at the dinner table finish their meal.

• After dinner, Victor pulls Tim aside to ask him if he felt like he was 

  being watched while Team Rams was getting ready for dinner.  

  Tim hadn’t noticed anything out of the ordinary, but suggests that 

  maybe Victor should implement some kind of magical wards on his 

  guest room.

New Moon in Cancer Tomorrow; Mercury Still Retrograde!

Cancer Reluctantly Handing the Baton to Leo

 

 

 

Dear Monday Morning Blog Readers,

The weekly notes for the Ox Gives Way to Tiger Campaign will be posted this evening.  We played Session #228 last night, and there was a bit of a tone shift as the inimitable Team Rams dipped their toes into the social pool of Borca.  I hope this Mercury Retrograde hasn't been too trying for you all!  I'm navigating it ok, but we won't be out of the woods for another week and a half or so.  What about the New Moon in Cancer tomorrow?  What new things will it bring out in the next lunar cycle?  I don't know about anyone else, but as someone with strong Leo placements in my personal chart, I get more excited about late July and the sign change.  The Crab Gives Way to the Lion, and all is fixed, warm, and well.  But hey, don't sleep on the Crab, some of them have a mean right hook, haha!  And they lead they way into the Astrological Summer, so we give thanks for them and their tender insides protected by their hard exteriors;)  

Anyway, I just wanted to say hi to the folks that are showing up to read what I write here about my games and let you know you'll get the next installment of Ox Gives Way to Tiger later today.  And stay tuned later in the week as a new actual play post of Ctyri Ctvrt Chronicles get released Friday morning.  I've been alternating running Ctyri Ctvrt Chronicles for my player and he runs his own game for me; so fun to play and not have the pressure of being the DM sometimes!  And it wouldn't be a Moon Cycle post if I didn't mention my Substack.  I have a new (and free) offering over there.  I've expanded the Mock Orange Cairn media empire into video production and I am in the beginning stages of a Solo Campaign that will be updated, hopefully on a weekly basis, but we'll see if that is an achievable pace for me on the production end of things.  For those of you whose particular interest is the Ravenloft setting, the new Solo Campaign is set in several Domains of Dread.

For those looking for a more astrological slant, my advice is very Crab-like today, "Keep the soft insides inside, keep the hardshell hard, and punch above your weight class!" 

Ox --->Tiger --->Rabbit --->Dragon --->Snake --->Horse Campaign Session #227

Team Rams have reunited the Halvhrest Family

 

 

 

Session 227- A Return to Barovia Part 77; Borca 4

7/5/2026

• Dmitri suggests grabbing a sprig of Belladonna from the Conservatory 

  to complete the Shield of Ezra icon protecting the children’s bedroom.

• Team Rams and Dmitri go downstairs and collect the Belladonna.  

  Dmitri checks in on his brother Aurek, who is nearly ready to hold 

  another seance.

• Back upstairs, they use the Belladonna sprig to complete the 

  Shield of Ezra protection icon on the wall of the nursery to reveal the 

  hidden door to the children’s bedroom.

• They enter the children’s bedroom and see the skeleton of 

  Theodora Halvhrest in a rocking chair.  As they walk into the room, 

  they hear children’s voices, seemingly emanating from the stuffed 

  toys on the beds.

• Gugula receives another vision of Theodora asking for the party to 

  take the Dragon and Knight toys away from the house.  The spirits 

  of her children are trapped in the house.

• Tim and Fecus think it’s a worthy cause, but they speculate it can’t be 

  that simple.  They gather the toys and finish exploring the third floor.

• In the servants’ room they find a Bag of Holding in the female 

  servant’s room.

• As they are wrapping up the third floor, they hear Aurek calling up to 

  them to let them know he is ready to hold the third (and last) seance.

• They troop downstairs and settle around the parlor table.  As a 

  preface to the seance, Aurek gives his POV on his and Dmitri’s time 

  in the domain of Richemulot.

• During the seance, all of Team Rams receive the vision of 

  Theodora Halvhrest requesting they remove the Dragon and Knight 

  toys holding her children’s spirits from the house.  The Spirit Board 

  planchette spells out “GET THEM OUT”.  Aurek tries to ask about his 

  wife, again, and several dark spirits/entities manifest in the room.  

  A large, dark amorphous entity manifests behind Aurek and asks him 

  what he would trade for restoration of his wife Natalia and invites him 

  to come do further bargaining in the basement.

• Aurek abruptly sprints out of the parlor and Dmitri immediately follows.  

  Team Rams decides to go down to the basement and in the storage 

  room they thought was a dead-end, an archway is revealed.

• They push through the ruins and descend into a pit where Aurek is 

  crawling around on his hands and knees sobbing for Natalia as Dmitri 

  tries to hold off the Mara Silvra Banshee.

• They defeat the Banshee.

• Dark tentacles emerge from the pool around the Amber Monolith and 

  move to attack Tim, who holds the Mark of the Raven.

• After a round of combat, the voice of the Amber Monolith asks who 

  would trade their soul for the restoration of Natalia.

• Fecus proposes the children’s souls inhabiting the Dragon and Knight 

  toys, but as he and Tim ponder why Aurek wouldn’t make the trade for 

  his wife’s soul, Elise steps forward and volunteers.

• The Amber Monolith seems pleased with the bargain and even allows 

  for Elise to leave the premises and return when the House recalls her 

  in its own time.  This doesn’t sit well with Tim and Fecus, but Elise 

  says it's a good bargain and maybe a better fate than she would see 

  down the road as a fractal of the God-Brain of Bluetspur.

• The bargain is struck and the Monolith pushes a body out of its bulk 

  and flings it across the inky pool surrounding it.  Aurek is in shock as 

  his wife Natalia embraces him on the edge of the pool.  Dmitri joins 

  the two in a group hug.

• As Team Rams, Dmitri, Aurek, and Natalia try to leave the house 

  through the kitchen door, a Shadow Demon and 2 Specters attack.

• The Team, Dmitri, and Aurek fight and kill the monsters and escape 

  the House of Lament.

• Out in the open, Theodora’s spirit cuts through the fog, the children’s 

  Dragon and Knight toys dissolve in a vaporous cloud and the party 

  sees a spirit family reunion of the Halvhrest’s.  Theodra’s voice can be 

  heard saying thank you as the spirits fade away.

• Out of danger, Aurek and Natalia embrace.  Dmitri realizes the gravity 

  of Elise’s bargain and thanks her while shaking her hand.  He tells his 

  brother Aurek that he owes everything to Elise and her friends.

• Aurek thanks Elise and introduces his wife to everyone.

• Aurek and Dmitri invite Team Rams to come rest and relax at 

  Esecklae, the Nuikin family estate.  They just have to travel through 

  the Founder’s Forest to reach the estate.

• Banshee (Mara Silvra) killed = 1100 XP

• Shadow Demon killed = 1100 XP

• 2 Specters killed = 400 XP

• Amber Monolith/House of Lament bargained with = 500 XP

• 2 CP = 1 XP

• 13 SP = 1 XP

• Bag of Holding

• Total XP = 3102 XP

• Tim and Fecus each receive 1034 XP

• Gugula and Shelby each receive 517 XP

   

   The following members of Team Rams have been touched 

  by the House of Lament and will receive Dark Gifts: Gugula, 

  Fecus, Tim, Victor, and Shelby.