Session Fourteen: The Angel in the Abbey

Date: July 18, 2025
Players: Sean D. (Sören Ironwood – Aasimar Paladin), Chris (Radley Fullthorn – Human Eldritch Knight), Carey (Traxidor – Half-Elf Cleric of Life), Trip (Daermon Cobain – Half-Elf Swashbuckler)

Prelude: The Long Road into Kresk

By now, our heroes have trudged through twelve days of dread in Barovia, where even sunlight is only a memory. They have battled undead blights, toppled Wintersplinter, seen Vallaki burn, and defied Strahd himself on Yester Hill. Their paths are lined with loss: fallen allies (Sklat and Valen’eir), broken towns, and bargains that weigh on the soul.

Now, in the aftermath of their bloody fight with werewolves on the Old Svalich Road, the adventurers reach Kresk — the last village at the western edge of the valley, dwarfed by the silhouette of a monastery clinging to the cliffs above.

The guards at the gate are not friendly. Barovia has no friendly guards. They ask for proof of purpose, and the adventurers use their trump card: a barrel of wine from the Wizard of Wines. In Barovia, wine is not just drink — it is hope. Recognition of the Martikovs and their wagon gains them passage. But the Martikovs themselves — Adrian and Dag — are done with the adventurers’ antics. The head of Henrik the coffin maker, dangling like a grim talisman, and the constant bargaining over wine has shredded their patience. They agree to deliver only one barrel to Kresk before leaving, taking the rest home.

Dmitri Krezkov, the Burgomaster, greets them with the wary eyes of a man who knows survival here comes from keeping one’s head down. Kresk thrives by not provoking Strahd. The villagers obey this rule like they obey the cold. Dmitri accepts the wine and warms slightly, enough to offer advice: the adventurers can find shelter at the Abbey of Saint Markovia.

The advice is delivered with a warning: the abbey is holy, yes… but feared. When its bell tolls, the screams can be heard across the village.

The Ascent: To the Abbey of Saint Markovia

The road to the abbey winds like a serpent up an 800-foot cliff. Gravel slips beneath their boots, and the mists roll in, swallowing the world below. Along the way, they pass a shimmering pool of crystalline beauty — an alien sight in this gray land — but the mists close in again, and beauty here is always brief.

At the summit, they find the abbey walls, made of ancient stone, frost clinging to the cracks. The chill here bites sharper than in the valley below. Within, scarecrows pose as guards, a hollow bluff against fear. This is no ordinary monastery; it feels abandoned and alive at once.

At the gate, they meet Otto and Zygfrek, the mongrelfolk guards. Mongrelfolk — twisted remnants of humanity fused with animal traits, a parody of creation itself. Otto is a patchwork: donkey flesh, wolf’s ear, leonine legs, and a donkey tail. Zygfrek is worse: scales, fur, and a feline eye glimmering from a half-human face. They bark and quarrel like beasts until Sören, with paladin authority, demands an audience with the Abbot.

The name still holds weight. They reluctantly lead the party inward.

Courtyard of the Damned

The inner courtyard is a nightmare zoo. Behind padlocked doors, mongrelfolk howl, laugh, and weep — more heard than seen. They are the Belviews, a name that will echo with sorrow before this night is done.

A chained creature cowers near the posts: bat wings, spider mandibles, a cloven hoof. When Sören approaches, it thrashes and hisses, tugging against the chain until it collapses. This is no random mutation — it’s a deliberate blasphemy of creation.

Then, from the well, something moves. A spindly creature with three spider eyes and mismatched limbs — frog’s hand, crow’s talon — scuttles up and lunges at Daermon. The rogue pivots, rapier flashing, skewering the thing. It flees, but Sören and Traxidor finish it with holy light. The mongrelfolk erupt in a chorus of “Murder! Murder!”

The Abbot and His Bride

When Otto and Zygfrek return, they wave the adventurers into the abbey’s main hall. There they meet the Abbot at last.

He is not what they expected. Young. Handsome. Dressed simply, yet with an aura of command. He wears a symbol of the Morning Lord. At his side sits Vasilka, a pale, scarred woman in a red dress, beautiful and unnatural. She does not speak. She barely breathes.

The Abbot welcomes them with warmth, calling himself simply The Abbot. Sören lies about his identity; the Abbot’s gaze pierces the lie, but he lets it pass.

He explains the truth of the mongrelfolk: they were once the Belview family, lepers who came seeking healing. He cured their disease but could not cure their madness. They begged for animal traits to make them “whole,” and he granted their wish. Now they breed, fight, and rot in cages.

Daermon challenges him about the plaque outside, “May her light cure all illness.” The Abbot sighs: “Even miracles have limits.”

Then he reveals his plan: Vasilka. She is his creation, stitched together from corpses and refined through surgery. She is to be Strahd’s bride.

“To redeem a soul as black as Strahd’s, he must first know love.”

He asks the adventurers to find a wedding dress. Not for vanity — for salvation.

The Angel Revealed

Sören’s Divine Sense confirms the truth: the Abbot is not human. When pressed, the Abbot relents.

“Very well. Then behold!”

Light explodes. Radiance burns. Wings of celestial fire unfurl as the Abbot ascends, hair like solar flares, eyes without pupils but all-seeing. A flaming sword gleams in one hand, a lance in the other.

“Behold an angel of the Morning Lord, servant of light and truth. See me and know despair.”

The party collapses beneath the weight of his presence. For a timeless moment, they feel the crushing smallness of mortals before divine judgment. Then the light fades, and the Abbot stands once more as a man. His gaze lingers on Sören — a fellow aasimar, now humbled.

“Rest. But do not wander.”

The Hunter and the Warnings

Clovin, a mongrelfolk servant with two heads and a crab’s claw, escorts them to their quarters. There, they meet Ezmerelda d’Avenir, a Vistani monster hunter with a prosthetic leg and a heart full of vengeance. She packs to leave, unimpressed by the party’s bravado.

“You’re like the others. Brash. Reckless. Strahd will break you.”

Sören asks her to join them. She scoffs. “No. Killing Strahd takes patience. And guile. Neither of which I see here.”

Before leaving, she calls the Abbot insane. Her words linger like a curse.

Dinner with a Mad Angel

The bell tolls. Mongrelfolk howl in chorus. At dinner, the Abbot dismisses Otto and Zygfrek. He serves Red Dragon Crush wine and cabbage stew. Sören refuses to eat, suspecting horrors in the pot. The Abbot does not eat either; instead, he gently teaches Vasilka to use a spoon, guiding her hand as though she were a child.

Shadows in the Dark

Ignoring his warning, Sören, Radley, and Daermon explore the upper floors. Traxidor stays behind, uneasy. The infirmary reeks of death. Doors marked Surgery, Nursery, Morgue promise only nightmares.

From the shadows, the undead rise: Shadows, the same strength-draining wraiths that haunted the Death House. They strike with cold fingers, draining vitality as easily as breath. The party weakens, cornered, memories of fallen allies flickering like dying torches.

Then, Traxidor bursts in, Amulet of Ravenkind blazing. His Channel Divinity sears several Shadows into nothingness. His Guiding Bolt shreds the last, its radiance tearing it apart.

The adventurers collapse, barely alive, and drag themselves back to their room. Sleep claims them as the mongrelfolk scream below.

Next Time…

The angel wants a wedding dress. The rogue questions the angel’s sanity. The mongrelfolk hunger in their pens. And somewhere, far above, Strahd waits at his table, smiling.

Verbatim Log from DM Sean Scanlon

Session Fourteen - July 18, 2025

Players: Sean D. (Sören Ironwood - Aasimar/Paladin), Chris (Radley - Human/Fighter), Carey (Traxidor - Half Elf/Cleric) and Trip (Daermon Cobain - Half Elf/Rogue).

Not long after the adventurers defeat the werewolves on the Old Svalich Road they arrive at Kresk. The guards again ask their business, and the party uses their delivery of wine to gain entry. Recognizing Adrian Matrikov and Dag Tomescu, and the Wizards of Wine wagon, they open the village's gate. Sören conceals the head of Henrick in a pouch in the wagon. Within, they are met by the Burgomaster Dmitri Krezkov, who brusquely asks their business The party ask if there is an inn, but to their surprise they learn there are no such establishments here. The entire village is largely a self-sufficient commune. Daermon curses the people here, and wants to take back the wine they offered for entry. Adrian Matrikov and Dag become impatient with the party's chicanery, having brought the wine to Villaki and then return back up the road with most of it. The open display of a decapitated head from an unknown victim, and their apparent reneging on giving and taking back the wine, has eroded their respect for the adventurers. They tell the party that they are returning home, and ask them whether they should unload any of the wine in Kresk. The party finally resolves to give one barrel to the burgomaster. The Martikovs tell them they will take the remaining barrel with them, but inform them to bring their own cart when they come to claim it.

With the gift of the wine, the lord of Kresk warms slightly towards the adventurers. He explains that Kresk’s survival hinges on not angering Strahd. Although they dislike the Lord of Barovia they must try and survive under his rule. After discussion with Dmitri the party asks where they can find shelter. He suggests that the abbey can give refuge. The Bergomaster tells them that the abbot is an extremely holy man, but also warns them that the villagers fear the abby. He says when the abby’s bell rings a frightening cacophony of screams and howls can be heard all the way down in the village.

Needing to find shelter, the party treks up the 800 foot precipice along a switchback road. It is narrow and littered with loose gravel. As the road rises they see a pool of otherworldly beauty at the west side of Kresk. At the top the abby commands a wide view. The whole of the Barovian valley might be visible from the height except the ever present mists obfuscating the landscape. Barovia is typically a damp and chilly land, but at the abbey the air is cold. A thin layer of snow dusts the ground. Arriving at the abbey’s outer wall made of mortared field stone. It is nearly the height of a man. The entry through is a gate between two flanking stone buildings. Beyond the wall are a pair of two story buildings connected by a curtain wall. Men at arms appear to guard parapets, but later examination reveals they are merely scarecrows propped up to make the abby appear protected.

At the front gate, the party encounters a pair of mongrel-folk creatures. Startled by the party's arrival, they bark, sneer, and yell in alarm. The first is a swatting man named Otto. He looks like a beardless dwarf with patches of donkey flesh covering his face and body. He has one human ear and one wolf’s ear, and a protruding wolf’s snout and fangs. His arms and hands are human, but his legs and feet are leonine, and he has a donkey’s tail. The second is a woman named Zygfrek. The left side of her face and body is covered with lizard scales, the right with tufts of gray wolf fur. Between these tufts is pale human skin. One of her eyes is that of a feline, and her fingers and hands resemble cat’s paws with opposable thumbs. She has a gruff voice and wears a gray cloak with black fur trim. At first Otto and Zygfrek yell at the adventurers, demanding to know their identities and their business. However, they soon start quarreling with each other about the other sleeping when they were on guard duty. However, they are startled into silence when Sören asks to be taken to see the Abbot. The mongrel-folk seem reluctant, but mysteriously relent when the party asks for sanctuary and Sören promises not to tell the anyone they were sleeping.

Otto and Zygfrek lead the party from the outer wall, across an area used as a graveyard, towards the main gates. As they get closer, the adventurers hear chaotic yelps, cries, and shouts from beyond the abby’s curtain wall. Set into the wall at the door is a metal plaque. It reads “May her light cure all illness.” Zygfrek and Otto push the tall doors open, revealing a courtyard with a well at its center. There are water troughs and stone enclosures along the walls. The enclosures have stout but sturdy doors, and each is secured with a large paddle-lock. More mongrel-folk are contained within these small cells, and are the source of the commotion heard from outside. However, they are more typically heard than seen. Zygfrek and Otto wave their arms and shout at the other mongrel-folk to be silent and the courtyard goes quiet. Further back, a pair of tethering posts set into the ground. A single mongrel-folk woman is shackled to them with chains. She has a hunched posture. Long, stringy black hair hides much of her face, but clearly visible are the spider mandibles and teeth that replace her human mouth. She has the arms and wings of a bat, as well as a cloven hoof in place of her right foot. Otto and Zygfrek tell the party to wait while they inform the Abbot that they are here. They then enter the northern building.

Sören approaches the misshapen woman chained to the post, and she tries frantically to fly away. However, she is unable to escape, as the chain goes taught causing her to fall to the ground. After several failed attempts she then tries to hide behind the post and hisses menacingly at Sören. Then, a mongrel-folk attacks Dearmont, as he looks down the well’s shaft. The creature has a spindly build, three red spider eyes on the right side of his face, while the left side appears human. He has a frog’s foot in place of his left hand and a taloned crow’s foot where his right foot should be. Clinging to the sides of the well. he unnaturally clambers up and swings his frog hand at Dearmont. But its attack is clumsy and he misses the rogue. Deftly drawing his weapon, Dearmont counter attacks and skewers the mongrel folk with his rapier. Wounded, the creature tries to escape; skittering up the wall of the southern building. Although Radley remains stoically uninvolved, Sören and Traxidor rationalize that they are justified in killing the pitiful creatures as it tries to escape. They join the attack, and it is felled by Traxidor’s Word of Radiance spell. The creatures fall dead onto the courtyard, and they later learn his name was Mishka. Seeing Mishka slain, the mongrel-folk make bestial cries of alarm and begin shouting, “Murder, murder, murder!”

When Otto and Zygfrek reemerge, they again shout for the others to be quiet. This time, they are ignored, and the mongrel-folk continue their chant. The party is waved into the abby’s main hall where they find the abbot at last. He is far more beautiful and young than they imagined. Although he is dressed simply in a rough spun robe, he has a commanding presence and purports himself with a refined demeanor. He wears a simple holy symbol of the Morning Lord. Next to him is a beautiful yet unnaturally pale woman in a tattered red dress. She is mute and appears to be completely detached from her environment. Beyond there is a wide hearth with a bullying cauldron set over a low fire. A gold icon of the Morning Lord is set on the mantel. Between the hearth and the party is a long table, set with simple wooden implements. However, two gold candelabras are set on the table. A stone stair descends beneath the hall, while an opposite wooden stair ascends to the follow above. From upstairs the musical strains of a viola played by a virtuoso fill the chamber.

The Abbot welcomes the party warming. Sören greets him and tells them they are seeking refuge. Gesturing around him, he states that all who seek sanctuary within these walls shall have it, and assures them that no harm will come to them in his presence. He asks that they address him simply as The Abbot. Sören begins by saying they were attacked by one of the creatures who had been hiding in the well, and that they needed to kill it because of its violent attack. The Abbot bows his head momentarily as though disappointed. In a saddened voice he states that the Belviews are a deeply disturbed family, and most of them must be imprisoned for their safety as well as the safety of the village below. He then orders Otto and Zygfrek to find Mishka’s corpse and have it interred. The two mongel-folk bow and scurry off quickly. When the party asks who the Belviews are, the Abbot states that they were a family of lepers that came to the abby to be cured. The Abbot says he was able to remove the disease but he could not heal them of their insanity. Daermont confronts the abbot about the plaque outside claiming to cure all illness. Despite these provocations, the Abbot exclaims that despite his miraculous powers even he was unable to restore their sanity. And so, he provided them the bestial attributes as they desired. When asked when this was, the Abbot says it was many generations ago. When asked about their longevity he gives an amused smile and explains that the mongrel-folk lives tend to be short. They often fall victim to violence among each other or die from disease. However, the Belviews are enthusiastic fornicators, so the family’s line remains well populated. However, he then snaps out of his musings, and apologizes for not getting their names. The party introduces themselves, but Sören attempts subterfuge by giving Ismark’s name. However, the Abbot immediately questions him, stating that he is aware of the Bergomaster of Barovia son. Sören continues his attempted deception by stating that is his brother. A look of disappointment passes the abbot’s face, hinting he is aware of the lie, but he does not pursue the matter further. He then introduces the pale woman in the red dress as Vasilka. Some of the party members notice her body is marred by many scars. The lacerations appear to be surgical and had been expertly sutured. However, the incisions stretch all across her extremities, and it seems as though she had been assembled. Then an idea comes to the Abbot. He tells them that he intends to wed Vasilika to Strahd Von Zarovich and that he needs an appropriate dress. As the adventurers are undoubtedly traversing Barovia, he asks for them to locate and bring him a wedding dress. In fact, he feels the matter is so important that he insists on their assistance. When asked why he would do this for a creature as evil as Strahd. A rapturous expression comes over the Abbot, and he says that Barovia needs to be saved from Strahd, but his right to the dominion over this land is unquestionable. Therefore, the answer is that Strahd must be redeemed. And for a creature so wicked, he must first know true love, then the light of the Morning Lord could warm his heart. He says that Vasilika is the perfect creation for this purpose. He will wed her to him, when he has taught her all she needs to know to be his wife. He then tells them that they need not do this immediately, as she has much to learn. However, any suitable dress will undoubtedly require alteration. So they should not take too long doing this.

Curious about the Abbot’s power, Sören focuses for a moment to use his Divine Sense ability, and discovers that Abbot is not human. He is a Celestial. At that moment the Abbot calls for his Clovin, his manservant and martinet. The music from above stops when the Abbot calls for him, and soon a short barrel-chested mongel-folk shape shuffles down the stairs. His right head is fully formed and combines the features of a patchy-haired man with those of a goat, complete with stubby horns. His left head is about half normal size and has a soft, cherubic face partly covered with crocodilian hide. Clovin has a crab’s pincer in place of his left hand and a bear’s paw where his right foot should be. He wears an ill-fitting monk’s robe with a belt made of hempen rope. The Abbot directs him to take the party to quarters where they can make themselves comfortable. Clovin leads them back upstairs to a loft open to the rafters and a door in the center of the south wall. Unlit lanterns hang from the rafters, and a rope dangles from a bronze bell lodged in the belfry thirty feet overhead. A black shroud covers a humanoid shape lying on a wooden table. On the far side of the room, a cot heaped with furs rests in the northeast corner, surrounded by empty wine bottles. They then exit the hall and cross the curtain wall above the courtyard. A strong wind blows over the icy wall, and the tatters of fabric used to stuff false men at arms flutter violently. The village can be plainly seen below them, with the Svalich Woods leading off in all directions. The part enters the south building on its second floor. Within a thirty foot square room are three sets of bunk beds. The constant jeers, yelps, and cries of mongrel-folk can be plainly heard through the floor below them. Finally, there is also a woman inside. She turns in surprise to face them as the door is opened and the winds gusts into the room. She is a Vistani approaching middle age. She has long curling locks and for a moment she surveys them suspiciously. She wears a long red coat and high boots. and is armed with a rapier and handaxe. She also wears a prosthetic that replaces her right leg. After Clovin has shown the party the room he departs. Sören asks what the woman’s name is. She sizes him up for a moment then brusquely introduces herself as Ezmerelda d’Avenir. It becomes evident that she is packing her possessions into a pack and is about to leave. Curious about her, Sören asks where she is going. After a pause she says that she is a monster hunter and she has come to Barovia to kill Strahd. The paladin leaps to this and says they too are trying to destroy the vampire. She seems unimpressed but keeps her misgiving to herself for the moment. Sören continues and asks her to join them. At this suggestion she scoffs and immediately declines. When asked why, she says she does not think they have a chance against Strahd. She had observed the party brutally dealing with Mishka, and assesses them as being like other adventurers brought to Barovia, brash and reckless.

She apologizes and tells them defeating Strahd will take patience and guile. She expects they will fall victim to Strahd soon. As she gathers her pack, Sören asks her what she thinks of the Abbot? Without expression she simply states that he is insane. Then she wishes them well and slips out the door. After she has gone, Daermont confronts the party about their casual indifference about what the Abbot did to the Belviews, or that he sewed a woman together for Strahd. He contends there is something deeply wrong about him and this place. Before anyone can respond the bell tolls in the belfry. All the mongrel-folk in the abby begin to bay and howl in a terrifying din. The noise reveals the floor beneath them houses many more mongrel-folk. Then the door opens and the wind blasts into the room again. Otto enters and informs the party the Abbot wishes them to join him for dinner, and he waits expectantly for them at the door. In the courtyard Clovin can be seen pushing a cart with the steaming cauldron on it. He stops to slop its contents into the bowls mongrel-folk in the courtyard hold out from their tiny windows.

Upon returning to the hall, they find Zygfrek standing near the food and Vasilika seated at the table. The Abbot gestures to them to take their place at the long table. The party ask whether Otto and Zygfrek will join them, and the mongrel-folk joyously accept the party’s invitation. But their celebration is short, and the Abbot stares disapprovingly at them. He dismisses them from the hall and tells the party that Clovin will see to their meal. Then he opens a bottle of wine. Unlike the Purple Grapemash No. 3 they have become accustomed to, this bottle label reads Red Dragon Crush. The Abbot pours the wine into wooden cups and then serves a stew from a tureen. He explains that everyone at the abby eats the same meal. There is some discomfort among the party about what is in the stew; remembering the dream pastries that Morgantha gave them. They wonder if Mishka hadn’t been added to the pot. Sören refuses to eat. However, those who partake find it to be simple. It is unseasoned and consists of cabbage with some rabbit. Like Sören the Abbot does not eat either. Instead he direct’s Vasilika and she clumsily tries to eat with a spoon. Despite spattering soup on herself and the table, the Abbot patiently guides her to bring the spoon to her mouth while offering calm encouragement.

Sören asks where the Abbot is from. While still assisting Vasilika he tells him he came from a far away realm. Unsatisfied, Sören asks him where precisely he is from. The abbot puts Vasilika’s spoon down and looks sternly toward Sören to stare at him in defiance. With a look that knows Sören’s mind the Abbot relents and says, “Very well. Then behold!” With that, there is a cosmic roar and a blinding light bursts forth. Rising into the air the Abbot reveals his true form, a being of absolute divinity. Great wings of radiance unfurl from his back, his hair tosses like plasma ejected from a star, and his pupiless eyes are all seeing. In one hand he holds a flaming sword and a great lance in the other. In a booming voice he proclaims, “Behold an angel of the Morning Lord, the servant of light and truth. See me and know despair.” The party is overwhelmed with fear and paralyzed by his presence. Their psyche quakes as their minds confront the evidence of their mortal insignificance.” Held in that gaze, timeless moments seem to stretch to eternity, but eventually the light wanes, and the Abbot resumes his mortal guise. However, his judging gaze remains upon Sören, a proud aasimar shown to possess less than a mote of the Abbot’s celestial divinity. The party struggles to recompose themselves. As they struggle to regain their feet the Abbot kindly suggests they retire and rest from their ordeal. But as they leave, he warns them not to wander the abby alone.

Returning to their room the party debates about exploring the upper floor of the south building. Sören, Radley, and Daermon agree to explore, whereas Traxidor says they should obey the Abbot and not explore unescorted. Deamon says the Abbot said they were safe and nothing could happen to them, but Traxidore clarifies he said nothing would happen to them in his presence. Undeterred, the three adventurers leave to find what else is in the abby, while Traxidor remains. They first pass through an office area, but all the furniture is moldered and reduced to splinters. There is a stair leading downward and the insane cries of the mongrel-folk are heard more clearly below. Beyond the office is an infirmary lined with iron beds, but the mattresses have long since moldered away. Three doors are located on the room’s south wall. The doors are marked as surgery, nursery, and morgue. Sören goes in to explore the surgery but spectral creatures glide silently from the room’s corners, each as dark as the shadows they emerged from. THe party presses against the wall and are immediately surrounded. Radley recollects encountering these creatures just over a week ago in the Durst manor. Back when his companions Sklat and Valen’eir were still alive. And like that encounter, this melee is immediately deadly, as the creatures do not just slash at the adventurer’s flesh, but they steal their very strength. But the adventurers fight bravely and the Shadow’s numbers dwindle, but so does the party’s vitality and they become weaker and weaker. It seems they will find their doom here in the Abbey of Saint Markovia. But then, roused by the fighting, Traxidore is able to hear their struggle over the sound of the mongrel-folk below and rushes to help. Upon entering he uses the Amulet of Ravvenkind to Channel Divinity ability and several of the shadows screech silently and fade through the room’s walls. Then casting Guiding Bolt he strikes the remaining Shadow and its radiance tears the creature from existence. Traxidor’s companions slump after their close call. Then they retreat to their room having nearly been bested by the shadow. Arriving back they throw themselves into the bunks to sleep.

End Session Fourteen

tl;dr

These sources consist of two related texts: "Editing Session Fourteen The Angel in the Abbey_" and "Verbatim Log from DM Sean Scanlon Session Fourteen - July 18, 2025". Both documents provide accounts of a Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game session, focusing on a party of adventurers who arrive at the Abbey of Saint Markovia in Barovia. The narrative explores their encounter with the Abbot, an enigmatic angelic being who is attempting to redeem Strahd von Zarovich, Barovia's dark lord, by creating a bride for him named Vasilka. The session culminates in a dangerous exploration of the abbey, where the adventurers face spectral enemies and learn more about the Abbot's unsettling practices concerning the mongrelfolk inhabitants.