Session Twenty-Two: Argynvostholt’s Spiders, Phantoms, and Scarecrows
A Chronicle of the Barovian Campaign
ession Date: November 1, 2025
Campaign: Curse of Strahd – Barovian Chronicles
Dungeon Master: Sean S.
Players:
Sean D. as Urihorn Tenpenny (Halfling Beastmaster Ranger)
Chris as Radley Fullthorn (Human Eldritch Knight)
Carey as Traxidor (Half-Elf Cleric of Light)
Trip as Daermon Cobain (Elf Arcane Trickster)
Prelude: Return to Argynvostholt
The adventuring company began this session in the shadow of Argynvostholt, the ruined manor of the Order of the Silver Dragon. Only days before, they had fled its halls bloodied and broken, driven out by revenants—fallen knights who still believed themselves guardians of a hollow ideal.
The morning mists clung to the ground as they regrouped at the manor’s southern edge. From the road, the crumbling spires looked like bones piercing a grey sky. Their previous foray had shown them the main hall, dining chamber, and chapel. Now they would re-enter through the ballroom ruins, hoping that stealth might serve where valor had failed.
Urihorn, Daermon, and Traxidor slipped inside first. Radley paused—just for a moment—to scan the room’s shadowed heights.
It was a mistake.
Encounter One: The Ballroom Spiders
A tremor rippled through the webbing that carpeted the rafters. From above descended nine giant spiders, each the size of a draft horse, their bodies glistening with dew and malice. The room filled with the sound of clicking mandibles and tearing silk.
Radley braced, raising his shield as the first creature landed. He shouted a word of power—Thunderwave—and a concussive blast tore through the chamber, shattering masonry and throwing several spiders back into the dark. But the rest pressed forward.
Poison bit deep. Venom burned through his veins. As he turned to flee, a jet of silk pinned him in place. The others heard the echo of his spell and sprinted back into the ruin.
Urihorn loosed two arrows, Daermon followed with a dagger throw that cut a web strand, and Traxidor’s Sacred Flame burned across one spider’s carapace. But the creatures were many—and quick.
Radley staggered free of one web only to be struck again. His body went rigid, eyes glassy. He collapsed like a marionette with its strings cut.
For a heartbeat, time froze. Then instinct took over.
Urihorn slashed through the silk. Daermon dragged the fallen knight back into the hall while Traxidor dropped to one knee, pressing a glowing hand to his chest.
“Spare the Dying.”
Radley’s breath steadied—barely.
Another spider lunged through the door, striking him again before the others destroyed it. Traxidor’s next Cure Wounds shimmered like morning light through the cracks in the manor’s stone. Radley gasped, coughed, and lived.
When silence fell, only the rustle of settling dust remained. Traxidor gathered the group and recited a Prayer of Healing. The chamber smelled of acid and ash.
Exploration: The Upper Floors
They climbed the grand stairway into the northern wing, wary of revenants. Cobwebs muffled every step. A portrait hung over a black marble hearth—an elegant man with sharp eyes and hair like thistledown. Dust veiled his expression somewhere between arrogance and sorrow.
Through cracked doors they found tattered bedrooms and half-broken furniture. Outside, wagon wheels clattered briefly in the distance—a sound that would matter later. They moved on, choosing silence over curiosity when they heard a faint hiss from another fireplace.
At the corridor’s end, something shifted. A wall of solid stone erupted from the air, sealing off their exit. Cold mist crept through the cracks. Then came the spectral forms—phantom soldiers drifting through the walls in full armor, swords drawn but eyes hollow.
“Positions,” Radley ordered.
Their blades passed through ghosts as if through fog, but the phantoms’ own strikes found flesh. Panic built until Traxidor stepped forward, his holy symbol blazing like dawn.
“In the name of the Morninglord, begone!”
Channel Divinity: Turn Undead.
Three spirits recoiled, shrieking into the walls. One remained, defiant. Radley’s Fire Bolt pierced its spectral form; Daermon joined with dagger and spell. Traxidor’s radiant strike ended it, scattering the light that had once been a man.
The stone wall still held fast. Daermon examined the door mechanisms—no traps, no locks. “Barred from the other side,” he guessed. Radley set his shoulder against the door and shoved. Strength Check: Success.
Wood splintered; the door burst inward. Within the turret room lay shattered bunks, rusted racks, and amid the ruin—a small coffer of four Potions of Invulnerability.
When they reentered the corridor, the wall had simply vanished.
The Coffin
Outside, Barovia was silent again. The wagon that had arrived earlier was gone, but something had been left behind:
a coffin.
Polished oak. Freshly carved. The inscription on the lid read: Radley Fullthorn.
They gathered around it without speaking. Radley stepped forward, eyes steady. He opened the lid. Empty.
“I’ve had worse invitations,” he muttered, and—without ceremony—climbed inside.
The others waited. The silence stretched. Then he laughed quietly, climbed back out, and said, “Too roomy in the shoulders.”
They burned the coffin that night. The flames carried his name into the mist.
Day Seventeen: The Scarecrows of Dawn
Just before dawn, Daermon—on watch with Traxidor—noticed glowing eyes moving through the fog. The shapes resolved into animated scarecrows, their straw limbs jerking in uncanny rhythm.
The creatures exuded terror like heat. Fear spread across the camp until Radley, still half asleep, reached for his focus. Fire Bolt ignited the first. Flames spread from one scarecrow to another; the field lit with ghostly orange fire. Urihorn joined the fray, arrows striking true. Traxidor’s Sacred Flame cast daylight where dawn had not yet come.
When the last fell, the air smelled of smoke and earth. The horizon brightened—a dull grey instead of black—and it was enough.
Spent and hollow, the adventurers broke camp. They turned east along the Svalich Road, toward the Wizards of Wine Winery, and left Argynvostholt behind them—still whispering, still watching.
Reflection: The Session’s Tone
Session Twenty-Two balanced exhaustion and perseverance—the essence of Curse of Strahd. Every victory came at a cost; every spell spent carried the weight of survival. The combat was tight and earned, the exploration cautious, the tone grim yet human.
The burning of the coffin remains the session’s defining moment: a small act of rebellion against the inevitability of Barovia. A declaration that fate may write its names in wood, but fire will always have the last word.
The World of Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) is a collaborative storytelling game. Players create heroes—each with defined abilities, spells, and moral aims—while the Dungeon Master (DM) builds and narrates the world around them. Dice determine success or failure; imagination gives it meaning.
Every action balances three elements:
Role-play – acting through the character’s voice and motivation.
Exploration – discovering lore, solving problems, and surviving the world.
Combat – tactical resolution using movement, dice, and ability rules.
Together, these form an unfolding narrative shaped by every decision at the table.
Playing in the Modern Age
The classic tabletop now thrives online. Platforms such as D&D Beyond, Roll20, and Foundry VTT host digital character sheets, automated dice rolls, and shared maps.
D&D Beyond in particular acts as an official rules compendium and campaign manager. Players can:
Build and level characters digitally.
Reference spells, equipment, and monsters from official books.
Share resources with the party through a campaign link.
For groups scattered across cities—or, in this case, across time zones—it keeps every roll, hit-point, and note synchronized so that story can continue seamlessly.
The Curse of Strahd and the Land of Barovia
Curse of Strahd is one of D&D’s most celebrated campaigns: a gothic-horror saga first published by Wizards of the Coast in 2016, itself a modern retelling of the 1983 classic Ravenloft.
Barovia
A closed valley surrounded by supernatural mist. Sunlight seldom pierces its sky. Its villages—Barovia Village, Vallaki, and Krezk—struggle under constant dread. Forests conceal wolves, hags, and the restless dead.
Strahd von Zarovich
The immortal vampire-lord and tragic architect of the curse. Once a conquering warlord, Strahd made a dark pact that granted eternal life at the cost of his soul. He rules from Castle Ravenloft, manipulating fate itself to toy with those trapped within his domain.
The Theme
Unlike heroic campaigns focused on treasure, Curse of Strahd tests morality, endurance, and hope. Victory is not merely defeating Strahd; it is proving that light can exist even in perpetual night.
Classes, Magic, and Gear in This Campaign
Each adventurer’s abilities come from their class and subclass, defining both martial and magical style.
Eldritch Knight (Radley) – a fighter trained in arcane arts, blending sword and spell. Common magic: Shield, Thunderwave, Fire Bolt.
Cleric of Light (Traxidor) – servant of the Morninglord, channeling radiant power to heal and banish darkness.
Ranger (Beastmaster) (Urihorn) – woodsman bonded to a beast companion, skilled in archery and survival.
Arcane Trickster (Daermon) – rogue whose sleight of hand extends to spellcraft and illusion.
Gear and Artifacts: mundane weapons are augmented by potions, blessed symbols, and silvered steel capable of harming undead. Potions of Invulnerability, rare even among adventurers, grant momentary resistance to all harm—often hoarded for final stands.
Spells are learned expressions of will. Clerics draw them from divine patrons, wizards through study, and others by innate gift. Every casting consumes finite reserves of energy—known as spell slots—that replenish only through rest or blessing.
The Threat of Strahd
Strahd’s dominance over Barovia is metaphysical as well as physical. He commands wolves, bats, and the dead; manipulates dreams; and warps reality within his borders. The mists themselves serve him, trapping souls so none may leave without his consent.
He views adventurers not as invaders but as guests—each a new story to savor before despair claims them. To oppose him is to confront fear, temptation, and the allure of power.
The Adventurers’ Goal
To free Barovia, the party must gather sacred relics—the Sunsword, the Holy Symbol of Ravenkind, and knowledge recorded in the Tome of Strahd—while forging alliances with surviving factions such as the Keepers of the Feather and the Martikov family.
Only by confronting Strahd in his fortress and severing the pact that sustains his immortality can the mists disperse and the souls of Barovia rest.
Yet, as every Dungeon Master reminds new players: not all victories are measured in survival. Sometimes the triumph is simply standing, torch in hand, against a darkness that believes itself eternal.
End of Session Twenty-Two: Argynvostholt’s Spiders, Phantoms, and Scarecrows
Next: The road to the Wizards of Wine and the uneasy promise of shelter among the Martikovs.
Here’s Sean Scanlon, the DM’s, original and amazing log of the game:
Session Twenty Two - November 1, 2025
Dungeon Master Sean S.
Players: Sean D. (Urihorn Tenpenny - Halfling/Beastmaster), Chris (Radley - Human/Eldritch Knight), Carey ((Traxidor - Half Elf/Cleric of Light), Trip (Daermon Cobain - Elf/Arcane Trickster)
The party is resting outside the ruined manor of Argynvostholt after being repelled during their initial foray by a trio of revenants. Preiously, undead warriors commanded them to leave and savagely battered the party until they fled.
After licking their wounds, the adventurers remain determined to explore the ruins, and see what secrets the manor house may hold.
When they initially arrived, they had made a complete survey of the structure’s exterior.
Having already explored the main hall, dining room, and chapel they decide to reenter through the wreckage of ruined ballroom to the south.
As they enter, they see three sets of double doors on the north wall. They decide to rush through the rubble and doors.
Quickly Urihorn the beast master ranger, Traxidor the cleric, and Daermon the arcane trickster rogue dart through the ruin.
But Radley pauses, waiting to determine the safest path.
However, his caution is his undoing, and nine enormous spiders are alerted by his passing companions. The spiders descend on thick ropey cobwebs hanging from overhead.
Each of the monstrosities is as large as a horse, and they quickly cut off Radley and converge around him.
Their mandibles snap at the eldritch knight, and they try to catch him in streams of gooey silk.
Undaunted, Radley cast Thunderwave, and stones to tumble from the crumbling walls.
Several spiders are thrown back by the spell clearing a path for his escape.
He rushes forward and spiders leap to attack him as his back is turned.
Seeing that their companion has not emerged from the ballroom, the party turns back as they hear the boom of the Thunderwave spell.
As they return to the doors they see Radley rushing towards them as a spider bites him.
Urihorn and Daermon fire arrows, while Traxidor casts Sacred Flame and Spiritual Weapon.
Urihorn tries to use his hail of thorns spell but the splinters also catch Radley, and the ranger is forced to reevaluate that strategy.
Regardless, several spiders are killed, but others creep forward to replace the slain.
As he runs Radley slashes at the spiders with his sword, and he is bitten several times in return.
Then, just as Radley reaches the ballroom’s doors, he is caught in a stream of spider silk.
His companions urge him forward from the hall as he is entangled.
To their horror, as he struggles in the trap, the Eldritch Knight is overcome by the spider’s poison.
Radley collapses in the webs like an abandoned marionette.
Urihorn and Daermon rush forward to cut him from the webs.
Once freed Daermon drags him into the mansion’s hall.
In successive order Traxidor casts Spare The Dying and Urihorn casts Cure Wounds.
Radley is stabilized for a moment.
But a giant spider pushes through the door unwilling to let his prey escape.
It bites Radley again just as he regains consciousness.
But the spider is killed by Urihorn and Daermon and it collapses in a heap in the doorway.
Traxidor quickly tries to cast
Cure Wounds and fears he is too late.
It seems Radley has stopped breathing.
There is an anxious moment as the cleric casts his spell, followed by immense relief when Radley sputters back to consciousness.
The party wait several tense moments before realizing the remaining spiders have abandoned the chase. In the main hall Traxidor then casts Prayer of Healing to bolster the party.
Urihorn suggests they explore the upper floors of the manor rather than the north side of the first floor.
The other party members are ambivalent, so the ranger casts Pass Without A Trace in the hope it will conceal themselves from the Revenants.
After ascending the main hall’s great stairs, they explore the intact north wing.
They first look in a second story bedroom overlooking the dragon statue outside. The rooms furnishings are all draped in cobwebs. Between curtained windows stands a black marble hearth with a sculpted mantelpiece, above which hangs a framed portrait of a handsome, well-dressed man with a wry smile and a thick mane of thistledown hair. Opposite the fireplace is a large bed with a rotting mattress and wooden posts carved to resemble dragons. Across from the double doors stands a tall wardrobe, its doors hanging open, revealing a dark and empty cavity. The only other piece of furniture is an overstuffed leather chair that faces the hearth. Just then, the party is distracted by the sounds of a a wagon arriving outside.
They decide to ignore the newcomer and continue investigating the bedroom across the hall. It contains two tattered canopy beds and a faded rug. In the far wall is a sooty fireplace where a soft serpentine hissing emanates from the hearth.
The adventurers are fearful of any further encounters and withdraw without making a further investigation.
At the end of the hallway the party comes to an east-west corridor with windows looking to the north.
There are two doors on either side of the hall, which seem to lead into the manor’s turrets.
However, the western door does not yield when Urihorn tries to open it.
As he begins to investigate, the adventurers are surprised when a solid wall of stone materializes over the passageway’s exit.
They are trapped.
Then spectral soldiers materialize through the walls.
These malevolent ghosts glide forward to attack.
Seeking to create an escape, Daermon breaks the glass in a slotted window, but it will not be an easy retreat, as the panes are reinforced with metal frames and the window’s openings are very narrow.
Meanwhile, Urihorn looks for some button or concealed lever that might release them, but the wall seems to be entirely magical without any kind of trip wire, pressure plate, or other mechanism to activate it.
Despite their ethereal forms, the party learns the phantom’s swords are as sharp as their own.
In turn, the adventurers also learn their weapons are passing through these enemies without much effect.
However, when physicality fails, Traxidor changes tactics and Channels Divinity to turn the undead and Radley casts firebolt.
All but one of the phantoms flee from Traxidor.
After Daermon and Radley try swinging at them with weapons Traxidor reproaches them, then he warns them that attacking rebuked undead can break the compulsion they are under to flee.
The phantom’s number is reduced to one, the remaining spirit is dispatched by the cleric and eldritch knight’s spells.
Examining the magically appearing wall further, the adventurers find it to be as solid and unyielding as the rest of the corridor.
Daermon takes out his thieves tools and investigates the doors, and finds that they are not locked. He concludes the doors must be either stuck or barred from the other side. Radley, being a man of tremendous physical strength, sets his shoulder to a door and then gives it a forceful shove.
Under the strain the door gives way with a loud splintering crack.
Thus the party forces their way into both turret’s chambers that are in a similar state of disarray. Tattered curtains hang over windows and several torch sconces are set into the wall. The shattered remains of barracks style bunks and weapons racks molder on the floor.
Amid the litter in the west turret room, Traxidor finds a small coffer with four crizzling vials containing Potions of Invulnerability.
The box had apparently been forgotten during whatever chaos occurred in this chamber long ago. After investigating and exiting the second turret room the party finds the magical wall has vanished.
Now free, and after their encounter with the phantom warriors, the party decides to exit the mansion again.
Urihorn pondered why Van Richten told his companions this mansion was safe where it clearly lurks with danger.
Among the party there is some speculation that he merely stated it was a place where they might find shelter and made no promises of safety.
Outside, the party finds that the wagon and its driver have departed.
However, the teamster has left a coffin laying on the ground.
Radley Fullthorn’s name has been expertly carved into the lid.
After several apprehensive moments the party opens the coffin and finds it is empty.
Despite being just past noon, the party decides to camp through the remainder of the day until morning.
Wary of danger, they set up a rotation of watches with two people on shifts.
Day Seventeen
Early in the morning, while Daermon and Traxidor are on watch, Daermon spies glowing eyes approaching the camp from the south.
Humanoid figures emerge from the Barovian gloom stalking towards the adventurers with a mechanical gait.
The adventurers recognize these enemies as animated scarecrows, having been attacked by them previously on the road from Vallaki.
With unexpected speed, the scarecrows throw a supernatural dread over the party as Urihorn and Radley scramble from their bedrolls to take up arms.
The fight is vicious but quick, and expends the party’s few remaining spells. However, Radley finds his firebolt spell is particularly effective, and several of the scarecrows are set ablaze.
Despite the scarecrows supernatural ability to inflict party members with feat, the adventurers bolster up and defeat these attackers. After the fight, the adventurers see the pale light of dawn in the east. Although daylight is still some time away.
Despite their long rest, the party still feels depleted. The recent encounter and being restlessness in their rough camp confines them they need to seek shelter.
They decide to head for the Wizards of Wine where they hope the Martikovs will give them some refuge.
The adventurers break their camp and leave Argynvostholt behind. Then they head eastward on the Svalich Road.
End Session Twenty Two
Appendix: The Order of the Silver Dragon & the Lands of Barovia
A Reference for Session Twenty-Two and the Barovian Campaign
The Order of the Silver Dragon
Origins
Centuries before the curse, Barovia was a proud valley under the protection of the silver dragon Argynvost. Assuming mortal guise as a noble lord, Argynvost founded the Order of the Silver Dragon, a chivalric brotherhood dedicated to shielding the realm from tyranny and darkness. Their stronghold—Argynvostholt—rose on a wooded hill overlooking the Luna River, its beacon tower once shining across the valley like a symbol of divine mercy.
The Fall
When Strahd von Zarovich’s armies conquered Barovia, Argynvost and his knights opposed him. Despite the dragon’s might, Strahd’s ambition and growing necromantic power overcame them. Argynvost fell in battle, his body desecrated, his skull taken to Castle Ravenloft as a trophy.
Deprived of their master’s light, the surviving knights succumbed to despair. Their souls, denied rest, rose again as revenants—undead guardians bound by grief, anger, and fractured memory. Some still believe they serve a noble cause; others simply await release.
The Beacon
A shattered tower atop the manor once held the Argynvost Beacon, a radiant flame that represented the dragon’s spirit. Restoring this light—symbolically or literally—is believed to free the revenants from torment and redeem the Order’s legacy. For many adventurers, rekindling the beacon is as sacred a goal as confronting Strahd himself.
Argynvostholt: The Ruined Manor
Argynvostholt remains one of the most iconic and perilous sites in Curse of Strahd. Its architecture mirrors its fallen purpose—grandeur swallowed by ruin.
Notable Locations:
The Ballroom: A collapsed chamber thick with webs, where Radley and his companions encountered the giant spiders. Faded murals depict the Order’s final banquet before the siege.
The Grand Hall: Statues of dragon-winged knights line the walls. Some weep blood when moonlight touches them.
The Upper Corridors: Haunted by spectral warriors, remnants of the knights who once guarded these halls.
The Turret Barracks: The party’s discovery site of four Potions of Invulnerability.
The Chapel: A sanctum where revenants deliver their eternal sermons of vengeance.
The Beacon Tower: Collapsed and lifeless—yet its rekindling is whispered to herald Argynvost’s peace.
Even for seasoned adventurers, Argynvostholt is less a dungeon than a graveyard of honor—a reminder that even the righteous can become prisoners of grief.
The Lands of Barovia
Barovia’s geography is deceptively compact yet spiritually immense. It feels infinite, a labyrinth of forest and fog where distances shift with Strahd’s will.
The Svalich Woods
Endless forests where wolves, undead, and the unnatural prowl. Travel is dangerous after dusk. The mist thickens unpredictably, disorienting even the experienced.
The Luna River
A pale ribbon of water flowing from the Balinok Mountains past Argynvostholt, reflecting no light but moon and magic.
Village of Barovia
The oldest settlement, lying in perpetual shadow beneath Castle Ravenloft. Despair defines its people; even its church bells ring hollow.
Vallaki
A walled town claiming safety through rigid festivals and forced optimism. Its burgomaster believes endless celebration will ward off Strahd’s gaze.
Krezk
A fortified mountain village under the Abbess’s strange guardianship. Its waters and gardens are rumored to still carry remnants of divine blessing.
Castle Ravenloft
Perched atop the cliffs above the village, the castle is Strahd’s fortress and the heart of the curse. Its corridors defy geometry, its shadows remember trespassers.
The Wizards of Wine Winery
A rare haven operated by the Martikov family, who are secretly members of the Keepers of the Feather—wereravens aligned against Strahd. Their vineyard provides both sustenance and coded communication for allies of the light.
The Powers of Barovia
The valley is haunted not only by monsters but by ancient, semi-divine entities—known as the Dark Powers. These shadow patrons dwell within the Amber Temple, granting gifts and curses to those who seek forbidden knowledge. It was through one such pact that Strahd gained his immortality and bound Barovia to his will.
These same Powers whisper still, tempting adventurers with promises of strength, vengeance, or resurrection. Accepting such gifts almost always comes at the cost of the soul.
Strahd von Zarovich
Once a mortal conqueror, Strahd’s transformation into a vampire lord reshaped the valley. His story is as much tragedy as terror:
Birthright and Ambition: A noble warlord from a distant land, Strahd sought eternal glory through conquest.
The Pact: He made a covenant with the Dark Powers to reclaim youth and strength, but the price was his humanity.
The Curse: His beloved Tatyana perished rather than join him in undeath, and her soul has been reincarnated through ages—forever beyond his grasp.
The Domain: Barovia itself became his prison and his kingdom, bound by mist that obeys his will.
Strahd is both tyrant and jailer, doomed to relive his failures across generations of adventurers. Each new band drawn into Barovia represents another chance for redemption—or another chapter of suffering.
The Mists
The mists surrounding Barovia are both physical and metaphysical. They serve Strahd’s will but originate from something older—perhaps the will of the Dark Powers or the land’s collective despair.
To those within, the mists distort time and space.
To those who attempt escape, they suffocate or transport the soul back to the valley.
Legends say that when Strahd is finally destroyed, the mists will lift and Barovia will merge again with the mortal world.
Cultural and Religious Notes
The Morninglord (Lathander): Patron deity of renewal and light. Worshipped by Traxidor, his faith symbolizes the dawn that Barovia has not seen in centuries.
The Night Mother (Mother Night): A darker goddess of dreams, death, and the moon. Feared more than adored; her followers are rare and secretive.
Superstitions: Barovians believe mirrors steal souls, that ravens carry omens of hope, and that prayers must be whispered so as not to draw Strahd’s attention.
Symbolic Motifs
The campaign’s imagery intertwines death and light:
Coffins and Fire: The burning coffin in Session Twenty-Two signifies defiance—turning death’s invitation into warmth and survival.
Beacons and Radiance: Every light source, from a lantern to a spell, is an act of rebellion in a land where sunlight itself is forbidden.
Names and Memory: To speak a name in Barovia is to fight forgetfulness; to burn it is to reclaim agency.
For Dungeon Masters and Readers
Argynvostholt represents one of the narrative hinges of Curse of Strahd. It challenges adventurers to see that redemption—not conquest—is the true victory condition. By restoring Argynvost’s beacon, players affirm that light is never wasted, even when it flickers unseen.
For players and DMs who follow this chronicle, Session Twenty-Two is not merely survival—it’s a meditation on purpose: that courage endures not in triumph but in refusal to yield.
End of Appendix
“In Barovia, every torch is a prayer. Some burn longer than others—but all are seen.”
— Excerpt from the Journal of Ezmerelda d’Avenir
