Barovia Day 1

The party woke up in a dense forest clouded in mist. Following a dirt road, and picking up a fellow traveller named Tanlion and a mysterious letter on the way, they came up on a pair of gigantic gates. These massive gates opened at their approach and the group entered Barovia.

Seemingly without other options, the party followed the road to a small down-trodden town, also called Barovia. In a general goods store they questioned Bildrath about where they were and what's going on, some party members bought some gear from the store.

Bildrath pointed them towards the Blood of the Vine tavern, where they were surprised by a very friendly wine-dealer called Francois. After drinking his delicious wines, they asked after Ismark who they read about in the letter. Ismark happened to be in the tavern and told the party about his sister, and asked them for help. They accompanied him to his house, where they found the (old) burgomaster dead, and Ireena in distress. Strahd seems very interested in Ireena and has already bitten her twice over the last few weeks.

The party helped bury the burgomaster at the church, and returned to the mansion afterwards, but not being completely at ease after hearing the shouting and moaning from the church's basement, the party returned to the church shortly after.

While questioning Danovich, the party was alerted by Helm's familiar that not all was well at the mansion, and when after they hurried back, they found Ireena gone and Ismark in tears. Ismark could not recall what had happened, but was convinced Strahd took Ireena.

Helm's familiar spotted some movement on the edge of the forest, and the party investigated in that direction, finding a piece of Ireena's dress on a branch, but only finding a group of zombies, which they slay before returning to the Burgomaster's mansion.

(At some point the party also went to check on the waling woman, who cried out for her missing daughter Gertrude (Moldovar).)