Curse Of Strahd

Prepare after session 0

 Personal quest inside of Barovia

 Terroka card that relates to the quest
 Dream sequence that entices their character to meet with the others in the part
 A personal reading from Madam Eva

Session 1

[READ] It's a dark and stormy night in the Town of Daggerford. Rain is pouring down from the sky,
turning the streets into mud.

[Dark Info] Every player arrive at the tavern at different times. And they get to describe their
entrace.

[NPC] Thomas Montagu, 45 ,Tavern owner.

Has short, straight, gray hair and blown eyes

Has veiny, pockmarked, white skin.

He stands 5’7 and has a round build

 Worships Ubtao, God od creation, JUngles, Chult, Dinosaurs (True N)

 Quick to trust
 Obeys his superrios
 Tavern
 Is married, with a son
 He sporadically quotes proverbs

[NPC] Arthur Montagu, 22, Helper at the tavern

Has short, straight, brown hair and brown eyes

Has veiny, white skin

He stands 5’8 and has a round build

  Worship Torm, God of duty, loyalty, obedience, paladins (LG)
 He is kind and generous
 He is cowardly
 He sporadically quotes proverbs

[Dark Info] After everyone has had their fill of the introductory roleplaying, describe this:

[READ] After talking for a while with eachother, You all start to feel very tired and feeling ready to
turn in for the night.

[Dark Info] this should be enough to convince your players to purchase lodging at the inn.

[IMPORTANT!]: GIVE THEM ALL A CHANCE TO DESCRIBE THEIR NIGHT TIME RITUALS TAKE NOTE
OF WHAT THEY TAKE OFF AND STOW AWAY, AND WHAT THEY WEAR TO BED.

ONCE THEY ARE ALL ASLEEP THEY ARE MAGICALLY TRANSPORTED TO BAROVIA.

[READ] You find yourself waking up in the middle of a strange forest shrounded in a cold and wet
mist. Everyone that you’ve met with at the travern is with you, sleeping along side you.

[Dark Info] The party is now in the woods just north of the Svalich Road in area A. Their adventure
BEGINS!

RANDOM ENCOUNTERS Page 30

 If the party is on the road, roll an 18+ on a d20 for an encounter

 In the wilderness, 15+ on a d20

You can roll on the daytime and nighttime table or have Strahd’s spies appear

After walking for a bit in the woods they will arrive in area A.

[READ] Black pools of water stand like dark mirrors in and arround the muddy roadway. Giant trees
loom on both sides of the road, their branches clawing at the mists.
[Dark Info] The party arrives at area B in 5 hours.

The party arrives at area C 2 hours after the last encounter.

The party arrives at Durst Manor 1 hour after the last encounter

Durst Manor

[READ] You’ve come across a crossroad. An overgrown wagon trail that leads into the woods lies
besides you. At the left side of the wagon trail stands a small moss covered stone pillar with a
gargoile statue at the top holding a stick that on it’s curcy end, hangs a lantern. Bellow the statue, a
rusted metal plate displays the words “Durst Manor”

[READ] The trail leads into the woods where a small Mansion flanked by two buildings can be found.
A old horse stable and a small broken down storage shack.

[READ]In the old stables a wagon with no horse mounted on the front can be found.

 If ( player && player.search == TRUE ){

System.out.println(“Dammit... I have to improv”);

System.out.println(“It has dried out food and two flasks of water, and some empty bottles of
wine, if you look closesly at the bottle you can read “Wizard of Wines” writen on it”);

 }

 The stables have room for one horse and innit, a single haybell can be found.

 The storage shack’s entrace is blocked by a long wooden log. It requires a DC 10 STR to move
aside.

The wooden door is very moldy and swollen from the moisture of the mist, it can fall apart easily.

Inside the shack, there’s a nunch of broken and empty crates and barrels.
At the working bench, a small rusted hand hammer, and a small rusted kitchen knife and a rusdted
sickle.

[!READ MANSION!]

DURST MANOR’S LIVING FACADE

Durst Manor looks well-kept and recently inhabited. From the outside, lighted oil lamps can be seen
inside the windows. When characters first enter the house, fireplaces and lamps provide illumination
and warmth on the first and second floor.

When any character arrives at the third floor, the manor drops any pretense of being inhabited. The
oiled wood of the walls and floors ages and cracks before the character’s eyes, and all lights are
extinguished. A cold chill replaces the warmth of the fires, and the illusory feast in area 5 disappears.

At the same time, the manor alters its exterior to keep its new prey from escaping. Windows are
suddenly bricked over, as are any doorways leading outside.

1. ENTRANCE
A Well-pollished iron gate with hinges on one side and a lock on the other fills the archway of a
stone portico (area lA). The gate is unlocked, and its oiled hinges provide a smooth open motion
when the gate is opened. Oil lamps hang from the portico ceiling by chains, flanking a set of oaken
doors that open into a grand foyer (area lB). Hanging on the south wall of the foyer is a shield
emblazoned with a coat-of arms (a stylized golden windmill on a red field), flanked by framed
portraits of stony-faced aristocrats (Jong-dead members of the Durst family). Mahogany-framed
double doors leading from the foyer to the main hall (area 2A) are set with panes of stained glass.

2. MAIN HALL
A wide hall (area 2A) runs the width of the house, with a black marble fireplace at one end and a
sweeping, red marble staircase at the other. Mounted on the wall above the fireplace is a longsword
(nonmagical) with a windmill cameo worked into the hilt. The wood-paneled walls are ornately
sculpted with images of vines, flowers, nymphs, and satyrs. Characters who search the walls for
secret doors or otherwise inspect the paneling can, with a successful DC 12 Wisdom (Perception)
check, see carved images of famine and death—starving men, women, and children

A cloakroom (area 2B) has several black cloaks hanging from hooks on the walls. A top hat sits on a
high shelf.

3. DEN OF WOLVES
This oak-paneled room looks like a hunter's den. Mounted above the fireplace is a stag's head, and
positioned around the outskirts of the room are three stuffed wolves. Two padded chairs draped in
animal furs face the hearth, with an oak table between them supporting a cask of wine, two carved
wooden goblets, a pipe rack, and a candelabrum. A chandelier hangs above a cloth-covered table
surrounded by four chairs. Two cabinets stand against the walls.

The east cabinet sports a lock that can be picked with thieves' tools and a successful DC 15 Dexterity
check. It holds a heavy crossbow that’s broken, a light crossbow, a hand crossbow, and 20 bolts for
each weapon.

The north cabinet is unlocked and holds a small box containing a deck of playing cards and an
assortment of wine glasses.

TRAPDOOR A trapdoor is hidden in the southwest corner of the Aoor. It can't be detected or opened
until the characters approach it from the underside (see area 32). Until then, Death House
supernaturally hides the trapdoor.

Until characters reach the third floor of the manor, this room remains as-written. Afterward,
however, one of the stuffed wolves becomes a real wolf. Driven by a hunger that mirrors the
famine that started it all, the wolf will stalk characters through the manor house and attack the
weakest looking character

4.KITCHEN AND PANTRY

The kitchen (area 4 A) is tidy, with a dishware, cookware, and utensils neatly placed on shelves. A
worktable has a cutting board and rolling pin atop it. A stone, domeshaped oven stands near the
east wall, its bent iron stovepipe connecting to a hole in the ceiling. Behind the stove and to the left
is a thin door leading to a pantry (area 4B). The pantry appears to be bare of any food, instead the
shelves and pantry are line by empty burlap sacks that used to contain flour and grain of various
sorts

Hanging on the walls of the kitchen and inside drawers are various cooking implements that could
serve as improvised weapons. Meat cleavers, butcher knives, and iron pans are available in
abundance here.

The emaciated body of a rat can be found behind a crate on a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception)
check.

DUMBWAITER Behind a small door in the southwest corner of the kitchen is a dumbwaiter-a 2-foot-
wide stone shaft containing a wooden elevator box attached to a simple rope and-pulley mechanism
that must be operated manually. The shaft connects to areas 7A (the servants' quarters) and 12A
(the master bedroom). Hanging on the wall next to the dumbwaiter is a tiny brass bell attached by
wires to buttons in those other areas. A Small character can squeeze into the elevator box with a
successful DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. The dumbwaiter's rope-and-pulley mechanism can
support 200 pounds of weight before breaking
5. DINING ROOM
The centerpiece of this wood-paneled dining room is a carved mahogany table surrounded by eight
highbacked chairs with sculpted armrests and cushioned seats. A crystal chandelier hangs above the
table, which is covered with resplendent silverware and crystalware polished to a dazzling shine.

Mounted above the marble fireplace is a mahogany-framed painting of an alpine vale. The wall
paneling is carved with elegant images of farm lands and deer among the trees. Characters who
search the walls for secret doors or otherwise inspect the paneling can, with a successful DC 12
Wisdom (Perception) check, see scratchings of starving people in the paneling and wolves lurking
amid the carved foliage.

Red silk drapes cover the windows, and a tapestry depicting hunting dogs and horse-mounted
aristocrats chasing after a wolf hangs from an iron rod bolted to the south wall

Within the dining room, characters find a resplendent feast of meats, fruits, and cheeses laid out
upon the table. In front of each of the table’s eight high-backed chairs is a place setting. Every plate
holds morsels of food, and each shows signs of having recently been eaten. It looks as if the dinner
party left mid meal. The food is an illusion created by the house in order to lure in and weaken its
prey. A Detect Magic spell reveals the food’s illusory nature. Characters who partake of the table’s
feast suffer no immediate ill effects. Instead, the food is delicious and they feel satiated. It is only
when the party ascends to the third floor and above—when the house reveals its true nature— that
the food’s effect is felt. Any character who ate food from the dining room must succeed on a DC 12
Constitution saving throw. On a failure, affected characters suddenly feel extreme hunger pangs and
gain one level of exhaustion.

6. UPPER HALL
Lit oil lamps are mounted on the walls of this elegant hall. Hanging above the mantelpiece is a wood-
framed portrait of the Durst family: Gustav and Elisabeth Durst with their two smiling children, Rose
and Thorn. Cradled in the father's arms is a swaddled baby, which the mother regards with a hint of
scorn. Standing suits of armor Aank wooden doors in the east and west walls. Each suit of armor
clutches a spear and has a visored helm shaped like a wolf's head. The doors are carved with dancing
youths, although close inspection and a successful DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals that the
youths aren't really dancing but fighting off swarms of bats. The red marble staircase that started on
the first floor continues its upward spiral to area 11.

After a character reaches the third floor and the house reveals its true nature, the suits of armor
here will begin to change poses and placements around the hall when no one is looking. They are
otherwise harmless. Upon close inspect, the carvings on the wall depict emaciated children
begging for food.

7. SERVANT’S ROOM
An undecorated bedroom (area 7A) contains a pair of beds with straw-stuffed mattresses. At the
foot of each bed is an empty footlocker. Tidy servants' uniforms hang from hooks in the adjoining
closet (area 7B).

DUMBWAITER A dumbwaiter in the corner of the west wall has a button on the wall next to it.
Pressing the button rings the tiny bell in area 4A.

8. LIBRARY
The master of the house used to spend many hours here before his descent into madness.(a Wizard
can tell that someone spends a lot of time here).

First Person to walk into this room must make a Wisdom Check DC 10 (if they ask for insight they can
roll with insight), On a fail they see someone sitting on the chair infront of them. As soon as they
blind they disapear from their vision.

If they fail taht check, they instead see someone from the corner of their eyes(in the bookshelves if
they are not already there, even better you can have them see someone next to one of the players).

The figure looks like Strahd.

[READ] Red velvet drapes cover the windows of this room. An exquisite mahogany desk and a
matching high-back chair face the entrance and the fireplace, above which hangs a framed picture of
a windmill perched atop a rocky crag. Situated in corners of the room are two overstuffed chairs.
Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves line the south wall. A rolling wooden ladder allows one to more easily
reach the high shelves.

The desk has several items resting atop it: an oil lamp, a jar of ink, a quill pen, a tinderbox, and a
letter kit containing a red wax candle, four blank sheets of parchment, and a wooden seal bearing
the Durst family's insignia (a windmill). In addition to the other items on the desk is a small framed
oil painting of a dog. Its pose is regal, and the painting goes to great lengths to detail the luster of
the dog’s dark fur. At the bottom of the painting is written the name “Sophaxis." Sophaxis was the
Durst family dog at the time of their curse, and can be found in area 34.

The desk drawer is empty except for an iron key, which unlocks the door to area 20. The bookshelves
hold hundreds of tomes covering a range of topics including history, warfare, and alchemy. There are
also several shelves containing first-edition collected works of poetry and fiction. The books rot and
fall apart if taken from the house.

SECRET DOOR A secret door behind one bookshelf can be unlocked and swung open by pulling on a
switch disguised to look like a red-covered book with a blank spine. A character inspecting the
bookshelf spots the fake book with a successful DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check. Unless the secret
door is propped open, springs in the hinges cause it to close on its own. Beyond the secret door lies
area 9.

9. SECRET ROOM
This secret room contains bookshelves packed with tomes describing the subject of eternal life and
rituals to steal the life force of others through means such as bloodletting, magical spells, and
cannibalism. The rituals are bogus, which any character can ascertain after studying the books for 1
hour and succeeding on a DC 12 Intelligence (Arcana) check.

A heavy wooden chest with clawed iron feet stands against the south wall, its lid half-closed.
Sticking out of the chest is a skeleton in leather armor. Close inspection reveals that the skeleton
belongs to a human who triggered a poisoned dart trap. Three darts are stuck in the dead
adventurer's armor and ribcage. The dart-firing mechanism inside the chest no longer functions.

Clutched in the skeleton's left hand is a letter bearing the seal of Strahd von Zarovich, which the
adventurer tried to remove from the chest. Written in flowing script, the letter reads as follows:

My most pathetic servants, I allow you and your pathetic band of miscreants to exist in my land only
for my own amusement. I am not your messiah, and have not come to lead you on a path to
immortality. Continue your farcical rituals and have your meals of flesh. Carve my visage into every
stone you see. Sire as many bastards as you wish. I care not. You are all worms writhing in my earth,
and I shall not save you from your wretchedness. I much prefer you as you are.

Your dread lord and master,

Strahd von Zarovich

TREASURE The chest contains three blank books with black leather covers (worth 25 gp each), three
spell scrolls (bless, protection from poison, and spiritual weapon), the deed to the house, the deed
to a windmill, and a signed will. The windmill referred to in the second deed is situated in the
mountains east of Vallakie(see chapter 6, "Old Bonegrinder"). The will is signed by Gustav and
Elisabeth Durst and bequeathes the house, the windmill, and all other family property to Rosavalda
and Thornboldt Durst in the event of their parents' deaths. The books, scrolls, deeds, and will age
markedly if taken from the house but remain intact.

10. CONSERVATORY
Gossamer drapes cover the windows of this elegantly appointed hall, which has a brass-plated
chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Upholstered chairs line the walls, and stained-glass wall
hangings depict beautiful men, women, and children singing and playing instruments. A harpsichord
with a bench rests in the northwest corner. Near the fireplace is a large standing harp. Alabaster
figurines of well-dressed dancers adorn the mantelpiece. Close inspection of them reveals that
several are carvings of well-dressed skeletons.

11. BALCONY
Upon a character reaching the third floor balcony, the house will reveal its sinister nature. All lamps
and fires within the house will extinguish. The highly polished wood paneling on the walls and floors
will lose their luster, age, and crack. Cobwebs and dust will appear on surfaces and walls. On the
outside of the house, bricks will appear and cover up the windows and doors, so as to trap the party
inside the manor house. If the version of Rose and Thorn that lured the characters to the house have
been coaxed inside, they will crumble to dust. Cold breeze

Characters who climb the red marble staircase to its full height come to a dusty balcony with a suit
of black plate armor standing against one wall, draped in cobwebs. This suit of animated armor
attacks as soon as it takes damage or a character approaches within 5 feet of it. It fights until
destroyed.

Oil lamps are mounted on the oak-paneled walls, which are carved with woodland scenes of trees,
falling leaves, and tiny critters. Characters who search the walls for secret doors or otherwise inspect
the paneling can, with a successful DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check, notice tiny corpses hanging
from the trees and worms bursting up from the ground.

SECRET DOOR A secret door in the west wall can be found with a successful DC 15 Wisdom
(Perception) check. It pushes open easily to reveal a cobweb-filled wooden staircase leading up to
the attic. (Or have them find it automatically)

12. MASTER SUITE

In this room, the dessicated body of Gustav Durst can be found hanging from the canopy of the bed.
A makeshift noose, made from a bed sheet, is fastened around his neck. Gustav committed suicide
when he returned home to find the grisly remains of Anya, as well as the undead forms of his wife
and fellow cultists. He never discovered the bodies of his children, having assumed the worst. A
hastily-written suicide note sits on the table in the parlor on the south end of the room.

My dearest children, The darkness takes us, and I am sorry that your mother and I have brought it
upon you. What began as survival turned into our obsession, and now to our downfall. In my final
moments, I see clear. We are anathema, and are being punished. We deserve it, but I regret that
your fates are tied to ours. I love you both with all my heart. No amount of darkness and death will
ever change that. May all of our souls find peace.

Your loving father,

Gustav

The double doors to this room have dusty panes of stained glass set into them. Designs in the glass
resemble windmills.

The dusty, cobweb-filled master bedroom (area 12A) has burgundy drapes covering the windows.

Furnishings include a four-poster bed with embroidered curtains and tattered gossamer veils, a
matching pair of empty wardrobes, a vanity with a wood-framed mirror and jewelry box (see
"Treasure"), and a padded chair.

A rotting tiger-skin rug lies on the floor in front of the fireplace, which has a dust-covered portrait of
Gustav and Elisabeth Durst hanging above it.

A web-filled parlor in the southwest corner contains a table and two chairs. Resting on the dusty
tablecloth is an empty porcelain bowl and a matching jug,
A door facing the foot of the bed has a full-length mirror mounted on it. The door opens to reveal a
brick wall.

DUMBWAITER A dumbwaiter in the corner of the west wall has a button on the wall next to it.
Pressing the button rings the tiny bell in area 4A.

TREASURE The jewelry box on the vanity is made of silver with gold filigree (worth 75 gp). It contains
three gold rings (worth 25 gp each) and a thin platinum necklace with a topaz pendant (worth 750
gp).

13. BATHROOM
This dark room contains a wooden tub with clawed feet, a small iron stove with a kettle resting atop
it, and a barrel under a spigot in the east wall. A cistern on the roof used to collect rainwater, which
was borne down a pipe to the spigot; however, the plumbing no longer works.

14. STORAGE ROOM

Dusty shelves line the walls of this room. A few of the shelves have folded sheets, blankets, and old
bars of soap on them. A cobweb-covered broom leans against the far wall.

15. NURSEMAID’S SUITE

Dust and cobwebs shroud an elegantly appointed bedroom (area 15A) and an adjoining nursery
(area 15B).

Double doors set with panes of stained glass pull open to reveal a brick wall. The bedroom once
belonged to the family's nursemaid. The master of the house and the nursemaid had an affair, which
led to the birth of a stillborn baby named Walter. The cult slew the nursemaid shortly thereafter.

Unless the characters already defeated it in area 18, the nursemaid's spirit haunts the bedroom as a
specter. Players that enter the room hear the sobs of sorrow of a woman. Players feel like they are
being watched.

Any one that open the door that leads to area 15C, a small storage room. In it there’s a woman
sitting on a char, crying. She takes a good look at the player and then her throat slits open, spilling
blood all over. The door forces itself shut and when opened again, there’s nothing but a brick wall on
the other side of the door.

The specter manifests and attacks when a character opens the door to the nursery. The specter
resembles a terrified, skeletally thin young woman; it can't speak or be reasoned with.

The bedroom contains a large bed, two end tables, and an empty wardrobe. Mounted on the wall
next to the wardrobe is a full-length mirror with an ornate wooden frame carved to look like ivy and
berries. Characters who search the wall for secret doors or otherwise inspect the mirror can, with a
successful DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check, notice eyeballs among the berries. The wall behind the
mirror has a secret door in it (see "Secret Door" below). The nursery contains a crib covered with a
hanging black shroud. When characters part the shroud, they see a tightly wrapped, baby-sized
bundle lying in the crib. Characters who unwrap the blanket find nothing inside it.

SECRET DOOR A secret door behind the mirror can be found with a successful DC 15 Wisdom
(Perception) check. It pushes open easily to reveal a cobweb-filled wooden staircase leading up to
the attic.

15a. Any character who looks at the mirror on the wall sees a skeletally thin reflection of themselves,
as if they were near to starving.

16. ATTIC HALL

This bare hall is choked with dust and cobwebs.

LOCKED DOOR The door to area 20 is held shut with a padlock. Its key is kept in the library (area 8),
but the lock can also be picked with thieves' tools and a successful DC 15 Dexterity check.

17.SPARE BEDROOM
This dust-choked room contains a slender bed, a nightstand, a small iron stove, a writing desk with a
stool, an empty wardrobe, and a rocking chair. A smiling doll in a lacy yellow dress sits in the
northern window box, cobwebs draping it like a wedding veil.

Any character who looks at the mirror on the wall sees a skeletally thin reflection of themselves, as if
they were near to starving.

18. STORAGE ROOM

This dusty chamber is packed with old furniture (chairs, coat racks, standing mirrors, dress
mannequins, and the like), all draped in dusty white sheets. Near an iron stove, underneath one of
the sheets, is an unlocked wooden trunk containing the skeletal remains of the family's nursemaid,
wrapped in a tattered bedsheet stained with dry blood. A character inspecting the remains and
succeeding on a DC 14 Wisdom (Medicine) check can verify that the woman was stabbed to death by
multiple knife wounds.

If the characters disturb the remains, the nursemaid's specter appears and attacks unless it was
previously defeated in area 15.

READ “THE RITUAL OF THE STORAGE ROOM” BELLOW

19. SPARE BEDROOM

This web-filled room contains a slender bed, a nightstand, a rocking chair, an empty wardrobe, and a
small iron stove.

20. CHILDREN’S ROOM

The door to this room is locked from the outside (see area 16 for details).

[READ] This room contains a bricked-up window flanked by two dusty, wood-framed beds sized
for children. Closer to the door is a toy chest with windmills painted on its sides and a dollhouse
that's a perfect replica of the dreary edifice in which you stand. These furnishings are draped in
cobwebs. Lying in the middle of the floor are two small skeletons wearing tattered clothing. The
smaller of the two, cradles a stuffed doll.

The Durst children, Rose and Thorn, were neglected by their parents and locked in this room until
they starved to death. Their small skeletons lie in the middle of the floor, plain as day, wearing
tattered clothing that the characters recognize as belonging to the children. Thorn's skeleton cradles
the boy's stuffed doll. The toy chest contains an assortment of stuffed animals and toys. Characters
who search the dollhouse and succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check find all of the house's
secret doors (a miniature replica of area 21). Charcters can also notice a red circle in the Storage
room(AREA 18)

ROSE AND THORN

If either the dollhouse or the chest is disturbed, the ghosts of Rose and Thorn appear in the middle
of the room. Use the ghost statistics in the Monster Manual, with the following modifications:

, The ghosts are Small and lawful good.

They have 35 (10d6) hit points each.

They lack the Horrifying Visage action.

They speak Common and have a challenge rating of 3 (700 XP).

The children don't like it when the characters disturb their toys, but they fight only in self-defense.
Unlike the illusions outside the house, these children know that they're dead. If asked how they
died, Rose and Thorn explain that their parents locked them in the attic to protect them from "the
monster in the basement," and that they died from hunger. If asked how one gets to the basement,
Rose points to the doll house and says, "There's a secret door in the attic." Characters who then
search the dollhouse for secret doors gain advantage on their Wisdom (Perception) checks to find
them.

The children fear abandonment. If one or more characters try to leave, the ghost-children attempt to
possess them. If one of the ghosts possesses a character, allow the player to retain control of the
character, but assign the character one of the following flaws:

A character possessed by Rose gains the following flaw: "I like being in charge and get angry when
other people tell me what to do."

A character possessed by Thorn gains the following flaw: "I'm scared of everything, including my own
shadow, and weep with despair when things don't go my way."

A character possessed by the ghost of Rose or Thorn won't willingly leave Death House or the
dungeon below it. Both ghosts can be intimidated into leaving their hosts with a successful DC 11
Charisma ( Intimidation) check made as an action.
A ghost reduced to O hit points can reform at dawn the next day.

THE RITUAL OF THE STORAGE ROOM

Right next to a lit fireplace, an old man smoking on an old pipe, swinging his hammock and watching
the wood burn.

 If a character aproaches him while some of the players are outside the room read:

[READ] The old man looks at you, “Call your friends inside, will you?” while cracking a smile.