Fanfiction Fridays: The Just Desserts Of Barovia

It's Friday my pretties! It's time for some fanfiction!

After sharing one of my favorite D&D related stories last week, and then going without any actual D&D in my life all through that week, it made me jones for some fantasy related shenanigans real bad.

Specifically in my all time favorite D&D setting...Ravenloft~

If you are unfamiliar with this Gothic Horror/Romance setting, it's a pretty easy sell: It's Dracula, but with a heaping spoonful of Universal Monsters (Frankenstein, Wolfman, etc), where your D&D characters are outsiders to this land hoping to do some good...but Barovia is a land that very quickly reveals the fear and evil that lurk within one's own heart.

Previously I played through the entire campaign of Curse of Strahd with my fat goblin witch OC Momma Gobbo (Look up #WhoLetThisSassyGoblinWitchIntoRavenloft on either Bluesky or Twitter to learn more), which ended with Momma Gobbo being left all alone in Castle Ravenloft in the wake of Strahd's defeat.

The Dark Powers whispered to her a promise of never being alone again...and she took it, becoming the new ruler of Barovia.

This little fanfiction drabble...is a scene of just what kind of ruler Countess Momma Gobbo becomes.

(Spoilers: ...a fattening one~)

*** *** ***

“Stepmother, I’m hungry,” the bedraggled child whined. His older sister shushed him, shielding him, but not before their step-mother reacted.

“Quiet, you brat! You’re embarrassing me in front of the countess!” the step-mother hissed at them through her gritted teeth. When she turned back to address the countess, she was all smiles, looking as pleasant and plump as the boyars of Barovia could be.

She certainly looks well fed, Countess Momma Gobbo thought, though her poor children are but skin and bones. That wouldn’t do at all. The woman was addressing Momma in the grand throne room of Castle Ravenloft on a dreary afternoon.

The step-mother had introduced herself to Momma as Claudia Dilisnya, the new wife to the recently widowed Gustav Durst. The Dursts were a prominent and wealthy family in Barovia Village, one of the few who’d been loyal to Momma’s predecessor, the evil vampire Count Strahd Von Zarovich. Momma knew of them, and their wicked reputation. She hadn’t mourned Gustav’s late wife’s passing, but it seemed he’d been quick to remarry…and had an appetite for beautiful but cruel blondes.

Claudia was dressed in finery fit for a ball; a crimson, corseted silk gown with a bustle large enough to hide her two step-children under. She wore her blonde hair down, letting her golden curls cascade down the sides of her pale face. She wore ornate and antique looking gold jewelry, no doubt owned by the late Mrs. Durst. Momma wondered if Claudia had waited for the corpse to cool before snatching them off of her neck.

In contrast, Momma was dressed in her usual patchy black dress, frayed seams and all. Instead of a crown or circlet, she wore her pointed black hat. With her grin skin, pointy ears, and diminutive frame, she stood in stark contrast to this blonde woman, who positioned herself as a woman of power and influence.

Yet it was Momma who held all the power. She was darklord of Barovia now.

“All I’m asking for is for you to grant me but a fraction of your magical power, oh mighty countess.” Claudia said, still smiling. “I was loyal to Strahd as a maiden, and I’m loyal to you now. I feel my loyalty ought to be rewarded.”

“Magic is never free, madam Dilisnya” Momma asserted from her throne, “What do you offer in exchange for it?”

To Momma’s surprise, the woman reached behind her and grabbed each child by the arm, dragging them forward roughly. Momma winced at their treatment, but Claudia was all smiles.

“These two children. I’m their mother now, and I offer them to you. I’ve heard you eat children, is that correct?” she said nonchalantly. Momma could see the fear in the boy and girl’s eyes.

Momma stepped off her throne and approached them. She stood at eye level with the kids, and gave them a warm smile, putting them at ease. Then she looked up to Claudia.

“Hags eat children. I’m not a hag, but…I accept your offer.” Momma said, then snapped her fingers. “Rahadin?”

“Yes, countess?” replied her dusk elf chamberlain, seemingly appearing from nowhere. It startled Claudia and the kids. Tall, lithe, and imposing, Rahadin cut an intimidating figure. Momma did her best to calm the two children down.

“Hey, shhh…it’s going to be okay. What’s your names?” she asked them.

“I’m Rose,” the girl replied, no older than seven. “This is Thorn,” she gestured to the scared looking boy, likely five or six.

“You can call me Momma. I’m going to take care of you two. Are you hungry? We have a very full larder in the castle with lots of yummy things to eat. Why don’t you follow this nice tall man and he’ll take you to the kitchens.” Momma offered in a sweet voice.

Relieved and grateful, the two children followed Rahadin as he led them away. Once they were out of sight, Momma turned on Claudia, giving her a wicked smile that made the woman recoil slightly.

“So…madam Dilisnya,” she said, “You were willing to sell your husband’s children for magical power…am I understanding you?”

Claudia blinked. “Well…yes. I’ve no use for the whiny little brats. My husband’s way of thinking is old fashioned. I, however, will ensure our names go down in history. With your magic, I’ll be large and in charge!” she said, proud of herself.

Momma kept smiling, despite the terrible thoughts percolating in her mind.

“Oh, you’ll be large all right,” Momma smirked, “We’ll begin immediately. The kind of magical power and influence you desire cannot be taught…it must be ingested. Raw magic must be consumed, but I warn you, it’s no easy task.”

“Pfft. You do not frighten me, countess. I came here to grow in power! Now if you please, stop hesitating and make me grow!” Claudia said smugly, so sure of herself.

“Very well~” Momma grinned.

The goblin witch closed her violet eyes, concentrating as she drew upon the eldritch blessings inside her blood. She expended the spell slots within her, shaping a spell with practiced somatic gestures, speaking aloud the verbal components in a language known only to demons and infernal beings.

“Ɔonįυɿɒtion! Ɔυɿƨɘ oʇ Әlυttonγ Ⴇɘmon Ⴇυɔʜɘƨƨ Vɘnϱɒbυɿƨt! Иintʜ lɘvɘl: ꟼowɘɿ Woɿb ꟻɒttɘn!” Momma bellowed.

The throne room swirled with a sudden wind, blowing Claudia’s dress around. Crackling green and purple energy discharged around Momma’s fingertips, as something enormous was conjured in the center of the room. Claudia watched it all in awe.

A large wooden dining table appeared from thin air, accompanied by a single, wide-set dining chair. Silver cutlery and one large plate appeared before the chair. Then, the table suddenly creaked, as an immense multi-tiered cake appeared! It towered high into the air, its size and weight causing the table to creak and bow beneath it.

It was a monstrously pretty confection: with thick gray buttercream frosting, black buttercream rosettes and piping, all topped with glossy, blood red maraschino cherries. Along the sides of the cake were small fondant cutouts of bats, wolves, and toads. The cake had a total of thirteen tiers, the largest of which was half a foot tall and as big around as a Barovian wine cask! The cake towered over both women!

Claudia looked upon it, eyes wide. Momma watched as she began to salivate.

Strahd would be proud, Momma thought to herself, admiring the artistry of her magic.

“This…” Momma grinned, “Contains a fraction of my magical essence. If you consume the entire thing, it will be granted to you, thereby making you the most powerful woman in Barovia Village…and perhaps all of Barovia…second of course to me and my retinue.”

A complete lie, but judging by the greedy look in Claudia’s eyes, the human woman couldn’t tell. All she saw was a clear path to power.

“A-and all I need to do is eat the entire cake?” she asked, wiping a fleck of drool from her lips.

Momma nodded, “But once you start, you cannot leave until it is finished. Take as long as you wish, but you must keep eating. Deal?” the goblin witch smiled at the greedy boyar.

“Deal!” Claudia exclaimed, seating herself in the chair at the table. Her petite rump looked small in the enormous, padded chair. Though not for long, Momma thought maliciously.

Claudia reached for the nearby silverware and cake knife, and cut herself a large piece. She took a large forkful and pushed it past her painted lips. Her eyes grew wide, then rolled into the back of her head. A pleasurable little ‘Mmmmmm~’ escaped her lips as she chewed and swallowed the no doubt sinfully delicious confection.

Claudia took another bite, then another, and another. She shoveled cake into her mouth like her life depended on it, eating til her cheeks were swollen. When her plate had been emptied, she hastily cut herself another slice.

Unbeknownst to the human woman, her corseted dress grew snugger around her waist. Momma could hear the corset strings creak. She watched intently as the blonde’s bust billowed out from her neckline, rising like bread dough in an oven. Her cheeks grew plumper, and her face filled out rounder.

Within Momma’s mind, she could see the grim magical mathematics of her spell at work:

9d6 (30) = 30 pounds total gained.

Every ‘slice’ consumed would make Claudia fatter. Momma suspected the cruel woman wouldn’t notice this until it was far too late. Until then, she’d have some fun with her.

“Please, madam Dilisnya…Claudia…there’s no need to keep up appearances here. Your magical destiny awaits. Let loose!” the goblin witch whispered to her with a smile.

Claudia listened, dropping the silverware dramatically. She then reached out with her bare hands and grabbed a huge hunk of cake, stuffing it into her mouth. The dark icing smeared and stained her plump lips. Her teeth and tongue turned black from the icing and the cake’s rich, moist, dark cocoa insides.

“Mph! It’sh sho good!” Claudia exclaimed, taking another huge bite, cramming fistful after fistful of cake into her mouth.

A seam split down her resplendent silk gown. Her doughy love handles spilled out. She didn’t notice.

9d6 (40) = 70 pounds total gained.

Momma watched in delight as the greedy woman ate and ate and ate. Her fattening ass filled out the chair more and more, growing wider and girthier with every throat-swelling bite she took. The blonde boyar quickly gave up any pretense of modesty, as she grunted and gasped, shoveling cake into her mouth as fast as she could; letting frosting smear across her round cheeks.

In moments, she’d devoured almost a sixth of the cake, eating away at it like a beaver chewing away at a tree. She gorged herself into a stupor, needing to pause to catch her breath. Momma could practically hear the woman’s heart feverishly pounding in her chest, as the fat kept pouring onto her frame.

9d6 (27) ✕ 10 = 270, 340 pounds total gained.

The woman’s bodice finally gave way in a dramatic fashion, splitting open with a loud ka-snap, sending pearls clattering across the throne room floor. The golden jeweled necklace Claudia seemed so proud of popped a metal clasp, landing between her ballooning breasts with a soft thud. Her ponderous bosom plopped onto her growing belly, bare and naked. Her soft pink nipples growing firm and stiff in the chill air of Castle Ravenloft.

“Wuh…gulp what’s…happening to me?!” Claudia gasped, her voice shrill. Her now obese body in full view, undeniable.

“Nothing you don’t deserve,” Momma giggled. She climbed atop the summoned table and dabbed at Claudia’s fat lips with a silk napkin. “Try as you might to stop yourself from consuming this cake, I’m afraid you’ll find it too delicious to resist. Even now, you want more, don’t you?”

Claudia shuddered in horror. Momma could see in her watering eyes that it was true.

She clutched her fatter hands to her chest, afraid of the gnawing compulsion growing in her; impossible to resist.

She reached out and grabbed up another handful, stuffing it into her mouth. She gurgled and whined as she swallowed.

9d6 (53) = 393 pounds total gained.

“You…you witch! You were mmph supposed to gulp make me slurp powerful! N-not obese! Ch-buuuuuorp ungh…change me back!” Claudia bellowed, fear rising in her voice as she kept eating…and eating…and eating!

9d6 (49) = 452 pounds total gained.

“Supposed to do?” Momma challenged the woman, “My pretty, I think you’ll find that I’ve done precisely what I am supposed to do. The Abbot of Krezk was a monster…and I made him explode. The werewolves of Svalich Woods were monsters…and I made them explode. Strahd Von Zarovich was a monster, and…well…you get the idea.”

Terror gripped Claudia’s features. She let out a low, pitiful scream, muffled by the massive mouthful of cake she’d just crammed into it. Her waistline ballooned outwards, snapping her corset strings painfully, one by one. Momma suspected the pressure against her must be awful.

Momma licked her lips, eagerly anticipating what would come next.

“Rest assured, madam Dilisnya, your step-children will be well cared for. Better than you could ever do. Should they ever wish to return to their dreadful father, they’ll be allowed to. Until then, I shall be a mother to them.” Momma grinned, picking up a big handful of cake and stuffing it into Claudia’s already stuffed full mouth. Her cheeks stretched painfully.

“You, on the other hand, will never leave this throne room.” Momma grinned, “You’ll eat and eat, growing fatter and fatter until your stomach bursts and your skin splits apart, exploding all over my polished marble floor. However…”

A glimmer of hope crossed Claudia’s eyes as she looked up to Momma again. Crumbs falling from her fat lips.

“...should you manage to consume this whole cake without bursting…” Momma led Claudia on. The blonde leaned forward intently, grasping at anything she could.

“...I shall simply have to feed you a second one.” Momma said.

The goblin witch cackled as she watched Claudia’s horrified, doomed expression. It was moments of ironic punishment like this that truly made Barovia a place she called home.