Curse of Strahd 12 – The Cold Light of Morning

In which the party’s druid Fitzworth writes a few words of wisdom after the sudden disappearance of Sumu after the fight against Strahd and his minions at the church in Vallaki. In which the group loses their regular scribe as Sumu’s player leaves the group.

Sumu is gone. Umus, too, but that makes me less sad.

I woke up and found a note from her which I will share later, but she is gone. Yesterday, it seemed that she might have found some of her family among the bodies and maybe that had something to do with it. I also noticed that she left something with Samael, but that is his story to tell or not tell.

But the last 36 hours have been hard.

The priest had repeatedly asked us to recover some bones (likely the remains of the patron saint of the church) and return them to their resting place, because their presence protected the church and possibly the entire town. We put it off to get involved in the political machinations of the Burgomaster and his rivals, the Wacher family.

As a result, the church was personally attacked by Strahd and six vampires (and also a set of animate pews… but that’s neither here nor there).

While we killed the six and drove Strahd back, the priest, his acolyte and much of the congregation at evening mass was slaughtered. Also, there’s a hole in the roof of the church.

We recovered the bones and found that the mastermind behind this plan to steal the bones – and the man who who also smuggled six vampires into town – is Vassily Von Holst. He’s a human male of medium height, clean shaven with black hair. Based on his clothing, he is possible noble. We didn’t see him, but we got his description.

Some members of the town who, frankly, owe a debt, will be working to restore the church and possibly take up vocational duties.

The Burgomaster, who was also brother-in-law to the late priest, will help.

We killed Izek Strazni, the Burgomaster’s right hand man (the one with the monstrous… right hand), but have set up the Wachter family to take the fall. It was Fiona Wachter who asked us to take out Strasni, so she could launch a coup. There will be a parade tomorrow and shit is likely to go down.

Also, the Martakov family of were-ravens seem ready to help, but not yet openly. Either one of them or, possibly, Ireena, could be installed as the new burgomaster. I see the reason behind installing Ireena, but am unsure as long as we know Strahd seeks her.

I got a little heated yesterday and I, at least, am ready to cleanse the earth of evil, though I’m also cooling down a bit. Ismark is seeming ready to take on the mantle of power to which his blood entitles him. Chand is seeming downright moral and is notably protective of children. Sumu was always our moral compass, but now she’s gone. I don’t know what’s up with Samael, but our sailor friend has a serious drinking problem and we might need to consider an intervention and a restoration spell to cure him of the disease or moral failing (not sure how everyone comes down on this issue) of addiction.

Curse of Strahd – 11 – A Fire in the Night

In which the party fails to realize the significance of missing bones and gets embroiled in local politics more than they would like to.

It is the night’s darkest hour. Midnight has come and gone, taking with it its vicious bats and hysterical screaming, leaving behind the bitter dregs: tired adventurers and piles of rubble in the church yard.

Fillegan sits at a table in the Blue Water Inn, looking crumpled and miserable. Every now and then he pulls out a handkerchief and hacks a loogie into it. After the third time, Ireena moves her chair a little further away, causing Ismark to give her a stern glance. “I am trying to bandage this cut, sister. Sit still.” She huffs a little, but stops moving. “Shouldn’t you be keeping an eye on other things, brother? Like the mayor’s mansion? You seemed so keen on it before.” Ismark scowls.”Irinka, it’s hardly fair of you to lay all that at my feet. Yes, I think you would make a better burgomaster than whoever has the job know, and I certainly trust you over Fiona Wachter. But if I had known… If any of us had known the danger that the town was in…” Ireena sighs. “You’re right. Sorry. I’m just angry.” Ismark smiles begrudgingly, then ruffles her hair. “Me too.”

Chand and Fitzworth arrive at the table carrying wine for everyone. Fillegan turns towards them and grins cheerfully. With a voice like a rasp he says “So, what did you light on fire? It lit up the bedroom and woke me up, and neither Ismark nor Ireena has seen fit to tell me what wind we’re sailing with, here.” Fitzworth sits down, takes a deep draught of wine, wipes his mouth on his sleeve, then says: “Nothing burned. Well, the bodies did, but you wouldn’t have seen that. You may have seen Sumu, who used that little trinket we picked up a while back. It’s quite spectacular, the amount of light that thing gives off.”

Fitzworth gulps more wine. “What happened is that Father Lucien is dead, as is his altar boy. They were torn apart by Strahd.” Fillegan turns pale. “Strahd was here? He attacked the priest?” He sounds incredulous and looks at everyone in turn. Ireena frowns and rubs her forehead. Ismark picks at a fraying edge on the bandage he just tied off. Fitzworth stares into his wine with chagrin and Chand grips his cup like he wants to throttle it. “We could’ve prevented it.” Chand says, after a strained pause. “We could have… should have… marched straight down to that coffin maker and wrenched those bones out of his damned hands. Instead, a bit of wine and conversation distracted…” “You mean,” Fitzworth interrupts “a bit of wine and conversation, a cheap magic trick and an offer to assassinate someone and hand the burgomaster’s seat to that overly-perfumed old biddy and her good-for-nothing drunkard sons.” Chand chuckles at Fitzworth’s unflattering description. “You better make sure she does not hear you say that.”

Fillegan’s stares wide-eyed. “We’re going to assassinate the burgomaster? And that caused Strahd to come and kill the priest?”

“Not quite,” Chand says “Remember, when we first entered Vallaki, the priest at the temple asked us for help. Something to do with grave robbery. In our hurry to get to Krezk, we ignored his pleas. When we returned here, we asked the priest to take in the children we had found in the windmill. The priest then insisted that the church would not be safe without these bones, so we took some time to ask questions of he boy he suspected of the theft. The culprit admitted straight away, but we chose to keep our dinner invitation with Lady Wachter rather than chase down the man who ordered the boy to steal the bones. It seems this may have allowed a way for Strahd to attack the church.”

The little sailor nods. “And the assassination?” Ismark looks up. “Lady Wachter takes issue with the way the town is run. She’s asked for our assistance in ensuring that the Burgomaster’s right-hand man – that fellow with the misshapen arm – is not a concern when she allows her sons to move on the Burgomaster himself.” Fillegan makes a mouth like he bit into a lemon. “We’re going to let them do that?” “I proposed otherwise,” Ismark responds, “as you might have gathered from my sister’s words. Perhaps we can foil the Wachters and let my sister assume control of the town.” “And place her not just under scrutiny of Strahd, but in direct opposition of a powerful family that makes no bones about their service to him? I thought you cared for the lass, Ismark.” Chand’s tone is light when he says this, but the look he sends to the fighter is not.

###

Samael slides his hand down Dusk’s leg. “No real heat here.” he says hoarsely. “Legs and hooves all seem fine. She certainly doesn’t have colic or anything of the sort.” From the other side of the big warhorse, Sumu responds “No, but s-she seems a little out of sorts, right? I’m not imagining that?” “No, you’re not. But did it warrant dragging me out to the stable in the dead of night? You don’t seem that concerned.”

Dusk snorts, as if to underline the point. “True.” Sumu says “I… well, there is something else. I’d hoped to talk.” This time, it’s Samael who snorts, then coughs a little. “Why talk to me, sister? We’ve barely met.” “It’s maybe s-something that… I mean… They’re not god-sworn, like you or I. Can we talk under the seal, Samael?” The paladin thinks for a second. “We can, if you need to.”

Sumu sinks down onto a bale of straw, and Samael does the same. “You’ll recall that we dug up those graves underneath the gallows?” Samael nods. “Dirty business, if you ask me.” “You’ll also recall that we… f-found something there – a holy symbol – and that I have carried it since.” Another nod. “I had reason to use it tonight. It worked, b-but not willingly. Not like I think it should.” Sumu reaches up to untie the ribbon that’s kept her hair tied and shakes her head.

Samael looks at her. “Why would that be? Is it…” He nods at the back of Sumu’s head where Umus, now free, begins to mutter to herself. It sounds as depraved as ever. “Maybe. I t-think so. The amulet seems determined to only serve those to fight for good and dedicate their lives to a divine force. That leaves precious few people capable of wielding it, and if it deems me unworthy…” “What do you intend to do?” Sumu shakes her head. “I was hoping you had any ideas. Beyond prayer, I mean.” Samael laughs, then coughs. “I am a champion of Kelemvor who is the Judge of the Damned, sister. Redemption may not be entirely within his remit.”

Their conversation continues while Dusk picks at her hay. Once the big mare falls asleep, the two get up to join their fellows at their drink.

Curse of Strahd – 10 – Crusty Business at Old Bonegrinder

In which the party deals with a coven of hags, reflects upon the truthfulness of Vistani fortune-telling and deals with the consequences of Barovia’s unusually vivid nightmares.

Large, warm muscles shift under him. It smells vaguely of hay and mammal. Someone… tousles his hair? Chand jerks awake, startling Dusk, who had turned her head to her flank to nuzzle him. Annoyed with his sudden movement, she stamps a hoof. At that moment, two high-pitched voices begin shrieking.

Chand lets himself slide down the flank of the horse and turns around in time to see two small figures run back into a familiar-looking windmill. A huge direwolf with a cracked window frame around his neck stares after them, more puzzled than hungry. “Ho, Fitz, they’re scared of you, I think.” Fillegan’s voice comes from above, where Chand now notices a direwolf-sized hole in the wooden wall. Looking back down, a crumpled body lies between Fitzworth’s front paws.

Ismark’s voice comes from within the mill “Wake up now! Hey, come on. Wake up! Let’s get you some fresh air.” He comes outside, a barely conscious Ireena hanging in his arms with a blissful smile. He carries her a short distance away and kneels beside her, looking worried.

Next, Sumu appears in the door frame, two children peeking out from behind her. “It’s just Fitz, “ she says to them “He’s not really a wolf. Just wait. He’s really quite nice.” The children eye her for a moment, but don’t seem convinced.

“Look out below!” Fillegan calls out as he hangs his grappling hook on a sturdy rafter and slides down the rope, only occasionally pushing off from the side of the windmill. He lands next to Fitzworth, then turns towards the door, where the children still stand and stare. He gives them an exaggerated wink and say “Here, I’ll prove it – nothing to be afraid of.” With that, he takes off his sailor’s cap, turns to Fitz and says “ Kind Sir Wolfworth, would you please open your mouth? Nice and wide, that’s the spirit!” Fitz, looking as confused as his wolf’s face will allow, opens his mouth. In response to Fillegan’s gesturing, he then lowers his snout, until Fillegan’s entire head fits between his jaws. Neither of them moves for a number of seconds. The children stare open-mouthed. Then, a large glob of wolf drool falls on top of Fillegan’s head. The little rogue makes a disgusted face. “The only dangerous thing here is your breath, Fitz. Do direwolves not brush their teeth?” Only then does he pull his head out from between the wolf’s teeth, and takes a bow in the direction of the children. They now look from Fitzworth to Fillegan to Sumu, evidently not feeling very secure with any of them.

The scene is interrupted when Samael appears behind Sumu and the children, carrying a large bundle. As the small cleric and the children step aside with alacrity, Chand sees a hand sticking out of the many layers of fraying fabric. Its fingers are bony, and the nails impossibly long. Strange stains and discolorations of the flesh are visible – this person worked with strange substances and processes. Potion-brewing, perhaps?

Before he can get a closer look, Samael has placed the body on the ground, next to the one that Fitzworth still stands over. The bear-sized wolf nimbly moves aside.

At the appearance of her rider, Dusk whinnies, drawing the eyes of the group with her enthusiasm. Samael smiles at the mare and casually tosses a bit of dried apple into the grass in front of her. Fitz wags his tail. Sumu gives a sheepish wave to Chand, then bends down towards the two children. “There is someone I think you should meet. He’s a friend of mine, sort of. Come on.” With that, she walks towards him. The children follow. “H-Hi Chand,” says, while biting on a thumb nail. “We found t-these little ones inside of that windmill. Someone had unsavory plans w-with them.” From behind Sumu, Umus pipes up, “Savory plans, more like. Ahahaha!” The children go wide-eyed with terror, as Sumu claps her hands over the back of her head. “Umus! Be quiet!”

Knowing an emergency when he sees one, Chand quickly squats down and puts on a beatific smile. “Who wants to hear a story? I know a really good one.” Sumu’s shoulders sag in relief and she turns to walk towards the two corpses that Samael has now straightened out. As Umus catches sight of Chand, she whispers at him “Cracked human thigh bones make a really good broth, you know.” Chand ignores the jibe, even though Umus tries to wink at him. Sumu sighs in defeat, reaches back and begins to braid her hair.

Some time later, the corpses burn in the roaring fire. Samael and Sumu have said their prayers and the children were given food and now lie sleeping under Samael’s spare saddle blanket, next to Ireena, who still dozes and smiles in pastry-induced bliss. Even the bags with live chickens are silent.

Fitz, now having resumed his human shape, has relayed to Chand what the party found inside the windmill: the oven full of meat pies, the haggling witches, the toads and chickens and children, Ireena’s response to a bite of pie, the elixers. Chand grills him on every detail, focusing especially on the disappearance of the older woman. Fillegan keeps rubbing his drooled-on hair, insisting on a hot bath. Conversation strays: what to do with little Freek and Myrtle, who cannot go back to their parents? Is there time to visit the standing stones some ways behind the mill? Are the direwolves getting bolder, now that they’re killing people in the road, and even attacking a group when they’re outnumbered? What else will we do once we’re in Vallaki?

“How long did I sleep?” Chand asks, suddenly, “We have not yet dined with Lady Wachter, have we?” “Oh, no, we have a few hours yet,” Samael responds,“Why?” “Oh, there’s just this little thing that Sumu and I agreed on for a few days. Nothing important.” Chand’s narrowed eyes measure the distance between the mill and Dusk’s tether, which is well over 30 feet, then rest on Sumu. She looks down and bites on another nail. He clears his throat, and raises an eyebrow.

“I-I don’t understand why you want me close by. You were sleeping, anyway.” she murmurs, “Besides, I’d just be another one of those friends in low places you’d then have to -” Chand makes a chopping motion. “Don’t repeat that Vistani nonsense back to me. You can’t possibly think there’s value in anything she said. What fantastical story did she spin for you? Your home is closer than you think? Pah.” Sumu looks up at him, incredulously. “She spoke true! My home is close. She told me where it is.” A deep red color begins to crawl up from her neck. Samael cocks his head. “I didn’t hear her say that. And I listened very carefully.”

“It’s personal! I w-wasn’t going to d-discuss that with all of you standing around,” Sumu says, now beet-red. “I went to see h-her when you were sleeping. I had to know and wh-who else would tell me?” Fillegan jumps up. “You kept a secret? From us?” Sumu nods. “But why? I mean… You can’t be from Barovia. Barovia is not a place you get to leave!” “It’s not entirely unheard of.” Ismark says, thoughtfully. “Although I’m not sure how you would have managed it. You don’t have the look of a Vistana.” Sumu shakes her head. “No, I don’t. I’m n-not sure how you do it. I don’t even know why mama made me leave. She just woke me up one night. She had been c-crying. Papa too. There was screaming. Then she made me put my coat on, gave me this little key she always wore around her neck and made a hidey-hole for me between the crates and sacks in the back of a Vistani cart, telling me not to move or make a sound until they stopped. I tried.”

Huh.” Fitzworth says, after a few seconds. “I did wonder why you were so scared of direwolves.” Sumu gives him a weak smile. “I tried to be quiet for as long as could. But I was about their age,” she nods at the sleeping children “and eventually I really had to pee. So the Vistani found me. Halted the cart, dumped me out and left me there. I tried to follow them, but the fog came in. And the wolves. So I ran blindly for a long time. Ended up in front of some building eventually, which happened to be one of Lliira’s sanctuaries.”

Chand rolls his eyes. “Fascinating, I am sure. I propose we get under way. After all, there is a dinner we have to attend, and we can’t keep Lady Wachter waiting.”

Curse of Strahd – 9 – A Random Encounter

In which the party finds a new ally (Samael, by the player of Kurwin), and gets a deeply intriguing invitation.

It turns out I never did write a summary for this session 🙁

In brief:

The party takes a shipment of wine from the Wizards of Wine to their brother the innkeeper in Vallaki, while promising to request that the brother visit the winery, in the hopes of reconciling with the patriarch.

While on the road, the party meets Samael, who is at that time, beset by undead. When he hears just what the stakes are, he is quick to throw in his lot with the party.

Fitzworth and Ismark receive a dinner invitation from Lady Wachter as they try to leave Vallaki after delivering the wine.

Curse of Strahd – 8 – The Toll of Yester Hill

In which the group makes peace with permanently losing a player (Grismar), and in which the powers of darkness see one character slip through their fingers, but manage to seduce another.

That morning, in the kitchen of the winery, Grismar puts his goblet down on the table. He looks at Davian and says: “I wonder if this one should have been aged a few weeks more.” Adrian puts his fork down just a little too carefully. Elvir, just about to pour himself another drink, pauses, holding the bottle awkwardly in mid-air. Even Sefania, standing at the stove with little Yolanda strapped to her back, pauses her stirring. They all look at their father expectantly. The old man raises his considerable eyebrows. “Oh, you wonder, do you now.” With a move like a bird diving for a worm, Davian snatches the goblet from beside Grismar’s plate and sticks his rather beak-like nose in. He inhales deeply, then frowns even more deeply. He returns Grismar’s drink, then snatches the bottle from his son’s hand and pours a small amount into the brown mug beside his plate. He picks up the mug, making a swirling motion. The kitchen is utterly silent.

One audible swallow later, Davian’s frown has not receded. “Claudio!” he barks. A gangly teenager jumps up out of his chair. “Check the ledger for this batch, and tell me what vats they were from. I believe our guest here may be onto something.” Davian’s grandson speeds out of the kitchen with the offending bottle, and tension leaves the room with him. Sefania cracks another egg into a pan. Elvir gets up to retrieve another bottle from a cabinet.

When the other party members enter the kitchen, they find Grismar and Davian seated opposite of each other with a row of opaque glasses between them. “I wonder where you got that nose, boy.” the Old Crow says. Grismar only shrugs as Davian continues “I wonder too if you don’t have a future as a wine maker. If you wanted one. We could use the extra hands.” Grismar looks pensive as he eyes his friends digging into their omelets.

Less than an hour later, the party, minus Ireena, who complained of worse than normal nightmares, meets in the courtyard between the woodpile and an empty cart. “To Yester Hill it is then. Let these druids see that they are no match for us. Are you coming?” Fitzworth looks at the dwarf with a question in his eyes. Grismar looks torn. Just as Chand opens his mouth, two small boys come tearing around the corner. “Gwismaw, Gwismaw! Look what we found!” They skid to a stop in front of the dwarf and the bigger child pulls an enormous frog out of the pocket of his coat. “We found it in the watew cistewn! Thewe awe so many! Come help us catch them!” And with that, the boys run off again. Grismar looks after them, shrugs eloquently and plunges his axe into the chopping block. “I can’t, Fitz. I need to be here.” With that, he turns and trots off in the direction of the shed, where excited squeals can now be heard.

Just a few hours later, storm clouds pass over the winery. The main force of the storm is a few miles away, but by the sound of it, lightning strikes there every few seconds.

The Martakovs huddle together in the kitchen, which smells of freshly baked bread. Just as it begins to rain, a raven pecks at the window. Sefania lets it in, and tears off a crust from a warm loaf. The raven gobbles this down, then utters a long series of squawks. Grismar strains his ears. He can almost understand it. When he looks to the others, his suspicion is confirmed. Bad tidings indeed. The flock of ravens that went with his friends – all dead. And another, a human, struck down by what the Martikovs say is surely Strahd von Zarovich. And then the raven seemed to lose coherence. More death, but not really, and one person that speaks with two voices. Surely the poor bird was confused, distraught by the loss of members from her flock.

As soon as the rain clears, the dwarf yanks his axe out of the chopping block and starts to pace in the courtyard of the winery. Adrian comes outside and beckons him over. “Leave be. Come back inside. One horse cannot wear two saddles, Grismar, no matter how much it may want to. Like my father, I am sure that your place is here with us. Surely your friends knew what they were up against. And didn’t you hear that most of them still live? The raven said so herself.” Grismar pulls on his beard in distraction. “Most of them, yes, but apparently not all.” Adrian stares at him with a blank look. “Nothing you can do will change this. It is simply what happens to those who stand in his way.” He shakes his head. A loud and angry howling approaches as Sefania enters the courtyard as well, skirts billowing like a ship under full sail. In her arms is an angry, flailing babe – little Yolanda. “Please, Grismar,” she says over the noise, “Can’t you hold her for a moment? Davian and Dag need my help with the labeling machine, and I can’t think straight when she’s like this. I’d ask Ireena, but she says she is not well.” Grismar drops the axe, and extends his arms to receive a tear-stained angry bundle from which two black eyes stare fiercely into his own at. A little arm swings out from the swaddling cloths and yanks on his beard. “Ow!” he says, as he untangles Yolanda’s fingers. As Sefania and her brother retreat into the house, he sits down on the chopping block and clears his throat, then starts in on a song he remembers from a long time ago.

“Cannily, cannily

Hush my lal bairnikie
Divn’t tha cry, my lal pet
Whisht at thy greetin’
Thee should be sleeping
It’s no’ time to waken as yet”

Once Yolanda is quiet, he looks up to scan the path on which his friends left earlier that morning.

Movement in the distance!

With the sleeping child still held against his chest, he starts down the path, towards the slow-moving group that looks both strange and familiar. Why is Fitzworth in his horse form? And what is the bundle slung over his back? He speeds up, taking note of Fillegan’s eyebrows which have apparently been burned away, and Ismark who looks grimmer than ever. Chand has not a hair out of place, of course, but Sumu’s rats’ nest is worse than usual, and she staggers like she’s drunk. Then it hits him. Kurwin. He’s not there. Unless, of course… an angry cry interrupts his frantic stock-taking. He’s squeezed Yolanda and she protests fiercely. He offers her a pinky, which she accepts with alacrity.

By now Grismar is within earshot of the party. Chand seems to be making a point.” Well, yes, obviously we’ll burn the body. But what do we do with his journal? Burning it would seem less than optimal.” Fillegan protests “It was his. He never left it out of his sight. Doing anything else with it would be adding insult to injury.” Fitzworth-as-horse throws his head up and seems to nod. Ismark shakes his head instead. “Kurwin was an accomplished hunter, and much of what he learned of his prey might be in here. I agree with Chand.” A shrill an unfamiliar voice cuts in “Burn it, keep it, what’s it matter! Ashes to ashes, that’s what all of this will come to.” Sumu reaches up behind her head with both hands and pulls her hair back. Once she’s braided it, the new voice sounds considerably more muffled. “That’s so rude! Don’t tell me your order allows its clerics to even be rude. Psh!” In her own voice, Sumu says “I-I can keep it for a while. Not read it, or use it, but keep it with us. Just as a reminder of what’s at stake.”

Ismark notices Grismar first. “Ho friend,” he says, voice raised to cross the distance still between them. “Please tell the house to expect us. Maybe ask your two young frog catchers to gather dry wood and brush for us some distance from the house. I am afraid we have a most unpleasant duty to fulfill.”

Curse of Strahd – 7 – Cleaning up at the Wizard of Wines

In which the party aims to send wine flowing freely through Barovia, but perhaps not entirely without ulterior motives.

“You do make a fine horse, Fitzworth.” Ismark says, with a wink. Ireena appears beside him with a smile. “And a friendly one too. Thanks for the ride.” Fitzworth’s eyes shoot from one to the other and he looks uncertain, but then Fillegan appears by his elbow. “It really was quite a useful disguise. I am not sure how else we might have left the town, if it wasn’t for that.” “Oh. Well, uh, thanks.” the tall gnome says. “I was glad to help. But I am even more glad that we have been able to deal a blow to these self-styled druids and their evil ways. Surely you agree that we should tear this evil out by the root, and go to Yester Hill as soon as possible.” The three that stand around him exchange glances. “It sure seems very important to you.” Ismark says. Ireena keeps her eyes away from Fitzworth, but gives a small nod. “They seem like the more attractive enemy to fight, don’t they?” Fillegan jabs Fitzworth in the thigh. “Just tell me who to stab, friend and that’s what I’ll do. Everyone on every dock on the Sword Coast knows that I’m the one you want beside you in a fight.” This makes Fitz laugh a little. “Then be beside me next time, alright? Especially when I let the wolf come out.”

Grismar has picked up the bottom half of a broken bottle of wine and is straining what remains inside it into his water skin. He seems to be humming to himself. Suddenly he looks around. noticing large piles of twigs and ash and charcoal. “What did you all get up to in here? Did you get in a fight with a tumbleweed? Huh.” He shrugs to himself and then looks around for another bottle that may still contain some wine.

In the other corner of the winery’s large space, another discussion is going on. “You forget yourself. I don’t serve your goddess. There is no reason for me to be bound by your rules.” Sumu doesn’t meet the mage’s eyes. “W-well. No. It’s not like that. I- I mean… Look. I don’t want to tell you what to do. You could have taken that gold, right? But the family would have asked. And you might have told them that the druids took it and that we never found it. And… and if it was just you, you would have gotten away with it. But if one of them so much as looks at me… they’ll know. It just didn’t seem…”

Kurwin’s low voice cuts through the chatter. “Gratitude is more valuable than gold. And gratitude we’ll win a-plenty here.” Chand snorts “Based on what the merchants charge when last we checked, I doubt your claim.” Ismark comes walking over. “Kurwin has the right of it. When people say the valley runs on these wines, it is barely an exaggeration. Restoring the Martakovs to their home and business gets us more than just the thanks of a well-to-do family. If we play this right, we could use both the restoration of the wine trade and the wine itself to get the ear of certain folk. You heard it yourself when Krezk’s burgomaster told us to chase down a shipment of wine for him.”

Chand shifts his weight to lean on his new staff and gives Ismark a thoughtful look. “Hm. Not to mention that we find ourselves with a rather large quantity of poisoned wine. Useless to the wine sellers, of course, but perhaps not to us.” Fitzworth has approached to hear this last remark. “Oh, yes, very useful. Maybe we can simply poison the evil fake druids! It would be a very fitting punishment.”
“I’m more interested in what that one druid was looking for in that cabinet.” All eyes move down some distance, to where Fillegan has now joined the group. “And that locket was interesting too. Was it just a forebear, you think? Or someone more… interesting?”

Ireena pulls on Kurwin’s arm. “Can you talk to the ravens? They may be our best and fastest chance to get word to the Martakovs in Vallaki, to let them know the family is alright.” The ranger nods. “First, a word with the people here, I think. They should be able to answer some questions.”

Curse of Strahd – 6 – Reading the Tarokka in Krezk

In which the group gains an extra player (who takes up Ismark) and the party gets their fortunes told after deciding that the monastery in Krezk is perhaps not the most fitting place to leave Ireena.

For some time after Ezmeralda has picked up her cards and abandoned the room in the Abbey’s hospital wing, the party sits in silence, pondering what they just learned. “So. Now what?” Grismar asks as he shakes the last drop of wine out of his water skin and into his mouth.

“Get out of town, I reckon.” Fillegan says. “Ideally without being seen. We’ve not made any friends here, spelling the Burgomaster and running past the guards the way we did.” Chand smiles. “That’ll be easy to remedy once we visit the Wizards of Wine. I am sure no one will stay angry long when they’re presented with a cask or two of a good vintage. The challenge is to ensure that our dwarven companion does not drink it all, before we deliver the goods. Then again, there is that fascinating mansion associated with the order of knights hat we could visit. I expect we could learn interesting things there.”

Fitzworth clears his throat. “You overlook the most obvious matter. The abbott here plays fast and loose with nature’s laws. We can’t just let him continue to build and breed mongrelfolk. Between this abbey and Yester Hill, this area needs to learn that nature is a force to be reckoned with!”

Sumu looks alarmed “I – I do believe you’re oversimplifying things. It’s not like the abbott is acting out of evil intent, Fitzworth. He is aiming to help people in need. To give them what they want.” Fitzworth’s jaw muscles twitch. “That doesn’t mean he should be able to take liberties like this! He is creating monsters! Don’t they always say that the road to ruin is paved with good intentions? Where do you think making monsters and pacifying Strahd will lead!” Sumu squares her skinny shoulders and faces the druid. “Then what d-do you intend to do, Fitzworth Tinkertonk Tiddlywink, Druid of the Treewhistle Gnomes and Guardian of Hobbleknot. D-do you intend to stop him? To punish him? By what right? And by what means? Does he cause suffering? Or does he relieve it? Do you believe that you are capable of judgment where others are not? Because we will not execute a holy man just because you find his flock off-putting!” She takes a deep breath and sounds much calmer when she continues. “Besides, problems of the church should be solved by the church, and neither you nor I serve the Morning Lord. It isn’t our place.”

“Talk to the priest then.” The room goes quiet after Kurwin’s words. “The one in Vallaki. Or the one in Barovia. Whichever. We must focus on Ireena… Tatjana. She is the key.”

“So you believe what the Vistani woman told us?” Fillegan asks Kurwin. “You think she is to be trusted?” “Reckon so.” Kurwin says. “Anyone who hunts undead is on my side. If she and this Doctor Richter hunt Strahd, then so much the better.” Chand nods “Her powers of sight certainly speak in her favor. She was ignorant of what we learned about Ireena’s identity when we saw Cresk’s fountain, but her reading of the cards seemed to point to it anyway, and it was already obvious that something at gallows’ hill bears investigating.” He arches an eyebrow at Sumu, who looks away quickly.

Fillegan holds up a finger. “Let us get this straight. The first card referred to the mansion of the dragon knights. Something to do with history. The second card: we find hope at the crossroads of life and death, which may be that place with the gallows, yes? Third: a weapon, for which we must search for a skeleton of a warrior, watched over by gargoyles. Fourth,” The little rogue nods to Ireena “That’s you. Evil’s bride. You’re staying with us, love. Like it or no. Fifth. He – Strahd, I take it – haunts the tomb of who he envies the most. Should we assume… Sergej?” Another nod at Ireena “Her late betrothed? Murdered by Strahd?”

Grismar rummages through his backpack, and blurts out. “Did we not also promise somewhat to that priestly fellow in the funny town with all the festivals?” Sumu nods “Complaints of graverobbery, I seem to recall. He had a suspect too.”

Fitzworth snorts loudly “Will any of you spare a single thought for Vasilka? Hand-built and destined for the cold clutches of the heinous figure which seems to be everyone’s favorite enemy? What do we do about her?” Chand puts a hand on Fitzworth’s shoulder. “Fights on many fronts are seldom won, they say in Halruaa. We must choose our battles wisely. Between your designs on the druids of Yester Hill and your concerns over the children of Vallaki, as well as all the other matters at hand, perhaps resolution of the creature’s fate as a sop for Strahd must wait a while. Like Kurwin said, perhaps the church itself will offer an outcome.”

“I shall speak a word to Father Lucien when we return to Vallaki.” Sumu offers. “But before we set out, I should probably beg the abbott for a bottle of sacramental wine, to tide Grismar over until we reach the winery.” The dwarf gives her a purple-stained grin, and closes his pack. ‘What’re we waiting for, then? Let’s go!”

Curse of Strahd – 5 – All in a Day’s Work

In which the party keeps up their forced march to Krezk, and Sumu admits to seeing things she shouldn’t.

Vallaki’s gates close behind us. Chand and Fillegan appear to exchange some banter with a guard, who calls after us “Yeah, but only IF you come back at all.” His colleague laughs uproariously, and Grismar chuckles too.

We walk with minimal conversation, all the while keeping a mistrustful distance from the edges of the road. “Let’s keep an eye out for wolves,” we tell each other , but “let’s not be found by strange disappearing things with tails and large paws” we quietly think. Or maybe it’s just me who thinks that. I’m unnerved anyway: hearing faint echoes of my mother’s voice since we left that strange apparition on those gallows that stand in the road between here and the town of Barovia. ‘You mustn’t make a sound! And don’t move! Not even a finger!’ It is no surprise that the nightmares left me feel shaky and nauseous this morning. I shake my head to myself. As Lliira teaches us: the day’s best start is gladness of heart. I let go of the key under my shirt, lift my head and try for a hopeful smile. The fog is not so bad, after all, and breakfast was quite tasty.

Fitzworth catches up with me. He looks much better since Father Lucien ministered to him. “You agree with me, though, right?”, he says. I give him a puzzled look. He smacks his head with his fist. “Of course! No. I mean… Yes. I mean… I am sorry.” Another smack. “I mean to say: you’ll come with me, right, when we go to Yester Hill? To restore balance to the woods there?” I try to give him an encouraging smile and I nod. It must mean a lot to him, to bring it up again, after all that happened in Vallaki. He continues “And also help me do something about the… the cruelty that the burgomaster of that creepy town perpetrates upon children.” I nod again.

A gravelly sound comes from the cloaked and hooded Kurwin, who goes ahead. “Seems to me, we’ve got a lot more work here than we bargained for, between the strange creatures sneaking through towns and the monstrous cronies of a local lord.” Chand finds this amusing. “Come now.” he says, as he nods to Ismark and Ireena “All we need to do is deliver these two to their monastery, do a little tour of that doubtlessly delightful winery run by the Martakovs from the Blue Water Inn to see where that next shipment is, and stop by that old windmill on our way back to Barovia. Thats it!” He shrugs eloquently. Grismar, who convinced our friendly innkeeper Danika to fill up his waterskin with wine, almost chokes on his drink. “Ye’d let the people of Vallaki continue to live under this repugnant regime of forced merriment? And ye’d let this Strahd figure keep all these people trapped here in this landlocked hellhole full of pea soup fog?” “Worse yet!” Fillegan adds “You think we can just walk out of here if and when we please?”

An awkward silence falls over the group. Ireena pulls up the hood of her cloak.

“Well, and… Well. I really think we should stop the corrupting magic of the trees near Yester Hill. It is clearly making people suffer.” Fitzworth says, just as the silence started to feel natural again.

I swallow. It needs to be said. “W-what puzzles me is that none of you seem to want to know what that poor hanged corpse was pointing at.” Apparently, this was not a wise thing to say, for now everybody stares at me. A fiery heat begins to rise from my toes. Chand narrows his eyes. “What do you mean, pointing at?” The heat has now reached my throat. “The – the corpse. On those gallows. That we saw, yesterday. It was pointing.” “It wasn’t pointing. It was dead. Not undead. Dead. It was quiet. It did not point!” Kurwin sounds very sure of himself as he says this. I am now probably the shade of a ripe wispberry, and I feel like I am steaming.

My boots are scuffed. I should polish them.

It isn’t smart to inadvertently admit to seeing things others may not have seen. Best to ask a question. “What d-did the corpse look like to you?” The silence lasts too long. “I – I thought it might look different to all of us.” The silence continues.

Eventually Chand says “I think you should tell us what it looked like to you.” I just make it to the side of the road before I throw up my breakfast. Too bad. It really was quite tasty.

Curse of Strahd – 4 – A Burgomaster’s Burial

In which the party decides what their most important errand is, and gets a first taste of Barovian wine.

“Nu-uh. I’m not going anywhere. Certainly not to a funeral.” says Grismar from the bench on which he’s seated. “Neither am I,” Fillegan adds. “You can keep your squabbling women and your disappearing daughters and mysterious pastries and your dearly departed. I need a break. And a drink. And some company that appreciates the same.” He lifts his glass to Grismar, then resolutely turns away from the rest of the party.

Kurwin shrugs and turns for the door, where Ismark Indirovich, son of late burgomaster Kolyan Indirovich, brother of Ireena waits impatiently. The others follow him outside. Before the door closes, they can hear Grismar calling “If that letter asking us for help was forged, why would you even want to be here?”

The day passes and night comes and goes. Neither Grismar nor Fillegan have left their table by the hearth or their wine glasses for longer than required to let out what was taken in. But Barovian wines are strong, so now they sleep, heads on their arms, under the glinting eye of the Vistani barkeep. He does not seem to mind the snoring.

A skeletal hand opens the door to the tavern. The hand is soon followed by Chand, who, unlike those who come in after him, looks like he’s taken the time to groom himself, and may even have had the services of a looking glass. When the sorceror stands next to his sleeping companions, he clears his throat. Fillegan shoots bold upright. “Right away, capt’n!” He blinks. “Oh. It’s you. Did you bury him, then?” Chand nods. “So we can go now?” Fillegan asks, looking hopeful.

Sumu aims a watery smile in his direction and shakes her head “E-even if there was nothing for us to do here, it seems that just leaving is n-not an option.” Fillegan deflates a little, but rallies,“So, then what?”

Fitzworth drops himself onto the bench next to Grismar, whose snoring continues without interruption. “We take Ireena to an abbey some distance away. It turns out that this Strahd fellow has an eye on her and she isn’t safe here. Then, we’ll take things from there.” Fillegan thinks this over for a few seconds, yawning and stretching and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. “Why didn’t you just do that yesterday?” “Because there were other things we had to do.” Chand seems to be speaking with a bit more emphasis than usual. “Such as burying the late burgomaster, and finding out precisely what the village priest was hiding in the church basement. It would have been so very nice if you had been there to help.”

Fillegan eyes the sorceror for a moment, then decides to ignore his tone. “Should we get going, then?” Fitzworth hems and haws a bit. “I was sort of hoping for breakfast. I have the appetite of a direwolf!”

Kurwin, who has kept a position by the door of the inn, shrugs. “We should use what little daylight we have. However, eating here may let the dwarf wake up as well, and he’s a useful sort.”

Curse of Strahd – 3 – A Break in the Fog

In which the party reflects upon what they found in that eerie house, much to Grismar’s edification.

The party stands in the yard of the old brick house, coughing and wheezing steamy breath into the frosty air. Black smoke belches out of the chimneys, contrasted against a bright sky. Grismar blinks the sun out of his eyes and examines the gashes in his cloak. “That… went fast.” “For you, maybe.” Fillegan responds. “We’ve actually been busy.” “Really? Even after that shambling mound?”

The rogue nods. “Kurwin came to look for us when we were still downstairs. He had a run-in with some ghouls. We bloody well tripped over ourselves. Half of us were trying to get him to come down to us while the rest of us tried to to rush upstairs at the same time. Once we dispatched the ghoulies, we checked up on Gustav’s tomb, which was empty. Ran into a bunch of shady figures as well, which seemed to feel attached to Chand’s new shiny toy… Hey, who was that statue of, anyway?”

Chand appears not to hear the question, being focused instead on a fine-looking rope hanging over his shoulder. It twitches every now and then as he speaks to it. Fitzworth spits a glob of black slime into the grass. “Then there was a mimic. Tricked me into thinking he was a door. Very toothy fellow, that. Almost bit my whiskers off. Oh, and more ghouls.”

“Found the owners of this damned place too.” Kurwin adds. “They had all sorts of fascinating goods hidden away.” Sumu blows into her hands.” But why seal themselves into the walls? I’ve only heard of such treatment for ascetic martyrs and saints. And even then only in the less… ah… pleasant holy orders. Maybe it was punishment? Something to do with that letter we found?”

Kurwin looks thoughful. “Maybe. Shelter first, debate later.” Grismar cheers up at those words. “Great idea! Someplace warm. With a big fireplace and a well-stocked bar. Before we all freeze solid out here.” Sumu, teeth chattering, nods in agreement. Fillegan slides past her and starts walking ahead, whistling tunelessly. Fitzworth looks over his shoulder, gives an exaggerated wink at Chand, and says: “You coming too, wizard?” The sorceror, now having convinced the rope to tie itself in knots, pointedly ignores the druid, but joins the group anyway.