Session 015

Summary

The party explored Vallaki, securing lodgings at the Blue Water Inn and learning of the town's tense political climate. While seeking a safe haven for Ireena at St. Andral's Church, they uncovered a plot involving stolen holy relics and tracked the thief to the local coffin maker's shop.

Opening Scene

A vila fortificada de Vallaki, localizada às margens do lago Zarovich, no centro do vale de Barovia. A câmera mostra a vila à distância, do alto, depois se move para baixo, se aproximando até chegar nos portões leste. De pé, na frente dos portões vemos sete pessoas, o seu grupo de aventureiros, além de Ireena e as duas crianças. A câmera avança passando por vocês, enquanto os portões são abertos pelos guardas.

Nas ruas próximas ao portão vocês vêem alguns moradores passando em pequenos grupos, uma pessoa está acendendo os lampiões nos topos dos postes, duas duplas de guardas andam em plataformas altas ao longo da muralha, em patrulha.

Ao passarem pelos guardas, agora fechando os portões, um deles diz para vocês, de maneira casual "All will be well", enquanto que a outra pergunta, "Então, vocês sabem para onde querem ir?"

Events

The party entered Vallaki and immediately headed to the Blue Water Inn, noticing right away how the town's energy felt distinctly different from the gloomy Village of Barovia. At the Inn, they observed a few patrons, including a well-dressed half-elf sitting alone, and two children playing among the tables. As the night progressed, more patrons trickled in. They formally met the Inn's owner, Urwin Martikov, and his wife.

Ireena asked about the local church, a place her brother had recommended she seek protection. The group was given directions and informed that the local priest was named Father Lucian. Taking the children, Ireena retired to bed early, while the group remained in the common room to enjoy food and refreshments. Alfbern noticed a newly arrived patron head straight to the bar for a quiet word with Urwin and his wife, while casting glances at the party's table. After a while, Urwin approached the party to share some troubling news: his stock of wine was running critically low and a shipment was overdue. He offered free boarding and food if the PCs would investigate the matter at the Wizard of Wines winery, located west of town along the Old Svalich Road.

Deciding to prioritize Ireena's safety, the group headed to St. Andral's Church, which was dedicated to Lathander, the Morninglord, to verify if it was a secure sanctuary. Linus chose to stay behind at the Inn to keep a watchful eye on Ireena and the children. Alfbern, Jon, and Klildar arrived at the church during a mass and saw the congregation looking terrified while Father Lucian attempted to calm them with his sermon. Nearby, they noticed an altar boy named Yeska and a young man named Milivoj walking outside carrying a shovel and a bucket. After the sermon, Father Lucian spoke with a deeply frightened old woman, Willemina Rikalova, and the party learned that her son had been arrested for speaking out against the Burgomaster. The priest explained that the Burgomaster foolishly believed hosting frequent festivals—like the recent Wolf's Head Jamboree, which explained the spiked wolf heads around town—would keep Strahd away, and anyone challenging this doctrine faced arrest.

Recognizing Klildar as a good-aligned paladin, Father Lucian pulled him aside to share a troubling secret. The bones of St. Andral, a holy relic that protected the church from evil forces, had been stolen from their crypt beneath the altar a few days prior. Besides the priest, only young Yeska knew of the artifact's existence. When questioned, Yeska admitted he had told someone but refused to name them, leading the priest to suspect Milivoj without wanting to directly confront him. Father Lucian formally asked the PCs for their help.

Jon and Alfbern investigated the altar crime scene and, utilizing Alvorada’s keen sense of smell, picked up a scent trail leading outside the church and toward the cemetery. Meanwhile, Klildar spoke with Yeska. After helping the boy with a few chores, he secured a confession that Yeska had indeed told Milivoj about the bones. Klildar quickly headed to the cemetery to rejoin his companions.

In the cemetery, Alfbern and Jon confronted Milivoj. Under intimidation, he confessed to sharing the information with the local coffin maker, Henrik van der Voort, who had offered a substantial sum of money to steal the artifact. Milivoj admitted the money was too much to turn down, as he was desperately trying to raise his younger siblings.

The group immediately headed to Henrik's mortuary. Upon arriving, they found all the windows firmly closed with only a faint light visible under the front door. After knocking, a voice from inside stated the shop was closed and demanded they leave. Jon attempted to open the back door but was unsuccessful. With more knocking met by more warnings to go away, the group decided to take drastic action. Klildar broke down the front door in two powerful strikes, revealing an old man leaning on a worktable by the light of a lantern, his face twisted in absolute terror.

Party

• Alfbern, Level 4 Druid (Ziro)
• Klildar, Level 4 Paladin (Fábio)
• Jon, Level 4 Ranger (Ricardo)
• Linus, Level 4 Wizard (Daniel)

Setup

• Discord (videochat)
• Owlbear Rodeo (combat encounters and exploration)

Appendix: Raw Session Notes

• The party entered Vallaki and headed to the Blue Water Inn, along the way the noticed how the town's energy differs from Barovia Village
• At the Inn, they saw a few patrons, a well dressed half-elf sitting at the tables, two children playing among the tables, and more patrons came in as the night progressed
• They also met the Inn's owner, Urwin Martikov and his wife
• Ireena asked about the local church, a place her brother recommended her to seek prorection. The group was then informed where to find the church and the name of the local priest, Father Lucian
• Ireena took the children and went to bed early, the group remained in the Inn for a few refreshments and food
• Alfbern noticed a patron that arrived and went straight to the bar to have a quiet word with Urwin and his wife, while looking at the party's table
• After a while Urwin approached the party and shared the news that his stock of wine was running low and a shippment was overdue. He asked if the PCs could investigate the matter, and offered free boarding and food in exchange
• The winery is located west of the Town, following the Old Svalich Road, and is named Wizard of Wines
• The group decided to head to the church, St. Andral's Church, to make sure if the place is safe enough for Ireena. Linus decided to stay at the Inn to keep an eye on Ireena and the children
• Alfbern, Jon and Klildar arrived at the church during the mass. They saw the congregation looking terrified as the priest tried to calm them down with the sermon
• The church is dedicated to Lathander, the Morninglord
• The group noticed an altar boy, Yeska, and a young man, Milivoj walking outside carrying a shovel and a bucket
• After the sermon, Father Lucien was talking to an old woman, deeply terrified named Willemina Rikalova, and learned that her son was arrasted for speaking out agains the Burgomaster
• Father Lucian explained that the burgomaster believes, foolishly in his opinion, that hosting festivals frequently will keep Strahd away from the town and that anyone that challenges this gets arrested
• The last festival was The Wolf's Head Jamboree, which explains the several wolf heads on display around town
• Recognizing Klildar as a good aligned paladin, Father Lucian pulled him aside and explained a situation that was troubling him:
  • The bones of St. Andral used to be hidden in a crypt beneath the altar
  • This relic protects the church from attacks by evil forces
  • A few days ago, it was stolen; besides him, only young Yeska knew about the artifact
  • When he questioned the page, Yeska admitted he told someone but refused to say who. The priest suspects Milijov but didn’t want to confront him
  • He asked the PCs for help
• Jon and Alfbern went to the altar to investigate the crime scene, and using Alvorada’s sense of smell, they picked up a scent trail leading outside the church toward the cemetery
• Meanwhile, Klildar went to speak with Yeska. After helping the boy with a few tasks, he managed to get a confession that Yeska told Milijov. Klildar then headed to the cemetery
• In the cemetery, Alfbern and Jon confronted Milijov, who, after being intimidated, confessed that he had shared the information about the bones with the local coffin maker, Henrik van der Voort. Henrik offered a good sum of money for the gravedigger to steal the item for him. Milijov admitted the money was too much to turn down, as he was raising his younger siblings
• The group then headed to the mortuary
• Upon arriving, they found all the windows closed and a faint light coming from the main room, under the front door
• After knocking, someone approached and said they wouldn’t open the door, that the shop was closed, and told them to leave
• Jon went to the back door and tried to open it, but was unsuccessful
• Back at the front door, more knocking was met with more warnings to go away
• The group then decided to break down the door. Klildar managed to knock it down in two strikes and found an old man in the room, leaning on a worktable under the light of a lantern. His face showed an expression of terror