Tonight's session has three major events planned; the Festival of the Blazing Sun, the Wedding of Sers Alys and Adon and the Feast of St Andral. 12pm, 3pm, 6pm respectively.
Our dramatis personae:
Ser Alys de Rouge (a half-orc Fighter with a soldier background, currently the leader of the town militia of Daggerford), played by Tom (Guvnor). Lawful Neutral. Imagine a slightly greener take on Grace Jones...
Kelwarin (Kel) (a half-elf Sorceror flush with the powers of wild magic, an outlander), played by Graham (First Age). Chaotic Good.
Gaddock Teeg (a halfling wizard and former prizefighter), played by Alex (Doggetay), Neutral Good
Ser Adon of House Starbright (a half-orc Paladin, from a knightly background, with two human retainers and a priest), played by Paul (dr_mitch). Lawful Good.
Roscoe Tosscobble (a halfling Cleric of Life, a follower of Diancecht, god of medicine and healing, former hermit and companion of Ser Adon), played by Jag (Jagusti). Lawful Good.
The party is full strength and ready to go.
November 14th. The Feast of St Andral.
Our brave heroes woke refreshed in the morning, ready to embark upon a very busy day. The orcish love-birds were delighted with all the entertainment that Kelwarin had arranged, including the way that Roscoe Tosscoble was pretending to someone else!
Shortly before midday, the guard commander Izek Strazni arrived and reminded everyone that they were expected to attend the Festival and should be appropriately enthusiastic. Dressed in wedding finery, they headed to the Town Square under brooding clouds and the distant rumble of thunder. The air had that humid tenseness that comes before a storm. The young couple were delighted, as a storm on the wedding night had great positive symbolism in their culture.
The Festival started with children dressed as flowers walking around and singing songs about how all would be well if everyone kept heart and was happy and resolute. Baron Vargas stood at the stage, watching over as the people of Vallaki tried to show enthusiasm; he glowered at those who didn't engage and beamed at those who were vocally enthusiastic. A group of the Townsmen carried the 15ft wicker sphere aloft around the square to singing, with ritual chants of 'All Will Be Well'.
Finally, the sphere - a giant sun - was placed on the stone dias set for it, and the Baron began to speak. He called out our heroes (with the exception of Roscoe, sorry, "Faygon") for their resolute actions against the darkness, killing SIX vampires and ridding the town of evil. For this, they were to be rewarded with medallions symbolising the freedom of Vallaki. Embarrassed, they accepted. Baron Vargas then started to talk about traitors who allied with evil who could stop everything being well. He condemned Henrik the Coffin-maker, an ally of the devil lord of Barovia, consorting with vampires and plotting against the people of Vallaki. The bedraggled looking carpenter was dragged gleefully to the wicker sun by Izek and shut in. Members of the crowd were called up, ritually splashing the wicker with oil so it would burn. As they did this, the party noticed the first drops of rain.
The Baron took a torch, and - as the rain started to fall - berated the imprisoned carpenter and told him that this was the fate of allies of the vampire-lord of Barovia. He plunged the torch in, only for it to gutter and go out. The crowd went quiet. Vargas demanded that Izek give him another torch, which he did. It guttered in the downpour and as he tried to light the wicker again, crying "All will be Well", the torch guttered and went out. There was silence, and then one of the town guards couldn't help but start laughing. The Baron turned, furious, and had Izek arrest the guard for spite. He ranted at the crowd and the guard, calling them out and saying they didn't understand and put everyone at risk. He ordered the guard tied, and then had his horse brought out. The guard and Henrik were tied behind the horse and the Baron mounted it and started to drag them around the cobbled square behind him.
Ser Adon started to argue with the Baron, shocking him. He didn't expect to be challenged. Adon argued that this wasn't justice, that the behaviour was wrong, and that the Baron needed to reconsider, to do the right thing. He then started to threaten the Baron that he would bring justice to the situation [GM: Persuade 19 then Intimidation 20!]. Pulling his horse to a stop, the Baron started to get red-faced and argue back. As he did, unhappy with how this was going, Kel used a Mage Hand to release the bindings on the two prisoners, and then loosen the girth on the saddle. Slowly, magnificently, the Baron started to topple to one side, just about catching his balance. As he did, the horse reared, as it thought a firefly went at its eyes because Gaddock cast an illusion at it. The Baron fell to the ground, hurting himself badly.
Meanwhile, Roscoe successfully released the three prisoners still in the stocks from the day before. He did this under the cover of the chaos. Izek got the Baron and his wife up and moving back towards the Burgomaster's house; the Baron was in a confused state, with a broken arm. Fortunately, Ser Adon healed him by laying on hands.
Gaddock freed the two prisoners but then realised that Henrik wasn't moving. Roscoe came over, realising that the Coffin-maker was close to death, and called upon the gods to spare the dying. Gaddock then made the old man drink a healing potion. They got him to one side in cover and told him he needed to leave town. They then realised he didn't know that his entire workshop and his home had been burnt down and he had nothing. The guard who had laughed - Lars Kjurls - said he'd take him out of town and they'd head to Barovia, where he had family. Gaddock pressed some coin on him and told him to go, quickly.
The party retired to the Blue Water Inn for second breakfast. Then they headed out to the Church of St Andral to celebrate Adon and Alys' wedding. They entered to discordant organ music (nice touch, Kel). The ceremony went nicely, with some lovely ceremonial touches like the ritual bonce strike with a club (including the priest) and the exchanging of arms. As they were pronounced man and wife, Father Lucian called for the Bells to be rung. They didn't ring properly clear, so Gaddock went to help the villager as the priest started his sermon. Gaddock did a strong pull and then was horrified. A body fell down, hitting floor at the heart of the church. Fortunately, this was behind the congregation, most of whom were focussed to the front. Pulling the body to one side, Gaddock realised that it was Milivoj, the groundskeeper who had been an unwitting tool of the vampire spawn. He had been drained of blood.
Gaddock started getting overexcited and rushing around, encouraged Father Lucian to finish up as there was a potential vampire attack. The priest and he had a short exchange; the priest said the relics of St Andral prevented a vampire entering the church. Gaddock wasn't so sure; perhaps something had happened while they had been stolen. They agreed that the congregation and the newlyweds would head back to the Inn for the Wedding Breakfast while the rest of the party investigated. Ser Alys told the others to come straight back to the Inn if they found too much trouble. Ser Adon couldn't detect any undead in close proximity.
Kel led Gaddock and Roscoe up to the roof. As they stepped out, they realised they were now outside the church so potentially at risk of a vampire attack. High up, on the tallest structure in the town, they were soon soaked by rain. Kel and Gaddock headed across to the belltower, finding evidence of a struggle; they concluded that Milivoj must have been charmed or forced to open a window and pass the rope for the bell out. He'd then been slain and wrapped in the rope so he'd fall when the bell fell. The guttering revealed a window opening pole which could have pulled the rope across.
While Kel and Gaddock were checking out the place the corpse fell from, Roscoe took advantage to see where his amber artefact was pulling from; to his reckoning, it was somewhere on the western slopes of the mountain to the south, maybe south-south-east. The most direct route looked like following the River Luna through the ruins of old Berez. Maybe two days travel?
As lightning flashed down, they decided that the highest place in Vallaki was not a wise place to be; they headed down, and set off for the wedding breakfast, leaving the body behind some pews. They arrived wet and cold at the celebration. Good ale and food awaited; a fusion style representing the couple's different heritages. Sausages, Vol au Vents, Venison Steaks, Goulash and fruits, washed down with ale and wine. There was magnificent dancing from the newlyweds. Kel had arranged a drum and axe tribute band and the libations flowed liberally. The best man's speech from the Elf was impassioned:
"In a time of great danger,
When darkness threatens and the world takes a cold breath,
We need heroes to drive back the old powers that bring only death or travesty of life,
And so it is we lucky few bear witness to the joining of two that are now restoring the world
to what is right, what is just, of peace and prosperity
When the light can shine, darkness is in balance, and the world takes a long and sustaining breath
new times of harvest and the sanctity of life
Where they were separate they did great things, but now together
They will be stronger
The world will be safer
With each other
They will prevail
And as they have found each other
So, we will be free"
Roscoe performed a Ceremony to protect the couple for the next 7 days. More drinking. Kel organised a whip-around for Milivoj's poor sisters, drawing on his innate powers to shift luck in his favour, raising nearly 50 silver, which extras from the party and wedding couple.
Lady Wachter made an entrance, sent her two (drunk) boys home, and then gave the two knights 'and their retinue' an invitation to dine the next night. She said she wanted to discuss the best way forward for Vallaki after today's events.
Shortly after this, a young girl entered as the evening drew in. Kel recognised the slightly vacant stare of the ensorceled. The girl looked around, spotted the two knights celebrating, then turned and left. Kel followed. He talked gently to the girl, finding out that she'd been asked to check the two knights were in the Inn and go and report back to the man with the fiery eyes what she found. Kel asked where this man was; it turned out he was upstairs, in the room which would have been Alys and Adon's had arrangements not been made otherwise for the wedding night. Kel told the girl to go home; he'd tell the man and come and see her the next day. It was clear she was one of Milivoj's sisters and she believed he was away working for the man with the bright eyes.
She left, so Kel gathered the party together. They agreed that burning down the Inn was a non-starter so they'd go in and fight this vampire. In honesty, Adon and Alys were delighted; a fight was traditional on the wedding night. Gaddock went outside and quietly climbed up using a ladder. Looking through the window, he saw two vampires in the room. The rest of the group headed up the stairs, prepared to break in. Just before they did, Gaddock cast a web spell into the room. The effect was too big for the room and blew the windows open, but made the door harder to get closed. Battle was joined, Ser Adon throwing his magic javelin into one of the creatures, and then Kel used Witchfire on the nearest one, hurting it. Ser Alys' crossbow was ineffectual. Two of the creatures broke free and went straight outside onto the building side. The third one was further injured before it got out and on the roof. The tactic a failure, Gaddock cancelled the spell and the two knights clambered onto the roof where the battle continued.
Curse of Strahd will continue on 27th January 2021
GM Notes: I was rushed preparing, but also happy because I'd taken the time to put post-its on the DM Screen so that I had all the rules I can't remember to hand. Made me a lot happier running. The Festival went better than I expected; it could have been a messy fight, but thanks to clever arguments from Ser Adon, and trickery from Gaddock, the Baron is off-balance. When he gets his head around what has happened, he'll want to make some examples. The web spell backfired badly, and I can see the players underestimating the vampire spawn they're facing again; it'll be interesting how this goes. I'm now playing the vampires as dangerous ambush predators and using 3D for movement. I think the party has the edge but this is not safe; they're balancing 20ft up on a roof. One slip... Anyway, we left the game at the end of a combat turn as Graham needed to go to bed. Hopefully, all the states will be preserved in Roll20!
13 January 2021
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