Curse of Strahd - S2E11 - Dumb, Desperate & Dangerous [Spoilers]

         

We rejoin our heroes as they ponder what the next steps they should take are over breakfast at the Blue Water Inn in Vallaki.

Our dramatis personae:

Ser Alys de Rouge of House Starbright (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... Married to Ser Adon.

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. Married to Ser Alys.

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

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. 

 

Roll20 running with Video (Audio via Discord)

16th November

Over a leisurely breakfast, our heroes contemplated what to do next. The priorities they settled upon were to attend Lady Fiona Wachter's afternoon drinks to try and determine whether they should help her ensure that Vallaki had a more stable leadership, and also to visit the Baron to give him a stern talking to about the way that he was operating. Gaddock was desperate to find magical materials and perhaps a library so that he could carry out some arcane works, but there seemed to be nothing to hand in Vallaki. Roscoe (or Fagon Balogan, as he was pretending to be) was interested in what was going on at Old Berez and the place that his amulet was pulling him towards.

While the halflings were waiting for second breakfast (all this talk about not being able to make an omelette without breaking eggs had made them hungry), a young Vistani in his late teens came into the Inn and entered into an urgent conversation with Urwin Martikov, the Innkeeper. Shortly after, Urwin called out to the house and said that if anyone had seen a young (nine or ten-year-old) Vistani girl called Arabelle that they should let him or 'young Alexei here' know as she had been missing from their camp since the morning. There was a reward.

The reward was a secondary matter to the brave knights, who immediately got up and started off after Alexei to offer to help. Fagon went along too, but Gaddock happily stayed behind to tidy away both second breakfasts. The rest of the party headed out to the road to the east, figuring that as there isn't much traffic in Barovia that they may be able to pick up the track. Kel and Ser Alys stumbled upon the trail outside town in the mud at the edge of the road, despite Ser Adon's best accidental attempts to erase them as he checked out a hole at the side of the road in case she was hiding there. They followed the tracks back into town, stopping to talk to people as they headed in. Ser Adon was recognised by one of the parishioners from St Andrall's. He didn't recognise her but had clearly made a good impression. When he asked about Arabelle, she recalled a young girl of that description heading into town early morning with a basket 'like she was going to buy things at the market'. 

Meanwhile, Gaddock had eaten his fill, stretched and went outside to help with the search. Settling back against a wooden upright, he communed with his owl familiar who started to spiral search the town in circles further and further out. It didn't see the girl, but it did see a fisherman coming out from the old Spa at the edge of Lake Zarovich who was carrying a large burlap sack that was moving and struggling like something was inside. Gaddock sighed, ordered the owl to go and get the rest of the party and started to jog towards to lakeshore, quickly passing through the gates and probably cursing that he'd had two helpings of second breakfast and now wasn't being allowed to take first nap.

The rest of the party had reached the market, where Ser Adon's questioning soon determined that that the girl had bought some supplies for cooking and some ribbons and then been talking at the fishmonger's stall when one of the fishermen who works on the lake started a conversation with her and they headed up the Lake Road to the north. The party quickly headed in pursuit, meeting Gaddock's owl as they left the market. It beckoned them onwards. The gate guards confirmed that the young girl had left town with the fisherman, and he was talking about having smoked fish at the Spa.

Gaddock got in sight of the lakeshore, and saw that the fisherman had forced the sack into a rowing boat and was heading out with his rods. He headed towards the other rowboats as the boat pulled away; as it reached the 100m mark, the others arrived. Ser Adon started to yell to the fisherman to stop, and Roscoe recognised him as being the drunk who was in the cell next to him when he was imprisoned by the Baron. Not hesitating, Ser Alys stripped off and dived unto the water, ploughing towards the boat with a strong butterfly. The fisherman hesitated, obviously startled by Ser Adon's shouting and Ser Alys' swift arrival. She boarded the rowboat, intimidated the fisherman (one Bluto Krogarov, a drunkard and unsuccessful fisherman and now unsuccessful child murderer) and freed the young girl from the sack. Bound tightly with hemp rope, she has alabaster pale and raven-haired. 

Krogarov soon admitted he had planned to sacrifice Arabelle in the black mirror cold waters of Lake Zarovich, hoping that this would bring good fortune. He said that no one would be bothered if she was missing, as she was a Vistani. Bristling, the heroes determined to hand him over Baron for justice as a way of assessing how fit he was to lead. Escorted by the guard, they headed to the Burgomaster's house and presented their case. Surprisingly, although the Baron clearly detested them, and Ser Adon used this as a chance to give him a lecture, they agreed that Krogarov deserved the strictest of penalties. Izek Strasni, the Baron's bestial enforcer and leader of the guard was summoned, appearing somewhat distracted, but soon settled and took Krogarov to the stocks while a gallows was made ready. Satisfied that justice was to be done, the party found Alexei and headed with him and Arabelle to the Vistani encampment out of town.

This was located on a low hill, surrounded by strange houses which Kel recognised as looking elven in design. They were taken to a large tent in the centre of a wagon circle where they met Luvash (Arabelle's father, a brute of a warrior) and Arrigal, his brother (the clever one). They were treated as house guests and given wine and food. The brothers offered a reward, but the party declined, asking instead for information. They learned much:

• The Vistani would not act against Strahd due to ancient pacts after their ancestors saved Strahd when he was wounded after a battle. He gave them the freedom of Barovia, which is why they can pass through the mists.
• Strahd died centuries ago around the time his brother Sergei was about to marry a woman, Tatyana, who he had set his heart on himself. The Vistani think she died when Strahd killed everyone in the castle.
• The castle, Ravenloft, is named after his mother Queen Ravenovia. You don't go there without an invitation unless you never want to be seen again.
• The old windmill on the road between Vallaki and Barovia is dangerous. It has several old women living there. They sell pasties which taste nice but are addictive. Ser Adon made a link from this mill to the Charlatan card in the Tarokka.
• It is wise to stay on the road; the Svalich Woods are full of wolf packs, werewolves, wild druids and ghosts.
• The Old Svalich Road passes through three settlements in Barovia, Krezk to the west, Vallaki and the village of Barovia to the east. Strahd has spies in all of them.
• Some Vistani sell fake potions to travellers so 'they can pass through the mists'. These don't work.
• The Vistani work for those that pay. A job's a job and times are hard. That said, they obviously would prefer honest work. They have delivered shipments from outside Barovia to Castle Ravenloft.
• Barovia is named after Strahd's father, King Barov. Strahd conquered the land for him.
• Strahd uses bats, wolves and other creatures to spy on all of the realm.
• Some Barovians have old souls, some don't. The soulless ones are easy to spot as they just have fire, no fire or hope, no charm, no spark and they never cry or show emotions.
• The Vistani have souls and are happy and joyful because they can pass through the mists.
• Old Berez is dangerous. There is a hut there, and a hag with a flying chariot made from a giant's skull.
• The Vistani aren't bothered if Baron Vargas is in charge of Vallaki or not. The towns need them for supplies more than the Vistani need the towns.
• It is very difficult to enter Krezk; the Abbot is powerful and doesn't trust strangers.

Later on, Kel was called out of the tent by Alexei, who took him down the hill to the houses, where he was introduced to Kasimir Velikov, a Dusk Elf maimed by Strahd several hundred years ago. He was scarred and his ears cut off. All the Dusk Elf women and children had been murdered by Strahd after they had stoned Kasimir's sister Patrina to death for consorting with him. They are a dying race.

• Patrina had been a sorceress who was attracted to Strahd. She was to become one of his brides and turn to darkness, so Kasimir and his people executed her to stop this happening.
• Patrina speaks to him in dreams; she was entombed in the crypt of Castle Ravenloft.
• She has told Kasimir of a Temple of Amber in the mountains to the south, a place where Strahd gained his powers, a place where his pact could be broken and Barovia freed from darkness.
• She has repented of her sins over the many years her restless soul has been entrapped and wants Kasimir to either put her to rest or restore her to life. Kasimir believes her and is certain the knowledge to do this is within the temple.
• Kasimir has found the temple and is willing to guide Kel and his friends there if they will then help him overthrow Strahd and save his sister, bringing her back to life.
• He and his people took the name of Velikov (and Velikovna) when they were taken in by a Vistani of the same name when the darkness fell.

Mid-afternoon, the party departed back to town, discussing what they'd learned on the way. They were shocked when Gaddock let slip that he had understood about the pasties and the fact that the old women from the mill were probably hags and probably taking the children as payment. His air of innocence didn't fool them.

They identified several potential future destinations; the Old Bonegrinder, the Amber Temple, the Abbey of St Markovia in Krezk and its library, or Old Berez to follow up the story of a statue to one of Strahd's lost loves. Before that, they still had an appointment for afternoon tea, even if they had been drinking at lunchtime.

GM Notes: We experimented today by using Roll20's video and Discord for audio. It was really nice to see each other while playing. We'll carry on with this. I'd thrown in two side quests and planned for the dinner, and we ended up diverting on the side quest to find Arabelle more fully than I anticipated, so I had to think on my feet. This was good as it unlocked quite a lot of information and actually put the characters in a good footing with the Barovian Vistani as well as those in Graenseskov. This should prove helpful although it may be problematic with other NPCs who could support them who don't like the Vistani. The players are also starting to try and pull some clear routes through this and trying to gauge where they can go that probably won't kill them. This episode's title comes from the description that the players gave Bluto Krogarov.

10 February 2021