We start at the Church in a room through a trap door having just killed a Vampire Spawn. We also killed Father Donovich but Snoggly bandaged him to try to keep him alive so he can give us a way to bring back Kyana. Yes, Kyana fell as well.
Father Donovich kept trying to get to his son but Snoggly held him back and Dain dragged his son's body across the room and stood guard to make sure the father never reach him. They didn't want to take a chance that the father could somehow revive him. To make sure his son will never rise again, Dain decapitated him and later they removed the body to the cemetery where they burned it.
Father Donovich offered no help to save Kyana. Misty, Rinn, and Zanfyr went upstairs to see if they could find anything to help Kyana. They didn't find anything that could help her. Mysteriously, Kyana woke up. The group seemed a little concerned at first but but then seemed to accept her rise, as if she must not have died in the first place. Dain did inspect the damage to her neck for any tell tale vampire signs but found nothing.
We started thinking about the new graves that were in the graveyard. When we asked the father who they were, he said he didn't know. He would lock his son in the basement to prevent him from hurting anyone only to check on him the next day and find that he left the room and killed some poor soul. He would find the body in the room with his soon. They were too damaged to tell who they were. Ismark said he would have the town take care of digging up the bodies and determining who they were. Ismark also had Father Donovich removed and locked up.
The rest of us went back to the house to stay for a while and rest some more. The day has taken a heavy toll early on and we are no longer in shape to start a trip. As we headed back to the house, Rinn asked Ismark about the cart and the old lady selling meat pies. He specifcally asked if the lady and the cart were a relatively new thing or have they been coming here a while. Ismark replied that she has been selling those pies from that cart for a long time. She usually comes into town a couple of times a week. But then he reminded us that he had known the Donovich's most of his life and look at how it seems we didn't really know them either.
Rinn, Snoggly, and Haldar stopped by the cart of the old lady selling various meat pies and desert pies. Rinn talked to a couple of people already in line to ask them about the pies and they said the pies are great. We should definitely get the meat pie. The men in line said the pies are made with different meats. Sometimes they are Deer, Boar, the Wolf is really great, lamb, simetimes chickens and birds, and well there are a lot of different meats from the area. When quizzed about them, the old lady people really love them. Her name is Morgan. Her sisters make them at the mill just south east of Vallaki. She carts them into town a couple of times a week. Rinn, Snog, and Haldar each get a pie. She doesn't charge them. She invites them to stop by the mill sometime, where they are made, and visit her and her sisters. Snog points out that it's the old Durst Mill and we check through the deeds and find where they purchased it.
We thank her and head back to the house. Kyana is seriously wiped out and goes straight to be to rest. Hopefully she'll gain her strength back. We ask Ismark about the three ladies that make the pies but he doesn't know anything about them. We ask about the deed we found in the Durst Manor showing that the Durst's at least a few hundred years ago owned it. There is no telling how the ladies managed to acquire it. Maybe they didn't, maybe they are just squatters and with no one to lay claim, it is becoming theirs.
Rinn and Haldar inspect a pie, wondering about finding fingers, eyeballs and stuff in it. Misty took a bite. Nicole called and a Sunday meal was planned. Misty really liked the pie. Rinn's not sure about them and decides to get rid of his. Misty asked if she might have the pies and and we gave them to her. She ate one of them and the other two she put in her pack. (After eating the one pie, she gained 10 hit points, don't know exactly how long the affect lasted)
We headed back to the Burgomaster's house and planned to go by the mill on the way to Vallaki. We also talked about stopping by the Vistani camp. Misty was excited about the possibility. We set up a watch and spent the night there and started out the next morning.
We setup an order and took off. After about three miles, we came to a river. The river is Ivlis and it's about 200 feet across, flowing west to east, with a wooden bridge. We cross the bridge and after a short while, we come to a more wooded area. We went through the woods, about 9 miles, to the west. We then came to a cross roads with the second road going north. The map indicates that it is the main camp of the Vistani. We asked Irena about it and she the women that own the tavern are Vistani or actually they are Mortu. They don't speak very favorably of the Vistani. Also she said that the Vistani are said to be the only people able to travel through the mists. Misty really wants to go that way and it looks like it's a shorter route. Also, we will need to make camp in the next few hours, their camp may be a good place to do that. Everyone agreed and we set of top visit the Vistani.
After a few miles, we started hearing music playing. As we approached, Haldar slipped off into the woods and the rest of us move in closer. We see wagons and lights and camp fires. Rinn scopes out the area trying to spot anything in the area as they move forward. There is activity around the campfire. Misty is in front and there was some discussion about whether she should be the first to approach or should someone more human approach first. Misty got board with the discussion and starts in anyway. As expected, they were surprised by the walking, talking cat. As they were learning more about her, the started noticing the rest. They didn't seem to shocked or even concerned. Actually, they were very polite.
As we approached the campfire, we noticed a much nicer wagon behind the fire. We started introducing ourselves and they likewise. We met Roger and Rena who quizzed us some. They thought our tans were interesting. Misty starts looking at the big wagon, Madame Eva owns that and is the fortune teller. The Vistani around us suggest that we vist her to she what she sees in our future. Misty is excited and asks questions, like, is she any good at it, do her fortunes come true. They remarked that fortunes are a funny thing as they don't always mean what you think it means. Apparently she is a Tarot card reader. Misty asks if Eva is in. They asked after Dain, he told them his name and that from Waterdeep and that he is a paladin of Clanggeden. They asked what he was and he told them he is a Dwarf.
Snoggly asks about traveling through the mists. They told us that you can't travel through the mists. We told them that we came through it to get here. They suggested that maybe Madame Eva could help with going back through. They started talking about a mighty wizard that came here about a year ago. A very charismatic man. He thought he could rally the people of Barovia against the devil Strahd. He stirred them with thoughts of revolt and brought them to the castle, ten to fifteen of them possibly. When the vampire appeared, The wizards peasant army fled in terror. A few stood their ground and were never seen again. The Wizard and vampire cast spells at each other and flew from the courtyards of the castle to a precipice over looking the falls. Rocks rolled down on the wizard yet he stood his ground and survived. Lightning was called down yet still he survived. But, when Strahd fell upon him, the wizards spells could not save him. He was thrown a thousand feet to his death. They searchewd for his body but the river Ivlis had already spirited it away. They do not know his name but we do remember that he spoke of a place called Waterdeep.
We thought back to see if we could remember a wizard that went missing a year ago. We couldn't think of anyone. They told us the battle was amazing, near the waterfall up stream. Misty started heading towards the wagon. As she approaches, the door opens and from within, a voice beckons her to enter and seemed to already know her name. She asked Misty to bring her friends. She gathered us and we went in. She seems to know all of us by our full names. She seemed to know that we were missing someone. Rinn messaged Haldar and he came.
She introduces herself as Madame Eva, a Vistani. As she begins to prepare the table and cards, Misty watched with wide eyed curiosity. Eva says the cards grant her incite. She says, there is a thread of fate that binds all things. Her incite and the cards told her that champions were coming to the land and she was to guide them on their path. Tonight, she is going to grant us a card reading. Misty is very excited. Eva presents the cards and shuffles the cards creates two separate stacks.
She then pulls over the first card and places it on the table. “The two of coins, The Philanthropist! This cards tells of history, knowledge of the ancient will help you better understand your enemy. For this, look to a place where sickness and madness are bred. Where children once cried the treasure still lies.”.
She flips over another card! “The one of blades! The Avenger! This card tells of a powerful force for good and protection. A holy symbol of great hope! This treasure lies in a dragon's house. In hands once clean but now corrupted.”.
She flips over the third card! “The card of power and strength that tells of a weapon of vengeance, a sword of sunlight. The eight of glyphs! What you seek lies on a pile of treasure, beyond a set of amber doors.”
From the high deck she draws a card saying, “A card that will shed light on one who could help you greatly in the battle against darkness. The Marionette! What horror is this? I see a man, made by a man, ageless and alone!”
“And your last card, your enemy, is a creature of darkness whose powers are beyond mortality. This card will lead you to him. The Darklord! He lurks in depths of darkness in the one place to which he must return!”.
Snoggly blurts out something about the bastard on the hill!
After a moment, she says, “Well, there it is then! Shew! Shew! On about your way! Go! Go!”. Misty asks if she sells anything special to which Madame Eva replies, “No!”. Misty thanks her and we leave! We went back, out to the fire and partook of their spread or good food and some of us drank wine and some ale while the snootier Snoggly went back to this whisky. Misty thought she was going to get a personal reading and seemed disappointed that she didn’t. We asked about spending the night and they put out bedrolls for us. Irena seems a little wirthdrawn.
Kyana started talking with some of the vendors about buying some things, like a scarf. She seemed to want something to cover the scar from the incident with the vampire spawn back in Barovia. Dain perked up at that and asked about the scar. He wanted to see it in case there was something he could do to heal it more. He specifically was looking for the tell tale puncture wounds of a vampire but did not see any. The scar does indicate that she had suffered a grievous wound but it had been healed. Kyana picked out a scarf to use to cover her scar.
Misty asked about potions, they have three healing for 75gps each. They were 75gps each. She managed to sell the eye looking orb for 25gps. She showed him the cloak made out of the weird leather. They determined it was made from human flesh and they threw it on the ground. They asked her were she found that and she told them the Durst Manor. Snoggly picked up the cloak to look at later.
Snoggly showed him the orb he had found at the Durst Manor and they agreed it was one part of a set of communication device. Snoggly asked if they could determine who was on the other end. They responded that since it came from the Durst manor, it was probably Count Von Zarovich on the other end. He covered it up again.
Misty tried to sell them the jewelry box we found in the closet in the Durst Manor. When asked if she had retrieved it from the Durst Manor, she replied “No!”. They gave her 65gps for that and she offered a platinum necklace and when asked if it came from the Durst house, they told her that they didn’t want anything from the Durst House.
After selling that stuff, Misty had enough gold to buy one potion. Rinn bought one to give to Misty to replace the one he used. Haldar bought one as well. They asked us where we were headed and Misty told them to Vallaki. They told us that Baron Varguse Vallacovich is the head person in Vallaki. His father was Vargon Vallacovich.
Snoggly asked about the old windmill and the ladies that live there. They make pies there but when asked if they've ever eaten their pies, they have not. They've never been offered the pies. Misty offered a bit of one of the two pies she had left. They said they would try some of it later.
Snoggly is still looking for anything that might help us in a fight. They don't really have anything like that. When asked about magical items like scrolls and such, they only offer healing potions and things like that but then mentioned a scroll of bless. Rinn asked if they had a scroll of revivify. He does but it's 450gps. He also had a lesser restoration and a raise dead potion. Misty sold the chain shirt for 30gps. We don't have enough money to afford the scrolls. Snoggly tried a little more trading but to no avail.
Dain and Rinn took up bedrolls to either side of Irena for protection but the Vistani let us know we were safe as long as we are in their camp. They have an arrangement where the bastard doesn't bother them. We asked why and he told us the story of a time back when Lord von Zarovich was General von Zarovich and had suffered a most grievous wound on the battle field. It was the Vistani that nursed him back to health, through no gain of their own, not knowing what he would become. He has always remembered that and thus, we have a measure of protection. So he leaves us alone and we don't meddle in his affairs. They reiterated that if we are worried for Irena's safety, she'll be safe while in their camp. Rinn still brought out Boo, and this time, he was a regular owl, not a spooky owl. They were curious about the owl as they had never seen one.
They are up for a while but we finally sleep for the night. Some of the Vistani spend some time talking to Misty about our adventure so far. Though they are curious about the Durst House items, they don't want to buy anything. When asked if Madame Eva ever comes out they tell us that she does.
We sleep through the night and when we wake up, we partake of the breakfast cart. Afterward, we set out north and made our way towards the gates. We split off of the road that leads to the castle. It looks like it was very nice at one time but now is run down and looks unkept. As continue on the other road, towards the gate and as we approach the black iron gate, it opens for us. We checked too see if we could determine who or what controls it but we find nothing. It just must be some form of magic that controls it.
After we pass about 50 yards away, the gate closes again. Misty, curious as she is, tests the gate to see if they open again if she returns towards them and they do. There are two giant statues on either side of the road that are looking down as though watching but they do not move, they are still quite ominous in their appearance. We also noted that the gate is not something you can walk around. The natural slope of the mountain range creates a wall up top and beyond the gate.
It’s around 4:00 or 5:00 in the evening. It seems to get darks around 7:30 so we figure we still have a couple of hours to travel. We are approaching a dense forest area. We tried to determine how wide the Forrest was. If we could complete passing through it before nightfall. Irena had travelled through here before and she remembered it being only 2 or 3 miles across so we continued on. Once through the woods, we set up a camp and set up a watch and went to sleep.
Kyana, as she lays there, awake, she feels funny, almost insubstantial. She reaches out to touch the ground and her hand passes into the ground. Then she pulls her hand out and looks at it. She then tries to touch her hands and they pass through each other. Then she starts getting really nauseous. Kyana gets up and moves away a little and then gets down on all fours and throws up. After that she feels a little better and shortly after that she felt normal again. When asked about it, she didn’t know why she was sick, must have been something she ate.
As we are talking, we notice a light, like a torch light, moving along in the distance. As we watch it for a bit, the torch appears to be moving away. Kyana goes back to sleep as she still feels like she needs rest. Rinn and Misty end their watch. Zanfyr and Haldar take watch. Kyana and Rinn tell him about the torch light. Rinn also puts, Boo out to watch as well. Kyana checks the ground occasionally to make sure it’s still solid to her. The rest of the night passes without event.
The next morning, some of us are awakened by the loud call of a raven as it flew over. The raven flies a little further ahead of us and lights on a branch. We keep an eye on it. Boo rides on Rinn’s shoulder and is charged with watching the raven. Zanfyr notices the raven has a light blue tip to it’s wings.
We travel another 6 miles or so to another intersection with a road to the west. We thought we would go find the ladies that make the pies. They are supposed to be at the mill that way. After about a mile down the path, when we satart noticing the grasss isn’t growing very well and nature just starts looking a little sickly. Yes, the recording did reflect that she only travelled with the pies a could of times a week. Less grass and Juniper trees are more prevalent. The raven continues to fly around overhead. Boo no longer wants to continue. It seems to think it’s very dangerous ahead. Rinn puts it away.
Rinn asked if Zanfyr is he had any idea why this area seemed to be worse off than other areas we had travelled through. He determines that there seems to be something disrupting the life energy of the area. We don’t hear any animals or bugs. The trees are there but they are obviously affected. That brought up something we had heard before about the druid’s here, being evil and maybe we are walking into an area controlled by those druids. Snoggly also mentioned witches.
Eventually we reach a point where we see an old wind mill up the hill. Out around the edges we see some wooden posts, like old fence post, and on top of one of the posts is that raven. He seems a little agitated. Zanfyr and Haldar move towards the raven thinking to try and communicate with it. It gets even more agitated. When they get about 50 feet away, it starts flying and then flying at them even more agitated. The hold up, trying to keep their distance a little. Haldar and Zanfyr determine that it appears to not want us to go any further. When they tell the rest of the group, questions about what the raven really wants pop up. Rinn reminds everyone that this is not our mission and perhaps we should save this to look into later. Haldar does see signs of life coming from the mill. The group does agree that we should stick to the mission. Maybe, we can find the old ladies in Vallaki.
We go back the way we camera and take the north path to continue on to Vallaki. We looked for a couple of shortcuts but the forest and slopes make it hard to cross so we stuck to the road. We picked up the pace and made it to Vallaki around dusk.