Session 26 report

General Summary

WE DID IT!

Fassi flys around looking for Ireena
Fassi asks Strahd if Ireena is wearing anything unique
Strahd berates her and tells her she's seen Ireena before
Quill walks over to Fassi talking about how she can't find Ireena either
Strahd lands next to Quill
Kriz still going to church and will be unless stated otherwise
Quill: "I think she went this way" (Dashes off uneffected by Strahd's smile)
Strahd chases and smiles at Quill
Strahd: Where is Ireena
Quill: Down south, vaguely describes the location
Kriz changes course and heads to the Bluewater Inn to change clothes and secure Markadoo
Fassi asks Quill if she noticed anything unique on Ireena
Quill: She had a nice shiney breastplate
Fassi starts to hone in on the location of the breast plate and heads towards it
Quill is following Fassi
Strahd joins them and spots Ireena

Outside the gates of the city the gang hear loud snarling and banging and the sound of cracking wood.
Fassi tells Strahd she's concerned and suggests they all leave
Strahd assures her everything will be alright
Quill runs anyway
Ireena runs from her hiding spot
Strahd chases her: There's no need to worry Tatyana

Fassi and Quill hear breaking wood.
Fassi flys after Ireena: Wait we want to help!
Ireena looks back and raises an eyebrow at Fassi as she runs
Quill realises that wolves have broken into the city. She jumps up onto a nearby building
Strahd catches up to Ireena and tells her that she needed run anymore
Ireena: Why do you continue to follow me?
Strahd: Ireena, I understand the terror and confusion that clouds your heart, nurtured by the lies and fears sown by those who do not
comprehend the depths of our bond. You see, my love, throughout the centuries, amidst the solitude that consumes the corridors of my
existence, only one beacon has ever pierced that eternal gloom – it is you, my Tatyana.
Fassi: He's right! look at the wolves coming, it's safer to come with us right now!
Quill scouts the situation from the roof top.

She clumsly jumps across a few roofs before reaching one near where the group is talking.
Strahd: Consider the life you've led thus far – the fleeting moments of peace overshadowed by ceaseless strife and looming threats. With me, you would want for nothing; no harm would dare befall you under the watchful guard of my love. In my castle, high above the mists of this accursed land, you would reign as its queen, immortal and adored, free from the burdens that now weigh upon your shoulders.
Ireena begins to approach Strahd
The wolves close in.
Fassi has concerns, but Strahd once again assures her that everything is alright.
Quill does a front flip off the house, then proceeds to do kart wheels towards a nearby wolf, before falling prone in front of a wolf.
Quill dusts herself off and runs away
Ireena draws her sword: I will never come with you
Strahd: I won't make you come against your will. These two are my friends, but I have no problem disposing of them if that motivates you.
The wolves are now encircling them
Fassi again urges that they should leave
Strahd re-assures her
Quill is not invested in the conversation and proceeds to run in and stab a wolf in the eye, and twirls, flicking blood on Fassi.
Ireena turns to Fassi: What should I do?
Fassi: Get on the horse, go! We will find you.
Strahd holds out his hand and she jumps on the horse.
Strahd takes off in to the air
Fassi stands back to back with Quill and shoots one of the wolves with her crossbow
Quill finishes the job by slicing the wolf with her rapier, dodging blood drops and they fly past and splash on Fassi
Strahd flies off
The wolves start to retreat
Quill high fives Fassi: Yeah we did it!
Fassi: We are real heroes!
Quill: Yeah!, I got this feeling that we had to protect Ireena, and I don't remember what from but now I remember, it was from the wolves!
Quill, Fassi and Kriz suddenly feel a little different.
Quill: Wait... oh crap, I think we were meant to be protecting Ireena from Strahd.
Fassi: OMG
Quill: Fuck!
Fassi flies straight up to see where they went
She sees them flying away and goes back down
Quill: what direction are they in?
Fassi: They are flying north east, but my god... where's Markadoo?
Fassi and Quill head off for the Inn.

Blue water inn

At the Bluewater Inn, Kriz is changing into his armor. Markadoo has been lain out on one of the beds.

Fassi and Quill walk into the bar area to see that no one is there.
They continue upstairs to the bedroom where they find Kriz in his armor.

This is the first Quill knows of Markadoo's fate as she had run away.
She stares shocked.
The party question whether anything could be done and remark that they all tried their best.
Kriz: I thought we were going to be the new lords of the town... I don't know what happened.
Fassi: I was so excited for our performance... that all seems so silly now.
Kriz: Worst. Day. Ever.
Quill: I think Markadoo was right, I don't think Strahd is a good dude.
Fassi: I think it's time we take this more seriously.
Quill:... will we still do performances?
Fassi: It's never really been about the band, it's more about the front man but this did mean some changes for my tour... we are going to have to remake so many posters!
Quill: Should we go underground?
Fassi: No. This is the time that we stand tall and say we ARE the Fassi fanatics! The people need something to stand for. Markadoo was the best backup dancer i've ever seen!
Kriz: He WAS the jig masters
Quill:... wait... where did he get the milk? I NEED TO FIND MORE MILK
Fassi, I think the milk might be the least of our problems, our friend's corpse is growing colder by the moment... and a murdurous vampire has captured the one person who brought us all together... Ireena. We need to get her back. Did you see the way she looked at us? She didn't want to go but we told her to!
Quill: We did?
Fassi:... I told her to get on the horse and I told her everything would be ok.
Kriz: So we didn't save Ireena after all that?
Quill/ Fassi: no...
Kriz: first thing's first we need to bury Markadoo
Quill: Where are we taking him?
Kriz: To the church. he stood against STrahd and the church seems like the last bastion against him.
Quill: He mentioned toe fungus once, should we get him some?
Kriz picks up Markadoo and prepares to take him to the church
They hear someone enter the inn.
Quill walks out SOLEMNLY and looks over the balcony.
Adorned in a dark brown unbuttoned long coat that almost brushes the ground is a female tiefling who stands out to most as a wizard, due to fact that resting upon her hip is a spellbook, its pages weathered with age but meticulously cared for recently restored. Around her neck is a delicate gold necklace, adorned a small, elegantly shaped diamond, which catches the light as she moves.
Her short brown hair rests neatly upon her shoulders, which frames a face with subtle yet striking features, including her yellow/orange eyes which almost glow like a fire on a stary night. Upon her forehead are short, grey-white horns which curve back. In her mid twenties, she possesses a touch of youth which belies her experience. Though her beauty is not ostentatious, there is an undeniable allure to her presence that draws the eye.
The party head downstairs.
Quill: I know it's not really the time but is it ok if I go and check out that new person?
The party greet her and learn that her name is Isabell and that she is new to Barovia.
She is looking for something but doesn't give details.
Quill asks about the book, but Isabell tells her to keep away from it.
Isabell asks to accompany the party rather than being alone.
Kriz retrieves his horse and puts Markadoo on it before riding over to rejoin the party.
The party heads to the church.

Burial

As the group approach the church Quill breaks the silence.
Q: If the milk came from Markadoo... where am I going to get milk?
Fassi: Surely there are cows?
With this in mind Quill is determined to find some cows.
"After we bury Markadoo we need to find cows!"
She asks as a last resort if Fassi produces milk. Fassi does not believe so.

Fassi asks Isabell and Isabell let's her know it's a friend.
Fassi: I'm sure the fact that our friend is dead right now doesn't instill confidence but we are good at finding people, maybe we can help you find your friend.
Isabell: Sure, the spell I use to find her seems to have stopped working.
The party enter the church. The father looks worn out and not particularly pleased to see them.
*The group keep thinking they should behave themselves in front of the new person but they keep remembering it is still kody lol*
Krish informs father Lucian that Strahd killed Markadoo
FL is concerned that Stahd got into the town. He didn't think it could happen. He gets pissed off that the festivals and the smiling have been for nothing. He is also upset the burgomaster is dead and even more so that Lady Wachter is now in charge.
Once he calms down he recommends the party cremate Markadoo as he has been bitten as otherwise he may become a vampire spawn.
Kriz asks why the father is so certain that Strahd and the vampire spawn can't enter the church. The Father refuses to elaborate
He leads the party out of the church.
He sees Isabell outside he offers her help as long as she doesn't cause any mischief (looks at Quill).
The father takes them around to the back of the church to a fire pit. There are many graves at the back of the church.
He lights it and asks the party if they would like to do anything before he chucks Markadoo into the fire.
Quill thanks him for the milk.
Fassi sings him a prettyful song.
Kriz reflects that sometimes he felt that Markadoo was the only voice of reason. He then lobs Markadoo into the fire.
Isabell thinks her new companions are weird.
The re-enter the church with Father Lucian.
Isabell is very hesitant but is happy to be allowed in.
After some brief conversations how FL needs to learn to trust, FL tells the party he needs time to reflect.
He does tell the party about Krezk and Berez. He mentions that Krezk is very cold and that they are not welcoming of outsiders Quill has read about Krezk and says her book speaks of incentives being the key to being allowed in.
The father reasons that the best incentive is always wine and with the recent shortages they may be in need.
Kriz asks about Berez and FL informs him that Strahd flooded it. Anything that stands against Strahd tends to meet a similar fate.
Quill says that in her book she read about a tranquil beautiful town that is great for relaxing in. She says she is sick of going to depressing places and wants to go there. FL informs her that that's what Berez used to be.
Isabell pipes up and asks if they are still looking for their friend. Kriz and Quill inform her that getting her back would currently be difficult.
With that the party leave for the inn.

Kicked out

As they exit the church they notice that the town is going back to normal and that there are quite a few cultists walking around.
A nearby cultist points at the party and starts talking to two others nearby.
The party are uneasy.
The cultists walk towards them.
Quill winks at them because of course she does.
Kriz waves at them. They don't wave back.
They inform the party they are no longer welcome in Vallaki. Lady Wachter saw you take a stand against Strahd and you are clearly not allies.
Kriz "we were literally helping him the whole time".
Cultist " One of you set bears on him, the bird restrained his magic".
Quill "He was cool with that, he wanted that to happen".
Cultist " Sigh, we are just the messengers".
The party protest but the cultists stand firm, while relaying the fact that they personally admire the party but it's not their call.
The cultists ask if the tiefling is their acquaintance.
Kriz confirms, leading to the cultists banning Isabell too.
"I don't even know who Strahd is!"
The cultist shrugs it off.
Isabell glares daggers at Krish as more cultists approach.
The cultists somewhat relent and tell the party that while they can't remain in the town, they will go and ask Danika to bring their things to them.
Quill "But Strahd literally gave us gifts!"
Cultist: Gifts mean nothing, this man right here gave me a gift... and then he slept with my wife!
Isabell urges them to leave.
One of the cultists levels with them. He lets them know he is just a shop keeper and he really doesn't want to fight. That he would appreciate if they just left and he promises that he will get their things for them.
The party complies and is escorted out of town.
Isabell: soooo... awesome. Thanks for getting me kicked out of the last known location of the only friend i've ever head.
Quill: ...you decided to come with us... take responsiblity.
The party consider going to the tower and wonder where Van Richten is.
This perks Isabell's interest.
Quill: Your friend wasn't esmerelda was it?
Isabell: Yes... do you know her?
Kriz: Yes
Isabell: Where is she? You don't know how many years i've been looking for her
Kriz fills her in.
She sad.
She mastered magic just to track her. She hate Strahd.
Cultists bring the party their belongings.
One cultist bows as he presents Izeks axe.
"We know you are the reason we were able to take over the town, if only you didn't stand against Strahd you would have still been welcome guests."
Danika also provided 6 bottles of wine with a note that says "good luck".
The party travel to the tower.
Van Richten as at the top :)

Report Date

01 Jul 2024