Session 7 report

General Summary

The Fox

Fassi flys down with the fox mentioning how he was heavy to be carrying around.
Markadoo asks the fox why he was being chased and the fox responds that everyone chases foxes. Wolves, humans everything.
On being asked what he would do now the fox mentioned that he might chase bunnies.
Fassi mentioned that the fox should be a fassi fanatic. The fox wasn't sure what that is and when Markadoo explained it meant becoming a fan of Fassi, the fox agreed because she had saved him.
When asked for advice about travelling in Barovia the fox mentioned that they should stay on the path and not go out at night.

Navigating

The characters question whether they are going in the right direction or not.
Quill is certain that they are going in the correct direction and continues to leave.
As they round a mountain they spot castle "Vallaki".
Quill convinces the others that they absolutely must be going in the right direction.
It begins to rain and Quill begins crawling underneath the hand cart that Krish is pulling with Ireena and the dead wolves in it.
Fassi sings as they continue on.
They come across a large old drawbridge that leads in to castle "Vallaki" and it is at this point that they decide to turn around.
Ireena wakes up and is overwhelmed with fear as she realises the party has brought her to castle ravenloft.
She gets out of the hand cart and backs away towards the hills as the party.
Quill stuck to her guns trying to convince Ireena that the castle is Vallaki and she grew even more suspicious.
Quill convices her it was just a joke and Ireena agrees to get back in the cart as long as they take her away from the castle immediately.
The whole party except Fassi get in the cart and Kris pulls them along.
They get back to the fork and go through the west gates towards actual Vallaki.

Pie withdrawals

Fassi and Markadoo feel an intense craving for dream pies.
Because there is none around they both have disadvantage on ability checks.
The party wants more pies

On route to Vallaki

On their way along the road they see a windmill.
Heehoo says it's the windmill that they own.
The party discusses if they should go there or not.
They decide that they should go back once they are stronger.

Corpses

The party see that there are limbless corpses nailed to trees not far off the road.
The more perceptive members notice that they have frowns carved in to their faces.
They notice that they aren't moving and Kriz notices that they aren't evil.
Quill draws a picture of them.

Approaching Vallaki

They come across a palisade fence with iron gates. There are pikes out the front with wolves heads on them.
Behind the gates are a couple of shadowy figures.
Fassi asks for entry and mentions that she has wolves.
The guards were not convinced as "everyone has wolves".
Fassi tries to talk up the dire wolves but the guards are not impressed.
Fassi gets to business "can we come in or not"
The guards have a discussion and ask "how are you feeling today".
Fassi said she is feeling fabulous, the others were feeling pretty average.
The guard says "you guys sounds a bit unhappy".
Heehoo says "but we found some cool corpses in the woods, that's always fun".
The guard mentions that he doesn't like to talk about such unhappy topics.
Heehoo said "Now who's unhappy"
The guard insisted that he was as happy as ever.
The party insisted they are happy so that guard asked why they want to come in if they are so happy out there.
Markadoo says he wants to spread his good vibes.
The guards ask how long Markadoo intends on jigging around the town.
Fassi asks if this is Vallaki and the guard jokes that it is castle Ravenloft before saying "of course this is VAllaki".
They tell the guards that they would never believe what had happened to them that morning.
Heehoo mentions that they got really close to "castle Vallaki".
The guards whisper to each other
They ask what business the players had at the castle and if they had talked to Strahd.
Heehoo asks what day it is and is told it is the 8th of the blood moon.
Heehoo said then they haven't talked to Strahd today.
Guard: "what where you doing at the castle".
Heehoo " Leaving"
Markadoo "We went in the wrong direction"
Guard "Fair enough it is easy to get lost here and you look new". "Well, to make sure you aren't lying I will need to see you jig".
Markadoo does the most beautiful jig the soldiers have ever seen.
Guard: wipes a tear from his eye "That was the most beautiful jig i've ever seen"
Then lets them in.

Navigating Vallaki

The party continues through the town with Ireena in the cart.
Markadoo sees that it is not far past 12.
Markadoo recommends that the party goes to an inn to ask around.
Ireena is poorly hidden in the cart.
The storm dies down. Markadoo is doing a slight jig.
As they go through the town the commoners look very happy.
They see the potion shop and the stock yard. They go to the stockyard.

The stockyard

Fassi goes to the door of the shop and bursts in "MY GOOD SIR", startling the shop keeper.
"We require a map, I hear your the best man to give me a map" and continues to talk really fast about how wonderful he is.
shop keeper "breathe, who are you??"
Fassi introduces herself and the group. She asks if he would be interested in buying wolf pelts.
He asks if she would like to trade the wolves for a map of the town.
Fassi asks if he can throw in a few silver and the shop keeper is really happy to do so.
Fassi tells the others that she "did it".
Kriz, Markadoo and Heehoo bring the wolves in and dump them in the corner.
Shop keeper gives them a map of the town and 10 silver.
Fassi gives everyone else one silver piece.
Fassi asks for a piercing weapon but finds the price to be too expensive.
Heehoo does the same.
The shop keeper marks the Inn on the map for the party before going back to sweeping the floor.
Fassi says he can be a Fassi fanatic.
Fassi talks herself up and asks Quill to draw a picture of her which Quill quickly sketches up.
Fassi complements quill and signs the drawing before handing it to the shop keeper.
The shop keeper shrugs and puts it under the desk.
The party decide to go to the Inn.

The Inn

On the way to the Inn, the players see a town square and a nice mansion.
The inn is a wooden building with Ravens perched on it. The wooden sign above the main entrance depicts a waterfall.
Ireena wasn't convinced that the inn would be the best place to keep a low profile.
Fassi dresses Ireena like a vistani.
Marakdoo tried talking to the ravens on the roof but they side eyed him and flew to the other side of the roof.
They enter the tavern and talk to the barkeep (Danika Martikov).
They ask for information but the barkeeper asks them if they want something to drink.
The party asked if she had pies and she learned that they liked dream pies.
She did not have any and disapproves of those who eat them.
Her husband (Urwin) came out to make sure everything is alright
Fassi not hearing what had been happening comes over asking for pies excitedly.
The barkeep said that if they wanted pies they would have to see the old lady with the cart.
Heehoo calls Urwin "jack black". Urwin tells him his name and that he doesn't know jack black. He also tells the party not to swear in front of his wife.
They start talking to the barkeeper again and she shushes them and tells them that they can have purple grapemash no3 or red dragon crush. Markadoo pays for Heehoo Fassi and Markadoo to have some.
The party learns that the Burgomaster is preparing for the new festival. and that the last was the festival of the wolves heads.
They learn that Blinsky owns pet monkey and shows them where he is.
Fassi buys another round asks that her drink be water but that the bartender call out that it is their strongest drink.
She nods and calls her husband over who obliges.
When they bring Fassi the water she sculls it down to the admiration of the other patrons.
They learn Strahd has not been in the town for over a year.
They learn that the church is safe.
Ireena comes in to the pub and asks why they left her outside.
The barkeep points and says "vistana why are you coming in to my pub"
Ireena goes back outside.
Barkeeper says that the vistani has robbed her and that she doesn't trust them.
Markadoo tells her Strahd killed her father.
She shushes him and tells him not to speak the name.
Markadoo gives her a gold piece to let her in and vouchers for her.
She is allowed in a Markadoo retrieves her.
Fassi offers to play for the tavern.
Fassi buys lodging for 2 gold each and collects gold from each player.
The players are shown to their rooms.
They go back downstairs and Ireena is smashed.
Markadoo talks to her about the sword coast and she says she knows nothing outside of Barovia.
Markadoo talks about taking her to the sword coast. Ireena grabs him by the vest and shakes him before making it clear that he can never leave.
Fassi and Markadoo tell her that she can go to the church for safety and she says she doesn't care about anything anymore.
Fassi gives her some "super strong drink" which is just water. Ireena downs it and slams the cup down on the table, proud of herself.
The party leaves for the church.

The church

The players open the door.
They see a bunch of sad people.
A priest is up the front giving a surmon about how everything is great and will be fine.
They see a boy lighting candles.
They all sit down to listen to surmon. As they sit down the surmon ends.
The priest spots new faces and welcomes them.
They discuss how good the sun is, though the priest had never seen it.
Markadoo rubs in how good the sun is and that he's seen it many times.
The priest shushes him and tells him not to make the people more upset.
Markadoo brings Ireena to him. He asks if he can provide shelter from a lover that she does not love back.
The other party members are still sitting out in pews during the conversation and the congragation disaprooves of them yelling across the church to join the conversatoin
The players ask to talk in private but the priest tells them if they don't talk so loud no one can hear except Yeska, but he is a good boy.
The priest asks if Ireena worships the morning lord.
Ireena mentions that he "fucking rules".
He says he will look after her and that the church is consecrated.
Ireena lays on her back and start waving her hand in front of her face.
Markadoo asks if there is any work for the party and mentions their professions.
Fassi offers her singing services and the priest shows interest in a future performance.
They mention Heehoo is an assassin, Markadoo corrects this to "hunter".
The priest mentions wolf is always in demand.
Priest mentions shows of happiness and festivals keeps the evil at bay.
Markadoo asks about a temple with Amber doors but the priest has not heard of it.
The players learn about the festivals.
The priest mentions that the church is consecrated with the bones of a saint.
They discuss the windmill and the Priest tells them that he has heard terrible rumours about that windmill. "adventurers like you and stronger tend to die there".
Markadoo asked about healing potions and the priest directed them towards the potion shop and that they are giving out free samples.

Arcane oddities

The party asks the shop keeper about free samples.
He says he has free potions but he doesn't know the effects. If they will be his ginnea pigs, if they find out the effects he will stock them. If they try three they will get a free item of invisibility.
Markadoo and Quill tried one at the same time.
Quill gets a pink one and Markadoo gets a purple one
The pink one smells like ash and the purple one smells like breath.
Quill has a potion of stickiness. Markadoo has a potion of squeaky voice.
The shop keeper takes notes.
Quill tries to climb the wall without claws, but unsticks and falls.
Kriz tries orange potion that smells of feet.
He smashes his head into the table before the shop keeper directs him to try throwing his voice. It works.
Heehoo tries a green, swamp smelling potion. He can't help but speak politely.
He says good afternoon to the window.
Fassi tries a brown potion that smells like candy. Every time she opens her mouth rainbows shoot out.
Quill asks for 10, but the shop keeper says he needs time to produce them.
The shop keeper gives them a sock. Quill goes to touch it but it sticks to her hand. She begins to run around the shop, knocking things off the tables.
Heehoo takes the sock and tries it on. The shop keeper tells him it requires attunement.
The shop keeper tells them that healing potions cost 50 gp but he gave them 2 for free.
He asks the party to come back and tell him how long the effects last.
Markadoo thanks him for the potions and the shop keeper tells him they can come back any time to try more.
Quill is freaking out because the potion is not running out.
The shop keep threatens to call the guards if she doesn't chill out.
The party helps him pick the things up off the ground.
They then head to blinksy toys.

Blinsky toys

The party goes to Blinsky toys because they heard he has a monkey.
They see the toy shop and realise the slogan is the same as the one on the toy that they got off mad Mary.
Blinsky welcomes the party in with a sales pitch.
Quill asks if Blinsky has any toys for little girls.
Blinsky says they have many dolls, Quill asks if he has anything else and he brings out a selection of toys.
He shows off a gallows with a hanging man on it. Quill pokes it and her finger gets stuck. Blinsky removes her finger and puts the toy to the side.
Quill goes in to the corner and cries in a ball.
The players sense no evil or magic except for Quills ball and Heehoo's sock.
Blinksy starts comforting Quill.
Heehoo starts to go towards the back of the shop and Blinsky informs him there is no reason to go back there and all of the toys are at the front.
Kriz asks if he has any human size dolls but doesn't get a response.
He shows the party his wares:

A headless doll that comes with a sack of attachable heads, including one with its eyes and mouth stitched shut

A miniature gallows, complete with trapdoor and a weighted “hanged man”

A set of wooden nesting dolls; the smaller each one gets, the older it gets, until the innermost doll is a mummified corpse

A wood-and-string mobile of hanging bats with flapping wings

A wind-up musical merry-go-round with figures of snarling wolves chasing children in place of prancing horses

A ventriloquist’s dummy that looks like Strahd von Zarovich

A doll that looks remarkably like Ireena Kolyana

Heehoo goes to buy the Ireena doll but is told it isn't for sale.
He is told it is made for someone but Blinsky would rather not talk about him.
Blinsky starts to respond to Kriz about the human sized dolls but Quill starts bawling and pawing at his legs to distract him.
He grows very concerned and offers Quill the toy merry-go-round.
Quill is very thank full and starts to play with it but as she spins it her paw keeps sticking to it.
Blinsky is happy that Quill is cheered up.
While all of this is happening Piccolo the monkey is on Blinsky's shoulder.
Heehoo steals the Ireena doll.
Blinsky returns to the counter and realises the doll is missing.
He begs whoever took it to put it back because the man he makes those dolls for will burn his shop down.
Heehoo gave it back and the monkey ran down and picked up the doll and ran back up Blinsky.
Markadoo cuts to the chase and asks Blinsky about his purpose. Blinsky says just like everyone he is doing his best to spread happiness and that it is nice to have customers that don't want to burn his shop down.
Markadoo talks to him about defeating the darkness and Blinsky agrees. We need to defeat the darkness that lives within all of us.
He details that he was once effected by that darkness because all he wants to do is spread happiness but he had no customers. But then one day a customer came in and saw how lonely he was and gave him his monkey and ever since even with no customers he is happy.
Markadoo asked who the man was.
Blinsky mentions that the man who owns the monkey owns a travelling carnival. He mentioned that he may still be around and had only entered town recently.
He directed Piccolo to go dance for Quill.
Markadoo talks to the monkey who freaks out and hides behind the shop counter.
Markadoo tries talking to the monkey who pops his head out from behind the counter.
Markadoo asks the monkey about his friend and the monkey cautiously asks him to specify. Markadoo mentions Blinsky and the monkey tells him Blinsky is harmless.
Markadoo talks about the prophesy and the monkey is really confused and says he doesn't know what Markadoo is talking about.
Markadoo then asked about the old owner and the monkey mentions that he only came in to the town recently so it's likely he is still here.
Blinsky says that he's happy the party like the monkey and he's glad the monkey can spread happiness.

Rewards Granted

• Map of Vallaki

• 10 silver

• Sock of invisibility

• 2 health potions

Campaign

Barovia Campaign

Protagonists

Ivory Quill

He Who Looks Upwards

Kriz Topher

Markadoo Gentleheart

Report Date

18 Jun 2023