13th September - Arriving at Vallaki

General Summary

Sweaty, bloodied and tired after defeating Morgantha and her daughters, the party take stock ensuring that no one is gravely injured.
The swarms of ravens fly off, and the Wereraven that aided them in their fight reveals her human identity, Muriel, explaining that she is a member of the Keepers of the Feather.
Muriel explains that she and the Keepers have been watching over the travellers even since they entered Barovia believing that they can help the people of these lands who desperately need it. [[Vidar]] enquires about the Keepers of the Feather, trying to learn more, but Muriel is tight lipped and explains that the group can count on the Keepers as allies but is not allowed to explain anything further.
Sorrow leads the exploration of the upper levels of the windmill with Aeli in the hopes of finding any children that the hag had in her possession. The search results in the pair finding some cheap jewellery hidden inside a moldy straw mattress, and a small child locked inside a crate asleep.
In the uppermost domed level of the windmill, Sorrow spies four ancient stones standing moss-covered in an weed infested garden outside of the Windmill.
Vidar tries to wake the sleeping child, but noticing the crumb that fall from the child's face knows that the hag's Dream Pastries have put the child into a very deep sleep.
Lars, concerned for Ireena's safety, heads outside to check on her. Relieved that Lars is ok, she asks about the rest of the group, but they are interrupted by the sounds of someone approaching from within the forest. Marcus, Sorrow and Aeli are surprised to see Lars readying his weapons and scanning the treeline.
A hunter appears and introduces himself as Kereza, demanding to know why the party have taken Ireena from Barovia. Lars explains that they are escorting Ireena at the request of Izmark to somewhere safer than Barovia, Kereza absconds him for bringing Ireena to the windmill, explaining that the hags inside are hideous creatures and not be trifled with.
Vidar exiting the windmill with the child over his shoulder, convinces Kereza that the party are genuinely trying to help and gratefully offers to take the child back to Barovia. Kereza shares that Freek's parents noticed that he was missing and tasked him with locating the young boy.
As thanks, Kereza shares the location of a cache he has hidden in the forest with some items that may help them and that they are welcome to help themselves to it.
Cautiously, they entrust Kereza to take Freek back to Barovia, with Muriel offering to fly overhead and ensure their safety.
Continuing on their path to Vallaki, the group hear a horse in the distance heading towards them at great speed. Aeli and Vidar move off to side of the road, taking precautions to not draw attention to themselves. Sorrow and Lars find themselves in a stalemate arguing about the necessity of getting of the road, even Ireena's plea is not enough to sway Lars.
The horse and rider appear from around the bend in the road, and the group realise that the oncommers are ethereal, furthering the fact that all is never as it seems in these lands. The adventures recognise the spirit rider moving rapidly towards them, it is Dalvan, the man who's dead body they found in the woods before they entered the village of Barovia.
Still determined not to move, Lars watches as the approaching horse gets closer and closer and ride straight through him. Stunned that he felt nothing, Lars and the rest of the party watch as the spirits continue riding along the path towards Barovia.
With the threat of nightfall close, the move along the road and through the muddied track into the swamp where Kereza described the cache to be. Zombies arise from the murky swamp and ambush the party who had still not fully recovered from their encounter with the hags.

Vidar and Lars focus on the closest threats to Ireena, Aeli and Sorrow attack the closest zombies to their position, Marcus drops his notebook to help his friends.
During the fight, Lars learned that a zombies head can be decapitated and still continue to fight. Vidar again exerts himself to provide aid to his downed companions.
Sparing no time, they grab the contents of the cache and hurry on to Vallaki. Moving past Lake Zarovich they arrive at the walled town of Vallaki as the sun begins to set, casting an orange hue to the miserable skies.

Not far from the iron gates to Vallaki, a refugee camp has been set up, with over a dozen tents set up huddled together. Despair and hopelessness displayed on the faces of these refugees moves Ireena, she pleads with Lars to get the Baron to let them inside the safety of the walls when she hears that they have been left to fend for themselves outside the safety of the palisades protecting Vallaki.
Lars leads the group to the eastern gates, but their entry is refused by the guards, fearing the party maybe spies for Strahd. They convince the guards to check if the Burgomaster received any letters from Izmark requesting safe harbour for Ireena.
To pass the time, the adventurers mingle with the refugees, providing aid or comfort however they can. Ireena doing her best to entertain the young children around the camp is shooed away, with the refugee growing less patient with her. The impatience soon becomes intolerance, then hostility and she is accosted by a refugee who blame her for their troubles.
Aeli and Sorrow run after Ireena to console her, convincing her that the refugees were speaking from a place of pain and suffering.
The ladies return right as the guards open the iron gates and allow the group to enter Vallaki. They finally are able to breathe easy now that they are safe behind the walls of the town.
But just how safe is it inside the walls of Vallaki?

Report Date

13 Sep 2024