Session Report 5

General Summary

The ruffians ventured down the street with Ismarck and as they walked towards the burgomeister's mansion, a distinctly erratic sob filled the air. Russel asked Ismark what could be causing such a horrid sound and Ismarck explained that the sobbing was coming from Mary Drazkoi, a local who sold her child to the women of the mill which are old woman who make dream pastries.
Each member of the ruffians took turns chastising Ismarck for not properly running his village to which his face reddened and his voice wavered as his anger mounted. Ismark shouted at the ruffians that each of these people had problems that he could not fix, ones that he did not have the manpower or materials to solve. As he explained this he opened the door to a nearby house and pulled out a skinny, jet black hair human with sunken eyes. Ismarck asked how the adventurers would get this man's life cheery again ever since he lost his anus to a wolf attack.
The adventurers questioned the man(Ivan) and found that he seemed rather upbeat even though he had no asshole. After a quick discussion, the party set out in search for a chewed up anus that may have been got by a wolf or dire wolf. Their payment was Ivan's house and daughter. The ruffians accepted the quest and went on there merry way to the burgomeister's mansion.
The word "mansion" was an over exaggeration of the estate as the fence, walls, and door are all each covered in claw and teeth marks with much of the structure decaying as well.
The party went inside and as Ismarck cleaned up the insides of the house, Russel was trying to clean up the insides of one Ireena Indirovich, the sister to Ismarck. The party got to know the Indidorvich family as they cooked and chowed down on wolf steaks.
After food, Ismarck got down to business and told the party that Ireena and him will need to bury their father before leaving. So after some coaxing, the members of the ruffians each helped carry the coffin to the church grounds.
While the body lay ready to be buried, the priest was nowhere to be found so Ismarck and the party searched the church for the man of god. They found this man of god sitting in his own shit, robes soiled, and muttering to himself various hyms and sermons of the Brightlord. Every few seconds a scream would ascend from the depths below the church, "Father, I am hungry!".
After some coaxing and a threat or two, the party is able to get the priest to explain that his son was turned into a vampire thrall a year ago when he went to revolt against our Lord Strahd. The son returned yet the priest, his father, cannot bear to kill him and claims that he can find a cure.
The party offers to kill the beast but the priest begs them to do otherwise and ignore the issue. He quickly explains that he can still do the last rites for the burgomeister and would appreiciate if everyone went out there while he prepped. "It will only be ten minutes".
The priest comes out and says the last rites, offering up the burgomeisters spirit to the land once again. Ismarck and the party bury the man.
With everything all ready and packed, the party + Ismarck and Ireena headed out towards Vallaki, sparing no time to get Ireena to safety. As the party walked the trail they eventually came to a crossroads with the sign pointing left heading to Vallaki and the sign pointing right heading to the Tser Pools.
At the far edge of this crossroads sat a gallows and on top that gallows sat a man in a flowing torn and tattered purple blue robe. The human male had no hair but did have a long fuzzy brown beard. The human was drinking a bottle of some liquid and did not pay the party any mind until Russel approached.
Russel approached the man and asked questions yet only got silence as a result. So Russel decided to restrain the man into submission and thusly put the robed human in a headlock. The human dropped his jug at the restraint and seemed to struggle little as he was unable to move. Yet the bearded man turned to mist in a moment and vanished from the grasp of Russel, and reappeared at the edge of the forest. He then jumped into a tear of space and time that appeared behind him.
When Russel drank the drink, the worlds colors became more vivid and the tear in space in time was still visible yet inaccessible. Other wild streaks of colors and creatures sat shimmering in the air above and on the ground below.
The ruffians quickly pocketed the strange liquid and decided on heading towards the Tser Pools. As they approached the pools they discovered some vistani camped out here.
The canopy of mist and branches suddenly gives way to black clouds boiling far above. There is a clearing here, next to a river that widens to form a small lake several hundred feet across. Five colorful round tents, each ten feet in diameter, are pitched outside a ring of four barrel-topped wagons. A much larger tent stands near the shore of the lake, its sagging form lit from within. Near this tent, eight unbridled horses drink from the river.                                                                                             The mournful strains of an accordion clash with the singing of several brightly clad figures around a bonfire. A footpath continues beyond this encampment, meandering north between the river and the forest’s edge.
The ruffians approached and introduced themselves to the Vistani, asking if Stanimir was among them. They said no and that his group of Vistani had a permanent settlement to the west of Vallaki. 
Before they could ask further questions, the Vistani pointed them towards the tent of Madam Eva, the fortune teller of these lands. The Vistani explained that the adventurers needed to see this woman as she may be able to point them in the direction of how to leave this hellhole. As the party entered the covered tent, Gunter was taken aside by another Vistani and asked what he could do with those horns of his.
As the ruffians minus Gunter entered the tent, Madam Eva welcomed the various members of the group by their name and threw out pillows for them to avoid sitting on the rocky ground beneath.
As Madam Eva began to swirl her hands around her crystal orb, a flare of magic starts to burn from within the crystal and soon Madam Ev's eyes went an obsidian black. 
As her hands swirl around the orb, five cars begin to levitate and are placed down one by one.
As the first card is placed down, Madam Eva's now ghostly voice says  "This card tells of history. Knowledge of the ancient will help you better understand your enemy. 
The 5 of Stars — Elementalist The treasure is hidden in a small castle beneath a mountain, guarded by amber giants."
Card #2
"This card tells of a powerful force for good and protection, a holy symbol of great hope.
1 of Swords — Avenger The treasure lies in a dragon’s house, in hands once clean and now corrupted."
Card #3
"This is a card of power and strength. It tells of a weapon of vengeance: a sword of sunlight.
3 of Coins — Trader Look to the wizard of wines! In wood and sand the treasure hides."
Card #4
"This card sheds light on one who will help you greatly in the battle against darkness.
Queen of hearts --- I see a young man with a kind heart. A mother’s boy! He is strong in body but weak of mind. Seek him out in the village of Barovia. For support, Evil’s bride is the one you seek!"
Card #5
"Your enemy is a creature of darkness, whose powers are beyond mortality. This card will lead you to him!
Beast (Jack of Diamonds) The beast sits on his dark throne."

Report Date

17 Jun 2021