Curse of Strahd Session 9
Abbeys, Dresses, and other Horrible Splendors!
General Summary
Goldra, 17th of Mid-Ardent 1736
The party came down from Mount Baratok and back into the Town of Vallaki. There, they discovered a tiger was on the loose in the town. Rictavio, an eccentric half-elf, was aided by the party in containing it with the use of a Strahd doll. Once settle, Rictavio takes the party over to his tower and reveals that he is the famous vampire hunter, Rudolph van Richten. He answers the party’s questions about the Vistani, particularly that the ones outside of Vallaki are to be taken with extreme caution.
Ezmerelda d’Avenir rides to the tower eventually after a getaway from the Vistani encampment outside Vallaki. They were hunting her down for horse theft. She mentioned a safe house she has for the party in Krezk, particularly for coordinating efforts against Strahd. The latest scheme they’ve concocted is through the Abbot in the Abbey of Saint Markovia. He’s found a bride for the Dreadlord and she believes that the ceremony is the best way to lure the vampire out of his castle and defeat him.
Heading over to the Abbey, the party discovered that wretched mongrelfolk populated many of the holding cells. Inside, they found the Abbot trying to teach Vasilka, a flesh golem, on proper table etiquette with very little success. The Abbot mentioned that he needed a dress to prepare her for Strahd’s special day. Tastarn consulted with Fabulus about obtaining one and directed him to Fiona Wachter’s home in Vallaki. The Abbot mentioned he is willing to provide his healing and revivifying power when the dress is acquired.
At the Wachterhaus, Tastarn stepped in to Fiona’s book club and introduced a dramatized and more anonymous tale from the Tome of Strahd. He even sent in a summoned imp (via a special coin) to find a dress within the house. Clovis went in himself and found a dress as well but the imp had already gotten inside. At the imp’s mentioning of a dead body within a room, however, the party decided to drag it out and bring it to the Abbot.
Upon returning, the Abbot resurrected the dead Nikolai Wachter, husband of Fiona Wachter. He was lost and confused, as his remaining memories were of him being sick in bed before dying. The party would soon trick him into signing an Infernal contract. Because of the Friends spell being used on him, he has an unyielding vendetta against Clovis.
The party consorted with the rest of the gang at the safe house on what to do next. Ezmeralda mentioned that if they wanted to bait Strahd, they could. The party, however, mentioned that silver and magic weapons didn’t seem to affect him at all. Van Richten suggests infiltrating his castle and finding the source of such power is the key to understanding and thwarting this ability.
An invitation to Strahd’s castle would be the trick to a peaceful entry. With the help of Fabulus, the party gets outfitted in funky and groovy clothing, ready for what’s ahead at that infamous Castle Ravenloft.
Rewards Granted
- Access to the Abbot’s healing and revivifying abilities
Missions/Quests Completed
- Found Rudolph van Richten
- Acquired a dress for Vasilka
Character(s) interacted with
- Rudolph van Richten
- Ezmeralda d’Avenir
- The Abbot
- Fiona Wachter
- Fabulus
- Nikolai Wachter
Created Content
Current Quests
- Retrieve the gem from Baba Lysaga
- Investigate Yester Hill
- Investigate the glowing from the Burgomaster’s Manor in Vallaki
Comments