08 - 4/28 : Judge, Jury, Executioner

After departing the Wachterhaus, the group made their way to the far west of town in search of Saint Andrals Church. While the group was distrustful after their experience in the village of Barovia, the wereravens at the Blue Water Inn vouched for Father Lucian and claimed he was a genuinely good man. Finally the group arrived, and made their way inside to see if this would be a safe harbor for Ireena.

Saint Andrals Church

Upon entering the church, the group introduced themselves to Father Lucian. He was gentle and kind, and was more than willing to harbor Ireena from Morrigan and her vile minions. After explaining their situation and gaining his trust, he confided in the group a grave problem that he now faced. The bones of Saint Andral, the churches founder, had consecrated the church from the forces of darkness, but had now been stolen from their resting place! The group listened to his plight, and decided that for Ireena to be safe, the bones would need to be returned.
During the conversation Wixley noted a noise coming from outside, which sounded suspiciously like metal scraping upon rock. She quickly departed with the group in tow, and found Milivoj out back. He seemed to be wearing some old leather armor under his furs, and was preparing a traveling pack and weapons that he had hidden in a shallow hole.
Judge confronted the groundskeeper, he confided that he was preparing for a trip and didn't want to trouble the Father. Upon pressing him and accusing him of the theft of the bones, he confessed that he did in fact acquire them for the coffin maker. He was payed handsomely, and did not quite seem to realize the importance the bones provided to the church. He used the money to purchase old armor, traveling equipment, a few weapons, and tracking. He lived his youth in the orphanage like many of the poor children in Vallaki, and recently three boys had gone missing. The trackers had found the small children's tracks heading to the old windmill the group had seen along the way, and was preparing to try to get them back.
The group reprimanded him for his foolishness, and Judge gave him some coin before disarming him and commanding the lad to return to the church. He vowed to return the children to Vallaki, but on the way the group would be acquiring the bones from the coffin maker. With the possibility the children are in danger, the group departed quickly towards the coffin makers shop. Along the way the group passed through the Vallaki town square.

Vallaki Town Square

The dismal square had various decorations being put up by "happy" residents, presumably for the upcoming celebration demanded by the town's mayor. Around the square the group saw signs proclaiming the event.

Come one, come all,
to the greatest celebration of the year:
THE WOLF'S HEAD JAMBOREE!
Attendance and children required.
Pikes will be provided.
ALL WILL BE WELL!
-The Baron

The Wolf's Head Jamboree has already occurred, making the square's proclamations out of date. The burgomasters henchman Izek was spotted nearby, who was tearing them down and replacing them with new ones that said:

COME ONE, COME ALL,
to the greatest celebration of the year:
THE FESTIVAL OF THE BLAZING SUN!
Attendance and children required.
Rain or shine.
ALL WILL BE WELL!
-The Baron

However now was not the time for the Burgomasters lousy festivals nor his henchmen, so the group continued on to the Coffin Makers shop.

Coffin Makers Shop

The front door was locked and the windows shuttered, so Judge pounded on the door and demanded the coffin maker open! Henrik Van Der Voort shouted in terror for the group to leave, and the sturdy oak door seemed impervious to even the toughest blows. The shudders on the side of the building were not, however, as judge plowed through and confronted the terrified coffin maker.
He initially denied any foul play, but after Judge grabbed him by the throat and demanded to know where the Bones of Saint Andral were, he eeked out that they were upstairs. Judge was done with the vile man who would commit such a sin, and slammed him into one of his coffins before leaving him for dead.
Upstairs the presence of evil was felt in not one, but three of the crates! After preparing for combat, one of them was opened and the group unleashed hell on the vampire who lay in wait. Fabian cast Earthen Grasp on one of the coffins, buying the group valuable time and letting the party deal with the threats one by one. Right before the first vampire fell, the other burst out of the crate and attacked! Qiao and Judge used their magical damage to bypass the resistances of the foul creatures, while Wixley did her best with arrows. They proved tough, but handling them one by one allowed the party to take them out with less of a struggle. As the last vampire fell, the group took a moment to rest before searching the coffin makers shop. In the next room the bones had been carefully packed away in a crate, and with them safely in the parties possession the group exited the shop and prepared to return to the Church.
Before the trip had gone much further, Qiao noticed a strange man spying on the party. Using her swift speed, Qiao rushed him as he tried to run. He barely made it a few steps before falling down in the mud. The group rushed over to find out who he was.
The man exclaimed he was Ernst Larnak, and had followed the party on behalf of Fiona Wachter. She had wanted to see the groups actions, but this news was not pleasing to Judge nor the party who distrusted the nobless. Judge grabbed him by the throat and demanded he nor Fiona bother them again, but his intimidation fell short as the man passed out. After depositing him in a muddy ditch, the group headed back to the Blue Water Inn.
After explaining the groups adventures to Ireena and Ismark, the group returned to the church where they hoped Father Lucien and the relic could provide protection for Ireena.

Saint Andrals Church

Back at Saint Andrals church, the group returned to Father Lucien who was grateful for the relics return. He was introduced to Ireena and Ismark, who were given some of the rooms available and agreed to stay here for now.
With not enough rooms for the entire party, the group returned to the Blue Water Inn and got a much needed rest.
In the morning, the party departed the inn and decided to talk to a guard before heading out of town. Judge bluntly stated the Coffin Maker was slain, and that he was in league with vampires. They were bewildered, claimed the party would certainly need to talk to the baron, but they were intimidated by the group and quickly departed on the promise they return once they were done.
With time of the essence, the party quickly made their way to the east of town and prepared to return to the mysterious windmill, where hopefully the three orphans could be returned and the promise to Milikov kept.

Portraits

Wixley - The small halfling fights with bow and is an expert in dealing with undeath. She has abhors cities and civilization and is much more comfortable in the wilds.

Fabian - A powerful sorcerer overflowing with magic, the aasimar sorcerer brings a potent suite of spells to the table to take down all foes.

Judge - The stoic worshipper of Muir, his combat expertise and righteousness leads the group to glory against all evil assailants who would dare challenge the group.

Qiao Tai - An astral monk from the distant realms of the Xha'en Hegemony, she has traveled far and found herself in the lands of Barovia. After resting at the Church of Solanus, she heard the commotion in the graveyard and quickly rushed to the groups defense to fight off Morrigan's undead. She now joins their group in the crusade against the vampire.

---

Ismark Kolyana - Ismark was met in the Village of Barovia. Morrigan had become infatuated with his sister to some unknown sinister end, and the two feared for her life. They have joined the party in the journey to Vallaki where they seek safety. He has done his best to put on a brave face, and with Judges help has been training to be better at combat.

Ireena Kolyana - The adopted sister of Ismark, she has been bitten twice by Morrigan and fears for her life. She knows not what the horrible vampire might want from her, but has joined the group in their journey to Vallaki in hopes of finding safety. She has some latent power that she has begun to exhibit, as she was able to light a campfire using magic, and after being attacked by Morrigans wolves she unleashed a devastating wave of force that killed them. She is trying her best to learn to control this energy, as well as to prove her usefulness to the group.

---

Father Lucian Petrovich - The priest of Saint Andrals Church in Vallaki, after gaining his trust he told the group that someone had stolen the bones of the churches founder. With the relic returned, he agreed to harbor Ireena and Ismark where they would hopefully be free from Morrigans ire.

Yeska - The young child was met at the church where he helps Father Lucian. He is mute, and was unable to provide much aid to the party.

Milivoj - He had grown up in the Orphanage before getting work at the Saint Andrals Church. After three children went missing, he stole the bones of Saint Andral for the coffin maker in order to buy weapons and armor, in a desire to get them back.

Izek Strazni - A mysterious, brutish man with one larger deformed arm. He appeared to be the Barons enforcer, and though he was somewhat dim he did appear to follow orders adequately. It was learned he has numerous dolls that all look like Ireena, but when the party delivered the latest one he seemed discontent with it.

Henrik Van Der Voort - The coffin maker had hired Milivoj to steal the churches relic, and was harboring numerous vampire spawn in the coffins on the second floor. When he admitted his sin, Judge slammed the man into a coffin and left his shattered body for death.

Vampire Spawn - These foul servants of Morrigan were hidden away in the coffin makers shop, prepared to strike when the time was ready. They were rooted out and slain before they could cause any harm.

Ernst Larnak - A spy under the employ of Fiona Wachter. He followed the party to the coffin makers shop, but after being caught spying on them, Judge choked him unconcious and left him in the ditch.