The village of Vallaki
Last session, after a long and dangerous journey, the party finally reached the gates of Vallaki. Outside the walls, Ireena chose to remain at the refugee camp for the night, promising to meet the group again in the morning. The party entered the city under strict guard inspection—forced to show their teeth and surrender any silver. Through a bit of clever deception, they kept their valuables, paid the entry fee, and made their way inside. They tried to meet the Baron that evening but were told to return in the morning, so they secured rooms at the Blue Water Inn instead. That night, a flamboyant bard named Rictavio entertained the tavern with dramatic tales of monsters. While Sophia and Avery listened, Kaz and Caspian stayed behind, sharing drinks and quietly admitting they were still unsure they could trust Sophia. The night ended with them retiring to their room, where a quieter, more personal moment passed between them. Elsewhere in the inn, Sophia had a private conversation with the innkeeper that the rest of the party did not hear. The next morning, Sophia abruptly woke Kaz and Caspian. Avery was nowhere to be found, and suspicion soon turned toward Rictavio. At Kaz’s request, Caspian followed him through the streets and discovered the bard was magically disguising his true identity—though he lost him before learning more. After regrouping and reuniting with Ireena, the party headed to their scheduled meeting with the Baron. Outside the Baron’s mansion, they witnessed his cruelty firsthand as he publicly humiliated a woman, flanked by his mastiffs and his unsettling right-hand man. Inside the dark, shuttered mansion, Ireena pleaded for shelter for the refugees outside the walls, but the Baron refused outright. When questioned about Strahd, he insisted that his upcoming festival—just days away—would keep “the Devil” at bay. He invited the party to attend as honored guests before leaving them with a chilling promise: “All will indeed be well.” And with that, the party was left alone in the Baron’s mansion, uncertain what in Vallaki could truly be trusted.

Ongoing Quests

• The Ongoing Quests are #EscortingIreena

The village of Vallaki

• After battling numerous enemies on the road, the party finally arrived at the gates of Vallaki. Outside the walls, a refugee camp sprawled along the roadside. There, Ireena chose to part from the group temporarily, promising to reunite with them in the morning after speaking with people in the camp.
• The party approached the city gates and was stopped by the guards. As a precaution against vampires, each traveler was ordered to bare their teeth for inspection. They were also required to surrender any silver upon entry. Through careful deception, the party convinced the guards they carried none, despite the truth. Avery paid the entrance fee for everyone, and at last they were allowed inside the city, eager to find both the Baron and a place to rest.
• After asking around, they located the Baron’s mansion, only to be turned away by the guards, who informed them that no audience would be granted until morning. The party scheduled an appointment and headed instead to the Blue Water Inn where Urwin Martikov and Danika Dorakova worked. There they secured rooms and were served food and drinks for the evening.
• As they ate together, a commotion stirred on the far side of the tavern. A flamboyant bard named Rictavio was entertaining a crowd with dramatic tales of vampires and monsters. Sophia and Avery joined the listeners, while Caspian and Kaz remained at their table. When the performance ended, Rictavio retired for the night, and Avery followed soon after. Sophia lingered at the counter, waiting for Urwin the innkeeper to return from the kitchen.
• Meanwhile, in a quiet corner, Kaz and Caspian shared several bottles of wine and spoke candidly. They admitted that they both remained wary of Sophia, still unsure of her intentions. Eventually they retired to their room, finishing one final bottle before falling asleep in each other’s arms, something unspoken settling gently between them.
• Unbeknownst to them, Sophia held a private conversation with Urwin and Danika, one none of the party overheard.
• Morning came abruptly when Sophia woke Kaz and Caspian with little ceremony, giving them just enough time to dress before breakfast. Avery was nowhere to be seen.
• Suspicion soon turned toward Rictavio. At Kaz’s urging, Caspian followed the bard through the streets. During the pursuit, Caspian witnessed Rictavio magically alter his appearance, revealing that the persona of the colorful bard was a disguise. Though Caspian tried to keep up, he ultimately lost him in the crowd. He later returned to report what he had seen, arriving just as a tense exchange between Sophia and Kaz was ending.
• With little time to dwell on it, the trio set out for their appointment at the Baron’s mansion. Outside, they witnessed a disturbing scene: the Baron, flanked by two mastiffs and a man with a grotesquely altered arm (in the future to be known as Izek Strazni), was publicly reprimanding a woman(Willemina Rikalova) for splashing mud onto his clothing. Ireena joined the party moments later, and the guards admitted them inside.
• The mansion’s windows were sealed behind heavy drapes, casting the interior in dim light. A maid escorted the group to a meeting room, where they waited until the Baron entered with his mastiffs and his right-hand man. He greeted Ireena warmly and dismissed the rest of the party as her hired guards.
• Ireena pleaded with him to grant shelter to the refugees outside the walls, but the Baron rejected the request without hesitation. Kaz rose and, with carefully measured politeness, insulted the Baron while questioning why he did not simply attack the being the townsfolk called “the devil.” The Baron insisted that his upcoming festival—only four days away—would keep the Devil at bay. He invited the party to attend as honored guests, then took his leave with the chilling reassurance: “All will indeed be well.” The party was left alone in the meeting room, the weight of his words hanging heavily in the air.

XP

Total XP: 3150

• 1000 ~ Travel to Vallaki
• 250 ~ #EscortingIreena Escort Ireena to Vallaki

Happy points:

• +1 ~ Sophia ~ I don't remember

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