Post 11

We clear the remaining floors of the winery. 4 vats although one has a long split...aged and dry so not recent damage by the druids. But suspicions prove true as a taste test confirms the other vats have been poisoned. The upper floor proves to be living quarters and access to the upper tiers of the vats. And pulley to load the wagon. The cellar...wine bottle storage currently infested with mold blight. A deadly threat for Morthos till we rid the fungus.

By the time we return to the front, Davion has arrived, so we admit taking his silver (to edge our weapons) leaving his other coins. For our honesty, he tells us his shapeshifting...WereRaven. When we tell him our plans to split his available 6 barrels between Krezk and Vallaki shipments, he laments, "Sadly, what you found is the last of my wine. I cannot make more. The druids stole the magical gems used to grown the specific grapes. The broken vat was our champagne; that gem stolen some 10 years ago. A pinecone size and shape. 3 weeks ago they stole the 'Red Dragon Crush' gem. And just 5 days ago, our 'Purple Crush' gem has gone missing. My fellow raven contacts report a renowned human magician Babalysaga is negotiating for the 'Red Dragon Crush' gem. He may already have it; he's claimed the ruins of Barez his keep. I can only guess the 'Purple Crush' gem is still at the druid enclave south at Yesterhill."

We rest the night, rising to cast "Purify" on the poisoned vats. With his sons driving the wagon, we leave for Krezk with 3 barrels; half the normal shipment. Ambushed along the way by werewolves! Fortune the boys smelled shapeshifters and gave warning.

We arrive at the gates of Krezk only to be denied by Dimitri, "That is only half my order. Come back when you can deliver it all and THEN I'll let you in. Diplomacy finally sways his stance as he allows us in to his commune. A self-sustaining village with fields and animal pens by every home. The city buys the wine and distributes evenly to all. Except for the Abbey. "No one ventures up that path. The Abbott and his followers live up there. A storied history of their uprising against Strahd as they stormed his castle. Survivors? If they weren't destroyed, they turned to Strahd or turned mad. Some say cannibalism within those walls. The Abbott arrived a century ago...hasn't aged a day. As the Morning-Lord Priest, he occasionally visits the shrine of the White-Sun (statue and gazebo-pool) to demand tribute.

We've a lot to learn within this city. Now questioning whether Ireena will be safe at the Abbey!

Entry 10

Leaving Victor to study a mysterious mirror found in his parents' master-bedroom, we head to Blinski's to ask of the shredded doll found in the empty tiger cage. "I sold that to Rictavio, said he HAD to have it. He traded this monkey for it." So which is the fortune warning of...'Beware the  madman with the monkey.'?!

We follow the crowd headed to the inn where the ringmaster boards, as the mayor blames him for bringing a deadly tiger into his town. We personally confront Rictavio sneaking away and agree to meet him west of town "at the stone tower on Lake Baratok. There I have more to tell you."

Half-day later, on foot and thus slower than the horse-drawn carnival wagon, we arrive at the tower but find another gypsy wagon...unlike Rictavio's as this one has windows. A sign above the tower door reads "Khazan". Beneath that a strange symbol:

Ismarck steps forward to touch it causing chain lightning to arch thru all of us. Minutes later, after considering scaling the rickety scaffolding along one side of the tower, Xoji steps forward to examine the symbols. Standing still, he begins to move his arms mimicking the symbols; the door swings open.

Thinking wizards like to show off their spells, seeing 4 clay golems flanking a platforms with corner chains rising to the upper floors, we step onto the platform, say "Khazan" and point up. The golems animate pulling the chains raising us up. Rotting floors on the 2nd and 3rd landing but living quarters on the 4th. 

Where we find a poised suit of armor. We follow the fortune instructions "Let the wizard’s name and servant guide you to that which you seek." Saying "Khazan" and commanding "show us what we seek" the armor animates pointing to a wall. Inside we soon find a magical 'sun' sword to use in our fight against Strahd.

Outside, we find the owner of the wagon, a gypsy woman named Ezmerelda.

She's battled Strahd himself (evident by her current wounds and battered state) in her search for her associate 'vampire hunter' Rudolph Von Ricton.  Another member joins our party as we continued on the road to Krezk.

Only to be denied entry. But consideration of admittance if we can supply them with wine as their supply has also ceased. So south to the "Red Wizard's Winery" were we come upon a displaced family. It's Davion Martikov the wine-master himself  

who tells how his winery has been overrun by druids and blights (of all kind).

Entry 9

Next morning, we returned to town and arranged another 5pm dinner date with Lady Fiona. Which meant we had hours to kill to explore the lake in search of the White Tower. Yet all we found was a mad wizard. Mad indeed! That man desperately needs a tin-foil hat to keep aliens from probing his thoughts.

Lady Fiona had her own agenda. Little concern for Strahd, "Why my family has had a long standing loyalty with the Von Strovich line." Her interests lie in her pure hatred of the town's Burgomaster, "What can you do to help rid this town of the troublesome oft?!" We left with no real answer, and dropped jaws when Xoji revealed, "Did you also pick up the fact she is evil?"

The next day proved long per preparations for the nights festival. A parade of unhappy children carrying a large wicker ball that was raised in the town square, doused with oil, and set ablaze. Well it would have blazed had the dark skies not opened to a deluge of rain. But what really stopped the festival was the vocal alarm "Tiger loose!" Someone released Rictavio's "pussy cat."

Chaos everywhere. Which provided the opportunity for Isaac to snatch Ireena. To the Burgomiester's manor where we confronted the henchman. Found a chained prisoner. And searched the attic where we meet Victor, the aspiring wizard. And learned the fate of the missing butler and chamber-maid.

Entry 8

 

Not sure what we were expecting for our visit to the Burgomiester's manor. Especially coming armed with the doll sure to inflame the henchman Isaac. After introductions and history of the house handed down from his father, we get the grand tour. And casual news his butler and chamber-maid are missing, weeks now. We brace ourselves for the appearance of Isaac who will provide clues of the missing. But while he sees the doll atop Xoji's backpack, not a word. Till we finally exit the manor.

Maybe it's the calming influence of Xoji, but Isaac holds his anger. Even tells us how the details of the doll came from years worth of dreams. "I feel a bond with her, as if related." Yet he lets us go with doll in hand as he turns to confront Blinski who has sold HIS doll.

Hours till the appointed diner with Lady Fiona, we stop to pickup our silvered weapons then trek outside town to the northern lake to gain perspective of the reported wizard. A lone fisherman casts his line upon the clam waters, too far to hear our calls, although we can hear him talking in slurred voice. So we row toward him (Xoji still in armor while Domine left his ashore). When he spots us, he drops his line to fumble with something within his small boat. When we see him lift a 4ft long bundle and toss it overboard, Morthos questions, "Did anyone else think it moved as if someone wrapped inside?"

As Xoji and Morthos hasten their rowing, Dom casts "Enhance Ability" as he readies to jump overboard. As the cleric brings the bundle to the surface, Morthos casts "Sleep" upon the fisherman trying to escape. A girl coughs water as we open the bundle. Arabell, from the Vistani camp outside town. Ashore and with the drunk tied up, Bluto tells how she was his offering to the gods, "Haven't caught anything for weeks. Everyone knows Vistani bring luck, I was hoping she'd change my fortune."

It doesn't take Madame Eva to tell his fortune as we enter the gypsy camp. Arabell rushing to her father's arms. Her older brother Alexi recovering from the whipping having let her wander off. A grand welcoming and reward offer. Easy conversation to our barrage of questions about Vallaki and the surrounding lands.

Then our curiosity peeked to the presence of "Dusk Elves" hired as their guards. Conversation with their leader Cassmir, who soon leads the talks to his own musing. His sister Patrina taken by Strahd now comes to him in dreams, speaking of the Amber Temple "...the secret to breaking his pact is located there." As we think another rescue has been added our 'plate', Cassmir laments how she died long ago and is now in the catacombs beneath castle Ravenloft.