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).
Dom...Having found a magical mirror in his parent's master bedroom, we task Victor to study it as we depart to chase the loose tiger. But news already spreads of its capture, guards putting it back in its cage. So we head to Blinski's to learn of the doll found in the cage. "I sold that to Rictavio a week ago. Well traded, for this monkey." So much for thinking the Wachter boys teased the tiger with it. So off to the wagon where we find the mayor more interested in confronting Rictavio. "I care less the boys freed the beast, I blame the outsider for bringing such creature into my town." Truth be told, as evident by the boys free reign about the town, the mayor is afraid to confront them. The crowd now heads to the inn where the ringmaster stays. Along the way Xoji spots Rictavio sneaking between the buildings. Away from the crowd, we confront him. "Yes I put the Vistani-looking doll in the cage. Training the tiger to attack Vistani. They are not to be trusted; they work for Strahd, they do his bidding." He implores our help at his escape, "Distract the crowd and I'll meet you west of town. At the tower on the lake [so that's were our fortuned tower lies!].
ReplyDeleteRejoining the crowd at the inn, we remind the Burgomeister of the Wachter boys' involvement but it's obvious he wants nothing to do with that family. Morthos goes so far as to attempt a deal, "Less festivals and we'll deal with Fiona. If not that, at least quit locking folks up just for missing the events." The mayor retorts, "I'll let Izek deal with them." Which prompts Ismarck to announce the henchman's death...for just cause. Claiming his son Victor a witness. Sure hope the boy follows the lead.
But instead of approaching Fiona, we exit the east gate telling the guards we pursue the carnival wagon. Once out of sight of the watch towers we turn west per the planned meeting. Hours along the road till an intersection. We surmise our destination from a broken road sign. Later stench leads us to the site of goblins decimated. Tried to camp in the woods and obviously attacked by wolves or werewolves!
We soon arrive at the lake, a tower rising from a peninsula. A gypsy wagon out from but not Rictavio' s. The iron tower door has a glyph below the word "Khazan." Ismarck tries the trace the symbols on the glyph but is struck by lightning. Xoji acts out the hand positions of the stick figures on the glyph...the door opens. With a chained platform at the center of the room, we soon reason the clay golems as Khazan's servants and order "up." More deductions at the 3rd floor and we command the suit of armor "Khazan guide us to the weapon we seek." By the time Xoji claims the magical sentient sun sword Ireena warns of "creatures coming!" We fight off a pack of wolves or werewolves, then reason to spend the night inside the walls.
Come morning, Morthos beings to pick the wagon door lock when a voice objects, "Why are you messing with my wagon?" A badly beaten Vistani dressed woman limps toward us. Apologizes and healing aside, she tells how she entered Strahds castle in search of her accomplice 'vampire hunter' but was attacked and beaten by Strahd himself. She joins our group as we head for Krezk.
But as expected, we are denied entry into the city. The Burgomeister Dimitri requires us to show prove of our honest intentions, so off to the winery to find out why everyone's supply has stopped. We soon learn druids have taken control. With swarms of blight at their command...twig blights, needle blights, and even vine blights. We coordinate our attack as we deal with entangling vines and poisonous needles as the druids cast to immobile as many of us as they can. But we soon claim victory...at least the chance to explore the winery.