Session 26

— 13th of Octyavr, 735 BC

Entry 26. The audience with the Baron had ended in a very explosive tone, as he reached a point of no return with his attempts at brainwashing and proselytizing the group. The rest of the fight didn't last long before there were a dozen corpses on the ground and the cries of a mourning woman resounded in the whole town past the stroke of midnight. A sudden thick mist emerged from the windows, enveloping the dragonborn's body and pulling at him. The last thing they heard was his scream resounding through a vast nothingness. Immediately after, the baron's son, Victor made his presence known descending down the stairs, surprised but not taken aback by his father's death. He knew his... personality would put him in the ground no time too soon. He requested only for the bodies to be taken care of, to which the players agreed and began to work on as Victor lead his disturbed mother away from the sight of death. Not before they could decide what to do with them, Izek barged in and demanded to see the Baron with a hostile tone towards the group. Flames in hands and a breath of stale ale didn't scare Valyra, as she put forth her charms. She deceived him, blaming Vargas's death on a spy sent by Strahd, the rest of the guards just casualties in their attempts to stop the spy. He drank every word as if honeyed and went on to clean up the mess.

The group nimbly escaping outside decided to head towards the stocks and interrogate Fiona, perhaps the next potential Burgomaster of Vallaki. Sneaking from behind of the area where she was kept, a young guard easing himself stopped them in their tracks, hand on sword requesting explanation. The charming elven woman proved herself a seductress after lying to the young man that they were lost in their way to the inn. The guard offered to escort them to the inn, but the enchantress had... other things in mind, using the man's inexperience and timidity to her advantage. All for thirty minutes of distraction, oh but what fun distraction.

In the meantime the rest of the group managed to sneak in past the guards and enter the cell area, where Fiona's little imp was attempting to break her free. Although the town was in high alert during such a tragic event, the team successfully managed to break out Fiona from her cell only to later interrogate her and find out why she had caused such a rally. Their disposition towards the now dead baron was mutual however, if not kindled by years of hatred for him. She tried to thank them but the troup presented disinterested in payment for their deeds. Before she took her leave she asked for one last kindness, she needed Izek away from the town. Valyra was skeptical towards her request, perhaps not wanting to shed blood anymore but nevertheless acquiesced. The rest of the group did not seem to trust Fiona at all. Sleep took them quickly that morning.

Rising from their long rest past noon they were greeted by a dozen guards. They protested but soon arrived to the dead baron's manor in handcuffs, meeting Izek now standing on the burgomaster's throne. Threats were issued, he didn't like being charmed at all and although he was smart enough to tie the Fiona's prison break with Vargas's death, he didn't manage to outsmart the adventurers. Threats were issued to keep them out of the city, although he coveted Ireena she made an excuse to not put the city in danger of Strahd's incursions. She would rather see the devil's face sooner than his.

And so they left the town, warnings Fiona before that she was still on Izek's list. Heading to the village of Barovia, they found it desolate and destitute. The sole patron at the inn had an expression of dread and did not dare to look up from his tankard. The bartender explained of the werewolf invasion that overtook their village who killed many and abducted a few. Ismark was last seen chasing the werewolves out of the city. The group, shocked, immediately left in search for him. They walked through the forests, tracking signs and marks of werewolves until they got lost. Pushing on, they happened upon a strange tower with an arcane sigil on the door. But what took their eyes was the view of a strange cave on the side of Mount Baratok shaped like the head of a wolf. Soon after they found their way to Kreszk who had been afflicted by a strange plague and headed to the Abbey of Saint Markovia. There the Abbot was in the process of helping the sick when the adventurers stormed in, enraged for not protecting Ambrose from Strahd. He explained that there was not much he could do and that their friend went willingly with Strahd. He thanked them for the dress they procured for him, but now owed them a favor

The adventurers asked him to guide them to the strange cave, to which he agreed but could not help them further as he has many sick people to tend to. They soon found themselves alone in the cave with two obstacles in the form of shabby dressed women and a bad flute player resounding through the cave. Valyra charmed her way in, but not before one of the women could resound the intruder alarm. The fight soon began and took place throughout the bowels of the cave until they met a woman praying to a statue with a wolf's head for a sign that Emil is alive. She took the arrival of the adventurers as a sign from "Mother Night" and asked about Emil. Valyra gave her hope for her husband and she promised to take care of the other werewolves before Kiril, their cruel pack leader returned from the hunt. The group rescued six children, and two men one of which was an unconscious Ismark. A potion brought him back and they quickly made their way out of the cave and to the Abbey and began making plans for the future of the children.

"Perhaps it's not a bad death if you die kinder."

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