One of Us Will Die:  Curse of Strahd 
 Adventure Report 5: Welcome to Vallaki

The party arrives in Vallaki after the incident at the Old Bonegrinder. Rowan’s wounds have been dressed by Morgantha so Ireena does not notice them until she checks up on them when their carriage is parked on the streets. A period appropriate cover of MCR’s House of Wolves plays as the streets are alight with torches and wolves’ heads atop pikes. The townsfolk also wear papier mâché masks resembling wolves. The Wolf’s Head Festival is on and all of Vallaki is ready to party! Or so it seems.

Rowan needs medical care and the Cathedral of St. Andral is the best place to get it according to Ireena. As they drive through the city streets, they notice something strange. All those who enjoy the event are in view of the guards or who seems to be the burgomaster. They begin to wonder if these people are being coerced into enjoying themselves. A strange thing indeed.

Baron Vargas Vallakovich stands at a podium and addresses the crowd:

“My brothers and sisters in the Lord! It has been five years since the Devil has been seen in Vallaki! And why is this!?” The crowd responds with a resounding cheer. “Yes! Because we have discovered the secret to repelling his grotesquery! Through celebration and merriment, we have kept the Devil at bay, far away in his castle in Ravenloft! For five years, my brothers and sisters, all has been well, and I promise you once more my friends, ALL WILL BE WELL!” The crowd joins him in the annunciation of his favorite phrase. “Tonight, we celebrate another week of peace by placing the heads of our enemies on pikes! We celebrate victory over death! Victory over misery! Victory over the Devil himself! So please, dance, sing, eat! Let the night ring out with joy!”

A band of bards plays as the townsfolk dance, sing and revel as the party rushes to the Cathedral. Upon entry, they meet the priest, Father Lucian Petrovich. They learn that he was Donavich’s mentor and is disappointed to hear of his fall from grace, stating that he is disgusted with his former pupil’s actions. When asked, he tells them of the tale of St. Andral, a fearless warrior who stood against Strahd von Zarovich. It is said that her sword was imbued with the blessing of the Morninglord and that she was martyred in her struggle against the Count.

Ireena parts ways with them to take part in the festivities and Lucian treats Rowan’s wounds. Hope stays with Sabrione outside before they are invited in by Lucian, and much to the vampire’s surprise, she can enter unharmed. They inform the priest of The Old Bonegrinder and the events that transpired. Lucian reveals that the Baron is his brother in law and that he might be able to help them.

The party settles down. Rowan finally gets to relax. Hope falls asleep immediately. Marjorie begins to wonder how they survived Bonegrinder and theorizes that her daughter may be involved she sets down Gertruda’s stuffed bear and heads to sleep. It’s tag reads “It no fun. It no Blinksy.”

Sabrione scouts out the town and dances at the Wolf’s Head Festival with one of the town guards. She learns that the festivals are weekly and that the Festival of the Blazing Sun is the following week. Sabrione also notices townsfolk being punished for malicious unhappiness which she assumes is basically anything that Baron Vargas doesn’t approve of. She also meets Izek who she finds with a doll that looks eerily like Ireena Kolyana. The two speak and she learns that he is the captain of the guard and the Baron’s chief enforcer, a source of fear for the populace. On her way back to the Cathedral she passes by Blinksy’s workshop and sees yet another doll like the one held by Izek. Sab concludes that Vallaki might not be as safe as it seems.

That night, Hope has a premonition of Baron Vargas tripping on a loose floorboard and breaking his nose on the railing of his house. Rowan is visited in a dream by an entity called Argynvost. The knight senses that the spirit is that of an ancient silver dragon. Argynvost tasks Rowan with seeking him out and making him whole, promising him power and purpose in exchange.

The following morning, the party wakes to find people praying at the pews to a statue of St. Andral. Deducing that something is wrong with the village, they press Father Lucian into revealing to them the crypt below the cathedral. He reveals to them that the Bones of St. Andral, which were enshrined below the cathedral were what was keeping the town safe from Strahd. He tells them that only, Yeska, a young boy from the orphanage was told about the bones. The priest also tells them that the Baron has invited them to breakfast.

Upon arriving at the house, they find that preparations are already being made for the Burning Sun festival for the following week. They are greeted by the Baron in his office. He is accompanied by his two massive dogs and appears to be every bit as pompous and ignorant as they imagined. He genuinely does believe that merriment and optimism keeps the vampires away and proudly states that there are no vampires in Vallaki (something that Sabrione silently finds amusing). They are informed that Izek led a witch hunt through the night, looking for the hags after the information was relayed to him by Father Lucian. Both Vistani encampments, The Old Bonegrinder, Lake Zarovich and around the Mad Mage’s Tower were also searched. The hags were nowhere to be found. Seeing that The Old Bonegrinder exist within the Baron’s domain, he immediately seized the abandoned building and sold the land to a brothel owner. The building’s name remains unchanged.

He also informs them that their friend, Ireena, is in the mansion accompanied by her friend Vasili von Holtz, a minor lord that she met at the festival and that breakfast is ready for all of them. On the way to the dining room, Hope warns him about the loose floorboard, but he does not believe her. Baron Vargas then proceeds to trip before smashing his nose on the nearby railing. Unconscious, he is dragged away by his servants, and the party is led to dinner by his wife, Lydia.

They meet Vasili and Ireena as well as several random villagers who were pulled off the street to endure a tea party with Lady Lydia, which they happily indulge for the free food. They let Ireena know via hidden note to meet them at the orphanage after breakfast has concluded and that Vallaki is not safe.

After eating what was probably the first good meal they’ve had and exchanging the information they’ve learned since their arrival in town, they finish their breakfast and head to the orphanage.

At the orphanage, they learn that Arabella, the missing daughter of Arrigal, was a common playmate of the children. The headmistress, Claudia Belasco, guides the party to Yeska who is comatose ending the session on a cliffhanger.

Famous Last Words by MCR plays over the credits.

Reflections from the Director:

There is so much going on in Vallaki. This was probably one of the biggest challenges I’ve had to face. There was no big threat, no combat, no massive plot twists, just an introduction to what is essentially the ‘town hub’ of the adventure. Almost every conversation had some kind of plot hook.

It’s going to be very interesting to see where the party will choose to go next.