Before the party leaves the square, they observe the condition of Madame Bauer. A small remnant of the larger crowd lingers near the stage to gawk and leer at the devilish features of the captured tiefling, and a few of the more agitated commoners shout threats of violence. For their part, the guards seem to be offering some limited protection to Tourmaline as well as holding her captive. When one of the bolder townsfolk tries to climb the steps and advance on her, he is kicked back down to the square by one of the guardsmen.
Soren:
Whereas the Baron practically radiates zeal and self-assuredness, the son seems disinterested in these events. Until the appearance of Madame Bauer. You get the impression he wants to get a closer look, but he hangs back, perhaps hesitant to act in front of his father. It's not disgust you see... he looks curious, almost desperate to examine her.
Turning away from the scene, they make their way back through Vallaki to the Blue Water Inn. They find the tavern to be standing room only, and little enough of that. It seems word of the wine delivery has spread, and many of those who left the festival have come here to commiserate and drink off the stress of the last 24 hours. Through the crowd, you see Urwin and Danika doing their best to keep up with demand at the bar, but it is Adrian and Elvir, Davian's sons who brought the wine here yesterday, who spot you first and wave you over to their table.
They immediately beset you with hushed questions about the winery, and what happened after they left for Vallaki.
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PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * [Sound of Cork Popping] - Kenku - Lvl 3 Lore Bard - Everasil
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
If possible (and unless the others object), Soren pulls Adrian and Elvir somewhere private with his companions and tells them of everything that happened at Yester Hill, leaving out only the strangeness he noticed with the raven-woman ally not taking wounds from ordinary weapons.
He also tells them of what had transpired with the theft of the protective relic from Saint Andral's Cathedral the night before, and of the party's skepticism that Lady Bauer, also from their own world of Toril, was responsible for the ensuing attack as the Baron claims. He describes the exchange between the Baron and (presumably) Lady Wachter, to see if Adrian and Elvir have any reaction to that (not mentioning the dinner invitation from Lady Wachter).
At that point, Soren starts to feel claustrophobic inside the jam-packed Blue Water Inn. Unless there are some immediate and interesting responses from Adrian and Elvir, he continues (speaking mainly to his companions):
"If one of you can speak with Urwin or Danika privately about what has happened here, you should, though they seem too harried by this large, thirsty pack of townsfolk to spare the time. For myself, I cannot spend too long here with it so crowded. I am going outside to speak to the ravens."
At that point Soren exits the Inn once more and looks to the rooftops for the ravens, seeking a more secluded corner from which to converse with them using Speech of the Woods. He similarly brings the birds up to date if given the chance and asks if they have any information to share.
While they had at first been prepared to try for a hushed conversation below the din of the crowd, upon seeing Soren's concern Adrian and Elvir rise from the table (which is swiftly seized by other patrons) and head upstairs, leading the rest of you. They wave until the catch Urwin's attention and motion to the rest of you. Urwin looks up long enough to observe all of you, nod, and then go back to tending bar.
The brothers listen attentively to Soren'srendition of the events at Yester Hill and of what they observed at the Festival. They confirm they were there as well, but the Martikovs bugged out as soon as they made sure they'd been seen by enough people to confirm their attendance.
Those who remain upstairs:
Neither Urwin nor Danika come upstairs immediately, but the brothers relay the following news.
They arrived yesterday before dark with the wine and informed Urwin and his kin about what transpired with the druids and your intervention on the family's behalf. They spent the rest of the evening catching up and relaxing at the inn.
Sometime after everyone had gone to bed, they were roused by the sound of the church bell ringing. This continued for a minute or two, and then things quieted down. They soon saw a large fire burning on the west side of town, and Adrian and Urwin went out to investigate while the rest remained at the inn.
They found a chaotic scene outside the church. There were dead bodies in the street and inside the church. Guardsmen were busy trying to secure the scene, while the buildings across the street burned out of control. They confirm the sad news that Father Lucien was among the slain, his throat torn out, along with more than 10 of his parishioners.
Stories varied among the witnesses, but they all agreed on the following:
Shortly after midnight, while the church was deep into their nightly vigil, a group of strangers appeared. They wore the hooded robes of the Cult of Ezra, and waited outside the doors of the church, asking if they could come in and join the vigil. Father Lucien welcomed them into the church.
Once inside, the strangers transformed into monsters. Witnesses described long claws and gaping, fanged maws. They killed indiscriminately, beginning with Father Lucien. As people began to flee, they pursued them out into the street.
Someone began ringing the church bell, which eventually summoned the guard.
The stories diverged here. Some claim that the monsters set fire to the buildings across the street. Others claim the monsters were chased inside by the town guard, and then the guard set the fires to kill the monsters.
Urwin asked around about your friend Ireena, but all he gathered was that she was seen at the church, sword in hand, trying to defend the church-goers. No one saw what became of her, and she was not among the dead.
This morning, rumors were rampant. Already, tavern goers had heard that the Darklord had slain the Baron and reclaimed the town in his name, while others were spreading rumors that the Cult of Ezra had summoned demons to assault the church of the Morninglord. No one is certain what became of the monsters, or if they are still in Vallaki somewhere. Seeing the demon-woman at the festival has captured the townsfolks imaginations for now, and most of the folk in the bar seem to have accepted the idea that she is some sort of bride of the Devil Strahd.
Now that they know the druids were dealt with, Adrian and Elvir plan to spend one more night here in Vallaki and then get back to the winery.
Soren:
There are still some ravens outside the tavern. A few of them recognize Soren from past conversations.
Unfortunately, they don't have much to offer about the events last night. The ravens don't go out after dark if they can help it. This is bat country, they inform you.
It is the middle of the afternoon. If you plan to make dinner with Lady Wachter, you will need to be there within 2 hours.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * [Sound of Cork Popping] - Kenku - Lvl 3 Lore Bard - Everasil
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Burr looks nervous for various reasons but he figures with an hour to kill he could do worse than go to the church and the location of the fire and try to find someone who knows where Ireena and Saskia are and perhaps look in on their tiefling acquaintance.
Zefla listens to the story from the brothers with rapt attention. Once they finish she asks, "What is the Cult of Ezra? Ever heard of that before? That is awful news about the Father. I had feared that was the cause, but man, hearing it confirmed? I'm sorry to hear that. As for the devil-woman? She actually is from our world, and had nothing to do with what is going on. I fear for her safety but I'm unsure what to do yet." She slumps under the weight of it all.
Soren does not know what to make of the horrific, yet strangely unsurprising, accounts of the grisly attack on the Cathedral of Saint Andral. For a long moment he bows his head in grief at his near certainty of Father Lucien's being apparently confirmed.
"Davian Martikovdid speak of the Cult of Ezra," he manages to get out, "but he spoke of them as people, however deluded. Mist-lovers. Not beasts or monsters or... werewolves (?) as these were with fangs and claws. The culprits may have been pinning the blame on the Cult of Ezra through disguise. I remain convinced whoever did this served the darklord, whose wrath at Ireena's being taken out of his reach we all witnessed in the violent lightning storm which followed. Yet, I sense the city-folk here are more inclined as a pack to blame Lady Bauer, or even us as outsiders for what has happened."
After heading outside to converse with the ravens on the roof, Soren thanks them and returns to the Inn, feeling dejected. Reaching absently into his pocket, he pulls the invitation to the Wachterhaus for Fiona Wachter's book club that the party had stumbled upon in the cobblestones during their futile chase of Rictavio throuh the storm. An invitation meant for someone else seemingly, yet now they were invited to the same place by the same woman.
He shows the book club invitation to his companions once more, not sure what to make of it.
Giles hears the tale and his countenance becomes dark. Their worst fears realized, now while they were gone, the church where Ireena was to be safe - attacked, Father Lucian dead. It was too much for a minute as he sits with his head down, shaking it. He looks up at Soren, examining the flyer for Fiona Wachter’s book club. He says to them, “Something isn’t adding up. This sounds like an attack mounted from within these walls. There are spies of the darklord about, and now openly doing mayhem and attacking the church. I think we should speak with Lady Wachter next. Should we have a look at the church for the next couple of hours, see if we can find any clues, then head to her house?” Giles looks up at the others, ready to move if they agree. It seems the walls of Vallaki do not provide safety after all..
Soren looks unsure. "There were city guard surrounding the Cathedral of Saint Andral and its grounds, I think. As a pack, they seemed to be protecting the territory from encroachment by others. Perhaps especially by us, given the sense of suspicion I noticed directed our way."
Nevertheless, he stands up, ready to explore the Cathedral area, or anywhere else where clues might point the party.
"I believe the Bones of Saint Andraldid protect the Cathedral, or the attack would have come one night earlier, the evening after we brought Ireena. The darklord's allies needed to steal the Bones first to clear the way. I agree though, not-Father, the city walls do not keep Strahd's minions at bay."
The brothers inform you they will pass along your news to Urwin and Danika, and they head back downstairs as you depart the Bluewater Inn.
Passing back though the square, it is now almost entirely empty. The lonely, unburnt wicker sun still sits, forgotten. The platform and stocks are still there, but Tourmaline and the guards are gone.
Walking back to the church, the circumstances are much as they were when you passed by earlier. With the festival complete, there are more commoners picking through the remains of the burnt buildings and stamping out lingering hot spots. Four guards stand near the entrance to the church.
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PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * [Sound of Cork Popping] - Kenku - Lvl 3 Lore Bard - Everasil
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
" Do you think the bones are somewhere else in the town still? Is there someone we've heard of who would have use for them?", Burr queried as they approached the ruined buildings.
Soren shakes his head. "I do not know if the Bones still remain in this city, Burr. But you already know what I believe their use was."
"The Bones of Saint Andral protected the Cathedral of Saint Andral from evil. Fiends, undead, perhaps werewolves. Or blighted creatures such as those we fought at the winery and Yester Hill. We heard it was fanged and clawed monsters who attacked? The use 'someone' (the darklord and his servants) had for the Bones was to remove this protection so they could slay all inside and capture Ireena who was otherwise beyond the darklord's reach."
The druid looks sad, but thinks a moment. "Does one of you more persuasive than I wish to ask the guards for permission to search the area for any traces of Ireena's clothing or other belongings? Or Saskia's. We can truthfully claim that they were in our charge and under the cathedral's protection, and we have not seen them since the attack, so would like to track them down or discover if they were among the slain."
(Soren prays for Silvanus'Guidance beforehand on any of his companions who approaches the guards).
“I could talk to them, may or may not have. the desired effect. I could charm them, make them more friendly to us through the skills of my Lady Tymora, but I could only have this effect on two of the four. If it doesn’t work, frequently the person you are attempting this on doesn’t like it. I’m not sure what other ploy we can use to accomplish this..”. Giles stands there considering, scratching his chin, looking for other ideas.
Burr nodded to Soren, " I was thinking though....if the bones protected the church then something evil couldn't have taken them.....I was thinking that someone somewhat seperate to the ' monsters' must have taken the bones...perhaps for payment...perhaps for another purpose? Pity we can't throw monsters at every building and see which one they bounce off....."
Burr looked off in the distance.....his current demeanour was not conducive to charming anyone...
As the others discuss how to approach the guards, Zefla shrugs, gladly accepts Soren's guidance and walks up to the nearest one. "Excuse me sir, my friends and I have lost two of ours and we fear the worst that they are among the remains here. Can we please take a look and confirm or know that we need to go look for them? We will stay out of your way."
The guards eye Zefla, armed as she is, warily. "Even if we let you look around, it won't help you. All of the bodies were buried at first light. The baroness presided over it, seeing her brother was among the slain. It was a beautiful ceremony."
"All will be well," another guard adds.
"Who was it?" asks another. "I... I knew several of the church-goers. I might be able to tell you if I saw your friends among the dead."
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PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * [Sound of Cork Popping] - Kenku - Lvl 3 Lore Bard - Everasil
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Burr nodded to Soren, " I was thinking though....if the bones protected the church then something evil couldn't have taken them.....I was thinking that someone somewhat seperate to the ' monsters' must have taken the bones...perhaps for payment...perhaps for another purpose? Pity we can't throw monsters at every building and see which one they bounce off....."
Burr looked off in the distance.....his current demeanour was not conducive to charming anyone...
Soren answers Burr, worried he hadn't made himself clear yesterday morning. Then he recalls that Morgantha had cursed Burr's dreams the night before, as she had Soren's the night before that, and Burr may not exactly have been at his best listening to what Soren had said last morning.
(Privately) "Yes it was certainly people who stole the Bones two nights back, not monsters. I saw that clearly when I tried (and failed) to track them yesterday morning before meeting you at the Blue Water Inn to depart for the winery. The two thieves used a shovel and left dirt-covered humanoid shoe-prints. These people, servants or dupes of Strahd, cleared the way for the monsters to attack the next (last) night. I think it is all Strahd's plan."
As Zefla approaches the guards and they respond asking who the party is interested in, Soren steps forward.
"The baroness Wachter'sbrother was slain? I hope I do not cause offense if I ask what his name was?" Soren tries hard to recall whether he had seen any noblemen among those taking refuge in the church the night he had spent there (two nights ago).
"We are interested in a woman and a young girl," he continues. "The woman has skill at arms and may have fought back during the attack." Soren proceeds to describe Ireena and Saskia without divulging their names, then considers another moment.
"There was also a male adolescent. Milivoj, I think his name was, who helped Father Lucien here." Soren recalls that the youth had seemed troubled.
Giles listens to Soren, pinching his lip and trying to put it all together. “We need to find those bones and figure out what will protect this place. If anything.” He perks up and watches the reaction of the guard when Ireena and Saskia are mentioned.
He looks to the ground and the scene, trying to pick out anything that stands out, any evidence or clues.
"Yes the Bones very well could be in town. Though restoring them them here may be like... what is the expression? Closing the barn door after the horse has departed? If only I had thought to take the form of a beast with a strong sense of smell, perhaps a hound, when tracking the thieves yesterday morning, I might even have an idea where, and could track them again now. But, I did not think it through at the time. I suppose I could still try..."
Soren waits for the guards' answer (if any) about Ireena, Saskia and Milivoj.
"The baroness Wachter?... No stranger, you are mistaken. Lady Wachter played no part in the ceremony. It was Baroness Lydia Vallakovich. Her elder brother Lucian was the priest here. In his absence, she stood in for him this morning for the burials."
As Sorendescribes the three you are looking for, the guards all stiffen and take a more aggressive posture. "No. None of those folk you describe were here. You'd best move along now."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * [Sound of Cork Popping] - Kenku - Lvl 3 Lore Bard - Everasil
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
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Before the party leaves the square, they observe the condition of Madame Bauer. A small remnant of the larger crowd lingers near the stage to gawk and leer at the devilish features of the captured tiefling, and a few of the more agitated commoners shout threats of violence. For their part, the guards seem to be offering some limited protection to Tourmaline as well as holding her captive. When one of the bolder townsfolk tries to climb the steps and advance on her, he is kicked back down to the square by one of the guardsmen.
Soren:
Whereas the Baron practically radiates zeal and self-assuredness, the son seems disinterested in these events. Until the appearance of Madame Bauer. You get the impression he wants to get a closer look, but he hangs back, perhaps hesitant to act in front of his father. It's not disgust you see... he looks curious, almost desperate to examine her.
Turning away from the scene, they make their way back through Vallaki to the Blue Water Inn. They find the tavern to be standing room only, and little enough of that. It seems word of the wine delivery has spread, and many of those who left the festival have come here to commiserate and drink off the stress of the last 24 hours. Through the crowd, you see Urwin and Danika doing their best to keep up with demand at the bar, but it is Adrian and Elvir, Davian's sons who brought the wine here yesterday, who spot you first and wave you over to their table.
They immediately beset you with hushed questions about the winery, and what happened after they left for Vallaki.
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * [Sound of Cork Popping] - Kenku - Lvl 3 Lore Bard - Everasil
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
If possible (and unless the others object), Soren pulls Adrian and Elvir somewhere private with his companions and tells them of everything that happened at Yester Hill, leaving out only the strangeness he noticed with the raven-woman ally not taking wounds from ordinary weapons.
He also tells them of what had transpired with the theft of the protective relic from Saint Andral's Cathedral the night before, and of the party's skepticism that Lady Bauer, also from their own world of Toril, was responsible for the ensuing attack as the Baron claims. He describes the exchange between the Baron and (presumably) Lady Wachter, to see if Adrian and Elvir have any reaction to that (not mentioning the dinner invitation from Lady Wachter).
At that point, Soren starts to feel claustrophobic inside the jam-packed Blue Water Inn. Unless there are some immediate and interesting responses from Adrian and Elvir, he continues (speaking mainly to his companions):
"If one of you can speak with Urwin or Danika privately about what has happened here, you should, though they seem too harried by this large, thirsty pack of townsfolk to spare the time. For myself, I cannot spend too long here with it so crowded. I am going outside to speak to the ravens."
At that point Soren exits the Inn once more and looks to the rooftops for the ravens, seeking a more secluded corner from which to converse with them using Speech of the Woods. He similarly brings the birds up to date if given the chance and asks if they have any information to share.
Mud(Paladin2):Frandal's Scourge/Inge(Barbarian1):Krayveneer's After the Fall/Seri(Cleric1/Sorcerer1):Uhtred's Windward Isles/Shin(Wizard2):Dimir_MTG's Surviving
Dyson/Eleo(Cleric3):Vos' Beyond the Veil/Soren(Druid4):Bartjeebus' Ravenloft/Nivi(Rogue3):Raiketsu's CoS/Lyra(Warlock2/Bard2):BlameItOnWinter's Will of the Ancients
Joren(Fighter5):NotDrizzt's Simple Request/Quyen(Adept1):Constance's Nentir Vale/Rel(Warlock2):Uhtred's Phandelver/Xarian(Fighter1/Wizard1):ShieldHero's Drakkenheim
While they had at first been prepared to try for a hushed conversation below the din of the crowd, upon seeing Soren's concern Adrian and Elvir rise from the table (which is swiftly seized by other patrons) and head upstairs, leading the rest of you. They wave until the catch Urwin's attention and motion to the rest of you. Urwin looks up long enough to observe all of you, nod, and then go back to tending bar.
The brothers listen attentively to Soren's rendition of the events at Yester Hill and of what they observed at the Festival. They confirm they were there as well, but the Martikovs bugged out as soon as they made sure they'd been seen by enough people to confirm their attendance.
Those who remain upstairs:
Neither Urwin nor Danika come upstairs immediately, but the brothers relay the following news.
They arrived yesterday before dark with the wine and informed Urwin and his kin about what transpired with the druids and your intervention on the family's behalf. They spent the rest of the evening catching up and relaxing at the inn.
Sometime after everyone had gone to bed, they were roused by the sound of the church bell ringing. This continued for a minute or two, and then things quieted down. They soon saw a large fire burning on the west side of town, and Adrian and Urwin went out to investigate while the rest remained at the inn.
They found a chaotic scene outside the church. There were dead bodies in the street and inside the church. Guardsmen were busy trying to secure the scene, while the buildings across the street burned out of control. They confirm the sad news that Father Lucien was among the slain, his throat torn out, along with more than 10 of his parishioners.
Stories varied among the witnesses, but they all agreed on the following:
The stories diverged here. Some claim that the monsters set fire to the buildings across the street. Others claim the monsters were chased inside by the town guard, and then the guard set the fires to kill the monsters.
Urwin asked around about your friend Ireena, but all he gathered was that she was seen at the church, sword in hand, trying to defend the church-goers. No one saw what became of her, and she was not among the dead.
This morning, rumors were rampant. Already, tavern goers had heard that the Darklord had slain the Baron and reclaimed the town in his name, while others were spreading rumors that the Cult of Ezra had summoned demons to assault the church of the Morninglord. No one is certain what became of the monsters, or if they are still in Vallaki somewhere. Seeing the demon-woman at the festival has captured the townsfolks imaginations for now, and most of the folk in the bar seem to have accepted the idea that she is some sort of bride of the Devil Strahd.
Now that they know the druids were dealt with, Adrian and Elvir plan to spend one more night here in Vallaki and then get back to the winery.
Soren:
There are still some ravens outside the tavern. A few of them recognize Soren from past conversations.
Unfortunately, they don't have much to offer about the events last night. The ravens don't go out after dark if they can help it. This is bat country, they inform you.
It is the middle of the afternoon. If you plan to make dinner with Lady Wachter, you will need to be there within 2 hours.
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * [Sound of Cork Popping] - Kenku - Lvl 3 Lore Bard - Everasil
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Burr looks nervous for various reasons but he figures with an hour to kill he could do worse than go to the church and the location of the fire and try to find someone who knows where Ireena and Saskia are and perhaps look in on their tiefling acquaintance.
Zefla listens to the story from the brothers with rapt attention. Once they finish she asks, "What is the Cult of Ezra? Ever heard of that before? That is awful news about the Father. I had feared that was the cause, but man, hearing it confirmed? I'm sorry to hear that. As for the devil-woman? She actually is from our world, and had nothing to do with what is going on. I fear for her safety but I'm unsure what to do yet." She slumps under the weight of it all.
Soren does not know what to make of the horrific, yet strangely unsurprising, accounts of the grisly attack on the Cathedral of Saint Andral. For a long moment he bows his head in grief at his near certainty of Father Lucien's being apparently confirmed.
"Davian Martikov did speak of the Cult of Ezra," he manages to get out, "but he spoke of them as people, however deluded. Mist-lovers. Not beasts or monsters or... werewolves (?) as these were with fangs and claws. The culprits may have been pinning the blame on the Cult of Ezra through disguise. I remain convinced whoever did this served the darklord, whose wrath at Ireena's being taken out of his reach we all witnessed in the violent lightning storm which followed. Yet, I sense the city-folk here are more inclined as a pack to blame Lady Bauer, or even us as outsiders for what has happened."
After heading outside to converse with the ravens on the roof, Soren thanks them and returns to the Inn, feeling dejected. Reaching absently into his pocket, he pulls the invitation to the Wachterhaus for Fiona Wachter's book club that the party had stumbled upon in the cobblestones during their futile chase of Rictavio throuh the storm. An invitation meant for someone else seemingly, yet now they were invited to the same place by the same woman.
He shows the book club invitation to his companions once more, not sure what to make of it.
Mud(Paladin2):Frandal's Scourge/Inge(Barbarian1):Krayveneer's After the Fall/Seri(Cleric1/Sorcerer1):Uhtred's Windward Isles/Shin(Wizard2):Dimir_MTG's Surviving
Dyson/Eleo(Cleric3):Vos' Beyond the Veil/Soren(Druid4):Bartjeebus' Ravenloft/Nivi(Rogue3):Raiketsu's CoS/Lyra(Warlock2/Bard2):BlameItOnWinter's Will of the Ancients
Joren(Fighter5):NotDrizzt's Simple Request/Quyen(Adept1):Constance's Nentir Vale/Rel(Warlock2):Uhtred's Phandelver/Xarian(Fighter1/Wizard1):ShieldHero's Drakkenheim
Giles hears the tale and his countenance becomes dark. Their worst fears realized, now while they were gone, the church where Ireena was to be safe - attacked, Father Lucian dead. It was too much for a minute as he sits with his head down, shaking it. He looks up at Soren, examining the flyer for Fiona Wachter’s book club. He says to them, “Something isn’t adding up. This sounds like an attack mounted from within these walls. There are spies of the darklord about, and now openly doing mayhem and attacking the church. I think we should speak with Lady Wachter next. Should we have a look at the church for the next couple of hours, see if we can find any clues, then head to her house?” Giles looks up at the others, ready to move if they agree. It seems the walls of Vallaki do not provide safety after all..
Soren looks unsure. "There were city guard surrounding the Cathedral of Saint Andral and its grounds, I think. As a pack, they seemed to be protecting the territory from encroachment by others. Perhaps especially by us, given the sense of suspicion I noticed directed our way."
Nevertheless, he stands up, ready to explore the Cathedral area, or anywhere else where clues might point the party.
"I believe the Bones of Saint Andral did protect the Cathedral, or the attack would have come one night earlier, the evening after we brought Ireena. The darklord's allies needed to steal the Bones first to clear the way. I agree though, not-Father, the city walls do not keep Strahd's minions at bay."
Mud(Paladin2):Frandal's Scourge/Inge(Barbarian1):Krayveneer's After the Fall/Seri(Cleric1/Sorcerer1):Uhtred's Windward Isles/Shin(Wizard2):Dimir_MTG's Surviving
Dyson/Eleo(Cleric3):Vos' Beyond the Veil/Soren(Druid4):Bartjeebus' Ravenloft/Nivi(Rogue3):Raiketsu's CoS/Lyra(Warlock2/Bard2):BlameItOnWinter's Will of the Ancients
Joren(Fighter5):NotDrizzt's Simple Request/Quyen(Adept1):Constance's Nentir Vale/Rel(Warlock2):Uhtred's Phandelver/Xarian(Fighter1/Wizard1):ShieldHero's Drakkenheim
The brothers inform you they will pass along your news to Urwin and Danika, and they head back downstairs as you depart the Bluewater Inn.
Passing back though the square, it is now almost entirely empty. The lonely, unburnt wicker sun still sits, forgotten. The platform and stocks are still there, but Tourmaline and the guards are gone.
Walking back to the church, the circumstances are much as they were when you passed by earlier. With the festival complete, there are more commoners picking through the remains of the burnt buildings and stamping out lingering hot spots. Four guards stand near the entrance to the church.
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * [Sound of Cork Popping] - Kenku - Lvl 3 Lore Bard - Everasil
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
" Do you think the bones are somewhere else in the town still? Is there someone we've heard of who would have use for them?", Burr queried as they approached the ruined buildings.
Soren shakes his head. "I do not know if the Bones still remain in this city, Burr. But you already know what I believe their use was."
"The Bones of Saint Andral protected the Cathedral of Saint Andral from evil. Fiends, undead, perhaps werewolves. Or blighted creatures such as those we fought at the winery and Yester Hill. We heard it was fanged and clawed monsters who attacked? The use 'someone' (the darklord and his servants) had for the Bones was to remove this protection so they could slay all inside and capture Ireena who was otherwise beyond the darklord's reach."
The druid looks sad, but thinks a moment. "Does one of you more persuasive than I wish to ask the guards for permission to search the area for any traces of Ireena's clothing or other belongings? Or Saskia's. We can truthfully claim that they were in our charge and under the cathedral's protection, and we have not seen them since the attack, so would like to track them down or discover if they were among the slain."
(Soren prays for Silvanus' Guidance beforehand on any of his companions who approaches the guards).
Mud(Paladin2):Frandal's Scourge/Inge(Barbarian1):Krayveneer's After the Fall/Seri(Cleric1/Sorcerer1):Uhtred's Windward Isles/Shin(Wizard2):Dimir_MTG's Surviving
Dyson/Eleo(Cleric3):Vos' Beyond the Veil/Soren(Druid4):Bartjeebus' Ravenloft/Nivi(Rogue3):Raiketsu's CoS/Lyra(Warlock2/Bard2):BlameItOnWinter's Will of the Ancients
Joren(Fighter5):NotDrizzt's Simple Request/Quyen(Adept1):Constance's Nentir Vale/Rel(Warlock2):Uhtred's Phandelver/Xarian(Fighter1/Wizard1):ShieldHero's Drakkenheim
“I could talk to them, may or may not have. the desired effect. I could charm them, make them more friendly to us through the skills of my Lady Tymora, but I could only have this effect on two of the four. If it doesn’t work, frequently the person you are attempting this on doesn’t like it. I’m not sure what other ploy we can use to accomplish this..”. Giles stands there considering, scratching his chin, looking for other ideas.
Burr nodded to Soren, " I was thinking though....if the bones protected the church then something evil couldn't have taken them.....I was thinking that someone somewhat seperate to the ' monsters' must have taken the bones...perhaps for payment...perhaps for another purpose? Pity we can't throw monsters at every building and see which one they bounce off....."
Burr looked off in the distance.....his current demeanour was not conducive to charming anyone...
As the others discuss how to approach the guards, Zefla shrugs, gladly accepts Soren's guidance and walks up to the nearest one. "Excuse me sir, my friends and I have lost two of ours and we fear the worst that they are among the remains here. Can we please take a look and confirm or know that we need to go look for them? We will stay out of your way."
Persuasion + guidance: 16 + 3
The guards eye Zefla, armed as she is, warily. "Even if we let you look around, it won't help you. All of the bodies were buried at first light. The baroness presided over it, seeing her brother was among the slain. It was a beautiful ceremony."
"All will be well," another guard adds.
"Who was it?" asks another. "I... I knew several of the church-goers. I might be able to tell you if I saw your friends among the dead."
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * [Sound of Cork Popping] - Kenku - Lvl 3 Lore Bard - Everasil
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Soren answers Burr, worried he hadn't made himself clear yesterday morning. Then he recalls that Morgantha had cursed Burr's dreams the night before, as she had Soren's the night before that, and Burr may not exactly have been at his best listening to what Soren had said last morning.
(Privately) "Yes it was certainly people who stole the Bones two nights back, not monsters. I saw that clearly when I tried (and failed) to track them yesterday morning before meeting you at the Blue Water Inn to depart for the winery. The two thieves used a shovel and left dirt-covered humanoid shoe-prints. These people, servants or dupes of Strahd, cleared the way for the monsters to attack the next (last) night. I think it is all Strahd's plan."
As Zefla approaches the guards and they respond asking who the party is interested in, Soren steps forward.
"The baroness Wachter's brother was slain? I hope I do not cause offense if I ask what his name was?" Soren tries hard to recall whether he had seen any noblemen among those taking refuge in the church the night he had spent there (two nights ago).
"We are interested in a woman and a young girl," he continues. "The woman has skill at arms and may have fought back during the attack." Soren proceeds to describe Ireena and Saskia without divulging their names, then considers another moment.
"There was also a male adolescent. Milivoj, I think his name was, who helped Father Lucien here." Soren recalls that the youth had seemed troubled.
Mud(Paladin2):Frandal's Scourge/Inge(Barbarian1):Krayveneer's After the Fall/Seri(Cleric1/Sorcerer1):Uhtred's Windward Isles/Shin(Wizard2):Dimir_MTG's Surviving
Dyson/Eleo(Cleric3):Vos' Beyond the Veil/Soren(Druid4):Bartjeebus' Ravenloft/Nivi(Rogue3):Raiketsu's CoS/Lyra(Warlock2/Bard2):BlameItOnWinter's Will of the Ancients
Joren(Fighter5):NotDrizzt's Simple Request/Quyen(Adept1):Constance's Nentir Vale/Rel(Warlock2):Uhtred's Phandelver/Xarian(Fighter1/Wizard1):ShieldHero's Drakkenheim
Giles listens to Soren, pinching his lip and trying to put it all together. “We need to find those bones and figure out what will protect this place. If anything.” He perks up and watches the reaction of the guard when Ireena and Saskia are mentioned.
He looks to the ground and the scene, trying to pick out anything that stands out, any evidence or clues.
Perception : 17
Burr nods to Soren, " So the bones may still be in town somewhere then."
(In private to his companions):
"Yes the Bones very well could be in town. Though restoring them them here may be like... what is the expression? Closing the barn door after the horse has departed? If only I had thought to take the form of a beast with a strong sense of smell, perhaps a hound, when tracking the thieves yesterday morning, I might even have an idea where, and could track them again now. But, I did not think it through at the time. I suppose I could still try..."
Soren waits for the guards' answer (if any) about Ireena, Saskia and Milivoj.
Mud(Paladin2):Frandal's Scourge/Inge(Barbarian1):Krayveneer's After the Fall/Seri(Cleric1/Sorcerer1):Uhtred's Windward Isles/Shin(Wizard2):Dimir_MTG's Surviving
Dyson/Eleo(Cleric3):Vos' Beyond the Veil/Soren(Druid4):Bartjeebus' Ravenloft/Nivi(Rogue3):Raiketsu's CoS/Lyra(Warlock2/Bard2):BlameItOnWinter's Will of the Ancients
Joren(Fighter5):NotDrizzt's Simple Request/Quyen(Adept1):Constance's Nentir Vale/Rel(Warlock2):Uhtred's Phandelver/Xarian(Fighter1/Wizard1):ShieldHero's Drakkenheim
"The baroness Wachter?... No stranger, you are mistaken. Lady Wachter played no part in the ceremony. It was Baroness Lydia Vallakovich. Her elder brother Lucian was the priest here. In his absence, she stood in for him this morning for the burials."
As Soren describes the three you are looking for, the guards all stiffen and take a more aggressive posture. "No. None of those folk you describe were here. You'd best move along now."
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * [Sound of Cork Popping] - Kenku - Lvl 3 Lore Bard - Everasil
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War