A Curse of Strahds [IC]

 Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to go talk to Ireena. Maybe she knows something about Gertruda. (Had to look in my notes for those names, lol)

“Aye.. I don’t think we have any other leads..” Lae nods in agreement.

"I don't want to rush you. You look like you've just been through something rough. Drink up and let me know when you are ready to leave." He walks over to the bartender and talks in low tones.

Does anyone need a short rest or can we go?

I'm good lets go

I am good as well

As everyone readies to leave Lae takes one last good look around.

The man sees you all readying to leave and heads toward the door with you. "Come. Let us see what my sister knows."

He leads you down the road once again to the Burgomaster's house and knocks on the door. You are all met once more with "Who goes there?" to which the man replies "It's me, sis. Let me in. I have brought some willing to help, though they also need some information and I wondered if you could help them."

The door opens and a young woman invites you in. You see a striking young woman with auburn hair. You are able to see the mentioned two marks on her neck as they are not hidden when in her own home.

The interior of the mansion is well furnished, yet the fixtures show sign of great wear. Noticeable oddities are the boarded-up windows and the presence of holy symbols in every room. The Burgomaster is in a side drawing room on the floor--lying in a simple wooden coffin surrounded by wilting flowers and a faint odor of decay.

"May I present my sister, Ireena Kolyana? Sister, this is...well, I never really got their names." He chuckles.

Yes, I am Zander and this is Zennas, we are the Brothers Smoothhands, at your service. He bows.

“I’m Lae...” Lae says while sniffing at the air. “Can you tell us more about those marks on your neck?”

She raises her hand to her neck to cover the wounds self-consciously. "It was...him. Twice he has bitten me. I don't know what might happen if he does it again. My brother thinks I need to go somewhere safer. The villagers here won't help--they are afraid of me."

“Him? We need more detail than that Ireena... And where might be safer? We’ve already lost one of our party.. there’s nowhere safe in this infernal place!”

Lae is right, but before we leave we are looking for someone who went missing. Goes by the name Gertruda, have you seen her or know anything about her?

"There are rumors that he found her and took her and is keeping her at his castle. We do not name him for fear he will appear. No young woman is safe here, but my brother thinks there is a safe place at Vallaki in the valley."

“How far is Vallaki from here?”

"Many miles as the road is quite winding from what I have heard."

“Hmm.. this sounds like it could take awhile.. Zander what do you think?”

“If you recall we were supposed to go find a wizard’s tower after shutting up moaning Mary.. have our plans changed.. are we to escort these two further from our own goals now?”

We're supposed to do a lot of things. One of them is near Vallaki I think. Let me see... Yes, the hag who was stealing children said "Seek the fallen Knights of the Silver Dragon in a ruined mansion west of Vallaki."

"Sounds like fun to me, although I only heard silver then drifted out..."