"Dusk elves... In the place we come from there's many elves, but I think that's the first time I have heard about dusk ones." Alev muses. "Are they the good type, or are they the crazy, evil type?"

"I wonder if we shouldn't seek this paladin first." Leann says, glancing to the others. "We already have seen we are overmatched, just by the lesser minions of this vampire lord. I would like to seek the mountain fortress and see if we can enlist aid from this paladin."

Rudick is silent for a moment, seeming distracted and oddly focused on where the bones were set to rest again. But then as if nothing had been off at all, the Orc speaks up again. "Used to, Leann. Used to." Rudick reminds. "We can and will seek them out, of course. But chaotic or not, looking into the elves should come first, as they are currently closer at hand." He said frankly, then looked between Sergei and Leann. "Though before even that, there is yet this house of corruption in town. Could tie in to how those creatures found they're way inside."

Father responds with a frank tone, "I've never met any of the elves. They tend to be a reclusive bunch. Besides that, I rarely leave the church, so you're talking to the wrong person about what's outside of Vallaki."

He places down the last bone, and you see a complete human skeleton with intricate engravings resting before you. Father Lucian straightens up as he looks soberly towards the group. He says, "I can't thank you enough for what you did. If there's anything I could do to help you, please tell me."

((Now that the bones of St. Andral are in their rightful place, the church is now under the effects of a [Tooltip Not Found] effect.))

Sergei agrees.

"Closest is the house of corruption. Next closest is these dusk elves. Then the fallen knight. Shall we take a stroll?"

"What house of coruption do you know of here?" Leann asks with a frown. "She looks to the priest. Do you know of any house of coruption in this town?"

Father Lucian shrugs and says, "Like I said, I don't get out much and interact with the outside world. There's too much for me to do in here. However, I do know that there has been sightings of people wearing bronze masks in the shape of demonic faces terrorizing civilians lately. No one knows where they came from."

Once the party is rested, Sergei will be eager to leave the church and peruse the town.

"People wearing bronze masks... Well, ain't that creepy" Alev thinks aloud. "It might be a cult. Better be careful if we see them..."

Then he says to the priest. "I can't thank you enough, Father, I'm the one who's in debt with you. If there's ever any other problem, I'll be glad to help... As long as it does not get me killed." He makes a chirping chuckle.

After the party rest and they leave the church, he'll give the priest a brief farewell before following after the others. 

"Still, it /is/ something to go off from. If we ask the right questions and narrow down the sightings... hmm..." Rudick starts to reach up for his chin. But realizing the helmet was somewhat in the way, he opts instead to cross his arms, shift his weight onto a back foot, and continue to "hmm" in thought for a few moments. "Either way, it's a start. You our thanks.. Father Lucian. Once we've had a moment to breathe and bandage any wounds, we should be off. If anyone else has questions or suggestions, I suggest you speak them now." He adds, looking to the others.

While the others carry on Rudick takes the time to undo some of his armor to get his injuries, and began the slow process of treating them over the next hour.

(If able to Short Rest, spending some hit die(2)(1 cleric/1 fighter): 5, 10)

(Just re-looked at my sheet, and realized I wasn't /that/ injured.. lol. XD So, spending only the one fighter hit die, since I rolled that one 1st)

(Sergei will refresh his spell slot if short rest allowed)

Father Lucian smiles gratefully as he says, "Thank you all again for what you did." With that, he leads back up into the main foyer. As the last person leaves the hidden basement, the section of floor rises back up with the sound of gears grinding against each other. Once back up top, Father Lucian says, "If you'll excuse me, I need to prepare for the morning session." He knows slightly, and then he begins busying himself about the church.

You can take this opportunity to have a short rest while in the church. 

Feeling rested up after about an hour later, what do you do?

Sergei wants to mingle with the townsfolk, pose as a visitor from village X (he’ll get the name of a village from the Father before he goes, not the village of Barovia where they actually came from) and state that he came to experience the festival. He’ll attempt to engage in small talk and try to rustle up some rumors about strange things going on in town, perhaps steer conversation slightly towards ominous or creepy houses that might be about.

Alev takes the opportunity to rest a little and eat one of the food rations he has on his backpack. Almost dying left him a little hungry.

Before leaving the church, Leann would ask the priest, or his helpers, if there was anyone specific they thought she should talk to, about places or happenings both in town and out of it.

By asking Father Lucian a few questions, you learn:

• The Blue Water Inn offers food, wine, and shelter to visitors. A stranger with pointed ears is staying there. He came to Barovia from a distant land, riding into town on a carnival wagon.
• The burgomaster, Baron Vargas Vallakovich, has decreed that the Festival of the Blazing Sun will be held in the town square in three days. The previous festival, which he called the Wolf’s Head Jamboree, was less than a week ago.
• Vallaki has endured at least one festival every week for the past several years. Some Vallakians believe that the festivals keep the devil Strahd at bay. Others think they provide no protection or benefit whatsoever. Most consider them dismal affairs.
• Those who speak ill of the festivals are declared by the burgomaster to be in league with the devil Strahd and arrested. Some are thrown in the stocks, while others are taken to the burgomaster’s mansion so that the baron can purge them of their evil.
• The burgomaster’s henchman, Izek Strazni, has a history of violence as well as a fiendish deformity: a monstrous arm with which he can conjure fire. Fear of Izek keeps the baron’s enemies at bay.
• No one hates the burgomaster more than Lady Fiona Wachter, who is often quoted as saying, “I’d rather serve the devil than a madman.” She owns an old house in town but rarely leaves her estate. Her two adult sons, Nikolai and Karl, are local troublemakers. Lady Wachter also has a mad daughter whom she keeps locked away. The burgomaster doesn’t confront Fiona or her offspring because he is afraid of Lady Wachter, whose family has old ties to Strahd.
• Purple flashes of light have been seen emanating from the attic of the burgomaster’s mansion.
• Wolves and dire wolves prowl the woods and aren’t afraid to attack travelers on the Old Svalich Road. Well-armed groups of hunters and trappers have managed to kill several of the wolves, but more keep coming.
• It’s too dangerous to go fishing on Lake Zarovich, but the threat of Strahd’s wolves hasn’t stopped Bluto Krogarov, the town drunk, from trying. He sets out each morning and returns every evening, but hasn’t caught any fish in a while.
• There have been no recent sightings of the Mad Mage of Mount Baratok. Folks used to see him skulking along the north shore of Lake Zarovich, shooting lightning bolts into the water to kill the fish

•The only other town is the Krekz to the east. The Abbey of Saint Markovia is located in the town.

• There’s a Vistani camp in the woods southwest of town. The Vistani there aren’t very friendly. Vistani aren’t welcome in Vallaki.
• South of town is a village that has been abandoned for decades. Its burgomaster committed some terrible offense and.incurred the wrath of Strahd.

“Y’know, this Burghomeister don’t exactly sound exactly wholesome either. Sounds like he’s almost as bad as Strahd” Skip opines, quietly, to any of the party who might care to listen. 

Sergei says,

"I don't think we should split up in this place. Let's take a stroll together and walk past the burgomaster's house and Lady Wachter's house, see if we get any vibes from them. Later we can check the inn, mingle with patrons there, maybe get some good rumors."

Alev nods to Skip in agreement. "Those 'bourgeois', or however you say it, tend to be like that... bastards."

He turns to Sergei. "That sounds like a good idea. I'm in!"

"Yes, staying together is likely a good idea." Leann agrees. She follows the others.