Deal with Arabelle and the Vistani men. (Reward? Information? Allies?)- Work on the children angle
-Check in with Blinsky (since we’ve found ourselves back in town)
-Ask him and others about Mad Mary’s daughter and her doll
-Should also ask about Morgantha who is kidnapping children and selling dream pastries, maybe she’s living in a gingerbread house, all we need to do is follow breadcrumbs - Check out the mad wizard of Mt Baratook
- Check in on Elgian’s windmill as a potential base of operations
- Check on the wine order from the Wizard of Wines Vinyard
- Check out the marshes that were mentioned (should we take the two guides from the bar?)
- Amber Castle
We rejoin our adventurers in the streets of Villaki. After leaving the toy shop of Gadof Blinsky, the town enforcer Isaac is seen approaching the shop. The adventures quickly, without discussion but still in near perfect coordination put themselves into position for maximum information collection. Elgian sneaks back in to the shop to be our eyes and ears. Korina and Ada duck for cover. Mondross and Elmer adopt the look of town simpletons grinning broadly and waving stupidly at the strange looking thug.
Izek mad dogs the boys but otherwise makes no hostile motion at the party. He enters the shop to speak to Blinsky. Elgian is playing the curious customer looking about but ready to soak in the encounter. He observes Izek and Blinsky discussing the latest rendition of the Ireena doll. Izek says it’s getting closer but needs some minor changes. Even as Izek describes the changes, Elgian silently agrees that such changes would make the doll just a bit more accurate to the muse. Blinsky promises to have the doll ready in a month and Isaac leaves.
As Izek exits the shop Korina is quick to follow at a safe distance, unobserved by the thug. As he walks, Korina is not surprised to see that the citizens give him a wide berth. Clearly the inhuman appendage replacing his left hand has left little doubt in the minds of the people of the town that Izek is not one to be messed with. He walks for a few minutes until he arrives at the grandest mansion in town. Though large and opulent by Villaki standards, it is dilapidated. The windows are all shaded and covered and the wall enclosing the compound has large slabs of plaster sluffing away like wax from an ancient candle.
Korina takes a careful but quick pass about the border of the property to understand it’s dimensions and the various doors and entry ways. When she returns to the front entrance she observes a gaggle of raggedy ladies entering the compound. The conversation that Korina over hears leads her to believe that these women are peasants and have come to the mansion for high tea with the Baroness. Korina returns to the party with this new information.
The party continues on with their task list. They continue through the streets towards the home and shop of the coffin maker but along the way the find the town square. The square appears to have the decorations for the last great festival, the wolfs head jamboree. When the party enters the square they soon notice guards removing and replacing old banners celebrating the last festival with new banners celebrating the up-coming festival; the Festival of the Burning Sun. The new banners, like the old ones insist that attendance is mandatory, especially for children. They sign off with an ominous slogan; “All will be well”.
In addition to the guards and decorations, there are stockades with several adults and a few children held in chains. The prisoners wear donkey masks over their heads and make such a pitiful site that the party is moved to offer some aid. Elgian and Ada quickly devise a diversion, stuffed burlap balls. Mondross takes up his lute and begins rocking out like we were at Woodstock. Elmer, with no skills to offer the ruse makes himself scarce and Korina uses the commotion to approach the poor unfortunates to give aid. She offers them water and asks them what they did to deserve this punishment. They thank her for her help, drink as greedily as their bonds and masks will allow and tell her that they were in stocks for various reasons such as speaking against the festival or not attending.
Shortly the guards take notice and come to watch the seen. Korina gives the last of the prisoners water and moves away while Elgian makes a play for the guards full attention. Elgian offers his services for the next event telling the guards that we are a troop of performers. The guards, impressed with the show thus far, tell Elgian to go to the manor house and see the baron about performing at the next festival. Elgian thanks the guards and we all move on.
Eventually the party arrives at the house and shop of Henrik the coffin maker. It is a two story structure with boarded windows on both floors. Elmer, moved by the holy spirit and determined to bring law and order to this thief who would rob the only church in the town boldly walks to the door and begins pounding on it. The rest of the party decides that though his actions are brash, he is providing a suitable distraction and begins scouting the rest of the dwelling. Soon Ada and Korina find a way in through a window and enter. After a bit of scouting on the inside on the first floor and confirming that there is only one person in the lower section of the home, they get the rest of the party (except Elmer) to join them inside. Elmer continues to try talk to Henrik, at times reasoning with him about the evil of his actions and at other times threatening him with physical violence and spiritual damnation. But ultimately the act that seems to push the thief over the edge is the sudden appearance of the visage of St. Andral in his parlor. Korina, slyly casts an illusion of St. Andral but Henrik is convinced and begins to pray. Eventually the whole party enters his parlor and he surrenders without a fight.
Henrik confesses that he has taken the bones and that they are upstairs in a wardrobe. He also tells us that there are at least 3 vampires up there. Apparently a nobleman named Vasili Von Holtz has forced Henrik to harbor these evil creatures in his home. He has done so for some time but does not interact with them. We decide that with the bright light of day as our ally, we can probably clear out the vampires if we happen to run into them. We secure Henrik in a coffin and proceed to the top floor.
We quickly discover the wardrobe. After a casual search we find some money (30 silver coins with a visage similar to the marionette in Blinsky’s shop. We also find 11 EP). After some additional searching we discern that there is a secret compartment. Within the secret compartment we find a sack containing the bones of St. Andral. We take the bones and continue to search the top floor. We do not find anything that leads us to believe that there are vampires in attendance but begin a thorough search armed with stakes and our usual arsenal of weapons and wit. As we search we open the window shutters to let the sun light into the place believing that sunlight will help should we encounter creatures of the damned.
Eventually we find a crate filled with earth. As we ponder this queer container we are surprised by a vampire buried in the dirt. He bursts out and attacks. He is quickly followed by 5 more companions in 5 other crates.
Though we make valiant efforts in the initial battle, it quickly becomes clear that we are no match for these fiends and that the sunlight which we put our faith in, does not appear to hinder or harm our enemy. When we see wounds that we have so recently created with flame and sword close up and heal like they were nothing but paper cuts we know we will be lost if we stand and find. So we quickly retreat with the vampires giving chase. Despite the betrayal by Henrik, Ada decides to take a moment to free him from the coffin we secured him in before we flee the shop. We leave our adventurers running through the streets of Villaki with Vampires in hot pursuit.