Session 03: Old Bonegrinder

General Summary

The Old Windmill

Before the Fight

• The party takes a moment to prepare;
• Garreak sends Roach up to scout the situation through the windows.
• Roach spots where in the mill the hags and children are being held in makeshift cages.
• Garreak relays this to the rest of the party and a plan forms...
• It's decided that Ireena and Maisie will enter the mill through the front door at the bottom of the Mill.
• Garreak, Madame H and Skeleton Archer would enter from the top.
• Then Kerberos reveals his trump card as after using his Giant's Might and drinking a potion, he grows from medium sized to large to huge.
• It's game time!

Infiltrating the Coven

From Above

• Kerberos lifts Garreak, Madame H and Skeleton Archer up to the top of the Mill.
• Garreak and Madame H prepare to sneak their way into the bedroom from the window holes.
• Skeleton Archer fires of a shot guided by spirits as it hits its mark.
• Garreak and Madame H rush inside and begin to deal with the hags enough so that they can free the children.
• Garreak manages to open the cages and starts ushering the two young children outside.

From Below

• Kendrick, Maisie and Ireena enter, discovering a makeshift kitchen with more Dream Pastries being prepared.
• All around the kitchen are typical baking supplies including live chickens.
• There's also a fowl smelling ichor contained in a barrel.
• And worst of all, the floor is littered with small human sized bones...that could belong to children. This is also made worse by Maisie finding gourds containing white-ish powder.
• Maisie loots the kitchen, of course.
• The trio makes their way upstairs
• They confront Morgantha,
• Maise gets Polymorphed into a spider by Morgantha
• Ireena fucks shit up with her rapier.

Two Worlds Collide

• With the two children outside and everyone else making their way to Kerberos, the hag sisters make their way downstairs.
• Ireena runs out the front door, having waded through the sea of toads.
• Maisie gets stomped on, and reverts back to her druid form.
• She then casts spike growth before teleporting out of the mill.
• Then Kerberos proceeds to smash the building with his the shackles and giant mace!
• In the chaos The Old Bonegrinder Coven is destroyed!

We Saved the Kids!

• The two children Freek (a 7 y/o human boy) and Myrtle (a 5 y/o human girl) were sold by their parents in return for more Dream Pastries.
• There was a third child but they "got him".
• Party is like yeah fuck this and decides to drop them off in Vallaki to live in the orphanage.
• They also explore the nearby Megaliths...
• They seem to depict four cities in the different seasons, these are connected to The Morninglord, Mother Night and older gods; and most likely pre-date Strahd.
• There was also an offering of a Dream Pastry and a small pile of children’s teeth
• Maisie noted this was an offering to the wicked archfey Ceithlenn of the Crooked Teeth.

Town of Vallaki

First Impressions

• The Gang arrives at the Morning (Eastern) Gate of the Town of Vallaki.
• They are greeted by two guards who ask them their business and tell them to not make any trouble.
• Quickly, they party sees different posters advertising festivals and reminding people of local laws.
• This isn't concerning.
• As they arrive in the Town Square, they see men, women and children in the stocks with donkey heads.
• When asked, the party is told that they made a mockery of the last festival so are here for a tenday as punishment.
• Maisie gives out Goodberries as the children begin to sneeze.
• The party also realizes that all these festivals and propaganda won't actually protect these people
• At this point, a fellow with a strange arm makes an appearance.
• He seems very taken by Ireena in a very creepy way.
• Seems to size up the party before moving on with two guards.
• Everyone disliked him.

Is No Fun, Is No Blinsky!

• Before moving on the party checks out a toystore; Blinsky Toys.
• Blinsky is a very friendly, if simple, man who has a pet monkey in a tutu named Piccolo.
• Kerberos buys some creepy toys for the children and gives them some gold.
• The party also notices a doll that looks creepily like Ireena...
• Blinsky tells the party that Izek Stranzi (devil arm man) has threatened Blinksy into making these kinds of dolls each month.
• With each description getting more specific, with Izek describing this lady as "supple".
• He also shares that Izek is the Baron's enforcer and is an orphan, having lost his arm initally in a wolf attack before it grew back in its current form a year or so ago.
• Maisie and Piccolo have a chat!
• She learns that the monkey did have a former master but was given to Blinksy shortly after buying a toy, since he looked lonely.
• No name was given.

A Bad Omen

• The party makes their way to St. Andral’s Church.
• They are greeted by Father Lucian Petrovichand ushered inside.
• The two children and the alter boy go to a side room while the adults discuss a matter.
• Petrovich informs the party that the Bones of St. Andral (which consecrate the grounds) have gone missing.
• He asks the party to find them before the Festival of the Blazing Sun/St. Andral’s Feast in three days time.
• To have the church missing the relic of its namesake would be a bad omen.
• Petrovich told the Altar boy about the bones and suspects the boy told the teenage groundskeeper Milivoj.
• Milivoj is a good boy, but is a bit spirited and can be violent when confronted.
• He is disillusioned by the festivals.
• Petrovich asks the party to retrieve these bones, discreetly, as the hope the church brings is all Vallaki has (even if its false).
• He will give the party something in return, a boon and he can try to answer their questions.

The session ends with the party making their way over to The Blue Water Inn, ready to set up a home base while they explore Vallaki...also Garreak is now lactose intolerant and craves dairy so bad thanks to a twist of fate!

Session ended at 5:30pm 15/9/735; 15th of Sintavr, 735