Session 15: St Andral's Cont
General Summary
The Fall of the Coffin Maker’s Shop
The battle against Volenta Popofsky and her vampire spawn raged within the attic of Henrik’s Coffin Maker’s Shop—a storm of flashing claws, splintering wood, and the gleam of steel meeting undead flesh.
Oruzu struck the final blow against the last vampire spawn, his flurry of fists reducing the creature to a pile of burning ash. Now, only Volenta remained—her mocking laughter turning into a frustrated snarl as she twirled her daggers in irritation.
Below, Billy, having been unable to reach the attic through normal means, had spent the past few minutes weakening the floorboards beneath the combat. With one final, mighty strike, the wooden beams gave way, and the attic floor collapsed in a thunderous crash.
Volenta dropped through the ruined floorboards, landing in a graceful crouch amidst the wreckage, her amber eyes burning with fury.
But with her spawn destroyed, she had no interest in fighting alone.
Volenta’s Escape
Before the adventurers could seize the advantage, Volenta launched herself toward the nearest window. With inhuman agility, she smashed through the glass, twisting midair as she landed on all fours atop a nearby rooftop.
Her body shifted, moving unnaturally as she galloped across the rooftops like a beast, her form a blur of crimson and shadow against the misty skyline of Vallaki.
She paused atop a chimney, casting a venomous glance back at the party.
"You think your precious little church can keep you safe?" she spat. "He'll burn down the rest of Vallaki to get to you, and kill the rest of this stinking vermin to force you out!"
A cruel, fanged smile followed.
"We’ll see each other again soon."
Then, in a flash, she was gone—vanishing into the rooftops, her mocking laughter carried away by the wind.
The Bones Returned
With Volenta driven away, the party wasted no time.
They recovered St. Andral’s bones from the hidden compartment in Henrik’s bedroom and rushed back to St. Andral’s Church.
Father Lucian Petrovich, his face etched with exhaustion and hope, greeted them at the doors. As they placed the bones back within the crypt, the sacred energy of the church slowly returned, the air itself feeling lighter, as though a terrible weight had been lifted.
The priest clasped his hands together, bowing his head in reverence.
"You have done a great service not only to this church but to Vallaki itself. May the Morninglord’s light shine upon you all."
Then, he turned to Ireena Kolyana, his expression kind.
"You are welcome here for as long as you wish, my child. This sanctuary is yours."
For the first time since entering Vallaki, Ireena allowed herself to breathe.
A Curious Bargain
Before leaving, Corax approached Father Lucian, his gaze intense.
"That holy symbol of yours—I'll need it more than you."
The priest hesitated, then sighed. He removed the symbol from his neck, studying it for a long moment before placing it in Corax’s hands.
"May it guide you through the darkness. But be warned—faith is not in the object, but in the heart."
The party, for now, had restored one small beacon of hope in Vallaki.
But Vallaki’s problems were far from over.
Blinsky’s Toy Shop
The party remembered Madam Eva’s request—to purchase a toy for her great-grandniece, Arabelle.
Asking for directions, they were pointed toward Blinsky Toys, nestled on the northern edge of Vallaki’s town square.
Passing through the square, they noticed guards removing old proclamation boards, tearing down posters for the "Wolf’s Head Jamboree" and replacing them with new ones, now proclaiming the "Festival of the Blazing Sun."
Another forced celebration, no doubt.
Inside Blinsky’s shop, the party found themselves surrounded by twisted, unsettling toys—a gallows with a hanged puppet, a mobile of dangling bats, and even a stuffed werewolf with a missing face.
But despite the eerie nature of his wares, Gadof Blinsky, the shop’s owner, greeted them with joyful enthusiasm.
"Welcome, friends, to the House of Blinsky! Where happiness and smiles can be bought at bargain prices!"
As they browsed, Blinsky excitedly shared his passion—his inspiration from the legendary toymaker Fritz von Weerg, whose greatest invention, a clockwork man, was lost to the ages—rumored to be somewhere in Castle Ravenloft.
When the adventurers inquired about a doll resembling Ireena, Blinsky became nervous. He insisted it was not for sale and begged them to choose another toy.
If pressed, he reluctantly admitted that the doll was one of many commissioned by Izek Strazni, Vallaki’s feared enforcer.
Blinsky also mentioned his pet monkey, Piccolo, which he had received from a traveling scholar named Alanik Ray.
The party remembered that Alanik Ray was the cover story for Dr. Van Ricten.
After purchasing a toy for Arabelle, the adventurers left the shop, their minds full of new mysteries.
The Vistani Camp – A Father’s Despair
Following directions from Vallaki’s locals, the party made their way west, toward the Vistani encampment just outside the town’s walls.
As they entered the large, ringed camp, the sound of shattering wood and breaking ceramic filled the air.
Inside a large central tent, six Vistani men and women sat silently, watching a scene unfold with solemn expressions.
At the center, a shirtless young man knelt in the dirt, his face pale, his eyes downcast.
Before him, a broken wooden crate lay in splintered ruin, ceramic shards wobbling from the force of impact.
A few feet away, a larger, older man, his face twisted with grief, stood trembling with rage. His bloodshot eyes darted wildly as he searched for something else to throw, his breathing ragged with barely restrained fury.
"You were supposed to keep her safe!" the man roared.
His injured leg wavered beneath him, and he stumbled, nearly collapsing.
In an instant, a third man, with a fine-trimmed goatee, stepped forward and caught him before he could fall.
"Easy, brother," he murmured. "You've lost a lot of blood."
Then, his gaze shifted to the party, his brow tightening as he took them in.
"And it would appear that we have company."
