Session 16: The Missing Vistana
General Summary
A Toy for Arabelle
At the request of Madam Eva, the party paid a visit to Blinsky Toys, the curious and unsettling shop nestled near Vallaki’s town square. After navigating shelves filled with bizarre creations—a doll with mismatched eyes, a mobile of hanging bats, and a headless marionette—they selected a gift for Eva’s great grand-niece, Arabelle.
The toy was purchased, but unease lingered—especially after Blinsky refused to sell a doll resembling Ireena, nervously citing Izek Strazni’s orders. With a bit of coaxing, Blinsky admitted the doll was crafted under duress, and his fear of Izek’s wrath kept him compliant.
He also mentioned his pet monkey, Piccolo, a gift from a traveling scholar named Alanik Ray, and spoke of the legendary toymaker Fritz von Weerg, whose greatest invention—a clockwork man—was said to be lost within Castle Ravenloft itself.
The Missing Vistana
After leaving Blinsky’s toy shop, the party journeyed to the Vistani encampment just outside Vallaki’s walls to deliver a nameday gift for Arabelle, Madam Eva’s great grand-niece. But what was meant to be a joyful visit turned grim—Arabelle was missing.
There, the party met Luvash and Arrigal, Arabelle’s father and uncle, respectively. Tension hung heavy in the air, and it became immediately clear that something had gone terribly wrong.
Luvash’s Account
Luvash, nursing an injury, shared the heartbreaking tale:
- One day before the players arrived in Vallaki, Alexei, Luvash’s nephew, had been tasked with watching Arabelle while she played in the woods.
- Instead of doing so, Alexei got drunk on wine—a bottle allegedly given to him by Yan, a long-standing member of the Vistani camp.
- When Alexei awoke, Arabelle was gone—and Yan had vanished.
Luvash quickly organized a massive search effort, mobilizing over a dozen Vistani warriors and nearly as many dusk elf scouts from the hovels at the base of the hill.
During the search, Luvash himself was caught in a wolf trap, injuring his leg and forcing him to return to camp.
The searchers pressed on. Eventually, a dusk elf named Savid found Yan’s body, decapitated and lying in the bloody grass near the Luna River, amid clear signs of a violent struggle.
Beside the body, Savid also discovered a strange platinum signet ring, which was turned over to Kasimir Velikov, the leader of the dusk elves and a learned scholar, in hopes of uncovering its origin.
Desperate, Luvash asked the players to follow the trail themselves. He believed the sigil on the ring might be the key to finding Arabelle—but neither Vistani nor dusk elves are allowed within Vallaki’s walls.
He offered the party a wealth of treasure if they would bring the ring to Baron Vargas Vallakovich’s personal library, and research its origins.
The players agreed, setting in motion a trail of investigation that would lead them deep into the secrets of Vallaki’s ruling family... and closer to an answer Luvash may not be ready to hear.
Kasimir notes that the runes are the symbols of the evocation (left) and necromancy (right) schools of magic, respectively, but confesses that the ring has shown no reaction to any kind of magic.
Secrets in the Vallakovich Manor
Back in Vallaki, the party arranged an audience with Baron Vargas Vallakovich. In exchange for entry to his personal library, the Baron required them to investigate a haunting plaguing his estate—an apparition witnessed by staff for the past two months.
From Tereska, the cook, and other servants, the party pieced together key details:
- The spirit manifests mostly on the second floor and attic.
- Breathing sounds, moving objects, and cold drafts are common.
- Valentina, the baroness’ lady-in-waiting, once saw the ghost in a mirror—now hidden away in the attic.
- The hauntings are sorrowful, not violent.
- The Baron’s son, Victor Vallakovich, frequently locks himself away in the attic.
- Fiona Wachter’s daughter fell mysteriously ill months ago, shortly after growing close to Victor.
Within the library, the players uncovered a chilling entry in a genealogical tome:
- Ireena Strazni, listed as the younger sister of Izek Strazni, died at age four. Her cause: “Unknown (presumed devoured by wolves).”
- Her parents, Grygori and Fatima Strazni, committed suicide shortly after.
As they processed this revelation, they were interrupted by Victor Vallakovich, seeking a tome titled Ethereal Entities: Denizens of the Unseen Realm—and carrying a spellbook bearing the same sigil as the platinum ring.
Victor’s Truth (and Lies)
Victor led the party to his attic workshop, where he revealed the sigil belonged to Khazan, an ancient archmage who once built a tower on Lake Baratok, protected by powerful anti-magic wards. Victor had discovered Khazan’s spellbook three years ago and had secretly studied magic ever since.
He agreed to help—on one condition: the party would bring him any arcane relics they found, especially a proper wizard’s staff.
When questioned about the haunting, Victor lied, claiming the disturbances were side-effects of his own magical experiments. But a sharp eye (and a low DC Insight check) revealed his unease—especially when his gaze flickered toward the attic mirror.
Pressed further, he confessed:
“There is a spirit… but she means no harm. Please don’t tell my father. He’d try to banish her, and… she’s just lonely.”
Into the Woods
To find Khazan’s Tower, the party would need a guide. Victor directed them to Szoldar Szoldarovich, a seasoned wolf-hunter who lived with his partner Yevgeni Krushkin near the Luna River, west of Vallaki.
The party found Szoldar and hired him to guide them. His manner was gruff, but honest, and he clearly knew the wilderness well. At sunset, they set out.
Ambush at the Crossroads
Crossing the Luna River Bridge, they reached a fork in the trail. The air grew still. Szoldar warned them:
“These saplings weren’t here last week. And scarecrows don’t plant themselves.”
It was a trap. Four twig blights and two animated scarecrows sprang from the brush. The party readied their weapons as the creatures closed in.
And that’s where the session ended.
