Session 006 - St. Andral's Feast

While Hephastus Heavyhide left the Inn to investigate a rumor of his mentor Ingrid Boulderstrike, the rest of the heroes went downstairs in the Blue Water Inn, where they began to eat dinner. During this, they watched as Rictavio shared a story to the patrons of the inn. After this story, the heroes mingled amongst the other patrons of the inn, including the brothers Karl Wachter and Nikolai Wachter, Szoldar Szoldarovich, and Rictavio. Ava Reigh offers to escort the drunk brothers back to their home, who accepted, and Magnus Frostbane tails along. When Ava places Karl into bed, she secretly feeds on him, managing to leave no evidence of her actions. She and Magnus then return to the inn to their friends. The heroes decide to rest for the night.   In the morning, as they walk down the stairs, they see Urwin Martikov give a parcel for Rictavio. The heroes query the contents of the parcel, with Urwin saying its daily rations for Rictavio. Magnus Frostbane decides to follow Rictavio, and watches as the flamboyant circus worker feed a horse outside. Magnus then sees Rictavio change his appearance into a nondescript commoner and opts to follow Rictavio into the crowds of the town.   Ava, Ash, Aurora, and Selkis opt to escort Ireena Kolyana to St. Andral's Church where Ava bumps into the handsome Henrik van der Voort, who Ava immediately makes a connection with. When the heroes entered into the church, they could see that there was some damage from a fallen tree, and meet Father Lucian Petrovich, Milivoj, and Yeska. Father Lucian informed the heroes, that while he would be willing to offer Ireena Kolyana sanctuary, he could not as the bones of St. Andral had been stolen. The bones were the source of the church's protection, and he was anxious to retrieve them. Father Lucian admitted that he had told the young altar boy Yeska of the bones in an attempt to soothe the boys' fears of Strahd.   The heroes opted to talk with the young boy, with Aurora using illusions to make herself look like the gravedigger Milivoj, where Yeska admitted that he had told Milivoj of the bones. Father Lucian immediately began to lead the heroes to Milivoj's house within Vallaki. Meanwhile Magnus Frostbane was still following Rictavio. During this chase, he came across a scene where an elderly lady was about to be run over by a wealthy looking carriage. Before he could do anything Magnus saw Baron Vargas Vallakovich ask his henchman Izek Strazni to punish the old lady. Magnus quickly intervened and was able to convince the Baron to show mercy.   The heroes with Father Lucian arrived to the house of Milivoj where they met his mother, and many siblings. Aurora entered into Milivoj's room, made herself look like Strahd and threatened the boy. Milivoj, terrified, informed Aurora that he was paid by Henrik van der Voort to steal the bones, and he had given them to the coffin maker the night that he stole them.   As this was occurring, Magnus followed Rictavio to the Arasek Stockyard, where he saw the circus owner put some food in a closed wagon, and left the stockyard. As Magnus attempted to enter the wagon, it began shaking and sounded like a tiger was in the wagon. After some time trying multiple ways in the wagon, that was protected from magic, Magnus casted shatter onto the wagon, resulting in the wagon exploding and almost killing the young girl Arabelle. It is at this scene, where the heroes regrouped as Father Lucian ushered the others into the stockyard. The heroes quickly healed Arabelle, and Rictavio arrived. Distraught, Rictavio revealed that he was Dr. Rudolph Van Richten and took Arabelle to the Blue Water Inn to get Arabelle needed healing.   The heroes, with Father Lucian then made their way to the coffin makers shop that was in the stockyard where they met again Henrik van der Voort. Ava convinced the young man to take her out for a drink, and they head off to a small inn nearby. The rest of the group investigated the house, finding the bones of St. Andral in a trapped hiding space. During this investigation they triggered an alarm that yelled "Is No Fun, Is No Blinsky!”.   This noise caused Volenta Popofsky and two vampire spawns to awaken in a storage room and attacked the heroes. Aurora was able to message Ava and warn her, who knocked Henrik out with a punch and rushed back to the shop. The heroes struggled to defeat the bride of Strahd, but was able to eventually defeat her. The heroes then spent some time taking parts of the vampire brides body, such as her teeth, and her eyes. Selkis Netah puts Volenta's eyes into her own, allowing her to have normal sight once again.   The heroes then take the bones of St. Andral back to the church, where they begin to help Father Lucian to sanctify the church grounds again, which causes Ava and Magnus to quickly flee from the grounds due to their undead nature. With the power of Volenta's eyes, Selkis recognises something about Ava. After the church is considered safe again Ireena Kolyana leaves the heroes and asks them to come and get her before they leave Vallaki as she wants to take down Strahd.   Ava and Mangus decide to head to the toy store before they return to the inn, and the session ends as they take in the exterior of the store.