Having defeated the band of scarecrows, the heroes continue on to Vallaki to return the children to their family. They come to a crossroads before a sturdy bridge. Suddenly, a large skeleton appears on the path. Thaldir moves to go around, when the skeleton stirs, as though coming to life.
“State your business,” he bellows.
Term steps forward and addresses the creepy figure. “We are traveling to Vallaki, and we need to cross this bridge.”
The skeleton inquires, “Are you part of the war? On which side do you fight?”
The group of travelers exchange puzzled looks. Term addresses the skeleton again. “Sir, you don’t appear to be entirely alive. What war do you mean?”
Their exchange with the giant skeleton continues, and he explains that he is the bridge guard. He invites them to share a meal in his guard shack, but the heroes politely decline. After a few more friendly words indulging their dead friend, they continue to Vallaki.
At the gate, they encounter another guard. They are able to enter the city by passing themselves off as couriers.
As soon as they set foot in Vallaki, they are greeted by a few of the children they met on their last visit. The children pause and begin to cry when they see little Brom in the wagon. “What happened? He was our friend,” they wail.
They tell the children what happened, giving as few details as possible. “Brom was very brave, but he didn’t survive his injuries. We have to get this little one home to his mother.”
Danika rushes out of the Inn as soon as she hears the wagon pull up. She lets out a joyful scream and wraps her arms around their young charge. “My boy!”
As she looks to Thaldir for an explanation, he suggests that they all go inside to discuss recent events.
Thaldir recounts the harrowing tale of their battle on the hill, the scheming druids, and the interrupted ritual. “The Devil himself was set to arrive, but we escaped with the children just as he flew in on his demonic horse.”
Danika lowers her head, then asks about her family. “How are they? Our relationship is complicated because of what’s happened in the past, but I think of them often.”
“They are well, but they were very concerned about the attack on the winery. There are powerful items that have gone missing.” Thaldir continues, “What happened between you and your family?”
Danika recounts the details of the night one of the precious items went missing on her watch. She appears shocked when Thaldir says, “We recovered one gem and returned it to your family.”
She and her husband Urwin thank them sincerely for returning their son, safe and sound. She offers them lodging and drink for the night as a token of their gratitude. She excuses herself to tend to something in the back of the tavern.
As the group toasts to the brave, young Brom, a familiar face enters the tavern. They recognize Falkon immediately as the raven who transformed in front of them. He greets Urwin and begins to share more of the sinister doings that led to the children being abducted.
“Lady Watcher, she is the culprit. She offers the children as a sacrifice to appease Strahd. It’s time for her to pay!”
Thaldir appeals to their better judgement. “This is not the time for us to employ vigilante justice. We have to learn more about her plans before we act. Tread carefully, friends.”
Undeterred, Falkon says the Order of the Feather will continue to watch the old woman, as they have been watching these heroes from the moment they first came to Barovia. “Over these many weeks, people have continued to go missing. We have no explanation for these disappearances, but we have a clue who is behind it.”
After hearing all of the latest on Strahd’s hold over the land, the group turns to something a little more potent than wine. Thaldir asks for a stronger beverage and finds himself completely upside down after only one drink of the special bourbon blend.
Thinking it best to call it a night, they all turn in upstairs. Tilly tries to rest but is plagued by dreams of their old nemesis Pidlwick. She is haunted by visions of the little imp skipping down the road carrying a blood dagger and leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. She is startled awake as the horror of the dream slowly fades.
After a good night’s rest in familiar and friendly surroundings, the group is anxious to get some supplies and visit with their close (some closer than others) friends, the Vistani.
Because Tilly is adamant they check to see if Blinsky has fallen prey to the mischievous Pidlwick. They are shocked (and disturbed) to find that Pidlwick has been “running errands” for Lady Watcher.
“You see, I’ve fixed him,” Blinsky says. “He is quite chipper and so very helpful! Lady Watcher sends him on errands all the time. Most nights he stays gone until the morning.”
Tilly is livid. She implores Blinsky to get Pidlwick back from Lady Watcher and lock the little murderer away. They continue to argue about the potential danger. Finally convinced, Blinsky shows them to Pidlwick’s room. They find a box behind some blankets in Pidlwick’s room. It’s covered in a slimy substance that causes Tilly to drop it.
As it crashes to the floor, the box opens, revealing a note and a bloody dagger. It reads, “Thank you for your service, Pidlwick. Signed, Lady Watcher.”
Thaldir takes the box and closes it. “We need to get this to one of our friends,” he says, thinking of their chat with Falkon. The group decides to take their leave of Blinsky’s shop, in hopes that they will run into Pidlwick. Before going, they ask to use some of their store credit to send some food and toys to the children at the orphanage.
Tilly mentions needing a whetstone to sharpen her dagger. Thaldir suggests that they go to across the street to Rowley’s shop. Blinsky pipes up, “It’s very sad about Rowley He’s been missing for several days now. Lady Watcher ordered his shop to be locked and put under guard until he returns.”
Term and Aydin instantly gear up to go investigate. Outside the shop, Thaldir and Term speak with the guards. Tilly joins in and hopes to persuade them to open the shop. Twenty gold pieces, a flurry of compliments, and the offer of a toy for the guard’s daughter, they are granted entry.
What they find is a shop that is nearly empty, and it appears that Rawley packed his things and left in a hurry. One of the only things remaining inside is a note addressed to Thaldir. It reads, “Thaldir, Sorry for leaving, but can’t trust Lady Wachter. If she discovered who I really am.. I would be dead. Look for me in Krezk. – Rowley”
They quickly leave the shop and head for the other shops. They first visit a shop called “The Dusklight Supply Shop”. It’s a small little shop that sells general goods. They make some small purchases. Tilly gets a whetstone, ball bearings (one gold each item) from Bethel, the shopkeeper.
After shopping, they next head down the street to another shop called, “The Beast’s Rose” which is run by a man named Gili, who is a monster of a man, and his small petite wife, Lottie. The two are the most sincere and sweetest couple the party has come into contact with. The shop specializes in selling clothing and they are both tailors. Tilly picks up a new red jacket and hat (which she got for five copper and a trade of her purple ensemble). Lottie convinced Tilly that red was her color. From there it was an easy sale.
Thaldir, Term, Syrren, and Aydin are not nearly so vain, and they plan their shopping for Krezk. Thaldir hopes to find Rawley there and hear more about what Lady Watcher has done to the town.
Their next stop is the warm and welcoming Vistani camp. Tilly finds that her love, Iosif, is not at the camp. Eliza has taken ill, and he has taken her to see Madam Eva. Of course, Tilly and friends express genuine concern for Eliza’s health. No one is surprised to learn that her mysterious illness was preceded by a visit from Pidlwick, who brought toys to the Vistani children.
It does raise the heroes’ eyebrows that Pidlwick has been regaling the Vistani with tales of his time spent entertaining Lady Watcher’s friends. They are also interested to hear that Ireena’s wedding dress was ruined by Pidlwick and his pranks and that the “meow-meow woman” (Lady Watcher’s daughter) is now a permanent fixture at the old woman’s side. Victor, heartbroken at being exiled from the city, confines himself to a tent at the edge of the Vistani camp.
As our wandering heroes continue to get reacquainted with the Vistani’s supply of liquor and share a jovial evening, the threat of evil looms close by. Perhaps the new day that follows this night of merriment will yield new information, an end to personal quests, or a reunion with yet another long lost friend. Until next time…