Leaving the Camp#

After the fated meeting with Madam Eva and leaving her tent, the party listens to a storyteller who tells a tale to a child; in this tale, a mighty wizard rallied the populace against Lord Strahd but was struck down by the same after a fierce battle and fell to his death, his body never found.

While the group is listening to this story, Benjamin goes back into Madam Evas tent to get a personal reading by her; Thaddeus does the same later, unbeknownst to the others. Later that evening, Ireena Kolyana goes as well.

Thaddeus strolls around the camp in search of sturdy wood for his crafting, he finds a conspicuous bat hanging on a tree - apparently watching the camp - and shoos it away. Returning to the party’s designated tent, Ireena Kolyana reveals that her future holds a gruesome death should she ever fall into Strahd’s hands, and that her past remains a mystery, also to Madam Eva.

After an uneventful night, the party leaves the camp and follows the road further along. After a short trek, the path ends in a canyon containing a lake, fed by a waterfall. High above the path the party spots a stone bridge, resembling the place the wizard of the stories fell to his death. Having noticed the error in their path finding, Thaddeus and Benjamin spend a short time grabbing some fish from the lake, while Reese insists on diving into the lake to search for treasure and potential traces of the wizard.

After having backtracked past the Vistani camp and to the fork at the gallows, the party continues towards the sign-posted path to Vallaki. They end up on the very stone bridge they spotted before from below; having passed it, a familiar landmark can be seen: the windmill that once belonged to the Durst family. Deciding to get Ireena Kolyana to safety as soon as possible, the party ignores a cart moving away from the windmill and continues to Vallaki.

A Merchant in Distress#

Following the path, the party finds a pack of wolves devouring the carcass of a horse that was pulling a wagon. Without a thought for their safety, everyone engages - and is almost overwhelmed by wolves appearing from all sides. Ireena Kolyana still busy stabilizing Reese, and Thaddeus using his particular first aid methods (of boarding up and glueing wounds) on Benjamin, a person emerges from the overturned wagon: Vasily van Holt is grateful for the resuce and promises all the rewards he can spare and presents every party member with a bag of gold and free access to the clothes in the wagon.

Propping up the heavily wounded Reese and Benjamin, the party arrives at the gates of Vallaki in the later hours of the afternoon.