Return to Vallaki#

Upon entering the city, a messenger hands the party an invite to lunch at one Lady Wachter’s estate. Having nothing better to do, the party agrees to see her and is looking forward to a proper meal. Every other person in the city of Vallaki is busy preparing for the imminent festival, carrying around things like bundles of wicker.

The party returns to the Blue Water Inn, bringing with them the wagon full of wine barrels saved from the winery. They are followed by Elvir Martikov and a murder of crows. As they enter the inn, a figure catches their attention: a tall, bald man, covered in scars, carrying a large battle axe on his back and accompanied by a few town guardsmen, is talking to the innkeeper Urwin Martikov. Unfazed by the man’s menacing presence, the party presses forward and approaches Urwin to let him know that the wine is safely returned. Urwin is relieved, and the man is content - apparently holding Urwin responsible for wine supplies for the festival. As he and the accompanying town guards leave, Urwin explains that the man is called Izek, and is Baron Vallakovich’s most prominent enforcer.

Having forgotten the laws of the city barely a few minutes after reading them, Benjamin inquires about Lord Strahd. Immediate discomfort crosses Urwin’s face as he talks around it, covering up the unlawful mentioning of “the Devil”. Benjamin notices his misstep and offers the whole tavern a round, greeted with toasts all around.

After things have calmed down, Benjamin catches up on shopping and searches the city for supplies. On his way back, he notices a colorful wagon labeled in fading golden lettering: Rictavio’s Carnival of Wonders, presumably carrying carnival supplies. Upon closer inspection, however, something large and inhuman stirs inside the wagon. On the underside, he finds dried blood and on the wagon, faint writing:

I bring you from shadow into light

Deciding not to further risk the wrath of the owner of the cart or the thing inside it, Benjamin returns to the inn. According to the innkeeper, creatures - particularly not dangerous ones - are not commonly part of the festival…

Around a table at the inn, the party finds a colorful man, easily identified as Rictavio, telling stories to commoners. Benjamin approaches and asks about his trade and purpose in the city. Rictavio asserts that he is here to tell stories about his travels - he doesn’t strike anyone as the monster trading type.

Lunch with Lady Wachter#

As lunch time approaches, the party makes their way to Lady Wachter’s estate, which turns out to be a very old house, overgrown and almost eliciting the feeling it is disgusted with itself. As they use the door knocker (shaped like a wolf’s head), her servant - the same that delivered the invitation at the city gates - opens the door and bids them inside. Inside, the house retains the old and aged look but is better kept. The servant leads the party into a dining hall with a central ornate dining table, already set with tableware. Interestingly, this tableware shows clear signs of age, with broken edges and small cracks.

As they enter, they notice an older woman waiting on a couch who introduces herself as Fiona Wachter. She wears nice clothing and her hair in a tight bun and has piercing dark eyes and seems to wear an everlasting smirk. As small talk commences, she mentions her husband and three children, all of whom are currently unavailable. Under the guise of philosophical questions, she hypothesizes about just rulers and seems to imply that there is a different perspective to the people’s discontent with Lord Strahd ’s rule. The baron’s enforcer Izek is the only thing keeping the baron in power, she claims. During the conversation, it becomes clear that she is neither afraid of Vargas Vallakovich nor Lord Strahd and has no issues talking about them openly - as opposed to Urwin Martikov at the inn. She explains that her family would be suitable successors to the Baron’s rule over Vallaki. Suddenly she is called upon by her servant and needs to leave for urgent business with her daughter, Stella. As Fiona returns, Reese somehow convinces her to let him help her daughter who seems to be upstairs in a room, ill for a long time.

As Reese is led to her room, he finds a completely dark room and inside a young woman behaving and moving like a cat. Reese manages to find out that she has been like this ever since she returned from her engagement with Baron Vallakovich’s son. Stella also has no concept or recollection of her family. Reese detects traces of a transformative curse on her and decides to further investigate. He convinces Stella that no harm will come to her from the Baron’s son, and she is noticeably relieved.

Fiona is not surprised and does not appear disappointed that Reese failed to heal Stella from her condition - apparently she has made her peace with her daughter’s condition, but also suggests that the abbot in Kresk may help with curses.

Finally, after a lavish meal, Fiona suggests the party inspect the town square and attend the festival to find dissatisfaction among the populace - and to come back to her should they consider ending Vallakovich’s rule by removing Izek.

City Strolling#

The party returns to the open streets and turns towards the town square. On their way, they find a familiar phrase on one of the shops:

Is no fun, is no Blinsky

Intrigued, they enter to find the shopkeeper called Blinsky. His store has lots of toys and a surprising amount of ventriloquist dolls. One of them looks eerily alike to Ireena Kolyana. As Blinsky shows them around the store, Thaddeus takes the opportunity and enchants the Ireena-looking doll to mutter Save Barovia upon touching it. He then turns to Blinsky and buys a doll of Lord Strahd .