Session 5: On to Vallaki

Following the cleansing of the town well, the party reports their success to Ismark at the Blood of the Vine tavern. With the immediate threat of the zombie plague abated, they agree to help Ismark with the grim but necessary task of burying his father, the former Burgomaster Kolyan Indirovich.

The Burgomaster's Mansion & A Brother's Plea

The adventurers make their way to the Burgomaster's dilapidated mansion, a home scarred by fire and claw marks, its windows boarded up and adorned with holy symbols. Inside, they meet Ireena Kolyana, Ismark’s sister, a striking young woman clad in plate armor. She reveals that for weeks, their home was besieged nightly by wolves and other dark beasts, a relentless assault that ultimately led to her father's death from a heart attack. Since his passing a week ago, the attacks have mysteriously ceased.

Ireena confesses that she has been the subject of the vampire lord Strahd von Zarovich's unwanted attentions. She has had unsettling encounters with him, dreamlike and hazy, yet the memory of the hunger in his eyes remains vivid. Strahd's manservant has even extended an invitation for her to "stay" at Castle Ravenloft for her "safety," a chilling offer she has no intention of accepting.

With Ismark's return, the party, along with the two siblings, carries the Burgomaster's coffin through the desolate streets of Barovia. The villagers, paralyzed by fear, watch from behind their shuttered windows, a silent, grim procession to the equally neglected church.

A Funeral Interrupted

At the gravesite, the somber funeral rites, led by a shamed but present Donavich, are dramatically interrupted. A sleek black carriage arrives, and from it emerges a regal and imposing figure—Strahd himself. His elven attendant approaches Ireena with a bouquet of white lilies and a renewed offer of "protection" at Castle Ravenloft, an offer a furious Ismark vehemently rejects.

In a fit of rage and grief, Ismark rushes at Strahd with a dagger, only to be magically paralyzed mid-charge by Gowain, who wisely recognizes the futility of such an attack. A contemptuously amused Strahd commends Gowain's intervention, reiterates his offer to a visibly shaken Ireena, and then, with a final cryptic warning—"Watch your step. Barovia is not a safe place"—departs as a horde of zombies shambles out of the mists, surrounding the graveyard.

The Battle of the Boneyard

The party is thrown into a desperate battle. Zombies, some surprisingly resilient and others prone to losing limbs that continue to fight independently, surge from all sides. Donavich, the beleaguered priest, is quickly overwhelmed and falls, though Gowain manages to stabilize him with a healing word. The fight is a whirlwind of radiant energy, crossbow bolts, and booming blades, and through their combined might, the adventurers manage to vanquish the undead horde.

Onward to Vallaki

Shaken but victorious, the party reconvenes at the Blood of the Vine. Ismark, now utterly convinced of the party's strength and the depth of the danger facing his sister, pleads with them to escort Ireena to the fortified town of Vallaki. As a token of his gratitude and a down payment for their service, he gives them a family heirloom: the Ring of the Watcher, a magical item that aids in perception.

After a tense debate, the party agrees to the escort mission. Before leaving, they visit Bildrath's Mercantile, a grim and overpriced shop, to resupply. Getafix, ever the shrewd negotiator, manages to barter some of their scavenged goods for a crowbar and some rope, while others purchase what little is available.

Omens and Fortunes

The following morning, after a long rest at the Burgomaster's mansion, the party, with Ireena in tow, sets out on the Old Svalich Road. Their journey is marked by a palpable sense of dread. An attempt to shoot down a lone, suspicious raven fails spectacularly, drawing Ireena's ire and revealing her apparent affinity for the birds. A short while later, they are unnerved by the spectral appearance and subsequent fiery immolation of a hanged man at a desolate crossroads.

Following Ismark's directions, they arrive at the Vistani encampment, a lively, colorful outlier in the gloom of Barovia. Here, they are regaled with a tale of a powerful wizard who challenged Strahd and was utterly destroyed, a sobering reminder of the devil's might.

Finally, they are granted an audience with Madam Eva, the Vistani's ancient and enigmatic fortune teller. With a deck of Tarokka cards, she performs a reading that reveals five cryptic clues to aid them in their fight against Strahd:

Card	Reading
	Knowledge of the Ancient: "I see a lonely mill on a precipice. The treasure lies within."
	A Holy Symbol: "The treasure lies in a dragon's house, in hands once clean and now corrupted."
	A Powerful Weapon: "What you seek lies in a pile of treasure, beyond a set of amber doors."
	An Ally: "A Vistana wanders this land alone, searching for her mentor. She does not stay in one place for long. Seek her out at Saint Markovia's Abbey, near the mists."
	Where You May Find Strahd When the Time Comes: "He haunts the tomb of the man he envied above all."

With these cryptic prophecies, the session concludes, leaving the adventurers to ponder their meaning and their next move on the long, dark road to Vallaki. The party is now level four.