Session 6: Tension at the Mill

The heroes, fresh from their Tarokka reading at the Vistani camp, set forth on the Old Svalich Road with Ireena at their side, their loyal mule Hans in tow, and a mysterious windmill deed burning a hole in Getafix's pack.

An Unexpected Encounter

The party's familiars—Getafix's raven and Gowain's cat—flew ahead as scouts while the adventurers walked along the road. A hundred yards down the road, the keen-eyed raven spotted a wiry hunter in a pelt cloak crouched in the bushes, crossbow aimed at the party. Beside him stood his broad-shouldered companion.

Getafix, ever friendly, waved at the nervous pair. The hunter lowered his weapon and emerged: Vasily, a trapper pressed into service as a guard for Vallaki, and his volunteer companion Mana, who proved to have a grip like a bear and a voice deeper than Vasily's.

The pair were searching for Elira Koskov, a missing herbalist from Vallaki who had disappeared three days ago near Lake Zarovich. They had found only her satchel—no blood, no body. The adventurers agreed to let the guards accompany them toward Vallaki, though the party had a stop to make first.

The Tser Falls

The road led to a great stone bridge spanning a canyon nearly 1,000 feet above the Tser Falls. Mist billowed up from the base of the massive waterfall. Getafix, remembering the Vistani tale of Strahd striking down a wizard who fell into this very chasm, sent his raven to investigate behind the waterfall. Despite the dramatic location, there was no hidden cave, no secret passage—only a gorgeous natural feature.

The party asked about St. Markovia's Abbey—one of their Tarokka leads—but learned it lay far to the west, near Krezk.

The Gates and the Fork

As the party continued north, they encountered familiar iron gates—headless guardian statues and all—that swung open with an ominous screech. Beyond them, the road forked. To the east, an old cobblestone path led directly to Castle Ravenloft, just two hours away. Vasily's face paled at the mere mention of it. To the northwest, the road continued toward Vallaki and their destination: the old windmill.

The Lonely Mill on the Precipice

After crossing through the gates, the party spotted Vallaki far in the distance—a walled town near the shores of Lake Zarovich. But their attention turned to a branch in the road leading west to a promontory, atop which sat a dilapidated stone windmill with an onion-shaped dome.

Getafix sent his raven ahead. The windmill appeared ancient but not completely ruined—gray brick walls, mostly bare vanes that barely turned, a flimsy wooden platform encircling it. Light spilled from the doorway, and perched above the entrance sat another raven. When Gowain shouted, "Go tell the Devil Strahd we're here!" the bird cocked its head in apparent confusion, squawked what seemed like a warning, and flew toward Vallaki.

A Strange Welcome

Getafix knocked on the door with his characteristic lack of subtlety, immediately presenting his newly acquired windmill deed to the middle-aged woman who answered. Bella, as she introduced herself, had angular features and hair done up in a tight bun. She was not impressed.

"Squatter's rights," she declared coolly, pointing out that the deed was clearly ancient and that Getafix had no authority to enforce it. The druid's attempts at deception (claiming he'd won it in a card game days ago) failed spectacularly with a roll of 3.

The situation grew increasingly tense. While Bella insisted they had a legitimate business selling pastries for one gold piece each, Getafix sent his raven to explore the upper floors.

Reconnaissance and Mischief

Through his raven's eyes, Getafix discovered:

The raven successfully opened the bottom crate to find Myrtle, a young girl of about five, surrounded by crumbs. She immediately warmed to the talking bird. With her help, the raven revealed Freek in the second crate—a boy no older than seven or eight, whom the party recognized as the child who had been kidnapped from the Village of Barovia. The third crate was empty.

Meanwhile, the situation on the ground floor was at an impasse. Gowain had enough and offered to get out of the ladies' hair if they let him look for something they had come to retrieve.

His natural 20 persuasion check came through. She agreed to let them look around, provided she follow.

A Plan Forms (Sort of)

What followed was pure chaos masquerading as a plan:

  1. Gowain's cat knocked over a stack of metal pots with a tremendous crash
  2. Getafix cranked the oven to maximum temperature
  3. The ugly sister (Ofelia) came downstairs to investigate
  4. Bella, frustrated beyond reason, unleashed six magic missiles at the cat, vaporizing it instantly

Here the heroes absorbed a crucial lesson: these women were dangerous.

Getafix told his raven to signal the children to hide back in their crates. With a persuasion roll of 19 (minus the raven's -2 charisma, for a total of 17), the bird successfully communicated the danger. The children reluctantly climbed back into their crates, though Freek's latch remained slightly ajar.

The Upper Floors

Gowain sweet-talked Ofelia while making his way upstairs. On the second floor, he found a basket of small bones near the millstone. When questioned, Ofelia claimed they were chicken bones.

Gowain couldn't tell if she was lying (critical fail on his nature check to identify the bones, insight check versus her deception ended in a draw).

On the third floor, Ofelia stood suspiciously close to the crate closet while Gowain climbed to the attic. There, amid old windmill machinery and abandoned bird nests, he found what they had come for: a thick leather-bound book with metal fastenings.

The pages were written in shorthand or cipher—difficult to parse immediately—but the book radiated significance. A cold chill ran up Gowain's spine as he tucked it into his backpack along with some rope.

A Tense Departure

Gowain descended, claiming he hadn't found what he was looking for. His deception (17) barely beat Ofelia's insight (16). She seemed relieved to see him go.

But then, on the ground floor, Getafix made his move:

"I have a proposal. You know I have the deeds for the windmill, so technically it's mine. I'd consider selling it to you for a very simple price. You won't tell me, but we all know you have two children up there. Give us the children for the deed."

Bella and Ofelia turn suddenly cold, their gazes like ice.

Gowain quickly cut in: "I went through the whole windmill and didn't see anything. Let's get out of here and leave these two women alone."

The party beat a hasty retreat, the door slamming shut behind them.

The Road to Vallaki

With evening approaching, Vasily and Mana led the party to a secluded clearing—a good defensive position to make camp. The journey to Vallaki would take another two days, and the party needed time to study the mysterious book, rest, and plan their return to rescue the children.

Getafix declared a new goal: "I want to get strong enough to kill those two witches."

The others agreed. They had found a piece of the puzzle in their quest against Strahd, but they had also discovered a new evil that needed to be stopped. The children in the old windmill would not be forgotten.

Session Notes

New Companions:

Items Acquired: