Curse of Strahd Session 6: All Will Be Well

The party arrives at the iron gates of Vallaki, accompanied by Ismark and Ireena. They immediately notice the town's defensive palisade and the grim sight of wolf heads on pikes, alongside flyers for the upcoming 'Festival of the Blazing Sun.' After entering, the group heads to the Blue Water Inn, where they meet the proprietor Danica Martikov. They learn the town is currently 'dry' due to a severe wine shortage, and they observe several suspicious patrons, including two hunters and a silent hooded man. While Ismark leaves to speak with the Burgomaster about housing for Ireena, the party decides to split up to investigate different leads within the city. Chaya and Gretch follow a flamboyant performer named Rictavio to the Arasek Stockyard. Rictavio claims to be a traveling bard and storyteller, but Chaya uses her keen insight to realize he is hiding his true identity. He shows them his 'tiger,' which is actually an armored saber-toothed cat kept in a reinforced carnival wagon. Meanwhile, Steinman visits the Wachterhaus, the dilapidated estate of Lady Wachter. He gains access to her library, discovering a genealogy of the von Zarovich line that lacks proper historical citations, suggesting the records may be fabricated or mythologized. Riordan and Vesper follow the mysterious hooded man toward the city gates but eventually divert to St. Andral’s Church. There, they meet Father Lucian Petrovich and report the horrific discovery of the child-eating hags at the Old Bonegrinder windmill. They also describe the fiendish entity that appeared during the windmill's destruction. Father Lucian is disturbed by the news and offers to help relocate the rescued children, though he admits the town's leadership may lack the 'firepower' to deal with such supernatural threats directly. As the session concludes, the party remains divided but has established significant footholds in Vallaki's social and political spheres. Steinman is confronted by Lady Wachter, who invites him to meet her husband, while the rest of the party prepares for the coming night. The atmosphere in Vallaki is one of forced cheerfulness, masking a deep-seated fear of the surrounding mists and the 'devil' Strahd.