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The Baron led the procession to the shores of Lake Vallaki, and climbed the dignitaries podium. The Baroness stood by his side, as did a youngish looking man in sorcerers robes.

The entire town of 500 were gathered around a cleared patch of land where the duel was to take place. Most looked like they’d rather be almost anywhere else, but duty bound them to attend.

---

Amongst the crowds you noticed the mysterious entertainer Rictavio who was watching you closely. There was also a regal looking woman in a scarlet gown, standing in front of a group of cowled followers, who you’d not seen before. She watched on dismissively as the Baron spoke:

“Welcome one and all! Today we have a most magnificent surprise, an occasion sure to spare joy and happiness: a duel to the death! The valorous and good Izek” (and here the crowd mumbled somewhat unhappily) “will take on the dashing newcomer, Zane Dreamrider! And their reward for victory? Why, the hand of the beautiful Ireena, sister to the Burgomaster of Barovia, and heir to that municipality!”

The crowd clapped politely as the combatants and Ireena stepped forward. Viktor subtlety applied a blessing on Zane, as the Baron continued.

“The rules: This is a fight to the death — do all agree?” Zane was quick to jump in and offer clemency if Izek were to yield. Izek scoffed at this suggestion and insisted only death would be acceptable. Zane smirked and nodded.

“It is agreed then. Secondly: no assistance. And finally: no magic. That includes your hand, Izek.” Izek flexed his massive clawed hand, paused, and agreed, as did Zane.

“Given this last point is hard to confirm, I ask my son Victor to check both combatants for ensorcellments.”

The young robed man stepped forward to mumble a few words, and confirmed Izek was ‘clean’. As he neared Zane, Viktor quickly removed the bless spell, and Zane too was given the all clear — after he was forced to remove his protective magic cloak.

---

The crowd grew quiet as the combatants stood back to back in the clearing. Viktor quietly reapplied the blessing, and Garn affixed a curse of sorts on Izek. The two warriors started pacing away from each other, 100 paces, and as they neared the turn, the gathering started counting out the steps. “97…98…99..”

Zane and Izek spun to face each other. Izek charged at full pelt with a roar, while Zane gave a nod to the crowd before nonchalantly pulling up his eye patch and strolling forward, swords drawn.

They met and Zane immediately drew first blood, slashing three times and hitting once. Izek growled and swung his huge axe twice, but Zane was too fast for the powerful but slow swings. His riposte caught Izek mid-thigh, and again into the chest, and Izek howled with pain and fury.

A massive two handed swing from Izek hit it’s mark, and sent Zane sprawling backwards, the huge blow drawing blood and gasps from the crowd. But Zane was not to be denied.

Another two swings connected with flashy force, and Izek started to panic. Another swing and miss, and another slash from Zane had the crowd starting to get excited, crying out each time Zane’s blades connected. Severely injured, Izek looked around wildly and suddenly drew back his massive claw and snapped his fingers.

A jet of flame burst from his palm and shot toward Zane, but before it could get close the spell suddenly dissipated into nothingness. Those closest noticed Rictavio had whispered something under his breath, and flashed a hand, just before the flames evaporated.

Zane sensed his moment had come, and with a final leap he embedded both blades into Izek’s chest, holding him up for a moment, before withdrawing both and watching his foe collapse to the ground, dead.

The crowd burst into a massive cheer, a wave of joy enveloping the killing field. Hats were thrown in the air and chants of “Dream-rider, Dream-rider” rang around the clearing. Children ran about re-enacting the fight, complete with one hand covering their eye in tribute to Zane’s eyepatch.

The Baron looked wide eyed at the celebration, and raised his arms tentatively too — all will be well! Viktor rushed to Zane’s side and hugged him, just before Ireena did the same.

Father Lucian arrived and he and Viktor confirmed Izek was indeed dead — and casting a spell of repose to make sure that being raised again wasn’t possible.

Rictavio came over and congratulated you on a job well done, and suggested you visit him at his wagon when it was next convenient. The Baron approached and immediately suggested the wedding should be held in two days time at the Festival of the Blazing Sun.

Zane snapped that there was to be no wedding in this town, and you all confirmed this in no uncertain terms. Sensing that staying perhaps wasn’t wise given the tide of support for Zane, the Baron slunk off with his family.

Garn stepped up onto the podium and loudly suggested that the people should turn this joyous energy into real change. Perhaps there was a better life to be had, perhaps tyranny wasn’t the only option. A few stood to listen, and started to question what that might entail, before one wiseacre suggested it meant the Blue Water Inn should open early today — it was time to celebrate!

---

As the crowd dispersed, several of you noticed the bulge of a hessian sack floating not far out in the lake. With a jolt, you realised it might be the sack you saw the lone fisherman throw overboard yesterday — and looking out into the middle of the lake you could see the lonely rowboat floated out there still.

A suddenly possessed Garn started wading out to retrieve it before Zandeyr suggested his grappling hook — his pristine _silver_ grappling hook — might work better. The sack was hauled ashore, and Garn started to tentatively open it.

As he tore the weak hessian open, the limp corpse of a young girl was revealed. Garn’s face froze and you all recoiled in cold shock. Your eyes turned to the boat in the lake, and your memories returned to the moment you saw the fisherman toss the still wriggling bag over the side of his craft. Could you have saved her if you’d acted?

Father Lucian looked sadly down at the girl and told you it was Arabelle, the daughter of local Vistani Luvash. He has had his people out searching since she disappeared a day ago, and his reaction to this will not be pleasant.

A fierce argument broke out amongst you about what to do with the fisherman. Garn and Xarann were for handing him over to the Vistani to mete out their punishment, while Zandeyr and Viktor thought he should be given the chance to explain himself — perhaps this wasn’t the same sack?

In the end it was decided to confront the angler first. Lucian offered to take the body to his church whilst you took care of this business. You returned to the rowboats you had seen the day before, and Zane, Viktor and Zandeyr rowed out.

You found a sleeping figure in the boat, surrounded by empty wine bottles and fishing detritus. A fury took over Zandeyr, who smashed the hilt of his sword into the back of the drunkards head, knocking him out cold before you had a chance to question him.

Viktor was forced to cast a healing mantra to revive him, after which you started to unravel what had happened. He was a very reluctant interviewee, and clearly not the sharpest tool in the shed.

His name was Bluto, and he fished in order to make money for wine. His monosyllable answers were infuriating, but you slowly revealed that he had kidnapped the girl from the Vistani, in order to throw her into the lake, because the Vistani were ‘lucky’. And that luck might help him catch more fish.

As he mumbled his answers, and the truth was revealed, the fury in Viktor’s blood boiled over. With no notice or ceremony, he suddenly drew his sword and skewered it through the hapless Bluto, killing him instantly and tipping him into the lake.

Zane looked on in shock, not having ever seen his father act so rashly. The small group returned to the shore in silence. Garn spat out a bitter ‘due process eh’ comment at Viktor.

After the joy of victory in the duel, this was a bitter return to the reality of this accursed land. You resolved to visit the Vistani next and report on what had happened, and to return the body of Arabelle to her father.

---

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As you returned to town, you passed by the stockyard holding Rictavio’s wagon, and decided to pay him the requested visit.

He sat on the back of the wagon which shuddered as you approached as something seemed to be moving around inside. Dried blood stains could be seen around the base of the wagon. He greeted you and again applauded the duel, suggesting that ridding this township of Izek was a more positive development than any of the Baron’s infamous weekly ‘celebrations’.

You questioned him about the mysterious woman at the duel, and he revealed that she was Lady Fiona Wachter. She has long lusted after the position of Burgomaster of Vallaki, and was constantly looking at ways to overthrow Baron Vargas.

---

When you suggested she might be a better ruler than the Baron, Rictavio looked despondent. Vargas may be a nasty piece of work, but he held no love for Strahd. Whereas Lady Wachter had thrown her lot behind the vampire lord. Vargas’s reign was cruel, but hers would be deadly.

The wagon shifted heavily again, and you asked what was the cause. Rictavio beamed as he pointed at Garn’s panther-motif shield and said “one of those”. He invited Garn to take a look, and opened a small window in the back of the wagon. Inside a massive and healthy looking panther prowled back and forth, the interior a mess of torn up material and food remnants.

Rictavio claimed it was part of his circus act, but you suspected there was more to the story than simple entertainment. That panther didn’t look terribly tame. As you talked, it became clear that Rictavio was a far more complex figure than his bard-like persona conveyed.

He had a deep knowledge of this land, and of the Vistani and Strahd himself. He said he worked alone, and was dispelled any notion that the Vistani should be trusted. When you told him Eva had read the Tarroka deck, he offered to interpret her readings for you. As you recalled her readings, he offered the following observations:

• The Philanthropist card told you where the Tome of Strahd lay, a book of history and knowledge penned by Strahd himself. “Know your enemy indeed”. He suggested that the ‘place of sickness and madness’ was likely the Abbey of Saint Markovia in Krezk on the far West border.

• The Conjurer represented the Holy Symbol of Ravenkind, and the drowned village seemed to point to Berez, south of Vallaki. He told you the ravenkind were good people to be trusted in this land, and hinted that the Blue Inn proprietors were somehow involved.

• The Avenger was the Sunsword, as you knew. But he told you the house of the dragon was almost certainly Argynvostholt. Argynvost was a great dragon that fought against Strahd’s corruption in decades past, but his house was no longer a sanctuary.

• Your ally, as revealed by The Mists, he was less able to help with, not knowing who she could be. He was surprised to hear a Vistani might be on the side of good, and for a moment seemed to recall someone from his past before claiming it could not be her. He stonewalled any further questioning on this.

• And as for The Horseman and the location of Strahd, it pointed to Ravenloft, though where exactly in Ravenloft was less clear to him.

With this wealth of new knowledge laid out before you, you decided it was time to visit the Vistani camp. How they would react you did now know, but it seemed likely to end badly. What was it about this land?

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Meta:

Level up! You should all be level five.

Session played: 29 April 2019