Session 33 - So much going on.

After leaving the death house, the party head to Ismarks manor for a long rest in a safe place. They decided that they will head to Vallaki next and pick up the wedding dress, drop it in Krezk and then head to Lake Bartok.

The travel to Vallaki without incident and head to the Blue Water Inn to enjoy the free wine and lodging rewards for their defeat of the Druids. 

They are greeted by Urwin who thanks them again, and casts a wary eye over Mulberry. He reports that the grape crops improving at the winery now the gem is back. He also invites them to use the Inns private function room. They follow him out back into a room with Two massive wine kegs and a large table. 

Mulberry asks him to have a drink with the party and he accepts. He asks that they please restrain themselves from drinking all the wine as its still in short supply but to please by all means enjoy themselves.

The party ask whats been happening around town, and in particular whats the latest on the situation between Fiona and the Burgomaster. Urwin lets them know Fiona had been seldom seen around town aside from commissioning a ornate box from Blinkski which is odd as this is something the Coffin maker would have been better building. Her boys have also been seen around town again after heading out for a few days on some wild goose chase for a map. Since their return her boys have been looking to buy up magical ingredients of all types and seem to be stockpiling them for unknown reasons. 

The party ask if the mists and weather of Barovia had changed of late and are able to determine that the mists closing on in the death house was localized.

The discussion is interrupted as a young boy arrives carrying a bundle of items, with a note "Please enjoy the employ of these items - Van Helsing"

The package contains several magical items addressed to specific party members. The party determine that the next full moon is about 2 weeks away and send off the courier to the couturier to collect the wedding dress.

Mulberry and Urwin have some heated conversation and Mulberry is able to convince him that she is a good person finally settling the tension between them.

Urwin leaves to tend bar and Mulberry explains how she has recently learned make special treats during rests, these can be used to help recover from wounds and tiredness. 

Grimdur ask Denzel what he knows about lake Bartok, Denzel explains that lake Bartok is where Van Helsing's tower was when they trained together, but its no longer where Van Helsing resides, there was indeed a abandoned derelict windmill there and also a lot of wolves but while there they kept mostly to the tower. Denzel explains that his training was in magic and how Van Helsing helped him find a patron to imbue him with magical power. 

Calling it a night the party head to their beds, Mulberry however decides to sleep outside using her new staff to make giant sequoia and sleep up very high. Around 3.37am she is awoken by Strahd who is floating in a sea of mist, 

Strahd addresses her "Oh Betrayer I see you have joined my collective of toys" 

Mulberry "Toys what do you mean

Strahd "Your 'friends', the party you travel with"

Mumberry " So Strahd, hows your mother"

Strahd "My Mother died a horrible death, and I will watch you die for insulting her memory"

Strad vanishes into the mist, and Mulberry wakes up everyone and considers sending gift basket with Goblin head in it to Strahd, instead she writes him a letter before going to sleep.

Shortly after falling asleep everyone is awoken by the howls of 1000 wolves howling around Vallaki, this continues until dawn. 

Mulberry makes everyone breakfast of salmon and eggs......without anyone asking where the salmon came from and as it's a very long way from the ocean everyone runs risk of sickness, Mulberry is however the only one that seems to get an upset tummy from her cooking. 

Grimdur asks Urwin who agrees he can take a skin of wine for the road, and the party send word to Ismark to meet them at Lake Bartok at dawn tomorrow, then head off for Krezk

Along the road the party feel like they are being watched. Mulberry casts detect thoughts but doesn't detect any. Snowball sends Snowy Owl to do some recon. Snowy Owl see a lot of wolves just back off the road in the forest watching them intently, the wolves seem to move along to keep the party under watch. Grimdur doesn't seem too worried but this could be the wine speaking. 

They continue and the wolves leave them alone, arriving in Krezk they head to the Burgomaster, and re greeted by Dimtry. His Wife appears shortly after and asks if they have the dress and once delivered would they consider using one of the "raise the dead spells to restore life to their recently perished son" The party agrees and the grieving parents weep out a small thank you.

The party agree and Dimitry sends for the Abbott who arrives about 30 mins later.

The abbot is impressed with the dress and will honor the agreement. The Burgomaster and his wife are told they will need to dig up their dead child's body. They start digging, tears streaming down their faces, and Mulberry helps but the rest of the party just watch. The abbot performs the ritual using a diamond from a small pouch on his belt which at the end of the ritual evaporates into purple smoke, the Abbott touches the arm of the child, and the child's body quivers, gasping a lung full of air before it starts to scream a blood curdling scream of insanity.

As the child's madness becomes apparent the parents assure the party that they can handle this, and usher him off inside the house, thanking the party for their help and slamming the door. 

The Screams of the child can be heard as the party talk with the Abbot. 

The Abbot lets them know that the Bride of Strahd will be ready to be delivered in one week. Baromar asks if the party can join him for the delivery and can he wait for them if they are not back in time. The Abbott feels like they are trying to gain Strahds favor by taking credit for his work, but once they assure him they are not, he says they can join him but he will not wait for them if they don't make it back in time. 

Spending the night in the common room the following morning the party head to Lake Bartok, they arrive at the abandoned windmill, which appears to have been derelict for a very long time. Inside amongst the rubble and rotten wood they spot a chest under heavy wooden beam. Grimdur heads in and lifts the beam, the disruption of the wood causes a chain reaction and Grimdur gets hit by falling wood, shaking it off while Gnarvick picks the lock on the chest revealing10 EP, some rotten books, and a black oily potion. 

Baromar wants to drink the potion to see what happens but, Gnarvick takes a closer looks and identifies it as a potion of slipperiness. They see across the lake Van Helsing's tower to the east and a cave at the bottom of a mountain to the north. The Decide to check out the cave and as they approach they spot one wolf standing guard inside a rock formation that looks like the giant wolfs maw. 

Mulberry casts pass without trace, and the group try to sneak close enough for MB cast animal friendship on the guard. Gnarvick slips a little and gives them away, the wolf howls and as they get closer they see a bunch of wolves and werewolves inside the cave entrance.

Mulberry uses animal friendship to make the guard wolf her friend and the rest of the party fire up their swords (Literally), using sculpted fireballs and melee attacks the manage to take most of them down, Denzel during combat with a werewolf gets bitten and is infected with lycanthropy.

Mulberry uses talk with Animals and sends her friend wolf off to the windmill to wait for her to return (maybe)

And the battle will continue next time.