A small amount of payback, but not nearly enough

I'm going to be honest, I don't remember a lot of the morning. Probably from all the drink the Bishop had with him. We kinda drank him dry as I recall. As the day went on, we decided to split up and follow the two leads we decided needed looking into: The child, Miliovich, having been brain-woogied the night before, and the guard that Rahadin had been impersonating the last.. who knows how long. We quickly decided that the two best "people person"s amongst us was Marushka and Bryndon, which.. yeah, I can agree with that. So we split the two of them up. I, for one, was not going back to that orphanage for anything. Not my thing at all. Likewise, we all agreed it best that Errki not go as well. For... reasons. Which meant either Marushka or Bryndon was coming with us to go see the captain of the guard, Izek Strazni, to find out some info about this guard before we could ask him some questions. Marushka volunteered to come, but Bryndon and I decided that that probably would not be in our best interests to do so. While I hated denying Marushka this (and frankly, despite everything going on, she's always a pleasure to have around), Izek's idealation about Marushka being his sister could likely cause more problems if she came along with us. Not to mention the fact that Strazni has already invited Bryndon into his home and let him in on this secretive information; it implied a trust with the boy that we couldn't ignore to use to get what information we could from him. Before we left, we reminded the Bishop of his promises to help us should we prove ourselves to the city. In keeping of his word, he healed Errki's leg. For me.. well, he could not consecrate my whip as I had originally asked, but instead performed a different "blessing" upon it. Spoken in a language none of us knew, submerged in a holy font filled with the blood of those who had been killed last night, the whip changed somehow, having taken on a darker hue when he returned it to me. He would not say immediately what he had done, only that it would aid me on my journey. Interesting. I look forward to finding out.
 
So we split up; Myself, Errki, and Bryndon to visit Izek Strazni while the rest of us - Marushka, Bryndon, Oswald, and Ireena went to the orphanage to see the boy.
 
It was rather uneventful getting to Izek's home. Everyone was still going around preparing for the festival in a few days time, and putting on as happy faces as they could while doing so. Many of them lost loved ones and family members to the wolves that attacked the night before, and it was obvious they were trying hard to hide it. This happiness law is bullshit and I hate it. When we arrived at the home, Bryndon spoke to Strazni briefly - I either didn't hear the exchange or am too drunk to remember it - but he let us enter in short order (ha ha. Short order. Errki.) Upon explaining the situation with the prior night's attack, and how Rahadin was impersonating a guard, he gave us the information we needed. I don't remember his name. It was of little consequence. We did catch a glimpse into Strazni's little obsession when Marushka was brought up, but he was protective of that room Bryndon had mentioned before. He made Bryndon swear to keep her safe before he would let us leave, and honestly, I'm conflicted about that. For one, the boy is only 14. And this man is asking Bryndon to pledge his life to protect his.. erm.. older-than-you sister? (Forgive me Marushka, I know not your age exactly and it is not a man's place to ask it.) Not... I don't know, the adult Ranger or the dwarf Barbarian that accompanied him? On the other hand.. I don't really know how I would've felt being given such a task. Again. I've already failed once in that, and it still haunts me. While I may not have been overly fond of Elaine, she was my charge, and her naivete was often humorous. I can't say I miss her, truly, for our time together was rather short, but her loss on my watch will be something hard for me to let go. It... Maybe.. Perhaps its my fractured price or my feeling of failure to protect Elaine that has had me constantly thinking about using this cursed necklace one more time and just ending it. I know such a sacrifice will not bring Elaine back, but perhaps it would at least stop the guilt eating away inside of me that I keep from the others.
 
We departed Strazni's home and followed the directions given to the guard's home. Thankfully it wasn't too far away. The layout of Vallaki is mostly straightforward with most of the city divided by only 2 main roads and a few side streets that tend to loop around back to them where people live. So we get there, guy has been laid up in his house for about 2 weeks with a broken leg. Wife and kid been with him the whole time. I don't remember what, but I said something that made the guy upset and he told us to get out. Which, I mean, whatever? We got the info we needed. He seemed to be being truthful as far as we could tell. We made our way back to the orphanage to meet up with the others and let them know our lead was a dead end. They stated that the boy was heavily disturbed, but they managed to get some info out of him. Turns out he was supposed to give some "boon" to the coffinmaker.. Vanderhoot? I don't know. With our lead gone, this was the best we had to go on, so went to pay the man a visit.
 
I knocked when we arrived and we were shortly greeted by an older man with gray streaks in his hair and a handlebar mustache. The coffinmaker's home was plain enough, and the backyard was littered in half-completed coffins, most of which I'm sad to say were sized for children. Marushka began informing him that the boy directed us to him about the boon he'd received, but he merely stated that the boon was not for him. Lady Wachter paid him handsomely to collect it, though he knew not what it was or what she wanted it for. He merely did the job he was paid to do. When Oswald insisted he had ruined a boy's life, he merely stated he had nothing to do with that, and Lady Wachter solely held that blame. Oswald used his ability to channel divinity and sensed that Vanderhoot had a bone of St. Andral on his person. Upon realizing the time, I began urging the party to hurry up and leave so that we might make Lady Wachter's dinner which would surely shed some light upon the goings on here in Vallaki.
 
Despite the objections raised by myself and Marushka, the others began searching the home, Bryndon making Vanderhoot levitate in attempt to coerce more information from him. They found an access to the basement which seemed to trigger Vanderhoot somewhat, and he warned us not to go down. Curiously, I used my own powers to locate the undead, and found 11 undead presences without my range. 10 directly beneath us, and 1 out by the Blue Water Inn. A curiosity, for sure, but now he had my attention. We went downstairs to investigate, as both Oswald and myself were now keenly aware that an undead presence was here. We found 10 coffins around the room, and a basic magic circle inscribed upon the floor. It was amateurish at best, likely someone unpracticed in the arts trying to follow directions given. Vanderhoot, by my guess, likely given by Lady Wachter.
 
I knew what lie inside. A few of the others went upstairs to confront Vanderhoot about this, while I began examining the room and trying to see what I could do to remove these creatures from their immortal coil. I had been taught much from Van Richten: Holy Water hurts them gravely. For weaker foes, a stake to the heart would kill; for the stronger types that I could detect here, the same would only put them in a state of torpor. Alas, between all of our possessions, we lacked sufficient equipment to rig up a trap like I wanted, using what stakes and Holy Water I had on me to kill the vampires. Some of us felt this a reprieve unlike any we'd had before. It was, for once, a chance for us to finally get a drop on the vampires, rather than the other way around. Marushka pleaded with me and Bryndon to let it go and leave, but we saw this as too opportune. Lady Wachter could wait if it meant dispatching 10 of Strahd's court from these lands. Knowing we would need reinforcements, Bryndon told Errki to go to Strazni, tell him what we have found, and that his sister is in danger.
 
As Errki left, one of the lids began to open, and upon seeing the beautiful vampiress running her fingers through her hair, I knew that retreat was no longer an option. For me and Bryndon, at least. The woman was Ana Strahza, a bride of Strahd we learned, and the same woman who had maimed Elaine's ear and shortened Errki's beard some time ago. This woman would die here, or be the death of us. A looked passed between Bryndon and I; a mutual understanding of feelings and how this would end. We had not death wishes, but our pride as men to make up for our shortcomings before would be corrected now. Ana Strahza began prattling on about how they were not here to kill us, and would even let us leave to go attend Lady Wachter's dinner which we were surely to be late for, but Bryndon was a smart boy, and made with small talk to give Errki more time to bring back reinforcements. In her rebuttal, she promised to kill Marushka, here, before Bryndon's eyes, egging him on, as she likely knew. What she did not know, was that I was on possession of an Orb of Daylight, given to me by Madam Eva during the time of our reading.
 
Perhaps in sensing our murderous intent, the other nine coffins opened, and the rest of the vampires came forth to confront us. 2 magicians, a rogue, and 6 more fighters. I took the initiative and threw the Orb of Daylight towards the back of the group. The light seared their bodies and blinded them all. Marushka cast a Shatter spell amongst them, blowing apart their coffins and the magic circle upon the ground, as well as dealing them damage. Ireena invoked the power of the Holy Symbol of Ravenkind that was given to her by Van Richten, which began to pulsate and continue to blast daylight into the room with us, further stunning many of the vampires. The battle raged on, and shortly therein, the floor of the home - the ceiling to the room we were in, tore apart and Errki and Izek Strazni came crashing in from above. The battle ensued and we all fought hard. Even Ireena put in her fair share of work. She is a very impressive and brave woman. Not unlike someone else I know... I found some degree of the "blessing" the Bishop Lucian placed upon my whip. As the leather cracked across the vampire's armor, a burning rust-color was left in its wake. It was biting through their supernatural defenses. Even better, in fact, was the death-stroke I laid upon Ana Strahza. My whip caught around her throat, and I yanked her back against me. I whispered in her ear some insult just before smashing yet another flash of holy water into her now-burnt, scarred face. As the last of her "life" escaped her, it was taken in by my whip, and I could feel it heal me of my wounds.
 
The battle waged, and most of it was a blur to me. I fell a few times, risen again by Marushka. I really must thank her soon. One by one we fought, falling and healed, and one by one we slayed the vampires. Only one survived, escaping by way of mist out through the ceiling. Once the battle was over, Strazni turned on Bryndon, chastising him for getting Marushka involved in the dealings with Lady Wachter and these vampires, and the danger she was in by being here with us. I tuned the man out, for the most part, but I had no desire to be in Bryndon's shoes at that moment. Strazni is a mountain of a man, weilding a two-handed great axe in one hand, and the other arm a chitinous deformity strong enough to split a vampire in twain. I feared little in this world, but one on one I would not bet on myself against him. There was arguing, and evidently we all agreed to follow Strazni back to the Baron's.
 
Before leaving, we gathered our spoils of war. The vampires were well-armored, and many of us were lacking in similar defense. Ireena, Oswald, and even Bryndon partook of their decorative plate mail; Ireena by thanks of Ana Strahza's female-designed armor. I myself happened to find the rogue's suit of leather most appealing, and a suitable upgrade to my own. After putting on the armor, I saw Marushka looking me over, mostly at the armor I'm sure. I hadn't realized she was also a user of the type, though to be fair, with the way she moves, I'm unsuprised. As we talked, she allowed me to keep the rogue's armor, and took my old armor instead. It came to Barovia with me, and was of a better make than her own. I could only agree to allow her to have it, given the circumstances. I must admit, it was.. quite the sight to watch her put on my armor. I imagine seeing her taking it off would be even better. I don't even know why I wrote that.
 
Lastly, we found a number of items made of silver amongst the nine, which we determined we would have the local silversmith use to coat Errki's hammer to help him in battle. Marushka also took one of the rogue's weapons, finding it a suitable replacement for her simitar. We also found a letter, sealed, with Strahd's emblem.. Who knows what it contains, within..