06 - Welcome to Barovia....

.... it sucks!
Seriously, Barovia is a place to be avoided. Alfonse smelled the foul stench of death before they even reached the gates. Sure enough, they found a dead body lying in the woods, not twenty feet from the road. The body had a note hidden on it, warning that the Burgomaster (burgermeister?) had a daughter who was bitten by a vampire. Alfonse wasn't familiar with this type of monster, but it must be foul if its biting people.
Entering Barovia, Alfonse is struck by how quiet it is. The town doesn't appear to be abandoned, necessarily, but it is still, like nothing ever has or ever will happen here. At least there is a tavern, and Alfonse followed Talin into the establishment in search of food and drink. There was a man there, Ismark, who is the brother of the woman who was bitten by the vampire. He was cagey, keeping a close eye on the women at the next table over, whom he called "Vishtani". We made arrangements to meet up with him later at his manse on the south end of town.
Talin went over to talk to the Vishtani, and learned that they camp in the forests and do not live in Barovia proper, though these three ladies own the establishment, called the Blood on the Vine (but was once called "Blood OF the Vine"). They were pleasant enough, but seemed just dangerous enough not to pry too closely, and to speak with caution.
After a while, everyone drifted over to Ismark's place. On the way, they passed a house where someone inside was crying an awful, howling, screaming cry of loss and anguish. Continuing past the curious sound, the party ended up as Ismark's manse. It was a very nicely apportioned estate, and they were welcomed in and presently sitting in audience of the new Burgomaster of Barovia, Ismark Kolyan. He and his poor sister, Ireena, begged the group to help them put their dear father to rest. Alfonse had to step away for a bit, and when he came back the group had agreed to help.
They decided to explore the town a bit and get a bite to eat before dinner, except for Aesigvarr, who couldn't really go out looking like.... himself. Alfonse and Simon went to investigate the house of the crying woman. Using some impressive parkour skills, along with a mighty boost from Simon, Alfonse was able to launch into the woman's window. He found her a huddled mess, and finding no good place to tie off a rope, Alfonse tried to calm her as a he lowered a rope down to the others below. Simon climbed up, and together they were able to learn from the woman that her daughter was missing, and she is sure the child has been attacked or seduced by Strahd, and must be one of his thralls at this point. The woman gave them her daughter's doll, as a potential way to convince her to return home if they could.
On the way to the tavern to meet up with the rest of the party, they came across an old woman pushing a cart of "meat" pies. Simon sniffed out some bad juju from the lady, but she cackled and disappeared before he or anyone else could get any satisfactory answers about what she was selling. They pushed the cart over, spilling her pies out into the mud. The townsfolk later told them that the pies are a kind of low-grade hallucinogen, but it has some scary side effects. After having some real food, and a quick chat with the Vishtani (who told them that Eva might be able to help them make a map of Barovia proper), they all headed back to Ismark's to get some rest.
But rest would not come, because as soon as they all settled in and actually fell asleep, the front door was bashed in by a pack of wolves. Alfonse noted that they seem to come only at night, and they will break into an obviously occupied building to find their prey. He pulled a pistol, approaching the front room where the wolves stood, snarling in the cold wind blowing in from behind them.