Session 18: The Villaki Massacre
General Summary
The party, after finishing a long nights rest, is ambushed by a giant undead animal that appeared to be stalking them. The party attempts to flee but the animal incapacitates Rickard and starts to take him away. As this begins to happen Anastrasya Karelova appears and thanks them for ridding the realm of Irena. She states that Valenta Popovsky, Strahds youngest bride, sent the beast. The party tells her of their quest to find a wedding dress for the Abbot. This immediately gets Anastrasyas attention and she orders the party to find out who the dress is being made for. She wonders alloud if Strahd is planning to take on another consort. She tells them they have until tomorow to get her the answers and she heads back off into the woods.
The party continues on to Valaki where they run into a man who appears to be some sort of magic user who has come to the land selling magic items. He commands a premium price but he has some ammazing items available should the party have a means to purchase them. After buying 4 potions ofhealing they head off to Valaki.
In Valaki they visit the blue water Inn to find Urwin Martikov. Urwin agrees to bring the group to meet the Bergomaster. The party travels on to the Bergomasters mansion where they are invited in. The party mentions Lady Wachter and her family and can clearly tell that the Bergomaster is discusted with the idea of his daughter being involved in and relationship with a Wachter. The Bergomaster tells them of Lady Wachters invovlement with Strahd and her many evil deads. He asks the party to dispatch Lady Wachter and burn her house to the ground. He says she is evil and must be driven from the city.
The players, having recieved this information, setoff to the Wachter house the next morning to deliver the news and to collect the dress. Once there they find that Lady Wachter is not so easy to deal with. Unhappy with the news, she tells them that should they need the dress they will have to kill the Bergomaster. Lady Wachter covets the position of bergomaster and wants to rule Vallaki. The party asks for some time to think it over and she tells the party they have one hour to respond.
The party returns to the Blue Water Inn to talk things over and they notice a man inside watching them. They recall seeing the man near the Wachter House. When they approach him and ask if he is following them he replys "Yes". When they ask why he replies that he will kill them if given the word to do so. As he attempts to leave the party casts hold person on him, tie him up, and take him behind the inn. The party asks him if he is the only one sent to follow them, they murder him when he tells him he doesnt know the answer to their question.
The party then heads back to the Wachter house and they tell lady Wachter they will kill the bergomaster. They have no intention of going through with it but they are trying to buy more time. As they are leaving Wachter Hause, once again they see a man following them much like the one they killed earlier. As the party walks through the street planning their next move, they are approached by Isak and the town guard. They are told they are being arrested for murder and their weapons are taken. They lead them to the prison just a short walk away from the Bergomasters mansion.
Once there they are locked in seperate cells and Izak goes off to retrieve the Baron Vargas Vallakovich, the Bergomaster. When Vargas arrives he asks the party why they killed his friend. He tells them his friend was a simple farmer and had no political dealings with he not lady Wachter. The party openly starts to communicate the Bergomasters desire to have lady Wachter killed. This was done in the presence of all the towns guard and was immidately is seen as an act to try to betray the Bergomaster in front of the other people present. In addition to this Cormack responds saying that the Bergomaster sent the man and it was he who was threatening to kill them. Enraged at the false accusations being leveled against him and the fact he was being double crossed he tells Izik to shoot Cormack. A huge battle ensues and the Bergomaster, Izek and 10 of the town guard are killed.
This was the start of what would come to be known as the Vallaki Masacre. A day in which Baron Vargas Vallakovich, the town Bergomaster who dedicated his life to protecting the citizens of Vallaki from the opression of Strahd, was slain along with his sherrif, 10 members of the villaki town guard, and one simple farmer were killed in a cold blooded act which
