A Scorned Anastrasya Will Kill You

The night starts like any other; Xuza arises from their meditation after about half of the night has passed. Xuza notices that the streets outside are still restless but initially thinks nothing of it. The situation quickly changes when the screams of protest turn into screams of terror. Xuza quickly realizes that a tiger has been let out into the streets and is currently looking for villagers to snack on. Amidst the chaos, Xuza also notices the hooded stranger from outside of the church a few nights ago heading toward the church with some harsh-looking companions, all with eyes glowing in a vampirish red hue.

Xuza quickly riles up the lost travelers, who run out into the streets to help the townspeople and whoever is in the church. Cinna especially seems concerned and runs ahead of the group to plead with the stranger, whom Cinna appears to know. The rest of the party follows suit, being inconvenienced by the fact that the tiger has an extraordinary appetite for the Vistani people. After fending off the tiger, the group catches up with Cina at the church, hearing her plea with “Ana” to leave Ireena alone. “Ana” was quickly identified as Anastrasya, who somehow managed to circumvent the magic protecting the church to attack Ireena.

Since Anastrasya seems highly dedicated to her cause, negotiations soon break apart, and hostilities follow. By a clever combination of going around the back to cut Anastrasya’s back up, the new items they had found, and summoning an eight-pack of wolves, the party emerged victorious with a dead vampire and an unconscious druid. Before the group could catch their breadth sufficiently to help Cinna, they were interrupted by Strahd von Zarovich himself. Strahd seems genuinely concerned with Cinna’s wellbeing and very upset with the (now dead) Anastrasya. When ensuring that both Cinna and Ireena would be okay, Strahd invited the party (and Ireena) to dine at Castle Ravenloft the next day.

The night ends with the lost travelers and Ireena reconvening at the Blue Water. They learn that Rictavio quickly escaped town during the night so Irena could stay in a room in the Inn.

When (actual) morning finally arrives, the group finds Rictavios’s journal in his room and learns quite a lot about him by reading it. Since the travel to Ravenloft would take more than a day, the group must set off from Vallaki on this day. Before that, they decide to run some errands. First, they head to the church at the behest of Lucian Petrovich (who had bravely survived last night’s skirmish by hiding in his room). They learn that to facilitate her attack, Anastrasya had somehow managed to remove the sacred bones from the Cathedral, bones that generally keep the church a vampire (and hag) free zone. Luckily, a quick trip to the orphanage and a quick fight with the demon possessing Freek reveals that Anastrasya had managed to charm Freek to do her bidding and remove the bones from the Cathedral. Luckily, Freek still had the bones, so the (relative) safety of the church was restored. After dealing with the church, the group goes clothes shopping. Cinna would not have them attend dinner at Ravenloft in anything but the finest clothes.

Returning to the Inn, the group is met by Cassia, a somewhat odd Tiefling they recognize from the Tser Pools Encampment. Cassia delivers a message for Bart from Madam Eva, asking him to visit as soon as possible. Without any more info, Cassia sets off back east, followed by the party and Irena a few hours later.

The party made progress in their travel, occasionally catching glimpses of Cassia. However, with half the day spent in Vallaki the distance is too far to get to Ravenloft on the same day. Instead, they took up residence at the Old Mill, where they found the grass around the mill slightly greener than last time. They also note some signs of other people having been there and see an Imp roaming the forests around the mill. Tired from an early morning, the party retires for an early night. In contrast to many previous nights, the group sets up a watch. Whether it is to guard the sleeping adventurers or to keep the (increasingly nervous) Irena from running away remains unsaid.