<< October 22, 2021 | Notes | September 24, 2021 >>

--- GATES OF KREZK ---
We wait for Dren to join us. Magda and Ireena talk about what happened at the shrine. Percy asks Gale if there was any trouble on the road and tells him about the weird druid person and the shrine occurence. Dren arrives and Percy uses Message to warn him not to talk about the freaks.

Gale tries to thank Zygfrek for the hospitality and touches her shoulder. She pulls back and growls "I don't need your fake sympathy!" She looks at Dren grasping his sword and says she and Otto will stay there and we can find the Abbott in the north hall.

Near the north wing are ancient gravestones. Zygfrek says they have been there a long time. Percy walks through the graveyard and can make out some names: Brother Martek, Brother Valen, Sister Constance, and Sister Lenora. One grave is noticeably different -- carved roses, 3 inch diameter sun-shaped indentation. Looks like it could be related to the Morning Lord. The name Petrovna. No dates, and all look very old.

Two guards stand at attention behind the battlements of the curtain wall. Closer inspection reveals they are scarecrows. A copper plaque, once cleaned, reads "May her light cure all illness." Percy uses Mage Hand to knock on the wall and hears a delayed, nonsensical scream. Mage Hands it open.

A thick fog swirls through the courtyard. 15 foot high curtain wall. 7 scarecrow guards with their backs to us. Wooden doors to north and east leading to the two wings. a stone well fitted with an iron wench with rope and bucket in the center. under the overhang of the wall are several stone sheds with padlocked wooden doors and 3 shallow alcoves containing troughs. two wooden posts with iron rings, one has a short humanoid with bat wings and spider mandibles chanined to it. Screams coming from sheds. Gale approaches the creature to talk. long stringy black hair covering face. cloven hoof for right foot. seems terrified. Gale asks if she can understand and she screams, flies, and hits the ground as the chain holds her. Percy uses Message to say we mean no harm and ask if she can communicate this way. No response. Gale casts Dancing Lights and she looks confused.

--- NORTH HALL ---
gentle sounding music played on a single stringed instrument trickles from above. at the back end of the hall is a fireplace with a cauldron. above the mantle, golden disc engraved with the symbol of the sun. at the other side of the table, an auburn-haired, alabaster skinned woman in a soiled red gown lost in thought. a handsome monk in brown robes gently takes her hand, a holy symbol of the sun around his neck. 5'10-6ft. Has a reflection in Percy's steel mirror.

50 ft sq room, arched leaded glass window. table stretches length of the room. dishware and golden candleabras. stairs going up and down. behind the golden sun disc, something magic. Percy greets the monk with the morning lord symbol. he asks what has brought us into his home. Percy asks if he's the Abbott; he says yes. He says he's here to find a bride for Strahd, he believes it is the way out for all of us. Gale asks him to elaborate. He says Vasilka is set to be his bride but she can't dance yet and her dress sucks. She seems to have small scarred lines covering her skin. Gale sees that she is exquisitely sewn together. Gale offers to teach her to dance. He offers us a tour and Percy excitedly agrees. He explains the history of the place -- a terrible fate befell it until he came to take care of it. "Dreadful shame" about the fate of the creatures.

--- EAST WING ---
Ruined office. Howls and screams and screeches and growls as we walk through the hallway of the eastern wing. Stairs going up around a corner. An assemblage of body parts hunkering through the hall, 7ft tall. Magda says she is a seamstress - asks what the exchange he speaks of is. He says he offers his magic and waves in front of his morning lord symbol. He will bring back 3 from the dead for us. At the end of the hall, a door going out to the gardens.

--- GARDEN ---
Two scarecrows. Growing crops and a bunny. Outbuilding with gardening tools. Percy sees no magic - asks how - he proudly answers that it has been difficult but he's had help from the freak creatures. Mentions a right hand man. Says he was playing the music. Gale says he'd love to meet him; Abbott says perhaps later this evening. Mentions that he has security for the strangers that Strahd brings into the land. Percy asks if Strahd is looking forward to the wedding; Abbott says he doesn't know yet. Magda asks how the freaks met their fate. Gale says they're magnificent. Abbott says he regrets the ill fates of the Belviews, but it's for their own good, to contain their madness. Percy asks "Belviews?" He names Otto and Zygfrek but also others. Marzena - bat lady. Clovin and Mishka. Gale asks about specific requests for dress. Something to complement her fair skin and auburn hair that he has given her. Lace. Classy. Percy asks about the seeds that keep the land fertile but he doesn't know. Gale thinks he's telling the truth. Doesn't know about the druids. Says the folks in town fear him and he doesn't know why. Percy asks about the odd bell ringing. Abbott says Clovin gets excited and likes to ring the dinner bell. Dren gives Ireena a ration and says not to eat anything from the grounds.

--- NORTH HALL ---
While the Abbott is away getting Clovin, Percy looks behind the seal. A niche in the wall containing a crystal and electrum flask with a liquid inside. Clovin comes down - 4ft, 7 in. right head - fully formed, patchy haired man with goat features with stubby horns. left head is half normal sized with soft cherubic face with crocodile hide. pinchers for his left hand. bears paw for right foot. Gale asks him if he was playing the music - Clovin responds yes but confusedly. Abbott tells Clovin to prepare the food. Percy asks him about a library or books and he says no. Percy asks for lodgings -- upstairs, east wing. Old hospital was there, people aren't fond of it. Percy asks about up/down stairs: Abbott sleeps upstairs with Clovin, downstairs is wine cellar. He invites us. Stone steps going down 20 ft, 10 barrels of wine and L shaped rack packed with bottles. One wine bottle has conjuration magic. No stopper, parchment inside, marked champagne du le stomp. Rack has ~30 purple grape mash #3, 24 red dragon crush. Abbott says Wizard of Wines used to deliver here but doesn't anymore. Percy distracts the Abbott and sends a Message to Gale to "take the note." Gale gets caught and Abbott says if he's curious, he can ask. Tells Gale to open it. Spell scroll of Heroes' Feast. Percy asks why he keeps it down here - to stay hidden from the freaks, for a time of need or indulgence. Percy offers to buy it but doesn't have enough money. He tries Suggestion but fails. We return upstairs to dinner. Clovin rings the dinner bell and we hear howls and screams from outside. Everyone eats except for Dren. Magda tries to ask Vasilka for her measurements but she doesn't respond. Abbott says she is not one for conversation. Magda measures her. Abbott leads us to our room, says his security won't allow us past without him.

--- EAST WING UPSTAIRS ---
furniture rotted away except for the old L shaped desk. To the right, a door into the hospital chamber. Shadowy creatures appear in the roomn as we enter. We kill them.

Plaques on the door reading Operating Room, Nursery, and Morgue. Nursery: wreckage of old wooden cribs. Figure reflected in the window glass: a nun in white robes reflected in the doorway, then she's gone. OR: bloodstained table in otherwise empty room. A scream echoes through the room, followed by fainter ones. The screams of those that died under the knife. Morgue: empty room with a raven perched on the window. Gale asks if it's one of our friends and it immediately flies away and perches atop one of the garden scarecrows.

Through the office there is a door to the ledge over the courtyard. Another door leads into another room. disintegrated bunk buds.

scarecrows on the ledges wear tattered chainmail shirts and carry rusted spears.

We sleep, switching out for watch.

--- NEXT MORNING ---
We have breakfast, but Dren and Ireena don't eat again. Gale asks about the shrine down in the town. He says it predates his time but says it seems to be a source of goodwill to the people. Gale asks about the grave that reads Petrovna. Abbott says the graves are old, belong to old nuns and priests. Tasha Petrovna is all he knows. Percy asks how long he's been here. Abbott says he's lost count of the years but appears to only be in his 20s. Percy asks the secret of his youth and he says "a good diet." Suggestion, "tell me more": "Some of us are here to serve and lead by divine right." With truesight, Percy sees he is a Deva, a celestial being, and knows that not all celestials are good aligned. "I am a creature that cannot be corrupted. My heart is good and my intentions are noble and pure." Percy asks him to bless his hymnal. We turn to leave.

On the way home, Percy reports his findings to the party. Gale wonders if he may be The Conjurer predicted by Madame Eva's tarokka reading for Gale.