005_20251025
Notes
We began this session on the outskirts of Vallaki. After walking for a few more hours we reached Vallaki at dusk. Guards briefly questioned us and let us into the town. Vallaki is surrounded by ~20 ft. tall walls with two watchtowers. Inside, a few feet away from the town's walls shallow water flows. It is about 10 feet wide and 4 inch deep and it seemingly comes from a watchtower.
A short walk along the main road revealed that soulless people also exist in Vallaki. Most houses are boarded up, but some have light inside as well as some smoke coming from chimneys. We walked past (Arasek) stockyard with locked sheds. A carnaval vagon looking out of place not caught our attention. It says that it belongs to "carnaval of wonders".
After stepping into an inn a guy in golden costume caught our attention. After introduction we learned that he is Rictavio, who is in Vallaki for 3 tendays. Aside from boasting he told us a story about The Moon-Eating Manticore of Mordentshire.
At the same time lodging and payment arrangement was discussed with Urwin Martikov, the innkeeper. In exchange for us helping him with missing wine shipment, he will provide us with 5 tendays of room and board. The wine used to come regularly from Wizards of Wine Winery, situated far (more than day's travel) to the west from Vallaki. Recent shipment did not arrive to Vallaki in time and the tavern is running out of wine. Urwin mentioned that it might take away what little fun Vallaki people can have.
QUEST: Find out where the Wine Shipment has gone
He also told us about the festivals that are happening regularly in Vallaki, last week's one being Wolf's Head Jamboree. Next one (of the Blazing Sun) is scheduled in 3 days. Baron should know all about it as he is the one throwing them.
After that we started talking to the wolfhunters, who told us that people in Vallaki mainly trade in means of survival - food, clothes, etc. They themselves hunt wolves and sell them for food, fur, etc. As an example you can rent two horses for a tenday for one wolf. The wolfhunters Szoldar Szoldarovich and Yevgeni Krushkin also told us a story about a Mad Wizard, living at Lake Zarovich, shooting lightning bolts to fish. If we want to get there, it is best to go to the south shore as there are boats there.
Then the group figured out sleeping arrangements. The night was quite uneventful, aside from Calenya hearing some commotion from the tavern area.
In the morning we learned that the cause for that were the Wachter brothers, members of a noble Vallaki family.
We left the tavern and departed towards church, hoping to find housing for a family of refugess we took with us last session. Lua spotted a person watching and following us from the tavern. In the church we met Father Lucian Petrovich, a priest of St. Andral's Church (church of the Morning lord). He was happy to help with the refugee family. After we asked if the Church is also struggling, he took us to his quarters. There he explained that 4 days ago someone stole Bones of St. Andral - a holy relic, protecting the church. Few people knew the crypt where they were. The priest suspects Milivoj, a servant of church, who recently joined after he lost his parents. The only other person who knew is Yeska, who has been with the Church for a while. Milivoj acted weird and disproportionally when asked about it, while Yeska was told about the Bones since he was scared of everything happening and needed reassurance.
QUEST: Bones of St. Andral
Once our conversation with priest concluded we asked where we could find the boys. A girl in the church pointed out Yeska and told us that Milivoj was working in the graveyard.
As we stepped outside, someone noticed the same figure that was following us standing next to the church's door. Calenya tried to follow the cloaked figure, but they managed to escape into the dark side alleys of Vallaki. She rejoined the group and we went to talk to Milivoj. He told us that he was forced to work at the church because Baron imprisoned his father. We also learned that some people (including him) do not like Vallaki festivals, not seeing any purpose in them. People are often arrested for not laughing or not attending. Then they are put up in stocks/pillory and after that thrown into the dark walls. He returned to his work, while we received a dinner invitation from Fiona Wachter, delivered to us by Wachter brothers.
QUEST: Dinner with Fiona Wachter