While the rest of the party rested at the Church of Saint Andral, Honu explored the town of Vallaki. Upon returning to his comrades, Honu explained that the Festival of the Blazing Sun would be coming tomorrow. This festival has caused some discord in the town and the Burgomaster has been suppressing the dissenters.
The party talks with the Burgomaster and agrees to serve as “guards” for the festival. During their discussion, Honu uses a suggestion that the Burgomaster render all support possible for the party, including clearing out the current prison which holds bedraggled and mistreated prisoners. The Burgomaster agrees.
Isaac, the Burgomaster’s minion, arrives. After a brief discussion, Isaac reluctantly agrees to free the prisoners at the Burgomaster’s direction. Meanwhile, the Burgomaster notices Seisha’s misty form lurking in his office. The Burgomaster calls for Isaac’s help. Seisha barely manages to avoid capture. She quickly rejoins the party.
The party stumbles upon a group of mischievous young teens taunting the city guards. Maulduk suggests to the guards to allow the party to handle these youths. The guards agree and the party talks with the youth. The youth explains that his friends and their families have been wrongfully imprisoned. Honu suggests a plan to the youth – the party would bring the young man as a “prisoner” to the Burgomaster’s house, and when the prison is open, make a jailbreak.
Maulduk argues that the party should try to contact the mad mage before burning their bridges in the town by the jail break. They head back to the inn to find the fisherman that reputedly knows where the mad mage resides. Instead, the party receives a note from Count von Strahd which invites them to a meeting.
Full write-up
After studying the crowd patterns in the marketplace, Honu returns to the rest of the party with a forecast. The Tortle says that tomorrow looks like there will be a Festival of the Blazing Sun with a high chance of dissent. He also subtly suggests the possibility of a firestorm at Henrik’s residence and business.
The adventurers work their way to the residence of the Burgomaster, the man behind the weekly festivals at Vallaki. Seisha goes on ahead on her own and transforms herself into an unnatural weather phenomenon – a gaseous cloud. While the party waits in the den, Seisha attempts to communicate with the rest of her companions in her gaseous form. Her companions notice and communicate with the gaseous cloud. The Burgomaster’s arrival interrupts the party’s fun game of charades with the cloud form.
The party’s discussion with the Baron starts off fair, but quickly becomes turbulent as Hadrioul’s applies pressure with uncomfortable questions. Honu casts read thoughts to take the Burgomaster’s mental temperature which reads on the high side of self-aggrandizement and may be setting records for abuse of power. The party decides to undermine the Burgomaster by pretending to work for him as guards. Honu casts a suggestion for the Burgomaster to help the party, which includes freeing the current prisoners.
Seisha wafts her gaseousness into the Baron’s office. The Burgomaster notices the unexpected ridge of high pressure in his chambers, and calls for Isaac. Upon hearing this, Seisha condenses into the Burgomaster’s desk and narrowly escapes.
The main party moves in a south by southeast direction towards the marketplace. They find guards chasing some impudent youths wearing donkey-head masks. Maulduk suggests that the guards ignore this little atmospheric disturbance and to allow the party to handle it. After the guards leave, the youths explain that their friends and family have been wrongfully imprisoned by the Burgomaster for expressing dissatisfaction with the festivals. Honu comes up with a plan to take the youth as a “prisoner”, and thereby gain access to the remaining prisoners and allow them to make a jailbreak.
Maulduk is concerned about creating an inclement environment without having talked to the fisherman (who may know the whereabouts of the Mad Mage). The party heads over to the inn. While at the inn, a mysterious robed figure drops off a note with Krill.
Krill puts up his feet and reads the note:
The temperature in the room seems to drop as the party realizes that stormy conditions lay ahead. Now they must decide whether to go or stay.
