The adventurers visit the Abbot in the Abbey of Saint Markovia. After making their way past some half-humanoid creatures, they find the Abbot with a woman. They confirm the Abbot’s request for an immaculate, white wedding dress and Hadrioul also determines that the Abbot is some sort of evil celestial being.
They suffer a restless night filled with nightmares, so Ireena recommends a trip to a magical pool of healing. When they arrive, Ireena hears calls from Sergei for Tatiana, and she is pulled into the pool. Hadrioul pulls her away. Storm clouds form above in the shape of a man’s face. A bolt of lightning strikes the pool.
The party makes a decision to go to Vallaki in exchange for the Abbot restoring the Mad Mage. It is also decided that Ireena should accompany them since it may no longer be safe for her to be alone.
Full write-up
Ireena shares rumors about the Abbot. He is a youthful looking man who arrived 100 years ago. He accepts tributes of wine and seems to be quite powerful. The party heads to the Abbey of Saint Markovia to press the Abbot about their quest. At the gates of the Abbey, a strange pair of mongrel-looking folk guard the doors. Hadrioul persuades them to let them pass peacefully. In the courtyard, the group meets another pair of less friendly mongrel folk. There is a copper plaque that reads: May Her Light Cure All Illness. One of the mongrel folk attacks Hadrioul. Maulduk grapples the creature. Honu tells the attacking mongrelfolk to “be cool” and calms them. The adventurers manage to disengage peacefully.
It doesn’t take them long to find the Abbot with a woman. Apparently, the wedding dress is for this woman. The group questions the Abbot to confirm that the wedding dress needs to be white, immaculate and expensive. Also, the Abbot indicates that the Burgomaster’s wife would be the best to pick the dress. The Abbot also reveals that he is holding the Mad Mage at the Abbey. Hadrioul openly casts a “detect good/evil” spell and determines that the Abbot in some sort of evil celestial being. They depart without further incident.
When the party tries to rest at night, they are haunted by nightmares. Maulduk astutely points out that when they slept during the day, they were not plagued by such disturbing dreams. Ireena recommends a visit to a pool with healing properties. At the pool, Ireena hears a voice of someone she calls Sergei calling for her. She dreamily walks up to the pool and is nearly pulled in by a watery hand. Hadrioul pulls her back. A cloud forms in the shape of a sinister face and sends a bolt of lightning into the pool. The party suspects that this Sergei is the murdered brother of Strahd, who had taken Sergei’s bride Tatiana. Ireena is unsettled by the entire event and agrees to travel with the party for her own safety. They talk with the Burgomaster and agree that they will travel without the Burgomaster’s wife to Vallaki to gain the wedding dress. Ireena will help the party pick a dress for the Abbot.
