Session 09 - Summary

Recap

Resuming at Vallaki's gates late Neyavr 4, the party passed vampire and werewolf screening and entered town. Ember and Saturno woke from their magical trance as soon as the party crossed the palisade. At St. Andral's Church, substitute priest Dr. Rudolph van Richten confirmed Irredel's lycanthropy and offered a monthly full-moon suppression ritual—not a permanent cure. Head pastor Father Lucian Petrovich and coffin maker Henrik are missing; Dr. Rudolph van Richten asked the party to investigate trails toward Lake Zarovich. At the lake the party found a hunter's shack ("gone hunting"), a butterfly-carved standing stone with dormant warding magic, and scuffle evidence: black cloak scraps and an old wolf fang. Tracks led toward the Vallaki Vistani Encampment outside town, where Kasimir Velikov told dusk-elf history and the "Court of Wolves" legend. Luvash revealed Arabelle missing since last night; Yan was killed clutching matching black cloth. At Blue Water Inn, Urwin Martikov confirmed widespread disappearances; Rictavio told stories; wolf hunters Szoldar and Yevgeni agreed to lay traps and let the party pose as their subcontractors for silver weapons from Baron Vargas Vallakovich. Party rented rooms and leveled to 4 (Session 9 @ 03:22:14).

Key Events

• Party entered Vallaki after gate screening; gates closed behind them (Session 9 @ 00:10:24)
• Ember and Saturno woke inside town walls; trance lasted since dawn prior day (Session 9 @ 00:13:11)
• Townsfolk directed party to St. Andral's Church near western gate (Session 9 @ 00:17:22)
• Irredel asked Dr. Rudolph van Richten for Remove Curse; werewolf mark confirmed (Session 9 @ 00:33:14)
• Suppression ritual transforms afflicted into docile wolf one night per full moon; no permanent cure known (Session 9 @ 00:34:38)
• Full moon in five nights; return tomorrow night for ritual details (Session 9 @ 00:36:29)
• Dr. Rudolph van Richten filling in for missing Father Lucian Petrovich; coffin maker Henrik also missing (Session 9 @ 00:40:12)
• Ember and Saturno shared dream: young woman in ball gown shielding them from shadow (Session 9 @ 00:20:27)
• Irredel identified sleep magic as conjuration/abjuration, not enchantment (Session 9 @ 00:21:40)
• North gate guards saluted: "All will be well" (Session 9 @ 00:52:40)
• Ireena Kolyana recalled childhood wolf dream at Lake Zarovich; lake felt familiar (Session 9 @ 00:57:04)
• Lake shack sign "gone hunting"; belongs to wolf hunters Szoldar and Yevgeni (Session 9 @ 01:01:32)
• Butterfly standing stone; Ember detected old inactive warding magic (Session 9 @ 01:12:05)
• Scuffle site: black cloak scrap, old wolf fang, boot prints from town (Session 9 @ 01:15:28)
• Kasimir Velikov: dusk-elves subjugated by Barov/Strahd von Zarovich; clipped ears from Rahadin (Session 9 @ 01:48:15)
• Court of Wolves legend—secret werewolf society ruling Vallaki from shadows (Session 9 @ 01:59:51)
• Mercurio glimpsed cloaked figure with animal ears in brush near camp (Session 9 @ 01:29:59)
• Luvash: Arabelle missing; Yan dead with beast wounds and black cloth (Session 9 @ 02:18:14)
• Matching black cloth compared at lake and camp sites (Session 9 @ 02:31:38)
• Blue Water Inn: Urwin Martikov on missing persons; Lady Fiona Wachter only open critic of Baron Vargas Vallakovich (Session 9 @ 02:46:17)
• Rictavio bard; wolf hunters Szoldar and Yevgeni at inn (Session 9 @ 02:49:23)
• Party hired as wolf-hunter subcontractors to obtain silver weapons (Session 9 @ 03:19:50)
• Long rest at inn; party reached level 4 (Session 9 @ 03:22:14)

NPCs Met

• Dr. Rudolph van Richten — substitute priest at St. Andral's Church from Krezk (Session 9 @ 00:41:58)
• Father Lucian Petrovich — missing head pastor; named only (Session 9 @ 00:40:12)
• Henrik — missing coffin maker; named only (Session 9 @ 00:41:13)
• Kasimir Velikov — dusk-elf elder outside Vallaki walls (Session 9 @ 01:40:19)
• Luvash — Arabelle's father at Vistani camp (Session 9 @ 02:15:12)
• Urwin Martikov — Blue Water Inn proprietor (Session 9 @ 02:46:17)
• Lady Fiona Wachter — named as Baron Vargas Vallakovich's only open critic; not yet met (Session 9 @ 02:45:47)
• Rictavio — traveling bard at inn (Session 9 @ 02:49:23)
• Szoldar and Yevgeni — wolf hunters with silver daggers (Session 9 @ 03:07:11)

Locations Visited

• Vallaki — entered eastern gate; explored town (Session 9 @ 00:10:24)
• St. Andral's Church — first visit (Session 9 @ 00:26:09)
• Lake Zarovich — north gate approach; shack and standing stone (Session 9 @ 00:55:12)
• Vallaki Vistani Encampment — outside walls; dusk-elf hovels (Session 9 @ 01:30:42)
• Blue Water Inn — first visit; rooms rented (Session 9 @ 02:36:19)

Quest Updates

• Escort Ireena to Vallaki — active; Ireena Kolyana inside town; church visited (Session 9 @ 00:42:23)
• Seek Aid at St. Andral's Church — active; suppression ritual scheduled tomorrow night (Session 9 @ 00:36:40)
• Deliver Arabelle's Gift — active; Arabelle missing; buy doll at Blinsky's Toys still pending (Session 9 @ 02:18:14)
• Investigate Vallaki Disappearances — active; linked kidnappings and black-cloak lead (Session 9 @ 02:20:30)
• Find Gertruda — active; no new progress

Loot & Clues

• Black cloak fabric scrap at lake scuffle—matches cloth on dead Yan (Session 9 @ 01:16:02)
• Old wolf fang at scuffle site—normal wolf tooth, aged (Session 9 @ 01:20:41)
• Guards' phrase "All will be well"—Ireena Kolyana found it uncannily familiar (Session 9 @ 00:54:12)
• Baron Vargas Vallakovich "reforms" dissenters at Vallakovich manor per Urwin Martikov (Session 9 @ 02:45:07)
• Vallakovich manor library may hold Court of Wolves lore per Kasimir Velikov (Session 9 @ 02:03:50)

Open Threads

• Return to Dr. Rudolph van Richten tomorrow night for Irredel's suppression ritual (Session 9 @ 00:36:40)
• Find Arabelle before delivering Madame Eva's gift (Session 9 @ 02:13:08)
• Locate Father Lucian Petrovich and Henrik (Session 9 @ 00:41:13)
• Pitch wolf-hunter subcontract story to Baron Vargas Vallakovich for silver weapons (Session 9 @ 03:17:42)
• Identify cloaked figure Mercurio saw near Vistani camp (Session 9 @ 01:29:59)
• Help refugees barred outside Vallaki walls (Session 9 @ 00:24:43)
• Interview hunter at lake shack when he returns (Session 9 @ 01:13:27)
• Ireena Kolyana lake compulsion and recurring dream (Session 9 @ 00:57:04)

Party Decisions

• Saturno threw pebble at rude townsman; Mercurio covered with deception (Session 9 @ 00:18:33)
• Agreed to investigate Father Lucian Petrovich's disappearance for Dr. Rudolph van Richten (Session 9 @ 00:48:54)
• Deferred entering hunter shack without permission; door swung open on knock (Session 9 @ 01:05:01)
• Promised Luvash to find Arabelle (Session 9 @ 02:27:07)
• Hired Szoldar and Yevgeni to lay traps and report cloaked-figure sightings (Session 9 @ 03:11:29)
• Rented Blue Water Inn rooms for long rest (Session 9 @ 02:49:59)