Session Nineteen

***Outside, a raven swoops low, coming to rest on the old iron fence that wraps around the sprawling graveyard of Saint Andral's Church. A breeze passes through the streets of Vallaki, stirring the raven's feathers, and your hair, and the leaves in the spindly trees that grow within the town. Once it passes, the stillness and the quiet return. Within the church itself, the candle light from the chandeliers above and the clusters to either side of the altar cast flickering shadows that the muted light through the stained glass windows cannot fully banish. Yeska finally pulls the rag away from the statue and turns to face you, twisting his fingers nervously in the scrap of cloth.***

## The Party

* Alyssandra, the Human Paladin/Warlock.
* Dakira, the Dragonborn Bard.
* Devi, the Drow Paladin.
* Tansy, the Tiefling Light Cleric.

## Investigation

Dakira, Ismark, and Tansy continued to question Yeska about the missing bones, while Devi and Alyssandra made smalltalk about ravens and faith, and came to the conclusion that neither of them hated each other, and did not mind each other's company.
Inside, Yeska still did not want to tell them who he had told, saying that if he did then Father Petrovich would be mad at both of them, and this person would lose his job, which he needed to take care of his sisters. With further pursuasion from Dakira, Yeska finally admitted that he had told Milivoj about the bones shortly after Father Petrovich had told him about them. He rushed to assure the party that Milivoj was nice, he only didn't like his job, the burgomaster, the priest, or Vallaki, but he's not a bad person. Yeska could not think of a reason why Milivoj - or anyone - would want the bones, especially since Milivoj dug the graves for the church so would have plenty of bones, and besides supposedly being blessed he could not think of anything special about these bones, and said that it was a very long time between his telling Milivoj and the discovery that the bones were missing. Dakira thanked Yeska for his help, and promised they would keep this secret for him and Milivoj so they would not get into trouble.
The group returned outside to Devi and Alyssandra, reporting to them what they had learned. Alyssandra asked if they had any idea what Milivoj looked like, and Ismark took a moment to hurry back inside the church to ask, and returned with the information. Devi noted that it sounded like the young man who had passed them earlier, but she hadn't seen where he had gone. Alyssandra asked Merletta if she had seen, and Merletta said that of course she had, as she always watches everyone, and chided Alyssandra for not paying closer attention to her surroundings. She then took off from her perch on Alyssandra's shoulder and flew off in the direction Milivoj had gone, landing on the roof of a house across the street.

### Answers

The walk was a short one, and when the party approached the house Merletta flew back down to Alyssandra's shoulder, her movement knocking one of the shingles down from the roof. Alyssandra knocked on the door, and after a moment it was answered by a young girl who peered out at the party suspiciously, asking who they were and what they wanted. Alyssandra said that they were looking for Milivoj, citing "church business," while Dakira said that there was something he could help them with. The young girl stared at them a while longer before telling them to wait there, slamming the door behind her as she went further into the house.

A few minutes later, the door swung open in full, and a teenage boy matching Milivoj's description glared at them, saying they were not from the church and demanded to know why the party was bothering them. Alyssandra said they only wanted to ask some questions, and Milivoj asked what questions she had. She asked where the bones were, and he told her to check the graveyard, since that was where they normally kept bones. In Undercommon, Devi whispered to Alyssandra that she liked this one. Alyssandra was unbothered and clarified that she meant the blessed bones, from inside the church, while Dakira spoke up to say that they spoke to Yeska about it. Milivoj grew defensive, asking the party if they had been giving Yeska a hard time, to which Dakira replied that no, but Milivoj had, since he had stolen the bones, an accusation Milivoj denied, saying that he didn't know what they were talking about.

Devi moved forward then, saying that they were only trying to find the bones and didn't particularly care if or why he had taken them, and that if he were to help them, they would offer him compensation for his help. Milivoj stubbornly stood his ground until he finally relented, saying that they were probably still at the coffin maker's shop. He added that he had no idea why the man had wanted the bones, but for how much coin the man had offered him to steal the bones, he didn't care and wasn't going to ask. Devi thanked him, and turned to ask Alyssandra if she was able to give him any money for his service, and Alyssandra handed Milivoj a single gold coin before they all went their separate ways.

### Follow Through

The party asked Ismark where the coffin maker's shop was, and he pointed back along the main road of Vallaki, saying that it was on the east end of town, inside the stockyard they had passed last night when they came in. He said that he couldn't remember the stockyard ever being busy, so it shouldn't take long, now that they knew where to go. With this in mind, the party set off down the road.

It was not long before both Merletta and Devi noticed something amiss, realizing they were being followed by two men. Merletta warned Alyssandra about this as Devi stepped to the front of the ground, guiding the party down a side street to ensure that they were being followed, and as she did so she was able to see that a tall man was staring directly at the party as they walked and followed after them, though she did not see the other. Merletta, ever alert, reported to Alyssandra that the men were still following them. Dakira and Ismark, having not noticed they were being followed, did notice this change in direction and also noticed Devi stepping away from the group to duck into the space between two houses as they passed. Alyssandra did not answer their questions, only telling them to keep walking.

As the party walked on, Devi was easily able to see that the large man was following them, and that he had not seen her stepping away, keeping his eyes fixed on the party, though she was unable to find the second man or anyone else obviously following them. As he walked, his cloak was disturbed enough to give Devi a brief view of one large, malformed red arm, and when he passed her hiding place Devi stepped out and began to follow him.

The two of them followed the party to the stockyard, though the man stopped outside of it when they went in, staring at the party. The rest of the party had yet to notice them, passing by the now-repaired wagon which read "Rictavio's Carnival of Wonders" on their way to the coffin shop. Alyssandra asked Ismark if the wagon was unusual, to which he replied that he did not come to Vallaki often but he had never heard of a Rictavio before, saying that it might be another outsider.

Devi attempted to talk to the large man first by forcing him into the stockyard, but when he proved immovable she resorted to pulling off his cloak and fully revealing the inhuman arm. He did not react except to stare at her, and Devi shouted over her shoulder for Merletta to let Alyssandra know there was something she should see. When a guard came up to ask if there was a problem, Devi was shocked that the woman was asking him that and not her, as she was not the one walking around town with a demon arm or stalking people. The guard explained that yes, she was, because he was the captain of the guard, and not Devi, giving her a strange look.

As they approached the coffin shop, Alyssandra paused, asking Dakira and Ismark if they had heard something. They both said no, but Merletta informed Alyssandra that Devi had called for her and had wanted them to see something. Meanwhile, outside of the stockyard, Devi continued to question why the man had been following them and what he wanted with them, and he explained that he was not following them, but only the man that they were with, saying that he was wanted by order of the burgomaster, and that the rest of them were free to go. Devi told him that they were already escorting Ismark somewhere, so they would have to decline, but the man insisted, saying that this was urgent and he must go to the burgomaster's mansion, those were his orders.

Inside the stockyard, Alyssandra informed Dakira and Ismark that it seemed like Devi had found something or was in trouble, and that while she had thought Devi could handle herself, it would seem she needed help. Dakira agreed that if Alyssandra thought so, they should go, and Ismark followed them, asking where she had gone, and why she had gone. Out on the street, Devi said that their business was important and that once their task was completed they would bring him, but if it was so important then the burgomaster could come herself. The man accepted this, saying that once they were done here, they would go to the mansion, and Devi agreed, saying she would pass along the information. He took her word for it, and left with the guard just as the party returned to find Devi, deeply shaken and pale in the middle of the street.

As soon as she saw them, Devi, on the verge of a breakdown, rushed to explain what had happened, saying that Ismark was wanted in this town, they were following him and not the party, and that they needed to leave, saying they could come back to help with the bones later because he wasn't safe here. Ismark, confused and alarmed, asked what she meant by "wanted", and she told him that the man was the captain of the guard, and he didn't know why the burgomaster had declared Ismark wanted, only that he was under orders to take him, but she got him to leave.

Alyssandra asked Ismark - who had been growing increasingly anxious since Devi had changed their route through the town, a state not improved by this new news - if there was a reason he might be wanted, but Ismark could only guess that they might consider him a danger to other people because of Strahd's pursuit of him, if they had discovered it. He asked the party if they thought they should leave, or if he should leave, but Dakira said that if anyone was going to leave they would all be leaving together, and Alyssandra said that she wanted to help the church before they left. She then asked Devi how she had gotten the guard captain to leave, and Devi told her that she had explained they had business outside of town, and he had said okay, and while Alyssandra's suspicious nature suspected there was more to it, she accept the reply.

Looking off down the road toward where the two guards had gone, Ismark wondered aloud if he shouldn't just go with them to the burgomaster's mansion to clear up whatever misunderstanding this was, or if he should even stay in town.

## Things Gained

* The knowledge of where the bones are.
* Deeper paranoia.
* Awareness that one of the rumors Ismark mentioned might be true.

## Developments

The party has learned the location of the bones of Saint Andral.

Devi and Alyssandra are aware there are people spying on the party.

The party has found the stockyard and the coffin shop.

Devi has met the captain of the guard.

The party has heard that Ismark is wanted within the town of Vallaki and that the captain of the guard was following them because of it.