COS II Session 2

for me? 😳

## Starring...

* The Barovian Freedom Fighters
	+ Red, criminal
	+ Xadriel Maverran, the sane one
	+ Tokili, encouraging criminal activity
	+ Galia Trey, CLA member who seems pretty okay with the destruction of CLA business
	+ Stone, as Galia Trey
	+ Max von Austrahlung, "fiscally conservative"
	+ Twiggy, anti-capitalist legend
	+ +2 shortsword, bringer of smiles :)
* The Van Richten Society, haunting a holy place
* The Confederate League of Adventurers, a normal business
* Ezmerelda d'Avenir, tour guide
* Ismark Kolyanovich, just Ismark

## Barovia

The session begins, as all do, after the previous. The Barovian Freedom Fighters floated aimlessly on Lake Zarovich and discussed their next actions. Do they speedrun their quest to immediately kill Strahd? Do they visit old friends? As Tokili's robots scraped gore off the deck of his ship, the party ultimately decided to stop by the village of Barovia.

The village was larger and livelier than it was eight years ago—there were even people in it! The party went their separate ways: Twiggy lumbered off to terrorize the townsfolk, and the rest of the party went shopping.

### Supporting Local Businesses

There were three establishments in the entire marketplace: a map shop titled The Barovian Explorer, a CLA shop for adventuring gear, and a tavern labelled Blood ~~of~~ ~~in~~ ~~on~~ in the Vine (that everyone forgot to visit). The Freedom Fighters entered the CLA store.

Inside, a gnome (oh my *fucking* god) tended to the organized, clean, and corporately soulless shelves. There was a staff-only door behind the counter, the existence of which was an invitation, according to the party. Max bought some massive number of arrows (post-script note: it's 108) that I, like the CLA shopkeeper, refused to count. Xadriel objected to the idea of lying to the shopkeeper for a discount. Max left, heading to the Barovian Explorer to buy a map.

Still in the CLA store, Tokili harassed the shopkeeper. He called rogues "scum of the earth backstabbing thieving murdering pieces of shit", to which the shopkeeper awkwardly admitted that he himself was a rogue. Tokili subtly told Red, also a rogue, to steal something. Tokili's attacks became personal, distracting the shopkeeper to cover for Red.

Meanwhile, Max was in the Barovian Explorer. He met the shopkeeper and "most important character", Hylan, the map man. Upon learning that hand-drawn cartographer-sourced organic maps were kinda pricey, he made some really grandiose claims such as "I helped kill Strahd" and "The people who helped kill Strahd are literally next door" to get a discount. Hylan demanded proof, so Max returned to the CLA shop to retrieve the Barovian Freedom Fighters.

Cut back to the CLA store: Red, after perusing the list of things that exist, stole a knife. Xadriel couldn't bear the party's moral corruption and left to find his old friend Ismark.

Max bursts into the CLA shop, asking for the party's help. \_.

### Ismark the Ismark

Xadriel asked around—"where's Ismark Kolyanovich?" The answer was "living in the same house as ever". Luckily Xadriel's dementia has not yet set in allowing for him to pinpoint Ismark's location. They go through the motions; how have you been, you haven't aged a day, where's the rest of the circus, etc. before Ismark mentions his good and bad news: the bad news is he's still a closet furry (his fursona is a (were)wolf) and his infliction is getting worse: the good news is the party gets to go on a fetch quest to go fix it!

### Harassing Local Business

While Xadriel is sitting down for a light snack at Casa de Kolyanovich, the rest of the party travels with Max to prove his junior scribe position at the Barovian Freedom Fighters allowing for a high quality map, free of charge!

Tokili, having previous experience involving the CLA attempting to push small businesses out of their towns asks the shopkeeper ~~for a reason to break in to the CLA shop~~ if he's been given any problems with the competition to which he responds no. Saddened but unimpeded, Tokili asks Twiggy if he'd like to accompany him to the CLA shop.

*it is at this time the author of the article would like to remind the reader: Twiggy is a 9ft tall tree monster that doesn't speak common. His existence was considered 'insulting' and his destruction was ordered by the CLA years prior.*

Twiggy makes for the CLA shop followed by Max, Stone-as-Galia, and Tokili. Before entering Tokili *polymorph*s in to a rat. Twiggy gets the door for the party, if "get" was equivalent to "absolutely annihilate into splinters". The shopkeeper is rather perturbed by this occurrence and calmly requests that Twiggy vacate the premises, to which Twiggy is unable to respond and attempts to comprehend the items on sale. Max tries to explain Twiggy is simply here to browse the wares and purchase as Stone examines the damage to the door. (Twiggy is becoming concerned by the shiny reflective objects in the shop, and combined with the confined space, the crow that controls his brain begins to become frightened.) Max assures the shopkeep that the party can pay for and/or fix the mess created as Stone considers the viability of using *mending* on the destroyed door. (Twiggy spies an object in a glass case which he decides he wants, but unfortunately he has never seen glass before, and punches right through it.) The shopkeeper is disgusted at Twiggy's lack of social skills and begins writing in his notebook labelled "not assassination orders" and begins demanding that the party leaves the shop. (Twiggy, at this point realizing how transactions work, placed the flute he hoped to buy on the counter.) In the hopes that the angry tree monster would leave his shop if it was able to purchase the item it's brought to the counter, the shopkeeper attempted to inform Twiggy the only way to get the item is to make a purchase of over 500gp, at which point you'd get it for free. The party members in the shop realize Twiggy will not respond well to this information and brace for impact. (Stone and Max are correct, as Twiggy smashes through the glass countertop and begins screeching in an otherworldly tongue). The CLA shopkeeper decides to lay all of his cards on the table and demand that not only does the party leave the store but they pay him 1000gp to avoid a death mark. Max decides to front the payment, demanding that Twiggy pay him back later. As the party leaves the store, Stone apologizes profusely.

Everyone meets up just outside the store and Tokili thanks the party for creating an effectively and presumably covert distraction while he checked the back room, Tokili shows off a doll in the likeness of the shopkeeper.

### "Where's my statue?"

As the party reforms to meet with Ismark, he offers to show them around town; specifically the statue of the late Ireena Kolyana with a donation tray. The party sees this as an ample opportunity to get rid of all their spare quarters, dumping an estimated 79 gold pieces total in to the donation tray. The statue is pleased by the offering and returns to them a doll in the likeness of Ireena.

Tokili makes the observation that none of the Barovian Freedom Fighters got statues commemorating their achievements, but Ireena gets one for falling off one of the spires of Ravenloft. To avoid the awkward debate on nepotism in the statue commemorations of Barovia, Ezmerelda suggests the party goes to sleep at Argyonvostholst.

### Over-Repayment

Max tells Twiggy he needs to pay him back for the 1000gp and ruining his CLA reputation. Twiggy pays him with a 5000gp blood diamond he stole from someone's corpse. Max decides now is not the best time to teach Twiggy about basic economics and currency and pockets the diamond, sweet!

## Argynvostholt

The party agreed on Ezmerelda's plan to not sleep in the somehow rat-infested airship but instead in the (previously) giant spider-infested Argynvostholst. Ezmerelda had converted Argynvostholst in to EzmereldaHolst during her 8-year downtime. On the approach they spot a suspicous bag-headed individual who at first they didn't recognize, but upon spying his characteristic potato sack covering his glistening bald head, they knew it to be the wielder of Alucard's sword. They realized it just in time too, as they were about to hit the perpetrator with heavy airborne ordinance for trespassing on private property.

The party disembarked and apologized for forgetting him when they got the party back together, but they were glad he figured out that Strahd was back and to just wait at Ezmerelda's house for the rest of us. To make it up to him, Tokili gave him two gifts: a *+2 shortsword* to replace Alucard's sword, and a mystery potion he had asked Tokili to brew 8 years ago (please not the potion's main ingredient was a mushroom that reanimated a dead wolf, and it has been sitting in storage for the entire downtime).

Ezmerelda was also nice enough to inform the party of her wisecrackin' ghost roommate: Argynvost who was no longer a cool dragon skeleton, but instead an incorporeal maid. After a long day of harassing local businesses the party prepares for a restful night:

* Stone prays to her god by hotboxing her room (don't worry, she disabled the smoke alarm)
* Twiggy can't fit through the door and sleeps outside with his inanimate brethren
* Tokili sleeps on his airship

And finally: the wielder of the +2 shortsword decides to get some practice in. After about an hour of swinging wildly at target dummies he realizes that his shortsword is talking to him via wacky telepathy. It seems very encouraging, very positive.

tired of writing this ont o dead kids

## Older Bonegrinder

The party has no other goals currently, so they go to get one of the ingredients for Ismark's werewolf cure. Like a bunch of teenagers, they just stand around looking at cool skeletons and poking at old books. Twiggy takes it too far when he decides to cast a spell to animate 2 unusually short skeletons; no worries, probably just halflings or gnomes. Upon bringing the new servants back to the party, they are immediately identified as human children's skeletons. Too late to tell Twiggy no, now we have to deal with not only a massive tree with no concept of "morality" or "law" and its skeleton kids that will ensure the whole party is socially ostracized when near Twiggy.

Anyways, the party found a book about different afflictions and how to cure them: perfect for a guy like Ismark!

### Grandma's Old Recipe

* Soul imbued clay
* Arcane vines
* Living wood
* Tooth of werewolf (recipient)
* Crush ingredients with holy water
* Feed to victim

The Freedom Fighters all express their thorough disgust for Twiggy's actions and move on to check out how the only general store in Barovia is doing.

## ~~City 17~~ Vallaki

On approach to Vallaki, the party found it full to bursting with CLA bullshit. Apparently they had shown up right before an announcement from the Mayor, who is a high-ranking CLA officer and has brought his massive troupe of goons with him. He addressed the general population about the situation regarding the fog and Strahd, assuring everyone it was all under control. At the end of his speech there was a questions and comments section (a fatal mistake for a dictator such as himself) and Tokili took the opportunity to straight up just ask: "why did you try and run my shop out of town, why are you marking people for death, why do you suck so much" which was quite embarrassing for every CLA operative in the area.

Fortunately, a child had the same idea as Tokili and chucked a knife at the bastard on stage; unfortunately the man at the microphone turned out to be an illusion. Guards quickly pursued the fleeing child, as well as some members of the Barovian Freedom Fighters. The knife-thrower loses the guards but the party is more persistent, following him back to Van Richten's old cart. He explains he's part of the *Van Richten Society* which are dedicated to weakening or removing the CLA presence in Barovia, also maybe the world. The kid (named "Van Richten Jr.") says they meet in Krezk when the bell rings, and that the party should join.

Before that though, we need the CLA shop in town for any more doors to destroy and/or backrooms to rob. It's the same song and dance: send Twiggy in to be an almost literal bull in a china shop while Tokili magics his way into the backroom; Max smells an opportunity to snag another 5000gp diamond and tags along. Unfortunately Twiggy realizes the doors are made of wood: his own flesh and blood, causing him to be more careful this time around. Once more he spies a magic item he wants, a wind fan that makes wind when you use it. Twiggy pelts the shopkeeper with coins in order to pay for the 750gp magic item, but it's not enough and once more Max has to step in and pay for Twiggy using his own gem. Once outside, Max again demands compensation but the only thing Twiggy has for him is a random item from his inventory; I.E. a mess kit.

also I forgot to write this but Stone asked Blinksy about the dolls the party's been finding, he says ALL of his dolls have been stolen, and it's up to us to find them

## Krezk

With nothing better to do and a seething hatred of the CLA, the party meets up with the Van Richten Society who turn out to be 3 kids and a dog. Nonetheless they give the party some valuable pieces of information about the CLA:

* The CLA have take over control of not only Vallaki, but Ravenloft
* The heads of the CLA in the region are 3 very high ranking members, known only by their codenames:
	+ Cipher: The leader of Vallaki, illusionist
	+ Birdwatcher: almost everything about him is a mystery, but he was likely behind the roc attack on the airship
	+ Thorn: half-orc melee fighter that guards over Ravenloft

The party agrees to help cut the heads of the snake of the CLA, as it's their only quest apart from helping Ismark the werewolf become Ismark the Ismark.

## Developments

* The Barovian Freedom Fighters have fully reassembled and toured almost every major city in Barovia.
* The doll hunt has begun. Obtained this session:
	+ Hylan
	+ Ireena Kolyana
	+ CLA Gnome
	+ Morgantha
	+ Sergei von Zarovich
* The party is aware of the depth of the CLA's presence in Barovia.
	+ The party is aware of three of the CLA's agents and two of their shops.
	+ ...and their presence in Ravenloft.
	+ The party is probably on a CLA hit list.
* The Barovian Freedom Fighters and the Van Richten Society are officially allies.