6/25/2025: Moving Forward and a Surprise Behind the Door

Conwan and Komzin find a private space to speak on the second floor of the Burgomaster’s mansion, and agree that Komzin will speak with members of the party that will likely to agree to delivering Ireena to Strahd: Duster and Rakthe are deemed to be friendly to this cause. It is, however, unlikely that Krelldutt will allow this. Komzin departs for the Blue Water Inn, hoping to catch Rakthe and Duster privately, away from the tortle.

Conwan has spotted a hidden attic door during the conversation, but says nothing to Komzin. and explored the upper floors. He pulls a side table beneath the hidden hatch, and climbs through. He scrambles in to a small dusty room, and then into a crowded attic. He makes his way through the collection of dusty boxes, crates and broken furniture. His attention is drawn to a large wooden box. It has the crest of Ravenloft burned onto one side. He opens it, shifting straw to discover plate mail enameled blood red, with the same crest raised on the chest plate. It is designed for a heavyset human man. Conwan replaces the lid.

His attention is drawn by a door at the far end of the attic. He can recognize a sigil inscribed upon the surface which grow brighter as he comes closer. Standing as far back as he can and still see the sigil glow, Conwan throws a dagger at the door. A bolt of lightning erupts from the mark, vaporizing the knife before it can bury itself in the wood.

   ⚔

Deprimer  jerks up from his desk and demands, “Did you hear that, Deprimer?” He sends a pair of. Guards around the house to see if there is any visible damage to the mansion’s exterior.  His attention returns to Dunlarr, whom he instructs to send messengers to request loans from the neighboring towns. Dunlarr suggests sending Blinsky be the emissary to Kresk, and Danika to the Village of Barovia. They will ask to borrow money, and if that is not available to spare, troops will be gratefully accepted as aid. They are to ask for two years grace for the repayment.

Dunlarr opens the door to the study and spies Sheriff, who stands in the corridor. “Are you listening at doors, accountant?” demands the dwarf. Sheriff scurries back to a chair, as Deprimer steps out to hiss at him, with frustration, “I thought I asked my guards to show you out.” 

Sheriff departs as the two guards, back from circling the house. They report that there is a strong smell of lightning from the front of the mansion, but no signs of damage. As Dunlarr sends for a pair of guards to clear the second floor of the mansion, Deprimer retreats back to the office.

⚔

In the barn of the Blue Water, Komzin and Rakthe have a private conversation. Komzin asks Rakthe if they are interested in working with Komzin and his allies to deliver Ireena to Strahd, who in exchange has agreed to that he will allow them to depart from Barovia. Rakthe, ready to leave this terrible place, readily agrees. “I do not like the girl, anyway,” they tell Komzin. The two enter the Inn. 

In the taproom, Danika deposits goblets and a pitcher of the wine supplied by Krelldutt from the stash taken from Wachterhaus. She pours wine for those present at the table: Komzin, Krelldutt and Rakthe, before departing for the kitchen. Across the room, Sheriff sits alone at a table.

”Has anyone seen Duster,” inquires Komzin, mildly. 

No one has. 

Soon enough, Ireena enters. She smiles broadly as she greets Sheriff warmly. “I could not sleep, and hoped I could find friends to ease my mind. I am so glad you are here. Allow me to introduce you to my friends!” She pulls the accountant’s arm to present him to the other table. “This is my friend Komzin,” Ireena gushes. “He is incredibly brave, and remarkably strong. I doubt I would be here without his help,” gushed Ireena. “And this is Rakthe. They is most excellent with a blade, but a little shy. I hope to get to know her better.” She pulls Sheriff around the table to Krelldutt. “This man has the most noble heart I’ve met. He is brave and true, and always chooses to do the right thing. Taking Friedrich…his dog…who had been a baker. The poor creature has some memory of…well, you understand. You have lived in Vallaki long enough to no know of such things.”

She pauses, before introducing Sheriff to the table. “Isn’t becoming an an accountant after being a monk and a soldier a bit boring?” Rakthe asks bluntly.

Ireena attempts to deflect the conversation to something less awkward, and when she cannot, she bids the table sweet dreams. Sheriff, in the meantime, sits to join the group.

Later, as Krelldutt walks Friedrich and is greeted obsequiously by two guards who make the round. The tortle reflects how much has changed since the same two guards nearly arrested him for breaking curfew only a short while ago.

⚔

Behind the door that was once Strazni’s room, Duster in the guise of Deprimer, continues to try to tweak the teleportation circle. He is startled by a large crack of lightning that sounds incredibly close. Duster, paying no attention to the source of the sound, continues to work.   

Not long afterward, a guard opens the door to this room and is surprised to see Burgomaster Deprimer kneeling on the floor, drawing some sort of chalk circle on the planks. “Oh, excuse, me sir,” the guard stutters, and backs out. Dusters disguise as Deprimer continues to see ve him.

Finally, satisfied with his work on the teleportation circle, Duster steps into the ring. Immediately he recognizes that the magic has gone wrong, possibly dangerously wrong. Buffeted for what feels like a very long time, Duster is finally churned out to slide across a rough wooden floor to crash into a stand holding several marionettes. The puppets are scarred by what might be burns.

He staggers to his feet to look around, discovering that small room seems to be some sort of workshop for an alchemist, possibly a wizard. Bottles and jars of herbs and powders cover the surfaces of the two work tables in the room. A small round carpet is near a door. Duster crosses the floor toward the door, noticing that the smell of lightning grows stronger. He retreats to the wall with windows, discovering that he must be on the third floor of the Burgomaster’s mansion. He can see Sargent retreating at speed down the street in the direction of the Blue Water Inn.

Duster casts a Mage Hand  to open the door. He strides to the exits, only to be confronted by Conwan, who gasps, “Burgomaster Deprimer?” The two regard one another through the doorway.