A Trip to the Fair

After surviving their encounter with a pack of apparent werewolves, the party began healing up. They were concerned about the bites of the wolf-like creatures potentially infecting them (having all seen werewolf movies), so they also began casting Cure Disease spells just as fast as the party's clerics could learn them. They heard children's laughter from the midnight forest around them, which only added to their sense of paranoia. However, the rest of the night passed uneventfully.

With morning, they continued following the general directions from the Gatestone, and after a few hours came out of the forest overlooking a broad, grassy valley. A long lake ran along the far side of the valley, and a dirt road ran down its center. A wagon pulled by a pair of oxen could be seen making its way along the road; it appeared to be a family carrying a load of root vegetables. Mary and James (believing they were the least threatening looking members of the group), strode forward to try to make friends and see what they could learn. Despite their obvious discomfort with their very odd clothing and possessions, the family didn't have much choice but to allow the party to join them.

They explained they were on their way to the Fall Festival in the village of Vallaki, some miles down the road. The Festival was apparently the high point of the year in this vicinity, providing farmers from all around the opportunity to sell their crop, purchase tools and get old ones repaired, and generally socialize before the onset of winter. There was always a fair, and this year they'd heard rumors there would even be a circus.

The party tried to learn more about Vallaki. For example, who was in charge? The burgomeister, came the reply, although the position is largely ceremonial. Does the burgomeister collect taxes? "Oh no - he can't do that. Only Lord Strahd can collect taxes." The characters felt a chill run down their spines, although they didn't know why.

After a few hours of pleasant travel, they indeed came to a small town. Although the townsfolk eyed them suspiciously (as their travelling companions had warned them they would, given their odd clothing), no one took exception to their presence. Many of the buildings were plastered with posters advertising The Circus Gondolfini, confirming the rumors the farm family had heard. In the middle of town was a small square, with a well in the center and a bell mounted next to it. On one side of a square was the Rising Sun Inn (the only one in town), and on the other the village hall had been converted into a men's guesthouse for visitors (they were told that the Church of the Morninglord would serve as the women's guesthouse. A policeman (Constable Muller, according to the farmers) could be seen idling twirling a billy club outside the entrance to the guesthouse.

They Gatestone pointed on to the east-northeast, so the party decided to forgo the attactions of the fair and continue on. As they left Vallaki they could see the fair on the west side of town, with the larger tents of the circus going up just beyond it. They also passed a very large stone building (the only stone building they'd seen in town) connected to a very sturdy-looking stone wall surrounding the local cemetery. A large arched passageway led through the building to the cemetery inside, blocked by strong iron gates secured by thick chains.

The party continued walking towards the mountains to the northeast, but a fog began to settle in. It soon grew so thick they could hardly see the road. Then it cleared, and the party soon found themselves approaching another town. At least they at first thought it was another town - it actually was Vallaki, and the party was entering it from the east, just as they had earlier in the day!

They debated attempting to leave town by different routes, but ultimately decided to stop in at the inn. They were greeted warmly by the proprietor, Ernst, who showed them to a table and offered them a hot lunch and the last available room in the inn. Ernst ran the Rising Sun with his wife (known to all as "Mama") and his two teenaged sons, Horst and Mutt. A young girl of about 11 pushed a broom around the room lethargically. When Mary asked about her, Ernst got a sad expression and lowered his voice. “Such a tragedy, that. ‘er name’s Jane, and her parents died just last week. Father was a cobbler, nice fella, and the mother was just the sweetest young thing. Then, last week, they just up’n died. Both of ‘em, died in their beds on the same night. Doors was locked up tight – Muller had to bust the door down when the neighbors heard young Jane screamin’ in the morning. Poor thing’s got no family now. Mama took her in here, on account of she’s got no place else to go. Parents barely had two Rats to rub together.” He’ll look over his shoulder to make sure Jane’s not within earshot, then whisper, “We could only buy ‘em a week’s Rest.” There’s a catch in his voice. “They deserved better ‘n that. She deserves better ‘n that.” When asked how one could purchase more "rest", he replied "Why, from the Undertaker, at the House of the Dead", but refused to say more.


After lunch, most of the party decided to check out the fair, while Chuck and Phil elected to visit the Church of the Morninglord. As they left, Ernst told them, “Enjoy the fair! You’ll hear the town bell a half-hour before sunset, so you’ll have plenty of time to get back before we lock up.” When the party asked what he meant, he looked at them with surprise. “Goodness, you are foreigners, aintcha? Everyone  in Barovia locks their doors at night, and no one will open them for anyone, for any reason, until dawn. Barovia’s a nice place, with nice people, but after dark, there are … things that roam the night. Some can take the form of anyone, even someone you know and love, so you dursn’t let anyone in. We ring the bell a half hour before sundown, so as no one loses track of time, and once the sun sets, there won’t be a living soul abroad.”


The fair was a small tent city with vendors selling all manner of food and goods along with a variety of games of chance and skill. Other vendors and and entertainers wandered the fair. They party saw a young juggler who was quite good, and seemed to be collecting a hatful of contributions, while a mime drew lots of laughs by following the party around mimicking their odd looks and ways. The circus was till setting up, and wasn't yet open, although hammering could be heard coming from inside the big tents.


Off by itself to the north of the fair was a gypsy wagon. Some men could be seen sitting around a small campfire outside it, and an occasional solitary fairgoer would make his or her way to the wagon and disappear inside. Joe decided to pay it a visit, but as he approached a gypsy girl of about eight stopped him. "Where are your friends?" she asked. "Grandmother is waiting for you, but you must all come together." Intrigued by how she knew he was with a group, he decided to gather everyone together (including Chuck and Phil, who had learned little from their trip to the local church).


When the entire group arrived at the wagon, they were ushered inside. The wagon seemed larger on the inside than it had appeared from outside, and they were greeted by a wizened old woman who introduced herself as Grandmother Rosa. She prepared to tell their fortune with an old deck of strange cards, but suddenly became very upset when she realized there were only seven of them. “But there were supposed to be eight! The cards clearly said eight!. Oh, this is ominous, ominous indeed!” She fretted for awhile, muttering to herself, and to the deck of cards she held in her hand. Finally she announced, “We will have to let the Dead choose for the missing.” She went to a trunk in the back of the wagon and returned with a yellowed skull, which she placed on the empty stool.

One by one, the party members drew cards and she laid them on the table, pronouncing a mysterious meaning for each one. Finally she declared, “Now I shall lay the Fate card, the card that unifies all.” She cut and turned the card over, then  gasped. “The Horseman! This is not just your fate, but the fate of all! All shall perish, or all live, at your hands." She’ll hurriedly gather her cards together, her hands trembling. “Go now! Your reading is over. I have lived too long, to have seen such a thing!”

As the party left the gypsy wagon, they encountered the young juggler they'd seen earlier. He'd been badly beaten, and his arms and fingers broken. He said that the circus roustabouts had done it, telling him they didn't want any competition, and threatening to kill him if he ever showed his face where they were performing again. The party gave him healing to knit his broken bones, but before they could go "talk" to the roustabouts, the town bell began to toll. Everyone at the Fair immediately stopped what they were doing and started making their way back to town. There was no sense of panic or alarm – people continued laughing and joking, children skipped, couples walked arm in arm. However, everyone returned to their homes and closed their doors behind them. At the Rising Sun, Ernst was waiting by the door, greeting everyone as then came in, and pointing them to the tables where Horst and Mutt were already laying out food. Once everyone was in, he closed the door, turned a key in the lock, and dropped a heavy bar into place. He went around making sure all the shutters were securely fastened, making chit-chat as he did so.

The party spent a pleasant evening in the crowded inn, then retired to their rooms. Once inside, they began casting a few end-of-day spells before going to bed. As Chuck cast yet another Cure Disease, he suddenly disappeared! A few seconds later, there was a knock on the door, and there stood Chuck, who had somehow been transported out into the hallway. A minute later he vanished again, this time appearing in the far corner of the room, his nose to the outside wall. Afraid of finding himself transported outdoors, Chuck spent the next several minutes trying desperately to stay as close to the center of the building as possible, as he continue to pop in and out. Meanwhile Jerry was handing out Stoneskin spells when he suddenly found everyone looking at him very strangely. Somehow he had sprouted a pair of short horns growing out of the top of his head, and a long barbed tail sprouting out the other end!

Even though they were in the inn, the party decided to set watches. During Joe's watch, he heard noise from the alley below. Peering out the window, he could make out vague shapes in the darkness below, near the kitchen door, but the thick wavy glass made difficult to discern details in the darkness. However he heard scratching and soft moaning sounds rising from the alley. After a few minutes, the figures moved slowly to the other end of the alley and out of sight.

The next morning the party dressed in local clothing they'd purchased at the far the previous day. Jerry still had his horns and tail, so someone made a quick run to buy him a hat (he was able to hide his tail down his pant leg, although it appeared he was very happy to see you). After breakfast, they all set out to visit the circus. There were three tents: the big-top, which housed the main show, already had a long line of people waiting to buy tickets, so the party decided to check out the other attractions. To the south was the Menagerie, billed as “The Most Magnificent and Malevolent Menagerie Ever Imagined by the Mind of Man”. Inside were a collection of wild animals and strange beasts. Some - lions, tigers, gorillas, etc. - were familiar to the party, but others were like something out of a horror movie. Giant insects. A unicorn. A two-headed giant. There was even a half-horse, half-eagle creature that bit the hand off a young man who tried to pet it. The circus folk who were stationed around the tent to keep the crowd moving didn't seem too concerned by his injury - they simply pointed to a sign that read "Keep hands away from the animals!"

Leaving the Menagerie, the party decided to visit the Freak Show. Inside, the tent was divided into two sections. The first was billed as a wax museum, with extremely lifelike figures dressed in different costumes, each labeled as some famous hero or villain from history (and of course the party has never heard of any of them). Chuck cast a Detect Magic, but found nothing except the party's gear. On the other side of the canvas wall were the freaks. They were a truly disturbing collection of creatures. Most seemed to be some sort of unholy hybrid: a large snake with the head and arms of an infant, a giant spider with the face of a woman, a child with the head of a large cat. 

The party left the freak show badly shaken, and decided that maybe watching the circus performance would cheer them up. We'll find out next week.

We're at Rich & Joette's next week.