Curse of Strahd

Session 008 - Bones of St. Andral

19 min read

Details

Summary

The party confronted Father Lucian in the crypt of St. Andral’s Church, where the shaken priest revealed that the sacred bones of Saint Andral had been stolen from beneath the floorboards. He admitted he had told the altar boy Yeska about the relics to comfort him, and Yeska had passed the secret along to someone else. After a rocky introduction involving Leoberos getting a door slammed in his face, the party patiently won Yeska’s trust and learned that he had confided in an older boy named Milivoj. They tracked Milivoj down and found him tending to his impoverished household, sole provider for his four younger siblings after the death of their parents. Moved by compassion, Lucian offered gold and absolution, and Milivoj confessed that he had stolen the bones on behalf of the coffin maker Henrik van der Voort in exchange for thirty silver pieces. The party pressed on to Henrik’s shop, where a terrified Henrik admitted that vampire spawn had coerced him into arranging the theft — and that the vampires and the bones were still in his attic.

The party ascended to the attic and were immediately set upon by four vampire spawn who burst from their crates with feral ferocity. A fierce battle ensued, with Ysarissa firing from an elevated position, Chrystandar blasting the undead with radiant energy that suppressed their regeneration, Leoberos delivering thunderous divine smites, Mortimer repelling two spawn in terror, and Kaelis staking a downed creature through the heart. Lucian supported the fight with disorienting magic and teleportation, and one by one the spawn were destroyed. With the attic cleared, the party recovered the stolen bones and returned them to Father Lucian, who reverently restored them beneath the church floor. Both Mortimer and Leoberos felt the sacred energy surge back through the stones as the hallowed ground was reconsecrated. The party rested within the newly protected church, made plans to bring Ireena there before nightfall, and agreed to report Henrik’s involvement to the local constable.

Recap

The party gathered before Father Lucian in the crypt of St. Andral’s Church, pressing him for answers about the stolen bones. The old priest was visibly shaken, confessing that he believed himself to be the only one who knew the true reason for the church’s consecration — the sacred relics of Saint Andral, interred beneath the floorboards. As he led them down into the crypt and pointed to the spot where the bones had rested, the party noticed that the floorboards had been recently replaced, a telltale sign that someone had been there before them. Father Lucian then recalled, with a slap of his forehead, that he had made one exception to his secrecy — he had told the young altar boy, Yeska, about the bones to comfort the frightened child against the encroaching evil. Yeska, it turned out, had confessed to sharing the secret with someone else, though he had refused to give up a name.

The party wasted no time and set off for Yeska’s home, a short walk through the grim streets of Vallaki. When they knocked, Yeska’s mother answered the door and was immediately suspicious of the heavily armored group standing on her threshold. Leoberos stepped forward with a grand declaration that the world teetered on a razor’s edge between good and evil, and that he was there to push it toward the light — a speech that earned him a door slammed directly in his face. The party regrouped on the porch, and after Chrystandar gently reminded Leoberos that he held no authority in this town, the paladin burst into booming laughter and agreed to simply wait for the boy to return.

After about an hour and a half, a young boy came ambling up the street, swinging a stick like a makeshift bat. He spotted the heavily armored man playing fetch with a large dog in his front yard and paused, before curiosity won out and he asked if he could pet the animal. Leoberos welcomed him warmly, introducing himself and his companion Meathead, and the two struck up an easy conversation while the dog bounded after the stick. Through gentle and patient questioning, Leoberos revealed that they were friends of Father Lucian and that the bones needed to be restored to keep the church safe. The boy, Yeska, visibly wrestled with his conscience before finally admitting that he had told an older boy named Milivoj about the bones, and that Milivoj lived near the town square.

The party made their way toward the town square, where the grim character of Vallaki was on full display. Tattered garlands and dead flowers decorated the surrounding buildings, and at the north end of the square, several men, women, and children were locked in stocks, wearing crude plaster donkey heads as a form of public humiliation. Proclamations were posted all around, announcing a mandatory celebration called the Wolf’s Head Jamboree, promising that pikes would be provided and that all would be well — signed simply by the Baron. Leoberos was immediately drawn toward the people in the stocks, his sense of justice bristling, while the rest of the party kept their eyes on the task at hand and located the run-down row house where Milivoj lived.

They found Milivoj in the front yard, a brawny young man ripping weeds from a pitiful garden with barely concealed frustration. Lucien approached him directly, offering gold in exchange for honest information and making clear that no one was in trouble — they simply needed to follow the trail of the missing bones. Milivoj’s eyes lingered on the gold, and just as he seemed ready to refuse, his younger siblings came racing up the street, the youngest girl brandishing a headless doll with interchangeable heads she had bought from a nearby shop. Milivoj’s expression crumpled as he quietly told her the nine copper pieces she had spent could have fed the family for a week, and he sent her back to return it. The fight went out of him entirely after that, and he confessed everything — he had stolen the bones of Saint Andral from the church crypt after the coffin maker, Henrik van der Voort, offered him thirty silver pieces, and he had done it because he was the sole provider for his four younger siblings after their parents had died.

Lucian pressed two gold pieces into Milivoj’s hand and told him that hunger makes people do terrible things, and that perhaps the universe had arranged this meeting for a reason. The party noted the name Henrik van der Voort and the location of his shop before taking their leave, with Lucien promising to check in on the family whenever they passed through Vallaki. Their next destination was the coffin maker’s shop, a two-story building marked by a coffin-shaped sign, its shutters drawn tight and a deathly silence hanging around it like a shroud. When Leoberos hammered on the door and demanded entry, Henrik shouted from within for them to go away. It was only when Lucian calmly informed him that they were aware of his involvement in the desecration of the church — and that the authorities would be equally interested to hear about it — that the sound of a heavy bar being slowly lifted from the door broke the silence.

Henrik van der Voort was a frightened, hollow-eyed man who wasted no time in confessing that vampires had coerced him into arranging the theft, insisting he had no choice in the matter. He revealed that the bones, and the vampires themselves, were upstairs in the attic. The party sent Henrik away from the premises and began their ascent, moving carefully through the workshop below and the musty display room crowded with thirteen poorly made coffins before finding the staircase leading up. Kaelis pressed an ear to the door at the top and heard movement within, and with a decisive turn of the handle, threw it open.

The attic was a large, drafty space strung with cobwebs, stacked lumber lining the walls and crates marked as junk scattered across the floor. Before the party could take stock of their surroundings, four of those crates burst open, and vampire spawn launched themselves into the room with feral speed. The creatures swarmed Leoberos and Lucian, clawing and biting with savage ferocity, and one of them seized Leoberos in a powerful grapple, holding him in place while the others pressed their assault. Ysarissa agilely scaled a pile of lumber to gain a vantage point overhead, raining arrows down into the fray, while Lucien teleported clear of the melee and bathed the creatures in a shimmering, colorful magical fire that made them glow and easier to target in the darkness.

Chrystandar unleashed searing bursts of radiant energy that scorched the spawn’s undead flesh, and the party quickly realized that this holy light was suppressing the creatures’ terrifying ability to knit their wounds back together. Leoberos channeled divine power through his blade in thunderous smiting blows, and Mortimer called upon his faith to repel the undead, eventually forcing two of the spawn to flee in abject terror. Lucien wove a discordant melody that sent another spawn scrambling away in psychic anguish, and Kaelis drove a sharpened wooden torch through the heart of a downed creature with a decisive blow, destroying it permanently. One by one, the spawn were brought low, staked, and reduced to ash, with the last creature cornered on the ceiling before being finally finished off by Chrystandar.

With the attic cleared and the vampire spawn destroyed, the party searched the room and discovered a wooden chest containing the stolen bones of Saint Andral. They gathered the relics and made their way back through the quiet streets of Vallaki to St. Andral’s Church, presenting the crate to a visibly relieved Father Lucian. The old priest borrowed Ysarissa’s crowbar to pry up the floorboards, carefully lowered the bones into the small chamber beneath, and spoke his blessings over them. Both Mortimer and Leoberos felt it at the same moment — a warm, sacred energy surging back through the stones of the church as the hallowed ground was restored. The two shared a triumphant high five, and Father Lucian declared that the party was welcome in his church whenever they needed shelter.

The group took a well-earned rest within the newly consecrated walls, their wounds beginning to mend in the holy quiet of the church. As they recovered, they made plans to retrieve Ireena from the inn and bring her to the church before nightfall, knowing that the hallowed ground would offer her protection that no inn room could provide. They also agreed that Henrik van der Voort’s dealings with the vampire spawn were a matter for the local constable, and that the coffin maker would need to answer for his role in the desecration. For now, though, the church was safe, the bones were restored, and the darkness that had crept into St. Andral’s had been driven back — at least for one more night.

Scenes

1. The Stolen Bones of Saint Andral

The party investigates the theft of sacred bones from the church crypt and discovers a lead involving the altar boy, Yeska.

  • Father Lucian reveals that the bones of Saint Andral were stolen from beneath the church floorboards, compromising the building’s consecration.
  • Leoberos investigates the crypt floor, noting that the floorboards have been recently replaced.
  • Father Lucian admits he told the altar boy, Yeska, about the bones to help the boy feel safe from the surrounding evil.
  • The party learns that Yeska confessed to telling someone else about the bones but refused to give up a name.
  • The party decides to track down Yeska at his home to find out who he shared the secret with.

2. A Confrontation at Yeska’s Home

The party visits Yeska’s residence and has a tense encounter with his mother before deciding to wait for the boy’s return.

  • The party arrives at Yeska’s house and is met by his mother, who is suspicious of the heavily armored group.
  • Leoberos attempts to intimidate the mother into cooperating, leading her to slam the door in his face.
  • The party discusses their lack of authority in Vallaki and decides to wait nearby for Yeska to return from playing.
  • Leoberos and Chrystandar share a moment of levity regarding their past interactions in other towns while they wait.

3. Finding Yeska

The party waits for the altar boy Yeska to return home and, through a friendly interaction, learns who he told about the church’s secret bones.

  • Leoberos plays fetch with Meathead in the front yard while waiting for Yeska to return.
  • Yeska returns home and is drawn in by Meathead, asking if he can pet the dog.
  • Through a friendly interaction involving playing fetch, Leoberos gains Yeska’s trust.
  • Leoberos gently explains that the bones need to be reset and that they need to know who else might know about them.
  • Yeska confesses that he told an older boy named Milivoj about the bones because he was afraid of the evil around the church.
  • Yeska provides directions to Milivoj’s home near the town square before heading inside.

4. The Vallaki Town Square

The party travels to the center of Vallaki, witnessing the grim atmosphere of the town on their way to find Milivoj.

  • The party observes the town square decorated with tattered garlands and dead flowers.
  • They notice several people, including children, locked in stocks wearing crude plaster donkey heads.
  • Proclamations for the ‘Wolf’s Head Jamboree’ are seen posted around the square, declaring attendance is required and that ‘All will be well.’
  • Leoberos becomes distracted by the plight of those in the stocks while the rest of the party focuses on finding Milivoj’s house.

5. Interrogating Milivoj

The party locates Milivoj at his home and uses a combination of gold and empathy to learn the truth about the stolen bones.

  • The party finds Milivoj weeding his garden at a run-down house near the town square.
  • Leoberos and Meathead move around to the back of the house to prevent Milivoj from fleeing.
  • Lucian approaches Milivoj and offers him gold in exchange for information about the missing church items.
  • Milivoj’s younger siblings arrive home, revealing the family’s extreme poverty and desperate need for food.
  • Milivoj confesses that he stole the bones of Saint Andral after Henrik van der Voort, the coffin maker, offered him thirty silver pieces.
  • Milivoj explains he is the sole provider for his younger siblings after their parents’ deaths and did not know the bones were sacred.
  • Lucian gives Milivoj two gold pieces to help feed his siblings and promises to check in on them.
  • The party identifies the coffin maker’s shop as their next destination.

6. Confronting the Coffin Maker

The party tracks the stolen bones to Henrik van der Voort’s shop and intimidates him into revealing the truth.

  • The party arrives at Henrik van der Voort’s coffin shop, finding it tightly shuttered and silent with iron lattice over the windows.
  • Leoberos bangs on the door with authority, demanding entry under the guise of needing an urgent coffin.
  • Henrik initially refuses to open the door, telling the party to go away and come back tomorrow.
  • Leoberos threatens to kick the door down in the name of Bahamut, while Lucian warns Henrik that they know about his involvement in the desecration of the church.
  • Henrik, intimidated by the threat of the authorities being informed, finally unbars the door and lets them in.
  • Inside the workshop, Henrik confesses that vampires forced him to arrange the theft of the bones.
  • Henrik reveals that the bones, and possibly the vampires themselves, are located on the second floor of the shop.
  • The party allows Henrik to leave the premises before they begin their ascent to the upper floor.

7. Searching the Workshop

After Henrik flees, the party briefly investigates the ground floor of the coffin shop before heading upstairs.

  • The party explores the musty L-shaped display room containing thirteen haphazardly arranged wooden coffins.
  • Kaelis and others check the ground floor rooms, finding a kitchen and Henrik’s modest living quarters.
  • Finding no immediate threats or the bones on the first floor, the party locates the stairs and prepares to head up to the attic.

8. Ambush in the Attic

Upon reaching the second floor, the party is ambushed by vampire spawn hiding in crates and engages in a desperate battle.

  • Kaelis hears movement behind a door on the upper floor, and the party bursts into a large, drafty attic filled with cobwebs and stacks of lumber.
  • Four crates marked ‘junk’ burst open, and vampire spawn leap out to attack the party.
  • The vampire spawn swarm Leoberos and Lucian, with one successfully biting Lucian.
  • Ysarissa agilely climbs atop a pile of lumber to gain a vantage point with her longbow.
  • Lucian teleports away from danger and illuminates the attackers with a shimmering, colorful magical fire.
  • Chrystandar unleashes radiant flares of magic, striking the creatures with searing light.
  • Leoberos calls upon divine power to smite the creatures, and the party realizes that radiant energy prevents them from regenerating their wounds.
  • One of the vampire spawn grapples Leoberos, holding him in place while the others attempt to bite and claw him.
  • Mortimer attempts to turn the undead creatures with holy power, but they resist the divine influence.
  • Lucian casts Bane on the attackers, hindering their ability to strike the party.
  • Kaelis drives a sharpened wooden torch into the heart of a downed vampire spawn, destroying it permanently with a critical hit.
  • Mortimer uses his divine power to turn the undead, forcing two of the spawn to flee in terror.
  • The party focuses their fire on the remaining spawn, with the last creature cornered on the ceiling before being brought down and staked by Chrystandar.
  • After the battle, the party searches the attic and discovers the stolen bones of Saint Andral hidden within a wooden chest.

9. Restoration of Saint Andral’s Bones

The party returns the stolen relics to Father Lucian, who reconsecrates the church and restores its holy protection.

  • The party returns to the church and presents the crate of bones to Father Lucian.
  • Father Lucian uses Ysarissa’s crowbar to pry up the floorboards, revealing the small chamber beneath the church floor.
  • The bones are carefully placed within the crypt while Father Lucian performs a ritual of blessing.
  • Mortimer and Leoberos feel the return of hallowed energy as the church’s divine protection is restored, sharing a celebratory high five.
  • The party takes a short rest within the church to recover from their recent battle.
  • The group decides to bring Ireena to the church immediately to ensure her safety within the newly consecrated ground.
  • Father Lucian grants the party permission to stay at the church, acknowledging their service in restoring the holy site.

Memorable Moments

  • [funny] “Ma’am, the world is teetering on a razor’s edge between good and evil, and I am here to push it towards the good side.” (Leoberos; Attempting to intimidate Yeska’s mother into letting him speak with her son, moments before she slammed the door in his face.)
  • [funny] Leoberos attempts to intimidate Yeska’s mother with a grand speech about good and evil, and she responds by slamming the door directly in his face. (The heavily armored, halo-wearing paladin’s most dramatic moment was met with the most mundane possible rejection.)
  • [funny] “I arrested you several times. Twice. In another town.” (Leoberos; Leaning close to Chrystandar’s face after being told to calm down and chill out on Yeska’s porch, before bursting into laughter.)
  • [dramatic] Milivoj, the brawny teenager, deflates completely when he sees the gold — confessing he stole the sacred bones for thirty silver pieces just to feed his four younger siblings after their parents died. (His younger sister arrives home with a headless doll she can’t afford, making the family’s desperation heartbreakingly clear.)
  • [dramatic] “The vampires made me do it. I didn’t have a choice.” (Henrik van der Voort; Henrik’s shocking confession after finally opening his door, revealing that vampire spawn were living in his attic.)
  • [epic] Kaelis lands a critical hit with a sharpened wooden torch, driving it through the heart of a downed vampire spawn and permanently destroying it just when the party needed it most. (After multiple failed staking attempts by other party members, Kaelis stepped up with a nat 20 on his bonus action attack.)
  • [funny] Two different party members attempt to stake a prone, unconscious vampire spawn and both miss, before Chrystandar finally finishes it off. (The last vampire spawn was cornered on the ceiling, brought down, and then stubbornly refused to be staked despite being helpless.)
  • [epic] Mortimer and Leoberos both feel the hallowed energy surge back into St. Andral’s Church as Father Lucian places the bones in the crypt, and the two share a triumphant high five. (After a full session of investigation and a brutal vampire fight, the church’s holy protection is finally restored.)

Session log

From the GM Assistant session lists. GMA doesn’t distinguish visited/met/found from mentioned, so these lists can include things only talked about.

Present in this session

Quests & Threads touched

Also noted (no wiki page)

  • Spells & abilities used: Bane, Cure Wounds, Dissonant Whispers, Divine Smite, Fairy Fire, Guidance, Guiding Bolt, Lay on Hands, Lunar Vitality, Magic Missile, Spellfire Flare, Turn Undead

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