The Flesh Golem Bride

Summary

The tour of the Abbey of Saint Markovia resumed under the Abbot's indifferent guidance, who pulled his two-headed manservant Clovin from his cello, sent him to check the soup, and led the party up onto the ramparts overlooking the courtyard. An old office, a stairwell rank with musk and the voices of mongrelfolk, and then the barracks — where the party found Ezmerelda d'Avenir, alive and rising from one of the bunks. While Ireena sat below with Vasilka and Jon, Clovin rang the bell tower, setting the whole abbey screaming as he wheeled out the soup, and Ezmerelda laid the truth bare: the Abbot means to free Barovia by giving Strahd his heart's desire — true love — and the woman the party had been sharing tea with is a flesh golem, built to be the perfect bride. The session ended with the party resolved to fight the Abbot — and to separate him from Vasilka first.

The Ramparts

The party was still in Clovin's room when the Abbot asked him to stop playing and go check the soup, dinner being nearly upon them. He then motioned the group out onto the abbey's ramparts, overlooking the courtyard.

Crossing into the next building, Klildar tried to draw out more about the Abbot's background, but failed to break through his host's indifference — the Abbot ignored him and walked on.

The Old Office

The Abbot showed them an old office, its furniture torn apart save for a single desk. A staircase led down, and from it rose a strong musk; the party could hear noises and voices they recognized as more mongrelfolk.

The Barracks

Next door were the barracks — three bunkbeds, in somewhat better shape than the office. But they were not empty: Ezmerelda d'Avenir was rising from one of the beds as they entered. The Abbot noticed the party already knew her, and remarked that she had arrived a few days ago and that he had since learned they shared the same goal — differing only in their methods of achieving it.

Those Left Below

Back in the main hall, Ireena was still regaling Vasilka, who listened politely while trying to serve tea and spilling it everywhere with poor coordination. Jon observed it all.

They heard the group upstairs depart, followed by someone descending the stairs. It was Clovin, come to check on the soup. He was startled by the two new faces but paid them little attention, going to the cauldron and muttering curses under his breath.

Jon asked about the soup and where his friends had gone. Clovin shrugged — he didn't know, only that they had gone outside. He then went back upstairs and rang the bell tower, and a cacophony of screams erupted all around the abbey. He came down soon after, pulled out a wheelbarrow hitched to an old wine cask, poured the soup into it, left some for the Abbot and his guests, and pushed it out through the main doors.

Ezmerelda's Warning

Back in the barracks, the Abbot excused himself — he needed to help Clovin with the food — and asked the party to follow once they had caught up. Soon after came the abbey's bell and the loud noises that followed. Ezmerelda then shared what she knew: she had arrived a few days ago, unseen, pursuing rumours that the Abbot might be of some help against Strahd.

She had soon learned that he is, for lack of a better word, insane. He is indeed set on freeing Barovia from Strahd — but he believes it can be done by giving the vampire his dark heart's desire: true love. He created Vasilka, who is in fact a flesh golem, to be groomed into the perfect bride. The Abbot told Ezmerelda that he intends to order a bridal gown from Vallaki and then send an invitation to Strahd. That is why she lingered here — waiting to watch her prey.

The party tried to recall what they knew of flesh golems, and Linus remembered their resistances, their immunity to lightning, and their weakness to fire.

A Plan Forms

Back at the hall, the Abbot arrived as Clovin was leaving, sat down at the table, and served the rest of the soup among them.

The party continued to press Ezmerelda for what she knew. She had little else — she didn't know who or what the Abbot is, only that he looks too good to be a simple human. They debated for a while and ultimately decided that fighting the Abbot was the right thing to do, and to be quick about it: after the attack on the pool, Strahd might already be on his way to the abbey. The best course of action, they agreed, would be to separate the Abbot and Vasilka first — taking both at once would be far too risky. That is where the session ended.

Party Members

• Alfbern - Level 6 Elf Druid (Ziro)
• Klildar - Level 6 White Dragonborn Paladin (Fábio)
• Jon - Level 6 Human Ranger (Ricardo)
• Linus - Level 6 Human Wizard (Daniel)

Important Items/Events

• The Tour Continues: The Abbot interrupted Clovin's playing to send him to check the soup, then led the party out onto the ramparts and through the abbey's upper buildings.
• Ezmerelda d'Avenir: Found alive in the abbey's barracks; she arrived a few days ago, unseen, and shares the party's goal against Strahd though not their methods.
• Vasilka: Revealed by Ezmerelda to be a flesh golem the Abbot built and is grooming into the perfect bride.
• The Abbot's Plan: He believes giving Strahd his heart's desire — true love — will free Barovia; he intends to order a bridal gown from Vallaki and send Strahd an invitation.
• The Abbot's Nature: Ezmerelda suspects he is not human — he looks too good to be a simple man, and she cannot say what he truly is.
• Flesh Golem Lore: Linus recalled their resistances, immunity to lightning, and weakness to fire.
• Clovin and the Soup: Clovin rang the bell tower to feed the mongrelfolk, erupting the abbey into screams, then wheeled the soup out in a barrow hitched to a wine cask.
• Decision — Separate Them: The party resolved to fight the Abbot quickly, but first to separate him from Vasilka, as facing both at once would be too risky.
• Strahd's Approach: The party fears Strahd may already be on his way to the abbey following the desecration of the pool.

Original Notes

• The session started with the party still at Clovin's, the Abbot asked him to stop playing and go check the soup as dinner time was upon them. After that he motioned the group out into the Abbey's ramparts, overlooking the coutyard
• While crossing into the next building, Klildar tried to gather more information about the Abbot's background, but failed to break the host's indifference, who ignored him and continued walking
• Upon reaching the next building, he showed them an old office, with torn furniture, with the except of a desk, and stairs leading down, from where a strong musk was irradiating. The party could hear noises and voices that they recognized as more mongrelfok
• Then the Abbot took them next door, to the barracks, that had three bunkbends, and was in a somewhat better shape than the other room. But to their surprise, it was not empty, Ezmerelda D'Avenir was rising from one of the beds as they entered the room. The Abbor noticed that the party already knew her, and mentioned that she arrived a few days ago and he has learned since that they share the same goal, only differing on methods to achieve it
• Back in the main hall, Ireena was still sharing a lot to Vasilka, that was politely paying attention, while trying to serve tea, and spilling it all over with poor coordination. Jon was observing everything
• They heard the sound of the group upstairs exiting, and it was followed by the sound of someone climbing down the stairs. It was Clovin, coming to check on the soup. He got a bit startled by the two new faces, but still didn't pay them too much attention and went to check on the soup in the cauldron, muttering curses under his breath
• Jon asked about the soup, and also where his friends were headed. Clovin shrugged and said he didn't know, just that they went outside. He then went upstairs again and rung the bell tower. A cacophony of screams erupted all around the abbey.
• He came down soon after, pulled a wheelbarrel attached to an old wine cask, and poured the soup into. He left some for the Abbot and his guests and left pushing the wheelbarrow through the main doors
• Back in the barracks, the Abbot excused himself, stating that he needed to help Clovin with the food, and asked that the group followed him after catching up. Soon after they heard the abbey's bell ringing, and the loud noises that followed. Ezmerelda shared with the party that she arrived in the abbey a few days ago, unseen. She was pursing some rumours that the Abbot might be of some help against Strahd
• However, she soon learned that he is, for a lack of better word, insane. He is indeed set to free Barovia from Strahd, but he believes that it can be done by giving the vampire his dark heart's desire: true love. He created Vasilka, which is in fact a flesh golem, to be groomed into the perfect bride. The Abbot shared to Ezmerelda that he wants to order a bridal gown from Vallaki and then he will send an invitation to Strahd. That's the reason she lingered here, waiting to watch her prey
• The party tried to recall what they knew about Flesh Golems and Linus recalled it's resistances, it's lightning immunity and fire weakness.
• Back at the hall, the Abbot arrives as Clovin is leaving and he sits down at the table, serving the rest of the soup between them
• Lastly, the party continued to ask Ezmerelda on what she knew about the situation. She said that not much else, she doesn't know who, or what, the Abbot is. Just that he looks too good to be a simple human. They debated for a bit and ultimately decided that fighting the Abbot was the right thing to do, and be quick about it, after the attack on the pool Strahd might be on his way to the abbey already. However, the best course of action would be to separate the Abbot and Vasilka, as taking both of them at the same time would be too risky. That's where the session ended