The following morning, Qwib Qwib and Azalea awake at the tavern and quickly notice that Altheon isn’t there. He was there the previous night with Findex, but Dannika is unsure where they might be now. The tavern is full with people who escaped the previous night’s terrors and Urwin is wrangling the kids.
Meanwhile, north of town, Xylil and Esmeralda have a little heart to heart. They talk about their faltering faith, and her losing her teacher the previous night. After their talk, they collect the cleric Senteq and head back to town. They meet with Qwib Qwib and Azalea in the north of town and exchange some information.
Annura and Rasper make their way back to the town the following morning as well. They get to Annura’s and find that the weapons she might have made were destroyed, but other things were left alone. Plenty of material still there to make new things.
Everyone finally re-groups and they decide what to do. While Dannika was able to get some of the missing children back to their family in Vallaki, Qwib Qwib and Esmeralda take the Vistani children back to their camp. Meanwhile the rest of the party decides to have a talk with the new burgomaster.
At the mansion, they sneak in and overhear Izek giving new orders to the guards to pump up the village defenses, even at the cost of destroying some homes people currently live in. While he’s being cruel and callous in his direction, they’re able to read that he’s also incredibly scared. They confront him and he accuses them of being in league with Strahd. To prove it, he produces an invitation for the party to Strahd’s wedding. They also see a strange message on the bottom, which they’re able to figure out is some kind of code, but unsure at this time what it means.
Finally, before they head out to the Amber Temple and find the source of Strahd’s power, Xylil asks the party to indulge him in a Zone of Truth therapy session. They talk and reveal secrets and thoughts. Some find a little comfort, a little trust, and hopefully enough to make it through this journey.
