After arranging the meeting the night before, the Sunseekers meet Rictavio at the Swift Finish in secret. Rictavio reveals his true identity as Rudolph Van Richten, famous monster hunter, here in Barovia on business. His intentions are to study the vampire lord as closely as he can until he is ready for the kill. He trusts the party just enough to exchange information. He offers them their first map of the valley as well as insights on their tarroka reading. He believes that the Amber Temple and Castle Ravenloft may contain more information on the cards. In the meantime, he offers to be the party's personal private detective. The next morning, the Sunseekers are tasked by the guards of Vallaki to hand out fliers for the festival later that day - The Festival of the Blazing Sun. They make their way towards St. Andral's Church up on both Ismark's request for a new priest as well as a tarroka prophecy: "The treasure you seek is hidden behind the sun, in the house of a saint" They disappointed to find no hidden treasure, but they do meet the priest and his grandson, Franz, who is close to becoming a priest to the Morninglord as well and happy to transition to the Village of Barovia where he is needed most. Next door at the orphanage, the Sunseekers meet a variety of twisted children and the overworked headmistress Claudia Belasco who has little time or interest in answering questions. The orphanage does seem to match the description that Bella gave them a few days ago at the Old Mill so they consider their options in freeing the children. However, the Festival is starting soon and attendance is mandatory. Under threatening skies, a parade of unhappy children dressed as flowers trudges through the muddy streets, leading the way for a group of sorry-looking men and women carrying a ten-foot-diameter wicker ball. The burgomaster and his smiling wife, who holds a sad bouquet of wilting flowers, follow the procession on horseback. As weary spectators watch from their stoops, the ball is borne to the town square. There, it is hoisted and hung from a fifteen-foot-high wooden scaffold, and townsfolk take turns splashing it with oil. Before the wicker sun can be set ablaze, the sky tears open in a sudden downpour. "All Will Be Well!" cries the burgomaster as he brandishes a sputtering torch and marches defiantly through the rain toward the wicker ball, only to have his torch go out as he thrusts it into the sphere. A singular laugh erupts from the crowd, drawing the burgomaster's fiery gaze as well as gasps from the townsfolk. The laugh came from a Vallaki guard, Lars Kjurls who is immediately hogtied and dragged through the streets of Vallaki by the burgomaster's horse. Elizana can't contain her frustration as she calls out at the burgomaster from behind a group of children. The children are blamed for the outburst and locked up in the pillories and stocks. German challenges Izek, the head guard to a duel to distract the guards and townsfolk while the rest of the Sunseekers work on freeing the children. The children are released without incident and Freebird uses featherfall to guide Safzira and the children over the walls of Vallaki to be taken immediately to the Old Mill. German is defeated in the duel and taken as a prisoner to the burgomaster's mansion. Elizana quietly follows behind them to work on a plan to free the barbarian. Safzira and Freebird return the following morning to the Blue Water Inn looking for Elizana and German. As Danika helps get them up to speed, Ireena and a handsome stranger enter the Inn. The man is Vallaki's revered town accountant Vasili Von Holtz. He and Ireena met before the Festival and are now courting. Elizana arrives and tells the group to hurry with her back to the burgomaster's mansion to release German. Elizana attempts to discuss the release of the barbarian with the Baron himself, but he is quite dismissive. So the rogues take matters into their own hands and sneak into the mansion to release him themselves. The Sunseekers head back to the orphanage to check on the remaining orphans where Elizana shows a wooden effigy from the fields surrounding the Old Mill. Claudia's eyes light up in terror as she warns Elizana to never approach "Old Bonegrinder," the mill where witches turn children into Dream Pastries.