Mary's Daughter

Walkthrough

Getting the quest

Mad Mary rocks by a cold stove in the front room of Mad Mary's House, the shuttered townhouse on Mary's lane in the south-west of the village. She's there at any hour. Speaking to her puts the quest at Heard. So does asking Bildrath Cantemir for news about "The woman weeping down the lane."

Step by step

1. Hear Mary out. Ask who Gertruda is and how she disappeared: four nights ago, the window open, and a man singing old songs under it some nights. Then:
   • "We'll look for her." moves the quest to Promised. Mary turns friendly and gives you a message for her daughter (Godrick +2, Kip +2, Thistle +1, Liriel +1). That message matters later.
   • "We can't help you. I'm sorry." moves it to Refused (Godrick -2, Kip -2, Liriel -1). The offer to look stays open, so you can come back and promise after all.
   • [Insight DC 12] "Is she as mad as the village says?" and a Cleric's prayer are just for colour.
2. Look at Gertruda's room. Her room is at the back of the house and the door isn't locked. Search the window (DC 12): the latch was opened from the inside. Tell Mary "Mary, her window latch was opened from the inside." and the quest moves to Window Clue. A one-try [Persuasion DC 12] "You kept her alive for sixteen years, Mary. That isn't a crime." makes her friendly (Kip +1, Liriel +1). The room also holds a well-thumbed book of tales and a chest with a bottle of Perfume.
3. Find her in Castle Ravenloft. Gertruda isn't anywhere near the village. She's in the guest bedroom of Castle Ravenloft, the Rooms of Weeping, up the stairs from Castle Ravenloft, the Court of the Count. That's late-campaign ground, tuned for a party of about level 10, so this quest waits until then.
4. Talk her into leaving. Gertruda thinks she's a guest in a fairy tale. Any one of these breaks the spell without a roll:
   • "Your mother isn't angry. She said the door is unlocked now. All three locks." This needs your promise to Mary (Kip +2, Godrick +1).
   • "You're frightened, Gertruda." This needs a successful [Insight DC 13] "(Look at her carefully.)" first.
   • "Anastrasya slept in this room once, in gowns like yours." This needs Anastrasya Karelova's story from the brides in the lounge along the corridor.
   • "The ledger downstairs has an account in your name." This needs you to have read the count's ledger in the accountant's office of the Court of the Count.
   • A Cleric's blessing.

   [Persuasion DC 15] "He doesn't love you. He collects." also works, but it's one try, and if it fails she rings for her host. That closes the Persuasion option with Rahadin in step 5.

   Then say "Come home, Gertruda. Stay close to us." She joins you as a guest and the quest moves to Found (Godrick +3, Kip +3, Liriel +2, Thistle +2, Wren +1, Ratatouille +1). "Not yet" leaves her waiting.

5. Get past Rahadin. Unless you've already beaten him, Rahadin stands at the head of the grand stairs in the Court of the Count while Gertruda is with you.
   • [Persuasion DC 16] "A guest who can't leave is a prisoner..." (not offered if Gertruda warned him) or [Intimidation DC 17] "Look at us, Rahadin. You're one man." makes him step aside (Godrick +2, Thistle +1, Kip +1). A failed roll means a fight.
   • "Then we go through you." means a fight with Rahadin alone (5,900 XP, 135 HP, AC 18).
   • "Gertruda, go back to your room." ends the quest at Lost.
6. Bring her home. Walk Gertruda into Mary's house. Mary is on her feet before the door is open, and the quest ends at Home. Mary gives you her mother's Necklace of Prayer Beads.

   

Choices and endings

• Home (success): the Necklace of Prayer Beads. Afterwards Gertruda lives in her own room, Mary has stopped weeping, and the boards are off one window.
• Lost (failure): you handed her back on the stairs. Everyone in the party hates it (Godrick -5, Kip -4, Liriel -3, Thistle -3, Wren -3, Ratatouille -2), and when you go back, Gertruda is in a new green gown, smiling at you like a stranger.
• Beating Rahadin adds 2 to how closely Strahd watches you.

If you're stuck

• Rahadin only waits at the stairs while Gertruda is travelling with you. If he's already been beaten, nobody stops you.
• If none of the no-roll options shows up, talk to the brides in the lounge (for Anastrasya's story) or read the ledger in the accountant's office downstairs before you risk the Persuasion roll.

Rewards

• Necklace of Prayer Beads

What your companions think

• Kip Smudgewick: +2 you kept your word to Mad Mary and brought her message to Gertruda; +3 you took Gertruda out of Strahd's guest rooms; +1 you made Rahadin stand aside for Gertruda; -4 you sent Gertruda back up the stairs to Strahd; +2 you haggled Bildrath down; -1 you menaced a shopkeeper over his prices
• Godrick Pendlebrook: +1 you kept your word to Mad Mary and brought her message to Gertruda; +3 you took Gertruda out of Strahd's guest rooms; +2 you made Rahadin stand aside for Gertruda; -5 you sent Gertruda back up the stairs to Strahd; -2 you lied to Bildrath about his strongbox; +2 you paid Bildrath back what was taken from him
• Liriel Dawnsong: +2 you took Gertruda out of Strahd's guest rooms; -3 you sent Gertruda back up the stairs to Strahd; +1 you paid Bildrath back what was taken from him; +1 you told Mary that keeping her girl safe wasn't a crime; +1 you promised Mad Mary you'd look for her daughter; -1 you told Mad Mary you couldn't look for her daughter
• Thistle: +2 you took Gertruda out of Strahd's guest rooms; +1 you made Rahadin stand aside for Gertruda; -3 you sent Gertruda back up the stairs to Strahd; +1 you threatened Bildrath and his nephew; +1 you promised Mad Mary you'd look for her daughter
• Wren Featherfoot: +1 you took Gertruda out of Strahd's guest rooms; -3 you sent Gertruda back up the stairs to Strahd; +1 you haggled Bildrath down; +1 you lied to Bildrath about his strongbox
• Ratatouille: +1 you took Gertruda out of Strahd's guest rooms; -2 you sent Gertruda back up the stairs to Strahd

Fights

• Rahadin rises from his cot as if he has been expecting this, and the screaming rises with him., in Castle Ravenloft, the Rooms of Weeping: Rahadin. Scales with your level.

• Rahadin draws a curved blade and settles on the top step as if he means to stand there for another four…, in Castle Ravenloft, the Court of the Count: Rahadin. Scales with your level.

Journal

Related

• People: Gertruda, Mad Mary, Rahadin, Bildrath Cantemir, Parriwimple
• Places: Castle Ravenloft, the Rooms of Weeping, Mad Mary's House, Castle Ravenloft, the Court of the Count, Bildrath's Mercantile
• More in The Village of Barovia: Cut After Noon, Six Feet, The Burgomaster's Hound, The Goatherd's Count, The Nursemaid's Grave, The Oat Thief, The Polite Caller, The Priest's Son