Page 101 - Curse of Strahd_Neat

N2c. TAPROOM

Damp cloaks hang from pegs in the entrance portico.
5"?.0LDI\R
The tavern is packed with tables and chairs, with nar­ 5"?.0LDI\ROVICH
row paths meandering between them. A bar stretches
along one wall, under a balcony that can be reached by a
wooden staircase that hugs the north wall. Another bal­
cony overhangs an entrance to the east. All the windows
are fitted with thick shutters and crossbars. Lanterns
hanging above the bar and resting on the tables bathe
the room in dull orange light and cast shadows upon
the walls, most of which are adorned with wolf heads
mounted on wooden plaques.

The double doors leading into the taproom can be
barred shut from within.
Mounted on braces and tucked into alcoves behind
the bar are three wine barrels, each one three-quarters
empty. Two of the barrels contain Purple Grapemash
No. 3 (a cheap wine), and the third contains Red Dragon
Crush (a fine wine). A brass spigot is hammered into
each barrel.
Danika Martikov usually tends bar while her husband
busies himself in the kitchen (area N2e). Their boys, YevGENI l<RUSHKIN
Brom and Bray, scamper about and easily get underfoot.
Between dawn and noon, there are no patrons here,
and the Martikovs are upstairs in their bedrooms (areas Wachter Brothers. Nikolai and Karl Wachter (N male
N2o and N2p) or in the attic (area N2q). human nobles) are brothers of noble birth. They are
From noon to dusk, the taproom holds 2d4 local pa­ brash drunkards always looking for trouble, though they
trons (LG male and female commoners). Between dusk are smart enough not to pick fights with well-armed
and midnight, 2d8 Vallakians are here. In addition, one strangers. Their mother, Fiona Wachter (see area N4),
or more of the following people might be present during is an influential figure in town, but her sons never talk
this time. about her. They'd rather listen to tales of the characters'
Wolf Hunters. Szoldar Szoldarovich and Yevgeni harrowing adventures or hear about how the characters
Krushkin (N male human scouts) are local hunters who plan to free Vallaki from the burgomaster's madness.
frequent the Blue Water Inn. They kill wolves and sell Rictavio. The Ione guest of the Blue Water Inn at pres­
the meat for a living, and their work is dangerous and ent is a colorfully dressed half-elf bard who goes by the
bloody. Both men are grim and have haunted looks in name Rictavio-a false identity adopted by the legend­
their eyes. ary vampire hunter Rudolph van Richten (see appendix
These two are dour fellows, but they seldom pass D). He regales tavern patrons with stories so outrageous
up an opportunity to earn coin. If the characters are as to be hardly believable, yet he asserts they are true
looking for guides or information about the land of indeed. Rictavio claims to be a carnival ringmaster from
Barovia, Szoldar and Yevgeni can be of service. They a distant land. He's been staying at the inn for almost a
·
aren't afraid to venture beyond Vallaki's walls during the month, taking advantage of Urwin Martikov's generosity
day, and they know the woods and valley well. They're and good nature. When he arrived, he was accompanied
willing to serve as guides for.5 gp per day, or to provide by a monkey named Piccolo. The monkey wasn't wel­
directions to important landmarks in. exchange for free come at the inn, so Rictavio gave it to the local toymaker
drinks. They think it's foolish to travel "th;is cursed (see area N7).
realm" at night and won\do �o:-u�lesi, thefr �ayment is Rictavio admits to having no musica! talent but man·
exorbitant (100 gp or mo�e):_ · . : ,·:,·.'-' ·. - : ages to entertain locals nonetheless with his stories of
On rare occasions wheffhe na's'sorriething to say, faraway places. Twice each day, at dawn and again at
Szoldar speaks brusquely, while Yevgeni usually parrots dusk, he leaves the inn with a couple of apples and a
his friend in not so many words. Szoldar has a notch in cooked wolf steak wrapped in a handkerchief: He claims
. his bow for every wolf he's killed, while Yevgeni adds a the food is for his portly friend, "the ·destitute toymaker"
.new swatch to his wolfskin cloak every time he makes (area N7) and his pet monkey. In fact, the apples are for
a kill. Both men have families but spend most of their his horse Drusilla (area N2f), and the steak is for his
time together, either drowning their sorrows or hunting captured _saber-toothed tiger (area NS).
in the woods. Most of the wolf heads that adorn the tav­ · During his stay at the inn, Rictavio is quietly gathering
ern walls are the result of their handiwork. • irtformation on the Keepers of the Feather, trying to
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CHAPTER 5 I THE TOWN OF VALLAKI
100