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People come and go from the mansion at all hours of Tasha Petrovna, a priest entombed in Castle Raven
during the day. Guards bring criminals cited for "ma loft (chapter 4, area K84, crypt 11).
licious unhappiness." Men and women arrive carrying The Baronet. The baron's miserable son, Victor Val
bundles of twigs, which are piled about the mansion's lakovich (NE male human mage), has confined himself
grand foyer (area N3a) until the construction of the to the attic (area N3t), where he is content to avoid the
wicker sun for the Festival of the Blazing Sun gets unwanted attention of his mother and the disapprov-
under way. ing glares of his father. Years ago, Victor found an old
If the characters knock on the front doors, a maid (LG spellbook in the mansion's library and used it to teach
female human commoner) lets them in, escorts them to himself magic. He has been busy constructing a telepor
the den (area N3e), and leaves to fetch the baron. tation circle in the hope of escaping Barovia and leaving
his parents to their doom.
ROLEPLAYING THE VALLAKOVICH FAMILY
Use the following information to roleplay the burgomas N3A. ENTRANCE HALL AND VESTIBULE
ter and his family.
The Baron. The burgomaster, Baron Vargas Valla
kovich (NE male human noble), is a ruthless heel who Framed portraits adorn the walls of this grand foyer,
prides himself on his good breeding and finely honed which features a wide staircase with a sculpted railing. A
leadership skills. He stages repeated celebrations to long, carpeted hall attached to the foyer stretches almost
foster happiness, and his "All will be well!" catchphrase the length of the mansion and has several doors leading
has become a sad and tiresome punchline. Baron Valla
kovicb has convinced himself that if he can make eve y away from it, including one at the far end. Bundles of
r
one in Vallaki happy, the town will slip free of Strahd's twigs are heaped against the walls.
dark grasp.
The baron has a brittle ego, and he lashes out at The twigs are being stored here until they can be fash
anyone who pokes fun at his festivals or treats him ioned into a wooden effigy of the sun (for the Festival of
disrespectfully. He has two pet mastiffs that follow the Blazing Sun).
him everywhere, as well as a murderous and deformed The stairs climb to the upstairs gallery (area N3i).
henchman named Izek Strazni (see appendix D). In ad The portraits depict the baron, his family, and their
dition to his weapons, Izek carries an iron ring of keys ancestors. Close inspection reveals that some of the
that unlock the stocks in the town square (area NB). people portrayed look very much alike.
If the characters get on his bad side, the baron ac Tucked in the northeast corner of the foyer is a vesti
cuses them of being "spies of the devil Strahd" and bule packed with fine cloaks, coats, and boots.
sends twelve guards to arrest them, seize their weap
ons, and run them out of town. If the guards fail in their
duty, the baron sends Izek to rally a mob of thirty com
moners to lynch the party. If the commoners also fail,
the baron summons the twelve remaining guards to de
fend his mansion, giving characters the run of the town.
If the characters get on his good side, he insists that
they join him in the next festival as special guests and
asks that they tell everyone that all will, indeed, be well.
T w o members of the baron's household staff have
vanished in the past week: the butler and the baroness's
lady-in-waiting. The baron has charged Izek
with finding out what happened to them, but
investigation isn't Izek's forte. Searches
have been organized, to no avail.
The Baroness. At the risk of sacri-
ficing her sanity, the baron's wife, Lydia
Petrovna (LG female human commoner),
has embraced her husband's philosophy of
happiness. She laughs at th� baron's every
comment, to the extent that it has become
a nervous reflex, and she tries to spread
good cheer by throwing daily tea-and
sandwich parties in the parlor for her
"dearest friends," many of them poor folk
who tolerate the baroness only because
they crave something warm to eat and
drink. Lydia is a gods-fearing woman and
the younger sister of the-town priest, Fa
ther Lucian Petrovkh. She is a descendant
CHAPTER 5 I THE TOWN OF VALLAKI
