Page 114 - Curse of Strahd_Neat

Ernst Larnak, Lady Wachter's spy, lounges here when son, Victor, whose very name makes her cringe. With
he's not out spying on her behalf. her wits restored, Stella feels she has no one in Vallaki
Treasure. The room contains several items of value, she can count on. She latches onto any character who is
including a .golden goblet (worth 250 gp) from which kind to her. If the party takes her to St. Andral's church
Ernst drinks wine, a crystal wine decanter (worth 250 (area Nl), Father Lucian offers to look after her, and she
gp), four electrum candelabras (worth 25 gp each), and a agrees to stay with him.
bronze urn with frolicking children painted on its sides
(worth 100 gp). N4o. MASTER BEDROOM
The door to this room is locked. Lady Wachter and her
N4L. UPSTAIRS HALL servants carry keys. A ghastly sight awaits those who
peer into the room:

A hallway with a window at each end wraps around the
staircase railing. Framed portraits and mirrors festoon Across from the door, a fire sputters and struggles for life
the walls, surrounding you with judging looks and dark in the hearth, above which hangs a framed family por­
reflections. You hear something scratching at one of the trait: a noble father and mother, their two young sons,
many doors. and a baby daughter in the father's arms. The sons are
smiling in a way that suggests mischief. The parents look
like uncrowned royalty.
The scratching noise comes from the door to area N4n,
which is locked. If the characters call out, a plaintive Wood paneling covers the walls of the room. A closet
female voice meows like a cat and says, "Can little kitty and a framed mirror flank a curtained window to the
come out to play? Little kitty is sad and lonely and prom­ south. To the north, a wide, canopied bed lies pinned be­
ises to be good this time, really she does." A closet at the tween matching end tables with oil lamps. Stretched out
south end of the hallway holds blankets and linens. on one side of the bed is a man dressed in black, his eyes
N4M.BROTHERS'ROOMS each covered with a copper piece. He bears a striking
resemblance to the father in the painting.
This bedroom contains nothing out of the ordinary: a
neatly made bed, a table with an oil lamp on it, a hand­ Lady Wachter's husband, Nikolai, lies in his bed, impec­
some wooden chest, a slender wardrobe, and a window cably dressed, quite deceased, and under the effect of
box with drapes. the gentle repose spell. Nothing of value is on him.
The closet contains shelves of fancy footwear and
many fine garments, including a black ceremonial robe
These two rooms belong to Lady Wachter's sons, Niko­ with a hood (similar to the ones worn by the cult fa­
lai and Karl. There's a 25 percent chance that one of the natics in area N4t). On a high shelf rests a locked iron
maids (see area N4h) is here, tidying up. chest. Lady Wachter hides the key to the chest on a tiny
hook in the fireplace, under the mantel. A character who
N4N. STELL.AS ROOM takes a minute to search the fireplace finds the key with
The door to this room is locked from both sides, and a successful D� lQ·Wisdom (Perception) check. Use of
only Lady Wachter has a key. the key disables a poison needle trap hidden in the lock
( see "Sample Traps" in chapter 5, "Adventure Environ­
ments," of the Dungeon Master's Guide). A creature that
This room is musty and dark. An iron-framed bed fitted triggers the trap and fails the saving throw against the
with leather straps stands near a wall. The place has no needle's poison falls uriconscious for 1 hour instead of
other furnishings. being poisoned for 1 hour . .
Scurrying away from you on all fours is a young woman The iron chest is lined with thin sheets of lead and
in a soiled nightgown. She leaps onto the bed and hisses contains the bones of Leo Dilisnya, an enemy of the
like a cat. "Little kitty doesn't know you!" she shouts. Wachter family. Leo was one of the soldiers who be­
trayed and murdered Strahd on the day of Sergei and
"Little kitty doesn't like the smell of you!" Tatyana's wedding. He escaped from Castle Raven­
loft, only to be hunted down and killed by the vampire
Strahd. The Wachters keep nis _bones under lock and
The young woman is Stella Wachter ( CG female human key so that Leo can't be ra'ised frorrt the dead .
commoner), Lady Wachter's insane daughter. A greater .. . � .,,�
...... •-."' · ,;'
restoration spell rids her of the madness that makes -� FORTU·N.E � OF RAVEN LOF T . . .. - . •.. , . . .• ii">:?i
. \.
her think she's a cat. If she is.cured of her madness, ·-::u,yo'ur card r�ad1ng reveals that�·tr�a'siire" is" here, 1t i&: . ;: ,; · '."'¥,,_: >
.
_
she blames her mother for treating her horribly and
using her as a pawn t{sefze control of the town. Stella :t;:?,��t}r:t1�:;��!r�;:tt�_-_:!}_�·t;;:t��f (y_a·�·-btj:.:·i;//.('.\�\� ::. J_.;
.
knows none ·of her mother's secrets, apart from her =- N4P . t.Il3RARY .. �- f ....... •· ,. • • ..· , "'·"·�� · -,.-,'·
�
/
<
0
.-
mother.'s desire to· over'th��-w the bu� g omaster. Stella . ' _ · ih� - �� �ble doots't�= this roon/kr� ·1o}ke'&;L;i� Wachter
has nothing k.ind"tc?say_a9cmt the burgomaster.or his , ,'. , and � erservants ..., cifrry key � :: _. ·:··: _·.-,�. :: ,·_ :::- . -.
. ... ,• . ! ·.>:� .: .- . ·_.' .. ·:-"� ._ .. " . .. . . - , � �. -- ,: : � �-
. -,"'\ ___ .
--- .... � .... /:. CHAPTER "5 I TH'E' TOWN OF VALLAKJ
,,,, __ es., • ,.?'"
-
'\. / ------ - ---- ----- - - -