Page 97 - Curse of Strahd_Neat

Heavy iron chains with iron padlocks keep the gates staying there. He came to Barovia from a distant land,
shut at night. During the day, the gates are closed but riding into town on a carnival wagon.
not typically locked. • The burgomaster, Baron Vargas Vallakovich, has
Two town guards (LG male and female humans) decreed that the Festival of the Blazing Sun will be
stand just inside each gate. Instead of spears, they held in the town square (area NB) in three days. The
carry pikes (reach 10 ft., ldlO + 1 piercing damage on a previous festival, which he called the Wolf's Head Jam­
hit). These weapons are long enough to stab creatures boree, was less than a week ago.
through the bars of the gate. The guards greet all vis­ • Vallaki has endured at least one festival every week
itors with suspicion, particularly those who arrive at for the past several years. Some Vallakians believe
night. If the characters arrive at night, one or more of that the festivals keep the devil Strahd at bay. Others
them must succeed on a DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) think they provide no protection or benefit whatsoever.
check to convince the guards to unlock the gate and let Most consider them dismal affairs.
them enter. • Those who speak ill of the festivals are declared by
If trouble breaks out at one of the gates, the guards the burgomaster to be in league with the devil Strahd
there cry out, "To arms!" Their shouts are echoed across and arrested. Some are thrown in the stocks (area
Vallaki, putting the entire town on alert within minutes. NB), while others are taken to the burgomaster's man­
Vallaki has twenty-four human guards, half of whom sion so that the baron can purge them of their evil.
are on duty at any given time (six stand watch at the • The burgomaster's henchman, Izek Strazni, has a
gates, six patrol the walls). The town can also muster a history of violence as well as a fiendish deformity: a
militia of fifty able-bodied human commoners armed monstrous arm with which he can conjure fire. Fear of
with clubs, daggers, and torches. Izek keeps the baron's enemies at bay.
No one hates the burgomaster more than Lady Fiona
HOUSE OCCUPANTS Wachter, who is often quoted as saying, "I'd rather
If the characters explore a residence other than the serve the devil than a madman." She owns an old
burgomaster's mansion (area N3), roll a d20 and consult house in town (area N4) but rarely leaves her estate.
the following table to determine the house's occupant. Her two adult sons, Nikolai and Karl, are local trouble­
makers. Lady Wachter also has a mad daughter whom
d20 Occupant she keeps locked away. The burgomaster doesn't
1-3 None confront Fiona or her offspring because he is afraid of
4-5 2d4 swarms of rats Lady Wachter, whose family has old ties to Strahd.
6-18 Vallakian townsfolk • Purple flashes of light have been seen emanating from
19-20 Vallakian cultists the attic of the burgomaster's mansion.
• Wolves and dire wolves prowl the woods and aren't
afraid to attack travelers on the Old Svalich Road.
RATS Well-armed groups of hunters and trappers have
A house infested with rats appears abandoned at first. managed to kill several of the wolves, but more
The rats are servants of Strahd and attack if the charac­ keep coming.
ters explore the interior of the house. It's too dangerous to go fishing on Lake Zarovich

TOWNSFOLK (chapter 2, area L), but the threat of Strahd's wolves
A house ofVallakian townsfolk contains ld4 adults (LG hasn't stopped Bluto Krogarov, the town drunk, from
male and female human commoners) and ldB - 1 chil­ trying. He sets out each morning and returns every
dren (LG male and female human noncombatants). Any­ evening, but hasn't caught any fish in a while.
one who listens at the door hears chatter from within. • There have been no recent sightings of the Mad Mage
M
Townsfolk won't willingly invite strangers into their of Mount Baratok (chapter 2, area ) . Folks used to
homes, but they will speak with characters from behind see him skulking along the north shore of Lake Za­
closed doors or while standing in their vestibules. rovich, shooting lightning bolts into the water to kill
the fish. (If the characters seem interested· in meeting.
CULTISTS this wizard, locals recommend that they u_se the fish­
A cult haven contains 2d4 Vallakian adults (LE male ing boats on the south shore to cro�s thelake, because
and female cultists) and 011e ·c.ult"fan�tic (LE male or it's shorter and a lot less dangerous tp.a"i-1 walking
female) who leads them in .prayei �ir:Orchest�ate_s: r.itual around the lake.) • . · .. · - . . •
·
sacrifices. These cultists ·:,;vor�Qfp: q��ils .aricl consider· • There's a Vistani carrip-in. th� woods southwest of
-
Lady Fiona Wachtc;:r (see area 1'14)\cfoe 'theitspiri-.. town (area N9). The Vistani there aren't very fr'iendly.
·
· · · ·
1
tual leader. . :_: � Y · ·. ;_ i ·. Vistani aren't welcome in Vallakh :
- •.
. "f West of town is a haunted maii°sion (si!e_chapttir 7,
.. � ··:·.·. �-·.
·
: · ·
·
·
R- :1·,. _: , VALLAKl LORE "Argynvostholt"). Legend has it that a dragon died
there long, long ago. ·
-
.
::.11�(}/::-: ' In addition to the information kno�n to al.1 �ai-ovians · • South.of town is a village that has been abandoned
_
'
•
.
. .
·.
.'; ;\ �i.:.:• ( ... . . '.· -·
':;(l.t,::;:: )\· .{see "Barovian Lore" in chapter 2), Vallakians know th� for decades. Its burgomaster committed some terrible
. .
.
·
f:0v�?i\": - :tollow.ing bits of 1oca1 1ore: . · . · offens.e and.incurred the wrath of Strahd .
.
. -J·t--�(�·�·.:·::-.\.
:·· ··>·.\(,','<,·:,� _ • The Blue Water Inn (area N2) offers food, wine, and
· -
\ _,·:._·._.:; ? · · shelter to visitors. A stranger with pointed ears is·
.':.
CHAPTER 5 I THE TOWN OF VALLAKI
96