Arc F - Lady Wachter's Wish - Curse of Strahd: Reloaded

_An adventure for five 4th-level characters._ In this arc, if the players defied the Baron’s will on their first morning after entering Vallaki, if they or Ireena were observed visiting with the Barovian refugees outside of the eastern gate, or if they shared their dislike of Baron Vallakovich with Nikolai or Karl Wachter at the Blue Water Inn, the players receive a letter delivered by Ernst Larnak, Lady Fiona Wachter’s courier and spy, which invites them to dine at Wachterhaus that evening. When the players arrive at Wachterhaus that night, Lady Wachter welcomes them to Vallaki and proceeds to offer them wine, food, and conversation. Throughout the evening, she subtly interrogates the players as to their capabilities and goals, all while working to convince them that Baron Vargas Vallakovich is a menace who must be deposed. If Lady Wachter determines that the players are suitable allies, she asks them to kill the Baron’s right-hand man, Izek Strazni, and to bring her his head. Lady Wachter promises the safety of the Barovian refugees, as well additional payment, should the players succeed. If the players accept Lady Wachter’s assignment, Ernst provides them with a bottle of poisoned wine for use in intoxicating Izek, as well as information that the players can use to track Izek in order to assassinate him. The players can find Izek in Vallaki’s town square, and eventually track him to the shore of Lake Zarovich, where—if the players successfully planted it—he drinks the poisoned wine. If the players deliver Izek’s severed head to Lady Wachter, she visits Baron Vallakovich under cover of darkness the following night, accompanied by a trio of **cult fanatics.** Upon viewing Izek’s head, the Baron surrenders peacefully to Lady Wachter’s rule. The following morning, the Baron publicly abdicates to Lady Wachter in Vallaki’s town square. > [!abstract]+ **Tea with Fiona** > If the players visit Wachterhaus before receiving a formal invitation, Lady Wachter is happy to immediately have tea with them if they express an interest in overthrowing the Baron. Otherwise, her manservant Haliq makes an appointment for them to meet with her the following day. # F1. The Blue Water Inn This scene takes place in Chapter 5: Area N2. If the players defied Baron Vallakovich or otherwise intervened in Willemina’s favor on their first morning in Vallaki, if they or Ireena visited the camp of the Barovian refugees at any point while in Vallaki, or if the players shared their dislike of Baron Vallakovich with Nikolai or Karl Wachter at the Blue Water Inn, [[Non-Player Characters#Urwin Martikov|Urwin Martikov]] delivers them an envelope upon their return to the Blue Water Inn that same night. The envelope is addressed to whichever player first introduced themselves to Nikolai and Karl Wachter on the night of their first arrival or, if the players did not interact with Nikolai and Karl in the taproom, whichever player first identified themselves to the guards at Vallaki’s gates that same day. Urwin doesn’t know who the letter is from, but can tell the players that it was delivered by a scruffy-looking man wearing a muddy, but well-made brown cloak who was very insistent that the players receive it. (The man was Ernst Larnak, Lady Wachter’s spy.) The envelope contains the following letter, with the blank filled with the name of whichever player the envelope was addressed to: <div class="sidebar"> Dear _____ and esteemed companions, I hope this missive finds you in good health and high spirits. Vallaki appears to have been blessed by your presence and the promise of goodwill you bear with you. It has come to my attention that our paths, though they wind through such trying times, bear a striking convergence. Accordingly, I write to you today with a humble invitation to dine at my home, Wachterhaus, at sundown tomorrow evening. You may find it on Vallaki’s northern road, a short distance from the Zarovich Gate. I trust that this setting shall provide a quiet and welcoming environment to discuss matters of mutual interest and concern. My doors, as they have always been, stand open to those who wish for the best for the good people of Barovia. Should you choose to accept, simply present this invitation at the door to my estate. I gladly await your presence tomorrow evening. Until then, I remain, Sincerely yours, Lady Fiona Wachter </div> If the players ask Urwin about Lady Wachter, he can share all of the information about her described in Vallaki Lore (p. 96). He can also share that, according to town legend, Lady Wachter’s parents and elder brother were killed in a mysterious accident when she was a teenager. (Urwin, who only relocated to Vallaki ten years ago, can’t confirm or deny the story.) # F2. Wachterhaus This scene takes place in Chapter 5: Area N4. Wachterhaus is largely as described in N4. Wachterhaus (p. 110), but with the following changes: ***Stella's Bedroom.*** Stella Wachter doesn't scratch at her door or call out to the players in N4l. Upstairs Hall (p. 113). If found, she is dull-eyed and non-responsive, incapable of speaking to the players or even moving of her own volition. (This is because she has lost her soul, which is currently trapped in the Ethereal Plane. See [[Arc H - The Lost Soul]] for more information.) Additionally, Stella's room is neither musty nor dark, and her bed is not fitted with leather straps. Instead, her room is well-appointed, including a woven lavender rug, a comfortable armchair with floral patterns, and a small bookcase with a collection of carved wooden cats atop it. (The cats were whittled by her older brother, Karl, as get-well gifts following Stella’s illness.) ***Storage Room.*** The manuscript and treatise contained in the iron chest in N4q. Storage Room (p. 114) are now titled *Voices of the Mist* (a religious text written by Lady Fiona Wachter attesting that the worship of Ezra, goddess of the Mists, can bring peace, understanding, and solemnity), and *The Grimoire of Night's Whispers*, a ritual book and religious text to Mother Night written by the witch Baba Lysaga. ***Master Bedroom.*** Lady Wachter’s late husband, Nikolai, was buried in the cemetery after his death several years ago and is no longer in Lady Wachter’s bed in N4o. Master Bedroom (p. 113). Additionally, the high shelf in N4o. Master Bedroom (p. 113) also holds a thirteen-inch scale model of Wachterhaus, crafted of twigs, clay, and painted thatch. The iron chest beside it still contains the bones of Leo Dilisnya, though Lady Wachter doesn't know its significance. ***Lady Wachter.*** Lady Wachter still has the statistics of a **priest**. However, she has a different list of prepared spells: * Cantrips (at will): *light, toll the dead, thaumaturgy* * 1st level (4 slots): *command, sanctuary, bane* * 2nd level (3 slots): *blindness/deafness, zone of truth, hold person* * 3rd level (2 slots): *animate dead, spirit guardians* ## F2a. Welcome to Wachterhaus As the players approach Wachterhaus, read the following description instead of the text in N4. Wachterhaus (p. 110): <div class="description"> A thick garden, filled with herbs and vines stands beside this wide, red-roofed manor. A slouching roof hangs heavy over furrowed gables, and moss-covered walls sag and bulge under the weight of the vegetation. A handsome red-painted door stands at the house's entrance, its upper half set with frosted glass. </div> When the players knock upon arrival, Lady Wachter's valet, Haliq, opens the door and welcomes the players warmly, using the same form of address used in Lady Wachter's letter. Haliq, a prim and proper butler, first offers to take the players' coats and other belongings, which he stores in the eastern closet of N4a. Front Door and Vestibule (p. 110). Haliq then leads the players into N4b. Staircase (p. 110), from which they can smell an assortment of delicious scents, both sweet and savory, wafting from N4c. Kitchen (p. 112). (A player who peeks through the open door into the kitchen can see the cook, Dhavit, hard at work preparing a roast leg of lamb and assorted stewed vegetables.) Haliq then guides the players through N4j. Dining Room (p. 112) and invites them to take seats in N4i. Parlor (p. 112). After determining which players would like glasses of wine, Haliq assures the players that Lady Wachter will be with them shortly and excuses himself. The players have a few moments to take stock of and discuss their surroundings. Should they investigate the doors to N4k. Den (p. 112) or N4h. Servants' Quarters (p. 112), they find both doors to be locked. Throughout the evening, Ernst Larnak, Lady Wachter’s spy, silently eavesdrops on the players’ conversations from the den as described in N4i. Parlor (p. 112). ## F2b. Meet the Wachters Shortly after the players arrive in the parlor, they notice that a young woman wearing slippers and a white nightgown, approximately sixteen years of age, is standing in the open doorway leading back to the staircase and front entrance. The woman appears to be staring vacantly into space toward them, but neither moves nor makes eye contact—even if approached. A few moments after the players notice the young woman, Nikolai Wachter stumbles into view from the staircase behind her. Assuming the players do not otherwise divert the conversation, the scene unfolds as follows: * Nikolai greets the young woman as “Stella” and worriedly wonders aloud how she got here. * Nikolai notices the players and apologizes profusely to them, assuring them that he’ll get his little sister out of their hair. * If he previously encountered the players in the Blue Water Inn, Nikolai might then recognize them and greet them more personally—either warmly or coldly, depending on their prior interaction. He will then ask the players why they have come to Wachterhaus. * [[Non-Player Characters#Lady Fiona Wachter|Lady Wachter]] arrives from the kitchen and lightly scolds Nikolai for allowing Stella to wander off. * Nikolai tells her that he intends to take Stella for a brief walk around the gardens, and Lady Wachter’s face softens. * Lady Wachter reminds Nikolai that it’s a brisk evening, and to ensure that Stella is warmly dressed and that she neither trips nor injures herself. * Nikolai agrees and departs, leading a vacant-eyed Stella out the front door. [[Non-Player Characters#Lady Fiona Wachter|Lady Wachter]] then enters the parlor and apologizes to the players for the disturbance. She then introduces herself as Lady Fiona Wachter and formally welcomes the players to Wachterhaus, thanking them for accepting her invitation. She invites the players to seat themselves upon the couches, if they haven’t already, and to make themselves comfortable. ![[Lady Fiona Wachter.png]] "Lady Fiona Wachter" by Caleb Cleveland. Support him on <a href="https://patreon.com/calebisdrawing/">Patreon!</a> Haliq arrives shortly thereafter bearing a tray of wine glasses for those that requested them. He also offers a glass to Lady Wachter, who declines and instead requests a glass of brandy. At Lady Wachter’s request, Haliq informs the group that dinner will be served in a quarter-hour. Lady Wachter thanks him, and he bows and departs. > [!profile]+ **Profile: Lady Fiona Wachter** > > **Roleplaying Information** > ***Resonance.*** Lady Wachter should inspire wariness for her loyalty to Strahd, grudging respect for her streak of pragmatic rationality, endearment for her dedication to her children, and pity for the tragedy of her family. > > ***Emotions.*** Lady Wachter most often feels concerned, apprehensive, irate, melancholic, satisfied, thoughtful, determined, stern, or (with her children) compassionate and loving. > > ***Motivations.*** Lady Wachter wants to keep Vallaki—and especially her children—safe from harm. To that end, she hopes to see Baron Vargas Vallakovich removed from power and to reassure Strahd von Zarovich that Vallaki is no danger to his rule. > > ***Inspirations.*** When playing Lady Wachter, channel Moiraine Damodred (The Wheel of Time), Olenna Tyrell (Game of Thrones), Minerva McGonagall (Harry Potter), and Lady Jessica (Dune). > > **Character Information** > ***Persona.*** To the world, Lady Wachter is a cold, cunning, and cordial noblewoman. To those she trusts, Lady Wachter is a melancholic, wry, yet fiercely determined advocate for what she sees as the good of Vallaki. Only Lady Wachter herself appreciates the depth of love she feels for her children—and her shattered sense of faith and hope. > > ***Morale.*** In a fight, Lady Wachter would attempt to negotiate or flee, seeking any means necessary to quell hostilities, up to and including outright surrender. If necessary to save her life or those of her children, however, she would fight to the death with bitter ferocity. > > ***Relationships.*** Lady Wachter is the widow of the deceased Nikolai Wachter I, and the mother of Nikolai Wachter II, Karl Wachter, and Stella Wachter. She is the employer of the **spy** Ernst Larnak, and an outspoken critic of Baron Vargas Vallakovich. ## F2c. Drinks in the Parlor During the following conversation, [[Non-Player Characters#Lady Fiona Wachter|Lady Wachter]] can share the following information: * The young woman was Stella Wachter, her daughter and youngest child. Stella suffers from a mysterious illness—one that has left her mind in a vegetative state for the past two months. Lady Wachter has tried every means available to her to cure Stella’s sickness, but none has succeeded. * The man with Stella was Nikolai Wachter II, Lady Wachter’s eldest son. Nikolai is named for his father, Nikolai Wachter, who died of a wasting sickness three years ago. * Nikolai and his younger brother, Karl, can be mischievous and troublesome louts at times, but Lady Wachter believes that they both have good hearts—if highly disorganized ones. (She is fond of her sons, but regrets that both grew wild and thrill-seeking following their father’s death.) Lady Wachter also attempts to engage the players in small talk, asking questions about their histories, their homes, their interests, and the means by which they came to Vallaki and the valley of Barovia. Throughout the conversation, she offers compliments on any visible armor, weaponry, or arcane or holy foci, and lightly questions the players as to their training in the martial, arcane, or holy arts. Lady Wachter may also respond to player questions as follows: ***If asked why she chose to invite the players for dinner,*** Lady Wachter notes only that outsiders are a rare sight in Vallaki, and that she was taken by reports of their apparent competence. She notes that, “in such troubled times, it is always wise to find friends”—and that, to the canny eye, friends may be found in even the most unexpected places. ***If asked whether she serves Strahd,*** Lady Wachter pauses, considers her words carefully, and calmly replies that she is, and has always been a realist. As preferable as some may find it to live in a realm not ruled by Strahd von Zarovich, Vallakians do live in such a realm, and they must learn to come to terms with it. Unlike Vargas, Strahd is, at the very least, capable of reason. ***If asked how she came to her position,*** Lady Wachter notes that she was not always the heir of House Wachter. Her elder brother, Frederich Wachter, had always been expected to inherit their mother’s household and title. As a teenager, Fiona often fought with her mother and brother—and, on one such occasion, ran away from home in a pique of stubborn fury. She fled into the Svalich Woods, where she would have surely died had she not been found by an old woman named Lysa. Fiona stayed in Lysa’s cottage for six months, until she learned that her parents and brother had perished in a tragic accident. Fiona returned to Vallaki against Lysa’s advice and reclaimed her family’s position. > [!info]+ **What Lady Wachter Knows** > If asked about the different factions and locations throughout Barovia, Lady Wachter can provide the following information: > > * ***The Forest Folk.*** "They are descendants of the original inhabitants of the valley who now worship Count von Zarovich as a god. They use Yester Hill as a gathering place, but reside throughout the Svalich Wood." > * ***Argynvostholt.*** Lady Wachter shares the information in Vallaki Lore (p. 96). > * ***The Amber Temple.*** Lady Wachter can share that she once heard of an "order of knights" inhabiting the abandoned manor to the west, which was said to guard a place called the "Amber Temple." (She learned of this from her mentor, the swamp witch Baba Lysaga, who she refers to only as "Lysa.") She knows little else, however. > * ***The Werewolf Pack.*** "An uncivilized assortment of bloodthirsty brutes. Their aggression has intensified as of late, I fear, but Vallaki's walls and silver have kept us safe." (Lady Wachter doesn't know where the pack's den lies, and doesn't know enough to speculate.) > [!lore]+ **Who is Lysa?** > > “Lysa’s” true identity is Baba Lysaga, the swamp-witch of Chapter 10: The Ruins of Berez (p. 161). Fiona’s story is true—as a young woman, she ran from home and found refuge with Baba Lysaga. For six months, she joined the ranks of Lysaga’s witches-in-training, many of whom now serve at Strahd’s pleasure in K56. Cauldron (p. 72) in Castle Ravenloft. During this time, Fiona struggled beneath Lysaga’s tutelage to “hear the voice” of Mother Night, a task that she ultimately never achieved. > > Upon learning of her family’s death, Fiona chose to return to Vallaki to claim her birthright. Baba Lysaga did not take the news well, and warned Fiona that her departure would be treated as a personal betrayal—and that she would be banished from Berez forevermore for her choice. Fiona returned to Vallaki nonetheless, taking the small grimoire that Baba Lysaga had given her as a memento of her studies. > > On her first night in the empty, silent Wachterhaus, Fiona knelt in her parents’ bedroom—now hers, as the mistress of the house—and prayed, sobbing, to Mother Night for guidance. When a voice spoke to her, Fiona asked in disbelief whether she had heard Mother Night’s voice at last. > > The voice—a woman’s, light yet melancholy—instead identified itself as Ezra, goddess of the Mists, and offered Fiona quiet solace in her time of sorrow. Fiona has been a quiet, but dedicated worshipper of Ezra ever since, and doesn’t suspect that Ezra is merely a guise used by the Dark Powers. ### Dinner is Served As the cocktail conversation draws to a close, Haliq re-enters the room to announce that dinner is served. As the players take their seats, Dhavit and [[Non-Player Characters#Lady Fiona Wachter|Lady Wachter]]'s two maids, Madalena and Amalthia, set the table with an assortment of rich and mouth-watering foods: a roast leg of lamb, stewed vegetables, boiled and seasoned potatoes, and fresh-baked bread with butter and cheeses. ## F2d. The Vallakovich Problem As the players eat dinner, [[Non-Player Characters#Lady Fiona Wachter|Lady Wachter]] poses the following questions: * What do they think of Vallaki, given the time that they have spent in it so far? * What do they think of the town’s policies and culture, and how does it compare with the players’ homelands? As the conversation continues, Lady Wachter notes that she has heard of the players’ actions in the town streets the previous morning, and that she was taken with their willingness to defy the Baron’s will. (If the players mention additional adventures within Vallaki’s walls, such as a confrontation with Volenta at the Coffin-Maker’s Shop, Lady Wachter is suitably impressed.) Should the players indicate an opposition to the Baron, Lady Wachter confesses that she has recently found herself with grave doubts regarding his fitness to rule. She can share the following information about Baron Vargas Vallakovich: * The Vallakovich family has ruled Vallaki ever since its first patriarch, Boris Vallakovich, founded the town nearly five-hundred years ago. The Vallakoviches claim to have royal blood in their veins, and have always believed themselves superior to all others in the valley—and the current Baron is no different. * Baron Vargas Vallakovich first came to power as burgomaster eleven years ago, when his father, Baron Valentin Vallakovich, passed away in his sleep. (At the time, Valentin was barely fifty years old and in near-perfect health. Fiona has always harbored her suspicions, but no foul play ever came to light.) * Vargas is a firm believer in the superstition that the Devil Strahd first arrived as a punishment for the sins of the Barovians’ ancestors. He has therefore always had a strange fixation on the idea that “happiness” may one day allow the Vallakian people to return sunlight to the valley, hosting monthly “festivals” that most have always considered to be dull affairs. * Ever since Strahd’s awakening three months ago, Vargas’s once-harmless beliefs have become an obsessive fixation. He has instituted weekly festivals and made attendance mandatory. * Vargas has also criminalized “malicious unhappiness,” as described in Donkey-Headed Criminals (p. 119). While most “lawbreakers” wind up in the stocks, a select few have been taken to his mansion for personal “rehabilitation”—including Udo Lukovich, a local shoemaker, who was arrested last week as described in N3m. Locked Closet (p. 107). Udo hasn’t been seen since. * Vargas’s fear and paranoia have even driven him to bar the refugees from the village of Barovia from entering Vallaki—an enormous abuse of power that has caused significant and undeserved suffering. * Vargas’s will is enforced by his right-hand man, Izek Strazni, who serves both as Vallaki’s Captain of the Guard and as Vargas’s personal enforcer. Lady Wachter can also share the following information about Izek: * Izek was orphaned at the age of ten, losing his younger sister and arm in a wolf attack, and both of his parents to grief not long thereafter. His sister’s body was never found. * Izek was often mocked for his disability, but after several of his tormentors went missing, the laughter abruptly stopped. No bodies were ever found, but rumors persist that Izek—a large and frequently violent child—murdered them himself. * Approximately a year after losing his parents, Izek was arrested by the town guard and brought to the Vallakovich mansion. No one knows what crime he committed or why he was released soon thereafter, but Valentin Vallakovich’s twenty-five-year-old son, then-Baronet Vargas Vallakovich, all but adopted Izek and took him into their home. * Izek served the Vallakovich family faithfully for the next five years. When Izek was sixteen, he somehow obtained a new arm to replace the one he had lost—though his new limb more resembled a devil’s than any human form. (Curiously, the day that Izek regrew his arm came the same day that Baron Valentin Vallakovich was announced to have passed in his sleep. Lady Wachter is confident that the two events are connected.) * Izek’s fiendish arm allowed him to wield a proper weapon—but, more significantly, magically gave him the power to conjure fire. Vargas soon put both of Izek’s skills to work, designating Izek his personal enforcer and a ranking member of Vallaki’s town guard. As time passed, Izek became a terror throughout Vallaki, committing wanton acts of battery, arson, and extortion both at the Baron’s command and to serve his own diabolic whims. * Many of the townsfolk hate and fear Izek—a sentiment that has slowly spread to Vargas as well in the wake of Strahd’s revival. However, Izek’s strength protects them both, swiftly dispatching any person who dares defy them, and intimidating those that don’t. Where appropriate, Lady Wachter can also share the following story about her daughter, Stella: * Six months ago, against her advice, Lady Wachter’s daughter, Stella, began visiting Victor Vallakovich, the Baron’s son. Lady Wachter warned her against entanglement with the Vallakovich family, but Stella ignored her pleas. * Just over two months ago, Izek Strazni returned Stella to Wachterhaus in her current state: mindless and speechless, unable to walk, eat, or even dress herself without another’s assistance. * Baron Vallakovich has refused to discuss the matter in depth, suggesting only that the girl’s fragile constitution and her family’s exposure to the Devil were to blame. Victor Vallakovich himself has refused to speak to her at all. * Fiona is convinced that Izek or the Vallakoviches did something terrible to Stella—and that, even if they did not, their cold refusal to assist or even commiserate with her illness proves their unfitness to rule. > [!abstract]+ **Stella’s Illness** > > If the players reveal the true nature of Stella’s illness, Lady Wachter’s eyes tighten, and she asks them for a full explanation of how Stella came to inhabit her current state. > > When the players have finished their story, Lady Wachter states that she believes them to be playing a cruel joke upon her and her family, and asks whether they have any means of proving their claims. (She refuses to journey to the Vallakovich manor if the players suggest using the *spirit mirror* to allow her to view Stella directly, dismissing it as a “foolish” suggestion.) > > See [[Arc H - The Lost Soul#H5. Wachterhaus|Arc H - The Lost Soul]] for more information on how the players can persuade Lady Wachter of Stella’s fate. ## F2e. The Wachter Conspiracy If the players appear receptive to her concerns, [[Non-Player Characters#Lady Fiona Wachter|Lady Wachter]] proceeds to ask for their discretion, as well as their promise that not a whisper of their conversation shall escape this room. If the players agree, Lady Wachter makes the following proposal, speaking carefully and making sure to choose her words delicately: * There are many in Vallaki who are uncomfortable with the Vallakoviches’ rule, and who would prefer to see fresh leadership overseeing the town. * However, so long as Izek Strazni serves the Baron’s household, any attempt to shift the town’s political leadership would be met with violent brutality. * Izek is utterly faithful to the Baron. His life is the sole obstacle to the change that Vallaki needs. * The players appear to be capable, intelligent, and good-hearted individuals—both well-armed and well-trained. If any group of individuals could aid Vallaki in its hour of need, they could. If the players are interested in Lady Wachter’s proposal, she asks them to perform the following tasks: * Follow Izek and find a time when he is vulnerable—unaccompanied by the guards that most often seem to follow him. (Any guards will fight to the death to defend him and raise the alarm if allowed, which will both make the players’ fight more difficult and complicate Lady Wachter’s efforts to ensure a smooth transfer of power.) * Once Izek is dispatched, dispose of the body, but bring his head to Lady Wachter. (Lady Wachter notes that proof of Izek’s removal should greatly aid any efforts to encourage Vargas to step down peacefully.) * When the players have completed their task, Lady Wachter and her associates will quietly and peacefully oversee the shift in power. Lady Wachter also shares that Izek is known to be a heavy drinker. While he is a formidable foe, she has secured a bottle of poisoned wine that should dull his senses—imposing the **poisoned** condition for 1 hour—shortly after finishing it. Should the players accept her assignment, she promises to have one of her associates deliver it to them. ***Compensation.*** If the players demand compensation for their services, Lady Wachter promises them their selection of silvered weapons and ammunition from the town guard’s stores, paid once she assumes the Baron’s place. The players are also welcome to, of course, Izek’s silvered battleaxe and any valuables they may recover from his person. If the players demand additional compensation and succeed on a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check, Fiona reluctantly agrees to pay an additional 100 gp upon completion of their task. Should the players mention the Barovian refugees, Lady Wachter swiftly, and without reservation, promises to ensure that the refugees will be permitted to safely enter the town as soon as Baron Vallakovich has been removed from power. ***Fiona’s Loyalty.*** If the players indicate that they have concerns about Lady Wachter’s loyalty to Strahd, she shares the following story: <div class="description"> “Barovia, Vallaki, and Krezk—this land’s three lights of civilization. Did you know, however, that there was once a fourth? “It was a fishing village named Berez, built on the banks of the Luna River, not far south of here. In its prime, it was a bustling and thriving place, full of life, hope, and laughter. “And then, one day, more than three hundred years ago, the village’s burgomaster defied the will of Strahd von Zarovich. “The details are lost to time. But the histories make clear that Berez thought itself able to challenge the Devil’s rule. Whether it was pride, desperation, or mere foolishness, I cannot say. But it was, nonetheless, a grave mistake. “Zarovich did not argue. He did not negotiate. He simply commanded the river Luna to rise, and it obeyed. The waters swallowed Berez whole. No building was left standing, and few lives were spared. The survivors found themselves lost, adrift, and broken. Most found their way north, to Vallaki, where they struggled to forge new lives amongst the ruins of the old. “What did defiance earn Berez? A marsh and some broken stone. A stark, cold warning to anyone who would follow their path. “As a child, I once heard a tale of a sword that shone with the fury of the sun—a mighty weapon indeed, and one that would dawn a new age for Barovia in the dreams of a little girl. But a lady cannot waste time on fairy tales or fools’ errands. She must take the world as it is, not the way that she wishes it to be. “We live under Zarovich’s rule, and survival requires pragmatism. A lord at peace can be reasoned with—even ignored, with sufficient assurances paid. But a vengeful lord cannot be put aside so easily. “Defiance leads to nothing but destruction. Berez learned this the hard way. It is our duty—our obligation, to both our ancestors and to our children—to take that lesson to heart.” </div> If the players reject Lady Wachter’s argument, she replies curtly with the following points: * It is a popular thing amongst the Barovian people to worship the Morninglord—especially now, with Strahd recently returned. Fervent worshippers proclaim the day when the Morninglord’s light shall return to the valley, a new dawn rising with the sun. * Lady Wachter rejects such illusions. Instead, she heeds the word of Ezra, goddess of the Mists, who teaches her followers to look past one’s hopes, to recognize them as the fog that clouds the mind, and to see the world as it truly is and shall forever be. It is Ezra who teaches her followers to endure what must be endured. After all, the oak fights the wind and is broken, but the willow bends when it must and survives. * Strahd von Zarovich is not so immutable or unreasonable as he may appear. Centuries ago, Lady Wachter’s ancestor, Lady Lovina Wachter, served Strahd faithfully as his vassal. When a traitor and assassin named Leo Dilisnya murdered Lovina’s husband and attempted to kill Lovina as well, Strahd defended her, then hunted Dilisnya down to punish him for his treachery. House Wachter has remained loyal to Strahd ever since. * Lady Wachter does not begrudge others their hope that the valley may one day escape Strahd’s control. She does not seek to destroy that hope, nor bring pain where unnecessary. But, in the meantime, she believes that her people must bend like the willow in order to survive. If the players seek to oppose Strahd, she will lift no finger to stop them. She merely asks that they bring no harm to Vallaki as they do. If the players insist that Madam Eva foresaw the existence of the *Sunsword*, she pauses, then notes that, as much as the “Vistana seer” might *believe* what she saw, “the future is notoriously difficult to interpret.” She is willing to concede—albeit with some amusement—that, despite her doubts, she may be more willing to believe the players’ arguments should the sword itself be found. > [!design]- **Design Notes: Lady Wachter's Arc** > Lady Wachter is first introduced as a cynical, if helpful ally. As the players assist her in freeing Vallaki from Izek's tyranny, and later aid her in restoring her daughter's soul in [[Arc H - The Lost Soul]], Lady Wachter gradually grows less cynical and more open to hope for a better future. > > The players' lighting of the beacon of Argynvostholt in [[Arc Q - A Shining Beacon]] inspires Lady Wachter to hope for a future without Strahd von Zarovich. She becomes a steadfast ally in the fight against Strahd after the players obtain the *Sunsword* in [[Arc S - The Amber Temple]]. ***Accepting the Mission.*** If the players accept Lady Wachter’s assignment, she promises that she will send one of her associates to brief them on Izek Strazni’s schedule—and provide the bottle of poisoned wine—the following morning. > [!lore]+ **Ezra: What Barovians Know** > Some learned Barovians, such as Kasimir or Father Petrovich, know the information about Ezra contained in Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft (p. 64). However, few know more than that, even among Ezra's own worshippers. Kasimir and other long-lived Barovians can share that worship of Ezra began only after Barovia passed into the mists, and that no Barovian had heard the goddess's name before then. ## F2f. The Traitor If the players ask Lady Wachter about the "ancient foe of an old and noble house" described in Madam Eva's Tarokka reading regarding the *Tome of Strahd*, she hesitates, then promises to tell them all she knows regarding her family's history should they successfully defeat Izek. # F3. Return to the Blue Water Inn The following morning, as the players enter the taproom of the Blue Water Inn, [[Non-Player Characters#Danika Dorakova|Danika]] informs them that a man has requested their presence at his table by the southern window. She quietly adds that Urwin has identified the man as the same cloaked individual who delivered the players’ invitation the previous day. The man, Ernst Larnak (described in **N4. Wachterhaus**, p. 110), is currently enjoying a breakfast of bread, egg, and cured sausage. In lieu of greeting the players, he reflects (with his mouth full) on the quality of Urwin Martikov’s cooking, but mourns that the inn doesn’t carry coffee, a wonderful foreign drink he once purchased from a Vistana caravan. Once he has finished his breakfast, Ernst can inform the players that Izek Strazni generally receives a delivery of a midday meal and a case carrying two bottles of wine shortly after noon in the Vallaki town square, delivered by the Baron’s cook, Tereska. Izek then speaks with various spies of his throughout town. (Ernst notes with distaste that Izek’s “spies” are mere town gossips who Izek has intimidated into snitching on their neighbors.) Izek’s afternoon schedule is highly variable, but he reliably finishes the first bottle of wine by dusk and drains the second bottle shortly after settling down in one of several favored haunts. Ernst can also provide the players with a burlap sack of sufficient size to contain Izek’s head, which also contains the bottle of poisoned wine. (“To carry the goods,” he says, grinning, as he holds out the sack. As he opens it to reveal the bottle, he adds, “And a parting gift for their owner.”) The wine is labeled Red Dragon Crush. When the handoff is complete, Ernst advises the players to follow Izek as he leaves the town square to ensure that they don’t lose sight of him by evening. He then snidely wishes the players luck before departing. > [!lore]+ **Ernst’s Preparations** > > Ernst was able to learn of Izek’s daytime schedule by stalking Izek himself. However, he was unable to learn of the inner goings-on within the burgomaster’s mansion until recently, when the Baron’s butler and the Baroness’s lady-in-waiting departed the manor out of fear of its recent haunting. Ernst took advantage of the situation and bribed the two former servants to share those details with him. > > The poison that Ernst added to the wine was purchased from Arrigal, one of the two leaders of the Vallakian Vistani encampment. # F4. Izek’s Assassination > [!lore]+ **Izek's Schedule** > > On the particular day that the players choose to carry out their plan, Izek follows the following schedule unless interrupted: > > * **11:00 A.M.** Izek wakes from his drunken slumber and takes his morning meal in the kitchen of the burgomaster’s mansion, where he is met by two **guards** who deliver a morning report. > * **11:30 A.M.** Izek, accompanied by the two **guards**, travels to the western Sunset Gate, the northern Zarovich Gate, and the eastern Morning Gate to receive the guards’ reports and inspect the town’s defenses. > * **1:00 P.M.** The Baron’s cook delivers Izek a midday meal and a case of two bottles of wine in the Vallaki town square. Izek eats his lunch and begins drinking the first bottle of wine while the two **guards** patrol the surrounding area. > * **2:00 P.M.** Izek and the two **guards** visit three or four of Izek’s “spies” scattered across the town to receive reports of recent malicious unhappiness. > * **4:00 P.M.** Izek and the two **guards** travel to the Sunset, Zarovich Gate, and Morning Gate (beginning with whichever gate is closest) to receive the guards’ reports and inspect the town’s defenses. > * **5:30 P.M.** Izek dismisses the two **guards** and travels alone to Lake Zarovich. He spends the remainder of the evening consuming the second bottle of wine and staring into space. > * **10:00 P.M.** Izek returns to the burgomaster’s mansion and takes his evening meal, as well as a third bottle of wine, in his bedroom. > > Once Izek drinks the entire bottle of Lady Wachter’s poisoned wine, he suffers the **poisoned** condition for 1 hour afterward. ## F4a. Planting the Poisoned Wine The players can attempt to plant the poisoned bottle of wine in Izek’s case of wine in multiple ways, including (but not limited to) the following: * The players can sneak into the kitchen of the burgomaster’s manor and distract the cook, Tereska, in order to replace the second bottle with the poisoned bottle. * The players can follow Tereska to the Vallaki town square and distract Izek while he’s eating his lunch in order to replace the second bottle with the poisoned bottle. ***Sneaking Into the Kitchen.*** If the players choose to swap the bottles in the burgomaster’s mansion, Tereska’s schedule unfolds as follows: * **12:00 P.M.** Tereska retrieves two bottles of Purple Grapemash No. 3 wine from the pantry and places them on the counter in the kitchen beside an empty leather wine case. * **12:15 P.M.** Tereska places the two bottles of wine into the wine case, beginning with the bottle closest to the case. (If the players have replaced one of the bottles with the poisoned bottle, which is labeled Red Dragon Crush, Tereska regards it with surprise and makes a cursory Wisdom (Perception) check to discern whether anyone else is in or around the kitchen. If she sees no one, she chides herself for forgetfulness and assumes that the bottle was labeled Red Dragon Crush all along.) * **12:45 P.M.** After preparing and packing Izek’s midday meal, Tereska takes the leather wine case and walks it to the Vallaki town square, where she delivers it to Izek. Tereska cannot be bribed, cajoled, or intimidated into switching the bottles. (She is too suspicious of strangers and too fearful of Izek to risk disappointing him.) However, if the players fake a convincing cover story, they can convince her to replace one of the Purple Grapemash No. 3 bottles with the poisoned Red Dragon Crush bottle with a successful DC 13 Charisma (Deception) check. ***Distracting Izek.*** If the players choose to swap the bottles while [[Non-Player Characters#Izek Strazni|Izek]] is eating lunch, they can distract Izek by, among other possibilities, causing any apparent breach of the peace, such as an evident jailbreak by one or more of the prisoners in the town stocks. Players should be careful, however, to avoid being caught in the act. Izek is liable to declare—and join—a manhunt for any player seen breaking the law. Any manhunt, which will require Izek to rouse the town’s twelve off-duty **guards**, will last until nightfall. Izek then resumes his normal schedule the following day. ## F4b. Trailing Izek As the players trail [[Non-Player Characters#Izek Strazni|Izek]], any or all of the following encounters may take place. > [!info]+ **Getting Caught** > Should the players fail to escape initial notice in any of these encounters, they can still avoid detection by making a successful DC 13 group Dexterity (Stealth) check, which may be accompanied by one or more additional skill checks at your discretion. (See **Group Checks** in the Player's Handbook, p. 175.) For example, a player who seeks to escape notice by clambering onto the roof of a nearby house might attempt a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check, gaining advantage on their Dexterity (Stealth) check if they succeed. > > If Izek detects the players, he demands to know whether the players have been following him and accuses them of being "spies and criminals." The players can deceive him with a successful DC 9 Charisma (Deception) check. On a failure, Izek directs any nearby guards to arrest the players to be locked in the stocks; if the players resist, or if there are no guards nearby, Izek attacks in an attempt to knock the players out himself. > > If the players are detected but successfully deceive Izek as to their intentions, if Izek previously saw the players in Ireena Kolyana's company, he immediately demands to know her location. The players can deceive Izek with another successful DC 9 Charisma (Deception) check, made with disadvantage if the players deny any association with Ireena. If he catches the players in a lie, Izek coldly vows to "beat the truth out of them" and attacks. ### 1. The Town Square This scene takes place in Chapter 5: Area N8. As the players watch [[Non-Player Characters#Izek Strazni|Izek]] eating his lunch in the town square, Bluto, the town fisherman, drunkenly approaches them carrying a large, shallow wicker basket lined with river reeds and filled with stinking fish. (“Fresh-caught from Lake Zarovich!”) Bluto loudly and belligerently demands to know whether the players will buy one of his fish for 4 cp, or a half-dozen of his fish for 20 cp. He takes any refusals as a personal offense and begins yelling at the players for being “outsiders” and “looking down at him,” which draws the attention of Izek and his guards. The players can calm Bluto with a successful DC 14 Charisma (Persuasion) check or by purchasing one or more of his fish. ### 2. Izek’s Spies As [[Non-Player Characters#Izek Strazni|Izek]] visits one of his spies, the players can overhear a conversation in which the spy informs Izek that several of their neighbors have recently visited the Morning Gate to purchase "pastries that allow you to dream while wide-awake" from a peddler named Morgantha. As the conversation continues, the players are noticed by a small, mangy **mastiff** standing guard in the alleyway near the spy’s house. Upon spotting the players, the dog begins to growl at them, threatening to draw the attention of Izek, his guards, or his spy. The players can calm the dog with a successful DC 14 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check or by providing it with food. ### 3. Gate Inspections As [[Non-Player Characters#Izek Strazni|Izek]] visits the eastern Morning Gate, three Barovian refugees rattle the iron bars of the gate and plead for entry, claiming that the camp’s food stores are running low and wolves have been spotted prowling around the edges of the forest on multiple recent nights—made worse by the fact that nearly a full quarter of the camp has grown addicted to the so-called "dream pastries" sold by the peddler Morgantha. Izek conjures a flame in his hand and threatens to burn the refugees unless they disperse, which they do. Izek then snarls to the guards that if wolves are getting brave enough to approach the walls, werewolves can’t be far behind. Izek then commands one of the guards to fetch a dozen fresh silvered crossbow bolts from a weapons cache stored in crates near the players’ hiding position. The players can avoid the guard’s attention with a successful DC 13 group Dexterity (Stealth) check or by other suitable means. As Izek is leaving the Morning Gate, he idly commands one of the guards standing watch to purchase and deliver a dream pastry for him when the peddler returns the following day. ### 4. End of the Day When [[Non-Player Characters#Izek Strazni|Izek]] has finished the evening inspection for all of the gates, he dismisses his two **guards** as usual. However, instead of proceeding to one of his usual drinking spots, he travels to N7. Blinsky Toys (p. 118), where he attempts to pick up the doll that looks like Ireena Kolyana. > [!abstract]+ **The Missing Doll** > > If the doll is not available for Izek to take, he beats Blinsky using **_unarmed strikes_** until the toymaker is at 1 hit point, and then uses his **_hurl flame_** ability to burn each of the other toys on display to cinders. Izek then threatens to kill Blinsky and burn his shop down unless a replacement doll is completed by dusk on the following day. > > In his fury, Izek forgets the case containing the poisoned wine on Blinsky’s counter. The players can persuade Blinsky to help them poison Izek when he returns by showing Blinsky kindness and treating his wounds or with a successful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check. ## F4c. Ambushing Izek This scene takes place in Chapter 2: Area L. Upon retrieving the doll, [[Non-Player Characters#Izek Strazni|Izek]] proceeds north through the Zarovich Gate until arriving at Lake Zarovich. As he sits upon the shore, he drains the second bottle of wine in his case—gaining the **poisoned** condition for the duration of the following hour—and regards the doll with obsessive fixation. While he is poisoned in this way, treat Izek’s passive Wisdom (Perception) score as 8. If Izek is undisturbed, he leaves Lake Zarovich and returns to the burgomaster’s mansion approximately four hours later. If Izek is attacked, he defends himself, vowing to destroy the players for their insolence. Izek always begins combat using the statistics of his **first form**. Upon realizing his poisoned state at the end of his first turn in combat, Izek roars in rage and demands to know what the players have done to him. If the players ask the truth behind the Ireena-shaped doll, Izek snarls that the doll is none of their business. If Ireena has accompanied the players to the lake, Izek instructs her to stand aside while he "teaches these worms some manners." If defied, he snarls in rage. ![[Lake-Zarovich_Izek-Encounter_4k_NoGrid_40x30_102PPI_Gloom_Fog.jpg]] "Lake Zarovich" by DM Andy Maps. High resolution versions available <a href="https://ko-fi.com/s/29a5db8e9c/">here!</a> > [!warning]+ **Poisoned Izek** > Remember that Izek remains **poisoned** while the effect lasts. Changing forms doesn't remove this (or any other) condition. > [!warning]+ **Don't Use Tactics!** > All enemies in this guide, including boss monsters, have been exhaustively playtested and balanced using the Challenge Ratings 2.0 encounter-building system. All major boss encounters have been calibrated to consume most or all of the players' hit points in order to create a dangerous and exciting fight. > > However, these boss statblocks have enough hit points and deal enough damage per round (DPR) to ensure that they can present a suitable threat without any special tactics or strategy. To the extent any such strategies exist, they have been built into the statblock and require no additional strategizing by the Dungeon Master. > > Accordingly, unless your players have proven themselves highly tactical and/or optimized, **avoid playing these boss statblocks tactically**—because if you *do* play them tactically, you're very likely to TPK your players. Instead, simply choose whichever actions, bonus actions, reactions, and targets will provide the most interest and excitement for the current round. <div class="statblock"> <h2>Izek Strazni, 1st Form</h2> Medium humanoid, neutral evil <hr> Armor Class 14 (studded leather) Hit Points 110 (13d8 + 42) Speed 30 ft. <hr> <table class="ability-table"> <thead> <tr> <th>STR</th> <th>DEX</th> <th>CON</th> <th>INT</th> <th>WIS</th> <th>CHA</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>20 (+5)</td> <td>15 (+2)</td> <td>18 (+4)</td> <td>10 (+0)</td> <td>9 (-1)</td> <td>15 (+2)</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <hr> Saving Throws Str +8, Con +7 Skills Athletics +8, Intimidation +5, Perception +2 Damage Resistances fire Senses passive Perception 12 Languages Common Challenge 6 or 5 if poisoned <hr> Indomitable. If Izek would fail a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead. If he does so, he is hindered until the end of his next turn. While hindered, he is slowed, can use one less reaction per round, and can't use his multiattack. (A creature can be hindered multiple times. Each additional time a creature is hindered, it loses an additional reaction (minimum zero). Other effects of being hindered don't stack.) Second Phase. When Izek is reduced to 0 hit points, his arms and axe are engulfed in flames, the barbs on his fiendish arm grow longer and sharper, and his skin grows red and begins to smoke. His statistics are then instantly replaced by the statistics of his second form. His initiative count doesn’t change. Excess damage doesn't carry over to his new form, but he retains any conditions he had in his previous form. <h3>Actions</h3> Multiattack. Izek makes two attacks. Silvered Battleaxe. Melee weapon attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (1d10 + 5) slashing damage and Izek can push the target up to 5 ft. away. Flame Hurl. Ranged spell attack: +5 to hit, range 60 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d6) fire damage. <h3>Bonus Actions</h3> Slicing Whirl. Izek whirls his battleaxe around him. Each creature within a 5-foot radius must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or take 5 (2d4) slashing damage and fall prone. A creature that succeeds on the saving throw takes half damage and doesn’t fall prone. Flame Volley. Izek conjures a volley of fiery orbs that rain down on a point within 60 ft. that he can see. Each creature within 10 ft. of that point must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or take 7 (2d6) fire damage. <h3>Reactions</h3> Izek can take up to three reactions per round, but only one per turn. If Izek would lose his reactions and isn't incapacitated, he loses one reaction instead. Forceful Retreat. In response to taking damage from a melee attack, Izek makes a shove attack against the attacker. He can then immediately move up to 15 ft. away from the attacker without provoking opportunity attacks. Vengeful Strike. In response to taking damage from an attack or spell, Izek can move up to 15 ft. toward the attacker without provoking opportunity attacks. He can then immediately make an attack against that creature with his battleaxe. </div> <div class="statblock"> <h2>Izek Strazni, 2nd Form</h2> Medium humanoid, neutral evil <hr> Armor Class 14 (studded leather) Hit Points 110 (13d8 + 42) Speed 30 ft. <hr> <table class="ability-table"> <thead> <tr> <th>STR</th> <th>DEX</th> <th>CON</th> <th>INT</th> <th>WIS</th> <th>CHA</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>20 (+5)</td> <td>15 (+2)</td> <td>18 (+4)</td> <td>10 (+0)</td> <td>9 (-1)</td> <td>15 (+2)</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <hr> Saving Throws Str +8, Con +7 Skills Athletics +8, Intimidation +5, Perception +2 Damage Immunities fire Senses passive Perception 12 Languages Common Challenge 6 or 5 if poisoned <hr> Indomitable. If Izek would fail a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead. If he does so, he is hindered until the end of his next turn. While hindered, he is slowed, can use one less reaction per round, and can't use his multiattack. (A creature can be hindered multiple times. Each additional time a creature is hindered, it loses an additional reaction (minimum zero). Other effects of being hindered don't stack.) <h3>Actions</h3> Multiattack. Izek makes two melee attacks. Silvered Battleaxe. Melee weapon attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d8 + 5) slashing damage plus 2 (1d4) fire damage. Burning Punch. Melee weapon attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d4 + 5) bludgeoning damage plus 2 (1d4) fire damage, and Izek can push the target up to 5 ft. away. On a critical hit, the target must also succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be dazed until the start of Izek’s next turn. (That creature can move or take one action on its turn, not both. It also can’t take a bonus action or a reaction.) Flaming Wave. A wave of flames sweeps out from Izek in a line that is 60 feet long and 5 feet wide. Each creature in the line must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or take 11 (2d10) fire damage. The fire ignites flammable objects in the area that aren't being worn or carried. <h3>Bonus Actions</h3> Flame Burst. Izek slams his battleaxe into the ground, causing a torrent of flames to swirl around him. Each creature within 5 feet must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or take 7 (2d6) fire damage. Explosive Blast. A bright streak flashes from Izek’s clawed hand to a point he chooses within 90 feet and then blossoms with a low roar into an explosion of flame. Each creature in a 5-foot-radius sphere centered on that point must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw. A target takes 7 (2d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A target that fails the save is also knocked prone. The fire spreads around corners. It ignites flammable objects in the area that aren't being worn or carried. <h3>Reactions</h3> Izek can take up to three reactions per round, but only one per turn. If Izek would lose his reactions and isn't incapacitated, he loses one reaction instead. Hot Pursuit. In response to taking damage from an attack or spell, Izek propels himself forward with a jet of crackling flames, moving up to 30 feet without provoking opportunity attacks. He can then immediately make a burning punch attack against a creature within range. Cinder Sparks. In response to taking damage from a melee attack, Izek causes the air around him to burst with swirling cinders. The attacker must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or take 2 (1d4) fire damage and be blinded until the end of its next turn. Retaliatory Burn (1/round). In response to taking damage from a melee attack made with a metal weapon, Izek causes the object to glow red-hot until the start of his next turn. Any creature in physical contact with the weapon immediately takes 4 (1d8) fire damage and must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or drop the weapon if it can. If it doesn’t drop the object, it has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks until the start of Izek’s next turn. </div> > [!combat]+ **Balancing the Brute** > Due to the phase mechanic, this is a series of two consecutive **bruising** combat encounters against a party of five 4th-level players and a CR 2 ally (Ireena Kolyana), and will each consume approximately 31% of their total maximum hit points (for a total of 62% of their maximum hit points). For parties of smaller or larger sizes, modify the encounter as follows: > > * ***Three Players.*** Reduce Izek’s hit points to 75 in each phase. For his first phase, reduce his silvered battleaxe attack to 7 (1d8+3) damage, his flame hurl attack and flame volley bonus action to 4 (1d8) damage, and his slicing whirl bonus action to 3 (1d6) damage. For his second phase, reduce his silvered battleaxe attack to 6 (1d6+3) slashing damage plus 1 fire damage, his burning punch attack to 5 (1d4+3) bludgeoning damage plus 1 fire damage, his flaming wave action to 7 (2d6) damage, his flame burst and explosive blast bonus actions to 4 (1d8) damage, his retaliatory burn reaction to 2 (1d4) fire damage, and his cinder sparks reaction to 1 fire damage. > * ***Four Players.*** Reduce Izek’s hit points to 92 in each phase. For his first phase, reduce his silvered battleaxe attack to 9 (1d8+5) damage, his flame hurl attack and flame volley bonus action to 5 (1d10) damage, and his slicing whirl bonus action to 4 (1d8) damage. For his second phase, reduce his silvered battleaxe attack to 8 (1d6+5) slashing damage plus 1 fire damage, his burning punch attack to 7 (1d4+5) bludgeoning damage plus 1 fire damage, his flaming wave action to 9 (2d8) damage, his flame burst and explosive blast bonus actions to 6 (1d12) damage, his retaliatory burn reaction to 3 (1d6) fire damage, and his cinder sparks reaction to 1 fire damage. > * ***Six Players.*** Increase Izek’s hit points to 128 in each phase. For his first phase, increase his silvered battleaxe attack to 11 (1d12+5) damage and his slicing whirl bonus action to 6 (1d12) damage. For his second phase, increase his silvered battleaxe attack to 10 (1d10+5) slashing damage plus 2 (1d4) fire damage, his burning punch attack to 9 (1d8+5) bludgeoning damage plus 2 (1d4) fire damage, his flaming wave action to 13 (2d12) damage, and his retaliatory burn reaction to 5 (1d10) fire damage. If the players loot Izek’s body following his death, they can recover his silvered battleaxe, a pouch containing 35 gp, and an amber shard of Seriach, the Hell Hound Whisperer. (See the [[Amber Shards]] appendix for more information about amber shards.) # F5. Aftermath of the Mission If the players successfully deliver Izek’s severed head to [[Non-Player Characters#Lady Fiona Wachter|Lady Wachter]], she thanks them and assures them that she and her associates will “take it from here.” If the players are concerned about the possibility of further bloodshed, Lady Wachter assures them that, once shown Izek’s head, Baron Vallakovich will step down peacefully. She promises to provide them with any promised compensation the following evening at Wachterhaus, and invites them to attend a public transition ceremony in the town square the following morning. > [!abstract]+ **The Transfer of Power** > > That night, Lady Wachter, accompanied by her three **cult fanatics**, travels to the Baron’s mansion, requests an audience with the Baron, and presents him with Izek’s severed head. The Baron, assuming that he is about to be assassinated, attempts to flee. However, he is forcefully stopped by the _command_ spell of one of Lady Wachter’s cultists. > > Trapped in Lady Wachter’s clutches, the Baron spitefully agrees to relinquish his claim to the position of burgomaster. (Lady Wachter graciously permits him to retain his noble title, ensuring that he retains his family’s estate, incomes, and other trappings of status.) ## F5a. The Abdication The following morning, Vallaki’s guards gather the townsfolk for an announcement in the town square. While standing atop the wooden scaffold erected for the Festival of the Blazing Sun, the Baron solemnly abdicates his position as burgomaster and appoints Lady Wachter to replace him. If the players attend the announcement, Lady Wachter does not publicly acknowledge them, but offers them a knowing look and a small nod of recognition. Lady Wachter first commands the town guard to release the prisoners in the stocks, and then proclaims that the town shall have no further festivals, except those on holy days. She then delivers the following speech: <div class="description"> “Thank you, Baron Vallakovich, both for your foresight in these times of trouble, and for your family's long history of service to the good people of Vallaki. You honor me with this position, and I vow to do my utmost to carry out the responsibilities of burgomaster with wisdom and care. “My fellow Vallakians, we find ourselves in a period of change. Change is difficult—it can lead us into danger, or into a period of new and brighter prosperity. To navigate such murky waters, a steady hand is needed—a hand that acknowledges the world as it is, not the world as we may wish it to be. "It is neither defiance nor abdication that will lead us to prosperity and peace, but respect, homage, and a sense of proper duty. "It is through these three principles that we may secure the safety of our children, our neighbors, and ourselves—and it is through these three principles that I will work to ensure a better future for our beloved town. “May Vallaki find sanctuary in the mercy of the mists, and may we come together stronger, more united, and more prosperous than ever before. Thank you.” </div> The townsfolk answer her speech with muted applause and slowly disperse from the square. If still alive, Father Lucian Petrovich emerges from the crowd and greets the players. He notes, with dry amusement, that he has not previously heard the phrase “find sanctuary in the mercy of the mists” before, but that it is reminiscent of a passage he once read in a prayer book dedicated to Ezra, goddess of the Mists. He wonders aloud whether Vallaki shall soon see a religious revival of a different kind, then chuckles wryly and moves to return to St. Andral’s Church. If asked his opinion on Lady Wachter, Father Petrovich states, carefully, that he believes that her heart is in the right place, and that he believes that the light of the Morninglord can guide any soul—even those that believe themselves lost to the Mists. Father Petrovich also briefly expresses his regret for his younger sister, Baroness Lydia Petrovna, who has faced many challenges over the past several months and years, and shares his hopes that the Vallakovich family will find a sense of peace amidst their new circumstances. ## F5b. The Reward If the players return to Wachterhaus to obtain their promised compensation (if any), Lady Wachter provides it to them with gratitude. Their reward is as follows: * Up to thirty silvered crossbow bolts * Up to four silvered spears * Up to two sets of armor worth 100 gp or less * Up to one set of armor worth 400 gp or less * Enough raw silver to silver up to two additional weapons All of the weapons, ammunition, and armor were taken from an old armory whose location was lost for several years due to Izek’s chronic mismanagement. If the players ask Lady Wachter about the "ancient foe of an old and noble house" described in Madam Eva's Tarokka reading, or if she previously promised to share that information upon Izek's death, she guides them upstairs to N4p. Library (p. 113). There, she retrieves a thin, worn volume from an upper shelf titled *The Noble House of Wachter* by Lady Lovina Wachter. Lady Wachter can share the following information as she retrieves and leafs through the book: * Her ancestor, Lady Lovina Wachter nee Dilisnya, came to Barovia shortly after Strahd von Zarovich settled it. For her loyalty, she received deeds to land and estates, as well as a Barovian title with Strahd as her liege-lord. * Lovina, an amateur historian, wrote *The Noble House of Wachter* to document her new family's history, which allegedly dated back to the days of Old Zarovia, long before Barovia was founded. Once Lady Wachter has located the proper page, the players can read the following passage from Lovina's book, titled only "The Wedding" and written in erratic, jagged pen-strokes at odds with the clean, elegant script of the remainder of the book: <div class="description"> The wedding of Prince Sergei von Zarovich and Tatyana Federovna began with good cheer, but ended in madness and blood. Prince Sergei was found dead in his chambers, his bride-to-be rumored to have cast herself from the overlook in despair. Though no suspect was confirmed, Leo Dilisnya—my own kin—led a treacherous uprising against Lord von Zarovich, abetted by a score of castle guards. When I sought to mediate, they turned upon us, slaughtering Vladislav and his mother and confining us within the confines of the kitchens. It was only by some miracle that Lord von Zarovich emerged unscathed from their assault. Now possessed with an unearthly power, he smote the traitors and drove Leo himself from the castle. In his escape, I saw Leo's face contort with hatred and disgust. "Blood-traitor, I name you, Lovina," he swore, "for your allegiance to the beast who abandoned Reinhold to his fate." He renounced our bond, proclaimed I was no longer of House Dilisnya, and vowed that he would one day expunge the Wachter blight from the valley—once and forevermore. I know not what has become of him. He is gone from the Pillarstone now, and though more of the treacherous guards return in caskets to the castle each day, his face is not among them. But each night I hear his voice in my nightmares, I know he yet lives—and dread the occasion of his return. </div> The remainder of the book is concerned with genealogies, family legends, and notable figures in House Wachter's pre-Barovian history, with little relevance to Strahd. Lady Wachter can share that, according to the book, Vladislav was a Wachter and Lovina's husband. She isn't sure who Reinhold is, however, and doesn't know any more relevant information about Lady Lovina Wachter, Leo Dilisnya, Sergei von Zarovich, or Tatyana Federovna. ***Milestone.*** Assassinating Izek completes a story milestone. When Lady Wachter takes power, award each player 1,500 XP. (This should bring the players to 5th level.) > [!abstract]+ **Lady Wachter’s Promises** > > When Lady Wachter’s speech is complete, she returns to Wachterhaus and there establishes her seat of government. She summons each of Vallaki’s town guards and meets with them personally, reassuring them that their employment will be protected and their salaries maintained. She further recruits one dozen members of her cult to serve as “deputy guards” to assist in patrolling the walls and keeping the peace throughout the town. > > Lady Wachter then commands the guards to open the gates to the Barovian refugees, resettling them in the town square until such a time as housing can be found. (Any Barovian refugees addicted to dream pastries continue to visit the eastern Morning Gate daily to purchase fresh pastries from Morgantha, and are joined by a number of Vallakians interested in her wares.) Any Vistani who wish to are also free to enter the town as they choose. > > Baron Vargas Vallakovich and his family are placed under unofficial house arrest, with the mansion guarded by two of Lady Wachter’s **cultists** at all times—one guarding the front door and one guarding the back. The cultists assure Baron Vallakovich that they are present for his protection, both from ungrateful townsfolk and servants of Strahd, but are under strict orders to bar him and his family from exiting the manor. Victor Vallakovich, the Baron’s son, is mildly perturbed by this development, but takes no action against it. > > Udo Lukovich, the shoemaker, is released from his prison in the Baron’s home and returned to his mother, Willemina. # Design Notes: Lady Wachter's Wish ***The Blue Water Inn.*** The hook to this quest—Lady Wachter's decision to send the players an invitation to dine at Wachterhaus—has been tweaked to provide more support for Lady Wachter's decision to entrust the players with her conspiracy. ***Wachterhaus.*** The corpse of Nikolai Wachter has been removed from Wachterhaus to ensure that he does not serve as a black mark against Lady Wachter—a complicated figure who the players should have more cause to trust, not less. (See [[Arc H - The Lost Soul]] and [[Arc S - The Moonlit Murders]] for more information about the players' relationship with Lady Fiona Wachter.) Lady Wachter's spell list has been updated to include *zone of truth* in order to provide her with a powerful tool to encourage the players to trust her. (See [[Arc D - The Tome of Strahd]] for more information about Lady Wachter's use of *zone of truth*). *Toll the Dead*, *Bane*, *Blindness/Deafness*, and *Lesser Restoration* have also been added to Lady Wachter's spell list to provide her with additional options in the fight against the **specters** of the Ethereal Plane and Leo Dilisnya's spirit in [[Arc H - The Lost Soul]]. Stella's introduction has been added as a prelude to the dinner to humanize Lady Wachter and to encourage the players to view her with sympathy, and to foreshadow Stella's fate in [[Arc H - The Lost Soul]] Lady Wachter's connection to Baba Lysaga and the tragic death of her family have been added to provide her with a tie to the spirit of Leo Dilisnya, and a means to entrap the hags of Old Bonegrinder in [[Arc H - The Lost Soul]] Lady Wachter's interest in using Stella to secure power in Vallaki through marriage with Victor Vallakovich has been removed to make Lady Wachter a more sympathetic character, to deepen her internal conflict and guilt in [[Arc H - The Lost Soul]] (because her coldness toward Victor discouraged him and Stella from seeking her aid sooner), and to make Victor's friendship with Stella more meaningful to the two of them. Lady Wachter's scheme with the poisoned wine has been added to provide the players with a fuller gameplay experience in the lead-up to Izek's assassination (thereby building the dramatic tension and enhancing the impact of Izek's ultimate death), and to provide the players with a reason to seek out and benefit from Lady Wachter's aid. In addition to supporting her argument, Lady Wachter's tale of Berez has been added to introduce the fate of the ruined village (which the players can visit in [[Arc I - The Walls of Krezk]]) and to subtly foreshadow her connection to Baba Lysaga. Lady Wachter's anecdotes regarding Ezra and Leo Dilisnya have been added to foreshadow Ezra's connection to the Dark Powers (which the players will discover in [[Arc X - Tatyana's Legacy]]) and to introduce Leo Dilisnya's hostile relationship with the Wachter family. (The players will have an opportunity to fight Leo Dilisnya and learn more about that relationship in [[Arc H - The Lost Soul]].) ***Return to the Blue Water Inn.*** The players' encounter with Ernst Larnak has been added to introduce his character prior to his antagonistic role in [[Arc S - The Moonlit Murders]]. ***Izek's Assassination.*** Izek's wine case has been added to provide the players with an additional opportunity to explore the Baron's mansion, and to provide preliminary stealth gameplay to raise the dramatic tension before the assassination takes place. The players' encounters with Bluto in the town square, with the dog in the Vallaki alleyway, and with the town guard by the eastern Morning gate provide similar roles. Izek's spy, as well as the refugees' complaints regarding Morgantha's dream pastries, has been added to foreshadow Morgantha's nature as a **night hag**, which the players will explore further in [[Arc H - The Lost Soul]] ***Ambushing Izek.*** Izek's statblock has been redesigned to provide a challenging, yet winnable solo combat encounter for a balanced party of 4th-level players. Note, however, that this statblock will likely prove an exceptionally difficult (if not impossible) fight for such a party if faced in a fair fight—the players will need to leverage one or more advantages (such as Lady Wachter's poisoned wine) in order to win. ***Aftermath of the Mission.*** There are intentionally no direct consequences for Lady Wachter's takeover of Vallaki. Her role in this guide is as a sympathetic antihero—and, eventually, as a full-blown heroic ally to the players. The sole consequences of Lady Wachter's rise to power can be found in [[Arc S - The Moonlit Murders]], in which Anastrasya Karelova and Ernst Larnak take advantage of Lady Wachter's fealty to Strahd to misguide and misdirect her following a slew of unnatural murders in the streets of Vallaki.