Vallaki

Located close to the shores of the Lake Zarovich, the town of Vallaki (pronounced vah-lah-key) seems like a safe haven against the evils of the Svalich Woods, if not Strahd himself. The town lies beyond the sight of Castle Ravenloft and doesn't, at first blush, seem as depressed (or oppressed) as the village of Barovia farther east. Characters who spend time in Vallaki, however, quickly realize that there is no happiness here, only false hope-which Strahd himself cultivates. Vallaki was founded not long after Strahd's armies conquered the valley by an ancestor of the town's current burgomaster, Baron Vargas Vallakovich. The Vallakoviches have royal blood in their veins and have long believed themselves superior to the Zarovich line. Baron Vallakovich has deluded himself into believing that hope and happiness are the keys to Vallaki's salvation. If he can make everyone in Vallaki happy, the burgomaster thinks that the town will somehow escape Strahd's grasp and return to the forgotten world whence it came. He stages one festival after another to bolster the spirits of the townsfolk, but most Vallakians consider these festivals to be pointless, meaningless affairs more likely to incur Strahd's wrath than to provide any hope for the future. In the last festival, Baron Vallakovich had townsfolk parade through the streets with the severed heads of wolves on pikes. His next event, which the burgomaster has dubbed the Festival of the Blazing Sun, is soon to get under way (see the "Special Events" section at the end of this chapter). Weatherworn garlands from previous festivals still hang from the eaves ofVallaki's buildings, and work has begun on a large wicker sun, to be set ablaze in the town square on the day of the festival. In the days leading up to the festival, Baron Vallakovich has begun arresting local malcontents and throwing them in the stocks so that his efforts aren't ruined by "those of little hope or faith."

Town Gates

Three tall gates made of iron bars lead into town:

• The north gate is sometimes called the Zarovich Gate, or "the gate to the lake," because it leads to Lake Zarovich (chapter 2, area L).

• The west gate is referred to as the Sunset Gate, even though no living person in Vallaki has seen an undimmed sunset. A few abandoned cottages line the road outside this gate.

• The east gate is also known as the Morning Gate, or, as some locals like to call it, the Mourning Gate

Heavy iron chains with iron padlocks keep the gates shut at night. During the day, the gates are closed but not typically locked. Two town guards (LG male and female humans) stand just inside each gate. Instead of spears, they carry pikes (reach 10 ft., ldlO + 1 piercing damage on a hit). These weapons are long enough to stab creatures through the bars of the gate. The guards greet all visitors with suspicion, particularly those who arrive at night. If the characters arrive at night, one or more of them must succeed on a DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) check to convince the guards to unlock the gate and let them enter. If trouble breaks out at one of the gates, the guards there cry out, "To arms!" Their shouts are echoed across Vallaki, putting the entire town on alert within minutes. Vallaki has twenty-four human guards, half of whom are on duty at any given time (six stand watch at the gates, six patrol the walls). The town can also muster a militia of fifty able-bodied human commoners armed with clubs, daggers, and torches.

Vallaki Lore

In addition to the information known to all Barovians see "Barovian Lore" in chapter 2), Vallakians know the following bits of local lore:

• The Blue Water Inn (area N2) offers food, wine, and shelter to visitors. A stranger with pointed ears is staying there. He came to Barovia from a distant land, riding into town on a carnival wagon.

• The burgomaster, Baron Vargas Vallakovich, has decreed that the Festival of the Blazing Sun will be held in the town square (area NB) in three days. The previous festival, which he called the Wolf's Head Jamboree, was less than a week ago.

• Vallaki has endured at least one festival every week for the past several years. Some Vallakians believe that the festivals keep the devil Strahd at bay. Others think they provide no protection or benefit whatsoever. Most consider them dismal affairs.

• Those who speak ill of the festivals are declared by the burgomaster to be in league with the devil Strahd and arrested. Some are thrown in the stocks (area NB), while others are taken to the burgomaster's mansion so that the baron can purge them of their evil.

• The burgomaster's henchman, Izek Strazni, has a history of violence as well as a fiendish deformity: a monstrous arm with which he can conjure fire. Fear of Izek keeps the baron's enemies at bay. No one hates the burgomaster more than Lady Fiona Wachter, who is often quoted as saying, "I'd rather serve the devil than a madman." She owns an old house in town (area N4) but rarely leaves her estate. Her two adult sons, Nikolai and Karl, are local troublemakers. Lady Wachter also has a mad daughter whom she keeps locked away. The burgomaster doesn't confront Fiona or her offspring because he is afraid of Lady Wachter, whose family has old ties to Strahd.

• Purple flashes of light have been seen emanating from 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. Well-armed groups of hunters and trappers have managed to kill several of the wolves, but more keep coming.

• It's too dangerous to go fishing on Lake Zarovich (chapter 2, area L), but the threat of Strahd's wolves hasn't stopped Bluto Krogarov, the town drunk, from trying. He sets out each morning and returns every evening, but hasn't caught any fish in a while.

• There have been no recent sightings of the Mad Mage of Mount Baratok (chapter 2, area M ). Folks used to see him skulking along the north shore of Lake Zarovich, shooting lightning bolts into the water to kill the fish. (If the characters seem interested in meeting this wizard, locals recommend that they use the fishing boats on the south shore to cross thelake, because it's shorter and a lot less dangerous than walking around the lake.

• There's a Vistani camp in the woods southwest of town (area N9). The Vistani - there aren't very friendly. Vistani aren't welcome in Vallaki

• West of town is a haunted mansion (see chapter 7, "Argynvostholt"). Legend has it that a dragon died there long, long ago.

• South.of town is a village that has been abandoned for decades. Its burgomaster committed some terrible offense and incurred the wrath of Strahd .