Vallaki

Vallaki is a very oppressed place to live. The generalized fear of Strahd made people paranoid and long ago they elected the Vallakoviches to keep them safe. The Vallakovich family is an old one and in general, from Burgomaster to Burgomaster, they believe that strict laws are required to keep Vallaki safe from the vampire on high. The level of severity of these rules has varied from ruler to ruler, but there are always some hardcore guidelines the inhabitants of Vallaki have to follow.

Government

Vallaki is run by the Vallokovich family, currently headed by Vargas Vallakovich. The Vallokovich family has a history of strict ruling and an unapologetic nature towards those who question their rule.
Laws
1. No one shall speak Strahd's name out loud or carry written documents with his name on them. Vargas heartily believes that to speak of the devil is to summon the devil. So all of Vallaki has a sort of Voldemort thing going on, referring to Strahd as simply, "The Devil" or "You-Know-Who." (Original, I know, but it works too well during role-playing.)
2.Similarly, no one shall speak poorly of the Baron or the festivals nor hold any documents that present either in an ill light. Morale means everything here. Trying to break the spirits of your fellow Vallakians is criminal!
3. Everyone shall take part in preparing the festivals. The Vallakians treat this sort of like Jury Duty. Helping prepare for and clean up after a festival each week is a randomly chosen civic duty performed by the general public.
4. Everyone shall attend the festivals. Every festival, guards go door to door and patrol the streets to make sure no one is missing out. Of course, they can't actually check everywhere, so hiding isn't impossible. But getting caught avoiding a festival is grounds for a steep punishment.
5. Normal town laws still apply too. Stealing and assault and murder are punishable crimes. Doing any of these to a guard or the Baron's family automatically moves the punishment up a notch. For instance, murdering another civilian will likely get you lifetime incarceration. Murdering a guard, however, is grounds for execution (PCs be warned).
Punishments
1. Time in the stocks ranging from anywhere between a day to a few weeks, depending on the severity of the crime.
2. Seizure of assets. If direct punishment seems insufficient, the Baron and his men have the right to collect a payment for their crimes. This can be something as small as a fine (which in and of itself is never small) to the complete seizure of the criminal's home, business, and other assets, thus leaving the offender completely destitute.
3. Imprisonment at Vallaki's Reformation House until the criminal is purged of their sin. This is basically a cross between a jail and a psych ward without any of the helpful parts. People are taken to this building and are low key tortured until they are pretty much brainwashed.
4. Personal Reformation conducted by the Baron himself. Every week or so, the Baron randomly chooses a dissenter and takes them to his mansion for some more severe and hands-on torture.
5. Public execution by hanging. This doesn't actually happen very often and is only reserved for the most severe dissenters who are both conspirators and repeat offenders. Someone being put to death in Vallaki is a bit of a novelty and only happens a few times a year.

Assets

Inns/Taverns Vallaki is home to only a single tavern Blue Water Inn

Type

Large town

Included Locations

• Blue Water Inn

Owner/Ruler

Vargas Vallakovich