Overview
Bunting on every banister, portraits of the Baron in every pose a man can strike. A narrow stair climbs from the hall to the attic, where the air smells of chalk and something burnt.
Resting: no The Baron's guest beds have been re-stuffed for the festival, and Lady Lydia will not have them slept in before then. Or after.
Getting here
Ways in
- From Vallaki: The burgomaster's mansion
- From The Burgomaster's Mansion: Up to the attic
- From The Burgomaster's Mansion: Down to the hall
Ways out
| # | Exit | Leads to | Only when |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Out to the square |  Vallaki | |
| 2 | Up to the attic |  The Burgomaster's Mansion | |
| 3 | Down to the hall | The Burgomaster's Mansion |
Map
Key: gold, people; red, containers; purple, hidden finds; teal, skill checks; white, exits; orange, traps. The numbers match the lists on this page.
Close up
the Baron's strongbox
Old trunk
Izek's chest
People
Who turns up at points in the story (6)
- Baron Vargas Vallakovich, Great hall, The Baron's study (#4, #5): when not festival begun; or when vallaki backed is “baron”; or when vallaki backed is “neither”
- Lady Wachter, Great hall (#4): when vallaki backed is “wachter”
- Lydia Petrovna, Lady Lydia's parlour (#6): when not festival begun or vallaki backed is “baron” or vallaki backed is “neither”
- Izek Strazni, Izek's room (#7): when night and not izek dead and not izek told truth and (not festival begun or vallaki backed is “baron”)
- Victor Vallakovich, Victor's attic (#8): when not victor vanished and vallaki backed isn't “wachter” and not victor vallakovich with the party
- Town Guard, Foyer (#9): when vallaki backed isn't “neither”
What to find
| # | Where | What | How |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | the Baron's strongbox | Potion of Healing, 60 gp | lock DC 16; Baron Vargas Vallakovich's, so taking is theft |
| 11 | Old trunk | Fine Clothes, Candle ×4, 3 gp | open it; Baron Vargas Vallakovich's, so taking is theft |
| 12 | Izek's chest | Potion of Giant Strength (Hill Giant) | open it; Izek Strazni's, so taking is theft |
| 14 | a loose board under the chalk circle (hidden) | Wand of the War Mage, +1 | Search: Investigation DC 15 |
| 15 | something behind the festival ledger (hidden) | Necklace of Fireballs | Search: Investigation DC 15 |
Tarokka treasure spots. If the reading hid one of the treasures here, it's in: Vallaki Burgomaster Mansion:izek Quarters (izek_doll_chest)
The containers here also get random magic items and potions, rolled for a party of level 5 the first time you come (Random Treasure). Hidden finds need a Search (F) nearby; the party's best roll counts.
Skill checks
| # | Where | Check | Try | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | a circle chalked on the floor | Arcana 14 | Read the chalk circle | reveals victor_circle_trap; lore: Victor's circle |
Traps
| # | Trap | Find DC | Disarm DC | Save | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Teleportation circle | 10 | 15 | CON 14 | 4d6 force |
Fights
- Izek comes off the cot in one movement, and the arm that isn't his starts to glow like a coal someone has…, in The Burgomaster's Mansion: Izek Strazni, Warrior Veteran. Scales with your level. Part of The Doll Collector.
By party level (the first line your party fits is the fight you get)
- The Burgomaster's Mansion, when level ≥ 5: Izek Strazni, 2 × Sergeant of the watch (Warrior Veteran) (3200 XP)
- The Burgomaster's Mansion, when level ≥ 4: Izek Strazni, Sergeant of the watch (Warrior Veteran) (2500 XP)
- The Burgomaster's Mansion: Izek Strazni (1800 XP)
Quests and lore
- Lady Wachter's Book Club: Lady Fiona Wachter wants the Baron's chair, and she is not shy about who she would rule for.
- The Attic Circle: The Baron's son Victor is trying to leave Barovia by magic, and it is not going well for the servants.
- The Destined Ally: Madam Eva's fourth card named the one who will stand with us against the devil.
- The Doll Collector: Izek Strazni, the Baron's enforcer, has dreamed of a red-haired woman all his life, and has had her face carved over and over.
- The Festival of the Blazing Sun: Baron Vallakovich holds a festival every week to prove Vallaki is happy. This one, with its great wicker sun, will decide who rules the…
The festival ledger
The Baron's festival accounts, in a round, hopeful hand. Festival of the First Snow: a success. Festival of the Late Harvest: a great success. Festival of the Returning Swallows (no swallows): a success. Beside each, a second column headed MALCONTENTS, and names. The column is longer than the first.
Victor's notes
Pages of chalk diagrams, crossed out and redrawn. 'Third attempt. Grigor stepped in at my word. Flash, heat, nothing. Not transported. Not anywhere.' Below, smaller: 'Fourth attempt: Mirela. The same.' At the bottom, underlined twice: 'The fault is in the destination sigil. Or there is nowhere to go.'