# Wachterhaus

> From the Curse of Strahd game wiki (it covers the whole game, spoilers included): https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/wachterhaus.html. Unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy, not approved or endorsed by Wizards of the Coast.

> [!infobox]
> ![loc vallaki wachter house 1](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/img/shots/loc-vallaki-wachter-house-1.webp)
> **Region:** [Vallaki](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/regions/vallaki.md) · level 5
> **Resting:** no
> **Light:** dim
> **Getting here:** [Vallaki](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/vallaki.md)
> **Quests:** [Lady Wachter's Book Club](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/quests/lady-wachters-book-club.md), [The Cat in the Window](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/quests/the-cat-in-the-window.md), [The Festival of the Blazing Sun](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/quests/the-festival-of-the-blazing-sun.md)

## Overview

Lady Fiona Wachter's townhouse: a hall of family portraits, a parlour set for a book club, a locked bedroom that something scratches at from inside, and, behind the study bookcase, a stair down.

Polished floors, good candles, and the hush of a house where servants are trained not to hear things.

**Resting:** no Not under this roof. Somewhere above you, slow and patient, something is scratching at a door.

![loc vallaki wachter house overview](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/img/shots/loc-vallaki-wachter-house-overview.webp)
*The whole place from above.*

## Getting here

### Ways in

- **From [Vallaki](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/vallaki.md):** Wachterhaus

### Ways out

| # | Exit | Leads to | Only when |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Out to the lane | [Vallaki](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/vallaki.md) |  |

## Map

![vallaki wachter house](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/img/maps/vallaki-wachter-house.svg)

**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

![loc vallaki wachter house spot1](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/img/shots/loc-vallaki-wachter-house-spot1.webp)
*Desk drawer, a hidden drawer in Lady Wachter's desk*

## People

> [!note]- Who turns up at points in the story (2)
> - **[Lady Wachter](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/people/lady-wachter.md)**, Parlour (#2): when not (festival begun and not festival over) and vallaki backed isn't “wachter” and wachter fate isn't “stocks” and wachter fate isn't “exposed” and wachter fate isn't “exiled”
> - **[Stella Wachter](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/people/stella-wachter.md)**, Locked bedroom (#3, #4): when stella shadow beaten and not stella at church; or when not stella at church

## What to find

| # | Where | What | How |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Desk drawer | [Perfume](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/equipment.md#perfume), 45 gp | lock DC 14; Lady Wachter's, so taking is theft |
| 7 | a hidden drawer in Lady Wachter's desk (hidden) | [Eyes of Charming](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/magic-items.md#eyes-of-charming) | Search: Investigation DC 15 |
| 8 | the cult's tithe under the shrine (hidden) | [Rod of Rulership](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/magic-items.md#rod-of-rulership) | Search: Perception DC 15 |

**Tarokka treasure spots.** If the reading hid one of the treasures here, it's in: Vallaki Wachter House:wachter Study (wachter_strongbox)

The containers here also get random magic items and potions, rolled for a party of level 5 the first time you come ([Random Treasure](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/random-treasure.md)). Hidden finds need a Search (F) nearby; the party's best roll counts.

### Skill checks

| # | Where | Check | Try | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | a shrine | Religion 15 | Read the shrine's dedication | finds Rod of Rulership; lore: The shrine in the cellar |

### Locked and secret doors

- Locked bedroom door: lock DC 13
- Panel behind the bookcase: secret, found at DC 13

## Fights

- *Seven heads turn from the shrine at once. 'You're early,' says Nikolai Wachter, drawing, 'and you weren't…*, in [Wachterhaus](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/wachterhaus.md): [Tough](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/tough.md), [Cultist](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/cultist.md), [Warrior Veteran](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/warrior-veteran.md), [Shadow](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/shadow.md). Scales with your level. Part of [Lady Wachter's Book Club](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/quests/lady-wachters-book-club.md).
> [!example]- By party level (the first line your party fits is the fight you get)
> - **[Wachterhaus](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/wachterhaus.md)**, when night and vallaki pledge isn't “wachter” and not wachter cult broken and not festival climax and level ≥ 5: Nikolai Wachter ([Tough](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/tough.md)), Karl Wachter ([Tough](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/tough.md)), 4 × [Cultist](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/cultist.md), 3 × Hired sword ([Warrior Veteran](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/warrior-veteran.md)), Something from the shrine ([Shadow](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/shadow.md)) (2500 XP)
> - **[Wachterhaus](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/wachterhaus.md)**, when night and vallaki pledge isn't “wachter” and not wachter cult broken and not festival climax and level ≥ 4: Nikolai Wachter ([Tough](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/tough.md)), Karl Wachter ([Tough](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/tough.md)), 4 × [Cultist](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/cultist.md), Hired sword ([Warrior Veteran](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/warrior-veteran.md)) (1000 XP)
> - **[Wachterhaus](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/wachterhaus.md)**, when night and vallaki pledge isn't “wachter” and not wachter cult broken and not festival climax: Nikolai Wachter ([Tough](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/tough.md)), Karl Wachter ([Tough](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/tough.md)), 3 × [Cultist](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/cultist.md) (275 XP)

- *Stella's shadow peels off the wall and stands up, and the shadows under the bed and behind the door stand up…*, in [Wachterhaus](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/wachterhaus.md): [Wraith](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/wraith.md), [Shadow](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/shadow.md). Scales with your level. Part of [The Cat in the Window](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/quests/the-cat-in-the-window.md).
> [!example]- By party level (the first line your party fits is the fight you get)
> - **[Wachterhaus](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/wachterhaus.md)**, when level ≥ 6: 2 × The Master's Gaze ([Wraith](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/wraith.md)), 4 × [Shadow](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/shadow.md) (4000 XP)
> - **[Wachterhaus](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/wachterhaus.md)**, when level ≥ 5: The Master's Gaze ([Wraith](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/wraith.md)), 3 × [Shadow](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/shadow.md) (2100 XP)
> - **[Wachterhaus](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/wachterhaus.md)**, when level ≥ 4: The Master's Gaze ([Wraith](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/wraith.md)), 3 × [Shadow](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/shadow.md) (2100 XP)
> - **[Wachterhaus](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/wachterhaus.md)**: The Master's Gaze ([Wraith](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/wraith.md)), 2 × [Shadow](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/shadow.md) (2000 XP)

## Quests and lore

- [Lady Wachter's Book Club](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/quests/lady-wachters-book-club.md): Lady Fiona Wachter wants the Baron's chair, and she is not shy about who she would rule for.
- [The Cat in the Window](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/quests/the-cat-in-the-window.md): Lady Wachter keeps her daughter Stella locked in a bedroom at Wachterhaus. Stella believes she is a cat. Nobody in Vallaki believes she's…
- [The Festival of the Blazing Sun](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/quests/the-festival-of-the-blazing-sun.md): Baron Vallakovich holds a festival every week to prove Vallaki is happy. This one, with its great wicker sun, will decide who rules the…

> [!quote]- A letter on the shrine
> Dear Lady Wachter: Your last letter pleased me, as your letters always do. The Baron's festivals amuse me less each year; I leave the timing of his retirement in your capable hands. When the town is yours, keep the church's priest alive. I enjoy his sermons. With the warmest regard of your lord and neighbour, S.