Ireena Kolyana

50 (Beneath Betrayers' Eyes)

Whispercreek Manor

New Barovia

Ireena Kolyana is a Barovian noble and friend to Rosalind Songsteel. She was initially protected by the future Council of Echoes and left Barovia after Strahd's defeat. She later turned on the Council and fled, befriending Rosalind Songsteel. She later gave up her Occultist position on the board of the Songsteel Trading Company and moved to Yana as the company representative. There she gathered her people together again, forming a "New Barovia" with other survivors of Strahd and the Council of Echoes' rule over them. Upon taking the title of Baroness she was cursed by Strahd from beyond the grave and became a Dhampir.

## **Description**

### **Appearance**

Ireena is a striking 5'5'' human woman with pale skin and dark eyes. She initially had deep auburn hair but following her escape from the Council of Echoes she dyed her hair black to better hide her identity. Typically she wears dark, muted colours although occasionally she'll wear brighter Barovian red. Following her torture by Kulos, her body is heavily scarred, including deep cuts and burn scarring on the left side of her face, which she often hides behind her hair. Since the founding of New Barovia she has restored her brighter hair colour, though she now hides Dhampir fangs behind her lips.

### **Personality**

Ireena is serious and reserved. She tends to approach anything with great caution and suspicion as a result of spending much of her life a target for some great evil or another. She isn't afraid to stand up for herself, protesting the need for a constant guard when being escorted through Barovia. Later however, Ireena began to accept help and protection from those more capable than herself. Following her involvement with the Songsteels, Ireena has grown in confidence even further, becoming a capable swordswoman and strong leader. She is very skilled at reading people and uses this skill to great effect often. Following being cursed by Strahd, Ireena took to isolation to avoid harming her fellow Barovians, though she still fell in love and married Wes Fernhand. She is fiercely protective of the remaining survivors of Barovia and others that she loves.

Ireena's alignment is Lawful Good

## **Biography**

### **Curse of Strahd**

Ireena was first encountered in the village of Barovia where the group that would become the Council of Echoes were hired by her adoptive brother Izek to protect her from Strahd von Zarovich, the Vampire Lord of Barovia who seemed to have developed an obsession with Ireena. She was escorted to the village of Vallaki where the group avoided an encounter with Strahd which led to the destruction of the village. Fleeing westwards to a tower belonging to a famed monster slayer, Rudolph Van Richten. At the tower, Kulos and Izek were both slain by a deadly trap set to stop any monster incursions. This event shook Ireena deeply, losing the last surviving member of her family so suddenly and brutally leaving her mentally scarred. Ireena was then kept safe at the Abbey in the nearby village of Krezk where she remained while the adventurers protecting her set out to locate the tools to destroy Strahd. She was later kidnapped from the Abbey by Strahd but was quickly rescued by Din, Korg, Pikkik and Portia who led a mob to strike at Castle Ravenloft. After Strahd was defeated, Ireena took on a leadership role amongst the surviving Barovians.

### **Bad to Worse**

Despite Strahd's defeat, the situation in Barovia did not improve as the valley found itself ruled by Riza Whispercreek who was being driven slowly mad by her contact with the Chained Oblivion, Tharizdun. Ireena and Pikkik led a rebellion against the new rulers but this rebellion was quickly overthrown when Korg and his mountain tribes were turned against Ireena's forces. Ireena and Pikkik were then captured by Riza who proceeded to torture them for years. Eventually however, Ireena was able to escape shortly after the Council of Echoes moved from Barovia to Whispercreek Estate in Tal'Dorei. On the run from the Council, Ireena fled to Westruun where she met a young bard student named Rosalind Songsteel. Recognising that Ireena was in need of protection, Rosalind befriended her and took her in.

### **Council of Echoes**

In late 822 P.D. Rosalind took Ireena to meet her friend and advisor Felix Bishop, who had been her family's retainer some time before. Meeting with Bishop and his allies, who would go on to form Hindsight, Ireena avoided telling them of the Council of Echoes, believing that she would potentially expose herself to be found if she did. However, Hindsight were being tracked by Kulos, who recognised Ireena and proceeded to kidnap her and Rosalind. Taking the pair to the Gladberry farm outside of Westruun, Kulos left Rosalind to be fed upon by the Oblex that remained there while he took Ireena before Riza.

She was next seen when Hindsight were captured by the Council and brought before Riza. Bishop noted that she bore bloody and fresh scars and Williner also spotted that she was brutally underfed as a prisoner.

Ireena was later freed from prison by Hindsight during their assault on Whispercreek Estate after they fought and killed the Bodak that guarded her and Pikkik. Barely able to stand, Ireena was cared for and fully healed by Rosalind Songsteel who teleported to the Estate to save her friend. She would join the forces of House Songsteel to fight in the final battle of the Echoes Crisis at Emon.

### **Post Echoes Crisis**

Truly free for the first time in her life, Ireena relaxed and quickly became a firm friend (with occasional benefits) to Rosalind. She began to serve on the board of the Songsteel Trading Company as the Occultant, the advisor on occult and extraplanar dealings.

### **Grey Frontier**

Following the Battle of Yana, Ireena accompanied Roland Songsteel and Lydia Starguard to Yana to aid in defeating the Defiant Legion. Once there she quickly took over from Zinnia Starguard in coordinating the Songsteel forces and company dealings, and when Roland and the others returned home, Ireena elected to give up her Occultant position and remain as the company representative in Yana.

She also returned the Coin of Avandra to Crieff, having herself taken it from Pseuda years earlier after he abused its powers one too many times.

### **Beneath Betrayers' Eyes**

Ireena encountered the Archivists when they came to New Barovia following a rumoured encounter with one of the Arms of the Betrayers. She was initially skeptical of them, especially after recognising Anya as being a Dhampir akin to her own curse. However, as she observed them interact with the Barovians and investigate, Ireena decided to assist the party. She helped them gain access to the home of Sofiya's mother by showing them that Barovians deliberately announce that they are entering without waiting for permission and tating the party are there to help. She also filled the party in on information about the disappearances plaguing the town.

When the party left New Barovia to investigate the disappearance of Sofiya and the fate of Milivoj who had gone to find her, Ireena stayed on watch overnight, protecting the town. When the party returned with Sofiya, Ireena met them and was saddened to learn of Milivoj's death. She rewarded the party with platinum and with brooches and scarves of New Barovia, making it clear they are friends of the town.

The next morning, Ireena was approached by Anya at her home. Anya was suffering from not feeding the "Sight" and while Ireena couldn't cure her issue, she did give Anya advice on feeding as a Dhampir and gave her bottled goats' blood to stave off hunger. Due to her secretive past however, Ireena was too tempting a target and Anya used the full power of the Unveiled Sight on her, drawing from her the full story of her past and her curse. Ireena was visibly injured by the power and almost fought Anya before the latter apologised and Ireena calmed. She parted on uneasy terms with Anya due to her injury and watched the party leave New Barovia from the ridge her home was on.

## **Relationships**

### **Council of Echoes**

Ireena initially regarded the Council members as friends and guardians but came to loathe them following their subjugation of Barovia and its people. She particularly feared and hated Riza Whispercreek and Kulos for the pain and torture they made her endure, both mentally and physically.

### **Hindsight**

Ireena was wary of Hindsight at their first meeting but she has since come to value them as friends and allies.

### **Pikkik**

Ireena regards Pikkik as her last surviving friend from Barovia and is particularly close with him, particularly since he comforted her following her brother's death and stood at her side in leading the rebellion against the Council of Echoes in Barovia. The two both found themselves as prisoners of the council and supported one another through the torture and pain they were enduring.

### **Rosalind Songsteel**

Ireena's best friend since leaving Barovia is without a doubt Rosalind. The young woman protected Ireena when she was in need. Ireena feels immense guilt that Rosalind was endangered following Kulos discovering them but she has been forgiven multiple times. She stood at Rosalind's side during the Echoes Crisis and became a major support for her during the establishment of Songsteel Trading. Ireena and Rosalind also developed a friends with benefits relationship in the years following the Crisis but that has since ended.

## **Equipment**

Ireena wore an ornate silvered breastplate in combat. She also used a rapier as a weapon though this was stolen and enchanted by Kulos following her initial capture during the rebellion, going on to become *Death's Sting.* She has since gained an enchanted holy blade as a wedding gift from the Songsteel twins that she has named *Ismark's Justice* after her fallen brother.

## **Trivia**

* Ireena is the reincarnation of Strahd's first love, hence his obsession with her, she is aware of this and tries not to let it define her.