M2S7

## Shallow Defiance

The town of Vallaki seems to exist in defiance of Strahd.

“
*Hey you, you're finally awake. You were trying to sneak Irina to Vallaki right? Walked right into Strahd's ambush, same as us, and that burgomaster over there.*
”
— Arbrek to Aellun.
**Shallow Defiance** was the 7th session of the Strahdborne campaign. In this session, the players arrived at Vallaki. Despite finding new allies and leads, the party must remain cautious in the town, as it is a place of strange ways and customs.

## Summary

The party takes to the Old Svalich Road again, headed to Vallaki. On the way, they see Old Bonegrinder mill. Not long after, they meet a group of Vistani who are looking for a girl they call Arabelle, whom the party has not seen.

The party finally arrives at Vallaki. As they enter, they are greeted with many of the town's peculiar customs and traditions, including the Donkey Head ceremony and the preparations for yet another Festival. They briefly meet Izek, the local Baron's right-hand-man. During this time, they also identify the locations of several locations in the village.

The party receives their first truly warm reception in Barovia at Blue Water Inn. Urwin reveals much knowledge about the goings-on at Vallaki and the neighboring regions. The party meets Rictavio, a colorful half-elf that regales the taphouse with a peculiar story. Additionally, the party meets Szoltan and Yevgeny, two friendly hunters who know the region well.

When the Inn's stores of wine unexpectedly run out, Urwin discovers that the latest shipment of wine has not arrived on schedule. He commissions the party, as well as the two Hunters, to investigate the root cause of the delay, and to solve it. The party also agrees with the hunters to investigate the Hag problem at Old Bonegrinder, though Urwin implies that the party would require a larger force to defeat the hags.

## NPCs

* Baron Vargas Vallakovich: Though the party has yet to meet him, they have heard of his strange deeds, like the weekly festivals, the public humiliation of his opponents, and his tyrannical policies to foster artificial happiness.
	+ Izek: A stern, no-nonsense henchman to the Baron. He terrifies nearly everyone in Vallaki.
* The Wachter family
	+ The Wachters are the primary opposition to the Baron's rule over Vallaki.
* The Vallaki Hunters
	+ Szoltan: A sturdy warrior who hunts with greatsword and crossbow. An older hunter, he has seen much of Barovia, though he refuses to hunt at night, or north of Lake Zarovich.
	+ Yevgeni: Szoltan's younger and quieter companion, who fights with his bow and his wits. His older friend claims that Yevgeni is a masterful strategist.
* The Martikov family
	+ Urwin: The loud and outgoing host of Blue Water Inn. Urwin knows a great deal of the goings-on of the region. Szoltan alleges that Urwin is capable with a blade, though Urwin is dismissive of this.
	+ Danika: More reserved than her husband, Danika acts as a counterbalance to Urwin's impulsive and generous tendencies. Without her, Blue Water Inn would have gone bankrupt long ago.

## Quests

### New

* **Aqua Vitae (Everyone):** Investigate and fix the root cause of the delay in wine shipments.
* **Pyromaniacal (Everyone):** Attend the Blazing Sun Festival.
* **The Devil is in the Details (Everyone):** Investigate the strange Toy-Maker.
* **With a Little Luck (Everyone):** Find Arabelle.

### Ongoing

* **A Throw for the Ages (Everyone):** Suplex Strahd.
* **With Friends Like These... (Lautrec):** Leverage your newfound position to accomplish your aims.
* **Under New Management (Everyone):** Investigate the coven of hags at Old Bonegrinder mill.

### The Deck of Fate

* **The Fount of Knowledge (Everyone):** Discover the source of knowledge below the guardian of a garden.
* **The Symbol of Hope (Everyone):** Claim the holy symbol by finding the tomb of a great wizard with a famous staff.
* **The Blade of Light (Everyone):** Wield the sunlight blade in the den of wolves near the moonlit lake.
* **The Ally of Righteousness (Everyone):** Identify your pivotal ally, the man in disguise.
* **The Shadow of Barovia (Everyone):** Defeat Strahd.
* **The Moon (Aellun):** Find the place filled with bones, for the clues you seek lie there.
* **The Everstone (Arbrek):** The power you seek lies within an evil tree, growing atop a hill of graves.
* **The Headsman (Gromash):** Find the fortress within the fortress, which contains the treasure you seek.
* **The Phantom (Lo-thak):** Find the location of the one who gave birth to evil, for she is the key to your goals.
* **The Balance (Thalia):** Discover the whereabouts of that which you seek.

## Reflections

* **Example:** "Example"
* Thalia: "I recall how, as a child, my father would take umbrage if my brother and I did not show adequate enthusiasm for activities he'd arranged. Never mind that my chronically ill brother had no stamina for long hunts, or that I had no stomach for his friends' foul sons he sent me to balls with - we were ungrateful, lazy brats who didn't appreciate him. I imagine my late father and Baron Vallakovich would get along swimmingly and commiserate how ungrateful we all are for what they provide, completely oblivious and apathetic to our true wants and needs. The baron's rulership even follows the same logic as my father's business plans - take everything someone somewhere declared good practice and cobble it all together into an unworkable, nonsensical mess. In the baron's case: a common enemy to unite the people? Check (although, seriously, 'He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named'? What is this, a children's novel? As if Strahd won't make the connection). Lack of enthusiasm or 'revolutionary spirit' or 'patriotism' is treason? Check. Bread and circuses? Check, for the circuses at least - The wine's already run out, how long until the bread does too? How is the Baron even paying for all this? He thinks he's leading a revolution against Strahd and the despair of Barovia, but all he's doing is bringing Vallaki closer to ending up like my family: destitute, miserable, and fractured beyond repair. My family and I were able to make new starts for ourselves, I doubt Vallaki will be so fortunate..."
* Arbrek: "There is no ale in this whole damned country. No wonder it's so miserable here there's nothing more to drink than fruit water. I doubt there will even be anvil throwing or a miner's choir in this upcoming festival. Shame we missed the wolf hunt though reminds me of the beardlings going on their yearly goblin hunt. That was a real festivity not whatever this ale-less backwater town will throw. The card says I have to find some evil tree in a graveyard. As if there weren't enough of those in this land already. Time to sharpen my axe. I could use some firewood, and after I have dealt with that tree I can finally return home, drink some ale, and breathe in the forge smoke. Ha! I can imagine the smell now with that tree as kindling for the fire. And to think my supply of ale is almost gone. If I can't make it back quickly I may have to ration it even further. Truly this is a foul land."

## Appendix

Strahdborne Sessions
**Chapter 1: The Gates of Barovia**
 Session 1 · Session 2 · Session 3 · Session 4 · Session 5 · Session 6

 **Chapter 2: The Fall of Vallaki**
 **Session 7** · Session 8 · Session 9 · Session 10 · Session 11 · Session 12 · Session 13 · Session 14 · Session 15 · Session 16 · Session 17 · Session 18 · Session 19 ·

 **Chapter 3: The Muster at Krezk**
 Session 20 · Session 21 · Session 22 · Session 23 · Session 24 · Session 25 · Session 26 · Session 27 ·