Ireena Kolyana

**Ireena Kolyana** is a character in the *Forgotten Realms Campaign* of Nat19. She is a woman from the Village of Barovia who is a reincarnation of a woman named Tatyana who Strahd von Zarovich was deeply in love with. As an NPC, she is portrayed by *Aaron Robert Parnell*.

 Personality

Ireena is a stubborn woman. She would rather fight than run away from a foe in most cases, but has shown a fear of Strahd. She has a lighthearted side, and is able to joke and engage in frivolous conversations and arguments even when on the run for her life.

## History

Ireena has had multiple encounters with Strahd von Zarovich, in which he charmed her, bit her, and drained her blood.

## Role in Plot

Ireena was introduced to the Curse of Strahd Party by her brother Ismark. He asked them to take her somewhere she could be safe from Strahd, who had taken an inexplicable interest in her. She insisted she would not leave until their father was properly buried. She and Hadrick had a brief argument after the latter commented that the dead do not need sympathy. After Ireena had calmed down, they all took the siblings' father to the Church of Barovia to be buried by Grigori Donavich.

After spending the night in the Village of Barovia, the Curse of Strahd Party took Ireena with them as they left. They first took her to the town of Vallaki, having been told by Ismark it might be a safe place. They arrived in town and stayed at the Blue Water Inn. The party took care of multiple items of interest on their to-do list as Ireena investigated happenings in the Church of Saint Andral. She discovered that a relic of the church had recently been stolen, but couldn't gather any more information without the party's aid.

After some time in Vallaki, Ireena did not return to the inn one night. The Curse of Strahd Party split up to look for her. Jolyne, Hadrick, and Graiar sought out Izek Strazni, the sleazy captain of the guard, to ask for information about her. He told them he hadn't seen Ireena, but Jolyne easily saw through his deception. Growing impatient with Izek, Jolyne assaulted him, resulting in a fight that ended with Izek being poisoned and his two guards knocked unconscious. During the fight, Izek told his assailants that the would not take Ireena from him.

The fighting had alerted guards elsewhere in town and as such the alarm bells were sounded. Meanwhile, Devin, Ashley, and Xhantharykk went to the local coffin maker's shop, where they met a man named Vasili von Holtz, who offered them a ride in his carriage. Their trip abruptly ended as they arrived in front of the Church of Saint Andral. As the alarm bells began to sound, Vasili revealed his true identity as Strahd von Zarovich, and assaulted the church with a Fireball spell. He then set his vampire spawn on the people within the church. He inquired to Ashley as to the whereabouts of "his Tatyana." She suspected he was referring to Ireena, and directed him to the Burgomaster's house as a guess, and he thanked her as he left.

The Curse of Strahd Party regrouped outside the Church of Saint Andral after the chaos had spread elsewhere. They eventually questioned an injured guard about where Izek would take a woman he fancied, and the guard supposed he would probably take her to his place of residence, the Burgomaster's house.

After infiltrating and searching the Burgomaster's house, they discovered Izek in his room, dead on the floor, surrounded by dolls that resembled Ireena. They pieced together that she likely killed him in his weakened state and escaped through the downstairs window, so they returned to the Blue Water Inn, hoping to find her there. After reaching the inn, they found her in the room they had been staying in. They soon escaped Vallaki with the aid of the Martikov family, leaving the town in a state of uncertainty.

The next potential safe haven was the Abbey of Saint Markovia in Krezk. However, before they could make it there, they discovered a wizard's tower along the road. Their curiosities piqued, they decided to investigate. While they initially thought it could be a place for Ireena to hide, the holes in its walls made it unusable for that purpose.

After escaping a werewolf pack that had surrounded them inside the tower, the group made their way to Krezk. They stayed with the Burgomaster Dmitri Krezkov and his sickly wife Alessa. Alessa told them about the Abbey of Saint Markovia and how screams could be heard coming from it almost every night. With this revelation, the group concluded it might not be the safest place for Ireena to hide. They spoke with Dmitri and asked if Ireena could stay with him and his wife, but after he learned she was hiding from Strahd, he was hesitant. He told them that in order for him to potentially put his wife and his town in danger by taking her in, they would need to do one of two things: either rectify the recent lack of wine shipments to their town, or cure his wife's illness. With Xhantharykk's psionic abilities, they easily managed to perform the latter task.

With Alessa's condition cured, Dmitri took Ireena in, and she stayed there for over a month with no issues. However, one day, Strahd, Griff, and Rahadin arrived to take her to Castle Ravenloft.

When the party regrouped after their time in the Amber Temple, they decided to prepare for the final confrontation with Strahd by heading east and completing the last few items on their to-do list. After a series of events involving Graiar being taken to Castle Ravenloft while the rest of the Curse of Strahd Party met the rumored Mad Mage, they all arrived at the castle to attend Strahd's dinner party. Ireena was present at this dinner party, finely dressed and noticeably charmed by Strahd. Strahd informed the party that he and Ireena were set to be married the following day, before the two of them eventually returned to their chambers.

Later that night, as the Curse of Strahd Party investigated the crypts of the castle, they spotted Ireena wandering through the halls in a panicked state. Her charm had worn off, and she requested they help her escape the castle. They agreed, but before they could even begin, Strahd himself appeared to reclaim Ireena. A fight broke out with Strahd in the crypts as Ireena, Graiar, and Devin ran up the nearby stairs.

Not thinking clearly, Ireena ran in whatever direction was farthest from Strahd. She eventually stopped when Graiar questioned her intentions, and decided that she would kill herself to be finally rid of Strahd. Graiar tried to persuade her against this, but before she could respond, Griff appeared before them. Ireena ran in the opposite direction as Graiar attempted to stall Griff, however, the latter aarakocra caught up to her and knocked her unconscious, where she lay for some time.

Ireena would not awake until after Strahd had been killed by the Curse of Strahd Party. She was overwhelmed with relief and thanked them. She returned to the Village of Barovia with them, and along with her brother, they all left Barovia together.

## Relationships & Affiliations

### The Curse of Strahd Party

Ireena and the Curse of Strahd Party traveled together for a few weeks, and in that time, she came to think of them as friends.

### Ashley

Ireena's relationship with Ashley started off rockier than with the other members of the party, as the latter did not see the point/benefit of escorting the former around. However, after being scolded by Graiar, Ashley opened up conversations with Ireena, and the two grew closer.

### Hadrick Kainwind

Ireena's relationship with Hadrick started with her attempting to slap him for saying her father's death did not garner sympathy. However, the two quickly worked past this misunderstanding and eventually became close friends.