Secrets of Barovia
Plot Hooks
These plot hooks are a collection of things the players have interacted with but have not fully figured out, have actions not yet performed, or have mysteries unlearnt by the characters. They are roughly in order of discovery; any discrepancies are the fault of the DM and not a means to hide or showcase any item over any other.
NOTE: This list is not meant as a checklist. Not all items are solvable or doable. Sometimes there will be competing goals that prohibit one or more items from being resolved. Some items may be beneficial to do, others may cause harm if not handled in a specific manner; conversely, some items will be better left alone completely. It’s up to the players to decide which are worth doing, and in what order. =)
- There seems to be more than one faction of Vistani. Furthermore, werewolves have been known to attack them.
- Arrigal delivered a note that was a lie to the players. It indicated that Ireena Kolyana was the lover of Kolyan Indirovich, who was in fact her adopted father and is now deceased.
- Brume keeps having very vivid dreams. Are they more than just dreams?
- Mad Mary is crying and has boarded herself up in Little Barovia
- Father Donavich suggests the party escort Ireena Kolyana to the Abbey of Saint Markovia in Krezk
- Jenny Greenteeth is willing to trade magical services for favors. She’s also recruited Tobin Shaw to help her tinker with making and selling magical items.
- Father Donavich has requested that Brume seek out the Abbot of the Abbey of Saint Markovia in Krezk, searching for a cure for Donavich’s son Doru Grigorovich.
- Using and understanding the clues of The Tarokka Reading given by Madame Eva. The Vistani matron also gave cryptic clues about some characters’ pasts, with hints about what their future may entail.
- The Morninglord and Mother Night were both active and powerful in Barovia’s past, but some curse upon the Barovians’ ancestors seems to have both drawn in Strahd and the Mists, and the two gods disappeared.
- Madame Eva may request a favor from the party in the future.
- Strahd von Zarovich has told the party that Ireena Kolyana belongs to him, and that she agreed to this decision willingly in exchange for him resurrecting her father, Kolyan Indirovich. Ismark has heard her refer to this once during an argument.
- The Death House has been burned downed and came back. It seems to rebuild itself.
- Zack has promised Yelena Arasek of Arasek Stockyard that he will rent a storage unit (for 25g) from them within a week in exchange for discount on supplies that he bought then and there.
- Vaz Vizorach wants to be like the party members and kill bandits and adventure
- Apparently, Vallaki has two rival factions: the Vallakovichs and the Wachters.
- Vassili von Holtz was a signatory on a receipt for the 6 crates housing vampire spawn that were located above Henrik van der Voort’s coffin shop.
- Lady Wachter’s daughter, Stella, has gone crazy. She was to be engaged with Victor Vallakovich. Lady Wachter suspects “black magics” on the parts of the Vallakovichs.
- Werewolves are lurking along the western stretches of Barovia
- A wooden-legged Vistana rescued Sophie and Paloma and brought them to the Sunset Gate of Vallaki
- Baroness Lydia Petrovna says her household is missing two servants, a butler and a lady’s maid. Their clothes were found in the houses attic.
- Some group themed with a raven-and-key motif had a letter dropped off via ravens to alert the party to … something regarding the Vallakovichs and Wachters. Who is this group? What do they want?
- There were undead, cultists, and seemingly a summoning going on in the cellar of the Wachterhaus. How involved are the Wachters with these nefarious schemes? It seems like The Four Quarters cult may involved?
- Jenny Greenteeth has a “location” in Vallaki as well as Little Barovia apparently.
- Jenny Greenteeth mentioned that she was the source of Lady Wachter’s magical powers. The deal she made with the noblewoman was for an exchange of five years of life; Jenny’s twist was that it was from her Lady Wachter’s husband Nikolai, who died from it.
- Jenny Greenteeth had Zack Justwelm agree via an oath signed in blood, to go to Old Bonegrinder and deal with Jenny’s “cousin” in exchange for enhancing his sword. He has two weeks to do this or … she cackled, saying he wouldn’t want to find out what ‘or’ was.
- Szoldar and Yevgeni, wolf-hunters known by Paloma, say that Tsernovna, a Vistani camp southwest of Vallaki, has some “bad apple types” of Vistani there. Those Vistani are upset because they’re running out of wine and because of some other trouble that Szoldar and Yevgeni aren’t aware of.
- Szoldar and Yevgeni also mentioned that Lake Zarovich is more dangerous but town drunk Bluto has been seen trying to fish the lake anyways. Bluto says he needs the fish for wine, and suspects some sort of monster lurking in the lake. He joked nervously that maybe a sacrifice would be needed to appease the monster.
- The Mad Mage has been seen “fishing” between the shores of Lake Zarovich and Mount Baratok. Of course he was “fishing” by throwing lightning into the lake and frying dozens of fish at once while rambling. Everyone steers clear of him out of fear.
- Urwin, innkeep of the Blue Water Inn, wants to pay the party to deal with the “old crow” at the The Wizard of Wines since the town is running out of wine. They are two weeks overdue for a shipment already.
- The attic of the Burgomaster’s mansion has what appears to be a teleportation circle in it, undead skeletal cats, and the clothes of missing servants. Clearly, something is going on there.
- Victor Vallakovich apparently wanted his father dead. He’s also apparently in hiding now, as Paloma is looking for him and can’t find him.
Old plothooks
These have been completed, solved, or otherwise rendered irrelevant..
- Yenkin Martran died but came back to life immediately, and now has bugs crawling around in his ears. No one knows/understands why/how.
- Ismark Kolyanovich wants the party to take him and Ireena Kolyana to Vallaki
- Tamar keeps seeing signs of her demise: her name on crypts, her dead corpse, etc. Is it just dread and fear or is something more at play?
- Izek Strazni has told Zack (and presumably the party) to report to Baron Vargas Vallakovich.
- The Bones of Saint Andral have been stolen from Saint Andral’s Church. Father Lucian Petrovich has asked Brume (as a follower of The Morninglord to retrieve them.
- Willemina Rikalova thinks that Baron Vargas Vallakovich has imprisoned her husband, Udo Lukovich.
- Ireena had gotten into a fight with her brother Ismark, and after an emotional outburst (anger? fear? frustration?) ran into the streets of Vallaki. She is currently missing. During this fight she mentioned a promise she had made to Strahd.
- Izek Strazni is forcing Gadof Blinsky to make him dolls that look surprisingly like Ireena. He has made one a month for 73 months now.
- Baron Vargas Vallakovich requires the characters to be the guests of honor at the Festival of the Burning Sun in exchange for his help in finding Ireena
- Izek Strazni had kidnapped Ireena. The question is, were the Vallakovichs involved or aware, or was he acting on his own?
- The Baron has sent guards after the party. What does he have on the adventurers?