Vallaki Plot Hooks & Story Threads

Vallaki Plot Hooks & Story Threads

Vallaki Quest Web
Calendar of Events
The Bones of St. Andral
Background
Hooking the PCs
The Curse of St. Andral’s Orphanage
Background
Saving Milivoj’s Soul
🦋 The Butterfly Effect - The Death of Milivoj
What Milivoj Knows
Finding Milivoj’s Fixer
Breaking & Entering
🦋 The Butterfly Effect - Recruiting the Guard
Showdown in Town Square
🦋 The Butterfly Effect - Aftermath of the Feast
Ludmilla’s Revenge
📈 Module Milestone - The Saint’s Bones Restored
🦋 The Butterfly Effect - Death of a Priest
The Missing Vistana
🦋 The Butterfly Effect - Arabelle’s Dying Breath

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Vallaki Quest Web
The many plots and threads of Vallaki can be challenging for even the most experienced DM to
run. For help understanding how one location may lead to another, feel free to refer to the
following color-coded Quest Web.

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Calendar of Events
2nd of Eleint1: Ludmilla Vilisevic Visits Vallaki
9th of Eleint: Ludmilla Recruits Henrik van der Voort
16th of Eleint: Henrik Recruits Milivoj
17th of Eleint: Previous Adventuring Party Enters Vallaki
21st of Eleint: Previous Adventuring Party Driven From Vallaki
25th of Eleint: Ludmilla Delivers the Vampire Spawn
26th of Eleint: Milivoj Steals the Bones
27th of Eleint: The Wolf's Head Jamboree; Milivoj Hires the Wolf Hunters
28th of Eleint: Milivoj Falls Unconscious; Felix Kills Cedrik
29th of Eleint: PCs Arrive in Vallaki; Father Lucian Discovers the Theft
1st of Manoth2: Bluto Drowns Arabelle
2nd of Manoth: The Feast of St. Andral
3rd of Manoth: Bluto is Captured; Baron Vallakovich Holds Court at the Reformation Center
4th of Manoth: The Festival of the Blazing Sun

The Bones of St. Andral

Background
Nearly five weeks before the PCs arrived in Barovia, Ludmilla Vilisevic - Strahd’s most loyal and
highest-ranking bride - visited Vallaki to gather intelligence on the town’s sociopolitical situation.
After learning of Tatyana’s most recent incarnation, and without prompting by Strahd, she made
the calculation that Ireena would need to be guided to Castle Ravenloft through the absence of
any other safe haven that the girl might use to escape her fate. Ludmilla then took it upon
herself to monitor the hallowed ground of the Church of Saint Andral, in case that it might
provide sanctuary to the embattled Ireena.

One week later, Ludmilla had concocted a plan to both deconsecrate the Church and destabilize
Vallaki’s social situation, leaving the town completely unfit for Ireena’s habitation. She visited
Henrik van der Voort, finding him a suitable proxy for her plan due to his cowardly personality
and social isolation. Through a combination of thinly-veiled threats and the promise of a
substantial reward, she tasked him with uncovering the secret to the Church’s holy ground.

The next day, a cloaked and hooded Henrik recruited Milivoj to his cause, providing the
gravedigger fifty gold pieces and a cursed locket that Ludmilla promised would seal him to
secrecy. This same locket would later find its way into the hands of the orphan, Felix, and send
St. Andral’s Orphanage spiraling into tragedy.

Ten days later, Ludmilla delivered six vampire spawn to Henrik’s shop, both in preparation for
their eventual assault, and as incentive for the coffin maker to expedite his work. The next

1 Eleint is the ninth month of the Barovian calendar year, and marks the beginning of autumn. It has 30
days.
2 Manoth is the tenth month of the Barovian calendar year. It has 31 days.
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evening, Milivoj - grown sick and pale from the passive influence of the demonic locket - met
with an anxious Henrik in the Town Square to report his findings. Milivoj received instructions to
steal the bones and deliver them to a cart near Wachterhaus, outside the home of Bluto
Krogarov, the town drunk. Milivoj stole the bones from Saint Andral’s crypt at midnight, and
received his sack of gold upon their delivery.

The following morning, Milivoj made his way to the Blue Water Inn, where he hired the wolf
hunters, Szoldar Szoldarovich and Yegveni Krushkin, to find three orphans that had gone
missing from St. Andral’s Orphanage. Upon his return to the Orphanage, he collapsed into
unconsciousness, falling fully under the spell of the demon imprisoned in the locket he had
brought home.

Approximately three days later, Ireena Kolyana arrives in Vallaki with a group of armed escorts
accompanying her.

Hooking the PCs

Father Donavich is likely to recommend the Church of St. Andral as a place where Ireena can
find sanctuary from Strahd’s pursuit. While Father Lucian has kept the secret of the missing
bones to himself thus far, if the party includes a cleric or paladin upon arrival at the Church,
Father Lucian will immediately relate the church’s plight to that PC and beg for their help.

If the party contains neither a cleric nor a paladin, Father Lucian will reveal the mystery of the
missing bones once informed that Ireena’s safety from Strahd hinges on the hallowed ground of
the Church. When the PCs arrive, Father Lucian clears out the Church, and proceeds to lead
the PCs down into the hidden crypt beneath the stone altar at the head of the sanctuary. There,
he reveals the stone slab where St. Andral’s bones once lay, and informs the PCs that the
remains must be restored to their previous resting place to re-consecrate the once-hallowed
ground.3

Unlike the module, Father Lucian does not suspect Milivoj to be the culprit. He views the boy as
something close to a son, and would never break that trust. However, he and Yeska were out of
the Church during the night that he suspects the bones were stolen, and Milivoj was assigned to
dig a trio of fresh graves that evening. Lucian hopes that Milivoj may have seen any strangers
entering or exiting the Church. Unfortunately, Milivoj has not been to work since the night of the
robbery - evidently, he has fallen ill.

Lucian provides the PCs with basic directions to St. Andral’s Orphanage, where Milivoj lives,,
and wishes them luck.

3 /u/MandyMod, Fleshing Out Curse of Strahd: Vallaki IV - The Feast of St. Andral and Tyger, Tyger
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The Curse of St. Andral’s Orphanage
Background
An orphan raised at St. Andral’s Orphanage, Milivoj now lives there as a caretaker, contributing
whatever meager earnings he makes from his gravedigging career to provide for the structure’s
upkeep and the childrens’ care. The children love him, and revere him as an elder brother.
Milivoj is a jaded, sullen nineteen-year-old, but holds an enormous soft spot for the other
residents of the Orphanage.4

The Orphanage is home to Milivoj, Headmistress Claudia Belasco and nearly two-dozen
orphans. Two months ago, the Orphanage’s most recent addition arrived: an eight-year-old boy
named Felix. Socially withdrawn and suffering from nightmares of his parents’ demise at the
claws of a pack of werewolves, Felix drew the sympathy of Milivoj, who took the younger boy
under his wing. After receiving his first payment from Henrik van der Voort for investigating the
Church of St. Andral, Milivoj provided Felix with a gift included in that reward: a rusted tin locket
engraved with an inscription written in Celestial. The inside of the locket is engraved with an
inscription in Celestial that means "Let darkness hide from the gaze of the light."

Unbeknownst to Milivoj, Felix, and Henrik, the locket is the prison of a shadow demon,
imprisoned long ago by Saint Markovia. Ludmilla Vilisevic provided Henrik with the locket as a
means of destroying any evidence of Milivoj’s crimes - but did not expect him to give it away.
Instead, Felix is the locket’s wearer, and now serves as a humanoid vessel for the cruel demon
within.

From its place within the locket, this demon has been secretly tormenting the other children of
the Orphanage, giving them night terrors and feeding off of their vitality, leaving terrible bruising
and wounds behind. It is also responsible for the death of another orphan named Cedrik, which
Headmistress Belasco suspects was more than an accident.

An atmosphere of fear has shrouded the Orphanage in recent days. Three boys, terrified of their
nightmares and fearful of the Headmistress’ motivations, recently fled Vallaki for the woods, and
are currently captives at the Werewolf Den. Drained and tormented by the demon’s hauntings,
Milivoj has fallen gravely ill as well. Cedrik possessed no soul, much to the demon’s
disappointment. However, Milivoj does - and once the demon is strong enough to devour it, it
will be freed from its locket prison forever.

Saving Milivoj’s Soul

When the PCs arrive at the Orphanage, they are greeted in the yard by Headmistress Belasco,
who has just finished a solemn discussion with Henrik van der Voort, the coffin maker. Two
somber-looking children are also playing in the yard, but their hearts clearly aren’t in it. Henrik
has just delivered a child-sized coffin for Cedrik, who died two nights ago. As Henrik packs his
cart and leaves, Belasco sadly informs the PCs that Milivoj has fallen gravely ill, and is confined

4 /u/MandyMod, Fleshing Out Curse of Strahd: Vallaki - St. Andral's Orphanage

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to his room. If the PCs push to speak with him, or if one among their number is a healer,
Belasco leads them to his room.

Upon arrival in Milivoj’s room, the PCs are greeted by Keller and Ema, two of the older children
within the Orphanage. Ema sadly informs Belasco that Milivoj has yet to wake after fainting the
previous night, and Keller asks the PCs if they have come to cure him. A DC 14 Arcana or
Medicine check will reveal that Milivoj’s condition is magical in nature, and not contagious. Use
of the spell Detect Magic reveals an aura of necromancy magic shrouding Milivoj’s unconscious
form, while the Divine Sense feature will reveal traces of demonic energies feeding from
Milivoj’s spirit.

Healing magic and potions have no effect on Milivoj. His illness can only be cured by a Greater
Restoration spell or the elimination of the demon.

If the PCs have impressed Headmistress Belasco with their sympathy, compassion, or
intelligence, she takes them into her office and presents what little information she has.
Following her discovery of a strange array of runes carved into Cedrik’s bedpost, she fears the
presence of a spirit or curse within the Orphanage’s walls. She believes that the children may
know more, but despite her good intentions, fears that she her strict and authoritative nature has
aroused the orphans’ mistrust. Belasco invites the PCs to investigate the Orphanage and
inquire with - though not interrogate - the children regarding the recent strange phenomena.
Perhaps the orphans will be more likely to trust a friendly stranger than “Belasco the Bully.”

Belasco does not suspect Felix to be the culprit, but if asked about him following the PCs’
investigation, does reveal her suspicions that the boy may have been driven somewhat mad by
his parents’ gruesome deaths.

A cursory investigation of the Orphanage will soon direct the PCs’ suspicions toward the
evidently sociopathic Felix. Upon confronting Felix in his attic hideaway, the PCs must defeat
the shadow demon that has possessed him - but without harming the boy himself. If Felix is
slain, or the demon successfully destroyed, Milivoj awakes soon thereafter.

🦋 The Butterfly Effect - The Death of Milivoj

If the PCs do not cure Milivoj’s illness before the Festival of the Blazing Sun, the demon
devours Milivoj’s soul entirely, using its power to break free of the locket forever. The entire
population of the orphanage is slaughtered that same evening. Should the PCs later visit the
Amber Temple, they find that the demon has taken up residence in one of the chambers
within.

What Milivoj Knows

Grateful to the PCs for his restoration, a guilty Milivoj makes no attempt to conceal his theft of
the bones of St. Andral. However, he can provide little information regarding the identity or

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intentions of his employer. The man that oversaw Milivoj’s work was cloaked and hooded, and
did not allow his face to show. Milivoj can provide the following clues to the man’s identity:
● The man wore a grey beard across his lower face
● The man’s cloak smelt strongly of sawdust
● The man’s hands were rough and calloused - a workman’s hands

Milivoj also relays any additional information to the PCs regarding the theft, including the origin
of the locket (part of his first payment upon discovery of the bones); the amount of money paid
(one hundred gold pieces in full - a princely sum); the meeting-place where he received his
instructions (Arasek Stockyard); and the location to which he delivered the bones (an empty
wooden cart outside the house of Bluto Krogarov, which is located near Wachterhaus). He asks
the PCs to keep his crime secret from Father Lucian, but agrees to come clean if pressed.

Finding Milivoj’s Fixer

Once they have uncovered the truth of his crime, the PCs may pursue Milivoj’s leads at any one
of several locations. Do remember that all clues involving Bluto, Baron Vallakovich, or Lady
Wachter are red herrings, and should be presented to force the PCs to either critically examine
their clues or waste precious time.

Blue Water Inn

Danika Martikov can inform the PCs that Bluto has not been seen in more than a day, having
vanished after boasting of a new “good-luck” charm that he hoped would solve his fishing
woes.5 She can also relate the recent death of Bluto’s wife, a sickly woman named Vanessa. If
provided the description of Milivoj’s employer, Danika is able to quickly match it to descriptions
of Bluto, Henrik van der Voort, and Ernst Larnak (who served as a laborer before his
employment to Lady Wachter).

Szoldar and Yevgeni can inform the PCs that, after tracking the boys that fled from the
Orphanage, they lost the trail close to a favored haunt of the werewolf pack. They believe the
boys to be dead, or else taken to the pack’s den and turned. Both advise the PCs not to
investigate further.

Bluto Krogarov’s House

Bluto’s neighbor Camilla Veredov, a gossipy dowager arranging pots of sickly-looking flowers,
can inform the PCs that Bluto has not been seen in more than a day, having vanished after
boasting of a new “good-luck” charm that he hoped would solve his fishing woes. She can also
relate the recent death of Bluto’s wife, a sickly woman named Vanessa, and believes that the
cart left outside his house that night belonged to the local coffin maker, who had delivered the
coffin in which Vanessa was buried.

Any PC that visits Bluto’s house immediately notices that it sits across the street from
Wachterhaus, caught in the shadow of the grim, larger structure.

5 butlerlog, CoS Discord Recap: Week of 6/24

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Arasek Stockyard
Any exploration of Rictavio’s carnival wagon risks setting free the saber-toothed tiger within.

The owners of the nearby general store have no knowledge of Milivoj’s nighttime meetings, but
can pass on their observations of multiple shadows moving behind the upper-floor curtains of
Henrik van der Voort’s shop - a man who lives quite alone.

Breaking & Entering

Eventually, all clues should point the PCs toward the shop of Henrik van der Voort, Vallaki’s
sole coffin maker. As written in the module, Henrik refuses to allow the PCs entry to his shop,
but quickly cracks if the party forces their way in. He is able to provide the PCs with the
following information:
● A dark-skinned woman named Ludmilla approached him several weeks ago, and forced
him discover the source of the church's hallowed ground.
● After Milivoj obtained the secret of the bones of St. Andral, Henrik directed him to steal
the bones using funds Ludmilla had provided.
● Ludmilla forced Henrik to house crates containing multiple vampire spawn in his home,
both as incentive to expedite his work and for some dark plot that Henrik doesn’t fully
understand.
● One of the vampire spawn currently rests in a straw-stuffed crate on the upper floor.
Henrik was directed to transport the other five to a small cavity beneath the gallows in
the Town Square, hiding them away while performing routine upkeep and repairs to the
gallows’ platform.6
● The bones of St. Andral are tucked away in a wardrobe on the upper floor, in the room
that serves as Henrik’s bedchamber. Ludmilla has warned him not to disturb them,
threatening grievous harm if he does.

Henrik has not dared to look at the bones since receiving them, and is unaware that Ludmilla
has added additional magical protections since their delivery. He does not know Ludmilla’s true
identity or intentions, and is unsure whether she is a vampire or a mortal servant of Strahd. He
does his best to conceal his original willingness to participate in Ludmilla’s plots, and portrays
himself entirely as a victim, rather than a well-paid (albeit intimidated) proxy.

Should the PCs investigate the vampire spawn, they can evade his notice by succeeding on a
DC 14 Stealth (Dexterity) check while approaching his crate. The spawn attacks if disturbed or
attacked, and can be easily dispatched while asleep using a wooden stake carved from the
lumber within Henrik’s workshop.

Should the PCs disturb the bones, they trigger a pair of Glyphs of Warding placed by Ludmilla
as additional insurance. One of the Glyphs casts Clairvoyance, which alerts Ludmilla to the PCs’
interference. She immediately depletes her third-level spell slots to cast Sending twice, first
directing the vampire spawn in the adjacent room to confront those that removed the bones, and
then instructing the vampire spawn in Town Square to begin their attack at dusk. The second

6 /u/DragnaCarta, Lessons from Running Curse of Strahd: The Feast of St. Andral
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Glyph triggers an Explosive Runes effect against any nearby PCs, though the blessed bones
are unharmed by this destructive magic.

The lone vampire spawn in the shop, a twisted and violent man named Vadu, bursts from his
resting place and attacks the party from across the hall. He taunts the PCs for their failure to
stop Ludmilla’s plan, boasting that they will be unable to stop his “siblings” from feasting on the
inhabitants of Vallaki once night falls. Fearful of Ludmilla’s retribution for his failure, Vadu fights
to the death.

🦋 The Butterfly Effect - Recruiting the Guard

If the PCs bring their findings to Baron Vallakovich before confronting Henrik, the Baron
assigns four guards to independently investigate the shop and recover the bones. Henrik
immediately confesses his crimes to the guards, and two guards return to recruit Izek for
assistance in destroying the vampire spawn upstairs. The remaining two guards disregard
Henrik’s warnings and attempt to retrieve the bones themselves, alerting Ludmilla and
triggering the events described above. When Izek or the PCs return to the shop, they find
both guards and Henrik slaughtered and drained of blood, with the lone vampire nowhere to
be found.

If the PCs bring their findings to Baron Vallakovich after confronting Henrik, but before
removing the bones, the Baron assigns six guards to accompany Izek Strazni on a mission to
apprehend Henrik and destroy the vampire within. The cowardly Henrik flees Vallaki for Krezk,
and is killed just outside Vallaki’s walls by Ludmilla if the bones are disturbed soon after. Izek
is able to dispatch the vampire spawn, though not without the death of two of his men. If one
of the PCs has remained at the shop to ensure Henrik’s compliance, Izek immediately melts
the man’s head into slag using his Hurl Flame ability as punishment for “high treason.”7

Showdown in Town Square

If the PCs arrive at Henrik’s shop shortly before or after dusk, they are too late to stop the
slaughter when they arrive at Town Square. The five vampire spawn remaining have already
awoken, dispersing to locations across Vallaki. One of the spawn attacks the Burgomaster’s
Mansion, killing Lydia Petrovna in the gardens before being slain by Izek. One of the spawn
terrorizes the road around the Blue Water Inn, draining Szoldar and Yevgeni before vanishing
into the night. One other spawn attacks the Church of St. Andral, where it slaughters any
worshippers present and is soon joined by Ludmilla herself. The final two spawn remain to
wreak havoc around Town Square.

The locations of the first three spawn are easily discoverable from the screams and eyewitness
accounts of Vallaki’s citizens. After dispatching the first two vampires, the PCs may pursue any
of the others and so prevent their murderous spree. However, any vampires that are not
immediately pursued and destroyed in this way are able to carry out their attack with impunity,
forcing the PCs to either split their party or make a terrible choice.

7 Matt88, CoS Discord Recap: Week of 7/29

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 🦋 The Butterfly Effect - Aftermath of the Feast
If the PCs fail to arrive in time to prevent the rampage of the vampire spawn through Vallaki
and two or more locations are destroyed in the ensuing spree, or if the party fails to restore
the bones within three days of their arrival, public unrest boils into revolutionary fervor. With
Vallaki’s rules and customs proven useless against the vampiric menace, the terrified citizens
of Vallaki erupt into a riot during a mass burial at the town’s cemetery the next day.

Baron Vallakovich and his wife are lynched in the town square and their mansion is burned to
the ground. Vallaki’s southeastern sector (including Blinsky Toys, the Town Square, and
Arasek Stockyard) is scarred horrifically by fire, and the central market district is raided by a
plague of panicked looters.

When the dust settles the following morning, Lady Fiona Wachter takes over as
Burgomistress - if she is still alive. If not, the town remains a place of lawlessness and quiet
terror for the foreseeable future. Many Vallakian citizens rendered homeless by the fires
establish refugee tents in and around the Church of Saint Andral. The remaining members of
the town guard seize control of the streets and demand exorbitant payments as “tribute” while
ruling the ruined settlement like a gang of common thugs.8

If the PCs are able to arrive at the Town Square before dusk, it is possible for them to confront
and destroy the vampire spawn before they emerge from their hidden crates. Due to Ludmilla’s
Sending spell, all spawn are conscious and prepared for any opposition. Any investigation of the
gallows (specifically, the destruction of the timber siding concealing the spawns’ crates from
view) will likely lead to conflict with the three guards stationed around the square, who will
attempt to arrest the PCs for damage to public property.

The guards can be persuaded to instead assist the PCs with their task, but only with a DC 15
Persuasion (Charisma) or DC 15 Intimidate (Charisma) check. A DC 20 Deception (Charisma)
check will also allow the PCs to investigate the vampires freely, and the DC is lowered to 15 if
the PCs claim that Izek directed them to do so. If the guards are convinced of the danger of the
situation, one departs to fetch Izek and four additional guards, returning to the scene on the
third round of combat with the vampire spawn.

All six spawn fight to the death, too terrified of Ludmilla’s wrath to flee if outmatched.

Ludmilla’s Revenge
Should the PCs return to the Church of St. Andral in an attempt to restore the bones and without
dispelling the Glyphs of Warding in Henrik’s shop, Ludmilla Vilisevic is waiting for them in the
pews, disguised as a worshipper. Upon the PCs’ arrival, she swiftly takes Father Lucian hostage
- with the aid of a subordinate vampire spawn if the PCs failed to prevent the vampiric rampage
before sundown. She attempts to bargain with the PCs for Father Lucian’s life, demanding the

8 /u/MandyMod, Fleshing Out Curse of Strahd: Vallaki I - Setting Up the Big Picture and Getting Through
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bones in exchange for his release. If the PCs refuse, she attempts to kill Father Lucian, but
diverts her offensive efforts to the PCs once attacked.

Ludmilla’s primary goal is the death of the PCs and the recovery of the Bones of Saint Andral.
She flees only if reduced to one-third of her maximum hitpoints, or if all of her spell slots are
expended. She retains a single level-one spell slot to cast Disguise Self, and vanishes into the
crowd of Vallakians outside the church. Upon fleeing Vallaki, she returns to Castle Ravenloft in
disgrace, where she is scorned by Strahd for her “sloppy, incompetent efforts.”

📈 Module Milestone - The Saint’s Bones Restored

If the PCs successfully return St. Andral’s Bones to their crypt and reconsecrate the church,
you may choose to award a milestone and allow the characters to level up.

🦋 The Butterfly Effect - Death of a Priest

If Father Lucian is slain, Baron Vallakovich invites Ireena - if he is aware of her identity - to
stay as his guest at the Burgomaster’s Mansion. If Ireena accepts and takes up residence in
the Vallakovich household, Izek’s drive to take her for himself is quelled by her regular
proximity. Ireena, however, is disturbed greatly by Izek’s obsessive interest in her, and either
asks the PCs for refuge elsewhere or goes into hiding at the Blue Water Inn under Danika’s
watchful eye.

The Missing Vistana

The PCs can learn from Luvash and Arrigal upon visiting the Vistani Encampment that Luvash’s
daughter, Arabelle, has gone missing. Luvash has sent several other Vistani into the
surrounding woods in a vain effort to search for her, but has so far found nothing.

Neither Luvash nor Arrigal has been able to search for Arabelle within Vallaki, due to the laws
barring Vistani from entry. However, Arrigal knows that Arabelle has been known to sneak into
town to play with the children of St. Andral’s Orphanage, and that she is especially fascinated by
the festivals that take place within Vallaki.9

If the PCs agree to find her, Luvash gives them a small necklace bearing a bronze tab
decorated with a trio of twinkling stars - Arabelle’s favorite. He tells them that she will trust them
if that necklace is presented to her. A transformed druid or ranger’s companion with the Keen
Senses feature can use Arabelle’s necklace to track her to Bluto’s home in Vallaki with a DC 15
Perception (Wisdom) check. Otherwise, the orphans of St. Andral’s Orphanage can inform the
PCs that they recently saw a grimy-looking man wearing a straw hat and carrying a bottle of
wine watching them play when Arabelle was last in Vallaki. Danika Martikov or the
Headmistress of the Orphanage can quickly identify that as Bluto, the town drunk and local
fisherman, and point the PCs toward his home.

9 B-E-T-A, CoS Discord Recap: Week of 7/1

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Bluto’s neighbor Camilla Veredov, a gossipy dowager arranging pots of sickly-looking flowers,
can inform the PCs that Bluto has not been seen in more than a day, having vanished after
boasting of a new “good-luck” charm that he hoped would solve his fishing woes. Danika
Martikov can share the same information.

🦋 The Butterfly Effect - Arabelle’s Dying Breath

If the PCs ignore this sidequest and fail to find and rescue Arabelle before their third morning
in Vallaki, Arabelle is drowned beneath the waters of Lake Zarovich. With her dying breath,
Arabelle curses Bluto with the power within her Vistana blood. Her malediction, strengthened
by the trauma of her death and her relation to Madam Eva, disfigures Bluto’s face into a wolf’s
muzzle, so that he may resemble in body the predator he has become in spirit.

Bluto flees for Vallaki and hides himself away in his home, ashamed and terrified of discovery.
Two days after drowning Arabelle, Bluto emerges into Vallaki’s market to purchase basic
foodstuffs and supplies, and is discovered by the town guard when the rag he has wrapped
around his face falls loose. He is captured and imprisoned in the Reformation Center. Baron
Vallakovich proceeds to parade Bluto about the town in chains during the Festival of the
Blazing Sun, releasing him shortly before the burning of the wicker sun for the townsfolk to
stone him to death.10

10 butlerlog, CoS Discord Recap: Week of 6/24

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