Portrait
Who they are
Captain of the Vallaki city watch, personal bodyguard of Baron Vallakovich, and probably the second- or third-scariest dude you’ve met so far.
What the Party Knows
From various encounters and investigations:
His Role and Reputation
- Captain of the Vallaki city watch and personal bodyguard to Baron Vallakovich
- Known for his cruelty and indifference to human life
- Enjoys shoving old ladies and beating on helpless refugees
- The upsettingly accurate Ireena doll at Blinsky Toys was personally commissioned by Izek, and it’s not the first
- He stands there and describes the likeness to Blinsky like it’s a police sketch, commissioning new dolls regularly
Session 12 Confrontation
From Session 12:
- The party had a tense confrontation with Izek while departing the Vallakovich Manor at dusk
- They got into a shouting match about Izek’s general creepiness and cruelty
- Throughout the confrontation, Izek’s eyes remained fixed on Ireena, making her increasingly uncomfortable
- Ireena urged the party to disengage, sensing the danger in Izek’s obsessive attention
The Strazni Connection
From Session 13 library research:
- Fig discovered a death record dated approximately eighteen years ago for “Ireena Strazni”
- The entry stated: “Ireena Strazni—died of unknown causes (presumed devoured by wolves). Survived by parents Grygori and Fatima Strazni, and older brother Izek Strazni.”
- Shortly after Ireena’s recorded death, both parents (Grygori and Fatima Strazni) died by suicide—hanging
- This discovery revealed that Izek had a sister named Ireena who died as a child in a wolf attack
- The current Ireena Kolyana bears an uncanny resemblance to the dead Ireena Strazni—explaining Izek’s obsessive commissioning of dolls
- The implications are disturbing: either this is an impossible coincidence, or there’s some connection between Ireena Kolyana and Izek’s dead sister
Payment Records
- The Baron’s ledgers show regular payments to Gadof Blinsky for Izek’s custom doll commissions
- Each doll depicts “a young woman with auburn hair”—matching Ireena’s appearance exactly
Personality
- Psychopathic.
Where We’ve Seen Them
- Session 11 — First encountered outside the Blue Water Inn
- Session 12 — Confrontation outside Vallakovich Manor, fixated on Ireena
- Session 13 — Discovered records of his dead sister “Ireena Strazni” in the library
- Session 14 - Dinner and a Show (Neyavr 4, Evening) - While the party attended dinner at Wachterhaus, Izek came to the Blue Water Inn searching for Ireena Kolyana. When Urwin Martikov and Danika Dorakova told him they didn’t know her location, he flew into a rage and ransacked the building. He broke furniture (two chairs, a table, and a window), searched through all the guest rooms, and confiscated coins from the Martikovs’ hidden savings chest. His obsessive search for “his sister” escalated the party’s determination to eliminate him as a threat.
- Session 15 - Killing Izek (Neyavr 5) - Assassinated by the party at Lake Zarovich through a coordinated plot involving poisoned wine, magical incapacitation, and direct combat. The operation began at midday when Fig Fleetfoot (invisible via Victor Vallakovich’s Greater Invisibility spell) planted a bottle of Purple Grapemash No. 3 laced with essence of night hag among his lunch provisions at the Burgomaster’s Mansion. After trailing him throughout the afternoon, the party ambushed him at his favorite spot by the lake at dusk. Phase One: Disabled with Hold Person and Heat Metal while he drank the poisoned wine. Phase Two: After breaking free of paralysis, engaged in direct combat where he entered his second form (fiery transformation) before being killed. His severed head was delivered to Lady Fiona Wachter as proof of death, and his signature silvered battleaxe and detached barbed tail were recovered as trophies.