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Message: <blockquote data-quote="hastur_nz" data-source="post: 7060467" data-attributes="member: 40592">[MENTION=54629]pukunui[/MENTION] The adventure has never made it clear why Strahd allows the Burgomasters to 'rule' their towns/villages - does he fear the collective capabilities of an organised town, or does he need someone to keep the 'common folk' in a nice central place for him to feed on?  Answer that, and I think options become clearer.For example, if Strahd truly feared the burgomaster in Vallaki, now with Lady Wachter in charge, it makes some sense for him to work with her more, or at least for her to try to work with Strahd (her idol), but is his aim really to kill everyone in the village?  If he needs a burgomaster to help keep the people 'placated', then he'll no doubt keep an eye on things, but unless it gets out of hand I expect he'd find it amusing, but not especially important in the scheme of things.  Lydia as a vampire spawn is a good idea, but keep that behind the scenes until the PC's see her in the castle - at most, they might find she's disappeared a few days later.Personally, I would let the PC's kill Lady Wachter, if they really want to, rather than beef her up just because they murdered the 'nice guy' burgomaster for no apparent / logical reason.  Murderous PC's don't need escalating threats, they need genuine complications that make them consider if they really are doing the 'right thing', whatever that means (especially in Barovia).If you think that Strahd is really annoyed and wants the PC's to challenge him not just skulk around doing whatever they want, which sounds entirely reasonable, then I think stir things up, and not just from Strahd.  Keep in mind that Srahd and Lady Wachter are in league with the Vistani - so maybe Lady Wachter decrees that Vistani are now allowed to come into town, they make trouble, and the PC's either get involved and more murders ensue, or the PC's leave.  If they kill Lady Wachter, the Vistani can step up their trouble-making, and even if no-one knows the PC's are behind the murders, as DM you can certainly justify an escalation of hostilities in the town which might drive the PC's into thinking about their 'end game' for the town, and/or leaving.  By all means the Martikovs might be crazy enough to want to be in charge, or the PC's could try and convince them, but that's another opportunity to complicate things based purely on the actions of the PC's - unless the PC's actively support such a move, it should create more problems in town.If they leave town and don't go to the castle (have they got all the items yet? any left to get that don't involve the castle), maybe Strahd ambushes them and throws a fireball or two from range, setting a large group of minions on them so he can hang back and keep pummeling them - conveniently, the escape route leads to the castle...  That's Strahd moving from working behind the scenes, to 'in their face'.</blockquote>

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