Less than two months after the Silver Dawn Of Vallaki, the town's lowest moment in centuries had begun with an act of bravery, as recorded in Curse Of Strahd. The Heralds of Dawn had broken into Castle Ravenloft, rescued Ireena Kolyana from the Vampire Count Strahd von Zarovich's grasp, and slain his chamberlain, Rahadin. In their haste to protect her, they teleported to Vallaki from the castle and rallied the frightened townsfolk, believing their actions would lure Strahd from his castle.
The town council members Gunther Arasek, Yelena Arasek, and Urwin Martikov awoke the populace of Vallaki and urged them to seek refuge. Ghalwin of the Golden Hart and Father Lucian Petrovich took the sick and unable into the Consecrated ground of Saint Andral's Church. Ajuni Elajoral and Ezmerelda D'Avenir alerted Saint Andral's Orphanage to do the same, and the town militia was organized by their former Captain Izek Strazni to prepare for attack. Those who could not fit inside the church grounds were lead north to Lake Zarovich by Danika Dorakova and a gleaming Tobias Villie Broadnose Cogsmith, who rode atop his flying Steel Defender Geronimo while shouting directions.
The townsfolk were huddled together for hours, waiting to see if the Herald's defiance would draw Strahd’s wrath. Hours passed, and their worst fears came true; the "Devil"s vengeance descended upon Vallaki. The skies blackened, the earth split open, and the streets filled with the sounds of claws and screams. Wolf packs poured from the gates, and vampire spawn leapt from rooftops as fires began to spread. Count Strahd revealed himself to the population at the edge of the consecrated land; though he could not walk its ground, he summoned a bolt of lightning that destroyed the Church of Saint Andral’s. The population spilled out of the grounds to avoid the flames and falling timber, and a feast began.
Through the chaos, some of the Heralds of Dawn fought to reach Ireena, who lay trapped beneath in the Church's hidden crypt. Others faced Strahd’s power head-on, battling wind and fire while ensuring the safety of the panicking townsfolk. Ghalwin, willing to give his life, stood before him, unprotected by consecration; but Ajuni, bearing the Holy Symbol of Ravenkind, burned through the storm with sunlight and held the vampire at bay. For a brief moment, light and darkness met in balance, and the Sorceress convinced Strahd to temporarily back away. He withdrew, choosing to wait for the Symbol's sunlight to fade, and the Adventurers retreated to the ruins below, hiding in a narrow alcove.
Safe and hidden, the heroes from the Silver Dawn of Vallaki waited through the long night, listening to the screams above as the town was consumed. When dawn came, it revealed ruin. Half the guard force lay dead in the streets, and the stockyard and markets had been reduced to blackened rubble. Not all was lost; the orphanage, the Blue Water Inn, Blinsky Toys, and the Fayan Academy remained, and the Martikov family had led survivors to safety by the lake. But over half the population of Vallaki was killed, their heroes having brought ruin to the town.
Within the day, those who survived the Red Dusk of Vallaki found salvation in the Slaying Of Strahd.