Vassili van Holtz

Vassili van Holtz is a middle aged man of some apparent wealth that lives in Krezk.

On visiting Argynvostholt, Sigismund saw a portrait of a man that Rahadin identified as Argynvost. Sigismund quietly noted the man looked identical to Vassili, and Dr Rudolph van Richten confirmed it was possible that van Holtz could be the reincarnated Argynvost.

Vassili has stated that he is not a religious man, but is aware of and interested in gods of the Forgotten Realms such as Tiamat and Beomut, draconic gods. He told Narid that he was not familiar with Argynvostholt and did not have any powers resembling that of a silver dragon, however Narid was able to determine he was not being truthful in his answers.

During the meal at Count Strahd von Zarovich's house Strahd asked Narid Ashplantt who Vassili was, to which Narid replied "you already know that he is a silver dragon in disguise", which Strahd denied knowing. Narid's insight indicated Strahd was being honest in so far as he did not know Vassili to be a silver dragon, which Narid has interpreted as being because Strahd knows that he himself is Vassili.

Strahd suggested that Vassili may be someone adept at disguises that we knew, implying it was Rudolph van Richten, however Hallgrimm Mikkenson has seen both van Richten and van Holtz at the same time during the Festival of the Blazing Sun, dismissing that theory.

Madam Eva was unable to give any insight into his true identity as she determined that he is protected by a non-detection enchantment. This lead the party to conclude it had to be Strahd, Argynvost, or Baba Lysaga due to the high level of magic required to avoid Eva's eye.

History
On their way from Vallaki to Krezk, the party of Hallgrimm Mikkenson, Sigismund, and Narid Ashplantt overheard combat in the forest. They found Vassili being attacked by a wereboar, which Narid determined was an inherited lycanthrope due to the time of day. They were able to kill the wereboar and save Vassili, and in return he gave them a silvered shortsword, the book Van Richten's Guide to Vampires, and some healing potions.

He advised that he used to be a fighter but that he was no longer as strong as he used to be. He did try to train a group of adventurers to defeat Count Strahd von Zarovich 12 years ago but they were killed whilst travelling by night.

He told the party they were welcome to use his home in Krezk to stay at and to tell the Burgomaster he gave them permission to enter, but Burgomaster Dmitri Krezkov denied their request and derided Vassili for always trying to make his own rules.

He also advised the party he would be staying at the Blue Water Inn when he got to Vallaki but it became apparent he had not in fact been there, staying with the Wachter family instead. The Martikovs did not even know who Vassili was when asked.

During the Festival of the Blazing Sun Vassili assisted Hallgrimm, Sigismund, and Narid as they interfered with Baron Vargis Vallakovich's attempt to burn the Wachter family alive in front of a packed audience, using non-lethal means to contain the guards whilst the others got the Wachters to safety.