Nicole du Claire

Lady Nicole du Claire is a Richemulotoise woman whom left her home after disagreements with her father over his passive stance against Falkovnian agression. The second scion of the house rather than inheritor, she thus was allowed to wander. With her brother Hortense, and a handful of retainers, she made a name for herself operating out of the Vallaki area as a duelist and bard, styling herself the Golden Songbird. When Strahd killed the burgomaster of Renika for absconding with taxes in 791, she was selected by him as the new burgomaster, said to be in return for a service performed for the Count. The nature of this service is not well-known, but the subject of much speculation. Now having a (very small) seat in Renika, she has effectively become head of a Barovian branch of the family, establishing herself with considerable wealth and a not inconsiderable personal retainer corps along, of course, with the Renika militia. She is considered a decent ruler, with some grumbling about her harsh punishments of bandits while others find her open charity and agreeable nature towards her subjects goodly.