Basically there was a final showdown in Castle Loupet (since the "canon" showdown in the villa outside Karina didn't turn out as planned in the adventure) and the PCs were able to:
1. smash Malocchio with the item that imprisoned him in Invidia
2. beat Malocchio to a pulp
3. save Gabrielle from Malocchio's attempt at killing her
Afterwards, when they went to burn Malocchio's corpse just to be sure, the Midnight Slasher (who had infiltrated Castle Loupet masquerading as one of the maidens) assaulted Gabby who was recovering in her quarters after dispatching one of the PCs guarding her. When the others arrived, Gabby had been stabbed to death.
After seeing this, Matton was overcome by pure rage and shifted into wolf form (much to the PCs' surprise) and gave chase to the Slasher. He took her downstairs and managed to tear her to bits.
At this point one of the PCs (an Avenger fixed with lycanthropes) charged Matton.
We stopped here, so we'll have the final confrontation next session.
Now my question for you is: what the hell is supposed to happen with Invidia IYO? Malocchio is out of the picture, and unless I want to be particularly magnanimous with Gabrielle (the players don't know how much damage the Slasher did and one of them immediately tried to cure her gaping wounds, although I have not pronounced myself on the outcome yet), she's cold dead too. Who do you think may ascend to Invidia's throne? OR do you think Invidia could just vanish if Matton too gets killed?
I'm definitely interested in every suggestion you may give me... ;)
Anyway, I don't think Invida would dissolve if Matton died - that's generally the fate of Islands or parts of Clusters and wouldn't happen in the Core. As for what would happen, I'd say that either someone else evil in the domain would become the Lord (say Anton Regess or Scar Tabor), or the domain would fall under Barovian control like Gundarak did.
Basically he was about to teleport away but the PC with the sphere won initiative and smashed it on Malocchio. Since Malocchio was going to teleport outside of Invidia (he had secured a lair in Borca), his teleportation attempt failed. Next thing he knew, two fighters were beating him badly and the party wizard finished him off (despite his MR and his +4 to ST vs Lightning) with a lightning bolt.
We were playing AD&D and he was not yet fully adult, so he had merely 30 Hps or so... dead meat in front of the players without his teleport ability. I must admit that Malocchio is incredibly powerful if confronted on a one vs one basis (his evil eye can do magic), but 1 vs 3 6th level PCs protected by evil eye amulets? No fair game... ;) I thought he would be more tough to kill, but in the end, if the victim saves against his evil eye and has magic weapons, he can't stand a fight. On her part, Gabby was more keen on using her charms ;)
I believe Matton will be able to survive, but my doubt is: should I let Gabrielle live and the PCs be her puppets for a while, or should I stay true to the PCs' actions and make Invidia a free-for-all pie without a Darklord (it's likely it'll be divided among Sithicus and Barovia)?
Keeping Mallochio alive, even if the Dark Powers have to intervene, lets you at least somewhat follow the published setting. But if they really killed him, and you want to let it stick, either default the domain to some other evil (Preferably a spiteful and anvious evil to keep the flavor) or do the Gundarak trick and have Strahd, Soth (or Inza), and Timothy split it up.
Regress and Scar are good choices. Others might include Nathan Timothy (he was a DL once before, after all), the Engineer (if you want to twist him toward evil), or maybe someone outside of Karina entirely from one of the other villages.
Another option is undeath. Either Gabby or the Slasher would make a fine angry ghost.
EDIT: Also, don't rule out direct intervention by Daddy. The Gentleman Caller won't be happy to see his pet project destroyed. Perhaps he has some way of restoring Mallochio to life.
One option is to keep Gabrielle alive but severely weakened, to the point that someone else inside Invidia tries to seize control of the domain, which could put the PCs squarely in the middle. Do they watch over Gabby and protect her until she regains her strength, or do they step aside and let an unknown (and possibly greater evil) take over? Since they did save her life, at least some of the PCs may feel an continuing obligation to see this through.
Indeed, I do realize what the sphere does, it was Malocchio that was caught off-guard!
Ah, that explains it.
As for Gabrielle's fate, I'd let her die. Not only is it a fitting ending, but it's also a nice way to get the players to think a bit ("sure, she was evil, but we still failed to protect her, and now she's dead"). I wouldn't have Sithicus taking any part of Invidia - both Soth and the elves are really quite apathetic and probably wouldn't bother. However, I can certainly see Verbrek absorbing quite a part of it. The forests creep closer every year, and pretty soon the western parts of Invidia are just a wolf-haunted wilderness, the ruins of civilization hidden in the forest's shadows.
But I also agree with gonzoron that the Gentleman Caller isn't going to be happy, and he might very well take direct action for once. Also, don't forget that death is only the beginning. Both Gabrielle and the Slasher died very emotional deaths, so there's nothing preventing either of them from returning as a ghost.
As gonzoron suggest, bits of Maloccio's fiendish body could eventually recover to life and teleport away, if they didn't burn him or put his body in a vat of acid. Gabrielle could be "saved" by the PC's cure spells or by the dark powers, who would raise her toy back to life (DM note: try to find the least cheesy way ).Me, I'd keep one of the two (M or G) in Invidia as darklord, unless you want to make big changes to canon, but you are the DM of your campaign so it's cool either way.
If both are really dead: IMHO, the midnight slasher as a ghost is the best darklord idea, if both M and G are destroyed. Everybody with the slightest taint of evil would be murdered by the insane ghost? It could lead to everybody going paranoid, à la 1984.
It would make the PCs think again before killing a darklord they know to see it replaced by something more terrible.
Joël
If he dies the worry about the borders.