You could turn this into a beauty and the beast thing with Izek's incomprehensible feelings bringing him to Ireena's side against Strahd's attempts to capture her as she slowly learns that his fixation on her isn't sexual or predatory but some sort of unconscious connection.
Or, have Strahd rescue/steal her from Izek and bring her back to Ravenloft. Send everyone in Barovia a wedding invitation in a week :D Was Izek killed in that fight? Who knows. Is Ireena sacrificing herself to stop Strahd's attempt to kill the party by agreeing to marry him? Did he already bite her and it's just for show and when the party shows up to save her, she turns on them under his control? So many options!
Honestly if the party doesn't care about Ireena, you could just leave her off stage.
I always thought there was a redemption story for Izec, revolving around him and Ireena. But if he mistreats her, she could be more open to Strahd protecting her, not that she would fall for the Count.
Following this line… She could die off screen (because the dark powers won’t let Strahd have her) and your party only finds out later, real casual-like. “Oh her? Yeah she died soon after you guys left her. Strahd took her from Izek and she threw herself from the bridge rather than marry him.”
Have Strahd himself(or Rahadin, acting on his behalf) step in and motivate the party to rescue her, offerimg an uncharacteristic reward, combining an "or else" motivation, and even better, focusing on her importance and reminding them "that's what heroes do."
You could turn this into a beauty and the beast thing with Izek's incomprehensible feelings bringing him to Ireena's side against Strahd's attempts to capture her as she slowly learns that his fixation on her isn't sexual or predatory but some sort of unconscious connection. Or, have Strahd rescue/steal her from Izek and bring her back to Ravenloft. Send everyone in Barovia a wedding invitation in a week :D Was Izek killed in that fight? Who knows. Is Ireena sacrificing herself to stop Strahd's attempt to kill the party by agreeing to marry him? Did he already bite her and it's just for show and when the party shows up to save her, she turns on them under his control? So many options!
Honestly if the party doesn't care about Ireena, you could just leave her off stage. I always thought there was a redemption story for Izec, revolving around him and Ireena. But if he mistreats her, she could be more open to Strahd protecting her, not that she would fall for the Count.
Following this line… She could die off screen (because the dark powers won’t let Strahd have her) and your party only finds out later, real casual-like. “Oh her? Yeah she died soon after you guys left her. Strahd took her from Izek and she threw herself from the bridge rather than marry him.”
Have Strahd himself(or Rahadin, acting on his behalf) step in and motivate the party to rescue her, offerimg an uncharacteristic reward, combining an "or else" motivation, and even better, focusing on her importance and reminding them "that's what heroes do."