The Tome of Strahd - The Homebrewery (2024)

Much of the truth surrounding the dread land of Barovia's past has been lost to its mysterious mists. Adventure through the pages of Lord Strahd von Zarovich's personal journal and see the past through his eyes.

A series of adventures exploring the echoes of Barovian history for characters of 5th-15th level.

By The Aciduous Adventurer

This hand-assembled, aged, leather book hangs on weighted, steel hinges. Though many pages are brittle and damaged, it is clear that it was penned by Strahd von Zarovich, Lord of Barovia himself over the course of the many centuries of his life. A brief, intimate introduction gives you the impression that the pages may reveal deep secrets of his long life, though they are mostly written in a near incomprehensible cipher.

What is Contained Here?

The Tome of Strahd is an ancient text penned by a terribly powerful, immortal wizard. This guide turns the legends of Strahd's history into a series of short adventures.

The following adventures are scaled for an adventuring party of 4-5 characters that discover the Tome at level 4 and levels to 5 upon its discovery.

Tome of Strahd (Item)

Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement by a spellcaster)

While attuned to the Tome you gain the following benefits:

• You have advantage on any checks made to recall information about Barovian history or lore.
• You gain a +1 to your AC and to any saving throws when defending against Strahd von Zarovich’s magic.

While attuned to the Tome you may spend 4 hours attempting to decipher new sections of the Tome in order to gain further insight into the life of Strahd and the land of Barovia.

Deciphering a chapter requires an Intelligence (Investigation) or Intelligence (Arcana) check and at least 4 hours of dedicated research time. Another creature can assist you in the attempt and grant advantage on the check if they help. Attempting to decipher the book or offering help in deciphering it reduces your passive perception by 5 for the duration of the 4 hours.

The Tome also appears to contain esoteric, magical knowledge akin to the knowledge contained within a wizard's spellbook. As the secrets and magic contained within are unveiled, you may cast any spells recorded in the Tome as a ritual. If a spell found within does not have the ritual tag, it is nonetheless a ritual spell for you when cast from the Tome. Once a spell is cast in this way, it cannot be cast from the Tome again until the following dusk.

If the spell is of a higher level than you are able to cast, you must succeed on a DC10 + the spell's level Intelligence (Arcana) check. If you fail, the spell's use for the day is still expended.

Rules of the Tome

• Once the attuned creature has decided to investigate a chapter, if it is successfully decoded, they are forcefully absorbed into the pages of the book along with any other creature within 30ft.

• The first chapter has already been decoded by Rudolph van Richten and will absorb the readers instantly when it is opened for the first time after it has been attuned to.
• If the creature attuned to the Tome dies, a creature friendly to them may attune to the item within one day of the initial attunement ending and refer to their companion's shorthand in order to resume their translation.
• Time moves differently inside the memories of the Tome. Exploring a single chapter takes 1 hour of time in addition to the 4 hours spent on research and deciphering the text.
• Non-magical items found in a chapter can be brought back to the present. Magical items taken from the memories of the Tome lose any magical properties if returned to the present.
• Any damage taken while in a chapter is sustained when a character leaves. If a character dies within the chapter, their body must be carried to the end of the chapter's events or it is lost to the pages of history.
• Events are recorded on the pages as they occur and include the actions of those present but not their names.

Table of Contents

Though the Tome itself does not have a formal table of contents or distinct chapters, it is broken into two clear halves: Life and Death.

The Interior

With a successful DC13 Intelligence (Arcana) check, a character can recognize a dispelled Glyph of Warding on the clasp that once secured the front cover. This was removed by Rudolph van Richten.

When a character opens the Tome for the first time after attuning to it, read:

1

INTRODUCTION

Prologue - Youth

“I am the Ancient. I am the Land. My beginnings are lost in the darkness of the past…”

This chapter details Strahd's childhood, establishes his relationship with his father King Barov, his mother Queen Ravenovia, Rahadin, and Sergei, and lets the characters meet the boy who will go on to become the Devil.

The Party's Involvement

The characters are in a faraway land. A kingdom that stood long before the country of Barovia was founded. This is Strahd's childhood home, just after young prince has completed a training session with his father's advisor, Rahadin, and they have some quiet time to meet the future lord.

The Courtyard

The courtyard is walled-in on four sides by 30ft tall stone walls. There are 10ft tall wooden double doors set on the east, south, and west walls. On the other side of these doors are simply clouds of mist. Any adventurer that attempts to exit through these doors are met with the same fate as they would entering the Mists of Ravenloft.

The boy seated on the stairs is a young Strahd von Zarovich, taking a short rest from his sword training with Rahadin. His father's attendant has bested him and is currently reporting back to King Barov.

The Door

Just beyond the northern door is a small office chamber where Barov is drunkenly boasting of his excitement for his soon-to-be-born son Sergei and the immense pride has for Strahd.

Characters listening at the door that succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check can hear Barov request that Rahadin push Strahd harder so that his son will one day be a great leader that will leave Barovia in the history books. They also hear Rahadin respond, in turn, informing King Barov that the prince is still far too young to lead and that he is brash, foolish, and overzealous.

The Boy

This young version of the Dark Lord will believe the characters are imaginary friends, and, so long as they do not become hostile, he will speak freely about himself and his family.

Anyone speaking to the boy in a kind manner can learn the following:

• His name is Strahd von Zarovich.
• He is meant to become lord of this castle, and his mother thinks he'll make a great lord. His father, King Barov, believes he might, but he also says that he has a lot of work to do.
• He is nervous about living up to his father's expectations.
• His father's advisor, Rahadin, is his teacher. He's a difficult teacher, and he pushes too hard sometimes.

• His mother is pregnant with a boy, Sergei, and his mother says it'll be his job to teach Sergei what he knows.

After the party has spoken to young Strahd, listened at the door for sometime, or they party attacks the boy, Rahadin steps out onto the stoop and draws his blade, announcing that they will return to training at once.

Chapter Close

"...yet that past now is filled only with regret."

Treasure The attuned creature may now cast Illusory Script as a ritual spell once per dusk. By combining the shorthand used to inscribe this spell into the book, the text from this chapter, and the scrawlings along the diary's margins, a pattern begins to emerge in the swirling, mysterious symbols on the following pages.

The attuned creature may now begin to study the book and attempt to read further chapters.

2

PROLOGUE | YOUTH

Setting the Difficulty

The DC for decoding each chapter will vary from party to party. I suggest beginning with a DC15 Intelligence (Arcana) check for the first chapter and increasing the DC by 1 per chapter, but you may choose to make it easier or more difficult depending on your party's makeup.

Chapter 1: The Battle of Argynvostholt

"I was the warrior, I was good and just. I thundered across the land like the wrath of a just god..."

When Strahd's forces marched on the cold, forested lands nestled between Mount Ghakis and the Baritok Mountain range that would go on to become the kingdom of Barovia, they had little knowledge of the dedicated Order of the Silver Dragon.

As the von Zarovich forces closed in on the final holdout of the previous kingdom, they climbed the steep mountain roads into the center of the countryside. It is here they planned their final approach to claim the land once and for all and where Strahd incurred an unpayable debt to the mysterious Vistani.

The characters will operate as lead soldiers during the siege of the castle.

The Village of Zmei

This iteration of Barovia has added a small village at the base of the hill that leads to Argynvostholt called Zmei. It is no longer standing by the start of the adventure, but its ruins may be easily added to Barovia.

The Party's Involvement

The characters now find themselves standing at a table with Strahd and two of his closest advisors—Rahadin and Aleksandra Gwilym. The two are mounting an offensive to remove the Order of the Silver Dragon from the land.

As the army marches on, the party can elect which commander they would like to report to and ultimately the role they will play in the battle ahead.

The War Tent

As the mists gather once more, read:

The mist coalesces into the dusk elf you saw in the previous chapter, not aged a day. The chatter of voices and the clanking of metal sing from outside the walls of an enormous tent. Its primary occupant is a colossal, rectangular table atop which is carved an intricate, scale map of the lands of Barovia.

The tent stands 20ft around and 12ft tall. The enormous table depicting the geography of Barovia is a slightly rectangular table that takes up a 10ft by 8ft rectangle at the center. Around the edges of the tent are assorted chairs.

Any character who spends time to review the table and succ succeeds on a DC16 Intelligence (History) check can discern the location of Argynvostholt and the village of Berez to later add to their own map.

If the characters inquire further about the plan of attack, the commanders will detail the assault and refer to each of the characters as "Lieutenant" for the duration of the conversation.

The Plan of Attack

Lord Strahd, Commander Gwilym, and Commander Rahadin will share the following information if asked:

• The Order of the Silver Dragon is proud and plans to fight rather than be starved out of their castle.
• The castle itself sits high on a cliff overlooking a valley, and the knights will have nowhere to go but down toward the village.
• The people of Zmei are commoners who will not stand in the way, and we will do what we can to protect them.
• The Lord General Strahd will hold the rear of the forces from the village of Zmei.
• Commander Rahadin will hold the base of the hill and monitor the treeline to ensure we are not routed.
• Commander Gwilym will ride up the hill to the castle to challenge the remaining forces directly.

The characters may elect to defend Strahd at the backline or follow either Rahadin or Aleksandra into battle as the army marches the following day.

The Battlefield

When the characters have decided how they wish to proceed and have done all they wish to do in the War Tent read:

3

CHAPTER 1 | THE BATTLE OF ARGYNVOSTHOLT

Strahd and The Village

If the characters decide to remain in the village and assist Strahd they are attacked by a Paladin of Argynvost (a Life Priest) wielding a silvered longsword and three Infantrymen.

Strahd is terribly injured and bleeding heavily. Two of the Infantrymen will fight to move past the characters and strike Strahd down.

If he is successfully defended for 1d4 turns, three Vistani arrive to help nurse him back to health. They provide him a healing potion and help him walk to one of their wagons.

Treasure The paladin is wielding a silvered longsword

Rahadin and The Hills

If the characters move to the treeline with Rahadin they initially find silence. The trees are quiet, and it feels that the battle is distant. A successful DC14 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals a series of snare traps laid in the grass. A character that rushes into the bushes triggers the snare and must make a DC14 Dexterity saving throw or they are grappled and suspended 10ft in the air by their ankles.

They may release themselves through a successful DC13 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check, or by spending 1 minute of time struggling to remove the snare. A companion may also help take them down. If they remove the snare themself, they take 1d6 bludgeoning damage as they fall back to the ground.

A successful DC16 Wisdom (Survival) check reveals the familiar signs of foot traffic in the area.

Characters that fail to notice the telltale signs of the enemy forces are surprised as an ambush party comprised of a Paladin of Argynvost (a Life Priest) wielding a silvered longsword and three Infantrymen attack from the trees.

Treasure The paladin is wielding a silvered longsword

Aleksandra and The Castle

If the characters charge through the frontline with Aleksandra (a Master-at-arms) they are met with some resistance from the Order's defensive forces. The battle rages around them; Strahd's soldiers are locked blade to blade with knights in silver and blue, and the terrain disadvantage quickly becomes evident.

Argynvost's forces begin to roll large stones downhill toward the characters as they climb. 3-5, 10-foot-diameter stone spheres begin to crash down the hill toward the army. (Refer to the Dungeon Master's Guide's section on traps for information on rolling sphere traps.)

When the characters overcome the boulders and reach the top, they encounter a powerful general, and Commander Alek Gwilym's brother, Sir Godfrey Gwilym (as he is currently human, he is without his revenant abilities, undead status, and undead resistances) wielding a silver shortsword with a hilt sculpted to resemble silver dragon wings and a pommel shaped like a silver dragon’s head clutching a black opal between its teeth and three Guards responsible for leveraging the boulders down the hill.

Treasure Godfrey Gwilym is wielding a decorated, silvered shortsword.

The Dragon Rises

Regardless of the path the characters choose to follow, once the combat has been resolved and they have had a brief second to catch their breath, read:

Chapter Close

"...but the war years and the killing years wore down my soul as the wind wears stone into sand."

Treasure

The attuned creature may now cast Unseen Servant as a ritual spell once per dusk.

Chapter 2: The Rise of Ravenloft

"My army settled in the valley, renamed for my father as we took power over the people in the name of a just god, but with none of a god’s grace or justice."

With the final resistance of the Order of the Silver Dragon suppressed, the bountiful countryside was claimed in the name of the late, great King Barov.

Too many years of Strahd's lifetime were spent campaigning across the country with a sword in his hand and an army at his back. These long years isolated him from his family, and in his time away, he lost both his father and his dear mother.

4

The Party's Involvement

In this chapter, the characters have the opportunity to meet with members of Strahd's court, including Leo Dilisnya and the Dawnmaster Gabriel Andral, witness Strahd's pledge to the land, and take some time to explore the Lord's private study in Castle Ravenloft.

The war party has climbed the high hills of Barovia and arrive for the first time at the threshold of the soon-to-be-christened Castle Ravenloft.

The Castle Courtyard

When the characters appear they are crossing the bridge, read:

Following behind the characters are Rahadin, Aleksandra Gwilym, Leo Dilisnya, and Gabriel Andral.Strahd has gone ahead through the castle doors with a few men to see the inside and will return shortly. The characters may take this time to explore the courtyard (area K1) and speak with his advisors.

What the advisors know:

• The lands here now belong to Lord Strahd.
• Rahadin and Alek are aware that there is an assassin hidden amongst the forces that seeks to eliminate Strahd.
• They captured and executed a man who was in possession of a dagger commonly carried by the mystical Ba'al Verzi assassin's guild, but they do not believe he was the actual assassin.

I Am the Ancient, I Am the Land

After the characters have explored the courtyard, Strahd emerges from the entrance of the castle (area K7). If the characters are mid-conversation, any of Strahd's forces request they fall silent. Read:

Strahd's Study

"All goodness slipped from my life. I found my youth and strength gone, and all I had left was death..."

The characters emerge from the void and find themselves in Strahd's personal study (area K37). Read:

Strahd has just received word that his mother, Queen Ravenovia, has passed. She was never able to see her namesake. Gabriel Andral, has delivered the letter to Strahd personally and hopes to offer some comfort to his Lord by offering condolences of the Morninglord.

Strahd tolerates the Morninglord's presence in the land and recognizes the power of the church but is not devout himself and believes the Dawnmaster's words are nonsense.

The characters are only witnesses to this conversation, and any character paying particular attention and succeeds on a DC15 Intelligence (Insight) check can sense a clear tension between the two.

Strahd eventually accepts an offer from Gabriel to take a walk down to the chapel and leaves the characters to explore the room.

Characters opening the doors in this room find only the Mists of Ravenloft on the other side, though they can access the secret door leading to the False Treasury (area K38).

5

CHAPTER 2 | THE RISE OF RAVENLOFT

Strahd's desk contains a variety of spell components (none worth more than 10gp), some high-quality spellbook parchment, and a small lockbox.

The chair he was seated in also contains a letter from his family's attendant informing him of the queen's passing. Refer to the handout in Appendix C for a copy of the letter.

The Castle’s Artwork

As this moment has occurred before his introduction to Tatyana, the portrait detailed in the module is not above the fireplace. Instead, there is a portrait of King Barov and Queen Ravenovia. Alternatively, if your characters are raring for a fight, you may include Strahd's Guardian Portrait.

After the characters have had time to explore the space, Strahd returns to the room and pauses. He looks around knowingly, as if he knows someone is here or has been here. Once the characters are sufficiently unnerved, he snuffs the fire, if it has not been already and pulls the poker, stepping through the secret door to area K38. The embers sputter out, the darkness overtakes the study, and the world goes black.

Treasure. Any books found in Strahd's growing collection are worth 1gp-100gp each.

The lockbox on the tabletop contains 37sp and 162gp as well as 1d4 gothic trinkets.

Chapter Close

"Escape from the isolation of death was impossible. In my many years, I learned that the brightest days cast the darkest of shadows."

Treasure

The attuned creature may now cast Gentle Repose as a ritual spell once per dusk.

Chapter 3: Brothers in Arms

"At my advisors’ behest, I called for my remaining family, long unseated from their ancient thrones, and brought them here to settle in the castle I built for them. From this plea came a younger brother of mine, Sergei, nearly grown. I had never known him."

With the von Zarovich line bequeathed to him, Strahd sent word to bring his family to their new seat of power. The man that responded to the summons is none other than Sergei von Zarovich.

This chapter introduces the characters to the exuberant, charismatic, and beautiful man that Sergei is and how starkly contrasted he is to Strahd. Sergei is also an acolyte of the church who has pledged his life to the Morninglord.

The Party's Involvement

The characters also have the opportunity to partake in a welcome party of sorts. Strahd celebrates his brother's homecoming as only a warrior may know how: with an exhibition tournament.

The Audience Hall

It seems that all of Barovia has gathered to greet the arriving von Zarovich family. When the chapter begins, the characters find themselves standing in the Audience Hall (K25) of Castle Ravenloft. Read:

You stand on either side of a high-back, wooden throne atop a marble dais. Strahd beside you, donning a scarlet red tunic with glimmering gold clasps and a black cape flowing over his shoulders. A hall extends thirty feet ahead. Various guards and well-adorned nobility form an aisle, and the crowd is abuzz with hushed voices, and the attending crowd is illuminated by a towering, stained-glass window in the far corner depicting a cerulean and gold sunrise.

While it is clear that the audience is gathered for some remarkable event, the room is still abuzz awaiting its beginning. Adventurers asking around the room learn the following:

• The people gathered here are assorted Barovian noble families.
• They have come to greet Lord Strahd's family.

Any character inspecting the stained glass can identify the abstract sun painted on the window as the symbol of the Morninglord with a successful DC12 Wisdom (Religion) check. Any cleric of the Morninglord can recognize the symbol immediately, no check required. Once the party has had sufficient time to explore the space, read:

Sergei does not have much regard for formality or processes. He is young and excitable and has long been an only child. Even now, in his late-twenties, he is driven by a vibrant enthusiasm and warm spirit that Strahd lacks.

With his approach, Rahadin stands next to Strahd and announces the arrival:

’Welcome Sergei von Zarovich, second son of King Barov and Queen Ravenovia, Awakened son of the Morninglord, to our Castle Ravenloft. The keep’s splendors and comforts are yours.’ Sergei rises to his feet. Strahd rises in turn and steps down the marble stairs, standing half a foot taller than his younger brother. He reaches to shake his guest’s hand, but as their forearms meet, Sergei pulls his brother in for a hug. Strahd steps back and pronounces, loud enough for the room to hear: ‘It is good to have you, brother. Come, let us celebrate.’

6

CHAPTER 2 | THE RISE OF RAVENLOFT - CHAPTER 3 | BROTHERS IN ARMS

Anyone observing this interaction can recognize, DC11 Intelligence (Insight) check, that Strahd is made visibly uncomfortable by the hug.

The room erupts into applause, and the stained glass window shines like the rising sun. Powerful rays of light overtake the scene.

The Chapel Garden

The festivities have shifted and an exhibition tournament has been set up behind the castle in the Chapel Garden (area K5). When the characters arrive, read:

Two young participants exit the ring, and Rahadin notes the victor. He is currently presiding over the organization of the event, and if anyone wishes to participate in combat, they can speak to him. The characters may sit and speak with any of the members of Strahd's court, look around the grounds, or investigate the Overlook (area K6).

Participating in the Exhibition

After a short break, Rahadin announces that a new round of fights will begin soon.

Challengers may select their opponent, and Strahd's guests are all far too proud to turn down a challenge. Characters may select any of the following to challenge in the ring:

• Strahd von Zarovich (a CWarlord)
• Sergei von Zarovich (a War Priest)
• Rahadin)
• Aleksandra Gwilym (a Master-at-arms)
• Gabriel Andral (a War Priest)
• Leo Dilisnya (a Zealot Barbarian with 14 Intelligence)
• Lady Ilona Dirovnya (a Mastermind Rogue)
• Any Barovian noble in the audience
• Each other

The exhibition matches are not intended to be deadly, they are meant to be entertaining, but those in attendance are all capable warriors in their own right. When a match begins, the competitors roll initiative and conduct combat as normal. Each fight is conducted either until one fighter earns five points (restraining themselves and striking for one point of damage).

Alternatively, you may host a more aggressive tournament in which combatants fight until one fighter falls below 10 Hit Points.

A Brotherly Brawl

After every character (or as many characters wish to partake) have taken their turns in the demonstration, Sergei rises from his seat to challenge Strahd, and the roar from the crowd overtakes the scene. The characters reappear in seats around the pit, and Strahd and Sergei are locked in a duel.

Chapter Close

"He was handsome and youthful. I hated him for both."

Treasure

The attuned creature may now cast Mage Armor as a ritual spell once per dusk.

Chapter 4: Tatyana

“Then, all my disparaging thoughts fell away like dead leaves. She was, without doubt, the most beautiful person I'd ever seen.”

Tatyana and her subsequent reincarnations are the heart of Strahd's eternal curse. He viewed love, and even physical relationships as distracting or dangerous for many years. It was not until he met Tatyana, a Barovian commoner that Sergei had come to admire, that he gave into a deep, relentless, and an unhealthy obsession for another person. This meeting, courtesy of Sergei, spelled the beginning of Strahd's end.

7

CHAPTER 3 | BROTHERS IN ARMS - CHAPTER 4 | TATYANA

The Party's Involvement

In this chapter, the characters attend an intimate dinner with Strahd, Patrina Velikovna, Sergei, Tatyana, Ilona Dirovnya, and Rahadin. Though they are not the guests of honor, they have the freedom at the table to drive some discussion and ask questions of their host and other guests. Once the dinner is complete, they will be whisked through a series of Strahd’s favorite memories with Tatyana, memories that, in Strahd’s mind, meant that she loved him.

Being a good host

It is important to distinguish this evening from a present day dinner with Strahd. The castle halls should feel alive and resplendent in ways that they no longer can in Barovia.

Also, in order to mediate the amount of NPCs that you have to run concurrently, I would suggest letting the characters or Strahd drive the conversation.

Lastly, this moment may be an enormous reveal for the characters. If, up to this point, they have not learned of Tatyana and the nature of her soul's reincarnation, emphasize that this woman is the spitting image of Ireena Kolyana.

The Dining Hall

The characters are seated around the table in Castle Ravenloft's Dining Hall (area K10) in formal dinner wear. When they arrive, read:

Guests and their Goals

This dinner is not a particularly pleasant meal as each guest will be vying for attention and their place at the table. Their respective motivations and goals are:

Strahd

• Learn as much as he can about Tatyana
• Sabotage his brother in any way that he can, including casually making a point that as a member of the church, Sergei does have to take a vow of non-marriage.
• He will pay no mind to Patrina even though he is technically her escort for this evening.

Patrina

• Attempt to regain Strahd's attention any way she can.
• Avoid Rahadin's judgements.

Sergei

• Engage all of the guests at the table in conversation.
• He is entirely oblivious to Strahd's advances on Tatyana.
• Believes his older brother's insults are merely jokes and smoothly brush them away or twist them into positives.
• Keep the table in high spirits and abate any tension that he notices.

Tatyana

• Do everything in her power to fit in with the noble crowd.
• Light up any time that Sergei speaks.
• Kindly acknowledge Strahd and compliment him in return.
• Be extremely kind to Patrina and remain entirely unaware that Patrina is jealous of her.

Ilona

• Bask in the chaos of the meal.
• Speak to any guests that seem to have any religious iconography on their person about their god, the Morninglord, and the church.

Rahadin

• Keep the peace as best he can.
• Aggressively aid Strahd in conversation and tout his accomplishments.
• Will do all but physically fight someone to keep the decorum at dinner. If it is one of the characters that is actively aggressive, Rahadin will escort them out or kill them if they attempt to attack.
• Mock or otherwise demean Patrina.

When dinner winds down, enough blows have been struck, and the characters have asked their fair share of questions the following scene plays out:

• Sergei will excuse himself and Tatyana because he must return her to the village down the hill.
• Strahd will insist that she remain in the castle as a guest, and he will have a room drawn up for her immediately.
• Tatyana remains humble and initially refuses.
• Sergei respects whatever she wishes.
• Patrina wishes she would go.
• Rahadin insists she stay to spite Patrina.

Ultimately, she stays, but even as she accepts Strahd's offer, she stares longingly at Sergei, and Strahd's face falls somber.

“It was as if the sun that had favored me had been all along hidden by a cloud. Its brilliant glory now shone in full upon him… and him alone.”

8

CHAPTER 4 | TATYANA

The Courting of the Count

Strahd does everything in his power as Lord of Barovia and ruler of Castle Ravenloft to impress Tatyana. When those gestures of affection fail time and time again, he falls back to his growing magical abilities. In his research, he has learned that love is an elusive energy, and long-term effects on emotions are nearly impossible to maintain, but that does not prevent him from trying. As Strahd's voice echoes and dinner closes, read:

The Chapel Courtyard (K5)

Dining Hall of the Count (area K36)

A successful DC11 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals that she is confused as he lifts her. Not to a point of dislike, but she feels uneasy. If a character succeeds by 5 or more, they recognize a sense of guilt on her face after her eyes flicker in Strahd’s direction.

A Lingering Melody

I felt that Elsa’s Song by The Amazing Devil was a fitting song for Strahd and Tatyana to perform together. Consider playing it to set the scene if you have the opportunity! Thank you, u/StevenV for sharing it with the community.

Return to the Dining Hall (area K10)

A successful Wisdom (Perception) check contested by Strahd's Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check (+3) reveals Strahd removed a small vial from his pocket and poured a bubbling pink liquid (a Philter of Love) into Tatyana's drink.

If the characters intervene, Tatyana spills some of her drink, curtseys, and excuses herself. Sergei follows after her.

If Tatyana drinks the Philter she turns toward Sergei at the end of the toast and immediately steals him away for a dance with an impassioned fervor.

Chapter Close

“One would think the ritual for casting a love-spell or creating a love-philter would be more common, but my books were bereft of such things, except for a single short treatise on the subject. The writer's conclusion that love was a force that could not be successfully reproduced by magical methods struck me as being inanely smug.”

Treasure

The attuned creature learns how to craft a Philter of Love using the rules from The Alchemy Almanac.

Chapter 5: The Unholy Communion

"I began dealing with something far beyond my experience in magic and needed no wise teacher to tell me it was deadly..."

If meeting Tatyana was the beginning of Strahd's eternal end, his pledge to Vampyr was the final nail in his coffin. His voracious hunger for magic that would grant him Tatyana's love and remove his brother from his path drove him mad and opened his soul to the terrible powers housed in the heart of the Balinok Mountains.

The Party's Involvement

It is in this chapter that Strahd succumbs to the draw of undeath, and the characters are given the power to help or hinder his quest through the Amber Temple to Vampyr’s resting place. The characters return to Strahd's study on the night he discovered the dark magic that dwells in the ancient Amber Temple, and accompany Strahd and Alek on their warpath through the temple.

9

CHAPTER 4 | TATYANA - CHAPTER 5 | THE UNHOLY COMMUNION

Strahd's Study

The study (area K37) has changed in the years between this chapter and the day that Strahd learned of his mother's death. When the characters arrive, read:

The characters arrive as Strahd is attempting to learn and cast Animate Objectspracticing the proper verbal and somatic components on the two leather chairs.

Whispers in the Dark

During this time, Strahd believes the characters to be voices of spirits that have been plaguing him in recent days. The voices are getting louder, more aggressive, and more inquisitive.

Strahd is willing to disclose the following as he is losing his mind:

• Sergei and Tatyana will not leave each others' side
• He no longer trusts any member of his court except Rahadin and Alek because he feels they would support Sergei taking over his rule.
• He grows even more suspicious that other nobles are seeking to eliminate him.
• He feels himself growing older. Slower.
• He grows desperate in his pursuit of Tatyana.
• He has grown from a warlord and tactician to a capable spellcaster. (He is currently a 9th-level spellcaster.)

After several minutes of conversation, there is a knock at the door. Strahd's focus on his spell is shattered, and before he can offer permission to enter, it swings open.

The Announcement

The door opens to reveal Sergei and Tatyana, hand in hand, grinning from ear to ear. They have come to announce their betrothal, and they wish to host the ceremony in Castle Ravenloft's chapel in one moon's time.

The characters may whisper in Strahd's ear to temper or stoke his anger, and he will glance around as if seeking their input on allowing the couple to marry. Tatyana's pleas overtake all else, however, and eventually, the pair takes their leave. Strahd turns to the characters:

"She calls me ‘elder.’ ‘Old one.’ Yet she has fallen for that gullible, faithless boy."

He returns to his desk and begins fervently leafing through a decrepit looking spellbook. Read:

You hear a voice rasp from somewhere unseen. Dozens of voices echo in reply. Tatyana, Rahadin, Alek, Sergei, you even recognize the voices of your fellow party members: ‘You cannot find what you seek in a book.’ Strahd whips around in terror, and the book folds itself to a close, page by page. The minimal comfort of the library vanishes, and the candles are snuffed by an arctic breeze. A howling winter wind whispers ‘Come to me.’

The Amber Temple (Exterior)

The exterior of the temple is a magnificent facade, even in the unbearable cold. The temple currently houses an enclave of powerful mages and the monks of the Order of the Guardians Monastery that curate its expansive library and protect the long-sealed tombs of unfathomable old gods, ensuring they remain locked away here.

Strahd has mounted an expedition here alongside his most trusted commander (Rahadin remained back to run the castle). He fully intends to kill anyone between himself and the voice beckoning him here. The characters can work to help or hinder Strahd as he unearths Vampyr.

The growing number of voices pierce your mind and the wind that claimed the candles whips your cloak. Your vision returns, and you stand in a blizzard on a mountainside before six, carved amber statues, towering over forty feet tall. Each figure is deep in prayer. Two other figures ahead of you: Strahd and Alek are clad in ice-coated armor, and trek through the snow toward the temple hewn from the rock.

In his almost inhuman rage, Strahd tears through this sacred place, and the characters must succeed on a Skill Challenge in order to accomplish their goal.

You approach the colossal entrance carved into the face of the stone. Torchlight is losing a fight against the slate grey sky, and in the fading fire you see the silhouette of Strahd glide effortlessly across the fallen snow, and paint the powder red with the blood of a robed figure at the temple’s door.

The Amber Temple (Interior)

While the characters struggle to keep up with Strahd as he charges to its depths, you may use the map from the current Amber Temple to guide them. The massacre proceeds through the following rooms as Strahd follows Vampyr's whispers through the secret halls of the temple as directly as he can:

• The Overlook (area X4)
• The Annex (area X15)
• The Hallway (area X17)
• The Banquet Room (area X22)
• The Shrine (area X24)
• The Wizard's Chamber (area X27)
• The Library (area X30)
• The Amber Vault (area X42)

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CHAPTER 5 | THE UNHOLY COMMUNION

The Temple’s Archivist

The wizard in area X27 is Exethanter, prior to becoming a lich. At this point in his life, he has met Strahd several times before but has never explicitly told him of the temple or its location, but he knew the time would come eventually. They may exchange some formal conversation, and Exenthanter will express his disappointment in Strahd, but he refuses to do battle with him as he knows that he will lose.

The Amber Vault

When Strahd has completed his devastation of the temple, the characters find themselves alongside Strahd and Alek in the Amber Vault (area K42). It is here that Strahd bonds his soul to Vampyr, and the characters have the opportunity to help or hinder the process. When they arrive, read:

When Strahd approaches the amber sarcophagus, let the players know that they now have a choice to aid him in the ritual or work to prevent it. Regardless of their decision, they must succeed on five skill checks before failing three skill checks. Some potential checks include:

• Intelligence (Arcana) to study and understand his incantations.
• Wisdom (Religion) to help maintain the seal of the sarcophagus.
• An attack roll to attempt to physically remove him or Alek from the space.
• Charisma (Persuasion) to make Alek understand that what Strahd is doing is dangerous and wrong.
• Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) to steal Strahd's spell components.
• Wisdom (Medicine) to help him remain conscious.

If the characters succeed in aiding Strahd in the ritual:

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CHAPTER 5 | THE UNHOLY COMMUNION

If the characters succeed in preventing Strahd's ritual, he faints, collapsing to the stone, and the sarcophagus glows. Read:

If the characters are present when Vampyr assaults Alek, they all take 3d10 necrotic damage as his shroud consumes them.

Chapter Close

"There it was. The parley, the bargaining, the trade. What did they want of me? What could they possibly want from me...”

Treasure

The attuned creature may now cast Commune as a ritual spell once per dusk.

Chapter 6: Wedding Bells

" 'I wish you had someone like Tatyana,' he enthused at me.'Oh, but I will...' I thought.”

The dawn of Strahd's final day. His pact was initiated in the vaults of the Amber Temple, but his eternal soul was sealed by drinking of his brothers' blood.

On the day of Sergei and Tatyana's wedding, Strahd's twisted jealousy boiled over into an unrelenting rage. As Sergei bled and Tatyana fell to her death, another key member of Strahd's court seized the opportunity to overthrow the Lord of Barovia.

Leo Dilisnya's forces plotted for months to turn the wedding day red, and Strahd's transformation only fueled their vindication.

The Party's Involvement

The characters are present for the wedding ceremony, including the deaths of Sergei and Tatyana and Strahd's battle against the traitorous forces led by Leo Dilisnya.

Ease of Access

This chapter adds a door on the north eastern corner of the Chapel (area K15) connecting it directly to the Chapel Courtyard (area K5). If you do make this adjustment consider whether this door is available to your players in the present day.

The Chapel Courtyard

Royalty and common folk from across Barovia and beyond join together in the spring sun for some light conversation in area K5. When the characters arrive at the party, read:

The party has the opportunity here to speak with an assortment of Barovian (and non-Barovian) citizens about the wedding today. Rumor has it that Strahd had this new window commissioned for his brother and Tatyana. He didn't (Strahd did allow the construction, but it was Lady Dirovnya's idea).

This scene should feel spectacularly light-hearted and joyful. Everyone is full of love and anticipation.

The Chapel

The chapel is currently radiant and colorful, decorated floor to ceiling for the most elaborate wedding anyone has ever seen. If the characters follow anyone inside, read:

As the characters explore the room or try to find seats, a servant approaches on behalf of Tatyana requesting that they come see her before the ceremony begins.

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CHAPTER 6 | WEDDING BELLS

The Blushing Bride

If Ireena in the present timeline is set to marry anyone this scene offers a chance to create a direct parallel. Regardless of which body she is in, her soul may process her emotions about this day the same.

Tatyana has a bit of information about her feelings and the day that she shares to anyone who asks:

• She's nervous. She loves Sergei, but she doesn't feel she has anything to offer him.
• She's never seen the castle this busy, and it is quite intimidating.
• She's been living in the castle, but still feels entirely out of place here.
• "Elder" (Strahd) has seemed distant lately. Cold even. More so than usual. She is worried that he does not approve of the union.

When the characters have concluded their conversation with Tatyana or settled her nerves, she sends them off to their seats in the chapel, and asks that one of them walk her down the aisle, if they would be so kind.

The Attack

If the characters return to the chapel, they find enough open chairs for all of them in the front row. The organ music from further in the castle falls into silence, and the large doors to the chapel are opened wide. A character that makes a successful DC18 Wisdom (Perception) check notices that the attendants opening the doors and standing at the garden exit are wearing armor. If a character takes notice, any further inspection reveals they are not wearing any von Zarovich sigils. These are six Dilisnya family guards), preparing to lock the doors as the ceremony begins.

When Tatyana enters (with or without her escort), the chapel doors are closed and locked behind her. She will join Sergei, Ilona, and Strahd next to the altar at the front of the room. When Lady Ilona begins the ceremony, however, at the back of the room a crossbow is nocked. A successful Wisdom (Perception) check contested by the assailant's Dexterity (Stealth) check alerts the character to someone drawing their weapon and the groan of someone who has been quietly stabbed.

The crowd is hushed, but the stillness of the moment is broken by the snap of a string and the whistle of a crossbow bolt that embeds itself beneath Strahd's left pauldron. Another fires off from the back of the room toward Tatyana but is stopped by Sergei, lunging forward to knock her from harm's way. The bolt instead embeds itself into his shoulder and a flower of blood stains his white shirt.

Many of the guests, including Tatyana, fight at the doors scrambling to leave, but more of the Dilisnya forces are littered throughout the crowd and begin to aid in culling the group. Eventually, a few attendees and Tatyana flee to the garden. Strahd is locked feeding on Sergei.

The Escape

If the characters follow Tatyana into the courtyard, read:

The castle halls and grounds are bathed in blood and drowned in desperate screams. The courtyard is greying. The sun is gone. The spring afternoon is now choked by a deep mist that claws its way over the castle walls.

Tatyana is in a terrible state. If approached, Tatyana has nothing but questions:

• Who betrayed us?
• I saw Strahd change, I think. Did the traitors do something to him?
• Was Sergei hit? I couldn’t see. Is he alright?
• Did I see Strahd lunge at him?

Several members of the Dilisnya forces eventually arrive in the courtyard in pursuit of Tatyana.

An Even Fight

An assortment of NPC soldiers can be used in this encounter including a few Sergeants, Knights, Gladiators, or some even War Chiefs depending on how challenging of a fight you're looking for.

After three turns, Strahd arrives, covered in blood, three crossbow bolts protrude from his armor, and his sword is drawn. Rahadin, Petyr Wachter, his young daughter Lovina Wachter (Fiona Wachter's ancestor), and several nobles follow him out. He points them northward toward the carriage house. Rahadin leads them on that way. Strahd will slay any remaining Dilisnya guards before rushing toward Tatyana.

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CHAPTER 6 | WEDDING BELLS

Strahd rests broken, grieving. Tears of blood stream down his face, and he will speak to the characters as if they are old imaginary friends. He will freely answer any and all questions about his life up to this point, and once the characters have spoken with him for some time. His final moments of humanity fade with the arrival of Leo Dislisnya.

A bolt streaks through the air, and plunges into Strahd’s back. Then another. And another. But he does not fall. Instead, what little color remained flush in his cheeks drains from his skin, his eyes flood scarlet, and fangs extend from his mouth. He shrugs off the onslaught of arrows as though they are raindrops. Leo Dilisnya steps through the encroaching mists at the helm of over two dozen soldiers.

Chapter Close

"The blackness returned, covering me, covering the world. Never to lift. It weighed upon me, heavier than the mountain, smothering and crushing me into something less than dust, but I was looking at dead men.

Before another hour passed, I’d send them wailing on their way to rotting hell. All of them. All except the traitor behind them."

Treasure

The attuned creature may now cast Ceremony as a ritual spell once per dusk.

Chapter 7: The Corruption of Yester Hill

“In my youthful folly, I believed I was the land. But time revealed powers beyond the mortal mind still maintained their hold here.”

Strahd's possession of the land was finalized when he desecrated the Fanes of Barovia. His first step toward eliminating them began with sacrificing undead hordes to the once sacred Gulthias Tree.

The Huntress of the Mountain Fane was once revered here. The most sacred and blessed members of the Forest People had their bodies committed to the holy tree, but by perverting death and interring the walking dead to a place dedicated to eternal rest, Strahd corrupted the very earth.

The Desecration of the Fanes

For more information on the desecration (and possible reconsecration) of the Fanes, please check out u/DragnaCarta and u/MandyMod’s incredible histories for the locations. This chapter as well as the following chapter draw heavily from their lore.

The servants of the Morninglord, including Gabriel Andral and Sorina Markovia, fought tirelessly to stop him, but Strahd's cursed immortality meant that his success was inevitable. The fall of the Mountain Fane at Yester Hill marked the beginning of the end for both the Forest People and a new beginning for Strahd von Zarovich.

The Party's Involvement

The characters stand alongside Strahd as Forest People deserters that have bowed to their new lord. They stand against the Morninglord's soldiers that are fighting Strahd’s reign and must ensure that the resurrected bodies of the fallen druids are consumed by the sacred tree, finalizing months upon months of Strahd's corrupting ritual.

Andral and Markovia fought back against those druids loyal to Strahd, but in slaying his forces, they played right into his hands and provided the victims for his unholy rite. If the Gulthias Tree is desecrated here, Strahd also takes its blood for the creation of the Heart of Sorrow.

The Grove of the Gulthias Tree

The grove around the once beautiful tree (area Y4) is beginning to rot and fester due to Strahd's influence. When they arrive on the hill, read:

Rays of light divine fight to pierce the heavy cloud of Barovian mist weighing on the ground; the sun engraved on an ornate shield beams as if it held its proper place in the sky above. Gabriel Andral shakily props himself up on his warhammer, blood dripping from a gash on his forehead is mirrored by the gore splattered on his weapon. Next to him is a young woman shouldering a mountain of gilded plate armor; gripped tightly in her gauntlets is a brutal morningstar. You stand just on the edge of a wilting grove, high on a hill, before a colossal, blossoming tree.

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CHAPTER 6 | WEDDING BELLS - CHAPTER 7 | THE CORRUPTION OF YESTER HILL

The Student, the Master, and the Dark Lord

For many years, Gabriel Andral supported Strahd and his rule, accepting that Strahd was simply not a man of faith. Sorina Markovia, however, regularly advised her mentor that Strahd was a violent warlord, and that the church must be careful of a powerful man with no regard for the religion of the country.

Andral remained Strahd's friend even after the pact with Vampyr was struck. In some ways he approved of the removal of the paganistic druids, but he soon learned that Strahd would not stop with their removal, and it was only a matter of time before the Morninglord was stripped from Barovia as well. (These histories have been adapted from this amazing guide by u/Tygrus: St. Andral and St. Markovia - Reimagined.)

Gabriel Andral, a War Priest with a warhammer, and Sorina Markovia, a War Priest with a morningstar, stand between the characters, Strahd (with Wall of Fire and Danse Macabre prepared), and his allies (5 Simplified Strahd Zombies (courtesy of u/Gerglie) and 2d12 Skeletons), and the Gulthias Tree.

Strahd cast Danse Macabre using a 5th-level spell slot to revive the druids. He orders the skeletons and the characters to protect the zombies as they march toward the tree, taking the Dash action on each of their turns to reach it as quickly as possible. Strahd is successful in desecrating the Fane if at least three of the five zombies sacrifice themself to the tree.

Death for the Undead

If the zombies begin the encounter at staggered distances, the last should be able to reach the tree by round five, at which point the encounter is over.

The players have full agency to side with either side of the encounter and may choose to ignore Strahd's order and instead defend the tree. If they do this, he commands the skeletons to deal with them as well.

If Andral and Markovia are left standing by the end of the encounter, or if the players side with them and successfully destroy all of the undead, Strahd uses a 4th-level spell slot to cast Wall of Fire and surround anyone that opposes him.

If Strahd successfully sends at least three zombies into the growing maw of the Gulthias Tree, read:

The wood splinters again, parting to welcome what it believes to be the remains of a sacred, revered warrior, but the ghastly, shambling husk of its druidic protector commits itself to the maw. Bark peels from the trunk of the tree like decaying flesh falling from a rotting corpse. Globs of tree sap, glimmer amber even in the misty shroud, morph to a thick blood, and the dew-like twinkle on the green leaves evaporates and boughs crash down by the hundreds. The holy site lies in ruin. Strahd vanishes in a swirl of his cloak and reappears next to the tree with a vial. He drags the glass along the tree and fills it with bloody sap before fading into the mists that surround the hill.

If Andral and Markovia, with or without the help of the characters, are able to prevent Strahd's ritual, read:

The cold isolation of the mist-choked hilltop becomes scorching hot as arcane flames rise in the grotto. 'Your betrayal is noted, Gabriel. You've allowed Sorina to whisper in your ear for too long. You of all people should know that this was inevitable. All those years ago, you asked of me to remove the Ancient Ones from this place, did you not? It is of no consequence to me. Your Morninglord cannot reach you, cannot save you, cannot support you. He is gone, and this site as well as the others, will fall in time.' In a whirl of black cloth, Strahd fades from view and into the clouds encircling Yester Hill.

Chapter Close

“I set to raze and salt the earth to purify it. Neither the ancient spirits of the druids nor the gods of the old world would rule above me. I am the ancient. I am the land.”

Treasure

The attuned creature may now cast Hallow as a ritual spell once per dusk.

Chapter 8: The Heart of the Old Gods

“I wrenched superstition and tradition from the claws of the few who clung to their old ways. The souls trapped here were to succumb or suffer.”

In the months and years that followed the desecration of the Mountain Fane at Yester Hill, Strahd learned more of the sacred sites that remained within the ethereal Barovian borders. The two remaining sites dedicated to the Forest Fane in the Svalich Wood—near where Old Bonegrinder now stands—and the Swamp Fane at the edge of the river town of Berez, required careful observation and research in order to permanently render them impotent.

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CHAPTER 7 | THE CORRUPTION OF YESTER HILL - CHAPTER 8 | THE HEART OF THE OLD GODS

With the aid of his nursemaid, Lysaga and several hags, including a young Morgantha, Strahd was able to complete his domination of Barovia.

By severing and claiming the Rozana's connection to the land itself he gained total control of Barovia; by combining their now perverted sacred essences he was also able to grant unholy life to a living heart that beats from within the walls of Castle Ravenloft, a heart that protects him from any possible danger.

The Party's Involvement

At Berez, the party may observe the desecration ritual, inspect the stones, and listen in on Lysaga and Strahd's conversation.

At Old Bonegrinder, they play a more active role as hags working with Strahd to prepare raven pies that are to be fed to nearby residents.

The Standing Stones of Berez

The characters arrive in the midst of the Fane’s desecration. When the book’s mists fade, read:

Humidity swells, and damp air sticks to your skin. The stench of putrid water swirling with rotting plants floods your nostrils, and your feet sink into soft peat. A dozen moss-covered menhirs form a near-perfect circle in the spongy earth. These weathered stones range in height from fifteen to eighteen feet, and four to the north, south, east, and west rise above twenty. A wild looking woman with sticks and mud plastered to her greying hair stands at the northernmost stone, and in the center of the circle is Strahd von Zarovich, levitating inches above the muddy soil.

The Witching Hour

Strahd and Baba see the characters as converted druids that are aiding in maintaining the desecration ritual. Each character wears dark, moss covered robes decorated with plant matter.

Baba Lysaga

Baba Lysaga attains her immense power by aiding Strahd in his effort to corrupt the land. As the ritual is not yet complete, Lysaga has the stats of a Barovian Witch.

She is currently lashing at a priest of the Rozana that has been bound and chained to the northern stone, demanding that they renounce their faith.

She has already cut the hearts out of the priests that are chained to the stones at the south and east, but this one is holding out and refuses to renounce the Ladies.

If approached, Lysaga asks the character for some assistance with torturing the priest. She will otherwise not reveal any substantial information and gets aggravated if the characters ask too many questions because she supposes that they should already know everything about what is going on here. She does, however, revel in her work and will be grateful and kind to anyone that helps her to torture the priests.

The Stones

Any character investigating the eight, non-cardinal standing stones can recognize depictions of a bear, elk, hawk, goat, owl, panther, raven, and wolf carved into their surfaces.

At the foot of each stone is also a ruined carcass of the creature etched on the stone.

A successful DC13 Intelligence (Medicine) or Wisdom (Survival) check reveals that these animals were butchered within the last day and with precision and intent.

A successful DC15 Wisdom (Religion) check reveals that nature deities often revere and protect creatures of the world, and these have been strewn to intentionally and ritually disrespect whatever deity is (or was) worshipped here. Just as rituals can be performed to honor the gods, some may be performed to curse them.

The taller stones to the north, south, east, and west have priests of the Rozana bound to them. Any character that approaches the southern or eastern stones sees the mutilated corpse of a priest, their body scarred and covered in cuts and lashes, and their hearts ripped from their chests. A successful DC16 Wisdom (Medicine) check reveals that they were starved and the wounds are both pre and post mortem.

The priest bound to the western stone is bloody and barely holding on to consciousness but alive. Their eyes have been gouged out and assumes that anyone approaching is Lysaga. If the characters speak to them and make it clear that they are not hostile, the priest will willingly reveal the following:

• They were kidnapped from their tribe.
• They’ve been here for at least a month. The witch has been feeding them just enough of something to keep them alive.
• Every day they are lashed for several hours, and during their torture, the witch demands they renounce the Rozana as false gods and recognize Strahd as their only ruler.

After the characters have investigated the area, read:

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CHAPTER 8 | THE HEART OF THE OLD GODS

The Monoliths of the Forest

The stones of the Seeker sit just outside of the walls of a hags hut on the top of a Barovian hill. The characters arrive inside of this makeshift, wood and mud hut.

While the young Morgantha plucks the raven, Strahd exits the hut and returns with a new raven every thirty seconds or so. The characters are free to explore the rather sparse hut (area O5 in Appendix B) while the young Morgantha feathers and chops.

Once the characters have taken some time to look around, Strahd speaks up, wondering why they are taking so long to begin cooking. Morgantha will take a break from chopping to help them prepare a recipe.

I recommend using these rules from Cecilia D’Anastasio to run a skill challenge wherein the party decides what dish they wish to make based on their trek around the room and their own interests—maybe they’ll discover an amazing recipe for raven pudding or the first iced-raven dish instead of baking pies!

While the characters work to prepare (DC16), cook (DC18), and plate (DC12) their new raven-based dish, Strahd continues to snap neck after neck from the pile of raven carcasses. When the dish is complete, read:

‘Someone will surely have to taste this…blasphemous meal.’ Strahd claps his hands and a man with slicked black hair, harsh eyes, and a dreadful if regal air steps across the threshold of the hut—a man identical to Strahd in every way. The seated Strahd invites his double inside, and the clone marches up to the freshly plated dish.

If the party succeeds in their skill check:

The lookalike stands upright and nods. ‘These will serve nicely.’ The primary Strahd nods in return and bids the taster to leave before kneeling and filling a glass vial with viscera, bird bones, and black feathers before blending into a cloud of vapor and phasing through the silty walls of the hut.

If the party does not succeed on their skill check:

The lookalike collapses and vomits violently on the floor of the hut. Strahd surveys the room, eyeing each of you with terrible distrust. ‘Potent, but I thought that we had discussed our goal and were in agreement. Which of you was in charge here?’

If a character steps forward they are hit by Strahd’s Unarmed Strike attack. If none volunteer, he will systematically approach them until someone admits to being the leader, at which point, he will strike that character.

The Heart of Sorrow

The characters arrive near the top of the Spires of Ravenloft, on the landing immediately next to the Heart of Sorrow (area K20) and the Bridge (area K58). Read:

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CHAPTER 8 | THE HEART OF THE OLD GODS

The ruby flashes in tandem with the sound again, and the crystalline structure cracks. Shards of the heart crumble and fall into the depths below, and layered beneath it, are bits of flesh. Thump thump. Thump thump. The shell shatters and a ten foot tall human heart now hangs, aglow in the night.

Chapter Close

“This was not mere iconoclasm. My faith was in myself. I had none to spare for the gods”

Treasure

The attuned creature may now cast Magic Jar as a ritual spell once per dusk.

Chapter 9: The March of the Dawn

“In life, the Morninglord’s light never reached me. In death, its presence was as an eternal plague.”

Nearly two decades of terror passed after Strahd's bond with the land was complete. Gabriel Andral was killed protecting the people of Vallaki from an onslaught of undead, sacrificing himself to sate their hunger.

Five years after his death, Sorina Markovia amassed a small army of the faithful including mercenaries, hunters, farmers, priests, and druids loyal to the old ways from across Barovia. They marched on Castle Ravenloft to destroy Strahd once and for all.

While ultimately unsuccessful, the resistance mounted by the March of the Dawn was the closest that Strahd had been to true death in years, and Markovia's martyrdom secured her sainthood within the Morninglord's domain, even if her remains were never recovered.

The Party's Involvement

The characters serve as champions of Castle Ravenloft during the battle. Strahd's decimation of the enemy forces begins when the drawbridge leading to the castle is dropped by a small covert force. As he descends upon the front line to show them the wrath of their new god, his generals—the characters and Rahadin—must drive back the forces in the castle or join him on the field.

Prepare for Battle

The characters stand proudly on the ramparts of Castle Ravenloft (area K46) alongside Lord Strahd and Rahadin. When the mists of the tome disperse, read:

Looking across the grand chasm that descends thousands of feet below the drawbridge, the mists and rain in the distance part as a crowd of hundreds marches toward the edge of the ravine. Leading the charge is a blinding, radiant light burning through the watery veil like a small sun.

A trumpet sounds from the army, thundering through the valley, and grinding, heavy metal gears and chains groan below almost in response. A rapid series of clanks and clangs screech from the gate houses, and the heavy chains of the drawbridge fall, unrestricted. The castle’s bridge crashes down, warping and nearly snapping as it slams into position, spanning the vast canyon.

When the drawbridge drops, Strahd, for the first time in decades, is genuinely excited. He turns to Rahadin and the party and nods. Rahadin turns southward to take his leave and attend to their guests at the front door.

‘Rahadin, hold. Generals, I trust your judgement. Would you like to join in my welcoming party, or would you like to attend to our dinner guests with Rahadin?’

Once the party reaches a decision, Strahd opens his cloak and sends his familiar, a bat (or vampire parrot) named Bartholemew, along with Rahadin. Their connection allows Strahd to be fully queued into and aware of the events that unfold should the characters stay behind in the castle.

The Ravenloft Welcoming Committee

If the characters choose to follow Rahadin downstairs, read:

The elf leads you around the edge of the castle’s walls to a steep spiral staircase that snakes through the center of Ravenloft, down a narrow hall on the ground floor, and into an archer’s post along the perimeter. Through slits in the stone, you have full view of the courtyard, but Rahadin presses his ear to the eastern wall.

Rahadin guides the party from the castle walls (area K46) to the spiral Guards’ Stair (area K64) and out to the South Archer’s Post (area K11). He is pressed up against the secret door leading to the Dining Hall (area K10), and the pipe organ has been pushed aside so that the door can be used.

An adventuring party that has found themselves trapped in Barovia is coordinating with Markovia in the invasion against Strahd. They feared he would come for them soon, so with the aid of the church they cast Teleport to gain access to the castle and lower the drawbridge for the invading army.

A Barovian noble that supported their cause stole a utensil from the dining hall to give them an anchor for the Teleport spell, but Strahd’s servants discovered that it was missing, and he was able to prepare for their arrival.

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CHAPTER 9 | THE MARCH OF THE DAWN

The party is made up of a Rogue Guerilla Scout or Swashbuckler, Wizard Diviner, and a Paladin Holy Redeemer Paladin.

When the characters open the secret door to the Dining Hall, read:

The stone passage slides open in conjunction with a grunt and the clang of steel. The luxurious dining hall of Ravenloft is devoid of its glamor. The darkened room, however, hosting its guests: a knight in glimmering mail and a slender figure in loose-fitting robes enshrouded in an aura of silver magic stand over what remains of five vampires.

The Wizard has cast Mage Armor on themself and has expended 1 spell slot of every level but 8th in order to secure their invasion and this chamber.

On their initiative in the second round of combat, the party’s Rogue returns from lowering the bridge at the Gate Towers in the Front Courtyard (area K1) to join the fray.

On initiative count 20 in the second round the characters hear a massive explosion muffled by the stone walls, and dirt is shaken from the ceiling. Strahd has fallen from the sky as Beucephalus is hit by a blast of radiant light and vanishes in a cloud of smoke.

On initiative count 20 in the third round of combat Strahd's pained scream carries over the valley, and through the walls of the castle. The pouring rain outside turns warm and red. The blood rain forces any invading forces caught in the storm to succeed on a DC18 Wisdom Saving Throw or their morale leaves them. They are frightened and turn to flee from the fight.

On initiative count 20 in the fourth round after combat begins, Strahd casts Maddening Darkness on the battlefield, gatehouse towers, and some of the bridge. He has severed his connection to the Heart of Sorrow, and, in a fit of rage, the spell area includes himself and Markovia. Characters inside of the castle hear the rain and all other noise outside fall silent.

Turning the Tide

At this point, if they have not already, the invasion party should be doing their best to retreat. Consider having them vocalize their surrender or execute some retreat strategy. Alternatively, you may provide Rahadin with a powerful magical object that he can use to either restrain or kill them outright.

Once the characters have dispatched or otherwise ended their encounter with the invading adventurers, the mists flow around them, the castle walls melt away, and they arrive on the battlefield alongside Strahd.

The People's Revolution

If the characters choose to go with Strahd to the front lines, read:

If any characters choose to descend here and fight the forces back from the bridge, Strahd will warn them that he will not maintain their Fly spell much longer, and they will need to touch down or risk following their guests to the depths.

Otherwise, they may continue to follow him to the other side, descend, and flank the army. When the characters have made their decision, read:

The Devil Strahd uses one of his 6th-level spell slots to cast Circle of Death on 4d10 commoners that came here believing that their numbers would give them strength (and that the Morninglord would help protect them). Unfortunately for them, neither are true.

Battle for the Drawbridge

Should anyone fight at the bridge, Strahd soon snaps his finger and ends his Fly spell before continuing his own flight atop Beucephalus.

The characters come face to face with three waves of Barovian soldiers fighting their way toward Castle Ravenloft. The waves advance as follows, arriving each round.

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CHAPTER 9 | THE MARCH OF THE DAWN

1. • 2d4 Guard minions with 1 Hit Point each, AC14 (no shields), and equipped with crossbows and makeshift spears.
2. • 1 Banneret Fighter
   • 1d4 Guard minions
3. • 1 Eldritch Knight
   • 1d4 Guard minions

On initiative count 20, after the arrival of the second wave, the characters see Strahd fall from the sky as Beucephalus is hit by a ray of radiant light and vanishes in a cloud of dust.

On initiative count 20, after the arrival of the third wave, Strahd's pained scream carries over the valley, and the pouring rain turns warm and red. The blood rain forces all of the invading force to succeed on a DC18 Wisdom Saving Throw or their morale leaves them. They are frightened and turn to flee from the fight.

On initiative count 20, in the fourth round after combat begins, Strahd casts Maddening Darkness on the battlefield, gatehouse towers, and some of the bridge. He has severed his connection to the Heart of Sorrow, and, in a fit of rage, the spell area includes himself and Markovia.

The Last of the Forest People

If any characters continue to the battlefield with Strahd to witness his Circle of Death up close, he ends his Fly spell after it is cast, dropping the characters on top of the bodies lying in the 60ft clearing left in the wake of his attack. Beucephalus catches Strahd, and he rides toward the army, taking part in the fight from directly above the characters.

Dozens more commoners turn to flee the scene in terror, but the raiding party knew this would not be an easy fight, and are not yet deterred enough to leave. They continue their march, hoping to reach Markovia who is rallying her troops in at attempt to knock Strahd from the air. A unit breaks from the cluster beneath him and turns its attention to the characters.

New segments of advancing soldiers will join the fray in waves. The waves advance as follows, arriving each round.

1. • 2d4 Tribal Warrior minions with 1 Hit Point each
   • 2d4 Commoners
2. • 1 Ancestral Inheritor Barbarian
   • 2d4 Tribal Warrior minions
3. • 1 Arch Shepherd
   • 2d4 Tribal Warrior minions

On initiative count 20, after the arrival of the second wave, the characters see Strahd fall from the sky as Beucephalus is hit by a ray of radiant light and vanishes in a cloud of dust.

On initiative count 20, after the arrival of the third wave, Strahd's pained scream carries over the valley, and the pouring rain turns warm and red. The blood rain forces all of the invading force to succeed on a DC18 Wisdom Saving Throw or their morale leaves them. They are frightened and turn to flee from the fight.

On initiative count 20, in the fourth round after combat begins, Strahd casts Maddening Darkness on the battlefield, gatehouse towers, and some of the bridge. He has severed his connection to the Heart of Sorrow, and, in a fit of rage, the spell area includes himself and Markovia.

The Devil's Wrath

If the characters are in the field and have not yet defeated the invaders, any that remain outside of the sphere of the sphere of Maddening Darkness now flee. When the characters have had their fill of combat, all of the rebels escape, or all of the remaining rebels are killed, read:

Chapter Close

“The best way to rid the world of a plague is to begin with the rats.”

Treasure

The attuned creature may now cast Summon Greater Steed as a ritual spell once per dusk. When the spell is cast in this way, the creature may instead summons a Nightmare.

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CHAPTER 9 | THE MARCH OF THE DAWN

Chapter 10: The Legacy of Vasili von Holtz

“I finally took it upon myself to visit the new head of the Wachter family. Lovina Wachter was no longer the fragile-looking child I'd seen all those years before, but a ruler.

She extended her hand and greeted me warmly: ‘Welcome, Lord Vasili.’

Though Strahd was able to successfully silence and punish those involved in the March of the Dawn, his words to the now canonized St. Markovia were a lie. There is a single traitor that escaped paying for their crimes against him: Leo Dilisnya.

Fifty years after the night of death and decay that punctuated the end of Strahd's natural life, Lovina Wachter—a guest that lost her family at Sergei and Tatyana's wedding due to Leo's coup—discovered the location of her lord's most elusive prey and her family's nemesis.

Leo Dilisnya had taken up the nom de plume Henrik Steinman and hidden himself away in a monastery high upon Mt. Baratok. Believing his long exile had provided enough cover, he arrogantly believed he could return to the village of Vallaki for a festival while wearing his signature lion pendant.

Under the guise of Vasili von Holtz, Strahd followed Lovina's instructions, located Leo, and damned him to a slow, painful death by starvation.

The Party's Involvement

The characters are present as Strahd arrives via carriage to Wachterhaus and transforms into Vasili von Holtz. After learning of Leo from Lovina, the group sets out to the Order of the Guardians Monastery resting on the cliffs of Mt. Baratok to aid Strahd in his quiet hunt.

Wachterhaus

The characters are seated around the parlor of Wachterhaus (area N4i) alongside a Vasili von Holtz and Lovina Wachter.

A Passing Familiarity

The following description presumes that the characters have met both Vasili von Holtz and Fiona Wachter and that they have been inside of the Wachterhaus parlor. If this is not the case, you may wish to consider rephrasing!

Read:

A servant arrives to pour tea for Lovina and her guests. The lady of the house tells Vasili and the characters more about the reason for their invitation, her experience with Leo at the festival, and as much as she knows about the monastery. Her knowledge includes:

Knowledge about Leo

• Leo Dilisnya is a traitor that murdered my family.
• He has been hiding for the last 50 years.
• He still wears his signature necklace around his neck: a shining, golden lion.
• Lovina recognized his medallion immediately when she saw him just one week before during the Festival of White Sun, a local celebration for the Morninglord.
• She imagines he should be about 90, but he seemed strangely youthful. He couldn't have looked older than 50.
• He is a sick old man who deserves to suffer for the rest of his days.
• He is operating under the name Henrik Steinman.

Knowledge about the monastery

• The monks that live in the mountains belong to an order known as the Order of the Guardians.
• The order is devoted to gathering and maintaining restricted and ancient knowledge.
• The monks have all taken vows of silence.
• She has visited twice before as a dignitary and has a vague memory of the layout though she was not permitted beyond the Grand Hall (area M3b).

Once the characters feel as though their questions have been sufficiently answered or Lovina shares all of her knowledge, Lady Wachter unveils a map and shows them the precise location of the monastery on the mountainside overlooking Lake Baratok.

The Mountain Pass

When the characters decide to leave, read:

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CHAPTER 10 | THE LEGACY OF VASILI VON HOLTZ

The Black Carriage comes to a stop at the base of a hill north of Lake Baratok and just south of hundreds of stairs that hug the cliff face and lead to the entrance of the Order of the Guardians Monastery (area M2).

The Order of the Guardians Monastery

This monastery was founded by members of the order that maintained the Amber Temple as both an escape from the confines of the temple when its dark energies became overwhelming and as a secure location from which they could study and meditate is quiet.

Monks' Knowledge

Most of the monks of the Order of the Guardians Monastery know and are willing to share the following if the characters are not hostile and request written directions or information (or know sign language):

• The monks do not recognize the name Leo Dilisnya, but if they are asked about the location of Henrik Steinman, they nod, and gesture further up the mountain path.
• Henrik Steinman is the Orator, the only monk in the order that is allowed to speak.
• He maintains all of the knowledge of the Order through verbal traditions and maintains other information in the library.
• The members of the order are housed in ascending order up the mountain beginning with the Acolytes and continuing on to the Observers, the Binders, the Keepers, and the Readers.
• Beyond the Readers' residence, the other buildings include the Overlook, the Sanctum, and the Orator’s Chambers.
• Any rooms belonging to the Scribe and the Orator are off limits to other members of the Order and outsiders.
• The order builds all of their structures with wood.

M2a. Mountainside Stairs

When Strahd leaves his mist form and descends to the landing outside the first of the buildings, read:

Precariously secured rotting planks jut from the sediment layers of mountain stone. Hanging between segments of the staircase are facades of buildings carved directly into the rock.

When Strahd takes his first step onto the stairs, read:

A violent determination possess' Strahd's face, but as his leather boot presses to the first plank he recoils as if he touched a hot iron. The black cloak billows behind him like wings, and he retreats, gazing scornfully over the mountain complex.

The monastery's religious rites protect this place from Strahd and other undead as if under the effects of a Forbiddance spell. The monks from of a bygone age further warded the Orator's Chambers, Auditorium, and Scribe's Library so that these spaces could be used to protect and study ancient, dark artifacts at a close distance. The effect is identical to an antimagic field centered on the rooms.

Strahd is infuriated by this realization and informs the characters that he must remain at a distance. He then asks them to locate Leo on his behalf, summon him, and once they locate him, he will bear the pain in order to claim his prey. In the meantime, he will observe the exploration from a distance.

M2b. Acolytes’ Quarters

For the next 100ft up the winding stairs, three two-story domiciles follow alongside the path. If the characters choose to enter either building, read:

A small, quiet room with little more than a wash basin, a barrel, and a worn, splintering table is nestled into the mountain. A rickety ladder leading to a second floor is propped up through a small square cut into the ceiling above.

These buildings each house two young acolytes. They are currently asleep upstairs and have no interest in fighting any intruders.

If roused, they will maintain their vows of silence but are accommodating to strangers and offer what little resources they can. They live an ascetic life and beside the wash basin and minimal rations, they have no material possessions.

M2c. Monks’ Quarters

The path reaches a natural outcropping before coming to a rickety ladder up to a relatively flat bridge that passes by 3 more two-story buildings.

If the characters choose to enter any of the structures, read:

Woody incense burn in caged censers fill a barren living chamber with a welcoming smell. Wisps of smoke mix with the cold air and rise through a hole leading to a second floor.

Each building, from left to right, houses 1d4 ascetic monks. The monks in the respective buildings, from left to right, are Observers, Binders, Keepers, and Readers. They are currently asleep upstairs and have no interest in fighting any intruders.

If roused, they will maintain their vows of silence but are accommodating to strangers and offer what little resources they can. They live an ascetic life have no material possessions.

M2d. Overlook

The easternmost building of the monastery complex is a meditative chamber that the Order of the Guardians uses as both a facility to watch over the forests and lake below and as a sacred place for the Readers, Scribe, and Orator to engage with their sacred texts and histories.

It also serves as a connecting point for the living quarters below and the sanctum above.

When the characters approach the Overlook, read:

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CHAPTER 10 | THE LEGACY OF VASILI VON HOLTZ

The exterior of this building stands apart from the facades of the others. A tower-like structure stands inverted, its domed roof is embedded in the ground, and its foundation clings firmly to Mt. Baratok like a stalactite. A door once hung from rusting hinges bolted to the stone and wood ahead of you but has long since worn away.

If the characters decide to enter, read:

The cleanly swept floors of this room sit empty. A ladder to the immediate left is propped up through to the second story. The northern wall seems carved rather than paneled, and fitted in the stone, spanning the entire eastern wall, is a sliding door.

Beyond the sliding door is a balcony that runs the width of the building and freely hangs out over the valley below. A character looking out across the valley can see the distant lights of Vallaki through the mist with a successful DC16 Wisdom (Perception) check.

Any character who climbs to the second floor finds a slightly larger room with a desk and heavy, carved wooden doors. The doors are locked, and the key can be found in the Auditorium (area M3g). A character can also pick the lock using thieves’ tools and a successful DC14 Dexterity check.

Through these doors is a larger meditation balcony, nearly identical to the one below, and a heavy iron chest. The chest contains several scrolls detailing an incomplete and largely incorrect history of Barovia.

On the southern wall is a door frame that opens to the Mountainside Stairs (area M2a) leading toward the Inner Sanctum (area M3).

The Order of the Guardians Monastery - Inner Sanctum

A wall nearly twice the width and—by the numbers of chips, cracks, and wear—twice the age, of the other buildings extends from a recession in the mountainside.

This building is the longest standing piece of the Order's mountain complex. It houses their communal spaces as well as the places they hold most sacred.

When the characters arrive this evening, the hall is nearly empty except for the Scribe, Anya Alexeev. Anya is asleep in her study (area M3c). She left the braziers in the Grand Hall burning (area M3b) and the Dining Hall (area M3a).

M3a. Dining Hall

If the characters open the Inner Sanctum from the eastern door on the path, read:

A smooth, hand-carved table surrounded by matching chairs extends the length of a thirty foot long hall. Shelves on the north end of the room are stocked with rations and utensils. A door set in the west wall stands ajar.

The rations are salted, fermented fish. The western door leads to the Grand Hall (area M3b).

M3b. Grand Hall

When the characters open the door from the Dining Hall, read:

Braziers hang from the edge of a bannister overhead that give light to a cavernous chamber. A staircase is tucked against the north wall and snakes around to a second story. A symbol is branded to the floorboards and covers most of the room, and resting over its furthest edge is a woven meditation mat.

The open space in the middle of the room is used by the monks for silent meditation practice.

The stairs lead to the Second Floor Landing (area M3e).

Two doors on the far western wall lead to the Scribe’s study (area M3c) and a ladder (area M3d).

M3c. Scribe’s Study

The Scribe, Anya, is currently asleep at her desk in this room. When the characters enter the room, read:

A nondescript desk with a nearly extinguished candle melted down to its wick takes up most of the far wall. A robed figure is hunched over a pile of papers on the tabletop.

A tall chest of drawers is propped up along the south wall that contains all of the individual pieces of a Priest's Pack and all of the individual pieces of a Scholar's Pack. A character can also locate a key hidden in the drawers with a successful DC16 Intelligence (Investigation) check that opens the Scribe's Library (area M3f) and the Auditorium (area M3g).

A rack on top of the drawers carries 50gp worth of fine parchment paper rolled into scrolls.

The Scribe

The figure at the desk is Anya Alexeev, the Scribe. She has been working on recording recent Barovian events in the Scribe's Library (area M3f) and came here to finish organizing her space for the following day but fell asleep in the process.

If she is disturbed, Anya is disoriented and flustered as the Scribe's Study is off-limits to anyone not of proper ranking within the order.

She maintains her vow of silence but will actively try to remove the characters from the premises, leading them to the Readers' quarters and communicating to the other monks that the outsiders must leave.

In addition to the information in the Monks' Knowledge section, Anya also knows the following that she will only share if forced, manipulated, or threatened into sharing:

• She last saw Henrik Steinman in the Auditorium before she fell asleep here. He usually stays there fairly late.
• If the Orator is not in the Auditorium, he will be in his bedroom.
• Their most recent work from today was documenting the Festival of the White Sun that occurred in Vallaki.

Treasure. 50gp worth of fine parchment paper and a key to areas M3f and M3g.

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CHAPTER 10 | THE LEGACY OF VASILI VON HOLTZ

M3d. Ladder

The ladder in this chamber climbs out of the Inner Sanctum, into the Acolyte’s Tunnel (area M3i) that leads to the Orator's House (area M4).

M3e. Second Floor Landing

The staircase winds around to a balcony that lines the south wall. A door to the east leads to the Scribe's Library (area M3f) and a door to the west, at the far end of the balcony, leads to the Prayer Chamber (area M3h).

M3f. Scribe's Library

The door to this room is locked and can be opened with the key found in the Scribe's Study. A character can also pick the lock using thieves’ tools and a successful DC17 Dexterity check.

If the characters enter this room, read:

Crumbling, aged scrolls, rolled and bound by leather ties, pile from floor to ceiling. Nested alongside the neatly ordered bundles of parchment are hand-bound tomes in color coded rows.

A door on the northern wall leads directly to the Auditorium (area M3g).

Any characters that stop to read through the materials find that this library contains hundreds of years of Barovian history, much of it dating back prior to Strahd's rule, creating a rich tapestry of knowledge about the land, the Fanes, the religious rites of Forest People and Mountain Folk, and the rule of King Dorian of the Tergs.

The last fifty years have been thoroughly catalogued as well, but all of the information about Strahd himself is dramatized and largely incorrect. They read like ghost stories of a terrible monster. The March of the Dawn is recounted, but Strahd is described to be a twelve foot tall demon with hulking wings who breathes fire and can kill a man with his red eyes alone.

M3g. Auditorium

The door to this room is the only door in the monastery made with reinforced iron bars. It is currently locked and can be opened with the key found in the Scribe's Study (area M3c). A character can also pick the lock using thieves’ tools and a successful DC20 Dexterity check or break the door down with a successful DC22 Strength check.

If the characters open the door, read:

Candlelight creates paints monstrous shapes on the walls of this small room. A marble podium stands in the northern wall. Leaning over the dais is an aging man with tightly cropped, greying hair, and a dense, fraying beard. Around his neck, weighing heavily against his thick, wool robes, is an ostentatious golden lion head.

Leo Dilisnya

Leo Dilisnya has mysteriously survived for fifty years in Barovia after betraying Strahd. This is due to a combination of his vigilant paranoia and several layers of magical protection. He has sealed areas of the monastery with iron doors (even though the monks have exclusively used wood in their construction for centuries), added running water to his own quarters, removed the windows from his chambers and the auditorium, takes regular hikes down to Vallaki for vials of holy water used in protection rituals, and has killed dozens of people to sate the anger and fury within the golden ring on his left hand.

In a desperate effort to remain undetectable, Leo claimed an object from the Amber Temple nearly thirty years ago, and it is driving him mad. The Ring of Winter is a dark artifact crafted by Delban, the Star of Ice and Hate and was long guarded by the monks of the order.

Artifacts and Anti-magic

The ring's abilities are unaffected by the protective, anti-magic area of this room due to its nature as a dark artifact.

Roleplaying Leo

Leo has been expecting (and preparing for) Strahd’s arrival for decades, and while he hoped that the Forbiddance spell protecting the monastery would keep the forces of the undead away until his own quiet death (he believes the ring is slowing his aging, not preventing it), he has also built other contingencies into the room. He will not go gentle into that good night.

In his research, he has learned what Strahd has become. He acts as if he is superior to and smarter than Strahd for having outsmarted him all those years ago, but in truth he fears Strahd’s retribution above all else and will bargain with the characters to spare his life and betray Strahd.

If the characters stop to speak with him, he will get more desperate the longer the conversation goes on and change persuasion tactics as follows:

• He will begin attempting to convince the party of Strahd’s evil.
• If they are not won over by the prospect of an alliance or attempt to threaten him, he will offer them 1000 gp (the remainder of his family’s fortune) that is stored in the chest in his room (area M4c) to lie to Strahd and say that he is not there. He will give them the key and send them on their way.
• If the characters still disagree with him, Leo, a (High Priest wielding the Ring of Winter) will use all of the powers at his disposal to flee and lock himself in his room (M4c).

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CHAPTER 10 | THE LEGACY OF VASILI VON HOLTZ

If the characters call for Strahd:

• Leo will use all of the powers at his disposal to kill his opponents and will wait for Strahd's arrival here to restrain him before fleeing to his quarters.
• On initiative count 20, on the second turn after combat begins, Strahd bursts through the wall and through his desperate pain, lunges at Leo, and attempts to cast a Fireball, disregarding any other targets in the room.
• If the characters do not warn Strahd, the antimagic field dissipates his spell. Leo attempts to stake him.
  • After casting the spell, he will realize his error in judgement and focus on dealing non-lethal damage.
• If Strahd knows of the anti-magic field, he will instead take Leo’s mace and attempt to knock him unconscious.

Once Leo has been knocked out, Strahd will slough his body over his shoulder and leap from the hole in the wall, falling until he can cast Fly on himself.

If the characters side with Leo or otherwise convince him that they are here to help him, he will tell them on his plan:

1. Lure Strahd into this protected room, assuming his hubris will draw him into the anti-magic trap.
2. The pain brought on by the Forbiddance spell will prevent Strahd and his forces from reaching him, and if they do arrive they will be badly weakened.
3. He will use the power of the Ring of Winter's Flesh to Ice ability to freeze Strahd solid.
4. He will also use the Ring of Winter to decrease the temperature of the room down to -30 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. With the temperature cooled and Strahd frozen, he will shatter Strahd's body.
6. Strahd will be forced into a mist-like state and will try to find a resting place that would have to be nearby, likely at the base of the mountain.
7. Leo will try to reach Strahd place of rest and drive a stake into the vampire's body.

Unfortunately for Leo, even a vengeful and prideful Strahd is an intelligent and adept tactician and soldier.

1. If Leo attempts to freeze Strahd, he will turn to mist as soon as the ice begins to form around him.
2. Strahd will return to his physical form outside of the monastery's walls and cast Fly on himself.
3. If he has fallen below half of his health he will flee, pledging that he will find Leo eventually.

M3h. Prayer Chamber

If the players enter this room, read:

The low groan of a shifting foundation groans through the quiet tranquility. A hooded figure looms silently in the corner, its limbs drawn beneath a cloak.

This room is used exclusively by the Scribe and the Orator as a place of quiet meditation and prayer. Any other monks that need to climb to the Orator's House (area M4) must do so by climbing the ladder and exiting through the Acolyte's Tunnel (area M3i).

The statue here is dedicated to the Order's founder who led the construction of the monastery on the mountainside in order to keep a watchful eye on (and a respectful distance from) the Amber Temple. An engraving at the base of the statue simply reads: "The Guardian."

M3i. Acolyte's Tunnel

This tunnel is a man-made cavern carved into the mountain to allow Acolytes to cross through the Sanctum and bring the Orator food and drink when necessary.

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CHAPTER 10 | THE LEGACY OF VASILI VON HOLTZ

The Order of the Guardians Monastery - The Orator's House

As the Order strictly adheres to their hierarchy, no other monks are permitted to enter the Orator's House. As such, Leo has continued to live as luxurious of a lifestyle as his family's remaining fortune has permitted.

When the characters approach the exterior, read:

Reinforced iron secures the doorway of the structure at the end of the path. A cascade of water rushes down the mountain on the far side of the building, raining down into the haze hundreds of feet below.

Leo Dilisnya has replaced the door to the Orator's House with an alloy of iron and silver and created a makeshift waterfall to reinforce his defenses against the undead after learning that iron and running water may protect against vampires.

It is currently locked and can be opened with the key found on Leo's person in the Auditorium (area M3g). A character can also pick the lock using thieves’ tools and a successful DC22 Dexterity check or break the door down with a successful DC25 Strength check.

M4a. Living Room

When the characters open the door to the house, read:

The scent of pine and trickle of water fill the room with a sense of natural comfort. Aside from those features, however, this room is gaudy and overflowing with abundance. An extravagant, lion's pelt rests in front of a well-crafted fireplace. A gilded chandelier is hoisted overhead by rope and hangs above the headrest of a leather lounge chair. Along the northern wall, a set of stairs climbs to a second floor.

M4b. Second Floor Landing

Leo has done his best to keep warm, even with the cold embrace of the Ring of Winter closes in on his mind and body. As such, he has tried to lay exquisite, Vistani rugs down across the floorboards and light the torches of his home with magical fire. These efforts, however, are not helping.

The second floor of this building is where Leo spends most of his time, and the ring's presence has left a painful chill here.

A stream cascading from the north wall and into the southwest corner of the room still runs, but large chunks of ice occasionally impede its smooth flow.

The temperature on this floor reaches extreme temperatures. Characters who don’t have heat sources, cold weather gear, or magic to protect them are subject to the effects of extreme cold, as described in the “Weather” section in chapter 5, “Adventure Environments,” of the Dungeon Master’s Guide.

M4c. Indoor River

In another attempt at staving off Strahd, Leo has dug through the mountain walls to an underground river and diverted its flow through the building, forming a protective barrier of running water.

The barrier is not perfect and will not actually keep a vampire from entering Leo's Quarters (area M4d). He has, however, hidden a Light Crossbow and 20 silvered crossbow bolts under the water.

Treasure A light crossbow and 20 silvered bolts.

M4d. Leo's Quarters

When the characters enter this room, read:

Opulent violet bedding drapes over the edges of a bed built for a king. At its foot rests a banded iron chest, thrice locked and secured to the floorboards. Standing stalwart over the bed chamber is a ten foot tall suit of armor clutching tightly to a claymore.

The suit of armor is a medium-sized Iron Golem wielding a silvered greatsword that Leo has enchanted to protect him from any intruders. If someone enters the room without speaking the command word, "Dilisnya", within one minute of entry, the golem will spring to life and follow its order: "kill anyone who you do not recognize."

The lead-lined chest at the foot of the bed is currently locked and can be opened with the key found on Leo's person in the Auditorium (area M3g). A character can also pick the lock using thieves’ tools and a successful DC25 Dexterity check.

Inside is a bag of assorted gold coins and gemstones with a total worth of 1000 gp, several patches and brooches depicting the Dilisnya house sigil, and a smaller coffer.

The coffer is locked and sealed with an Arcane Lock spell. Leo has disposed of the key, and it can only be opened using thieves' tools and a successful DC35 Dexterity check. The chest protects a Manual of Clay Golems that Leo obtained in the event that his Iron Golem is ever lost or destroyed.

Treasure The chest at the foot of the bed contains 700 gp worth of assorted gemstones, 300 gp in gold coins, and a Manual of Clay Golems.

The Iron Golem in the corner wields a silvered greatsword.

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CHAPTER 10 | THE LEGACY OF VASILI VON HOLTZ

A Gift for a Friend

When Leo is knocked unconscious or killed, Strahd flees, or the characters have otherwise completed their mission on the mountain, read:

Chapter Close

“At that, Lord Vasili smiled and bowed low, his promise fulfilled."

Treasure

The attuned creature may now cast Forbiddance as a ritual spell once per dusk.

Chapter 11: The Final Dusk

"My curse is to know no happiness. No love. At every turn this accursed place turns them to ash, slipping from my grasp."

Strahd, even after almost a century, continues to believe that Tatyana is rightfully his true love, but for some time before meeting her and in the time after her death he maintained something close to what a normal person would call a relationship with Patrina Velikovna of the Barovian dusk elves.

Patrina, of course, never held a candle to Tatyana in Strahd's eyes. Regardless, he does not enjoy others taking things that he believes to be his. The dusk elf tribe killed Patrina after they discovered she was apparently in league with Strahd, and their decision incited the wrath of the devil himself.

One of Strahd's Vistani spies rushed to the castle to inform him that the tribe had turned against Patrina, but the Dark Lord arrived too late. He could not save her, but he could enact a deft and terrible revenge on the Dusk Elves and ensure that they could never continue their legacy.

The Party's Involvement

The characters arrive along with Strahd and Rahadin at the dusk elf and Vistani encampment on the outskirts of Vallaki. They have come to finish the genocide committed by Strahd's family and led by Rahadin against the elves, and the party is to help to round up the victims.

The module indicates that Rahadin was sent by Strahd to commit this atrocity all his own. This chapter supposes that Strahd, in both his boredom and driven by frustration, would want to be present for the event. If you do not feel Strahd would attend directly, you may wish to skip this chapter. You could also have his familiar, a bat (or vampire parrot) named Bartholemew, accompany Rahadin and deliver Strahd’s lines as Rahadin.

The history of the dusk elves in Barovia has also been adjusted slightly using pieces of u/TheAmuzingMu's "Much Ado About Dusk Elves." These changes include:

• Kasimir and Patrina are the prince and princess that Rahadin betrayed for King Barov because he disproved of their “weak” leadership.
• All of the male dusk elves are killed in this event rather than the female elves.
• Kasimir is a transsexual male elf and does not need to be killed alongside the other men.

This chapter will allow for either history to be useful largely by changing the pronouns used, so keep the alterations in mind if you're interested!

The Dusk Elf Camp

The characters stand at the top of the hill of the Vistani Camp (area N9). The key difference this evening is that the Vistani wagons are nowhere to be seen, instead a gruesome murder lies before them. When they arrive, read:

The tops of pine trees pepper your periphery. Fading light far beyond the clouds grows distant, and you recognize that it is nearly sundown here in Barovia. You linger around a circle of figures clad in dark cloaks and leather armor. Many of their faces are obscured, but those that aren't have distinctly elven features. At their feet, is an unmoving humanoid shape. A muffled, but forceful shockwave bursts out from the center of the crowd. Their hoods are blown back, and one lunges at you, their eyes burning with death and hatred. 'Traitor!' They shout, locking eyes with the Rahadin, who stands unmoving at your side. The now unhooded elf spits forcefully, but their projectile meets an invisible surface and drips through the air.

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CHAPTER 10 | THE LEGACY OF VASILI VON HOLTZ - CHAPTER 11 | PATRINA VELIKOV AND THE FINAL DUSK

The elf that attempted to spit at Rahadin is Kasimir Velikov, the current leader of the dusk elves and Patrina's sibling.

The boom of energy was a Forcecage spell that Strahd has cast to seal in the perpatrators of Patrina's murder and prevent them from aiding the other elves. The cage is 20 feet on a side and is made from 1/2-inch diameter bars spaced 1/2 inch apart. He is slowly climbing the hill toward the party.

Before he arrives on the scene, the characters may choose to briefly investigate their surroundings or speak with Rahadin.

If the characters choose to speak with Rahadin he will willingly (even with a tinge of frustration) explain why they are here, but he will not share any information about his own past or his relationship with the tribe.

The Caged Elves

Trapped inside of Strahd's magical cage are thirteen dusk elves, including Kasimir Velikov and the body of Patrina Velikovna.

If approached, the elves are initially hostile to the characters but will share the following information out of bitterness:

• Strahd corrupted Patrina and her mind. They killed her to prevent her from becoming a terrible monster like him.
• Rahadin is a traitor to his people, and it is his fault that there are so few of them left here.

If the characters ask what they can do to help the elves in any way, they must first succeed on a DC22 Dexterity (Stealth) check to speak quietly enough that Rahadin does not hear them. If they are noticed by Rahadin will actively pull the traitor away and question their loyalty. If they defy him or otherwise deny their fealty to Strahd, he will attack.

If they are successfully able to whisper to the caged elves, a character can convince the dusk elves to trust them with a successful DC18 Charisma (Persuasion) or Charisma (Deception) check. The elves will share the following:

• The remainder of the tribe may not yet know that Strahd is here, and they must be warned that they are in danger.
• Help protect the children. The devil will not hesitate to kill everyone.
• There are some hovels just beyond in the woods, you may be able to hide them there.

After a minute or so has passed, read:

The Hunt

The characters are tasked with locating the remaining dusk elves in the camp and returning them to the top of the hill so that Strahd can finish them off.

There are currently 3d10 dusk elves unaccounted for on the hilltop that are still within the area of the camp. A small portion of the remaining population are currently off in other areas of Barovia at the moment and are killed in the days and weeks that followed as Strahd ensure his vengeance was carried out in full.

The 3d10 dusk elves in the area of the camp are hidden around the hill in their hovels and along the edge of the forest. Any character searching inside of a home can find 1d4 dusk elves inside with a successful Wisdom (Survival) check contested by the elves' Dexterity (Stealth) check.

Any character searching the woods can track 1d4 dusk elves through the foliage with a successful Wisdom (Survival) check contested by the elves' Dexterity (Stealth) check. Any elves hiding in the forest have advantage on this skill check.

Any elves found in the search will plead with the characters to keep them safe, insisting that they did nothing wrong. If any characters inquire about what is going on, they will share the following information:

• Patrina, Kasimir, and some of the others have practiced magic for ages, but she was beginning to explore the darker sides of the arcane.
• Patrina has regularly been the tribe's liaison with the castle.
• Kasimir and the others believed that Patrina was too close to Strahd and that she had become a danger to the tribe.

If any character directly requests that the elves come with them or the characters attempt to remove any of those in hiding by force, the elves will bargain for their safety by offering:

• Up to 5gp per person, their life savings.
• A protective prayer from an old Elven deity.
• An individual may volunteer themselves and request that the rest of their family be spared and allowed to flee.
• A promise that they will disappear from this place and Strahd will never find them.

They do not believe that they can actually escape Strahd, but they will try to make a case for it. Any character trying to discern the elves' intent can easily recognize genuine fear. A successful DC12 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals that these people are honestly offering all they have.

Mission Accomplished

The characters must round up at least twelve of the elves or disappoint Strahd. If they are unable to locate the elves, he will cast Thunderwave at 5th-level when the party is together at the top of the hill, knocking them back and forcing them to make a DC15 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked down the hill and take an 3d10 bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Regardless of the characters' performance, Rahadin returns with a group of 10 elves bound together with rope by the end of the hour.

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CHAPTER 11 | THE FINAL DUSK

Snuffed Out

With the characters and elves gathered atop the hill, many unconscious or otherwise injured, read:

Chapter Close

"If Tatyana's beauty was as a river in a spring flood, Patrina's was a brushfire smoldering in a dying forest. With her flame extinguished, I ensured her murderers joined me in the cold night."

Treasure

The attuned creature may now cast Forcecage as a ritual spell once per dusk.

Chapter 12: A Soul's Return

"The girl's auburn hair was braided high and her clothes more closely resembled rags, but it was her. The same Tatyana I'd known all those years ago..."

Strahd believed for decades that he was doomed to never see Tatyana's face again. That his curse was to lose his love for eternity. It was not until he met a young servant girl by the name of Marina in the village of Berez did he realize that Tatyana's soul could find new life. He could try again.

In an attempt to succeed where had failed decades before, Strahd hoped desperately to charm Marina and turn her into a vampire to rule by his side. Over the course of the three days after their meeting, Strahd watched over Marina's every move and each night he would return to her home, charm her, speak with her, savor their time together, and ultimately feed on her. Unfortunately for him, Marina's adoptive father, Lazlo Ulrich—the burgomaster of Berez—and the local priest recognized her symptoms as the telltale signs of a vampiric corruption.

Though it pained him to do so, Lazlo decapitated Marina before Strahd could complete the bride ceremony that would make her undead transformation permanent and helped Strahd to realize the full pain of his curse.

The Bride Ceremony

Vampires are able to create new undead fairly easily, but creating a new vampire bride is not a simple process. The important information to keep in mind for the events here is that the “first step is that a vampire feeds on a mortal, nearly to the point of death, on three separate occasions. Once the vampire is done with the third feeding, they immediately cut themselves open and press their intended's mouth to the bleeding wound so that they drink vampiric blood.” You read all about the full ceremony in this amazing write up by u/guildsbounty.

Every ounce of obsessive passion that Strahd had (and still has) for Tatyana boiled over, and he rained hell upon the settlement for robbing him of his true love, leaving the quiet, riverside town the decaying swamp that it is today.

The Party's Involvement

The party has the opportunity to visit the bustling town of Berez, two days prior to its destruction. On the first day they arrive in town alongside Vasili von Holtz to visit the burgomaster who has come into possession of several books of old magic.

He bids them to leave when he lays eyes on Marina, and the characters are able to explore the town while they wait for their lord to finish conducting his business.

The Gossip of Berez

Anyone the characters interact with in town knows the following:

Concerning the Town

• The town square is bustling during the day, but Berez goes dark after sundown to hide from Baba Lysaga and her hut.
• Baba Lysaga is a terrible spirit of a wood witch that was killed here.
• Taltos' Trading Post has supplies if you're headed on a journey. Their prices are quite reasonable.
• River's End doesn't receive a lot of visitors, but their accommodations are just fine.
• The Church of St. Ecaterina and the graveyard behind it are maintained by Father Grigor.

Concerning the Burgomaster

• Lazlo Ulrich is the burgomaster of Berez.
• He's fat and lazy but mostly stays out of the town's way.
• Marina Ulrich was adopted by the burgomaster when she was young.
• Rumor has it he actually wants to undo the adoption and marry her.

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CHAPTER 11 | THE FINAL DUSK - CHAPTER 12 | A SOUL'S RETURN

Concerning Marina

• She was found unconscious along the river by Father Grigor as a young woman.
• She does not remember where she came from before arriving here.
• She is a kind woman that offers her help to those in need.

A Day (or Three) About Town

In the early days of Strahd's rule, the town of Berez continued to prosper for a limited time. While the party explores the town they have the opportunity to meet a number of Berez's inhabitants and take a brief respite to pick up some supplies. Many of the townspeople are Barovian souls that the characters have encountered on their journey that found new bodies to inhabit centuries later.

Reduce, Resoul, Recycle

Reincarnated Barovian souls physically resemble their past lives, but their personalities may be wildly different. This gives you the opportunity to toy with your players expectations for the citizens of Berez.

If the characters don't recognize any of the citizens listed here, feel free to swap them with NPCs that you think they'll recognize!

The cottages (area U1), church (area U4), and the town square (which stands in the open space between the cottages and area U3 in the present day) are all busy and bustling. The town square also includes a shop and an inn: Taltos Trading Post and the River’s End.

Outside

The village is busy with trade, conversation, and work during the afternoon. If any characters choose to spend time wandering around outside without entering a specific location, they may encounter one or both of the following characters:

Darzin (Bildrath Cantemir)

• A local turnip farmer with a passion for his crops.
• He is chipper and excited about the upcoming harvest.
• He's close friends with Harkus Taltos.
• Day 1: He is wandering around the town square talking to people.
• Day 2: He is in his yard, harvesting turnips.
• Day 3: He is in the town square with a stall, selling his vegetables at a farmer's market.

Grilsha (Gertruda)

• A young woman who spends most of her days taking care of her father.
• Every so often she has the opportunity to spend the afternoon wandering near the river.
• She is a devout follower of the Morninglord and wears a pendant made of vines and a stone around her neck.
• Day 1: She is leaving her home for a walk around town.
• Day 2: She is leaving the church and headed home.
• Day 3: She is buying some turnips from Darzin.

Taltos Trading Post

Taltos Trading Post is Berez's general store. The owners, Harkus and Kala, sell items from the Adventuring Gear table in the Player's Handbook, but only items lower than 25 gp in the table.

Harkus Taltos (Vargas Vallakovich)

• A person who has few joys left in life.
• He cares deeply for his wife.
• He is easily offended if anyone disrespects the store or complains about the merchandise.
• Day 1: He is cleaning and restocking shelves.
• Day 2: He is trying to do some accounting work and some of the numbers appear to be off.
• Day 3: He is upset with Kala about her side business.

Kala Taltos (Fiona Wachter)

• A woman that is frighteningly melodramatic. There is a flair about her that most Barovians simply do not have.
• She makes all of her own clothes.
• She manages all of the finances for the trading posts.
• She is lying to Harkus about how successful the business is at the moment and has been doing work around town to keep them afloat.
• Day 1: She is cleaning and restocking shelves.
  • Day 2: She is walking around behind the building, hoping to sneak away to do some farming work.
  • Day 3: She is fighting with Harkus and then marches off to River's End for a drink.

River’s End

River's End is Berez's inn and tavern. On Day 1 and Day 2 the inn is empty. On Day 3, Kala Taltos can be found at the bar.

There are casks of all three wines from the Wizard of Wines Winery here. A pint of Purple Grapemash No. 3 is 3 cp, a pint of Red Dragon Crush is 1 sp, and a pint of Champagne du le Stomp is 3 sp.

Miruna (Anna Krezkov)

• A woman with a bored and flippant demeanor and an indifference to new customers.
• She inherited the inn from her family, but she's been jaded by the fact that no one ever visits Berez except for the occasional Vallakian or Vistani merchant.
• She spends most of her days recording bits of gossip she hears in a journal and will actively share any ongoing information about other people in the town.
• Day 1: She is actively writing down notes about what she saw other people doing in the town square.
• Day 2: She is spying on the characters from the top floor and comes downstairs when they enter.
• Day 3: She is rolling an empty cask of Red Dragon Crush out of the front door.

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  CHAPTER 12 | A SOUL'S RETURN

St. Ecaterina's Church

St. Ecaterina's Church has the same layout as the churches of Barovia and Vallaki, without the undercroft. It was named after Fatima Ecaterina, a priest of the Morninglord that the people of Berez believed fought back Lysaga and her wood witches.

The story is untrue. Lysaga is alive and well and has become the hag-like creature she is in the present day. Ecaterina did, however, successfully chase the witches from the land and consecrate the church grounds.

Father Grigor (Izek Strazni)

• A fanatical priest of the Morninglord with a zealous but kind energy. He truly wants what is best for the city, even if he is a bit aggressive about it.
• He firmly believes that the Morninglord is the only way that anyone can be saved from undeath or the torture of Baba Lysaga.
• He fears that anyone walking around outside after dark may be a monster.
• He well read and knows how to kill vampires and prevent the dead from being raised.
• He has stopped burying bodies and started burning them without anyone’s knowledge even though it is against his belief as a priest.
• He has dug up most of the cemetery and has been systematically burning the bodies in secret.
• He cares deeply for Marina Ulrich and regrets not taking her under his wing himself.
• Day 1: He is giving a sermon and blessing a handful of orphans that help around the church.
• Day 2: He is digging a new grave in the cemetery, but it is for show. He has actually been digging up old ones to make sure they have not been bitten, as he got word from the burgomaster about Marina’s sudden illness and suspects that she may be turning.
• Day 3: He is preparing a kit including holy water, a stake, garlic, a symbol of the Morninglord, and a mirror to take with him to the burgomaster's mansion just before sundown. The burgomaster arrives at the end of the conversation to talk to Grigor about the plan for later that day.

The Burgomaster's Mansion

The burgomaster's mansion of Berez has the same layout as those of Barovia and Vallaki. Lazlo hosts Vasili and the characters in the mansion's equivalent to the parlor (area N3b).

Vasili will request that his escorts leave the parlor after he lays eyes on Marina, but he will be too focused on her if they decide to stay against his wishes.

Vasili von Holtz

• He has come to Berez to gather some powerful magical tomes in his pursuit of esoteric knowledge.
• Upon seeing Marina, his focus becomes entirely dedicated to understanding what he is seeing.
• He spends his days here learning as much as he can about her.
• Day 1: He will spend the day asking the burgomaster questions about Marina as she darts in and out of the room.
• Day 2: He demands that he have some time alone with Marina.
• Day 3: He helps a nursemaid take of Marina as she appears to be on death's door.

Marina Ulrich (Ireena Kolyana/Tatyana)

• A sheepish but physically strong girl who has grown up in the burgomaster's mansion as more a servant than an adoptive daughter.
• She only vaguely remembers being found by the river.
• She has had strange dreams of living in a castle all her life.
• She spends almost all of her time inside of the mansion. Lazlo does not like her to leave often.

• She loves to read when she can find new books to sink into.

• Day 1: She serves the house's guests and will step in and out of the parlor with food and drink.

• Day 2: She is a bit under the weather but spends her day with Vasili in the parlor.
• Day 3: She is bedridden with an intense fever, has been vomiting blood all morning, and appears paler than the Barovian mist. She is on the verge of a total vampiric transformation.

Lazlo Ulrich

• A pompous, self-absorbed man that was once a great, charismatic leader and now uses his age as an excuse to binge on food and drink.
• He has tried to grow his own wine grapes here in town. He will brag about them, but they are rotting and the wine is practically undrinkable.
• He secretly wants to marry Marina. She would be his fourth wife.
• He contacted Strahd to offer up some old books that he found in the attic after Rahadin visited the town a few days ago on the lord’s behalf, requesting that everyone conduct a thorough search of their family heirlooms and shelves.
• Day 1: He is as gracious a host as he can be to Mr. von Holtz and his guests.
• Day 2: He is binge drinking and ranting to one of his servants in his suite about how he's been put out in his own home by an assistant to a lord that doesn't exist.
• Day 3: He takes an early morning trip to the church to tell Father Grigor of Marina's sickness. Grigor immediately recognizes the symptoms, and the two meet in secret at the church in the afternoon to discuss killing Marina if it is too late.

Time to Move On

A day in Berez ends after the characters have taken the time to speak to at least two townspeople or have otherwise spent sufficient time investigating the village.

You may also choose to give them more or less time to explore as the core story of Berez's destruction is documented through Strahd's relationship with Marina after the sun has set.

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CHAPTER 12 | A SOUL'S RETURN

Visits in the Night

At the end of each of the three days in Berez, the characters witness Strahd's visits with Marina (and her gradual transformation) firsthand.

Night One: A Reunion

When the first day ends, read:

The woman that you know to be Ireena Kolyana rests peacefully in her bed. From the shadow in the corner of the room, Strahd von Zarovich rises as if separating himself from the night and shifting into a beacon of moonlight. He stares at her with a kindness not seen in his eyes for centuries. 'Tatyana... Tatyana...' The young woman sits up her bed, a haze swirls in her eyes, and she returns his longing stare.

Strahd sits with Marina through the night, covering his presence with his vampiric charm, and reminding her, in excruciating detail, of his alternate version of her past life. A life they shared together. He ends the conversation by sinking his teeth into her neck and laying her to rest just before sunrise.

Night Two: A Promise

When the second day ends, read:

Night Three: A Flood

When the third day ends, read:

Chapter Close

"Nearly half a century had passed, and I'd grown accustomed to the pain of mourning. Then to have her return—to have a glimpse of the paradise that lay before us—and then to lose her again... It was too much. Despairing, I wallowed in the mud and gave in to the grief."

Treasure

The attuned creature may now cast Tsunami as a ritual spell once per dusk.

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CHAPTER 12 | A SOUL'S RETURN

Epilogue: A Lord's Rest

When the characters are ejected from the end of Chapter 12 and return to the present day, the text of the chapter is recorded as usual, but the ink continues to fill in on the following page. If the characters follow along with the text, you can either read the following or refer to the handout in Appendix C.

'How many times over the centuries had I met you? How many times had I lost you? I could not say. You ever wore the same face, but under a different name, sometimes a wholly different personality, though somehow I'd always found a way to touch those hidden memories in you heart.

'And somehow, we'd always lose. Throughout the generations, we would lose over and over again, forever trading joy for grief.

'If I could just once break the pattern, break whatever curse that kept us apart. In doing that, I might find freedom for us both.

'But year after year fled by; they piled into decades, massed into centuries.

'How many lay before me? And were they all to be as lonely as those I'd already had? Unable to answer, unwilling to guess, I sit and stare at your portrait and feel another night slipping away into the irretrievable past.

'If I could just rest. Sleep. Sleep for more than just a single day, sleep away all my sorrows and lose myself in… I wasn't sure. To drift, dreamless and serene. To forget. To… rest.'

33

EPILOGUE | A LORD'S REST

Appendix A: Spell Rewards

Appendix B: Maps

Many of the maps referenced here are found within the Curse of Strahd module itself. For original maps designed for the purposes of these adventures, see below:

1. The Hag's Hut
2. The Order of the Guardians Monastery

Appendix C: Handouts

1. Item Card
2. Letter announcing the death of Queen Ravenovia
3. Final page excerpt

Credits

• The Homebrewery for the amazing template
• u/Umbramy for their conversion of the Tome into an interactive experience.
• u/FartBot_9000 for collecting some of the subreddit's expanded lore into a more detailed Tome.
• P.N. Elrod for the character work done for our Dread Lord in I, Strahd.
• Forgotten Adventures for the endless, beautiful map assets used to create the Order of the Guardians Monastery and the Hag's Hut.
• Mist XG for the piece that inspired my depiction of Vampyr.
• James RPG Art for the unparalleled artistic depictions of Barovian landscapes.
• u/flamableconcrete for the watercolor page stains to give life to the Vampyr image on paper.

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Appendices