One Night Strahd

ACT II: CoRnUe SnHi g hYt Os tUr aRh dENEMIES
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‣ She does have access to holy magics, • This story, for the most part, is true. Unless
though they derive from a terrible players ask prying questions, any Wisdom
aspect of the Morninglord called The (Insight) check succeeds and tells them that.
Burning Hate, patron of vengeance and However, make it clear that she’s likely
victory at any cost. summarizing and abridging.

‣ She retains the implements of her faith • She may reluctantly divulge that in fact, those
and will display them. events are ancient history. She’ll insist that
Barovia is caught in a loop of reincarnations and
• She loved the honorable and beautiful broken time, which is true, but she’ll also insist
Sergei, brother to the mighty and righteous that she seeks to kill Strahd.
Strahd.
• Most groups will begin metagaming at
• Barovia was a kingdom at war for most of this point. It’s simply impossible to prevent.
its history, and she served on the battlefield
with both Strahd and Sergei. • On the other hand, their characters have
every reason to be suspicious.
• Strahd was destined for the throne, and
slated for a loveless marriage with an elven • See MANAGING THE META below
archmage to help seal an alliance with the for more.
dusk elves.
• She knows that Sergei is an animated sentient
• Irena mentions that the archmage loved skeleton, though she won’t volunteer this.
Strahd, though came to hate him for his
dalliances, cruelty, and growing malice. • This is due to a curse of some sort, or a
monkey paw’d wish to the Dark Powers.
• Strahd began to court Tatyana, and though
she made her disinterest clear, it became an • She wants the LUCK BLADE to try and
obsession. reverse it.

• Sergei proposed, and this drove Strahd mad • If confronted with the fact that it has been
with jealousy. He believed that if he just had perhaps a hundred years since the last
enough time and power, he could take her adventurers, she’ll attempt to explain away the
love by force and magic. chronology. This will likely trigger repeated
Charisma (Deception) checks and should
• Here, she will mention that she was unaware ultimately lead to an end to the ruse.
at the time, but that Strahd made a pact
with one of the Great Patrons in a temple of What Proof She Offers
Amber—a pact that would ultimately grant
him life eternal as a Vampire Lord. • She will willingly expose herself to sunlight for
up to a minute, using the heart and her own
• On Tatyana’s wedding night, Strahd killed terrible resilience to endure it without any sign
Sergei, and when she slew Strahd in a of pain or damage.
retaliatory duel, he rose again as a vampire.
• She will allow attempts to turn her, detect her,
• She threw herself to her death from and even dispel magic. If the dispel successfully
the battlements to prevent Strahd from ends Nystul’s magic aura, she will prepare to go
charming her. She leaves his intentions hostile.
unspoken as loudly as possible.
• She’ll happily assist players in killing other
• Surviving the fall with the unexpected help undead, unless a solid opportunity to betray
of the heartbroken archmage, she went them in a moment of weakness presents itself.
into hiding and began to plot the end of the
Vampire Lord. • She can and will help them acquire the STAFF
OF POWER, though she’ll attempt to get the
• She has always and will always love Sergei. party to let her carry it, especially if they allow

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her to take the lightning damage. If they let her • Irena as a character is not particularly interested
have it, allow Wisdom (Insight) checks until the in maintaining a sustained deception.
disguise collapses.
To manage metagaming and to keep it from feeling
• Players should never lose both the LUCK like deception is either inevitable or impossible,
BLADE and the STAFF OF POWER. consider the following three tricks:

• Irena cannot soulbind the staff, as she 1. Make the lower stakes clear so that players feel
cannot attune to it. comfortable accepting some measure of failure.

• As a result, it can be taken back from her by 2. Intentionally slip during the deception and then
wrenching it away. ask how their characters would react.

• A rogue using Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) 3. Major discussion is assumed to happen in
should be allowed to try to retrieve it. character, in front of Irena.

• It can also be won back as part of a Rite, Finally, there are excellent reasons for characters
specifically Rusty Cage or Force of Will. to be suspicious. If players are leveraging out-of-
game information or intuition, gently ask them to
• Maple will always attempt to do this when provide a justification for their character having
they join. similar knowledge in the form of a quick flashback.
This helps ground unavoidable behavior back into
Managing The Meta the narrative in a harmless way. If they can’t, just
keep moving. Ultimately, the worst reaction to
As soon as players become suspicious, they will metagaming for suspension of disbelief is to dwell
begin to try to use out-of-game knowledge as a way on it.
to drive character actions. It’s easy to condemn
this and insist that this defies the spirit of the game. Dialogue Samples
Unfortunately, that’s not a very useful impulse,
even if it feels cathartic. Metagaming at this point PERSUASIVE
will happen in at least a significant portion of
playthroughs. “I’ve spent years studying the luck blade. I think
there’s a wish that cuts this knot.”
On the other side of the coin, it’s easy to get
attached to the cleverness of deception. In fact, “Help me unwrite my fate and send Strahd to hell.”
there’s a neologism for this—duping delight. This
is an extremely dangerous and negative impulse. “I need your help to get Sergei back—
In fact, Irena’s ruse is intentionally designed to back as he was.”
collapse before it can lead to a complete catastrophe
just to combat this. Why? “Together we can end the cycle! Stop all of this
from happening again.”
• The goal is to create horror and reverse
expectations, not destroy trust. PARTY IS SCARED

• As a player, being duped for more than a few “Look, you’ve read the stories, you know what
minutes feels less like a magic trick and more happens to adventurers who split up!”
like cruelty.
“There’s not long left until the Eclipse.
• Irena was always going to attack them, so We need to hurry up.”
disbelieving her isn’t fundamentally much less
dangerous. “The Brides will be back. They will.”

• Where choices are all bad, players should
not be punished because there was minimal
actual agency.

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PLAYERS ARE ACTIVELY SKEPTICAL • If they rest at ST. MARKOVIA’S TOMB, she
will ambush anyone left on watch.
“The Eclipse is a unique chance to
put a stake in this.” • If they move to the TOME, she’ll ambush
them when they’re halfway through the
“You’ve seen the tomb that’s waiting for me. Prismatic Wall.
You know what my fate would be.”
• If they move to the BASILICA, she’ll ambush
“We’ll be doomed without each other. them on their way in if they are attacked by the
Truly doomed.” Furies. Otherwise, she’ll attack them on their
return trip.
ANGRY
• If they move to the DINNER DATE, three
“This is what the Dark Powers have to offer?” options are viable.

“You are just blips to the Lord of this place. • She ambushes the party after the combat
Not even pathetic.” as they walk out of the Great Hall, targeting
specifically Maple and attempting to Charm
“At least keep your failures tidy.” the wielder of the LUCK BLADE to death.
If they have the SUNBLADE: Generally, she will only stay for three
rounds.
“Why did Sergei’s blade choose you?
Live up to that.” • Replace Rahadin with Irena, producing a
markedly different encounter.
IRENA
• Replace the Minions with Irena. She will stay
TAILS THEM for two rounds before being dragged away
by the antics of the other party. This is the
I RENA’S GOAL IS TO CATCH the players deadliest option and should be used with
unaware. This generally ends in running RIDE OR extreme caution.
DIE, but she may use her Charm ability from the
shadows a few times if she can create ambiguous • If they go to THE TOWER, this will always
or terrifying situations. After three rounds, she will trigger a direct preemptive attack on the
depart scornfully unless players have a clear shot bridge into the Tower, if no other encounter
at defeating her, in which case she will fight until has occurred. The one thing that Irena cannot
destroyed. If she leaves without being defeated, go and will not abide is any chance of Strahd’s
to THE LONG GOODBYE. resurgence. In this circumstance, she fights
relentlessly until destroyed.
Though not limited to just these, she will normally
intervene directly in the following specific scenarios: If you opt to introduce Maple at ST. MARKOVIA’S
TOMB before she attacks, players may be on guard.
• If possible, she’ll lock part of the group inside In this case, it could be fastest to go directly to
one of the tombs while mauling the other using RIDE OR DIE.
her lair actions. Eligible Tombs are: PATRINA,
KHAZAN, and IRENA.

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THE RUSE ORIDRE DIE

IT’S QUITE PLAUSIBLE that the party will
allow Irena to accompany them. Generally, this
runs exactly as per IRENA TAILS THEM except

that she's present to lure players into the listed AS AN INTRO, READ:
situations. There are two additional goals to Those who fight monsters sometimes become
the Ruse. them. It’s not an inevitability, but it is a common
doom. Irena, Vampire Blackguard, walks among
Lies & Self-Justification you, and she is a storm of steel and fangs. The
Blackguard falls upon you in peculiar silence,
Irena will use this opportunity to pollute the players' pausing only to say a prayer to the Morninglord.
understanding of the situation. In particular, she'll
attempt to convince players that sunlight is the only
way to kill a Barovian vampire. If confronted as

a Vampire, she will initially deny it but if pressed, REMINDERS:
she'll justify her actions. The core of her argument Refer to the MAPLE’S AID subsection below for
is that everything she's done, she's done to prevent the triggers for Maple joining.
Strahd's return. Most parties will find this logic Irena will not use her 5th-level slot for Charm
compelling but not exonerative. She uses the and prefers to save resources for the final battle.
gap this confusion creates to attack, and gains

advantage on her initiative check. Irena never Irena will not confess her full role as the Lord at this
spends more than a few minutes explaining herself. point without provocation, but players will probably

Acquire THE LUCK BLADE put it together if only based on her use of the Jade
Gauntlets as her primary weapon. Players will have
She will actively try to persuade players to hand seen these jade gauntlets in the Sunlit Shrine on the
her the weapon. This can easily lead to violence. If central figure of Irena. In fact, she’ll cast aside her
Irena gets the LUCK BLADE, she will burn a wish silvered sword as soon as combat starts. She uses
immediately. She makes her wish in the language of the stats for her VAMPIRE LORD form, found in the
Modron, and it’s quite long and supremely precise. MONSTERS section.
This will likely destroy the Ruse immediately, which

is intended. The wish has no effect except that Irena If players deal damage to Irena, she’ll route it to
becomes unable to make further wishes for the Strahd in his role as the Heart of Sorrow unless he is
duration of this incarnation’s life due to the stress destroyed in THE TOWER encounter. She can route
of pushing the spell much too far. She does not take 125 damage this way.
necrotic damage or have her Strength reduced. As a
result, the LUCK BLADE has minimal use to her, and The first time it happens, read:
she's willing to wager it on a duel if she thinks it will The brutal injury fills with shadowy fire, crimson
keep the party from simply fleeing. As always, her blood mapping veins as it flows obediently through
goal is to exhaust as many resources as possible. the air before flesh and steel heal in seconds. The
Vampire nods with something like affection.

PROCEED TO: Finally:
Ride or Die Roll for initiative. Refer to the IRENA COMBAT
FLOW diagram. After 3 rounds, if Maple is dead,

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Irena will depart unless players have a clear shot The scent of burned cedar and lilies fills the air as
at defeating her, in which case she will fight until their blood splatters the stone. They settle their
destroyed. If she leaves without being defeated, form for a moment, and raise their claws in a pose
that speaks to both terror and defiance.
PROCEED TO:
The Long Goodbye Alternative or Non-Combat Intro

MAIADPLE’S Irena smirks with cruel delight as a little werewolf
steps out of the gloam. “Oh sweetpea, you lost little
PER THE SPECIAL RULES of this subsection, dog. You’ll not long shake the leash.” Poisonous
Maple intervenes in four circumstances: intent drips from the Paladin, and the blood sea
rises in tumorous masses at her call. The wolfling
1. The end of the second round of combat. hunkers into their torn olive coat but doesn’t flee.
“Queen of Dust and Shadow, I am Maple. Last free
2. A player character is killed at any point by Irena, wolf of my pack. I invoke the rite of challenge,
especially with the Charm attack. Irena.” Irena nods, a strange formal gesture—then
everything goes to hell.
3. Players are dangerously close to getting wiped
in a non-interactive way by Irena. TGHOEOLDOBNYGE

4. Players may shake Irena. If so, they meet Maple I RENA STARES AT YOU in frosty scorn.
in St. Markovia’s tomb. Use the DESCRIPTION "Even weighed against eternity, you are a waste
section of Maple’s entry in this case. of time." The Lord of Ravenloft strides away—
ignoring your parting shots. "I'll see you after the
If a character dies, MAPLE enters immediately, Eclipse, when I can kill you properly." There's some
and that player controls Maple until the end of the particular of the Rite of Challenge at play here.
encounter. Maple knows that Irena is the ancient It might be worth finding out more about how
foe of their people and the progenitor of every this works.
bad thing in their very short, awful life. Only their
extremely reasonable terror prevents them from If Irena acquired the LUCK BLADE, she will keep it.
intervening sooner. Maple does not know how While she can't use it, Vasilka or Sergei can.
valuable the LUCK BLADE is, and thus does not try
to prevent Irena from getting it. Players can consult the HEARTSEEKERS, Maple,
Winter, Bur, or Gertruda to discover more about
Maple remains with the party and under player why she left. The relevant aspect is that the Rite
control for the rest of the adventure. proper does not start until the Eclipse. As a result,
doing more than wearing the players down serves
Combat Intro little purpose if it costs her time or resources,
especially if the CRYPTS is early in the run.
A bedraggled werewolf leaps to your aid,
interposing themselves between the blow, their
form flowing like hot mercury under the trauma.

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CHIANTI at this junction, Esmerelda will encourage them to
take the deal. Players may attempt to avoid taking
this seriously. Normally, this would be a problem,

but here we are able to establish tone by resetting

HOW TO RUN player expectations with gameplay.

THIS MINI-SECTION fulfills the promise of the What Strahd Wants
Crypts’ looming malice and makes STRAHD
into a tangible threat. Ironically, to do this requires Ultimately, Strahd has three goals that correspond
a very short and tightly structured appearance to the three things the section aims to accomplish:
from the Vampire Lord. Show too much of the
monster, and the tone of the section will devolve 1. Harm Gertruda, whom he blames for all his
to “Hammer Horror”—this isn’t a problem, but troubles, by breaking what he sees as her toys.

2. Destroy Esmerelda as completely as possible, as
she’s both sympathetic and a credible threat.

it should be a choice you get to make instead of a 3. Attempt to force the player characters into
limitation of the material provided. In particular, making choices that will make the Dark Powers
the conditional reactions serve to provide bite-sized lose interest in them.

characterization. Strahd is a Devastatingly capable combatant,

Section Goals & Summary especially if the players have yet to acquire the
SUN BLADE. If they do have the SUN BLADE,
Fundamentally, the Chianti section attempts to he will focus on weakening that character, before
accomplish three things: attempting to charm or bite them. At this point,

1. Establish Strahd as both awesome and wholly he shows little self-preservation and his goal is
unsympathetic. to provoke the use of the LUCK BLADE or other

2. Introduce and establish Esmerelda as both non-renewable resources, while also setting up
credibly powerful and limited. characters for later deaths at critical moments.

3. Use an irrevocable act to lock the players into Ultimately, the goal of this sequence is to establish
a choice architecture: are they heroes or him as a credible threat; one way to do that is to
anti-heroes? make it clear that simply killing him will achieve
nothing without a plan.
That’s a lot of lift for a relatively short sequence.
THE CHIANTI section takes place almost Conditional Reactions

immediately after players acquire and attune to If burned by sunlight:

the LUCK BLADE. Unless they teleport out, they There’s no fear in his eyes—just calculation as

are guaranteed to encounter Strahd and Esmerelda his face melts and knits, melts and knits, and all

squaring off, and Strahd presses the players into through it, his clear cold eyes watch you with a

service to “keep the game even.” After they are butcher’s dispassion.

entangled, he demands that they explain to him If players try to explain why he shouldn’t do
why he should take them seriously. He does this something:
by asking the player characters to tell them the “You are dust. Talking dust. Clay with feelings.”
most heroic thing that they’ve done. When players

inevitably try to make a joke out of this, he will If Midsummer is seriously injured:

demand they kill Esmerelda or be destroyed. If the “I shall make a mosaic from your bones, yellowed by

players clearly have minimal chance to take Strahd exposure or dyed with mud.”

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If significantly damaged: leave this to you?” Midsummer nods imperiously
He murmurs indulgently, almost to himself, “You are and draws her bow.
pretty little dead things. This is worth being awake Strahd departs.
for after all.”
If he grapples a character:
If players try to run: He examines you. It is cruelly intimate; a farmer you
He spins his greatsword in salute mockingly, as he knew used to gently lift the head of his cows in their
says, “Run, mayfly, run.” last moments, just like this. Then he bites and bites
and bites and there is agony and clarity and doom.
On player character death:
“O God that madest the beautiful earth, when will If players demand to know why he’s killing them:
it be ready to accept thy saints?” The Vampire Lord For the first time, his face twists in rage and when
intones as he plunges the greatsword down. Your he speaks, at first, it feels like a deranged non
blood spatters his face in abstract crimson as he sequitur, “I despise The Innocent One. The Envoy.
finishes the quote, “How long, O lord, how long?” All of this is her fault, you know. She turned Irena
against me! She introduced Irena to Sergei! And
On defeating Esmerelda: now she brings you here, to my fangs and my claws!
He turns to the mightiest of his Brides. The love in When you die, you will blame her too. We will agree
his eyes is venomous and true as he asks, “May I in your last moments.”

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ENCOUNTER FLOW

START
CHIANTI
MODULE

Read:

DINNER FOR
4.5

Read:

DEAD MEN
& TALES

NO YESDid Players Murder
Esmerelda?

Read: Read:

WAR MURDER

Read:

AFTERMATH

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Strahd, The Scourge Himself
Death of Joy, Lord of Despair

PRE

Tactical Note: Strahd will only finish off a character if he can vampirize them.
Precast spells: Strahd always starts combat with mirror image in effect.

1 M: Close with a caster.
A: Fireball, targeting a clump of players.
M: After attack, move to
Unarmed attack, grappling on hit. Target lowest HP target, provoking
lowest HP character. Bite if grapple succeeds, opportunity attacks.
otherwise Unarmed attack twice.
M: Move to lowest HP target,
2 provoking opportunity
A: Full attack sequence, preferring great sword, attacks.
targeting casters.

Charm, burning a 3rd level slot and targeting
lowest HP character.

3

A: Full attack sequence, preferring cestus.

Unarmed attack, grappling on hit. Target
lowest HP character. Bite if grapple succeeds,
otherwise Unarmed attack twice.

4 M: Turns to skeletal bats and
Strahd departs in a flounce, if Esmerelda is dead. vanishes.
Otherwise, he repeats Turn 3 until she dies,
targeting her exclusively.

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The Brides

Druids of Wrath and Blood

PRE

Tactical Note: The Brides retreat and take up high positions to avoid sunlight.

1 M: Maintain distance.
A: Entangle, targeting space around any users of
sunlight sources.

2 M: Rotate to encircle.
A: Full Thornbow attacks, preferring sunlight users
followed by casters. M: Close after attack sequence,
preferring highest HP targets.
3

A: Full Thornbow attacks, preferring sunlight users
followed by casters.

4 M: Close to highest HP targets,
Strahd departs if Esmerelda is dead. Brides begin balancing against AC.
to aggressively focus fire, clawing and attempting
to bite where plausible.

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DINNER Otherwise, Strahd begins to shape both the
landscape and the situation.

FOR 4.5 PROCEED TO:
Dead Men & Tales

Y OU STUMBLE UPON the clatter of combat—a MTDEAEANLD&ES
giantess fighting three exquisite corpses. The
vampires circle her, claws out and air humming with A S HE STRIDES TOWARDS YOU through the
cold. As a strike lands, you see the Vistani woman sea of blood, the floor of the Crypts shifts.
flicker like flame in a draught. Her blade seems real Low sloping battlements ripple up from the hidden
enough, though. granite, stained rust red as they bear the Brides
aloft. From their cruel high vantage, they draw their
Skeletal bats fill the air, exploding from the ceiling bows. Silhouetted against the red shadow, Strahd
vaulted above you. “All things in their season,” they says, “If you destroy Esmerelda, I will leave you to
murmur in a baritone. “When they are ripe. When my darlings—as a treat. Otherwise, you will die.”
they are rotten. When they are memories.”
The battlements are 30 feet tall, at a high enough
The bats begin to take shape, to fill out the slope to be difficult terrain or normal movement
frame of a man. Plate mail made of vampire with a climbing speed. Winter wolves navigate this
bone. “Welcome.” A great sword of cold iron. slope with no penalty.
“I am Strahd.” A silver diadem with eight rubies
that burns on his fever-pale skin. “Join our little If Players Rush Strahd
reenactment. Let’s keep the teams even, shall we?
Make a game of it?” As you rush towards him, he seems to relax before
shooting 60 feet straight up, hovering just below
If any player has a modifier of +5 or higher in the terrible skeletal bats. He is less substantial now,
Religion, History, or Insight, then read: a drifting nightmare afterimage as he speaks, “This
This is Esmerelda. A legendary vampire hunter, her will happen on my terms. No others.” A flaming
myth is inextricably tied to Ravenloft. You read skull of carmine and jade glitters into one of his
about her ill-fated last adventure as you prepared hands as he takes aim.
for your own trip. Probably a bad omen, given that
she’s been dead for two hundred years. She flickers Strahd has just cast zephyr strike and dashed
again. It crosses your mind that death isn’t much of straight up. The process of summoning the skull
an impediment in the land of dust and shadows. has taken more out of him than he shows, breaking
his concentration and reducing his speed to 10ft
Esmerelda uses her full stat block. Cosmetically, until he lands. Combat starts immediately. Strahd
she is described above. There’s a good chance,
especially if this is the second playthrough, that
players may attack Esmerelda immediately.
If they do,

PROCEED TO:
Murder

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will bombard players with fireballs each turn using play. She’ll take a risk for a hero.
the captive flameskull he has just summoned. After
three fireballs, cast as per Strahd’s stats without In Gertruda’s voice, read:
expending spell slots, the skull crumbles into dust. Oh you! Be my dearest saint, the sweet voice of best
At that point, he will revert to his normal behavior and righteous violence. Dark Powers! Turn your
per the COMBAT FLOW. eyes this way! The blood swirls around you. The
chilly red light of a secret sun washes this place.
Players with a Passive Perception of 15 or higher Strahd shrinks back in surprise at last. I cherish this,
can hear the skull whining and pleading. Read: and I cherish you. In this moment, you are my spear.
The skull wails pitifully as he commands it, “No, no, Be your truth.
no, no, no, no—I am not a weapon, I am not
a weapon!” Players gain immunity to necrotic damage for
this encounter and a surprise round as the brief
Esmerelda winces as she seems to recognize the shockwave of sunlight stuns Strahd and the Brides.
voice. Someone she knew. Summoning it seems
to have drained Strahd, though. He moves slower, PROCEED TO:
dodges less cleanly. War

PROCEED TO: Agreement or Weakness
War
If players agree without qualms,

Bargaining or Resistance PROCEED TO:
Murder
If players argue, or seek to demur, read:
“My chittering sweetlings, dear bashful children. If the player characters are clearly unable to deal
What is the greatest act of heroism you have with Strahd based on their performance up to this
committed? What is the best atrocity that law point, Esmerelda will first remind them of the LUCK
and good has asked of you?” He seems genuinely BLADE. If players feel genuinely unable to approach
curious, tilting his head and calculating angles. You the problem, Esmerelda will offer to be destroyed.
are all in very real, very profound danger, a little
voice says, and you hear fear in it. Read:
“I am no more mortal than this bastard. If I must
He will listen to one player character tell their story. die, I will live again. My fire will not perish,”
If players engage with this seriously, all characters Esmerelda says, and she does seem to glow from
gain inspiration. within. She is still a fire giant, still a Knight of the
Flame. She grins wryly, “With that said, I’d much
Otherwise, midway through, Strahd will vanish as he prefer to die fighting. I leave it to you, though.”
casts invisibility and lifts 30 feet into the air. Read:
“Take the deal or be silent. This is your last chance,” In general, players should be encouraged not to
Strahd murmurs, and he does not sound bored, sacrifice Esmerelda. This option is included for
though he tries to. The scent of battle has piqued completeness, and likely means the party is doomed.
his curiosity. It’s possible that they’ll recover thanks to the
treasures of the crypt, but this is a definite defeat.
If players lean into the storytelling, even if their
described act is small, this is enough to win
Gertruda’s favor and draw her more directly into

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MURDER slot for his Charm ability and repeating this on
his legendary action. He does not reveal his flight
abilities. The Brides focus their attacks entirely on

Esmerelda.

Y OU FALL UPON the warrior woman. Caught At the end of the combat,
between the vampires and your onslaught,
she stands little chance. You hear genteel clapping PROCEED TO:
behind you and turn to see a proud and beaming Aftermath
Strahd. He salutes you, and vanishes. The Vampire
Brides fall upon you next, more of them bursting
from the sea of blood.

Strahd leaves; he’s fairly sure the Dark Powers are AFTERMATH
going to lose interest in the party. One more Bride
arrives, bringing the total to four. Combat starts
immediately. At the end of the combat,

PROCEED TO: IF ESMERELDA SURVIVES, note that Esmerelda
Aftermath survived—this will be used in TPKU—
and read the following:
WAR Esmerelda nods. She is pristine—no blood or
wounds mar her—but she is bright as fire. A ghost,
maybe? Or something like one? “Every year, the
Dark Powers rouse me. Every year, I strive and fail
to fulfill my ordained part in this operetta.” She
seems to settle herself, and will answer questions.

T HE GHOST OF ESMERELDA salutes you with Refer to her character entry for more information.
her blade as you turn to work. Strahd returns At this point, she joins the players.
the gesture mockingly, spinning his greatsword
round and round through the air in one hand. The If Esmerelda was murdered by players, read:
vampires move more warily now, thoughtful and Well, everyone’s dead. You pick up Esmerelda’s
precise. Strahd raises his off-hand and begins to sword and move on.
focus his malign will.
The players get GALLANT.
The BRIDES for this encounter are Midsummer,
Solstice, Spring, and Autumn. For Strahd, use his If Esmerelda did not survive, read:
VAMPIRE LORD statistics. Both can be found in This could have gone worse. You pick up
the MONSTERS section. Remember to track spells Esmerelda’s sword and move on, covered in bites
used by Strahd, as they do not regenerate at any and blood.
point. He will never use a 4th- or 5th-level spell
in this fight, but he opens by attempting to Charm The players get GALLANT.
the frailest looking character using a 3rd-level spell
Finally, return to the exploration phase of the
encounter, per the flow diagram.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

SUMMARY............................................ 265 EMPIRE............................................ 277
DENIZENS....................................... 265 THE MISTAKE................................... 278
THE HEART OF SORROW.................. 265 ELDRITCH SPIDER........................... 279
PATRINA’S GOAL.............................. 266 ARCHMAGE...................................... 280
THE ARCANALOTH’S GOAL............... 266 TYRANT............................................281
ENCOUNTER GOALS........................ 266 VAMPIRE.......................................... 282
CREATE APPARENT DANGER........266
HONOR PLAYER CHOICE...............266 HIGHER FORMS.................................... 283
EMBRACE PLAYER CREATIVITY..... 267 START.............................................. 283
SCALING.......................................... 267 WAR................................................. 283
PREPARATION................................. 267 FAMINE............................................ 283
TONE............................................... 267 PRIDE.............................................. 283
GRAIL.............................................. 284
SPECIAL RULES: GAME OF FORMS....... 267 BALOR............................................. 285
RUNNING OUT OF FORMS................. 268 PESTILENCE................................... 286
CHARACTER DEATH......................... 268 HIDDEN ONE.................................... 287
TAPPING OUT................................... 268 ARCHFEY......................................... 288
THE HIGH TOWER............................ 289
CORE ENCOUNTER FLOW..................... 269 LICH................................................ 290
ECLIPSE.......................................... 291
GAME OF FORMS FLOW........................ 270 WISH............................................... 292
THE LOWER FORMS ........................ 270 ENNUI............................................. 293
THE HIGHER FORMS.........................271
OUTRO SCENES................................... 294
INTRO SCENES..................................... 272 FINALE............................................ 294
THE TOWER OF BABEL..................... 272 END & LOOT..................................... 296
THE TOWER OF BABEL - ARRIVAL.... 272 EJECTED......................................... 296

LOWER FORMS..................................... 275 FORM CARDS........................................ 298
STAG-GODDESS............................... 275
EARTHBLIGHT................................. 276

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SUMMARY DENIZENS

THIS ENCOUNTER PRESENTS an alternative STRAHD or IRENA as the Heart of Sorrow
to the standard wizardly duel: the game of
forms is a rapid-fire exchange of weaponized ideas. PATRINA, mighty drow archmage
The game of forms is played by picking a shape,
changing into that shape, and describing it. The THE HEART OF SORROW
opponent then picks a shape to counter that, again
changing into it and describing it. This might be In terms of motivation, the key driver for players to
literal, as in The Sword In The Stone where Merlin head to the Tower is to destroy the Heart of Sorrow
duels Mim, or figurative, as in Sandman where according to their fortune. This is covered in GLASS
Dream duels Chorozon. To excerpt briefly, the & DIAMONDS indirectly, so players may not be
duel between Dream and Chorozon included this perfectly sure what the Heart of Sorrow is, as it is
signature exchange as its beginning: an artifact unique to Barovia. While this artifact
exists, the ruling Vampire Lord is healed every turn
CHOROZON: I am a dire wolf, prey-stalking, lethal prowler. until the heart’s hit point pool is exhausted. In ONS,
DREAM: I am a hunter, horse-mounted, wolf-stabbing. the Heart takes the form of the Vampire Lord who
CHOROZON: I am a horsefly, horse-stinging, hunter-throwing. is not currently in power, imprisoned in sunlight
DREAM: I am a spider, fly-consuming, eight legged. and spellworks. Thus, in Strahd’s arc, it is Irena on
a sunlit slab. For Irena’s arc, it is Strahd entombed
(Neil Gaiman, Sandman: Preludes & Nocturnes #4) in amber. Until the Vampire Lord at the heart of
the heart is destroyed, generally by casting them
For the duel in the tower, Patrina’s forms off the tower, it will continue to operate. The effect
are structured as locations as per the HUNT of the Heart is pronounced and raises the difficulty
ENCOUNTER rules. Player forms are provided at of the final encounter sharply. This makes it one of
the end of the section, with a list of skills associated the most important encounters to complete, and as
with each form. The player form cards provided a result, the Heart is destroyed whether or not the
are only strong suggestions, but any replacements players win the GAME OF FORMS. The only way
should generally retain the associated skills of the to exit the encounter without destroying the heart
card they replace, whether that replacement is made is to actively attempt to do so, either by bailing at
during prep or by player improv. Clever roleplay the beginning or by quitting midway through the
may allow a form to gain a skill, but this can lead to game violently enough that Patrina feels warranted
massive slowdowns and even arguments. Few things in ejecting the players. This is intentionally a rare
in gaming feel worse than a sense that a high-stakes circumstance, and provides extremely powerful
outcome hinged on a decision that was arbitrary. magical consumables as a catch-up mechanism.

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spectacular fashion. This helps ensure that players
succeed and acts as a point of no return. If the
cursed ring is present, Bur accomplishes this by

simply tossing the Vampire Lord with telekinesis.
If a player’s character is currently the arcanaloth
simulacrum, let that player know with a private

note that destroying the Vampire Lord is
their task.

ENCOUNTER GOALS

PATRINA’S GOAL Create Apparent Danger

Patrina aims to make sure the player characters A common issue in heroic fantasy
are competent and driven. Patrina is obligated to and tabletop rpgs is how to represent
try to stop them, but regards this as an interesting archmages. While epic spell battles
formality. She’d very much like to leave Ravenloft and deadly cat-and-mouse games are
for a time, though she’ll inevitably return. As such, both possible in fifth edition, those are long
Patrina wants to make sure that the characters encounters. An archmage that doesn’t want to
who survive are up to the tasks ahead. She’s also die is not going to die. At 6th level, most parties can
aware that the heroes will be reborn in new forms, only really interact with enemies using persuasion
potentially more promising ones, so she targets or direct violence. As a result, this encounter takes
the weak. Patrina will accept skill, endurance, or a the shape of an older folkloric concept. Here, it’s
willingness to self-sacrifice—even if characters are called the Game of Forms, but there are many
dying, Patrina will likely consider them worthy. different names for this trope, which appears
throughout folklore and modern media. Effectively,
THE ARCANALOTH’S GOAL two or more shapeshifters rapidly counter each
other’s transformations in a game of inventive and
BUR’s goal is to toss the Vampire Lord trapped in violent rock-paper-scissors. This feels dangerous,
the Heart off the side of the tower, killing them in a but fundamentally limits the terms of engagement.
It creates a framework of apparent danger where
player success is still likely. The goal is to portray
Patrina as a creature of profound power and
moderate malice who is lazily seeking an exit
from Ravenloft.

Honor Player Choice

The provided forms are strong suggestions. While
the packages of associated skills are carefully
balanced, any form could be associated with them.
Players are encouraged but not required to come up
with their own options.

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Invented forms still count against the players’ 5. Review the player form cards, then print a copy
total of 18 forms. Non-canon forms can and of the forms list for each player.
should generally offer advantage, but never
confer automatic success like stock forms in some TONE
situations. This is to avoid disenfranchising more
timid players by placing the optimal reward out of This encounter centers on a shapeshifter’s duel
reach behind improv or argumentation. because the loss of self and the death of form were
particular horrors in the Victorian or Edwardian
Embrace Player Creativity English authors and the post-Civil War American
authors who form the backbone of gothic horror.
The GAME OF FORMS also offers players a chance The format also allows versatility—it can be
to exercise creativity and stretch their roleplaying played for laughs or as high drama depending on
chops. The encounter design and DCs are balanced the playgroup.
with the assumption that the DMs will be rewarding
players who roleplay their use of a form with FORMSGSPEACIAML REULOES:F
inspiration. Particularly clever roleplay should also
offer advantage on the check, in addition to the
inspiration. Talk directly to players and encourage
them to own the fiction of the game, whether as
the GM or as Patrina. After all, she’s going to be
much more interested in a character who becomes
a gilded box or jar marked with the symbol of Zeus
when they assume the form of Hope.

SCALING W ITH APOLOGIES TO Neil Gaiman among
others, this encounter centers on the
This encounter smooth-scales from 3 to 6 players Game of Forms. Two parties, the players and the
by changing the number of rounds, particularly the archmage Patrina, take turns transforming into
HIGHER FORMS. For 6 players, you may wish to deadly forms. In general, each takes a form to
run one additional form depending on how damaged counter the most recent form of their opponent,
they’ve gotten. and forms are not repeated. This is detailed more
extensively in the Summary, Tone, and later in this
P R E PA R AT I O N section. It is also framed in more narrative language
in player-facing content, particularly TOWER OF
1. Print and review the HUNT ENCOUNTER BABEL - ARRIVAL.
rules that this encounter is based on.
Mechanically, this is modeled using the HUNT
2. Review the special rules for this encounter ENCOUNTER RULES. There are four additions:
that adjust the hunt rules slightly, noting the use
of retries. FORM:
The shape that players assume in their duel with
3. Skim the encounter, reviewing three or four Patrina. The standard set is defined in Form Cards.
forms—ideally, Stag-Goddess, Vampire, Grail, When players are told they must pick a form, they
and Archfey. pick from this list, removing their previous form
from the game.
4. Review the encounter flows and hunt flows,
then read the rest of the encounter.

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FORM SKILLS: A good way to think of this encounter: it’s a hunt
The skills listed on the player form. These skill lists where players pick what to be instead of where to go.
are used to define the available choices for players
during Checks, with most locations offering a RUNNING OUT OF FORMS
default. The default is generally a saving throw or
similar defense, rather than a skill. Finally, more If and only if players have no remaining form cards,
than one player can make a skill check for each they lose the duel. Go to the FINALE. This modifies
form, as the players assume the form as a group. END & LOOT.

SPECIAL FORM EFFECTS: CHARACTER DEATH
Some forms are better or worse choices for a given
step in the duel. At the top of each location, there Characters reincarnate as normal and there is
is a list of forms that grant an automatic success no additional penalty. Patrina will let them keep
or advantage, as well as a shorter list of forms that playing, but these deaths do count towards the
inflict disadvantage. These are marked with for fatigue-like mechanic found in the INCARNATIONS
advantage, for disadvantage, or + for an added section or towards scoring.
success on the Check.
TAPPING OUT
RETRIES:
Many hunt encounters allow retries on their skill Players can, as a group, agree to forfeit at any time.
tests. The GAME OF FORMS requires them. Each If this happens, go to EJECTED if they bail early
location lists how many attempts players must make or FINALE if they bail late. This counts as losing
if they fail. This is used to represent players failing the duel.
to defeat Patrina’s form or brute-forcing their
victory. Reminder text is present everywhere this
is used.

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CORE ENCOUNTER FLOW

Read: YES

TOWER OF BABEL EXIT ENCOUNTER

Bailed? YES

NO

Read:

TOWER OF BABEL -
ARRIVAL

Bailed?

NO

BEGIN GAME OF FORMS

Review: SPECIAL RULES: GAME OF FORMS
Use: GAME OF FORMS FLOW

GAME OF FORMS EXIT CONDITIONS

Players Patrina Players
out of forms? out of forms? not engaged

YES YES YES

Read: Read:

FINALE and END & LOOT EJECTED

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GAME OF FORMS FLOW

The GAME OF FORMS is run using a slightly modified version of the Hunt rules. For this hunt, there
is no player-facing map, and the “locations” represent the various forms that Patrina assumes
through the fight. The DM always picks where players go.

The first half of the game is played on a fairly linear map, THE LOWER FORMS. Play then moves
to a less linear map, THE HIGHER FORMS. This allows the DM to choose from a large pool of
forms when reacting.

THE LOWER FORMS

From: Earthblight Archmage
ENCOUNTER FLOW

START

Stag Goddess The Mistake Tyrant Vampire
Goal:

HIGHER FORMS

Empire Eldritch Spider

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THE HIGHER FORMS

From:
LOWER FORMS

START

Any one of...

War Famine Pride
THEN

Any five of...

Wish Hidden One Balor Grail Archfey

Pestilence Eclipse THEN Lich High Tower

Goal:
FINALE

Ennui

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SCENES the lead player loses one magic item, starting with
consumables. “Come get it!” You glance back in
Below are the narrative components used by the time to see one of your magic items go tumbling
encounter flow. Where possible, each notes down over-and-through the door’s translucent shoulder.
the probable next vignettes. LOOT, MONSTERS, and
CONDITIONS are bolded in this section. Content If players proceed:
intended to be read aloud verbatim is italicized. The door fades to nothing as you pass, then shivers
back into existence. The carved woman is watching
BABELTHE TOWER OF you. She smirks, and in that moment, you realize
that the curious patterns on the floor below you
flow into the walls to depict two great hands
cupping the room. The floor begins to move, the
roof fades, and you are carried up at a leisurely pace
into the stratospheric reach.

Y OU STAND FOR A MOMENT on the parapet, Players gain the benefit of a short rest.
staring. Mist shrouds the upper reaches of Raven- Floor after floor slithers by, visible through the gaps
loft’s central spire. There’s still time to turn back, to between the great stone fingers of the lift. Each
look away from the gilded door across the bridge of floor is identical, a lavish study lined with bookcases
stone before you. and two cylinders of murky green glass. You see
enough to guess they’re about six or seven feet tall.
If players bail out, honor that: What do you do?
With a sigh, you draw back, retreating down into
the castle proper. Sometimes, there’s no good PROCEED TO:
option. This encounter ends. This will trigger the
Confession event. The Tower of Babel - Arrival

If not: BABELTHE TOWER OF
The wind whips you back and forth, but the railings
of the bridge hold. It is frigid up here. The gilded -ARRIVAL
door is free of frost or snow, and is sculpted in bas
relief depicting a shockingly beautiful elven woman THIS SEQUENCE SHOULD TAKE no more than
clothed in gold and mother of pearl. Her hair and 10 minutes of real time. Players are free to get
skin are unadorned, black basalt left bare. The door up to shenanigans and access the studies. If they
becomes translucent, then fades at your touch. do, they’ll see a motionless elven woman in each
Inside, there is a blank grey room with an oddly cylinder, with skin tones ranging from the familiar
carved floor.

If players back out:
You turn away, and the door catcalls you.
Players can retreat at this point; however, the
door picks their pocket with legerdemain. Make
a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check against the
highest passive Perception in the group. The
door’s modifier is +10. If the door is successful,

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to the unusual, including bubblegum pink and or judging? Introverted or extroverted?” While
the black-and-silver of the drow. The features are she talks, seven stone pillars rise from the ground,
always the same or very close. A DC 15 Intelligence carrying all of you up into the orrery.
(Arcana) check will reveal that these are clones.
Stealing books results in the lift stopping until they If Irena is the villain: If Strahd is the villain:
are returned. The stone woman from the door will Far above through the Above you, in a pool of
appear after a minute or two unless dispel magic orrery, at the pinnacle of condensed sunlight, a
is used to break the inventorying spell on the the spire, you can see a woman in paladin’s armor
book. If players successfully steal a book or spend man encased in amber, lies on a bier of light.
significant time in the studies, they will find that burning endlessly in
these are all spellbooks in many different languages the sun.
and bindings, suggesting many owners. Players
can spend an hour here to find any one spell of 3rd Any active spells end, and magic items are
level or lower and scribe it. After two hours of this, deactivated unless they alter stats that would
players will be dragged into the lift by the tireless require recalculation. The only exception is the
hands of countless stone women. Destroying a cursed ring of telekinesis, and players may wish that
statue has no effect, except that the statue teases wasn’t an exception later.
the players about their deaths and travails as it
breaks. Players who count the floors will discover The orrery of the planes spins around you, and the
that there are 120 floors before they arrive. other creatures below melt like wax and flow in
rivulets up into this woman. “We’re going to play
Eventually, the lift slows and very gently tips you a simple game. Or, I suppose, you could turn around
out into a foyer. Stairs climb up to a giant room, and leave.”
furnished in deep warm greens, brass, and white
leather. Above you, a huge orrery spins. Through Patrina will simply wait out anything she perceives
walls of lambent energy, you can see other rooms, as misbehavior. Attempts to harm her are as
including a bedroom where a giant cartoon spider successful as nailing jello to a tree. She’ll allow
is reading through eight books that drift near its players to leave through the lift, though she’ll ride
many human eyes. In another room, a familiar elven down with them and attempt to put them through
woman with stone grey skin is undoing the braids in the Myers Brigg personality test. As before, leaving
her hair of sage green snakes. At a leather top desk, will trigger the Confession event.
an inquisitive cephalopod eyes you with optimism.
It raises a tentacle that flows like mist, pulling the If players assent, she’ll explain the rules:
mass of the octopus along and through and away “I will assume a form. You will assume a form that
as it forms an elven woman, who strides across the counters mine. We shall wager the forms we start in.”
desk towards you before hopping lightly down.
Deal out the form cards. Players may take turns as
“I am Patrina.” As she speaks, great shutters open the active player in any order, so long as players are
and you can see that you are above the mist—above not repeated before all players have had a turn.
the clouds. Sunlight streams in slowly, and you The game is balanced with this in mind, and expects
stare out into the featureless emptiness. In a voice each player to get between two and three turns.
full of cool curiosity and executive command, she
asks, “Would you describe yourselves as thinking PROCEED TO:

Stag-Goddess

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THE LOWER FORMS

STAG-GODDESS

Form Skills OR A — The Relic, Walled City, The Ranger
Constitution Saving Throw [DC16]

One Retry

“ I am the stag-goddess, mother and father to the forest, life-giver, way-shaper.” And she changes, a titanic pregnant dryad
with the head of a stag and great snarled antlers. You can’t fight a god directly. Choose an angle. What do you become?
Players pick a form, then run the skill check.

FIRST RETRY

“Oh, we prayed, we fought, we even tried to steal her secrets.” Patrina whispers. If you turn your head just right, you can see
her instead of the goddess, staring wistfully back at the past.
Players pick a form, then run the skill check.

0 SUCCESSES:

You cannot fight a god directly. The weight of her regard crushes your form. “Again,” is all Patrina says, but she does not sound
cruel. There is a sense of necessity to this all, as though she’s trying to tell you something and has forgotten any other way.

Players who rolled take 4d4 magical slashing damage. Players must retry. If players are out of retries, go to Outro below.

1 SUCCESS:

Patrina grins as her antlers catch you, even as her form fails.
Players who rolled take half of 4d4 magical slashing damage. Go to Outro.

2 SUCCESSES:

Patrina frowns as her antlers miss you, as her form fails.
Go to the Outro below.

OUTRO

“Would you venerate her or rebel? Or worse, steal her secrets?” Patrina asks. She waits for an answer. There’s some hint that
this is a personal question in a sense, one she herself has had to answer. The rhythm of the game is becoming familiar. She picks,
you pick. She changes, and becomes...

If players choose “venerate,” go to EMPIRE. For “rebel,” go to EARTHBLIGHT. For “steal,” go to THE MISTAKE.

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EARTHBLIGHT

Form Skills OR A — The Djinn, The Golem, Bounty
Constitution Saving Throw [DC16] D — Walled City

One Retry

B elief shapes gods, not the other way around. Betrayed, the mother god stumbles, then falls. “I am the end of that which
grows, the blood price of nature.” And she melts, flowing into a great tarry swamp of trees bleached clean as old antler. The
corpse of a goddess undying and murderous—you’ve heard a story like this about an elven deity before. Resistance to spider
venom might serve you well as you become….

Players pick a form, then run the skill check.

FIRST RETRY

The tar traps your form and the swamp clicks and creaks with undead spiders that have been disgorged from the faith-rot of the
mother goddess. They bite at you as you change again...

Players pick a form, then run the skill check.

0 SUCCESSES:

You can’t pull free of the tar, and countless little undead spiders have leapt from the corpse of the goddess. Poison chokes you.
Players who rolled take 5d4 + 5 poison damage. A 3rd level spell slot may be spent instead. Players must retry. If players are out
of retries, go to Outro below.

1 SUCCESS:

You barely pull free of the tar, but countless little undead spiders have leapt from the corpse of the goddess. Poison chokes you.
Players who rolled take half of 5d4 + 5 poison damage. Go to Outro below.

2 SUCCESSES:

The blight snarls and tangles, condensing into Patrina’s smirking face. “Gods don’t die, they just adapt.”
Go to Outro below.

OUTRO

The blight falls slowly away, leaving behind peat and driftwood and bones. Sitting among them, Patrina looks up at you and
says softly, “I was there during the shattering, in the secret history—the gone chronicle of the world.” She stands up and as she
changes again, she says, “Great deeds have a way of haunting you.”

The DM chooses the next location from ELDRITCH SPIDER, ARCHMAGE, or TYRANT.

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Form Skills OR EMPIRE
Charisma Saving Throw [DC16]
A — The Goblin Army, The Roc, The Ranger
One Retry D — Walled City

T he world changes around the changeless dryad-lord. "I am the tolling bell, the war at your wooden gates." With a voice like
grinding progress, Patrina is a great smithy and the iron mines that feed it, an army armed. A quick blade and a skirmisher
tend to be the best way to cut through a disorganized legion of foes—or another legion.
Players pick a form, then run the skill check.

FIRST RETRY

The imperial armies are happy to agree to any treaty. "I am the silent ruins, the last testament of diplomacy.” Their druids burn
the forests and cities anyway. You change again.
Players pick a form, then run the skill check.

0 SUCCESSES:

The hordes fall upon you.
All players take 2d4 + 4 slashing damage. Any player may spend a 2nd level spell slot to prevent all damage to all players.
Players must retry. If players are out of retries, go to Outro below.

1 SUCCESS:

You are swept up in endless indecisive skirmishes.
All players take half of 2d4 + 4 slashing damage. Go to Outro below.

2 SUCCESSES:

In Gertruda’s voice, as though she is narrating as DM, read:
You thrash maniacally through the assembled legions. You fell upon them, oh spear of mine. You are a calamity.
Go to Outro below.

OUTRO

The flames and charneled barbarians speak with Patrina’s voice: “When they broke peace, burned us out, we killed so, so many.
We fled below.” A masked figure walks out through the horde, her shadow killing thousands. “I made different travel plans.”
And she steps into the night, taking a new form.

The DM chooses the next location from ELDRITCH SPIDER, ARCHMAGE, or TYRANT.

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THE MISTAKE

Form Skills OR A — Counterspell, The Relic, The Paladin
Strength Saving Throw [DC16] D — The Astral Plane, Bounty

One Retry

“O h, yes, we did steal her secrets. Drove her underground.” Patrina nods approvingly as she takes a new shape. "I am the
price of knowledge, the fate of spires. I am the mistake." Patrina raises her arms, her body becoming a wizard's tower
and the loop of her arms an arcane gate. A gate to hell. A gate that will not close. The elven gods wore many faces. You only
know one who went underground. You steel your minds against madness and cruelty as you become...

Players pick a form, then run the skill check.

FIRST RETRY

The legions of some strange hell march in pomp and circumstance out of the gate, led by driders crowned with 8-point antlers.
Madness spreads from them like a contagion.

Players pick a form, then run the skill check.

0 SUCCESSES:

The legions of hell on their many legs overcome you with their psychic lances. Insanity is no refuge, and they drag you back to
her. The Queen That Crawls feasts on your form.
Players who rolled 5d4 + 5 psychic damage. Players must retry. If players are out of retries, go to Outro below.

1 SUCCESS:

You draw back and back and back, across the liminal space that is the game board for your shapeshifting duel. You see the
legions of hell burn their way across the elven lands. You change again...
Players who rolled take half of 5d4 + 5 psychic damage. Go to Outro below.

2 SUCCESSES:

This is Patrina’s real and personal history, but it is not your fate. You lean your will forward, slam the power of your chosen
form down, and define in simple language why the gate closes. What do you say?
Go to Outro below.

OUTRO

Images of elves falling upon elves flash before you, lured by madness and power. Patrina stands atop a mound of corpses, a hero
to hell. She begins to change, taking a terrible new shape.

The DM chooses the next location from ELDRITCH SPIDER, ARCHMAGE, or TYRANT.

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ACT II: CoRnUe SnHi g hYt Os tUr aRh dENEMIES
THE TOWER

ELDRITCH SPIDER

Form Skills OR A — Counterspell, The Relic, Hope
Charisma Saving Throw [DC17] D — The Roc, The Dragon, Walled City

One Retry

T wo great legs crack the earth under the elven forests, then two more and more until there are eight. "I am Poet, ancient
servant of the webbed goddess. The eyes of hope, the countless mouths." All things touched by the Poet’s gaze burst into
spiderous monstrosities. Poet is an archfiend, the new emblem of the fallen goddess and her madness and her grief. They are
exceptionally dangerous, corrupting most physical foes. The endless beast marches forward as you become…

Players pick a form, then run the skill check.

FIRST RETRY

Poet’s mandibles carve runes of poisonous intent into the air, magic spilling out of those clicking jaws in poisonous stanzas of
hate and self-knowledge. “I am Poet’s venom, foe of worlds. Know me and change.”

Players pick a form, then run the skill check.

0 SUCCESSES:

The Poet’s gaze corrupts. Your form explodes into shockwaves of spiders.
Players who rolled take 4d6 + 8 psychic damage. Players must retry. If players are out of retries, go to Outro below.

1 SUCCESS:

Your skin crawls as you struggle against the burning gaze of the Poet.
Players who rolled take half of 4d6 + 8 psychic damage. If players are out of retries, go to Outro below.

2 SUCCESSES:

You hold your form against the onslaught. As you endure, it weakens. It weakens, and weakens, and weakens, until it collapses
under its own weight, dead of exhaustion.
Go to Outro below.

OUTRO

Patrina shrugs this mighty form off, splitting the carcass in a parody of molting as she emerges. She changes again...
If players ran out of retries, any characters that made a check are Changed. All their incarnations are affected by spider climb
permanently, as per the spell. Players should describe how they have changed.
The next location is always VAMPIRE.

279

ACT II: CoRnUe SnHi g hYt Os tUr aRh dENEMIES
THE TOWER

ARCHMAGE

Form Skills [DC16] OR + — Counterspell, The Beholder
Attack Roll against [AC19]
A — The Dragon
One Retry D — The Djinn, The Sphinx, The Roc

A younger Patrina stands before you, cowled in rune-drenched robes. "We are the Archmage, without nation or creed. Our
spellborne flesh turns blade and blast. Our will is power.” As she speaks, countless pairs of tourmaline eyes blink open and
many mouths chant with her as a single voice. Patrina, accustomed to fighting wizards, likely uses spells that attack physical
defenses. Judging by her smirk, this is one of the most dangerous forms she knows.

Players pick a form, then run the skill check.

FIRST RETRY

Many voices cry out: “I am Time Stop. The—” You don’t hear the rest.
Players pick a form, then run the skill check.

0 SUCCESSES:

Your form is shredded. Your friends who step forward have long clean cuts all about them, and they are breathing but dazed.
Players who rolled take 5d4 + 5 force damage. They are incapacitated until the next location. Players must retry.
If players are out of retries, go to Outro below.

1 SUCCESS:

Endless knives of pure lambent force slice by you as the world clicks forward in stop motion. You cannot dodge them all, but
things could have been so much worse. The archmage smiles indulgently across a hundred faces.
Players who rolled take half of 5d4 + 5 force damage. If players are out of retries, go to Outro below.

2 SUCCESSES:

The spell breaks on the fortress of your will. It’s oddly intimate, and the archmage collective stammers in their chants. One of
them arches an eyebrow, another whispers, “Magnificent creatures.” In another voice, with less detachment, it might provoke
disgust. Instead, merely surprise.
Go to Outro below.

OUTRO

The chorus fades, one of them stepping forward. The others stretch to form pillars and scenery. The Speaker blows you a kiss
before she melts into the hostile universe Patrina is composing just for you.
If players ran out of retries, read: The archmage’s kiss cuts the air, slicing you apart. All characters take 3d4 + 3 force damage,
as though the spell magic missile had been cast.

The next location is always VAMPIRE.

280

ACT II: CoRnUe SnHi g hYt Os tUr aRh dENEMIES
THE TOWER

Form Skills [DC16] OR TYRANT
Attack Roll against [AC19]
A — The Dragon, The Djinn, The Paradin, The Golem
One Retry D — Knowledge, The Sphinx, Counterspell, Bounty

A younger Strahd sits astride a massive bloodstained war horse. He is mortal still, but barely—a beast of glorious alabaster.
"I am the King, beloved of the Dark Powers. Fate bends around me as realms of elf and man and orc are trampled.”
In Gertruda’s voice with disdain, as though narrating as the DM, read:
A little voice whispers to you, “This is how it began: with empire and what great men call glory.” Strahd is a beast of war, a
master of martial prowess skilled in the defeat of wizard kings and other tawdry relics.

Players pick a form, then run the skill check.

FIRST RETRY

The mists curl into a grin, parting to reveal again the ivory king. Ageless, his eyes are cold spotlights painting the mist electric.
"I am still the King, lover of the Dark Powers. My footsteps salt the earth.”

Players pick a form, then run the skill check.

0 SUCCESSES:

The greatsword sweeps down, slicing through flesh and bone and time and space. Your form shatters.
Players who rolled take 5d6 slashing damage. Players must retry. If players are out of retries, go to Outro below.

1 SUCCESS:

Even as your defenses hold, you are locked into the pattern of violence. You are made like him, and he is the best at that.
On these terms, eventually, he would win.
Players who rolled take half of 5d6 slashing damage. If players are out of retries, go to Outro below.

2 SUCCESSES:

The greatsword cracks. The destrier dies then crashes down on Strahd. His legs broken, Strahd is carried home. There, he will
brood and growl until Fate makes him a certain offer, and this world goes off the rails.
The next location is always VAMPIRE.

OUTRO

He slips. He always does. The horse crushes him. Fate ensures it. Strahd’s ruined body speaks with Patrina’s voice, “The Dark
Powers do not think—not like us. But they intend, and they intended this. He’ll make a deal.” Patrina bounces to her feet and
brushes gore off her naked body. “Well, let’s circle back on this, since I think there’s still a lot left to stake down. Still, really good
first effort!” Her body melts. The fluid starts twisting up into the architecture of an entire scene, like an enormous deranged mimic.

The next location is always VAMPIRE.

281

ACT II: CoRnUe SnHi g hYt Os tUr aRh dENEMIES
THE TOWER

Form Skills [DC17] OR VAMPIRE
Attack Roll against [AC20]
A — The Ranger, The Paladin, The Relic
Two Retries D — Bounty, Rebirth, Walled City

“I am life eternal, hungry, violent, and proud. I am the vampires, bastard children of Sol Invictus.” The creature yawns with
a lazy toothsome satisfaction. Your foe now is not a vampire, but all vampires, the idea of a rebirth, hungry and bountiful.
Persistence and faith are your best weapons.
Players pick a form, then run the skill check.

FIRST RETRY

“I am the revenge of the individual, the virus of tyranny. Behold my fanged grin. I spread, insidious, among the old, the sick, the
downtrodden. I can be patient. Can you be sure I am not right?”
Players pick a form, then run the skill check.

SECOND RETRY

“What would the washerwoman do to see her daughter in the prime of life forever? What should she do? Eternity levels all ethics.”
Players pick a form, then run the skill check.

0 SUCCESSES:

The bite is an agony. Patrina casts you down and wipes her mouth, not deigning to finish the job. “Again,” is all she says, and
there is a hunger here in the low vibrato. She wants you to succeed.

Players who rolled take 2d4 + 8 necrotic damage, and reduce their maximum hit points by the amount of damage they received
after resistance. Players must retry. If players are out of retries, go to Outro below.

1 SUCCESS:

Doom is not a bite, not this time. Instead, you watch the entire world collapse into blood-frenzied violence. In the end, you are
alone in a desolation. You are alone in dread. The whole world has starved.

Players who rolled take half of 2d4 + 8 necrotic damage and reduce their maximum hit points by the amount of damage they
received after resistance. Players must retry. If players are out of retries, go to Outro below.

2 SUCCESSES:

In the voice of Gertruda, as though she is narrating as the DM, read:
Whatever form you meant to be, you are the Sun. You are the Sun, and you burn them out. Scorch them in their multitudes.
Their bones bleach in your gaze. Oh my darling lords of ash, look upon your works.

As per your normal DM narration, read:
Patrina does not get up right away. She rolls over, lies there, basking in the sun. She watches you with careful interest, like a
hunter examining an unexpected jaguar. You have some time as you both catch your breath.
Players may use spells or abilities here, including healing effects. Skip Outro and go to the HIGHER FORMS HUNT MAP.

OUTRO

The vampire does not perish, instead endures and changes. There is a pause here, a lull in the game. The predator pants and
gathers her breath. Players may use spells or abilities here, including healing effects.

Go to the HIGHER FORMS HUNT MAP.

282

ACT II: CoRnUe SnHi g hYt Os tUr aRh dENEMIES
THE TOWER

THE HIGHER FORMS

START

If players have failed one or fewer checks so far, read:
"They called me," she growls between pants, "the lioness of Arvandor, once." Her eyes flash emerald
and you can see the stains on her face where war-spells were daubed so often that it marked her forever.

All DCs are increased by +1 for all Higher Forms. If players win, their gift will also include
a RING OF WARMTH and a small note that says simply, “Be seeing you.”
Finally, read:

She pulls herself up on a staff that flickers into existence and spreads her arms wide.
Now, as she speaks, you can feel the whole tower sing with her strength. The first form

she conjures lashes out at you before you can raise a defense.

Choose any one of WAR, FAMINE, or PRIDE, then continue to any of the HIGHER FORMS.

WAR FAMINE PRIDE

The battle snarls endlessly, The sky is dark, the land is A temple of amber stretches
propelled by blood feuds and withered. "My name is Famine, up around you. It offers refuge,
grudges. “My name is War, red, recompense, retribution. “My
first and last weapon of war. name is Pride, first sin of the wise.
fractal, and thirsting. Eat with me.”
Drink with me.” Walk with me.”
All food carried by
Characters each make a DC 15 characters turns to ash. Characters each make a DC 15
Intelligence saving throw. On a The characters each make a DC Wisdom saving throw. On a
failed save, that character makes 15 Constitution saving throw. On
a cantrip attack if possible or a failed save, they take 10 acid failed save, they take 10 psychic
a weapon attack if impossible damage and are poisoned until the damage, and age 10 years.
against the character with the end of the GAME OF FORMS. The aging may be fatal.

highest current HP.

283

ACT II: CoRnUe SnHi g hYt Os tUr aRh dENEMIES
THE TOWER

Form Skills OR GRAIL
Charisma Saving Throw [DC17]
A — Knowledge, The Paladin, The Golem
Two Retries

“I am the Grail, all sought, all corrupting,” she says. The metaphor unfolds over you. Patrina sits on one side of the table,
fingertips rested on the goblet’s base. Few who touch the grail can let go. Whoever faces this likely faces it alone, and the
Grail does not tolerate evil.
Players pick a form other than Relic, as the Grail is a relic. Run the skill check.

FIRST RETRY

“From me, the seas of Elysium, the depths of the Styx. I am the cup that runneth over. Source of greed, doom to the grasping.
I am the Grail.”
Players pick a form, then run the skill check.

SECOND RETRY

“Drink deep and be destroyed.”
All characters age 5 years and take 5 necrotic damage. Players do not pick a new form. Run the skill check.

0 SUCCESSES:

The cup is at your lips before intention blossoms. It drinks you up, and you are less.
Players who rolled age 10 years and take 10 necrotic damage. Players must retry, and the same players must attempt the
checks. If players are out of retries, go to Outro below.

1 SUCCESS:

You arrest your hand as it lifts the cup, but even contact is an agony. You are trapped in your form.
Players who rolled age 5 years and take 5 necrotic damage. Players must retry. If players are out of retries, go to Outro below.

2 SUCCESSES:

The cup touches your lips, and Patrina watches you intently. She watches as you drink. She watches as you are not destroyed.
She watches, above all, as you put the cup down. “That was something I could not do,” the mighty archmage says, and there is
some strange wistfulness to her.
Go to Outro below.

OUTRO

The Grail loses its shine as you drink. It’s just another cup. Patrina steps from the shadowed space behind what seems real, and
takes on another form.
Players who rolled gain the benefits of a short rest.

284

ACT II: CoRnUe SnHi g hYt Os tUr aRh dENEMIES
THE TOWER

Form Skills OR BALOR
Dexterity Saving Throw [DC18]
A — The Dragon, The Paladin, The Relic, The Ranger
Two Retries D — The Goblin Army

“ I am a lord of chaos. I am the Balor, ancient, alien, and evil.” The towering demon spreads her massive bat wings and in
that shadow, her scales burn with evil power. The air shimmers with heat as she cracks her flaming whip in cruel salute.
The Balor can murder entire armies. She does not miss. Resistance to fire is vital here.

Players pick a form. If players specify a red, gold, or brass dragon, they gain resistance to fire damage until the next form.
Run the skill check.

FIRST RETRY

“Behold my whip, and hear my sword.” She laughs with abandon, and hell visits you again.

Players pick a form, then run the skill check.

SECOND RETRY

Your weaponized intention lands true, but the great fiend laughs as it says, “Even in defeat, I am fire and scheme. I will return.”
It explodes and reforms, the fiery shock slamming into all of you.

All characters take 2d6 + 4 fire damage. Players may pick a new form, but are not required to. Run the skill check.

0 SUCCESSES:

The whip cracks again. The sword swings again. The Balor’s plans unfold, and you find yourself ensnared. Do not mistake
chaos for stupidity. The eldest evils have a cunning all their own, and you are swept up in it.

Players who rolled take 3d6 + 4 fire damage. Players must retry. If players are out of retries, go to Outro below.

1 SUCCESS:

The whip misses. The sword glides past. But brute power is the least of the Balor’s weapons. The shadows themselves catch fire
as her evils and her plans unfold to encircle you. You burn… eventually.

Players who rolled take half of 3d6 + 4 fire damage. Players must retry. If players are out of retries, go to Outro below.

2 SUCCESSES:

The whip misses. The sword fails. Even Balors have weaknesses and blindspots. As she collapses, her burning gaze favors you
and a clawed hand reaches out.

The Balor is real. If this campaign continues after One Night Strahd is finished, she will eventually hunt the players down to
entangle them in some greater evil. Note down that players have A Friend In Hell. Go to Outro below.

OUTRO

The sword clatters as the Balor collapses like a marionette. Stepping out of the sulfur smoke, Patrina gives her puppet-self a
cheerful kick and gestures to the lightning blade before taking another shape.
The Balor leaves behind the BALOR’S BLADE, a cursed weapon found in the ITEMS section.

285

ACT II: CoRnUe SnHi g hYt Os tUr aRh dENEMIES
THE TOWER

PESTILENCE

Form Skills [DC17] OR + — The Paladin, Hope, The Golem
Constitution Saving Throw [DC18]
A — The Relic, The Astral Plane
One Retry D — The Goblin Army, Walled City, The Beholder

“ I am Pestilence, first child of the apocalypse astride a white horse. See my crown and my bow, and see me conquering.
I am flesh slaying, fever dreaming.” First and last foe of life, stalking body and dream and spirit. Before there were
mouths, there were toxoplasts and protein-chain fangs. Direct defense against disease or the absence of life is your only hope
here. Even immortals are not immune to a plague of madness.

Players pick a form, then run the skill check.

FIRST RETRY

You can feel Patrina grip your heart. She is bloodborne. Legion. A voice at the top of your spine whispers, “I lurk in the wilds
and in the well. I will wait.”

Players pick a new form, then run the skill check.

0 SUCCESSES:

Your body burns. Your mind catches fire. You are left weak and those who care for you are next.
Players that made checks gain vulnerability to all damage until the end of this encounter. Immunity to disease prevents this.
The two characters with the highest remaining hit points must make the next round of checks. Players must retry. If players are
out of retries, go to Outro below.

1 SUCCESS:

Even as you endure the plague, it takes a toll. You lose a lot of blood.
Players who rolled take 10 necrotic damage. Players must retry. If players are out of retries, go to Outro below.

2 SUCCESSES:

Luck and the new sciences see you through.
Go to Outro below.

OUTRO

The fever burns out. Patrina drags herself from your flesh, rebuilding herself from your sweat and ephemera. “Just taking a
look around the place, you know? Figuring out where I’ll put the piano when I move in.”

286

Form Skills [DC17] OR ACT II: CoRnUe SnHi g hYt Os tUr aRh dENEMIES
Deception [DC20] THE TOWER

One Retry HIDDEN ONE

A — The Ship, The Astral Plane, Counterspell

“I am the Hidden One, incandescent and immortal, worlds-weary and wandering.” Patrina steps backward onto a disc of
the planar orrery. She’s younger now, skin bright as black pearl and dressed in swashbuckler’s gear. The disc spins away
from you. She reaches out to drag you along. You’ll need some way to catch the vestige or pin them in place. Ideally, it’d also
prevent you from being tossed tumbling into the infinites.
Players pick a form, then run the skill check.

FIRST RETRY

“Seek me not and do not hide. Behold the Great Wheel!”
Players may pick a new form, but are not required to. Then run the skill check.

0 SUCCESSES:

The entire span of the multiverse whirls before you. Your mind is crushed under the Great Wheel.
Players who rolled go mad as they are dragged through the multiverse. They are affected as if by a geas spell. Their compulsion
is: “I’m always in a hurry.” They are incapacitated until the next location. Players must retry. If players are out of retries, go to
Outro below.

1 SUCCESS:

You see gods drifting dead in the Astral. You climb the Infinite Staircase. You walk the Gates of the Moon. Across a hundred
mortal lives, you meet a thousand mortal loves. It is too much.
Players who rolled are incapacitated until the next location. Players must retry. If players are out of retries, go to Outro below.

2 SUCCESSES:

You catch her hand as she pulls away, and there is a spark of raw joy on that ancient girlish face. Patrina whispers, “Hello,
mighty lords of ash, hello.”
Go to Outro below.

OUTRO

The lean and worldly mage straightens her hat, humming: “How does it go? High note at the end, right? I can show you the
Wheelllll—or something like that?” She smiles at you winningly and with genuine warmth. For the first time, you wonder who
Patrina was before. Was she just and good, once?

287

ACT II: CoRnUe SnHi g hYt Os tUr aRh dENEMIES
THE TOWER

Form Skills [DC17] OR ARCHFEY
Charisma Saving Throw [DC18]
A — None, but any offer of fealty or respect gains advantage
One Retry

“ I am Winter Serpent. Archfey, a princess of air and darkness.” A woman in simple clothes stands before you, tall and lean,
with snow-white eyes and wide pupils. Her imperial bearing would be enough to mark her as accustomed to command.
The cloak of ice clasped with sapphire suggests she’s still in practice. The court of air and darkness does acknowledge certain
ancient rites that can be used to appease even mighty royalty. What fealty do you offer as you become...

Players pick a form. If players offer their fealty or respect, they take advantage. No forms offer advantage or inflict
disadvantage. Run the skill check.

FIRST RETRY

“I am Autumn’s end, last lover of leaves. Know me by my given name, Morgan Lefay. We will walk together and be
handmaidens to frost.”

Players may pick a new form, but are not required to. Then run the skill check.

0 SUCCESSES:

The lashing cold sweeps over you. Her power is endless, and as you struggle, you change again...
Players who rolled take 6d6 + 6 cold damage. Players must retry. If players are out of retries, go to Outro below.

1 SUCCESS:

The cold buffets you, and the little fey smirks as glacial waves hammer at you. This form isn’t working, and you become...
Players who rolled take half of 6d6 + 6 cold damage. Players must retry. If players are out of retries, go to Outro below.

2 SUCCESSES:

Behind the whipping snow and the clinging ice, there is a single self. The fey is only anchored tenuously to this world, and as
you endure, that anchor fails.
Go to Outro below.

OUTRO

The archfey drifts in and out of focus, like a friend vanishing into snow blindness. Her cloak hangs off absent shoulders, frozen
solid enough to stand on its own. Winter Serpent is gone, replaced by Patrina again. The cloak, however, seems real enough.
The cloak itself is not magical, but the binding broach is a stone of ice. It acts as WINTER SERPENT’S INSTANT FORTRESS
made entirely from elemental ice, which is cosmetic. It is identical to an Instant Fortress, found in the Dungeon Master's Guide,
with the following changes.
• The fortress does not deal damage when unfolding, instead shunting creatures out harmlessly. As a result, the fortress has

minimal offensive applications.
• Winter Serpent lives inside of it. While not hostile, she is a winter eladrin (CR 10). This echo of Winter Serpent has free

will, and tends to be a private individual. Players will have to bargain with her each time they use the fortress. If they are
unlucky, she may take a personal interest in someone.

288

ACT II: CoRnUe SnHi g hYt Os tUr aRh dENEMIES
THE TOWER

THE HIGH TOWER

Form Skills [DC17] OR A — The Beholder, Hope, Rebirth, The Djinn
Stealth [DC18]

Two Retries

“ I am pride carved in deed and stone. Call me the Tower. Where I rise, all fall.” The bones of a great spire wrench from
Patrina’s body, detonating her in a storm of abstract fire. A shockwave of psychic pressure slams you to your knees. The
emblem of tyranny casts its shadow on you, and you are being crushed as you change into...
Players pick a form, then run the skill check.

FIRST RETRY

“I am this above that, the urge to rank. Know me still as the Tower, ambition’s sigil.” The tower continues to unfold upward as
déjà vu hammers your intellect flat.
Players may pick a new form, but are not required to. Then run the skill check.

SECOND RETRY

“The tyrant’s throne is my crown. Be measured and found wanting.”
Players pick a new form, but are not required to. Then run the skill check.

0 SUCCESSES:

The throne of tyranny makes demands, forces compromises. Your form is incinerated in the gravity shock, and you change
again… but not all of you escapes.

Each character takes 3d4 + 5 psychic damage as their minds are crushed. Players must retry. If players are out of retries,
go to Outro below.

1 SUCCESS:

The pain cracks your spine, but you endure. You endure, and change again, rejecting the megaton force.
Each character takes half of 3d4 + 5 psychic damage. Players must retry. If players are out of retries, go to Outro below.

2 SUCCESSES:

In the voice of the Dark Powers, as though they were narrating as DM, read:
The tower starts to crumble. It will take a long time to fall. All order ends, and conflict is the root operation by which all
is computed.
Go to Outro below.

OUTRO

Your vision blurs as the tower seems to fill your sight. Atop it, a party of adventurers plays a shapeshifting game with an evil
archmage. The Archmage winks at you, and her form changes…

289

ACT II: CoRnUe SnHi g hYt Os tUr aRh dENEMIES
THE TOWER

Form Skills [DC18] OR LICH
Attack Roll against [AC23]
A — The Paladin, The Ranger, The Beholder, Counterspell
One Retry

“ I am the Lich, both spell and caster, eternal anti-life.” This feels different from the others—like it’s going to attack you
directly. When unthreatened or secure in the hiding place of its phylactery, a Lich will often reserve its spells. In these
cases, it prefers to subdue or kill lesser foes using just its profane touch.
Players pick a form, then run the skill check.

FIRST RETRY

“Mine the hidden throne, mine the ancient bone. I am the Lich.” Cold hits you in waves as she reaches out.
Patrina makes a melee spell attack roll with a +12 bonus to hit against each character. A hit deals 3d6 + 5 cold damage.
Players pick a new form, then run the skill check.

0 SUCCESSES:

The lich’s touch paralyzes your form. She blows a kiss as she reaches through your form to rest a killing hand on your face.
Your actual face.
Players who rolled take one level of exhaustion and are incapacitated until the next location. Players must retry. If players are
out of retries, go to Outro below.

1 SUCCESS:

The lich’s touch paralyzes your form, and she’s reaching for you—the actual you. The contact is glancing agony and your
vision fades. Your friends step forward as you recover.
Players who rolled are incapacitated until the next location. Players must retry. If players are out of retries, go to Outro below.

2 SUCCESSES:

The lich’s hand rests lightly on your cheek, and she murmurs, “You’re really rather good at this.”
Go to Outro below.

OUTRO

“Mmm, not for me either. Ultimately, I was looking for an eternal life that offered more synergy between my passions and my
work.” Patrina cracks her knuckles and takes on a new shape.

290

Form Skills OR ACT II: CoRnUe SnHi g hYt Os tUr aRh dENEMIES
Survival [DC18] THE TOWER

Two Retries ECLIPSE

A — Hope, Knowledge, The Golem, The Sphinx,
The Dragon, The Astral Plane, or The Ship

T he sun dims, last light falling on a kingly rider on a horse of flame and shadow. A hand is raised as though beckoning the
sky. “I am the Eclipse, night without end. Life-taker, way-breaker.” The eclipse brings frost and madness, and is best born
by the very strong or the very clever. You stand alone in darkness as you become...
Players pick a form, then run the skill check.

FIRST RETRY

“I am the dark. You are alone under the cold and furious light of uncaring stars.”
Players who rolled are afflicted with a form of long-term madness. This effect always lasts 8 hours. Players may pick a new
form, then run the skill check.

SECOND RETRY

“I am the frozen end of the morningstar, sinner-father of my fanged kin.”
Players must pick a new form, then run the skill check.

0 SUCCESSES:

The world grows colder. You cannot endure this much longer.
Each character takes 3d6 + 4 cold damage. Players must retry. If players are out of retries, go to Outro below.

1 SUCCESS:

Some must brave the cold, or all will perish.
Players who rolled take 3d6 + 4 cold damage. Players must retry. If players are out of retries, go to Outro below.

2 SUCCESSES:

The eclipse lifts. It looks like this form takes more out of Patrina, that it’s more personal.
Go to Outro below.

OUTRO

“I was there.”
If Irena is the villain:
“Over fire, we took ice. We chose her, and paid fair.”
If Strahd is the villain:
“This is your foe. Prove yourselves.”

291

ACT II: CoRnUe SnHi g hYt Os tUr aRh dENEMIES
THE TOWER

Form Skills [DC19] OR WISH
Constitution Saving Throw [DC21]
A — The Beholder, Counterspell, The Sphinx, The Golem
No Retries

“ I mpressive. I am Wish—perish.” The pain is shattering as the 9th-level spell begins to unmake you, and you become...
Players pick a form, then run the skill check.

0 SUCCESSES:

Add up the amount that both checks failed by. One character, chosen by the players, takes 3 damage and ages 10 years for
every point. This can be fatal. Go to Outro below.

1 SUCCESS:

It’s close for a moment. Then the spell catches one of you, ontological hazards unfolding.
Add up the amount that the check failed by. One character, chosen by the players, takes 3 damage and ages 10 years for every
point. This can be fatal. Go to Outro below.

2 SUCCESSES:

Patrina’s face shows real delight as her spell washes over you with no effect. “You might be able to do this. I could believe in
you. That’s an interesting feeling,” she says.
Go to Outro below.

OUTRO

Patrina purrs with pride and malevolence as you both reach for new forms.

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Form Skills [DC17] OR ENNUI
Intelligence Saving Throw [DC18]
A — The Sphinx, The Golem, The Goblin Army
Three Retries

“I am ennui. Anhedonia, the death of joy and the end of intentions,” she says, and Patrina does not change. A starless silver
void spreads out around her, and in the distance you can see the twinkling remains of dead gods. Patrina falls away into
the vanishing point, perspective and imaginary distance eating her whole. She narrates to you quietly from some unknowable
distance, “Ennui is a sort of persistent soul-annihilating boredom, followed by the loss of purpose. It’s a sense that nothing
matters—though there are, it turns out, some creatures incapable of boredom. Bastards. What do you become?”
Players pick a form, then run the skill check.

FIRST RETRY

“I am the quiet at the end of the day. My name is ennui.”
Players may pick a new form, but are not required to. Then run the skill check.

SECOND RETRY

“There is silence after entropy. Know me as ennui, the widow of purpose.”
Players must pick a new form, then run the skill check.

THIRD RETRY

“The rot of self, the root of dread—behold a nothing without end.”
Players must pick a new form, then run the skill check.

0 SUCCESSES:

There is nothing for you.
Players who rolled take 5d6 psychic damage. If this would reduce a character to zero, they are instead petrified as their will
fades and their flesh grows stony and cold. Players must retry. If players are out of retries, go to Outro below.

1 SUCCESS:

It’s hard to move. Even wanting to act is exhausting.
Players who rolled take half of 5d6 psychic damage. If this would reduce a character to zero, they are instead left at 1 hit point
and blinded as they literally lose sight of what matters. Players must retry. If players are out of retries, go to Outro below.

2 SUCCESSES:

In Gertruda’s voice, as though she is narrating as DM, read:
Oh mighty councilors of summer, you are my strength in the face of the endless. I am grateful for you, for your truth, for your
hope. If you will stand, so will I.
Go to Outro below.

OUTRO

The emptiness winks salaciously at you and resolves into Patrina’s silhouette, carved out of solid silver nothing. “Stride out.
Pour your violence onto the world. Entertain me. Be magnificent,” she says, and she does not change again.
The petrification and blindness inflicted by Ennui ends. Petrified players return at 1 hit point.

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FINALEOUTRO SCENES If Irena is the villain: If Strahd is the villain,
Here at the pinnacle of in Gertruda’s voice as
I F PLAYERS HAVE WON, and are coming from the spire, there is a man though she is narrating
Ennui, read: encased in amber, burning as the DM, read: Here in a
Instead, Patrina drops to one knee and the silver endlessly in the sun. It is pool of condensed sunlight,
shell shatters. An elven woman again, sweat beads quite clearly Strahd and he a woman in paladin’s armor
Patrina’s brow and she grins with reckless decadent is quite clearly alive. Odd lies on a bier of light. Irena.
abandon as she says, “I feel that went well.” What machinery forms the base of Lord of Vengeance. The
do you each look like in victory? his amber prison. This must Destroyer. The wind picks
be the Heart of Sorrow. up. The sunlight splashes.
Otherwise, read:
Each bite, each wound, each slash has cost you. The sack contains a SPELLBEAD of magic circle,
You can’t manage another form. It would risk more able to be used by any character. It also contains a
than your meat, more than your current incarnation small booklet. The relevant text is reproduced at the
to keep going. What does defeat look like for each end of this document under END & LOOT. Players
of you? are left at the sky-burial, in the sunlight at the very
top of the tower. The air here is warm with a gentle
After players finish their descriptions, read: breeze. They have access to the vampire who is
Patrina sits on the edge of her spire, kicking her functioning as the Heart of Sorrow, and have gained
feet. She watches you thoughtfully then says, a STAFF OF FROST for their troubles.
“You know, normally people give up. Early, too.
The first time it hurts.” Whatever role she had been How the players interact with the Vampire Lord
playing, this feels more honest, and she says, “I’m at the center of the Heart of Sorrow is going to
jealous of you heroes, with your quests and your be pretty unpredictable. Most will likely just kill
destinies.” She says nothing else for a while. whichever vampire is there, but some may attempt

Finally, read: to find an ally. If they do get assistance from
The spires carry you and the fading image the vampire, that’ll most likely just cause the
of an elf up through the orrery to the sunlit situation to spiral completely and hilariously
crypt. It’s surprisingly airy with modern out of control. We strongly recommend
design sensibilities, though you feel the against allowing the players to make direct
centrepiece is a bit gauche. There’s a combat use of Strahd or Irena, as it will
thoughtful pause. “Well, I’ll leave you to it. trivialize both player contributions and the
Exit’s the way you came.” A grackle-headed finale, but they might be able to arrange
aven inexplicably standing among you hands a struggle to the death between the two
the nearest person a staff made of ice and somehow. That should be roughly as difficult
a sack before assaying a comical bow. They as the fight it obviates, however, if a bit easier
watch awkwardly before sidling away with for cleverness’ sake.
studious nonchalance.
NEXT:
End & Loot

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Yt Os tUr aRh dENEMIES

ACT II: CoRnUe SnHi g hYt Os tUr aRh dENEMIES
THE TOWER

LENODO&T Additionally, players may have acquired the

BALOR’S BLADE, a RING OF WARMTH, a STAFF
OF FROST, or WINTER SERPENT’S INSTANT
FORTRESS throughout the encounter.

PROCEED TO:

A T THE BOTTOM OF THE BAG, Encounter Selection
you find a little book.
If players bested Patrina, read: AND

This Place Is Trying To Kill You

“Your New Form: Elf, Wizard, Female,

Ambidextrous” —It’s what it says on the tin.

The slim booklet lays out how to feed and care

for an elf while being the elf in question. It’s more EJECTED
detailed than you’d like.

Otherwise, read:
“Transmorgrile Disorders & You” —This book

details cures for a variety of ailments that many

doppelgangers, witches, and wizards suffer from. E JECTED SHOULD BE USED ONLY if things
Much of it is devoted to dealing with anxiety-driven have gotten very bad. In general, even a total
disorders. Even though it might not apply to you, wipe of the party should route to FINALE instead
the advice is pretty good. You all gain the benefits of EJECTED. Patrina admires self-sacrifice as only
of a short rest as you calm down. someone with infinite lives can.

If players bested Patrina & read the manual “Enough—I think we need to sit down and do a
for their new body: root cause analysis here.” Patrina drops her form,
Characters in this group may assume the form becoming a very real djinn, a rough-hewn and lewd
of Patrina as a bonus action. While wearing this pillar of salt and fire. The stone spires are already
form, they look exactly like Patrina and have 20 melting down, twisting at their base to drop you in
temporary hit points. This form can be maintained the foyer.
for an hour at a time and cannot be dropped once

assumed. Temporary hit points do not stack, and What follows is an excruciatingly detailed discussion
once the temporary hit points are entirely lost, of the experience.
that character may not assume this form again.

Characters who were aged into senescence are able Players gain the benefits of a short rest.

to function as per usual while wearing this form. If players are willing to engage with Patrina,
she’ll reward their patience with consolation
Otherwise, if they were defeated, whether prizes. This is used to help make sure that
or not they read the book: struggling groups don’t end up in a
All characters are transformed into large cartoon doomed spiral:
spiders. While unpleasant, this change is cosmetic
only. Patrina tries on her new bodies with “Hm, I can see how you’d feel that way. Look, let

performative glee if they linger and watch. me print off some vouchers for you, and we’ll call it

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even, right?” Another pillar of fire and salt enters It may take that anger out on someone else if the
the room carrying spiral bound booklets. You are players are persuasive or literally evasive. Players
ushered away holding the booklets and a pair of do not get a chance to destroy the Vampire Lord
gleaming golden apology notes. powering the Heart of Sorrow.

Players receive 2 vouchers for a single casting per PROCEED TO:
voucher of gate, and each spiral bound booklet Encounter Selection
contains the names of various extraplanar beings.
Gate does not allow escape from Ravenloft, but AND
can connect two points in Ravenloft. Anything
summoned cannot be controlled, and will likely be This Place Is Trying To Kill You
supremely angry to have been trapped in Ravenloft.

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I. II. III.
HOPE BOUNTY REBIRTH

Religion, Acrobatics, Investigation, Sleight of Arcana, Religion,
Persuasion Hand, Nature Medicine

IV. V. VI.

KNOWLEDGE THE RELIC THE SPHINX

History, Investigation, Religion, History, Arcana, Medicine,
Insight Medicine Persuasion

VII. VIII. IX.

THE GOLEM THE BEHOLDER THE WALLED CITY

Arcana, History, Arcana, Perception, Performance, Medicine,
Perception Deception Perception

298