Curse Of Strahd

CURSE OF STRABO.

•

•

CREDITS This book is based on the 32-page D&D adventure Raven/oft
published in 1983 by TSR, Inc. Here are that book's credits:
Lead Designer: Christopher Perkins
Creative Consultants: Tracy and Laura Hickman Designers: Tracy and Laura Hickman
Designers: Adam Lee, Richard Whitters, Jeremy Crawford Editor: Curtis Smith
Managing Editor: Jeremy Crawford Graphic Designer: Debra Stubbe
Editor: Kim Mohan Illustrator: Clyde Caldwell
Editorial Assistance: Scott Fitzgerald Gray Cartographer: David C. Sutherland Ill
D&D Lead Designers: Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford
The following D&D books also provided material and inspiration:
Art Director: Kate Irwin
Additional Art Direction: Shauna Narciso, Richard Whitters Cordell, Bruce R. and James Wyatt. Expedition to Castle Raven/oft.
Graphic Designer: Emi Tanji 2006.
Cover Illustrator: Ben Oliver
Interior Illustrators: Dave Allsop, Fran�ois Beauregard, Mark Behm, Elrod, P.N. /, Strahd: The Memoirs of a Vampire. 1993.
Hickman, Tracy and Laura. Rahasia. 1984.
Eric Belisle, Zoltan Boros, Jedd Chevrier, Daarken, Lake Hurwitz, Nesmith, Bruce with Andria Hayday. Realm of Terror. 1990.
Chuck Lukacs, Howard Lyon, Ben Oliver, Adam Paquette, Rob Pozas, Claudio. "Fair Barovia." Dungeon 207. 2012.
Rey, Chris Seaman, Richard Whitters, Kieran Yanner TSR, Inc. Van Richten's Monster Hunter's Compendium, Volume One.
Cartographers: Fran�ois Beauregard, Mike Schley, Ben Wootten
1999.
Project Managers: Neil Shinkle, Heather Fleming ---. Van Richten's Monster Hunter's Compendium, Volume
Product Engineer: Cynda Callaway
Imaging Technicians: Sven Bolen, Carmen Cheung, Kevin Yee Three. 2000.
Prepress Specialist: Jefferson Dunlap
Playtesters: Robert Alaniz,* Mal A'menz,* Glen Ausse, Jerry
Other D&D Team Members: Greg Bilsland, Chris Dupuis, David Behrendt, Teddy Benson, Anthony Caroselli,* Christopher
Gershman, John Feil, Trevor Kidd, Christopher Lindsay, Shelly D'Andrea,* Jason Fransella,* Jeff Galper, Elyssa Grant, Steve
Mazzanoble, Ben Petrisor, Hilary Ross, Liz Schuh, Matt Sernett, Heitke, Mary Hershey, Sterling Hershey, Justin Hicks, Shaun
Nathan Stewart, Greg T ito Horner, Donald Jacobs, James Krot, Yan Lacharite,* Jonathan
Longstaff,* Michael LeClair, Ray Lillard, Eric Lopez, J.M., Matt
Disclaimer: Wizards of the Coast cannot be held liable for any long­ Maranda,* Cris McDaniel, Randy Merkel, Lou Michelli,* Mike
term side effects of venturing into the dread realm of Raven/oft, Mihalas,* Daniel Norton,* Lucas Pierce, Claudio Pozas,* John
such as /ycanthropy, vampirism, a fear of dead things, a fear of living Proudfoot,* Rob Quillen II, Karl Resch,* Jason Riley, Sarah Riley,
things, an inability to sleep without a nightlight on and a +5 holy Arthur Severance,* Sam Sherry,* Zach Sielaff, David "Oak"
avenger under your pillow, and the unsettling suspicion that Strahd is Stark,* Jayson Thiry, Steve Townshend,* Kyle Turner,* Will
too clever to be so easily defeated and that this is alljust part of some Vaughn, Peter Youngs
grand scheme of his to extend his power beyond Barovia. You didn't
think you could escape unless he wanted you to, did you? *This playtester provided feedback for a group.

ON THE COVER

The master of Ravenloft is having guests for dinner,
and you are invited. Ben Oliver sheds light on the
vampire Strahd von Zarovich, whose dark past is a
tale to be told, and whose evil knows no bounds.

62086517000001 EN
ISBN: 978-0-7869-6598-4
First Printing: March 2016
987654321
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, the dragon ampersand, Player's Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master's Guide, all other
Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other couiitries. All characters and their distinctive likenesses
are property of Wizards ofthe Coast. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or art­
work contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission ofWizards of the Coast.
Printed in the USA. ©2016 Wizards of the Coast LLC, PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057-0707, USA_ . Manufactured by,Hasbro SA, Rue Emile-Boechat 31, 2800 Delemont, CH.
Represented by Hasbro Europe 4TheSquare Stockley Park lJxbridee Middlesex UBJJ JEI UK..

CONTENTS

Foreword ...................................................... 4 Ch. 10: The Ruins ofBerez ................. 161 Rictavio ......................................................238

Introduction................................................. 5 Approaching theRuins .......................... 161 Strahd von Zarovich ...............................239
Running the Adventure.............................. 5 Areas ofBerez.......................................... 162 Strahd Zombie.........................................241
Sidebar: A ClassicRetold.......................... 5 Special Events..........................................166 VladimirHorngaard ...............................241
Marks ofHorror........................................... 7 Wereraven .................................................242
Ch.11: Van Richten's Tower............... 167

Ch.1: Into the Mists .................................. 9 Approaching the Tower.......................... 167 App. E: The Tarokka Deck..................243
Strahd von Zarovich ................................... 9 Areas of the Tower ..................................168
Fortunes ofRavenloft ............................... 11 Special Events.......................................... 171 App. F: Handouts ...................................251
Kolyan Indirovich's Letter (V. 1) ..........251

Sidebar: UsingRegular Ch.12: The Wizard of Wines.............. 173 Strahd's Invitation...................................251

Playing Cards ......................................... 11 Approaching the Vineyard..................... 174 From the Tome ofStrahd ......................252

AdventureHooks....................................... 18 Approaching the Winery........................ 174 Journal ofRudolph vanRichten ...........254

Ch. 2: The Lands ofBarovia ................. 23 Areas of the Winery ................................ 176 Kolyan Indirovich's Letter (V. 2) ..........256
Lay of the Land .......................................... 23 Special Events.......................................... 179 Journal of Argynvost ...............................256

Alterations to Magic..................................24 Ch.13: The AmberTemple................. 181

Barovians .................................................... 24 Sidebar: Extreme Cold........................... 181 Maps

Sidebar: Barovian Names ....................... 25 Areas of the Temple ................................183 Barovia* ....................................................... 35

Sidebar:Barovian Calendar ................... 26 Sidebar: Amber Sarcophagi .................191 Tser Pool Encampment* ...........................36

Vistani ..........................................................26 Special Events..........................................196 Village ofBarovia*..................................... 42

Random Encounters.................................28 Ch.14: Vester Hill ..................................197 Church..........................................................46
Sidebar: Strahd's Spies ........................... 29 Areas of theHill.......................................197 CastleRavenloft
Areas ofBarovia ........................................ 33 Special Events......................................... 200 Map 1:RavenloftHeights• ...........Poster
Sidebar: The Lands ofBarovia: Map 2: Walls ofRavenloft* ................. 53
Common Features................................. 33 Ch. 15: Werewolf Den ...........................201 Map 3: Main Floor• ............................... 55
Sidebar: Travel through the Mists....... 201
Ch.3: The Village ofBarovia................ 41 Areas of the Den ......................................203 Map 4: Court of the Count•................. 62
Approaching the Village .......................... 41 Special Events..........................................205 Map 5: Rooms of Weeping• ................ 65
Areas of the Village ................................... 43 Map 6: Spires ofRavenloft*................ 71

Special Events............................................48 Epilogue ....................................................207 Maps 7, 8, 9, 10:
Strahd Prevails ........................................207 Spires ofRavenloft•.......................... 73
Ch. 4: Castle Ravenloft........................... 49
Random Encounters................................. 49 Strahd Dies...............................................207 Maps 11, 12: Larders of Ill Omen,
Walls ofRavenloft ..................................... 52 Dungeon and Catacombs*............... 75
Main Floor................................................... 54 App. A: Character Optioos..................209
Court of the Count..................................... 61 CharacterBackground...........................209 Elevator Trap.......................................... 76
Rooms of Weeping .................................... 64 Sidebar: MonsterHunter's Pack..........209 Traps in Area K73................................. 80
Spires ofRavenloft.................................... 69 Gothic Trinkets........................................ 210 Vallaki*......................................................... 97
Larders of Ill Omen................................... 74 Blue Water Inn ........................................... 99
Dungeon and Catacombs ........................ 79 App.B: Death House............................. 211 Burgomaster's Mansion......................... 104
History........................................................ 211 Wachterhaus............................................. 111
Ch.5: The Town ofVallaki.................... 95 Rose and Thorn .......................................211 Coffin Maker's Shop ............................... 116
Sidebar: Level Advancement ................ 211 Vistani Camp ............................................120

Approaching the Town............................. 95 Sidebar: DeathHouse's Features........212 OldBonegrinder......................................127
Areas of Vallaki.......................................... 97 Areas of theHouse.................................. 212 Argynvostholt: Ground Floor and
Special Events..........................:...............123 Sidebar: Dungeon Features·················· 217 Second Floor......................................... 131
Ch. 6: OldBooegrioder ........................125 Endings......................................................220 Argynvostholt: Third Floor,
Approaching the Windmill....................125 App. C: Treasures ..................................221 Rooftop, andBeacon...........................137
Areas of the Windmill ............................126 Tome of Strahd......................:..................221 Krezk* ........................................................144
The Megaliths...........................................128 Magic Items...............................................221 Abbey of Saint Markovia:
Ground Floor ........................................ 149
App.D: Monsters and NPCs...............225
The Abbot..................................................225 Abbey of Saint Markovia:
pper Floor and CeIIar ......................153
Animated Objects....................................225
Baba Lysaga..............................................228 Tsolenka Pass ··········································158
Barovian Witch ........................................229 Baba Lysaga's CreepingHut................. 163
Blight, Tree.......·.........................................230 Berez• ......................................................... 164
yan RIChten,s To. wer ............................... 170
Ezmerelda d'Avenir.................................230
Ch• 7: ArgynvosthOIt..............................129
The Order of the Silver Dragon ...........129

uSidebar:Revenants ofBarovia.............130

Approaching the Mansion.'....................130
SApreeacs1.ao1 fEAvregnytns.v..o..s..t.h...o..I.t................................:......................113402

Ch. 8: The Village ofKrezk.................143 Izek Strazni..............................:................231 Wizard of Wines Wioery........................ 175
Areas of Krezk.................................:........ 143 Kasimir Velikov................:.......................232 Amber Temple: Upper Level................. 182
Areas of the Abbey ..........,....................... 147 Amber Temple: 1::0�1;,r Level.'.......... ....:..190
Special Events.....................,...........,........155 . YesterHill......:......:..:.....................,...:.,.....199·
·
w.Ch. 9: Tsolenka Pass................... ...........157
MMoandgarmelEfovlak...........:.....·.............·...................:.223343
I��·��;�·;·: : : : : : : : : : : : ;.:�;:: : : : ;;!:. -t::� ::�:�.:'.:-: : :: :·:·: :::· : : : : : : : : : : : : :;��AreasofthePass.....................................157 : ;�d�:::
Special Events.:...:....:..,............:...............159 Rahadin ...............:......:...........:............ ...:..-.236' *Appears ori the poster map

FOREWORD: RAVENLOFT REVISITED

E TURNED THE CORNER, AND THERE WAS Godwin and her husband-to-be, Percy Shelley. One
a vampire. night inJune, Byron suggested that they each write a
ghost story. Mary Shelley's contribution to the effort
I groaned and rolled my eyes. would later become Frankenstein. The short story "The
It was 1978, and I was playing in Vampyre," published in 1819, was Polidori's contribu­
one of my first dungeon adventures. It tion. He was Byron's personal physician, and the first of
was being run by a friend I had known the so-called "romantic" vampires under Polidori's hand
in high school,John Scott Clegg, and it was actually modeled after Lord Byron.
was typical of the type of adventure that
people played in those days. It was all about exploring a Byron-like the fictional vampires that he inspired,
hodgepodge collection of rooms connected by dungeon from Polidori's Lord Ruthven down through the penul­
corridors, beating up the monsters that we encountered, timate work of Bram Stoker-was a decadent predator,
searching for treasure, and gaining experience points. an abuser hidden behind a romantic veil. He was a
Now we were face to face with random encounter comely and alluring monster-but a monster neverthe­
number thirty-four: a vampire. Not a Vampire with a less. The romantic vampire of the earliest years of the
capital V, but a so-many-Hit-Dice-with-such-and-such-an­ genre was not just a spouse abuser but a spouse killer,
Armor-Class lowercase vampire. Just another monster the archetype of abuse in the worst kind of destructive
in the dungeon. codependency.
I remember thinking at the time, What are you doing
here? This creature seemed completely out of place with For Laura and me, those were the elements that truly
the kobolds, ores, and gelatinous cubes we had seen defined Strahd von Zarovich-a selfish beast forever
thus far. This was a creature who deserved his own set­ lurking behind a mask of tragic romance, the illusion of
ting and to be so much more than just a wandering mon­ redemption that was ever only camouflage for his prey.
ster. When I came home from that game, I told all these
thoughts to Laura. Initially we were going to title the adventure Vampyr­
That was when Strahd von Zarovich was born. one of a series of games we called Nightventure that
Strahd would be no afterthought-he demanded Laura and I were self-publishing back in 1978. The
his own setting, his own tragic history. Laura and I castle was called Ravenloft, and when Halloween came
launched into researching the mythology and folklore around each year, our friends asked us if we could play
surrounding the vampire. We started with the vague, "that Ravenloft game" again ... and so the better title
black-and-white image of Bela Lugosi in 1931, but found won out. It was, in part, because of this design that I
so much more. was hired by TSR, Inc., to write DUNGEONS & DRAGONS
The first "modern" literary foundation of the vampire adventures in 1982. Soon thereafter, 16 Ravenloft was
was penned byJohn William Polidori based on a frag­ published.
ment of a story by Lord Byron. It was while at the Villa
Diodati-a rented house next to Lake Geneva, Switzer­ Since then, fans of Ravenloft have seen many different
land-that Byron and Polidori met Mary Wollstonecraft creative perspectives on Barovia (a country which, by
absolute coincidence, is featured in a 1947 Bob Hope
movie called Where There's Life). It continues to be one
of the most popular DUNGEONS & DRAGONS adventures
of all time. In its various incarnations, each designer has
endeavored to bring something new to the ancient leg­
end of Strahd, and to each of the.m we are grateful.

But the vampire genre has taken a turn from its roots
in recent years. The vampire we so often see today
exemplifies the polar opposite of the original arche­
type: the lie that it's okay to enter into a romance with
an abusive monster because if you love it enough, it
will change.

When Laura and I got a call fr.om Christopher Perkins
about revisiting Ravenloft, we hoped we could bring the
message of the vampire folktale back to its original cau­
tionary roots. The talented team at Wizards of the Coast
not only graciously took our suggestions but engaged us
in a dialogue that delivered new insights on the night­
mare beyond the gates of Barovia.

Now we invite you again a� our guests to pass through
the Svalich Woods if you dare. For here the romance
is tragically dangerous ... and a true monster smiles at
your approach.

Tracy Hickman .
May 2015

INTRODUCTION This book is meant for you, the Dungeon Master,
alone. We recommend you read the entire adventure
l NDER RAGING STORM CLOUDS, A LONE before attempting to run it. It assumes that you have
figure stands silhouetted against the an­ the fifth edition Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's
cient walls of Castle Ravenloft. The vam­ Guide, and Monster Manual.
pire Count Strahd von Zarovich stares
down a sheer cliff at the village below. A The Monster Manual contains stat blocks for most of
cold, bitter wind spins dead leaves about the monsters and nonplayer characters (NPCs) found
him, billowing his cape in the darkness. in this adventure. Descriptions and stat blocks for new
Lightning splits the clouds overhead, casting stark monsters and NPCs are provided in appendix D. When
white light across him. Strahd turns to the sky, re­ a creature's name appears in bold type, that's a visual
vealing the angular muscles of his face and hands. He cue pointing you to the creature's stat block in the Mon­
has a look of power-and of madness. His once hand­ ster Manual. If the stat block is in appendix D, the adven­
some face is contorted by a tragedy darker than the ture's text tells you so.
night itself.
Rumbling thunder pounds the castle spires. The Spells and nonmagical equipment mentioned in the
wind's howling increases as Strahd turns his gaze back adventure are described in the Player's Handbook.
to the village. Far below, yet not beyond his ken, a party Magic items are described in the Dungeon Master's
of adventurers hasjust entered his domain. Strahd's Guide, unless the adventure's text directs you to an
face forms a twisted smile as his dark plan unfolds. item's description in appendix C.
He knew they were coming, and he knows why they
have come-all according to his plan. He, the master of Text that appears in a box like this is meant to be read
Ravenloft, will attend to them. aloud or paraphrased for players when their characters
Another lightning flash rips through the darkness, its first arrive at a location or under a specific circumstance,
thunder echoing through the castle's towers. But Strahd as described in the text. Indoor and nighttime descrip­
is gone. Only the howling of the wind-or perhaps a lone tions are written with the assumption that the adventur­
wolf-fills the midnight air. The master of Ravenloft is ers are using a torch or other light source to see by.
having guests for dinner. And you are invited.
STORY OVERVIEW
RUNNING THE ADVENTURE
Adventurers from a foreign land find themselves in
Curse ofStrahd is a story of gothic horror, presented
here as a DUNGEONS & DRAGONS roleplaying game Barovia, a mysterious realm surrounded by deadly fog
adventure for a party of four to six adventurers of levels
1-10. A balance of character classes is helpful, since the and ruled by Strahd von Zarovich, a vampire and wiz­
adventurers will face a variety of challenges. Each char­
acter class will certainly have its moment to shine. ard. Using a deck of tarokka cards to predict their fu­

A CLASSIC RETOLD ture, a fortune-teller named Madam Eva sets them on a

This adventure is a retelling of the original Raven/oft ad­ dark course that takes them to many corners of Barovia,
venture, which was published in 1983 byTSR, Inc. In the
years since, the original has gained a reputation as one culminating with a vampire hunt in Castle Ravenloft.
of the greatest DuNGEONS & DRAGONS adventures ever, and
it went on to inspire the creation of a campaign setting Madam Eva's people are called the Vistani. They
of the same name in 1990: Ravenloft, home of the Do­
mains of Dread. travel in covered wagons from world to world, luring

Module 16: Raven/oft, written by Tracy and Laura Hick­ strangers into Strahd's domain.
man, broke new ground by presenting a D&D adventure
that was as much story-driven as location-based, featuring Barovia is a land of ghosts, werewolves, and other fell
a villain who was complex and terrifying. Castle Raven­
loft, with its amazing three-dimensional maps, remains creatures. The wilderness hides many secrets, includ­
to this day one of the most iconic and memorable of all
D&D dungeons. ing forgotten ruins and battlefields that tell the story of

This book includes the original adventure, as well as ex­ Strahd's life as a conqueror. Adventurers who explore
panded material developed in consultation withTracy and
Laura Hickman. It expands what we know about the lands the wilderness find the remnants of Strahd's ancient en­
around Castle Ravenloft and sheds new light on the dark
past of the castle's lord. The lands of Barovia are from a emies, not all of them as dead as one might expect.
forgotten world in the D&D multiverse, and this adventure
gives glimpses into that world. In time, cursed Barovia was For the people of Barovia, there is no escape from this
torn from its home world by the Dark Powers and bound
in mist as one of the Domains of Dread in the Shadowfell. harsh. land. The town of Vallaki stands ready to defend

itself against the servants of Strahd, but it's far from the

sanctuary it purports to be. The village of Krezk lies

near the edge of Strahd's domain, its abbey now in the

clutches of evil, misguided creatures.

Of all the settlements in Strahd's domain, the village

�f Barovia is by far the most 'oppressed. M�ny of its

shops a:e dosed, an. d_the loqals)1a:ye silccumqe_d to .., .

despair.-��·is weU known. that_ Stral:ia desires the burgo�_

· m;:ister:s'�dopted ctaugliter,·Ireena Koly,ma. The villag-·_

: ers·;n�ither-prote�trior h;:itm her, lest t.h,�y incur the'vam�
pire's wrath. Few know that Ireeria bears aq .µncanny

resemblance to belove·d:

. . ·' .
..· Taty�na, Stiahd's dead·

. ..

JNTRODUCTION

The village of Barovia cowers in the shadow of Cas­ is assumed that the characters will gain levels over the
tle Ravenloft, Strahd's home and fortress. The castle course of the adventure, as well as acquire allies and
stands atop a great spire of rock, invincible and ever powerful magic items that can tip the scales in their
watchful. Every night, thousands of bats fly out of the favor. Characters who head directly to Castle Ravenloft
castle to feed. It is said that Strahd sometimes flies with without first increasing their power will likely die.
them. Barovia will never be safe until the evil in his cas­
tle is destroyed. You can award experience points for the defeat of foes,
use milestone awards, or a mixture of both. Given the
Once Strahd becomes aware of the adventurers, he fact that much of the adventure involves social interac­
and his spies watch them closely. When the time is right, tion and exploration, rather than combat, your work will
Strahd invites his "guests" to Castle Ravenloft. He aims probably be easier if you use milestone awards. Appro­
to turn them against one another, torment them, and priate milestone awards include the following:
kill them, as he has done with so many other visitors.
Some will become undead thralls. Others will never Finding Artifacts. The characters gain a level when
rise again. they obtain the Tome ofStrahd, the Sunsword, or the

The adventurers' best hope of defeating Strahd is to Holy Symbol ofRavenkind.
learn his secrets, for he is no ordinary vampire. Guided
by Madam Eva's card reading, they must scour his do­ Defeating Villains. The characters gain a level when
main and his castle for magic items that might weaken they defeat the featured antagonist(s) in a location,
or slay him, all the while trying to stay alive. such as the hags in Old Bonegrinder (chapter 6).

Although the adventurers can escape by slaying Accomplishing Story Goals. The characters gain a
Strahd, he can't be truly destroyed. Barovia is his level when they accomplish something significant,
prison, and not even death can free him from his curse. such lighting the beacon of Argynvostholt (chapter 7),
thwarting the druids' ritual atop Yester Hill (chapter
The adventure ends when either Strahd von Zarovich 14), or forging an alliance with Ezmerelda d'Avenir
or the characters are defeated. Your goal is to keep (appendix D).
Strahd in play for as long as possible, using all the abili­
ties and resources at his disposal. Appendix B, "Death House," uses milestone awards by
way of example.
ADVENTURE STRUCTURE
Be prepared for the fact that the adventure is exceed­
Much of the adventure's action is driven by the clash ingly open-ended-one of the hallmarks of the original
between the adventurers' decisions and Strahd's goals, Ravenloft. The card reading in chapter 1 and the adven­
and the adventurers and the vampire are all caught in turers' choices can lead them all over the map, and a
strands of fate that are represented by a special card party can easily wander into an area well beyond their
reading detailed in chapter 1, "Into the Mists." Before power. If you'd like to steer them toward places that
you run the adventure, you need to conduct that reading correspond to their level, consult the Areas by Level
to determine the location of several items that are key to table, but beware of undermining the sense that the
the story, as well as one of the locations where Strahd characters' choices matter. Sometimes the adventurers
can be found. will simply need to flee or hide when they are out of
their depth.
Chapter 1 also outlines Strahd's goals, and it suggests
adventure hooks to draw the player characters into the If an area of the adventure ends up feeling free of
cursed realm of Barovia. If the characters are 1st level, mystery or danger, consider using tips from the "Marks
the character background in appendix A is available to of Horror" section to increase the ominousness. If a
them, and consider starting their time in Barovia with combat encounter feels too easy, either (a) guide it to its
the mini-adventure "Death House" in appendix B. end as quickly as possible or (b) increase the threat by
raising a foe's hit point maximum to the upper end of its
Chapter 2, "The Lands of Barovia," provides an over­ hit point range, by adding monsters/traps, or both.
view of the realm and includes special rules for it and its
people, including the mysterious Vistani. Chapters 3-15 AREAS BY LEVEL
detail areas that correspond to places on the map of
Barovia in chapter 2. Avg. Level Area Chapter
1st-3rd 3
The epilogue offers ways for you to end the adventure. 4th Village of Barovia 5
Appendix C details the special item. s-:-magical or oth­ 4th 6
erwise-introduced in .the adventure� and appendix D 5th Town ofVallaki 8
provides stat blocks for Strahd.'.arnfvario�sNPCs and 5th 12
monsters that can be met in Baro�ia.'Appendix E shows 6th Old Bonegrinder 11
the tarokka cards that'the Vist'aoi use: for their fortune 6th 14
telling, and appendix'F contains'handouts:for you to 7th Village ofKrezk
show the players. 7th ... 7 .
8th Wizard of Wines Winery 15
CHARACTER LEVELS 8th 9
9th Van Richten's Tower 10
· The adventure is meant for characters of levels 1-10 9th 4
and includes threats for those levels and beyond. Strahd Vester Hill 13
can be an especially deadly challenge at these levels. It
Argynvostholt:

Werewolf Den ..
Tsole�ka Pass

The Ruins of Berez

Castle Ravenloft

The Amber Temple

6 TNTRODUOTION

MARKS OF HORROR sons to stand against the darkness. Here are a couple of
ways to add glimmers of light to a tragic tale:
A gust of air like the foul-smelling breath of some hor­
rible monster greets the adventurers as they climb the • In a land as dreary as Barovia, take the time to de­
steps of a tower in Castle Ravenloft. Nearing the top, scribe the occasional scene of beauty, such as a pretty
they begin to hear the beating of a heart in the darkness flower growing atop a grave.
above. Not a human heart, but the heart of something
monstrous and horrible; Such is the nature of gothic • Make sure that the heroes have contact with NPCs
horror: fear bred by anticipation and the dark realization who are honest, friendly, and helpful, such as the Mar­
that all will be truly and horribly revealed in time. tikovs in Vallaki or the Krezkovs in Krezk.

The following tips can help you make this adventure a PERSONIFICATION
chilling experience for you and your players.
Ascribing human characteristics to an inanimate thing
THE UNKNOWN is one way to turn something ordinary into something
malevolent. A groaning house, the wailing wind, grasp­
Horror is born out of fear of the unknown. Our fear is ing mud, and a squatting chest aren't just mundane
heightened when the darkness engulfs us and we can't things-they're characters in your story, made all the
see, or when the truth is behind a locked door, covered creepier thanks to their humanlike traits. Torches sput­
by a sheet, or buried in the soft earth. It's not the mon­ ter nervously, rusty hinges shatter silence with their
ster, but its shadow, that breeds horror. The more we sudden cries of anguish, and cobwebs quietly beckon us
know about a monster, the less we fear it, so the trick to our doom. Here are more examples:
is to keep it out of the light for as long as possible. Here
are two tricks to heighten fear of the unknown: Imagine darkness as a silent crowd that follows the
characters everywhere and stares at them while
• When it seems as though the characters have ev­ they sleep.
erything under control, you can have a gust of wind • Imagine trees as towering giants that stand idle yet
suddenly blow out their torches, plunging them ever watchful as characters face the perils of the Sva­
into darkness. lich Woods alone.
Before a monster appears, take a moment to describe
the odor that precedes it, the eerie sound it makes, or DETAILS
the weird shadow it casts.
In a horror story, there's no telling where danger might
FOR ESHADOWING be lurking. A leering gargoyle might be a monster in dis­
guise, or merely a fiendish sculpture. A mirror hanging
Foreshadowing is about finding clues to a horrible truth on a wall might have the power to transfix all who gaze
yet to be revealed. Consider the following examples: into it, or it might be nothing out of the ordinary. In a
horror story, taking the time to describe an object in de­
Before characters encounter a monster, hint at the tail draws attention to it, makes one suspicious of it, and
monster's presence with clues such as claw marks, might distract from the real danger. Here are a couple of
gnawed bones, and bloodstains. tricks you can use:
• Whenever characters take a long rest, give one char­
acter a prophetic dream in which he or she glimpses • In a given encounter area, choose one object or fea­
something yet to be found or encountered. ture to describe in some detail. It need not be import­
ant to the story.
AGE
• Allow the character who has the highest passive Wis­
Barovia is the grim reflection of its undead master. Al­ dom (Perception) score to see, hear, or smell some­
most everything here is old and timeworn. Everywhere thing that no one else can perceive.
the adventurers go, they should be reminded of death,
decay, and their own mortality. Here are a couple of HUMOR
ways to reinforce these pervasive themes:
There are no stranger bedfellows than horror and hu­
• Take time to describe the rotting timbers of buildings, mor. Tension can't be sustained indefinitely, so a dash
the faded and moth-eaten clothing of the Barovian of humor provides a respite, giving horror a chance to
peasantry, the worm-ridden pages of old books, and sneak up on us later and catch us off guard. While hu­
the rust on iron fences and gates. morous situations will occur naturally in the course of
running the adventure, here are some tips for creating
• A character gazing into a mirror, a pool, or other re­ humor when needed:
flective surface might glimpse an older, more decrepit
version of himself or herself. Allow NPCs (even evil ones) to tell jokes, speak in a

LIGHT funny-voice, or behave idio,tically. Even _morbid humor
is better than none. ..: . . .. .
A tale that is perpetually dark in tone becomes tiresome
very quickly. It needs 'to feature the occasional ray of When a hero, villain, or morister,'foll� a natural 1:on .::
light for contrast and to create a sense of hope. Monsters ,' aa:nhuatmta-�<';iko·�roslir,r.iaisbnilai:pty'.tchh:aetcokc,c0u�r-�saa�si·'iaig: i..tehsruolwt.o, fdt�hsecrloibwe'
and other terrors must be offset with creatures that are
kind and lovable, giving-the characters ev_en_rnore rea- roll; such'a1, a char11cter �ccidentally kn9ckini. over a

lamp and setting-some drapes on fire·while trying'to
.. <
hide o'r move silently: , - ' . ..



CHAPTER 1: INTO THE MISTS

ERIE MISTS SURROUND BAROVIA AND fortresses of his ancestral homeland. Strahd named the
castle Ravenloft, after his mother, to demonstrate his
bind its inhabitants there. This chapter Jove for her. When it was complete, Strahd commanded
gives you the information you need to his mother and brother to come toBarovia and stay with
prepare for the adventurers' journey into him. Sergei eventually took up residence at Raveoloft,
those mists. The chapter first outlines but Ravenovia passed away while traveling to her name­
the history and goals of Count Strahd sake. In sorrowful disappointment, Strahd sealed his
von Zarovich so that you are prepared for mother's body in a crypt beneath the castle.
what awaits the characters. In the "Fortunes of Raven­
Joft" section, the chapter walks you through the tarokka Strahd's attention soon turned to Tatyana, a young
card reading that helps set the stage for the adventure's Barovian woman of fine lineage and remarkable beauty.
action, and the chapter closes with adventure hooks Strahd believed her to be a worthy bride, and he lav­
that you can use to draw the characters into the horror ished Tatyana with gifts and attention. Despite Strahd's
ofBarovia. efforts, she instead fell in love with the younger, warmer
Sergei. Strahd's pride prevented him from standing
STRAHD VON ZAROVICH in the way of the young couple's Jove until the day of
Sergei and Tatyana's wedding, when Strahd gazed into
Strahd von Zarovich, a vampire and wizard, has the sta­ a mirror and realized he had been a fool. Strahd mur­
tistics presented in appendix D. Although he can be en­ dered Sergei and drank his blood, sealing the evil pact
countered almost anywhere in his domain, the vampire between Strahd and the Dark Powers. He then chased
is always encountered in the place indicated by the card Sergei's bride-to-be through the gardens, determined to
reading later in this chapter, unless he has been forced make her accept and love him. Tatyana hurled herself
into his tomb in the catacombs of Castle Ravenloft. off a castle balcony to escape Strahd's pursuit, plunging
to her death. Treacherous castle guards, seizing the
THE VAMPIRE'S HISTORY opportunity to rid the world of Strahd forever, shot their
master with arrows.
In life, Strahd von Zarovich was a count, a prince, a
soldier, and a conqueror. After the death of bis father, But Strahd did not die. The Dark Powers honored
KingBarov, Strahd waged long, bloody wars against his the pact they had made. The sky went black as Strahd
family's enemies. He and his army cornered the last of turned on the guards, his eyes blazing red. He had be­
these enemies in a remote mountain valley before slay­ come a vampire.
ing them all. Strahd named the valleyBarovia, after his
deceased father, and was so struck by its scenic beauty After slaughtering the guards, Strahd saw the faces
that he decided to settle there. of his father and mother in the thunderclouds, looking
down upon him and judging him. He had destroyed the
Queen Ravenovia lamented the death ofBarov and family bloodline and doomed all ofBarovia. The castle
was fearful of Strahd. War had made him cold and ar­
rogant. She kept her younger son, Sergei, away from and the valley were spirited away, locked in a demiplane
the battlefield. Strahd envied the love and attention his surrounded on all sides by deadly fog. For Strahd and
mother visited upon his brother, so inBarovia he re­
mained. Peace made Strahd restless, and he began to •his people, there would be no escape.
feel like his best years were behind him. Unwilling to go
the way of his father, Strahd studied magic and forged a
pact with the Dark Powers of the Shadowfell in return
for the promise of immortality.

Strahd scoured his conquered lands for wizards and
artisans, brought them to the valley ofBarovia, and com­
manded them to raise a castle to rival the magnificent

I AM THE ANCIENT. I AM THE LAND.
My beginnings are lost in the dark­
ness of the past. I am not dead. Nor
am I alive. I am undead,Jorever.

-.Tome ofStrahd

Strahd has been the master of Ravenloft for centuries they exhibit great fortitude and defiance, his interest is
now. Since becoming a vampire, he has taken several piqued-even more so if the character displays uncom­
consorts-none as beloved as Tatyana, but each a per­ mon knowledge or beauty. Such a person might not be
son of beauty. All of them he turned into vampire spawn. worthy to succeed him, but the man or woman might
Although he feeds on the hapless souls of Barovia, they provide amusement to Strahd as a new possession.
provide little nourishment and no comfort. From time
to time, strangers from faraway lands are brought to his ROLEPLAYING 8TRAHD
domain, to play the vampire's game of cat-and-mouse.
Strahd savors these moments, for though these strang­ Strahd believes his soul is lost to evil. He feels neither
ers offer him no lands to conquer, they aren't so easily pity nor remorse, neither love nor hate. He doesn't suffer
destroyed and therefore provide a welcome diversion. anguish or wallow in indignation. He believes, and has
always believed, that he is the master of his own fate.
Strahd believes that the key to his escaping Barovia
lies in finding someone worthy to rule in his stead, but When he was alive, Strahd could admit to letting his
his arrogance are so indomitable that no one is ever emotions get the better of him from time to time. Now,
good enough in his eyes. He believes in his cold heart as a vampire, he is more monster than man, with barely
that only a von Zarovich as great as he or his father a hint of emotion left. He is above the concerns of the
could sway the Dark Powers to release him. living. The only event that occasionally haunts him is
the death of Tatyana, but his view of the past is bereft of
STRAHn's GoALs romance or regret. In his mind, her death couldn't have
been prevented, and what is done cannot be undone.
Strahd has the following goals in the adventure.
In life, Strahd lived to conquer. In undeath, he con­
TURN !REENA KOLYANA quers still-not realms, but people, driving good souls to
Strahd's unrequited love for Tatyana drove him to slay become corrupt and destroying those who won't yield.
his brother, Sergei. Some time ago, Strahd glimpsed Characters who try to appeal to Strahd's humanity will
the young woman Ireena Kolyana in the village of Baro­ be gravely disappointed, because there is little humanity
via and felt extreme deja vu. Ireena looked exactly like left in him. If they ask Strahd why he's preying on Ireena
Tatyana! Strahd now believes that Ireena is the latest Kolyana, he tells them that Ireena's body is the host for
reincarnation of Tatyana, and thus he seeks to claim her. Tatyana's soul, and Tatyana's soul belongs to him.

Strahd's evil courtship has led him to visit Ireena Strahd can be seductive and subtle when he chooses
twice. On both occasions, he charmed his way into her to be, especially if a person is clever or attractive. Men
home-the house of her adopted father, the burgomas­ and women of beauty and cunning amuse Strahd for a
ter of the village of Barovia-and drank her blood. He time-playthings to possess or discard as he desires.
intends to kill Ireena during their next meeting and turn
her into his vampire spawn consort. If he senses a lack of cohesion in a party of adven­
turers, he preys on that weakness and tries to drive a
Chapter 3 gives details about Ireena and where to find wedge between the characters by promising to help
her in the village of Barovia. · one at the expense of another. If Strahd senses evil in
a person, he cultivates that tendency by offering to turn
FIND RUDOLPH VAN RIGHTEN that character into a full-fledged vampire after helping
Although he is usually focused on making Ireena Koly­ Strahd destroy the rest of the party. Ultimately, Strahd
ana his bride, Strahd has been distracted by reports doesn't honor his promise, instead turning the character
that a legendary vampire hunter named Rudolph van into a vampire spawn under his control.
Richten has come to Barovia. It takes more than one
old man with a death wish to frighten Strahd; neverthe­ WHEN STRAHD ATTACKS
less, the vampire has his spies searching Barovia for
van Richten. Strahd would like very much to meet the Strahd isn't a villain who remains out of sight until the
old vampire hunter, lock him in the dungeons of Castle final scene. Far from it-he travels as he desires to any
Ravenloft, and slowly break his spirit. place in his realm or his castle, and (from his perspec­
tive) the more often he encounters the characters, the
Chapter 5 describes the town ofVallaki, where van better. The.characters can and should meet him multi­
Richten currently resides incognito. ple times before the final encounter, which most likely
takes place in the location determined by the card read­
SEARCH FOR A SUC CESSOR O_R.GONSORJ · ing. His combat details are_;wailable,in appendix D.
Strahd can sense the a:rrival ofoew.bloodfo his·domain.
When Strahd wants to terrprize the characters, he
0 pays them a visit, either .µntler·the cloak. of night or be­
neath overcast skies duriqg the day. If they're indoors,
When newcomers enter Batq�i'ii; -�� �hfrts his attentio11 he tries to charm or goad a chanir;t�r into.in�iting him
from Ireena Kolyana arid:van Ri��ten·to his ne' w guests inside (along with his vampire spaWn; if they are pres­
so that he can determine wh�ther a�y of them. isworthy ent). Strahd and his minions never �uack Ireena.
to be his successor or consort. (Eventually,_- he·decides
that none of them can replace him as master of Barovia, These encounters are meant to test the characters, not
but he doesn't arrive at this coriclusion immediately.) kill them. After: a few rounds of toying with them, Strahd
. ·: Stra·hd pays close attention to adventurers who are and his creatures withdraw. If the characters retreat,
charismatic and arrogant, like himself. He focuses his Strahd is likely.to allow them to flee, savoring their fear
attacks on them, to see how much they can withstand. and �elieving he has broken them.
If they crumble easily, he loses interest in them. If

CHAPTER 1 I JNTO THE MISTS
IO

FORTUNES OF RAVENLOFT CARD READING

The events of this adventure are part of dark twists of When you perform a card reading before running the
fate that a fortuneteller can discern with the cards of a adventure, write down the results for reference later.
tarokka deck. Before you run this adventure, you must If the characters have their fortunes read in the adven­
draw cards from a deck to determine the following ele­ tures, do the card reading again, out loud for the players'
ments of the adventure: benefit. Substitute the new results for the old ones.

Strahd's location inside Castle Ravenloft When you're ready to begin the card reading, remove
, The placement of three important treasures that can the fourteen cards with the crown icon (the high deck)
and shuffle them. Then shuffle the remaining cards (the
be used against Strahd-the Tome ofStrahd, the Holy common deck), keeping the two decks separate. Draw
Symbol ofRavenkind, and the Sunsword the top three cards from the common deck and lay them
The identity of a powerful ally in the fight face down in the 1, 2, and 3 positions. Then draw the top
against Strahd two cards from the high deck and lay them face down in
the 4 and 5 positions, as shown below:
This card reading can make the adventure different
each time you play it. IlII l

At some point during the adventure, the characters
are likely to meet Madam Eva, the old Vistani seer (see
chapter 2, area G), who can perform the same card read­
ing for them. Characters can also have Ezmerelda d'Ave­
nir perform a card reading for them, provided she has
her deck of tarokka cards. Ezmerelda's cards are hidden
in her wagon (chapter 11, area Vl).

Appendix E shows all the cards of the tarokka deck
and summarizes their symbolic meanings.

USINC RECULAR PLAYINC CARDS Once all five cards are drawn and placed face down, fol­
low the instructions below for each card in order.
If you like, you can use a regular deck of playing cards in
place of the tarokka deck. To do so, separate the numbered I1. THE TOME OF STRAHD I
cards from the face cards and jokers, and treat them as
two separate decks: the common deck (the numbered Flip over card 1, and read:
cards) and the high deck (the face cards and jokers).
This card tells of history. Knowledge of the ancient will
Common Deck. Each suit in a regular deck of playing help you better understand your enemy.
cards corresponds to a suit in the tarokka deck. The
ace cards represent the "l" cards in the tarokka deck,
and the "10" cards represent the "master" cards in the
tarokka deck.

Hearts= Glyphs Diamonds= Coins This card determines the location of the Tome ofStrahd
Spades= Swords Clubs= Stars (described in appendix C). Read the boxed text for the
appropriate card, as given in the "Treasure Locations"
High Deck. Each jack, queen, king, and joker corre­ section that follows.
sponds to a card in the tarokka high deck.

Playing Card Tarokka Card I2. THE HOLY SYMBOL OF RAVENKIND I

King of hearts Ghost Flip over card 2, and read:
Queen of hearts Innocent
Jack of hearts Marionette This card tells of a powerful force for good and protec-
King of spades Darklord tion, a holy symbol of great hope.
Queen of spades Mists
Jack of spades Executioner This card determines the location of the Holy Symbol of
King of diamonds Broken One Ravenkind (described in appendix C). Read the boxed
Queen of diamonds Tempter text for the appropriate card, as given in the "Treasure
Jack of diamonds Beast Locations" section that follows.
King of clubs Donjon
Queen of clubs Raven 3. THE SUNSWORD
Jack of clubs Seer Flip.over card 3, and read:
Joker 1 Artifact
Joker 2 Horseman I This is a card of power and strength. It tells of a weapon
of vengeance: a sword of sunlight.
.rCHAPTER 1 I INTO THE MISTS •
TT

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