D&D 5e Van Richten's Guide to Ravenlft

TRAVELERS I N THE MISTS K EEP ERS OF THE FEAT H E R

Adventures i n the Domains o f Dread often indulge When asked about the origins of their society, the
in a single domain's distinctly frightful themes. But members of the Keepers of the Feather speak of
if you plan to run whole campaigns set in the Land their traditions originating long ago and beyond the
of the Mists, creating narratives that span domains Mists. This is true, but most who repeat that story
can prove challenging if every realm is a world unto are only trying to layer a mystical facade over their
itself. Individuals who willfully brave the Mists to dilettante spiritualism.
travel between domains are especially useful in
your broader horror stories. Only the group's highest-ranking members know
that the Keepers of the Feather began in Barovia
While it's true that most residents of the Domains as a small sect of wereravens (see chapter 5) dedi­
of Dread never leave their home domains and wisely cated to opposing the evils of Strahd von Zarovich.
don't fixate on what lies beyond the Mists, some Though their numbers were not enough to oppose
daring souls do. Many such inquisitive individuals the Darklord directly, they sought useful lore and
simply vanish, the Mists delivering them to deadly aided brave souls from the shadows, manipulating
domains from which they never return. But others fortune to confound some of Strahd's more diaboli­
manage to band together, learning the ways of cal plots. Over generations, the wereravens' hidden
the Mists, how to travel through them, and how to resistance to Strahd continued in Barovia, but some
survive their dangers. Those who travel between among them learned of other lands suffering beyond
domains might have the Mist Walker Dark Gift (see the Mists. Unwilling to let the innocents of those
chapter 1) or know how to employ Mist talismans lands fend for themselves, some of the Keepers of
(detailed at the start of this chapter). Such travel- the Feather ventured forth, hoping to share their
ers can provide the following services adventurers wisdom and their subtle resistance to evil with
might find useful: those who needed it most.

• Evidence of other domains However, the Mists find a way to twist even the
• News, rumors, and requests for help best of intentions. In the cities of urbane domains
• Information on Mist talismans like Borca, Darkon, and Dementlieu, the mystical
• Guidance or traveling companions writings and talismans the wereravens carried from
Barovia came to the attention of the bored elite. Fas­
The characters in your adventures should feel spe­ cinated, these socialites became obsessed with the
cial if they travel the Mists, as few have the courage occult, seeking out esoteric works, hiring doubtful
to do so. When characters encounter travelers from fortune-tellers, and hosting parlor seances. In most
other domains, those individuals should likewise cases, the results were passing fads. In some, they
be remarkable or have a desperate reason to have were catastrophic-the unprepared successfully
braved the Mists. Learning about such wanderers
can drive the characters from a single adventure KEEPER CHARACTERS
into a larger campaign that explores other domains.
Characters playing mem bers of the Keepers ofthe
The following sections present groups and individ­ Feather have access to contacts with interest in spiritu­
uals who routinely travel the Mists. The Strangers alism and the occult, including hapless dilettantes, re­
in the Mists table also suggests the kinds of people clusive scholars, correspondents from other domains,
characters might encounter amid the Mists. and hucksters. At a ny time, members ofthe o rganiza­
tion might call upon their contacts to uncover some
STR A N G E R S I N T H E M I STS esoteric secret, engage i n a su pernatural investigation,
or even explore a nother domain.
d6 Encounter
When players create Keeper ofthe Feather charac­
Someone from another world who's just been ters, ask them the fol lowi n g q uestions.

d rawn i nto a domain by the M ists What sparked your interest in the occult? Did you
encounter a mysterious being that you want to u n ­
2 Someone fleeing the Darklord of a nother domain dersta nd? Is membership a family tradition? Are you
trying to contact someone beyond the grave? Do you
3 A raven carrying a message from the Keepers of seek some other knowledge?

the Feather What esoteric knowledge most interests you? Are
you curious a bout a rcheology, astrology, d ivination,
4 Curious members ofthe Keepers ofthe Feather led cryptozoology, electricity, or spiritualism? How has
by a wereraven (see chapter 5) i n d isguise this gotten you into trouble?

5 A band ofVistani Who aids your investigations? I s a nother Keeper you r
mentor? Do you and other Keepers meet regularly? Do
6 A spirit that cries out before bei n g yan ked back you correspond with a Keeper in a nother domain? Did
this person give you your Mark ofthe Raven talisman?
into the M ists, leaving behind a M ist talisman

1 74 C H A PT E R 3 I D O M A I N S OF RAVEN LOFT

summoned fiends and angry spirits into their sa­ lioLv S v M B O L
lons. But a few earnest amateur spiritualists genu­
inely sought to learn more about the secrets beyond O F R11vE N K I N D
their homes, their lives, and the Mists. In these
would-be occultists, the wereravens saw potential. learn of this consider it a trick, or fear what it means
to receive messages from beyond the Mists, encour­
KEEPER SOCIETIES aging the Keepers to offer this rare service only to
group members and their allies. Keeper ravens as a
Beyond Barovia, where the eldest wereraven mem­ means of correspondence is detailed in "Life in the
bers of the Keepers of the Feather keep a low pro­ Domains of Dread" earlier in this chapter.
file, Keepers organize into small social clubs with
shared interests in occultism. Some members are KEEPER ADVENTURES
actual invested scholars, while others are simply
bored rich folk. But all have a strong interest in The Keeper Adventures table offers ideas for
seances, fortune-telling, secrets of the afterlife, strange events that can touch off stories involving
sightings of mysterious creatures, metaphysical the Keepers of the Feather.
theories, and tales of the macabre. Among their mis­
interpretations and outright flimflam-like round KEEPER ADVENTURES
planet theory and dikesha dice-Keepers also pos­ d6 Adventure Hook
sess hints of truth and the tools wereravens have Keepers i nvite the characters to a social gathering
long used to combat evil. Among these are spirit where fortunes a re tol d and attendees sample rare
boards (detailed in chapter 4), tarokka decks, Mist imported mumia-powdered mummy.
talismans, and piecemeal occult writings from vari­ 2 A Keeper delivers a letter to the characters that ar­
ous domains. Some among the Keepers don't know rived by raven. The message has no sender.
the true power of these tools, but this doesn't dull 3 Orphir Brindletop, a Kalakeri gnome occultist, is
their enthusiasm. s u rprised to meet one ofthe characters, as he re­
ceived a message for them in a seance long ago.
Knowing the threats that Darklords and other 4 The characters are i nvited to help a Keeper stake
evils pose, wereravens of the Keepers typically don't out a graveyard in hopes of spotti ng a legenda ry
reveal themselves to those not of their kind. Rather, creature said to dwe l l there.
they infiltrate Keeper societies as reclusive mem­ 5 The party is hired to collect a parcel from the Blue
bers, traveling experts, or foreign scholars. Some Water I n n in the Barovian town of Va l laki, which is
Keepers also tell of sightings or visitations involving secretly run by wereravens. They must not open
giant raven-like beings that appear, speak some the package and m ust get it out of Barovia swiftly.
prophecy or deliver some message, then vanish, 6 A character glim pses a raven-like figure. When they
often presaging either wonder or disaster. The were­ i nvestigate, they fi n d only the mysterious talisman
ravens take little issue with these exaggerated tales that it left beh i n d .
from those who've witnessed their hybrid forms,
and they willingly play into the tales of the Keepers
if it means spurring them to action.

The Keepers of the Feather are a loose organiza­
tion, incorporating members who operate alone or
in small groups, as well as elite social clubs or se­
cretive societies. In all cases, Keepers identify each
other by the Mark of the Raven, a sunburst emblem
worn as a pin or amulet. Drawn from esoteric writ­
ings, this mark is a recreation of the Holy Symbol of
Ravenkind, a storied religious artifact from Barovia.
Though these reproductions carry no magical prop­
erties and most non-wereraven Keepers don't know
the symbol's origin, many foul forces instinctively
recognize the symbol as an emblem of good.

KEEPER ROOKERIES

Keeper cells strive to correspond and share discov­
eries between communities and domains. To facili­
tate this, the wereravens have taught some Keepers
how to raise messenger ravens capable of delivering
letters through the Mists. Most non-Keepers who

C H A PTER 3 I D O M A I N S OF R AV E N LOFT 175