The Harpy of Horinshire was a monster that hunted in the town of the same name before its capture by Dr. Van Richten. Curse of Strahd, one of the most popular Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game products of all time, split into three parts: a 224-page perfect-bound adventure for characters of levels 1-10, a 20-page Creatures of Horror booklet of new monsters that appear in the adventure, and an 8-page Tarokka Deck booklet. PC Level: 5. Burgomaster Dmitri is the ruler of Krezk, whose family has kept the village isolated and safe for centuries. Giving way too much info out on the front page, imo. Rowena is an adventurer and the favoured, exemplary daughter of the true Medusa. He is described as a mad mage who came to the valley to defeat its ruler but caught a case of amnesia in the process. Curse of Strahd: Destined Allies - "There is one destined to stand with you against the shadow, but of their ultimate fate, not even I can tell," - Madam E "There is one destined to stand with you against the shadow, but of their ultimate fate, not even I can tell," - Madam E. Login; My Library; He chased Tatyana until she flung herself from the spires of Castle Ravenloft to her death. Augustus is the older and calmer of the two guard dogs of the Baron. When I tackled this, I wanted to offer my players some way to actually defeat the curse, and have more than one encounter make way more sense. ontario lease agreement schedule a; who owns the steakhouse in wells maine; houston, texas population; $23 million dollar mansion; Just so you know, Ireena's stat block for a lv 3 fighter as her . St. Andral was a priest of Vallaki and the Morninglord, and became sainted after successfully protecting several of the fugitive guards of Ravenloft in his church's sanctuary until they died. Abuse this and bait foolhardy adventurers into traps and other horrors that could reside in the castle. I know, this seems pretty obvious for a plot, but it's never explicitly mentioned that Strahd could maybe make friends rather than enemies. (Players can attempt to visit him by walking round the lake, or by taking fishing . Trixie is a fey whose death triggered her transformation into a spirit obsessed with thievery. Most villagers can't remember a time when she wasn't in business. She seeks to make them the very most. Strahd's Barovia: A Guide to D&D's Most Famous Horror Setting, Strahd: The First Darklord of the Domains of Dread, Barovia is a Melancholic Realm Encircled by the Mists, Fresh Variations of Horror in Olde Barovia, Playing With Dark Gifts, a Double-Edged Sword for Characters, Drift Off Into I'Cath: The Domain of Dreams, Journey to Har'Akir: A Desert Domain Where the Dead Never Rest. Well, I cant answer that question, but I can give you some tips on how to run my favorite villain of all time. He is the sun god's final of many attempts to free Barovia from Strahd. . Khazan was Strahd's court mage both during and briefly after his conquest. Vilnius is a nomad who suffers from a highly lethal and communicable disease, and struck a bargain with the Queen of Poxes to survive. However, he underestimated Strahd's power and, after barely surviving a confrontation with him, he lost his spellbook and his staff, eventually losing his memory and being driven to the brink of madness. Baratok is actually Mordenkainen who has gone mad. Curse of Strahd- The Mad Mage. Baratok is actually Mordenkainen who has gone mad. Lancelot is Gertruda's dog and routinely searches for her on the Old Svalich Road and around Barovia village. You should check them out. Session #13. The Mad Mage's mind connection to Strahd. Dominik is the snappy and ambitious tailor of Krezk, having hired Szoldar Sr. to help him move there to escape the monotony of Vargon's festivals. Khristina was the eldest daughter of Anna and Dmitri Krezkov, and died from a hereditary disease. Talos the Stormbringer is the god of destruction, storms and rebellion. Curse of Strahd - Mid-fantasy in an "Alt-Earth" setting. To me, this translates as an ability to endure under harsh conditions for the folks who have souls, at least. It was released on March 15, 2016 and is based on the Ravenloft module . Luvash is the son of Madam Eva, and the de-facto leader of the Vistani in Barovia. Glad I pre-ordered this book. The Barovians believe everything about Strahd that is mentioned in the original module (that he's a bloodthirsty tyrant, killed his wife, etc.) Strong writing from Jeremy Blum with great organization and efficient summary; good example of enhanced supplementation from D&D Beyond. Yesper is the horse-keeper for Fidatov estate, and an animal conservationist. My question is: Does his appearance in . Ivan was a dogsled racer who won his fortunes by mastering and even chartering risky tracks, until he was allegedly sabotaged by a rival. It's like having a rewind button for your campaign. Powerful Strahd Stat Block (Approx. $32.40. Come on! The Vampyr is a mysterious entity that first spread the secret of vampirism and is responsible for Strahd's curse. Coupled with the . The book includes 22 revised room descriptions which accurately reflect rooms visible to players. The more resources the party spends chasing him and blowing up his minions the less they have to throw at him when he decides to sink his teeth in. Covering The Best In Video Games, Esports, Movies and Geek Culture Arahja is a scout for the Tser Pool camp, and a spy of Strahd. Lord Argynvost was the commanding founder of the Order of the Silver Dragon, and is widely considered to have been Strahd's greatest adversary during the latter's conquest. Ascendant campaigns can view previous versions of their pages, see what has changed (and who did it), and even restore old versions. This adventure picks up where Waterdeep: Dragon Heist leaves off, taking characters of . She is the only bride to have still been outside the valley upon accepting a proposal. Henry is the collector for the Dusklight Supply Shop, and often finds himself as the personable hub of festival preparation in concordance with the Baroness. Volenta is Strahd's youngest active bride, and a former courtesan. His wartime experiences caused him to grow cruel, however. [6], While suffering from his madness, he was convinced that enemies were everywhere and he was being constantly watched by evil agents. She often stops Varvara from drifting out of reality. and a horrifying man/wolf hybrid - a werewolf - just as Mahel warned. Natalie was the handmaiden of Saint Markovia during her rebellion, and is an ancestor of Baroness Lydia. Come on, everyone is gonna love the mad otter mage! Shar the Nightsinger is the goddess of darkness, loss and the night. Wintersplinter is the tree blight that the druids of Yester Hill intend to summon. Baron Vargon was the burgomaster of Vallaki before his son, Vargas, and had a firmer grip on the town's order. 2023 Wizards. Helga is the melancholic and enigmatic maid at Ravenloft. Thanks for the insight though, I am having trouble finding the page where the encounter is even locatedcan anyone help me out. The original I6 Ravenloft module, however, contains a compelling description: Barovians are, by tradition, a happy people, though their history and current conditions are not happy.. King Barov was the ruler of the small Kingdom of Zarovich around where southern Agarthia is now. Prepared to run the Mad Mage ; The party had planned last session to find the Mad Mage of Mt. Riven is the mysterious patron of Azuron, who first made contact with him during his refuge in a meteorite cave in Scylla's cliff. Ofelia Wormwiggle is the youngest daughter of Morgantha, and a butcher in Old Bonegrinder. [18], Following the demise of the Circle of Eight at the hands of Vecna during the lich's first failed attempt at obtaining greater deity status, a grieving Mordenkainen was consoled by Elminster, as the wizards reflected on the fragility of their good deeds. She was banished by Dr. Van Richten. The Vistani are traveling folk who can pass through the Mists and explore other Domains of Dread and even the planes beyond. Sir. Lightning from the heavens struck the wizard, and again he stood his ground. The thing here is that vampires are obliged to do his bidding, so they can't love him. She will also attend the dinner. Sergei was the younger brother of Strahd, and a victim of fratricide that fulfilled Strahd's pact with the Vampyr. Bram Stoker's Dracula and the anime adaptation of Castlevania are superb places to start. I'll put everything under spoiler for obvious reasons :). Mirabel is one of three owners of the Blood of the Vine tavern, and outcasts from the Tser Pool camp. Medusa is a former champion of Oghma and infamous for beginning her own monster lineage. Let us not forget The Knight of The Black Rose, Lord Soth and his conflict with Strahd. The end doesn't have to be killing Strahd, it could be helping him with his mission. If you want to get really creative, he could be the link from aForgotten Realmsadventure to aWorld of Greyhawkadventure, but for the time being such an endeavor would be your own design. Yonvi is the middle son of Yonvich, and a very organised carpenter, miller and leatherworker. The eldest son of Yonvich, and the only one without a blood relation to him. Jeremy Crawford, Laura Hickman, Tracy Hickman, Adam Lee, Christopher Perkins, Richard Whitters. Also, please, please, please don'tlet players interact too much with the Dark Powers. Laura is the captive of Baba Lysaga and the secret to their symbiotic immortality. I am going to updated it frequently and in the end I will do all Curse of Strahd original maps as well as homebrewed scenes (HB) we all learned to love by myself! The Grey Sisters were a coven of hags cursed by Oghma to share a single eye and tooth between them. One could easily play Madam Eva as the grand mastermind behind all that happens in Barovia, manipulating both the players and the vampire himself for a benevolent cause. He had such a knowledge of the dark side that he . The latest of these incarnations is Ireena Kolyana. But the Keepers of the Feather, a family of wereravens hiding in Vallaki, remains a prominent group that opposes Strahd. Adventure - 5etools. Subscribe to get the free product of the week! Rictavio is a traveller from a distant land, and tries to lift the spirits of Vallakian townsfolk with small shows and stories. Strahd streams every Thursday 8pm BST at twitch.tv/highrollersdnd00:00 - Intro/Recap01:15 - Game B. Artank was a wine distiller and was famous for making most of his money from winning drinking contests. How they received such powers has varied over the years, but Curse of Strahd states that the Vistani saved Strahds life and remain one of the few groups that he is indebted to and who are allowed to travel freely. When the character is resurrected they gain a form of indefinite madness from realizing that their spirit is trapped in Ravenloft, possibly forever. Stentho was the younger sister of Medusa who took her in and stayed with her after her rejection by Oghma. Szoldar is a seasoned wolf hunter by trade, and best friend of Yevgeni Krushkin. Elvir is the youngest child of Davian Martikov, and the most aloof, which speaks to how much the family cares about their winery. Party of 6 level 8's against Strahd and Rahadin, place your bets because it's happening today! A very charismatic man, he was. General Kroval "Mad Dog" Grislek. By default, hes a vile tyrant and the epitome of entitlement, but in many ways he could also be seen as lonely and emotional. Sophia was the middle daughter of Anna and Dmitri Krezkov, and died from a hereditary disease. Strahd didnt make it this far because he has great spells or a really cool big sword, he made it here because he understood how to turn every fight in his favor (although fireball probably did help). The Mad Mage. First of all, Strahd as a character can be improved. . Love means giving yourself to someone else intentionally, not because you're forced to. If Strahd finds love he won't be tormented anymore by desire, and thus the curse will be broken. Mordenkainen of Greyhawk fame also makes an appearance in Curse of Strahd. Quasimodo is the moniker given by Vilnius to his quasit familiar. Despite being undead, Strahd is still a count who considers the Barovian populace his subjects. Mordenkainen's spells known in the Realms included: Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! Wiki Le Monde des Royaumes Oublis (French), Mordenkainen's defense against lycanthropes, Mordenkainen's defense against nonmagical reptiles and amphibians, Mordenkainen's faithful phantom defenders, Mordenkainen's faithful phantom shield-maidens, Mordenkainen's protection from insects and arachnids, Inhabitants with a 12 challenge rating (5e), Inhabitants with a 27 challenge rating (3e). He occasionally visited Avernus to study the effects of the Nine Hells over the schools of magic and to ensure the balance of the universe. Wheaku is the fiercely loyal owl familiar of Lael Milpialda. Vistani legend tells that he came to this land a year ago and rallied an army to face off against Strahd, eventually being driven into River Ivlis over the Tser Falls to his supposed death. 9780786967155: 1-10 Spelljammer: Adventures in Space: August 16, 2022 The others are empty shells bereft of charm and imagination. Strahd is a curse on the land from centuries ago. I had him record his memories in several gems (which made a pretty decent puzzle to recreate his story by arranging the sentences found here and there) that can be found around his tower. [1], Mordenkainen eventually came to Barovia where he sought to undo Strahd and save the land from his influence. The Three-Faced King was a mysterious masked man who requested to be buried in the crypts of Ravenloft. Strahd has an illusion of Tatyana who he treats like his real wife, but she's not completely responsive and it's clear that something's wrong with her. Since the dawn of Dungeons and Dragons, dungeon masters have been searching for the answer to a simple question. I just finished CoS with my playgroup (I'm the DM) - and I made some changes to the way things played out, mostly because my players are very creative, and love to screw up Strahd's plans.I felt like the pacing was off with how open this campaign is, so I added an extra story hook about one of the vestiges in the amber temple breaking free. Chauntea the Earthmother is the goddess of agriculture, growth and care. On the day of Tatyana and Sergeis wedding, Strahd flew into a rage and murdered his brother. Use the Archmage in your campaign now with stats! His mother, Queen Ravenovia van Roeyen, was fearful of him, and she was unappeased by the castle named Ravenloft that he constructed in her honor. Zhudun, also known as the Corpse Child, is an Elder Evil whose followers claimed its powers of resurrection exceeded that of the gods. - Arabelle (obsessor). Arista was a runaway Vistani and Strahd's court ceiling painter. Intree was the primary counsellor for King Barov during his rule, and taught battle strategy to a young Strahd. Anastrasya is a former Vallakian noblewoman and consort of Strahd. Emil is a former alpha of the werewolf pack and a prisoner of Strahd, after the vampire's interference in the civil struggle. In Curse of Strahd, General Kroval "Mad Dog" Grislek is buried in Castle Ravenloft. [Mad Mage's Magnificent Mansion] . Turned into a Vampire Spawn by Strahd during the Mad Mage's failed attack on Ravenloft: 31. The following aspects of this iconic villain are worth memorizing: Strahd was a warlord who defeated the enemies of his deceased father, King Barov. Wilma is the cook at Fidatov manor, preferred by Fidatova for her flair rather than her reliability. Vistani matriarch Madam Eva also happens to be Strahds half-sister a mind-boggling fact that the vampire himself is unaware of and regularly asks her people to find otherworldly adventurers who might be able to set her half-brother free. My players have gathered all the legendary items, completed a majority of the chapters and are currently level 8 (they will be level 9 when they fight Strahd). Strahd feels an extreme guilt towards him, as he just couldn't resist the curse.Strahd's curse: this campaign is called Curse of Strahd, yet we never hear the curse. The Fey Queen of Diamonds is a winter eladrin that owned territory in the Daraman feywild, and would routinely make humans in the city disappear by sending them forward in time. Vampires stay in coffins during the day. He appears or is mentioned in several different Greyhawk and Dungeons and Dragons products. The article is great otherwise. Attention PDF authors and publishers: Da Archive runs on your tolerance. upgrade now It was released in March 2016. Yevgeni is a man of few words, and the hunting partner of Szoldar Szoldarovich. Tenebrous. His impeccable memory makes up for his dreadful handwriting. Miranda is a travelling saleswoman who lives at the Tser Pool camp. Thats all I have for you and please if you enjoyed this check out more of our content. Pidlwick is an automaton effigy of the original jester of Duchess Dorfniya's court that Sergei and Tatyana liked to see perform. The PC's rallied together to recapture the vestige (in a very ghostbusters way), and returned it to the amber temple.One of the PC's (A wizard) picked up the staff in the temple, and was given the flaw that they desire power above all else.Then she proceeded to take every single dark gift offered to her, without the other players realizing. King Dostron the Hellborn was the ruler of the valley long before Strahd conquest, and was the grandson of an illrigger of Avernus. Tatsaul was the moniker given by Strahd to a squire of the Silver Dragon that Artimus Fidatov helped fake the death of. Carnis was the Abbot's prototype bride for Strahd. Henrik is a lonely coffin-maker whose trade and demeanour has given way to many unflattering rumours over the years. A few stood their ground and were never seen again. Legendary wizard known as the Mad Mage of Mount Baratok. Burgomaster Ulrich was the last burgomaster of Berez and assistant to Marina's suicide. Beware! Parriwimple is the oafish enforcer at Bildrath's Mercantile, and the secret to its success in the valley. My party started Curse of Strahd at level 6 and I have planned for them to go up to level 14 or 15. Ben is a serving swain at the Hoofprint inn in Merryway. Their battle flew from the courtyards of Ravenloft to a precipice overlooking the falls. After all, if he had more spell slots of that level, he'd still be able to cast it. As such, I have needed to adjust certain things within the adventure in order for them to present a significant challenge to the party. The key is to remember that Strahd isnt a brawler, hes a leader and his stat block reflects that. Heres one of my favorites, and check the links below as well. We've already been saving your edits, so if you Vladimir was the highest-ranking Knight of the Silver Dragon during the fall of the order. She became obsessed with him, even following his deadly conquests into Barovia after she became estranged from him. Can't wait for the 18th. His gravestone reads "Master of the Hunt". Follow along as I look into Strahds Stat Block and what the numbers mean and how to make this villain play as terrifyingly as hes written. Obsidian Portal has a lot of really cool features that use JavaScript. Hadar is an Elder Evil that clings to the 'dark side' of his eponymous star. Gralmore was the taken child of forest folk, and the subject of Strahd's failed project to replace Khazan. This site works best with JavaScript enabled. Khazan found out about the curse, and how the plane had been taken over by the dark lords. She was killed after falling into a trap set up by the vampire. There are segments of Barovian society that resist Strahds rule. Euryale was the older sister of Medusa who helped her start a small empire after her rejection by Oghma. Known as Undermountain, this dungeon is the domain of the mad wizard Halaster Blackcloak. Because the Mists of Barovia are undiscriminating in who they pull in, Dungeon Masters are free to inject some iconic and unusual allies into this Domain of Dread, from Elminster to Drizzt DoUrden. He knows about the curse, and knows that the only way to end a curse is to contradict its rhyme so that it won't be true to itself. Lord Karl is the middle Wachter child, and is rarely far from his brother, or doing anything different. Margo is the younger Vaskroff sister, and believes that she 'took her sister's soul' when she was born. Although not featured in Ravenloft products prior to Curse of Strahd, he appears in that module after having lost his memories and gone mad. I remember him like it was yesterday. - Count Strahd von Zarovich (enemy) [4], Mordenkainen had a hawk-like face, with a permanent frown that gave the appearance of alertness and almost anger, and a penetrating gaze. You can draw inspiration from films like Midsommar to emphasize the creepiness of suchcelebrations! Fantastic article. King Katsky the Bright was a self-proclaimed time-traveller whose territory proved one of the more difficult for Strahd to conquer. Baron Metus was a vampire lord and the vampiric sire of Erasmus van Richten. Imagine a valley surrounded by mist, with the suns rays barely visible beyond layers of murky clouds. [15], Mordenkainen was a good friend of Elminster Aumar; the two met on numerous occasions at Ed Greenwood's house on Earth to exchange news from each other's worlds, as well as spells and lore. Barovia is a demiplane bordered by the Mists, which act as living vapors that often seep out into the Material Plane to pull strangers within. Willemina owns a shoe shop in Vallaki, but has spent most of her time at St. Andral's Church in protest of her son's arrest. He kept a close-trimmed beard and wore grey, high-collared robes. Miral is a pianist, trained by Lady Fidatova to use the instrument built by her mother. -Mordenkainen is cool if you know who he is. This page was last edited on 3 November 2020, at 14:03. Indigo is a senior guard at Fidatov manor, nicknamed after her colour-blindness. Roaming Barovia: This adventure is wide open. Talia was a lonely locksmith in Krezk who was overcome with greed when she discovered a deadly poison ingredient in the valley. I thought not. Khazan's fate: this brings to the third major retcon I did. . Clovin is the bell-ringer and cook for the residents of the Abbey of St. Markovia. A few servants from Barovia willingly came to the pocket dimension with Strahd so he could live on their blood. The way I see it is this: "Strahd really wanted two things: for his name to be eternally remembered and for the company of his loved ones. Stefania is the second child of Davian Martikov, and a mother of four at the Wizard of the Wines. Strahds kingdom was spirited away to the Domains of Dread, and Strahd became an immortal ruler haunted by untouchable reincarnations of Tatyana. Olivia is the cheerful owner of the Hoofprint inn in Merryway. When the queen died, Strahds envy turned to hatred, especially when the woman he desired, a native Barovian named Tatyana, fell for Sergei instead of him. [6], He later changed his hairstyle, favoring a bald head and a trimmed goatee, but lost none of his penetrating stare. He is privately very religious and deluded. The module swiftly leads the party to a Vistani encampment, where the players can have their . Diavola is Lady Fidatova's beloved handmaid and the constant subject of her social experiments. Peruse nuanced portrayals of Dracula in film as inspiration for Strahd. Gender: Male He became known by the locals as the Mad Mage of Mount Baratok. Hewill live forever and hewill do horrible things to win Tatyana's love, making her hate him instead. Lizabeta was the youngest daughter of Anna and Dmitri Krezkov, and died from a hereditary disease. Plus, you have our Dag is the husband of Stefania and father of four at the Wizard of the Wines. " The Philantropist: This card tells of history. Thornboldt Durst was the eldest son of the Durst family, and died as a casualty of his mother's final ritual. Strahd is as much a prisoner of Barovia as he is its master. She was resuscitated, and would go on to inspire a rebellion against Strahd, which she would die leading. Knowledge of the ancient will help you better understand your enemy. Sporting 16 AC and 144hp, standard vampire resistances, vampire immunities, and his highest saves are +9. He teaches the contents of the books at St. Andral's Church and Orphanage, as well as privately. So he studied in the amber temple a way to save Barovia, Tricking the dark lords into thinking he was just after immortality. Franz is the artistic nephew of Skennis, former alpha of the werewolf pack. Long has the Mad Mage dwelt in these forlorn depths, seeding his lair with monsters, traps, and mysteriesto what end is a constant source of speculation and concern. Lolth the Spider Queen is the goddess of drow, spiders and assassination. It needed his brother blood to be eternalized, and filled his mind with greed and hatred in order for him to give up his humanity and seal the pact with blood. Herman Yonvich is the secretive bookkeeper, scribe and linguist of Vallaki. Sir. Queen Ravenovia was the wife of King Barov, the mother of Strahd and Sergei, and the namesake of Castle Ravenloft. Sorvia is one of three owners of the Blood of the Vine tavern, and outcasts from the Tser Pool camp. Leonid was a duellist during Strahd's conquest, famous for his stature and his flawless combat record. Jeremy Blum (@PixelGrotto) is a journalist, gaming blogger, comic book aficionado, and fan of all forms of storytelling who rolled his first polyhedral dice while living in Hong Kong in 2017. One PC took up the mantle of darklord of barovia as a replacement for Strahd, ending his reign, and locked away the demilich in the amber temple.Having explored the concept of the Vestiges a bit further, I treated them like the MTG Eldrazi, smaller parts of a larger whole trying to invade the world, and the "Domains of Dread" act as prisons to hold these vestiges, and prevent them from escaping into Faerun.Now the PC's are in a more homebrew setting, exploring one of the other Domains of dread, after meeting the Dark Powers of the Shadowfell, who informed them that they are useful tools, and that in order for them to return home, they must perform one final task.

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