The idyllic valley nestled in the Balinok Mountains was a slice of heaven to those who knew of its existence before Strahd’s arrival. The serenity of the place was forever shattered when Strahd led a bloody crusade against the enemies of his family that ended here with the slaughter of hundreds. Struck by the scenic beauty of his most recent conquest and eager to escape the shadow of his father’s legacy, Strahd made the valley his home and named it Barovia after the late King Barov, his father.
The land now called Barovia is no longer part of the world that Strahd once tried to conquer. It now exists within a demiplane formed by Strahd’s consciousness and surrounded by a deadly fog. No creature can leave without Strahd’s permission, and those that try become lost in the mist.
Strahd allows the Vistani to come and go as they please because he admires their lust for life and their willingness to serve him when he needs them. He also owes an ancient debt to the Vistani people. As a soldier centuries ago, he suffered a grievous injury in battle, and the Vistani tended his wounds and returned him safely to his family without making any demand for payment. The Vistani claim to possess potions that allow them to leave Strahd’s domain, but the potions are false concoctions with no magical power. Nevertheless, the Vistani are willing to sell them for a hefty price.
Native Barovians have been terrorized for centuries by the one they call “the devil Strahd.” Only a handful of them have the will to oppose him. Barovians congregate in the valley’s three main settlements—the villages of Barovia and Krezk and the town of Vallaki—for fear of falling prey to wolves and other beasts that prowl the woods. Among these people are the Keepers of the Feather, a secret society of wereravens. Not powerful enough to defeat Strahd on their own, the Keepers readily assist adventurers who find themselves drawn into Strahd’s domain.
My army settled in the valley of Barovia and took power over the people in the name of a just god, but with none of a god’s grace or justice.
- Tome of Strahd
Lay of the Land
Rolling thunderclouds cast a gray pall over the land of Barovia. A deathly stillness hangs over the dark woods, which are patrolled constantly by Strahd’s wolves and other servitors.
The evergreen trees of the Svalich Woods climb the sides of the mountains that enclose the valley. The largest of these peaks is Mount Baratok, with its snow-covered cap and rugged slopes. Baratok’s slightly smaller twin, Mount Ghakis, is mostly bald with tufts of trees here and there. Between these two mountains stands Lake Zarovich, which is fed by streams of ice-cold water pouring down the face of Mount Baratok. On the south side of the lake rests the town of Vallaki, enclosed by a palisade. West of the two mountains, atop a hill, stands the Abbey of Saint Markovia, around which the Barovians built a walled village named Krezk. Between Vallaki and Krezk lie the ruins of Argynvostholt, the fallen bastion of a knightly order called the Order of the Silver Dragon, wiped out by Strahd and his army. East of the mountains lies the village of Barovia, shrouded in mist and bereft of walls and defenses. The dark silhouette of Castle Ravenloft looks down on this village from its perch atop a 1,000-foot-high column of rock known as the Pillarstone of Ravenloft.
Mists of Ravenloft
A deadly fog surrounds the land of Barovia and engulfs any creature that tries to leave. Even flying creatures are subject to the fog’s effects, which are as follows:
- A creature that starts its turn in the fog must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw or gain one level of
exhaustion (see appendix A in the Player’s Handbook). Thisexhaustion can’t be removed while the creature is in the fog. - No matter how far a creature travels in the fog, or in which direction it goes, it gets turned around so that it eventually finds itself back in Barovia.
- The area within the fog is heavily obscured (see “Vision and Light” in chapter 8 of the Player’s Handbook).
Sunlight in Barovia
By the will of the Dark Powers, the sun never fully shines in the lands of Barovia. Even during the day, the sky is dimmed by fog or storm clouds, or the light is strangely muted. Barovian daylight is bright light, yet it isn’t considered sunlight for the purpose of effects and vulnerabilities, such as a vampire’s, tied to sunlight.
Nevertheless, Strahd and his vampire spawn tend to stay indoors most of the day and venture out at night, and they are subject to sunlight created by magic.
Alterations to Magic
The land of Barovia resides in its own demiplane, isolated from all other planes, including the Material Plane. No spell—not even
For the purpose of spells whose effects change across or are blocked by planar boundaries (such as
While in Barovia, characters who receive spells from deities or otherworldly patrons continue to do so. In addition, spells that allow contact with beings from other planes function normally—with one proviso: Strahd can sense when someone in his domain is casting such a spell and can choose to make himself the spell’s recipient, so that he becomes the one who is contacted.
Cosmetic Spell Modifications
At your discretion, a spell can be modified cosmetically to enhance the horrific atmosphere. Here are examples:
Alarm : Instead of hearing a mental ping when the alarm is triggered, the caster hears a scream.
Bigby’s hand : The conjured hand is skeletal.
Find familiar : The familiar is undead—not a celestial, fey, or fiend—and is immune to features that turn undead.
Find steed : The summoned steed is undead—not a celestial, fey, or fiend—and is immune to features that turn undead.
Find the path : A child’s spirit appears and guides the caster to the desired location. The spirit can’t be harmed and doesn’t speak.
Fog cloud : Misty, harmless claws form in the fog.
Gust of wind : A ghastly moan accompanies the summoned wind.
Mage hand : The summoned hand is skeletal.
Maze : The surfaces of the demiplane’s maze are made of mortared skulls and bones.
Phantom steed : The steed resembles a skeletal horse.
Rary’s telepathic bond : Characters linked together by the spell can’t shake the feeling that something vile is telepathically eavesdropping on them.
Revivify : A creature restored to life by arevivify spell screams upon regaining consciousness, as though waking from some horrible nightmare.
Spirit guardians : The spirits appear as ghostly, skeletal warriors.
Wall of stone : A wall created by the spell has ghastly faces sculpted into it, as though tortured spirits were somehow trapped within the stone.
Resurrection Madness
In Barovia, the souls of the dead are as trapped as the souls of the living. They become caught in the mists and can’t travel to the afterlife.
When a humanoid who has been dead for at least 24 hours returns to life, either by way of a spell or some supernatural means, it gains a random form of indefinite madness brought on by the realization that its spirit is trapped in Barovia, likely forever. To determine how this madness is expressed, roll on the Indefinite Madness table in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide.
Barovians
After his armies occupied the valley and slew its inhabitants, Strahd repopulated the area with human subjects drawn from his other conquered lands. As a result, Barovians have a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds.
Barovians are deeply invested in their homes and their traditions. They are wary of strange peoples and customs. The way Barovians deal with strangers can be unsettling to those newcomers. Barovians have a tendency to stare openly, in silence, thereby expressing their disapproval of anything that isn’t familiar to them. Barovians aren’t talkative with strangers, to the extent of being pointedly rude. Most Barovians have violent tempers that boil up through their customary silence when they are provoked. They also have a social cohesiveness (thrust upon them by their weird circumstances) that can make them act together against outsiders if a Barovian is mistreated.
Barovians were a happy people once, but their history and current conditions aren’t pleasant. If one manages to win the trust of a Barovian, one has a friend for life and a stalwart ally.
Barovian children aren’t happy children. They are raised in a culture of fear and told time and again not to wander too far from their homes or enter the woods. They experience little hope or joy, and they are taught to fear the devil Strahd above all.
Barovian adults eke out modest livings. With no new wealth pouring into the valley, they trade in old coins that bear the profile of their dark lord, Strahd, as he looked when he was alive. They hide their precious baubles in their houses and dress plainly outdoors, so as not to attract the attention of Strahd or his spies.
Barovians live within a closed ecosystem. Every Barovian adult is expected to learn a trade or serve a function. Barovians stitch their own clothing, craft their own furniture, grow their own food, and make their own wine. With fewer than three thousand people living in the entire valley, finding the perfect mate isn’t easy, so Barovians have learned to settle for what they can get.
Barovian Names
You can use the following lists to create Barovian NPC names on the fly.
Alek, Andrej, Anton, Balthazar, Bogan, Boris, Dargos, Darzin, Dragomir, Emeric, Falkon, Frederich, Franz, Gargosh, Gorek, Grygori, Hans, Harkus, Ivan, Jirko, Kobal, Korga, Krystofor, Lazlo, Livius, Marek, Miroslav, Nikolaj, Nimir, Oleg, Radovan, Radu, Seraz, Sergei, Stefan, Tural, Valentin, Vasily, Vladislav, Waltar, Yesper, Zsolt
Alana, Clavdia, Danya, Dezdrelda, Diavola, Dorina, Drasha, Drilvia, Elisabeta, Fatima, Grilsha, Isabella, Ivana, Jarzinka, Kala, Katerina, Kereza, Korina, Lavinia, Magda, Marta, Mathilda, Minodora, Mirabel, Miruna, Nimira, Nyanka, Olivenka, Ruxandra, Sorina, Tereska, Valentina, Vasha, Victoria, Wensencia, Zondra
Alastroi, Antonovich/Antonova, Barthos, Belasco, Cantemir, Dargovich/Dargova, Diavolov, Diminski, Dilisnya, Drazkoi, Garvinski, Grejenko, Groza, Grygorovich/Grygorova, Ivanovich/Ivanova, Janek, Karushkin, Konstantinovich/Konstantinova, Krezkov/Krezkova, Krykski, Lansten, Lazarescu, Lukresh, Lipsiege, Martikov/Martikova, Mironovich/Mironovna, Moldovar, Nikolovich/Nikolova, Nimirovich/Nimirova, Oronovich/Oronova, Petrovich/Petrovna, Polensky, Radovich/Radova, Rilsky, Stefanovich/Stefanova, Strazni, Swilovich/Swilova, Taltos, Targolov/Targolova, Tyminski, Ulbrek, Ulrich, Vadu, Voltanescu, Zalenski, Zalken
Souls and Shells
Barovians are made of flesh and blood. They are born, they live, they age, and they die. But not all of them—only about one in every ten—have souls.
When a being with a soul dies in Barovia, that soul remains trapped in Strahd’s domain until it is reincarnated in a newborn. It can take decades for a bodiless soul to find a host, and Barovians who share the same soul over generations tend to look alike. That is why Ireena Kolyana looks exactly like Strahd’s beloved Tatyana—both women were born with the same soul.
Strahd needs loyal subjects to feed his ego. Barovians without souls are empty shells created by his consciousness to fill out the local population. Although they are physically indistinguishable from Barovians with souls, they tend to be bereft of charm and imagination and to be more compliant and depressed than the others. They dress in drab clothing, whereas Barovians who have souls wear clothes with a splash of color or individuality.
A Barovian woman, soulless or not, can give birth. A child born in Barovia might have a soul even if one or both parents do not. Conversely, the child of two parents with souls isn’t certain to have a soul of its own. Barovians without souls are maudlin folk who experience fear but neither laugh nor cry.
Ireena Kolyana and her brother Ismark both have souls, as do all Vistani. Which Barovians have souls and which don’t is left up to you.
Strahd periodically feeds on the blood of Barovians who have souls, but he can’t draw nourishment from the blood of the soulless. He can tell at a glance whether a Barovian has a soul or is merely a shell.
If Strahd is defeated, the fog that surrounds Barovia fades away, allowing the inhabitants of the valley to leave if they wish. Only those who have souls, however, can truly leave this place. Soulless Barovians cease to exist as soon as they exit the valley.
Barovians and Nonhumans
Barovians are human. Although they know that dwarves, elves, halflings and other civilized races exist, few living Barovians have seen such “creatures,” let alone interacted with them.
Aside from the secretive dusk elves of Vallaki (see chapter 5), the only nonhumans most Barovians are familiar with are the adventurers that Strahd has lured to his dark realm. Barovians thus react to nonhuman characters the same way most humans in the real world would react to elf, dwarf, or half-orc adventurers suddenly walking the streets. Most such outsiders are scorned, feared, or shunned.
Barovian Lore
Typical Barovians know certain facts, or have certain beliefs, about their existence and their surroundings. This common lore is summarized here. Characters can learn this information after earning a Barovian’s trust.
The Devil Strahd
About Strahd and vampires, the Barovians believe the following:
- Strahd von Zarovich is a vampire, and he dwells in Castle Ravenloft. No one is welcome at the castle.
- The devil Strahd is a curse placed on the land because of a forgotten sin of the Barovians' ancestors. (This is untrue, but Barovians believe it nonetheless.)
- A vampire must rest in its coffin during the day. At night, it can summon wolves and vermin to do its bidding. A vampire can transform into a bat, a wolf, or a cloud of mist. In its humanoid form, it can dominate you with its powerful gaze.
- A vampire can’t enter a residence without an invitation from one of the occupants.
- Running water burns a vampire like acid, and sunlight causes a vampire to burst into flame.
The Land of Barovia
Barovians know the following facts about their homeland:
- Anyone who attempts to leave the land of Barovia begins to choke on the fog. Those who don’t turn back perish.
- Many strangers have been drawn to Barovia over the years, but they all die or disappear before long.
- Wolves, dire wolves, and werewolves prowl the Svalich Woods, and hungry bats fill the skies at night.
- The village of Barovia sits at the east end of the valley. Its burgomaster is named Kolyan Indirovich.
- The town of Vallaki lies in the heart of the valley. Its burgomaster is named Baron Vargas Vallakovich.
- The fortified village of Krezk lies at the west end of the valley and is built around an old abbey. The village burgomaster is named Dmitri Krezkov.
- Wine is the lifeblood of Barovia—for some, it is the only reason to keep living. Barovian taverns get their wine from the Wizard of Wines winery near Krezk.
- A mad wizard of great power haunts the foothills of Mount Baratok. He is an outsider and no friend of the vampire’s.
Barovian Calendar
Barovia has its own calendar, and Barovians are accustomed to measuring the passage of time in “moons” instead of months. As a measurement of time, each moon begins on the first night of a full moon and lasts a full lunar cycle. A year consists of twelve moons, or twelve lunar cycles.
Strahd was born in 306. In 346, he inherited his father’s crown, lands, and army. Strahd conquered the valley in 347, finished construction of Castle Ravenloft in 350, and died and became a vampire in 351. The current year is 735.
Beliefs and Superstitions
Barovians have deep-rooted religious beliefs and superstitions that they pass down from one generation to the next:
- Two divine forces watch over the Barovian people: the Morninglord and Mother Night.
- Before the curse of Strahd befell the land, the Morninglord watched over the Barovian people from sunrise until sundown. Now, the sun has not shone unobscured for centuries, and the Morninglord no longer answers their prayers.
- The presence of Mother Night is felt most strongly between dusk and dawn, although nighttime prayers to her go unanswered. It is widely believed that she has forsaken the Barovian people and sent the devil Strahd to punish them for their ancestors' offenses.
- Spirits drift along the Old Svalich Road toward Castle Ravenloft in the dead of night. These phantoms are all that remain of Strahd’s enemies, and this damnable fate awaits anyone who opposes him.
- The Vistani serve the devil Strahd. They alone are allowed to leave Barovia.
- Never harm a raven, lest ill fortune befall you!
Vistani
The Vistani (singular: Vistana) are wanderers, traveling about in horse-drawn, barrel-topped wagons, which they build themselves. Compared to Barovians, they are flamboyant, dressing in bright clothes and laughing often. As much as they feel at home in Strahd’s dreary land, they know they can leave it whenever they please and aren’t damned to spend eternity there.
Vistani are silversmiths, coppersmiths, haberdashers, cooks, weavers, musicians, entertainers, storytellers, toolmakers, and horse traders. They also earn money by telling fortunes and selling information. They spend whatever they earn to support a lavish lifestyle, display their wealth openly as a sign of prosperity, and share their good fortune with family and friends.
Each family or clan of Vistani is its own little gerontocracy, with the oldest member ruling the roost. This elder carries the bulk of the responsibility for enforcing traditions, settling disputes, setting the course for the group’s travels, and preserving the Vistani way of life. Vistani elders make all the important decisions, but whether by choice or because of their age, tend to speak in cryptic, flowing riddles.
Vistani families and clans are closely knit. They resolve disagreements through contests that end with reconciliatory singing, dancing, and storytelling. The Vistani are quick to act when their lives or traditions are threatened and are merciless when they believe they must be.
Strahd’s Vistani Servants
During one of Strahd’s military campaigns, years before he became a vampire, a group of Vistani rescued him after he was wounded in battle. These Vistani not only nursed Strahd back to health but also delivered him safely home. As a reward for their generosity, Strahd declared that all Vistani had the right to come and go from his land as they please, and this privilege extends to the present day. Thus, Vistani can travel freely through the fog that surrounds Barovia, without fear of harm or entrapment.
Strahd honors his debt to the Vistani in part because he envies the Vistani way of life—the freedom they have to go where they please, their devotion to family, and their festive spirit. The courtesy he shows them is not simply a matter of honor but is also born from his admiration of them.
In the centuries since Strahd became a vampire, many Vistani have allowed themselves to be corrupted by Strahd, to the extent that they consider him their king. Vistani who serve Strahd are less lively and friendly than normal Vistani, and their hearts are poisoned with dark intentions. Strahd uses them to lure adventurers into his domain and keep him informed about the events occurring in lands beyond his reach. These Vistani will lie to protect the vampire, and they fear the consequences of disobeying him.
When it comes to sharing information about their dark master, Strahd’s Vistani pretend to be helpful, but the information they impart is misleading at best and often deceptive. They readily tell adventurers that they have a potion that protects them from the deadly fog that surrounds Barovia. Although this is a lie, they attempt to sell their fake potion for as much money as they can get.
Vistani Lore
Vistani know or believe certain facts about their people and their surroundings. This common lore is summarized here. Characters can learn this information after earning a Vistana’s trust.
Strahd von Zarovich
About Strahd, the Vistani believe the following:
- Strahd comes from a royal bloodline. He died centuries ago yet endures as one of the undead, feasting on the blood of the living. Barovians refer to him as “the devil Strahd.”
- Strahd has taken many consorts, but he has known only one true love: a Barovian peasant girl named Tatyana. (The Vistani don’t know what happened to her.)
- Strahd named his castle, Ravenloft, after his beloved mother, Queen Ravenovia. Strangers aren’t welcome at the castle without an invitation.
The Land of Barovia
Vistani know the following facts about Barovia and Barovians:
- Strahd conquered this land centuries ago and named it after his father, King Barov. Strahd uses wolves, bats, and other creatures to spy on all of his realm.
- Barovians are simple, frightened people. Some have old souls, but many do not. The soulless ones are easy to spot, for they know nothing but fear. They have no charm, hope, or spark, and they don’t cry.
- The Old Svalich Road passes through Strahd’s domain. Three settlements lie on the road like beads on a string: Krezk to the west, Vallaki in the heart of the valley, and Barovia to the east. Strahd has spies in each settlement.
- There’s an old windmill on the road between the village of Barovia and the town of Vallaki. It should be avoided at all costs! (The Vistani refuse to say more.)
- It is wise to stick to the road. Wild druids, wayward ghosts, and packs of wolves and werewolves haunt the Svalich Woods.
Beliefs and Superstitions
The Vistani have deep-rooted beliefs and superstitions that they pass down from one generation to the next:
- The souls of those who die in Barovia can’t escape to the afterlife. They are prisoners in Strahd’s domain.
- Some Vistani women are blessed with prescience. Of all the great Vistani fortune-tellers, none compares to Madam Eva. If knowledge of the future is what you seek, Madam Eva will tell you your fate.
- A prescient Vistana can’t see her own future or the future of another Vistana. It is the burden of the Vistani’s great gift that their own fates can’t be divined.
- Vistani curses are potent, but they are invoked with great caution. Vistani know that to curse one who is undeserving of such punishment can have grave consequences for the one who utters such a curse.
- Ravens carry lost souls within them, so killing one is bad luck. (The ravens don’t carry souls within.)
Vistani Curses
A Vistana, regardless of age, can use an action to utter a curse. The curse targets another creature within 30 feet that the Vistana can see. The Vistana can’t utter another such curse before finishing a long rest.
The curse is a repayment for an injustice or a slight. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw to avoid the curse. The saving throw DC is 8 + the Vistana’s proficiency bonus + the Vistana’s Charisma modifier. The curse lasts until ended with a
When the curse ends, the Vistana suffers a harmful psychic backlash. The amount of this psychic damage depends on the severity of the curse that was invoked.
The Vistana chooses the curse’s effect from the options that follow; other Vistani curses are possible. All such effects deal psychic damage to the Vistani who uttered them when they end:
- The target is unable to perform a certain kind of act involving fine motor control, such as tying knots, writing, playing an instrument, sewing, or casting spells that have somatic components. When this curse ends, the Vistana takes
1d6 psychic damage. - The target’s appearance changes in a sinister yet purely cosmetic way. For example, the curse can place a scar on the target’s face, turn the target’s teeth into yellow fangs, or give the target bad breath. When this curse ends, the Vistana it takes
1d6 psychic damage. - A nonmagical item in the target’s possession (chosen by the DM) disappears and can’t be found until the curse ends. The lost item can weigh no more than 1 pound. When this curse ends, the Vistana takes
1d6 psychic damage. - The target gains vulnerability to a damage type of the Vistana’s choice. When this curse ends, the Vistana takes
3d6 psychic damage. - The target has disadvantage on ability checks and saving throws tied to one ability score of the Vistana’s choice. When this curse ends, the Vistana takes
3d6 psychic damage. - The target’s attunement to one magic item (chosen by the DM) ends, and the target can’t attune to the chosen item until the curse ends. When this curse ends, the Vistana takes
5d6 psychic damage. - The target is
blinded ,deafened , or both. When this curse ends, the Vistana takes5d6 psychic damage.
Evil Eye
As an action, a Vistana can target a creature within 10 feet that the Vistana can see. This magical ability, which the Vistani call the Evil Eye, duplicates the duration and effect of the
A Vistana who uses Evil Eye can’t use it again before finishing a short or long rest. Once a target succeeds on a saving throw against a Vistana’s Evil Eye, it is immune to the Evil Eye of all Vistani for 24 hours.
Random Encounters
Dangers abound in the land of Barovia. Check for a random encounter after every 30 minutes that the adventurers spend on the roads or in the wilderness (don’t check if they have already had two random encounters outdoors in the past 12 hours):
- If the characters are on a road, an encounter occurs on a roll of 18 or higher on a
d20 . - If the characters are in the wilderness, an encounter occurs on a roll of 15 or higher on a
d20 .
If an encounter occurs, roll on the daytime or the nighttime encounter table, depending on the time, or have Strahd’s spies appear (see the “area Strahd’s Spies” sidebar).
Daytime Random Encounters in Barovia
| Encounter | |
|---|---|
| 2 | |
| 3 | |
| 4 | Hunting trap |
| 5 | Grave |
| 6 | False trail |
| 7 | |
| 8 | Skeletal rider |
| 9 | Trinket |
| 10 | Hidden bundle |
| 11 | |
| 12 | |
| 13 | |
| 14 | |
| 15 | Corpse |
| 16 | |
| 17 | 1 druid with |
| 18 | |
| 19 | |
| 20 | 1 revenant |
Nighttime Random Encounters in Barovia
| Encounter | |
|---|---|
| 2 | 1 ghost |
| 3 | Hunting trap |
| 4 | Grave |
| 5 | Trinket |
| 6 | Corpse |
| 7 | Hidden bundle |
| 8 | Skeletal rider |
| 9 | |
| 10 | |
| 11 | |
| 12 | |
| 13 | 1 druid and |
| 14 | |
| 15 | |
| 16 | |
| 17 | |
| 18 | |
| 19 | 1 will-o'-wisp |
| 20 | 1 revenant |
Use the descriptions that follow to help run each random encounter. The table entries are presented in alphabetical order.
Barovian Commoners
The sound of snapping twigs draws your attention to several dark shapes in the fog. They carry torches and pitchforks.
If the characters are moving quietly and not carrying light sources, they can try to hide from these Barovians, who carry pitchforks (+2 to hit) instead of clubs, dealing 3 (
Barovian Commoner rarely leave their settlements. This group might be a family looking for a safer place to live, or an angry mob searching for the characters or heading toward Castle Ravenloft to confront Strahd.
Barovian Scouts
If at least one character has a passive Wisdom (
You see a dark figure crouched low and perfectly still, aiming a crossbow in your direction.
If more than one scout is present, the others are spread out over a 100-foot-square area.
These Scout are Barovian hunters or trappers searching for a missing villager or townsperson. Once they realize the characters aren’t out to kill them, they lower their weapons and request help in finding their missing person. If the characters decline, the scouts point them in the direction of the nearest settlement and depart without so much as a farewell. They wield light crossbows (+4 to hit, range 80/320 ft.) instead of longbows, dealing 6 (
Strahd’s Spies
As the undisputed master of Barovia, Strahd has many spies, from swarms of bats to wandering Vistani, who report to him at dawn and dusk each day. These agents constantly patrol the land of Barovia and report everything they see to him.
Every day and night that the characters remain in Barovia, one or more of the vampire’s spies check on them and attempt to return to Strahd with a report. When a spy appears, characters who have a passive Wisdom (
Perception ) score equal to or greater than the spy’s Dexterity (Stealth ) check notice it. A spy does not constitute an encounter if the characters are unaware of its presence. If they do notice it, the spy’s goal is usually escape, not combat. A secondary goal for a spy might be to acquire some physical object—a possession, an article of clothing, or even some part of a character’s body such as a lock of hair—that Strahd can use to improve the efficacy of hisscrying spell. If one of Strahd’s spies is confronted by the party, the spy attempts to grab some accessible item from a character before fleeing. If Strahd acquires such an item, he uses hisscrying spell to learn as much as he can about the party before planning his next attack, and to verify what his spies have already told him.
Berserkers
These wild mountain folk are covered head to toe in thick gray mud, which makes them hard to see in the fog and well hidden in the mountains they call home. While so camouflaged, they have advantage on Dexterity (
If someone spots the berserker, read:
You startle a wild-looking figure caked in gray mud and clutching a crude stone axe. Whether it’s a man or a woman, you can’t tell.
The berserkers shun civilized folk. They try to remain hidden and withdraw if they are spotted, attacking only if trapped or threatened.
Corpse
This encounter occurs only if the characters are traveling; otherwise, treat the result as no encounter.
You find a corpse.
Roll a
The corpse belonged to a wolf killed by spears and crossbow bolts.
The corpse belongs to a Barovian man, woman, or child who was clearly torn to pieces by dire wolves. If the party is accompanied by Barovian scouts (area see above), the scouts recognize the corpse as the person they were searching for.
The corpse looks like one of the characters (determined randomly) but has been stripped of armor, weapons, and valuables. If moved, its flesh melts away until only the skeleton remains.
Dire Wolves
A snarling wolf the size of a grizzly bear steps out of the fog.
The area is lightly obscured by fog. If more than one dire wolf is present, the others aren’t far behind and can be seen as dark shadows in the fog. The Dire Wolf of Barovia are cruel, overgrown wolves and Strahd’s loyal servants. They can’t be
Druid and Twig Blights
A gaunt figure with wild hair and bare feet bounds toward you on all fours, wearing a tattered gown of stitched animal skins. You can’t tell whether it’s a man or a woman. It stops, sniffs the air, and laughs like a lunatic. The ground nearby is crawling with tiny twig monsters.
The Barovian wilderness is home to Druid who worship Strahd because of his ability to control the weather and the beasts of Barovia. The druids are savage and violent, and each controls a host of Twig Blight, which fights until destroyed. If all the twig blights are destroyed or the druid loses more than half of its hit points, the druid flees, heading toward Yester Hill (area area Y).
False Trail
This encounter occurs only if the characters are traveling; otherwise, treat the result as no encounter.
You discover a foot trail that cuts through the wilderness.
Evil druids left this trail. Following it in either direction leads to a spiked pit (see “Sample Traps” in chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide). A thin tarp made of twigs and pine needles conceals the pit, the bottom of which is lined with sharpened wooden stakes.
Ghost
A baleful apparition appears before you, its hollow eyes dark with anger.
Many ghosts haunt this land. This particular ghost is all that remains of a person drained of life by Strahd (decide whether it’s a man or a woman). It appears and hisses, “No one will ever know you died here.” It then attacks. If the ghost succeeds in possessing a character, it leads its host to the gates of Ravenloft area (area J) and hurls the host’s body into the chasm.
Grave
This encounter occurs only if the characters are traveling; otherwise, treat the result as no encounter.
You stumble upon an old grave.
There is a 25 percent chance that the grave is intact, appearing as an elongated earthen mound or a rocky cairn. Characters who dig up the grave find the skeletal remains of a human clad in rusted chain mail (a soldier). Among the bones lie corroded weapons.
If the grave isn’t intact, it has been violated. The characters find a shallow, mud-filled hole with dirt or rocks strewn around it and a few scattered bones within.
Hidden Bundle
This encounter occurs only if the characters are traveling; otherwise, treat the result as no encounter.
The characters find a leather-wrapped bundle hidden in the underbrush, stuffed inside a hollow log, or nestled in the boughs of a tree. If they open the bundle, read:
The bundle contains one set of common clothes sized for a human adult.
The
Hunting Trap
This encounter occurs only if the characters are traveling; otherwise, treat the result as no encounter.
Have each of the characters in the front rank of the party’s marching order make a DC 15 Wisdom (
You spot a wolf trap, its steel jaws caked with rust. Someone has carefully hidden the trap under a thin layer of pine needles and detritus.
Barovian hunters and trappers set these traps hoping to thin out the wolf population, but Strahd’s wolves are too clever to be caught in them. If none of the characters in the front rank spots the hidden trap, one random party member steps on it. Rules for the
Needle Blights
Hunched figures lurch through the mist, their gaunt bodies covered in needles.
The woods crawl with Needle Blight that serve the evil druids of Barovia. If the characters are moving quietly and not carrying light sources, they can try to hide from these blights.
Revenant
A figure walks alone with the stride and bearing of one who knows no fear. Clad in rusty armor, it clutches a gleaming longsword in its pale hand and looks ready for a fight.
From a distance, the revenant looks like a zombie and might be mistaken for such. A character within 30 feet of the revenant who succeeds on a DC 10 Wisdom (
The revenant was a knight of the Order of the Silver Dragon, which was annihilated defending the valley against Strahd’s armies more than four centuries ago. The revenant no longer remembers its name and wanders the land in search of Strahd’s wolves and other minions, slaying them on sight. If the characters attack it, the revenant assumes they are in league with Strahd and fights them until destroyed.
As an action, the revenant can attack twice with its longsword, wielding the weapon with both hands and dealing 15 (
If the characters present themselves as enemies of Strahd, the revenant urges them to travel to Argynvostholt (chapter 7) and convince Vladimir Horngaard, the leader of the Order of the Silver Dragon, to help them. The revenant would like nothing more than to kill Strahd, but it will not venture to Castle Ravenloft unless it receives orders to do so from Vladimir. If the characters ask the revenant to lead them to Horngaard in Argynvostholt, it does so while avoiding contact with Barovian settlements.
Scarecrows
If at least one character has a passive Wisdom (
A scarecrow lurches into view. Its sackcloth eyes and rictus are ripe with malevolence, and its gut is stuffed with dead ravens. It has long, rusted knives for claws.
If more than one scarecrow is present, the others are close by. If none of the characters has a passive Wisdom (
Baba Lysaga (see chapter 10, area area U3) crafted these scarecrows to hunt down and kill ravens and wereravens. The scarecrows are imbued with evil spirits and delight in murdering anyone they encounter.
Skeletal Rider
Through the mist comes a skeletal warhorse and rider, both clad in ruined chainmail. The skeletal rider holds up a rusted lantern that sheds no light.
The human skeleton and warhorse skeleton are all that remain of a rider and mount, both of whom perished trying to escape through the fog that surrounds Barovia. They are doomed to ride through the valley in search of another way out, without hope of salvation. The skeletons ignore the characters unless attacked.
If both the rider and its mount are destroyed, this encounter can’t occur again. The destruction of one skeleton doesn’t prevent future encounters with the other.
Strahd Zombies
Not even the cloying fog can hide the stench of death that descends upon you. Something evil approaches, its footsteps betrayed by snapping twigs.
If the characters are moving quietly and not carrying light sources, they can try to hide from the Strahd Zombie. These undead soldiers once served as guards in Castle Ravenloft. They fled the castle after Strahd became a vampire but couldn’t avoid their master’s wrath. They still wear bits of tattered livery, and they attack the living on sight.
Swarms of Bats
The stillness of the night is shattered by the shriek of bats and the flapping of tiny black wings.
These Swarm of Bats are the servants of Strahd. They attack the characters without provocation.
Swarms of Ravens
Your presence in this dreary land has not gone unnoticed. A raven follows you for several minutes while keeping a respectful distance.
The raven doesn’t caw or try to communicate with the characters. If they leave it alone, read:
More ravens begin to take an interest in you. Before long, their numbers swell, and soon hundreds of them are watching you.
The ravens fly away if attacked. If they are left alone, they watch over the party, remaining with the characters until they reach Castle Ravenloft or a settlement. If the characters have a random encounter with hostile creatures, the Swarm of Ravens aid the characters by attacking and distracting their enemies.
Trinket
You find something on the ground.
A random character finds a lost trinket. Roll on the
Vistani Bandits
You catch a whiff of pipe smoke in the cold air and hear laughter through the fog.
These Vistani Bandit march through the Barovian wilderness, laughing and telling ghost stories. They are searching for graves to plunder or hunting small game. For a price of 100 gp, they offer to serve as guides. As long as these Vistani are with the party, roll a
Treasure
One Vistani bandit carries a pouch that holds
Wereraven
This wereraven in raven form watches the characters from a distance. Compare its Dexterity (
If one or more characters spot the creature, read:
Through the mist, you see a black bird circling overhead. When it feels your eyes upon it, the raven flies away, but it’s back before long, keeping its distance.
The wereraven belongs to a secret order called the Keepers of the Feather. If the characters don’t spot it, the wereraven shadows them for
If the party has a second random encounter with a wereraven, this one presents itself to the characters as an ally and requests that they travel to the area Blue Water Inn in Vallaki to meet “some new friends.” It then flies off in the direction of the town.
Werewolves
If the werewolves are in human form, read:
A deep voice calls out, “Who goes there?” Through the chill mist you see a large man in drab clothing wearing a tattered gray cloak. He has shaggy, black hair and thick muttonchops. He leans heavily on a spear and has a small bundle of animal pelts slung over his shoulder.
If the werewolves are in wolf form, read:
You hear the howl of a wolf some distance away.
How the Werewolf act depends on the form they have taken.
Human Form
Werewolves in human form pretend to be trappers. If more than one is present, the others are within whistling distance.
They try to befriend the characters to see if they are carrying silvered weapons. If the characters appear to have no such weapons, the werewolves assume hybrid form and attack. Otherwise, they part company with the characters and leave well enough alone.
Wolf Form
Werewolves in wolf form follow the party from a safe distance for several hours. If their Dexterity (
The werewolves' lair is a cave complex that overlooks Lake Baratok (area area Z). If you used the “area Werewolves in the Mist” adventure hook to lure the characters to Barovia, captured werewolves can be forced to divulge the location of their den, where they keep their prisoners.
Will-o'-Wisp
This random encounter occurs only once. If it comes up again, treat the result as no encounter.
Several hundred yards away, through the fog, you see a flickering torchlight.
If the characters follow the flickering light, read:
The torchlight flutters as it moves away from you, but you never lose sight of it. You make your way quickly yet cautiously through the fog until you come upon the shell of a ruined tower. The upper floors of the structure have collapsed, leaving heaps of rubble and shattered timber around the tower’s base. The feeble light moves through an open doorway on the ground floor, then flickers and goes out.
The light is a will-o'-wisp that enters the ruined tower and becomes
The floor of the tower is made of packed earth. Its interior is desecrated ground (see “Wilderness Hazards” in chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide). Against the inside wall of the tower, across from the open doorway, is a closed, empty wooden chest.
If the characters disturb the chest,
Wolves
This land is home to many wolves, their howls at the moment too close for comfort.
Characters have a few minutes to steel themselves before these Wolf attack. They heed the will of Strahd and can’t be
Zombies
The ungodly stench of rotting flesh hangs in the air. Up ahead, the walking, moaning corpses of dead men and women lumber about.
These unfortunate Barovians fell prey to the evils of the land and now shamble from place to place as a Zombie.
Areas of Barovia
The following areas correspond to labels on the map of Barovia below and on the poster map.
A. Old Svalich Road
Black pools of water stand like dark mirrors in and around the muddy roadway. Giant trees loom on both sides of the road, their branches clawing at the mist.
If the characters are walking along the road, they arrive at area area B after 5 hours. If the characters are traveling in Vistani wagons, the travel time is halved.
B. Gates of Barovia
Two sets of these gates exist: one west of the village of Barovia and one east of the village.
The fog spills out of the forest to swallow up the road behind you. Ahead, jutting from the impenetrable woods on both sides of the road, are high stone buttresses looming gray in the fog. Huge iron gates hang on the stonework. Dew clings with cold tenacity to the rusted bars. Two headless statues of armed guardians flank the gate, their heads now lying among the weeds at their feet. They greet you only with silence.
If the characters are traveling on foot, the gates swing open as they approach, screeching as the hinges move. The gates close behind the characters after they pass through. If the characters are riding in Vistani wagons, the gates open in front of the lead wagon and close when the rear one has entered.
The eastern gates don’t open for people trying to leave Strahd’s domain unless they are accompanied by Vistani. The fog chokes any non-Vistani that passes through the gates or skirts around them when they are closed (see “area Mists of Ravenloft” earlier in this chapter).
If Strahd is defeated, the gates of Barovia swing open, and the road east becomes clear of fog.
The Lands of Barovia: Common Features
Unless the text says otherwise, the following rules apply to doors, secret doors, locks, and webs in these lands.
Doors: A wooden door can be forced open with a successful DC 10 Strength check, or DC 15 if the door is barred or reinforced in some other manner. Increase the DC by 5 if the door is made of stone, or by 10 if it is made of iron. Decrease the DC by 5 if the door is made of glass or amber, or if the door is weakened in some manner (such as by rot or corrosion).
Secret Doors: If there are obvious clues to a secret door’s presence, such as scratch marks on a nearby wall or footprints leading to it, a character with a passive Wisdom (
Perception ) score of 15 or higher notices the secret door. Otherwise, finding a secret door requires a search of the area and a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception ) check.Locks: A creature proficient with thieves' tools can use them to pick a typical lock with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check. A typical padlock can be broken by smashing it with a bludgeoning or slashing weapon and succeeding on a DC 20 Strength check.
Webs: Characters can pass through ordinary webs, including thick cobwebs, without fear of being
restrained or slowed down. A character can clear away the cobwebs from a 10-foot square as an action. Webs woven by giant spiders are a different matter; see “Dungeon Hazards” in chapter 5 in the Dungeon Master’s Guide for rules on giant spider webs.
C. Svalich Woods
Towering trees, whose tops are lost in heavy gray mist, block out all but a death-gray light. The tree trunks are unnaturally close to one another, and the woods have the silence of a forgotten grave, yet exude the feeling of an unvoiced scream.
If the characters are traveling in Vistani wagons, they can continue on to the village of Barovia (area area E) without incident.
If the characters are following the road on foot, the party member who has the highest passive Wisdom (
You catch the scent of death on the air.
The character can follow the stench to its source:
The foul scent leads you to a human corpse half-buried in the underbrush about fifteen feet from the road. The young man appears to be a commoner. His muddy clothes are torn and raked with claw marks. Crows have been at the body, which is surrounded by the paw prints. The man has obviously been dead for several days. He holds a crumpled envelope in one hand.
The dead man, Dalvan Olensky, was trying to escape from Barovia with a letter from his master when he was killed on the road by Strahd’s dire wolves. Wanting to return at once to Strahd, the wolves left the body in the woods but have not yet returned to feast.
The letter in Dalvan’s hand has a large “B” set into its wax seal. The parchment is worn and flimsy. If the characters open and read the letter, show the players “area Kolyan Indirovich’s Letter (Version 2)” in appendix F. The letter is dated one week ago.
Dalvan was instructed to place the letter at the gates, in the hope that visitors would find it and turn back.
If the characters linger in the woods, they hear a lone wolf howl far off in the forest. Each round, one more wolf adds its voice to the howling, with the sound getting progressively closer to the party. If the characters are still in the woods after 5 rounds of howling, five Dire Wolf arrive and attack. If the characters are trying to leave Barovia, these dire wolves are joined by a pack of twenty Wolf. The wolves and the dire wolves stop their attack if the characters return to the road and head toward the village of Barovia (area area E).
D. River Ivlis
When the characters come within sight of this river for the first time, read:
This river flows as clear as a blue winter sky through the valley.
The river is roughly 50 feet wide, with a depth ranging from 5 to 10 feet. Arching stone bridges span the river at two points, one near the village of Barovia (area E) and the other near Tser Falls (area area H).
E. Village of Barovia
Chapter 3 describes the village of Barovia and the gloomy folk who reside there.
F. River Ivlis Crossroads
Check for a area random encounter whenever the characters reach area area F, unless they are accompanied by Vistani.
An old wooden gallows creaks in a chill wind that blows down from the high ground to the west. A frayed length of rope dances from its beam. The well-worn road splits here, and a signpost opposite the gallows points off in three directions: Barovia Village to the east, Tser Pool to the northwest, and Ravenloft/Vallaki to the southwest.The northwest fork slants down and disappears into the trees, while the southwest fork clings to an upward slope. Across from the gallows, a low wall, crumbling in places, partially encloses a small plot of graves shrouded in fog.
The northwest fork leads down to the river and area area G. The road southwest leads to area area H. The east road leads to an arching stone bridge and continues on to the village of Barovia (area area E). If the characters are traveling with Vistani, the Vistani lead them along the northwest road to the Vistani encampment.
The gallows stand atop a rotting platform 5 feet high, with wooden stairs leading up to it.
Eleven graves are here with blank gravestones. The forgotten people buried here were hanged from the gallows. Characters who dig up the graves find rotted coffins containing moldy bones.
The Hanged One
As the characters leave the area, read:
You hear a creaking noise behind you, coming from the gallows. Where there was nothing before now hangs a lifeless, gray body. The breeze turns the hanged figure slowly, so that it can fix its dead eyes upon you.
One random character sees him- or herself hanging from the gallows. The other characters see an unfamiliar Barovian. The corpse looks and smells real, and it rapidly melts away into nothing if touched or moved.
Fortunes of Ravenloft
If your card reading reveals that a treasure is here, it is buried in one of the graves. For each grave the characters dig up, there’s a cumulative 10 percent chance of finding the treasure.
G. Tser Pool Encampment
The road gradually disappears and is replaced by a twisted, muddy path through the trees. Deep ruts in the earth are evidence of the comings and goings of wagons.
The canopy of mist and branches suddenly gives way to black clouds boiling far above. There is a clearing here, next to a river that widens to form a small lake several hundred feet across. Five colorful round tents, each ten feet in diameter, are pitched outside a ring of four barrel-topped wagons. A much larger tent stands near the shore of the lake, its sagging form lit from within. Near this tent, eight unbridled horses drink from the river.
The mournful strains of an accordion clash with the singing of several brightly clad figures around bonfire. A footpath continues beyond this encampment, meandering north between the river and the forest’s edge.
The eight Draft Horse drinking from the river are used to pull the Vistani wagons and aren’t easily startled.
If the characters are brought to this camp by the Vistani, their escorts remain at the camp and don’t accompany the adventuring party any farther.
Twelve Vistani (male and female human Bandit) are standing and sitting around the fire, telling stories and guzzling wine. They are intoxicated and have disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks. Three sober Vistani (male and female human Bandit Captain) are resting in three of the four wagons but leap quickly into action if an alarm is raised.
Although the Vistani in this camp are in league with Strahd, they attack only if the characters provoke them with threats or insults. Otherwise, the characters are offered flasks of wine and invited to join the reverie.
If the characters linger at the camp, continue with “A Vistana’s Tale” below. If they seem in a hurry to leave, one of the Vistani tells them, “It was fated that you would visit our humble camp. Madam Eva foretold your coming. She awaits you.” The Vistana then points to the largest tent. If the characters head that way, continue with “Madam Eva’s Tent.”
A Vistana’s Tale
If the characters linger by the fire, one of the Vistani recounts the following tale:
A mighty wizard came to this land over a year ago. I remember him like it was yesterday. He stood exactly where you’re standing. A very charismatic man, he was. He thought he could rally the people of Barovia against the devil Strahd. He stirred them with thoughts of revolt and bore them to the castle en masse. “When the vampire appeared, the wizard’s peasant army fled in terror. A few stood their ground and were never seen again.
“The wizard and the vampire cast spells at each other. Their battle flew from the courtyards of Ravenloft to a precipice overlooking the falls. I saw the battle with my own eyes. Thunder shook the mountainside, and great rocks tumbled down upon the wizard, yet by his magic he survived. Lightning from the heavens struck the wizard, and again he stood his ground. But when the devil Strahd fell upon him, the wizard’s magic couldn’t save him. I saw him thrown a thousand feet to his death. I climbed down to the river to search for the wizard’s body, to see if, you know, he had anything of value, but the River Ivlis had already spirited him away.”
The Vistana storyteller doesn’t remember the wizard’s name, but recalls that it sounded important. If the characters haven’t spoken with Madam Eva, the storyteller urges them to do so.
Madam Eva’s Tent
If the characters decide to see Madam Eva, read:
Magic flames cast a reddish glow over the interior of this tent, revealing a low table covered in a black velvet cloth. Glints of light seem to flash from a crystal ball on the table as a hunched figure peers into its depths. As the crone speaks, her voice crackles like dry weeds. “At last you have arrived!” Cackling laughter bursts like mad lightning from her withered lips.
Madam Eva (see area appendix D) speaks the name of each party member and makes some reference to that individual’s past deeds. She then asks the characters if they want their fortunes read. If they say yes, Madam Eva produces a worn deck of cards and proceeds with the sequence outlined in area chapter 1. (If the characters don’t want a reading of their fates, continue play using the card reading you performed before starting the adventure.)
Madam Eva might seem mad, but she is, in fact, cunning and sharp of mind. She has met a good many adventurers in her time and knows they can’t be fully trusted. She wants to free the land of Barovia from its curse, and her fate is interwoven with Strahd’s (see area appendix D for details). She does the vampire’s bidding when called upon and does nothing to anger Strahd or bring harm to the Vistani. She never gives aid and never asks for any.
Treasure
For each Vistani tent or wagon that the characters search, roll once on the following table to determine what treasure is found:
| d20 | Treasure |
|---|---|
| 1–10 | None |
| 11–13 | Sack of 100 ep (each coin stamped with Strahd’s visage in profile) |
| 14–16 | Pouch containing |
| 17–19 | Sack containing |
| 20 | One magic item (roll once on Magic Item Table B in the Dungeon Master’s Guide) |
Fortunes of Ravenloft
If your card reading reveals that a treasure is here, it is hidden in one of the Vistani wagons. Madam Eva grants the characters permission to search the wagons if they ask, and any such search yields the treasure.
H. Tser Falls
If the characters reach area H by following the footpath from the Vistani encampment (area area G), read:
You follow the river to the base of a canyon, at the far end of which a great waterfall spills into a pool, billowing forth clouds of cold mist. A great stone bridge spans the canyon nearly one thousand feet overhead.
If the characters are on the high road instead, read:
You follow the dirt road as it clings to the side of a mountain and ends before an arching bridge of mold-encrusted stone that spans a natural chasm. Gargoyles cloaked in black moss perch on the corners of the bridge, their frowns weatherworn. On the mountainous side of the bridge, a waterfall spills into a misty pool nearly a thousand feet below. The pool feeds a river that meanders into the fog-shrouded pines that blanket the valley.
The chasm’s walls are slippery and sheer, and can’t be scaled without the aid of magic or a climber’s kit.
The bridge is slick with moisture but safe to cross. The road south of the bridge leads down the mountainside to area area F; the road north cuts through the mountains to area area I.
The gargoyles on the bridge are harmless sculptures.
I. Black Carriage
Even here, in the mountains, the forest and the fog are inescapable. Ahead, the dirt road splits in two, widening toward the east. There you see patches of cobblestone, suggesting that the eastern branch was once an important thoroughfare.
If Strahd has invited the characters to Castle Ravenloft or otherwise wants to steer them in his direction, add:
Parked at the fork in the road, pointed east, is a large black carriage drawn by two black horses. The horses snort puffs of steamy breath into the chill mountain air. The side door of the carriage swings open silently.
The two black Draft Horse are under Strahd’s control. The horses wait for the characters to pile into the carriage if they so desire. There is room inside for eight of them. If they get into the carriage, the horses draw it down the road to area area J. The horses can’t be discouraged from their course, not even by a skilled teamster.
Characters who don’t want to travel east in the carriage can follow the road northwest through a set of iron gates (area area B) that open as they approach and close behind them, or the characters can travel south along the winding road to the bridge at Tser Falls (area area H).
J. Gates of Ravenloft
The following text assumes that the characters arrive here in the carriage from area area I. Modify the text as needed if the characters arrive by another means.
After winding through the forest and craggy mountain peaks, the road takes a sudden turn to the east, and the startling, awesome presence of Castle Ravenloft towers before you. The carriage comes to a dead stop before twin turrets of stone, broken from years of exposure. Beyond these guard towers is the precipice of a fifty-foot-wide, fog-filled chasm that disappears into unknown depths.
A lowered drawbridge of old, shored-up wooden beams stretches across the chasm, between you and the archway to the courtyard. The chains of the drawbridge creak in the wind, their rust-eaten iron straining under the weight. From atop the high walls, stone gargoyles stare at you out of their hollow eye sockets and grin hideously. A rotting wooden portcullis, green with growth, hangs above the entry tunnel. Beyond this location, the main doors of Ravenloft stand open. A rich, warm light spills from within, flooding the courtyard. Torches flutter sadly in sconces on both sides of the open doors.
The drawbridge appears sturdy, but a few of its boards are missing and it creaks and groans under any weight. Each time a creature other than Strahd or a horse that draws his carriage crosses the drawbridge, there is a 5 percent chance of one of its boards breaking under the creature. If a board breaks, the creature must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or fall to the bottom of the cliffs, 1,000 feet below. If a companion is within 5 feet of the creature and reaches out to grab it, the creature has advantage on the save.
Green Slime
A patch of green slime (see “Dungeon Hazards” in chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide) clings to the portcullis in the entry tunnel, and can be spotted with a successful DC 20 Wisdom (
K. Castle Ravenloft
Chapter 4 explores Castle Ravenloft, lair of the vampire Strahd von Zarovich.
L. Lake Zarovich
At the foot of a mountain, nestled in the misty forest, is a large lake. The water is perfectly still and dark, reflecting the black clouds overhead like a monstrous mirror.
If the characters arrive along the shore north of Vallaki in the daytime, add:
Pulled up along the south shore are three small rowboats. A fourth boat can be seen in the middle of the lake, with a lone figure sitting in it, fishing pole in hand.
Each rowboat can safely hold five people. The person fishing on the lake is Bluto Krogarov (NE male human commoner), a resident of Vallaki. He is in a trance and doesn’t respond to anything or anyone unless attacked. His boat is 400 feet from the nearest shore. Tied up in the boat is a seven-year-old Vistana named Arabelle (LN female human commoner with 2 hit points and no effective attacks). She is bound with hempen rope, wrapped in a burlap sack, and lying
Roleplaying Bluto
Bluto Krogarov is a destitute drunkard. He’s desperate to catch some fish and trade them for wine at the Blue Water Inn. After he was unable to catch a single fish for a week, he kidnapped Arabelle, believing that Vistani are lucky. He intends to sacrifice her to the lake, hoping it will give up some of its fish in return.
If the characters watch Bluto from the shore for several minutes, or if they row out into the lake to greet him, he tosses the burlap sack into the water, watches it sink, and waits with fishing pole in hand for his reward.
Bluto is a hollow shell of a man, barely able to understand his own actions. He is unarmed and does nothing to aid or thwart the characters.
Roleplaying Arabelle
Characters who act quickly can save Arabelle before she drowns. A character on the shore must succeed on a DC 15 Strength (
Arabelle has alabaster-white skin and raven-black hair. If rescued, she demands to be returned to her family’s camp outside Vallaki (chapter 5, area area N9). She is certain that her father, Luvash, will give the characters a reward for doing so.
A descendant of Madam Eva with the blood of Barovian royalty in her veins, Arabelle is unaware of her connection to Strahd. She acts more like an adult than a child. Despite her recent misadventure, she believes that a great destiny awaits her.
M. Mad Mage of Mount Baratok
This encounter can occur anywhere along the base of Mount Baratok.
North of the mountain lake, the trees begin their steady climb up the slopes of Mount Baratok, its monolithic presence oppressive at this distance. The ground here is rocky, uneven, and tiring to navigate. Even the wolves avoid this neck of the woods. Soon, you climb above the blanket of fog that engulfs the valley. Dark thunderclouds roll overhead.
You see an elk standing on a rocky spur about sixty feet away. Suddenly, it assumes the form of a man in tattered black robes. His hair and beard are long, black, and streaked with gray, and his eyes crackle with eldritch power.
The Mad Mage of Mount Baratok (CN male human archmage) came to Barovia more than a year ago to free its people from Strahd’s tyranny, but he underestimated Strahd’s hold over the land and the creatures in it. After a battle between the two in Castle Ravenloft, Strahd drove the Mad Mage to the mountains and sent the wizard hurling over Tser Falls (area area H). The wizard, his staff and spellbook lost, survived the fall and retreated into the mountains, hoping to regain his power, only to be driven mad by the realization that he no longer has any hope of defeating Strahd or freeing the people of the vampire’s damned realm.
The Mad Mage has forgotten his name and the world whence he came. In fact, he doesn’t remember anything that happened before the madness. He suffers from the paranoia that powerful enemies are hunting him, and that their evil agents are everywhere and watching him.
Believing that the characters aim to kill him, the Mad Mage unleashes his destructive magic. As he tears into them, he shouts, “You think my magic has grown weak? Think again!” If he is reduced to 50 hit points or fewer, he shouts, “Tell your dark masters they can break my body, but never my spirit!” He then tries to escape.
Under normal circumstances, a
The Mad Mage has a different spell list from that of the archmage in the Monster Manual, and he has already used one 1st-level spell slot to cast
Cantrips (at will):
fire bolt ,light ,mage hand ,prestidigitation ,shocking grasp 1st level (4 slots):
detect magic ,mage armor ,magic missile ,shield 2nd level (3 slots):
mirror image ,misty step ,web 3rd level (3 slots):
counterspell ,fly ,lightning bolt 4th level (3 slots):
Mordenkainen’s faithful hound ,polymorph ,stoneskin 5th level (3 slots):
Bigby’s hand ,cone of cold ,scrying 6th level (1 slot):
true seeing 7th level (1 slot):
Mordenkainen’s magnificent mansion 8th level (1 slot):
mind blank 9th level (1 slot):
time stop
The Mad Mage’s Mansion
If the characters rescue the archmage from his madness, he invites them to his “mansion.” He leads them up the mountain to an invisible doorway that serves as the entrance to his extradimensional lair, created using the
Mordenkainen is familiar with worlds beyond his own. For example, if the characters come from the Forgotten Realms and mention this fact to Mordenkainen, he asks them if they know his old friend Elminster of Shadowdale.
If Mordenkainen isn’t the party’s ally as foretold in Madam Eva’s card reading (see area chapter 1), he declines to join them if asked. With his wits restored, he sets out to find his missing staff and spellbook, leaving the characters on their own. He doesn’t allow them to help him, for he fears they might be tempted to steal either his staff or his spellbook. (Being an adventurer himself, he knows how the lure of powerful magic can bring out the worst in adventurers.) Before he leaves, as a parting gift, the archmage imbues each character with a charm of heroism (see “Supernatural Gifts” in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide).
Fortunes of Ravenloft
If your card reading reveals that the Mad Mage is the party’s ally in the battle against Strahd, Mordenkainen can be persuaded to help them once his sanity is restored. He won’t join them on their travels, but he will help them in a fight with Strahd if they have discovered where to find the vampire and how to destroy him.
With his sanity restored, Mordenkainen can be stubborn and difficult even with his friends, and doesn’t suffer fools. He normally spends more time listening than talking, but when he does speak, his pronouncements are authoritative and not to be questioned.
The archmage has never had his fortune read by Madam Eva and doesn’t care to, but if he is told about the
N. Town of Vallaki
Chapter 5 describes the town of Vallaki.
O. Old Bonegrinder
Chapter 6 details Old Bonegrinder, a decrepit windmill occupied by hags.
P. Luna River Crossroads
Always check for a random encounter when the characters reach area area P in their travels.
The road comes to an X intersection, with branches to the northwest, northeast, southwest, and southeast. The lower half of a snapped wooden signpost thrusts upward at an angle near the eastern elbow of the intersection. The top half of the sign, featuring arms pointing in four directions, lies in the weeds nearby.
The characters can easily figure out how the top half of the signpost connects to the lower half. When the two parts of the sign are aligned and rejoined, the arms indicate Krezk and Tsolenka Pass to the southwest, Lake Baratok to the northwest, Vallaki and Ravenloft to the northeast, and Berez to the southeast.
The Old Svalich Road, which runs northeast to southwest between Vallaki (area area N) and Krezk (area area S), is generally level. About a quarter mile along the northeast branch, an arching stone bridge crosses the Luna River.
The northwest branch of the crossroads climbs gently, becoming a dirt trail through the woods within half a mile. It merges with the Old Svalich Road again after a couple of miles, but not before sprouting a branch that leads to Van Richten’s Tower on Lake Baratok (area area V). The southeast branch wends gently downward as it follows the river into a valley. This trail eventually ends at the mostly abandoned riverside burg of Berez (area area U).
Q. Argynvostholt
Chapter 7 details the ruined mansion Argynvostholt, once a refuge of the Order of the Silver Dragon, which opposed Strahd and failed.
R. Raven River Crossroads
Always check for a random encounter whenever the characters reach area area R.
This stretch of the Old Svalich Road has multiple branches. One branch heads north, quickly turning into a dirt path that leads to Van Richten’s Tower on Lake Baratok (area area V). One branch heads south, becoming Tsolenka Pass (area area T) as it winds through the lower mountains and clings to the side of Mount Ghakis. A third branch heads west toward the Wizard of Wines winery and vineyard (area area W), dipping south as it changes from a road into a gravel trail.
Standing at the intersection of the Old Svalich Road and the road to the winery is a signpost:
You see a weatherworn signpost next to the road. The three arms of the sign point along the three branches of the road. The arm pointing north reads Krezk, and through the woods you can see an arching stone bridge spanning a river. The arm pointing east reads Vallaki, and the road slopes up gradually in that direction. The arm pointing southwest reads The Wizard of Wines. The road slopes gently downward in that direction.
S. Village of Krezk
Chapter 8 visits the village of Krezk and the nearby Abbey of Saint Markovia.
T. Tsolenka Pass
Chapter 9 explores the Tsolenka Pass, which hugs the side of Mount Ghakis.
U. Ruins of Berez
Chapter 10 describes the ruins of Berez, a riverside village that is now home to the hag Baba Lysaga.
V. Van Richten’s Tower
Chapter 11 details Van Richten’s Tower, a dilapidated structure that originally belonged to the wizard Khazan.
W. The Wizard of Wines
Chapter 12 visits the Wizard of Wines, the vineyard and winery that provides Barovia much of its wine.
X. The Amber Temple
Chapter 13 delves into the Amber Temple, the dungeon complex where Strahd gave himself to the Dark Powers.
Y. Yester Hill
Chapter 14 describes Yester Hill, a remote hilltop that belongs to druids who venerate Strahd as lord of the land.
Z. Werewolf Den
Chapter 15 delves into the cave complex that is the main den of Barovia’s werewolves.