King Katsky the Bright was a self-proclaimed time-traveller whose territory proved one of the more difficult for Strahd to conquer. [13], His toenails appeared to be a venerated item in some places.[19]. 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). If Strahd is killed, the Dark Powers will resurrect him in a matter of months. Hans was an orphan from Vallaki that sacrificed himself at the Ring of Stone in order to save his best friend Kellen. King Kavan, also known as the Blood Butcher of Balinok, was the leader of the united forest folk tribes between King Dostron and Strahd's reigns. Doru is the son of Father Donavich, and a former freedom fighter for the Mad Mage turned tortured spawn of Strahd. Whether Strahd truly understands the nature of the Dark Powers that have shackled him to the Domains of Dread is a matter up for debate. Rosavalda Durst was the eldest child of the Durst Family, and died as a casualty of her mother's final ritual. Patrina was a lover of Strahd, and consoled him after the death of Tatyana and his vampiric transformation. Prince Ariel was an inventor and infamous fatality at Castle Ravenloft, having leapt from its high tower to his death in an attempt to prove the functionality of his wingsuit. So he studied in the amber temple a way to save Barovia, Tricking the dark lords into thinking he was just after immortality. Cyrus is a fearful, mad servant of Strahd, having formerly been the head servant at the Abbey of St. Markovia. She has the latter's gift of foresight. The heroes are born and bred Barovians and havereceived a letter in a fine flowing script inviting them up to the castle for dinner.Everyone in Barovia knows what this means - they are going to be Strahd's next blood slaves. Yeska is a troubled orphan, and the adopted son and altar boy of Father Lucien. She has since become a guard for the mongrelfolk. In 2016, Wizards of the Coast decided to update and modernize Ravenloft, releasing Curse of Strahd. Ofelia Wormwiggle is the youngest daughter of Morgantha, and a butcher in Old Bonegrinder. Otto is an egotistical but incompetent guard of the Abbey of St. Markovia. Waterdeep: Dragon Heist; Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage; 2019. This is also the reason her spirit still lingers around. Just so you know, Ireena's stat block for a lv 3 fighter as her . Walter was the child of Gustav Durst and Margaret, and was killed by Elisabeth for her cult's final ritual. If you're playing with players with no knowledge of the Forgotten Realms lore, use a more interesting character like Traxigor. Tales from the Yawning Portal . A few servants from Barovia willingly came to the pocket dimension with Strahd so he could live on their blood. I chock his appearance up to cameo more than anything -- at best he's a potential ally who can help the party fight Strahd (who still must be defeated using the necessary artifacts), otherwise he's just a nod to Gary Gygax and the world ofGreyhawk. Side note, this isn't really discussing DM's Guild Content -- maybe it's a better topic for the Story & Lore section of the forum. [6], While suffering from his madness, he was convinced that enemies were everywhere and he was being constantly watched by evil agents. Lady Fidatova is the last of the Fidatov line of artisans, and is herself a brilliant mathematician. However, Strahd does have some redeeming beefy base stats with an 18 in STR, CHA, DEX, and CON a 15 in WIS and a big-brained 20 INT. I saw him thrown a thousand feet to his death. Morgantha is the matriarch of the trio living in Old Bonegrinder, and frequents Barovia village to sell her Dream Pastries. Luca is, perhaps unfairly, considered the village idiot of Krezk. At some point, Strahd became too lonely and returned to the material realm to spend an evening with Tatyana. Bane the Blackhand is the god of hatred, fear and tyranny. Gabriella is the current most celebrated dancer and musician at the Tser Pool camp. Jeremy Crawford, Laura Hickman, Tracy Hickman, Adam Lee, Christopher Perkins, Richard Whitters. Exethanter is a blind lich, and the last survivor of the original Amber Circle. Feel free to use any part of this as you please. You don't know what they can do, how much they know about you and when they are near you. Race: Human Recharged: Tomb of Annihilation. The defeat twisted him more than physically - he has died again and again trying to 'protect Strahd from the release that death would give him'. Markovia had long considered Strahd a mad tyrant, . If you're a new GM preparing to run Curse of Strahd, you'll need to know: your players can either start at third level, or they can run through the introductory adventure "Death House." Before "Death House" you'll likely want to run one of the initial adventure hooks: "Plea For Help," "Mysterious Visitors," "Werewolves in the . Kellen is a survivor of one of Kiril's ring of stone matches, ridden with guilt over it. They associate its image and power with that of Strahd, the Land. Dr. Van Richten is a legendary huntsman and holy warrior whose vengeful career has spanned over twenty years. Prepared to run the Mad Mage ; The party had planned last session to find the Mad Mage of Mt. Rahadin is Strahd's chamberlain, bodyguard, and only true friend. His . Lottie is the co-owner of the Beast's Rose tailor shop, having come up with the name after hearing one of Yonvich's stories. If you're interested, I'll share a couple of details I reimagined when mastering this campaign for my friends. [17][note 1], He was also an acquaintance of Khelben Arunsun. . A very charismatic man, he was. Wensencia raises most of the pups of the werewolf pack, and has been doing so for a long time. 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. Marzena is the most paranoid of the Belview family, and considered the most at-risk of escaping the Abbey. Helga is the melancholic and enigmatic maid at Ravenloft. Interested in flipbooks about Curse of Strahd? The Mount Ghakis Roc is a solitary roc surviving near Tsolenka Pass. Amalthia is the junior maid at Wachterhaus and the discontented helper of Stella. Isabella is Lady Fidatova's gardener and warden of the outskirts of her maze. It is ambiguous whether it was a mistake or a suicide. Tenebrous. 1-10. He was trying to revive her dead pet cat, when his soul clinged to Stella's body. Since the dawn of Dungeons and Dragons, dungeon masters have been searching for the answer to a simple question. Generations of humans have gone by and no one remembers their ancestors were there willingly and they don't know they're in a pocket dimension. Tatyana was the fiance of Sergei von Zarovich, and is the only victim of Strahd's curse whose soul reincarnates perfectly. Vistani NPCs have access to curses and the Evil Eye (p. . The article is great otherwise. Also, please, please, please don'tlet players interact too much with the Dark Powers. You should check them out. 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. The wizard and the vampire cast spells at each other. His soul met Petrina's and they came up with a plan to bring Petrina back to unlife (thanks to the heart of sorrow which could act as a philactery), so that she could trick the rhyme and finally let Strahd marry his true love.That's it, actually. Talos the Stormbringer is the god of destruction, storms and rebellion. Madalena is the no-nonsense senior maid at Wachterhaus and a close confidant of the book club. And standing atop a balcony stemming from the tallest castle in the land is a vampire draped in a dark cloak, staring out at his realm and ruminating on his cyclical existence. Curse of Strahd - Mid-fantasy in an "Alt-Earth" setting. He believes that the Count is un-killable, and the prevailing tactic should be his appeasement. Sir. General Kroval "Mad Dog" Grislek. The most powerful of these was a knightly organization known as the Order of the Silver Dragon that was destroyed. The following aspects of this iconic villain are worth memorizing: Strahd was a warlord who defeated the enemies of his deceased father, King Barov. Arrigal is Luvash's roguish younger brother and second-in-command of the greater Vistani camp. The Darklord killed all of their women after the death of Patrina Velikovna, a dusk elf female who sought to become his bride but who was stoned to death by her own people. Brom is the younger son of Danika and Urwin, and lives at the Blue Water Inn. Turned into a Vampire Spawn by Strahd during the Mad Mage's failed attack on Ravenloft: 31. If you are just starting your campaign, I also recommend getting a Guide to the Curse of Strahd campaign. Angelika was Davian's wife, best friend, and mother of their four children, and was killed by Baba Lysaga. ISBN. Bram Stoker's Dracula and the anime adaptation of Castlevania are superb places to start. Lorgoth the Decayer was the moniker given to the demon summoned by Elisabeth Durst using Walter's soul. Davian is the widower patriarch of the Martikov family, and the owner of the Wizard of the Wines Winery. Burgomistress Anna Krezkova is a mother who has endured the deaths of all of her children. An overlooked miswriting on my part, perhaps caused by the ravens who have been chattering by my window sill all evening as if wishing to see what I am putting to paper. He is curious about what Amari knows, and was unaware of the reincarnation and soulless that exist . His son remains the only heir but also wants his father to be taken downand so secretly helps the party under an alias and servants. He is the sun god's final of many attempts to free Barovia from Strahd. . First published. Complete list of every named creature with an accociated statblock as written in the Curse of Strahd module. Lady Liliana was the older of the scout sisters, and a knight of Archamian. He stood exactly where youre standing. Nero is the younger and more aggressive of the two guard dogs of the Baron. 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 . Bluto is the town fisherman and drunk. Milivoj is the gardener and gravedigger for St. Andral's Church, having grown up in its orphanage. We think you'll have a much more enjoyable experience. Archamian was the last of the eldritch titans, and the main adversary of the Oculords; whose aim to restore the Netheril almost resulted in a global war. Knowledge of the ancient will help you better understand your enemy. Lady Isolde the Incredible was an antique trader and old associate of the Zarovich family. Tatyana came down with a terrible plague. 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. Also known as: The Mad Mage of Mount Baratok He believes that if he can make all of his people happy, then they can escape Strahd. My party started Curse of Strahd at level 6 and I have planned for them to go up to level 14 or 15. We think you'll have a much more enjoyable experience. The module swiftly leads the party to a Vistani encampment, where the players can have their . [4], Mordenkainen had a hawk-like face, with a permanent frown that gave the appearance of alertness and almost anger, and a penetrating gaze. and a horrifying man/wolf hybrid - a werewolf - just as Mahel warned. She is sealed in the crypts of Ravenloft, with Strahd having long-since tired of her ingenuine love. Lord Nikolai is the eldest Wachter child, and a fervent alcoholic, constantly searching for mischievous distractions from his nobility. Imagine a valley surrounded by mist, with the suns rays barely visible beyond layers of murky clouds. Hope this helps. [4] He often traveled to Waterdeep with his friends for revelry in a city where he would not be recognized. Ezmerelda d'Avenir was the protg of Dr. Van Richten, and has become a formidable huntress in her own right, using more aggressive methods. Father Donavich is the reclusive priest of Barovia village, who prays night and day for relief from his dark circumstance. It is debated whether he was mad or an ambitious jester. Arista was a runaway Vistani and Strahd's court ceiling painter. Medusa is a former champion of Oghma and infamous for beginning her own monster lineage. His gravestone reads "Master of the Hunt". Strahd is not happy of being eternally imprisoned, and would very much just die and be done with his obsession. This page was last edited on 3 November 2020, at 14:03. Vasilka is the Abbot's secret weapon to freeing Barovia from Strahd. Strahds kingdom was spirited away to the Domains of Dread, and Strahd became an immortal ruler haunted by untouchable reincarnations of Tatyana. Sune the Firehair is the goddess of beauty, love and passion. We've already been saving your edits, so if you Majesto is the imp familiar of Lady Wachter, loaned to her by Strahd. Ismark the Lesser is the eldest child of Kolyan Indirovich, and soldiers his responsibilities in the shadow of his father, and of Strahd. Azuron is a wandering warlock of a mysterious entity he has dubbed as 'Riven', which he presumes saved his life for a dark purpose. Varvara is the eldest child of the Vaskroffs, and was born without a soul. The key is to remember that Strahd isnt a brawler, hes a leader and his stat block reflects that. This means your big bad villain across a year long campaign is only CR15. When running Strahd, I always recommend making the fight cover the entirety of the castle if possible. They're there, invincible and never truly seen, never to be understood nor defeated. Keep this in mind when you portray 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. Herman Yonvich is the secretive bookkeeper, scribe and linguist of Vallaki. Diavola is Lady Fidatova's beloved handmaid and the constant subject of her social experiments. He chased Tatyana until she flung herself from the spires of Castle Ravenloft to her death. Lady Tereska was made a spawn of Strahd after being brought to the valley in search of a cure for her disease. When the character is resurrected they gain a form of indefinite madness from realizing that their spirit is trapped in Ravenloft, possibly forever. Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage More from this Title's Contributors Customers Who Bought this Title also Purchased . One of the fun things I added to my Curse of Strahd was that Strahd had children with his brides various dhampirs and vampires that are all vying for his throne and trying to eliminate the party to prove themselves. Vilnius is a nomad who suffers from a highly lethal and communicable disease, and struck a bargain with the Queen of Poxes to survive. Danika is the tough but kind-hearted owner of the Blue Water Inn in Vallaki. [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. I was never a fan of horror but my players, they are always up for a good jump, I was working on a homebrew monster yesterday that doesn't really fit here but with the right description it can be a wonderful tool to not only scare players but the characters as well (frightful presence dc 21) I posted it and named it the Red Dragarasque (bad name I know) but the only problem is getting the gods angry at the pc's which I wrote as the only way to have it merge into such a horrific creature. Strahds subjects live in three major communities: Barovians are superstitious and distrustful, and Curse of Strahd states that only about one in 10 of them truly possess a soul. How do I make a super cool final boss for my players? She is his loyal horse and wagon puller. 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. Although not featured in Ravenloft products prior to Curse of Strahd, he appears in that module after having lost his memories and gone mad. We rewound a bit to give Gwaihir's player more time with the mad mage, and through some spells we learned that he was under the influence of a Mind Blank spell, but that it was his own spell. Lancelot is Gertruda's dog and routinely searches for her on the Old Svalich Road and around Barovia village. Get the newsletter. He is also a drunk, and talented violinist. He is devising a way to escape Barovia forever. Can't wait for the 18th. This will save time for new users. Godfrey was a high-ranking Knight of the Silver Dragon during the fall of the order, events which led to him become a revenant. Peruse nuanced portrayals of Dracula in film as inspiration for Strahd. The Vistani are traveling folk who can pass through the Mists and explore other Domains of Dread and even the planes beyond. Attention PDF authors and publishers: Da Archive runs on your tolerance. Lord Victor is the only son of Baron Vargas, and is resentful of his responsibilities and birthplace. Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, their respective logos, and all Wizards titles and characters are property of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the U.S.A. and other countries. Emeric is the apprentice of Drasha, and wants to rise in the ranks to one day replace Izek as captain of the guard. 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). First post! Stahbal Chakrabarti was a Pannotian nobleman and advisor to Strahd before Rahadin. . Ivah is Hedwig's confident best friend and lives at St. Andral's Orphanage. She often stops Varvara from drifting out of reality. Wilstrom is the son of the Bazhenovs, who succumbed to dream addiction, and loaned him in order to receive more. Kiril is the controversial leader of the werewolf pack in Barovia, having seized command after the mysterious death of his rival, Emil Toranescu. Khazan was Strahd's court mage both during and briefly after his conquest. [6], In the Year of the Scarlet Witch, 1491 DR, Mordenkainen, still suffering from bouts of madness, was in Waterdeep, where Storm Silverhand and Elminster were helping him to recover from them. His voice was deep and melodic. Lathander the Morninglord is the god of birth, vitality and the sun. 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. Strahds Stat Block: What The Numbers Mean. Given I am prepping now to run Strahd for my Mox crew, this is a really clean look at the major NPCs and storyline for the advanture! He lurks to this day on Mount Baratok. Lip is a junior guard at Fidatov manor, nicknamed after her talkativeness. 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. He managed to turn into a demilich, and can still be found in the amber temple. Maybe your players cured Mordenkainen's madness and he is no longer the "Mad mage of the mountain" or maybe you want to use him with the new book Mordenkainen's tome of foes! He appears or is mentioned in several different Greyhawk and Dungeons and Dragons products. Claudiu is the eldest son of Stefania and grandchild of Davian Martikov, and an aspiring swordsman, practicing on scarecrows. Mordenkainen of Greyhawk fame also makes an appearance in Curse of Strahd. My question is: Does his appearance in Curse of Strahd make sense with the timeline? The characters wanted to convince him to join their fight against Strahd. ontario lease agreement schedule a; who owns the steakhouse in wells maine; houston, texas population; $23 million dollar mansion; Lectrum is a junior guard at Fidatov manor, nicknamed after his love of trade. Mordenkainen, commonly referred to in local legend as the Mad Mage of Mount Baratok, is an ancient legendary wizard from a magical world. Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, their respective logos, and all Wizards titles and characters are property of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the U.S.A. and other countries. Tiamat the Quindragon is the goddess of chaos, greed, and evil dragons, and subservient to Asmodeus. 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! Hewill live forever and hewill do horrible things to win Tatyana's love, making her hate him instead. Mystra the Spellweaver is the goddess of magic. Talia was a lonely locksmith in Krezk who was overcome with greed when she discovered a deadly poison ingredient in the valley. " The Philantropist: This card tells of history. [6], In addition to many scrolls and potions, Mordenkainen was known to possess a bag of holding, a set of bracers of defense, a crystal ball, a +1 dagger, an efreeti bottle, a wand of cold, a wand of fear, and three pearls of power. PC Level: 5. She first drew the philanthropist, followed in quick succession by the transmuter, the anarchist, the marionette and finally, the horseman. Baron Vargon was the burgomaster of Vallaki before his son, Vargas, and had a firmer grip on the town's order. This adventure picks up where Waterdeep: Dragon Heist leaves off, taking characters of . Carnis was the Abbot's prototype bride for Strahd. It was released on March 15, 2016 and is based on the Ravenloft module . Aike and Ulfrik saw through the mist and trees the battle taking place between this mystical elk and four large wolves. The late father of Szoldarovich; he laid the path for his son, and thankfully not a grandson. Please enable JavaScript to get the best experience from this site. Still, he will present the player characters with a powerful magic boon before leaving to find his lost belongings. 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. Vampires stay in coffins during the day. Since then this module has been a fan favorite for new and experienced players alike, and of course the main focus is our big bad evil guy Strahd von Zarovich himself. The Mage's Rebellion Curse of Strahd: Library of Mystery Astrophel Astrophel . Put that eldritch imagination to the test, and remember to tease your players with this iconic line:The master of Ravenloft is having guests for dinner and you are invited!. Instead of her being obviously evil (which by the way everyone figures out as soon as you mention "her sorrow soul asking for forgiveness so you should totally bring her back to life"), she is truly repented. Like Strahd himself, locals cannot leave which means that aside from the occasional foreigner, Barovia is largely a closed ecosystem. I meant to put this in a different section. Powerful Strahd Stat Block (Approx. Yesper is the horse-keeper for Fidatov estate, and an animal conservationist. Kala is a seamstress whose passion for clothing has infected Lady Fidatova over the years. Amazing article! He has spies at his disposal, including werewolves and druids who worship him on Yester Hill, a prominent landmark in western Barovia. Strahd was envious of the love his mother showered on his brother, Sergei. This isn't feasible right now, as the party has no means to cure the Mad . To put another DarkLord in his place. Gender: Male Drasha is a senior guard of Vallaki, and is assigned to monitor Azuron, Lael, Rowena and Schnoken when they first make an impact on Vallaki. [1], Mordenkainen eventually came to Barovia where he sought to undo Strahd and save the land from his influence. Despite being undead, Strahd is still a count who considers the Barovian populace his subjects. Lief is the delusional, bookkeeping prisoner of Strahd. Love means giving yourself to someone else intentionally, not because you're forced to. [1], Mordenkainen is a well-known adventurer on his home world and a member of the Circle of Eight. Authors. In Curse of Strahd, General Kroval "Mad Dog" Grislek is buried in Castle Ravenloft. . Perhaps Strahd's goal is to burrow his way through the planes and create a united force of Darklords to overthrow and supplant the darklords. Sir. how much is internet on princess? I'll put everything under spoiler for obvious reasons :). Leonid was a duellist during Strahd's conquest, famous for his stature and his flawless combat record. Ivan was a dogsled racer who won his fortunes by mastering and even chartering risky tracks, until he was allegedly sabotaged by a rival. When he made his pact, the dark lords granted him an immortal name, making him an immortal undead, and the company of the ones he loved, by having them reincarnate each time in a person that won't love him." Come on! Yonvi is the middle son of Yonvich, and a very organised carpenter, miller and leatherworker. Now, I am not intimately aware of the lore surrounding D&D 5e, and I know that he is a prominent figure over all. Strahd's curse: this campaign is called Curse of Strahd, yet we never hear the curse. Mad Mary is the reclusive, delusional and mentally unstable mother of Gertruda. You can not kill Strahd in Curse of Strahd You cannot kill the Mad Mage in Dungeon of the Mad Mage You cannot kill the Frostmaiden in Rime of the Frostmaiden You cannot kill the Princes of the Apocalypse in Princes of the Apocalypse. Dag is the husband of Stefania and father of four at the Wizard of the Wines. Please note, this article will contain Curse of Strahd spoilers! Did you ever hear the tragedy of Darth Plagueis The Wise? 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. Count Strahd von Zarovich is a vampire and the dark lord of the valley of Barovia. Baroness Lydia Petrovna is the wife of Baron Vargas. You should check them out. Euryale was the older sister of Medusa who helped her start a small empire after her rejection by Oghma. Lord Nikolai Wachter is the deceased father of the Wachter children, and husband of Fiona; beloved by them. 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. Bahamut the Platinum Dragon is the god of justice, wisdom and good dragons. Grunts is a senior guard at Fidatov manor, nicknamed after his taciturnity. E cos mai potrai amarla. Beware! Recharged: Waterdeep Dungeon of the Mad Mage. [Mad Mage's Magnificent Mansion] .