Curse of Strahd

T1. Gatehouse Portcullis

When the characters approach from the west, read:

The gatehouse is 30 feet high. The adjoining walls are 20 feet high and lined with stone spikes. If the characters circumvent the gate by flying or climbing over it, the statues on the gatehouse (area T2) animate and attack.

If the characters approach within 10 feet of the portcullis, it shrieks with the sound of metal on metal as it rises on its own. It stays open for 1 minute, then closes.

T2. Demon Statues

These statues are actually two petrified vrocks. If they are attacked, or if the characters bypass the gatehouse, the vrocks revert to flesh and attack, pursuing prey that flees and fighting until slain.

T3. Curtain of Green Flame

A curtain of green flame fills the eastern archway of the gatehouse. Any creature that enters the curtain for the first time on a turn or starts its turn in the green flame takes 33 (6d10) fire damage.

A successful casting of dispel magic (DC 16) suppresses the curtain for 1 minute. The curtain is also suppressed within an antimagic field.

T4. Guard Tower, Ground Floor

The tower door is made of ironbound wood and barred from within. A character can force open the door with a successful DC 22 Strength (Athletics) check.

The stairs climb 20 feet to area T5.

T5. Guard Tower, Upper Floor

The trapdoor in the ceiling pushes open with a squeal, revealing the rooftop (area T6) and the stormy gray sky.

T6. Guard Tower Rooftop

The roof is 40 feet high and 540 feet above the misty valley below. A wooden trapdoor in the floor squeals as it is pulled open, revealing area T5 below.

The skeletons are the remains of four guards who held this post long ago. Characters who search the remains find tattered bits of cloth, broken longbows and arrows, rusted blades in ruined sheaths, and rusty chain mail.

T7. Western Arch

When the characters approach the bridge, read:

The western arch contains empty guard posts, one on each side of the bridge. These 10-foot-wide chambers provide some protection against the howling wind.

T8. Stone Bridge

The cloaked rider is a manifestation of Strahd von Zarovich—a grim warning to proceed no further. If the characters interact with the manifestation in any way, the rider and horse disperse like ash in the wind.

Five hundred feet below the bridge is the Luna River, barely visible through the fog. Though slippery in a few places, the 10-foot-wide, 90-foot-long bridge is safe to cross.

T9. Eastern Arch

This arch contains 10-foot-square guard posts, one on each side of the bridge. Both rooms are empty.

Beyond this arch, Tsolenka Pass hugs the mountainside for three miles before branching north and south. The northern branch leads to the Amber Temple (chapter 13). The southern branch continues to wrap around Mount Ghakis until it ends at the deadly fog that surrounds Barovia (see chapter 2, "x").

Roc of Mount Ghakis

As the characters cross the stone bridge (x) from east to west—possibly on their way back from the Amber Temple (chapter 13)—they are spotted by a roc that has survived in the mountains for thousands of years. The roc has a great nest on the top of Mount Ghakis to the southeast and feeds on fish in the nearby lake.

When the Roc of Mount Ghakis appears, read:

The roc attacks a random creature on the bridge, snatching up a horse or a mule, if one is available. Otherwise, it attacks a party member. It can't reach characters who hide in the guard posts at either end of the bridge. If it has nothing to attack on its turn, the roc lets loose a horrible shriek and flies back to its nest.

Bloodhorn's Charge

As the characters make their way along Tsolenka Pass, they encounter a beast that the druids and berserkers of Barovia call Sangzor ("Bloodhorn"):

If no character has a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 16 or higher, the party is surprised. Otherwise, read:

Sangzor is a giant goat known for its supernatural resilience and evil disposition. Mountain folk have been hunting it for years. Modify its statistics as follows:

• It has an Intelligence of 6 (−2 modifier) and is chaotic evil.
• It has 33 hit points.
• It has resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks.
• Its challenge rating is 1 (200 XP).

The giant goat charges down the mountainside (using its Charge feature) and rams a character. If the attack hits and the target fails its saving throw, it is sent tumbling down the mountainside, falling 100 feet onto a ledge.

The goat flees if it takes 10 damage or more. The mist and snowfall prevent seeing anything more than 60 feet away. Once the goat is out of sight, it disappears through a cleft.