Curse of Strahd

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). This exhaustion 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.

Cosmetic Spell Modifications

At your discretion, a spell can be modified cosmetically to enhance the horrific atmosphere. Here are examples:

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.

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.

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!

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.

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 remove curse spell, a greater restoration spell, or similar magic. It doesn't end when the target dies. If a cursed target is returned to life, the curse remains in effect.

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 takes 5d6 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 animal friendship, charm person, or hold person spell (Vistana's choice), but requires neither somatic nor material components. The spell save DC is 8 + the caster's proficiency bonus + the caster's Charisma modifier. If the target succeeds on the save, the Vistana is blinded until the end of the Vistana's next turn.

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.

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 "x" sidebar).

Use the descriptions that follow to help run each random encounter. The table entries are presented in alphabetical order.

A. Old Svalich Road

If the characters are walking along the road, they arrive at x 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.

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 "x" earlier in this chapter).

If Strahd is defeated, the gates of Barovia swing open, and the road east becomes clear of fog.

C. Svalich Woods

If the characters are traveling in Vistani wagons, they can continue on to the village of Barovia (x) without incident.

If the characters are following the road on foot, the party member who has the highest passive Wisdom (Perception) score notices something:

The character can follow the stench to its source:

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 "x" 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 wolves arrive and attack. If the characters are trying to leave Barovia, these dire wolves are joined by a pack of twenty wolves. The wolves and the dire wolves stop their attack if the characters return to the road and head toward the village of Barovia (x).

D. River Ivlis

When the characters come within sight of this river for the first time, read:

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 (x).

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 x whenever the characters reach x, unless they are accompanied by Vistani.

The northwest fork leads down to the river and x. The road southwest leads to x. The east road leads to an arching stone bridge and continues on to the village of Barovia (x). 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.

G. Tser Pool Encampment

The eight draft horses 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 bandits) 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 captains) 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."

H. Tser Falls

If the characters reach area H by following the footpath from the Vistani encampment (x), read:

If the characters are on the high road instead, read:

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 x; the road north cuts through the mountains to x.

The gargoyles on the bridge are harmless sculptures.

I. Black Carriage

If Strahd has invited the characters to Castle Ravenloft or otherwise wants to steer them in his direction, add:

The two black draft horses 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 x. 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 (x) 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 (x).

J. Gates of Ravenloft

The following text assumes that the characters arrive here in the carriage from x. Modify the text as needed if the characters arrive by another means.

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 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.

K. Castle Ravenloft

Chapter 4 explores Castle Ravenloft, lair of the vampire Strahd von Zarovich.

L. Lake Zarovich

If the characters arrive along the shore north of Vallaki in the daytime, add:

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 prone so that she can't be seen or heard from the shore.

M. Mad Mage of Mount Baratok

This encounter can occur anywhere along the base of Mount Baratok.

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 (x). 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 greater restoration spell cast on the Mad Mage would restore his wits and ends the madness, allowing him to remember that he is none other than Mordenkainen, an archmage of Oerth and the leader of a powerful group of adventurers called the Circle of Eight. But in this case, the Mad Mage has cast a mind blank spell on himself. As long as that spell remains in effect, his sanity can't be restored by any spell. If the characters surmise that powerful magic is preventing them from restoring the Mad Mage's wits, they can, with a successful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check, convince the Mad Mage to divulge the reason why their spell failed. A character can also ascertain the cause of the spell's failure with a successful DC 18 Intelligence (Arcana) check. The Mad Mage's mind blank spell has a remaining duration of 3d6 hours, after which his madness can be cured normally.

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 mage armor on himself, one 4th-level spell slot to cast polymorph on himself, one 7th-level spell slot to cast Mordenkainen's magnificent mansion (see "x"), and one 8th-level spell slot to cast mind blank on himself.

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 x in their travels.

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 (x) and Krezk (x), 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 (x). 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 (x).

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 x.

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 (x). One branch heads south, becoming Tsolenka Pass (x) 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 (x), 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:

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.