Contents
- 1Introduction: Danger to the Multiverse
- 2Chapter 1: Return from Neverdeath Graveyard
- 3Chapter 2: The Wizards Three
- 4Chapter 3: The Lambent Zenith's Last Voyage
- 5Chapter 4: The Ruined Colossus
- 6Chapter 5: Death House
- 7Chapter 6: Night of Blue Fire
- 8Chapter 7: Tomb of Wayward Souls
- 9Chapter 8: The Dragon Queen's Pride
- 10Chapter 9: The Betrayer Revealed
- 11Chapter 10: The War of Pandesmos
- 12Chapter 11: Eve of Ruin
- 13Appendix A: Bestiary
- 14Appendix B: Character Dossier
- 15Appendix C: Secrets Tracker
- 16Credits
Chapter 5: Death House
[image: Death House is a source of terror in Barovia, and the characters soon discover why]
The fourth piece of the Rod of Seven Parts is in Barovia, one of the Shadowfell's Domains of Dread. With the aid of an Ulmist inquisitor, the party infiltrates the basement of an eerie locale called Death House. Here, they must stop cults plotting to use the fourth rod piece in vile rituals while also preventing the artifact from falling into of the hands of the infamous vampire Strahd von Zarovich.
Running This Chapter
This chapter begins after the characters retrieve the third piece of the Rod of Seven Parts. When a character holds this piece, they instinctively know that the next closest piece is located in the village of Barovia, in the domain of Strahd von Zarovich. Although it's a small village, Barovia teems with supernatural threats—including the forebodingly named Death House, the location of the fourth piece.
By researching Death House in the Sigil sanctum or asking the Wizards Three about it, the characters learn that Death House is owned by two Barovians named Gustav and Elisabeth Durst, who run a small cult devoted to Barovia's Darklord, Strahd von Zarovich. Given the domain's many greater threats, this minor cult and the house draw scant attention. If the characters ask, Alustriel shares the information in the "x" section. Neither the wizards nor the available research materials in Sigil can reveal further details.
This chapter begins with the characters' approach to Death House. Their journey is interrupted by a mob of scared peasants as well as a potentially helpful inquisitor. Most of the chapter describes the horrors the characters encounter as they explore Death House. Once the characters acquire the rod piece, Strahd arrives at Death House to toy with the characters and tries to block their escape.
Character Advancement
The characters should be 14th level when this chapter begins. They gain a level after they retrieve the fourth piece of the Rod of Seven Parts from Death House.
Power of Secrets
The characters can learn one secret in this chapter that is applicable to the rules in "x" section in this book's introduction:
- Sarusanda's Secret. Sarusanda is an Ulmist inquisitor, but her father, Galias, joined the evil priests of Osybus. Sarusanda expected to find and slay him in Death House. The characters can learn this secret during one of their encounters with Sarusanda, as described in the "x" section.
Fourth Rod Piece
The fourth piece of the Rod of Seven Parts is in area D38 of Death House. For more information about the rod and the spell this piece allows its wielder to cast, see this book's x.
Barovia
The third rod piece allows the characters to step through the portal in the Sigil sanctum and emerge in the western outskirts of the village of Barovia.
If the characters haven't already, allow them to research Barovia in Sigil or ask the wizards about the place, then convey the points listed in the "Knowledge of Barovia" section below. When you're ready to start the chapter, proceed to the "x" section.
Knowledge of Barovia
Characters who research Barovia can learn the following:
- Domain of Dread. Barovia is the name of a village as well as the name of the Domain of Dread that encompasses that village. A Domain of Dread is a demiplane hidden in the Plane of Shadow. Every Domain of Dread is separated from the rest of the multiverse by the mysterious Mists.
- The Mists. The Mists are unfathomable and unpredictable. Once an individual has been taken by the Mists, there is little chance of escape. The only entities with influence over the Mists are the unknowable Dark Powers, which control the Domains of Dread, and the Darklords, who each rule a domain created to torment them.
- Strahd the Vampire. As Barovia's Darklord, the vampire Strahd von Zarovich wields immense power and usually has the final say over who comes and goes in his domain.
Arriving in Barovia
When the characters step through the portal in Sigil, they wade through a thick mist before emerging on the western outskirts of Barovia. Read or paraphrase the following:
If the characters attempt to leave or circumvent the village, the Mists return them to where they started.
The third piece of the Rod of Seven Parts points toward the tall, gloomy house on the village's far side, where the sound of weeping is coming from.
[image: Barovian villagers confront the characters when they arrive, believing they're villains]
Unwelcome Party
While making their way across the village, the characters are accosted by a throng of panicked villagers fearful of the newcomers. Read or paraphrase the following:
The mob consists of twenty hostile commoners who surround the characters. As Sarusanda later explains to the characters, the priests of Osybus foresaw the characters' arrival and sowed foul rumors about them to turn the villagers against them. The characters must diffuse the situation with the villagers before they can proceed.
The characters can disperse the mob in a variety of ways. They can lie about their identities or intentions; they can convince the villagers that they mean no harm or that they hope to help the children crying in the distant house; or they can threaten the villagers' lives. To successfully sway the mob in one of these ways, at least one character must succeed on a DC 18 Charisma (Deception, Intimidation, or Persuasion) check, using whichever skill is appropriate. A character who casts Calm Emotions on the mob's area has advantage on this check.
Until the characters disperse or escape the mob, one randomly determined character takes 1 bludgeoning damage from hurled debris at the start of each turn. Each round on initiative count 0, the DC of the check to disperse the mob increases by 1. The villagers immediately disperse if the characters attack or deal damage to any of them.
The Ulmist Inquisition
After the characters are free of the mob, a cloaked adventurer named Sarusanda Allester approaches them. Sarusanda is a lawful neutral, human inquisitor of the tome (see appendix A) who speaks Celestial, Common, Draconic, and Elvish, and can cast Speak with Dead at will. She introduces herself and asks to speak with the characters in private. The characters can slip into an alley for this discussion, or they can duck into the Blood of the Vine, the village tavern, for a quiet conversation.
[image: Sarusanda Allester]
Sarusanda's Mission
Sarusanda's initial impression of the characters depends on how the characters handled the angry mob. If the party dispersed the mob without harming any villagers, Sarusanda is friendly toward the characters. Otherwise, Sarusanda is indifferent but wary.
Sarusanda explains that she is a member of the Ulmist Inquisition, an organization dedicated to rooting out evil throughout the multiverse. She asks the characters what business they have at the house on the far side of the village.
However the characters respond, Sarusanda says she is also going to the building. "The locals call it Death House," she says. "Perhaps we can help each other achieve our goals there."
In the course of their conversation, Sarusanda conveys the following information to the party.
Cultists in Death House
Death House is owned by Gustav and Elisabeth Durst. It's an open secret that the Dursts use the building to host cultists who venerate the Darklord of Barovia, Strahd von Zarovich. This minor cult occasionally causes trouble, but until now, it hasn't merited intervention by the Ulmist Inquisition.
Unexpected Discovery
Recently, the cultists in Death House obtained something important: a fragment of the Rod of Seven Parts. Sarusanda believes the cultists don't know much about the rod piece, but she suspects the cultists plan to use it to somehow attract Strahd's attention.
Priests of Osybus
The Death House cultists' discovery roused the attention of another wicked group, the priests of Osybus. Unaffiliated with the cultists in Death House, the priests of Osybus are necromancers who steal souls to fuel their evil, life-prolonging magic. They wish to claim the rod piece for use in their necromantic rituals, and they've divined the characters' arrival and know the characters will try to stop them. To slow the characters down, the priests spread dreadful rumors about them throughout town. This stirred the villagers into a frenzy. Sarusanda heard about the priests' activities, discovered the presence of the rod piece, and traveled to the village. She has vowed to stop the priests of Osybus's activities in Death House and any other evil happening there.
Eight priests of Osybus have infiltrated Death House. They are all neutral evil humans who speak Abyssal, Common, and Infernal.
Strahd Watches
If Sarusanda's information is correct, Strahd is also aware of the activities at Death House.
Sarusanda's Plan
Sarusanda needs to act quickly to stop the priests of Osybus and Strahd from acquiring the rod fragment. She doesn't care if the characters take the artifact; as long as it stays out of her enemies' clutches, she'll consider her work done. To this end, she invites the characters to join her cause. Regardless of whether the characters cooperate with Sarusanda or ignore her, their interaction with her now affect subsequent meetings with her inside Death House.
Approaching Death House
As the characters come within sight of Death House, read or paraphrase the following:
[image: Rose and Thorn Durst]
The children are Rosavalda "Rose" and Thornboldt "Thorn" Durst. Rose explains that the monster arrived just after the children's parents, Gustav and Elisabeth, ordered Rose and Thorn outside to play. Rose is especially worried for Brigetta, the family's nursemaid, who's always been kind to both children. After Rose and Thorn came outside, they heard screams inside the house, followed by terrible howls coming from the basement. Recently, a group of robed adults (priests of Osybus) arrived and entered the house without a word.
If calmed with a successful DC 10 Charisma (Persuasion) check, Thorn sniffles that his parents often invite weird friends over for parties, but this time seems different.
The children have no other useful information, and neither has any idea how much time has passed since the events they've described. They have no idea that their parents are cult leaders in possession of a powerful artifact. If the characters express hesitation about leaving the children alone, a friendly neighbor arrives and offers to keep the children safe.
Sarusanda Splits Off
As soon as the characters enter Death House, Sarusanda suggests she and the party explore the house separately. This way, you can focus on the characters without having to run Sarusanda alongside them. The characters will have several opportunities to run into Sarusanda in the house. See the "x" section for more details.
If you wish, Sarusanda can stay with the characters, and the events described in that section happen while she accompanies the party.
Death House
Before the characters enter Death House, make sure the players understand their goals. The characters can't leave until they encounter Strahd von Zarovich, as described in the "x" section later in this chapter.
Death House Objective
The characters must take the fourth piece of the Rod of Seven Parts from the Strahd-venerating cultists who operate from Death House's basement.
The priests of Osybus have their own plans for the rod piece. As long as the eight priests inside the house are alive, they'll try to keep the characters from taking the artifact.
Death House Encounters
The foul energies coalescing in Death House have spawned numerous horrors. When the characters enter locations with an "Encounter" subsection for the first time, the description will instruct you to roll on the Death House Encounters table below. With the exception of Meetings with Sarusanda, if you roll an encounter the characters have already overcome or an encounter that would be difficult to resolve in the location, choose an unencountered result instead.
Death House Encounters
| d12 | Encounter |
|---|---|
| 1–4 | Meeting with Sarusanda (see below)* |
| 5–8 | Three priests of Osybus (see appendix A) lurk nearby, poised to strike† |
| 9 | One whirling chandelier (see appendix A) falls on a random character before two invisible stalkers join the surprise attack |
| 10–11 | Four vampire spawn attack the party |
| 12 | Four helmed horrors, disguised as inanimate suits of armor, attack the characters |
Meetings with Sarusanda
The characters occasionally reunite with Sarusanda as they explore Death House. Each time you roll this result on the Death House Encounters table, run one of the following encounters, starting with the first and proceeding in order.
Wounded Pride
The robed bodies belong to two priests of Osybus (see appendix A), each of whom is stable at 0 hit points. When the characters enter the room, each priest's Tattoo of Osybus trait causes the priest to rise on its next turn, at which point it attacks the characters.
Development
Sarusanda has 30 hit points remaining and is obviously in pain. If the characters offer to heal her, she downplays her injuries. A character who succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check realizes that it's not just Sarusanda's body that's hurt—her pride is badly wounded too.
If unaided, Sarusanda gains 1 level of exhaustion, which she retains until she finishes a long rest outside Death House.
Séance
[image: Sarusanda interrogates a deceased cult member to learn more about the activities in Death House]
Sarusanda uses Speak with Dead to commune with a preserved skull she found in this room. The skull belonged to a cult member named Elya who was sacrificed by his fellow cultists.
Interrogating the Skull
Elya's skull offers its words in hair-raising, singsong whispers. The skull doesn't know anything about the Rod of Seven Parts or the priests of Osybus. It can, however, give directions to the cultists' ritual chamber (area D38) and describe their general motives: "We wish to impress our glorious lord, Strahd von Zarovich!"
Once Sarusanda is done speaking with the skull, it cackles in grim amusement, then floats into the air. Three will-o'-wisps emerge from corners of the room and join the skull (use the flameskull stat block) in attacking the party and Sarusanda.
Crisis of Faith
Run this encounter with Sarusanda after the characters have claimed the rod piece from the cultists (see area D38) but before they encounter Strahd.
Three priests of Osybus (see appendix A) attack Sarusanda and the party, entering the room from multiple directions if possible.
With or without the characters' help, Sarusanda fights passionately against the priests. She discards her normally staid demeanor for this battle and openly rages at the priests, making careless tactical decisions amid the turmoil.
Sarusanda's Secret
After the battle, a character who asks Sarusanda what's wrong is greeted with a long, bitter sigh. The inquisitor then reveals the source of her distress.
Shortly after she joined the Ulmist Inquisition, Sarusanda's father—a man named Galias—joined the priests of Osybus. Sarusanda witnessed him commit a terrible act in the cult's name, though she doesn't give details, and the inquisitor admits she didn't arrest her father. Sarusanda considers this her greatest failing.
Galias was fully inducted into the priests of Osybus, and Sarusanda heard that he would be among the cultists at Death House today. She is enraged that she hasn't found Galias so she can confront him.
Regardless of the characters' reaction to this revelation, learning it counts as a secret for the purposes of the x rules in this book's introduction.
Death House Features
The locations in Death House have the following features.
Ceilings
Ceilings vary in height by floor. The first floor has 10-foot-high ceilings, the second floor has 12-foot-high ceilings, the third floor has 8-foot-high ceilings, and the attic has 13-foot-high ceilings.
Haunted Doors
When Strahd enters the house later in this chapter, certain doors marked on the map become haunted doors; see the "x" section for details.
Lighting
Unless otherwise noted, each room in the house is lit with bright light by oil lamps, a fireplace, or some other light source when the characters arrive. The cultists take oil lamps into the ritual chamber (area D38) when they gather there.
The Mists
When the characters enter Death House, the Mists surround the building and prevent them from leaving. A creature that enters the Mists around Death House reemerges seconds later in a random room in Death House. Only Strahd can disperse the Mists (see the "x" section).
Self-Repair
After 24 hours, any damage to the house repairs itself. The house also repairs itself as soon as Strahd enters the building.
Walls
The walls of the house are made of 1-foot-thick brick. The dungeon is carved from earth, clay, and rock. Dungeon tunnels are 5 feet wide by 10 feet high with timber braces at 5-foot intervals.
Death House Locations
These locations are keyed to map 5.1.
D1a–D1b: Portico and Antechamber
The doors are unlocked.
D2a–D2b: Main Hall and Cloakroom
The hall is bare of furniture. Faint footprints lead to the cloakroom (area D2b).
Encounter
Roll on the x table the first time a character enters this room.
D3: Den of Wolves
Trapdoor
A character searching the southwest corner of the room finds a trapdoor with a successful DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check. The trapdoor is barred from the other side (area D32). It is a Medium object with AC 13, 15 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage.
D4a–D4b: Kitchen and Pantry
The kitchen is area D4a, while the pantry is area D4b.
Dumbwaiter
Behind a small door in the southwest corner of the kitchen is a dumbwaiter—a 2-foot-wide stone shaft containing a wooden elevator box attached to a hand-operated rope-and-pulley mechanism. The shaft connects to the servants' quarters (x) and the Durst parents' bedroom (x).
A Small character can squeeze into the elevator box with a successful DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. The dumbwaiter's rope-and-pulley mechanism can support 200 pounds of weight before breaking.
D5: Dining Room
This area is empty except for the immaculate table dressing.
Treasure
The silverware and crystalware here are worth 2,500 gp total.
D6: Upper Hall
The red marble staircase that started on the first floor continues its upward spiral to area D11. A cold draft flows down the steps.
D7a–D7b: Servants' Room and Closet
An empty footlocker rests at the foot of each bed. Tidy servants' uniforms hang from hooks in the adjoining closet (area D7b).
Dumbwaiter
A small door in the corner of the room opens onto the shaft of the dumbwaiter.
D8: Library
[image: The priests of Osybus are known for the evil practice of trapping enemies' souls into tattoos on the priests' bodies]
The bookshelves hold hundreds of tomes on topics such as history, warfare, and alchemy.
Encounter
Roll on the x table the first time a character enters this room.
Secret Door
A secret door behind a bookshelf in the southeast corner of the room can be opened by pulling on a switch disguised as a red-covered book with a blank spine. A character inspecting the bookshelf spots the fake book with a successful DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) check. Unless the secret door is propped open, springs in the hinges cause it to close on its own. Beyond the secret door lies area D9.
D9: Secret Room
This secret room contains bookshelves packed with tomes describing Fiend-summoning rituals.
Trapped Chest
An unlocked treasure chest stands against the room's south wall. When a creature opens this chest's lid, poison-tipped darts shoot from a spring-loaded mechanism attached to the lid's underside. Each creature within 10 feet of the chest that isn't behind total cover takes 2 (1d4) piercing damage and must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 22 (4d10) poison damage and have the poisoned condition for 1 hour.
A character who succeeds on a DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check while examining the chest spots the trap mechanism. As an action, a character can use thieves' tools to make a DC 15 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check to disarm the trap. Failing this check triggers the trap.
Treasure
The chest contains three blank books with black leather covers (worth 25 gp each) and three Spell Scrolls (Bless, Protection from Poison, and Spiritual Weapon).
D10: Conservatory
Encounter
Roll on the x table the first time a character enters this room.
D11: Balcony
Secret Door
A character who examines the west wall and succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check finds a secret door that pushes open to reveal a cobweb-filled wooden staircase leading to the attic.
D12a–D12c: Master Suite
The couple in the portrait are the same people from the family portrait in the upper hall (area D6). A door facing the foot of the bed opens to an empty closet (area D12b). A door in the parlor leads to an outside balcony (area D12c).
Dumbwaiter
A dumbwaiter in the southwest corner connects to x and x below.
Treasure
The jewelry box on the vanity is made of silver with gold filigree (worth 75 gp). It contains three gold rings (worth 25 gp each) and a thin platinum necklace with a topaz pendant (worth 750 gp).
D13: Bathroom
This room is otherwise empty.
D14: Storage Room
Dusty shelves line the walls of this room. The shelves hold linens and other household goods.
D15a–D15c: Nursemaid's Suite
This elegantly appointed bedroom (area D15a) and an adjoining nursery (area D15b) were occupied by the Dursts' nursemaid, Brigetta, the cult's latest victim.
The double door opens onto a balcony (area D15c) overlooking the front of the house.
Encounter
Roll on the x table the first time a character enters this room.
Signs of Abduction
A character who succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check ascertains that the disarrayed nightstand and broken window are the result of a recent struggle. Rainwater on the floor around the broken window indicates the struggle occurred within the last few hours.
A character who examines the area and succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check finds scuffs on the floor in area D15a from the victim's shoes. These scuffs create a trail to a secret door that leads up to the attic.
Secret Door
A character who examines the mirror and succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check finds a secret door behind the mirror. (Characters who saw scuff marks leading to the secret door find it without needing to make a check.) The secret door pushes open to reveal a cobweb-filled wooden staircase leading to the attic.
D16: Attic Hall
This bare hallway can be accessed by the staircase behind the secret doors in areas D11 and D15a.
D17: Spare Bedroom
This room is otherwise empty.
D18: Storage Room
Secret Door
A character who examines the east wall and succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check finds a secret door that opens to reveal a secret stair (area D21) to the dungeon (area D22).
D19: Spare Bedroom
This room is otherwise empty.
D20: Children's Room
Characters who investigate the dollhouse find all the house's secret doors, including one in the attic leading to a spiral staircase (area D21) that descends below the house.
Encounter
Roll on the x table the first time a character enters this room.
Treasure
Inside the toy chest is a doll that resembles a tall, pale human with black hair and a pronounced widow's peak. Something papery rattles inside the doll's hollow body. A character who removes the doll's head and looks down its neck finds a Spell Scroll of Detect Evil and Good.
D21: Secret Stairs
This narrow spiral staircase is made of creaky wood contained within a 5-foot-wide shaft of mortared stone. The staircase descends 50 feet from the house's attic to area D22 in the dungeon level.
D22: Dungeon Level Access
The wooden spiral staircase from the attic (area D21) ends here. A narrow tunnel stretches southward before branching east and west.
Chanting
From the moment they arrive in the dungeon, the characters hear an eerie, incessant chant echoing throughout the chambers. It's impossible to determine which direction the sound is coming from until the characters reach areas D26 or D29. They can't discern its words until they reach area D35.
D23c–D23f: Family Crypts
These crypts are intended to hold the remains of the Durst family members on their deaths.
The crypts in areas D23a and D23b are empty, and the slabs for these crypts are unmarked.
The remaining crypts (areas D23c–D23f) each contain an empty coffin on a stone bier.
D24: Cult Initiates' Quarters
A wooden table and four chairs stand at the east end of this room. Four alcoves containing straw pallets open off the west half of the room.
D25: Cultist Quarters and Well
The five small bedrooms serve as quarters for senior cultists. Each contains a wood-framed bed with a straw mattress and a wooden chest. Each chest is secured with a rusty iron padlock that can be picked using thieves' tools with a successful DC 15 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check.
Encounter
Roll on the x table the first time a character enters this room.
Treasure
In addition to worthless personal effects, each chest contains one of the following:
- 110 gp and 60 sp in a pouch made of human skin
- Three pieces of cut jade (worth 100 gp each) in a folded piece of black cloth
- A black leather eye patch with a peridot (worth 500 gp) sewn into it
- A chess set with pieces made of obsidian and chalcedony (worth 250 gp)
- A +2 Shortsword
D26: Hidden Spiked Pit
A character who examines the floor and succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check notices a suspicious absence of footprints in this hallway. A character searching the floor for traps finds a 5-foot-long, 10-foot-deep pit hidden under rotted wooden planks. The pit has poisoned wooden spikes at the bottom. The first character to step on the cover falls through, landing prone and taking 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage from the fall plus 11 (2d10) piercing damage and 11 (2d10) poison damage from the spikes.
D27: Dining Hall
These moldy Humanoid bones are the remains of the cult's vile banquets.
D28: Larder
Aside from scraps of food, this alcove is empty.
D29: Intersection
The chanting heard throughout the dungeon is noticeably louder to the north of this intersection.
D30: Stairs Down
Any character standing at the top of this 20-foot-long staircase realizes the chants originate from somewhere below. Characters who descend the stairs and follow the hall beyond arrive in area D35.
D31: Darklord's Shrine
The statue depicts Strahd, to whom the cultists make sacrifices in the vain hope that he will reveal his secrets to them.
Encounter
Roll on the x table the first time a character enters this room.
Secret Door
Characters searching the room find a secret door in the middle of the east wall with a successful DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check. The door pulls open to reveal a stone staircase that climbs 10 feet to a landing (area D32).
D32: Hidden Trapdoor
The staircase ends at a landing with a 6-foot-high wooden ceiling with a trapdoor set into it. The trapdoor is bolted shut from this side and can be pushed open to reveal the den (area D3) above.
D33: Cult Leaders' Den
This is Gustav and Elisabeth's den. Iron candlesticks stand in two corners, their candles lit.
D34: Cult Leaders' Quarters
At the foot of the bed is an unlocked but empty wooden footlocker. This is Gustav and Elisabeth's bedroom.
D35: Reliquary
Lurking in the shadows are two shambling mounds that move to attack as soon as anyone enters this room. The cult keeps "relics" in this chamber. These worthless items—human remains, mundane material components for spellcasting, and so forth—are stored in thirteen niches along the walls.
[image: Death House's reliquary is home to lurking monsters as well as components used in the Durst family's rituals]
D36: Prison
Despite the ominous trappings, the alcoves are empty.
Secret Door
Characters searching the area find a secret door in the south wall with a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check. It pulls open to reveal area D38 on the other side.
D37: Tunnel to Portcullis
This tunnel slopes down at a 20-degree angle into murky water and ends at a rusty portcullis. The floor around the portcullis is submerged under 2 feet of soupy water.
The portcullis can be forcibly lifted with a successful DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check. Otherwise, it can be raised or lowered by turning a wooden wheel in the east wall of area D38. (The wheel is beyond the reach of someone east of the portcullis.)
D38: Ritual Chamber
The cultists chant: "She is slain, she is risen. Come to us, Lord Strahd. Receive our gift!"
The water here is 2 feet deep. The ledges and central dais are 5 feet high (3 feet higher than the water's surface), and the chamber's ceiling is 16 feet high (11 feet above the dais and ledges). The chains dangling from the ceiling are 8 feet long.
Embedded in the east wall is a wooden wheel connected to hidden chains and mechanisms. A character can use an action to turn the wheel, raising or lowering the portcullis in the eastern wall (see area D37). The hole in the west wall contains a heap of stones, rags, and plant matter.
Cult's Ritual
The figures along the ledge include Gustav and Elisabeth (cult fanatics), five senior cult members (cult fanatics), and seven cultists. The cult members fight only to defend themselves.
Dangling from the chains above the altar is the corpse of the Dursts' nursemaid, Brigetta. The cult ritually sacrificed Brigetta using a ceremonial stake tipped with the fourth piece of the Rod of Seven Parts, which is still embedded in Brigetta's chest.
A relentless impaler (see appendix A) has risen from the pool of Brigetta's blood on the altar. When the impaler detects the characters, it attacks. The impaler hunts them throughout the house until it is destroyed or the characters defeat it. For its Bloodheart Stake trait, the impaler is bound to the stake in Brigetta's corpse.
Retrieving the Rod Piece
If the relentless impaler is destroyed, the cultists cower in fear and allow the characters to take the rod piece from Brigetta's corpse. For more about the Rod of Seven Parts, see this book's x.
Development
Once the characters claim the rod piece, Gustav and Elisabeth regard them with bitter disdain. "None dare trespass in the territory of Strahd," Gustav says. "You will answer to our master," Elisabeth adds with sinister certainty. They offer no further comments or information. As the characters leave the area, the cultists chant, "He is the Ancient. He is the Land."
The cult leaders aren't bluffing. As soon as the characters take the fourth rod piece, Strahd enters Death House and makes his presence known. See the "x" section below.
Sarusanda's Company
Once the characters have defeated the Death House cultists and claimed the rod piece, run the "x" encounter detailed in the "x" section earlier in the chapter at a time of your choosing to ensure she rejoins the characters before they face Strahd.
Having slain the priests of Osybus, seen the cult's plans thwarted, and made sure the Rod of Seven Parts piece is safe with the characters, Sarusanda's work in the house is done. She accompanies the characters for the remainder of their time in Death House (see the "x" section).
Strahd's Presence
Strahd has finally deemed Death House worthy of attention. Once the party retrieves the rod piece in the ritual chamber, read the following to describe Strahd's arrival at Death House. The characters won't yet see Strahd, but they'll feel his presence.
The characters must now contend with Strahd's nightmare magic in Death House until they find and face the Darklord directly.
Haunted Zones
Strahd can twist his domain to suit his whims. Starting when he makes his presence known, certain doorways in the house no longer connect to the rooms they did before. Instead, creatures that pass through these doorways enter an isolated demiplane called a haunted zone.
Entering a Haunted Zone
A character enters a haunted zone whenever they do one of the following:
- Finish a long rest in Death House
- Move through a haunted doorway (marked on map 5.1)
Only one haunted zone manifests at a time. As long as at least one creature is in a haunted zone, any other creatures that enter a haunted zone appear in that same zone regardless of how they arrive. Once all the characters inside a haunted zone exit it, that zone can't be encountered again. The haunted zones are described below in the "x" section.
Haunted Doorways
The room on the other side of a haunted doorway is filled with magical darkness and silence, giving no hint of whatever is within. A creature that partially passes through a haunted doorway—such as by poking a limb or held item into the darkness—is magically pulled into the haunted zone.
Haunted doorways are one-way passages. Within the demiplane, nothing exists except what is described in each entry. When a character passes through a haunted doorway, that haunted doorway turns back to a normal doorway after 1 minute.
Exiting a Haunted Zone
To leave a haunted zone, a character must perform the task specified in the haunted zone's "Correct Exit" section. The "Failed Exit" section describes how creatures that don't perform the required task are eventually forced from the haunted zone.
Finding the Correct Exit
A character who casts Detect Evil and Good or Find the Path or who has truesight sees a faint aura around an object related to the task necessary to exit the room. A character can also locate such an object by looking at the area and succeeding on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check.
Leaving a Haunted Zone
A character who exits a haunted zone appears somewhere in Death House. Characters who leave the same haunted zone emerge in the same part of Death House. The transition is sudden and disorienting, like waking from a dream. Roll on the Emergence from a Haunted Zone table below to determine where the characters appear when they leave a haunted zone, or choose one of the locations listed.
Emergence from a Haunted Zone
| d6 | Location Emerged |
|---|---|
| 1 | The characters sit in the dining room (area D5), sated and covered with sticky crumbs, though there's no food in sight. |
| 2 | The characters stand in the storage room (area D18), draped in sheets. |
| 3 | The characters kneel at the side of the cultists' well (area D25), desperately parched. |
| 4 | The characters are slumped over the furniture in the storage room (area D18). |
| 5 | The characters lean against the railing of the nursemaid's balcony (x). |
| 6 | The characters are shackled to the wall in the prison (area D36), each character in a different alcove. The characters can easily break their bonds. |
Once the characters have encountered all four haunted zones, they don't encounter any more. Long rests function as normal, and the haunted doorways become normal doorways.
Death House Hauntings
[image: If the characters fall in Death House, Strahd will happily claim the piece of the Rod of Seven Parts therein]
The characters enter the following haunted zones in the order presented.
Castle Dining Hall
The "Strahd" in this haunted zone is an illusion. The illusion stands still in anticipation of the characters returning its toast, at which point the illusion quaffs its drink; it doesn't respond to anything else. If the illusion is struck with an attack, it dissolves into a cloud of bats (see "Failed Exit" below).
The chamber distorts and elongates as a character attempts to move throughout it. No matter how fast or far a character moves, that character winds up a step or two away from the end of the table where they started.
Correct Exit
To escape the dining hall, each character trapped in it must drink from one of the chalices on the table. The wine is thick and metallic tasting. When the character drinks it, the character's vision slowly turns red before returning to normal when the character exits the haunted zone. The only thing the character can hear during this time is the sound of Strahd's deep, spooky laughter.
Failed Exit
If after 1 minute no one has drunk from a chalice, Strahd's illusion dissolves into a cloud of bats that quickly fills the chamber. At the start of each turn, the bats deal 7 (2d6) piercing damage to each creature in the haunted zone. After 5 turns, the bats completely obscure the characters' vision, and the characters exit the haunted zone.
Endless Graveyard
The headstones continue in every direction no matter how far a character travels. Each headstone is inscribed with the name of a different individual who died within Strahd's domain (the names eventually repeat). Buried beneath each tombstone is a coffin that either is empty or contains an illusion of Strahd's corpse.
Correct Exit
A character who reads the headstones finds one bearing their own name. A character can exit this haunted zone by disinterring the empty coffin buried beneath a headstone bearing the character's name, opening the coffin, and lying in it.
Failed Exit
If a character fails to leave the graveyard, that character must eventually make camp. When a character finishes a long rest in this haunted zone, the character gains 1 level of exhaustion, doesn't gain the benefits of the long rest, and exits the haunted zone.
Ghostly Recital
This zone resembles Death House's conservatory (area D10), except the room's doors and windows overlook a black, featureless void.
If a character makes any noise or otherwise disrupts the performance, the musician—yet another illusion of Strahd—ceases playing, scowls at the character, and disappears. Eight specters fly out of the harpsichord and attack the characters in anger.
Correct Exit
A character at the harpsichord can make a DC 14 Charisma (Performance) check to play the rest of the interrupted melody. On a successful check, the ghostly figures sigh with contentment, and the characters exit the haunted zone.
Failed Exit
If after 1 minute no one has successfully played the rest of the song, the illusion of Strahd reappears at the harpsichord and hammers out a series of chords. Each character takes 11 (2d10) thunder damage and exits the haunted zone.
The Crying Room
The children are illusions of Rose and Thorn. They are inconsolable; any attempt to interact with the children reveals their illusory nature. Every minute, the water covering the floor of the 10-foot-high bedroom rises an additional 1 foot.
A character who inspects the items in the room discovers that the dolls look like cartoonish versions of the characters, Sarusanda, and Strahd.
Correct Exit
To exit the haunted zone, a character must pull the head off the Strahd doll. If the characters struggle to figure this out, allow them to examine the doll and attempt a DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) check to realize the truth. The doll's neck reveals itself to be a drain hole, and the head is a plug. All the water in the room spirals into the drain, pulling the characters with it and causing them to exit the zone.
Failed Exit
If the characters are still in this haunted zone after 10 minutes, the water level reaches the room's ceiling, and each character in this haunted zone gains 1 level of exhaustion and exits the zone.
Leaving the House
The characters can attempt to leave Death House at any time. If the characters haven't yet faced Strahd, the Mists invariably return them to a random room. Teleportation spells likewise fail.
To leave Death House, the characters must first face Strahd.
Reuniting with Sarusanda
If Sarusanda hasn't yet rejoined the characters, run the "x" encounter detailed in "x"; she then rejoins the party and is with them when they face Strahd.
Facing Strahd
After he arrives at Death House, Strahd, Master of Death House (see x) waits for the characters in the house's main hall (x). He is accompanied by two vampire spawn.
If the characters don't intend to return to the main hall, Strahd and his minions wait for the characters in another room of the house, such as the dining room (area D5) or the den of wolves (area D3).
When Strahd encounters the characters, read the following:
Sarusanda's Influence
If Sarusanda is with the party, Strahd regards the Ulmist inquisitor with grave respect and allows her to leave the house. "I will permit you to flee this place," he intones. "But only if you do so immediately, and you never return."
He glances at the characters, then asks Sarusanda, "Do you know them?"
Sarusanda's Answer
If Sarusanda is indifferent to the characters, she denies any affiliation with them and takes her leave. Strahd applauds the characters for surviving so long in his realm, then attacks them.
If Sarusanda is friendly with the characters, she says that they are also members of the Ulmist Inquisition. Strahd asks the characters if this is true. A character can then make a DC 20 Charisma (Deception) check to convince Strahd they are members or otherwise important to the group. On a successful check, Strahd allows the party to leave Death House with Sarusanda. On a failure, Strahd sees through the ruse and dismisses Sarusanda before challenging the characters to combat.
Next Steps
Once the characters have acquired the fourth piece of the Rod of Seven Parts and escaped Death House, they can travel to the western outskirts of Barovia without trouble. The characters easily find the portal to Sigil in the mist.