Despite being undead, Strahd is still a count who considers the Barovian populace his subjects. [12], While imprisoned in Barovia, his hair and beard were both long, black and peppered with grey streaks. It's not a story the Jedi would tell you. Tessa is a mute but observant bookworm at St. Andral's Orphanage. However, my players assumed she was a towngirl who had been charmed. Strahd no longer returns to the material realm, even for short visits, because of how bad Tatyana's condition is, so he can't get new willing volunteers. She often stops Varvara from drifting out of reality. 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. Ismark the Lesser is the eldest child of Kolyan Indirovich, and soldiers his responsibilities in the shadow of his father, and of Strahd. Vampires stay in coffins during the day. the person you love you'll see certainly. Can't wait for the 18th. In this article, we'll introduce you to the most important things to know before you begin your adventures in this dark land. Milivoj is the gardener and gravedigger for St. Andral's Church, having grown up in its orphanage. The way I put it is this (I originally wrote this in italian, since it's my own language): "Forever you will live, and in eternity Vivrai per sempre, e nelleternit. mad mage; vistani "A mighty wizard came to this land over a year ago. Bahamut the Platinum Dragon is the god of justice, wisdom and good dragons. I know, this seems pretty obvious for a plot, but it's never explicitly mentioned that Strahd could maybe make friends rather than enemies. -- Watch live at https://www.twitch.tv/castlemac Known as Undermountain, this dungeon is the domain of the mad wizard Halaster Blackcloak. Admiral Sedrik became infamous in Barov's land for assembling a naval force in the landlocked country. Lord Nikolai is the eldest Wachter child, and a fervent alcoholic, constantly searching for mischievous distractions from his nobility. Tatsaul was the moniker given by Strahd to a squire of the Silver Dragon that Artimus Fidatov helped fake the death of. Chauntea the Earthmother is the goddess of agriculture, growth and care. [17][note 1], He was also an acquaintance of Khelben Arunsun. -Mordenkainen is cool if you know who he is. Baron Metus was a vampire lord and the vampiric sire of Erasmus van Richten. He was trying to revive her dead pet cat, when his soul clinged to Stella's body. Miranda is a travelling saleswoman who lives at the Tser Pool camp. Yonvi is the middle son of Yonvich, and a very organised carpenter, miller and leatherworker. New Account (or Log In) Hide my password. I'll put everything under spoiler for obvious reasons :). Arahja is a scout for the Tser Pool camp, and a spy of Strahd. This is also the reason her spirit still lingers around. 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. Mordenkainen of Greyhawk fame also makes an appearance in Curse of Strahd. The original I6 Ravenloft module, however, contains a compelling description: Barovians are, by tradition, a happy people, though their history and current conditions are not happy.. Franz is the artistic nephew of Skennis, former alpha of the werewolf pack. He believes that if he can make all of his people happy, then they can escape Strahd. 1 / 2. no risk refund guarantee Lord Karl is the middle Wachter child, and is rarely far from his brother, or doing anything different. (Maybe a lifetime in servitude keeping tabs on a vampires finances is a fate worse than undeath?). This isn't feasible right now, as the party has no means to cure the Mad . Interested in flipbooks about Curse of Strahd? A few stood their ground and were never seen again. She is proud to have managed to revive one through her plea to the Abbot of Markovia. It was released on March 15, 2016 and is based on the Ravenloft module . . Covering The Best In Video Games, Esports, Movies and Geek Culture We think you'll have a much more enjoyable experience. Margo is the younger Vaskroff sister, and believes that she 'took her sister's soul' when she was born. Its impossible to talk about Barovia without discussing Strahd von Zarovich, who first made his appearance in 1983s famous I6 module Ravenloft. Get the newsletter. He chased Tatyana until she flung herself from the spires of Castle Ravenloft to her death. Elisabeth Durst was the leader of a cult of the dark arts, dedicated to Strahd von Zarovich. It was written by Christopher Perkins, with story help from the original Ravenloft authors, Tracy and Laura Hickman. My players have gathered all the legendary items, completed a majority of the chapters and are currently level 8 (they will be level 9 when they fight Strahd). The Mad Mage of Mount Baratok. This will save time for new users. Bram Stoker's Dracula and the anime adaptation of Castlevania are superb places to start. As a token of love, I made her steal one of the wizard of wines gems and use it to make the heart of sorrow, with a part of her very own soul. Lady Liliana was the older of the scout sisters, and a knight of Archamian. The article is great otherwise. [15], Mordenkainen was a good friend of Elminster Aumar; the two met on numerous occasions at Ed Greenwood's house on Earth to exchange news from each other's worlds, as well as spells and lore. Strong writing from Jeremy Blum with great organization and efficient summary; good example of enhanced supplementation from D&D Beyond. Medusa is a former champion of Oghma and infamous for beginning her own monster lineage. Strahds kingdom was spirited away to the Domains of Dread, and Strahd became an immortal ruler haunted by untouchable reincarnations of Tatyana. Mad Mary is the reclusive, delusional and mentally unstable mother of Gertruda. Sophia was the middle daughter of Anna and Dmitri Krezkov, and died from a hereditary disease. Victor has agreed to travel with the players after Amari revealed that no one can leave Barovia, even by magical means, unless Strahd is killed. Thunder shook the mountainside, and great rocks tumbled down upon the wizard, yet by his magic he survived. Please enable JavaScript to get the best experience from this site. Izek is Baron Vargas' infamously brutal protg and captain of the guard in Vallaki. Baroness Eisglaza was a young noble under King Barov, and was frequently rumoured to be a rakshasi. 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. I had him record his memories in several gems (which made a pretty decent puzzle to recreate his story by arranging the sentences found here and there) that can be found around his tower. Hunt for Mage Tower; Strixhaven: The Magister's . Tenebrous is an aspect of Orcus' soul, and the first successful lich. Stahd has become angry at his residents who will not keep him supplied with fresh and now abducts them - his focus on his work and anxiety over his own continued failures have made him completely callous to the situation of his villagers - he sees them bound to the oath of their ancestors to keep him supplied with blood. Let us not forget The Knight of The Black Rose, Lord Soth and his conflict with Strahd. The Dreamsnarer is a gnome tinkerer in Merryway who made Arrigal's chiming watch. Please note, this article will contain Curse of Strahd spoilers! curse of strahd mad mage stats +1 (760) 205-9936. Only instead I made Strahd have an illegitimate son, who he technically took by force to be raised in his domain. Dr. Van Richten is a legendary huntsman and holy warrior whose vengeful career has spanned over twenty years. 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. Plus, you have our A riot at night, but lonely by day. Godfrey was a high-ranking Knight of the Silver Dragon during the fall of the order, events which led to him become a revenant. Khazan was Strahd's court mage both during and briefly after his conquest. Bundles containing this product: Recharged [BUNDLE] $16.25. She was banished by Dr. Van Richten. Luvash is the son of Madam Eva, and the de-facto leader of the Vistani in Barovia. Are there any deeper implications of his appearance here? DEC/16. Imagine a valley surrounded by mist, with the suns rays barely visible beyond layers of murky clouds. Talia was a lonely locksmith in Krezk who was overcome with greed when she discovered a deadly poison ingredient in the valley. When running Strahd, I always recommend making the fight cover the entirety of the castle if possible. Spoilers for Curse of Strahd lurk ahead! Martin is the more mild-mannered of the Tomescu twins, and is often led into trouble by his two brothers. He thought he could rally the people of Barovia against the devil Strahd. Oghma the Allknower is the goddes of knowledge, inspiration and invention. Lady Tereska was made a spawn of Strahd after being brought to the valley in search of a cure for her disease. Mordenkainen is presumed by the party to be the ally in the battle against darkness mentioned in the prophecy foretold by Madam Eva once his mind is restored by holy magic powerful enough to do so. If Strahd finds love he won't be tormented anymore by desire, and thus the curse will be broken. She was killed by her own people out of fear that she would become a vampire too, which triggered Rahadin's massacre. It's a Sith legend. The castle is covered in spiderwebs and the braziers are rarely lit because Strahd has no servants and spends all his time in his lab. Blinsky is the founder of Blinsky toys, and aims to improve the world with his strange creations, one smile at a time. The Vistani are traveling folk who can pass through the Mists and explore other Domains of Dread and even the planes beyond. Gili is the co-founder of the Beast's Rose tailor. [1], Chaotic Neutral archmage (with different spells as given in the text)[1], http://fraternityofshadows.com/w/index.php?title=Mordenkainen&oldid=155870, Former Inhabitants of the Prime Material Plane. Mordenkainen is a powerful wizard who rallied the population of Barovia to his side and led an attack against Castle Ravenloft approximately one year ago. He knows about the curse, and knows that the only way to end a curse is to contradict its rhyme so that it won't be true to itself. They associate its image and power with that of Strahd, the Land. Doru is the son of Father Donavich, and a former freedom fighter for the Mad Mage turned tortured spawn of Strahd. Strahd is the ruler of Barovia on the material realm, and is well loved as an enlightened despot. King Dostron the Hellborn was the ruler of the valley long before Strahd conquest, and was the grandson of an illrigger of Avernus. He may be chosen as Strahd's Enemy by the card reading of Madame Eva but will not otherwise accompany the party if healed. He became known by the locals as the Mad Mage of Mount Baratok. If you want your product removed from this list, just tell us and it will not be included. St. Andral was a priest of Vallaki and the Morninglord, and became sainted after successfully protecting several of the fugitive guards of Ravenloft in his church's sanctuary until they died. 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. Escher is the only surviving male consort of Strahd, and fights viciously to remain as such. She was killed after falling into a trap set up by the vampire. Waterdeep: Dragon Heist; Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage; 2019. Dostron the Hellborn. Curse of Strahd: The Wedding At Ravenloft - The Wedding at Ravenloft has made it to Fantasy Grounds! Keep this in mind when you portray Strahd. You should check them out. Heres one of my favorites, and check the links below as well. 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. The Fey Queen of Diamonds is a winter eladrin that owned territory in the Daraman feywild, and would routinely make humans in the city disappear by sending them forward in time. 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. - Content Not Found: escher A mighty wizard came to this land over a year ago. He is curious about what Amari knows, and was unaware of the reincarnation and soulless that exist . Mordenkainen secretly survived, but he became overtaken by madness, paranoia, and amnesia. 2023 Wizards. It's like having a rewind button for your campaign. With so many to choose from it can be . I changed my Strahd up for some people who had already played this module. 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 . Arista was a runaway Vistani and Strahd's court ceiling painter. Zygfrek is one of the more mindful of the Belview family, trusted to watch the Abbey entrance, but has a vicious streak of insecurity. The following aspects of this iconic villain are worth memorizing: Strahd was a warlord who defeated the enemies of his deceased father, King Barov. Dead in Thay; Against the Giants; Tomb of Horrors; Tomb of Annihilation; 2018. The Grey Sisters were a coven of hags cursed by Oghma to share a single eye and tooth between them. 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.