Page 10 - Curse of Strahd_Neat

CHAPTER 1: INTO THE MISTS

ERIE MISTS SURROUND BAROVIA AND fortresses of his ancestral homeland. Strahd named the
bind its inhabitants there. This chapter castle Ravenloft, after his mother, to demonstrate his
gives you the information you need to Jove for her. When it was complete, Strahd commanded
prepare for the adventurers' journey into his mother and brother to come to Barovia and stay with
those mists. The chapter first outlines him. Sergei eventually took up residence at Raveoloft,
the history and goals of Count Strahd but Ravenovia passed away while traveling to her name­
von Zarovich so that you are prepared for sake. In sorrowful disappointment, Strahd sealed his
what awaits the characters. In the "Fortunes of Raven­ mother's body in a crypt beneath the castle.
Joft" section, the chapter walks you through the tarokka Strahd's attention soon turned to Tatyana, a young
card reading that helps set the stage for the adventure's Barovian woman of fine lineage and remarkable beauty.
action, and the chapter closes with adventure hooks Strahd believed her to be a worthy bride, and he lav­
that you can use to draw the characters into the horror ished Tatyana with gifts and attention. Despite Strahd's
ofBarovia. efforts, she instead fell in love with the younger, warmer
Sergei. Strahd's pride prevented him from standing
STRAHD VON ZAROVICH in the way of the young couple's Jove until the day of
Strahd von Zarovich, a vampire and wizard, has the sta­ Sergei and Tatyana's wedding, when Strahd gazed into
a mirror and realized he had been a fool. Strahd mur­
tistics presented in appendix D. Although he can be en­ dered Sergei and drank his blood, sealing the evil pact
countered almost anywhere in his domain, the vampire between Strahd and the Dark Powers. He then chased
is always encountered in the place indicated by the card Sergei's bride-to-be through the gardens, determined to
reading later in this chapter, unless he has been forced make her accept and love him. Tatyana hurled herself
into his tomb in the catacombs of Castle Ravenloft.
off a castle balcony to escape Strahd's pursuit, plunging
to her death. Treacherous castle guards, seizing the
THE VAMPIRE'S HISTORY
opportunity to rid the world of Strahd forever, shot their
In life, Strahd von Zarovich was a count, a prince, a master with arrows.
soldier, and a conqueror. After the death of bis father, But Strahd did not die. The Dark Powers honored
King Barov, Strahd waged long, bloody wars against his the pact they had made. The sky went black as Strahd
family's enemies. He and his army cornered the last of turned on the guards, his eyes blazing red. He had be­
these enemies in a remote mountain valley before slay­ come a vampire.
ing them all. Strahd named the valley Barovia, after his After slaughtering the guards, Strahd saw the faces
deceased father, and was so struck by its scenic beauty of his father and mother in the thunderclouds, looking
that he decided to settle there. down upon him and judging him. He had destroyed the
Queen Ravenovia lamented the death of Barov and family bloodline and doomed all of Barovia. The castle
was fearful of Strahd. War had made him cold and ar­ and the valley were spirited away, locked in a demiplane
rogant. She kept her younger son, Sergei, away from surrounded on all sides by deadly fog. For Strahd and
the battlefield. Strahd envied the love and attention his his people, there would be no escape.
mother visited upon his brother, so in Barovia he re­ •
mained. Peace made Strahd restless, and he began to
feel like his best years were behind him. Unwilling to go
the way of his father, Strahd studied magic and forged a
pact with the Dark Powers of the Shadowfell in return
for the promise of immortality.
Strahd scoured his conquered lands for wizards and
artisans, brought them to the valley of Barovia, and com­
manded them to raise a castle to rival the magnificent

I AM THE ANCIENT. I AM THE LAND.
My beginnings are lost in the dark­
ness of the past. I am not dead. Nor
am I alive. I am undead,Jorever.
-.Tome of Strahd