Page 152 - Curse of Strahd_Neat

The Abbot is a deva in disguise (see appendix D, as well S14. FOYER
as "Something Old" in the "Special Events" section at
the end of this chapter). He wears a holy symbol of the
Morninglord around his neck. The woman in the tat­ This room used to be an office, as evidenced by the
tered red gown is Vasilka, a flesh golem that has been
exquisitely put together to serve as Strahd's bride. Char­ remains of a desk and a chair, both of which have been
acters within 5 feet of Vasilka can see the seams in her smashed to pieces. A hallway to the south leads to a
powdered skin where disparate body parts stolen from staircase going up. A dark passage to the east is full of
Krezkite graves have been carefully stitched together. unnatural whispers, mad laughter, and bestial odors.
The Abbot is teaching Vasilka the finer points of
etiquette. He also intends to teach her how to dance.
Vasilka obeys his every command. She can't speak but The stairs lead up to area S20.
lets loose an unholy scream if harmed. If driven berserk, If the characters enter this area making noise or car­
she fights until the Abbot reasserts control or until she rying light sources, the golem in area S15 is drawn to
is destroyed. She has the supernatural strength of a typ­ them (unless they have already defeated it).
ical flesh golem despite her smaller size.
The Abbot has no desire to harm the characters. He S15. MADHOUSE
knows that Strahd has brought them to Barovia for a
reason and doesn't want to thwart Strahd's plans for
them. His calm, pleasant demeanor changes if they This lightless corridor has multiple doors behind which
become hostile or if they threaten Vasilka. He sheds his lie creatures that shatter the quiet with their mad cackles
disguise and assumes his true angelic form, hoping that and whispered curses. The stench is overpowering.
sight is enough to make them back down.
The Abbot would like to find a proper bridal gown
for Vasilka. If the characters seem friendly, he asks Before he set out to create a bride for Strahd, the Abbot
them for help in locating one. In exchange, he offers his tried his hand at creating a more rudimentary golem.
magic, agreeing to cast raise dead up to three times on This creature paces the hall, tirelessly guarding the
their behalf, or give them each the benefit of his healing abbey's madhouse and making sure no mongrelfolk es­
touch. If they decline to help or behave rudely, he orders cape. When the characters first see the golem, read:
them to leave the abbey at once, attacking them if they
refuse and doing his utmost to keep Vasilka safe. Even in the gloom, you can make out a monstrous shape
The music comes from upstairs (area S17). The stone
staircase leads down to the wine cellar (area S16). The lumbering down the hall. When the darkness can no lon­
wooden stairs climb to the loft and belfry (area Sl 7). ger hide its true nature, your eyes are treated to a terrify­
The stew pot in the fireplace contains several gallons ing, 7-foot-tall assemblage of human body parts.
of hot turnip and rabbit soup, intended for the mongrel­
folk imprisoned in areas S12c and S15.
This flesh golem attacks anyone who isn't in the com­
ROLEPLAYING THE ABBOT pany of the Abbot or Clavin Belview.
The Abbot believes he is righteous. He regrets trans­ None of the doors leading from the hall are locked. If
forming the Belviews into horrid mongrelfolk, and he the characters open any and look inside, they see that
considers their imprisonment to be necessary, to con­ the rooms on each side of the hall are dimly lit by nat­
tain their madness. With regard to Strahd's bride, he ural light that filters through dirty, shuttered windows.
believes that she is the key to freeing the land from its The door at the east end of the hall leads outside and
curse. The insane Abbot can't be convinced otherwise. can be pulled open to reveal the gardens (area S9).
The Abbot shares his beliefs openly, claiming that his The sixty mongrelfolk confined here are fed at irregu­
decisions are based on the Morninglord's guidance. He lar intervals by Clavin Belview. Dinner is foretold by the
will give visitors a tour of the abbey if they seem friendly, ringing of the abbey bell (area Sl 7). These mongrelfolk
but he turns hostile if they threaten him or his charges. aren't restrained, but they refuse to leave their rooms for
fear of being killed by the golem or cast out of the abbey
TREASURE and forced to fend for themselves. In addition to a dag­
The golden sun disk hanging above the fireplace is ger, each mongrelfolk has its own wooden soup bowl.
worth 750 gp. Taking the disk off the wall reveals a
niche that contains a potion of superior healing in a S15A. FEARFUL MONGR�LF01sK
crystal and electrum flask (worth 250 gp). Four gold
candelabras (worth 250 gp ea?h) rest atop the table.
This room was once a shared bedchamber, but its fur­
. FORTUNES OF RAYENLOFT nishings have been destroyed. Three shrieking mongrels
.
If your card reading reveals' that a treasure is here, it is cower in the shadowy northwest corner. One of them
hidden in the nk?� a.Icing with.the potion. cradles something shiny.
·. .

CHAPTER 8 I THE VILLAGE OF KREZK