Page 209 - Curse of Strahd_Neat

ESCAPE FROM BAROVIA ons and leave the valley with great haste. The Barovians
are happy to see them go.
Strahd's death grants Barovia a reprieve. The fog that
surrounds the land thins, and it no longer harms those VAMPIRE HUNTERS
who pass through it. The dark clouds that have loomed If he is still alive, Rudolph van Richten (see "Rictavio"
over the valley for centuries give way to sunshine, shock­ in appendix D) leaves Barovia to live out his remaining
ing the Barovians out of their despair. days in solitude. His protege, Ezmerelda d'Avenir (see
The Barovians take the sunlight as a sign that the evil appendix D), isn't convinced that Strahd is truly dead.
in their land has been purged. Though escape is now She also knows that there are other evils in Barovia to
possible, most Barovians realize that they have nowhere be conquered, so she elects to remain in the valley.
to go and no reason to leave. A few depart, fearing the
return of the darkness or longing to see their ancestral CONSORTS UNLEASHED
homelands. Those who have souls can leave the valley, Upon his death, Strahd's vampire spawn are freed from
while those without souls fade into nothingness as they his control, and each seeks a new destiny. Escher, in
take their first steps beyond the edge of Strahd's for­ particular, leaves the realm, in search of new experi­
mer domain. ences and a way to become a vampire lord himself.
If Patrina Velikovna lives, she begins to plunder ar­
AFTERMATH cane knowledge from Castle Ravenloft and the Amber
The bats, wolves, and dire wolves of Barovia lose their Temple and prepares to become Barovia's new master.
supernatural link to Strahd upon his destruction and STRAHD's RETURN
become ordinary beasts, destined to be hunted down or
driven to the farthest reaches of the Svalich Woods. Ezmerelda's suspicion proves justified. Strahd's destruc­
Even after Strahd's death, Castle Ravenloft remains tion is temporary, for his curse can't so easily be ended.
a haunted place shunned by all Barovians. Its dark The ancient Dark Powers with which Strahd forged
immensity and threatening countenance are enough to his pact cause the vampire to re-form after a period of
deter locals from plundering or reoccupying it. months-long enough for the Barovians to discover what
it feels like to live a life of hope. When Strahd is reborn,
THE RISE OF lSMARK the mists surround the land ofBarovia once more, and
If he survives the adventure, Ismark Kolyanovich be­ the Barovians' hope turns to horrible despair. Strahd
comes burgomaster of the village of Barovia. He is grate­ remembers the defeat dealt to him and begins plotting
ful to the characters for all they have accomplished and his revenge.
urges them to stay in Barovia and help him rid the land After the mists reappear, Madam Eva and her Vistani
of its other threats, offering his village as a safe haven. come back to the valley, the beasts of the land once more
fall under Strahd's spell, and the burgomasters fortify
VISTANI EXODUS their settlements, hoping against all hope that someone
Fearing that the Barovians might kill them for being can save them from Strahd again.
spies and collaborators, the Vistani pack up their wag-