Page 22 - Curse of Strahd_Neat

These Vistani refuse to speak the name of their "dread weapons in silver. The party can have up to six weapons
lord" and provide no additional information. If the char­ silvered in this manner. Twenty pieces of ammunition
acters press them for details, the Vistani reply, "Madam count as one weapon for this purpose.
Eva has the answers you seek." About the Harpers. The Harpers is a network of
If the characters agree to accompany the Vistani, spellcasters and spies who advocate equality and who
the Vistani lead them south along the Trade Way. After covertly oppose the abuse of power. The organization's
several days of uneventful travel, the mists of Ravenloft longevity is largely due to its decentralized, grassroots,
engulf the caravan, transporting the characters and the secretive nature, and the autonomy of its members. The
Vistani to Barovia. The Vistani then lead the party safely Harpers have small cells and lone operatives through­
to their leader, Madam Eva, at area G (see chapter 2). out the Forgotten Realms. They share information with
The characters arrive at area A and are taken through one another from time to time as needs warrant. The
areas B, E, and o n the way to Madam Eva's camp. If Harpers' ideology is noble, and its members pride them­
F
the characters rid themselves of their Vistani hosts be­ selves on their ingenuity and incorruptibility.
fore reaching Madam Eva's camp, they're on the own.
If the characters decline Stanimir's invitation, the ORDER OF THE GAUNTLET
Vistani are disappointed but leave as promised. A day
or two later, use the "Creeping Fog" adventure hook or You met with the heads of the Order of the Gauntlet
some variation of it to draw the characters into Barovia.
chapter house in Waterdeep. They've stationed mem­
WEREWOLVES IN THE MIST bers of the order at various inns and homesteads east of
This adventure hook assumes you're running a cam­ Daggerford, so that locals need not fear the night. Now
paign in or near Daggerford (see "Mysterious Visitors" they're counting on you to find the werewolves' lair in the
for more information). It also assumes you're using the Misty Forest. Only then can the order mount an orga­
five player factions featured in the Adventurers League. nized assault. As you prepare to depart, a knight of the
order named Lanniver Strayl offers you his blessing.
"Werewolves in the mist!" You've heard these dreaded
words spoken again and again by farmers, merchants, Lanniver Strayl (LG male human knight), a devout fol­
and adventurers alike. The hamlets east of Daggerford lower of Tyr recently arrived in Daggerford, gives a po­
have fallen prey to a pack of werewolves that spills out of tion of heroism to each member of the order in the party.
the Misty Forest on nights of the full moon, cloaked in About the Order of the Gauntlet. Founded by pala­
crawling mist that seems to follow them wherever they dins and clerics of Helm, Torm, and Tyr, the order is a
dedicated group of like-minded individuals driven by re­
go. The beasts spread death and mayhem, slaughtering ligious zeal or a finely honed sense of justice and honor.
adults and stealing children before retreating back into The order is ready to lash out the moment evil acts, and
the woods. Others have tried to combat the werewolf not a moment before. The order strikes hard and fast,
menace, with little success. without waiting for the blessings of temples or the per­
mission of rulers. The order believes that evil must be
smashed, or it will swiftly overcome all.
The Misty Forest lies thirty miles east of Daggerford.
Before the characters embark on their quest, those who EMERALD ENCLAVE
have faction allegiances receive additional information
described in the sections that follow. Take the players
aside, and read them the boxed text for their faction. You don't need to consult with others in the Emerald
Enclave to know that the werewolves are upsetting the
HARPERS natural order. For balance to be restored, they must be
eradicated. It seems the gods of nature agree, for they've
A Harper named Zelraun Roaringhorn knows a metal­ sent good weather and preserved the monsters' tracks.
smith who will silver your weapons for free. He also pro­
vides some helpful magic. Members of the Emerald Enclave in the party gain inspi­
"We strive to protect the powerless," he says. "If the ration whenever the party kills a werewolf.
children kidnapped by the werewolves are still alive, I About the Emerald Enclave. This widespread group
would see them safely returned." of wilderness survivalists-preserves the natural order
while rooting out unnatural threats. Druids, rangers,
and barbarians make up most of its membership.
Zelraun Roaringhorn (LN male human mage) has come Branches of the organization can be found wherever
to Daggerford to meet with its ruler, Duchess Morwen, untamed wilderriess exists. ·Members of the Emerald
and offer the Harpers' support. Enclave·know how to survive, and more important, they
Zelraun gives each Harper character a spell scroll want to help others do the same. They aren't opposed to
of remove curse. He has also made arrangements with civilization or progress, but they strive to prevent civili­
a metalsmith in Waterdeep to sheathe the _characters' zation and the wilderness from destroying one another.

CHAPTER 1 I INTO THE MISTS
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