Page 226 - Curse of Strahd_Neat

APPENDIX D: MONSTERS AND NPCs

Barovia is a land of vampires, ghosts, and werewolves. Enter Vasili van Holtz. The Abbot's early experi­
In addition, adventurers who explore this unholy realm ments proved fatal to their subjects, but the Belviews
encounter other things that go bump in the night, in­ insisted that he keep trying. One day, a Barovian lord
cluding creatures born out of Strahd's evil. The new named Vasili von Holtz visited the abbey. The Abbot
monsters that appear in this adventure are described knew at once that the man was evil, but von Holtz
below, along with several of the vampire's allies and ene­ stressed that he only wanted to help. He furnished the
mies-souls whose fates are entwined with those of the Abbot with forbidden lore plucked from the Amber
adventurers. Strahd himself appears here as well. Temple {chapter 13), then helped the Abbot transform
The monsters and NPCs are presented in alphabet­ the Belviews into mongrelfolk-maniacal humans with
ical order. bestial deformities and traits. The Belviews were happy,
albeit insane. Only then did von Holtz reveal himself to
NEW CREATURE$ BY CHALLENCE RATINC be Strahd von Zarovich. Somehow the deva realized
Creature CR Creature CR that any attempt to slay Strahd would be futile-that
Baba lysaga 11 Pidlwick II 1/4 the ancient curse upon the land meant that the vampire
could never truly die, at least not in Barovia.
Baba Lysaga's creeping 11 Rahadin 10 Bride ofStrahd. Strahd confided in the Abbot,
hut Rictavio s lamenting his curse and telling the deva that he wished
Broom of animated atk. 1/4 Strahd's animated 6 nothing more than to escape Barovia. His performance
Barovian witch 1/2 armor garnered the deva's sympathy, and the Abbot, playing
Ezmerelda d'Avenir 8 Strahd von Zarovich 15 into Strahd's hands, set for himself the goal of finding a
Guardian portrait Strahd zombie cure for Strahd's "malady." The Abbot is now convinced
lzek Strazni s Tree blight 7 that the cure lies in reuniting Strahd with his lost love
Madam Eva 10 Vladimir Horngaard 7 and, in so doing, ending Barovia's curse. The Abbot has
Mongrelfolk 1/4 Wereraven 2 recently completed work on a flesh golem bride made
Phantom warrior 3 from the body parts of dead women. While the Belviews
languish in the abbey's madhouse, the Abbot is giving
his creation lessons in etiquette and ladylike conduct
THE ABBOT so that "she" can be formally presented to Strahd and
No creature in Barovia is older than the master of the win his love.
Abbey of Saint Markovia in Krezk. This nameless holy Strahd has no interest in a flesh golem bride, but he
figure, whom others call the Abbot, was drawn to the enjoys corrupting this once angelic being and driving
abbey after Saint Markovia died by Strahd's hand. He the Abbot to commit further acts of depravity.
sought to restore the abbey after it fell to corruption, but Statistics. Use the deva stat block in the Monster
was himself corrupted. Manual, but change the Abbot's alignment to lawful evil.
Angel in Disguise. The Abbot is a deva that has lived
for millennia. He typically assumes the form of a strik­ THE ABBOT'S TRAITS
ingly handsome human priest in his late twenties or Ideal. "I want to rid Barovia of its sickness. By giving
early thirties. More than a hundred years ago, the deva the devil his heart's desire, I bring salvation to him and
was sent from the Upper Planes to honor the legacy his land."
of Saint Markovia. He reopened the abbey and began Bond. "I love the creatures I create, including my
tending to the physically and mentally ill. In so doing, beautiful golems and mongrelfolk."
he hoped to bring some much-needed light to Barovia. Flaw. "I can't be corrupted. My heart is pure, my inten­
His efforts worked for a while, but then the Dark Powers tions noble and good."
began to corrupt him.
Imperfections. The Abbot's fall from grace started ANIMATED OBJECTS
when the Belviews-a family of sickly, inbred lepers­
came to the abbey seeking salvation. The deva rid them Animated objects are crafted with potent magic to
of their diseases, an act for which they were eternally follow the commands of their creators. When not com­
grateful, but could not cure them of certain human manded, they follow the last order they received to the
defects that had been present since birth. The Abbot best of their ability, and can act independently to fulfill
became consumed with a prideful, obsessive desire to s_imple instructions. Some animatep. objects might con­
rid the poor Belviews of their lingering imperfections. verse fluently or adopt a persona, but most are simple
The Belview family, however, bad strange ideas of what automatons_..
·
it meant to be perfect. They didn't want to be ordinary , Constructed Nature: An animated object doesn't re­
0
humans. They want�d the eyes of a cat, wings to fly like qui:e ·c':ir, food, dfirik, 0f sleep>,\ ?: i : ·: • '. . :
a bat, the strength of.a'.mll.le, and the guile of a snake. In . The·inagi<;: thit animatei, ail'obje'c:fis dispelled wfien
short, they �raved bestial tra,its, and the Abbot, taking .' thJ cqnstruct,(jr.ops to'·O·hit:1>oints. ;,ui'animated object
pity on them, yiel� ? to the·ir mad desires. , . ·re,dti�elto'6hirpo.i�ts becom�S:_ina,riimkt,; ahd i$to�'
�
;:. '· damaged to.Be of.mµch us�. o'i'�a·1�i to�anyon·ei.:
. . ,: ·- � .. .

APPENDIX D [ MONSTERS AND NPCS t
--
'\7 sv