Page 41 - Curse of Strahd_Neat

can be persuaded to help them once his sanity is re­ R. RAVEN RIVER CROSSROADS
stored. He won't join them on their travels, but he will
help them in a fight with Strahd if they have discovered Always check for a random encounter whenever the
where to find the vampire and how to destroy him. characters reach area R.
With his sanity restored, Mordenkainen can be stub­ This stretch of the Old Svalich Road has multiple
born and difficult even with his friends, and doesn't suf­ branches. One branch heads north, quickly turning into
fer fools. He normally spends more time listening than a dirt path that leads to Van Richten's Tower on Lake
talking, but when he does speak, his pronouncements Baratok (area V). One branch heads south, becoming
are authoritative and not to be questioned. Tsolenka Pass (area T) as it winds through the lower
The archmage has never had his fortune read by mountains and clings to the side of Mount Ghakis. A
Madam Eva and doesn't care to, but if he is told about third branch heads west toward the Wizard of Wines
the Holy Symbol of Ravenkind, the Tome of Strahd, and winery and vineyard (area W), dipping south as it
the Sunsword, he insists that these items be recovered changes from a road into a gravel trail.
before he and the party confront Strahd. If Strahd is de­ Standing at the intersection of the Old Svalich Road
feated and Mordenkainen survives, the archmage gladly and the road to the winery is a signpost:
accompanies the characters back to their world if they
invite him, if only not to disappoint them. You see a weatherworn signpost next to the road. The

N. TOWN OF VALLAKI three arms of the sign point along the three branches
of the road. The arm pointing north reads KREZK, and
Chapter 5 describes the town ofVallaki.
through the woods you can see an arching stone bridge
0. OLD BONEGRINDER spanning a river. The arm pointing east reads VALLAKI, and
the road slopes up gradually in that direction. The arm
Chapter 6 details Old Bonegrinder, a decrepit windmill
occupied by hags. pointing southwest reads THE W1zARD OF W1NES. The road
slopes gently downward in that direction.
P. LUNA RIVER CROSSROADS
Always check for a random encounter when the charac­
ters reach area P in their travels. S. VILLAGE OF KREZK
Chapter 8 visits the village of Krezk and the nearby Ab­
bey of Saint Markovia.
The road comes to an X intersection, with branches to
the northwest, northeast, southwest, and southeast. The T. TSOLENKA PASS
lower half of a snapped wooden signpost thrusts upward Chapter 9 explores the Tsolenka Pass, which hugs the
at an angle near the eastern elbow of the intersection. side of Mount Ghakis.
The top half of the sign, featuring arms pointing in four
directions, lies in the weeds nearby. U. RUINS OF BEREZ
Chapter 10 describes the ruins of Berez, a riverside vil­
lage that is now home to the hag Baba Lysaga.
The characters can easily figure out how the top half of
the signpost connects to the lower half. When the two V. VAN RICHTEN's TowER
parts of the sign are aligned and rejoined, the arms indi­
cate KREZK and TsOLENKA PASS to the southwest, LAKE Chapter 11 details Van Richten's Tower, a dilapidated
BARATOK to the northwest, VALLAKI and RAVENLOFT to structure that originally belonged to the wizard Khazan.
the northeast, and BEREZ to the southeast.
The Old Svalich Road, which runs northeast to south­ w. THE WIZARD OF WINES
west between Vallaki (area N) and Krezk (area S), is Chapter 12 visits the Wizard of Wines, the vineyard and
generally level. About a quarter mile along the northeast winery that provides Barovia much of its wine.
branch, an arching stone bridge crosses the Luna River.
The northwest branch of the crossroads climbs gently, X. THE AMBER TEMPLE
becoming a dirt trail through the woods within half a Chapter 13 delves into theAmber Temple, the dungeon
mile. It merges with the O)d Svalich Roact' again after � complex where Strahd gave himself to the Dark Powers.
couple of miles, but not before sprouting a branch that
leads to Van Richten's to;er on'Lake Baratok (area V). Y. YESTER HILL
The southeast branch wends gently downward as it fol­
lows the river into a valley. This trail eve�tually ends at Chapter 14 describes Yester Hill, a: remote hilltop
the mostly abandoned riverside burg of Berez (area U). that belongs to druids who venerate Strahd as lord
of the land.
·Q. ARGYNVOSTHOLT
Chapter 7 details the ruined mansion Argynvostholt, z. WEREWOLF DEN
once a refuge of the Order of the Silver Dragon, which Chapter 15 delves int.o the cave complex that is the main
opposed Strahd and failed. . den of Barovia's werewolves.