Page 59 - Curse of Strahd_Neat

If your card reading indicates an encounter with 5 inches tall, and 12 inches deep; it leads to the castle's
Strahd in this area, he is among the bats fluttering be­ wine cellar (area K63). Characters can notice the crack
low the ceiling or he is standing at one end of the chap­ automatically as they climb or descend the stairs. Wid­
el-a dark shape in the vast hall. ening the crack enough to squeeze through the wall
requires major excavation and would take several days.
Kl 6. NORTH CHAPEL ACCESS The shaft that these stairs wrap around (area K18a)
runs vertically from area K59 to area K84 without any
holes or obstructions. The inner wall of the stairwell,
This arched room connects a vast chamber to the east between the staircase and the shaft, is solid.
and a staircase that rises to the west. Alcoves in the
north and south walls hold eight-foot-tall sculptures of Kl8A. HIGH TOWER SHAFT
helmed knights with muscular builds. Black shadows fall Characters can access this 10-foot-diameter, 390-foot­
across their faces. tall stone shaft from the top or the bottom of the high
tower (areas K59 and K84, respectively).
The shaft is dark and choked with cobwebs. A rushing
The statues are harmless. The vast chamber to the east wind causes the webs to stir. Climbing the shaft is im­
is the chapel (area K15). The staircase to the west is de­ possible without the aid of magic or the use of a climb­
scribed in area K29. er's kit, since there are few handholds.
The bats in the catacombs (area K84) fly up the shaft
Kl 7. SOUTH CHAPEL ACCESS at night, exiting Castle Ravenloft through various arrow
slits and holes in the tower's peak (area K59). After feed­
ing, they return by the same route.
This arched room connects a vast chamber to the east
and the landing of a staircase to the west. To the left Kl9. GRAND LANDING
of the landing, the stairs curl down into darkness. To
the right, the stairs climb into thick drapes of cobwebs. Massive stairs rise to a landing twenty feet wide by forty
Alcoves in the north and south walls hold eight-foot-tall feet long. Stone arches support a ceiling covered with
sculptures of helmed knights with bright blades. Black frescoes twenty feet overhead. The frescoes depict ar­
shadows obscure their faces. mored knights on horseback, their finer features faded
beyond recognition.
The statues are harmless. The vast chamber to the east Dust floats in the air here. At each end of the south
is the chapel (area Kl5). The staircase to the west is de­ wall, a staircase rises into darkness. Between the stair­
scribed in area K18. cases are twin alcoves, each one containing a standing
Kl8. HIGH TOWER STAIRCASE suit of armor covered with dark stains. Each suit of armor
clutches a mace, the "business end" of which is shaped
like a dragon's head. Words engraved on the arches
The large flagstones of this spiraling staircase lead up above the suits of armor have been scratched out.
and down around a twenty-foot-wide stone core. Cob­
webs fill the staircase, making it difficult to see even the Both staircases on the south wall climb to area K25.
ceiling. Heavy beams sag overhead from centuries of The massive stairs lead down to area K8. Anyone who
supporting weight. crosses in front of the alcoves along the south wall acti­
vates the suits of armor.
Both suits of armor are mechanical traps, each one
The staircase starts at area K84 and spirals upward activated by a pressure plate hidden in the floor in front
.
around a central shaft (area K18a), climbing 300 feet to of its alcove. A character who searches for. traps in one
the top of the high tower (area �59). of these locations notices both pr_essure plates with a
A recently constructed masonrY, wall blocks the stair­ successful DC 15 Wisdom (F'erception) check,
case 10 feet below the landing \Yest of area. K17. A chink When 40 or more pounds of �eight are placed on a
in this wall allows gas (oraviirYpir�in:gaseous form) to pressure plate, the suit of armqr nearest to that plate
pass from one side of the.wall !6:tlie _other. A character springs forward, flailing its arms and wielding its mace.
who inspects the wall closely can spot the chink with a Any creature standing on a prei�ure plate when its
successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check. The wall trap triggers must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving
is too sturdy for characters to knock down, but they can throw or take 7 (2d6) bludgeoning da·mage from the
· create a hole wide enough to crawl through in 1 hour, flailing armor. After leaping i;>ut and attacking, the ar­
or reduc;e the entire wall to a pile of masonry bricks and mor retracts. The pressure plate resets after 1 minute,
rubble in 2 hours. after which its.armo� trap can be triggered again.
Thirty feet below the masonry wall and 50 feet above The s_uits of armor act much like metal puppets-a
the foot of the steps, a small crack has formed in the little joke i�tended to spook visitors more than damage
outer wall of the stairwell. The crack is 1/2 inch wide,

CHAPTER 4 I CASTLE RAVEN LOFT