Page 60 - Curse of Strahd_Neat

them. A pressure plate can be disabled by a character standing on the nearby stairs can make melee attacks
who uses thieves' tools and makes a successful DC 15 against the heart, provided their weapons have a reach
Dexterity check. A trap can also be disabled by destroy­ of at least 10 feet. The glass heart has AC 15 and 50 hit
ing its suit of armor, which has AC 18, 5 hit points, and points. If the heart is reduced to O hit points, it shatters,
immunity to psychic and poison damage. and its crystal shards transform into blood, which rains
down on the tower interior and staircase. The destruc­
K20. HEART OF SORROW tion of the Heart of Sorrow causes the tower to stop
shuddering, and the interior of the tower becomes dark.
Destroying the heart earns the characters 1,500 XP.
A mosaic floor adds a touch of color to the otherwise Strahd and the Heart of Sorrow are connected, such
dark, cold, empty tower that rises above you. A spiral that any damage Strahd takes is transferred to the
staircase rises slowly into darkness, hugging the outer heart. If the heart absorbs damage that drops it to O hit
wall. In the center of the room, another set of stairs points, it is destroyed, and Strahd takes any leftover
damage. The Heart of Sorrow regains all its hit points at
leads down. dawn if it has at least 1 hit point remaining.
The Heart of Sorrow is held aloft by the will of Strahd.
The staircase in the center of the floor (area K20a) leads Casting dispel magic on it has no effect.
down to area K71. Animated Halberds. Mounted on the walls along the
The spiral staircase has no railing and connects the section of staircase nearest the heart are ten animated
main floor of the castle with each level above it. First, halberds; use the stat block for the flying sword in the
the staircase climbs 50 feet to a landing (shown on map Monster Manual, but increase each halberd's damage to
4), from which an open archway leads to area K13. East ldlO + 1 and reduce its AC to 15. The halberds attack
of that opening is a secret door that conceals a ladder any creature that threatens the Heart of Sorrow.
leading down to area K34. Vampire Spawn. Strahd senses if any damage is done
The stairs ascend another 40 feet to another landing to the Heart of Sorrow and sends four vampire spawn
(shown on map 5), with archways that lead to areas K45 to destroy those responsible. These vampire spawn are
and K46, and then climb another 100 feet to a landing former adventurers whom Strahd defeated long ago.
beneath the tower's heart (shown on map 8). The stair­ They use their Spider Climb feature to scuttle along the
case wraps around the heart, ending at the top of the tower walls and arrive in 3 rounds.
tower (area K60).
K20A. TOWER HALL STAIR
THE HEART This stairway connects areas K20 and K71.
The tower, including the spiral staircase, is alive. When
the characters set foot on the staircase for the first K21. SOUTH TOWER STAIR
time, read:

Fluttering torches in iron sconces illuminate this spiral
As you step onto the spiral staircase, a reddish light
flares high overhead, then settles into a dull, pulsing staircase. A chill wind rushes down the circling stairway,
red glow. You now see the full immensity of this tower. seeming to kill the very heat of the torches.
The spiral staircase circles up the tower's full height.
The tower, sixty feet wide at its base, becomes narrower These stairs start at area K73 and. go up through areas
K61, K9, K30, and K35 before ending at area K47.
as it climbs. At the pinnacle of the hollow tower, a large
crystal heart pulsates with red light. Above the heart, the K22. NORTH ARCHERS' POST
stairs continue upward. I

The castle courtyard is visible through arrow slits in
Have the characters and the Heart of Sorrow roll initia­
tive. If the characters leave the tower and later return, I the walls.
they can reroll initiative, but the heart's initiative count
doesn't change. Each arrow slit is 2Y2 feet tall and 4 inches wide.
The awakened tower shakes and pitches on the Heart
of Sorrow's initiative count. Any creature on the stairs K23. SERVANTS' ENTRANCE
or hanging on a tower wall at the start of the heart's
turn must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw
or fall to the base of the tower. Characters who are Dim light filters in through a dust-caked window in the
crawling on the staircase or who lie prone on the stairs
succeed automatically. east wall. A door next to the window leads to the castle's
The Heart of Sorrow is a 10-foot-diameter red crystal northeast courtyard.
heart that floats near the top of the tower. Characters

CHAPTER 4 I CASTLE RAVENLOIT