Page 71 - Curse of Strahd_Neat

The youthful man on the couch is Escher, a dashing
vampire spawn to whom Strahd has shown favor in
the past. Escher is feeling somewhat neglected of late
and has retreated here until Strahd's mood improves.
If attacked, he hurls himself out the window and lands
like a cat on the roof of the keep (area K53). He leads
pursuers right to Strahd, wherever the lord of the castle
happens to be (and regardless of whether the characters
are ready to face Strahd).
In conversation, Escher displays wit with a hint of mel­
ancholy. Beneath his arch mood is a dread that Strahd
is growing bored of him and will lock him in the cata­
combs (area K84) with Strahd's other castoff consorts.
The leaded windows are fitted with iron hinges and
can be opened. They can be locked from the inside,
though they are currently unlocked. The leaded glass
doesn't allow for much of a view. If a character opens a
window and leaves it open, there's a 50 percent chance
that a vampire spawn crawling around the outside wall
of the tower notices the open window and investigates.
The books in the bookcase have no value and aren't
much help to the characters. Some of the titles found
on the bookshelf include Embalming: The Lost Art, Life
Among the Undead: Learning to Cope, Castle Building
101, and Goats of the Balinok Mountains.
The portrait on the wall depicts Strahd von Zarovich TREASURE
before he became a vampire. Even in life, he was pale. On the third finger of his left hand, Escher wears a plat­
The eyes of the portrait seem to watch and follow the inum ring engraved with tiny roses and thorns (worth
characters as they explore the area. The picture frame 150 gp). Around his neck, he wears a gold and ruby pen­
is bolted to the wall and can't be removed without de­ dant (worth 750 gp).
stroying it.
If the characters attack the rug or the picture, or if K50. GUEST ROOM
they attempt to remove either item, the guardian por­
trait (see appendix D) attacks.
A large bed sits in the center of this room, its four cor­
K48. 0FFSTAIR ner posts supporting a black canopy trimmed with gold
I I tassels. Several comfortable divans are placed about

the room. There is a banded door in the west wall and a
This spiraling staircase is dark and dusty.
smaller unbanded door in the east wall.
This stairway rises from area K47, past area K54,
to area K57. There is no danger in this area during the day. But if
the characters try to take a short rest here during the
K49. LOUNGE night, the rest is interrupted by the arrival of ld4 Baro­
vian witches from area K56. They try to subdue the
party with sleep spells. A witch retreats to area K56
if wounded.
As thunder shakes the tower, heavy beams groan under
the weight of the ceiling. Three ornate lanterns hang by K51. CLOSET
chains from these beams, each casting a dim glow. The
curved west wall is fitted with three windows of leaded
glass in steel latticework. A bookcase sits on the east This small, wood-paneled room reeks of mildew and has
wall between two doors. Plush, overstuffed chairs and a ten-foot-high ceiling. Iron hooks line the walls, and a
couches are placed about the room. The fabric has faded dusty black cloak hangs from one hook in the center of
with age, and the patterns it depicts are nearly gone. the south wall.
Lounging on one couch is a handsome young man whose
attire, while elegant, is worn and faded. The cloak is ordinary. The witches in area K56 placed
it here to help them remember which hook opens the
secn,t trapdoor in. the ceiling.

--
CHAPTER 4 I CASTLE RAVENLOFT
=
"'\·;t -
\/1 ..