Mishka is the murderous miscreant of the Belview family, and likes to pull lethal pranks on anyone he can. Kasimir is the sorrowful leader of the remaining dusk elves of Barovia, driven by his guilt over how he doomed them to a thousand-year genocide. Marzena is the most paranoid of the Belview family, and considered the most at-risk of escaping the Abbey. Sasha is a reincarnation of Tatyana, and vampire spawn of Strahd. Heres one of my favorites, and check the links below as well. Glad I pre-ordered this book. Comprehending as without difficulty as bargain even more than supplementary A very charismatic man, he was. Gustav Durst was a wealthy rancher and secret cultist to Strahd von Zarovich briefly before and after the curse began. Lady Stella was the fiance of Lord Victor, before a mysterious event occurred which has since made her believe that she is a cat. So he studied in the amber temple a way to save Barovia, Tricking the dark lords into thinking he was just after immortality. Dostron the Hellborn. But never in life you will grasp them Ma mai nella vita potrai averla. Exethanter is a blind lich, and the last survivor of the original Amber Circle. Dr. Van Richten is a legendary huntsman and holy warrior whose vengeful career has spanned over twenty years. Yesper is the horse-keeper for Fidatov estate, and an animal conservationist. He lurks to this day on Mount Baratok. He was trying to revive her dead pet cat, when his soul clinged to Stella's body. Leonid was a duellist during Strahd's conquest, famous for his stature and his flawless combat record. Otto is an egotistical but incompetent guard of the Abbey of St. Markovia. When the vampire appeared, the wizards peasant army fled in terror. Strahd no longer returns to the material realm, even for short visits, because of how bad Tatyana's condition is, so he can't get new willing volunteers. This is also the reason her spirit still lingers around. Nero is the younger and more aggressive of the two guard dogs of the Baron. Only instead I made Strahd have an illegitimate son, who he technically took by force to be raised in his domain. He broke his leg and lost his horse during the a search for Arabelle. She became obsessed with him, even following his deadly conquests into Barovia after she became estranged from him. Rosavalda Durst was the eldest child of the Durst Family, and died as a casualty of her mother's final ritual. Lady Ortensia was the sibling apprentice of Lady Liliana, and a knight of Archamian. Are there any deeper implications of his appearance here? The module swiftly leads the party to a Vistani encampment, where the players can have their . The Vampyr is a mysterious entity that first spread the secret of vampirism and is responsible for Strahd's curse. Dead in Thay; Against the Giants; Tomb of Horrors; Tomb of Annihilation; 2018. Covering The Best In Video Games, Esports, Movies and Geek Culture Race: Human He is privately very religious and deluded. Still, he will present the player characters with a powerful magic boon before leaving to find his lost belongings. Admiral Sedrik became infamous in Barov's land for assembling a naval force in the landlocked country. Skennis is the retired alpha of the werewolf pack in Barovia. **Spoiler warning for the Curse of Strahd adventure module for D&D 5e**. Vampires stay in coffins during the day. My question is: Does his appearance in . Morgantha is the matriarch of the trio living in Old Bonegrinder, and frequents Barovia village to sell her Dream Pastries. . Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, their respective logos, and all Wizards titles and characters are property of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the U.S.A. and other countries. Curse of Strahd - Mid-fantasy in an "Alt-Earth" setting. Grunts is a senior guard at Fidatov manor, nicknamed after his taciturnity. The dusk elves rare nonhuman residents of Barovia might also be allies to those who oppose Strahd. If you're interested, I'll share a couple of details I reimagined when mastering this campaign for my friends. Yep, thats pretty underwhelming at first glance, but Strahds strength doesnt lie in the numbers and dice rolls, it lies in his tactics. Home; Categories. As such, I have needed to adjust certain things within the adventure in order for them to present a significant challenge to the party. It's like having a rewind button for your campaign. The Mad Mage's paranoia resides in mansions created through his trademark spell high upon Mount Baratok. Strahd has a special lair action that allows him to pass through walls and floors in Ravenloft as though they arent even there. The latest of these incarnations is Ireena Kolyana. -Strahd and Vampires. The way I put it is this (I originally wrote this in italian, since it's my own language): "Forever you will live, and in eternity Vivrai per sempre, e nelleternit. Recharged: Tomb of Annihilation. curse of strahd mad mage stats +1 (760) 205-9936. The heroes encounter the Mad Mage and he welcomes them into his magnificent mansion! Brom is the younger son of Danika and Urwin, and lives at the Blue Water Inn. If you want to get really creative, he could be the link from aForgotten Realmsadventure to aWorld of Greyhawkadventure, but for the time being such an endeavor would be your own design. Strahds Stat Block: What The Numbers Mean. E cos mai potrai amarla. Anastrasya is a former Vallakian noblewoman and consort of Strahd. Dinara is the best friend of Aziana and a guard of the Werewolf Den, being one of the only werewolves trained in hand-to-hand combat. Khristina was the eldest daughter of Anna and Dmitri Krezkov, and died from a hereditary disease. One of the fun things I added to my Curse of Strahd was that Strahd had children with his brides various dhampirs and vampires that are all vying for his throne and trying to eliminate the party to prove themselves. After slaying them in a remote valley, Strahd was amazed by the regions beauty and dubbed the land Barovia. Here is a list of all Curse of Strahd Maps I did and shared with this Subreddit. View flipping ebook version of Curse of Strahd published by raptorhunter182 on 2019-06-22. My players really loved him (and I had lots of fun with a character that never gets the love he deserves). Neferon of Gehenna is a plane-hopping mage that has settled as the obstinate guardian of the Amber Temple. Margaret was the nursemaid of the Durst family, and the mother of Walter Durst. Henrik is a lonely coffin-maker whose trade and demeanour has given way to many unflattering rumours over the years. Sir. Mordenkainen had a hawk-like face, with a permanent frown that gave the appearance of alertness and almost anger, and a penetrating gaze. Artank was a wine distiller and was famous for making most of his money from winning drinking contests. But while outsiders can enter the Domains of Dread if the Mists surrounding these lands permit them to, nearly all of the Darklords are trapped in their individual kingdoms. The Mad Mage of Mount Baratok. Now, I am not intimately aware of the lore surrounding D&D 5e, and I know that he is a prominent figure over all. He appears or is mentioned in several different Greyhawk and Dungeons and Dragons products. Varvara is the eldest child of the Vaskroffs, and was born without a soul. Natasha the Dark is a demonologist and highly experienced archmage, and survived what she would consider her 'learning' battle with Strahd. Let us not forget The Knight of The Black Rose, Lord Soth and his conflict with Strahd. This section contains canon info from officially published sources. Bundles containing this product: Recharged [BUNDLE] $16.25. Session #13. Vistani legend tells that he came to this land a year ago and rallied an army to face off against Strahd, eventually being driven into River Ivlis over the Tser Falls to his supposed death. Danika is the tough but kind-hearted owner of the Blue Water Inn in Vallaki. Father Lucien is the philanthropic priest at St. Andral's Church, burdened with the secrets of decades of confessions. He later joined their cause after being cured by an amulet to the Morninglord from the Order of the Silver Dragon, in order to avenge his son that was corrupted by Strahd. She blindly supports his tyranny for the sake of her sanity. It's under Chapter 2: The Lands of Barovia; page 39-40 - section M. Mad Mage of Mt Baratok. Stahd has become angry at his residents who will not keep him supplied with fresh and now abducts them - his focus on his work and anxiety over his own continued failures have made him completely callous to the situation of his villagers - he sees them bound to the oath of their ancestors to keep him supplied with blood. so the players don't immediately know its heavily changed. Equating these creatures as part of the forces of Strahd and this elk as a potential ally (and not just a normal animal . His wartime experiences caused him to grow cruel, however. Erasmus was the son of Dr. Van Richten turned vampire spawn of Baron Metus. no risk refund guarantee Diavola is Lady Fidatova's beloved handmaid and the constant subject of her social experiments. Authors. Lysaga went by a different name in her youth as Strahd's nursemaid. Lazlo is a bookbinder on Fidatov estate, and has worked closely with Fidatova's family since he was young. Earl Felwinter was the ruler of Felwinter Isle and a victim of Captain Eriana's satiation of Scylla. He stirred them with thoughts of revolt and bore them to the castle en masse. Now, I am not intimately aware of the lore surrounding D&D 5e, and I know that he is a prominent figure over all. Thanks for the insight though, I am having trouble finding the page where the encounter is even locatedcan anyone help me out. Volenta is Strahd's youngest active bride, and a former courtesan. Once prepared, you don't lose it unless you decide to prepare something different. This is just one of the solutions for you to be successful. Imagine a valley surrounded by mist, with the suns rays barely visible beyond layers of murky clouds. The Fey Queen of Diamonds is a winter eladrin that owned territory in the Daraman feywild, and would routinely make humans in the city disappear by sending them forward in time. Vasilka is the Abbot's secret weapon to freeing Barovia from Strahd. Incentus was Lady Tereska's retainer and lover. My question is: Does his appearance in Curse of Strahd make sense with the timeline? Tessa is a mute but observant bookworm at St. Andral's Orphanage. Wensencia raises most of the pups of the werewolf pack, and has been doing so for a long time. Yeska is a troubled orphan, and the adopted son and altar boy of Father Lucien. Since the dawn of Dungeons and Dragons, dungeon masters have been searching for the answer to a simple question. Wilma is the cook at Fidatov manor, preferred by Fidatova for her flair rather than her reliability. This is why she acts like a cat, and also why there are skeleton cats in his room. The characters wanted to convince him to join their fight against Strahd. Mordenkainen is presumed by the party to be the ally in the battle against darkness mentioned in the prophecy foretold by Madam Eva once his mind is restored by holy magic powerful enough to do so. The Demigod Arijani, from the Demiplane of Dread Sri Raji. Bildrath Chekhov has retained the most successful general store in Barovia village through his shrewd and diligent ways. Baratok, so I got ready to run the archmage stat block according to the modifications CoS sets forth. Emil is a former alpha of the werewolf pack and a prisoner of Strahd, after the vampire's interference in the civil struggle. He believes that if he can make all of his people happy, then they can escape Strahd. Forgotten Realms Wiki is a FANDOM Games Community. Martin is the more mild-mannered of the Tomescu twins, and is often led into trouble by his two brothers. Complete list of every named creature with an accociated statblock as written in the Curse of Strahd module. Notable Relations: Wiki Le Monde des Royaumes Oublis (French), Mordenkainen's defense against lycanthropes, Mordenkainen's defense against nonmagical reptiles and amphibians, Mordenkainen's faithful phantom defenders, Mordenkainen's faithful phantom shield-maidens, Mordenkainen's protection from insects and arachnids, Inhabitants with a 12 challenge rating (5e), Inhabitants with a 27 challenge rating (3e). Details about the challenges of converting 2D maps to 3D. [1], Mordenkainen eventually came to Barovia where he sought to undo Strahd and save the land from his influence. Lectrum is a junior guard at Fidatov manor, nicknamed after his love of trade. 16. Kiril is the controversial leader of the werewolf pack in Barovia, having seized command after the mysterious death of his rival, Emil Toranescu. First published. Burgomaster Ulrich was the last burgomaster of Berez and assistant to Marina's suicide. Strahd is as much a prisoner of Barovia as he is its master. you will have instant access to your previous versions. Amalthia is the junior maid at Wachterhaus and the discontented helper of Stella. Alenka is one of three owners of the Blood of the Vine tavern, and outcasts from the Tser Pool camp. The eldest son of Yonvich, and the only one without a blood relation to him. The PC's rallied together to recapture the vestige (in a very ghostbusters way), and returned it to the amber temple.One of the PC's (A wizard) picked up the staff in the temple, and was given the flaw that they desire power above all else.Then she proceeded to take every single dark gift offered to her, without the other players realizing. and thus you'll never love them. Tenebrous is an aspect of Orcus' soul, and the first successful lich. Either to taunt them or try to win them over and have them join his side, and with the excellent writing present in this module some of the more morally ambiguous PCs may find themselves tempted to even join him. Subscribe to get the free product of the week! Eventually, Ravenloft became the name for the greater setting of the Domains of Dread, a patchwork Shadowfell realm consisting of Barovia and other kingdoms pulled from various worlds. In Strahds case, his desire for a life with Ireena is something he can never realize. Luvash is the son of Madam Eva, and the de-facto leader of the Vistani in Barovia. Most villagers can't remember a time when she wasn't in business. More from this Title's Contributors. If his crypt is disturbed, he animates as a wraith and commands his three hell hounds to attack. Baratok is actually Mordenkainen who has gone mad. The prophecy of Madam Eva referenced a wizard at the base of Mount Baratok. Drasha is a senior guard of Vallaki, and is assigned to monitor Azuron, Lael, Rowena and Schnoken when they first make an impact on Vallaki. Use the Archmage in your campaign now with stats! She is sealed in the crypts of Ravenloft, with Strahd having long-since tired of her ingenuine love. Until she reached Tenebrous, where she took the power, and became evil, with a goal of lichdom, she attacked the PC's, and eventually escaped to enact her wish of immortality.Upon Strahd's defeat, the PC's encountered her again, this time a as a demilich. Chief Gallowbottom is the leader of Schnoken's former tribe in the Lunar Woods. Dungeons & Dragons 5e on Discord, Roll20 About the adventure. Can't wait for the 18th. King Kavan, also known as the Blood Butcher of Balinok, was the leader of the united forest folk tribes between King Dostron and Strahd's reigns. He is also a drunk, and talented violinist. Father Donavich is the reclusive priest of Barovia village, who prays night and day for relief from his dark circumstance. Arista was a runaway Vistani and Strahd's court ceiling painter. Medusa is a former champion of Oghma and infamous for beginning her own monster lineage. Love means giving yourself to someone else intentionally, not because you're forced to. Although not featured in Ravenloft products prior to Curse of Strahd, he appears in that module after having lost his memories and gone mad. He believes that the Count is un-killable, and the prevailing tactic should be his appeasement. Use the mage stat block in the Monster 6th level (1 slot):find the path, harm, true seeing Queen Ravenovia was the wife of King Barov, the mother of Strahd and Sergei, and the namesake of Castle Ravenloft. Franz is the artistic nephew of Skennis, former alpha of the werewolf pack. Ulysses of Eros was a paladin of Sune who went on a vision quest south to respond to Sasha Ivliskova's pursuit. They're there, invincible and never truly seen, never to be understood nor defeated. We think you'll have a much more enjoyable experience. Cyrus is a fearful, mad servant of Strahd, having formerly been the head servant at the Abbey of St. Markovia. If the heroes accept the dinner invitation, Strahd actually does host a feast for them and thanks them. Ivah is Hedwig's confident best friend and lives at St. Andral's Orphanage. Prince Ariel was an inventor and infamous fatality at Castle Ravenloft, having leapt from its high tower to his death in an attempt to prove the functionality of his wingsuit. The baron of Vallaki also holds festivals to keep spirits up. This site works best with JavaScript enabled. Archamian was the last of the eldritch titans, and the main adversary of the Oculords; whose aim to restore the Netheril almost resulted in a global war. Pidlwick was the jester of Duchess Dorfniya who told him to work at Ravenloft in her will. Unfortunately, Strahd thoroughly beat him and threw him over the edge of Tser Falls. Jeremy Blum (@PixelGrotto) is a journalist, gaming blogger, comic book aficionado, and fan of all forms of storytelling who rolled his first polyhedral dice while living in Hong Kong in 2017. Yevgeni is a man of few words, and the hunting partner of Szoldar Szoldarovich. Yan was an outcast from the Vistani troupes in Barovia, who worked as a travelling smuggler. - Doru Dragomir (former ally) It's not a story the Jedi would tell you. It looks fantastic. Thornboldt Durst was the eldest son of the Durst family, and died as a casualty of his mother's final ritual. ontario lease agreement schedule a; who owns the steakhouse in wells maine; houston, texas population; $23 million dollar mansion; This site works best with JavaScript enabled. She was banished by Dr. Van Richten. If you just make these changes, everything in the books still works perfectly well. A few stood their ground and were never seen again. A few servants from Barovia willingly came to the pocket dimension with Strahd so he could live on their blood. Muriel is a spy for the Keepers of the Feather, and the only one brave enough to be regularly assigned to Baba Lysaga. In 2016, Wizards of the Coast decided to update and modernize Ravenloft, releasing Curse of Strahd. Khazan was Strahd's court mage both during and briefly after his conquest. Fantastic article. We think you'll have a much more enjoyable experience. He would return in every subsequent edition of D&D. He stirred them with thoughts of revolt and bore them to the castle en masse. His voice was deep and melodic. He doesnt really have much going on if you run him exactly as you would any other monster based off of his stats alone. His soul met Petrina's and they came up with a plan to bring Petrina back to unlife (thanks to the heart of sorrow which could act as a philactery), so that she could trick the rhyme and finally let Strahd marry his true love.That's it, actually. This could, and probably will, turn party members against each other or could potentially make them think one of them is a plant for the big man himself. Lord Nikolai is the eldest Wachter child, and a fervent alcoholic, constantly searching for mischievous distractions from his nobility. Like Strahd himself, locals cannot leave which means that aside from the occasional foreigner, Barovia is largely a closed ecosystem. Mordenkainen secretly survived, but he became overtaken by madness, paranoia, and amnesia. Arik is the soulless bartender of the Blood of the Vine tavern. I chock his appearance up to cameo more than anything -- at best he's a potential ally who can help the party fight Strahd (who still must be defeated using the necessary artifacts), otherwise he's just a nod to Gary Gygax and the world ofGreyhawk. " The Philantropist: This card tells of history. Helga is the melancholic and enigmatic maid at Ravenloft. March 15, 2016. The more resources the party spends chasing him and blowing up his minions the less they have to throw at him when he decides to sink his teeth in. He is the only surviving adventurer that has been lured to Barovia. Obsidian Portal has a lot of really cool features that use JavaScript. She was killed after falling into a trap set up by the vampire. First post! Baratok is actually Mordenkainen who has gone mad. [12], Although Mordenkainen resided primarily on Oerth, by at least the Year of the Shield, 1367 DR, his spells were not uncommon among spellbooks in Faern. Urwin Martikov is the timid eldest child of Davian Martikov, the husband of Danika, and the father of Brom and Bray. Hans was an orphan from Vallaki that sacrificed himself at the Ring of Stone in order to save his best friend Kellen. When he returned, a hundred years or more passed. Dag is the husband of Stefania and father of four at the Wizard of the Wines. Shar the Nightsinger is the goddess of darkness, loss and the night. [14], Mordenkainen was the leader of the Oerthian group of wizards known as the Circle of Eight, which included many spell inventors whose names were well known on Toril, such as Bigby, Drawmij, Nystul, Otiluke, Otto, Rary, and Tenser. Strahd is probably one of the most iconic villains in the Dungeons and Dragons universe. Beware! Spoilers for Curse of Strahd lurk ahead! I saw him thrown a thousand feet to his death. Madalena is the no-nonsense senior maid at Wachterhaus and a close confidant of the book club. When he made his pact, the dark lords granted him an immortal name, making him an immortal undead, and the company of the ones he loved, by having them reincarnate each time in a person that won't love him." He kept a close-trimmed beard and wore grey, high-collared robes. Strahd streams every Thursday 8pm BST at twitch.tv/highrollersdnd00:00 - Intro/Recap01:15 - Game B. Mordenkainen, commonly referred to in local legend as the Mad Mage of Mount Baratok, is an ancient legendary wizard from a magical world. Elisabeth Durst was the leader of a cult of the dark arts, dedicated to Strahd von Zarovich. The Mad Mage of Mount Baratok roams the lakeshore and electrocutes the fish, but hasn't been seen in awhile. Rowena is an adventurer and the favoured, exemplary daughter of the true Medusa. King Dostron the Hellborn was the ruler of the valley long before Strahd conquest, and was the grandson of an illrigger of Avernus. Riven is the mysterious patron of Azuron, who first made contact with him during his refuge in a meteorite cave in Scylla's cliff. 2023 Wizards. Previously, the birds had met the Mad Mage of Mt. The Three-Faced King was a mysterious masked man who requested to be buried in the crypts of Ravenloft. Thunder shook the mountainside, and great rocks tumbled down upon the wizard, yet by his magic he survived. [6], In the Year of the Scarlet Witch, 1491 DR, Mordenkainen, still suffering from bouts of madness, was in Waterdeep, where Storm Silverhand and Elminster were helping him to recover from them. Lathander the Morninglord is the god of birth, vitality and the sun. My Strahd is not exactly evil, he's just so focused on finding a cure for his wife that he's completely forgotten everything else. Baroness Eisglaza was a young noble under King Barov, and was frequently rumoured to be a rakshasi. Look to a place where sickness and madness are bred. My players have gathered all the legendary items, completed a majority of the chapters and are currently level 8 (they will be level 9 when they fight Strahd). However, he underestimated Strahd's power and, after barely surviving a confrontation with him, he lost his spellbook and his staff, eventually losing his memory and being driven to the brink of madness. Bucephalus is Strahd's mysterious and powerful demonic steed. You don't know what they can do, how much they know about you and when they are near you. [4], Mordenkainen had a hawk-like face, with a permanent frown that gave the appearance of alertness and almost anger, and a penetrating gaze. The Barovians believe everything about Strahd that is mentioned in the original module (that he's a bloodthirsty tyrant, killed his wife, etc.) I like the idea of him being a murderous egocentric, but when you say his story out loud, with him murdering his brother because he couldn't get Tatyana to love himand then being obsessed with the girl that keeps rejecting him My players called him a simp since the first session, and I couldn't really blame them. Coupled with the . He became known by the locals as the Mad Mage of Mount Baratok. [Mad Mage's Magnificent Mansion] . The thing here is that vampires are obliged to do his bidding, so they can't love him. You maytalkwith them, bargain with them, but you will never get the chance to know what you had truly been talking to. Godfrey was a high-ranking Knight of the Silver Dragon during the fall of the order, events which led to him become a revenant. Lizabeta was the youngest daughter of Anna and Dmitri Krezkov, and died from a hereditary disease. The following aspects of this iconic villain are worth memorizing: Strahd was a warlord who defeated the enemies of his deceased father, King Barov. Lancelot is Gertruda's dog and routinely searches for her on the Old Svalich Road and around Barovia village. Subtle and non-immersion-breaking ads, old lore with new twists, it has everything that I look for in a D&D Beyond article. When I tackled this, I wanted to offer my players some way to actually defeat the curse, and have more than one encounter make way more sense. This man isnt undead, either hes just a servant that Strahd keeps chained up in Castle Ravenloft to count his money for him! Vilnius is a nomad who suffers from a highly lethal and communicable disease, and struck a bargain with the Queen of Poxes to survive. Plus, you have our Given I am prepping now to run Strahd for my Mox crew, this is a really clean look at the major NPCs and storyline for the advanture! She seeks to make them the very most. Mad Mary is the reclusive, delusional and mentally unstable mother of Gertruda. Sir. Selne the Moonmatron is the goddess of prophecies, nomads and the moon. The book includes 22 revised room descriptions which accurately reflect rooms visible to players. Ismark the Lesser is the eldest child of Kolyan Indirovich, and soldiers his responsibilities in the shadow of his father, and of Strahd. Parriwimple is the oafish enforcer at Bildrath's Mercantile, and the secret to its success in the valley. Davian is the widower patriarch of the Martikov family, and the owner of the Wizard of the Wines Winery. St. Andral was a priest of Vallaki and the Morninglord, and became sainted after successfully protecting several of the fugitive guards of Ravenloft in his church's sanctuary until they died. Szoldar is a seasoned wolf hunter by trade, and best friend of Yevgeni Krushkin. Lip is a junior guard at Fidatov manor, nicknamed after her talkativeness. Ofelia Wormwiggle is the youngest daughter of Morgantha, and a butcher in Old Bonegrinder. He often has to collaborate with the Baroness whenever there is a costume festival that needs preparation. Emeric is the apprentice of Drasha, and wants to rise in the ranks to one day replace Izek as captain of the guard. This is using Curse of Strahd, based in an alternate version of our Earth, where the fantastical is possible! Queen Ravenovia van Roeyen - not Queen Ravonia. To me, this translates as an ability to endure under harsh conditions for the folks who have souls, at least. Ithink the first thing you can improve is to make it clear his obsession is part of his curse, and not his own nature. JavaScript is currently disabled. Viggo is the more curious of the Tomescu twins, often getting into trouble at the Wizard of the Wines. You can draw inspiration from films like Midsommar to emphasize the creepiness of suchcelebrations! Majesto is the imp familiar of Lady Wachter, loaned to her by Strahd.