His . The heroes are born and bred Barovians and havereceived a letter in a fine flowing script inviting them up to the castle for dinner.Everyone in Barovia knows what this means - they are going to be Strahd's next blood slaves. I remember him like it was yesterday. Ludmilla is the oldest current consort of Strahd, and considers herself the most indispensable, being a de-facto court mage. The Mad Mage's mind connection to Strahd. Since then, he's never looked back and loves roleplaying games for the chance to tell the tales that have been swirling in his head since childhood. 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. He kept a close-trimmed beard and wore grey, high-collared robes. Because the Mists of Barovia are undiscriminating in who they pull in, Dungeon Masters are free to inject some iconic and unusual allies into this Domain of Dread, from Elminster to Drizzt DoUrden. JavaScript is currently disabled. Father Donavich is the reclusive priest of Barovia village, who prays night and day for relief from his dark circumstance. Intree was the primary counsellor for King Barov during his rule, and taught battle strategy to a young Strahd. 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. General Krovala was a summoner and the leader of a mountain tribe that was defeated by Strahd in his early career. Bucephalus is Strahd's mysterious and powerful demonic steed. She seeks to make them the very most. Grunts is a senior guard at Fidatov manor, nicknamed after his taciturnity. Kala is a seamstress whose passion for clothing has infected Lady Fidatova over the years. This isn't feasible right now, as the party has no means to cure the Mad . Angelika was Davian's wife, best friend, and mother of their four children, and was killed by Baba Lysaga. Arista was a runaway Vistani and Strahd's court ceiling painter. Perhaps Strahd's goal is to burrow his way through the planes and create a united force of Darklords to overthrow and supplant the darklords. The Mad Mage's paranoia resides in mansions created through his trademark spell high upon Mount Baratok. Generations of humans have gone by and no one remembers their ancestors were there willingly and they don't know they're in a pocket dimension. You only need your wizard spellbook to prepare new spells or change your prepared spells. How they received such powers has varied over the years, but Curse of Strahd states that the Vistani saved Strahds life and remain one of the few groups that he is indebted to and who are allowed to travel freely. -A CR23 statblock of Mordenkainen with magic items and treasures! You maytalkwith them, bargain with them, but you will never get the chance to know what you had truly been talking to. Feb 21st 2023. A few servants from Barovia willingly came to the pocket dimension with Strahd so he could live on their blood. Ezekiel is a Prince of Agartha and a chosen of Lathander. Piersym is the owner of Thimdul's Armaments, the title enduring to honour his former partner and teacher of a new trade after he was removed from Vallaki's guard force. She is proud to have managed to revive one through her plea to the Abbot of Markovia. Hans was an orphan from Vallaki that sacrificed himself at the Ring of Stone in order to save his best friend Kellen. She blindly supports his tyranny for the sake of her sanity. If you're a new GM preparing to run Curse of Strahd, you'll need to know: your players can either start at third level, or they can run through the introductory adventure "Death House." Before "Death House" you'll likely want to run one of the initial adventure hooks: "Plea For Help," "Mysterious Visitors," "Werewolves in the . Shar the Nightsinger is the goddess of darkness, loss and the night. Catch it here! 2023 Wizards. King Katsky the Bright was a self-proclaimed time-traveller whose territory proved one of the more difficult for Strahd to conquer. He had such a knowledge of the dark side that he . Markovia had long considered Strahd a mad tyrant, . Artank was a wine distiller and was famous for making most of his money from winning drinking contests. Strahd has been working tirelessly for a thousand years trying to create a magical / alchemical cure for Tatyana's plague. Yan was an outcast from the Vistani troupes in Barovia, who worked as a travelling smuggler. The Mount Ghakis Roc is a solitary roc surviving near Tsolenka Pass. Brom is the elder son of Danika and Urwin, and lives at the Blue Water Inn. Details about the challenges of converting 2D maps to 3D. 0. Forgotten Realms Wiki is a FANDOM Games Community. Kiril is the controversial leader of the werewolf pack in Barovia, having seized command after the mysterious death of his rival, Emil Toranescu. Statistics. Thunder shook the mountainside, and great rocks tumbled down upon the wizard, yet by his magic he survived. This site works best with JavaScript enabled. 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. Vilnius is a nomad who suffers from a highly lethal and communicable disease, and struck a bargain with the Queen of Poxes to survive. Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links that add gold to our coffers. Baron Vargon was the burgomaster of Vallaki before his son, Vargas, and had a firmer grip on the town's order. They worship deities like the Morninglord and drown their sorrows with wine from the Wizard of Wines winery. I purposedly put inside a play on words, withnever in lifemeaning thatin death he could actually love them. Curse of Strahd Level Guide. 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. She was killed by her own people out of fear that she would become a vampire too, which triggered Rahadin's massacre. He believes that if he can make all of his people happy, then they can escape Strahd. Alenka is one of three owners of the Blood of the Vine tavern, and outcasts from the Tser Pool camp. Coupled with the . He was discovered to still be alive, though living in the foothills of Mount Baratok, having driven himself insane with a mind blank spell to prevent any vampiric corruption. Mordenkainen, commonly referred to in local legend as the Mad Mage of Mount Baratok, is an ancient legendary wizard from a magical world. It could be really interesting to have the party be from Barovia, but they end up killing Strahd as part of an early adventure, only to discover there are other Domains of Dread, and make it a goal to destroy them all. Get the newsletter. He is curious about what Amari knows, and was unaware of the reincarnation and soulless that exist . General Kroval "Mad Dog" Grislek. Blinsky is the founder of Blinsky toys, and aims to improve the world with his strange creations, one smile at a time. Baratok and became friends. 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. Lady Fidatova is the last of the Fidatov line of artisans, and is herself a brilliant mathematician. Baratok, so I got ready to run the archmage stat block according to the modifications CoS sets forth. The way I see it is this: "Strahd really wanted two things: for his name to be eternally remembered and for the company of his loved ones. [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. This will save time for new users. Follow along as I look into Strahds Stat Block and what the numbers mean and how to make this villain play as terrifyingly as hes written. I am going to updated it frequently and in the end I will do all Curse of Strahd original maps as well as homebrewed scenes (HB) we all learned to love by myself! I'll put the main points under spoilers if anyone wants to browse. Great job Jeremy! Victoria is the herbalist and non-clerical healer of Fidatov estate. If Strahd is killed, the Dark Powers will resurrect him in a matter of months. Gabriella is the current most celebrated dancer and musician at the Tser Pool camp. Although Elminster of Shadowdale is from Toril (a totally separate world), Mordenkainen and Elminster have met and are friends. 16. Like those from his world, Mordenkainen does not have a last name. His gravestone reads "Master of the Hunt". In Curse of Strahd, General Kroval "Mad Dog" Grislek is buried in Castle Ravenloft. Thats all I have for you and please if you enjoyed this check out more of our content. a great destiny awaits her. He believes that the Count is un-killable, and the prevailing tactic should be his appeasement. Khirad, also known as the Star of Secrets, is an Elder Evil that projects the illusion of an eponymous moving blue star that burns brightest in times of apocalypse. Legendary wizard known as the Mad Mage of Mount Baratok. Most villagers can't remember a time when she wasn't in business. If he Casts time stop, he'll be able to do it again after a long rest when his spell . $32.40. Imagine a valley surrounded by mist, with the suns rays barely visible beyond layers of murky clouds. Doru is the son of Father Donavich, and a former freedom fighter for the Mad Mage turned tortured spawn of Strahd. curse of strahd mad mage stats +1 (760) 205-9936. Ezmerelda d'Avenir was the protg of Dr. Van Richten, and has become a formidable huntress in her own right, using more aggressive methods. I changed my Strahd up for some people who had already played this module. Madam Eva is the matriarch and oracle of the Vistani in Barovia, and one of the most widely respected people in the valley. Madalena is the no-nonsense senior maid at Wachterhaus and a close confidant of the book club. Lord Karl is the middle Wachter child, and is rarely far from his brother, or doing anything different. Medusa is a former champion of Oghma and infamous for beginning her own monster lineage. Erik was acquired by Lady Isolde, and was an unidentified knight whose dying wish was to be dipped in melting gold. Grygori is one of many talented smiths in his ancestry, having still only inherited a fraction of the abilities of the man he believes worked simultaneously with Strahd and Artimus Fidatov. Race: Human Wilma is the cook at Fidatov manor, preferred by Fidatova for her flair rather than her reliability. Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage More from this Title's Contributors Customers Who Bought this Title also Purchased . When the vampire appeared, the wizards peasant army fled in terror. She was killed after falling into a trap set up by the vampire. With so many to choose from it can be . Ismark the Lesser is the eldest child of Kolyan Indirovich, and soldiers his responsibilities in the shadow of his father, and of Strahd. Lazlo is a bookbinder on Fidatov estate, and has worked closely with Fidatova's family since he was young. He became known by the locals as the Mad Mage of Mount Baratok.". Anastrasya is a former Vallakian noblewoman and consort of Strahd. Keep in mind Strahd is also a 9th-level caster and wont hesitate to befuddle and confuse players with a well-placed fireball through a fog cloud or even magically control them with his charm action. Ascendant campaigns can view previous versions of their pages, see what has changed (and who did it), and even restore old versions. Davian is the widower patriarch of the Martikov family, and the owner of the Wizard of the Wines Winery. The Grey Sisters were a coven of hags cursed by Oghma to share a single eye and tooth between them. Miral is a pianist, trained by Lady Fidatova to use the instrument built by her mother. Featured art image for Curse of Strahd Destined Ally Rankings credit to Wizards of the Coast's D&D 5e adventure book Curse of Strahd. Just so you know, Ireena's stat block for a lv 3 fighter as her . The prophecy of Madam Eva referenced a wizard at the base of Mount Baratok. He teaches the contents of the books at St. Andral's Church and Orphanage, as well as privately. Strahd is as much a prisoner of Barovia as he is its master. [17][note 1], He was also an acquaintance of Khelben Arunsun. One PC took up the mantle of darklord of barovia as a replacement for Strahd, ending his reign, and locked away the demilich in the amber temple.Having explored the concept of the Vestiges a bit further, I treated them like the MTG Eldrazi, smaller parts of a larger whole trying to invade the world, and the "Domains of Dread" act as prisons to hold these vestiges, and prevent them from escaping into Faerun.Now the PC's are in a more homebrew setting, exploring one of the other Domains of dread, after meeting the Dark Powers of the Shadowfell, who informed them that they are useful tools, and that in order for them to return home, they must perform one final task. The Demigod Arijani, from the Demiplane of Dread Sri Raji. His paranoia renders him hostile to intruders, and his magical protections make it difficult for anyone to restore his sanity. Natasha the Dark is a demonologist and highly experienced archmage, and survived what she would consider her 'learning' battle with Strahd. His impeccable memory makes up for his dreadful handwriting. Mirabel is one of three owners of the Blood of the Vine tavern, and outcasts from the Tser Pool camp. Mordenkainen is a power wizard NPC from the outlander world of Oerth (the world of the Greyhawk campaign setting) and the in-game creator of a number of different famous spells from the Player's Handbook such as Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion. Agniya is the wife of Grygori, and helps deliver his creations around the village. He was defeated and thrown from the walls of Castle Ravenloft by a mighty blast of lighting and his body was carried away by the River Ivilis. Bethel is the owner of the Dusklight Supply Shop and a staunch believer in the protective power of the Baron's festivals. Mordenkainen, commonly referred to in local legend as 'the Mad Mage of Mount Baratok', is an ancient legendary wizard from a magical world. Once prepared, you don't lose it unless you decide to prepare something different. Elvir is the youngest child of Davian Martikov, and the most aloof, which speaks to how much the family cares about their winery. If you want your players to experience horror, they should never really grasp them. She will also attend the dinner. Recharged: Tomb of Annihilation. Lathander the Morninglord is the god of birth, vitality and the sun. Sir. I actually did something similar. Hadar is an Elder Evil that clings to the 'dark side' of his eponymous star. The Harpy of Horinshire was a monster that hunted in the town of the same name before its capture by Dr. Van Richten. [6], In addition to many scrolls and potions, Mordenkainen was known to possess a bag of holding, a set of bracers of defense, a crystal ball, a +1 dagger, an efreeti bottle, a wand of cold, a wand of fear, and three pearls of power. Ben is a serving swain at the Hoofprint inn in Merryway. Danika Dorakova: p. 98 . Abuse this and bait foolhardy adventurers into traps and other horrors that could reside in the castle. 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 doesnt really have much going on if you run him exactly as you would any other monster based off of his stats alone. Despite her recent misadventure, she believes that which his madness can be cured normally. Curse of Strahd; Storm King's Thunder; 2017. Home; Categories. We rewound a bit to give Gwaihir's player more time with the mad mage, and through some spells we learned that he was under the influence of a Mind Blank spell, but that it was his own spell. and a horrifying man/wolf hybrid - a werewolf - just as Mahel warned. 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. Dag is the husband of Stefania and father of four at the Wizard of the Wines. Home Guides Strahds Stat Block: What The Numbers Mean. A rare moment of rest as the party decide what to do next. How do I make a super cool final boss for my players? Their battle flew from the courtyards of Ravenloft to a precipice overlooking the falls. Margo is the younger Vaskroff sister, and believes that she 'took her sister's soul' when she was born. Claudiu is the eldest son of Stefania and grandchild of Davian Martikov, and an aspiring swordsman, practicing on scarecrows. Queen Ravenovia van Roeyen - not Queen Ravonia. Strahd's curse: this campaign is called Curse of Strahd, yet we never hear the curse. Dostron the Hellborn. Giant Elk on Mt. Are there any deeper implications of his appearance here? Ofelia Wormwiggle is the youngest daughter of Morgantha, and a butcher in Old Bonegrinder. , so there's nothing to lose. Milivoj is the gardener and gravedigger for St. Andral's Church, having grown up in its orphanage. He feels entitled to feast on the villagers because of their ancestors oath to him ages ago. Isabella is Lady Fidatova's gardener and warden of the outskirts of her maze. The defeat twisted him more than physically - he has died again and again trying to 'protect Strahd from the release that death would give him'. The Curse of Strahd Companion is your comprehensive guide to running 5th Edition's greatest and grimmest campaign. She first drew the philanthropist, followed in quick succession by the transmuter, the anarchist, the marionette and finally, the horseman. The real problem is that he will never be able to grasp a living person, so the Abbot is trying to make an undead lover for Strahd.The fun thing is that the book already gives us a dead lover that could take the place of Tatyana in Strahd's heart: Petrina. 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. Ilya is the only currently living son of the Burgomaster, since having been revived by the Abbot. Vortico was a former highwayman travelling across Agarthia who hid in a Vistani wagon with the intention of stealing it. Stefan was a counsellor to King Barov and was often involved in the Barov's preferred tactic of misleading information for the enemy about the state of the kingdom. The heroes encounter the Mad Mage and he welcomes them into his magnificent mansion! Vistani matriarch Madam Eva also happens to be Strahds half-sister a mind-boggling fact that the vampire himself is unaware of and regularly asks her people to find otherworldly adventurers who might be able to set her half-brother free. Obsidian Portal has a lot of really cool features that use JavaScript. Rowena is an adventurer and the favoured, exemplary daughter of the true Medusa. The following aspects of this iconic villain are worth memorizing: Strahd was a warlord who defeated the enemies of his deceased father, King Barov. Rictavio is a traveller from a distant land, and tries to lift the spirits of Vallakian townsfolk with small shows and stories. This adventure picks up where Waterdeep: Dragon Heist leaves off, taking characters of . They associate its image and power with that of Strahd, the Land. Klutz was the moniker given by Strahd to one of his disgraced knights that 'fell on his sword'. Prepared to run the Mad Mage ; The party had planned last session to find the Mad Mage of Mt. Ulysses of Eros was a paladin of Sune who went on a vision quest south to respond to Sasha Ivliskova's pursuit. The book enhances the original Curse of Strahd module, which you will still need. 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. Aike and Ulfrik saw through the mist and trees the battle taking place between this mystical elk and four large wolves. She has the latter's gift of foresight. Arabelle is the only daughter of Luvash, and granddaughter of Madam Eva. Triumphant in his centuries-long pursuit of his Powerful Strahd Stat Block (Approx. Keep this in mind when you portray Strahd. Please enable JavaScript to get the best experience from this site. Strahd even has an accountant named Lief Lipsiege whos been an intriguing fixture of Ravenloft since the original I6 module. She acts more like an adult than a blank spell has a remaining duration of 3d6 hours, after child. Maybe your players cured Mordenkainen's madness and he is no longer the "Mad mage of the mountain" or maybe you want to use him with the new book Mordenkainen's tome of foes! Rina is a talkative scavenger at the Tser Pool camp, assigned to searching for Tasha. 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. Hewill live forever and hewill do horrible things to win Tatyana's love, making her hate him instead. [4], Mordenkainen had a hawk-like face, with a permanent frown that gave the appearance of alertness and almost anger, and a penetrating gaze. Yolanda is the youngest member of the Martikov family at the Wizard of the Wines. "Mordenkainen later traveled to Baroviain an attempt to free the local population from itsdarklord Strahd. Still, he will present the player characters with a powerful magic boon before leaving to find his lost belongings. Put that eldritch imagination to the test, and remember to tease your players with this iconic line:The master of Ravenloft is having guests for dinner and you are invited!. Lorgoth the Decayer was the moniker given to the demon summoned by Elisabeth Durst using Walter's soul. Tatyana was the fiance of Sergei von Zarovich, and is the only victim of Strahd's curse whose soul reincarnates perfectly. This is just one of the solutions for you to be successful. He chased Tatyana until she flung herself from the spires of Castle Ravenloft to her death. Barovia is a demiplane bordered by the Mists, which act as living vapors that often seep out into the Material Plane to pull strangers within. Khazan found out about the curse, and how the plane had been taken over by the dark lords. Curse of Strahd begins with an optional one-shot called Death House, a three-floor dungeon that lets players explore while advancing their characters from first to third level.DMs and players can decide whether or not to start with it, but either way, players will enter Barovia proper at level three. Heres one of my favorites, and check the links below as well. I also like the idea of Sergej's murder being forced as well: when he received his curse, the curse moved his hand. very interesting, on the home page the first part got me hooked! CR 18/19) Arveia, Ashes, Cassius, Gerry, and Vel DO NOT READ. Strahd shows himself multiple times throughout the campaign, standing ominiously and even interacting with the party directly several times. Captain Eriana is a mysterious adventuring pirate and captain of the Fundament, operating on waters south of Alfheim to east of Kvenland. Since his original showing in 1983 in the original Ravenloft, Strahd has instilled joy and fear in many dungeon masters and players alike. Glad I pre-ordered this book. He lurks to this day on Mount Baratok. [2], By the Year of Twelve Warnings, 1494 DR,[note 2] Mordenkainen inhabited the Tower of Urm, a dwelling that he used as a vehicle to travel through the multiverse. Father Lucien is the philanthropic priest at St. Andral's Church, burdened with the secrets of decades of confessions. He is privately very religious and deluded. Fugue is a junior guard at Fidatov manor, nicknamed after her habit of humming melodies stuck in her head. You can draw inspiration from films like Midsommar to emphasize the creepiness of suchcelebrations! Drusilla is often referred to as "a wonderful conversationalist" in Rictavio's journal. Doru is the son of Father Donavich, and a former freedom fighter for the Mad Mage turned tortured spawn of Strahd. Kellen is a survivor of one of Kiril's ring of stone matches, ridden with guilt over it. It was written by Christopher Perkins, with story help from the original Ravenloft authors, Tracy and Laura Hickman. The Mage's Rebellion Curse of Strahd: Library of Mystery Astrophel Astrophel . This means your big bad villain across a year long campaign is only CR15. Mordenkainen (pronounced:/mrdnkenn/MOR-den-kay-nen[10] listen or:/mrdnkenn/mor-den-KAY-nen[11] or:/mrdnkann/mor-den-KIGH-nen[11]) was a prolific archmage from the world of Oerth who was responsible for many powerful and useful spells. The residents of the pocket dimension (also called Barovia) only know legends of the decrepit castle on the hill that used to house a powerful vampire. A guide to give your rendition of Strahd some real bite. Henrik is a lonely coffin-maker whose trade and demeanour has given way to many unflattering rumours over the years. Erasmus was the son of Dr. Van Richten turned vampire spawn of Baron Metus. Strahd is probably one of the most iconic villains in the Dungeons and Dragons universe. [18], Following the demise of the Circle of Eight at the hands of Vecna during the lich's first failed attempt at obtaining greater deity status, a grieving Mordenkainen was consoled by Elminster, as the wizards reflected on the fragility of their good deeds. It was released on March 15, 2016 and is based on the Ravenloft module . Baroness Lydia Petrovna is the wife of Baron Vargas. He managed to turn into a demilich, and can still be found in the amber temple. Udo is the missing shoemaker of Vallaki, having led a small protest against the Baron at the Wolf Jamboree. Strahd has a special lair action that allows him to pass through walls and floors in Ravenloft as though they arent even there. The Vistani are traveling folk who can pass through the Mists and explore other Domains of Dread and even the planes beyond. The Abbot is an angel of the Morninglord, whose divine purpose is to relieve the people of Barovia from their strife. ISBN. His mother, Queen Ravenovia van Roeyen, was fearful of him, and she was unappeased by the castle named Ravenloft that he constructed in her honor. Ivah is Hedwig's confident best friend and lives at St. Andral's Orphanage. Laura is the captive of Baba Lysaga and the secret to their symbiotic immortality. anne boleyn ghost photo; serie a predictions windrawwin. It will take place in the mid 1790's, so about 100 years before the events of the book this module is based on. Adrian is the middle son of Davian Martikov, and the main protector of the Wizard of the Wines. [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. Assemble your crew Keys from the Golden Vault is available now You don't know what they can do, how much they know about you and when they are near you. He occasionally visited Avernus to study the effects of the Nine Hells over the schools of magic and to ensure the balance of the universe. I did see the warning, but I sincerely hope my PCs don't see this article, and spoil the plot. 1 / 2. It's like having a rewind button for your campaign. Possibly because of his simple outlook, he has a remarkable way with animals. Spoilers for Curse of Strahd lurk ahead!

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