#barovian tales

[barovianfinewines]

Barovian Folk Tales & Rhymes

“The Vampire Song”

(after “Snow Beast,” by Leslie Fish)

Note: “Snow Beast” is from the Mercedes Lackey filk album Oathbound, arranged and performed by Cecilia Eng, a recording of which can be heard here.

I'm DMing Curse of Strahd and I love trickling out setting information to my players through stories and poems. This was too perfect not to adapt. Kids gotta learn that you can't just let strangers willy-nilly into your house, or they may eat you and everyone you know!!

Children playing in the wood Farther than they know they should Saw a stranger walking near Never stopped to think nor fear Skin like ice, eyes that gleam Things aren't always what they seem Nails too sharp, teeth too long Look for what you know is wrong! “O my dears,” the woman plead “I'm all alone and chilled near dead These woods aren't safe for one to roam Won't you take me to your home?” Stands too still, moves too fast No shadow nor reflection cast Pointed ears, pointed grin Look before you let them in! Despite her cold, unblinking stare She seemed so nice, she spoke so fair Foolish children did not question They forgot a vital lesson Skin like ice, eyes that gleam Things aren't always what they seem Nails too sharp, teeth too long Look for what you know is wrong! They did not wait to find a guard They led her straight to their own yard They did not think to ask their kin They brought her home and let her in Stands too still, moves too fast No shadow nor reflection cast Pointed ears, pointed grin Look before you let them in! Once she was within, surprise! She cast away her human guise Fangs grew long, claws sprang free A ravenous vampire was she! Skin like ice, eyes that gleam Things aren't always what they seem Nails too sharp, teeth too long Look for what you know is wrong! All that night down every street She stalked and slaughtered all she'd meet When sun peeked o'er the ridge too late The town had met a grisly fate Stands too still, moves too fast No shadow nor reflection cast Pointed ears, pointed grin Look before you let them in! For pretty words and pretty wiles Pretty looks and pretty smiles Those folks were slain and scattered all Because they let their caution fall Skin like ice, eyes that gleam Things aren't always what they seem Nails too sharp, teeth too long Look for what you know is wrong! Stands too still, moves too fast No shadow nor reflection cast Pointed ears, pointed grin Look before you let them in!

Note: The vampire "tells" listed in this rhyme are mostly taken directly from 2nd edition Ravenloft sources. In my game, they are mostly allusions to true, valid tells, though reality is of course more complex than the song would make it seem.

In the novel I, Strahd, Strahd disguises his nature by either wearing gloves or trimming down his long, sharp nails, and by combing his hair to cover the pointed tips of his ears, and doing literally nothing else. Yeah, he parts his hair differently and calls it a day. Fwiw at that point he's basically an infant (only in his 90s!) and gives precious few fucks. This is all in concordance with his writeup in Realm of Terror.

Van Richten's Guide to Vampires lists the most notable tells as cold, unnaturally pale/ashen skin (the color of which can be disguised by makeup or magic, or explained away by some rationalization such as chronic illness or an aversion to being out in the sun with the peasants) and the absence of a reflection (in any reflective surface, not just mirrors).

VRGtV takes great pains to note that vampires have teeth nearly identical to our own, perhaps to frustrate genre-savvy players. Realm of Terror, on the other hand, takes great pains to note that vampires (or, Strahd, at the very least) have ~retractable fangs~ which lengthen when "aroused or attacking." So, make of that what you will.

(In the interest of thoroughness, Realm of Terror also waxes quite poetic about Strahd's eyes: "dark and hypnotic, like deep pools with subtle reflections of red light, [which] when he is aroused or enraged... burn like red hot coals." So, make of that what you will. For better or for worse I've got a folder in my head for weird 90s vampire lore that's labeled "arousal.")

[thefruitypebblescastleoftorment]

Barovian fairy tales don't often have explicit morals. For most of them, the unspoken moral of the tale is "life is cruel."

[dark-twist-fairytales]

Idk what I was smoking when I came up with Lich Clayton but I need more of it- (I say, as someone who’s never smoked in their life.)

It’s just so tragic-

The death order goes like this (might change later)

Sarnax (Lizardfolk have the shortest lifespan)

Shepherd (He lives a peaceful life in Yona, dying in the embrace of his loved ones)

Kana ( She stands strong against one final attack against her home, she watches the battlefield in victory as her eyes shut for the final time.)

Victoria ( Clayton moves to Barovia after his family’s passing, they spend their days helping the people, they’ve made a shrine for their fallen friends by one of Sarnax’s trees. She dies knowing she’s helped the people, Clayton adding her to the shrine)

Clayton ( He helps around Barovia, taking extra care of the Martikov family and their descendants. When his body degrades he continues his search.)

(New generations of Barovians are born, hearing the tales of the Azran Expedition, all of them should be dead by now, yet who is that cloaked figure by the shrine? No one truly knows, he brings medicine and magic, the elders claim him ancient, they watch on as he continues on his journey, wondering if they’ll see him again in their lifetime.)

Also, Hello! I’m the guy who made the long rest drawing!

I'm slamming my head into the table- I THOUGHT IT WAS YOU-

FJHRGAJVSEDGHASD---

Clayton being a damn cryptic yet it has so much meaning behind it- I'm sobbing-

Your art is incredible, by the way, it's delightful to see.

[moldwood]

barovian vistani energies 🫦

[saladcannibal]

Thought I'd share some more thoughts on the Abbot and Vasilka, and the some of the things we're doing in our campaign! So anyway, my DM is using some of the widely circulated homebrew for the Abbot, wherein he harvests body parts from living donors and gives them bestial replacement limbs in exchange. His true form is something similar to a shoggoth, but instead of being a tentacle horror, it's an ever-shifting amalgamation of various beasts and animals, with limbs sprouting and decaying at a rabid rate. I believe it's these parts that he harvests from himself to "gift" to his patients? Originally, I was going to lean into the "Little Red Riding Hood as monster slayer" trope with Vasilka, as that particular fairy tale is one of my favorites of all time, and dovetails nicely with the image of St. Markovia as depicted slaying wolves in many of her portraits. I was going with the idea that the Abbot gave Vasilka a wolf's heart instead of a human one, for undisclosed reasons, and that would be the source of her barbarian abilities. Possibly with some limbs donated from lycanthropic patients to explain the ability to shift certain body parts, but not her entire form. Path of the Beast operates similarly to Pathfinder shifters, in that respect. I thought it would be cool to sort of illustrate how she's really not so different from the other patients in the Abbey, she just has the ability to conceal her more "monstrous" appearance, that's all. Making some subtle nods to the Puma Lady from The Island of Dr. Moreau. (And what is the Abbey if not The Island of Dr. Moreau, but with more fantasy Catholicism thrown in?) I think it's interesting how in the module as written, a not insignificant portion of Kresk's population truly believe that the Abbot is actually Strahd in disguise, and he's playing at shepherd just to fuck with them all. Which isn't true, but since Strahd IS fucking with the Abbot (however you wish to interpret that), then he is, by extension, still kinda fucking with Kresk. So I like the idea of the Abbot as "wolf in sheep's clothing," even if it's not being done in a malicious way. Nothing he ever does is truly malicious, no matter how fucked up it is, but you know what they say: "The path to hell is paved with good intentions." I just like the idea that the "wolf in sheep's clothing" trope can work on several levels. One being that no one is supposed to know that the Abbot is actually a deva. The other is that almost no one knows what a deva actually looks like. I think most Barovians WOULD picture them as unearthly beautiful, winged humans, but in actuality they're these eldritch horrors that would probably cause most humans to go mad or instantly die of fright if they ever looked upon a deva's true form. Anyway, all this to say that I love how basically 90% of tables go with Biblically Accurate Angel for the Abbot's true form, and that everyone should add more Bloodborne to their CoS games! Keep up the good work!

Thought I'd share some more thoughts on the Abbot and Vasilka, and the some of the things we're doing in our campaign!

His true form is something similar to a shoggoth

[looks this up] oh yeah, that tracks. he would look like that.

I believe it's these parts that he harvests from himself to "gift" to his patients?

:) Doing his part!

Originally, I was going to lean into the "Little Red Riding Hood as monster slayer" trope with Vasilka, as that particular fairy tale is one of my favorites of all time, and dovetails nicely with the image of St. Markovia as depicted slaying wolves in many of her portraits.

IT DOES IT DOES

the Abbot gave Vasilka a wolf's heart instead of a human one, for undisclosed reasons

Better for us not to know why honestly

Possibly with some limbs donated from lycanthropic patients to explain the ability to shift certain body parts, but not her entire form. Path of the Beast operates similarly to Pathfinder shifters, in that respect.

Oooh 👁️👁️

I thought it would be cool to sort of illustrate how she's really not so different from the other patients in the Abbey, she just has the ability to conceal her more "monstrous" appearance, that's all. Making some subtle nods to the Puma Lady from The Island of Dr. Moreau. (And what is the Abbey if not The Island of Dr. Moreau, but with more fantasy Catholicism thrown in?)

I LOVE. And you're so right haha

I think it's interesting how in the module as written, a not insignificant portion of Kresk's population truly believe that the Abbot is actually Strahd in disguise, and he's playing at shepherd just to fuck with them all.

To the point that VR's Guide to Ravenloft mentions the people think he's Strahd. [puts my head in my hands] Mr. Abbot you've really made a mess of things.

Which isn't true, but since Strahd IS fucking with the Abbot (however you wish to interpret that)

Thank you for anticipating exactly where my mind went 😂

So I like the idea of the Abbot as "wolf in sheep's clothing," even if it's not being done in a malicious way. Nothing he ever does is truly malicious, no matter how fucked up it is, but you know what they say: "The path to hell is paved with good intentions."

👏👏👏

I just like the idea that the "wolf in sheep's clothing" trope can work on several levels. One being that no one is supposed to know that the Abbot is actually a deva. The other is that almost no one knows what a deva actually looks like. I think most Barovians WOULD picture them as unearthly beautiful, winged humans, but in actuality they're these eldritch horrors that would probably cause most humans to go mad or instantly die of fright if they ever looked upon a deva's true form.

Anyway, all this to say that I love how basically 90% of tables go with Biblically Accurate Angel for the Abbot's true form, and that everyone should add more Bloodborne to their CoS games! Keep up the good work!

THANK YOU!

[syrips]

escher got tired of being ignored by strahd and used divine intervention to be blessed by the mists to remain a permanent Large sized creature. upon his celebration a large turtle thing who was also a Large sized creature got very upset, and demanded a rap-off to see who has the best rhythm, in order to be proclaimed "the MC", also known as the Massive Creature of barovia. while they did their barovian rap off with folk tales and local barovian dances, someone rushed up to escher and said 'oh i am your number one fan, here is a magical microphone!' and handed escher a magical flame that acts like a microphone and boosts eschers voice.

this caused a riot as a blue tiefling and their kangaroo-dragon companion rushed in and brought in magical speakers, blasting the area with incredible rhythm that even the six blind women rushed in to join the dance. this caused two more people to rush in, curious about the debacle.

all was fun and games, until the camera cuts to strahd, who is very sad, watching from afar.

he was not invited.

CoS fandom, I need you to give me an explanation of what's going on here (only wrong answers)

[raeynbowboi]

Building an Embodiment of the Fairytale Princess (2.0)

This is nothing new. I’ve done this build before, which I’ll link right [here]. The post did really well, and people seemed to love the concept. However, since then, Mythic Odysseys of Theros and Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything have both come out, bringing with them not only new subclasses, but new features, spells, mechanics, and elements that I couldn’t take into consideration the first time around. So, I decided that rather than just adding a tag on post like I did before, I’d just remake the build with the new features being taken into consideration. Like before, the focus of the build is to create an embodiment of the generic fairytale princess and not any one particular character. So without further ado, let’s get into it.

Like before, we’ll be choosing Variant Human for our race of choice. We’ll channel Sleeping Beauty to be gifted by the fey with blessings of Beauty, Grace, and Song for +1 CHA, +1 DEX, and Performance proficiency. We also get a bonus feat, and thanks to Tasha’s, we can now take Fey Blessed for +1 CHA. However, if she doesn’t cast with Charisma, then substitute those CHA bonuses with Wisdom instead.

The generic fairytale princess is a maid of purest heart, so we’re Lawful Good. But for your more rebellious princesses, Neutral Good or Chaotic Good are also valid.

Background is obviously Noble for proficiency with History and Persuasion.

CLASSES & SUBCLASSES

BARD

This one seems pretty obvious. Bards love to sing and dance, like your stereotypical princess. Because Charisma is their top stat, and they have expertise, it can make them great negotiators, and allow them to excel in dialogue interactions.

GLAMOUR

This college is very fitting for a fairytale princess, as it is focused on making oneself as beautiful and charming as the Fairest of Them All.

LORE 

Lore bards share information, whether they tell stories, recite plays, share philosophy, or spread juicy gossip, the Lore Bard gets more magical secrets, and added expertise to make your princess an even bigger Mary Sue. In actual medieval history, princesses often learned to play instruments and sing, recite prayers or poems, or tell stories to visiting guests, and it was considered a part of her education and duty to do so.

CLERIC

While not every princess is a devout religious girl, their stories tend to be set in the medieval period when a good princess would have been expected to be chaste and pious. So on that front, worshiping a good deity would be befitting of such a character.

LIFE

The fairytale princess raises up those they care about, and nothing is more supportive and helpful than keeping your friends on their feet. The Life Cleric turns your princess into a kind soul who weeps for her friends and patches them up after the battle, turning your princess into a useful ally against the wicked witches and dangerous dragons.

LIGHT

Not all Fairytale Princesses are passive or support players. Those who lean toward Light are the princesses who stand as the Big Good of their story and battle the forces of Darkness with the power of the Light. Of the three Cleric options that fit the archetype, this is the best option for being a powerhouse in combat.

PEACE

Don’t get me wrong, I still hate this domain for wearing the skin of the Love Domain we were supposed to get, and you can absolutely still play it that way. How this domain went from Love to Togetherness to Pacifism is beyond me, but it’s a fairly strong subclass. The classic princess archetype is supposed to be gentle and kind, fitting for one who worships a god of mercy and forgiveness. It’s a value often toted as the strongest characterization of the early Disney princesses.

DRUID

My first time building the fairytale princess, I ignored Druid as an option because the wildshaping didn’t really make sense for a fairytale princess, but a lot of the Bardic Magical Secrets were used to steal Druid spells. However, thanks to the optional rules from Tasha’s, Druids can now use their Wildshape to summon fey that take on the shapes of animals instead of turning into the animals themselves, which makes Druid far more viable, as summoning animals is very in-character for a fairytale princess.

DREAMS 

The Circle of Dreams has heavy Fey associations with references to the Summer Court ruled by Titania. It also is strongly focused on healing, and has a very Fairy Tale flavor to it. It’s an especially great option if you want to invoke Sleeping Beauty, as you can cloak your party while you sleep and send messages to people through your dreams.

SHEPHERD

The fairytale princess is strongly associated with animal buddies, and nothing makes better use of that than the Shepherd Druid, which focuses on amassing an army of critters. What’s more, the Unicorn Totem is very fitting, not only because Unicorns only approach maidens with pure hearts, but Shepherds of the Unicorn Totem get empowered healing.

SORCERER

The sorcerer is born with a spark of something special in them, and a lot of fantasy royalty have magical powers that other people in their world lack.

DIVINE SOUL

The princess doesn’t literally have to be the descendant of the gods, as the original name for the subclass was more about being favored by the gods. Still, if you want to lean into the idea of the princess as the Big Good against the Big Bad, then having her be born with the spark of the gods inside her makes for a neat characterization.

WILD MAGIC 

With the new Sorcerer Shards as I’ve come to call them, we were introduced to the Feywild Shard, which was heavily geared toward Wild Magic Sorcerers, which seems to be WoTC’s way of saying that Wild Magic Sorcerers are the fey-linked sorcerous origin, so I’m including it because of our fey connection. 

WARLOCK

This is the only class where there’s exactly one good option, but it’s one that works surprisingly well.

ARCHFEY 

As a Warlock with a Pact of the Chain, your fairytale princess can choose to Find Familiar any cute little animal companion, or a Sprite to be your Fairy Godmother. Or rather, you can sign a pact with your Fairy Godmother, and use your Chain Pact to summon one of her emissaries to help you. The Archfey patron themselves can act as your Fairygodther, granting you and your party boons and aid where they need it.

WARLOCK INVOCATIONS

Agonizing Blast Armor of Shadows Beast Speech Eldritch Mind Eldritch Sight Gift of the Ever-Living Ones Shroud of Shadow Voice of the Chain Master

CHARISMA vs WISDOM

The big split in how you build your princess falls down the line between these two camps. The wise princess works better as a Druid/Cleric, while a charming princess is more of a Bardlock. For me personally, as much as the Cleruid fits the fairytale princess, the stereotype of the princess is usually that she is gullible, naïve, and overly trusting. Insight is a wisdom check, and something the classic princess archetype is usually bad at. Granted, Animal Handling is also Wisdom, but the Bard’s expertise can overrule a low Wisdom score. Think of it like a clash between Princess Zelda from the Legend of Zelda vs Princess Peach from Mario. Princess Zelda is wise and is much more focused on leadership and protecting her kingdom. Peach is more about the pretty dresses and having servants help her. They’re two very different camps on the princess archetype. Ultimately, which one you choose will depend on the type of princess you wish to invoke. The Classic Damsel or the Wise Matriarch.

SIDEKICKS

A new feature added in Tasha’s, sidekicks are secondary characters that can help the party and are basically simplified character builds with fewer bells and whistles. There are three main camps:

Expert. Experts are clever and knowledgeable, be they minstrels, librarians, pickpockets, merchants, or assassins. They can pick proficiency with DEX, INT, or CHA saving throws, and can be proficient or an expert with any five skills of your choice, and humanoids also gain proficiency with light armor, simple weapons, and two tools of your choice.

Spellcaster. Trained in the secrets of the Arcane, be they a priest, a fortuneteller, or a magical creature. They can choose proficiency with INT, WIS, or CHA checks, and can be proficient in Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Medicine, Performance, Persuasion, or Religion. They choose a roll to determine their spell list: Mage (Wizard), Healer (Cleric, Druid) or Prodigy (Bard, Warlock). The sidekick has access to the spell list of the classes their role aligns with, as well as casting with that stat.

Warrior. trained fighters, be they a soldier, a city guard, a trained animal, or a hired sword. They can pick proficiency with STR, DEX, or CON saving throws, and their skill options are Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, Intimidation, Nature, Perception, and Survival. Warriors can pick a fighting style: either Offensive to add +2 to attack and damage rolls, or Defender to impose disadvantage on hitting creatures other than them while within 5 feet of the princess.

Generic Princess Sidekicks

Humanoid Guard Warrior (bodyguard) Humanoid Commoner Expert (handmaiden, governess, etc.) Humanoid Magewright Spellcaster (court mage, or advisor) Any Beast-type Warrior (animal companion)

Fairytale Inspired Sidekicks

Seven Dwarves - Dwarf Warrior Fairy Godmother - Sprite or Pixie Spellcaster Prince Charming - Humanoid Noble Warrior Wicked Witch - Barovian Witch Spellcaster Beast - Gnoll, Jackalwere, Orc, or Troglodyte Warrior Puss in Boots - Awakened Cat or Tabaxi Warrior The Frog Prince - Awakened Frog or Grung Warrior Three Little Pigs - Awakened Pig Expert, Spellcaster, & Warrior Big Bad Wolf - Wolf Warrior or Awakened Wolf Expert Robin Hood - Redbrand Ruffian or Bandit Expert Djinn of the Lamp - Dust, Ice, or Magma Mephit Spellcaster Pinocchio - Giant Stone Statue Warrior White Rabbit - Awakened Rabbit Expert Cheshire Cat - Awakened Cat Expert or Spellcaster

There is no actual limit to the number of sidekicks your character can have, so in theory, your fairytale princess could have an entire posse of talking animals hanging out and helping her.

Skills, Spells, and Features

As a Variant Human, we got Performance proficiency alongside our Fey Touched feat, and as a Noble, we have proficiency with Persuasion and History. For everything else, we’re just looking to be a standard Fairytale Princess. So we should look to be proficient with: Animal Handling, Arcana, Religion, Nature, or Medicine.

BASIC FAIRIES

Dancing Lights Faerie Fire Healing Spirits Spirit Guardians Summon Fey Conjure Woodland Beings Conjure Fey

BASIC PRINCESS THINGS

Animal Friendship Command Heroism Speak With Animals Animal Messenger Calm Emotions Find Steed Warding Bond Zone of Truth Conjure Animals Mord’s Magnificent Mansion

SNOW WHITE

Armor of Agathys Mirror Image Beacon of Hope Aura of Purity Heroes’ Feast

CINDERELLA

Fabricate Creation True Polymorph Wish

SLEEPING BEAUTY

Sleep Phantasmal Killer Dream Wall of Thorns Dream of the Blue Veil

THE LITTLE MERMAID

Charm Person Shatter Suggestion Tidal Wave Compulsion Control Water Dominate Person Maelstrom Control Weather Tsunami Storm of Vengeance

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Charm Monster Unseen Servant Tiny Servant Animate Objects Awaken Hold Monster Summon Fiend

Last time I built the fairytale princess, I gave her exactly 1 build. 18 levels of glamour bard and 2 levels of Archfey Warlock. But recently I’ve begun to instead put more stock in leaving builds open, showing instead the options that a player has to choose from. So, for this update, I’m not pushing for a specific build. I’ve laid out the appropriate spells, and the types of princesses that a player can strive to emulate with their spell lists. Consider this more of a guide to help you decide how you want to play your fairytale princess.

[curseofthebloodcountess]

Ismark: lilac + chrysanthemum

HCs about NPCs: Saturday Game Edition | Accepting!

lilac :   what was your muse’s childhood like ? how has their upbringing affected them as they’ve aged ?

The village of Barovia is no place to bring up children - it is a place to bring up warriors, if you are lucky. Ismark was lucky. The son of the burgomaster, one of the few remaining barons in the valley of Barovia, he was tutored in letters, numbers, government, and swordplay. He had one younger sister, Ireena, who was his best friend and one of the few children in the village with whom he could spar and play and talk. He would not call it a lonely childhood, but it was. The Kolyanaviches wanted to keep their children safe from the Devil Strahd and, in the end, might have failed. This means that though Ismark trained with a blade for many years and dreamed of cutting down the tyrant himself, that outcome seems doubtful. This means that though Kolyan wanted his son to be a great leader after him, the people began calling Ismark "the Lesser" before he was put into the ground. This means that Ismarks adulthood has been spent knowing he is no match for the Count when it comes to keeping his sister safe. He was raised to hold impossible goals and dreams dear to his heart and the older he's gotten, the more bitter he has become. He has fought hard not to despair as other Barovians do and crawl into a bottle, but, well... the party meets Ismark in a tavern for a reason and it isn't that this is D&D and all great quests begin there.

The weight of leadership weighs heavily on Ismark in ways echoed throughout a valley of young leaders, but perhaps in a special way, too. Of the new generation of burgomasters, he rules the kingdom most full of ghosts. Barovia Village is described in the book as a place full of wailing and zombies and boarded doors and windows. In my game, it is where the Blood Tax takes the bloody form of The Purge as Volenta and her army descend upon villagers, scenting out souled Barovians to bleed dry. The people, even the sun-touched souls, are less a community than in Vallaki or Krezk than a sheep pen of livestock who know they are safer from wolves in numbers. What is Ismark meant to do with that? His father had a good rule until his last days, but though those last days were at most four weeks ago, people are already discussing Kolyan's failings and Ismark's. And now that Ismark has disappeared from Barovia Village, I'm sure many argue that he truly was too soft to rule and not the swordsman his father had hoped. If they knew where he was, what he was doing, I think his people would either praise it as the savviest political move they've yet seen or else mark it as the end of the line and remind each other that Ismark the Lesser was always a fool with foolish ambitions. If Doru could not take on the Devil and live, why should Ismark? I think if Barovia Village could have had its way, they would have installed Ireena Kolyana as burgomaster and bid her marry Doru Donavich because they had inspiring, passionate, sun-touched souls that outshone Ismark's quieter, but still sun-touched nature. Ismark knew he did not shine like his sister and that even as a child, his community dreaded the day he led them, but they accepted him as Kolyan's heir and that would be sufficient and they would pray that the Morning Lord could guide him since Ismark Kolyanavich was fashioned to be second to others, not their leader. He watched people and understood them, especially his people and the adventurers passing through their gates, and he understood them all too well. He was not the inspiring leader his father was, who could protect Barovia Village through ravaging Blood Taxes. He was not his mother who was valued for her beauty and gentle spirit. He was not his passionate sister, who was odd and wondrous and plucked from the brightest pages of a fairy tale. He was not the headstrong son of a priest, who would claim the right hand of a foreign wizard to lay siege to Ravenloft. He was Ismark - just Ismark on a good day and Ismark the Lesser when people thought he couldn't hear. He channeled his childish dismay into sword fighting and research of the history of Barovia and into art. He became good at it all. He has read and dreamed of great battles and has practiced with any manner of sword or shield he could lay his hands upon. He is a deadly fighter, a wealth of knowledge, and a thoughtful man. He has a talent, an appreciation, and a love for art and even knows how to make his own paints and dyes from Barovian plantlife. His mother was a painter - Barovia village's last.

Truthfully, Ismark takes after his and Ireena's mother and Ireena takes after their father. Though Ismark and Ireena are both talented fighters, Ismark would rather make art as his mother taught him and Ireena to, and Ireena would be better off carving up vampire spawn. He's a good and sensitive man and there is a streak of hardness and battle in him that he swears up and down is simply his destiny. Is it, Ismark? It may also be of interest to note that Lady Karelova-Indrevna was the last mortal to go to Castle Ravenloft to paint its inhabitants and return unscathed. Perhaps Ismark's ability to survive there this long speaks to some inner strength, some teaching of his mother's, or something else altogether. He, like his mother, is calm, reserved, and enjoys the little pleasures of life with immense gratitude. He learned from her to be brave and to enjoy the little things because the world is full of big evils and tomorrow is no guarantee, Isya, so we must live today and thank the gods for the good.

chrysanthemum :   how does your muse express romantic love ? how do they feel about love as a concept ?

I don't think Ismark has ever really carved out time for romantic love. I think he wishes he could have - could still - but such wishes are neither here nor there, given his current predicament. As I said, he is a sensitive soul, an artist, and a fighter. He would see romance as an extension of these things. He'd want to take care of his lover, provide for them, and protect them while creating little reminders of the beauty in the world for them. I think he would absently sketch the object of his affections with the tenderest care, but insist that, truthfully, how he will show his devotion is by protecting them from all of Barovia's horrors. I think if he was softer, he'd fancy himself a white knight, but this is Barovia. He's not softer. He's practical. Providing for one's lover and protecting them from all the horrors of a Barovian night is how one shows love. Art is how one may woo in a world where beauty is hard to find. There are few he wants to woo if anyone at all.

Love is not something that he has had the luxury of indulging in, as I've said. He has always known that as the future (now current) burgomaster of Barovia, he would have to take a wife to carry on the family line. It would be nice to love his wife romantically, but he does not think that that's strictly necessary, as there is no guarantee his wife would have a soul or be a romantic match. He expects marriage to be political and, indeed, I do think he half-expects to marry Rozaliya Krezkova, who is barely more than a child, so he does not expect a grand romance with her. Therefore, he's not opposed to looking beyond the marriage bed for romantic companionship, but, again, he has been so preoccupied since Strahd began his assault on the family home that neither romance nor sex has been at the forefront of his mind.

I think if you were to ask him at the dinner how he feels about romantic love, he would either not know how to respond or have a complicated and possibly uncomfortable answer.

[strahd-von-asthmavich]

The Ancient and The Land - Mod Escher’s Roll20 Curse of Strahd Campaign [Session 0]

Gather round, for a tale you won’t surely forget! Join my dear, dear players as they all embark on quite the adventure in Barovia!

Before we begin, some disclaimers are needed:

Outright, there are trigger warnings for implied abuse and graphic violence.

Now, to introduce my party (one player will be introduced next session, she’s still getting used to her new work schedule)!

Diane GoldenDew - Mastermind Rogue Diane is 13 year old high elf itching for adventure! She learned a lot about different heroes, and she wishes to go on one of her own, like her favorite hero White Glint! She’s traveling by herself, since both of her parents had tragically died of old age.

Ireena Kolyana - Duelist Fighter (Played by Mod Strahd!) Ireena is the adopted daughter of the late Burgomaster of the Village of Barovia. She was found by the Burgomaster and her brother Ismark as a young child, and they took her in as part of the family. However, due to red hair being a bad omen and unforeseen circumstances, Ireena was holed away in the mansion at the age of 15, never allowed to leave again. She tried running away with her family’s ancestral blade in hand on the night before her 20th birthday, but she was ambushed by wolves not too long after. She was saved by Vasili von Holtz, a young lord of Vallaki that frequently visited the mansion and had an interest in her. Her father took exception to her departure, but after dealing with his wrath, she confided in Vasili. Just days later, Kolyan passed away.

Mirthe - Witch, Covenant of the Wise (Mod Strahd’s homebrew class!) Accompanied by her familiar, Nadcasovy (a giant weasel), Mirthe is a Carnival Performer (and might I add the cutest pastel tiefling). Her act was as a hair hanger, instead with horns! She grew up with the matriarchs of her family in a forest. Her family never shunned her father, just said he had another calling. When she grew older, about 16, she decided to go seek him out with her familiar, feeling she was missing something in connection to her magical abilities. She found her father in a carnival show and took on that life ever since. Now, she’s traveling on her own to perform.

Savita Orelene - Light Cleric Savita is a fire genasi, cursed at birth by her mother’s family after her father left shortly after her conception. Savita and her mother were taken care of clerics of the sun god, Amaunator. Grateful for their help, Savita and her mother stayed with them, and Savita was eventually blessed by the god himself. Tragically, however, her mother was slain, drained completely of her blood.

Valarys - Blood Hunter, Order of the Lycan Valarys was found by an older couple as an infant, abandoned and left on the side of a beaten road. They’ve been taken care of by the couple and was raised as their own. However, Valarys was also half-lycanthrope. As they were coming of age, they turned on accident in public, which caused a panic in the village that soon turned into a full on mob. Their father was killed in the process of protecting Valarys, but before he told them to escape, he gave them a letter and told them of a name of someone that might be able to help them.

With that, let’s begin the story of their journey under the cut!

Diane, Mirthe, Savita, and Valarys all were in their own respective campsites the night before they all met, traveling who knows where to go ahead and do who knows what. It was starting to get a little misty while they were all resting. But when they woke up the next morning, they were all trapped in a fog. when they tried to get out, they couldn’t breathe, and they all ended up meeting each other within the mists. They all decided to move out of the fog and end up in strange, dark woods that they don’t recognize. They get to know each other in the woods.

Valarys is a bit standoffish when meeting the other members of the party. Diane, being a curious and rambunctious child, was more than eager to start on her adventure. She’d read stories about Barovia, a lost city of beauty, of flowers, and of the sun. Its radiance could be something like she’d never seen before. Savita was so confused at being in such a strange land. Mirthe was more than happy to introduce herself to the players (note: Nadcasovy is bigger than Diane).

In the woods, a letter gets delivered to them in the form of a breeze, as if they were expected. The letter was as follows:

Weary Travelers and Adventurers, Welcome to Barovia.

Do forgive me for such an intrusive fog. The Mists have their own way of welcoming new visitors. Allow me to offer a far better form of hospitality.

My home is your home, as the saying goes. Feel free to roam about and indulge in the bounties of my reign. Do be careful traveling at night. We would not want any... unwanted accidents, now, would we? Mind where you tread. If I were to enter your home, I would have limitations of where I may wander, would I not?

I do hope you enjoy your stay. So long as you all follow these specific guidelines and mind your manners, we will all get along just fine. After all, this wonderful land of mine is where you will stay for the rest of your life. Do not try to go back in the fog from whence you came. You may have survived the Mists for now, but you will never be so lucky again.

And do watch your backs.

Your new Lord and Master, The Ancient and The Land of Barovia

Valarys is distraught at the concept that they may never be able to go back again. Everyone doesn’t like that idea, but they know now that they have no choice but to continue forward. After several hours, they arrive at the Gates of Barovia, where they easily open for the party.

They walk through the forest, until they hear a strange noise coming from the woods. A wolf (which Diane insists is a horse) bounds out from the forest but doesn’t attack the party. Instead, they’re running away from whatever noise was just made in the woods. Out from there comes Vasili von Holtz, who was riding a mount while holding what he describes is a gun. Mirthe in particular wonders why he couldn’t just use arrows, after he describes what a gun does, and Vasili insists that he just likes using a gun better. Valarys doesn’t trust Vasili outright, given their lycanthropy and feeling a kinship with the wolves.

Vasili was there in Svalich Woods hunting before he would then go to the Village of Barovia. He offers to let them tag along with him. On the way, he tells them about the history of the Dark Lord of the land.

“This place was not always this closed off from the rest of the world. Centuries ago, there was an ancient Prince. He came to this land and fought many battles, turning this valley into what is known today as Barovia. Not everyone treated him with kindness, however. But, when he was wounded during a harsh battle, he was nursed back to health and protected by the people who wander the land after wrongfully being forced from their homes. They’re known as the Vistani, and after taking such good care of the wounded Prince, they now forever are free to enter and leave the valley. Only they can come and go as they please.

“The Prince became the Lord of the land, maintaining order from the Eastern territories of the Village to the Western outskirts of Krezk. But he was growing older. He called for his family to come to him, and through this came the answer from his youngest brother. This young man was described to have a smile that radiated like the sun.

“Just when the Lord thought all was lost, he met a beautiful woman with fiery auburn hair; a true treasure. He loved her with all his heart. But she was taken from him. His brother, in his youthful cunning, took the woman as his own before the Lord had a chance. Enraged, the Lord attempted to take back what rightfully was his, but not without consequences.

“A coup had been staged during the brother and bride’s wedding day. The brother was slain, and the Lord was inflicted with a dark curse. And this curse spread throughout the land. The Lord became a dictator, and almost no one was safe from his wrath.”

He insists that they should go to Tser Pool to see if they could end the curse, where Madam Eva, a Seer, would be able to tell them more.

Mirthe is very pleased to hear that there is a Seer. However, Valarys is aghast at the idea of Madam Eva knowing about their past, present, and future. Vasili insists that either way, she knows all, and she could help them.

Set on going to Tser Pool, Vasili first offers to take them to the Village of Barovia to see the late Burgomaster’s children, to which Diane eagerly asks why the “Burger Master” is late. That was when Vasili reveals that the Burgomaster died of a heart attack. 

Taking exception to the fact that the party let Diane, a child, walk on foot for over 5 hours, Vasili offers to let her sit on his mount. With that, they all travel as it starts to rain (Savita, being a fire genasi, is pretty disheartened at that).

At the Village of Barovia, they’re all greeted to the sound of sobbing as they reach the center of town. After the party fails to properly perceive where exactly the crying is coming from, they proceed to knock on every door on that street until they find the source.

The first house was answered by a disgruntled man, who tells them that Mad Mary was the source of the crying. During this, Diane shows off her master skills by speaking in a perfect Barovian accent (which Vasili kindly thinks “WTF” upon hearing her). The disgruntled man tells them that crying is coming from across the street. So, they go directly across the street, where a different woman answers and insists that the crying is coming from next door.

Mad Mary answers, completely distraught at the loss of her daughter, and she is dismissive of the players being able to help her at first. She is also initially scared shitless by Diane’s talking doll, after she shows it when seeing a doll in Mad Mary’s hand. She then cries that the “Devil” could possibly have her. Diane insists that this devil must’ve been a Bone Devil, after Mad Mary describes that the Burgomaster was publicly executed by being drained completely of his blood. Initially hopeless, the party manages to convince her that they would try to find her daughter, Gertruda.

With that, Mad Mary leaves them to their own devices, just as they hear a cart roll by and a withered voice shout “Fresh Pies, Fresh Pies, Freshly Made from Granny’s Supplies!”

Crowds gather to have a taste of her delicious food.

Diane manages to successfully steal a savory meat pie from her cart, just as Vasili also decides to come up to the cart. He and Granny know each other, and Vasili eagerly does business with her, buying three pies for the party. Savita eats a meat pie, Mirthe eats half of a fruit pie, and there was also a berry pie that was purchased. Granny notes that one of her meat pies is missing, but she doesn’t think too long about that. Granny also mentions that if they ever needed any more pies, they could always visit her at the Old Durst Mill, where she lives and works.

Vasili then takes them down to the end of the street, where the Burgomaster’s mansion was. They all go inside, and they’re greeted by Ismark in a drunken stupor. At the mention of his father, Ismark simply states, “Peace be upon him” and proceeds to belch.

Right away, Vasili is looking for Ireena, who has been sitting in the library. She eagerly greets him, as well as the party. Vasili leaves to find Ismark to see if they found Kolyan’s will. During this, Diane explores the library to try and find a book about heroes, but she doesn’t find exactly what she was looking for. See, she was looking for a book about White Glint, but instead she found one about the story of a hero named Ivan Denesch and his quest to defeat Koschei the Immortal. Ireena more than happily talks about the story with Diane, who enjoys it.

Valarys meanwhile finds a book about werewolves, in which Ireena tells them that it was written by none other than Rudolph van Richten, a legendary hunter of sorts.

The party takes time with Ireena to get to know each other, in which they point out that Ireena has several healing bruises down the left side of her face and on her neck. When asked, she insists that she’s fine and that things will be better now, but she secretly insists after Diane asks that her insistence is because of Kolyan being dead. They all continue to have heartfelt moments when interacting, one such moment including Ireena giving Nadcasovy the good scritches.

After a while, Vasili and Ismark return to the library after being in a room across the hall. In hand, Ismark has Kolyan’s will, and he gives it to Vasili to read. Ismark can barely sit down, let alone look straight to read a letter. Vasili begrudgingly reads ahead first, before reading aloud:

I, Kolyan Indirovich, Burgomaster of the Village of Barovia, hereby write my final will and testimony.

For my son, Ismark, as painful as it is for me to bequeath to you this, I leave you my title and the mansion. Never forget the responsibilities of maintaining such a village and the privilege that implies. Do not let the people down more than you already have. Straighten yourself out, and maybe I will look at you fondly from the afterlife. Do be the one to place me in my final resting place. You know why, my son.

Vasili von Holtz, my dearest friend, I know we have only known each other for a short time, but it is my dying wish that you look after my daughter. She is a bright young woman with ambitions that far surpass my expectations. Wherever she may roam off to next, please assure me that she will always be under your protection. Interpret that as you see fit. I know you won’t disappoint me.

For my dearest daughter, Ireena, I leave behind for you the knowledge that everything I have done, no matter how drastic my methods may have seemed, was for your protection and your own good. My reasons for worrying for you have been confirmed. You are a wise, determined young lady, but with hair as blood red as yours, my concern for you has been like a Plague. Heed the world with caution. Stay safe, and stay home.

Distraught, Ireena immediately leaves the library after punching a decently sized hole in the wall, and Vasili goes after her to console her. They both know that they need to act sympathetic to keep up appearances, but they know that this was something Kolyan did not deserve. Ireena hates the message for her that was left behind, insisting how horribly she had been treated. Vasili offers that she can stay with him, so long as Ismark lets her go (since he’s now in charge of the mansion and everything in it) and she wants to join him. Needless to say, they’re both glad that Kolyan is dead.

Ireena then reveals what the Dark Lord had said to her at the execution: “I will always protect you, my lovely summer rose.” 

She doesn’t understand how he was able to find out what was happening anyways, in which Vasili recollects that superstition says that he’s always watching, but his timing was impeccable. The two embrace each other. In the middle of the hallway.

Meanwhile, Ismark explains to the rest of the party how the Burgomaster really died. Mad Mary wasn’t exactly “mad” when it came to her claim. Kolyan was dragged out to the center of town for his crimes against humanity (which somehow was found out) and was executed by the Dark Lord of the land himself. He was drained completely of his blood in front of the entire village, and since then, no one wanted to go near the Burgomaster’s children or even try to help bury him.

Ismark also tells them that he’s not going to keep Ireena cooped up like it said in Kolyan’s will. He explains that the reason why Ireena was initially cooped up was that being a red-haired woman was a bad omen (or so they say, since he’s impartial to superstitions). He also puts to rest that the “devil” is not a Bone Devil, but a vampire. He also warns them of strange creatures that all want to kill you: “Wolves, werewolves, dire wolves... a lot of wolves. There’s men that look like trees. Scarecrows...” He’s too drunk to be coherent about what’s actually out there, but he does warn them seriously that they should watch out for fleders, an aggressive type of vampire that hunts ruthlessly at night.

Ismark then politely asks if they could help them bury the Burgomaster tomorrow, as much as he doesn’t want to do a proper funeral. They all agree.

The session ends when Ismark offers that he can ask Ireena to make them dinner and that they could stay the night at the mansion. Valarys offers their help, in which Ismark insists Ireena would appreciate that. Meanwhile, Diane interrupts Ireena and Vasili kissing in the hallway by swiftly moving passed them, with Nadcasovy following suit.

[barovianfinewines]

Barovian Folk Tales & Rhymes

See a raven, watch it fly, Luck will rain down from the sky; Strike a raven to the ground, Your misfortunes will abound!

Per Curse of Strahd, Barovians and Vistani alike believe it ill-fortune to kill a raven. The inverse—ravens being a fortuitous omen—doesn't necessarily follow, but it's easy enough to omit the first couplet or restrict it to certain groups.

After the traditional "see a pin and pick it up / all the day you'll have good luck / see a pin and let it lay / bad luck you'll have all the day," of which there are innumerable variations, but this particular rhyme is collected in The Traditional Nursery Rhymes of England (1886) and The Real Mother Goose (1916).

[vulpixelates]

Saw a new picrew floating around my dash, so naturally I had to make my OCs from a Ravenloft-themed series of one-shots that my group plays. They are all part of a group referred to as The Last Chance Brigade because it’s filled with misfits and criminals that are trying to redeem themselves, but usually end up doing otherwise. Descriptions go from left to right.

Ary Longshot: A genderfluid changeling and gloom stalker ranger who may or may not be madly in love with a far away queen that they cannot be with right now and is definitely plotting to kill the general of the army they were formerly a part of. They have a companion creature named Henrietta, who is a small fey, bird-like entity that eats gems and can move throughout the planes to deliver messages and give advice. 

Stefano Chavali: “Stef” or “Vali” for short. She is a Vistani oracle who is based on Charisma and Strength and wields a glaive in battle. Vali fancies herself a breaker of chains and bringer of justice, but will settle for challenging people to sparring matches and cheating at games of chance when the mood strikes.

Vanja Velikova: A fetchling shadow sorcerer/cleric. As the daughter of Barovian nobility and a grave cleric of the Eternal Order, Vanja Velikova enjoys the good things in life: long walks around the creepy docks of Darkon, imported sugary treats, and ritual sacrifices to appease Death. (Accidentally and loosely based on Mercy from Tales from the Mists, oops.)

[dndeviants]

Rendezvous with Rictavio

Linda awakened early the next day. She felt well rested from sleeping on the large bed. She stretched... recalling the agreement to meet Rictavio at the Blue Water Inn. 

She cursed herself for forgetting and getting caught up with Strahd. Linda walked over to the writing desk and searched for paper and a quill.

Having found the necessary things, she began to write in Thieves Cant, leaving a message for Aric and Jeeves:

I can answer a couple of the questions you asked me last night that I didn't know. I talked with the vampire and he enlightened me on what he knows. I am going to the inn to talk with Rictavio about some things. Please join me when you get this note. I will inform you what I know then.

-Linda

She threw on her coat and strapped her pack and weapons on. She folded the note up and slid it under the door to Aric’s room. She quickly left the house...

The morning air was cold, and the sky was cloudy. Mist gathered at her feet and caressed her cheek as she walked. She entered the Blue Water Inn and saw Rictavio...

Rictavio made a gesture and summoned an illusory rabbit, "It had a vicious streak a mile wide! And had big... sharp...pointy teeth!"

Linda rolled her eyes and looked around to the audience. It didn’t seem like the few Barovians there bought  Rictavio’s story. She decided to spare them.

"Are you quite finished with your tall tale?” Linda asked, “I would like to have a word with you."

Rictavio snapped toward her voice, relief washing over his face as he saw her, "Alright. My room? Away from any eavesdroppers?"

Linda nodded and crossed her arms, "Sounds good to me."

Rictavio guided her up the stairs and led her to his room. Once they were inside, he closed the door and locked it. He turned to Linda and put his hands on his hips.

"What the hell?” He exclaimed, “Where were you? I thought you were coming back to the Inn? We had things to discuss!"

Linda held her hands up defensively, "Look things came up. I didn't intend to not keep my word."

He sighed in frustration, "Alright. So... what happened?"

Linda put her hands in her pockets, "Vasili invited us to dinner at his house."

"Wha-?" Rictavio blinked and threw his hands up in the air, utterly disbelieving, "And you went? You know who he really is!"

"Yes, we went and confronted him about what we know,” her tone was short, “He knows that we know, but it's fine. I convinced him to still be calm about everything.”

She sat  on the bed, “Everyone is still going forward with the plan. He is going to be traveling with us.”

She looked at his stunned face, admitting, “And I have revealed my other profession to him. He knows that I am a hunter,” she locked eyes with him, “I am making a call: No Action. As long as his behavior continues on his current path, I have no reason to kill him. From what I can tell, he is actually trying to fix the things he has done against his people and working to better himself.”

She crossed her arms, “For me, that is good enough."

Rictavio took a moment to absorb everything that she told him. He sighed, not wanting to fight, "Okay. I guess that is good enough.”

He leaned against a desk, “So... That means... finding my uncle is going to be a bit tricky. He's not gonna know your call. And I'm not exactly trusting ‘Vasili’ to keep calm if we find him. Considering the history... but I guess we will just cross that bridge when we get to it."

Linda wondered if Rictavio’s uncle was a monster hunter as well. Rictavio slung his pack over his back. He turned to her, asking, "So... are we going to head out to travel? Help out Urwin, stretch the legs a bit?"

"That is the plan,” Linda affirmed, “Though, I am waiting on Aric and Jeeves to get here so that I can give them some information before we meet up with the others. Also, there are two traveling with us that should not be told that Vasili is Strahd. We would have problems and I want to keep them as allies."

Rictavio nodded his acknowledgement as they left the room and headed back downstairs.

---------------------

Aric awakened, sensing movement in the house. He slipped out of bed, and saw a piece of folded parchment by his door. Curious, he went and unfolded it, reading a coded letter:

I can answer a couple of the questions you asked me last night that I didn't know. I talked with the vampire and he enlightened me on what he knows. I am going to the inn to talk with Rictavio about some things. Please join me when you get this note. I will inform you what I know then.

 -Linda

Aric shook his friend, speaking Alzhedo, "Jeeves, wake up. Seems Linda spoke with Strahd."

Jeeves slowly rose from the bed, whispering, "Linda...? Ah. She figure out something? Do I need to stab someone?"

Jeeves groggily reached for his weapons.

Aric shook his head, "I don't think so, but who knows. She wants us to meet her at the inn. Apparently, she went to see Rictavio."

Jeeves nodded, half-asleep, "Good... it's too early for stabbing. I wonder what she needed to talk to the weird doppelganger about...” He stretched, “Eh, probably shady monster-hunting-monster business."

Aric waited for Jeeves to wake up fully, both of them equipping their gear. Jeeves nodded to Aric:

"Alright. I am ready. Let us depart, my lord."

They briskly walked down the stairs, passing by Mina, who was busy in the kitchen. They walked past Ruki as she walked down the street to head back to the manor. 

Townsfolk were starting to walk the streets, and took down festival decorations. They arrived at Blue Water, and saw Rictavio standing and lecturing about the dangers of werebadgers, while Linda watched on with tired embarrassment.

“They can burrow twenty feet in a mere span of six seconds! And they have claws as sharp as steel! Teeth like knives! And they smell of rot!" Rictavio cried out. He pointed to a random audience member, "They can be beneath your very feet!"

Linda sighed.

Jeeves folded his arms and looked to Aric, still speaking in Alzhedo, "He's such a bad actor. He gets paid to do this?"

Aric shrugged, “I suppose...” though he honestly didn’t see how.

Linda saw the boys and waved them over, "Please be more entertaining than this joke."

Aric nodded to her, "That shouldn't be too difficult for us."

Jeeves jokingly pointed to Aric, "He's a better juggler than I am."

"Come sit, let us talk," Linda indicated the empty chairs.

Aric looked suspiciously around the Inn. He leaned over to Linda and whispered in Thieves Cant, "Can't be too careful...”  he made a small gesture, “So what did you uncover about our friend?"

Jeeves folded his hands on top of the table, and leaned in attentively.

“He is the First Vampire,” Linda replied, “And that even though he is young comparatively, it means nothing because we are in the Shadowfell... and time moves at it's own pace here. Time is relative, so who knows how old he really is."

Linda grew serious, "This means that he can be older than any other recorded vampire and has powers beyond any that we already know...” She held out her hand, “Before, he could only walk in the day because of magic. He had an artifact that took on the damage from the sun.”

She paused, “Now, he doesn't need it for that and can use it during battle to negate damage dealt to him. He also can grow more powerful than he already is on his birthday... which is the seventeenth of this month... Three days."

Aric sat in stunned silence. He recognized the Shadowfell from his study of the cosmos and theology... He knew that the Shadowfell was a transitive plane of darkness, where monstrous creatures sprang forth from, and where evil was a primal element... But... he thought that there were no living beings in the Shadowfell. Anything that lived in the Shadowfell succumbed to madness after a few weeks, and were barely able to survive to tell about it... the fact that there was an entire country in the Shadowfell surprised, and disturbed him deeply.

"I didn't know anything living could survive the Shadowfell,” Aric admitted, “Though I suppose if people have been here for so long, we should be fine...” He tried to remain optimistic, “The mists that Ruki used to bring us here must be part of the Shadowfell as well then.”

He thought for a moment, “And Strahd is the First Vampire. That is unusual."

"Indeed,” Jeeves agreed, “There has to be something more to this... How is Mehmet involved? And those werewolves..."

Linda shrugged, "That I haven't figured out yet. Though, I have a hunch that everything is connected by some underlying force,” she paused, “Something is not right about this place."

-----------------------

Ruki stared through the crystal ball, searching for Strahd’s guests while he paced in the study of Vasili’s manor. 

The vampire was fuming. Mina had spent the early hours of the morning preparing breakfast for his guests, only to have them leave... Their rudeness reflected badly on him, and even worse than that, she was just about ready to force feed him the food she had prepared.

Insufferable woman. Insufferable guests...

Ruki furrowed her brows in concentration, “My lord, please... I need to concentrate.”

Strahd forced himself to calm, “Apologies,” he leaned against the wall, folding his cloak around him. 

Better. Ruki was able to pull an image of the three outsiders gathered around the table at Blue Water Inn... speaking that awful slang-

No... It has to be a language of some sort... A coded language... She focused her mystic energy to pry into their minds, allowing them to gift their knowledge of the language to her... but only temporarily.

She listened, and looked to Strahd,  "They are in the inn, my lord, discussing your... history."

Strahd stood, on edge, "Indeed? I shall have to be wary of them...” He paused, “But I will not make any overt action yet. I need to get them to return... Mina is not happy about everyone abandoning her from breakfast... and I will be sick if I have to pretend to eat another damn apple dumpling!"

Ruki nodded and stood, “Do you wish me to fetch them, my lord?”

Strahd shook his head, “No. Stay here, and appease Mina for the time being. I will gather my guests back,” he walked over to the door of the study, grabbing his top hat off of a wall hook before exiting the room. 

He donned the hat and his Vasili persona before exiting his house. He took a moment and examined the light in the sky... No sun. There hadn’t been any true sunlight since the last year.

Today it benefited him greatly. He took the time to transform into a tiny bat and cover greater distance in a shorter time. He flew over to the side of the Inn, and hid, making sure none could see him as he transformed back into Vasili. 

He walked around to the front and opened the door, entering. He glanced and saw his three outsider guests gathered around, speaking in furtive tones...

He forced himself to remain calm as he observed them using a coded language to discuss him. He wasn’t naive enough to assume that they were using a coded language in a public space for his benefit...  

He let the tiredness show on his face as he approached them, doing his best to remain civil. “Good morning...” he started, “May I ask why you are not joining us for breakfast? Mina is pitching a fit.”

Linda was genuinely surprised, "We just came to meet up with Rictavio,” She looked down guiltily, “I didn't know we were being made breakfast already..."

Strahd examined her reaction and pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. Foreigners... Though he could hardly blame them for not knowing. He felt his anger at them drain... an odd feeling.

He explained, "It is the host's responsibility to provide for his guests. It would be bad mannered to not provide you with breakfast, since I allowed you to stay in my home...”

He also gave the selfish reason as well, “And if I have to... eat... another apple dumpling, I am going to be sick."

Linda stood, “Alright, alright. We’ll head back now...” She stood and called to Rictavio, “Let’s go.”

Rictavio bowed even though the applause from the patrons was sparse. “Thank you, thank you,” he acknowledged the three people who clapped, “Catch me next week! I will regale you with even more stories!”

He ignored the groaning, “Don’t be too excited. Ta-ta!”

Rictavio slung his pack over his shoulder and walked over to the group, “Where to?”

“My house,” Vasili replied, “and you better be hungry, or else my maid is threatening to quit."

Linda made a dismissive gesture, "Even if we aren't, we will pretend we are and eat."

"I could stand to eat. Jeeves?" Aric looked to his companion.

Jeeves’ stomach rumbled. He put a hand over it in a vain attempt to silence it. His face remained stoic, "I may be a little peckish."

"I like food,” Rictavio declared, “Complimentary? I don't have much spending money."

Vasili waved him down dismissively, "Yes, complementary. Now, let's hurry before she quits..."

The man turned and walked briskly out the door, his guests following him to the manor... the aroma of sweet apples and pastries greeted them long before they reached the front door.

When they entered, they found Mina lounging on the couch, Ruki sipping on tea, and Victor eating at the table. There was a place set for Ireena and Ismark, but it appeared that they had already eaten and left for Barovia village.

Victor sheepishly ate, "M-miss Mina... I'm... getting kind of full..."

Mina snapped, “Someone’s got to eat it!”

Ruki set down her tea, and looked to the outsiders in acknowledgement,  “Ah they are back...” She shook her head at their rudeness, “My, my, you all have upset Lady Mina terribly.”

Mina scowled at them, “Oh, look who it is...”

"Our apologies Lady Mina,” Aric bowed his head in apology, “We didn't mean to offend, we just went to find Rictavio."

Mina acted as if she didn’t hear him correctly, “Wait... Rictavio? That no-good story teller?"

"Something smells wonderful!" Rictavio waltzed into the dining room. He sat next to Victor and began to stuff his face.

Ruki murmured in amusement so that only she could hear, “Ah yes, the doppelganger...”

Mina blinked at Rictavio, and then gave a questioning glance to Vasili. 

Victor slowly raised a hand, “Miss Harper... can I...?”

"Yes, if you are done, you can leave. You did your part," Mina folded her arms, still feeling spurned.

Victor hopped out of the chair and made himself scarce. As he fell out, everyone else piled in, helping themselves to the food, and piling the goodies on their plates.

Mina eased a little bit and rose from the couch. She was no longer wearing a maid’s garb, but instead was dressed in full leather armor, with a crossbow at her side. Scratches, scuffs, and stitches in the leather made it clear to all gathered that she had been in combat before. 

"Good. I hate making food that goes to waste. How is everything?" Mina asked.

Linda gave her the thumbs up while still eating. 

Aric sat and stared at the food on his plate, untouched. He looked questioningly over to Jeeves.

Jeeves had gotten too carried away in eating, but then noticed Aric’s glance. He cleared his throat and wiped his face, “Ahem. The food is excellent. You may partake, my lord.”

Aric nodded and began to stuff his face, starting with the savory and finishing with the sweet. 

Vasili walked over to Mina, lowering his voice, "Excuse them. They didn't know our customs. It is my fault for not explaining to them. They didn't mean to be rude."

Mina nodded and glanced to Vasili, "So... once they are done eating, I'm taking a vacation from maid work, and going along as a... bodyguard and tracker? Where are we going again?"

“We will be headed toward Krezk,” Vasili stated, “Probably making a detour to the Wizard of Wines, first. Which, I need to ask a few questions of my guests..."

Vasili folded his hands into his cloak as he approached the party, "On the way to Krezk, there are a few detours we can take.”

 “We can take an off-road path, and pass Lake Baratok; or take the on-road path. The Wizard of the Wines is a little further away than Krezk, a little further south. Krezk is essentially straight on the road... Do we want to take the off-road path? Or the on-road path? And do you want to visit the Wizard of Wines before, or after going to Krezk?"

Linda set down her silverware, "I want to go to Krezk. So whichever path gets me there the quickest. I don't mind going off-road if it means it can be faster."

Aric nodded, slicing into some ham, "I agree, but personally I would like to see the lake, what do you think, Jeeves?"

Jeeves pondered, "I think I would like to see the lake. We've seen some of your towns and villages... but perhaps it would be nice to do a scenic route... stop by the lake for a bit. Relieve some stress of travel. None of us like being confined in a carriage all the time."

Linda nodded, "That's a good point."

"Very well,” Vasili noted, “We can go take the off-road path... which is quicker, but a little bit more dangerous for the common folk. Wolves and all... but we should be fine...”

Especially since the wolves answer to me, he mused. “We definitely have time to see the lake. Perhaps take a swim if you so fancied."

Mina’s face grew thoughtful, "Being in the woods would give me a chance to start seeing if I can help you track those werewolves. Everyone seems to report them in that area."

Victor raised a finger, "Ah... maybe I could practice magic... You are a mage, Lord Holtz? You could probably give me advice on a few of the spells in here..."

Vasili clasped his hands, "It's decided then. Ruki, let's pack up the carriage and head that way. Do you want to take Harald with us?"

Vasili turned, not waiting for a reply, "I'll leave it up to you. If he's not coming, be sure to leave the back door open for him to get out as he needs."

Ruki stood and whistled, “Come, Harald.”

Everyone loaded up the carriage, filing in and making sure everything they needed was with them.

The horse-less carriage started to ride with just a small gesture. Soon, they were out of Vallaki, riding along the Svalich Road. 

Ruki pet Harald as he sat loyally by her feet. Strahd, still maintaining his Vasili disguise sat next to Ruki. Linda, feeling brave, sat next to him. Victor, Rictavio, and Mina sat together, while Aric and Jeeves sat in the back, not wanting to be near the big dog.

Linda looked out of her window as she rode, pulling back the small curtains. Pine trees, beautiful and ancient, shaded this quaint little path, and obscured the distant mountains. Wolves darted into the woods, pursuing an elk... a small rabbit hopped into its burrow near a small spring...

It’s peaceful, she thought. She could have more easily enjoyed this if she weren’t so worried about Timothy.

Ruki stared absentmindedly outside her window, before catching a glimpse of a small gray bird with a long, colorful tail. Vista-chiri... birds of the Vistani. Wherever there were vista-chiri, there were Vistani nearby... the same could be said vice versa.

Interesting, I didn’t think there were any camps this far out, Ruki thought to herself.

Aric fixed his eyes on Harald. He shook his head, That is definitely a wolf. I don’t know how Strahd managed to convince me otherwise. That is a wolf.

The carriage rolled to a stop after an hour. Vasili stood, opening the door for everyone.  “You wanted to see Lake Baratok?“ he asked.

They left the black carriage. A vast, blue, glittering lake greeted them, even though the sky was cloudy. Magnificent pines and large rocks surrounded the lake... a small inlet held up a large tower... outside which was a colorful wagon.

Ruki felt drawn to the wagon. It looked like one of the Vistani’s. Without speaking, she walked with her staff in the direction of the wagon and the strange tower.

Linda noticed Ruki’s odd behavior and followed after her. 

Not wanting to be left out, Aric and Jeeves followed her.

Rictavio walked out of the carriage, breathing in at the sight, “Wow, that is pretty- hey Linda where are you going?" He rushed after them.

Mina folded her arms and spoke to Vasili, "I'm going to see what I can figure out about this area."

Victor sat down on the beach and began to study his spellbook as Mina went opposite of everyone else.

Vasili narrowed his eyes at everyone heading toward the tower. He walked to the tower. He had not been there in many, many years.

Ruki looked at the wagon. It was definitely Vistani, but she didn’t recognize it as any clan... It was unusual for her people to go anywhere alone... So this was either an outcast, or a survivor...

Aric and Linda walked ahead, looking at the tower. They saw a door with an odd plaque, several markings that looked like people... and one symbol connecting them all. No lock or handle... this door appeared to open by magic.

Linda looked over to Strahd, who was lingering behind, "Hey, you know magic. Look at this."

Strahd maintained his Vasili persona. He blinked and looked at the door, "Ah... this must be Khazan's tower."

Strahd pointed up to the name above the door, just barely obscured from view. He explained, "He was a court mage for Strahd when he became ruler of this land. He helped design some of the magical defenses for Castle Ravenloft. This appears to be a unique sigil to open up the tower. I haven't been over here in some time... but I believe to open it you have to follow the pattern on the door in a sort of 'dance'. You have to do gestures in the right order... or else some kind of trap will go off."

Linda blinked and looked to all gathered. Herself, Jeeves, Aric, Ruki, Rictavio... She turned to the man, "Strahd... everyone in earshot knows who you are."

Strahd looked to Rictavio, frowning... Ah, yes. The little imbecile that tried to out me. How fortunate for him that my guests have remained amiable to me...

 "Don't feel bad,” Rictavio smirked, “If it wasn't for that book, I'd never know. We are both bad actors."

Strahd bristled at the insult, but stayed quiet.

Rictavio looked to the sigil, "So... which one is the right pattern of gestures? Left path? Or right path?"

Strahd shoved away his annoyance and examined the sigil. He remembered coming here some time ago, while Khazan still lived... He should have remembered the sequence- the old fool drilled it into his head over and over again just so he could have lessons in magic... Blast my memory... Strahd grumbled, embarrassed, "I... don't remember."

Linda crossed her arms. If Strahd didn’t remember the sequence... "What happens if we get it wrong?"

Strahd paused, "Well, when we designed traps, it was meant to scare away intruders, and become increasingly lethal the closer you got to important areas...” he shrugged, “So I think if you get it wrong the first time... it should just be a warning."

Linda blinked at his nonchalant manner, "But it could be lethal if this is considered close to something important?!"

Strahd waved his hand dismissively, "I doubt it. Khazan was more vain than I am. He'd enjoy the build up and drama."

Linda sighed and looked to the sigil, “Here goes nothing,” she shrugged and started following the sequence from the right...

Electricity crackled in the air. Linda looked to Strahd, confused. 

Strahd’s eyes widened, “Cover!”

Shit! Wrong start... Linda fumed and grabbed her hat, dodging lightning strikes, “Non-lethal my ass!”

Strahd grabbed Ruki and pulled her out of the way of one of the strikes, moving closer to the tower for cover. Aric bolted for cover-

Jeeves and Rictavio weren’t fast enough. Lightning glanced Jeeves, but Rictavio was hit directly by a strike.

Rictavio’s skin crawled, shifting from tan to blue, dropping the half-elf form, then turning back to the half-elf persona. He fell to his knees, voice wavering,"Wh-what the hell was that?"

Strahd slowly let go of Ruki, his voice low, "That was a warning."

Linda was aghast, "Shit, if that was the warning, what the hell is lethal?!"

Strahd closed his eyes, and furrowed his brow, trying to pull information from the recesses of his memory, “A blue... Something about a blue... Creature? Nine hells, I can’t remember...”

Aric groaned as he stood, "Linda must have chosen the wrong path. I guess we need to start from the left."

 "Alright, left it is," Linda braced herself, performing the dance...

The sigil rotated, the door slid back, and lifted from the floor. Ruki peered into the room. Four clay golems stood still. Crates were strewn about...

Ruki felt something pull at her... Was it the missing Vistana? She moved in, stating, “We might need to be even more cautious moving forward.”

Linda affirmed and put her hand on her gun before walking in. Aric and Jeeves decided to sneak in, clinging to the shadows... 

Strahd waited a moment for his natural regeneration to heal his wounds, putting a hand on his sword before entering the tower.

Rictavio stumbled in, still shaken from being struck. Strahd held out his hand to catch him. It would do no good for his clumsiness to set off any traps-

No sooner than Rictavio was fully in the tower, the door slammed shut behind him, cutting off the light from outside.

“Great, now I can’t see shit...“ Linda grumbled.

“I don’t like this...“ Strahd growled. Something gnawed at him... He felt closed off... drained... 

Magic...

The small shwithp! of a blade being unsheathed drew everyone to attention, looking for the source of the threat in a dark room.  A woman’s voice hissed in the darkness. Ruki recognized the accent of her people in her voice... this was the missing Vistana.

“Why have you come here? Delivering the Devil on our doorsteps!” 

A torch lit, revealing the woman speaking. She was tall and tawny skinned, with thick black locks falling out from a red headscarf. She stood tall, sword in one hand, and a torch in the other. She looked to Strahd, “You have Richard... have you taken him hostage? Answer me, before I douse this room in a holy fire, Vampire!" 

[rideth-mochi]

I buried my comrades in Barovian soil Wandered the unholy lands alone Sought refuge in tales of adventures past Enthralled to hear of a group trap the devil Only to hear them suffer, as did we #wafflecrew

[adventurerslesbian-blog]

Appendix: Games

Games I’m DMing

Strahddies Curse of Strahd game involving three Outlanders and a Barovian. Has an Obsidian Portal. Non-AL, current, closed, in person

JD Presents: Asgard A series of games at Asgard Games in Houston, TX. Currently going through Tales from the Yawning Portal. AL, planning, open, in person

Drunken Nights and Yawning Portals Interconnected Tales from the Yawning Portal run. AL, planning, open, online

Games I’m Playing

[Friday Nights] A massive campaign made on a homemade continent. The sun is dying, politics are hot. Non-AL, current, closed, in person

[barovianfinewines]

tag directory ☾

#thesis statement

#villain zoo

#baroviacore

#baby you're a haunted house

#barovian folk tales

↳ PCs

#gilear

#grinn

#mercedes

#rhea

#partycore

↳ NPCs

#the abbot

#alek gwylim

#arturi aradanei

#azalin rex

#elisabeth von durst

#escher koshkov ☆

#grinning nellie greenteeth

#eva amanustrei

#irena kolyanova

#karolina von wachter

#kasimir

#ludmila vilisevic

#marek kolyanovich

#morgantha bonegrinder

#mother night

#nadezda karelova

#rahadin ☆

#rosavalda von durst

#rudolph van richten

#sasha ivliskaya

#strahd von zarovich ☆

#tatjana federova ☆

#viktor vallakovich

#violeta apofirei

[thefruitypebblescastleoftorment]

Note: CoS DMs, feel free to use this in your game. Please do not repost or share without credit otherwise. Thank you!

The Rabbit Who Wanted To Change: A Barovian Fairy Tale

One day, while seeking out her supper, a huntress came across a clearing in the Svalich Woods. At the edge of the clearing she spied a rabbit who hadn't noticed her yet. Thinking this would be an easy catch, she drew her bow and notched an arrow, intending to pierce its little heart. But as she did so, she heard a voice.

"Oh woe," the voice cried, "oh woe is me... is there no hope for a poor, wretched creature like myself?"

The voice was coming from the rabbit itself! Well, this huntress had never heard a rabbit speak before, and her curiosity was piqued. So she quietly put her bow away, and stepped out into the clearing.

“Why do you cry, little friend?” she asked.

The rabbit jumped at her approach, but seeing that her bow was put away, he answered.

"All my life," he said, his voice filled with sorrow, "I have had to run, and hide, and fear. I have never known peace, nor restful sleep, for I must always keep an ear out for predators, and for humans with their bows and arrows. My life is one of misery, for I am always hunted."

Now, despite her original intentions, the huntress felt sympathy for the poor thing, and she nodded. "It must be terrible, to be a rabbit, and to live in constant fear," she said. "But tell me, little friend, how is it you came to be able to speak? That is not exactly normal for a rabbit."

"I wanted to change," said the rabbit. "Because I was unhappy as I was. I thought perhaps if I could speak, in a voice you could understand, a huntress like you might take pity and spare me. ...But I can already tell, it is not enough. Already, I see that look in your eye... you are still thinking of stuffing me into your sack, and making me your supper. No, pity is not enough. Not where survival is concerned. I will have to change again."

And as quickly as he said that, the rabbit began to change. His little body grew, his limbs stretched and straightened. The fur on his back and chest began to thin, and his long ears slowly shrunk, until they pressed against his head. Soon it was not a rabbit that the huntress was facing, but a human man.

The huntress had never seen anything like this, and she could only stare in shock. The man saw her surprise, and knew she no longer wanted to eat him. He leaped into the air, dancing with joy.

"Oh, happy day!" The man laughed, "my troubles are over, for now I am at the top of the food chain! I will never again be hunted!"

The huntress paused, seeing the flaw in the man's logic, and shook her head. "I am sorry to tell you this, little friend, but we humans must also live in fear. From birth to death, we are preyed upon by wolves, and by creatures of the night. We carry weapons like these not just for little rabbits, but to defend ourselves against those who would have us for their supper. As a human, you're less likely to be chased down by someone like myself. But you will still be hunted, all your life."

For a moment, the man seemed to despair, but then he lifted his chin in determination and spoke. "Very well..." the man said, "if being a human means being hunted, I will change again... I will become a thing that hunts humans!"

With that, the man's features began to shift and elongate... his hands shrunk, and grew powerful claws, fur began to sprout once more across his body, and before the huntress's eyes, the man had changed into a powerful, fearsome wolf.

"Now," the wolf growled, a lupine grin across his face, "I will fear nothing! I will be strong and terrible... I will run through the woods like wind and lightning, devouring humans and rabbits both, and none will dare to come near me!"

The huntress shook her head again. "Ah, little friend, you are still mistaken. While it is true that wolves hunt humans, we humans also hunt the wolves. We hunt them because they are dangerous, and because they are meat. What's more, only the bravest and strongest of humans would dare to seek out and chase down wolves. So not only will you still have to fear hunters, but they will be far stronger, faster and more deadly than any you had to worry about as a rabbit."

Hearing this, the wolf growled and howled in frustration. But then he paused, and looked at the huntress thoughtfully. "But wolves, you say, are not the only thing humans fear... you mentioned creatures of the night as well?"

"Yes... that is true...." the huntress said, now feeling a bit nervous.

The wolf saw her fear, and thought-- aha! He began to change once more... his shape straightened, his fur fell away, and his claws began to lengthen. His skin became cold and gray, and his eyes went from the pale yellow of a wolf to a bright, bloody red. The vampire looked at the huntress and laughed with glee.

"I see you cower, huntress, and I smell your fear!" he grinned, eyeing her neck. "Tell me the truth now, surely this time I have become something all humans must dread, that none would threaten!"

Reluctantly, the huntress nodded. "It is true. Few humans would ever be brave enough to even try and hunt a vampire... and fewer still, if any, could ever hope to succeed."

"Ha!" the vampire crowed, "then I am truly at the top at last! I will roam the night like a shadow, doing just as I please... I will hunt humans for my supper, and all will fear me, for there are none who will see me as prey! And perhaps I will start with you, dear huntress...."

"Perhaps you will, little friend," the huntress said, her voice shaking. "But before you drain my life from me, you ought to be told... you are not the only vampire in this land. You see that castle, up there?"

The vampire looked up. Now, as a rabbit, he had only ever looked to the sky when he heard the flapping of wings, and so he had never before laid eyes on castle Ravenloft. And seeing it for the first time brought chills to his bones, made him shrink and cower.

"What is that place?" the vampire said, "and why does it strike such fear into my heart?"

"That is castle Ravenloft," the huntress explained, "and the vampire that lives there is the devil himself. He has cursed these lands for hundreds of years. His will is irresistible, his thirst unquenchable... and he does not like competition."

Terrified, the vampire drew back. "Please, no!" he cried, "there must be some way to hide from the devil's sight...!"

"You have been trying so hard to become bigger and fiercer, little friend. Maybe you are going about it wrong." The huntress considered his situation. "Rather than trying to become a thing that no one will chase, you should become something that cannot be caught."

"What do you mean?" the vampire asked.

"Perhaps you should be smaller, harder to spot...." the huntress suggested.

"Oh, yes... that would be wise...." the vampire said, his body shrinking.

"And you should have strong legs as well, good for running," the huntress said.

"Of course," the vampire said, "why didn't I think of that?" And his clawed hands became soft, light paws, made for swift and silent running.

"You will also want good ears, sharp senses, so you can hear the danger coming," the huntress added.

The vampire nodded eagerly, his body shifting again and again to accommodate all he would need to stay safe and hidden. It was only when he was done that he realized... he had become a rabbit once more! He had changed in so many ways, and yet somehow, he was still what he had always been.

"The things I truly needed, my swift legs and soft paws, my sensitive ears, I had them all to begin with!" he gasped. "I thought I needed to change, yet all I ever needed to be was myself!"

"Yes, little friend," the huntress smiled. "You are perfect just as you are."

With that, she reached down with her strong hands, took hold of him, and snapped his little neck.

"And you will be perfect for my supper tonight," she added, stuffing him into her bag.

Traditionally, when this story is read to children the rabbit's voice changes along with his form. Beginning as a small, frightened voice for the rabbit, a deeper one for the man, a rough, growling voice for the wolf and a harsh, whispery tone for the vampire.

Barovian fairy tales don't often have explicit morals. For most of them, the unspoken moral of the tale is "life is cruel."