Chapter 9: Argynvostholt
Art & Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpgMBypuLYk&ab_channel=DanielSchmitz
Source 1: https://5e.tools/adventure.html#cos,8
Source 2: https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/1unEgIig4wqSzXL0mGl_EZcyjYzI47DOjU8JE6t5N_Ac/mobilebasic https://docs.google.com/document/d/1unEgIig4wqSzXL0mGl_EZcyjYzI47DOjU8JE6t5N_Ac/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.vfo42dxwqvv5
Book: Rahadin and Strahd vs Dragon.
Argynvost is currently at Tsolenka Pass. His Phallactry is the Heart of Sorrow.
For the beacon to be lit, Argynvost's soul must be put to rest.
The Sun Sword must be charged with the Beacon's energy.
Van Richten's Passage, he appears a short while after the dungeon.
Foreshadowing: dead burmt and shot revenant bodies
Rooms
Q1 (Dragon Statue): The Dragon's Breath is intact.
Q4 (Spider Ballroom): +6 to hit, 13 (2d8 + 4) + 18 (4d8) + poisoned DC 15, fail by 5 or more: paralyzed. Make spider boss as well w/ multiple leg hit boxes
Q6 (Dragon's Den): rewrite Argynvost's Message
Q11 (Wine Storage): Change Savid for Zolton & Yaaka?
Q13 (Chapel of Morning): Make revenants unique
Q19 (Ruined Bedchambers): Any PC that steps onto the floor of these rooms must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or fall into Q4 (Spiders’ Ballroom) below. To tempt them into doing so, a small unlocked chest sits on the wooden floor toward the edge. The chest is empty, save for a rusted breastplate, a rotted pair of common clothes, and a moth-eaten child’s stuffed silver dragon.
Q22 (Bathroom): This room contains a snuffling undead silver guard drake. The drake attempts to take shiny valuables from the PCs for use in a nest it’s built in the bathtub from torn curtains, rusted swords, and furniture debris. This guard drake belonged to Sir Godfrey in life, though neither now recognizes the other.
Q23 (Storage): has a looted, empty chest
Q25 (Trapped Hallway): To make this encounter more fair, a corpse lies at the center of the hall, warning the PCs that something is afoot. When the Phantom Warriors attack, they give battle cries of the Order of the Silver Dragon - “To arms, silver knights!”, “Hold the line against the devil’s men!”, and “In the name of Argynvost!” - to make it clear to the PCs that these ghosts are re-living Strahd’s siege. Phantom warriors first stay in ethereal and later go into material.
Q27 / Q28 (Knights' Quarters): 30 hp, +7 to hit, change a bit more
Q34 (Ruined Bathroom): A splatter of blood and the moldy ruins of a child’s stuffed bat are all that betray the tragedy that took place here.
Q35 (Upstairs Gallery): Upon inspection, the symbols of the Morninglord change to those of the three most powerful vestiges for a split second. The three stained-glass figures resemble the Vampyr (a slender, fanged crimson shadow), the Eternal Bloom (a flower with eyes on its stalk, dripping a red nectar) and the Saunterer (a non-euclidean form with eyes, which somehow translates into the stained glass).
Q36 (Dragon's Audience Hall): Godfrey is not in Argynvostholt. He has fled, proclaiming "having hope". He has not been seen in decades. Look at DragnaCarta's guide for Vladimir's encounter!
Q40 (Study Room): Tome of Strahd activates. Also use DragnaCarta's guide, maybe?
Q44 (Dragon Wyrmling): Hint for the Sun Sword's Activation
Todo
revenant & warrior rework
yaaka & zolton stat blocks. Also Zolton's intro. Don't forget the power syringe!
tome of strahd (Q40)
music
loot: Arculeus, Phant
Chapter 11: Tsolenka Pass
The Mountain Fane is on the pass to the Amber Temple.
Mountain Folk (Beelze, Arculeus). Among them are werewolves who can control their anger. Old legendary werewolf monk: Rand
Clarity of the Peak and Hýr's werewolf curse
Argynvost, the Dracolich. Also Godfrey, who rises every day to beat Argynvost.
Chapter 12: The Amber Temple
Phant can strike a deal here in order to resurrect his sister.
The players can improve their pacts here
The players can learn of Strahd's deal with Vampyr and how to break the curse of the land.
Forbidden knowledge. Forbidden power. Cursed weapons. All of the overpowerd but cursed loot.
Shard of Fenrisulfr for Clever Scarf
Very special magic for Phant
Hýr's full werewolf form
Has a gem for Beelze
Bossfight with Rahadin and Izek, plus allies
Fenrisulfr
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSYCe7S9bbY
Corpses of Solomon's Soldiers
Last of the 3 gems, final tome of strahd upgrade.
To the would-be seekers of forbidden knowledge,
The Amber Temple is a graveyard for the foolish and the proud, a hollow promise whispered by powers that delight in your ruin. You tread toward it with the eagerness of moths to flame, blind to the inevitable ash you shall become.
I warn you only once: to disturb what lies within is to challenge me. I will meet such a challenge as I have always met them—decisively, and without mercy. Turn back, while you still have the luxury of choice.
Strahd von Zarovich
Plot Hooks / Unresolved
Mordenkainen + Spellbook
1 of Prisca's old party is still alive (Kaelen, see Vallaki)
Candle guy is remade into a vampire spawn to torture the players about Letov's death.
Izek's body was taken to be made into a vampire spawn
One of the kids in krezk is a werewolf who is free
Letov's soul is free. Combine with Phant's goal?
The Abbot has been corrupted by the Creeping Tarlight?
Zoltov and party vampire spawn
Level ups
8: after Berez and Argynvostholt
9: After Tsolenka Pass, before entering Amber Temple
Before Amber Temple, when players are drained of resources: Strahd Simulacrum Fight, he takes Ireena
10: Before final boss (wedding)
Legendary Items
Beelze: Tome of Strahd (upgrade)
Letov: Sun Sword
Prisca: Symbol of Ravenloft (nerfed)
Hýr: White Wolf
Arculeus: Morning Star
Clever Scarf: Tooth of Fenrisulfr
Phant: Forbidden Eye of the Saunterer
Current Party
All members
Allies
Ireena: Vallaki
Ezmerelda: Vallaki
Ismark the Lesser: Barovia
Rudolph von Richten: Argynvostholt
Vasili von Holtz: Vallaki
Urwin Martikov: Vallaki
Luvash the Vistani: Vallaki
Keepers of the Feather: West of the Valley
Strahd von Zarovich: Castle Ravenloft
Neutral
Spy & Yaaka: Argynvostholt
A Second Party
VVVV THIS IS WIP, ZOLTOV IS CHANGED FOR AN INQUISITOR OR SOME GUY
Letov's Brother: Zoltov of House Wolff. He is on Letov's side, but is willing to betray both parties to join Strahd and get out of this land. Design: Missing arm with golden spikes, golden eye patch with leaking tar, patchwork cloak with golden threads (Billy has taken it), purple steel shotgun. He has a necklace of shotgun shells. In youth, he was a kind but shy boy. Titals: Luitenant of Research in the Army of Yaroska (undercover), spy from House Wolff in the main military in order to get new insights into war research. That's where he found Letov's history as a lab rat. Zoltov lost his arm when he was 19, when on a mission for House Wolff during the Creeping Tarlight moon, due to spontaneous corruption. He cut it off himself. Zoltov has a syringe with Serum Vex, the same serum that Letov has had in his trauma. Called "Wolf Boy" by Yaaka
Yaaka: Guy from Azurea who pilots a Royal Incinerator. He has lost his legs. "Alendi did this to me. I've sworn him his sacrifice would be for nothing"
Scout Bilaan (Billy) (found dead in Vallaki, has Zoltov's cloak)
2 other party members died.
Zoltov's old body. Was maybe buried? Taken by someone?
Useful Links
Library Book Generator: https://perchance.org/library-of-strahd
Fanes of Barovia
Arculeus gets a quest to restore the Fanes of Barovia
The Forest Fane: Old Bonegrinder (beast sense, locate creature and animal shapes at will)
The Mountain Fane: Mount Baratok (permanent nondetection, change weather at will)
The Swamp Fane: Berez (major image and massive move earth at will)
Revamped Lore
There was a barovian revolt one year ago, led by Mordenkainen (Powerful Wizard / Mad Mage) with a small group of adventurers and Doru of the village of Barovia. It did not go well.
Most of Ravenloft was once a continent in the material plane, but during one of the Gods' Wars, one god made a sin so grave it plunged the continent into the shadowfell. It originally was like a seperate material plane. However, over time, the dark powers tempted those who had evil in their hearts. Each of the Dread Lords commited grave sins, plunging their territories deeper into the grasps of the dark powers. It became one half of the shadowfell, the other half being a dark reflection of the material plane.
Aziluth was once an island of the coast of Ravenloft. A blue-feathered wereraven stole three gems when Ravenloft was fading into the mists, in order to preserve life and hope. But unbeknownst to her, this caused Aziluth to fall. Aziluth's magics are kept close to the magic of the Sorcerer Lords, and thus need life force. Without the gems, Aziluth's nobility killed themselves through war and magical decay. In this chaos, a forgotten hero, his name only being remembered as Kayyun (slave in Aziluth's language), freed his fellow slaves; they were the last remnants of the bloodlines of Aziluth. The slaves fled, and spread around the world. Kayyun's fate is unknown, he disappeared like the wind.
Strahd is the first vampire.
Strahd's Knowledge
unknown: Jericha (and her death)
Arculeus
May not be so decrepit
Has a connection to Hýr (saved his life twice)
Has made a pact with the Eternal Bloom
Is a werewolf
Beelze
Can wild shape into a spider
Has an affinity with insects
Has anti-invisibility
Spells: erupting earth
Clever Scarf
Is some sort of mummy
Is sneaky
Has claws and fur
Fought with Volenta, suprisingly strong. Interesting...
Eats special things
Has made a pact with the Many-Teeth
Is pist on the abbot, has a brother who is in Barovia (Forgotten Owl)
Has a Tome of Flesh Golem
Hýr
Is a dwarf with a temper, with a big sword. Can jump very far
Has daddy issues
Wants adventure (and is having fun)
Has a connection to Arculeus (owns life debt)
Was captured by the werewolves. Is a werewolf
Pretty metal
Letov
Can fight well with swords, can parry
Is brave
Was once a soldier
Wants redemption for an action that was not necessery of free will (usage: dominate Letov and kill civilians)
Has done a prayer to Invictus, to defend against the creatures of this land.
Is dead
Phant
Is a fellow wizard. Uses gravitation magic, damn well
Had a store
Spells: misty step
Is searching for something in the vistani camp
Has a pact with the Saunterer
Prisca
Her old party was murdered by Volenta
Can do thunder damage, and is helped by Strahd's storms
Can heal!
Post Epilogue Notes
Jericha: dead. Soul may be reincarnated in order to become another sanguimancer.
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