Von Zarovich family

The Von Zarovich bloodline is the ruling bloodline of the valley of Barovia. The current Patriarch of the family is Count Strahd Von Zarovich. After Strahd vanquished the enemies of his father in the Valley of Barovia he re-named it after his father and ruled in his father's name. A mighty castle was built named after his mother Castle Ravenloft. To this day the Von Zarovich line rules Barovia from Castle Ravenloft. The party does not have much more significant information on the Von Zarovich lineage beyond some basics of the family members due to Barovian and Vistani interactions as well as a book called The Court of Ravenloft.

Structure

Barovian fuedalism Barovia is ruled via a combination of legal, economic, military, cultural, and political customs amongst a group of several noble families known as the Court of Ravenloft. Broadly defined, it is a way of structuring society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labor with Burgomasters ruling over smaller segments of the Valley of Barovia who pay tribute to Castle Raveloft.