Ravenloft

Castle Ravenloft was the ancestral home of the von Zarovich family. When Strahd rose as a vampire, he overtook Castle Ravenloft, establishing his dominion over Barovia. The Knights of Argynvostholt tried to combat Strahd and march on his castle, but were soundly defeated. Strahd has now ruled over Barovia for hundreds of years.

Infrastructure

Castle Ravenloft stood on a large pillar of stone overlooking a vast ravine. Beneath the castle was a vast network of catacombs, home to important figures of Barovia's past. The castle proper included a cathedral, study, teleportation center, and various other chambers.

History

A Brief History of Ravenloft from a Commoner’s Perspective: The vast majority of the history of these realms is unknown to most commoners, particularly if it has to do with lands beyond the one in which they live. Even much of the history of the lands in which its denizens live remains a mystery to them. This is more true in some domains than in others. And it will likely remain this way forever due to the fact the people of these realms, in general, care little for what has gone before, believing that such things are unimportant or worse, that delving into the past will reveal things better left in the dark.
But to the occasional individual who does know a smattering of history about the Land of Mists, its history, in particular that of its Core, can be divided into eight different periods, all of which are dated according to the Calendar of Barovia, the first of the realms to appear:
Pre-351: the Time Before – During the later part of the 350 years before Barovia emerged from the mists, legends say that there was another land beyond this world, also known as Barovia, where a man by the name of Count Strahd Van Zarovich led an army through decades of war to reclaim his ancestral homelands from a horde of barbarians, known as the Tergs, who had driven Strahd’s family out early in Strahd’s military career. After defeating the barbarians, he brought his family back and set them up in a castle which he renamed Castle Ravenloft in honor of his mother Ravena. The following year, Strahd’s younger brother, Sergei, was to be wed to a girl by the name of Tatyana at Castle Ravenloft. But on their wedding day, assassins struck and slaughtered all but a few of the wedding guests who barely managed to escape. This tragic event was the cause of a curse placed upon the land and as a result, Barovia and its people were suddenly swept away by the Mists where they have remained ever since.
351-469: A Private Hell – During this period, Barovia remained alone in the Mists and existed as a so-called “Island of Terror.” Little is known of this period other than the fact that early on, Strahd hunted down and killed the traitorous Leo Dilisnya, the man responsible for hiring the assassins that killed most of Strahd’s family.
470-546: Outlanders Arrive – These decades are noted for having the occasional appearance of outlanders, strangers from beyond the Mists. The most significant of these were the enigmatic tribes of Vistani, or gypsies, that seemed to have a special connection to the Mists. It was also during this period when the Cult of the Morninglord first emerged in Barovia.
547-587: The Expanding Stain – After nearly two centuries of isolation, Barovia was finally joined by new domains. This period is marked by the sudden appearance of other lands both in the Core and as Islands of Terror, a trend that has continued to this day.
588-699: Scourge and Expansion – The fourth century closed with an event of horrendous devastation when in the spring of 588, a massive and violent sandstorm suddenly roiled to life in Arak’s mountain passes (now a part of southwestern Darkon). By the time the storm died out, all surface life in Arak had been destroyed. The storm altered Arak’s landscape, transplanting Mount Lament miles to the west to form the domain of Keening. Both of these desolate regions were deemed cursed and have been shunned by sensible travelers ever since. The century following the Scourge of Arak was marked by explosive growth in the number of domains that appeared.
700-734: Dead Man’s Campaign – Half a dozen new domains appeared during this period including Dementlieu, which would rapidly become the hub of northwestern culture. But the events that defined the era more than any other were the Dead Man’s Campaign. Until Vlad Drakov, the ruler of Falkovnia, appeared, open warfare had been unknown in the Land of the Mists. As the sixth century began, however, Drakov drove his army into Darkon no fewer than four times. Every invasion ended in crushing failure as an undead army rose up and effortlessly decimated the Falkovnian ranks. Attempts made by Drakov to invade other neighboring lands also met with no success, and it was due to the many thousands of Falkovnian lives lost that the campaign was given its name.
735-740: the Grand Conjunction – According to most accounts, the Vistani seer Hyskosa first recorded his prophecy predicting a cataclysmic “Grand Conjunction” in the year 735 (A conjunction is when the Mists make a connection to other worlds and thereby draw various people and creatures into the Realms of Dread.). Over the course of the next five years, one of the six predictions in Hyskosa’s Hexad came true, one every year until in the year 740, when the final two predictions came true. However, the order of the final two predictions did not fall in the proper sequence leaving the Grand Conjunction in a weakened state. On the 31st of October of that year, the Grand Conjunction took place, sending all of the realms in the Land of the Mists back to their original homeworlds, an event that surely would have meant doom to these worlds had it lasted. As it was however, the Grand Conjunction lasted no more than four days due to the efforts of a band of adventurers known as the Wanderers, who, thanks in part to the weakened state of the Grand Conjunction, were able to reverse it, sending all of the domains and their denizens back into the Land of Mists. However, when the various domains of Ravenloft reemerged to form the Core, the positioning of some were altered while others did not reemerge at all (so far as is known anyway). Due to this fact, this event is now also known as the Great Upheaval.

The Library of Ravenloft

Barovia: Year 15 to the Present
Castle Building 101
Coats of Arms of the Von Zarovich Line
Embalming: The Lost Art
Goats of the Balinok Mountains
Legends from the Circle
Life Among the Undead: Learning to Cope
Skin and Steel: A History of the Ba'al Verzi
The Art of Kalamar Kandru
Additional books determined by D100+D20
2 "Evil" (no author): A rambling tome discussing a great evil known as the “Denken-Meiser” that lurks in the sky above Mount Ghakis, a nigh-insurmountable force that controls everything going on in Barovia.
3 "The Place Between Spaces" by Qogchiss: A book entirely in Deep Speech that describes eldritch horrors that slumber on the fringes of the astral plane, waiting for some inscrutable sign that will awaken them and ultimately bring about the end of the multiverse.
4 "Translation of the Teratanomicon" by Father Zalivech: A tenuous translation of an ancient abyssal tome depicting both hideous monsters and the depraved, lurid acts they performed with mortals. There are several illustrations rendering the subject manner in disgusting detail.
5 "Laying With Wolves: An Autobiography" by Archdruid Druunin: A sickening accounting of the life and deeds of the authoring archdruid, who laid with animals both in and out of wild shape, tortured humans to death, and devised horrid "punishments" for those who trespassed in his holy forest.
6 "Die Fehler des Lebens" by Hector von Staubich: A slim volume explaining why killing every man, woman, and child in the multiverse would be better than allowing existence and the intrinsic suffering it causes to continue.
7 "Red Sacrament" by Archmage Disquistin: A tome describing various unholy rites used to call upon forces of indescribable evil, most of them involving child sacrifice.
8 “Milk of Mother Adder” (no author): A disturbing religious text that centers around the worship of snakes and the use of live adders in various carnal rituals.
9 “To Serve Man” (no author): A cookbook detailing fine recipies prepared from the flesh, blood, and bones of freshly-slain or still-living humans.
10 “Rituals of the Wolf” by Jaques Noire: A book describing a series of rituals to turn oneself into a werewolf, involving ritual cutting, the blood and sex organs of a wolf, and cannibalism.
11 “Black Rites of the Priests of Osybus” (no author): A book of infernal and necromantic rituals that any experienced spellcaster can discern are utter bogus.
12 “The Truth of Lord Argynvost” by Vasili von Holtz: A slanderous tome accusing Lord Argynvost of consorting with demons and fathering a number of abominable cambion children.
13 "On the Transmutation of Living and Recently Deceased Tissues" by Archmagi Kazan: A treatise detailing the use of both transmutation and necromancy to create nonliving constructs from flesh and bone.
14 "The Black Heart of The Clergy" by Brother Sammaiel: A zealous opinion piece accusing organized religion as a whole of consorting with demons and conspiring to enslave humanity.
15 "Of Heresy and the Inherent Fallibility of Constriction in the Service of Virtue" by Nenny Hemwick: A collection of essays refuting the ideas of inherent good and evil and bemoaning the actions of various righteous organizations.
16 ”The Pleasures of Pain” by Marko von Mesokist: A depraved treatise concerning the derivation of lurid pleasure from experiencing pain. Includes numerous vile illustrations of the acts described in the text.
17 “How to Get What You Want With a Knife” by Kereza “Stabzy” Strazni: An in-depth guide to vicious interrogation and torture techniques using a standard pocketknife.
18 "The Arcanist's Handbook" by Mordenkainen: A surprisingly easy-to-understand guide to casting destructive spells, creating a spellbook, and otherwise becoming a wizard.
19 "Denizens of Ghenna" by Henrich van Albrecht: A verbose guide to the four main varieties of Yugoloths, as well as brief entries on more obscure types.
20 "Denizens of the Abyss" by Henrich van Albrecht: A verbose guide to the various fiendish fauna of the abyss, from the abyssal chicken to the balor.
21 "Denizens of the Nine Hells" by Henrich van Albrecht: A verbose guide to the various fiendish fauna of the nine hells, from the lemure to the pit fiend.
22 "Die Herren der Toten" by Hector von Staubich: A tome detailing different kinds of "higher undead" such as death knights, vampire lords, and liches.
23 "Die Gesetze der Toten" by Hector von Staubich: A tome detailing different kinds of "middling undead" such as vampires, revenants, wraiths, and mummies.
24 "Die Instinkte der Toten" by Hector von Staubich: A tome detailing different kinds of "lower undead" such as zombies, skeletons, ghouls, and specters.
25 "Moonbound: A Lycanthropic Study" by Jin Sammistar: An in-depth guide to different varieties of lycanthropes both common and rare.
26 "Fey Fancies: A Comprehensive Exploration of the Fair Folk" by Delilah Duchant: A easy-to-read and colorfully illustrated guide to fey creatures typically found on the material plane.
27 "Ethnicities of Greater Barovia" by Danya Karushkin: A guide to the different ethnic groups that have a presence in the valley of Barovia, including tidbits of history and customs.
28 "Lead Unto Gold: A Comprehensive Study" by Archmage Kazan: A treatise concerning the fabled transmutation process of turning lead into gold, including several unsuccessful attempts by famous wizards and alchemists.
29 "The Path of the Barbarian" by Jirko Alastroi: A treatise describing 'vision quests' and other rituals carried out by the mountain tribes and detailing the alchemical formulas used in them.
30 "The Joy of Cooking With Mushrooms" by Nenny Hemwick: A book describing both conventional recipes and alchemical formulae using varieties of mushrooms found in and around Barovia.
31 "The Morninglord's Lights" by Terrentio Osvetiel: A book of formulae for lamp oils and torch pitch, some of which claim to have supernatural effects.
32 "On the Transmutation of Stone and Inorganic Substance" by Archmagi Kazan: A treatise dealing with advanced transmutation, particularly regarding shaping and enchanting different sorts of stone for construction purposes.
33 "Catalog of Embalming Reagents and Their Uses" by Klibben van der Voort: A cut-and-dry book concerning different substances and processes used in embalming and preserving corpses.
34 "Every Plant in the Forest That Can Kill You" by Annalise Floremorti: A detailed and exhaustive guide to poisonous plants found in the Svalich Woods and elsewhere in Barovia.
35 "Herbs of Barovia" by Dillen Hardybrook: A simple textbook of rural charm dealing in the common flora of Barovia.
36 "The Fall of Dragomir von Zarovich" by Harkus Targolov: A detailed description of events that led to the coup and exile of Dragomir von Zarovich, king of the Delmor Valley (what is now known as Barovia) and father of Barov von Zarovich.
37 "The Life and Conquests of Barov von Zarovich" by Harkus Targolov: A biography detailing the life of Barov von Zarovich, who reconquered most of the Delmor Valley (what is now known as Barovia) and became its king. He died of mysterious circumstances, leaving two heirs: Strahd and Sergei.
38 "Architect of Mircales" by Harkus Targolov: The biography of Artimus van der Zwartsteen, a master architect from the far land of Westelijk. It details several of his projects, including Castle Ravenloft.
39 "The Three-Faced King" by Yesper Belasko: The chaotic biography of King Troisky Leovach, who was exiled on three separate occasions and participated in two revolutions.
40 "Waltar, the First Krezkov" by Victoria Morskov: The relatively uninteresting biography of Waltar Krezkov, the founder and first burgomaster of Krezk.
41 "Stephan V" by Victoria Morskov: The biography of Stephan Vallakovich the fifth, a baron of Vallaki whose father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfather all shared his name.
42 "Dropped Like a Stone" by Yesper Belasko: A short and cruel biography of Prince Ariel du Plumette, poking fun at his tormented life. Of particular note are his obesity and his insane desire to fly "like a pretty birdie."
43 "From Hell He Came, In Hell He Reigned" by Yesper Belasko: The biography of King Dostron, an ancient ruler of the Delmor Valley (what is now known as Barovia). He was known for his claim that he descended from Asmodeus himself, as well as the tortures he inflicted upon any who crossed him.
44 "My Travels Through Space, Time, and Incredible Stupidity" by Katsky von Arztbraun: An autobiography of King Katsky the Bright that reads more like a fantastical novel. Most of the story takes place in different times or planes of existence, with strange devices of explosive black powder and steam being commonplace.
45 “How to Win Fights and Break Limbs” by Sir Leonid Krushkin: A rather vulgar guide to hand-to-hand combat that values brute strength and an utter lack of honor over refined techniques.
46 “The Art of Razing” by Dostron Voltanescu: A detailed and thorough guide to destroying the land, population, and spirit of a land through methods such as salting fields, systematic violations, and traditional decimation.
47 “The Evolution of the Battle Tactics of the von Zarovich Line” by Stefan Gregorovich: A particularly dry and uninteresting account of the strategies employed by Barov von Zarovich and his ancestors.
48 “All the World’s a Battlefield” by Troisky Leovach: A treatise on guerrilla tactics, social maneuvers, plays of influence, manipulative romance, and other unconventional modes of conflict.
49 “Let Slip the Hounds of War” by Kroval Grislek: A thick text detailing all manner of strategic maneuvers and military strategies, most of which involve the use of attack dogs or other trained animals.
50 “On the Reconquest of the Delmor Valley by Barov von Zarovich” by Stefan Gregorovich: A particularly dry and uninteresting account of how King Barov retook the Delmor Valley (what is now known as Barovia).
51 “On the Domination of Barovia by Strahd von Zarovich” by Stefan Gregorovich: A particularly dry account of how Strahd hunted down the last of his enemies and put them all to the sword.
52 “The Strength of a Fleet” by Sedrik Spinwitovich: A hard to understand treatise on the use of a naval fleet in Barovia despite the fact that it is a landlocked country.
53 “The Tales of Lady Yanika” by Anton Polensky: A cheery anthology of stories that follow a monstrous yet kind knight who travels the land defending the weak and fighting off prejudice.
54 “Beneath the Witching Moon” by Drilvia Diavolov: A convoluted and smutty novel about the intrigue between a pack of werewolves and a lodge of witches.
55 “Sir Savin the Wretched” by Bogan Groza: An almost comically tragic novel about an elven knight whose parents are murdered, sister is kidnapped, and pets are drowned.
56 “Sonain’s Renegades” by Hans Lukresh: A novel where an aristocrat named Sonain seeks out a company of outcasts and adventurers to clear his name against charges of heresy.
57 “An Association of Blundering Buffoons” by Anton Polensky: A goofy comedy of errors following a trio of incompetent adventurers that continually make things worse.
58 “Nedwick’s Clockwork Dragon” by Hans Lukresh: The tale of a young inventor who is continually mocked and ridiculed but gets his revenge by building a massive clockwork dragon and burning down his hometown.
59 “Balthazar and the Beast” by Drilvia Diavolov: A lurid novel about the love-hate relationship between a noble knight and a spellcasting dragon, which frequently devolves into carnal encounters.
60 “Creature of the Night” by Drilvia Diavolov: A poorly-written romance between a peasant girl and a noble vampire that borders on smut and blatantly ignores the reality of the undead.
61 “Heraldry for Absolute Imbeciles” by Alek Zalken: A simplistic, almost condescending guide to the basics of heraldry.
62 “Heraldry of the Great Houses of Vallaki” by Marta Moldovir: An incredibly dry catalog of heraldry used by noble families in Vallaki.
63 “Heraldry of the Great Houses of Krezk” by Marta Moldovir: An incredibly dry and slim catalog of heraldry used by noble families in Krezk.
64 “Heraldry of the Great Houses of Berez” by Marta Moldovir: An incredibly dry and slim catalog of heraldry used by noble families in Berez.
65 “Heraldry of the von Zarovich Line” by Marta Moldovir: An incredibly dry and hefty catalog of heraldry used by Barov von Zarovich and his allies.
66 “The Great Color Debate” by Alek Zalken: A spiteful recounting of a conflict in heraldic history based upon whether red could be put on green or vice versa.
67 “The Great Bunny Debate” by Alek Zalken: A spiteful recounting of a conflict in heraldic history based upon which family had first used a red hare symbol and which would have to change theirs for recognizability purposes.
68 “The Great Sun Debate” by Alek Zalken: A spiteful recounting of a conflict in heraldic history based upon whether a sunburst constituted an ordinary or a charge in heraldry.
69 "Witches' Rhymes and Other Songs" by Nenny Hemwick: A book of poems, songs, and other pieces of rhyming literature, most of which have occult themes to them.
70 “Traditional Barovian Folk Songs” by Ivan Nikolovich: A compilation of accordion pieces with accompanying songs.
71 “Couplings in the Night” by Drilvia Diavolov: A slim book of saucy limericks and couplets that make one cringe with discomfort.
72 “Poetry of the Dusk” by Stefan Lukresh: An anthology of beautiful traditional dusk elf poetry broken up by clumsy translations in common.
73 “Musings of a Queen” by Ravonia von Zarovich: A lengthy anthology of charming poetry written by the queen of Barovia, most of which are about the beautiful scenery of Barovia or her son Sergei.
74 “Rays of Sunlight” by Sergei von Zarovich: A short but sweet book of poems regarding friendship, brotherhood, and summer’s warmth.
75 “Hymns of Dawn and Dusk” by Brother Emeric: A collection of religious songs and poems intended as a form of prayer to the Morninglord and Mother Night.
76 “The Collected Works of J. M. Pennegebruiker” by Ivan Nikolovich: A compilation of a classical poet’s works, though they’ve been poorly translated into bland verses.
77 “Poetry to Trump All Others” by Hans Endorovich: An anthology of aggressively bad poetry discussing such topics as murder, torture, and paranoid delusions of persecution.
78 “The Morninglord’s Apostles” by Father Radovan: A stiffly orthodox catalog of the different saints chosen by the Morninglord in Barovia’s history.
79 “On Faith and the Power of Will” by Father Gargosh: A plain philosophical text about the power of belief, the relation between faith and deities, and the ultimate meaning of goodness.
80 “Tales of the Saints: A Compilation” by Alana Lazarescu: A romanticized accounting of the lives of several saints and martyrs who received the Morninglord’s blessing.
81 “Mother Night: Aspect of the Wolf” by Father Radovan: A cautionary tome describing the powers of Mother Night, a deity opposite the Morninglord who holds dominion over wolves, bats, and other creatures of the night.
82 “Mother Night: Guardian of the Dark” by Father Frederich: A book describing Mother Night’s protective powers and blessings, seeing her as the Morninglord’s partner and counterpart.
83 “The Old Gods of the Delmor Valley” by Brother Sammaiel: A catalog of the dark and cruel gods worshipped by the former rulers of what is now Barovia, along with the warning that worshiping such gods is heresy of the highest order.
84 “Aspects of the Morninglord” by Father Radovan: A treatise on gods of the sun from other lands that may be alternate aspects of the Morninglord of Barovia.
85 “Theological Conflicts of Barovia” by Father Frederich: A brief history of the different debates and conflicts that have arisen between the different churches of Barovia.
86 “Barovia’s Best Whites” by Artank Swilovich: An aristocratic guide to the best white wines grown in and around the Barovian valley.
87 “Barovia’s Best Reds” by Artank Swilovich: An aristocratic guide to the best red wines grown in and around the Barovian valley.
88 “The Finer Points of Acidity, Sweetness, and Tannin” by Frankin von Scheibess: A slightly pretentious guide to some of the fundamental aspects of wine, as well as what differs ‘fine’ wine from ‘common’ wine.
89 “The Finer Points of Body & Spirit” by Frankin von Scheibess: A slightly pretentious guide to some of the fundamental aspects of wine, as well as what differs ‘fine’ wine from ‘common’ wine.
90 “The Secrets of Running the Perfect Winery” by Cladvia Martikova: A witty guide on the operation and ownership of a winery and what doing so entails.
91 “On the Subject of the Best Wine in the World” by Gorek Pridurok: A long-winded and verbose discussion on what vintage and variety of wine is objectively the best in the world.
92 “The Dusk Elves’ Red Gem” by Kobal Velikov: A tantilising catalogue of the exquisite wines once made by the dusk elves of Barovia.
93 “A Vistani’s Winery” by Jean-Baptiste Connard: An insulting text that goes into detail on the Vistani’s methods for making bootleg alcohol, which the author describes as ‘chamberpot wine.’
94 “101 Dishes With Wolf Meat” by Jin Tseltov: A cookbook where every recipe relies upon wolf meat, wolf bones, and various Barovian spices and vegetables.
95 “Three-Course Frugality” by Jin Tseltov: A guide to making carcasses last longer by cooking different meals with different parts at different times, reducing the amount of material that goes bad.
96 “Feasts of Ravenloft’s Court” by Bascal Ofenheiss: A high-end cookbook dealing in massive feast preparations that assumes the reader has at least five assistants.
97 “Dishes With A Day’s Love” by Bascal Ofenheiss: A high-end cookbook whose recipes all involve several hours of slow-cooking, the longest of which takes almost two days.
98 “Fire is Your Friend” by Bascal Ofenheiss: A high-end cookbook whose techniques for boiling, roasting, and searing border on pyromania.
99 “A Taste of Purabadi” by Ihmed Indi-Sabch: A book of spicy foreign recipes that all contain rare and hard-to-pronounce spices.
100 “Eat Like A Wolf” by Jaques Noire: A guide to purifying meat without cooking it, along with suggestions that eating meat raw will improve one’s manhood.
101 “Aged, Not Rotten” by Archmagi Disquistin: A guide to preparing finely aged steaks and meats with the aid of necromancy.
102 “Future Food” by Katsky von Arztbraun: A cookbook that claims to contain recipes from the future, most of which involve lengthy preparation and the use of strange cookware.
103 "Krezk and the Krezkovs: A Historical Perspective" by Kala Drazkofsky: A history of the town of Krezk and its ruling family, the Krezkovs, that seems quite mundane.
104 "Vallaki and the Vallakovich Line: A Historical Perspective" by Kala Drazkofsky: A history of the town of Vallaki and its ruling family, the Vallakoviches. It describes a cheerful town of few hardships.
105 "The Village of Barovia and Her Many Burgomasters: A Historical Perspective" by Kala Drazkofsky: A history of the village of Barovia and the various noble families that have ruled it over time.
106 "Berez, the Berezovich Line, and the Ulrich Usurpation: A Historical Perspective" by Kala Drazkofsky: A history of the town of Berez, its founding family, and their chosen successors at the end of their dynasty, the Ulrichs.
107 “The Order of the Silver Dragon” by Victoria Morskov: The history and actions of an order of knights devoted to upholding justice and opposing oppression in Barovia. They were based in Argynvostholt, a manor up in the hills southwest of Vallaki.
108 “Building Castle Ravenloft” by Artimus van der Zwartsteen: A detailed narrative involving Strahd von Zarovich’s assembly of great architects and wizards and their work to build Castle Ravenloft.
109 “History and Expanse of the Vistani” by Victoria Morskov: A comprehensive look at the Vistani’s lengthy history in the valley of Barovia that contains surprisingly few stereotypes.
110 "The Advising Game" by Harkus Targolov: The history and biography of Stahbal Indi-Bhak, a foreigner from the east and loyal advisor to Endorovich the Terrible even as his liege killed dozens of innocents out of rage.
111 “Seeds of Madness in Barovia” by Franz Lansten: A compilation of famous cases of madness and insanity in Barovia, including Ariel du Plumette (who was obsessed with flight), Terrentio Osvetiel (who burnt himself at the stake), and Drilvia Diavolov (who sought out intimate relations with devils and monsters).
112 “Sorina Wachter: Devil Worshiper” by Livius Krykski: An accounting of the life of Lady Sorina Wachter, who made a pact with infernal powers in order to kill her abusive husband.
113 “The Roc of Mount Ghakis” by Alana Grejenko: A compilation of rumors and myths describing a monstrous, colossal eagle that lives at the very top of Mount Ghakis and hunts horses for food.
114 “The Grapeblight” by Franz Lansten: The tale of a blight that once afflicted Barovia’s vinyards, causing the grapes to produce incredibly sweet and insidiously poisonous wine.
115 “The Crimson Plague” by Franz Lansten: The tale of a pandemic that swept through the valley of Barovia. The disease was known as the ‘crimson plague’ because of the blood-filled blisters that appeared on victims’ skin.
116 “The Wizard of Wines” by Mirabel Barthos: The biography of the original Wizard of Wines, Valentin Pianitsa, a powerful if eccentric transmuter who tried to create ‘the greatest winery that ever would be.’
117 “Sergei: A Saint Among Men” by Ivana Antonovich: A biography that describes Sergei von Zarovich, second son of King Barov, as a kind and generous man who was eager to help others and make the world a better place.
118 “History of the Mountain Tribes” by Mirabel Barthos: A compilation of legends and myths about the mountain barbarians that is stitched into a semi-coherent history.
119 “Exethander: Archmage of the Amber Temple” by Alana Grejenko: A compilation of rumors and myths describing a lich that lives near the top of Mount Ghakis in a temple festooned with ominous amber statues, eager to impart knowledge to those with the moral flexibility to use it.
120 “The Last Defender and The Fall of the Vault” by Nimir: An ancient tome preserved by magic that details the last days of the Vault in shaky handwriting. It describes an edifice built upon Mount Ghakis by wizards to contain evil powers, but those powers turned the wizards against each other, and the author is the last left alive. He vows in the last paragraph to kill himself in an attempt to escape the dark powers.

Alternative Name(s)

Castle Ravenloft

Type

Citadel

Characters in Location

• Commander Alek Gwilym
• Lord Sergei von Zarovich
• Rahadin