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Suits of the Mists 1
SUITS OF THE MISTS
Strange things are afoot in the Moonsea. The factions have called all those willing and able to
investigate strange occurrences in the region surrounding Phlan. Dark whispers and unseen
terrors lurk in the misty shadows between this world and someplace much more sinister. Unveil
the horrors before it is too late! Part one of Misty Fortunes and Absent Hearts.
Five, 1-Hour Mini-Adventures for 1st and 2nd Level Characters
Shawn Merwin Adventure Designer
Adventure Code: DDAL4-01
Development and Editing: Claire Hoffman, Travis Woodall
Organized Play: Chris Lindsay
D&D Adventurers League Wizards Team: Adam Lee, Chris Lindsay, Matt Sernett
D&D Adventurers League Administrators: Robert Adducci, Bill Benham, Travis Woodall, Claire Hoffman, Greg Marks, Alan
Patrick
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Suits of the Mists 2
Introduction Welcome to Suits of the Mist, a D&D Adventurers
League™ adventure, part of the official D&D Adventurers League™ organized play system and the Curse of Strahd™ storyline season.
This adventure is designed for three to seven 1st-
level and 2nd-level characters, and it is optimized
for five 1st-level characters. 2nd-level characters
might have a much easier time playing the adventure.
Characters outside this level range cannot participate
in this adventure. Players with ineligible characters
can create new 1st-level characters or use pre-
generated characters.
This adventure is divided into five mini-adventures,
each of which should take approximately 60 - 120
minutes to complete. It is highly recommended that
these adventures are played in sequential order. If the
adventure is being run in a single session, a guiding
storyline allows all of the mini-adventures to be run
consecutively as a longer play experience.
The D&D Adventurers
League This adventure is official for D&D Adventurers
League play. The D&D Adventurers League is the
official organized play system for DUNGEONS &
DRAGONS®. Players can create characters and
participate in any adventure allowed as a part of the
D&D Adventurers League. As they adventure, players track their characters’ experience, treasure, and other rewards, and can take those characters through other
adventures that continues their story.
)f you’re running this adventure as a part of a store event or at certain conventions, you’ll need a DC) number. This number is your official Wizards of the Coast organized play identifier. )f you don’t have a number, you can obtain one at a store event. Check
with your organizer for details.
D&D Adventurers League play is broken up into
storyline seasons. When players create characters,
they attach those characters to a storyline season, which determines what rules they’re allowed to use
to create and advance their characters. Players can
continue to play their characters after the storyline
season has finished, possibly participating in a second
or third storyline with those same characters. A character’s level is the only limitation for adventure
play. A player cannot use a character of a level higher
or lower than the level range of a D&D Adventurers
League adventure.
For more information on playing, running games as
a Dungeon Master, and organizing games for the D&D
Adventurers League, please visit the D&D
Adventurers League home at:
www.dndadventurersleague.org
Preparing the Adventure Before you show up to Dungeon Master this
adventure for a group of players, you should do the
following to prepare.
Make sure to have a copy of the most current
version of the D&D Basic Rules or the Player’s Handbook.
Read through the adventure, taking notes of anything you’d like to highlight or remind yourself while running the adventure, such as a way you’d like to portray an NPC or a tactic you’d like to use in a combat.
Get familiar with the monster statistics in the
Appendix.
Gather together any resources you’d like to use to aid you in running this adventure--such as
notecards, a DM screen, miniatures, and
battlemaps.
If you know the composition of the group
beforehand, you can make adjustments as noted
throughout the adventure.
Before Play at the Table Ask the players to provide you with relevant
character information:
Character name and level
Character race and class
Passive Wisdom (Perception)—the most common
passive ability check
Anything notable as specified by the adventure
(such as backgrounds, traits, flaws, etc.) Players that have characters outside the adventure’s level range cannot participate in the adventure
with those characters. Players with ineligible
characters can make a new 1st-level character or use
a pregenerated character. Players can play an
adventure they previously played or ran as a
Dungeon Master, but not with the same character.
Ensure that each player has an official adventure
logsheet for his or her character (if not, get one from
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Suits of the Mists 3
the organizer). The player fills out the adventure
name, session number, date, and your name and DCI
number. In addition, the player also fills in the
starting values for experience, gold, downtime,
renown, and number of permanent magic items. He
or she fill in the other values and write notes at the
conclusion of the session. Each player is responsible
for maintaining an accurate logsheet.
If you have time, you can do a quick scan of a player’s character sheet to ensure that nothing looks out of order. If you see magic items of very high
rarities or strange arrays of ability scores, you can ask
players to provide documentation for the
irregularities. If they cannot, feel free to restrict item
use or ask them to use a standard ability score array.
Point players to the D&D Adventurers League Player’s Guide for reference.
)f players wish to spend downtime days and it’s the beginning of an adventure or episode, they can
declare their activity and spend the days now.
Alternatively, they can do so at the end of the
adventure or episode. Players should select their characters’ spells and other daily options prior to the start of the adventure, unless the adventure specifies
otherwise. Feel free to reread the adventure
description to help give players hints about what they
might face.
Adjusting the Adventure Throughout this adventure, sidebars provide
information to assist you in making adjustments for
smaller or larger groups and characters of higher or
lower levels than the adventure is optimized for. This
is typically used exclusively for combat encounters.
You may adjust the adventure beyond the
guidelines given in the adventure, or for other reasons. For example, if you’re playing with a group of inexperienced players, you might want to make the
adventure a little easier; for very experienced players,
you might want to make it a little harder. Therefore,
five categories of party strength have been created
for you to use as a guide. Use these as a guide, and feel
free to use a different adjustment during the
adventure if the recommended party strength feels
off for the group.
This adventure is optimized for a party of five
2nd-level characters. To figure out whether you
need to adjust the adventure, do the following:
Add up the total levels of all the characters.
Divide the total by the number of characters.
Round fractions of .5 or greater up; round fractions
of less than .5 down.
You’ve now determined the average party level
(APL) for the adventure. To figure out the party
strength for the adventure, consult the following
table.
Determining Party Strength Party Composition Party Strength
3-4 characters, APL less than Very weak
3-4 characters, APL equivalent Weak
3-4 characters, APL greater than Average
5 characters, APL less than Weak
5 characters, APL equivalent Average
5 characters, APL greater than Strong
6-7 characters, APL less than Average
6-7 characters, APL equivalent Strong
6-7 characters, APL greater than Very strong
Average party strength indicates no recommended
adjustments to the adventure. Each sidebar may or
may not offer suggestions for certain party strengths.
If a particular recommendation is not offered for your group, you don’t have to make adjustments. Running the Adventure As the Dungeon Master of the session, you have the
most important role in facilitating the enjoyment of
the game for the players. You help guide the narrative
and bring the words on these pages to life. The
outcome of a fun game session often creates stories
that live well beyond the play at the table. Always
follow this golden rule when you DM for a group:
Make decisions and adjudications that enhance
the fun of the adventure when possible.
To reinforce this golden rule, keep in mind the
following:
You are empowered to make adjustments to the
adventure and make decisions about how the group
interacts with the world of this adventure. Doing so
is especially important and applicable outside of
combat, but feel free to adjust the adventure for
groups that are having too easy or too hard of a
time.
Don’t make the adventure too easy or too difficult for a group. Never being challenged makes for a
boring game and being overwhelmed makes for a
frustrating one. Gauge the experience of the players
(not the characters) with the game, try to feel out
(or ask) what they like in a game, and attempt to
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Suits of the Mists 4
give each of them the experience they’re after when they play D&D. Give everyone a chance to shine.
Be mindful of pacing, and keep the game session
moving along appropriately. Watch for stalling,
since play loses momentum when this happens. At the same time, make sure that the players don’t finish too early; provide them with a full play
experience. Try to be aware of running long or
short. Adjust the pacing accordingly
Read-aloud text is just a suggestion; feel free to
modify the text as you see fit, especially when
dialogue is present.
Give the players appropriate hints so they can make
informed choices about how to proceed. Players
should be given clues and hints when appropriate
so they can tackle puzzles, combat, and interactions
without getting frustrated over lack of information.
Doing so helps to encourage immersion in the
adventure and gives players little victories for figuring out good choices from clues. )n short, being the DM isn’t about following the adventure’s text word-for-word; it’s about facilitating
a fun, challenging game environment for the players.
The Dungeon Master’s Guide™ has more information
on the art of running a D&D game.
Downtime and Lifestyle
At the beginning of each play session, players must
declare whether or not they are spending any days of
downtime. The player records the downtime spent on
the adventure logsheet. The following options are
available to players during downtime (see the D&D
basic rules or the D&D Adventurers League Player’s Guide for more information):
Catching up
Crafting (exception: multiple characters cannot
commit to crafting a single item)
Practicing a profession
Recuperating
Spellcasting services
Training
Other downtime options might be available during
adventures or unlocked through play, including
faction-specific activities.
In addition, whenever a character spends
downtime days, that character also spends the
requisite expense for his or her lifestyle. Costs are per
day, so a character that spends ten days of downtime
also spends ten days of expenses maintaining his or
her lifestyle. Some downtime activities help with
lifestyle expenses or add lifestyle expenses.
Spellcasting Services
Any settlement the size of a town or larger can
provide some spellcasting services. Characters need
to be able to travel to the settlement to obtain these
services.
Help From Who!?
For the current storyline season, Curse of Strahd, the rules for
spellcasting services are changed for characters adventuring in
Baro ia. I “trahd’s leak do ai , there si pl are ’t a settlements where spellcasters can accommodate such needs,
and those places of worship that might otherwise provide
spellcasting services are overrun with monsters. As such,
unless otherwise detailed in an adventure, the only individual
able to provide spellcasting services is Jeny Greenteeth. This
will no doubt lead to some uncomfortable situations and
unforeseen consequences.
Refer to Page 7 of the Adventurers League Dungeon
Master’s Guide for more details.
Spell services generally available include healing and
recovery spells, as well as information-gathering
spells. Other spell services might be available as
specified in the adventure. The number of spells
available to be cast as a service is limited to a
maximum of three per day total, unless otherwise
noted.
Spellcasting Services Spell Cost
Cure wounds (1st level) 10 gp
Identify 20 gp
Lesser restoration 40 gp
Prayer of healing (2nd level) 40 gp
Remove curse 90 gp
Speak with dead 90 gp
Divination 210 gp
Greater restoration 450 gp
Raise dead 1,250 gp
Acolyte Background
A character possessing the acolyte background requesting
spellcasting services at a temple of his or her faith may request
one spell per day from the Spellcasting Services table for free.
The only cost paid for the spell is the base price for the
consumed material component, if any.
However, no religions have established places of worship
here of sufficient size to provide spellcasting services. Because
of this, characters with the Acolyte background gain no benefit
from this trait.
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Suits of the Mists 5
Character Disease, Death, and
Recovery
Sometimes bad things happen, and characters get
poisoned, diseased, or are killed. Since you might not
have the same characters return from session to
session, here are the rules when bad things happen to
characters.
Disease, Poison, and Other Debilitating
Effects A character still affected by diseases, poisons, and
other similar effects at the conclusion of an adventure
can spend downtime days recuperating until such
time as he or she resolves the effect to its conclusion
(see the recuperating activity in the D&D Basic Rules).
If a character doesn’t resolve the effect between sessions, that character begins the next session still
affected by the debilitating effect.
Death A character who is killed during the course of the
adventure has a few options at the end of the session
(or whenever arriving back in civilization) if no one in
the adventuring party has immediate access to a raise
dead or revivify spell, or similar magic. A character
subject to a raise dead spell is affected negatively
until all long rests have been completed during an
adventure. Alternatively, each downtime day spent
after raise dead reduces the penalty to attack rolls,
saving throws, and ability checks by 1, in addition to
any other benefits the downtime activity might
provide.
Create a New 1st-Level Character. If the dead
character is unwilling or unable to exercise any of the
other options, the player creates a new character. The
new character does not have any items or rewards
possessed by the dead character.
Dead Character Pays for Raise Dead. If the
character’s body is recoverable it’s not missing any vital organs and is mostly whole) and the player
would like the character to be returned to life, the
party can take the body back to civilization and use the dead character’s funds to pay for a raise dead
spell. A raise dead spell cast in this manner costs the
character 1,250 gp.
Character’s Party Pays for Raise Dead. As above,
except that some or all of the 1,250 gp for the raise
dead spell is paid for by the party at the end of the
session. Other characters are under no obligation to
spend their funds to bring back a dead party member.
Faction Charity. If the character is of level 1 to 4 and a member of a faction, the dead character’s body can be returned to civilization and a patron from the
faction ensures that he or she receives a raise dead
spell. However, any character invoking this charity
forfeits all experience and rewards from that session
(both those earned prior to and after death during
that session) and cannot replay that episode or
adventure with that character again. Once a character
reaches 5th level, this option is no longer available.
Resurrection Madness
In Barovia, the souls of the dead are as trapped as the souls of
the li i g. The e o e aught i the ists a d a ’t tra el to the afterlife. When a humanoid who has been dead for at least
24 hours returns to life, either by way of a spell or some
supernatural means, it gains a random form of indefinite
madness brought on by the realization that its spirit is trapped
in Barovia, likely forever. To determine how this madness is
expressed, roll on the Indefinite Madness table in chapter 8 of
the Dungeon Master’s Guide.
Vampirism and Lycanthropy Vampires and lycanthropes are not included in the
allowed rules for character creation or advancement
(see the D&D Adventurers League Player’s Guide).
These conditions grant characters powers and
abilities that are not suitable for organized play, and
typically impose a restricted or prohibited alignment.
As such, characters afflicted with vampirism or
lycanthropy must have the affliction cured before the
start of their next episode or adventure.
Afflicted characters have the following options:
Lycanthropes can be cured with a remove curse
spell. This spell is available as a spellcasting service
for 90 gp (though Jeny Greenteeth might have
additional requirements; see Spellcasting Services later in this guide).
Vampires can be cured by a wish spell cast by a
fellow player character (wish is not available as a
spellcasting service). Alternatively, a vampire
character can be slain and returned to life with
raise dead, at the normal cost of 1,250 gp. If a
character chooses to end a vampiric curse in this
manner, the Dark Powers (see Page 8, Adventurers
League Dungeon Master’s Guide) do not offer a free
raise dead, though Jeny Greenteeth might be willing
to make a deal see Spellcasting Services later in this guide).
An afflicted character who does not end his or her
curse is retired from play until able to do so by one of
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Suits of the Mists 6
the means above, or through the application of DM
rewards to the character.
The Demiplane of Dread This adventure is set within the Ravenloft campaign
setting, in the lands of Barovia which exists in the
Demiplane of Dread. There are several atmospheric
and thematic elements to keep in mind at all times
while running your game:
The Land is Bleak By the will of the Dark Powers, the sun never fully
shines in the lands of Barovia. Even during the day,
the sky is dimmed by fog or storm clouds, or the light
is strangely muted. Barovian daylight is bright light, yet it isn’t considered sunlight for the purpose of effects and vulnerabilities, such as a vampire’s, tied to sunlight. Nevertheless, Strahd and his vampire
spawn tend to stay indoors most of the day and
venture out at night, and they are subject to sunlight
created by magic.
Winter in Barovia
The winters are cold, wet, and stormy here. The natives of the
Demiplane are prepared—well, as prepared as they can hope
to be.
The characters, however, are unfamiliar with the realm.
Thankfully, the region they came from was experiencing the
worst winter in living memory, and are likely to possess winter
clothing. If they are not, then, preparations are in order. The
village has a single shop called The Hare & Hair where they are
able to procure such supplies if they wish.
A dark sentience infuses the very soil, twisting and
contorting everything within. In places where you
would normally expect wildlife such as deer, rabbits,
or squirrels, you instead find wolves, rats, and mangy
dogs. Vegetation is rotted and dead, and forests are
filled mostly with gnarled, thick trees with bare
branches. Colorful, vivacious things simply do not
exist.
The Denizens of Orașnou
Most Oraș ou reside ts are u da e la orers, far ers, fletchers and other folk who fall under common professions.
They typically have gaunt features, as crops often fail to take
root, and creatures of the night frequently kill and devour
their livestock.
Most are sullen, and often filled with fear, be it from the
lands themselves, what lies within them, Lord Strahd, or their
own tyrant of a Burgomaster; Ivan Randovich and his cronies.
Be sure to play to the mindsets of these people who live
threadbare existences, constantly on the precipice of horror
during your roleplaying encounters.
As is the case with most of the denizens of Barovia, most of
the people that reside i the illage do ’t possess a soul. These people are empty shells reated “trahd’s o s ious ess to populate his domain. However, about one in every ten people
in Barovia are actually possessing of a soul—the souls of the
original denizens of Barovia before its transition into the
Demiplane. When a being with a soul dies in Barovia, its soul
remains trapped until it is reincarnated later. Souls tend to
wear clothing with a splash of color or have other features
that demonstrate even a small bit of individuality.
Alterations to Magic The land of Barovia resides in its own demiplane,
isolated from all other planes, including the Material
Plane. No spell—not even wish—allows one to escape
from Strahd’s domain. Astral projection, teleport,
plane shift, and similar spells cast for the purpose of
leaving Barovia simply fail, as do effects that banish a
creature to another plane of existence. These
restrictions apply to magic items and artifacts that
have properties that transport or banish creatures to
other planes. Magic that allows transit to the Border
Ethereal, such as the etherealness spell and the
Etherealness feature of incorporeal undead, is the
exception to this rule. A creature that enters the
Border Ethereal from Strahd’s domain is pulled back into Barovia upon leaving that plane.
For the purpose of spells whose effects change
across or are blocked by planar boundaries (such as
sending , Strahd’s domain is considered its own plane. Magic that summons creatures or objects from other
planes functions normally in Barovia, as does magic
that involves an extradimensional space. Any spells
cast within such an extra-dimensional space (such as
that created by Mordenkainen’s magnificent mansion)
are subject to the same restrictions as magic cast in
Barovia.
While in Barovia, characters who receive spells
from deities or otherworldly patrons continue to do
so. In addition, spells that allow contact with beings
from other planes function normally—with one
provision: Strahd can sense when someone in his
domain is casting such a spell and can choose to make himself the spell’s recipient, so that he becomes the one who is contacted.
Cosmetic Spell Modifications At your discretion, a spell can be modified
cosmetically to enhance the horrific atmosphere of
Ravenloft. A few examples are presented below:
Alarm. Instead of hearing a mental ping when the
alarm is triggered, the caster hears a scream.
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Suits of the Mists 7
Bigby’s Hand. The conjured hand is skeletal.
Find Familiar. The familiar is undead instead of
being a celestial, a fey, or a fiend, and is immune to
features that turn undead.
Find Steed. The summoned steed is undead instead
of being a celestial, a fey, or a fiend, and is immune to
features that turn undead.
Find the Path. A child’s spirit appears and guides the caster to the desired location. The spirit can’t be harmed and doesn’t communicate. Fog Cloud. Misty, harmless claws form in the fog.
Gust of Wind. A ghastly moan accompanies the
summoned wind.
Mage Hand. The summoned hand is skeletal.
Maze. The surfaces of the demiplane’s maze are made of mortared skulls and bones.
Phantom Steed. The steed resembles a skeletal
horse.
Rary’s Telepathic Bond. Characters linked together by the spell can’t shake the feeling that
something vile is telepathically eavesdropping on
them.
Revivify. A creature restored to life by a revivify
spell screams upon regaining consciousness, as
though waking from some horrible nightmare.
Spirit Guardians. The spirits appear as ghostly,
skeletal warriors.
Wall of Stone. A wall created by the spell has
ghastly faces sculpted into it, as though tortured
spirits were somehow trapped within the stone.
Count Strahd Von Zarovich
Lord Strahd is the Darklord of Barovia. He rules his domain
from Castle Ravenloft as Strahd IX; a descendent of Strahd I. In
actuality, Strahd I and Strahd IX are the one and the same--a
vampire. As a mortal, Strahd fell in love with Tatyana
Federovna; the bride of his younger brother Sergei. In his
jealousy, Strahd murdered his brother and became the
Darklord of Barovia; which was swept away into the
Demiplane along with its ruler. Since then, Strahd is cursed to
seek incarnations of Tatyana for eternity. NOTE: Strahd is not
present in this adventure.
Not Without Humor
The bleak and oppressive landscape must give way
now and then to some moments of respite, not only
does this break up the taxing mindset that Ravenloft
can evoke, but it also provides good chances for
horror to sneak back up on players just as they least
expect it.
Adventure Background Following the fall of Phlan to the so-called "Maimed
Virulence," the green dragon Vorgansharax, the five
factions quickly began planning to drive the beast
from the beleaguered town. Since the process of
marshalling resources has been slow, sentries were
set at various locations outside Phlan, all watching for
any movement from the dragon or its forces.
With efforts to retake the town finally bearing fruit,
the factions are hearing reports of strange
happenings in the lands around Phlan. Worried that
these reported oddities might interfere with their
plans, or be signs of more sinister impediments, the
factions are sending their agents to investigate.
One of the rumor hubs near Phlan is the Crossing
Inn, a waystation for travelers along the Phlan Path,
which runs between Phlan and Melvaunt. The patrons
and staff of the inn believe that some unnamed doom,
something even direr than the Maimed Virulence, is
creeping steadily toward Phlan.
This vague uneasiness intensified when a family of
Gur, itinerates distrusted by most, arrived at the
Crossing Inn. These nomads, as befits their
reputation, committed a host of crimes against the
inn and its patrons.
When the characters arrive at the Crossing Inn to
investigate the rumors, the patrons and staff provide
sufficient fodder for further investigation into the Gur
and what connections the characters might have to
the approaching dread.
Adventure Overview Suits of the Mist consists of five mini-adventures, each
designed for one to two hours of play. Therefore, if
you are attempting to run all five missions in one
session, you need a minimum of five hours to do so
(and possibly ten or more). If you run this adventure
as part of an event that cycles players through quickly
and involves limited time, DMs should be familiar
with the mini-adventures they are running to save
time at the table.
At public events, time is often the most important
factor. Get the players into the mini-adventure as
quickly as possible, keep an eye on the clock, and take
whatever shortcuts are necessary to stay on schedule.
Remind the players of the time limits, and encourage
them to take the adventures at face value rather than
looking for any hidden plots or side quests. If time is
not an issue, let the characters spend more time
interacting with the non-player characters within the
mini-adventures.
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Suits of the Mists 8
The first four missions can be played in any
order, but the fifth mission should be played last.
The last mission details the characters' crossing from
Faerûn into the land of Barovia, so it may be
anticlimactic for players to return and play other
missions after playing the final one. However, the end
of each mission contains an optional section that
describes the characters crossing to Barovia, just in
case it makes sense for the characters to enter
Barovia and get involved in the story unfolding there,
as described in other Season 4 adventures.
Adventure Hook The adventure begins with the characters arriving at
the Crossing Inn, finding the staff and patrons of the
establishment in a tizzy.
Curse of Strahd Adventures
The adventures for the Curse of Strahd Season of Dungeons
and Dragons Adventurers League deliver the most impactful
experience when played in numeric order (i.e.: 04-01, then 04-
02, and so on) but this is not required. Please carefully read
the following pages and be prepared to adjust encounters,
especially where key NPCs are concerned! Although DM tips
may be found in the adventure, they are unlikely to cover
every table or situation.
For a Ravenloft game, the world itself should be treated
with great respect—it is a character unto itself, and the Dark
Powers rarely respond positively to hand-waving and outright
dis issal…
Any character afflicted with lycanthropy must receive the
benefits of a remove curse at the end of this adventure in
order to be rid of this horrible affliction. Characters that
choose to remain afflicted or cannot afford this spell, become
NPCs and are no longer playable in D&D Adventurers League
games.
Read:
Your instructions were clear: Travel to the Crossing Inn,
located a short ride east of the town of Phlan, with a
proverbial ear to the ground. With plans to liberate Phlan
underway, vigilance is of the utmost importance. Not
surprisingly, strange rumors from the areas around Phlan have
the faction leaders nervous.
The trip to the Crossing Inn was uneventful but
disconcerting. The air was unseasonably cold even as the
height of winter approaches and a strange, unrelenting fog
that envelops the area has had other tra elers ou’ e rossed paths with on edge. Scavenging creatures have been seen in
unusual numbers, roaming the edges of the roads. The world
just seemed darker.
The warmth of the Crossing Inn's octagonal common room
engulfs you as you enter. Instead of warm smiles, the barkeep
and patrons offer suspicious glares—unusual for the inn.
Although several patrons frequent the inn, all are crowded
around a large table in the corner. Everyone seems to be
speaking at once, voices teeming with anger and concern.
Among the jumbled words you hear some clearly: "filthy Gur",
"cursed nomads", and "larcenous and murderous."
After a few moments, the tavern owner, a male
human called Romsan Kal, breaks from the group of
complaining patrons to greet the characters. He puts
on a forced smile, runs a hand over his scarred, bald
head, and asks if the characters would like food,
drinks, or a bed in the common room.
If asked about the unrest at the inn, Romsan
explains that strange things have been happening in
the area for a couple of ten-days or more: animals
acting in an uneasy manner, the cursed ever-present
fog, unnaturally cold weather, and rumors of strange
creatures stalking the lands surrounding Phlan.
Worse yet, a family of Gur set camp in the area just
eight days ago. (Gur are a human race infamous in the
Realms for their nomadic lifestyle.) Any character
succeeding on a DC 9 Intelligence (History) knows
about the Gur—and their reputation. Romsan
welcomed the Gur (or more specifically, their coin)
despite the grumbles from the rest of his clientele.
For a time, the Gur were well behaved and were even
becoming well-liked at the Crossing Inn. They had
provided entertainment and stories and taught the
locals some new card games and drinking songs. The
eldest Gur, Papa, even mixed up a concoction to help
one of the patrons with a headache.
Things have turned around quickly, however, in the
last 24 hours. Apparently, the Gur proved to be as
treacherous as their reputations suggested.
During the course of their conversation with the
locals, the characters learn about a number of events
that took place at the inn. These events are recapped
in additional detail in Player Handout 1. The handout
provides information that leads to the first four
missions of this adventure. The final mission occurs
when all of them have been completed and the
characters return the errant Gur back to the inn. The
characters learn:
A young Gur named Hricu drugged a female elf
mage and stole her wand. He was last seen headed
towards the hills.
An adult Gur named Rilynin stole some gems from
a merchant. The merchant discloses that the wizard
staying at the inn cast a spell and learned that the
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Suits of the Mists 9
box containing the gems are currently on the road
leading into the Glumpen Swamp.
An older Gur named Kehkim stole a wagon-load of
weapons stored here by local militiamen. The
wagon was seen headed towards Thar where there
is an ancient stronghold occupied by orcs.
An even older Gur called Papa cursed the assistant of the inn’s cook. Since the night before, the assistant is alive, but is completely unresponsive.
Papa was seen fleeing into the nearby Quivering
Forest. He needs to be retrieved if the locals have
any hope of removing the curse.
Once the characters are brought up to speed by the
patrons of the inn, they are approached by Aya
Glenmiir (DDEX1-06 The Scroll Thief, DDEX1-9
DDEX1-10 Tyranny in Phlan, DDEX2-09 Breath of the
Yellow Rose), an elven wizard staying at the inn while
she waits to join the upcoming epic battle to reclaim
Phlan.
One of the patrons of the inn, an elf who displays the
trappings of an arcanist and seems to be enjoying the
company of the small, furry creature perched on her shoulder,
asks to speak to you.
"I wanted to pass on one bit of information. I talked to the
Gur you pursue. I don't have the same superstitious beliefs as
the locals here. To me, the Gur seemed just as scared as the
rest of us by the changes in the area. I am not sure what they
are playing at, but they might know some important secrets.
Treat them well, and they may become important allies."
Aya suggests that the Gur should not be killed. She
recommends that each of the Gur should, instead, be
brought back to the Crossing Inn to answer for their
crimes in a fair and just manner.
They also might have information about all the
strange things happening in the area, whether they
are involved or not. )f asked about the merchant’s gems, Aya confirms that she cast locate object for the
merchant.
Roleplaying Aya Glenmiir
Aya is a female elf of about 300 years. She is has long, auburn
hair a d radia t gree e es, alo g ith a it of a ego. “he’s well aware of the allure and mystery that her racial heritage
evokes, and has no reservations against capitalizing on it. She
is quick with a coy smile and a twist of the hair if it gets her
what she wants. But despite this, she is quite brilliant,
especially when the Weave is discussed.
Development If the play environment does not include time
restrictions, feel free to roleplay the plot hook
conversations. After they’ve talked to the various
occupants of the inn, provide the characters with the
summarized plot hooks in Handout 1. These are
meant to help play move along more quickly by
providing all the relevant information without getting
bogged down with interactions that, while generally
fun and entertaining, can lengthen the play
experience.
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Suits of the Mists 10
Mission 1: Stars Following the reported path of the young Gur thief
Hricu into the Vanishing Hills, the characters quickly
find strangeness seeping from the very landscape.
Stars
This suit represents personal power, control, arcane classes,
science, abuse of power, hunger, and fire.
As the characters press deeper into the hills, read:
Your journey into the Vanishing Hills was made difficult by the
frigid winds and obstinately clinging fog. Now, however, other
obstacles have presented themselves.
Strange lights and occasional bursts of fiery light are clearly
visible further up the slopes, while a thick layer of ice covers all
paths in front of you. The slope ahead of you is teeming with
thistle bushes bearing large, bright-red flowerheads, which
have somehow managed to survive the ice and cold.
Several magical forces are at play in this area, each
bringing their own unique effects to the landscape:
the incursion of the mists of Ravenloft, the presence
of the dracolich Throstulgrael, and the release of
energy when Hricu accidentally broke the wand of
fire.
Flame Thistles
The combination of magic suffusing the area has
turned the thistle plants on the slope into magical
traps. If a creature enters a patch of thistle, some of
the flowerheads attach to the creature and separate
from the brush. Any character succeeding on a DC 11
Intelligence (Nature) check identifies the flame thistle
and its properties.
A round after being removed from their stem, a
flowerhead explodes for 2 (1d4) points of fire damage
each. With a successful DC 10 Dexterity (Sleight of
Hand) check, an adventurer can pick a flowerhead
from a fire thistle bush without exploding it. If the
check fails by 4 or more, the flowerhead ignites. Treat
a thrown flowerhead as alchemist's fire. The magic of
picked flowerheads disappears at the end of this
mission.
Flame Thistle Flowerhead
These sticky, burr-covered growths ignite when subjected to
force. As an action, you can throw a flowerhead up to 20 feet,
detonating it on impact. Make a ranged attack against a
creature or object, treating the flowerhead as an improvised
weapon. On a hit, the target takes 1d4 fire damage at the start
of each of its turns. A creature can end this damage by using
its action to make a DC 10 Dexterity check to extinguish the
flames.
Normally the characters would be able to easily avoid
the patches of flame thistle, but the icy slope makes
scaling the hills treacherous. In order to scale the
200-foot slope, a character must make a DC 10
Strength (Athletics) check. A failed check sends the
adventurer sliding down the slope, taking no damage
but careening through a flame thistle bush and
picking up 1d3 flowerheads, which explode a round
later. One flowerhead can be removed with an action
and a DC 10 Intelligence (Nature) check. The
flowerheads are delicate and simply tearing them off
causes them to explode. Any character that removes a
flowerhead in this way must make the saving throw
listed above, but with disadvantage.
If one adventurer can get to the top of the slope and
secure a rope or other climbing-assistance gear,
anyone using that gear makes the check with
advantage, and can choose to use either Strength
(Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) for the check.
Allow the characters to be creative in dealing with
the thistles. Some may try using area-of-effect spells
or the like in clearing large swathes of the plants. If,
for example, thunderwave is used to do so, the thistles
fly from the plants and explode dramatically—possibly creating a small avalanche or similar effect.
XP Award If the characters successfully navigate the slope
without taking damage from the flame thistles, award
each character 25 XP.
1. Ice Cats
Light. The fog parts to allow bright light to reach
the hills.
At the top of the icy slope is a level area littered with
large boulders. Resting among the boulders are four
ice cats. A character that succeeds at a DC 11 Wisdom
(Survival) check notices the tracks of large felines in
the area.
A few minutes after the first adventurer reaches the
top of the slope, the ice cats slink from their hiding
places and attack. Any adventurer at the top of the
slope that succeeds on a DC 13 Wisdom (Perception)
check sees the cats stalking the characters. A
character with a passive Perception of 13 or higher
also notices the cats hiding among the boulders. Any
character that succeeded on the Wisdom (Survival)
check above makes this check with advantage
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Suits of the Mists 11
(equitable to a +5 bonus to their passive Perception
score).
When the first adventurer reaches the top of the
slope, read:
The slope levels into a plateau here. Snow covers the ground
instead of ice, and few scattered boulders dot the otherwise
barren landscape. Beyond the field of snow-covered, boulders
is a cliff, a small cave visible in its face.
Tactics If the combat moves from the level plateau back onto
the icy slope, the hungry ice cats can traverse the ice
without problems, while the characters must treat it
as difficult terrain. The ice cats know about the flame
thistles and prefer to stay off the slope to avoid the
fire damage, if possible.
Developments Once the cats are defeated, the characters have an
opportunity to take a short rest, if desired. Taking a
long rest in the frigid, dangerous area is unwise. A DC
10 Intelligence (Investigation or Nature) check
reveals that more ice cats are in the area, and staying
for more than an hour would bring the characters
into contact with a much larger pack.
Tracks in the snow reveal, with no check necessary,
that a single humanoid creature, roughly the size of a
halfling or young human, passed through this area
and to the north a few hours ago.
Adjusting the Encounter
Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat
encounter. These are not cumulative.
Weak party: Remove an ice cat, and reduce the DC to spot
the cats to 12. Do not attack the characters until they are all
at the top of the slope.
Strong or very strong party: Add an ice cat. The creatures
attack 10 rounds after the first adventurer arrives at the
top.
2. Angry Icicles
Light. This passage is unlit.
Ceiling. This passage's ceiling is 15 feet high.
Hricu's trail is easy to follow up the slope to the north.
His tracks continue towards a cliff face with a cave set
into its side and disappear inside.
The trail leads into a rough passage in the side of a cliff. The
10-foot-wide passage winds and descends slightly as it
descends into the hill. Sharp icicles hang from the 15-foot-high
ceilings, and the floor is littered with long, thin chunks of ice.
The magic of the area has made these icicles semi-
sentient, and they want nothing more than to fall on
anyone passing beneath them.
The first people passing down the corridor can
make a DC 11 Wisdom (Perception) check or a DC 10
Intelligence (Arcana) check to realize that some of the
icicles are actually trembling slightly and making
excited whispering noises. If detected, characters can
make any saving throws to avoid the ill-intended
icicles with advantage. Fire-based attacks in the
direction of the icicles also scare them.
If the icicles go unnoticed, the first creature passing
beneath them (and only this creature) must succeed
on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw as the semi-
sentient shards shriek gleefully and fall on their
intended victim. On a failed saving throw, the
creature takes 5 (2d4) cold damage. Damage is halved
on a successful saving throw.
Perceptive characters can pick up the icicles and
use them as darts that do cold damage instead of
piercing, although the shrieking of the ice warns the
stirges of the characters' approach. This cold damage,
of course, could prove useful against the fire stirges.
The icicles melt at the end of this mission.
3. Shooting Stars
Light. This room is dimly lit by a lantern that Hricu
carries.
Ceiling. This caverns ceiling is 30 feet high.
The icicle passage ends in a large cavern, where Hricu
is currently fighting off stirges with two pieces of the
broken wand of fire.
Within a cavern at the end of the icicle passage, a young
human clutches pieces of thin wood in each hand. The
flickering lantern at his feet plays shadows off his terrified
face. Four creatures, like large bats with long, pointed mouths,
hover about him. Occasionally, a spark of red energy arcs
between the two wood fragments, driving the flying creatures
back momentarily. Humanoid bones litter the edges of the
cavern.
Four fire stirges harass Hricu, while more fire stirges
rest among the crags and niches in the ceiling,
preparing to attack. Four more fire stirges enter
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Suits of the Mists 12
combat in the third round of combat. If the characters
are attempting to be stealthy, they may attempt a DC
10 group Dexterity (Stealth) check. If successful, the
fire stirges are surprised.
The magic of the broken wand protects Hricu from
damage of any type, putting up a shield when damage
would occur. This magic disappears when the wood
fragments are removed from his hands.
Hricu’s Power An adventurer can attempt a DC 10 Intelligence
(Arcana) check to realize what is happening with
Hricu. He is suffused with energy that was, until
recently, safely contained in the wand of fire. Anyone
character adjacent to Hricu that learns this and is also
proficient with Arcana may spend an action to
attempt a DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana) check. If
successful, the adventurer manipulates the energy
surrounding Hricu to lash out at a single target within
50 feet of the boy, dealing 5 (1d10) fire damage.
Additionally, the nimbus of energy surrounding
Hricu completely protects him from the stirges.
Describe a number of burnt stirges laying on the
ground by his feet.
Developments With the fire stirges defeated, Hricu cannot control
the energy within himself. He talks very fast, runs
around the characters, shakes uncontrollably, and
then finally collapses in exhaustion as the energy
drains away. He puts up no fight against the
characters. If questioned about his actions, he
provides the following answers. Even a DC 5 Wisdom
(Insight) check reveals he is telling the truth:
Hricu was instructed by his mother, Sybil, to steal
the wand from the wizard and bring it here, where
it was rumored that a powerful dragon lived.
Hricu was supposed to offer the wand to the dragon
in return for protection when the impending evil
swept over the land. Instead, Hricu found this cave
empty, and it mattered little, since he managed to
break the wand while defending himself from the
fire stirges.
Hricu is unaware of what the other Gur have done
at the Crossing Inn.
Adjusting the Encounter
Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat
encounter. These are not cumulative.
Weak party: Remove 1 stirge from the second wave.
Strong or very strong party: Remove a round between the
waves. The wave contains two more stirges.
Treasure Among the bones in the room, the characters find a
leather backpack carrying two fire opals worth 125gp
each, as well as two potions of healing.
Into the Mist From here, the characters may complete any of the
other missions or, if they have completed the first
four missions, proceed to Mission 5: Mists. It is highly
recommended that they accomplish that mission last
as it better handles the crossing into Ravenloft.
Characters that have not completed the other five
missions should not be permitted to fully enter the
mists.
If, and only if, the characters have completed all five
missions, read the following. Remember that once the
character enters the mist, they can’t return to Faerûn.
Any character that fully enters the mists earns the
The Demiplane of Dread story award.
As you head back towards Phlan, the fog and mists grow so
thick that you lose track of your companions. Even the sounds
of walking and talking are muffled and mangled. The mists
seem to take on grotesque shapes. The sounds you make
echoing back as moans of spectral pain. The tension finally
breaks as the mists thin, letting you see your landscape again.
But something is wrong. The air is still cold, but the frost is
gone. A few wretched leaves still cling to the trees here, where
all branches were bare moments ago.
A wooden sign rests on the path before you, having fallen
off a tree. Next to it is a dead crow, frozen by the frigid air and
partially eaten by vermin. In oddly slanted letters, the sign
reads:
Welcome to Barovia
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Suits of the Mists 13
Rewards Make sure the players note their rewards on their
adventure log sheets. Provide them your name and
DCI number (if applicable) so they can record who
ran the session. If you are playing all of the missions
as a single adventure, or playing multiple missions in
one session, you needn’t wait until the end of the session to give the rewards the players earned during
the individual missions, but you may.
Experience
Total up all combat experience earned for defeated
foes and divide by the number of characters present
in the combat. For non-combat experience, the
rewards listed are per character. Give all characters
in the party non-combat experience awards unless
otherwise noted.
Combat Awards Name of Foe XP per Foe
Ice Cat 50
Fire Stirge 25
Non-Combat Awards Task or Accomplishment XP per Character
Survive the icy slope and icicles 25
The minimum total award for each character
participating in this adventure is 75 experience
points.
The maximum total award for each character
participating in this adventure is 100 experience
points.
Treasure
The characters receive the following treasure, divided
up amongst the party. Characters should attempt to
divide treasure evenly whenever possible. Gold piece
values listed for sellable gear are calculated at their
selling price, not their purchase price.
Consumable magic items should be divided up
however the group sees fit. If more than one
character is interested in a specific consumable magic
item, the DM can determine who gets it randomly
should the group be unable to decide.
Permanent magic items are divided up according
to a system. See the sidebar if the adventure awards
permanent magic items.
Treasure Awards
Item Name GP Value
Fire opals 250
Potion of Healing Potion, common
A description of this item can be found in the basic
rules or the Player’s Handbook.
Story Awards
Characters have the opportunity to earn the following
story awards during this adventure. This award is
only earned if the characters voluntarily enter the
mists at the end of the mission. This award prevents
them from participating in any unaccomplished
missions.
The Demiplane of Dread. You have traversed the
mists and now find yourself in the Demiplane of
Dread and, until this story award is removed, you are
unable to leave. So long as you are trapped, you
cannot participate in any adventure or event that
takes place outside of Barovia. Tread carefully during
your time here, the Dark Powers are watching.
Downtime
Each character receives five downtime days at the
conclusion of this mini-adventure.
DM Rewards
You receive 100 XP, 50 gp, and five downtime days
for each session you run of this mini-adventure.
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Suits of the Mists 14
Appendix: Monster/NPC
Statistics
Ice Cat Medium beast, unaligned
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 13 (3d8)
Speed 50 ft., climb 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 15 (+2) 10 (+0) 3 (−4) 14 (+2) 7 (−2)
Skills Perception +4, Stealth +6
Damage Vulnerabilities fire
Damage Resistances cold
Senses passive Perception 14
Languages —
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Ice Walk. The ice cat can move across and climb icy
surfaces without needing to make an ability check.
Additionally, difficult terrain composed of ice or snow
does ’t ost e tra o e e t. Keen Smell. The ice cat has advantage on Wisdom
(Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Pounce. If the ice cat moves at least 20 feet straight
toward a creature and then hits it with a claw attack on
the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 12
Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target
is prone, the cat can make one bite attack against it as a
bonus action.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) slashing damage.
Fire Stirge Tiny beast, unaligned
Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 2 (1d4)
Speed 10 ft., fly 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
4 (−3) 16 (+3) 11 (+0) 2 (−4) 8 (−1) 6 (−2)
Damage Vulnerabilities cold
Damage Resistances fire
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9
Languages —
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
Actions
Blood Drain. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5
ft., one creature. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage, and
the fire stirge attaches to the target. While attached, the
fire stirge does ’t atta k. I stead, at the start of ea h of the fire stirge’s tur s, the target loses 1d + hit points due to blood loss.
The fire stirge can detach itself by spending 5 feet of
its movement. It does so after it drains 10 hit points of
blood from the target or the target dies. A creature,
including the target, can use its action to detach the fire
stirge.
Flare (Recharge 6). The fire stirge exhales fire that fills a
5-foot square adjacent to it. A creature in that area must
make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw, taking 5 (2d4) on a
failed save, or no damage on a successful one.
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Suits of the Mists 15
Appendix: The Frozen Cave
Map
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Suits of the Mists 16
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Suits of the Mists 17
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Suits of the Mists 18
Mission 2: Coins The merchant whose gems were stolen, an elf called
Agrae, gives the characters directions, provided by
the magical ring that lets him keep track of his more
valuable and portable merchandise. Those directions
take the characters into the eastern-most reaches of
Glumpen Swamp approximately a day-and-a-half
away by foot.
The characters can follow a clearly marked trail,
made even more traversable by the frozen ground,
which is normally swampy here. Signs of recent travel
score the trail, which ends in a clearing. Have the
characters attempt a DC 13 group Wisdom
(Perception) check. If half or more succeed, they are
able to hear a conversation before they move into the
clearing.
The Coins
This suit represents avarice, desire, gluttony, obsession,
wealth, poverty, charity, merchants, roguish classes, stealth,
disguise, and air.
If they made the check, read:
As you are about to step into a clearing, you hear voices
speaking in Common. "I was promised more than this," says a
melodious, lilting voice. "I don't think I can part with the
merchandise for this paltry amount."
A deeper voice, heavily accented, answers angrily. "The
gems are worth more than we agreed to. You assured us that
we had a deal."
From the frost-covered underbrush of the swamp, you see
two parties conversing in the clearing. The first is a human
male matching the description of the Gur named Rilynin. He
holds a box of gems low, allowing a gnome clad in an
abundance of furs to study the contents. She sniffs disdainfully
as she runs a finicky finger through the box. Behind her, four
humans dressed in chainmail and wielding spears watch the
exchange with stoic and bored expressions.
If the characters failed the group Perception check, or
if they choose not to hide and simply enter the
clearing, read this text instead:
The trail you follow opens into a clearing. As you emerge, you
see that the it is already occupied. A human male matching
the description of the Gur named Rilynin holds a box of gems
out to a female gnome clad in exquisite furs. Four humans
dressed in chainmail level spears in your direction as you enter
the clearing.
A. The Deal Completed
If the characters do not interfere, the two parties
negotiate. Finally, the gnome, a dealer in stolen goods,
accepts the offer. She takes the gems and presents a
box in return. The box contains twenty vials of holy
water (although only two of them are real, the rest
are just water).
Once the trade is made, the two parties pack up and
go their separate ways. However, before they can
leave the clearing, a veritable army of blights attack.
Proceed to Blight Barrage, below.
B. The Deal Interrupted
Light. This clearing is brightly lit by a number of
lanterns on Churly's cart.
If the characters enter the clearing, or if they choose
to interrupt the deal, they must interact with the
parties.
A DC 10 group Dexterity (Stealth) check allows the
characters a surprise round if they choose to attack
without announcing themselves.
If they enter the clearing but do not attack
immediately, the gnome speaks to the characters
casually:
"I didn't expect a party in such a remote location! How
wonderful! Alistair, bring some brandy for our guests. My
name is Churly Pinket. What brings you into the cold swamp,
my friends?"
Rilynin falls silent and lets Churly do the talking.
Churly plays the innocent merchant for as long as she
can. If the characters accuse Rilynin of stealing the
gems, Churly acts surprised and claims that she knew
nothing about it. She is only an honest merchant, she
says, who was told that holy water was needed by an
interested party, and they arranged to meet here. All
of Churly's lies are opposed with a DC 18 Wisdom
(Insight) check.
If the characters believe her story, or even just
don't want to bother trying to capture her, she is
happy to just hand over Rilynin to them without a
fight. Before Churly and her guards can leave,
however, the entire group is set upon by blights (see
Blight Barrage, below).
The characters might decide to attack first. If that is
the case, both Rilynin and Churly hide, allowing the
four guards to take care of the nasty business of
fighting. Both Rilynin and Churly have an AC of 10
and 5 hit points. They do not participate in combat.
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Suits of the Mists 19
Tactics The guards fight to subdue the characters rather than
kill them—something the players should be made
aware of. After one of the guards are defeated, the
others surrender.
Developments If, by the fifth round of combat, the characters are still
fighting the guards, blights attack (see Blight Barrage,
below) begins.
Treasure
Adjusting the Encounter
Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat
encounter. These are not cumulative.
Weak party: Remove a guard.
Strong or very strong party: Add a guard.
XP Award If the characters treat peacefully with Churly and his
guards and avoid combat, award each character
25 XP.
Blight Barrage
The timing of the blight attack depends on when the
DM thinks it makes the most sense. Consider the
following when making that decision:
When would the attack add most to the fun of the
game for the players?
When the flow of the game starts to stall or get
awkward, would the attack keep things moving?
When would the attack be best to challenge a
strong party or help a weak party?
At whatever point the DM deems appropriate, a loud
rustling begins within the thick foliage around the
clearing. Rather than a Wisdom (Perception) check,
an adventurer can make a DC 10 Intelligence (Nature)
to recognize that some of the plants on the edge of the
clearing are not native to the area and possibly not
native to Faerûn. And they are moving closer. This
avoids surprise for any adventurer making the check.
From all around the clearing emerge several
blights: two vine blights and three needle blights.
Tactics The blights fight to the death, as they seek the warm
blood of living creatures, and they do not
discriminate in who they attack. The only creature
they do not attack is Rilynin.
Provided the guards are still alive, their priority is
defending Churly. However, as an action, a character
may be able to urge the guards to help defeat the
blights rather than flee. Any character attempting to
enlist the aid of the guards must succeed on a DC 13
Charisma (Persuasion) check. If the characters killed
any of the guards the check is made with advantage. If
the characters spared all of the guards or interacted
with the guards peacefully, consider allowing the
check to be made with advantage or succeed
automatically in the case of exceptional roleplaying.
Developments Upon defeating the guards, Churly asks the characters if they’re interested in completing the transaction. )n exchange for the box of gems, the characters receive a
box containing a number of vials. Of them, only two
contain actual holy water. If they do not acquiesce to Churly’s offer, the characters are instead able to take possession of the box of gems (see the treasure
section in The Trip Home, below).
While normally, any experience earned during an
encounter would be divided by all participants in the
encounter (in this case both the characters and the
guards), however in this case, only divide the
experience among the characters.
Adjusting the Encounter
Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat
encounter. These are not cumulative.
Very Weak or weak party: Remove a vine blight. The
guards attack the blights, even if the characters did not
persuade them to help.
Strong or very strong party: Add a vine blight and a needle
blight. The guards are less likely to attack the blights.
XP Award If the characters successfully convince the guards to
help them, award each character 25 XP.
The Trip Home
Rilynin, once he sees the dangers present in the
swamp, does not fight or try to escape from the
characters. He happily goes back with them. As they
travel, he explains why he stole the gems:
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
Suits of the Mists 20
"You must understand. A great danger threatens this land, and
it is already too late for you and me. My family needed the
holy water that the gnome offered, and her price was the box
of gems. She told us exactly where the merchant would be,
and how we could steal the gems. She even arranged this
meeting place. I must get back to my Sybil so we can prepare
for the crossing over."
Even a DC 5 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals he is
telling the truth. Rilynin cannot answer any more
questions about the impending danger to the area; he
says only that the characters should talk to Sybil to
learn more, as she is the one with the gift of second
sight and the power to see other worlds.
Rilynin insists that the characters come back and
talk to Sybil. Once all the Gur are back together at the
inn, Sybil comes out of hiding and instruct them all
what to do.
Treasure If they returned the gems, the merchant provides the
characters with a pouch containing 250 gp.
If the characters steal the gems, they are worth 250
gp. However, thanks to her spell, Aya finds out what they’ve done. If the characters keep the gems for
themselves, each characters earns the Aya Knows
What You Did story award.
Into the Mist From here, the characters may complete any of the
other missions or, if they have completed the first
four missions, proceed to Mission 5: Mists. It is highly
recommended that they accomplish that mission last
as it better handles the crossing into Ravenloft.
Characters that have not completed the other five
missions should not be permitted to fully enter the
mists.
If, and only if, the characters have completed all five
missions, read the following. Remember that once the
character enters the mist, they can’t return to Faerûn.
Any character that fully enters the mists earns the
The Demiplane of Dread story award.
As you head back towards Phlan, the fog and mists grow so
thick that you lose track of your companions. Even the sounds
of walking and talking are muffled and mangled. The mists
seem to take on grotesque shapes. The sounds you make
echoing back as moans of spectral pain. The tension finally
breaks as the mists thin, letting you see your landscape again.
But something is wrong. The air is still cold, but the frost is
gone. A few wretched leaves still cling to the trees here, where
all branches were bare moments ago.
A wooden sign rests on the path before you, having fallen
off a tree. Next to it is a dead crow, frozen by the frigid air and
partially eaten by vermin. In oddly slanted letters, the sign
reads:
Welcome to Barovia
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
Suits of the Mists 21
Rewards Make sure the players note their rewards on their
adventure log sheets. Give your name and DCI
number (if applicable) so players can record who ran
the session. If you are playing all of the missions as a
single adventure, or playing multiple missions in one
session, you can wait and give the rewards for all
missions played at the end of the session.
Experience
Total up all combat experience earned for defeated
foes and divide by the number of characters present
in the combat. For non-combat experience, the
rewards listed are per character. Give all characters
in the party non-combat experience awards unless
otherwise noted.
Combat Awards Name of Foe XP per Foe
Guard 25
Needle Blight 50
Vine Blight 100
Non-Combat Awards Task or Accomplishment XP per Character
Avoiding a fight with the guards 25
Convince Guards to Help 25
The minimum total award for each character
participating in this adventure is 75 experience
points.
The maximum total award for each character
participating in this adventure is 100 experience
points.
Treasure
The characters receive the following treasure, divided
up among the party in accordance with the rules set
forth in the D&D Adventurers League Player's Guide.
Gold piece values listed for sellable gear are
calculated at their selling price, not their purchase
price.
Consumable magic items should be divided up
however the group sees fit. If more than one
character is interested in a specific consumable magic
item, the DM can determine who gets it randomly
should the group be unable to decide.
Permanent magic items are divided up according
to a system. See the sidebar if the adventure awards
permanent magic items.
Vial of Holy Water A description of this item can be found in the Player’s Handbook.
Treasure Awards Item Name GP Value
Merchant's reward 250
--OR--
Merchant's gems 250
Story Awards
Characters have the opportunity to earn the following
story awards during this adventure. This award is
only earned if the characters voluntarily enter the
mists at the end of the mission. This award prevents
them from participating in any unaccomplished
missions.
Aya Knows What You Did. At some point during the adventure, you kept something valuable that didn’t belong to you, and a rather powerful mage found out.
Returning the gems (or their equivalent value)
removes this story award. This may have implications
in future adventures.
The Demiplane of Dread. You have traversed the
mists and now find yourself in the Demiplane of
Dread and, until this story award is removed, you are
unable to leave. So long as you are trapped, you
cannot participate in any adventure or event that
takes place outside of Barovia. Tread carefully during
your time here, the Dark Powers are watching.
Downtime
Each character receives five downtime days at the
conclusion of this mini-adventure.
DM Rewards
You receive 100 XP, 50 gp, and five downtime days
for each session you run of this mini-adventure.
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
Suits of the Mists 22
Appendix: Monster/NPC
Statistics
Needle Blight Medium plant, neutral evil
Armor Class 12 (natural armor)
Hit Points 11 (2d8 + 2)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
12 (+1) 12 (+1) 13 (+1) 4 (−3) 8 (−1) 3 (−4)
Condition Immunities blinded, deafened
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius),
passive Perception 9
Languages u dersta ds Co o ut a ’t speak
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Actions
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 6 (2d4 + 1) piercing damage.
Needles. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range 30/60
ft., one target. Hit: 8 (2d6 + 1) piercing damage.
Vine Blight Medium plant, neutral evil
Armor Class 12 (natural armor)
Hit Points 26 (4d8 + 8)
Speed 10 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 8 (−1) 14 (+2) 5 (−3) 10 (+0) 3 (−4)
Skills Stealth +1
Condition Immunities blinded, deafened
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius),
passive Perception 10
Languages Common
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
False Appearance. While the blight remains motionless,
it is indistinguishable from a tangle of vines.
Actions
Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 10 ft.,
one target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage, and a
Large or smaller target is grappled (escape DC 12). Until
this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the blight
a ’t o stri t a other target. Entangling Plants (Recharge 5–6). Grasping roots and
vines sprout in a 15-foot radius centered on the blight,
withering away after 1 minute. For the duration, that
area is difficult terrain for nonplant creatures. In
additio , ea h reature of the light’s hoi e i that area when the plants appear must succeed on a DC 12
Strength saving throw or become restrained. A creature
can use its action to make a DC 12 Strength check,
freeing itself or another entangled creature within reach
on a success.
Guard Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
Armor Class 16 (chain shirt, shield)
Hit Points 11 (2d8 + 2)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
13 (+1) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 10 (+0)
Skills Perception +2
Senses passive Perception 12
Languages any one language (usually Common)
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
Actions
Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach
5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1)
piercing damage.
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Suits of the Mists 23
Appendix: The Meeting
Map
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
Suits of the Mists 24
Mission 3: Swords The trail of Kehkim is easy to follow, as the characters
know he was heading in the direction of the ruins of a
long-dormant stronghold, and travelers in the area
witnessed his reckless drive in that direction less
than a day before.
Swords
This suit represents aggression, violence, martial classes,
government, leaders, sadism, brutality, and earth.
When the characters arrive within sight of the ruins,
read:
The path takes you further up into the hills of Thar and
eventually above the fog where a powerful sight greets you:
the ruins of a two-story stone fortress rests atop a bluff. Much
of the second story of the fortress is a crumbling ruin, but the
outer walls are intact. A large stone ramp leads up to the main
gate, but the gate doors are no longer intact.
Further ahead, a group of orcs wheels a cart up the ramp
and into the stronghold. Although you are still an hour's march
away, you are able to see a human form being carried into the
fortress. Your quarry may have been captured by orcs!
Before the characters can get to the ramp leading into
the fortress, they must contend with guards.
Advance Guard
On the path leading to the fortress, a pair of orcs hide
in the bushes near some snare traps. Any characters
that a passive Perception of 13 or higher notices the
snares on the path when 30 feet away. Characters
with a passive Perception of 15 or higher notice the
orcs.
Snare Traps Any creature who is 5 feet away from the trap must
make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. On a success
they avoid the trap. On a failed save, the adventurer is
snared and hoisted 10 feet into the air. The character
is restrained until freed.
Freeing the adventurer can be done in a variety of
ways:
A character may use an action to free a snared adventurer with a set of thieves’ tools and a successful DC 15 Dexterity check.
Deal a total of 5 damage to the rope with an AC of
10 (immune to poison and psychic damage,
vulnerable to fire and slashing damage).
Other methods at the discretion of the DM.
Unless precautions are taken, a released creature
takes 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage from the fall.
If the characters avoid the snares, they may still
come into play during the combat. If the snare is
detected, make the characters aware of the squares
that contain a snare, and allow them to try to
maneuver the orcs into those squares or be pushed
into them themselves.
Tactics The orcs are cowards and resentful, forced this task
by stronger members of their tribe. If no characters
are ensnared and one orc falls then the other turns
tail and runs away into the hills, never to be heard
from again.
Developments The orcs have only their weapons and armor, except
one of the orcs carries a piece of paper. On the paper
are various words written in both Goblin and Orc.
These are calls and responses for patrolling and
guarding. These may be useful to the characters when
they infiltrate the stronghold. For example, there are
codes to shout out when you approach, when your
area is all clear, when help is needed, etc.
It is also possible that the characters might keep a
captive orc to gather information or demand help
infiltrating the fortress. To see how useful captured
orcs are, allow the characters to make a Charisma
(Intimidation or Persuasion):
If the result is less than 10, the orcs promise to help
but betray the characters at the worst possible
time.
If the result is between 10 and 15, the orcs provide
information and assistance, but betray the
characters if it looks like the characters are weaker
than the orc forces they face.
If the result is more than 15, the orcs help the
characters until all the characters are dead or
captured.
XP Award If the characters detected the snares without setting
them off, award each character 25 XP.
Treasure One of the orcs carries around a magnifying glass that
she looted from a merchant she killed. She doesn't
understand its value, but she likes how it makes her
eyes look big. From the right buyer, it fetches 125 gp.
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
Suits of the Mists 25
Adjusting the Encounter
Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat
encounter. These are not cumulative.
Weak party: Replace the orcs with 3 goblins, and lower the
DC to avoid the snare to 10.
Strong or very strong party: Add two goblins.
Raven at the Gates
When the characters arrive at the foot of the ramp,
read:
A 20-foot-wide, 200-foot-long stone ramp leads from this
point steeply upward onto the plateau that holds the fortress.
Off either side of the ramp, a steep ravine falls away into mist.
While it is impossible to tell the depth, it is unlikely anything
could survive the fall.
From your vantage, you do not see any lookouts along the
walls or at the ruined front gate. No movement at all is
apparent, except for a circling raven. As you watch, the raven
circles for a final time and then descend toward you.
The raven is called Esselios (AC 12, 1 hit point), and it
was once a familiar for a wizard captured by orcs
here long ago. Its master died, but Esselios survived,
vowing to never let anyone else die at the hand of the
orcs within the ruins.
If the characters attempt to attack it, the raven
shrieks "NO!" and attempts to land near them. If the
characters allow it to approach, Esselios speaks:
"Many orcs! Ogres! A giant! Human in cage! Human in cage!
Brought weapons on cart!"
The raven speaks in short, squawking phrases,
hopping around excitedly as it talks. Esselios despises
orcs, and it keeps a wary eye on any half-orcs in the
party. It can tell the characters what is happening at
the fortresses. Over the last several weeks, many orcs
and other monstrous humanoids have come to the
fortress as some sort of war council. Other creatures
have come as well.
Esselios can also provide reconnaissance
information: all of the creatures are currently in the
chambers beneath the stronghold, except for 2 orcs
(or see Adjusting the Encounter sidebar) that guard
the prisoner and the wagon full of weapons. If the
characters act quickly, they can dispatch the orcs and
free the prisoner without alerting the hundreds of
creatures in the fortress.
XP Award If the characters put Esselios to work scouting the
fortress, award each character 25 XP.
The Courtyard
As the raven promised, the ramp is safe to traverse
with no chance of being seen. When the characters
arrive at the top and look into the courtyard, read:
At the top of the ramp is a 20-foot-square area that once
stood between the inner and outer gates. With all the gates
now detached and fallen, the area stands open.
Beyond the area is a courtyard, open to the sky. Much of
the grounds are covered in rubble from the walls of the ruined
fortress, although a cage has been erected in the east (where
the #6 is on the map). A middle-aged human is slumped in the
cage, his hands and feet bound with rope. To one side of the
courtyard is a horse attached to a cart, within which a variety
of weapons are piled. Two orcs are inside of the cart—rummaging noisily through its contents.
The two orcs are engrossed by the weapons and are
not paying attention to the gates or the prisoner.
Characters who understand Orc hear them arguing
about who is going to get the sharpest axe and who is
going to kill the most enemies. Consider their passive
Perception to be 8 unless they are disturbed or
attacked.
Adjusting the Encounter
Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat
encounter. These are not cumulative.
Weak party: Replace an orc with a goblin, and replace the
orog with an orc.
Strong or very strong party: Add an orc.
Tactics If the characters befriended Esselios, he uses the
Help action by flitting around the orcs, pecking at her
eyes. The orcs do not target it; they focus their attacks
on the characters.
Help (Action)
You can lend your aid to another creature in the completion o
f a task. When you take the Help action, the creature you aid
gains advantage on the next ability check it makes to perform
the task you are helping with, provided that it makes the check
before the start of your next turn.
Alternatively, you can aid a friendly creature in attacking a
creature within 5 feet of you. You feint, distract the target, or
i so e other a tea up to ake our all ’s atta k ore
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Suits of the Mists 26
effective. If your ally attacks the target before your next turn,
the first attack roll is made with advantage.
Freeing Kehkim The lock on the cage holding Kehkim is rudimentary, requiring a DC Dexterity check made with thieves’ tools. It can also be smashed with a DC 10 Strength
check, but that alerts the guards.
Kehkim is conscious, but woozy. He has an AC of 10
and 2 hit points remaining. His movement is 20 if he
must move on his own. If he is healed, his movement
of 30 feet is restored.
If freed, Kehkim tells the characters a story that
might sound familiar if they've played the other
missions: he stole the weapons and delivered them to
the orcs for a reason. His daughter Sybil has visions of
a terrible fate about to befall the area. While it was a
desperate move, Kehkim hoped that a gift of weapons
would bring the orc army to assist the Gur when the
evil came. The situation is dire enough that it was
worth the risk. A DC 5 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals
he is telling the truth.
Kehkim suggests that the characters come back and
talk to Sybil. They hear for themselves what is about
to happen. He doesn't know where she is, but once all
the Gur are back together, she promised to come find
them.
XP Award If the characters rescued Kehkim AND recovered the
stolen weapons award each character 50 XP.
Treasure Kehkim wears a pair of golden earrings set with jade
and jet that are worth a total of 125 gp. If the
characters rescue him, he offers them as a reward for
saving his life.
Into the Mist From here, the characters may complete any of the
other missions or, if they have completed the first
four missions, proceed to Mission 5: Mists. It is highly
recommended that they accomplish that mission last
as it better handles the crossing into Ravenloft.
Characters that have not completed the other five
missions should not be permitted to fully enter the
mists.
If, and only if, the characters have completed all five
missions, read the following. Remember that once the
character enters the mist, they can’t return to Faerûn.
Any character that fully enters the mists earns the
The Demiplane of Dread story award.
As you head back towards Phlan, the fog and mists grow so
thick that you lose track of your companions. Even the sounds
of walking and talking are muffled and mangled. The mists
seem to take on grotesque shapes. The sounds you make
echoing back as moans of spectral pain. The tension finally
breaks as the mists thin, letting you see your landscape again.
But something is wrong. The air is still cold, but the frost is
gone. A few wretched leaves still cling to the trees here, where
all branches were bare moments ago.
A wooden sign rests on the path before you, having fallen
off a tree. Next to it is a dead crow, frozen by the frigid air and
partially eaten by vermin. In oddly slanted letters, the sign
reads:
Welcome to Barovia
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
Suits of the Mists 27
Rewards Make sure the players note their rewards on their
adventure log sheets. Give your name and DCI
number (if applicable) so players can record who ran
the session. If you are playing all of the missions as a
single adventure, or playing multiple missions in one
session, you can wait and give the rewards for all
missions played at the end of the session.
Experience
Total up all combat experience earned for defeated
foes and divide by the number of characters present
in the combat. For non-combat experience, the
rewards listed are per character. Give all characters
in the party non-combat experience awards unless
otherwise noted.
Combat Awards Name of Foe XP per Foe
Goblin 50
Orc 100
Orog 450
Non-Combat Awards Task or Accomplishment XP per Character
Detecting the snares 25
Employ Esselios in Scouting 25
The minimum total award for each character
participating in this adventure is 75 experience
points.
The maximum total award for each character
participating in this adventure is 100 experience
points.
Treasure
The characters receive the following treasure, divided
up amongst the party. Characters should attempt to
divide treasure evenly whenever possible. Gold piece
values listed for sellable gear are calculated at their
selling price, not their purchase price.
Consumable magic items should be divided up
however the group sees fit. If more than one
character is interested in a specific consumable magic
item, the DM can determine who gets it randomly
should the group be unable to decide.
Permanent magic items are divided up according
to a system. See the sidebar if the adventure awards
permanent magic items.
Treasure Awards Item Name GP Value
Magnifying Glass 125
Kehkim's Earrings 125
Story Awards
Characters have the opportunity to earn the following
story awards during this adventure. This award is
only earned if the characters voluntarily enter the
mists at the end of the mission. This award prevents
them from participating in any unaccomplished
missions.
A Fine, Feathered Friend. Having befriended the
strange raven Esselios, if you are capable of casting
find familiar you may take the talkative raven in that
role. In addition to the other benefits of having a
familiar, Esselios offers the following:
His Intelligence is 4 (-3) and he can speak Orc and
Elvish in addition to Common.
He grants advantage on checks regarding Orc
history, religion, and culture.
He sometimes gets moody and petulant, muttering
to himself in a language no one understands—even
through the use of comprehend languages.
The Demiplane of Dread. You have traversed the
mists and now find yourself in the Demiplane of
Dread and, until this story award is removed, you are
unable to leave. So long as you are trapped, you
cannot participate in any adventure or event that
takes place outside of Barovia. Tread carefully during
your time here, the Dark Powers are watching.
Downtime
Each character receives five downtime days at the
conclusion of this mini-adventure.
DM Rewards
You receive 100 XP, 50 gp, and five downtime days
for each session you run of this mini-adventure.
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
Suits of the Mists 28
Appendix: Monster/NPC
Statistics
Orc Medium humanoid (orc), chaotic evil
Armor Class 13 (hide armor)
Hit Points 15 (2d8 + 6)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 7 (−2) 11 (+0) 10 (+0)
Skills Intimidation +2
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Common, Orc
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Aggressive. As a bonus action, the orc can move up to
its speed toward a hostile creature that it can see.
Actions
Greataxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 9 (1d12 + 3) slashing damage.
Javelin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit,
reach 5 ft. or range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 +
3) piercing damage.
Goblin Small humanoid (goblinoid), neutral evil
Armor Class 15 (leather armor, shield)
Hit Points 7 (2d6)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
8 (−1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 8 (−1) 8 (−1)
Skills Stealth +6
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9
Languages Common, Goblin
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Nimble Escape. The goblin can take the Disengage or
Hide action as a bonus action on each of its turns.
Actions
Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) slashing damage.
Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range
80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Orog Medium humanoid (orc), chaotic evil
Armor Class 18 (plate)
Hit Points 42 (5d8 + 20)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
18 (+4) 12 (+1) 18 (+4) 12 (+1) 11 (+0) 12 (+1)
Skills Intimidation +5, Survival +2
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Common, Orc
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Aggressive. As a bonus action, the orog can move up to
its speed toward a hostile creature that it can see.
Actions
Multiattack. The orog makes two greataxe attacks.
Greataxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 10 (1d12 + 4) slashing damage.
Javelin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit,
reach 5 ft. or range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 +
4) piercing damage.
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Suits of the Mists 29
Appendix: The Advance
Guard
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Suits of the Mists 30
Appendix: The Courtyard
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Suits of the Mists 31
Mission 4: Glyphs The oldest Gur, Ozzcar, cursed the cook's assistant,
stole some rare herbs and plants from the inn's
pantry, and was seen entering the Quivering Forest.
Glyphs
This suit represents aggression, violence, martial classes,
government, leaders, sadism, brutality, earth
No one can figure out how the Gur cursed the man, so
the characters are asked to bring him back to heal the
victim.
The Quivering Forest is rife with danger at the best of times,
and the aura of strangeness that permeates the land only
makes the forest more terrifying. The eerie silence of the
forest is broken when squirrels with ragged fur hurl rotted
acorns and screech at you from treetops.
Rolling mists pass over low the underbrush, seeming to
make it move of its own accord. The creaking of trees in the
wind sounds like low laughter. You know you are being
watched. You're just not sure by whom. Or hat…
Mad Elves
Light. Because of the forest canopy and mist, this
area is dimly lit.
Before too much time passes, three elf scouts and
four cooshee (mastiffs) emerge from the underbrush.
The elves have longbows drawn and trained on the
characters. They insist the adventurers, being
trespassers in the Quivering Forest, must drop their
weapons and surrender or be killed. A character
succeeding at a DC 10 Intelligence (History) check
recognizes the elves as those residing in Greenhall, an
elven encampment within the Quivering Forest.
These elves have been corrupted by the mist, and
they are only trying to get the characters to drop their
weapons to make the battle easier. A DC 10 Wisdom
(Insight) check reveals that the elves are likely to
attack even if the characters surrender—perhaps an
effect of the unusual mists in the area.
Cooshee
Also called an elven hound, these huge, long-lived dogs are
often found in the company of elves. A cooshee has a greenish
coat, mottled with brown patches.
A fearsome opponent, cooshees possess a tremendously
loud bark and powerful jaws. It is said that a single cooshee is
worth five orcs in the thick of battle.
A DC 10 Wisdom (Nature) check also reveals
something interesting: The elves’s dogs look as if they
are ill at ease with the elves; the animals sense the
unnatural force that has turned the elves into
mindless killers. During the battle, a character can use
an action to attempt a DC 10 Wisdom (Handle
Animal) check to convince one cooshee to change
sides and attack the elves instead. If the check is at
least DC 5, the cooshee stops attacking but does not
attack the elves unless a further DC 10 check is made.
Adjusting the Encounter
Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat
encounter. These are not cumulative.
Weak party: Remove an elf scout.
Strong or very strong party: Add an elf scout.
Developments At the conclusion of the battle, trying to question the
elves is fruitless. They keep talking about the new
master who is coming, and they seem as rabid as mad
dogs.
Even if the cooshee are handled and fight against
the elves, at the end of the battle they run off, fleeing
the area out of fear.
Treasure Each of the elves wears a pendant made of a rare,
purple wood. The wood is not from a tree that any
adventurer can recognize. The pendants can be sold
for a total of 125 gp.
XP Award If the characters persuade the cooshee to assist them
against the elves, award each character 50 XP.
I Dream of Jeny
Shortly after the battle concludes (and the characters
take a short rest if they wish), they hear more noises
in the woods.
An old woman steps out of the forest into the path. She wears
a simple, floral-print dressing gown--its hemline soaked with
mud. Small, black eyes set into her wrinkled face gleam with
wicked humor. Behind her, tethered to a leather leash, is an
ancient human fitting the description of your quarry, Ozzcar.
The crone tugs on the leash, nearly pulling the old man off his
feet.
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
Suits of the Mists 32
"So much strangeness," whispers the woman, shaking her
head, "and now this. A simple woman of the woods cannot go
out for a stroll without encountering strange old men and
passing ruffians."
The old woman is Jeny Greenteeth (DDEX1-08 Tales
Trees Tell), a green hag infamous in the Quivering
Forest. She wears the guise of an old woman, but she
is quite powerful. A character that succeeds on a DC 3 )ntelligence (istory check recalls the hag’s name as that of one of the dark fey that entered into a pact
of protection with the town of Phlan long ago.
Roleplaying Jeny Greenteeth
Jeny Greenteeth is the living and breathing personification of
hate and malice. She loathes humanity with every fiber of her
being and lives to make it miserable. However, she is an
exceptional actor and plays the sweet, doting grandmother to
a T. Only when she is certain that her audience is not receptive
to her act does she break character and reveal her true form
and demeanor.
Quote: "Hush now dearie, or I'll carve out your eyes, too."
If the characters converse with her, she tells them the
following:
Her name is Jeny, and she has had strange dreams
for the last few weeks—dreams of darkness and
mist. Love and lost love. Terrible things that woke
her in a start. The dreams made her decide to walk
through the woods today, trying to figure out why
everything felt so strange. She ran into this man,
who was trespassing in her territory. He claims to
be called Papa, but I can see the name Ozzcar
burned into his heart.
Ozzcar has been telling Jeny the most wonderful
stories about his granddaughter Sybil, who has the
gift of second sight. She says that a great evil is
coming. [Jeny cackles a little at this.]
Ozzcar offered Jeny some rare herbs and plants that
can be used as spell components if Jeny would
agree to protect Ozzcar's family when the evil
comes, but Jeny isn't in need of any herbs right
now.
If the characters ask Jeny to surrender Ozzcar to
them, Jeny politely declines. After a moment’s thought, however, she reconsiders. If the characters
bring her the heart of a golden elk of the Quivering
Forest, she will gladly give them the old Gur.
If any characters that might be ethically or morally
opposed to killing a wild animal, Jeny informs the
characters that the elves have lost all interest in
hunting them and they are growing abundant in
number. Culling their number is necessary to keep
the forest in good health.
In exchange for this service, Jeny informs the
characters that finding sufficiently powerful people
to casts spells for them will be difficult here and
that she can fill that void.
At this point the characters have a choice: They can
either fight Jeny or go kill the elk. If Jeny gets the
impression that the characters are likely to attack, she
smiles and warns them that it would be a foolish
decision. Consider adding thematic elements like the
area growing dim in response to her thinly-veiled threats or simply her suggesting that she is not what
you should truly be worried about here, dearie.
Fighting Jeny Jeny is a fearsome opponent for a 1st-level party.
They do not have to defeat her completely to win and
neither does she particularly want to kill the
characters. If she is reduced below 20 hit points, she
uses her invisible passage ability to disappear; leaving
Ozzcar to the characters. If she reduces a character to
0 hit points, she does not kill the character; she
instead knocks the character unconscious.
Even if the characters manage to kill her, the hag
does not stay dead long—the mists have plans for
Jeny.
The Elk
If the characters agree to bring Jeny the heart of a
golden elk, she tells them that they don't have to
wander far to find them. She points north and says
the characters can pick up tracks there:
Before long, you find the old woman was right. You easily find
the tracks of a herd of elk in the frosty forest ground.
Following the trail, you soon come upon a shady glen,
where 5 elk with gold-colored hide and fur drink from an icy
stream.
The five elk can be surprised if the characters
succeed at a group DC 10 Dexterity (Stealth) check. If
successful, the characters are able to notice that one
of them is ill or injured without the need for an
Intelligence (Nature) check.
One of the elk is dying, its body succumbing to a
plague brought in with the mist: a DC 11 Wisdom
(Medicine or Nature) check reveals this. Knowing
this, the characters might be able to come up with a
plan to separate the sick one from the rest, thus
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
Suits of the Mists 33
avoiding a deadlier fight and putting the creature out
of what would be a miserable death.
The DM should use the best discretion when
figuring out if that plan works. Use DC 10 as a base for
any skill checks the characters might use in carrying
out that plan.
Otherwise, if they make a frontal assault, the
adventurers find themselves facing the full might of
angry elk.
Treasure The coat of a golden elk is valuable, but there isn’t much of a market for it, so while they can skin any
dead elk, they are able to fetch only 125 gp for the
pelts—regardless of how many they try and sell.
Adjusting the Encounter
Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat
encounter. These are not cumulative.
Weak party: Remove an elk.
Strong or very strong party: Add an elk.
Traveling Home
Once the characters take possession of Ozzcar, either
by defeating Jeny or making the trade for a golden elk
heart, the old man has much to say:
His granddaughter Sybil has seen the future of this
land. It is already too late to escape, so the Gur
family is seeking powerful allies. Jeny Greenteeth is
one such ally. However, she is so unpredictable,
that she just captured the old man.
Ozzcar does not know exact nature of the
impending evil, but it is something that even the
most powerful people in the land cannot stop.
Ozzcar didn’t curse the cook’s assistant. (e was, however, drugged. He admits to having to giving
him far too much, however; this is likely to blame for his victim’s current state. Ozzcar tells the characters that Sybil has gone into
hiding until all of the Gur return from their missions.
When they are all back in the vicinity of the inn, she is
going to meet them to provide further instructions.
Treasure Ozzcar offers a potion of healing he made himself to
the characters as a reward for rescuing him.
Into the Mist From here, the characters may complete any of the
other missions or, if they have completed the first
four missions, proceed to Mission 5: Mists. It is highly
recommended that they accomplish that mission last
as it better handles the crossing into Ravenloft.
Characters that have not completed the other five
missions should not be permitted to fully enter the
mists.
If, and only if, the characters have completed all five
missions, read the following. Remember that once the
character enters the mist, they can’t return to Faerûn.
Any character that fully enters the mists earns the
The Demiplane of Dread story award.
As you head back towards Phlan, the fog and mists grow so
thick that you lose track of your companions. Even the sounds
of walking and talking are muffled and mangled. The mists
seem to take on grotesque shapes. The sounds you make
echoing back as moans of spectral pain. The tension finally
breaks as the mists thin, letting you see your landscape again.
But something is wrong. The air is still cold, but the frost is
gone. A few wretched leaves still cling to the trees here, where
all branches were bare moments ago.
A wooden sign rests on the path before you, having fallen
off a tree. Next to it is a dead crow, frozen by the frigid air and
partially eaten by vermin. In oddly slanted letters, the sign
reads:
Welcome to Barovia
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
Suits of the Mists 34
Rewards Make sure the players note their rewards on their
adventure log sheets. Give your name and DCI
number (if applicable) so players can record who ran
the session. If you are playing all of the missions as a
single adventure, or playing multiple missions in one
session, you can wait and give the rewards for all
missions played at the end of the session.
Experience
Total up all combat experience earned for defeated
foes and divide by the number of characters present
in the combat. For non-combat experience, the
rewards listed are per character. Give all characters
in the party non-combat experience awards unless
otherwise noted.
Combat Awards Name of Foe XP per Foe
Mastiff 50
Elf Scout 25
Jeny Greenteeth 700
Elk 50
Non-Combat Awards Task or Accomplishment XP per Character
Persuade the cooshee to help 50
The minimum total award for each character
participating in this adventure is 75 experience
points.
The maximum total award for each character
participating in this adventure is 100 experience
points.
Treasure
The characters receive the following treasure, divided
up amongst the party. Characters should attempt to
divide treasure evenly whenever possible. Gold piece
values listed for sellable gear are calculated at their
selling price, not their purchase price.
Consumable magic items should be divided up
however the group sees fit. If more than one
character is interested in a specific consumable magic
item, the DM can determine who gets it randomly
should the group be unable to decide.
Permanent magic items are divided up according
to a system. See the sidebar if the adventure awards
permanent magic items.
Treasure Awards Item Name GP Value
Elk Pelt 125
Pendants 125
Potion of Healing Potion, common
A description of this item can be found in the Player’s Handbook.
Story Awards
Characters have the opportunity to earn the following
story awards during this adventure. This award is
only earned if the characters voluntarily enter the
mists at the end of the mission. This award prevents
them from participating in any unaccomplished
missions.
The Demiplane of Dread. You have traversed the
mists and now find yourself in the Demiplane of
Dread and, until this story award is removed, you are
unable to leave. So long as you are trapped, you
cannot participate in any adventure or event that
takes place outside of Barovia. Tread carefully during
your time here, the Dark Powers are watching.
Downtime
Each character receives five downtime days at the
conclusion of this mini-adventure.
DM Rewards
You receive 100 XP, 50 gp, and five downtime days
for each session you run of this mini-adventure.
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
Suits of the Mists 35
Appendix: Monster/NPC
Statistics
Elf Scout Medium humanoid (elf), neutral
Armor Class 14 (leather armor)
Hit Points 13 (3d8)
Speed 35 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 10 (+0)
Skills Perception +3, Stealth +4
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages Common, Elvish
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Fey Ancestry. The elf scout has advantage on saving
throws against being charmed, and magic cannot put it
to sleep.
Actions
Short Sword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5
ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) slashing damage.
Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range
150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage.
Mastiff Medium beast, unaligned
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 5 (1d8 + 1)
Speed 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
13 (+1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 3 (−4) 12 (+1) 7 (−2)
Skills Perception +3
Senses passive Perception 13
Languages —
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
Keen Hearing and Smell. The mastiff has advantage on
Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or
smell.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) piercing damage. If the target is a
creature, it must succeed on a DC 11 Strength saving
throw or be knocked prone.
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
Suits of the Mists 36
Green Hag Medium fey, neutral evil
Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 82 (11d8 + 33)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
18 (+4) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 14 (+2)
Skills Arcana +3, Deception +4, Perception +4, Stealth +3
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages Common, Draconic, Sylvan
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Amphibious. The hag can breathe air and water.
Innate Spellcasting. The hag’s i ate spell asti g a ilit is Charisma (spell save DC 12). She can innately cast the
following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: dancing lights, minor illusion, vicious mockery
Mimicry. The hag can mimic animal sounds and
humanoid voices. A creature that hears the sounds can
tell they are imitations with a successful DC 14 Wisdom
(Insight) check.
Actions
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) slashing damage.
Illusory Appearance. The hag covers herself and
anything she is wearing or carrying with a magical
illusion that makes her look like another creature of her
general size and humanoid shape. The illusion ends if
the hag takes a bonus action to end it or if she dies.
The changes wrought by this effect fail to hold up to
physical inspection. For example, the hag could appear
to have smooth skin, but someone touching her would
feel her rough flesh. Otherwise, a creature must take an
action to visually inspect the illusion and succeed on a
DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check to discern that
the hag is disguised.
Invisible Passage. The hag magically turns invisible until
she attacks or casts a spell, or until her concentration
ends (as if concentrating on a spell). While invisible, she
leaves no physical evidence of her passage, so she can
be tracked only by magic. Any equipment she wears or
carries is invisible with her.
Elk Large beast, unaligned
Armor Class 10
Hit Points 13 (2d10 + 2)
Speed 50 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 2 (−4) 10 (+0) 6 (−2)
Senses passive Perception 10
Languages —
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Charge. If the elk moves at least 20 feet straight toward
a target and then hits with a ram attack on the same
turn, the target takes an extra 7 (2d6) damage. If the
target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 13 Strength
saving throw or be knocked prone.
Actions
Ram. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
Hooves. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one prone target. Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
Suits of the Mists 37
Appendix: The Quivering
Forest Map
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
Suits of the Mists 38
Mission 5: Mists Only those characters that have completed all of the
previous four missions should participate in this
mission.
Once the adventurers have completed the first four
missions successfully, they should have returned to
the Crossing Inn along with the four Gur—Hricu,
Rilynin, Kehkim, and Ozzcar. The Gur apologize to
everyone and give the same reasoning for their
crimes that they gave the characters: something
terrible is coming to Phlan, and they were hoping to
bargain with certain powers in the area to gain
assistance when the worst happens.
Mists
This card represents mysteries, the unexpected, surprising
future, and an unexpected voyage or odyssey
Once the four are in the same place, Sybil returns to
the inn:
The ever-present mist gets thicker and thicker as the minutes
pass. Then the fog closes in on the tavern itself, inching forth
as slowly and as surely as death itself. As the mist touches the
tavern windows, the door opens to reveal a Gur woman. She is
still a relatively young woman. She wears a plain white blouse
and multicolored, flowing skirts. Her black hair is wind-tousled
as her blue eyes frantically and feverishly search the room.
The words "We've arrived," slip from her lips as she
collapses.
She is uninjured, and she awakens soon after her
collapse. If her family is present, they get her into a
comfortable position until she regains her senses.
When she does, she speaks to her family is a strange
language (Gur). Those with the ability to understand
picks up the gist of the conversation: She wants to
know if they succeeded in their missions, and they tell
her they did not.
General Features Visibility. The fog heavily obscures any creature
within it.
The Crossing Inn
As the happenings in the tavern unfold, the characters
are called upon to be heroes outside:
"HELP!" comes a scream from outside. Through the window,
you see the fog has thinned in patches, giving you a view of a
young boy. He emerges from the mist, moving as quickly as his
short legs can take him. He hesitates a moment and looks
back, calling out "Mama, where are you?" In his hands, he
clutches a marionette of a toy soldier tightly.
Within the fog, a hazy form passes boy, barely a blur, and
then the boy is simply gone. You hear more screaming as a
terrified-looking woman emerges from the mist. She is looking
into the air and waving her arms.
Four giant bats have arrived from Barovia, and they
are in search of some food in the form of children.
They swoop in and out of the fog, attacking prey with
their sharp fangs. Remember that creatures make their attack rolls against targets that can’t see them with advantage.
The bats also squeak, chirp, and shriek as they fly
through the fog and should serve as a clue for the
characters to try and use the trumpet (see below).
If the characters choose to act, they can be out of
the inn in a round. The woman, Grancie Plumm, was
caught in the mist and is trying to get herself and her
three children to the safety of the inn. However, she
was separated from one of her children, Quiver, who
vanished into the fog.
In the fog, along with Grancie, are two of her
children: Ogvirth and Biddie. When combat begins,
Grancie and her two children are split up. The two
children are each in a separate patch of fog.
Sybil and the other Gur remain safely in the inn.
They flee if confronted with danger.
The Trumpet One of the children carries a trumpet which can be
used to disrupt the bats' echolocation. If the
adventurer uses an action to sound the trumpet, all
bats within 30 feet of the trumpet are deafened until
the end of their next turn. This can be done in
consecutive rounds. If the bats are deafened while
within a patch of fog, they are blinded and land at the
beginning of their turn.
Tactics The giant bats use the areas of fog to cloak their
movements. They swoop past the children and focus
their attention on the characters once combat begins.
Adjusting the Encounter
Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat
encounter. These are not cumulative.
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
Suits of the Mists 39
Weak party: Remove a giant bat.
Strong or very strong party: Add a giant bat.
Developments After the characters have defeated the bats, they can
bring the Plumms into the tavern, although Grancie
has to be dragged because she wants to go find her
son, Quiver.
The Crossing Over
After the battle, if the characters are about to run
after the boy, the people at the Crossing Inn call them
back before they can go. They say that Sybil wishes to
speak to them before they leave.
With the family safe inside the inn, but the youngest son taken
by the bats, Sybil speaks to you. Her voice, having been so soft
up to this point, hardens.
"The boy is important, I have seen. Or something about him.
Something he is, or something he carries. I must go with you
as you search for him."
The Rasia family tries to convince Sybil to stay put,
and when she refuses, they insist on joining her. She
tells them that she has seen the future, and for now
they must stay safely at the inn.
The adventurers and Sybil can now head into the
mist, in search of Quiver. Sybil follows her second
sight, leading the party down a path that leads toward
a wooded area. After about 20 minutes of travel, she
stops:
Sybil stops and peers into the mist. The o is ear, she
breathlessly whispers.
As she says the words, two human figures edge out of the
deepest mist into your view. They walk slowly and carefully, as
if not quite sure where they are. As they draw closer, you are
able to see empty eye sockets, feral mouths, and sharp, jagged
fingernails. The haunting semblance of a grin plays across its
face, and you see that the creature drags a young boy behind
him by the ankle.
Tactics The two mist zombies are controlled by the mist
itself, and they do not harm the boy or Sybil, as the
mist wants both alive. They go after the characters,
however, with the full force of their undead fury.
Treasure Searching the zombie bodies reveals they are dressed
as average farmers, but their clothing is just a bit
strange, not what farmers in the Moonsea area would
wear. Instead, they are wearing heavy, fur-lined
clothing—akin to something you’d wear in a heavy winter.
In their pockets, the creatures carried a variety of
trinkets and coins. None of the coins are of a
recognizable mint. The coins are each stamped with a
crowned raven clutching a sword on one side and an
animal (wolves for gold, ravens for silver, and rats for
copper) on the other. The total worth of the trinkets
and coins is 250 gp.
Adjusting the Encounter
Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat
encounter. These are not cumulative.
Weak party: Replace a mist zombie with a zombie.
Strong or very strong party: Add a mist zombie.
Treasure Once the boy has been rescued, Sybil draws close and,
after surveying the scene, reluctantly gives the
characters a spell scroll of protection from good and
evil.
Into the Mists
Sybil becomes very distressed as time passes. Her
skin pales and she finally is forced to sit. She begins
talking in a voice not her own:
The mists have come to take us all
Into a place of great darkness.
Evil lurks within;
An evil that only those of conviction
Have hope of destroying.
If this is the case, the mist welcomes each of them.
Each character earns The Demiplane of Dread story
award. Read:
As you head back towards Phlan, the fog and mists grow so
thick that you lose track of your companions. Even the sounds
of walking and talking are muffled and mangled. The mists
seem to take on grotesque shapes and echoes back the sounds
you make as moans of spectral pain. The tension finally breaks
as the mists thin, letting you see the landscape again.
But something is wrong. The air is still cold, but the frost is
gone. A few wretched leaves still cling to the trees here, where
all branches were bare moments ago.
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
Suits of the Mists 40
A wooden sign rests on the path before you, having fallen
off a tree. Next to it is a dead crow, frozen by the frigid air and
partially eaten by vermin. In oddly slanted letters, the sign
reads:
Welcome to Barovia
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
Suits of the Mists 41
Rewards Make sure the players note their rewards on their
adventure log sheets. Give your name and DCI
number (if applicable) so players can record who ran
the session. If you are playing all of the missions as a
single adventure, or playing multiple missions in one
session, you can wait and give the rewards for all
missions played at the end of the session.
Experience
Total up all combat experience earned for defeated
foes and divide by the number of characters present
in the combat. For non-combat experience, the
rewards listed are per character. Give all characters
in the party non-combat experience awards unless
otherwise noted.
Combat Awards Name of Foe XP per Foe
Giant Bats 50
Mist Zombies 100
Non-Combat Awards Task or Accomplishment XP per Character
Rescue Quiver 20
The minimum total award for each character
participating in this adventure is 75 experience
points.
The maximum total award for each character
participating in this adventure is 100 experience
points.
Treasure
The characters receive the following treasure, divided
up amongst the party. Characters should attempt to
divide treasure evenly whenever possible. Gold piece
values listed for sellable gear are calculated at their
selling price, not their purchase price.
Consumable magic items should be divided up
however the group sees fit. If more than one
character is interested in a specific consumable magic
item, the DM can determine who gets it randomly
should the group be unable to decide.
Permanent magic items are divided up according
to a system. See the sidebar if the adventure awards
permanent magic items.
Treasure Awards Item Name GP Value
Zombie Trinkets 250
Scroll of Protection from Evil and Good Scroll, uncommon
A description of this item can be found in the Player’s Handbook.
Story Awards
Characters have the opportunity to earn the following
story awards during this adventure.
The Demiplane of Dread. You have traversed the
mists and now find yourself in the Demiplane of
Dread and, until this story award is removed, you are
unable to leave. So long as you are trapped, you
cannot participate in any adventure or event that
takes place outside of Barovia. Tread carefully during
your time here, the Dark Powers are watching.
Renown
Each character receives one renown upon
completing all five of the missions.
Downtime
Each character receives five downtime days at the
conclusion of this mini-adventure.
DM Rewards
You receive 100 XP, 50 gp, and five downtime days
for each session you run of this mini-adventure.
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
Suits of the Mists 42
Appendix: Monster/NPC
Statistics
Giant Bat Large beast, unaligned
Armor Class 13
Hit Points 22 (4d10)
Speed 10 ft., fly 60 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 16 (+3) 11 (+0) 2 (−4) 12 (+1) 6 (−2)
Senses blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages —
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Echolocation. The at a ’t use its li dsight hile deafened.
Keen Hearing. The bat has advantage on Wisdom
(Perception) checks that rely on hearing.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
creature. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Zombie Medium undead, neutral evil
Armor Class 8
Hit Points 22 (3d8 + 9)
Speed 20 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
13 (+1) 6 (−2) 16 (+3) 3 (−4) 6 (−2) 5 (−3)
Saving Throws Wis +0
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8
Languages understands the languages it knew in life but
a ’t speak
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the zombie to 0
hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw
with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is
radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the zombie
drops to 1 hit point instead.
Actions
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) bludgeoning damage.
Mist Zombie (Lesser Strahd Zombie) Medium undead, unaligned
Armor Class 8
Hit Points 22 (3d8 + 9)
Speed 20 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
13 (+1) 6 (−2) 16 (+3) 3 (−4) 6 (-2) 5 (−3)
Saving Throws Wis +0
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8
Languages understands Common ut a ’t speak
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Severed Limb. The first time a zombie takes slashing
damage, in severs a limb. That limb animates and can
also attack as an independent creature. It has the same
stats as the zombie with the following changes: It has a
speed of 10 ft. and 10 hit points.
Actions
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) bludgeoning damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack (severed limb only): +3 to
hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) slashing
damage.
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Suits of the Mists 43
Appendix: The Crossing Inn
Map
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Suits of the Mists 44
Player’s Handout 1: On the
Trail of the Gur
This handout summarizes the word-of-mouth information that the characters learned during their time speaking
with the patrons of the Crossing Inn.
General Information
All of the Gur seemed to pay deference to a female whom they referred to as Sybil. While the four male Gur
interacted with the tavern-goers and staff normally, Sybil kept to herself. All of the Gur were very charming, and
they easily assuaged the fears of the superstitious folk in the tavern.
Hricu and the Stolen Wand
The youngest of the Gur was a lad of twelve years called Hricu. He had befriended a mage staying at the inn. Aya
woke yesterday morning with little memory of the night before and found his wand of fire missing. He recalls little of
the night before other than Hricu had served him drinks. He is convinced that the boy stole the wand.
The wand contained magic that tapped into the power of the Elemental Plane of Fire. That same morning a farmer
saw the boy heading into the Vanishing Hills carrying a strange-looking piece of wood marked with sigils and runes. That night, travelers reported seeing blazing stars falling from the sky in the area above the hills. Travelers also claim that the snow itself was whispering as it fell, although no one can agree on what the snow was saying.
Rilynin and the Stolen Gems
Another Gur was a man in his thirties called Rilynin. He was seen in the vicinity of the stables, where a shipment of gems was being guarded by the gem merchant’s mercenaries. Like the wizard, the guards remember taking drink
offered by the man, and when they woke part of the gem shipment was missing. Aya cast locate object for the
merchant and determined that the box containing the stolen gems is currently being carried into the Glumpen
Swamp. The gem merchant has offered a hefty reward for anyone returning the gems.
Kehkim and the Stolen Weapons
Romsan has been allowing the militia of the surrounding area to store their surplus weapons in the basement of his
inn. When the other thefts were reported, one of the militia members checked the basement and found many of the
weapons missing. Travelers saw an older Gur of fifty years by the name of Kehkim fleeing into the wastes of Thar,
driving a stolen wagon with weapons rattling beneath a tarp. Other rumors tell of a gathering of orcs in the hills of
Thar, quite near the old abandoned orc fortress of Xûl-Jarak.
Papa and the Cursed Cook On the morning that the rest of the Gur disappeared, the cook’s assistant found the oldest Gur—a withered, ancient
man called Papa by the others—rummaging through the inn’s spice cupboards. The assistant yelled for help, but he’s convinced that Papa cursed him. Since that time, the assistant has been unresponsive. Papa’s tracks were followed to the edge of the Quivering Forest, but the tracker was too scared to enter. Everyone fears that the cook’s assistant might die if Papa is not retrieved to lift the curse.
THE BEAST: PLAYTEST
Something strange is afoot within the Quivering Forest. So much so that even the elves of
Greenhall have left their homes to seek out help from their newfound neighbors. But, their tales
of a strange beast are not earning them any favor; especially among the Vistani, whom the elves
suspect is to blame for their ills. Return once more to the Quivering Forest and learn the
terrifying truth! Part Two of Misty Fortunes and Absent Hearts.
A 2-hour Adventure for 1st – 4th level Characters
ALAN PATRICK Adventure Designer
Adventure Code: DDEX4-02
Development and Editing: Claire Hoffman, Travis Woodall
Organized Play: Chris Lindsay
D&D Adventurers League Wizards Team: Adam Lee, Chris Lindsay, Mike Mearls, Matt Sernett
D&D Adventurers League Administrators: Robert Adducci, Bill Benham, Travis Woodall, Claire Hoffman, Greg Marks,
Alan Patrick
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, the dragon ampersand, Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master’s Guide, D&D Adventurers League, all other Wizards
of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries. All characters and their distinctive likenesses are property of Wizards of the
Coast. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the
express written permission of Wizards of the Coast.
©2016 Wizards of the Coast LLC, PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057-0707, USA. Manufactured by Hasbro SA, Rue Emile-Boéchat 31, 2800 Delémont, CH. Represented by Hasbro Europe, 4 The Square,
Stockley Park, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB11 1ET, UK.
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FAMILY IS NOT AN IMPORTANT THING. It is everything.
--Michael J. Fox
Introduction Welcome to The Beast, a D&D Expeditions™ adventure, part of the official D&D Adventurers
League™ organized play system and the Curse of
Strahd™ storyline season. This adventure is designed for 1st through
4th-level characters, and is optimized for five
2nd-level characters. Characters outside this level
range cannot participate in this adventure.
The adventure takes place entirely in the barony
of Barovia, in the Ravenloft campaign setting.
The D&D Adventurers
League This adventure is official for D&D Adventurers
League play. The D&D Adventurers League is the
official organized play system for DUNGEONS &
DRAGONS®. Players can create characters and
participate in any adventure allowed as a part of
the D&D Adventurers League. As they adventure, players track their characters’ experience, treasure, and other rewards, and can take those characters
through other adventures that continues their
story.
)f you’re running this adventure as a part of a store event or at certain conventions, you’ll need a DCI number. This number is your official Wizards of the Coast organized play identifier. )f you don’t have a number, you can obtain one at a store event.
Check with your organizer for details.
D&D Adventurers League play is broken up into
storyline seasons. When players create characters,
they attach those characters to a storyline season,
which determines what rules they’re allowed to use to create and advance their characters. Players can
continue to play their characters after the storyline
season has finished, possibly participating in a
second or third storyline with those same
characters. A character’s level is the only limitation for adventure play. A player cannot use a character
of a level higher or lower than the level range of a
D&D Adventurers League adventure.
For more information on playing, running games
as a Dungeon Master, and organizing games for the
D&D Adventurers League, please visit the D&D
Adventurers League home at:
www.dndadventurersleague.org
Preparing the Adventure Before you show up to Dungeon Master this
adventure for a group of players, you should do the
following to prepare.
Make sure to have a copy of the most current
version of the D&D Basic Rules or the Player’s Handbook.
Read through the adventure, taking notes of anything you’d like to highlight or remind yourself while running the adventure, such as a way you’d like to portray an NPC or a tactic you’d like to use in a combat.
Get familiar with the monster statistics in the
Appendix.
Gather together any resources you’d like to use to aid you in running this adventure--such as
notecards, a DM screen, miniatures, and
battlemaps.
If you know the composition of the group
beforehand, you can make adjustments as noted
throughout the adventure.
Before Play at the Table Ask the players to provide you with relevant
character information:
Character name and level
Character race and class
Passive Wisdom (Perception)—the most
common passive ability check
Anything notable as specified by the adventure
(such as backgrounds, traits, flaws, etc.)
Players that have characters outside the adventure’s level range cannot participate in the
adventure with those characters. Players with
ineligible characters can make a new 1st-level
character or use a pregenerated character. Players
can play an adventure they previously played or
ran as a Dungeon Master, but not with the same
character.
Ensure that each player has an official adventure
logsheet for his or her character (if not, get one
from the organizer). The player fills out the
adventure name, session number, date, and your
name and DCI number. In addition, the player also
fills in the starting values for experience, gold,
downtime, renown, and number of permanent
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magic items. He or she fill in the other values and
write notes at the conclusion of the session. Each
player is responsible for maintaining an accurate
logsheet.
If you have time, you can do a quick scan of a player’s character sheet to ensure that nothing looks out of order. If you see magic items of very
high rarities or strange arrays of ability scores, you
can ask players to provide documentation for the
irregularities. If they cannot, feel free to restrict
item use or ask them to use a standard ability score
array. Point players to the D&D Adventurers League
Player’s Guide for reference.
If players wish to spend downtime days and it’s the beginning of an adventure or episode, they can
declare their activity and spend the days now.
Alternatively, they can do so at the end of the
adventure or episode. Players should select their characters’ spells and other daily options prior to
the start of the adventure, unless the adventure
specifies otherwise. Feel free to reread the
adventure description to help give players hints
about what they might face.
Adjusting the Adventure Throughout this adventure, sidebars provide
information to assist you in making adjustments for
smaller or larger groups and characters of higher or
lower levels than the adventure is optimized for.
This is typically used exclusively for combat
encounters.
You may adjust the adventure beyond the
guidelines given in the adventure, or for other reasons. For example, if you’re playing with a group of inexperienced players, you might want to make
the adventure a little easier; for very experienced
players, you might want to make it a little harder.
Therefore, five categories of party strength have
been created for you to use as a guide. Use these as
a guide, and feel free to use a different adjustment
during the adventure if the recommended party
strength feels off for the group.
This adventure is optimized for a party of five
2nd-level characters. To figure out whether you
need to adjust the adventure, do the following:
Add up the total levels of all the characters.
Divide the total by the number of characters.
Round fractions of .5 or greater up; round
fractions of less than .5 down. You’ve now determined the average party level
(APL) for the adventure. To figure out the party
strength for the adventure, consult the following
table.
Determining Party Strength Party Composition Party Strength
3-4 characters, APL less than Very weak
3-4 characters, APL equivalent Weak
3-4 characters, APL greater than Average
5 characters, APL less than Weak
5 characters, APL equivalent Average
5 characters, APL greater than Strong
6-7 characters, APL less than Average
6-7 characters, APL equivalent Strong
6-7 characters, APL greater than Very strong
Average party strength indicates no
recommended adjustments to the adventure. Each
sidebar may or may not offer suggestions for
certain party strengths. If a particular
recommendation is not offered for your group, you don’t have to make adjustments. Running the Adventure As the Dungeon Master of the session, you have the
most important role in facilitating the enjoyment of
the game for the players. You help guide the
narrative and bring the words on these pages to
life. The outcome of a fun game session often
creates stories that live well beyond the play at the
table. Always follow this golden rule when you DM
for a group:
Make decisions and adjudications that enhance
the fun of the adventure when possible.
To reinforce this golden rule, keep in mind the
following:
You are empowered to make adjustments to the
adventure and make decisions about how the
group interacts with the world of this adventure.
Doing so is especially important and applicable
outside of combat, but feel free to adjust the
adventure for groups that are having too easy or
too hard of a time.
Don’t make the adventure too easy or too difficult for a group. Never being challenged makes for a
boring game and being overwhelmed makes for a
frustrating one. Gauge the experience of the
players (not the characters) with the game, try to
feel out (or ask) what they like in a game, and
attempt to give each of them the experience
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they’re after when they play D&D. Give everyone a chance to shine.
Be mindful of pacing, and keep the game session
moving along appropriately. Watch for stalling,
since play loses momentum when this happens.
At the same time, make sure that the players don’t finish too early; provide them with a full play experience. Try to be aware of running long
or short. Adjust the pacing accordingly
Read-aloud text is just a suggestion; feel free to
modify the text as you see fit, especially when
dialogue is present.
Give the players appropriate hints so they can
make informed choices about how to proceed.
Players should be given clues and hints when
appropriate so they can tackle puzzles, combat,
and interactions without getting frustrated over
lack of information. Doing so helps to encourage
immersion in the adventure and gives players little victories for figuring out good choices from clues. )n short, being the DM isn’t about following the adventure’s text word-for-word; it’s about
facilitating a fun, challenging game environment for
the players. The Dungeon Master’s Guide™ has more
information on the art of running a D&D game.
Downtime and Lifestyle
At the beginning of each play session, players must
declare whether or not they are spending any days
of downtime. The player records the downtime
spent on the adventure logsheet. The following
options are available to players during downtime
(see the D&D basic rules or the D&D Adventurers
League Player’s Guide for more information):
Catching up
Crafting (exception: multiple characters cannot
commit to crafting a single item)
Practicing a profession
Recuperating
Spellcasting services
Training
Other downtime options might be available during
adventures or unlocked through play, including
faction-specific activities.
In addition, whenever a character spends
downtime days, that character also spends the
requisite expense for his or her lifestyle. Costs are
per day, so a character that spends ten days of
downtime also spends ten days of expenses
maintaining his or her lifestyle. Some downtime
activities help with lifestyle expenses or add
lifestyle expenses.
Spellcasting Services
Any settlement the size of a town or larger can
provide some spellcasting services. Characters need
to be able to travel to the settlement to obtain these
services.
Help From Who!?
Unfortunately, within Barovia, this is not an option; there
si pl are ’t a suffi ie tl -sized settlements that would
be able to accommodate such needs, and those places of
worship that would otherwise provide them are overrun
with monsters. As such, the only individual able to provide
spellcasting services entity is Jeny Greenteeth. This will no
doubt lead to some uncomfortable situations and
unforeseen consequences.
Spell services generally available include healing
and recovery spells, as well as information-
gathering spells. Other spell services might be
available as specified in the adventure. The number
of spells available to be cast as a service is limited
to a maximum of three per day total, unless
otherwise noted.
Spellcasting Services Spell Cost
Cure wounds (1st level) 10 gp
Identify 20 gp
Lesser restoration 40 gp
Prayer of healing (2nd level) 40 gp
Remove curse 90 gp
Speak with dead 90 gp
Divination 210 gp
Greater restoration 450 gp
Raise dead 1,250 gp
Acolyte Background
A character possessing the acolyte background requesting
spellcasting services at a temple of his or her faith may
request one spell per day from the Spellcasting Services
table for free. The only cost paid for the spell is the base
price for the consumed material component, if any.
However, no religions have established places of worship
here of sufficient size to provide spellcasting services.
Because of this, characters with the Acolyte background
gain no benefit from this trait.
Character Disease, Death, and
Recovery
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Sometimes bad things happen, and characters get
poisoned, diseased, or are killed. Since you might
not have the same characters return from session
to session, here are the rules when bad things
happen to characters.
Disease, Poison, and Other Debilitating
Effects A character still affected by diseases, poisons, and
other similar effects at the conclusion of an
adventure can spend downtime days recuperating
until such time as he or she resolves the effect to its
conclusion (see the recuperating activity in the
D&D Basic Rules).
)f a character doesn’t resolve the effect between sessions, that character begins the next session still
affected by the debilitating effect.
Death A character who is killed during the course of the
adventure has a few options at the end of the
session (or whenever arriving back in civilization)
if no one in the adventuring party has immediate
access to a raise dead or revivify spell, or similar
magic. A character subject to a raise dead spell is
affected negatively until all long rests have been
completed during an adventure. Alternatively, each
downtime day spent after raise dead reduces the
penalty to attack rolls, saving throws, and ability
checks by 1, in addition to any other benefits the
downtime activity might provide.
Create a New 1st-Level Character. If the dead
character is unwilling or unable to exercise any of
the other options, the player creates a new
character. The new character does not have any
items or rewards possessed by the dead character.
Dead Character Pays for Raise Dead. If the character’s body is recoverable it’s not missing any vital organs and is mostly whole) and the player
would like the character to be returned to life, the
party can take the body back to civilization and use
the dead character’s funds to pay for a raise dead
spell. A raise dead spell cast in this manner costs
the character 1,250 gp.
Character’s Party Pays for Raise Dead. As
above, except that some or all of the 1,250 gp for
the raise dead spell is paid for by the party at the
end of the session. Other characters are under no
obligation to spend their funds to bring back a dead
party member.
Faction Charity. If the character is of level 1 to 4 and a member of a faction, the dead character’s
body can be returned to civilization and a patron
from the faction ensures that he or she receives a
raise dead spell. However, any character invoking
this charity forfeits all experience and rewards
from that session (both those earned prior to and
after death during that session) and cannot replay
that episode or adventure with that character
again. Once a character reaches 5th level, this
option is no longer available.
The Demiplane of Dread This adventure is set within the Ravenloft campaign
setting, in the lands of Barovia which exists in the
Demiplane of Dread. There are several atmospheric
and thematic elements to keep in mind at all times
while running your game:
The Land is Bleak. Barovia is a place where the
sun never shines, even during the day the sky is
filled with storm clouds or is overcast.
Consequently, creatures that would otherwise
suffer harmful effects while outdoors during the
day are unaffected by the sun's presence.
The Denizens of Orașnou
Most Oraș ou reside ts are u da e la orers, far ers, fletchers and other folk who fall under common professions.
They typically have gaunt features, as crops are often
stricken with famine, and creatures of the night frequently
kill and devour their livestock.
Most are sullen, and often filled with fear, be it from the
lands themselves, what lies within them, Lord Strahd, or
their own tyrant of a Burgomaster; Ivan Randovich and his
cronies. Be sure to play to the mindsets of these people who
live threadbare existences, constantly on the precipice of
horror during your roleplaying encounters.
As is the case with most of the denizens of Barovia, most
of the people that reside i the illage do ’t possess a soul. These people are empt shells reated “trahd’s consciousness to populate his domain. However, about one
in every ten people in Barovia are actually possessing of a
soul—the souls of the original denizens of Barovia before its
transition into the Demiplane. When a being with a soul dies
in Barovia, its soul remains trapped until it is reincarnated
later. Souls tend to wear clothing with a splash of color or
have other features that demonstrate even a small bit of
individuality.
The Land is Alive. A dark sentience infuses the
very soil, twisting and contorting everything
within. In places where you would normally
expect wildlife such as deer, rabbits, or squirrels,
you instead find wolves, rats, and mangy dogs.
Vegetation is rotted and dead, and forests are
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filled mostly with gnarled, thick trees with bare
branches. Colorful, vivacious things simply do not
exist.
Winter in Barovia
The winters are cold, wet, and stormy here. The natives of
the Demiplane are prepared—well, as prepared as they can
hope to be.
The characters, however, are unfamiliar with the realm.
Thankfully, the region they came from was experiencing the
worst winter in living memory, and are likely to possess
winter clothing. If they are not, then, preparations are in
order. The village has a single shop called The Hare & Hair
where they are able to procure such supplies if they wish.
Magic is Different Here. Divination spells or
effects that petition beings outside the Demiplane
of Dread function, however Strahd may elect to
intercept the communication and respond to it
instead. Also, spells or effects that would
normally allow its caster or creatures to travel to
other dimensions do not function.
Count Strahd Von Zarovich
Lord Strahd is the Darklord of Barovia. He rules his domain
from Castle Ravenloft as Strahd IX; a descendent of Strahd I.
In actuality, Strahd I and Strahd IX are the one in the same--
a vampire. As a mortal, Strahd fell in love with Tatyana
Federovna; the bride of his younger brother Sergei. In his
jealousy, Strahd murdered his brother and became the
Darklord of Barovia; which was swept away into the
Demiplane along with its ruler. Since then, Strahd is cursed
to seek incarnations of Tatyana for eternity. NOTE: Strahd is
not present in this adventure.
Not Without Humor. The bleak and oppressive
landscape must give way now and then to some
moments of respite, not only does this break up
the taxing mindset that Ravenloft can evoke, but
it also provides good chances for horror to sneak
back up on players just as they least expect it.
Background Long has the Vaduva clan lived in the forest outside of the small village of Orașnou—a small village
located at the base of the mountains of Barovia. In
response to some long-forgotten slight, a Vistani
seer cursed their bloodline with lycanthropy—something which has led them to take great care in
staying away from civilization.
)n Orașnou, Laszlo is a sellsword that prefers the
solace of the forest over the company of people.
While on a hunting trip, he watched Alina Vaduva
quickly take down a bear in the form of a wolf, and
watched in awe as she reverted to her human form
to clean the beast. The fact that she was a
shapechanger did not bother him in the slightest—because again, he had grown accustomed to the
wild things in the world. He was smitten.
Their courtship was fast and passionate. Within a
year, they were married and Laszlo took Alina's
surname. Together, they found a niche in trapping
and skinning. They sold the furs to the village of Orașnou, and in return, were given both a place to
live and a community to belong to—something that
Alina was secretly unsure of. But she had never
received such generosity, and they weren’t pressed
with inquiries of what they did before coming to
the sleepy little village.
However, Alina never told Laszlo the full truth
about her family's curse. Afraid of what would
come if Laszlo discovered her family's curse, she
took great pains to ensure that he never met other
members of her family. As their relationship grew,
she found herself with child and faced a terribly
difficult decision—could she tell Laszlo about her
curse before the baby was born and risk his anger
(or worse, abandonment), or withhold it from him
and continue living the lie.
Shortly before the birth of their child, Alina and
Laszlo agreed to trek into the forest for one last
batch of furs before the winter set in. During the
trip, she finally decided to tell him the truth. In a fit
of rage, he attacked Alina. Out of pure instinct, she
shifted and killed her beloved. Alina herself
grievously injured, and now with a tiny newborn
that was unlikely to survive in the wild, she stole
into Orașnou one last time to give up her child. Her
first motherly act accomplished, Alina retreated
deep into the woods to heal her wounds in the
hopes that the villagers would raise her child as
their own.
Winter in Barovia
The winters are cold, wet, and stormy here. The natives of
the Demiplane are prepared—well, as prepared as they can
hope to be.
The characters, however, are unfamiliar with the realm.
Thankfully, the region they came from was experiencing the
worst winter in living memory, and are likely to possess
winter clothing. If they are not, then, preparations are in
order. The village has a single shop called The Hare & Hair
where they are able to procure such supplies if they wish.
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Overview Once the characters arrive in Orașnou, they are
informed of the coming storms and the danger the
village faces if the Laszlo, Alina, and their furs are
not returned—and soon!
As the characters set out into the forest, they find
that something is not right in the woods, and that
things are very frequently not what they seem.
Laszlo's campsite is a bloody wreck; it is apparent
that a massive wolf mauled him to death.
Following the tracks from here, the characters
stalk deeper into the forest and foothills, only to
find that Alina's den is the site of a terrible
revelation--that she killed her husband after he
tried to cut the baby from her, and that she left the
child in Orașnou with no warning about what
would happen.
Adventure Hooks If the characters begin this adventure from within
the Forgotten Realms or a setting other than
Ravenloft, have them be transported to the Demiplane of Dread just outside Orașnou via an unnaturally thick fog or mist while traveling
overland, preferably at night. Proceed to Welcome to Barovia see Part , below . If the characters have already played DDAL04-01
Suits of the Mists or other adventures in this season they arrive in Orașnou early one gray morning—likely because they've heard of a troubling rumor of
a missing persons.
Druids, barbarians, and anyone with the Hermit
or Wanderer background may have experienced
troubling dreams in the past few days--terrible and
savage wolf attacks, abandoned and crying
children, and blinding snowstorms.
Curse of Strahd Adventures
The adventures for the Curse of Strahd Season of Dungeons
and Dragons Adventurers League deliver the most impactful
experience when played in numeric order (i.e.: 04-01, then
04-02, and so on) but this is not required. Please carefully
read the following pages and be prepared to adjust
encounters, especially where key NPCs are concerned!
Although DM tips may be found in the adventure, they are
unlikely to cover every table or situation.
For a Ravenloft game, the world itself should be treated
with great respect—it is a character unto itself, and the Dark
Powers rarely respond positively to hand-waving and
outright dis issal…
Any character afflicted with lycanthropy must receive the
benefits of a remove curse at the end of this adventure in
order to be rid of this horrible affliction. Characters that
choose to remain afflicted or cannot afford this spell,
become NPCs and are no longer playable in D&D
Adventurers League games.
Currently, the only entities able to provide spellcasting
services is the hag, Jeny Greenteeth and the elven mage,
Aya Glenmiir. For the time being, Jeny happily accepts gold
as payment for these services. In time, however, the hag
may demand more...abstract…for s of o pe satio . A
upcoming article on www.dndadventurersleague.org will
provide additional information on Jeny Greenteeth.
Welcome to Barovia
Some characters may be arriving from Faerûn for
the first time. For those characters describe a heavy
fog bank rolling through their travel path while
they are in the Quivering Forest, and when it
eventually clears, they are on the outskirts of a small mountain village. )t’s heavy-handed, but such
is the way of the Demiplane.
Any character that participates in this adventure
earns The Demiplane of Dread story award if they
do not have it already. They should be made aware
that until this story award is removed, they may not
participate in any adventure that does not take
place in Barovia.
NOTE: This adventure may touch on some
morally dark moments. Please be careful to gauge
your player's comfort with such things, and
remember that the goal of a Dungeons & Dragons
game is for everyone to have fun!
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Part 1. Orașnou: A Sleepy
Mountain Village…
IT IS IMPORTANT TO STRESS THAT THE ACTUAL
PROCESS OF TRANSFIGURATION IS NOT TYPICALLY
A RENDING, BURNING AGONY FOR TRUE
LYCANTHROPES, BUT IT IS OFTEN SO FOR THE
PATHOLOGIC VARIETY. In fact, many of the true
lycanthropes with which I have spoken (before
destroying them) have claimed that the experience is
one of transcendent ecstasy.
Furthermore, true lycanthropes retain all of their
mental faculties while in any of their forms. At no
point do they forget what occurs when not in human
aspect, nor do they lose control of their actions. In
addition, they always retain their immunities and
most of their abilities.
—Dr. Rudolph Van Richten; "Van Richten's Monster
Hunter's Compendium, vol. 1"
Welcome to Barovia
Hopefully most characters are starting this
adventure after having already played previous
adventures during Season 4 of the D&D Adventurers
League. Some characters, however, may not. These
characters are arriving from Faerûn for the first
time. For those characters describe a heavy fog
bank rolling through their travel path while they
are in the Quivering Woods, and when it eventually
clears, they are on the outskirts of a small mountain village. )t’s heavy-handed, but such is the way of the
Demiplane.
Any character that participates in this adventure
earns The Demiplane of Dread story award if they
do not have it already. They should be made aware
that until this story award is removed, they may not
participate in any adventure that does not take
place in Barovia.
NOTE: This adventure may touch on some
morally dark moments. Please be careful to gauge
your player's comfort with such things, and
remember that the goal of a Dungeons & Dragons
game is for everyone to have fun!
The Village of Orașnou
Expected Duration: 15 minutes
Characters arriving from Faerûn find themselves standing on the outskirts of Orașnou, the Mist steadily falling away from them and back towards
the forest. Characters that have played other
adventures in the Curse of Strahd storyline may
already be in the village.
General Features The general features of Orașnou are as follows: Light and Visibility. It is early morning; the sun
has not yet fully woken from its slumber. There is
thick cloud cover, giving the entire area
surrounding the village a dismal gloom.
Climate and Weather. It is wintertime, and
though there are piles of snow here and there, it is
currently drizzling. Cold, fat raindrops splatter into
the mud and heighten the dreariness.
Smells and Sounds. Mud, fresh rain, wood
smoke. Whipping wind, clattering shutters, rain on
wood and metal.
Read:
Thick grey clouds gather far to the east and north, around
the mountain range in the distance. The village you are
standing in appears to have withstood a number of winter
storms; the walls of the buildings are clearly weatherworn;
their paint has long since peeled and heavy shutters adorn
every window. There is little color here; the clouds have
turned even the leaves of the trees and bushes grey and
lifeless.
The breeze picks up, flipping your cloaks about as if
nature itself was warning you to turn back. A name can just
be made out on a weathered sign on a post by the road
"Oraș ou".
As the characters enter the village proper, read:
There aren't a uildi gs i Orașnou, but one catches
your eye— The Hare & Hair". The sign proudly displays the
silhouette of a rabbit with crossed razors underneath. It
appears to be the only place open at this time of day; the
rest of the buildings shuttered and closed.
A pot-bellied shopkeeper opens the door and waves to
you. "Strangers? Come in, come in; there's no sense in you
standing outside in the wet and cold. I've got shelter if
ou’re a ti g and wares if ou’re eedi g."
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Gregori Wurlbach is a middle-aged, balding man.
He owns and operates this shop, which contains
basic adventuring equipment and weapons worth
10 gold pieces and less, but there is one potion of
healing and one antivenom for sale if the characters
ask. Gregori marvels at the characters’s strange
coins, but after biting into them, is satisfied with
their authenticity.
The most eye-catching feature of the store is the
front window: it has a small number of low-quality
furs and skins, including those from deer, bear, and
wolf. In a pinch, the skins could function as cold
weather gear—Gregori is willing to sell the furs to
the characters if asked. However, as they haven't
been properly cured yet, Gregori informs them that
the furs will no doubt be worthless after a day or
two of use in the rain.
Additionally, he has three small rooms that have
been reserved for travelers (though he admits that
they rarely get travelers, especially during the
winter). Each room rents for 5 sp. They've got a
bunkbed each and come with a bath and a hot meal.
Roleplaying Gregori Wurlbach
Gregori is a soft, balding man with gnarled hands. He has
worked hard for the comforts that he enjoys in the village—chief among these being that his food and drink is provided
free of charge thanks to his ability to host the Vistani when
they arrive every few months to peddle their wares. Fair
minded, he often overlooks his own profits in favor of his
community and friends. Unlike other denizens of the duchy,
Gregori is friendly and welcoming of outsiders.
Gregori is talkative enough, and happy to sell the
characters anything they wish to purchase. He
informs them that they rarely receive weapons and
ammunition or more expensive goods:
The Vistani travel through here once every other
month or so, and bring much-needed goods like
food, grains, and raw ore. In exchange, they
entertain our citizens and take furs with them.
The Vistani are due within the next tenday, but
there aren't enough furs in stock right now. He is
afraid that they won't leave any goods this time,
and may even stop coming to their village
altogether in the future--leading to making this a
difficult winter, indeed.
The remaining furs in the front of the store are
lower quality and might be serviceable as cold-
weather gear. He gladly sells them, but warns the
characters that the furs will likely degrade and
become useless after a day or two of use in the
rain.
Everyone in the village helps with the survival
efforts; be it through farming, smithing, or
hostelry. Preparedness is the currency here.
Laszlo and Alina Vaduva are the trappers that
keep the store stocked with furs, but they haven't
returned from their last trip. They are typically
only gone a day or two, but it's been nearly a
tenday now and everyone is growing worried.
Alina is about eight months pregnant.
Last time the Vistani came through Orașnou, they warned of a "murderous winter to come". The
blizzard on the horizon looks especially brutal,
and if Laszlo and Alina do not return soon they
may not make it back at all.
Last he knows, Laszlo and Alina were heading to
their usual campsite, about four to five hours to
the northeast along a well-marked trail.
There are not very many residents in Orașnou, and all the other able-bodied men and women
are preparing the village for the coming winter.
The villagers no doubt appreciate any assistance
that the characters might provide.
Alina wears a choker emblazoned with a raven;
she has never been seen without it.
If the characters ask where they are or where the village itself Orașnou is located, Gregori looks at them quizzically and after an uncomfortable pause,
informs them "The duchy of Barovia. The domain of
Lord Strahd von Zarovich, may he be healthy and
well."
If the characters wish to perform further
investigations, they may do so. Some potential
investigation information is noted below, but feel
free to create your own responses and information
based on character choices. Getting the townsfolk
to open up and talk to these newcomers takes one
or two hours, depending on how long the players
wish to investigate.
Investigating Orașnou (Short) If the characters spend a short amount of time (an
hour or less) speaking to the villagers, they learn
the following:
Laszlo never spoke about what he did before coming to Orașnou, but Alina fell quickly and madly in love with him shortly after his arrival.
Her family has historically lived somewhere out
in the forest, and they've always been a bit rough
around the edges. Alina and Laszlo were clearly
two souls that were meant for each other.
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The person that dropped off the yowling wolf
pup limped off into the woods well before sunrise
about five days ago. Gregori has the pup now.
The villages around Barovia prize wolf pups; they
are something of a status symbol and loyal
protectors if properly trained from a young age.
The villagers are convinced that Laszlo and Alina
are dead, and this means that the Vistani won’t return this winter. Everyone is afraid that they’ll starve as a result, as the Vistani have no reason to stop in Orașnou without the furs and skins that the Vaduvas provide.
Investigating Orașnou (Long) If the characters spend a longer amount of time
(two or more hours) speaking to the villagers, they
also learn the following:
Glovia prepares food for those that cannot do so
themselves and manages winter rations for the
village. She is not in the village currently, as she is
away visiting family some fifty miles to the south.
Glovia has been the only friend that Alina has had in Orașnou, and is the only person that can calm Alina when her rage and anger issues threaten to
consume her.
Most folks say that no wild wolves have been
seen in the village in years, but some of the
villages claim to have seen a large silver wolf in
the village recently.
For all of her rage, Alina has always had a soft
spot for children. Some of the women in the
village say that if Alina were to hear a baby cry,
she would be rooted in place and temporarily
stricken dumb--it was almost surreal to behold.
Laszlo wielded both whip and bow with equally
deadly proficiency--even going so far as to claim
that he can never be surprised by his foes. He is
very protective of his whip, though some
villagers claim that there is an always-moving eye
in the pommel -- and that it may actually be
cursed!
Locals spotted wolf tracks around the rear of
both Glovia's home and Gregori's shop several
days ago.
Pointy-eared people have been seen around the
village recently. The villagers think that they were elves, but elves are rare in Orașnou--almost
mythical. A character succeeding on a DC 12
Wisdom (Survival) check can confirm this; the
tracks head in the same direction as Laszlo &
Alina's hunting grounds.
Development Once the characters have had a few minutes to
discuss the village and the absence of Laszlo and
Alina, they can hear a puppy making yelping
noises—likely of hunger or a need for attention.
Gregori smiles happily and tells the characters that
a yelping, tiny newborn wolf pup was tied to
Glovia's doorframe just four days ago. "Loyal
guardians, wolves, if you get them at a young age. I
think he was a bit premature, but I don't tend to
look to the fates too closely. Glovia's not due back
for a good long while, so I'll just look after the
scruffy thing."
The Wolf Pup
Though no one but Alina knows it, the wolf pup is her
child—something made apparent by its silver fur.
Gregori e tio s that he fou d the pup tied to Glo ia’s door frame, but would prefer to keep it for himself. While
the characters are out searching for Laszlo and Alina, the
pup eventually escapes during the storm and into the forest
where it rejoi s ith Ali a’s pa k.
Gregori offers to provide access to lodging here in
the village if they characters can return Laszlo and
Alina safely. They are, of course, welcome to retain
any goods they might find in the wilderness and he
assures the characters that if something foul has
occurred. A man of reason, Laszlo will likely
compensate them as well.
Services in the Village of Orașnou
As a s all illage, Oraș ou is ot a le to pro ide u h i the means of services and goods. Generally, any item valued
at 25gp or less is available, albeit at a 10% increase in price.
Similarly, services are sparse. The only inn and tavern is
the Seven Tables.
Ultimately, Gregori attempts to impress upon the
characters that without Laszlo, Alina, and their furs
they bring in, Orașnou is unlikely to survive the winter.
The Blizzard
The characters have 7 hours before the blizzard sets in; less
any time spent in the village. Once the storm hits, at the
beginning of each encounter each character must succeed
on a DC 9 Constitution saving throw or gain a level of
exhaustion. Creatures with resistance or immunity to cold
damage automatically succeed on the saving throw, as do
creatures wearing cold weather gear (thick coats, gloves,
and the like) and creatures naturally adapted to cold
environments.
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Part 2. Over the River and
Through the Woods
Expected Duration: 80 minutes total
Trekking through the wooded area surrounding Orașnou can lead to a number of encounters. The characters do not need to participate in every
encounter—though add additional encounters if
time allows.
The characters should interact with an element
on the "Orașnou and Its Surrounds" table,
discover Laszlo's body, and then one element on
the "The Deep Wilderness" table as time allows.
General Features
The woodlands surrounding Orașnou are unforgiving:
Terrain. The woods outside of the village are far-
reaching and treacherous. The ground is stony and
the soil hard-packed, with only the hardiest of
scrub growth poking through to the sun and trees
above. While not difficult terrain, it should be
described as if the life has been slowly drained out,
leaving the land little more than a withered husk.
Light and Visibility. Dark snow filled clouds
overtake the normally overcast sky. As the winter
storm descends upon the land, there is a palpable,
draining gloom all about. The area is brightly lit
during the day, but the clouds prevent the light of
the sun from being seen. At night, the area is
completely dark, and in the wild regions of the area,
the only light that exists is that which the
characters have with them.
Smells and Sounds. There is very little evidence
of native fauna, though the occasional snapping
twig and falling limb should be evident. The
characters should feel that they are not alone in the
forest, despite evidence to the contrary.
Weather. After each encounter, the snow gets a
little bit closer and the weather grows more
dangerous. After 7 hours have elapsed, the blizzard
hits (see details in the sidebar in the "The Wolf
Den", below).
A chill wind blows from the low mountains to the
northwest, carrying with it the hint of the coming winter
storms. Laszlo and Alina were last known to be on a hunting
trip somewhere out there in the wilderness and are long
overdue to return.
The storms are close and likely no more than a day away.
Clouds, heavy with snow and sleet and worse, threaten to
roll down from the mountains to blanket the land in cold
death for the unprotected. Without help, it is likely that
neither Alina nor Laszlo will survive for long out there.
Part 2a. Orașnou and its Surrounds
Expected Duration: 30 minutes
Choose (or determine randomly) one encounter from the "Orașnou and )ts Surrounds" table, below: Once the characters complete this encounter,
proceed to the section entitled "The Campsite".
They have a chance to take a long rest there if they
desire, but the winter storms will fall upon them
soon!
Orașnou and Its Surrounds
1. A Splash of Blood Hawks
The forest has been fairly quiet for the journey so far, but
the trees ahead are positively alive with the excited
chittering and cawing of hunting birds. Hardly a breath later,
they take wing and fly in your direction!
Six blood hawks have nested in the hardy maple
trees ahead. If the party flees more than fifty feet
from the tree, the hawks do not pursue them.
Adjusting the Encounter
Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat
encounter. These are not cumulative.
Very weak or weak party: Remove two blood hawks
Strong party: The wind has picked up, imposing
disadvantage on ranged weapon attacks
Very strong party: as Strong party, and add two more
blood hawks
Two hours of travel occur before the next
encounter takes place. Laszlo's and Alina's tracks
continue off to the north from here and are fairly
easy to follow. A DC 12 Wisdom (Survival) check
also shows that there are elf tracks as well, heading
Roll Type Title
1 Combat A Splash of Blood Hawks
2 Combat It Stirs in the Thickets
3 Combat Please, Sirs and Ladies
4 Exploration On the Muddy Banks
5 Exploration This Does Not Belong Here
6 Exploration We’re Not Alo e
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in the same direction as well as back towards Orașnou. Treasure. Once the characters defeat or drive off
the blood hawks, they find the partially
decomposed body of a human male at the base of
the roosting tree. If they search the body, they
recover 20 gp from its pockets. There is also a scroll
tube half-buried in the dirt; it contains a single spell
scroll of create bonfire.
2. It Stirs in the Thicket The characters easily see several sets of tracks here,
which a DC 10 Wisdom (Survival) check identifies
as a single, male human among several types of
wildlife. The tracks lead to a densely packed thicket
ahead:
Though you have not seen much underbrush during your
time in the wood, there is a curiously dense thicket ahead.
The bushes seem to be in a ring surrounding a seven-foot
tall tangle of briars and thorns in the rough shape of a
dome. There seems to be a scrap of bright green cloth
several feet into the thorny environment.
If the characters wish to retrieve the cloth, they
must push five feet into the thorns to pluck it. Once
they do this, they can easily make out the form of a
prone human body deeper in the center of the
dome. The characters can see that the body is
wearing a bright green traveling cloak, but until
they pull the corpse from the thicket, they can
discern no other details.
Barovian Flora and Fauna
The wildlife in Barovia is not what you would typically see in
a Faerûnian forest. Instead of deer or foxes, you're more
likely to come across mangy wolves. Rats and other vermin
take the place of squirrels in the ecosystem. Stress an
abundance of predatory or scavenging animals and the lack
of prey.
Similarly, plant life is also different. Fruit from trees is
spoilt and flowering plants are almost nonexistent. Leaves
are dull and colorless with spindly, fraying branches and an
unusual amount of thorns and brambles.
The shrubs are actually four twig blights, and the
thorny dome houses a vine blight. However, they
lie in wait for at least one of the characters to enter
the undergrowth before attacking. They do not
stray more than ten feet away the clearing unless
they are being actively attacked, in which case, the
creatures attempt to meld into the thicket (this
grants total cover and breaks line of sight) to
escape or hide.
The entire space covered by the dome and shrubs
is considered rough terrain and causes 3 (1d6)
points of piercing damage to move through. A
creature moving through the brambles that
succeeds on a DC 8 Dexterity saving throw avoids
this damage. Characters in medium or heavy armor
make the saving throw with advantage.
Once the vine blight takes shape, it doesn't leave
the clearing. The thorns and briars hold the corpse
fast, and moves around as the vine blight attempts
to engage the characters.
Adjusting the Encounter
Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat
encounter. These are not cumulative.
Very weak party: as weak party, and the vine blight's
entangling plants ability does not recharge
Weak party: remove two twig blights
Strong party: change the twig blights to needle blights,
but they retain the false appearance ability
Very strong party: as Strong party, and add a violet
fungus in the center of the dome under the body
Fire damage, such as from a torch or burning hands
spell, clears the dry brush very quickly, but may
cost the characters some valuable treasure as well.
Laszlo's and Alina's tracks continue to the
northeast from here. Two hours of travel occurs
before the characters have another encounter. A DC
12 Wisdom (Survival) check also shows that there
are elf tracks as well, heading in the same direction as well as back towards Orașnou. Treasure. If the characters recover the body,
they find a spell scroll of create bonfire as well as a
pouch of rare spell components worth 20 gp. If the
characters use fire to clear out the briars, the fire
destroys both the scroll and the spell components.
3. Please, Sirs and Ladies
A pot-bellied, heavily mustachioed man kicks the broken
wheel of his cart as he curses loudly.
"Please, sirs and ladies, have you the briefest of moments
to help a down-on-his-luck merchant? My back aches
something fierce, and I need to get this wheel repaired
before those storms hit!"
The man, Fluvio, is actually a bandit, and he is
biding his time until his two scouts can get into
flanking positions around the characters. He
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engages the party in conversation while they dart
from tree to tree about 50 feet away from the cart.
A character that succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom
(Perception) check notices them. He is not shy
about asking the strongest-looking character to lift
his cart so that another character can fix the wheel.
Unless the characters have reason to believe that
something is amiss, the scouts likely have a
surprise round on the characters as combat begins.
Neither the bandit nor the scouts are interested in taking prisoners, though they don’t hesitate to flee if combat appears to be going against their favor.
Adjusting the Encounter
Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat
encounter. These are not cumulative.
Very weak or weak party: Remove a scout
Strong party: change the bandit into a bandit captain
Very strong party: as strong party, and add a scout
Development The bandits are denizens of the Demiplane of Dread
and know nothing about Faerûn.
Two hours of travel occur before the next
encounter takes place (see The Campsite, below).
Laszlo's and Alina's tracks continue off to the north
and east from here and are fairly easy to follow. A
DC 12 Wisdom (Survival) check also shows that
there are elf tracks as well, heading in the same direction as well as back towards Orașnou. Treasure. The weapons and armor that the
bandits had been using are of low quality, but the
furs in the cart are in excellent shape and would likely be worth gp in Orașnou. A DC Wisdom (Insight) check might tell the characters that these
furs may have previously belonged to Laszlo and
Alina. In a pinch, these furs may serve as cold-
weather gear. There is also a scroll tube in the
wagon containing a spell scroll of create bonfire.
4. On the Muddy Banks
The sound of running water can be heard in the distance,
and soon a fast-moving—if shallow—river can be spotted.
The banks have begun to ice up and flotsam adorns both
shores; a number of broken branches sit half in the water
and nearly all of their bark is missing; they could almost pass
for exposed, twisted bones in the dim light. Though the river
is less than thirty feet wide, the chilling spray makes it feel
much wider.
With a Passive Perception score of 13 or higher, the
characters can spot a single woman's boot on the
far shore. While the river is not difficult to cross, it
has a significant pull and is nearly ten feet deep.
Worse, the nearby trees aren't tall enough to act as
a sturdy bridge though creative characters may lash
a few together or come up with similarly inventive
methods to bypass this area.
Characters that do not take care to stay dry (or
do not construct a fire on the opposite side in order
to dry off) must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution
save or gain a level of exhaustion until they have a
chance to take a long rest beside a warm fire.
Aside from the single empty boot, there is
nothing more of interest here. However you should
take care to use this as a foreboding moment—perhaps ask the players for Wisdom (Insight)
checks, ask for the Passive Perception scores, and
so on. When they report their totals, simply thank
them and respond with "I'll update my notes" or
something similar.
Laszlo's and Alita's tracks continue to the east,
across the river and deeper into the woods. One
hour of travel occurs before the characters have
another encounter. A DC 12 Wisdom (Survival)
check also shows that there are elf tracks as well,
heading in the same direction as well as back towards Orașnou. 5. This Does Not Belong Here
After several hours of walking through the forest and seeing
no evidence of life aside from a few scurrying creatures, the
sight before you is quite curious: a tree has consumed a
brightly painted wagon, well decorated with highly detailed
carvings and silver filigree. It looks as if the tree has grown
around and even through the wagon, and though the paint
on the wagon looks fresh this type of growth typically takes
decades to complete.
A DC 10 Intelligence (Nature) check reveals that the
tree has likely been magically influenced; there's
something about the tree's growth that is not
natural. A quick search of the wagon--made much
more difficult by the tree growing through the
center of it--turns up little by way of treasure,
although a jingling tambourine can be spied
hanging from one of the branches as if deliberately
placed there.
A message scrawled (in what is unmistakably
blood) on the interior of the tambourine reads:
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"Family is the Cruelest of Curses"
Laszlo's and Alina's tracks wind off around the
wagon and further east, deeper into the forest. One
hour of travel occurs before the next encounter
takes place. A DC 13 Wisdom (Survival) check also
shows that there are elf tracks as well, heading in the same direction back towards Orașnou. Treasure. The tambourine is very well made and
worth 10 gp. No mundane cleaning will remove the
bloody phrase--even prestidigitation or the like
proves fruitless. Only a remove curse or the
equivalent removes it permanently. If a character
elects to keep the tambourine, instruct them to note
it on their Adventure Logsheet.
6. We Are Not Alone As the characters travel through the forest, ask the
players to choose to roll for Wisdom (Perception or
Survival) checks. If the players roll exceptionally
low or high, follow up by asking for Wisdom
(Insight) checks. Regardless of their responses,
reference the ideas below for appropriate
responses:
Heart-wrenching thoughts of abandoned
children, their hungry hands outstretched for
food, safety, and approval overwhelm the
characters
There are strange tracks on the ground. They
look like they may have once belonged to a wolf,
but the tracks are far too large for any breed of
wolf that you are familiar with.
Your guts squirm and twist and it feels like
something foreign is wriggling around inside
your torso. The feeling passes as quickly as it
came on.
You could swear that something bumped into
your hip.
The shadows grow long and the wind seems
somehow colder than ever before. A feeling of
loneliness washes over you.
Memories of your family come unbidden to your
mind, but they're different somehow; sadder and
full of loss.
The entries above are merely suggestions. This
section works best if you write one of the above
messages down on a slip of paper and privately
passes it to the character with the lowest or highest
roll on their skill check. Wait a few minutes, and do
it again. This section may serve as an interesting
method to award inspiration tokens to characters
that get involved in the messages.
Through it all, Laszlo's and Alina's tracks can be
easily followed in a generally eastern direction,
though they appear to have sprinted through this
area in a zig-zag manner. There is roughly one hour
of travel between the encounters. A DC 12 Wisdom
(Survival) check also shows that there are elf tracks
as well, heading in the same direction as well as back towards Orașnou. Part 2b. The Campsite
The characters eventually come across the remains
of a campsite. It was here that Alina revealed her
true nature to Laszlo who, in retaliation, sought to
slay his betrothed and carve the baby from her
belly. When the dust settled, Laszlo lay dead, and
Alina was gravely injured. When she awoke, she
fled.
Expected Duration: 20 minutes
The characters have been in the woods for
approximately three to four hours (more if they
chose to take a rest or have otherwise been
sidetracked). They should have covered about 10-
12 miles of ground and should be well aware of the
blizzard moving in from the mountains. If they are
not, this is a prime opportunity to inform them that
the weather is not going to hold out for much
longer—the air has become sharp and crisp, and is
almost still as the clouds prepare to break and
shower freezing doom upon the land.
A campsite can be seen several hundred yards ahead
through the sparse growth, but as you draw closer you
realize that nothing lives here. There are obvious signs of a
struggle--long scrapes in the dirt, fresh boot tracks, and a
damaged corpse give away the scene.
The body is that of Laszlo, the trapper and hunter from Orașnou. (owever, there is no sign of Alina despite the carnage all over this area.
Is This Laszlo?
The Dark Powers are not finished with Laszlo. If any of the
characters have already played adventures that come later
in the season, all references to Laszlo in this encounter
should be changed to that of a more generic hunter or
trapper.
Please refer to the sidebar on that appears after
Adventure Hooks for more information about why you may
need to make this change. Specifically, refer to the notes
about key NPCs.
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DDAL04-02 The Beast 15
Wisdom (Survival) or Intelligence (Nature)
DC 9: The body has been partially ravaged by
scavengers.
DC 11: The canine tracks are larger than normal,
as if made by a wolf easily twice the normal size.
DC 13: The canine tracks do not appear to
originate from outside the campsite. They lead off
to the east, and splatters of blood follow
alongside.
Wisdom (Perception)
DC 13: Light glints off a silver dagger in the cold
ashes of the campfire. Charred blood covers the
dagger.
DC 15: The characters find a wolf's tooth
embedded in one of Laszlo's wounds.
Wisdom (Medicine)
DC 11: Laszlo has been dead for about five days,
killed by a very savage wolf attack.
DC 13: The damage to Laszlo's body is massive in
scale, but he appears to have been surprised; his
most grievous wounds are on his neck and back.
DC 15: There is more blood here than Laszlo
could have provided.
DC 17: If the characters have discovered the
dagger in the campfire, they can tell that Laszlo
did not try to defend himself—there are no bites
or bruises on his arms.
Intelligence (Investigation)
DC 11: The tracks are wild and chaotic, but the
characters discern a number of wolf tracks
among Laszlo's. There are two sets of humanoid
tracks: one male and one female; both sets lead
into the clearing but no humanoid tracks leave
this place.
DC 13: If the characters have not yet found the
dagger, they spot it in the ashes of the campfire.
DC 15: The wolf tracks head east, away from the
camp and into the foothills of the mountains.
There are no humanoid tracks heading in that
direction.
Once the characters have had some time to examine
Laszlo's body, they should be able to recover his
bags (see the Treasure section). The wolf tracks
head east, into a more inhospitable area. The
characters realize that the blizzard is very close--
likely no more than a few hours.
Development After the characters have had some time to
investigate the campsite—or perhaps if the
characters are especially watchful, maybe because
they are aware of the elf tracks—a trio of thin elves
emerge from the trees several hundred feet away.
They approach the characters with their arms
raised in surrender, begging for aid and parlay. Two
of them are young males (barely 100 years old,
named Earlan Shadowsong and Nim'il Briarbough),
and they are led by Aya Glenmiir, an auburn-haired
female elf of about 300 years with piercing green
eyes.
Roleplaying Aya Glenmiir
Aya is a female elf of about 300 years. She has long, auburn
hair and radiant green eyes, along with a bit of an ego.
Originally from Phlan on the Moonsea, were she is a wizard
specializing in warding magic, she has a history of being very
charismatic and a bit of a flirt.
However, the land here in Barovia has seemingly drained
her of her energy leaving her gaunt and withdrawn, and she
openly comments on how the nature of magic (known as
the Weave) "is just different here". Aya was also featured in
DDEX1-6 The Scroll Thief, DDEX1-10 Tyranny in Phlan,
DDEX2-9 Breath of the Yellow Rose, and DDAL04-01 Suits of
the Mists.
With the exception of Aya, the elves actually hail
from Greenhall--an elven settlement in the
Quivering Forest. They inform the characters that
they had been investigating the perimeter of their
domain, but entered a thick fogbank near the
Crossing Inn. When they emerged from the mist,
the forest had dramatically changed.
The village of Orașnou confuses and alarms them, as the villagers were very withdrawn and wouldn't
make eye contact. They swear that they had
nothing to do with the carnage in this campsite,
though they've seen a massive wounded silver wolf
and had been tracking it in hopes of earning an easy
meal. A DC 10 Wisdom (Insight) check tells the
characters that the elves are not telling the whole
truth about the wolf.
Charisma (Persuasion):
DC 12: The elves have been in the forest for
almost a tenday. They saw Laszlo and Alina, and
trailed them for a while. They argued a lot, but
appeared to be capable hunters.
DC 15: Laszlo attacked Alina here in the campsite
after a particularly loud argument. The elves left
the hunters alone, not wanting to see what would
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happen if Laszlo saw them. (A DC 10 Wisdom
Insight check tells the characters that the elves
are not telling the whole truth).
DC 18: After the loud fight, Alina…changed; she grew huge teeth and fur. She attacked Laszlo
when his back was turned. He tried to fight her
off, but was slain. The elves fled, overcome with
terror and revulsion. A successful DC 8 Wisdom
(Insight) check tells the characters that the elves
are telling the truth.
Intimidation may work to get this information, but
likely at disadvantage on the skill check. The elves
are close to starving and feel that they have little
left to lose.
The elves are not intended to be a combat
encounter and do not pose a significant physical
threat. If the characters decide to attack them, the
scuffle is brief and grants no experience.
While they refuse to take the characters to
Greenhall, the characters may be able to convince the elves to return to Orașnou. With some creative
role-playing--and a handful of rations, trust, and
maybe a Charisma (Persuasion) check or two--the
elves could actually be convinced to continue
Laszlo & Alina's trapping and skinning efforts
through the winter.
Finally, if the characters wish, Aya is able to
provide limited spellcasting services for the
characters; specifically, she can cast remove curse.
See the information at the beginning of the
adventure for how much this service costs.
XP Award If the characters successfully convince the elves to treat with Orașnou, award each character 25 XP.
Treasure In addition to Laszlo's silver dagger, the characters
find his furs and bags. The assembled furs are easily
worth 100 gp, and his bags contain pieces of
polished bone and antler; items worth more as
finished art pieces and trinkets worth another 20 gp in Orașnou. The characters find Laszlo's pack in the ruins of the campfire. It contains a shortbow, 12
arrows, an explorer's pack, and a salted ham, all of
which are been ruined. Although it cannot be found,
there is evidence that he possessed a pot of ink. The
elves have no items worth any amount of value
aside from their immediate gear, but taking their
gear is a death sentence for the elves.
However, they also find Laszlo's a whip of
warning on the ground by his body.
Part 2c: The Deep Wilderness
Expected Duration: 30 minutes
Before moving onto Part 3, below, choose (or
determine randomly) an encounter from the
"Orașnou and )ts Surrounds" table, below: The Deep Wilderness
The characters should have had two encounters
(one from each 2a and 2c) before moving to part 3.
1. Zombie + Elk = profit?
Low growls and grunts can be heard from some ways off,
followed by trumpeting sounds and terrific crashes. Low
moans immediately follow each crash.
The characters observe a pack of three zombies
have attacked a pair of elk. One of the magnificent
creatures is dead, and the other one is soon to
follow. If the characters get involved, the elk is in a
full panic and unless magical methods are used, it is
unable to distinguish them from the zombies and
defends itself. The elk runs away at first
opportunity.
Adjusting the Encounter
Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat
encounter. These are not cumulative.
Very weak or weak party: remove one zombie
Strong party: Add two zombies
Very strong party: Add four zombies
The characters can avoid this encounter if they
wish. Wolf tracks continue to the east. There is
roughly two hours of travel between this encounter
and the next.
2. Does a Bear Sit in the Woods?
A very dead bear sits, leaning against a tree slightly off the
path--its belly horrifically distended. The stench is
overwhelming, even from nearly forty feet away.
Roll Type Title
1 Combat Zombie + Elk = Profit?
2 Combat I the Forest, Does a Bear…?
3 Combat Bad Dogs
4 Exploration Agitation
5 Exploration I'm Not a Witch!
6 Exploration Stickmen
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The bear corpse is actually home to a swarm of
centipedes. A successful DC 13 Intelligence
(Nature) check reveals that this, and those that
succeed on a DC 11 Wisdom (Perception) check see
tiny ripples in the dead flesh. Those that succeed on
the Intelligence (Nature) check make the Wisdom
(Perception) check with advantage.
If the characters physically interact with the
corpse, it explodes in a shower of gore as the
centipedes burst forth. Any creature within 10 feet
of the corpse takes 1 piercing damage and must
succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or
take 11 (2d10) poison damage and be poisoned for
1 hour.
A successful DC 11 Intelligence (Investigation)
check reveals that any amount of piercing damage
done from a distance will cause the corpse to
deflate with little effect to the characters.
The insects scurry off into the undergrowth
unless the characters are within ten feet of them or
are attacking them.
Adjusting the Encounter
Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat
encounter. These are not cumulative.
Strong party: Add one swarm of centipedes
Very strong party: Add one swarm of rats and the
creatures don't flee
The characters can avoid this encounter if they
wish. Wolf tracks wind past the bear corpse and off
to the north. There is roughly two hours of travel
between this encounter and the next.
3. Bad Dogs
The forest has grown silent, and the wind has gone eerily
calm.
Two death dogs are stalking the characters.
Characters that succeed on a Wisdom (Perception)
check opposed by the death dogs's Dexterity
(Stealth) check are not surprised as the beasts
spring out to attack them. They pursue unarmored
characters first, and flee if reduced to 15 hit points
or less.
Adjusting the Encounter
Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat
encounter. These are not cumulative.
Very weak party: As weak party; remove one death dog
Weak party: The death dogs do not surprise the party
Strong party: I rease the death dogs’s “tealth odifier to +6.
Very strong party: Add one death dog
Laszlo's and Alina's tracks continue off to the north
from here and are fairly easy to follow. There is
roughly two hours of travel between this encounter
and the next.
4. Agitation Do not run this encounter if "We are Not Alone"
(see Part 2a, above) was used. However, at your
discretion this section may serve to reinforce the
feeling of loss and chilling loneliness.
As the characters travel through the forest, ask
the players to choose to roll for Wisdom
(Perception) or Wisdom (Survival) checks. If the
players roll exceptionally low or high, follow up by
asking for Wisdom (Insight) checks. Regardless of
their responses, reference the ideas below for
appropriate responses:
The characters hear faint cries of an infant can be
heard in the distance, intermingled with the
yowling of wolf pups.
The characters find an arrow formed of a
collection of bright red stones on the ground. It
points northeast.
Scratched into a nearby tree trunk are the letters
"LV AV". A broken fingernail is still stuck in the
wood.
You feel a sharp stabbing pain across your
abdomen, and then your torso goes numb--a
heartbeat later, the sensation fades away.
The trees seem to warp and twist ever so slightly
as you look at them, as if they are trying to blot
out the sun.
Suddenly, the only thing you can think about is a
warm mug of mulled cider and a blazing hearth.
The entries above are merely suggestions. This
section works best if you write one of the above
messages down on a slip of paper and privately
passes it to the character with the lowest or highest
roll on their skill check. Wait a few minutes, and do
it again. This section may serve as an interesting
method to award inspiration tokens to characters
that get involved in the messages.
The characters spot wolf tracks heading
northeast from here. There is roughly two hours of
travel between this encounter and the next.
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5. I’m Not a Witch!
Snow has begun to fall, and with the temperature
plummets. As you prepare to look for shelter an old woman,
some fifty feet ahead, waves frantically at you and beckons
you all to come closer.
The old human woman leads the characters to her
hut, nestled in between three sturdy trees. She is
half-blind and very talkative, but she poses no
threat to the characters. Characters may decide to
make Wisdom (Insight) checks so as to determine
her motives--if they do, feel free to describe her
warty, gap-toothed smile, stringy hair, and so on as
her key features. She tells the characters that she
hasn't needed a name for many years—since she
left the village in fact, and has actually forgotten her
name altogether.
The small hut is cozy enough, and keeps the old
woman protected from the elements. She is very
eager to share her rancid-smelling stew, and seems
incredibly concerned with the well-being of the
characters.
"Wear a thick jacket, it's cold out there!"
"Where are your gloves, young lady?"
"When ) was your age…"
"Do you see how he looks at you? I haven't seen
that look in a long time."
"Be careful in these woods. Some say they've
seen a frightful scary ghostie with a gaping hole
in its chest."
"There are some mighty large wolves out this
time of year. One came by recently, with a huge
belly wound that just kept bleeding."
She allows the characters to stay in her hut as long
as they like, but there is only room for two people
plus her at any one time. Any unprepared character
that remains outside for one hour or more without
building a campfire or taking appropriate shelter
must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or
gain one level of exhaustion due to the encroaching
cold.
Wolf tracks and a blood trail continue off to the
north from here and are easy to follow. There is
roughly two hours of travel between this encounter
and the next.
6. Stickmen As the characters progress deeper into the forest
and the foothills, they begin to notice small bundles
of sticks. As the walk further, the bundles take a
more humanoid shape and grow in size, the largest
of them being about twelve inches from top to
bottom, and all of them are hanging from tree
branches.
After two miles of this, they come to a clearing.
Lashed to a stand of trees are four very large
humanoid effigies. Standing almost fifteen feet tall,
they are quite an imposing sight. A DC 10
Intelligence (Religion) check shows that these
effigies are clearly dedicated to some deity or force,
but it is not clear to whom. A feeling of unease
permeates the area, and the sense that the
characters are being watched is very strong here.
While the tall effigies provide excellent cover from
the wind, attempting to rest here requires a DC 15
Wisdom saving throw; failing this saving throw
results in the character gaining a level of
exhaustion (and losing the benefit of the rest) as
murderous thoughts fill his or her mind. Druids and
evil-aligned characters automatically succeed on
this saving throw but still have these thoughts.
Wolf tracks continue off to the southeast from
here and are easy to follow. There is roughly two
hours of travel between this encounter and the
next.
Advancing the Adventure
The characters should have had two encounters in
addition to "The Campfire". If time allows, feel free
to run them through additional encounters from
the "Deep Wilderness Encounters" table but be
careful to manage your remaining time as well as
staying within the maximum gold and experience
rewards.
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Part 3. Wolf Den Expected Duration: 20 minutes
Tracking the wolves has been time-consuming, and
the weather is turning for the worse. As the storm
approaches, the characters find what appears to be
the wolf den, but there is more than simple shelter
here. Secrets will be revealed and blood will be
shed in this place.
Rock and a Hard Place
A massive storm front has been building for the last
several days, and as the characters enter the cave
the sky breaks loose—in addition to the heavy
winds, a thick freezing rain begins to fall in
torrential bursts, interwoven with inch-wide
hailstones. Staying outside will almost certainly
bring death to whomever is foolish enough to do so.
General Features Alina's lair has the following general features:
Terrain. This cave is a natural formation. The
floor and walls are not worked in any way, but this
is not rough terrain. The ceiling is about 7 feet high.
Light. There are no light sources in the wolf den.
The oncoming storm blots out the sunlight if the
party arrive during day hours.
Smells. Wolf urine and rotting meat are powerful
scents in this place.
Temperature. The storm causes the temperature
to drop very quickly. Characters outside the wolf
den take 1d4 points of bludgeoning and cold
damage at the start of each of their turns due to the
hail and freezing rain; characters wearing cold
weather gear take half of this damage. Characters
inside the wolf den are cold but otherwise
unaffected.
It is quite apparent that this is a wolf den. Broken, gnawed
bones litter the floor, and scraps of fur from a large number
of animals have been shredded and scattered about the
cavern. The smells of offal and rotting meat compete for
attention, and the results are exactly as you might expect.
As you take in your environment, a loud peal of thunder
reverberates around the cave—the storm outside has finally
broken loose! Freezing rain and hail begin to pelt the cave
entrance, and a howling wind tears through the forest.
A bit of investigation (no check needed) reveals a
satchel amidst the scraps of bone, fur, and leather.
The thick leather shows signs of gnawing but is still
closed.
Once opened, the satchel is found to contain a
hand-written journal (written in Common), three
small bundles of herbs (which, if ingested, restore
1d4 hit points each), a small pot of ink and a writing
quill. They also find the Player Handout. Many of
the pages have been torn or have had ink spilled on
them, but some key phrases can be found. Only
three of the entries are legible. The remaining
pages are stained and smeared with ink, blood, and
other unknowable substances.
Once the characters have discovered the journal
and read the key entries, or thirty minutes have
passed (not quite enough for a short rest), Alina
arrives. Read:
The sound of baying wolves breaks the silence. A moment
later, a young, silver-haired woman with an immense wolf in
tow stumbles into the den; gasping in agony with a bloody
hand clasped over her belly.
As she sees you, her face contorts into rage. She spits a
curse; flecks of blood dancing on her lips.
Her curses turn into a throaty growl as she falls to her
hands and knees. Her body contorts and twists as her forms
changes to that of a large, silver-furred wolf. The beast
throws its head back and howls, and then charges.
Alina and her dire wolf are desperate to get out of the storm, and the characters’s presence in their
home has them in a lather.
Aw, Is That a Baby?
It is possible that the characters interacted with the villagers
i Oraș ou or read i the jour al that Ali a rea ts poorl to the sound of infants crying. Cunning characters can attempt
to mimic that sound in any appropriate manner, such as
succeeding at an opposed Charisma (Deception) check,
using prestidigitation or similar magic, etc. If successful, all
of Alina's attacks have disadvantage until the start of her
next turn as tears well up in her eyes. Reward creativity
here; do ’t just rel o the roll of a di e.
Tactics Alina and the wolf flank characters that appear
weaker or less-armored. This encounter should
have a definite feel of menace and terror—the
characters are backed into a corner and the wolves
have no other place to go.
If any of the characters are openly wielding the
whip of warning found on Laszlo’s body, Alina
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pointedly avoids that character in favor of other
targets.
Adjusting the Encounter
Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat
encounter. These are not cumulative.
Very weak: Replace the dire wolf with a wolf; replace
Alina with a dire wolf
Weak party: Replace the dire wolf with two wolves;
replace Alina with a dire wolf.
Strong party: Alina gains the pack tactics ability as per
the dire wolves. Additionally, the Dark Powers have gifted
her with the following trait: Regeneration: Alina regains 5
hit points at the start of each of her turns. If she hears the
sound of a baby crying or is damaged by a silvered
weapo , this trait does ’t fu tio at the start of her e t turn. Alina dies only if she starts her turn with 0 hit points
and doesn't regenerate.
Very strong party: as Strong party, ut Ali a’s regeneration ability causes her to regain 10 hit points at
the start of each of her turns, and a supernatural cold
creeps into the wolf den. Any creature that is not heavily
furred or wearing cold weather gear must succeed on a
DC 11 Constitution save at the start of their turn or else
they have disadvantage on saving throws, ability checks
and attacks until they complete a rest. Alina's thick coat
protects her from this effect.
Treasure Aside from the tattered journal, Alina carries but a
single object with her in her wolf form: an old,
ornate jade-and-pearl pendant emblazoned with a
raven. This necklace is evidence of who she is (if the
characters have not already figured it out), and
would easily fetch 100 gp from a Vistani merchant.
Where is Laszlo?
If the adventurers have previously encountered Laszlo in
other adventures (and thus, did not find his corpse at the
campfire), Alina bellows out challenges and taunts during
the combat, including "Laszlo's marrow will provide meals
for days" and other such lines that indicate she is aware of
his death. The characters may also find evidence of Laszlo's
death in the wolf den if needed.
Conclusion The characters can finish searching the wolf den
after combat has concluded. No other wolves bother them, even on the journey back to Orașnou.
There isn't much left here—only some scraps of
leather clothing and a few broken shiny baubles.
Alina If Alina was spared, the characters are now faced
with the decision of what to do with Alina. Her
wound is festering and rotting, and her lycanthropy
may not be curable with local resources—Orașnou
simply isn't populated enough to provide the
necessary means to remove her affliction (though
the characters likely do not know this). Should she
reclaim her sanity long enough to be questioned by
the characters, she tearfully admits that her "pup"
survived despite Laszlo's attack—and that the pain
triggered her transformation.
If the characters decide to return Alina to the
village, she is scared to return to the village. While
it is possible that the characters may still desire to
keep her alive, it should be made clear that
throughout the journey she became visibly more
and more bestial, and that her humanity is likely to
be lost forever if she is not cured soon.
If the characters return to the village with Alina
in tow, the Burgomaster of Orașnou, )van
Randovich, is dismayed with her condition. He
informs the characters that despite the girl’s injuries, he is confident that she can be saved. He
asks an older gentleman (his aide) to help carry the
girl inside. As a parting gesture, Ivan informs them
that Gregori will likely be happy to hear whatever
news they have. Assuming they do as they are bid,
read the following on their return:
As you leave the Burgomaster’s reside e, three shapes appear on the roof: Alina, the Burgomaster, and his aide. A
oose of stout rope has ee tighte ed arou d Ali a’s e k and a burlap sack filled with what appears to be stones has
been lashed to her ankles.
The oo has ursed this girl! The Burgomaster says,
There is othi g that a e do e to save her, but we can
pre e t her destro i g us all!
Alina has time only for the briefest of screams as the man
behind the Burgomaster shoves the girl bodily from the
roof. There is a resounding CRACK as the rope around her
neck draws taut.
Gregori is pleased that the characters have
returned, and gives them 100 gold pieces for their
trouble. He also offers them lodging in his travel
house and tells them that they will be welcome for
as long as they would like to stay. This does not
confer any discount on lodging, but it does
guarantee that he’ll always have an available room
if they need to stay in Orașnou.
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)f asked about the wolf pup, Gregori’s demeanor changes slightly. Damned thing got a good start
from the storm and bolted. Shame, too.
The Elves Additionally, it is possible that the characters have convinced the elves to come to Orașnou. They are
skilled hunters and would do well to fill Laszlo &
Alina's newly-vacated duties in the village. In time,
Aya may even recover her more of her magical
abilities and personality, becoming an asset that the
characters can rely on for magical support.
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Rewards Make sure players note their rewards on their
adventure logsheets. Give your name and DCI
number (if applicable) so players can record who
ran the session.
Experience
Total up all combat experience earned for
defeated foes, and divide by the number of
characters present in the combat. For non-combat
experience, the rewards are listed per character.
Give all characters in the party non-combat
experience awards unless otherwise noted.
Combat Awards Name of Foe XP per Foe
Blood Hawk 25
Twig Blight 25
Vine Blight 100
Needle Blight 50
Bandit 25
Bandit Captain 450
Scout 100
Zombie 50
Elk 50
Swarm of Centipedes 100
Death Dog 200
Dire Wolf 200
Alina (Werewolf) 700
Non-Combat Awards Task or Accomplishment XP per Character
Taki g the el es to go to Oraș ou 25
The minimum total award for each character
participating in this adventure is 225 experience
points.
The maximum total award for each character
participating in this adventure is 300 experience
points.
Treasure
The characters receive the following treasure,
divided up amongst the party. Characters should
attempt to divide treasure evenly whenever
possible. Gold piece values listed for sellable gear
are calculated at their selling price, not their
purchase price.
Consumable magic items should be divided up
however the group sees fit. If more than one
character is interested in a specific consumable
magic item, the DM can determine who gets it
randomly should the group be unable to decide.
Permanent magic items are divided according
to a system. See the sidebar if the adventure awards
permanent magic items.
Treasure Awards Item Name GP value
Blood hawk coins 20
Pouch of rare spell components 20
Bandit furs and skins 20
Tambourine 10
Silvered dagger 102
Laszlo's furs 100
Laszlo's trinkets 20
Alina's opal necklace 200
Scroll of Create Bonfire Scroll, uncommon
A description of this item can be found in the
Dungeon Master’s Guide. This spell appears in the
Elemental Evil Player’s Companion.
Whip of Warning Weapon (whip), uncommon (requires attunement)
This whip is fashioned from a length of rotting,
thorn-covered vine set into a handle made of an
unusual purple wood. The pommel is a large chunk
of unpolished amber with a moving eyeball trapped
within. A description of this item can be found in
the Dungeon Master’s Guide.
Permanent Magic Item Distribution
D&D Adventurers League has a system in place to
determine who is awarded permanent magic items at the
end of a session. Ea h hara ter’s logsheet contains a
column to record permanent magic items for ease of
reference.
If all the players at the table agree on one character
taking possession of a permanent magic item, that
character gets the item.
In the event that one or more characters indicate an
interest in possessing a permanent magic item, the
character that possesses the fewest permanent magic
items gets the item. If there is a tie in the total number of
permanent magic items owned by contesting characters,
the ite ’s o er is deter i ed ra do ly by the DM.
Renown
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All faction members earn one renown point for
participating in this adventure.
Downtime
Each character receives five downtime days at the
conclusion of this adventure.
Story Awards
Characters have the opportunity to earn the
following story awards during this adventure. This
award is only earned to characters that have
entered Barovia for the first time.
The Demiplane of Dread. You have traversed the
mists and now find yourself in the Demiplane of
Dread and, until this story award is removed, you
are unable to leave. So long as you are trapped, you
cannot participate in any adventure or event that
takes place outside of Barovia. Tread carefully
during your time here, the Dark Powers are
watching.
DM Rewards
You receive 200 XP, 50gp and five downtime
days for running this session.
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DDAL04-02 The Beast 24
DM Appendix: NPC
Summary
Glovia Falinescu (GLOW-vee-uh FALL-in-ESs-coo).
A heartbroken mother and healer who lost her
infant child to disease. Blames her own lack of
ability for the child's death. Highly educated in
anatomy.
NOTE: Glovia is not present in this adventure.
Alina Vaduva (uh-LEEN-uh vuh-DOO-vuh). Alina is
a skilled hunter and tracker, and can sometimes get
carried away with her direct nature and
sometimes-fiery temper. Married to Laszlo, and
together they own a small but successful fur trading
post. Alina is a werewolf due to a curse upon her
family line.
Laszlo Vaduva (laz-LO vuh-DOO-vuh). A true
outdoorsman, Laszlo has spent most of his life
working in the wild. A skilled hunter, trapper, and
woodsman, he firmly believes that the land
provides everything that his people need. Married
to Alina, and together they own a small but
successful fur trading post. The people of Orașnou believe that Laszlo is hiding details about his life
before he came to the village, but he does not speak
of those dark days.
Gregori Wurlbach (gre-GOR-ee VURL-bok). Male
human. Soul. Gregori is a soft, balding man with
gnarled hands. He has worked hard for the
comforts that he enjoys in the village—chief among
these being that his food and drink is provided free
of charge thanks to his ability to host the Vistani
when they arrive every few months to peddle their
wares. He is fair minded and often overlooks his
own profits in favor of his community and friends.
Unlike other denizens of the duchy, Gregori is
friendly and welcoming of outsiders.
Aya Glenmiir (Ah-yuh glen-MEER). Aya is a female
elf of about 300 years. She has long, pale blonde
hair and radiant green eyes, along with a bit of an
ego. She is a wizard specializing in abjuration
magic—originally hailing from the town of Phlan.
Though she has a history of being very charismatic
and a bit of a flirt, the land here in Barovia has
seemingly drained her of her energy. She is gaunt
and withdrawn, and openly comments on how the
nature of magic, the Weave, "is just different here".
Aya has been previously featured in DDEX1-6 The
Scroll Thief, DDEX1-10 Tyranny in Phlan, DDEX2-9
Breath of the Yellow Rose, and DDAL04-01 Suits of
the Mists.
Burgomaster Ivan Randovich (EYE-vun RAN-doe-
vitch): Male human. Shell. Ivan has grown fat, vain,
and rich on the backs of those he has subjugated. Seeks out Tatyana’s Comb. NOTE: Ivan is not present
until the conclusion of this adventure
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Appendix. NPC/Monster
Statistics
Blood Hawk Small beast, unaligned
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 7 (2d6)
Speed 10 ft., fly 60 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
6 (-2) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 3 (-4) 14 (+2) 5 (-3)
Skills Perception +4
Senses passive Perception 14
Languages --
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
Keen Hearing and Smell. The hawk has advantage on
Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.
Pack Tactics. The hawk has advantage on an attack
roll against a creature if at least one of the hawk's
allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't
incapacitated.
Actions
Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.
Twig Blight Small plant, neutral evil
Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points 4 (1d6 + 1)
Speed 20 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
6 (-2) 13 (+2) 12 (+1) 4 (-3) 8 (-1) 3 (-4)
Skills Stealth +3
Damage Vulnerabilities fire
Condition Immunities blinded, deafened
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius),
passive Perception 9
Languages understands Common but can't speak
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
False Appearance. While the blight remains
motionless, it is indistinguishable from a dead shrub.
Actions
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) slashing damage
Vine Blight Small plant, neutral evil
Armor Class 12 (natural armor)
Hit Points 26 (4d8 + 8)
Speed 10 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 8 (-1) 14 (+2) 5 (-3) 10 (-+0) 3 (-4)
Skills Stealth +1
Condition Immunities blinded, deafened
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius),
passive Perception 10
Languages Common
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
False Appearance. While the blight remains
motionless, it is indistinguishable from a tangle of
vines.
Actions
Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 10
ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage,
and a Large or smaller target is grappled (escape DC
12). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained,
and the blight can't constrict another target.
Entangling Plants (recharge 5-6). Grasping roots and
vines sprout in a 15-foot radius centered on the
blight, withering away after 1 minute. For the
duration, that area is difficult terrain for nonplant
creatures. In addition, each creature of the blight's
choice in that area when the plants appear must
succeed on a DC 12 Strength saving throw or become
restrained. A creature can use its action to make a DC
12 Strength check, freeing itself or another entangled
creature within reach on a success.
Needle Blight Medium plant, neutral evil
Armor Class 12 (natural armor)
Hit Points 11 (2d8 + 2)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
12 (+1) 12 (+1) 13 (+1) 4 (-3) 8 (-1) 3 (-4)
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Condition Immunities blinded, deafened
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius),
passive Perception 9
Languages understands Common but can't speak
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Actions
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 6 (2d4 +1) slashing damage.
Needles. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach
30/60 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (2d6 + 1) piercing damage.
Bandit Medium humanoid (any race), any non-lawful
alignment
Armor Class 12 (leather armor)
Hit Points 11 (2d8 + 2)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
11 (+0) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0)
Senses passive Perception 10
Languages Common, Halfling
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
Actions
Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) slashing damage.
Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit,
ranged 100/400 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d8 + 1)
piercing damage.
Bandit Captain Medium humanoid (any race), any non-lawful
alignment
Armor Class 15 (studded leather)
Hit Points 65 (10d8 + 20)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 14 (+2)
Saving Throws Str +4, Dex +5, Wis +2
Skills Athletics +4, Deception +4
Senses passive Perception 10
Languages Common
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Actions
Multiattack. The captain makes three melee attacks:
two with its scimitar, and one with its dagger. Or the
captain makes two ranged attacks with its daggers.
Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage.
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit,
reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 +
3) piercing damage.
Reactions
Parry. The captain adds 2 to its AC against one melee
attack that would hit it. To do so, the captain must see
the attacker and be wielding a melee weapon.
Scout Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
Armor Class 13 (leather armor)
Hit Points 16 (3d8 + 3)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
11 (+0) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 11 (+0) 13 (+1) 11 (+0)
Skills Nature +4, Perception +5, Stealth +6, Survival +5
Senses passive Perception 15
Languages Common
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Keen Hearing and Sight. The scout has advantage on
Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or
sight.
Actions
Multiattack. The scout makes two attacks.
Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5
ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, ranged
150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing
damage.
Zombie Medium undead, neutral evil
Armor Class 8
Hit Points 22 (3d8 + 9)
Speed 20 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
13 (+1) 6 (-2) 16 (+3) 3 (-4) 6 (-2) 5 (-3)
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Saving Throws Wis +0
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8
Languages Common, Draconic
Challenge $ ($ XP)
Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the zombie to 0
hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw
with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage
is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the
zombie drops to 1 hit point instead.
Actions
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) bludgeoning damage.
Elk Large beast, unaligned
Armor Class 10
Hit Points 13 (2d10 + 2)
Speed 50 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 2 (-4) 10 (+0) 6 (-2)
Senses passive Perception 10
Languages --
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Charge. If the elk moves at least 20 feet straight
toward a target and then hits it with a ram attack on
the same turn, the target takes an extra 7 (2d6)
damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on
a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Actions
Ram. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
Hooves. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
Swarm of Centipedes Medium swarm of Tiny beasts, unaligned
Armor Class 12 (natural armor)
Hit Points 22 (5d8)
Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
3 (-4) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 1 (-5) 7 (-2) 1 (-5)
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened,
paralyzed, petrified, prone, restrained, stunned
Senses blindsight 10 ft., passive Perception 8
Languages --
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature's
space and vice versa, and the swarm can move
through any opening large enough for a Tiny insect.
The swarm can't regain hit points or gain temporary
hit points.
Paralyzing Bites. A creature reduced to 0 hit points by
a swarm of centipedes is stable but poisoned for 1
hour, even after regaining hit points, and paralyzed
while poisoned in this way.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 0 ft., one
target in the swarm's space. Hit: 10 (4d4) piercing
damage or 5 (2d4) piercing damage if the swarm has
half of its hit points or fewer.
Death Dog Medium monstrosity, neutral evil
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 39 (6d8 + 12)
Speed 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 3 (-4) 13 (+2) 6 (-2)
Skills Perception +5, Stealth +4
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages --
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Two-Headed. The dog has advantage on Wisdom
(Perception) checks and on saving throws against
being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened,
stunned, or knocked unconscious.
Actions
Multiattack. The dog makes two bite attacks.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. If the target is
a creature, it must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution
saving throw against disease or become poisoned
until the disease is cured. Every 24 hours that elapse,
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the creature must repeat the saving throw, reducing
its hit point maximum by 5 (1d10) on a failure. The
creature dies if the disease reduces its hit point
maximum to 0.
Dire Wolf Large beast, unaligned
Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 37 (5d10 + 10)
Speed 50 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
17 (+3) 15 (+2) 15 (+2) 3 (-4) 12 (+1) 7 (-2)
Skills Perception +3, Stealth +4
Senses passive Perception 13
Languages --
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Keen Hearing and Smell. The wolf has advantage on
Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight or
smell.
Pack Tactics. The wolf has advantage on an attack roll
against a creature if at least one of the vulture's allies
is within 5 ft. of the creature and the ally isn't
incapacitated.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) piercing damage. If the target
is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 13 Strength
saving throw or be knocked prone.
Alina Vaduva (Werewolf) Medium humanoid (human, shapechanger), chaotic
evil
Armor Class 11 in humanoid form, 12 (natural armor)
in wolf or hybrid form
Hit Points 58 (9d8 + 18)
Speed 30 ft. (40 ft. in wolf form)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 13 (+1) 12 (+2) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 10 (+0)
Skills Perception +4, Stealth +3
Damage Immunities bludgeoning, piercing, and
slashing from nonmagical weapons that aren't
silvered
Senses passive Perception 14
Languages Common (can't speak in wolf form)
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Shapechanger. Alina can use her action to polymorph
into a wolf-humanoid hybrid or into a wolf, or back
into her true human form. Her statistics, other than
her AC, are the same in each form. Any equipment
she is weapon or carrying isn't transformed. She
reverts to her true form if she dies.
Keen Hearing and Smell. Alina has advantage on
Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or
smell.
Mother's Ears. If Alina hears the sound of a crying
infant, she must make a DC 12 Wisdom save. On a
failure, she is unable to take reactions and on her turn
may only move or take an action; this effect ends at
the start of her next turn.
Actions
Multiattack (Humanoid or Hybrid Form Only). Alina
makes two attacks when using the Attack action.
Bite (Wolf or Hybrid Form Only). Melee Weapon
Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 +
2) piercing damage. If the target is humanoid, it must
succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be
cursed with werewolf lycanthropy.
Claws (all forms). Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit,
reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) slashing
damage.
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Player Handout: Alina’s Journal
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Appendix. Map of Wolf Den
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Results Code: March-April 2016
If you are DMing this adventure during the months of March – April 2016, please show your players this page. The
QR code below can be scanned, and will allow them to give feedback and results on the adventure to influence the
storyline in the future!
If a player does not have a mobile device, please tell them to head to dndadventurersleague.org/results to enter
their results.
THE EXECUTIONER
The locals are spreading rumors of the emergence of an age-old relic in a remote farming village. Surely you won’t be the only one to seek it, but can you afford to not be successful in this mission? And why haven’t they claimed it for themselves?
Part Three of Misty Fortunes and Absent Hearts.
A Two-Hour adventure for 1st-4th level characters
JERRY LeNEAVE Adventure Designer
Adventure Code: DDAL04-03
Development and Editing: Claire Hoffman, Travis Woodall
Organized Play: Chris Lindsay
D&D Adventurers League Wizards Team: Adam Lee, Chris Lindsay, Mike Mearls, Matt Sernett
D&D Adventurers League Administrators: Robert Adducci, Bill Benham, Travis Woodall, Claire Hoffman, Greg Marks,
Alan Patrick
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, the dragon ampersand, Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master’s Guide, D&D Adventurers League, all other Wizards
of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries. All characters and their distinctive likenesses are property of Wizards of the
Coast. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the
express written permission of Wizards of the Coast.
©2016 Wizards of the Coast LLC, PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057-0707, USA. Manufactured by Hasbro SA, Rue Emile-Boéchat 31, 2800 Delémont, CH. Represented by Hasbro Europe, 4 The Square,
Stockley Park, Uxbridge, and Middlesex, UB11 1ET, UK.
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DO YOU WANT TO BE BORN AGAIN? I can chase away
those demons. Hand in hand, you could tell me all your
secrets. I know what you want, but you won't let it go.
I know what you want, but you have to follow. If you
want to know who you are, just come with me into the
dark.
--Craig Owens, Devil
Introduction Welcome to The Executioner, a D&D Adventurers League™ adventure, part of the official D&D Adventurers League™ organized play system and the Curse of Strahd™ storyline season. This adventure is designed for 1st through 4th-
level characters, and is optimized for five 3rd-
level characters. Characters outside this level range
cannot participate in this adventure.
The adventure takes place in Orașnou, a small farming village just outside of the Svalich Woods,
north of Barovia, within the Ravenloft campaign
setting.
The D&D Adventurers
League This adventure is official for D&D Adventurers
League play. The D&D Adventurers League is the
official organized play system for DUNGEONS &
DRAGONS®. Players can create characters and
participate in any adventure allowed as a part of the
D&D Adventurers League. As they adventure, players track their characters’ experience, treasure, and other rewards, and can take those characters
through other adventures that continues their story.
)f you’re running this adventure as a part of a store event or at certain conventions, you’ll need a DCI number. This number is your official Wizards of the Coast organized play identifier. )f you don’t have a number, you can obtain one at a store event. Check
with your organizer for details.
D&D Adventurers League play is broken up into
storyline seasons. When players create characters,
they attach those characters to a storyline season,
which determines what rules they’re allowed to use to create and advance their characters. Players can
continue to play their characters after the storyline
season has finished, possibly participating in a
second or third storyline with those same characters. A character’s level is the only limitation
for adventure play. A player cannot use a character
of a level higher or lower than the level range of a
D&D Adventurers League adventure.
For more information on playing, running games
as a Dungeon Master, and organizing games for the
D&D Adventurers League, please visit the D&D
Adventurers League home at:
www.dndadventurersleague.org
Preparing the Adventure Before you show up to Dungeon Master this
adventure for a group of players, you should do the
following to prepare.
Make sure to have a copy of the most current
version of the D&D Basic Rules or the Player’s Handbook.
Read through the adventure, taking notes of anything you’d like to highlight or remind yourself while running the adventure, such as a way you’d like to portray an NPC or a tactic you’d like to use in a combat.
Get familiar with the monster statistics in the
Appendix.
Gather together any resources you’d like to use to aid you in running this adventure--such as
notecards, a DM screen, miniatures, and
battlemaps.
If you know the composition of the group
beforehand, you can make adjustments as noted
throughout the adventure.
Before Play at the Table Ask the players to provide you with relevant
character information:
Character name and level
Character race and class
Passive Wisdom (Perception)—the most common
passive ability check
Anything notable as specified by the adventure
(such as backgrounds, traits, flaws, etc.) Players that have characters outside the adventure’s level range cannot participate in the adventure
with those characters. Players with ineligible
characters can make a new 1st-level character or use
a pregenerated character. Players can play an
adventure they previously played or ran as a
Dungeon Master, but not with the same character.
Ensure that each player has an official adventure
logsheet for his or her character (if not, get one from
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the organizer). The player fills out the adventure
name, session number, date, and your name and DCI
number. In addition, the player also fills in the
starting values for experience, gold, downtime,
renown, and number of permanent magic items. He
or she fill in the other values and write notes at the
conclusion of the session. Each player is responsible
for maintaining an accurate logsheet.
If you have time, you can do a quick scan of a player’s character sheet to ensure that nothing looks out of order. If you see magic items of very high
rarities or strange arrays of ability scores, you can
ask players to provide documentation for the
irregularities. If they cannot, feel free to restrict item
use or ask them to use a standard ability score array.
Point players to the D&D Adventurers League Player’s Guide for reference.
)f players wish to spend downtime days and it’s the beginning of an adventure or episode, they can
declare their activity and spend the days now.
Alternatively, they can do so at the end of the
adventure or episode. Players should select their
characters’ spells and other daily options prior to the start of the adventure, unless the adventure
specifies otherwise. Feel free to reread the
adventure description to help give players hints
about what they might face.
Adjusting the Adventure Throughout this adventure, sidebars provide
information to assist you in making adjustments for
smaller or larger groups and characters of higher or
lower levels than the adventure is optimized for.
This is typically used exclusively for combat
encounters.
You may adjust the adventure beyond the
guidelines given in the adventure, or for other reasons. For example, if you’re playing with a group of inexperienced players, you might want to make
the adventure a little easier; for very experienced
players, you might want to make it a little harder.
Therefore, five categories of party strength have
been created for you to use as a guide. Use these as a
guide, and feel free to use a different adjustment
during the adventure if the recommended party
strength feels off for the group.
This adventure is optimized for a party of five
3rd-level characters. To figure out whether you
need to adjust the adventure, do the following:
Add up the total levels of all the characters.
Divide the total by the number of characters.
Round fractions of .5 or greater up; round
fractions of less than .5 down. You’ve now determined the average party level
(APL) for the adventure. To figure out the party
strength for the adventure, consult the following
table.
Determining Party Strength Party Composition Party Strength
3-4 characters, APL less than Very weak
3-4 characters, APL equivalent Weak
3-4 characters, APL greater than Average
5 characters, APL less than Weak
5 characters, APL equivalent Average
5 characters, APL greater than Strong
6-7 characters, APL less than Average
6-7 characters, APL equivalent Strong
6-7 characters, APL greater than Very strong
Average party strength indicates no recommended
adjustments to the adventure. Each sidebar may or
may not offer suggestions for certain party
strengths. If a particular recommendation is not offered for your group, you don’t have to make adjustments.
Running the Adventure As the Dungeon Master of the session, you have the
most important role in facilitating the enjoyment of
the game for the players. You help guide the
narrative and bring the words on these pages to life.
The outcome of a fun game session often creates
stories that live well beyond the play at the table.
Always follow this golden rule when you DM for a
group:
Make decisions and adjudications that enhance
the fun of the adventure when possible.
To reinforce this golden rule, keep in mind the
following:
You are empowered to make adjustments to the
adventure and make decisions about how the
group interacts with the world of this adventure.
Doing so is especially important and applicable
outside of combat, but feel free to adjust the
adventure for groups that are having too easy or
too hard of a time.
Don’t make the adventure too easy or too difficult for a group. Never being challenged makes for a
boring game and being overwhelmed makes for a
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frustrating one. Gauge the experience of the
players (not the characters) with the game, try to
feel out (or ask) what they like in a game, and
attempt to give each of them the experience they’re after when they play D&D. Give everyone a chance to shine.
Be mindful of pacing, and keep the game session
moving along appropriately. Watch for stalling,
since play loses momentum when this happens. At
the same time, make sure that the players don’t finish too early; provide them with a full play
experience. Try to be aware of running long or
short. Adjust the pacing accordingly
Read-aloud text is just a suggestion; feel free to
modify the text as you see fit, especially when
dialogue is present.
Give the players appropriate hints so they can
make informed choices about how to proceed.
Players should be given clues and hints when
appropriate so they can tackle puzzles, combat,
and interactions without getting frustrated over
lack of information. Doing so helps to encourage
immersion in the adventure and gives players little victories for figuring out good choices from clues. )n short, being the DM isn’t about following the adventure’s text word-for-word; it’s about
facilitating a fun, challenging game environment for
the players. The Dungeon Master’s Guide™ has more
information on the art of running a D&D game.
Downtime and Lifestyle
At the beginning of each play session, players must
declare whether or not they are spending any days
of downtime. The player records the downtime
spent on the adventure logsheet. The following
options are available to players during downtime
(see the D&D basic rules or the D&D Adventurers
League Player’s Guide for more information):
Catching up
Crafting (exception: multiple characters cannot
commit to crafting a single item)
Practicing a profession
Recuperating
Spellcasting services
Training
Other downtime options might be available during
adventures or unlocked through play, including
faction-specific activities.
In addition, whenever a character spends
downtime days, that character also spends the
requisite expense for his or her lifestyle. Costs are
per day, so a character that spends ten days of
downtime also spends ten days of expenses
maintaining his or her lifestyle. Some downtime
activities help with lifestyle expenses or add lifestyle
expenses.
Spellcasting Services
Any settlement the size of a town or larger can
provide some spellcasting services. Characters need
to be able to travel to the settlement to obtain these
services.
Help From Who!?
For the current storyline season, Curse of Strahd, the rules for
spellcasting services are changed for characters adventuring
i Baro ia. I Strahd’s leak do ai , there si ply are ’t a y settlements where spellcasters can accommodate such
needs, and those places of worship that might otherwise
provide spellcasting services are overrun with monsters. As
such, unless otherwise detailed in an adventure, the only
individual able to provide spellcasting services is Jeny
Greenteeth. This will no doubt lead to some uncomfortable
situations and unforeseen consequences.
Refer to Page 7 of the Adventurers League Dungeon
Master’s Guide for more details.
Spell services generally available include healing and
recovery spells, as well as information-gathering
spells. Other spell services might be available as
specified in the adventure. The number of spells
available to be cast as a service is limited to a
maximum of three per day total, unless otherwise
noted.
Spellcasting Services Spell Cost
Cure wounds (1st level) 10 gp
Identify 20 gp
Lesser restoration 40 gp
Prayer of healing (2nd level) 40 gp
Remove curse 90 gp
Speak with dead 90 gp
Divination 210 gp
Greater restoration 450 gp
Raise dead 1,250 gp
Acolyte Background
A character possessing the acolyte background requesting
spellcasting services at a temple of his or her faith may
request one spell per day from the Spellcasting Services table
for free. The only cost paid for the spell is the base price for
the consumed material component, if any.
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However, no religions have established places of worship
here of sufficient size to provide spellcasting services.
Because of this, characters with the Acolyte background gain
no benefit from this trait.
Character Disease, Death, and
Recovery
Sometimes bad things happen, and characters get
poisoned, diseased, or are killed. Since you might not
have the same characters return from session to
session, here are the rules when bad things happen
to characters.
Disease, Poison, and Other Debilitating
Effects A character still affected by diseases, poisons, and
other similar effects at the conclusion of an
adventure can spend downtime days recuperating
until such time as he or she resolves the effect to its
conclusion (see the recuperating activity in the D&D
Basic Rules).
)f a character doesn’t resolve the effect between
sessions, that character begins the next session still
affected by the debilitating effect.
Death A character who is killed during the course of the
adventure has a few options at the end of the session
(or whenever arriving back in civilization) if no one
in the adventuring party has immediate access to a
raise dead or revivify spell, or similar magic. A
character subject to a raise dead spell is affected
negatively until all long rests have been completed
during an adventure. Alternatively, each downtime
day spent after raise dead reduces the penalty to
attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks by 1, in
addition to any other benefits the downtime activity
might provide.
Create a New 1st-Level Character. If the dead
character is unwilling or unable to exercise any of
the other options, the player creates a new
character. The new character does not have any
items or rewards possessed by the dead character.
Dead Character Pays for Raise Dead. If the character’s body is recoverable it’s not missing any vital organs and is mostly whole) and the player
would like the character to be returned to life, the
party can take the body back to civilization and use the dead character’s funds to pay for a raise dead
spell. A raise dead spell cast in this manner costs the
character 1,250 gp.
Character’s Party Pays for Raise Dead. As above,
except that some or all of the 1,250 gp for the raise
dead spell is paid for by the party at the end of the
session. Other characters are under no obligation to
spend their funds to bring back a dead party
member.
Faction Charity. If the character is of level 1 to 4 and a member of a faction, the dead character’s body can be returned to civilization and a patron from the
faction ensures that he or she receives a raise dead
spell. However, any character invoking this charity
forfeits all experience and rewards from that session
(both those earned prior to and after death during
that session) and cannot replay that episode or
adventure with that character again. Once a
character reaches 5th level, this option is no longer
available.
Resurrection Madness
In Barovia, the souls of the dead are as trapped as the souls
of the li i g. They e o e aught i the ists a d a ’t travel to the afterlife. When a humanoid who has been dead
for at least 24 hours returns to life, either by way of a spell or
some supernatural means, it gains a random form of
indefinite madness brought on by the realization that its
spirit is trapped in Barovia, likely forever. To determine how
this madness is expressed, roll on the Indefinite Madness
table in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide.
Vampirism and Lycanthropy Vampires and lycanthropes are not included in the
allowed rules for character creation or advancement
(see the D&D Adventurers League Player’s Guide).
These conditions grant characters powers and
abilities that are not suitable for organized play, and
typically impose a restricted or prohibited
alignment. As such, characters afflicted with
vampirism or lycanthropy must have the affliction
cured before the start of their next episode or
adventure.
Afflicted characters have the following options:
Lycanthropes can be cured with a remove curse
spell. This spell is available as a spellcasting
service for 90 gp (though Jeny Greenteeth might
have additional requirements; see Spellcasting Services earlier in this guide).
Vampires can be cured by a wish spell cast by a
fellow player character (wish is not available as a
spellcasting service). Alternatively, a vampire
character can be slain and returned to life with
raise dead, at the normal cost of 1,250 gp. If a
character chooses to end a vampiric curse in this
manner, the Dark Powers (see Page 8, Adventurers
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League Dungeon Master’s Guide) do not offer a
free raise dead, though Jeny Greenteeth might be willing to make a deal see Spellcasting Services earlier in this guide).
An afflicted character who does not end his or her
curse is retired from play until able to do so by one
of the means above, or through the application of
DM rewards to the character.
The Demiplane of Dread This adventure is set within the Ravenloft campaign
setting, in the lands of Barovia which exists in the
Demiplane of Dread. There are several atmospheric
and thematic elements to keep in mind at all times
while running your game:
The Land is Bleak By the will of the Dark Powers, the sun never fully
shines in the lands of Barovia. Even during the day,
the sky is dimmed by fog or storm clouds, or the
light is strangely muted. Barovian daylight is bright light, yet it isn’t considered sunlight for the purpose of effects and vulnerabilities, such as a vampire’s, tied to sunlight. Nevertheless, Strahd and his
vampire spawn tend to stay indoors most of the day
and venture out at night, and they are subject to
sunlight created by magic.
Winter in Barovia
The winters are cold, wet, and stormy here. The natives of
the Demiplane are prepared—well, as prepared as they can
hope to be.
The characters, however, are unfamiliar with the realm.
Thankfully, the region they came from was experiencing the
worst winter in living memory, and are likely to possess
winter clothing. If they are not, then, preparations are in
order. The village has a single shop called The Hare & Hair
where they are able to procure such supplies if they wish.
A dark sentience infuses the very soil, twisting and
contorting everything within. In places where you
would normally expect wildlife such as deer, rabbits,
or squirrels, you instead find wolves, rats, and
mangy dogs. Vegetation is rotted and dead, and
forests are filled mostly with gnarled, thick trees
with bare branches. Colorful, vivacious things simply
do not exist.
The Denizens of Orașnou
Most Oraș ou reside ts are u da e la orers, far ers, fletchers and other folk who fall under common professions.
They typically have gaunt features, as crops often fail to take
root, and creatures of the night frequently kill and devour
their livestock.
Most are sullen, and often filled with fear, be it from the
lands themselves, what lies within them, Lord Strahd, or their
own tyrant of a Burgomaster; Ivan Randovich and his cronies.
Be sure to play to the mindsets of these people who live
threadbare existences, constantly on the precipice of horror
during your roleplaying encounters.
As is the case with most of the denizens of Barovia, most
of the people that reside i the illage do ’t possess a soul. These people are e pty shells reated y Strahd’s consciousness to populate his domain. However, about one
in every ten people in Barovia are actually possessing of a
soul—the souls of the original denizens of Barovia before its
transition into the Demiplane. When a being with a soul dies
in Barovia, its soul remains trapped until it is reincarnated
later. Souls tend to wear clothing with a splash of color or
have other features that demonstrate even a small bit of
individuality.
Alterations to Magic The land of Barovia resides in its own demiplane,
isolated from all other planes, including the Material
Plane. No spell—not even wish—allows one to escape from Strahd’s domain. Astral projection,
teleport, plane shift, and similar spells cast for the
purpose of leaving Barovia simply fail, as do effects
that banish a creature to another plane of existence.
These restrictions apply to magic items and artifacts
that have properties that transport or banish
creatures to other planes. Magic that allows transit
to the Border Ethereal, such as the etherealness spell
and the Etherealness feature of incorporeal undead,
is the exception to this rule. A creature that enters the Border Ethereal from Strahd’s domain is pulled back into Barovia upon leaving that plane.
For the purpose of spells whose effects change
across or are blocked by planar boundaries (such as
sending , Strahd’s domain is considered its own plane. Magic that summons creatures or objects
from other planes functions normally in Barovia, as
does magic that involves an extradimensional space.
Any spells cast within such an extra-dimensional
space (such as that created by Mordenkainen’s magnificent mansion) are subject to the same
restrictions as magic cast in Barovia.
While in Barovia, characters who receive spells
from deities or otherworldly patrons continue to do
so. In addition, spells that allow contact with beings
from other planes function normally—with one
provision: Strahd can sense when someone in his
domain is casting such a spell and can choose to make himself the spell’s recipient, so that he becomes the one who is contacted.
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Cosmetic Spell Modifications At your discretion, a spell can be modified
cosmetically to enhance the horrific atmosphere of
Ravenloft. A few examples are presented below:
Alarm. Instead of hearing a mental ping when the
alarm is triggered, the caster hears a scream.
Bigby’s Hand. The conjured hand is skeletal.
Find Familiar. The familiar is undead instead of
being a celestial, a fey, or a fiend, and is immune to
features that turn undead.
Find Steed. The summoned steed is undead
instead of being a celestial, a fey, or a fiend, and is
immune to features that turn undead.
Find the Path. A child’s spirit appears and guides the caster to the desired location. The spirit can’t be harmed and doesn’t communicate. Fog Cloud. Misty, harmless claws form in the fog.
Gust of Wind. A ghastly moan accompanies the
summoned wind.
Mage Hand. The summoned hand is skeletal.
Maze. The surfaces of the demiplane’s maze are made of mortared skulls and bones.
Phantom Steed. The steed resembles a skeletal
horse.
Rary’s Telepathic Bond. Characters linked together by the spell can’t shake the feeling that something vile is telepathically eavesdropping on
them.
Revivify. A creature restored to life by a revivify
spell screams upon regaining consciousness, as
though waking from some horrible nightmare.
Spirit Guardians. The spirits appear as ghostly,
skeletal warriors.
Wall of Stone. A wall created by the spell has
ghastly faces sculpted into it, as though tortured
spirits were somehow trapped within the stone.
Count Strahd Von Zarovich
Lord Strahd is the Darklord of Barovia. He rules his domain
from Castle Ravenloft as Strahd IX; a descendent of Strahd I.
In actuality, Strahd I and Strahd IX are the one and the same--
a vampire. As a mortal, Strahd fell in love with Tatyana
Federovna; the bride of his younger brother Sergei. In his
jealousy, Strahd murdered his brother and became the
Darklord of Barovia; which was swept away into the
Demiplane along with its ruler. Since then, Strahd is cursed to
seek incarnations of Tatyana for eternity. NOTE: Strahd is not
present in this adventure.
Not Without Humor
The bleak and oppressive landscape must give way
now and then to some moments of respite, not only
does this break up the taxing mindset that Ravenloft
can evoke, but it also provides good chances for
horror to sneak back up on players just as they least
expect it.
Background The farming village of Orașnou teeters on the
precipice of chaos. The sudden onset of winter put
the town into a panic as its most trusted skinner and
trapper, Laszlo and Alina Vaduva had not returned
yet with their final bundle of furs to help endure the
season. Yet, the forest outside of the village where
the Vaduvas had set up camp were rife with
sightings of large wolves and reports of strange
events and animal behavior.
Locals offered rewards and urged those brave
enough to venture out into the forest to seek out the
camp, and possibly the source of the strange
activities. What was discovered was a decimated
camp and Laszlo's eviscerated corpse. Thought to
have been killed by wolves, Laszlo was actually slain
by his wife who was also a werewolf.
Laszlo was aware and unbothered by Alina's
affliction, but unaware that it was a curse bestowed
upon her bloodline that was about to be passed
down to their unborn child. Upon learning this, he
attacked her in a fit of rage and attempted to cut the
child from her womb. Alina, forced to defend herself,
killed Laszlo in the process. Alina snuck back into Orașnou one last time to leave her child in safety,
knowing it would not survive the winter in the
wilderness. Afterward, she disappeared deep into
the woods.
Now, with winter in full swing, the villagers have
begun to give in to their panic and fearmongering.
Among many rumors, the one of an ancient artifact
hidden within their village has become the most
popular. Some are blaming the abnormally swift and
harsh winter on it as well. The artifact known as
Tatyana's Powderbox is indeed within the village of Orașnou and while a few outsiders have arrived in
search of it, Laszlo, risen as a wight under the
control of Glovia Falinescu now seeks it too. In
exchange for the powderbox, Glovia has promised
Laszlo to be reunited with his wife in undeath.
Glovia is a broken woman who lost a child to
disease and also a healer well versed in anatomy.
She wishes to create a new "child" through an
amalgamation of grave robbing, necromancy, and
crude experiments.
Glovia is also a servant of Esmae Amarantha, the
most powerful witch in all of Barovia. Esmae is
smitten with Lord Strahd and seeks out a series of
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artifacts that were personal effects of Tatyana
Federnova's, in order to transform herself into
Tatyana. If she is able to transform, she plans to lay
permanent claim to Strahd's heart and his every
thought, for all time.
Wearing a hat of disguise, Laszlo continues his life
inside Orașnou guised as a tradesman named Arik
Lavus. He is getting very close to obtaining the
artifact, while he ultimately prefers to do so in
secret, he will stop at nothing to succeed in fulfilling
Glovia's wishes.
Overview The adventure is divided into 3 major parts and
followed by a malleable conclusion.
Part 1. Characters begin the adventure inside the
Seven Tables Inn where the locals are discussing
rumors of an artifact lost within the village.
Characters quickly learn that there may be some
truth to these rumors and begin investigating.
Part 2. Rumor gathering and role playing lead the
characters toward Fillar Esven's shop where they
encounter Laszlo under the ruse that is "Arik Lavus"
and begin to realize something is not right.
Afterward, the characters freely explore the village
and uncover some more pieces of the puzzle,
deducing that Arik is working with Fillar who has
been stealing from Orașnou's Burgomaster. As soon
as the characters realize that Arik is actually Laszlo,
it is already be too late.
Part 3. The climax of the adventure comes as the
characters and a lynch mob of angry townsfolk
descend upon Laszlo's former home and set it
ablaze, where they are met by ghouls sent by Laszlo
to waylay them as he escapes the village to deliver
the powderbox to Glovia.
Conclusion. After the battle, the players return to
the Seven Tables Inn to formulate a plan where they
are confronted by the Burgomaster who demands
they explain the havoc they have seemingly brought
to his village.
Adventure Hooks If the characters begin this adventure from within
the Forgotten Realms or a setting other than
Ravenloft, have them be transported to the Demiplane of Dread just outside Orașnou via an unnaturally thick fog or mist while traveling
overland, preferably at night. Proceed to Welcome to Barovia , below.
Otherwise, if the characters have already played in
other adventures in this series then they start out already in Orașnou taking respite from the weather inside the inn not too long after their last adventure.
The adventure begins as characters are settling in
for a meal at the Seven Tables Inn just after
sundown. Having recently discovered that the
village's supplier of warm furs and sturdy leather
were found dead in the forest, the common room is
buzzing with rumor and grim portents for the winter
ahead.
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Welcome to Barovia
Some characters may be arriving from Faerûn for
the first time. For those characters describe a heavy
fog bank rolling through their travel path while they
are in the Quivering Forest, and when it eventually
clears, they are on the outskirts of a small mountain village. )t’s heavy-handed, but such is the way of the
Demiplane.
Any character that participates in this adventure
earns The Demiplane of Dread story award if they
do not have it already. They should be made aware
that until this story award is removed, they may not
participate in any adventure that does not take place
in Barovia.
NOTE: This adventure may touch on some morally
dark moments. Please be careful to gauge your
player's comfort with such things, and remember
that the goal of a Dungeons & Dragons game is for
everyone to have fun!
Curse of Strahd Adventures
The adventures for the Curse of Strahd Season of Dungeons
and Dragons Adventurers League deliver the most impactful
experience when played in numeric order (i.e.: 04-01, then
04-02, and so on) but this is not required. Please carefully
read the following pages and be prepared to adjust
encounters, especially where key NPCs are concerned!
Although DM tips may be found in the adventure, they are
unlikely to cover every table or situation.
For a Ravenloft game, the world itself should be treated
with great respect—it is a character unto itself, and the Dark
Powers rarely respond positively to hand-waving and outright
dis issal…
Any character afflicted with lycanthropy must receive the
benefits of a remove curse at the end of this adventure in
order to be rid of this horrible affliction. Characters that
choose to remain afflicted or cannot afford this spell, become
NPCs and are no longer playable in D&D Adventurers League
games.
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Part 1: Murmurs
I'M THE DARKEST HOUR, just before the dawn, and
I'm slowly sinking, into the slough of despond.
Dallas Green, Northern Wind
Village of Orașnou
The village of Orașnou is a small, desolate farming
settlement surrounded to the south by the Svalich
Woods not too far from the Balinok Mountains.
There is an Inn, a few shops, several homes of
varying size and quality, and a cobblestone town
center.
General Features The village has the following general features:
Terrain. The ground is mostly dirt with patches of
dead grass, now covered by a thick blanket of snow.
There are a few small farms with crops that—until
recently—grow formidably, despite the poor soil.
Most homes are constructed of wood and stone with
thatch or shingled roofs.
Light. The adventure begins at sundown, the
nights are long and full of pale moonlight. During the
day the skies are muted gray and produce a steady
snowfall. All buildings are lit externally by torchlight
and internally by stone hearths. Despite the clouds
blocking the sun, the area is brightly lit during the
day. The moon provides dim light at night.
Smells and Sounds. Crisp cold air, the sounds of
creaking tree branches, raven calls, and the distant
baying of wolves.
When you are ready to begin the adventure, read the
following aloud:
A heavy shroud of snow has blanketed the village of Oraș ou.
You find yourself inside its only inn, The Seven Tables,
preparing to eat the first hot meal you've had in days.
The common room is filled mostly with locals, many of
them hunkered down waiting for a break in the blizzard to
return to their homes. An aura of fear and superstition
permeates the room, as the villagers engage in discussing
rumors as they wait.
The Denizens of Orașnou
In addition to their normal demeanor (see above), unless
otherwise noted, the people of Oraș ou:
Do not know that Laszlo is currently a wight, or that Glovia
has any affiliation with his plans.
Do not know that Alina was a werewolf or know her
whereabouts, unless she was brought back to the village at
the end of DDAL04-02 The Beast in a vain attempt to save
her—in which case she was lynched.
Do not know that the wolf pup left on Gregori’s doorstep
was Alina and Laszlo's progeny, or that the child is afflicted
with lycanthropy.
Are aware there an artifact is hidden somewhere in the
village, but do not know what it is, does, or looks like.
Seven Tables Inn
One of the largest buildings in the village, the Seven
Tables Inn is a cozy place run by an older man
named Marku Grelon and his family. Marku is a man
in his early fifties with thinning gray hair and salt &
pepper facial hair.
The common room here is let out to passersby in
order to pay off the hefty lien placed on the property
by Burgomaster Randovich. Thus the food here is
cheap, but its quality and the service is also subpar.
The Grelon family are rumormongers and even in
times of lessened crisis, the Inn is always buzzing
with gossip and hearsay.
While inside the Inn, characters may make a
various sorts of checks—such as Charisma
(Deception or Persuasion) or Wisdom
(Perception)—in order to gather information or
carouse with locals to glean information.
Roll a die. If the result is a 1, the character doesn't
overhear anything than muttered complaints about
the weather or the price of grain. If the result is odd,
they overhear a false rumor. If the result is even,
they overhear a true rumor. If a character buys
another patron a drink or otherwise spends in
excess of a few silver ravens, roll two dice. If either
of them are even, the character obtains a true rumor.
Consult the following tables and choose a rumor to
deliver, or decide randomly
False Rumors
1D4 Rumor
1 An orphaned wolf pup is the source of the
storm.
2 The Vistani have placed a curse upon the
village.
3 Laszlo faked his death in order to skip town
and find a more profitable village to sell his
wares.
4 Strahd's choking fog is coming after the snow.
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True Rumors
1D6 Rumor
1 Burgomaster Randovich has recently
increased the number of guards he pays to
watch over his home.
2 An artifact of ancient origin once important to
Lord Strahd lies hidden somewhere in the
village.
3 A new resident, Arik Lavus frequently takes
trips out of town and returns with various
goods that he sells to Fillar.
4 Fillar’s ares are too ple tiful, o siste t, a d high quality to not be ill-gotten.
5 The Burgomaster has been shaking people
down for extra taxes in order to line his
pockets.
6 Arik, the man in the wolfskin cap, only seems
to speak with Fillar and avoids other
townsfolk. Some say he smells strange or
awful.
Among the rumors, the general consensus of the
villagers that is easily picked up on is:
Without the Vaduvas, there won’t be enough
quality furs to outlast the winter.
Though some crops grow regardless of weather,
there is not enough for the entire town to survive
on should the winter persist longer than usual.
The Burgomaster is away from the village
temporarily on business but should be back soon.
This has given villagers at least a modicum of
respite.
Rumors of the artifact have drawn a handful of
outsiders to Orașnou, though most of them seem
to come up missing shortly after their arrival.
Fillar, the owner of the Eyes of Midnight, and a
new resident, Arick, do quite a lot of business
together.
DM Note
Actually, Laszlo is luring these newcomers and off-screen
adventurers outside of the village and killing them to sell
their belongings to Fillar in order to build rapport with him.
Development Once the characters have had some time to get a feel
for what is going on in the village, they should
naturally begin to set out and begin investigating.
The reality is that the powderbox lies within the
cellar of the Burgomaster's home, unknown to him,
and packed away among dozens of crates filled with
miscellaneous curiosities he has acquired over his
years of over-indulgently spending his ill-gotten
coin.
In order for Glovia to reward him, Laszlo must
obtain the powderbox with little-to-no suspicion.
Laszlo, using a hat of disguise fashioned in the form
of a wolfskin cap masquerades as a brown-haired
human man in his late-twenties named Arik Lavus.
He has begun selling curiosities and supplies to Fillar
at a very good price, knowing that Fillar has been
stealing from the Burgomaster for years and that the
powder box is bound to turn up on Fillar's shelves
sooner rather than later.
What Laszlo doesn't know is that Fillar is a
wereraven, which is how he has so easily stole so
many trinkets from right under the Burgomaster's
nose for so long.
Allow the players to venture out into the village to
begin looking for answers as to what is really going
on. If they do not have their own, have Marku
approach them—offering to loan them some furs if
needed.
Keeping Things Moving
Throughout the adventure there are plenty of opportunities
for role playing and investigation, but if time is a concern, be
careful to not let characters dawdle.
In Part 1, if needed, begin guiding the characters toward
meeting Fillar and encountering "Arik" (Laszlo) by having
Marku Grelon encourage them to visit shops in town, to
snatch up whatever remaining winter supplies that might be
available.
Being that the adventure has limited time, do keep in mind
the following important points that must be covered before
moving into Part Two:
An ancient artifact is rumored to be here in Oraș ou, some
of the locals think it is the source of the icy weather.
A peculiar man named Arik Lavus has taken up residence in
the village and is seen frequently around Fillar's shop
Fillar can't possibly be running an honest business with the
stock that he keeps.
During Part 2 of the adventure, if things begin to hang up,
you can quickly cover some of the investigation by having
something draw attention to Fillar's shop, the Eyes of
Midnight, and let the roleplaying encounter there guide
them. It shouldn't be too hard to realize that Arik is not
who he claims to be, and that Fillar is a criminal.
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Part 2: Secrets
The devil's finest trick, is to persuade you that he
doesn't exist.
--Charles Baudelaire, Les Fleurs du mal
During this portion of the Adventure, characters
explore the few buildings of interest that Orașnou
has to offer and interact with Laszlo and Fillar;
beginning to uncover the true nature of what is
going on in the village. Once all the pieces come into
view, it is already too late.
A. Village Square
The center of the village is the only place where the
ground is made of cobblestone instead of dirt and
contains a single well that is mostly frozen over.
During the warmer months Vistani set up their
wagons here to sell their wares, but beyond that it
remains largely unused. The well is 5 feet wide and
40 feet deep. The water at the bottom of the well is
frozen solid. Any creature falling into the well takes
14 (4d6) bludgeoning damage. On one corner, a
small platform is set with a lampstand—likely where
announcements to the entire village are held.
B. Burgomaster’s Residence
This building is stout and sturdy looking, crafted from mostly
brick and some petrified timbers. The low, shingled roof
hangs over the front door creating a small area of cover from
the snowfall where 2 armed men stand guard.
The Burgomaster of Orașnou, Ivan Randovich, is a
man who has grown fat and rich through heavy
taxation and high prices. This vain tyrant of a man is
currently away on business. His home is easily the
most well-made structure in Orașnou. It is a single-
level home that sits atop a raised stone foundation
with a shallow set of wooden stairs leading to a
porch and an ornate front door. A traditional
wooden hatch buried beneath the snow at the back
of the home leads to a well-stocked cellar.
The front door is typically guarded by three
(thugs) sitting in chairs, bundled against the chill.
The door itself is locked and requires a set of thieves’ tools and a successful DC 15 Dexterity check to open.
Alternatively, it can be forced open with a DC 13
Strength (Athletics) check. The thugs refuse to let
anyone enter, and are suspicious of anyone who
comes nearer than the street. If provoked, one of
them sounds a whistle, summoning three more
thugs from the rear of the house near the cellar (see
below), who arrive at the end of the second round.
They are miserable, though; if the fight goes against
them, and they are given the opportunity, they
surrender.
It’s Our Lot to Suffer As mentioned above, the thugs are quite cold and even more
bored. The only reason they have remained this long is
because they are afraid of the Burgomaster. However, they
can be distracted or bought off with relative ease. An offer in
excess of 5 gp each is instantly accepted, whereas anything
less is successful with a Charisma (Deception or Persuasion)
he k opposed y the result of the thugs’s Wisdo I sight check. Due to their miserable state, the thugs make this
check with disadvantage.
Due to their contempt for the Burgomaster, the
townsfolk turn a blind eye to any goings-on at his
residence.
Adjusting the Encounter
Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat
encounter. These are not cumulative.
Very weak party: Remove a thug; two thugs arrive at the
end of the third round.
Strong or Very strong party: Add a thug; the wind and
snow has picked up, imposing disadvantage on ranged
attacks
Treasure If slain or bargained with, characters notice one of
the guards at the front door has spent his earnings
less modestly than the rest and wears a golden
bracelet and carries a pair of ornate dice carved
from human bones. The two items are worth 25 gp
each.
XP Award If the characters avoid violence with the thugs,
award each character 25 XP per thug.
1. Main Floor
Warm and inviting, the inside of this home is decadent. The
furniture is adorned with many flourishes and rich with deep,
vibrant colors on the upholstery. The faint scent of spices and
well-oiled leather fills the air.
The interior of the home is a simply laid out—yet
well-furnished and decadent. To the right side of the
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entryway is a large hearth above which hangs an oil
painting of Ivan, himself. In the corner sits a well-
dressed canopy bed with overstuffed pillows and a
foot locker at its base. The opposite end of the home
contains a well-stocked larder, dining area, and a
cabinet full of exotic liquors and spices.
Any character with a passive Perception of 11 or
higher notices a draft coming up from inside the
footlocker. Any character specifically examining the
bottom of the footlocker discovers a trapdoor that
leads down into the cellar. The trapdoor looks like it
hasn't been used in ages.
Treasure. The foot locker is unlocked and
contains personal effects of relatively high value;
gold vestments worth 25 gp, a rhodochrosite (a
blood-red stone worth 10 gp), and a small wolf-fur
pouch containing 15 gp.
2. Cellar
Dry, and covered in a thin layer of dust but otherwise well
kept. This cellar is dimly lit by a faint glow of light through the
floorboards above. Many crates and boxes of various shapes
and sizes litter the floor in a semi-organized manner.
The cellar beneath the home’s stone foundation
contains a small opening barred with iron, just
enough to keep it aired out. Removing the bars is
nigh-impossible; requiring a successful DC 25
Strength (Athletics) check, but they can be destroyed
(AC 17 and 30 hit points; resistance to bludgeoning,
piercing and slashing damage from nonmagical
attacks; immunity to psychic and poison damage).
The cellar door is currently buried beneath the snow
but is otherwise easily discernable. On this occasion
it is also obvious due to the two thug guards posted
near it. They are sitting on a felled log beside a
brazier full of burning coals, trying to drive off the winter’s chill. If provoked, one of them sounds a
whistle, summoning two additional thugs from the
front of the house (see above), who arrive at the end
of the second round. They are miserable, though; if
the fight goes against them, and they are given the
opportunity, they surrender.
It’s Our Lot to Suffer As mentioned above, the thugs are quite cold and even more
bored. The only reason they have remained this long is
because they are afraid of the Burgomaster. However, they
can be distracted or bought off with relative ease. An offer in
excess of 5 gp each is instantly accepted, whereas anything
less is successful with a Charisma (Deception or Persuasion)
he k opposed y the result of the thugs’s Wisdo I sight
check. Due to their miserable state, the thugs make this
check with disadvantage.
Due to their contempt for the Burgomaster, the
townsfolk turn a blind eye to any goings-on at his
residence.
Adjusting the Encounter
Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat
encounter. These are not cumulative.
Very weak party: Remove a thug; two thugs arrive at the
end of the third round.
Strong or Very strong party: Add a thug; the wind and
snow has picked up, imposing disadvantage on ranged
attacks
The cellar door is secured with a well-made lock. The lock requires the use of thieves’ tools and a successful DC 15 Dexterity check, but the lock has
rusted through so any attempts to do so are made
with disadvantage. The weather has partially rotted
the wooden door, however, so it can be forced open
easily with a successful DC 8 Strength (Athletics)
check.
Inside the cellar are two casks of ale, several-
dozen bottles of wine of various ages and origins,
and dozens of crates containing various, valuable
items that the Burgomaster has hoarded over the
years.
Once the players discover this area, and the thugs
are either dispatched, distracted, or otherwise not in
pursuit, read the following:
Some of the crates seem to be in disarray, as if hastily moved
or rummaged through recently. The air here is crisp and rife
with the smell of age.
There are roughly a dozen crates here. Unless
otherwise noted, the crates are shut but not sealed;
they do not require pry bars or force to open. They
contain the following:
Four crates are full of lavish, oversized clothing
cut to fit a man of the Burgomaster's figure.
A small crate is lined with down and soft velvet
protecting the baubles inside (see Treasure,
below).
Four of the crates contain various types of spirits.
Any character that casts detect magic notices that
three of the bottles radiate conjuration magic.
These are potions of healing—three of them to be
exact.
The remaining crates contain various personal
effects from a seemingly a wide range of people.
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Some are children's dolls, keepsakes, family crests,
jewelry, deeds, and the like. Unknown to the
characters, these are all items that Burgomaster
Randovich has confiscated or taken as collateral
from the people of Orașnou over the years. Inside
of this box is a large hat box tied closed with a
wide, red ribbon. The hat box is disappointingly
empty save for a note that reads:
"A memento of my dearest friend Tatyana, swept off
her feet by the handsome Sergei Von Zarovich what
seems like so long ago. Unlike this powderbox that will
eventually succumb ravages of time, may their love
eternally echo throughout the land as one final
beacon of something truly beautiful."
Observant characters may notice the following after
making a successful DC 15 Intelligence
(Investigation) check:
There are small bird footprints in the dust
throughout the room and near the small cellar
window.
Human sized footsteps can be found around some
of the crates, particularly the ones that bore less
valuables than the others
There is still a thick, undisturbed coat of dust on
the ladder that leads from the cellar to the trap
door in the ceiling.
Treasure. One of the small crates contains a
carved bone statuette depicting a gazebo made of
human bones worth 25 gp, a small mirror set in a
purple painted wooden frame worth 25 gp, and a
sardonyx worth 50 gp inside a bloodstained burlap
bag.
If the characters fully inspected the crates and
their contents (see above), they find three potions of
healing as well.
XP Award. If the characters avoid violence with
the thugs, award each character 50 XP.
C. Vaduva Trading Post
This simple, rectangular home was never pristine, but now
shows the signs of neglect. The birch boards used for its
construction have begun to rot, and are broken in many
places. An occasional rat scurries between the loose boards,
and many bats have taken up residence in the nearby trees.
Just outside the village on the road leading back
toward the Svalich Woods is Laszlo's former home
and now-abandoned trading post.
The windows of this now ramshackle home are
shuttered and hastily boarded up with driftwood
and iron nails. The building is barren inside, aside
from several scraps of fur and an empty, broken
curing rack.
This is where Laszlo has been squatting in
between trips out of town to slay outsiders as he
patiently waits for his opportunity to get the
powderbox from Fillar. As he no longer needs to eat,
drink, or sleep; there is little evidence of him living
here. However, characters who succeed on a DC 11
Wisdom (Perception) notice that the tracks in the
snow around the building seem fresh for a dwelling
that is supposedly abandoned.
In addition to foot traffic, close inspection of the
home shows that jagged claw marks mar the doors
and windows where Laszlo's now-undead hands had
brutishly operated them.
D. Eyes of Midnight
Read:
A carved birch sign depicting a close-up of a Raven's head
with pupils painted to look like the full moon hangs above
the doorstep of this wooden shop. It reads "The Eyes of
Midnight: Baubles and Beyond".
Not necessarily a supply shop, the Eyes of Midnight
is run by a man named Fillar Esven, who sells an
eclectic selection of trinkets, jewelry, nick-knacks
and other baubles one might decorate their home
with or give as gifts. He sells nothing of particular
use; merely things that catch his eye. A recently
acquired crate of curiosities has just arrived (stolen
from the Burgomaster) and its contents set out for
display and purchase. Tatyana's powderbox is one of
these items.
Upon entering the shop, the characters stumble
into a transaction between Fillar, and the young,
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kempt man named Arik Lavus (Laszlo disguised by
his wolfskin cap). Arik wears leather and furs, but
perhaps the most notable thing about his
appearance is the plush wolfskin cap he wears on his
head—complete with a wolf tail falling rakishly
down from the back of the cap and over one
shoulder. His demeanor seems more collected than
most of Orașnou’s residents.
Arik has just purchased the powderbox from Fillar
in exchange for coin and trinkets recovered from the wight’s victims. Fillar is completely unaware of the
box's significance. Arik has already placed it in his
pack and is making small talk with Fillar as the
characters walk in.
As you enter the Eyes of Midnight, the jingle of the doorbell
doesn't seem to interrupt the tall man who runs the shop
casually bantering with a young man wearing a wolfskin cap.
The man in the hat has just exchanged some jewelry and a
few small hand tools for a short crate.
Roleplaying Fillar & Arik (Laszlo)
Fillar and Arik are crucial to the story and take center stage
during this role playing encounter.
Fillar the Wereraven. Fillar does ’t hide his affliction all
that well. He's a tall, thin man with a long crooked nose,
pointed features, and thick black hair. He dresses primarily in
black and darkened shades of gray. He has dark, beady eyes
and bony fingers. His is also quite skittish; he seems to
constantly be assessing his surroundings and moving in
abrupt, jerky motions while doing so.
Fillar, although less-than-scrupulous, is not a violent man
and has no ill will for anyone in the village aside from
ski i g the Burgo aster’s elo gi gs. At any sign of
danger, he flees—avoiding combat entirely.
Despite his alignment, he is a corvid at-heart and becomes
defensive and even hostile if someone steals from him. He
does not know the significance of the powderbox, and is
confused that Arik is willing to pay a large sum of money for
it; as much as it pains him to part with such a lovely object,
he knows that the gold will do good in the village. Fillar does
not know that Arik Is Laszlo, but suspects that he is hiding
something.
Arik (The Wight Laszlo in Disguise). Of course, he tries to
act aloof and as if he's unfamiliar with the area. He claims to
be a simple travelling trader who has decided to take up
semi-permanent residence within Oraș ou. He is very close
to obtaining the powderbox from Fillar, and as the players
enter the scene he is mere moments away from obtaining it.
He goes to whatever length necessary to ensure he leaves
the shop unscathed, undetected, and with the artifact.
Due to the enchantment of his wolfskin cap, spells that
ould di i e Laszlo’s u dead ature divine sense, etc.) fail
against him. Divination spells reveal nothing but a healthy,
male human.
The actual transaction of the powderbox took place
several minutes before the characters arrived. The
box Laszlo is carrying is a distraction, though it is full
of miscellaneous supplies; a small knife, thick thread,
spices, and dyes; he carries it to avoid suspicion.
With his prize in-hand, Laszlo attempts a hasty—yet
unassuming—exit.
Assuming the characters stop Laszlo to chat, here
are a few things to keep in mind:
A character that succeeds on a DC 13 Intelligence )nvestigation check realizes that Fillar doesn’t sell much in the way of actual, practical goods
here. It is unlikely that he bought the box of
supplies from Fillar, but he doesn’t seem to be leaving with anything else.
Characters who get close to Arik to speak with him
or attempt to steal from him or take his crate or
any personal belongings not only cause him to exit
the scene faster, but may aid in giving away that
he is undead. Any character with a passive
Perception of 15 or higher notices that Arik smells
faintly of decay.
Characters who touch Arik's skin immediately
notice that he is extremely cold, especially for a
person dressed in such a warm garb.
Characters paying specific attention to Fillar
notice his movements are somewhat birdlike (i.e.,
he cocks his head when being spoken to, or bobs it
gently as he walks). A character that succeeds on a
DC 13 Intelligence (Nature) check realizes that he
may, in fact, be a wereraven. Additionally, a
character succeeding at a DC 13 Wisdom (insight)
check gets the impression that Fillar is not being
entirely honest with the characters.
Should Arik leave the shop without attracting
attention, or the characters catching on, he travels
immediately out of town to Glovia. It is only be a
matter of time before the characters realize what is
going on. If they need help, toss them a big hint like
finding Arik's wolfskin cap on the ground—lost as he
fled town quickly—followed by a change in the
shape and depth of his footprints suddenly change as
his disguise fell.
If the characters attempt to confront or fight
Laszlo within Fillar's shop, Fillar defends him, but
ultimately flees if he is reduced to half his hit points.
Arik may also call upon ghouls or zombies to break
in the door to the shop to defend his escape. Such an encounter is designed to be exciting, and shouldn’t present much of an additional challenge.
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Laszlo’s Escape
In the unlikely event that the characters corner or threaten to
destroy Laszlo, he should be allowed to escape. His escape,
however, should be dramatic and mysterious, and not reveal
his true nature. Perhaps a patch of mist unexpectedly glides
in and when it fades, he is gone. Or maybe he whistles shrilly,
and a gaunt, black horse arrives; Laszlo (still disguised as Arik)
ou ts the east a d rides off. Be reati e, ut do ’t forget that the characters find his wolfskin cap in Part 3, below).
Treasure Should the characters choose to steal from or barter
with Fillar, they discover two items of value in a
display case: a golden locket on display, painted with
the portrait of a beautiful red haired woman with
moon-pale skin on the inside, and a copper chalice
with a silvered rim. Each item is worth 25 gp.
Stealing from Fillar
After the fi al e ou ter ith Laszlo’s i io s later i the adventure, Fillar temporarily flees the village to avoid the
threat. Having left in a hurry, he forgot to lock up the shop
and less scrupulous characters can freely obtain these items.
E. The Hare & Hair
The sign on the front of this shop depicts the
silhouette of a rabbit over a pair of crossed razors.
The window showcases a spare supply of low-
quality furs, skins, and other sundries.
It is run by a middle-aged balding man named
Gregori Wurlbach who often sells to the public, but
whose profits lie primarily with the Vistani as they
pass through town. Gregori is a talkative and fair
man and often overlooks making a profit in order to
help his community.
Services in the Village of Orașnou
As a s all illage, Oraș ou is ot a le to pro ide u h i the means of services and goods. Generally, they are able to find
any basic adventuring equipment and weapons worth 10 gp
or less.
If the characters are coming into this adventure
having just played DDAL04-02 The Beast, they may
already have a relationship with Gregori.
Roleplaying Gregori Wurlbach
Gregori is a soft, balding man with gnarled hands. He has
worked hard for the comforts that he enjoys in the village—chief among these being that his food and drink is provided
free of charge thanks to his ability to host the Vistani when
they arrive every few months to peddle their wares. Fair
minded, he often overlooks his own profits in favor of his
community and friends. Unlike other denizens of the duchy,
Gregori is friendly and welcoming of outsiders.
Village Random Encounters
If at any point the characters begin spending too
much time outside without taking direction, or they
progressed quicker than anticipated feel free to roll
on the random encounters table.
Ra do E cou ters i side Oraș ou
1d20 Encounter
1-3 1d4 blood hawks swoop in and attack the
characters.
4-6 A vine blight buried beneath the snow attacks
a random character.
7-9 A death dog bounds out from behind a
illager’s ho e, fresh lood drippi g fro its jaws.
10-12 1d10 ravens burst from a nearby copse of
trees, pecking at the characters incessantly.
13-15 An emaciated black bear emerges from the
forest, hungry for anything it can overcome.
16-19 A wandering wererat vagabond attempts to
ambush the weakest character in the group.
20 A ghoul, and 2 zombies rush the characters
thirsty for flesh.
Development Once the characters have deduced that Arik is not
who he says he is and that he is actually Laszlo, they
should find themselves heading back toward his
former home to either follow or investigate him. If
they did not find clues earlier in the adventure
indicating that he may still be dwelling there, they
discover fresh tracks in the snow that indicate he
was headed that way on his way out of town.
)f the characters don’t manage to discover that
Arik is, in fact, Laszlo; or that something is amiss
with him, you may bring about a turn of events that
makes his deceit undeniable. Consider the following:
His burning hatred as a wight takes over and he
attacks a random villager in plain sight who just so
happens to be trying to make it back to their home
during the blizzard.
While interacting with Laszlo, there is an
unmistakable stench of rot on his person or
perhaps a severed finger with jewelry still
attached tumbles from his pack in front of the
characters.
He may become unusually inquisitive while
interacting with the characters, sensing that they
are not like the rest of the villagers, which tips
them off to his ruse.
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Regardless of how these events pan out, the
characters should soon head toward the abandoned
Vaduva home. If they do not do so on their own
volition, ensure that they begin to notice groups of
curious villagers peering out of their windows who
soon after confront them in the streets, demanding
to know what Arik is up to.
Should the characters tell the villagers what
they've discovered, an angry mob quickly forms and
heads toward Laszlo's old home—with or without
the characters. If the characters choose to withhold
information from the villagers, fear and rumors
bring them there after the stir-crazy villagers in the
Inn come to a breaking point; their hunger for
answers quickly overriding facts, reason, and fear.
They take it upon themselves begin to search for
Arik—torches and pitchforks in hand—demanding
he explain himself.
Should none of these events manage to take place,
Laszlo safely leaves the village and sends in undead
minions behind him into the town center to attack
just as the moon rises into the sky that evening.
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Part 3: Apprehension
THIS IS MY LINE, THIS IS ETERNAL. How did I ever
end up here? Discarnate, preternatural, my prayers to
disappear. Absent of grace, marked as infernal.
Ungranted in dead time left me disowned. To this
nature, so unnatural. I remain alone.
--David Marchand, But Home Is Nowhere
If the characters deduce that Arik is more than he
appears to be and pursue him, proceed to Encounter
A. Otherwise, proceed to Encounter B. The
characters should only participate in one of these
encounters.
A. Grab Your Pitchforks!
With or without a mob of angry villagers, the
characters should be in pursuit of Laszlo, headed
toward his home just outside the edge of the village.
The snowstorm has once again picked up to near-
blizzard conditions. If the characters are
accompanied by the villagers, read the following
aloud:
The reflection of dozens of blazing torches dances across the
pallid snow as the lynch mob approaches Laszlo's former
home. The raucous crowd's roar hits an apex as torch after
torch are thrown and collide with a burst of sparks onto the
thatch roof, setting it ablaze. Soon, only the crackling of the
flames can be heard as the crowd is quickly silenced by the
sight of shambling undead that slowly wander out from the
surrounding trees and claw their way out from underneath
the home.
At this point, most of the mob disperses and flee to
their homes or the inn. If the characters did not
follow the lynch mob immediately, read the
following aloud:
You approach the former home of Laszlo, plumes of black
smoke rise high above the trees as you're greeted by a warm
glow of the home set ablaze. Stark smatterings of blood and
spent torches scatter the snow here, as most of the villagers
have fled. Some remain though. Most of them are dead, but
the unlucky ones scream in agony and horror as a number of
undead gnaw and rend on their writhing bodies.
Here, at the edge of the road, are two ghouls and
two zombies. Despite the light from the blaze, the
snow has picked up and the entire area is lightly
obscured. Laszlo is nowhere to be found.
There is no definitive map for this area or
encounter, but as you map it out for your players,
ensure that there are various patches of rough
terrain where rubble, ash, and snow choked
vegetation are clumped together, as well as a few
patches of snow that have solidified into ice.
Characters that Dash over patches of ice must
succeed a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone.
Additionally, the entire house and various areas
around it are on fire; creatures ending their turn in
the flames take 3 (1d6) fire damage.
A few villagers cling to life, calling out for help.
Should the characters return them to town, the
remaining villagers are able to save their lives.
Treasure After the battle, the characters find Laszlo's wolfskin
cap amidst the carnage. Finally, a character that
makes a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception)
check while searching the area after the battle spots
a moonstone worth 50 gp lying near a slain
villager—partially camouflaged by the snow.
B. No Inquisition? No problem!
Should no hunt for Arik take place and his minions traipse
into the village during the night, the encounter pans out
roughly in the same fashion. A villager sets fire to a structure
with a misplaced torch throw, icy terrain muddles the
battlefield, and villagers become devoured by the undead.
Just in the village center instead.
If the events leading to Laszlo’s apprehension do not
take place, read the following aloud as night fully
settles and the moon is high:
A blood curdling scream rings out from the center of the
village, from your point of view, you see a gray haired woman
in shoddy clothing in the embrace of a sickly looking man.
Blood flo s do the o a ’s loak a d o to the pallid snow at her feet; black in the moonlight.
Two ghouls and two zombies have made it to the
center of the village and have begun clawing and
biting at anything in sight (building doors, villagers,
livestock, etc.). After encountering Laszlo’s minions in this manner, it becomes clear that Arik was
behind it—he left his telltale cap behind.
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Adjusting the Encounter
Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat
encounter. These are not cumulative.
Very weak party: Remove a ghoul and a zombie.
Weak party: Remove a ghoul.
Strong party: Replace ghouls with ghasts. The wind
disappears and the area is filled with choking smoke from
a nearby burning building—all ranged attacks are made
with disadvantage.
Very strong party: Replace ghouls with ghasts and
zombies with ghouls. The wind disappears and the area is
filled with choking smoke from a nearby burning building—all ranged attacks are made with disadvantage.
Treasure After the battle, the characters find Laszlo's wolfskin
cap amidst the carnage. Finally, a character that
makes a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception)
check while searching the area after the battle spots
a moonstone worth 50 gp lying near a slain
villager—partially camouflaged by the snow.
Conclusion
…AND THOSE WHO RESISTED, were dragged out of
their homes. This necklace, was fashioned out of their
teeth and bones.
--Francis Mark, Holding a Wolf by the Ears
After dealing with Laszlo's undead minions, the
characters are urged to return to the Seven Tables
by townsfolk who were injured or simply paralyzed
in fear from watching the events from afar. The
villagers implore the characters to let everyone in
the village know the truth about Laszlo—especially
the Grelon family.
Once at the Inn, Marku invites the characters to
stay free of charge and recuperate as needed. He
pries for any details the characters are willing to
provide. Allow the characters a few hours of rest and
begin to formulate plans for dealing with Laszlo and
obtaining the powder box.
XP Award
If the characters made the extra effort to render aid
to the injured residents of the village, award each
character 50 XP.
The Burgomaster
Any respite the players might partake in is cut short
however; shortly after returning to the tavern,
Burgomaster Randovich bursts in along with four
thugs, demanding to speak with the characters.
The door to the inn swings open abruptly behind
Burgomaster Randovich's gait, filling the room with a blast of
wind that causes the hearth to momentarily flicker. He is
followed closely by four rough-looking men wielding clubs
and brandishing wide smiles full of rotten, missing teeth.
They approach your group, demanding you explain
yourselves at once!
The Burgomaster demands the characters explain all
that they know about what just happened at the
Vaduva's home and presses them to empty their
packs and show them all of their belongings.
If a fight ensues, the Burgomaster immediately
retreats to his home; two additional thugs wait
outside the inn to cover his escape, if necessary. If
the Burgomaster is slain, he arises the following
morning.
With the Burgomaster present, all of the thugs
fight to the death. If pressed or questioned, they
don't know anything; they are paid muscle and
nothing more.
Moving On
The ending of this adventure is set to dovetail nicely
into DDAL04-04, Marionette, where the larger
schemes in the story begin to unfold.
If the adventure is not being played as part of the
D&D Adventurer's League organized play program,
you are free to decide what happens next with the
village of Orașnou, the artifact, Laszlo, and the
overarching plot.
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Rewards Make sure players note their rewards on their
adventure logsheets. Give your name and DCI
number (if applicable) so players can record who
ran the session.
Experience
Total up all combat experience earned for defeated
foes, and divide by the number of characters present
in the combat. For non-combat experience, the
rewards are listed per character. Give all characters
in the party non-combat experience awards unless
otherwise noted.
Combat Awards
Name of Foe XP per Foe
Black Bear 200
Blood Hawk 25
Death Dog 200
Ghoul 200
Raven 10
Thug 100
Vine Blight 100
Wererat 450
Wereraven 450
Wight 700
Zombie 50
Non-Combat Awards
Task or Accomplishment XP per Character
Avoid violence with the thugs 25 per thug
Save injured villagers 50
The minimum total award for each character
participating in this adventure is 225 experience
points.
The maximum total award for each character
participating in this adventure is 300 experience
points.
Treasure
The characters receive the following treasure,
divided up amongst the party. Characters should
attempt to divide treasure evenly whenever
possible. Gold piece values listed for sellable gear are
calculated at their selling price, not their purchase
price.
Consumable magic items should be divided up
however the group sees fit. If more than one
character is interested in a specific consumable
magic item, the DM can determine who gets it
randomly should the group be unable to decide.
Permanent magic items are divided according to
a system. See the sidebar if the adventure awards
permanent magic items.
Treasure Awards
Item Name GP Value
Ra do i h’s Footlo ker 50
Ra do i h’s Cellar 100
Eyes of Midnight 50
Laszlo’s Sha k 50
Ra do i h’s guards 50
Potion of Healing Potion, common
A description of this item can be found in the
Dungeon Master's Guide.
Wolfskin Cap Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement)
This thick and fuzzy hat is actually a hat of disguise,
and looks incredibly comfortable. While it allows the
wearer to cast disguise self at-will, the power is
limited in that it only disguises the wearer as a plain-
looking brown-haired human male in his late
twenties. However, while so disguised, the wearer is
hidden from spells abilities that would detect its true
nature (such as divine sense). A description of this
item can be found in the Dungeon Master's Guide.
Permanent Magic Item Distribution
D&D Adventurers League has a system in place to determine
who is awarded permanent magic items at the end of a
session. Each character’s logsheet o tai s a olu to record permanent magic items for ease of reference.
If all the players at the table agree on one character taking
possession of a permanent magic item, that character gets
the item.
In the event that one or more characters indicate an
interest in possessing a permanent magic item, the
character that possesses the fewest permanent magic
items gets the item. If there is a tie in the total number of
permanent magic items owned by contesting characters,
the ite ’s o er is determined randomly by the DM.
Renown
All faction members earn one renown point for
participating in this adventure.
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Story Awards
Characters have the opportunity to earn the
following story awards during this adventure. This
award is given to those characters that begin their
adventures in Ravenloft during this adventure (see Welcome to Barovia , above .
The Demiplane of Dread. You have traversed the
mists and now find yourself in the Demiplane of
Dread and, until this story award is removed, you
are unable to leave. So long as you are trapped, you
cannot participate in any adventure or event that
takes place outside of Barovia. Tread carefully
during your time here, the Dark Powers are
watching.
Downtime
Each character receives five downtime days at the
conclusion of this adventure.
DM Rewards
For running this adventure, you receive 150 XP and
75 gp.
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DM Appendix: NPC
Summary
Fillar Esven (FILL-er ESS-ven). This less-than-
scrupulous man has been stealing from the
Burgomaster for years and usually has a fair stock of
goods. While the prices are not quite as high as the
Burgomaster has established, they are somewhat
higher than the goods are usually sold for.
Unbeknownst to him, he is getting very close to drawing Randovich’s attention. When that happens,
he may not be in business much longer. Fillar is also
more than he appears; he is a wereraven.
Arik/Laszlo Vaduva (AIR-ikk/laz-LO vuh-DOO-
vuh). Laszlo, once an outdoorsman married to Alina
is now a wight in the service of Glovia. He commands
a small group of undead to do most of his bidding
and has an ally within the city, Fillar Esven, a
crooked and sly businessman. Laszlo aides Fillar by
supplying goods (looted from corpses of those he
leaves in his wake) in exchange for Fillar being a
reliable source of information about the village and
its inhabitants
Alina Vaduva (uh-LEEN-uh vuh-DOO-vuh). Alina is
a skilled hunter and tracker, and can sometimes get
carried away with her direct nature and sometimes-
fiery temper. Married to Laszlo, and together they
own a small but successful fur trading post. Alina is a
werewolf due to a curse upon her family line.
NOTE: Alina is not present in this adventure.
Glovia Falinescu (GLOW-vee-uh FALL-in-ES-cu). A
heartbroken mother and healer who lost her infant
child to disease. Blames her own lack of ability for
the child's death. Highly educated in anatomy.
NOTE: Glovia is not present in this adventure.
Esmae Amarantha (EZZ-may AM-uh-RAN-thuh): Once a simple girl of surpassing beauty, Esmae’s
obsession and infatuation with Count Strahd turned this chandler’s daughter into a talented witch in her
own right.
In her pursuit of his heart, Esmae worked to
become the most powerful Witch of Barovia and
with her newfound ability, seeks to transform her
appearance to that of Tatyana--a woman who Strahd
had loved, and murdered for. In this act, Strahd
created a kindred spirit; and in Esmae’s endless suffering of unrealized love, Strahd was comforted.
Esmae--thinking that she had finally won his heart--
quickly realized that she was no more than a pawn.
She seeks to change that. NOTE: Esmae is not present
in this adventure.
Tatyana Federnova (taut-YAWN-uh): The betrothed of Strahd’s brother, Sergei. Threw herself from the walls of Castle Ravenloft after Sergei’s murder.
Burgomaster Ivan Randovich (EYE-vun RAN-doe-
vich): Associated with the Coins suit. Burgomaster
of the village of Orașnou. Through heavy taxation
and the high prices of the goods he alone provides,
he has grown fat, vain, and rich on the backs of those he has subjugated. Seeks out Tatyana’s Comb. NOTE:
Ivan is not present until the conclusion of this
adventure
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Appendix. NPC/Monster
Statistics
Black Bear Medium beast, unaligned
Armor Class 11 (natural armor)
Hit Points 19 (3d8 + 6)
Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 2 −4 12 (+1) −2
Skills Perception +3
Senses passive Perception 13
Languages —
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Keen Smell. The bear has advantage on Wisdom
(Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Actions
Multiattack. The bear makes two attacks: one with its
bite and one with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) slashing damage.
Blood Hawk Small beast, unaligned
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 7 (2d6)
Speed 10 ft., fly 60 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
6 (-2) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 3 (-4) 14 (+2) 5 (-3)
Skills Perception +4
Senses passive Perception 14
Languages --
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
Keen Hearing and Smell. The hawk has advantage on
Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.
Pack Tactics. The hawk has advantage on an attack roll
against a creature if at least one of the hawk's allies is
within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't
incapacitated.
Actions
Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.
Death Dog Medium monstrosity, neutral evil
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 39 (6d8 + 12)
Speed 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 3 (-4) 13 (+2) 6 (-2)
Skills Perception +5, Stealth +4
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages --
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Two-Headed. The dog has advantage on Wisdom
(Perception) checks and on saving throws against being
blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, or
knocked unconscious.
Actions
Multiattack. The dog makes two bite attacks.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. If the target is
a creature, it must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution
saving throw against disease or become poisoned until
the disease is cured. Every 24 hours that elapse, the
creature must repeat the saving throw, reducing its hit
point maximum by 5 (1d10) on a failure. The creature
dies if the disease reduces its hit point maximum to 0.
Ghast Medium undead, chaotic evil
Armor Class 13
Hit Points 36 (8d8)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 17 (+3) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 10 (+0) 8 (-1)
Damage Resistances necrotic
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Common
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
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Stench. Any creature that starts its turn within 5 feet of
the ghast must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving
throw or be poisoned until the start of its next turn. On
a successful saving throw, the creature is immune to
the ghast’s Ste h for 2 hours. Turn Resistance. The ghast and any ghouls within 30
feet of it have advantage on saving throws against
effects that turn undead.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
creature. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) piercing damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage. If the target is
a creature other than an undead, it must succeed on a
DC 10 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1
minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the
end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a
success.
Ghoul Medium undead, chaotic evil
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 22 (5d8)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
13 (+1) 15 (+2) 10 (+0) −2 10 (+0) −2
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Common
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
creature. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) slashing damage. If the target is
a creature other than an elf or undead, it must succeed
on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed
for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at
the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself
on a success.
Raven Tiny beast, unaligned
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 1 (1d4 - 1)
Speed 10 ft., fly 50 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
2 (-4) 14 (+2) 8 (-1) 2 (-4) 12 (+1) 6 (-2)
Skills Perception +3
Senses passive Perception 13
Languages --
Challenge 0 (10 XP)
Mimicry. The raven can mimic simple sounds it has
heard, such as a person whispering, a baby crying, or
an animal chittering. A creature that hears the sounds
can tell they are imitations with a successful DC 10
Wisdom (insight) check.
Actions
Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
creature. Hit: 1 piercing damage.
Thug Medium humanoid (any race), any non-good alignment
Armor Class 11 (leather armor)
Hit Points 32 (5d8 + 10)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 11 (+0) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 11 (+0)
Skills Intimidation +2
Senses passive Perception 10
Languages any one language (usually Common)
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Pack Tactics. The thug has advantage on an attack roll
agai st a reature if at least o e of the thug’s allies is ithi feet of the reature a d the ally is ’t
incapacitated.
Actions
Multiattack. The thug makes two melee attacks.
Mace. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
creature. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
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Heavy Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to hit,
range 100/400 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d10) piercing
damage.
Vine Blight Small plant, neutral evil
Armor Class 12 (natural armor)
Hit Points 26 (4d8 + 8)
Speed 10 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 8 (-1) 14 (++2) 5 (-3) 10 (-+0) 3 (-4)
Skills Stealth +1
Condition Immunities blinded, deafened
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius),
passive Perception 10
Languages Common
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
False Appearance. While the blight remains
motionless, it is indistinguishable from a tangle of
vines.
Actions
Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 10 ft.,
one target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage, and a
Large or smaller target is grappled (escape DC 12). Until
this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the
blight can't constrict another target.
Entangling Plants (recharge 5-6). Grasping roots and
vines sprout in a 15-foot radius centered on the blight,
withering away after 1 minute. For the duration, that
area is difficult terrain for nonplant creatures. In
addition, each creature of the blight's choice in that
area when the plants appear must succeed on a DC 12
Strength saving throw or become restrained. A
creature can use its action to make a DC 12 Strength
check, freeing itself or another entangled creature
within reach on a success.
Wererat Medium humanoid (human, shapechanger), lawful evil
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 33 (6d8 + 6)
Speed 30ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 11 (+0) 10 (+0) 8 (-1)
Skills Perception +2, Stealth +4
Damage Immunities bludgeoning, piercing, and
slashing damage from nonmagical attacks that aren't
silvered
Senses darkvision 60ft. (rat form only), passive
Perception 12
Languages Common (can't speak in rat form)
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Shapechanger. The wererat can use its action to
polymorph into a rat-humanoid hybrid or into a giant
rat, or back into its true form, which is humanoid. Its
statistics, other than its size, are the same in each
form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn't
transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies.
Keen Smell. The were rat has advantage on Wisdom
(Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Actions
Multiattack (Humanoid or Hybrid Form Only). The
were rat makes two attacks, only one of which can be a
bite.
Bite (Rat or Hybrid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack:
+4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1 d4 + 2)
piercing damage. If the target is a humanoid, it must
succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or be
cursed with were rat lycanthropy.
Shortsword (Humanoid or Hybrid Form Only). Melee
Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5
(1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Hand Crossbow (Humanoid or Hybrid Form Only).
Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one
target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Wereraven (Fillar) Medium humanoid (human, shapechanger), lawful
good
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 31 (7d8)
Speed 30 ft. (fly 50 ft. in raven and hybrid forms)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 15 (+2) 11 (+0) 13 (+1) 15 (+2) 14 (+2)
Skills Insight +4, Perception +6
Damage Immunities bludgeoning, piercing, and
slashing from nonmagical attacks not made with
silvered weapons
Senses passive Perception 16
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Languages Co o a ’t speak in raven form)
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Shapechanger. The wereraven can use its action to
polymorph into a raven-humanoid hybrid or into a
raven, or back into its human form. Its statistics, other
than its size, are the same in each form. Any
equipment it is eari g or arryi g is ’t tra sfor ed. It reverts to its human form if it dies.
Mimicry. The wereraven can mimic simple sounds it
has heard, such as a person whispering, a baby crying,
or an animal chittering. A creature that hears the
sounds can tell they are imitations with a successful DC
10 Wisdom (Insight) check.
Actions
Multiattack (Human or Hybrid Form Only). The
wereraven makes two weapon attacks, one of which
can be with its hand crossbow.
Beak (Raven or Hybrid Form Only). Melee Weapon
Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 piercing
damage in raven form, or 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage
in hybrid form. If the target is a humanoid, it must
succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or be
cursed with wereraven lycanthropy.
Shortsword (Humanoid or Hybrid Form Only). Melee
Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5
(1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Hand Crossbow (Humanoid or Hybrid Form Only).
Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one
target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Wight (Laszlo) Medium undead, neutral evil
Armor Class 14 (studded leather)
Hit Points 45 (6d8 + 18)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 15 (+2)
Skills Perception +3, Stealth +4
Damage Resistances necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing,
a d slashi g fro o agi al eapo s that are ’t 300silvered
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages the languages it knew in life
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the wight has
disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom
(Perception) checks that rely on sight.
Actions
Multiattack. The wight makes two longsword attacks
or two longbow attacks. It can use its Life Drain in place
of one longsword attack.
Life Drain. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one creature. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) necrotic damage. The
target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving
throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an
amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction
lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies
if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.
A humanoid slain by this attack rises 24 hours later
as a zo ie u der the ight’s o trol, u less the humanoid is restored to life or its body is destroyed.
The wight can have no more than twelve zombies
under its control at one time.
Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5
ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) slashing damage, or 7
(1d10 + 2) slashing damage if used with two hands.
Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range
150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing
damage.
Zombie Medium undead, neutral evil
Armor Class 8
Hit Points 22 (3d8 + 9)
Speed 20 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
13 (+1) 6 (-2) 16 (+3) 3 (-4) 6 (-2) 5 (-3)
Saving Throws Wis +0
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8
Languages Common, Draconic
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the zombie to 0
hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw
with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage
is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the
zombie drops to 1 hit point instead.
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Actions
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) bludgeoning damage.
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Appendix. The Village of
Orașnou Map
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Appendix. Laszlo’s Cabin Map
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Appendix. Orașnou Square Map
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Results Code: March - April 2016
If you are DMing this adventure during the months of March – April 2016, please show your players this page. The
QR code below can be scanned, and will allow them to give feedback and results on the adventure to influence the
storyline in the future!
If a player does not have a mobile device, please tell them to head to dndadventurersleague.org/results to enter
their results.
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THE MARIONETTE
A Vistani fortuneteller has called you out by name during the Burgomaster’s private reading. She
raved of an army of the dead, a delicate powderbox, and a beautiful yet dangerous woman. Now
the Burgomaster wants to know why you’re more important than he is… Part Four of Misty Fortunes and Absent Hearts.
A Four-Hour adventure for 1st-4th level characters
ROBERT ALANIZ Adventure Designer
Adventure Code: DDAL04-04
Development and Editing: Claire Hoffman, Travis Woodall
Organized Play: Chris Lindsay
D&D Adventurers League Wizards Team: Adam Lee, Chris Lindsay, Mike Mearls, Matt Sernett
D&D Adventurers League Administrators: Robert Adducci, Bill Benham, Travis Woodall, Claire Hoffman, Greg Marks,
Alan Patrick
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, the dragon ampersand, Playe ’s Ha dbook, Mo ste Ma ual, Du geo Maste ’s Guide, D&D Adventurers League, all other Wizards
of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries. All characters and their distinctive likenesses are property of Wizards of the
Coast. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the
express written permission of Wizards of the Coast.
©2016 Wizards of the Coast LLC, PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057-0707, USA. Manufactured by Hasbro SA, Rue Emile-Boéchat 31, 2800 Delémont, CH. Represented by Hasbro Europe, 4 The Square,
Stockley Park, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB11 1ET, UK.
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DDAL04-04 The Marionette 2
Introduction Welcome to The Marionette, a D&D Expeditions™ adventure, part of the official D&D Adventurers League™ organized play system and the Curse of
Strahd™ storyline season.
This adventure is designed for 1st through 4th-
level characters, and is optimized for five 3rd-
level characters. Characters outside this level range
cannot participate in this adventure.
The adventure takes place entirely in the barony of
Barovia, in the Ravenloft campaign setting.
The D&D Adventurers
League This adventure is official for D&D Adventurers
League play. The D&D Adventurers League is the
official organized play system for DUNGEONS &
DRAGONS®. Players can create characters and
participate in any adventure allowed as a part of the
D&D Adventurers League. As they adventure, players track their characters’ experience, treasure, and other rewards, and can take those characters through other
adventures that continues their story.
If you’re running this adventure as a part of a store event or at certain conventions, you’ll need a DC) number. This number is your official Wizards of the Coast organized play identifier. )f you don’t have a number, you can obtain one at a store event. Check
with your organizer for details.
D&D Adventurers League play is broken up into
storyline seasons. When players create characters,
they attach those characters to a storyline season, which determines what rules they’re allowed to use to create and advance their characters. Players can
continue to play their characters after the storyline
season has finished, possibly participating in a second
or third storyline with those same characters. A character’s level is the only limitation for adventure play. A player cannot use a character of a level higher
or lower than the level range of a D&D Adventurers
League adventure.
For more information on playing, running games as
a Dungeon Master, and organizing games for the D&D
Adventurers League, please visit the D&D
Adventurers League home at:
www.dndadventurersleague.org
Preparing the Adventure Before you show up to Dungeon Master this
adventure for a group of players, you should do the
following to prepare.
Make sure to have a copy of the most current
version of the D&D Basic Rules or the Player’s Handbook.
Read through the adventure, taking notes of anything you’d like to highlight or remind yourself while running the adventure, such as a way you’d like to portray an NPC or a tactic you’d like to use in a combat.
Get familiar with the monster statistics in the
Appendix.
Gather together any resources you’d like to use to aid you in running this adventure--such as
notecards, a DM screen, miniatures, and
battlemaps.
If you know the composition of the group
beforehand, you can make adjustments as noted
throughout the adventure.
Before Play at the Table Ask the players to provide you with relevant
character information:
Character name and level
Character race and class
Passive Wisdom (Perception)—the most common
passive ability check
Anything notable as specified by the adventure
(such as backgrounds, traits, flaws, etc.) Players that have characters outside the adventure’s level range cannot participate in the adventure
with those characters. Players with ineligible
characters can make a new 1st-level character or use
a pregenerated character. Players can play an
adventure they previously played or ran as a
Dungeon Master, but not with the same character.
Ensure that each player has an official adventure
logsheet for his or her character (if not, get one from
the organizer). The player fills out the adventure
name, session number, date, and your name and DCI
number. In addition, the player also fills in the
starting values for experience, gold, downtime,
renown, and number of permanent magic items. He
or she fill in the other values and write notes at the
conclusion of the session. Each player is responsible
for maintaining an accurate logsheet.
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DDAL04-04 The Marionette 3
If you have time, you can do a quick scan of a player’s character sheet to ensure that nothing looks out of order. If you see magic items of very high
rarities or strange arrays of ability scores, you can ask
players to provide documentation for the
irregularities. If they cannot, feel free to restrict item
use or ask them to use a standard ability score array.
Point players to the D&D Adventurers League Player’s Guide for reference.
)f players wish to spend downtime days and it’s the beginning of an adventure or episode, they can
declare their activity and spend the days now.
Alternatively, they can do so at the end of the
adventure or episode. Players should select their characters’ spells and other daily options prior to the start of the adventure, unless the adventure specifies
otherwise. Feel free to reread the adventure
description to help give players hints about what they
might face.
Adjusting the Adventure Throughout this adventure, sidebars provide
information to assist you in making adjustments for
smaller or larger groups and characters of higher or
lower levels than the adventure is optimized for. This
is typically used exclusively for combat encounters.
You may adjust the adventure beyond the
guidelines given in the adventure, or for other
reasons. For example, if you’re playing with a group of inexperienced players, you might want to make the
adventure a little easier; for very experienced players,
you might want to make it a little harder. Therefore,
five categories of party strength have been created
for you to use as a guide. Use these as a guide, and feel
free to use a different adjustment during the
adventure if the recommended party strength feels
off for the group.
This adventure is optimized for a party of five
3rd-level characters. To figure out whether you
need to adjust the adventure, do the following:
Add up the total levels of all the characters.
Divide the total by the number of characters.
Round fractions of .5 or greater up; round fractions
of less than .5 down. You’ve now determined the average party level
(APL) for the adventure. To figure out the party
strength for the adventure, consult the following
table.
Determining Party Strength Party Composition Party Strength
3-4 characters, APL less than Very weak
3-4 characters, APL equivalent Weak
3-4 characters, APL greater than Average
5 characters, APL less than Weak
5 characters, APL equivalent Average
5 characters, APL greater than Strong
6-7 characters, APL less than Average
6-7 characters, APL equivalent Strong
6-7 characters, APL greater than Very strong
Average party strength indicates no recommended
adjustments to the adventure. Each sidebar may or
may not offer suggestions for certain party strengths.
If a particular recommendation is not offered for your
group, you don’t have to make adjustments. Running the Adventure As the Dungeon Master of the session, you have the
most important role in facilitating the enjoyment of
the game for the players. You help guide the narrative
and bring the words on these pages to life. The
outcome of a fun game session often creates stories
that live well beyond the play at the table. Always
follow this golden rule when you DM for a group:
Make decisions and adjudications that enhance
the fun of the adventure when possible.
To reinforce this golden rule, keep in mind the
following:
You are empowered to make adjustments to the
adventure and make decisions about how the group
interacts with the world of this adventure. Doing so
is especially important and applicable outside of
combat, but feel free to adjust the adventure for
groups that are having too easy or too hard of a
time.
Don’t make the adventure too easy or too difficult for a group. Never being challenged makes for a
boring game and being overwhelmed makes for a
frustrating one. Gauge the experience of the players
(not the characters) with the game, try to feel out
(or ask) what they like in a game, and attempt to give each of them the experience they’re after when they play D&D. Give everyone a chance to shine.
Be mindful of pacing, and keep the game session
moving along appropriately. Watch for stalling,
since play loses momentum when this happens. At the same time, make sure that the players don’t
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finish too early; provide them with a full play
experience. Try to be aware of running long or
short. Adjust the pacing accordingly
Read-aloud text is just a suggestion; feel free to
modify the text as you see fit, especially when
dialogue is present.
Give the players appropriate hints so they can make
informed choices about how to proceed. Players
should be given clues and hints when appropriate
so they can tackle puzzles, combat, and interactions
without getting frustrated over lack of information.
Doing so helps to encourage immersion in the adventure and gives players little victories for figuring out good choices from clues. )n short, being the DM isn’t about following the adventure’s text word-for-word; it’s about facilitating
a fun, challenging game environment for the players.
The Dungeon Master’s Guide™ has more information
on the art of running a D&D game.
Downtime and Lifestyle
At the beginning of each play session, players must
declare whether or not they are spending any days of
downtime. The player records the downtime spent on
the adventure logsheet. The following options are
available to players during downtime (see the D&D
basic rules or the D&D Adventurers League Player’s Guide for more information):
Catching up
Crafting (exception: multiple characters cannot
commit to crafting a single item)
Practicing a profession
Recuperating
Spellcasting services
Training
Other downtime options might be available during
adventures or unlocked through play, including
faction-specific activities.
In addition, whenever a character spends
downtime days, that character also spends the
requisite expense for his or her lifestyle. Costs are per
day, so a character that spends ten days of downtime
also spends ten days of expenses maintaining his or
her lifestyle. Some downtime activities help with
lifestyle expenses or add lifestyle expenses.
Spellcasting Services
Any settlement the size of a town or larger can
provide some spellcasting services. Characters need
to be able to travel to the settlement to obtain these
services.
Help From Who!?
For the current storyline season, Curse of Strahd, the rules for
spellcasting services are changed for characters adventuring in
Baro ia. I “trahd’s leak do ai , there si ply are ’t a y settlements where spellcasters can accommodate such needs,
and those places of worship that might otherwise provide
spellcasting services are overrun with monsters. As such,
unless otherwise detailed in an adventure, the only individual
able to provide spellcasting services is Jeny Greenteeth. This
will no doubt lead to some uncomfortable situations and
unforeseen consequences.
Refer to Page 7 of the Adventurers League Dungeon
Maste ’s Guide for more details.
Spell services generally available include healing and
recovery spells, as well as information-gathering
spells. Other spell services might be available as
specified in the adventure. The number of spells
available to be cast as a service is limited to a
maximum of three per day total, unless otherwise
noted.
Spellcasting Services Spell Cost
Cure wounds (1st level) 10 gp
Identify 20 gp
Lesser restoration 40 gp
Prayer of healing (2nd level) 40 gp
Remove curse 90 gp
Speak with dead 90 gp
Divination 210 gp
Greater restoration 450 gp
Raise dead 1,250 gp
Acolyte Background
A character possessing the acolyte background requesting
spellcasting services at a temple of his or her faith may request
one spell per day from the Spellcasting Services table for free.
The only cost paid for the spell is the base price for the
consumed material component, if any.
However, no religions have established places of worship
here of sufficient size to provide spellcasting services. Because
of this, characters with the Acolyte background gain no benefit
from this trait.
Character Disease, Death, and
Recovery
Sometimes bad things happen, and characters get
poisoned, diseased, or are killed. Since you might not
have the same characters return from session to
session, here are the rules when bad things happen to
characters.
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DDAL04-04 The Marionette 5
Disease, Poison, and Other Debilitating
Effects A character still affected by diseases, poisons, and
other similar effects at the conclusion of an adventure
can spend downtime days recuperating until such
time as he or she resolves the effect to its conclusion
(see the recuperating activity in the D&D Basic Rules).
)f a character doesn’t resolve the effect between sessions, that character begins the next session still
affected by the debilitating effect.
Death A character who is killed during the course of the
adventure has a few options at the end of the session
(or whenever arriving back in civilization) if no one in
the adventuring party has immediate access to a raise
dead or revivify spell, or similar magic. A character
subject to a raise dead spell is affected negatively
until all long rests have been completed during an
adventure. Alternatively, each downtime day spent
after raise dead reduces the penalty to attack rolls,
saving throws, and ability checks by 1, in addition to
any other benefits the downtime activity might
provide.
Create a New 1st-Level Character. If the dead
character is unwilling or unable to exercise any of the
other options, the player creates a new character. The
new character does not have any items or rewards
possessed by the dead character.
Dead Character Pays for Raise Dead. If the character’s body is recoverable it’s not missing any vital organs and is mostly whole) and the player
would like the character to be returned to life, the
party can take the body back to civilization and use the dead character’s funds to pay for a raise dead
spell. A raise dead spell cast in this manner costs the
character 1,250 gp.
Character’s Party Pays for Raise Dead. As above,
except that some or all of the 1,250 gp for the raise
dead spell is paid for by the party at the end of the
session. Other characters are under no obligation to
spend their funds to bring back a dead party member.
Faction Charity. If the character is of level 1 to 4 and a member of a faction, the dead character’s body can be returned to civilization and a patron from the
faction ensures that he or she receives a raise dead
spell. However, any character invoking this charity
forfeits all experience and rewards from that session
(both those earned prior to and after death during
that session) and cannot replay that episode or
adventure with that character again. Once a character
reaches 5th level, this option is no longer available.
Resurrection Madness
In Barovia, the souls of the dead are as trapped as the souls of
the li i g. They e o e aught i the ists a d a ’t tra el to the afterlife. When a humanoid who has been dead for at least
24 hours returns to life, either by way of a spell or some
supernatural means, it gains a random form of indefinite
madness brought on by the realization that its spirit is trapped
in Barovia, likely forever. To determine how this madness is
expressed, roll on the Indefinite Madness table in chapter 8 of
the Dungeon Maste ’s Guide.
Vampirism and Lycanthropy Vampires and lycanthropes are not included in the
allowed rules for character creation or advancement
(see the D&D Adventurers League Player’s Guide).
These conditions grant characters powers and
abilities that are not suitable for organized play, and
typically impose a restricted or prohibited alignment.
As such, characters afflicted with vampirism or
lycanthropy must have the affliction cured before the
start of their next episode or adventure.
Afflicted characters have the following options:
Lycanthropes can be cured with a remove curse
spell. This spell is available as a spellcasting service
for 90 gp (though Jeny Greenteeth might have
additional requirements; see Spellcasting Services earlier in this guide).
Vampires can be cured by a wish spell cast by a
fellow player character (wish is not available as a
spellcasting service). Alternatively, a vampire
character can be slain and returned to life with
raise dead, at the normal cost of 1,250 gp. If a
character chooses to end a vampiric curse in this
manner, the Dark Powers (see Page 8, Adventurers
League Dungeon Master’s Guide) do not offer a free
raise dead, though Jeny Greenteeth might be willing to make a deal see Spellcasting Services earlier
in this guide).
An afflicted character who does not end his or her
curse is retired from play until able to do so by one of
the means above, or through the application of DM
rewards to the character.
The Demiplane of Dread This adventure is set within the Ravenloft campaign
setting, in the lands of Barovia which exists in the
Demiplane of Dread. There are several atmospheric
and thematic elements to keep in mind at all times
while running your game:
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The Land is Bleak By the will of the Dark Powers, the sun never fully
shines in the lands of Barovia. Even during the day,
the sky is dimmed by fog or storm clouds, or the light
is strangely muted. Barovian daylight is bright light, yet it isn’t considered sunlight for the purpose of effects and vulnerabilities, such as a vampire’s, tied to sunlight. Nevertheless, Strahd and his vampire
spawn tend to stay indoors most of the day and
venture out at night, and they are subject to sunlight
created by magic.
Winter in Barovia
The winters are cold, wet, and stormy here. The natives of the
Demiplane are prepared—well, as prepared as they can hope
to be.
The characters, however, are unfamiliar with the realm.
Thankfully, the region they came from was experiencing the
worst winter in living memory, and are likely to possess winter
clothing. If they are not, then, preparations are in order. The
village has a single shop called The Hare & Hair where they are
able to procure such supplies if they wish.
A dark sentience infuses the very soil, twisting and
contorting everything within. In places where you
would normally expect wildlife such as deer, rabbits,
or squirrels, you instead find wolves, rats, and mangy
dogs. Vegetation is rotted and dead, and forests are
filled mostly with gnarled, thick trees with bare
branches. Colorful, vivacious things simply do not
exist.
The Denizens of Orașnou
Most Oraș ou reside ts are u da e la orers, far ers, fletchers and other folk who fall under common professions.
They typically have gaunt features, as crops often fail to take
root, and creatures of the night frequently kill and devour
their livestock.
Most are sullen, and often filled with fear, be it from the
lands themselves, what lies within them, Lord Strahd, or their
own tyrant of a Burgomaster; Ivan Randovich and his cronies.
Be sure to play to the mindsets of these people who live
threadbare existences, constantly on the precipice of horror
during your roleplaying encounters.
As is the case with most of the denizens of Barovia, most of
the people that reside i the illage do ’t possess a soul. These
people are e pty shells reated y “trahd’s o s ious ess to populate his domain. However, about one in every ten people
in Barovia are actually possessing of a soul—the souls of the
original denizens of Barovia before its transition into the
Demiplane. When a being with a soul dies in Barovia, its soul
remains trapped until it is reincarnated later. Souls tend to
wear clothing with a splash of color or have other features
that demonstrate even a small bit of individuality.
Alterations to Magic The land of Barovia resides in its own demiplane,
isolated from all other planes, including the Material
Plane. No spell—not even wish—allows one to escape from Strahd’s domain. Astral projection, teleport,
plane shift, and similar spells cast for the purpose of
leaving Barovia simply fail, as do effects that banish a
creature to another plane of existence. These
restrictions apply to magic items and artifacts that
have properties that transport or banish creatures to
other planes. Magic that allows transit to the Border
Ethereal, such as the etherealness spell and the
Etherealness feature of incorporeal undead, is the
exception to this rule. A creature that enters the Border Ethereal from Strahd’s domain is pulled back into Barovia upon leaving that plane.
For the purpose of spells whose effects change
across or are blocked by planar boundaries (such as
sending , Strahd’s domain is considered its own plane. Magic that summons creatures or objects from other
planes functions normally in Barovia, as does magic
that involves an extradimensional space. Any spells
cast within such an extra-dimensional space (such as
that created by Mordenkainen’s magnificent mansion)
are subject to the same restrictions as magic cast in
Barovia.
While in Barovia, characters who receive spells
from deities or otherworldly patrons continue to do
so. In addition, spells that allow contact with beings
from other planes function normally—with one
provision: Strahd can sense when someone in his
domain is casting such a spell and can choose to make himself the spell’s recipient, so that he becomes the one who is contacted.
Cosmetic Spell Modifications At your discretion, a spell can be modified
cosmetically to enhance the horrific atmosphere of
Ravenloft. A few examples are presented below:
Alarm. Instead of hearing a mental ping when the
alarm is triggered, the caster hears a scream.
Bigby’s Hand. The conjured hand is skeletal.
Find Familiar. The familiar is undead instead of
being a celestial, a fey, or a fiend, and is immune to
features that turn undead.
Find Steed. The summoned steed is undead instead
of being a celestial, a fey, or a fiend, and is immune to
features that turn undead.
Find the Path. A child’s spirit appears and guides the caster to the desired location. The spirit can’t be harmed and doesn’t communicate. Fog Cloud. Misty, harmless claws form in the fog.
Gust of Wind. A ghastly moan accompanies the
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summoned wind.
Mage Hand. The summoned hand is skeletal.
Maze. The surfaces of the demiplane’s maze are made of mortared skulls and bones.
Phantom Steed. The steed resembles a skeletal
horse.
Rary’s Telepathic Bond. Characters linked together by the spell can’t shake the feeling that something vile is telepathically eavesdropping on
them.
Revivify. A creature restored to life by a revivify
spell screams upon regaining consciousness, as
though waking from some horrible nightmare.
Spirit Guardians. The spirits appear as ghostly,
skeletal warriors.
Wall of Stone. A wall created by the spell has
ghastly faces sculpted into it, as though tortured
spirits were somehow trapped within the stone.
Count Strahd Von Zarovich
Lord Strahd is the Darklord of Barovia. He rules his domain
from Castle Ravenloft as Strahd IX; a descendent of Strahd I. In
actuality, Strahd I and Strahd IX are the one and the same--a
vampire. As a mortal, Strahd fell in love with Tatyana
Federovna; the bride of his younger brother Sergei. In his
jealousy, Strahd murdered his brother and became the
Darklord of Barovia; which was swept away into the
Demiplane along with its ruler. Since then, Strahd is cursed to
seek incarnations of Tatyana for eternity. NOTE: Strahd is not
present in this adventure.
Not Without Humor
The bleak and oppressive landscape must give way
now and then to some moments of respite, not only
does this break up the taxing mindset that Ravenloft
can evoke, but it also provides good chances for
horror to sneak back up on players just as they least
expect it.
Background The village of Orașnou is somewhat remote, perched
in the Barovian hills in the Svalich Woods. Situated at
the base of a cliff to protect it from the harsh
northeasterly winds, its picturesque location would
normally grant a scenic view, however no living
person can recall a day that would make such a sight
possible. Regardless, the ominous castle Ravenloft is
almost always visible. With only narrow roads that
climb into the hills, it's common for the small village
to become cut off from the rest of the valley during
the winter months.
While the majority of the residents are modest, the
village does claim one noble family—the Falinescu
family having made Orașnou their home many years
ago. Lucian Falinescu inherited his fortune, but his
family nevertheless prospered through his
mechanical inventions: devices, instruments, and toys
operated by springs and cogs. His wife, Glovia—gifted
with a talent for healing—helped the locals for many
years using her knowledge of healing ways and tools
crafted by her husband.
The Falinescus had a single daughter named
Isabella who unfortunately contracted a deadly disease and, despite Glovia’s best efforts, died just shy
of ten years ago at the age of nine. The couple did not
take Isabella's death well and both fell into a very
dark state of depression. Lucian has since made rare
appearances, but hasn't been seen since last winter.
Glovia disappeared for so long that it was rumored
she had killed herself. Recently, however, she has
emerged and has once again begun helping at the village’s small hospice. She sleeps there more often
than not, but occasionally returns to their home for
long periods.
Many rumors surround Falinescu manor, a very
sizable estate to the south of the village. Before
Isabella's death, it was an honor to be invited to one
of their many social events. Their servant staff once
provided much needed income for the village, but
now all of the servants have been relieved of their
positions or have simply not been heard from.
Within her home, Glovia blamed herself for
Isabella's death, and became obsessed with finding a
way to bringing her daughter back. Initially, she drew
upon on her knowledge of anatomy and healing, but
eventually resorted to arts of a darker nature—none
of which produced the results for which she was
hoping. Lucian vehemently objected to his wife’s activities and demanded that she stop. But Glovia’s heart had festered and her work had grown into a
dangerous obsession. )n the end, Lucian’s objections would be his undoing; Glovia murdered her husband
and from his body crafted a golem. Now Lucian will
serve his wife with neither question nor complaint.
As dark as her research became, Glovia still holds a
place in her heart for the villagers. Better yet,
working at the hospice has granted her access to the
occasional corpse that passes through—an added
bonus. Finally, during her time in the Hospice, Glovia
has begun formulating plans for a young girl from the
village.
Glovia's obsession has caught the attention of a
powerful Witch of Barovia. Sympathizing with
Glovia's plight, but more importantly seeing an
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opportunity to exploit her grief for her own purposes,
she offered to help Glovia resurrect her daughter's
soul into a new body. In exchange for this gift, the
witch has asked for only a single item in return;
Tatyana’s powderbox.
To help her find the powderbox, she has created
minions, notably and most recently the wight, Laszlo
(DDAL04-02 The Beast and DDAL04-03 The
Executioner). He has recently succeeded in obtaining
the powderbox, but suspects that Glovia will betray
him after she gets what she wants. Because of this, he
is hesitant to return it to his mistress.
Laszlo the Un-deaded Undead.
If the characters at your table managed to slay Laszlo in a
previous adventure (such as DDAL04-2 The Beast or DDAL04-
03 The Executioner), this is, indeed, the same creature. The
Dark Powers have saw fit to restore the slain wight for their
own, unfathomable reasons.
Overview This adventure consists of four parts.
Part 1. The adventurers are asked to find a wagon
from a supply run to a neighboring village. In so
doing, they are forced to fend off scavenging harpies.
They find evidence of something more than harpies
and hopefully bring a survivor to the hospice in an
effort to save him.
Part 2. The adventurers are summoned to the
Burgomaster’s home. (ere they take part in a Vistani ritual that seeks to understand why they have been personally named in the Burgomaster’s reading. Part 3. Anticipating her betrayal, Laszlo attacks the
village, knowing Glovia cares for them, as well as to
force her hand. The adventurers are compelled to
make tough decisions in the heat of the attack.
Part 4. After doing their best to help defend the
town, they learn that Glovia has absconded to
Falinescu Manor with Sorina, a village girl, and her
father has gone after her.
Adventure Hook If the characters begin this adventure from within the
Forgotten Realms or a setting other than Ravenloft,
have them be transported to the Demiplane of Dread just outside Orașnou via an unnaturally thick fog or mist while traveling overland, preferably at night. Proceed to Welcome to Barovia , below. Otherwise, the characters begin the adventure
having already made the transition to the Demiplane
of Dread, they begin the adventure in the Seven
Tables; taking respite from the biting cold winter
over a mug of ale, a glass of wine, or simply just a hot
meal.
Welcome to Barovia
Some characters may be arriving from Faerûn for the
first time. For those characters describe a heavy fog
bank rolling through their travel path while they are
in the Quivering Forest, and when it eventually clears,
they are on the outskirts of a small mountain village. )t’s heavy-handed, but such is the way of the
Demiplane.
Any character that participates in this adventure
earns The Demiplane of Dread story award if they do
not have it already. They should be made aware that
until this story award is removed, they may not
participate in any adventure that does not take place
in Barovia.
NOTE: This adventure may touch on some morally
dark moments. Please be careful to gauge your
player's comfort with such things, and remember that
the goal of a Dungeons & Dragons game is for
everyone to have fun!
Curse of Strahd Adventures
The adventures for the Curse of Strahd Season of Dungeons
and Dragons Adventurers League deliver the most impactful
experience when played in numeric order (i.e.: 04-01, then 04-
02, and so on) but this is not required. Please carefully read
the following pages and be prepared to adjust encounters,
especially where key NPCs are concerned! Although DM tips
may be found in the adventure, they are unlikely to cover
every table or situation.
For a Ravenloft game, the world itself should be treated
with great respect—it is a character unto itself, and the Dark
Powers rarely respond positively to hand-waving and outright
dis issal…
Any character afflicted with lycanthropy must receive the
benefits of a remove curse at the end of this adventure in
order to be rid of this horrible affliction. Characters that
choose to remain afflicted or cannot afford this spell, become
NPCs and are no longer playable in D&D Adventurers League
games.
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Part 1: Easy Money Expected Duration: 30 minutes
This adventure begins in the early afternoon at the
Seven Tables common house where the characters
have gathered to regroup after their battle with
Laszlo's undead minions. It is assumed they have had
a long rest. Take a moment to let the characters
introduce themselves. Take note of the characters’s
full names as they are needed in the Town Crier
section.
The Seven Tables
Proceed with the following text:
The storm outside has intensified and made it foolish to leave
An excuse for you to get some much-needed rest. Your hosts
Marku and Crina Grelon are quite the gossips and you have
picked up on a few bits of information as they make their
rounds.
The Grelon family owns this establishment and has
added a large common room that they let out to
passersby in order to pay off the hefty lien placed
upon the property by the Burgomaster. The food is
cheap and subpar (little more than a thin soup), and
the drinks watered down. Refer to the rumors sidebar
for conversations and rumors that the adventures
may hear. In addition, the information in the
background section, and the manor information from
Part 4 can be learned.
Rumors During their time in the Seven Tables, the following
rumors are passed their way—or simply overheard:
Shadows have been seen near the graveyard.
The Burgomaster has brought a curse on the village
by entertaining the Vistani woman.
The Falinescu girl haunts the Manor and kills
anyone who approaches.
Taxes are too high—the Burgomaster’s greed will
be felt as winter progresses.
The woodsman was killed by a werewolf, but how
did he rise from the dead?
Some of the servants from Falinescu manor have
not been seen in far too long.
When the interaction is winding down, proceed to the
following interjection by Marku.
As the howling of the wind outside appears to die down the
proprietor, Marku, approaches you. "Excuse me; I wonder if I
might have a moment? I told Crina we shouldn't bother you,
but she insisted I come over. My nephew, Vasile and his friend
have recently gone to Vallaki for supplies. They were due back
last e e i g, ut ha e ot retur ed. Nor ally, I ould ’t worry, but the storm and recent events give me pause.
We do ’t ha e u h, ut e ould s rape together a modest reward if you are able to find them."
Marku is the owner of the Seven Tables. He refuses to
say how much of a reward he will be able to provide;
partly out of fear that such a paltry amount might insult the adventurers, but largely because he’s worried that the other patrons might overhear.
If the characters agree, he suggests that Vallaki is to
the west along the main road. He is able to provide
the characters with a wagon and pair of broken-down
horses.
Roleplaying Marku Grelon
Marku is human, small in frame with a short graying beard and
a small hat he wears on the back of his head. He is pensive and
spends most of his time serving drinks and engaged in serious
conversations about the latest gossip with the patrons. His
wife, Crina, cooks and occasionally pops out of the kitchen to
yell at him to serve the food or drink and update her on any
new information. Marku knows the value of information and
has mastered the technique of asking the right questions to
get it. His primary motivation, aside from his family, is making
any profit at all after paying his taxes to the Burgomaster.
Quote: "H … I ight be able to fi d out fo you… but it won't be easy..."
In Search of Vasile
If the characters accept the job of looking for Vasile,
they are told to travel out of town and into the valley
on the north road. They do not have to travel far to
find him.
General Features The area has the following general features:
Light and Visibility. It is a typical gray and
overcast day, but well lit.
Weather. There is a break in the storm, but the
resulting snow is very deep, representing difficult
terrain.
Smells and Sounds. There is a strong smell of
evergreen trees. The heavy snow cover dampens and
kills any sound before it travels.
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DDAL04-04 The Marionette 10
Though the snowfall has stopped, the lingering drifts are deep.
Descending into a valley, you happen upon a junction in the
road. To one side of the crossing, you see a wagon—its cargo
spread out in the snow.
The corpse of a horse and what is likely its owner lay
partially covered in snow on the ground.
This unfortunate scene is the result of Laszlo’s undead minions roaming the area. The body in the
snow is that of Vasile’s friend and the horse is dead
and been partially eaten.
Development A search of the wagon reveals Vasile—still alive,
albeit in horrible condition. He has a number of
slashing wounds and is unconscious, suffering from
life drain, and once roused, madness as a result of the
wight's attack. Vasile is on the verge of death and is
unlikely to survive the trip back to town without
some attention—something that a character that
succeeds on a DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check
realizes.
Having been defeated by the wight’s life drain
ability, any attempts to restore hit points
automatically fail. However, a successful DC10
Wisdom (Medicine) check or one use of a Healer's Kit
stabilizes him long enough to get back to town. If no
attempts are made to stabilize him, Vasile perishes
along the way.
On returning to Orașnou, the Grelons are thankful,
but hysterical at the sight of Vasile. They beg the
characters to accompany them to the hospice where
they insist that Glovia can help him. Marku sends one
of the patrons to warn them of their pending arrival.
If Vasile does not survive, the characters are still
asked to take his body to the hospice; instead to ask
Glovia to arrange the burial.
Treasure The characters are able to find a jewelry box
containing gaudy jewelry worth a total of 75 gp. If the
characters return Vasile to the Grelons alive, Marku
gives the characters a tattered pouch containing 10
gp; the entirety of their wealth.
XP Award If the characters return Vasile to Orașnou alive, award
each player 50 XP.
The Hospice
The hospice is a squat brick building with a high-peaked roof.
As you approach, a woman and a young girl come out to meet
you.
I side, the o a says al ly, “ori a ill dire t you here to set hi .
Once inside, the woman examines the wounds and points
things out to the young girl, who nods understandingly after
each observation has been made. Sorina follows the woman as
she sets to work on the unconscious boy.
This is Glovia Falinescu and she attends the hospice
with the assistance of the young girl, Sorina. The
modest facility has four beds, a table for herbal
preparations, and the large table upon which Vasile is
currently laying. An adjoining room offers a small
living space.
A character succeeding at a DC 15 Intelligence
(Medicine) check realizes that Glovia has a deep
understanding of anatomy. Despite this, the gravity of Vasile’s wounds appear to shock Glovia. With a
puzzled look on her face, she asks the characters
about the attack and what they found. If, for some
reason, the adventurers did not go to the hospice,
Sorina arrives wherever they’re at to fetch them.
Read:
Panic washes over Glo ia’s fa e; she is o iously orried. "This as Laszlo's doi g. Did you destroy hi ? “he asked, the slightest hint of anticipation on her lips.
Glovia doesn’t elaborate as to what sort of creature Laszlo is; she describes him only as being some sort
of undead.
She is very interested in what the characters found
at the scene of the attack and asks the characters to
spare not the slightest detail. If asked for healing, she
is able to cast healing word, once. This healing is an
arcane ability; it is not a divine spell.
Roleplaying Glovia
Glovia is about 50 years of age. She speaks with the slow
cadence of experience. This can turn ominous when she is
issuing words of caution. She has a warm and then suddenly
cold personality when it comes to the villagers. While she truly
cares for them, when thoughts turn to Isabella, her obsession
takes over and any obstacles to her perceived goals lose a
swift and brutal decision.
While at the hospice, Glovia wears plain clothing and none
of the jewelry she owns.
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Quote: You etata sal is showi g. That ust be uite pai ful.
Glovia is willing to converse with the characters,
provided they don’t distract her too much from her work. She is meticulous and distractions easily annoy
her.
She provides the following information, but only if
the characters ask:
The Falinescu family has lived in the village for a
long, long time.
Her husband, Lucian, came from a wealthy family.
Lucian passed shortly after her daughter grew sick
and died.
Glovia largely credits )sabella’s death with her search to learn about the body and ways to heal its
woes.
She does not speak about Isabella or her death any
further. A character that succeeds on a DC 9
Wisdom (Insight) check clearly realizes that the
subject is enormously painful for Glovia to speak
about. Glovia doesn’t speak about much else, insisting that the characters go provide the Grelon family the news
that she is confident that she will be able to save
Vasile (or doing what the characters can to comfort the family if Vasile didn’t survive the trip .
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Part 2: The Reading Expected Duration: 45 minutes
The Town Crier
When business at the hospice is winding down, begin
this event by reading the following:
From outside you hear the loud clang of a hand-bell. You see a
stout, portly man with a blue coat and pale trousers flanked by
a lanky teenage boy staring into space. They both stand on a
small platform at the center of town. Townsfolk immediately
stop what they are doing and a surprisingly large crowd quickly
gathers.
The man begins:
"Oyez, Oyez, Oyez! The following is a decree from the most
distinguished and generous Burgomaster Randovich, to which
e are all i de ted…i o e for or a other. The Burgomaster makes it known that the following
persons are to report to his residence as soon as is possi le.
The man elbows the young boy standing next to him
who, in turn, recites the characters’s names aloud
from an unfurled scroll. Once done, read:
The crier continues, "These persons are suspected not of being
charlatans, burglars, vagabonds, or instigators. You are to
draw no conclusions." By now you are sure that the entire
town is staring at you.
"Let it also e k o that… Oleg, it is your tur to light the village lamps tonight." A single, disembodied groan rises from
the back of the crowd, oozing with disappointment. "That is
all!"
After the crier leaves, the crowd slowly disperses as,
naturally, speculations begin to spread like wild fire.
The characters have time to talk to some of the
villagers if they like. While some folks may be leery of
the characters, most have seen them return with
Vasile, garnering their trust. This is a good
opportunity for them to hear some rumors floating
around town—especially if this is the first adventure
of the series that the characters have participated in.
If the characters elect to spend some time speaking
to the residents of the village, be aware of the passage
of real-world time. Otherwise, allow the characters to
engage with the locals or maybe even a meal and a
chance to freshen up at the Seven Tables.
Eventually, however, the characters are directed to
the Burgomaster’s estate. Characters should get the
feeling that the villagers don't respect the
Burgomaster, but would never openly express their feelings because, hey; he’s the Burgomaster.
If characters refuse to go, the Burgomaster
attempts a more formal approach and personally
invites them to dinner.
The Burgomaster’s Estate The Burgomaster’s home is at the southern end of the
village on the road that leads further into Barovia.
When the characters approach the Burgomaster’s
home, read the following:
The night’s fog is beginning to sneak its way down the cliff and
into the town. The Burgo aster’s home is quite large
compared to the other homes within the village and leaves
little doubt of who controls the purse strings.
In front of the house on the road there is an elegant
vardo, (a round-topped wagon, commonly used by the
Vistani), adorned with bright colors and images of red
roses.
As the adventurers approach the door, they are
welcomed into the home by a stoic servant that leads
them into the abode. The servant does not engage in
conversation; chiming in with only, "I'm sure I
wouldn't know such things if asked a direct question about the goings-on in the village.
The furniture is adorned with many flourishes and rich with
deep, vibrant colors on the upholstery. The faint scent of
spices and well-oiled leather fills the air.
A large round table covered in a black velvet cloth
dominates the parlor. At the far end sits a comely middle-aged
woman dressed in bright colors. As you enter, she pulls a deck
of lacquered cards from her gown and, spreading them in a
graceful flourish, bids you to sit. Behind her, a rotund man in
fine clothing stares out the window impatiently chewing on his
thumbnail.
After a few, uncomfortable moments, the
Burgomaster takes a moment to introduce himself to
any new characters (unless everyone has met the
Burgomaster before). Once greetings have been
exchanged, he relates the following information:
He introduces the woman at the table as Sybil
Rasia. She claims to be Gur, but I am not aware with
any tribe among the Vistani.
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At my request, she performed a reading for me
earlier today, and foresaw something ominous and,
frankly, unusual.
Among other interesting portents, she also
mentioned the characters; individually and by
name.
Ivan recants the highlights of the Sybil’s reading in nervous tones:
An army of the dead
A delicate powderbox
A beautiful, yet powerful, woman
The adventurers' names
All the while, the Sybil shuffles the cards in a single
hand; stopping every once in a while to flip one face-
up onto the table.
Soon, the Burgomaster begins to grow angry and
curse. Only then does Sybil Rasia speak. She does not
remark upon what the Burgomaster said, but believes
that she can provide more accurate information by
performing a group reading. However, it requires the
participation of all of the adventurers to be
successful.
The Reading If the characters agree to participate, the Sybil
performs a ritual that creates a shared experience—a
ritual unique to the Sybil.
If the characters choose not to participate, the Sybil
Rasia—and more importantly—the Burgomaster are
greatly disappointed. The characters are asked once more and then dismissed from the Baron’s home. Proceed to Part 3, below.
Sybil Rasia deftly pockets her Tarokka deck and withdraws a
fist-sized sphere of crystal from what seems to be the same
pocket with a single, fluid motion. She sets the crystal orb on
the table before her atop a silver stand.
"There is no need for caution. Close your eyes and clear
your thoughts."
After a few moments, characters that close their eyes
and concentrate receive a vision.
Read:
As your eyes close, a feeling of restful warmth washes over
you.
From seemingly nowhere, you hear the delicate plucking of
a harpsichord and images of objects fade into view. Eventually,
you find yourselves in a lavish parlor in a large, thoughtfully
decorated manor. A roaring fire crackles in the enormous
hearth. Windows span one wall of the room—flooding light
out onto a dramatic terrace overlooking the night-shrouded
valley below.
A young girl in a white dress is facing the windows sitting
and playing a large, keyed instrument.
This ritual channels the spirit of a troubled deceased,
in this case, Isabella Falinescu. It is a shared event
that reveals metaphoric objects reflecting her past
experiences as well as current perceptions.
Focusing During the Vision
Certain activities while in a dream state require a great deal of
effort to focus enough to consciously realize what has been
seen. A successful Constitution check may be required to
perform activities such as reading, or focusing on minute
details while other stimuli within the vision might distract you.
During the vision granted by this ritual, the player may be
called upon to make a Constitution (Investigation) or
Constitution (Perception) check. This reflects their ability to
remain focused on the vision while taking their own individual
knack for noticing things that would otherwise go unnoticed.
Within the vision, the characters are free to explore
the room. Because of the dream-state, it requires
effort to maintain conscious awareness in the event.
Because of this, spells may not be cast. Additionally,
some activities may require a Constitution ability
check. The DC for the majority of these checks should
be 11 or 13.
General Features The room has the following general features:
Area. The room is very large, approximately 60 feet
long and 45 feet wide. Attempts to leave the room prove fruitless; the doors and windows can’t be opened.
Attire. The characters find themselves without
their weapons, armor, spellbooks, etc. They are
dressed in formal attire for a social event of some
status. Puffy sleeves are apparently in fashion for men
and ladies are in formal dresses.
Light. Bright light fills the room from a roaring fire
and the multitude of candles spread around the room.
Sounds. There is the delicate plucking of a
harpsichord playing a haunting child-like melody.
Occasionally, a man's cries of agony ring out from
behind one of the doors. If asked, Isabella downplays
the screams saying, "That's Daddy. He's being fixed."
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Smells. There is a very attractive aroma of
cinnamon-clove spiced cider. Beneath the pleasant
smells of the room, the lingering smell of rot.
Nightmare State. The dream-state of the ritual
may provoke a nightmare-like effect (as per the
dream spell) and heightens the experience. This may,
on occasion, invoke a Horror saving throw for
something that otherwise may not.
Specific Features The following items are in the room, describe their
details if the characters investigate them:
The Girl. The girl wears a lovely, white dress and is
playing a harpsichord with her back to the
adventurers. She is quite skilled, is performing a fast-
paced waltz. If approached, the girl turns suddenly
towards them revealing that her chest and arms are
riddled with open sores, and the left side of her face is
almost entirely rotted away. The sight is grotesque
and shocking. The first character to see the girl’s face must succeed on a DC 11 Horror saving throw.
Horror
Horror involves more than simple fright. It entails revulsion
and anguish. Often it arises when adventurers see something
completely contrary to the common understanding of what
can and should occur in the world, or upon the realization of a
dreadful truth. In such a situation, you can call on characters
to make a Charisma saving throw to resist the horror. Set the
DC based on the magnitude of the horrific circumstances. On a
failed save, a character either becomes frightened or gains a
short-term form of madness that you choose or determine
randomly. Use your discretion when determining the effect of
a failed horror check. Take your players into consideration and
the activity in which they are participating.
A character afflicted with short-term madness is subjected
to an effect from the Short-Term Madness table for 1d10
minutes.
Short-Term Madness
d100 Effect (lasts 1d10 minutes)
01-20 The character retreats into his or her mind and
becomes paralyzed. The effect ends if the character
takes any damage.
21-30 The character becomes incapacitated and spends
the duration screaming, laughing, or weeping.
31 – 40 The character becomes frightened and must use his
or her action and movement each round to flee from
the source of the fear.
41 - 50 The character begins babbling and is incapable of
normal speech or spellcasting.
51 - 60 The character must use his or her action each round
to attack the nearest creature.
61-70 The character experiences vivid hallucinations and
has disadvantage on ability checks.
71 - 75 The character does whatever anyone tells him or her
to do that isn't obviously self-destructive.
76- 80 The character experiences an overpowering urge to
eat something strange such as dirt, s lime, or offal.
81-90 The character is stunned.
91-100 The character falls unconscious. Despite the girl’s hideous disfigurement, she is quite
friendly; she greets the characters in an innocent
voice. Any attempts to touch or otherwise physically
interact with the girl are ineffective; physical objects
pass through her as if she were incorporeal. Resting
on top of the harpsicord is a tattered doll.
If the characters question the girl, she knows and
relates the following:
Her mother's name is Glovia and her father is
Lucian. She points to each in turn in the portrait.
She doesn't know about her affliction, but says "it
must be very bad because it makes Mommy very sad
and Daddy very angry."
Her father makes things like toys and tools that are
used to "fix people."
Her mother is very smart and can fix people, the
way her father fixes his toys.
Isabella can't leave the manor because her mother
has told her to remain here or she'll be scolded.
Her mother can't fix her without help from the
"pretty lady." She doesn't know it, but she is
referring to the witch that has tasked Glovia with
finding and retrieving the powderbox. She only
knows her as a pretty lady that wants something
from her mother.
If asked, she thinks the reason the adventurers
were named in the reading is because they are
supposed to protect the village. It's their purpose.
She doesn't know why she thinks this.
Large Family Portrait. The large portrait is of a
wealthy, attractive family. Centered in the picture is
Glovia Falinescu—resting her hand on the shoulder of
a young girl who looks identical to the young girl
playing the harpsicord, minus the disfiguring sores
and rot. Anyone looking at the portrait who succeeds
on a DC 13 Constitution (Perception) check notices a ring on Glovia’s finger depicting an empty heart.
Bust. A marble bust of a man sits on a thick
pedestal. A name is inscribed on its base. A character
succeeding on a successful DC 13 Constitution
(Investigation) check sees the name: "Lord Strahd
von Zarovich" etched on a brass placard on the bust’s base. If anyone investigates the bust while wearing
the spectacles (see below), they find the bust looking
back at them. The character viewing the bust must
succeed on a DC 11 Horror check.
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Spectacles. On the center table there is a delicate
pair of glasses. These glasses sport amber lenses with
slender slivers of green glass resembling the vertical pupils of a serpent’s eyes. Wearing them reveals
Isabella without her disease.
Doors. There are three doors that exit the room. No
amount of effort opens them. Isabella simply says
that, "Mommy keeps the doors locked." The walls,
doors, and windows are a boundary of the
experience.
Dolls. Dozens of different dolls, puppets, and toy
soldiers are placed about the room. Some of them are
clockwork toys, and walk around the room; others
are dolls with features that move like blinking eyes or
waving hands, and a few are marionette puppets.
These toys are Lucian's handiwork with beautiful,
intricate details. Isabella loves to talk about them and
praises her father's work.
A writing table with an open book. The book is
Glovia's journal. Deciphering the writing in the
journal requires a successful DC 11 Concentration
(Investigation) check. If successful, give Player
Handout 1 to the character reading the journal—and
only that player. These entries are the extent of what
they are able to learn from the journal.
Tray of Cider. On a tray there are crystal cups of
warm cider, one for each adventurer. The aroma fills
the room and is difficult to ignore. If asked, Isabella
tells the characters that her mother set out the cider
for her guests and invites everyone to partake. It’s good for you. she says. Anyone who drinks the cider
is overcome with warm feelings and thoughts of
comfort and home. It immediately removes the effects
of failed horror check.
Roleplaying Isabella in the Reading
As any child her age, Isabella has a short attention span. She is
aware of the cold truths of her and her family's situation and
addresses those things plainly as if it were anything else and
then change the subject. She is aware of her mother's plans
but doesn't speak about that either. She is more reserved and
sad in the reading than her more mischievous antics that take
place in the manor.
Quote: Do you like y d ess? Mothe had it ade fo just
for e.
Enter Laszlo
If Isabella is asked about the powderbox, or whenever
the characters are done exploring the room, you may
begin this section. If the adventurers have asked
Isabella about the powderbox, but you want to allow
them more time to explore the room, simply have her
say she doesn't know and then she can remember it
later.
Isabella skips to a table upon which is a silver box. As she
opens it, golden light spills out. She reaches in and pulls out a
simple, wooden box, the source of the light, and shows it to
you.
Just as you are able to focus on the object to discern what it
is, the serenity of the moment shatters as a figure comes
crashing through the window.
Thick strings of wispy ether are attached to his arms and
legs similar to those of a marionette. He snatches the wooden
box from Isabella and with a backhanded swing of a lumber
axe strikes the young girl’s head fro her shoulders without a
so much as a glance.
Any character witnessing Laszlo's entrance and the girl’s subsequent decapitation must succeed on a DC
11 Horror saving throw.
Additionally, the characters may attempt a DC 13
Constitution (Investigation) check. Those characters
that failed the Horror saving throw make this check
with disadvantage. Characters that succeed on this
check or anyone wearing the spectacles, notices that
the strings attached to Laszlo lead to the giant image
of Glovia who also has strings attached to her.
"Bring it to me Laszlo!", a voice booms from overhead.
Seeming to snarl at the voice, the creature gathers his strings
together and with a single sweep of his axe, severs them
cleanly. Looking at you, he issues a hissing growl and leaps out
through the window and into the cold night.
The adventurers are awakened from the ritual by the
sound of the Burgomaster yelling.
"Run, Oleg!" The loud yell of the Burgomaster slaps you
back to reality. Finally regaining control of your body you
return to see him yelling out the window. A dark figure is
chasing Oleg down the street; its head is cocked strangely to
one side. Screams are coming from all parts of the village. Ivan
turns to you and yells, "Snap out of it! We're under attack!"
Any creature who drank the cider in the vision gains
the benefit of a short rest.
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DDAL04-04 The Marionette 16
Part 3: Laszlo’s Attack Expected Duration: 30 minutes
Realizing that Glovia is using him and intends to
betray him at first opportunity in favor of the
villagers, Laszlo attempts to exact revenge on her and
the villagers who tried to kill him.
The sun is just beginning to set when Part 3 begins.
Coming outside, you hear a roaring voice echoing down into
the village from the cliffs above. Looking up you see Laszlo
holding a torch: "Glovia! What shall you do now? You can't
protect them all! I have what you seek and now you must
betray them as you were going to betray me!" He then hurls
his torch down into the village and it lands on the roof of one
of the buildings and immediately catches fire. This brings your
focus to the village and you realize the horror that is
happening all around you. The dead have risen and are
attacking the town. Looking back up, Laszlo has vanished from
sight, but it seems you have more immediate concerns.
The characters have several opportunities to help
defend the village from the undead attack. The
characters may split up to solve the first three, but the
fourth may be difficult without the entire party. Each
character can participate in one encounter (see A
through D, below). The characters fail any encounter
that they do not attempt.
Once done, proceed to I'm Afraid I Have More Bad
News, below.
Descriptions
These encounters are meant to be run quickly. Briefly
describe each of the following scenarios, and then
allow the players to decide the one in which they'd
like to participate. Remind players to consider not
just skills, but also alignments, personality, and
backgrounds when deciding.
Encounter 1. Oleg and some villagers have been
cornered by a group of zombies. )t’s possible the
characters can lure them away without fighting
them, reward clever roleplaying, here.
Encounter 2. A pack of skeletons goes from
building to building setting them on fire. They have
already set the jailhouse on fire and the prisoner
yells through the window at passersby; pleading for
them to release him. He assures the characters that
he will make it worth their while.
Encounter 3. The Burgomaster tells the characters
that the town hall contains the food stores precious
to the village's winter survival and is currently
being set ablaze. The provisions must be retrieved
or families won't make it through the winter.
Encounter 4. The characters notice a creature that
seems to be giving orders to all the other undead.
Defeating him may be instrumental in defending
the village.
Success and Failures The encounters have benefits or consequences based
on the outcome. Assume that encounters not
attempted are failures.
A. You're Pullin' my Oleg
Oleg and a few villagers have been chased down a side alley
and are cornered by a group of zombies that shamble toward
them. You may be able to distract and lure the monsters near
a stack of heavy timbers that can be released upon them,
pinning and restraining them, but you will have to offer a
convincing distraction.
Four zombies are closing on Oleg and two villagers.
Impress upon adventurers that wish to simply fight
the zombies that it likely requires all party members
which may likely prevent any other encounter
attempts.
If the characters wish to attempt to lure the
zombies away, they may do so. This provides Oleg
and the villagers plenty of time to get out of the alley
and get away. Adventurers are then able to release
the stack of timbers onto the slow moving zombies
and pin them in place.
Reward clever thinking and successful rolls here. If
you feel you must assign a mechanical measure of
success or failure here, do so. For example, you may
require that the characters succeed on a number of
Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) checks to lure
the zombies away and a Dexterity (Stealth) check to
hide from them as they shamble by whatever hiding
place the characters have chosen. Either way, if the
characters are successful, Oleg and the villagers are
able to take refuge inside a nearby building. Failure
means that half of the zombies pursue the characters
while the rest continue to attack the villagers.
Success One of the villagers was once a servant at Falinescu
manor and has recently made a delivery of supplies.
She knows the condition of the entrance floor (Area
A1), and describes it to the characters.
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DDAL04-04 The Marionette 17
Treasure. At the conclusion of Part 2, the rescued
villagers gather 25 gp worth of assorted coins and a
potion of healing to show their gratitude.
Failure If one or more of the villagers are killed by the
zombies, the characters receive no warning of the
entrance floor at the manor.
XP Award If the characters succeed, award each player 100 XP.
Adjusting the Encounter
Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat
encounter. These are not cumulative.
Very Weak or Weak party: Remove two zombies
Strong or Very Strong party: Add two zombies
B. As the Crow Fries
Help, help! shouts a disembodied voice from a nearby
building. As you draw closer, a head appears in a barred
window.
The building appears to be a jailhouse of sorts and it is
empty; the constable likely out defending the town. The
stru ture’s roof is well ablaze as you arrive.
There are two obstacles to this challenge, the building
door and the jail cell lock. To contemplate things, the
roof over the area of the jailhouse containing the cell
collapses two rounds after the characters arrive.
However, characters may, as an action, delay the
collapse by one round by shoveling snow onto the
roof of the jailhouse. This may be done only once.
The Cell. The jail cell is more challenging; it
requires a set of thieves’ tools and a successful DC 15 Dexterity check. Forcing open the door requires a
successful DC 17 Strength (Athletics) check.
No help may be given in these checks, but if more
than one character is present, an action may be spent
to throw snow on the fire to delay it enough to gain
an additional attempt. This may be done once.
Success The prisoner grabs a bag concealed in a pile of straw
he was given as a bed and with a wink, he thanks the
characters for their bravery—handing them the
satchel before turning into a raven and flying away.
Some characters might realize he could have escaped
at any time. If asked later, the jailors claim to be
unaware of any prisoners in their custody.
Adventurers succeeding earned the "Eye of the
Raven" story reward.
Treasure. In exchange for rescuing him, the man gives the characters a satchel containing a potion of
healing, 25 gp, and a brass key set with a purple
stone. The jailors do not recognize the key as
belonging to any door in the jailhouse. This key
unlocks the controller found in Area C1, Lucian’s Workshop.
Failure If the prisoner is not freed within two rounds (three if
the fire is delayed), the roof collapses—destroying
the treasure the prisoner would have otherwise given
the characters. As the building collapses, the
characters see a raven flying out of the wreckage and
into the night.
XP Award If the characters succeed, award each player 100 XP.
C. The Heat of the Moment
The roof of the town hall building is particularly susceptible to
the fire—which is rapidly getting out of control. A quick look
inside the building reveals five large crates. The roof is beyond
hope of extinguishing, but with quick decisive action you may
be able to save the supplies within before the roof comes
down.
To successfully remove a crate from the building, a
character must succeed on a DC 13 Strength
(Athletics) check. Each time a character makes and
attempt, they must succeed on a DC 11 Dexterity
saving throw or take 7 (1d10) fire damage from
falling debris and smoke inhalation. Two characters
may work together to remove a crate and gain
advantage on the check, the saving throw is made
with disadvantage.
On the ninth attempt, the roof collapses and anyone
who fails that attempt is caught inside, taking 11
(2d10) fire damage and 11 (2d10) bludgeoning
damage. Additionally, they must succeed on a DC 11
Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone and
restrained by the debris. In order to free themselves,
a restrained character must succeed on a DC 11
Strength saving throw. If someone uses an action to
help them, the saving throw is made with advantage.
Once the roof collapses, any remaining crates are
destroyed. All five crates are required for success.
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DDAL04-04 The Marionette 18
Success The adventurers earn the Trust of the Burgomaster
story award.
Treasure. The Burgomaster gifts the characters
with a pouch containing 25 gp and a potion of healing.
Failure No penalty other than not receiving the treasure
reward. If the event was not attempted, the
characters earn the Ire of the Burgomaster story
award.
XP Award If the characters succeed, award each player 100 XP.
D. An Uninvited Ghast
Looking around at the chaos, one figure stands out from the
others. A particularly ghastly looking creature seems to be
issuing orders to the others. You think that if you could take
him out, it would be a simple matter to confuse and lead the
others away from town.
Leading the attack is a ghast. The objective is simple;
eliminate the commander. At the end of each round
that the ghast is still alive; two skeletons come to his
defense.
Adjusting the Encounter
Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat
encounter. These are not cumulative.
Very Weak party: Replace the ghast with a ghoul, remove a
skeleton
Weak party: Remove a skeleton
Strong party: Replace skeleton with a ghoul
Strong or Very Strong party: Replace skeletons with ghouls
Success The ghast was once Jakob, butler of Falinescu Manor.
The characters find a jeweled ring worth 50 gp on his
corpse. This ring acts as a key to certain doors inside
the manor.
Failure Without the key, it may be more difficult to access
some areas in the manor.
Adjusting the Encounter
Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat
encounter. These are not cumulative.
Very Weak party: Replace the ghast with a ghoul, remove a
skeleton
Weak party: Remove a skeleton
Strong party: Replace skeleton with a ghoul
Strong or Very Strong party: Replace skeletons with ghouls
Treasure The ghast wears the butler's ring, a jeweled ring
worth 50gp.
I'm Afraid I Have More Bad News
When each character has completed an encounter
(failing or succeeding), the outcome of events not
attempted have played out and failed. If the ghast was
not killed by the adventurers, he is eventually
overcome by a mob of villagers. The remaining
undead are confused without direction and are easily
lead away or dispatched by the torch and pitchfork
bearing village mob.
The adventurers are now able to take a short rest
while the villagers extinguish the fires that remain
and gather the dead and wounded.
After the cleaning efforts begins to wind down for the evening,
a woman arrives; pleading hysterically for help. "You must
help me. She has taken my girl! My Sorina is gone and my
husband, Boris, has gone after them. I could not stop him!"
The woman is the mother of Sorina, the young girl
who works at the hospice. She explains that Glovia
cast a spell on them and took the girl. She was told by
others that Sorina was seen leaving the town with
Glovia heading towards the Manor. When the
adventurers decide to go to the manor, be sure to
issue the warning by the village woman if she was
saved in Encounter 1.
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DDAL04-04 The Marionette 19
Part 4: The Manor Expected Duration: 2 hours
Falinescu Manor was built by the Falinescu family for
their only son, Lucian and his young bride Glovia, who
wanted to live in a picturesque mountain home. This
was far from a simple home however, requiring a full
staff of servants to manage. While it is not part of Orașnou proper, it was very much welcomed as its
existence supported many families. Being a young
couple with a child, the family was thought of as local
royalty and beloved by everyone in the village.
When their daughter Isabella died, the town
mourned with them. But when their grief went on for
years, attitudes changed from compassion to
suspicion and eventually to rumor and fear.
The manor itself is indeed haunted by Isabella who
acts as an unwanted tour guide as the adventurers
move through.
It is late in the evening when Part 4 begins.
Roleplaying Isabella in the Manor
Existing as a ghost, Isabella is bound to the house by her
mother's grief. She remains quite innocent, acting as any girl
of nine, coming and going with impeccable timing to disrupt
any plan or strategy, yet never around when you need her.
She is a great tool for the DM to use when the players are
stuck or to lead them to areas to help or trick them. She is
mischievous and as adventurers explore the manor, she will
attempt to scare them as a child's game. Her scares tend to be
much more effective however, as she uses her appearance
and incorporeal state to great effect. If attacked, she runs
away and returns when they have calmed down. Each time
one of these scares occurs; have the affected characters
attempt a Horror check. If the character fails, in addition to the
madness effects, they will suffer disadvantage on their next
Horror check. The location and details of these scares are
entirely up to the DM.
If asked about Sorina or her father, she admits to seeing
them but never reveals where, walking off through walls as
she is talking. She does say she feels sorry for Sorina because
she thinks she may end up like Gordon. Gordon was a goose
she was fond of that ended up as dinner one night.
Occasionally Gordon will also participate in her scare scenes,
particularly in the dining room. DMs are encouraged to be
creative in planning scares. Very few things will actually make
Isabella angry; repeatedly attacking her, or shortening her
name to "Bella." If she gets angry, she will use Horrifying
Visage and then runs away or goes Ethereal, only to return
later.
Quote: "What are you doing? You're silly. Hey, where are
you going?"
Approaching the Manor
There is a road from the village, although it has not seen
wagon or carriage traffic in years and is now nothing more
than a foot path.
The enormity of the home is in sharp contrast to the
buildings you have seen so far in the area. Once a lavish estate
that surely hosted many grand affairs, Falinescu Manor has
fallen into dilapidation from neglect. An imposing granite
structure perched on a bluff, the home boasts an impressive
view over the Svalich Woods to an ominous castle in the
distance.
A. The First Floor
A1. Entrance
In front of the estate there is a circular path for carriages.
Multiple gargoyles stare down from their parapets in
disapproval. Huge black, wooden doors with rusted iron
bindings offer a cold reception.
The doors are not locked and open easily. A DC 10
Wisdom (Perception) check reveals that no one
appears to have used the doors in a very long time. A
DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) also reveals that there is
a path that leads to a side entrance on both sides of
the manor.
A2. Foyer
This grand foyer is obviously made to impress. The ceiling is
open to the second story and ultimately to a glass paned roof
which is currently leaking very badly. Pillars line the sides of
the room supporting an overlooking rail on the second story.
An impressive staircase is opposite the door.
If 200 pounds or more is placed on the foyer floor
(anywhere within the railed section), the sub-
flooring collapses in key structural areas, causing
the entire foyer floor and the stairs up to the first
landing to crumble into the basement.
Look Out Below!
Any creatures on the floor or beneath it when it collapses,
must succeed on a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw or fall, taking
3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage, and 5 (1d10) piercing damage as
they (and jagged pieces of timber) fall to the basement below.
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Climbing out of the basement is possible, but difficult due to
the rotted wood—it requires a successful DC 13 Dexterity
(Acrobatics) or Strength (Athletics) check. Failure results in the
staircase crumbling and collapsing as well, in which case the
characters take the same damage as the initial fall—though
this time without a saving throw to avoid it.
Isabella is aware of the state of the floor here, and often
leads adventurers over it. After the floor fails, she giggles a bit
and tells them about the Library stairway that is safe.
If the foyer collapses, the ghouls from the Ghoul's
Den section of the Basement emerge and attack
anyone that has fallen down to the lower level,
attempting to paralyze them and drag them back into
their den.
A3. Servant Stairs There are two sets of stairs. The west stairs access the
basement (Area B), while the east stairs access the
second floor (Area C).
A4. Dining Room
This once elegant room has not been used for its purpose in
many years. A large table bearing a cobwebbed draped
candelabrum is surrounded by chairs that have been covered
with linens to shield them from dust. The wall at the southern
end is adorned with the Falinescu family crest.
There is nothing of value in this room, but it can serve
as a defensible position or refuge if needed. It's also a
good scare location.
A5. Smoking Room
Once a place where men would adjourn after meals, the room
has not been used in quite some time. On the walls, various
weapons are displayed.
There are four longswords, two shields, two daggers,
and a great sword. Closer inspection reveals that the
daggers are pure silver, while the other weapons and
the shields are purely decorative. Isabella does not enter this room, as it's for Daddy.
Treasure. The two daggers are ornate matching
silvered daggers worth 150 gp as a set.
A6. Water Closet This room has a latrine and small table with a wash
basin. Scenes of cavalry battle adorn the walls.
A7. Closet This room contains heavy cloaks and coats on pegs,
but is otherwise empty. If the characters sift through
them, a character may find Isabella hanging from a
noose behind one of the coats—another of her
macabre pranks.
A8. Retiring Room
A plush sofa and chairs as well as a broken mirror and wash
basin are in the outer section of the room. A latrine shielded
by a curtain lines the north wall.
Isabella likes to frighten any male characters
investigating this room; informing them that "only for Mommy is allowed in here.
A9. Ballroom
Intricate crystal chandeliers dominate this lightly furnished
room clearly meant for entertaining. Ornately carved details
and an angelic painting on the ceiling hint at a once beautiful
ballroom. That image falls away however as a number of
waxen-skinned children turn to you, most of them partially
decomposed. All of them have had their chests cut open
revealing an empty cavity. When they see you they begin
snapping their teeth together in a disturbing rhythmic
anticipation of food. Almost in unison, they turn their heads
towards you and begin to shuffle in your
direction...clack...clack...clack.
The children are four ghouls that attack anyone other
than Glovia that opens the doors. The doors are
locked, but may be opened with the butler's ring or a
successful DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check. If actively
listening to the door, a successful DC 10 Wisdom
(Perception) check reveals several footsteps from
within and a little girl's voice. This is Isabella's voice.
She knows some of the children and considers all of
them her friends. She introduces the adventurers to
her friends by opening the doors for them when they
are not expecting it, such as during an attempt to
break the door down, possibly causing that person to
fall prone.
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DDAL04-04 The Marionette 21
Emphasize the creepiness of this encounter. The
rotting, little girls move with unnatural grace; giggling
and laughing all the while.
Adjusting the Encounter
Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat
encounter. These are not cumulative.
Very Weak party: Replace ghouls with zombies
Weak party: Remove two ghouls; add a zombie
Strong party: Add a ghoul
Very Strong party: Replace ghouls with ghasts
A10. Library
This library is in better shape than the rest of the manor. The
walls are lined with books and the furniture is comfortable and
plush. In the northeast wall, a rich wooden staircase leads to
the next floor. At the center of the room is a table and serving
set surrounded by several reading chairs.
If investigated, the books focus heavily on the
subjects of anatomy and physiology as well as many
books on mechanics, physics, and engineering.
The characters also recognize the serving set from
the Vistani ritual. If investigated at all, the smell of
cinnamon-clove spiced cider is familiar. Searching the
area, the characters are able to find enough materials
to brew enough cider to serve seven people. It takes
ten minutes to prepare and serves up to seven.
Anyone partaking gains the benefit of a short rest.
The cider retains its potency for only 10 minutes, and
a character can only benefit from drinking once.
A11. Parlor
You recognize this room instantly from your experience in
“y il’s ritual, although the o ditio of the roo is ery different. Someone has taken an axe to the harpsichord and
most of the furnishings. You see evidence of the remains from
the frame that held the family portrait in the fireplace.
Isabella always reveals herself in this room, as it was
the room she spent the most time with her parents.
She is excited to see the adventurers and boasts that
she remembers them. If the adventurers have not
opened the ballroom doors, Isabella tells them that
she wants them to meet her friends and leaves almost
instantly, moving through the east wall and into the
ballroom.
When the adventurers go into the hallway to look
for her, she opens the ballroom doors. The doors lead
to Area A9. If the characters have already been here,
Isabelle tries to scare them instead, possibly an
illusion involving the axed harpsichord.
A12. The Winter Garden The stench from this room hits anyone who gets
within ten feet. The door is locked, but is rotting with
moisture and easily broken down.
Once some sort of garden, the large plants have overgrown
wildly, the roots bursting the pots and spilling dirt around the
floor. Leaves flood the windows and trees and plants reach the
ceiling 20 feet overhead. Near the far wall, there is a pool of
putrid water and blood. Rising out of its center is a significant
pile of appendages and various body parts. The room is humid
and thick with moisture, coating the walls with a slippery
growth.
A pile of rotten wood lies in the north end of the room, the
remains of what used to be a staircase.
Created by Glovia's necromantic energy and failed
attempts at golems, a gibbering mouther has
emerged and lives in this room, eating various parts
that are dropped as waste from Glovia's "laboratory"
above.
Anyone entering the room must succeed on a DC 9
Constitution saving throw or become poisoned;
retching violently for 1 minute. At the end of each of
its turns, a poisoned creature may repeat the saving
throw, ending it early on a success. The pool is 10 feet
across but only six inches deep.
Tactics. The mouther attacks any creature that gets
within ten feet of the pool entering the mouther's
aberrant ground—with surprise if the characters didn’t notice it. There is nothing of value in the room
and the mouther does not chase anyone out of the
room, instead retreating back into its pool. A DC 10
Horror saving throw is required after combat with
the mouther.
Adjusting the Encounter
Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat
encounter. These are not cumulative.
Very Weak and Weak party: Reduce the mouther's hit
points to 37 and Bite damage to 8
Strong and Very Strong party: Increase the mouther's hit
points to 83.
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A13. Balcony
The ground level in the back of the estate is much lower than
the front, setting the balcony some fifteen feet off the ground.
A beautiful vista over the top of the Svalich Woods may be
enjoyed from this vantage. The moldering remains of furniture
lay in splinters on the bluffs below.
B. The Basement
B1. Kitchen
The side door that leads to the kitchen appears recently used.
The door is ot lo ked. There is o food i sight a d it’s apparent none has been prepared here in quite a while. A slow
steady dripping sound echoes through the room. A puddle
collects inside the hearth.
B2. Food Storage and Meat Locker
The smell from this room is nauseating. A combination of
spoiled food and rat droppings, this one-time pantry and
adjoining meat locker is now a nest for rats.
The stench of spoiled food flows heavy from under
the door. A successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception)
check is able to hear movement. If this door is
opened, rats flood out. Six swarms of rats attack.
Adjusting the Encounter
Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat
encounter. These are not cumulative.
Very Weak party: Remove four swarms of rats
Weak party: Remove two swarms of rats
Strong and Very Strong party: Increase the swarms of rats
hit points to 32.
B3. Scullery This room is a typical scullery, containing not just
dishes but all manner of kitchen and dining needs for
entertaining.
B4. Wine Cellar
Rows and rows of wine bottles, most of which are now empty,
are stored in this room. Some of the shelves have been moved
to one side to make room for a leather chair and table where
it looks like someone spent a great deal of time and emptied
many bottles.
This door is locked, but the lock mechanism looks
familiar to any character that has seen the butler's
ring, which acts as a key. Otherwise, the door requires
a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check to break open or the use of thieves’ tools and a successful DC 13 Dexterity check to unlock.
B5. Servant’s Common Room
The Ghoul’s Den
Areas B5 through B9 serve as a ghoul's den. Once the servant
staff of the manor, the ghouls remain in this area without the
guidance of Jakob the butler, their leader. (see Part 3D. An
Uninvited Ghast, above).
There is a putrid smell in this area. A large dining table and
several chairs and cabinets are in here, all of them moved to
the edges of the room. A pile of bones lies in one corner.
The one time gathering place of the servants, it
continued to serve that purpose until recently. Having
been turned to ghouls, they use these rooms as their
den. A total of four ghouls reside in this area.
Tactics. If the adventurers enter or are dragged
into the den area, the ghouls attempt to trap and flank
them using a trick taught to them by Jakob. One of the
ghouls stays as bait at the southern-most area of Area B5, while the others hide nearby in the servant’s room that shares a wall with Area B9. )f the bait ghoul is attacked, the other ghouls move into Area B9
through a hole in the wall and ambush the attackers
from the rear. The hole is located beneath a bed; only characters that specify that they’re looking under the
beds locate it.
Adjusting the Encounter
Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat
encounter. These are not cumulative.
Very Weak party: Replace ghouls with zombies
Weak party: Remove two ghouls; add a zombie
Strong party: Add a ghoul
Very Strong party: Replace ghouls with ghasts
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DDAL04-04 The Marionette 23
B6. Servant’s Quarters All of these rooms are identical. They contain two
beds, tables, chairs, and lockers.
Treasure. Searching all of the rooms yields a total
of 10 gp and a healer's kit.
B7. Butler’s Pantry Jakob's room is much like the other servant's room
with a few more amenities.
Treasure. Within Jakob's desk are 50 gp and a
potion of healing.
B8. Water Closet This room has a latrine in one corner and small table
and basin.
B9. Storage This area comprises the entirety of the eastern side of
the basement. The floor in this section of the house
has settled significantly, causing water to collect. A
stagnant pool of water gradually deepens to a depth
of two feet in the southeast corner of the manor.
Water. The area of this room submerged by water
is treated as difficult terrain. In some spots,
submerged objects might trip creatures moving
quickly through the area, who must succeed on a DC
11 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone.
The double doors to this room are open and sway with the
ripples in the water. The room is obviously meant as storage,
housing many pieces of furniture. Chairs, sofas, and trunks are
bobbing around in the water. Several more coffins, child and
adult sized are stacked up high.
Anyone taking a closer look in this room catches a
glint of light coming from one of the larger coffins.
Upon closed inspection, it looks like a piece of jewelry inlaid in the coffin’s lid. The coffin is a mimic and it
attacks anyone that gets within 5 feet. Treat
movement in this room is as difficult terrain.
Adjusting the Encounter
Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat
encounter. These are not cumulative.
Very Weak party: Reduce the mimic's hit points to 39
Average party: Increase the mimic's hit points to 77
Strong party: Increase the mimic's hit points to 96
Very Strong party: increase the mimic's hit points to 115
C. Second Floor
General Features Light and visibility. In most rooms, there is no
light to be had. In the more important rooms,
however, there are at least a handful of candles
flickering. Rooms with candles as the only source of
light are dimly lit. Dust hangs heavy in the air.
Otherwise, the room is completely dark.
Doors. There are several doors on the second floor
that have had arcane lock cast on them. These doors
require a DC 25 Strength (Athletics) check to break
open. They are indicated on the map with a half door.
Dust. Nearly every surface within the home is
dusty.
C1. Lucian’s Workshop
This room is clearly an inventor and craftsman's workshop. All
types of contraptions lie about the floor and workbenches.
Cog wheels, springs and other mechanical objects you have
never seen before are scattered everywhere. Many toy
soldiers and mechanical men lie about; some of them hang
from the rafters, swinging slowly as their eyes appear to follow
your movement. There are also a few human and larger sized
mechanical arms, some with weapon modifications.
Any character inspecting the workbenches finds a
wood box inlaid with brass, glass, and colored
crystals. This is a device that controls some of Lucian’s creations. Characters using detect magic
reveals that the controller radiates an aura of strong
transmutation magic. It is useless without the key or
the code (see sidebar, below).
The Controller
The controller is a peculiar object on one of the workbenches
and does not stand out from any of the other odd items in the
room. It is a small, keenly-polished wooden box with a central,
fist-sized brass handle. It has one button on each side, a single
keyhole in the front; below the handle. It is accented in brass,
with unusual additions of glass and colored crystals.
A character succeeding at a DC 11 Intelligence
(Investigation) finds notes on the workbench, detailing the
controller and its function.
If the result of the check is 15 or higher, the character finds
an entry detailing a series of control inputs that activate the
toy soldiers. After entering the series of commands, any
active soldier within range (20 feet) snaps to attention,
turns to face the character using the controller, and renders
a sharp salute.
If the characters do not enter the series of commands, they
may also use the controller if they possess the key obtained
by freeing the wereraven (see As the Crow Fries; Part 3b,
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above). They keyhole on the controller is fitted with a
purple stone identical to that set into the key. If the key is
inserted into the controller, and turned, toy soldiers within
range of the controller, rouses to life, jumps down from a
table, and stands facing the person with the controller—rendering a sharp salute.
A character can spend 10 minutes to become acquainted
with the controller. Alternatively, a character may forego
this, but any attacks, checks, or saving throws made by toy
soldier’s u der the hara ter’s o trol are ade ith disadvantage.
As an action on their turn, a character may control the toy
soldiers using the controllers, though all of the soldiers must
perform the same action.
The controller (and any soldier it controls) falls inert if
removed from Falinescu Manor.
If the soldier in this room is activated, it can be
controlled as normal.
C2. Isabella’s Bedroom )f the adventurers exit Lucian’s workshop, Isabella
greets them in the hallway and pleads with them to
come see her room.
Opening the door, you are struck by how clean and well-kept
this room is. No dust can be found. White furniture, pink frills,
and dolls of all kinds are throughout the room. Shelves line the
south wall and are stuffed full of books, toys, and dolls that
have been carefully arranged. You hear the sound of a music
box begin to play. "Do you like my room? Isn't it wonderful?"
You turn to see Isabella suddenly standing where a moment
ago there was nothing.
Isabella runs around the room excitedly, showing the
adventurers her various toys and treasures. There are
no toy soldiers or anything of value in the room. If she
notices them losing interest or if they make a motion
to leave, she tells them, "I think you'll want to see my
new favorite toy." She then vanishes through the
south wall into the theatre.
C3. Theatre This room is a small theatre built by Lucian, once
used to entertain his daughter.
Deep red cloth lines the walls. Several rows of chairs line the
length of the room, each one containing a marionette puppet
or doll. A small stage has been erected in the southeast corner
of the room. Isabella sits at the front row and claps her hands
and the curtains are pulled back. A man, unconscious or dead,
you’re ot sure hi h ha gs li p fro a y stri gs ith hooks into his skin in several places—mimic a macabre
marionette.
He has many small, bleeding wounds all over his body, the
blood pooling on the stage under him. The strings are being
manipulated by four toy soldiers at the back of the stage who
are tugging on the strands to make the man do an eerie dance.
Isabella and all of the dolls are laughing and enjoying the grisly
program.
The man is Boris; Sorina’s father who came looking
for his daughter. He is unconscious and exhausted,
but is alive. If any attempt is made to free Boris, the
puppets slowly and eerily turn their smiling heads to
gaze at anyone moving towards him, as if in warning.
If the adventurers continue to move towards Boris,
two swarms of dolls and six toy soldiers attack.
Isabella begins crying and flees the room through the
walls, complaining that her shows always get spoiled.
The toy soldiers in this room can be controlled by
the controller found in Lucian’s workshop see Area
C1, above).
Tactics. One swarm comes from the theatre, and
the other from the bedroom. If a character has the toy
soldier controller, one of the swarms attempts to
restrain them first. Toy soldiers always prioritize
targets that are being strangled.
Adjusting the Encounter
Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat
encounter. These are not cumulative.
Very Weak party: Remove a swarm of dolls and four
soldiers
Weak party: Remove two soldiers
Strong party: Add a swarm of dolls
Very Strong party: Add a swarm of dolls and two soldiers
C4. Lucian’s Changing Room
The dressing chambers for the lord of the home, clothes are
scattered all around the floor and all of the furniture is
smashed to bits.
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C5. Master Bedchambers
Once the master bedchambers, this room has been cleared of
any bedroom furniture. Five large tables have bodies in
various states of autopsy, or assembly; it's difficult to tell
which. Body parts have been combined and stitched together
creating massive hulking cadavers, some with mechanical
parts attached using horrific procedures. Other tables hold all
manner of various body parts, vile reagents and surgical
instruments. Many scientific anatomy books, diagrams, and
notes lie scattered about. An alchemy station is next to a door
on the west side.
Glovia has turned this room into her research room. She has experimented with many ways to animate or
reincarnate the dead—ranging from studies in
anatomy and the science of golems to necromancy. All
of the cadavers on the tables are simply dead bodies
except one, which is Lucian, a flesh golem.
In a rage, Lucian demanded that Glovia stop her
research. As an insult for his lack of love for their
daughter, his wife created a flesh golem from his
remains. As a result of Glovia’s incomplete skills in golem creation, Lucian does not have all of the
attributes of a normal flesh golem. To compensate,
Glovia has gifted her creation with one of Lucian’s own inventions—a huge, mechanical arm.
Tactics. Lucian lies on the westernmost table;
indistinguishable from a lifeless cadaver. If the
adventurers approach within 5 feet of the golem or if
they look like they are going to approach the doors to
the laboratory, the golem awakens and attacks.
In addition to the potions (see Treasure, below),
the alchemy station holds many unstable liquids.
Lucien understands what the station’s contents are
capable of and attempts to shove attackers into it
while keeping himself well clear. If struck or knocked
over, the alchemy station explodes. Any creature
within 5 feet of the table when it explodes must
succeed on a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw or take 5
(1d10) acid damage and 5 (1d10) fire damage, or half
of that on a success.
Treasure. If the characters inspect the alchemy
station, they find many vials of various liquids. Of the
various contents, the characters are able to find a
potion of healing, a potion of climbing, in addition to
two flasks of alchemist fire and a vial of acid.
Adjusting the Encounter
Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat
encounter. These are not cumulative.
Very Weak party: Reduce the golem's hit points to 45
Weak party: Reduce the golem's hit points to 52
Strong party: Increase the golem's hit points to 82
Very Strong party: Increase the golem's hit points to 105
C6. Upstairs Balcony
The view from this balcony, while only one level above, offers
a much better view over the trees. The soft snow covered
valley below is a stark contrast to the horror that lies within.
C7. Guest Chambers Glovia has been using the northern guest room as her
living quarters since the Master Chambers has been
turned into an operating room. The southern room
has not been used. Both rooms are locked. The
butler's ring opens them. Otherwise, the characters
may unlock the door with a set of thieves’ tools and a successful DC 13 Dexterity check or break it open
with a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check.
Treasure. There is 350 gp and a spell scroll of
animate dead in a chest under the bed in the northern
guest room.
C8. Glovia’s Laboratory
The room is lit by many candles. The air is thick and warm and
carries the stench of mildew and rotting flesh. On opposing
sides of the room you see two tables: One holds the heavily-
decomposed body of a young girl in a new dress, her chest
cavity open and empty; while the other holds the unconscious
body of Sorina, her skin covered in tiny, arcane markings. Next
to Sorina's table is a hole in the floor where a staircase once
was.
Between the tables stands Glovia; flanked by desiccated
humanoids wearing suits of armor over fine clothes. She wears
strange spectacles and a look of calm resolve; addressing you
with a slow cadence. "You've yet to kill the monster. I warned
you he ould e trou le. I a see that you’re distra ted."
The ghostly image of a young girl floats in the air beside the
woman, silvery tears streaming from her eyes
No, other! the girl says i a fai t, e hoi g oi e, It hurts!
Glovia has prepared this room for a ritual that the
witch has promised will channel Isabella's soul into
Sorina's body. She calmly explains this to the
adventurers, but knows that they are certain to try
and stop her, anyway.
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DDAL04-04 The Marionette 26
Glovia is accompanied by a ghoul holding a wooden
tray holding an open book. It is crudely stitched
together and wears breastplate armor. The armor
increases its AC to 16.
Additionally, a guardian portrait depicting a
young girl (Isabella) sitting in a chair hangs on the
wall. If Glovia attacks, the girl in the painting grows
angry and defends her.
Adjusting the Encounter
Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat
encounter. These are not cumulative.
Very Weak party: Remove the ghoul; the guardian portrait
is a normal painting.
Weak party: Remove the ghoul
Strong party: Add a ghoul
Very Strong party: Replace the ghoul with a ghast
Glovia’s Tactics. Glovia is ready for combat and
begins combat already having cast mage armor. She is
confident in her ability to survive the adventurers,
and talks with them for a bit if they wish. She has also
consumed a potion of false life and has 6 temporary
hit points.
If there is any exchange at all, she seizes the
opportunity to use her first charge of her eyes of
charming—targeting the character that seems the
most susceptible. Because Glovia is evil, the saving
throw is made as disadvantage.
Glovia has learned her abilities through rigorous
study and scientific experimentation; her spells
should reflect that. Consider the use of science-based
thematic affects when she casts a spell. An inflict
wounds spell may entail her hurling a vial of a thick,
viscous black slime on the target, and charm person
may involve blowing a handful of silvery powder in the target’s face. If the battle turns against her, she drops Sorina into
the hole in the floor, who lands unconscious in the
pile of carnage in Area A12. If no one attempts to
rescue her, Glovia uses a suggestion spell on someone
to attempt to make them go after her. If it is still alive,
the gibbering mouther begins to consume Sorina at
the end of the third round.
Isabella Tactics. )sabella’s ghost is here. When combat begins, she attempts to possess of one of the
characters—preferring physically-powerful male
characters. If the possession is successful, she stomps
around the room throwing a tantrum about the fight,
finally stopping in the middle of the room and telling
Glovia that she'll be sorry for not listening to her
daughter and holds her breath. She ends the
possession and flees the room if the possessed
character drops to 0 hit points or if Glovia is slain.
Suffocating
A creature can hold its breath for a number of minutes equal
to 1 + its Constitution modifier (minimum of 30 seconds).
When a creature runs out of its breath, it can survive for a
number of rounds equal to its Constitution modifier (minimum
1 round). At the start of its next turn, it drops to 0 hit points
and is dying.
If the possession is not successful, she uses horrifying
visage (which affects Glovia as well) and then flees to
her room, crying. She doesn’t fight the adventurers directly; she attempts a possession once, and if it fails
or if the possession ends, she flees.
Treasure. The characters are able to recover the
eyes of charming that Glovia wears. The bookshelves
contain mostly scholarly tomes. It is unlikely that a
suitable buyer will be found in the village.
Conclusion If Glovia is defeated, Isabella is no longer bound to the
house and her soul may rest. She appears to the
adventurers one last time as she is fading to tell them
to not worry; she will take care of her parents now.
She's afraid of what the "pretty lady" might do
though, so she warns them to not stay around here. If
they have not found it yet, Isabella tells them about
the treasure under Glovia's bed in the north
chambers.
Treasure. If the adventurers return to the village
with both Sorina and Boris, they are hailed and
awarded 300 gp. If they are only able to rescue one,
they receive half that, and nothing if they return
empty-handed.
XP Award If either Sorina or Boris is returned to Orașnou alive,
award each character 100 XP; if both Sorina and Boris
are returned, award each character 200 XP.
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Rewards Make sure players note their rewards on their
adventure logsheets. Give your name and DCI number
(if applicable) so players can record who ran the
session.
Experience
Total up all combat experience earned for defeated
foes, and divide by the number of characters present
in the combat. For non-combat experience, the
rewards are listed per character. Give all characters
in the party non-combat experience awards unless
otherwise noted.
Combat Awards Name of Foe XP per Foe
Commoner 10
Flesh Golem, (Lesser) 700
Ghast 450
Ghost 1,100
Ghoul 200
Gibbering Mouther 450
Glovia (Necromancer) 700
Guardian Portrait 200
Harpy 200
Mimic 450
Swarm of Puppets 50
Swarm of Rats 50
Skeleton 50
Toy Soldier 25
Zombie 50
Non-Combat Awards Task or Accomplishment XP per Character
Get Vasile to hospice 50
Lead zombies away 100
Rescue wereraven 100
Remove all crates 100
Rescue Sorina or Boris 100
Rescue both Sorina and Boris 200
The minimum total award for each character
participating in this adventure is 900 experience
points.
The maximum total award for each character
participating in this adventure is 1,200 experience
points.
Treasure
The characters receive the following treasure, divided
up amongst the party. Characters should attempt to
divide treasure evenly whenever possible. Gold piece
values listed for sellable gear are calculated at their
selling price, not their purchase price.
Consumable magic items should be divided up
however the group sees fit. If more than one
character is interested in a specific consumable magic
item, the DM can determine who gets it randomly
should the group be unable to decide.
Permanent magic items are divided according to
a system. See the sidebar if the adventure awards
permanent magic items.
Treasure Awards Item Name GP Value
Jewelry in the wagon 75
Marku’s re ard 10
Saving villagers from zombies 25
Saving the prisoner 25
Butler’s Ri g 50
Burgo aster’s Reward 25
Butler’s a he 50
“er a t’s stash 10
Silver Dagger Set 150
Glo ia’s hest 350
Reward from Oraș ou 300
Eyes of Charming Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement)
These glasses sport lenses of brilliant amber with
slender slivers of green glass resembling the vertical pupils of a serpent’s eyes. )f the wearer is evil, they may choose to impose disadvantage on the effect’s
saving throw. Once this feature of the glasses has been used, it can’t be used again until the following dawn. A description of this item can be found in the
Dungeon Master’s Guide.
Scroll of Animate Dead Scroll, uncommon
A description of this item can be found in the Dungeon
Master's Guide.
Acid (Vial) A description of this item can be found in the Player’s Handbook.
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Alchemist’s Fire (Flask) A description of this item can be found in the Player’s Handbook.
Potion of Climbing Potion, common
A description of this item can be found in the Dungeon
Master's Guide.
Potion of Healing Potion, uncommon
A description of this item can be found in the Dungeon
Master's Guide.
Renown
Each character receives one point of renown.
If the characters successfully defeated Glovia
Falinescu, each character receives an additional
point of renown.
Story Awards
Characters have the opportunity to earn the following
story awards during this adventure.
The Demiplane of Dread. You have traversed the
mists and now find yourself in the Demiplane of
Dread and, until this story award is removed, you are
unable to leave. So long as you are trapped, you
cannot participate in any adventure or event that
takes place outside of Barovia. Tread carefully during
your time here, the Dark Powers are watching.
Eye of the Raven. You have aided a member of the
mysterious and elusive Order of the Feather.
Somewhere, a bird is thinking fondly of you.
Trust of the Burgomaster. You have aided the
Burgomaster of Orașnou. News travels fast. You gain
advantage on ability checks that involve negotiations
with any Burgomaster in Barovia.
Ire of the Burgomaster. You have slighted the
Burgomaster of Orașnou. News travels fast. You gain
disadvantage on ability checks that involve
negotiations with any Burgomaster in Barovia.
Downtime
Each character receives 10 downtime days at the
conclusion of this adventure.
DM Rewards
For running this adventure, you receive 300 XP and
150 gp.
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DDAL04-04 The Marionette 29
Appendix: Monster/NPC
Statistics
Commoner Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
Armor Class 10
Hit Points 4 (1d8)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 0 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0)
Senses passive Perception 10
Languages any one language (usually Common)
Challenge 0 (10 XP)
Actions
Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 2 (1d4) bludgeoning damage.
Flesh Golem, Lesser (Lucian) Medium construct, neutral
Armor Class 9
Hit Points 67 (9d8 + 27)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
17 (+3) 9 (-1) 17 (+3) 6 (-2) 10 (+0) 5 (-3)
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and
slashing from non-magical weapons that aren't
adamantine
Damage Immunities lightning, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, paralyzed,
petrified, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages understands all languages it knew in life but
can't speak
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Berserk. Whenever the golem starts its turn with 30 hit
points or fewer, roll a d6. On a 6, the golem goes
berserk. On each of its turns while berserk, the golem
attacks the nearest creature it can see. If no creature is
near enough to move to and attack, the golem attacks
an object, with preference for an object smaller than
itself. Once the golem goes berserk, it continues to do
so until it is destroyed or regains all its hit points. The
golem's creator, if within 60 feet of the berserk golem,
can try to calm it by speaking firmly and persuasively.
The golem must be able to hear its creator, who must
take an action to make a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion)
check. If the check succeeds, the golem ceases being
berserk. If it takes damage while still at 30 hit points or
fewer, the golem might go berserk again.
Aversion of Fire. If the golem takes fire damage, it has
disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks until the
end of its next turn.
Immutable Form. The golem is immune to any spell or
effect that would alter its form.
Lightning Absorption. Whenever the golem is
subjected to lightning damage, it takes no damage and
instead regains a number of hit points equal to the
lightning damage dealt.
Actions
Multiattack. Lucian makes two slam attacks or one
slam attack and one pincer attack
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft.., one
creature. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
Pincer. Melee Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 8 (1d8 +3) bludgeoning damage and the creature is
grappled (escape DC 13).
Ghast Medium undead, chaotic evil
Armor Class 13
Hit Points 36 (8d8)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 17 (+3) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 10 (+0) 8 (-1)
Damage Resistances necrotic
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Common
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Stench. Any creature that starts its turn within 5 feet of
the ghast must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving
throw or be poisoned until the start of its next turn. On
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DDAL04-04 The Marionette 30
a successful saving throw, the creature is immune to
the ghast’s Stench for 24 hours.
Turning Defiance. The ghast and any ghouls within 30
feet of it have advantage on saving throws against
effects that turn undead.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft.., one
creature. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) piercing damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage. If the target is
a creature other than an undead, it must succeed on a
DC 10 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1
minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the
end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a
success.
Ghost (Isabella) Medium undead, neutral
Armor Class 11
Hit Points 45 (10d8)
Speed 0 ft., fly 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
7 (-2) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 17 (+3)
Damage Resistances acid, fire, lightning, thunder;
bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical
attacks
Damage Immunities cold, necrotic poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion,
frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned,
prone, restrained
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages Common
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
Ethereal Sight. The ghost can see 60 feet into the
Ethereal Plane when it is on the Material Plane, and
vice versa.
Incorporeal Movement. The ghost can move through
other creatures and objects as if they were difficult
terrain. It takes 5 (ld10) force damage if it ends its turn
inside an object.
Actions
Withering Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit,
reach 5 ft.., one target. Hit: 17 (4d6 + 3) necrotic
damage.
Etherealness. The ghost enters the Ethereal Plane from
the Material Plane, or vice versa. It is visible on the
Material Plane while it is in the Border Ethereal, and
vice versa, yet it can 't affect or be affected by anything
on the other plane.
Horrifying Visage Each non-undead creature within 60
feet of the ghost that can see it must succeed on a DC
13 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute.
If the save fails by 5 or more, the target also ages 1d4 x
10 years. A frightened target can repeat the saving
throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the
frightened condition on itself on a success. If a target's
saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the
target is immune to this ghost's Horrifying Visage for
the next 24 hours. The aging effect can be reversed
with a greater restoration spell, but only within 24
hours of it occurring.
Possession (Recharge 6). One humanoid that the ghost
can see within 5 feet of it must succeed on a DC 13
Charisma saving throw or be possessed by the ghost;
the ghost then disappears, and the target is
incapacitated and loses control of its body. The ghost
now controls the body but doesn't deprive the target
of awareness. The ghost can't be targeted by any
attack, spell, or other effect, except ones that turn
undead, and it retains its alignment, Intelligence,
Wisdom, Charisma, and immunity to being charmed
and frightened. It otherwise uses the possessed
target's statistics, but doesn't gain access to the
target's knowledge, class features, or proficiencies. The
possession lasts until the body drops to 0 hit points,
the ghost ends it as a bonus action, or the ghost is
turned or forced out by an effect like the dispel evil and
good spell. When the possession ends, the ghost
reappears in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the
body. The target is immune to this ghost's Possession
for 24 hours after succeeding on the saving throw or
after the possession ends.
Ghoul Medium undead, chaotic evil
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 22 (5d8)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
13 (+1) 15 (+2) 10 (+0) 7 (-2) 10 (+0) 6 (-2)
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, poisoned
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Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Common
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft.., one
creature. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) slashing damage. If the target is
a creature other than an elf or undead, it must succeed
on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed
for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at
the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself
on a success.
Gibbering Mouther Medium aberration, neutral
Armor Class 9
Hit Points 67 (9d8 + 27)
Speed 10ft., swim 10 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 8 (-1) 16 (+3) 3 (-4) 10 (+0) 6 (-2)
Condition Immunities prone
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages -
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Aberrant Ground. The ground in a l0-foot radius
around the mouther is dough like difficult terrain. Each
creature that starts its turn in that area must succeed
on a DC 10 Strength saving throw or have its speed
reduced to 0 until the start of its next turn.
Gibbering. The mouther babbles incoherently while it
can see any creature and isn't incapacitated. Each
creature that starts its turn within 20 feet of the
mouther and can hear the gibbering must succeed on a
DC 10 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the creature
can't take reactions until the start of its next turn and
rolls a d8 to determine what it does during its turn. On
a 1 to 4, the creature does nothing. On a 5 to 6, the
creature takes no action or bonus action and uses all its
movement to move in a randomly determined
direction. On a 7 or 8, the creature makes a melee
attack against a randomly determined creature within
its reach or does nothing if it can't make such an
attack.
Actions
Multiattack. The gibbering mouther makes one bite
attack and, if it can, uses its blinding spittle.
Bites. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft.., one
creature. Hit: 17 (5d6) piercing damage. If the target is
Medium or smaller, it must succeed on a DC 10
Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the
target is killed by this damage, it is absorbed into the
mouther.
Blinding Spittle (Recharge 5-6). The mouther spits a
chemical glob at a point it can see within 15 feet of it.
The glob explodes in a blinding flash of light on impact.
Each creature within 5 feet of the flash must succeed
on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or be blinded until
the end of the mouther's next turn.
Glovia Falinescu, Necromancer Medium humanoid (human), neutral evil
Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor)
Hit Points 30 (5d8 + 5)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
9 (-1) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 13 (+1)
Saving Throws Con +3, Cha +5
Senses passive Perception 12
Languages Common
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Spellcasting. Glovia is a 4th-level spellcaster. Her
spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 14, +5
to hit with spell attacks). She knows the following
spells:
Cantrips (at will): spare the dying, chill touch*, shocking
grasp
1st level (4 slots): healing word, mage armor, inflict
wounds, shield
2nd level (3 slots): misty step, suggestion, hold person
* Glovia's chill touch can target two creatures within 5
feet of each other.
Actions
Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.
Legendary Actions
Glovia can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the
options below. Only one legendary action option can
be used at a time, and only at the end of another
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DDAL04-04 The Marionette 32
creature's turn. Glovia regains spent legendary actions
at the start of her turn. Glo ia a ’t use the sa e legendary action twice in consecutive rounds.
Smoke Bomb. Glovia may hurl a vial from a nearby
table at one creature, mimicking the effects of a fog
cloud spell, though with only a 10-foot radius.
Poisoned Dagger. Glovia makes a dagger attack. If
successful, the target must succeed on a DC 11
Constitution saving throw or take 7 (2d6) poison
damage.
Optimal Positioning. Glovia moves her speed. This
o e e t does ’t pro oke opportu ity atta ks. Exploding Beaker (Costs 2 actions). Glovia hurls a
large beaker which lands at a location of her
choosing and explodes in a ball of flame. Each
creature within 15 feet of that point must succeed
on a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw or take 10 (2d6)
fire damage and be knocked prone from the blast.
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), Glovia
takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects;
Glovia can't use the same effect two rounds in a row:
The floor in the room buckles and writhes. Each
creature in the room must succeed on a DC 11
Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone. Glovia
is immune to this effect.
The contents of a nearby cauldron boil over.
Creatures within 5 feet of the cauldron must succeed
on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or take 5 (1d10)
acid damage. Additionally, the ground in the area
becomes slick with wet goo and is treated as difficult
terrain for 1 round.
A mirror in the room twists and corrupts the
refle tio of a si gle reature of Glo ia’s hoi e for 1 round. That creature must succeed at a DC 11 Horror
saving throw. As a reaction, the creature can avoid
looking at the reflection by closing its eyes or
averting its gaze. However, doing so causes all of
that reature’s atta ks to e ade ith disad a tage for 1 round.
Guardian Portrait Medium Construct, unaligned
Armor Class 5 (natural armor)
Hit Points 22 (5d8)
Speed 0 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
1 (-5) 1 (-5) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 10 (+0)
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhausted, frightened,
grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone,
restrained
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Common
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Antimagic Susceptibility. The portrait is incapacitated
while in the area of an antimagic field. If targets by
dispel magic, the portrait must succeed on a
Co stitutio sa i g thro agai st the aster’s spell save DC or become unconscious for 1 minute.
Innate Spellcasting. The portrait innate spellcasting
ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 12). The portrait
can innately cast the following spells, requiring no
material components:
3/day each: counterspell, crown of madness, hypnotic
pattern, telekinesis
False Appearance. While the figure in the portrait
remains motionless, the portrait is indistinguishable
from a normal painting.
Harpy Medium monstrosity, chaotic evil
Armor Class 11
Hit Points 38 (7d8 + 7)
Speed 20 ft., fly 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
12 (+1) 13 (+1) 12 (+1) 7 (-2) 10 (+0) 13 (+1)
Senses passive Perception 10
Languages Common
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Actions
Multiattack. The harpy makes two attacks: one with its
claws and one with its club.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 6 (2d4 + 1) slashing damage.
Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 3 (1d4+1) bludgeoning damage.
Luring Song. The harpy sings a magical melody. Every
humanoid and giant within 300 feet of the harpy that
can hear the song must succeed on a DC 11 Wisdom
saving throw or be charmed until the song ends. The
harpy must take a bonus action on its subsequent turns
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DDAL04-04 The Marionette 33
to continue singing. It can stop singing at any time. The
song ends if the harpy is incapacitated. While charmed
by the harpy, a target is incapacitated and ignores the
songs of other harpies. If the charmed target is more
than 5 feet away from the harpy, the target can take
the Dash action on its turn to move toward the harpy
by the most direct route. It doesn't avoid opportunity
attacks, but before moving into damaging terrain, such
as lava or a pit, and whenever it takes damage from a
source other than the harpy, a target can repeat the
saving throw. A creature can also repeat the saving
throw at the end of each of its turns. If a creature's
saving throw is successful, the effect ends on it. A
target that successfully saves is immune to this harpy's
song for the next 24 hours.
Mimic Medium monstrosity (shapechanger), neutral
Armor Class 12 (natural armor)
Hit Points 58 (9d8 + 18)
Speed 15 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
17 (+3) 12 (+1) 15 (+2) 5 (-3) 13 (+1) 8 (-1)
Skills Stealth +5
Damage Immunities acid
Condition Immunities prone
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages -
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Shape Changer. The mimic can use its action to
polymorph into an object or back into its true,
amorphous form. Its statistics are the same in each
form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn't
transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies.
Adhesive (Object Form Only). The mimic adheres to
anything that touches it. A Huge or smaller creature
adhered to the mimic is also grappled by it (escape DC
13). Ability checks made to escape this grapple have
disadvantage.
Actions
Pseudopod. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5
ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage. If
the mimic is in object form, the target is subjected to
its Adhesive trait.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8)
acid damage.
Swarm of Puppets Medium swarm of Tiny constructs, unaligned
Armor Class 10
Hit Points 24 (7d8 - 7)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
9 (-1) 11 (+0) 9 (-1) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 3 (-4)
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing
Damage Resistances poison
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, paralyzed,
petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, stunned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages understands the language of its creator but
can't speak
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature's
space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through
any opening large enough for a Tiny puppet. Other
than a successful Encore, the swarm can't regain hit
points or gain temporary hit points.
Encore. Two swarms of less than 8 hit points can join
together and form a new swarm by entering the same
space. The new swarm has 16 hit points. An encore
may occur in the same space as an enemy creature.
Actions
Strangle. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 4 (1d8 - 1) bludgeoning damage., and
the target is grappled (escape DC 14). Until the grapple
ends, the creature is restrained, and the swarm can't
strangle another target.
Swarm of Rats Medium swarm of Tiny beasts, unaligned
Armor Class 10
Hit Points 24 (7d8 - 7)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
9 (-1) 11 (+0) 9 (-1) 2 (-4) 10 (+0) 3 (-4)
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, paralyzed,
petrified, prone, restrained, stunned
Senses darkvision 30 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages -
Challenge 1/4(50 XP)
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Keen Smell. The swarm has advantage on Wisdom
(Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature's
space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through
any opening large enough for a Tiny rat. The swarm
can't regain hit points or gain temporary hit points.
Actions
Bites. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft.., one
target in the swarm's space. Hit: 7 (2d6) piercing
damage, 3 (1d6) piercing damage if the swarm has half
of its hit points or fewer.
Skeleton Medium undead, neutral evil
Armor Class 13
Hit Points 13 (2d8 + 4)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 6 (-2) 8 (-1) 5 (-3)
Damage Vulnerabilities bludgeoning
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9
Languages understands all languages it knew in life but
can't speak
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Actions
Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5
ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range
80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Toy Soldier Small construct, unaligned
Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 5 (1d8 + 1)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
9 (-1) 13 (+1) 12 (-1) 4 (-3) 10 (+0) 10 (+0)
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and
slashing damage from nonmagical attacks
Damage Vulnerability fire
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, paralyzed,
petrified, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages understands the language of its creator but
can't speak
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
Pack Tactics. The toy soldier has advantage on attack
rolls against a creature if at least one other soldier is
within 5 feet of the creature and the other soldier isn't
incapacitated.
Magic Weapons. The s ar ’s atta ks are o sidered magical.
Actions
Tiny Sword (Dagger). Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit,
reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) piercing damage.
Zombie Medium undead, neutral evil
Armor Class 8
Hit Points 22 (3d8 + 9)
Speed 20 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
13 (+1) 6 (-2) 16 (+3) 3 (-4) 6 (-2) 5 (-3)
Saving Throws Wisdom +0
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8
Languages understands the languages it knew in life
but can't speak
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the zombie to 0
hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw
with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage
is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the
zombie drops to 1 hit point instead.
Actions
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) bludgeoning damage.
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DM Appendix. NPC
Summary This section is provided to the Dungeon Master to
help keep track of the various NPCs present in the
adventure.
Isabella Falinescu (ee-sah-BEL-luh FALL-in-ESS-
koo). Female human daughter of Glovia and Lucian
who exists now as a ghost.
Glovia Falinescu (GLOW-vee-uh FALL-in-ESS-
koo). A heartbroken mother and healer who lost her
child to disease. Highly educated in anatomy and
seeks to be reunited through whatever means
possible. First of Esmae Amarantha’s Four Obsessions.
Ivan Randovich (EYE-vun RAN-doe-vich). The
Burgomaster of the village of Orașnou. Through
heavy taxation and the high prices of goods he alone
provides, he has grown fat, vain and rich on the
backs of those he has subjugated.
Sybil Rasia (Si-buhl RAH-see-uh). Female Gur
fortune teller.
Marku Grelon (MAR-koo GREE-lawn). Male
human. Owner of the Seven Tables Inn and Tavern.
Crina Grelon (KREE-nah GREE-lawn). Female
human. Owner of the Seven Tables Inn and Tavern.
Vasile (vah-SEEL). Male human nephew of Marku
and Crina Grelon.
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DM Appendix. Tips for
Pacing & Extending the
Adventure This adventure is intended to be a 4-hour adventure,
but there are several opportunities to expand for
extended play beyond that constraint. If the 4-hour
time limit is critical, use these tips to avoid an
extended session.
Remove the difficulty checks in the )n Search of Vasile event and simply advise the adventurers of the opportunity to scare off the harpies.
Alternatively, the harpies could be removed.
Limit or remove basement encounters in the
Manor
Limit the number of scare attempts from Isabella
Do not allow Isabella to attempt a possession.
Glovia does not dump Sorina into the Winter
Garden (Area A12).
Isabella is the most valuable tool for pacing the
encounters in the manor. She may be used to lead
the adventurers to the safest or quickest route to
the second.
Keep in mind that the second floor encounters are
the most important encounters in the manor.
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DDAL04-04 The Marionette 37
Appendix. The Village of
Orașnou Map
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DDAL04-04 The Marionette 38
Appendix. Falinescu Manor
(First Floor) Map
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DDAL04-04 The Marionette 39
Appendix. Falinescu Manor
(Basement) Map
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DDAL04-04 The Marionette 40
Appendix. Falinescu Manor
(Second Floor) Map
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DDAL04-04 The Marionette 41
Player Appendix. Player
Handout (Journal Entries)
Isabella will not have died because of my failings. I must find a way to bring her back to me. Lucian’s grief is getting in the way. He drinks incessantly. He cannot see the big picture. I’m not sure what to do about him but he will not stop me. Another failed attempt! I think there is a greater force at work here. Something is subverting my efforts. Lucian objects to my methods. I will kill him tonight. The golem studies have yielded nothing, save a method of resolve for Lucian. There are days I miss him, but he was blind. Now at least he is useful. Some success today, but the results are morbid. They are not suitable for my darling, though they are useful for fetching more specimens. Today I have finally found the answer, or rather, she has found me and she knows far more than I do and has promised to help me. She says she can bring Isabella back, but it will require a host. She asks only that I bring her a particular box. I’m not sure why she needs it and I don’t care, as long as she is true. I have no choice. This box eludes me! Alina and Laszlo will help, though he can be careless. Sorina will be perfect. She is exactly the correct age. Alina has killed Laszlo, deservedly so no doubt. I can’t find her though. In her stead, I have empowered Laszlo to help me find the box. Laszlo has found it, I’m sure. He will pay dearly for delaying my efforts. I fear Laszlo will betray me to the village. I may have to advance my plans.
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DDAL04-04 The Marionette 42
Results Code: March – April 2016
If you are DMing this adventure during the months of March – April 2016, please show your players this page. The
QR code below can be scanned, and will allow them to give feedback and results on the adventure to influence the
storyline in the future!
If a player does not have a mobile device, please tell them to head to dndadventurersleague.org/results to enter
their results.
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THE SEER The time has come to venture beyond the village of Orașnou and explore the realm of Barovia.
However, in your travels, you happen across an unusual tribe of people--distrusted denizens of
the Demiplane of Dread. Do the Vistani truly possess the ability to see the future, or is it simple
parlor tricks and deceit? Part Five of Misty Fortunes and Absent Hearts.
A Two-Hour adventure for 1st-4th level characters
Ron Lundeen Adventure Designer
Adventure Code: DDAL04-05
Development and Editing: Claire Hoffman, Travis Woodall
Organized Play: Chris Lindsay
D&D Adventurers League Wizards Team: Adam Lee, Chris Lindsay, Mike Mearls, Matt Sernett
D&D Adventurers League Administrators: Robert Adducci, Bill Benham, Travis Woodall, Claire Hoffman, Greg Marks,
Alan Patrick
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, the dragon ampersand, Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master’s Guide, D&D Adventurers League, all other Wizards
of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries. All characters and their distinctive likenesses are property of Wizards of the
Coast. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the
express written permission of Wizards of the Coast.
©2016 Wizards of the Coast LLC, PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057-0707, USA. Manufactured by Hasbro SA, Rue Emile-Boéchat 31, 2800 Delémont, CH. Represented by Hasbro Europe, 4 The Square,
Stockley Park, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB11 1ET, UK.
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DDAL04-05 The Seer 2
Introduction Welcome to The Seer, a D&D Expeditions™ adventure, part of the official D&D Adventurers League™ organized play system and the Misty Fortunes and Absent Hearts storyline season.
This adventure is designed for three to seven 1st-
4th level characters, and it is optimized for five
4th-level characters. Characters outside this level
range cannot participate in this adventure.
This adventure is set in the snowy forests outside
the village of Orașnou in Barovia.
The D&D Adventurers
League This adventure is official for D&D Adventurers
League play. The D&D Adventurers League is the
official organized play system for DUNGEONS &
DRAGONS®. Players can create characters and
participate in any adventure allowed as a part of the
D&D Adventurers League. As they adventure, players track their characters’ experience, treasure, and other rewards, and can take those characters
through other adventures that continues their story.
)f you’re running this adventure as a part of a store event or at certain conventions, you’ll need a DCI number. This number is your official Wizards of the Coast organized play identifier. )f you don’t have a number, you can obtain one at a store event. Check
with your organizer for details.
D&D Adventurers League play is broken up into
storyline seasons. When players create characters,
they attach those characters to a storyline season, which determines what rules they’re allowed to use to create and advance their characters. Players can
continue to play their characters after the storyline
season has finished, possibly participating in a
second or third storyline with those same characters. A character’s level is the only limitation for adventure play. A player cannot use a character
of a level higher or lower than the level range of a
D&D Adventurers League adventure.
For more information on playing, running games
as a Dungeon Master, and organizing games for the
D&D Adventurers League, please visit the D&D
Adventurers League home at:
www.dndadventurersleague.org
Preparing the Adventure Before you show up to Dungeon Master this
adventure for a group of players, you should do the
following to prepare.
Make sure to have a copy of the most current
version of the D&D Basic Rules or the Player’s Handbook.
Read through the adventure, taking notes of anything you’d like to highlight or remind yourself while running the adventure, such as a way you’d like to portray an NPC or a tactic you’d like to use in a combat.
Get familiar with the monster statistics in the
Appendix.
Gather together any resources you’d like to use to aid you in running this adventure--such as
notecards, a DM screen, miniatures, and
battlemaps.
If you know the composition of the group
beforehand, you can make adjustments as noted
throughout the adventure.
Before Play at the Table Ask the players to provide you with relevant
character information:
Character name and level
Character race and class
Passive Wisdom (Perception)—the most common
passive ability check
Anything notable as specified by the adventure
(such as backgrounds, traits, flaws, etc.) Players that have characters outside the adventure’s level range cannot participate in the adventure
with those characters. Players with ineligible
characters can make a new 1st-level character or use
a pregenerated character. Players can play an
adventure they previously played or ran as a
Dungeon Master, but not with the same character.
Ensure that each player has an official adventure
logsheet for his or her character (if not, get one from
the organizer). The player fills out the adventure
name, session number, date, and your name and DCI
number. In addition, the player also fills in the
starting values for experience, gold, downtime,
renown, and number of permanent magic items. He
or she fill in the other values and write notes at the
conclusion of the session. Each player is responsible
for maintaining an accurate logsheet.
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DDAL04-05 The Seer 3
If you have time, you can do a quick scan of a player’s character sheet to ensure that nothing looks
out of order. If you see magic items of very high
rarities or strange arrays of ability scores, you can
ask players to provide documentation for the
irregularities. If they cannot, feel free to restrict item
use or ask them to use a standard ability score array.
Point players to the D&D Adventurers League Player’s Guide for reference.
)f players wish to spend downtime days and it’s the beginning of an adventure or episode, they can
declare their activity and spend the days now.
Alternatively, they can do so at the end of the
adventure or episode. Players should select their characters’ spells and other daily options prior to the start of the adventure, unless the adventure
specifies otherwise. Feel free to reread the
adventure description to help give players hints
about what they might face.
Adjusting the Adventure Throughout this adventure, sidebars provide
information to assist you in making adjustments for
smaller or larger groups and characters of higher or
lower levels than the adventure is optimized for.
This is typically used exclusively for combat
encounters.
You may adjust the adventure beyond the
guidelines given in the adventure, or for other reasons. For example, if you’re playing with a group of inexperienced players, you might want to make
the adventure a little easier; for very experienced
players, you might want to make it a little harder.
Therefore, five categories of party strength have
been created for you to use as a guide. Use these as a
guide, and feel free to use a different adjustment
during the adventure if the recommended party
strength feels off for the group.
This adventure is optimized for a party of five
4th-level characters. To figure out whether you
need to adjust the adventure, do the following:
Add up the total levels of all the characters.
Divide the total by the number of characters.
Round fractions of .5 or greater up; round
fractions of less than .5 down. You’ve now determined the average party level
(APL) for the adventure. To figure out the party
strength for the adventure, consult the following
table.
Determining Party Strength Party Composition Party Strength
3-4 characters, APL less than Very weak
3-4 characters, APL equivalent Weak
3-4 characters, APL greater than Average
5 characters, APL less than Weak
5 characters, APL equivalent Average
5 characters, APL greater than Strong
6-7 characters, APL less than Average
6-7 characters, APL equivalent Strong
6-7 characters, APL greater than Very strong
Average party strength indicates no recommended
adjustments to the adventure. Each sidebar may or
may not offer suggestions for certain party
strengths. If a particular recommendation is not offered for your group, you don’t have to make adjustments.
Running the Adventure As the Dungeon Master of the session, you have the
most important role in facilitating the enjoyment of
the game for the players. You help guide the
narrative and bring the words on these pages to life.
The outcome of a fun game session often creates
stories that live well beyond the play at the table.
Always follow this golden rule when you DM for a
group:
Make decisions and adjudications that enhance
the fun of the adventure when possible.
To reinforce this golden rule, keep in mind the
following:
You are empowered to make adjustments to the
adventure and make decisions about how the
group interacts with the world of this adventure.
Doing so is especially important and applicable
outside of combat, but feel free to adjust the
adventure for groups that are having too easy or
too hard of a time.
Don’t make the adventure too easy or too difficult for a group. Never being challenged makes for a
boring game and being overwhelmed makes for a
frustrating one. Gauge the experience of the
players (not the characters) with the game, try to
feel out (or ask) what they like in a game, and
attempt to give each of them the experience they’re after when they play D&D. Give everyone a chance to shine.
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DDAL04-05 The Seer 4
Be mindful of pacing, and keep the game session
moving along appropriately. Watch for stalling,
since play loses momentum when this happens. At the same time, make sure that the players don’t finish too early; provide them with a full play
experience. Try to be aware of running long or
short. Adjust the pacing accordingly
Read-aloud text is just a suggestion; feel free to
modify the text as you see fit, especially when
dialogue is present.
Give the players appropriate hints so they can
make informed choices about how to proceed.
Players should be given clues and hints when
appropriate so they can tackle puzzles, combat,
and interactions without getting frustrated over
lack of information. Doing so helps to encourage
immersion in the adventure and gives players little victories for figuring out good choices from clues. )n short, being the DM isn’t about following the adventure’s text word-for-word; it’s about
facilitating a fun, challenging game environment for
the players. The Dungeon Master’s Guide™ has more
information on the art of running a D&D game.
Downtime and Lifestyle
At the beginning of each play session, players must
declare whether or not they are spending any days
of downtime. The player records the downtime
spent on the adventure logsheet. The following
options are available to players during downtime
(see the D&D basic rules or the D&D Adventurers
League Player’s Guide for more information):
Catching up
Crafting (exception: multiple characters cannot
commit to crafting a single item)
Practicing a profession
Recuperating
Spellcasting services
Training
Other downtime options might be available during
adventures or unlocked through play, including
faction-specific activities.
In addition, whenever a character spends
downtime days, that character also spends the
requisite expense for his or her lifestyle. Costs are
per day, so a character that spends ten days of
downtime also spends ten days of expenses
maintaining his or her lifestyle. Some downtime
activities help with lifestyle expenses or add lifestyle
expenses.
Spellcasting Services
Any settlement the size of a town or larger can
provide some spellcasting services. Characters need
to be able to travel to the settlement to obtain these
services.
Help From Who!?
For the current storyline season, Curse of Strahd, the rules for
spellcasting services are changed for characters adventuring
i Baro ia. I Strahd’s leak do ai , there si ply are ’t a y settlements where spellcasters can accommodate such
needs, and those places of worship that might otherwise
provide spellcasting services are overrun with monsters. As
such, unless otherwise detailed in an adventure, the only
individual able to provide spellcasting services is Jeny
Greenteeth. This will no doubt lead to some uncomfortable
situations and unforeseen consequences.
Refer to Page 7 of the Adventurers League Dungeon
Master’s Guide for more details.
Spell services generally available include healing and
recovery spells, as well as information-gathering
spells. Other spell services might be available as
specified in the adventure. The number of spells
available to be cast as a service is limited to a
maximum of three per day total, unless otherwise
noted.
Spellcasting Services Spell Cost
Cure wounds (1st level) 10 gp
Identify 20 gp
Lesser restoration 40 gp
Prayer of healing (2nd level) 40 gp
Remove curse 90 gp
Speak with dead 90 gp
Divination 210 gp
Greater restoration 450 gp
Raise dead 1,250 gp
Acolyte Background
A character possessing the acolyte background requesting
spellcasting services at a temple of his or her faith may
request one spell per day from the Spellcasting Services table
for free. The only cost paid for the spell is the base price for
the consumed material component, if any.
However, no religions have established places of worship
here of sufficient size to provide spellcasting services.
Because of this, characters with the Acolyte background gain
no benefit from this trait.
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DDAL04-05 The Seer 5
Character Disease, Death, and
Recovery
Sometimes bad things happen, and characters get
poisoned, diseased, or are killed. Since you might not
have the same characters return from session to
session, here are the rules when bad things happen
to characters.
Disease, Poison, and Other Debilitating
Effects A character still affected by diseases, poisons, and
other similar effects at the conclusion of an
adventure can spend downtime days recuperating
until such time as he or she resolves the effect to its
conclusion (see the recuperating activity in the D&D
Basic Rules).
)f a character doesn’t resolve the effect between sessions, that character begins the next session still
affected by the debilitating effect.
Death A character who is killed during the course of the
adventure has a few options at the end of the session
(or whenever arriving back in civilization) if no one
in the adventuring party has immediate access to a
raise dead or revivify spell, or similar magic. A
character subject to a raise dead spell is affected
negatively until all long rests have been completed
during an adventure. Alternatively, each downtime
day spent after raise dead reduces the penalty to
attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks by 1, in
addition to any other benefits the downtime activity
might provide.
Create a New 1st-Level Character. If the dead
character is unwilling or unable to exercise any of
the other options, the player creates a new
character. The new character does not have any
items or rewards possessed by the dead character.
Dead Character Pays for Raise Dead. If the character’s body is recoverable it’s not missing any vital organs and is mostly whole) and the player
would like the character to be returned to life, the
party can take the body back to civilization and use the dead character’s funds to pay for a raise dead
spell. A raise dead spell cast in this manner costs the
character 1,250 gp.
Character’s Party Pays for Raise Dead. As above,
except that some or all of the 1,250 gp for the raise
dead spell is paid for by the party at the end of the
session. Other characters are under no obligation to
spend their funds to bring back a dead party
member.
Faction Charity. If the character is of level 1 to 4 and a member of a faction, the dead character’s body can be returned to civilization and a patron from the
faction ensures that he or she receives a raise dead
spell. However, any character invoking this charity
forfeits all experience and rewards from that session
(both those earned prior to and after death during
that session) and cannot replay that episode or
adventure with that character again. Once a
character reaches 5th level, this option is no longer
available.
Resurrection Madness
In Barovia, the souls of the dead are as trapped as the souls
of the li i g. They e o e aught i the ists a d a ’t travel to the afterlife. When a humanoid who has been dead
for at least 24 hours returns to life, either by way of a spell or
some supernatural means, it gains a random form of
indefinite madness brought on by the realization that its
spirit is trapped in Barovia, likely forever. To determine how
this madness is expressed, roll on the Indefinite Madness
table in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide.
Vampirism and Lycanthropy Vampires and lycanthropes are not included in the
allowed rules for character creation or advancement
(see the D&D Adventurers League Player’s Guide).
These conditions grant characters powers and
abilities that are not suitable for organized play, and
typically impose a restricted or prohibited
alignment. As such, characters afflicted with
vampirism or lycanthropy must have the affliction
cured before the start of their next episode or
adventure.
Afflicted characters have the following options:
Lycanthropes can be cured with a remove curse
spell. This spell is available as a spellcasting
service for 90 gp (though Jeny Greenteeth might
have additional requirements; see Spellcasting Services later in this guide).
Vampires can be cured by a wish spell cast by a
fellow player character (wish is not available as a
spellcasting service). Alternatively, a vampire
character can be slain and returned to life with
raise dead, at the normal cost of 1,250 gp. If a
character chooses to end a vampiric curse in this
manner, the Dark Powers (see Page 8, Adventurers
League Dungeon Master’s Guide) do not offer a
free raise dead, though Jeny Greenteeth might be
willing to make a deal see Spellcasting Services earlier in this guide).
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DDAL04-05 The Seer 6
An afflicted character who does not end his or her
curse is retired from play until able to do so by one
of the means above, or through the application of
DM rewards to the character.
The Demiplane of Dread This adventure is set within the Ravenloft campaign
setting, in the lands of Barovia which exists in the
Demiplane of Dread. There are several atmospheric
and thematic elements to keep in mind at all times
while running your game:
The Land is Bleak By the will of the Dark Powers, the sun never fully
shines in the lands of Barovia. Even during the day,
the sky is dimmed by fog or storm clouds, or the
light is strangely muted. Barovian daylight is bright light, yet it isn’t considered sunlight for the purpose of effects and vulnerabilities, such as a vampire’s, tied to sunlight. Nevertheless, Strahd and his
vampire spawn tend to stay indoors most of the day
and venture out at night, and they are subject to
sunlight created by magic.
Winter in Barovia
The winters are cold, wet, and stormy here. The natives of
the Demiplane are prepared—well, as prepared as they can
hope to be.
The characters, however, are unfamiliar with the realm.
Thankfully, the region they came from was experiencing the
worst winter in living memory, and are likely to possess
winter clothing. If they are not, then, preparations are in
order. The village has a single shop called The Hare & Hair
where they are able to procure such supplies if they wish.
A dark sentience infuses the very soil, twisting and
contorting everything within. In places where you
would normally expect wildlife such as deer, rabbits,
or squirrels, you instead find wolves, rats, and
mangy dogs. Vegetation is rotted and dead, and
forests are filled mostly with gnarled, thick trees
with bare branches. Colorful, vivacious things simply
do not exist.
The Denizens of Orașnou
Most Oraș ou reside ts are u da e la orers, far ers, fletchers and other folk who fall under common professions.
They typically have gaunt features, as crops often fail to take
root, and creatures of the night frequently kill and devour
their livestock.
Most are sullen, and often filled with fear, be it from the
lands themselves, what lies within them, Lord Strahd, or their
own tyrant of a Burgomaster; Ivan Randovich and his cronies.
Be sure to play to the mindsets of these people who live
threadbare existences, constantly on the precipice of horror
during your roleplaying encounters.
As is the case with most of the denizens of Barovia, most
of the people that reside i the illage do ’t possess a soul. These people are e pty shells reated y Strahd’s consciousness to populate his domain. However, about one
in every ten people in Barovia are actually possessing of a
soul—the souls of the original denizens of Barovia before its
transition into the Demiplane. When a being with a soul dies
in Barovia, its soul remains trapped until it is reincarnated
later. Souls tend to wear clothing with a splash of color or
have other features that demonstrate even a small bit of
individuality.
Alterations to Magic The land of Barovia resides in its own demiplane,
isolated from all other planes, including the Material
Plane. No spell—not even wish—allows one to escape from Strahd’s domain. Astral projection,
teleport, plane shift, and similar spells cast for the
purpose of leaving Barovia simply fail, as do effects
that banish a creature to another plane of existence.
These restrictions apply to magic items and artifacts
that have properties that transport or banish
creatures to other planes. Magic that allows transit
to the Border Ethereal, such as the etherealness spell
and the Etherealness feature of incorporeal undead,
is the exception to this rule. A creature that enters the Border Ethereal from Strahd’s domain is pulled
back into Barovia upon leaving that plane.
For the purpose of spells whose effects change
across or are blocked by planar boundaries (such as
sending , Strahd’s domain is considered its own plane. Magic that summons creatures or objects
from other planes functions normally in Barovia, as
does magic that involves an extradimensional space.
Any spells cast within such an extra-dimensional
space (such as that created by Mordenkainen’s magnificent mansion) are subject to the same
restrictions as magic cast in Barovia.
While in Barovia, characters who receive spells
from deities or otherworldly patrons continue to do
so. In addition, spells that allow contact with beings
from other planes function normally—with one
provision: Strahd can sense when someone in his
domain is casting such a spell and can choose to make himself the spell’s recipient, so that he becomes the one who is contacted.
Cosmetic Spell Modifications At your discretion, a spell can be modified
cosmetically to enhance the horrific atmosphere of
Ravenloft. A few examples are presented below:
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Alarm. Instead of hearing a mental ping when the
alarm is triggered, the caster hears a scream.
Bigby’s Hand. The conjured hand is skeletal.
Find Familiar. The familiar is undead instead of
being a celestial, a fey, or a fiend, and is immune to
features that turn undead.
Find Steed. The summoned steed is undead
instead of being a celestial, a fey, or a fiend, and is
immune to features that turn undead.
Find the Path. A child’s spirit appears and guides the caster to the desired location. The spirit can’t be harmed and doesn’t communicate. Fog Cloud. Misty, harmless claws form in the fog.
Gust of Wind. A ghastly moan accompanies the
summoned wind.
Mage Hand. The summoned hand is skeletal.
Maze. The surfaces of the demiplane’s maze are made of mortared skulls and bones.
Phantom Steed. The steed resembles a skeletal
horse.
Rary’s Telepathic Bond. Characters linked together by the spell can’t shake the feeling that something vile is telepathically eavesdropping on
them.
Revivify. A creature restored to life by a revivify
spell screams upon regaining consciousness, as
though waking from some horrible nightmare.
Spirit Guardians. The spirits appear as ghostly,
skeletal warriors.
Wall of Stone. A wall created by the spell has
ghastly faces sculpted into it, as though tortured
spirits were somehow trapped within the stone.
Count Strahd Von Zarovich
Lord Strahd is the Darklord of Barovia. He rules his domain
from Castle Ravenloft as Strahd IX; a descendent of Strahd I.
In actuality, Strahd I and Strahd IX are the one and the same--
a vampire. As a mortal, Strahd fell in love with Tatyana
Federovna; the bride of his younger brother Sergei. In his
jealousy, Strahd murdered his brother and became the
Darklord of Barovia; which was swept away into the
Demiplane along with its ruler. Since then, Strahd is cursed to
seek incarnations of Tatyana for eternity. NOTE: Strahd is not
present in this adventure.
Not Without Humor
The bleak and oppressive landscape must give way
now and then to some moments of respite, not only
does this break up the taxing mindset that Ravenloft
can evoke, but it also provides good chances for
horror to sneak back up on players just as they least
expect it.
Adventure Background The mysterious Vistani travel throughout the
dangerous lands of Barovia in close-knit, insular
family groups. When Vistani families meet in their
wanderings, affections can run strong. Such was the
case for Donani of the Bogarav family and Lela of the
Moslavaric family. The families planned to marry the
two lovers when their journeys next brought them
back together. Donani was not the only young man
interested in Lela; an outcast (or mortu) named
Hanzi also fell in love with the young woman. The
Moslavarics attempted to keep the outcast at bay,
but Hanzi was persistent. Even the Bogaravs have
heard of Hanzi's affections, and they worry that the
insistent mortu might deflect Lela's affections for
Donani before the wedding.
A few days ago, Lela was lured away from her
family's camp in the evening. Although the
Moslavarics worried that she was trysting with
Hanzi, the truth is far more sinister: a vampire
seduced Lela and transformed her into an undead
thrall. Lela concealed her true nature from her
family, making alterations in her vardo to preserve
the illusion of humanity. This illusion is slipping, and
Lela must kill one of her own people to refresh it;
she has selected the love-struck Hanzi as her victim,
as the mortu is unlikely to be missed by anyone.
The Vistani
The Vistani are an insular, itinerant people freely able to pass
through the mysterious mists of Barovia. Vistani are humans
with dark, luxurious hair, fair skin, and graceful builds.
Vistani travel in close family groups of only a few dozen
people in distinctive wooden, round-topped wagons called
vardos. They rarely interact with giorgios (the Vistani term
for any non-Vistani) except to peddle their wares or obtain
supplies. They do not possess the same notions of propriety
or property ownership as others in Barovia, and are just as
likely to get what they need from giorgios by honest
purchase, trickery, or outright theft.
Vistani families interact with one another when their paths
cross, particularly to exchange information or to establish
marriages. Each Vistani family belongs to one of three
extended tribal groups called tasques: The Boem (who are
primarily entertainers and more inclined to interact with
giorgios), the Kaldresh (primarily crafters and animal-
trainers), and the Manusa (specialists in arcane powers). The
most extreme punishment among the Vistani is exile from
the family, which is deemed the equivalent of a death-
sentence. Such outcasts are called mortu, and are shunned
by all Vistani.
Vistani life revolves around rich tradition. Tradition
dictates where the families roam, how they make their camp,
and with whom they may interact. Vistani leadership is
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DDAL04-05 The Seer 8
prescribed by tradition: each family is directed by a senior
male called the captain and an elder female called the raunie.
The family's captain oversees mundane matters such as
camping, travel, and trade. The raunie guides the family's
spiritual life.
The Vistani possess powers that set them apart from the
common folk of Barovia, but these powers are not well-
understood. Every raunie--and often other women in a
family--possess the power to deliver powerful curses such as
the "evil eye" and to tell fortunes with cards, dice, or tea
leaves. This gift is commonly called "the Sight." Vistani rarely
tell a giorgio's fortune, but their predictions are uncannily
accurate.
Adventure Overview The Seer is divided into three parts:
Part 1: The Bogaravs. Outside the village of Orașnou, the adventurers meet a family of Vistani
called the Bogaravs. The normally reclusive
Bogaravs welcome the adventurers, as they have a
problem they hope the adventurers can solve. The
Bogaravs explain what they have heard about the
mortu Hanzi wooing Lela, Donani's betrothed.
Donani asks the adventurers to deliver a gift to Lela
and to deter Hanzi's attentions.
Part 2: The Moslavarics. At the camp of the dour
and insular Moslavarics, the adventurers learn that
Hanzi has kidnapped Lela and taken her into the
woods. Canny adventurers may pick up on clues that
Lela was more than an innocent girl.
Part 3: The Standing Stones. The adventurers
follow the tracks of Hanzi and Lela into the deep
forest and contend with creatures placed to
discourage pursuit. In an ancient circle of standing
stones, the adventurers confront Lela as she is about
to sacrifice Hanzi to renew her human disguise.
Adventure Hooks If the characters begin this adventure from within
the Forgotten Realms or a setting other than
Ravenloft, have them be transported to the
Demiplane of Dread just outside Orașnou via an unnaturally thick fog or mist while traveling overland, preferably at night. Proceed to Welcome to Barovia , below. Otherwise, the adventurers may be curious about
the Vistani ritual they experienced in DDAL4-4 The
Marionette. The Vistani are known to travel in the
woods around Orașnou, so the party may be seeking
them out to learn more about what they envisioned during the Sybil’s ritual.
If the characters did not participate in DDAL04-04
The Marionette, the characters have been told about
a tribe of Vistani in the area surrounding Orașnou.
The villagers—short on supplies—have encouraged
the characters to seek them out the nomadic people
and get whatever supplies they can purchase.
Welcome to Barovia
Some characters may be arriving from Faerûn for
the first time. For those characters describe a heavy
fog bank rolling through their travel path while they
are in the Quivering Forest, and when it eventually
clears, they are on the outskirts of a small mountain village. )t’s heavy-handed, but such is the way of the
Demiplane.
Any character that participates in this adventure
earns The Demiplane of Dread story award if they
do not have it already. They should be made aware
that until this story award is removed, they may not
participate in any adventure that does not take place
in Barovia.
NOTE: This adventure may touch on some morally
dark moments. Please be careful to gauge your
player's comfort with such things, and remember
that the goal of a Dungeons & Dragons game is for
everyone to have fun!
Curse of Strahd Adventures
The adventures for the Curse of Strahd Season of Dungeons
and Dragons Adventurers League deliver the most impactful
experience when played in numeric order (i.e.: 04-01, then
04-02, and so on) but this is not required. Please carefully
read the following pages and be prepared to adjust
encounters, especially where key NPCs are concerned!
Although DM tips may be found in the adventure, they are
unlikely to cover every table or situation.
For a Ravenloft game, the world itself should be treated
with great respect—it is a character unto itself, and the Dark
Powers rarely respond positively to hand-waving and outright
dis issal…
Any character afflicted with lycanthropy must receive the
benefits of a remove curse at the end of this adventure in
order to be rid of this horrible affliction. Characters that
choose to remain afflicted or cannot afford this spell, become
NPCs and are no longer playable in D&D Adventurers League
games.
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DDAL04-05 The Seer 9
Part 1: The Bogaravs
This adventure begins with the party in the snowy forests outside Orașnou. The day is overcast and gloomy, with snow ranging from a few inches to a
foot deep (the snow is not deep enough to count as
difficult terrain). The temperature is approximately
25 degrees Fahrenheit, which is not cold enough to
quality as Extreme Cold (see page 110 of the
Dungeon Master's Guide).
Snow Falling Upon the Cedars
Snow blankets the deep forest. Although you have been
exploring the forest for most of a day, you have yet to come
across another person or sign of civilization. A few wide
spaces between the trees hint at rough trails, but the snow
makes it difficult to discern whether they are man-made
footpaths or game trails.
A successful DC 14 Wisdom (Survival) check
indicates that the freshest tracks are those of bears.
In fact, four brown bears charge from the
undergrowth to attack. Characters with a passive
Wisdom (Perception) of 12 or higher are not
surprised by the bears' attack; additionally, if
anyone in the party learned that the freshest tracks
are bear tracks, none of the characters are surprised.
These bears are surly and hungry; they were
driven away by the Bogaravs the previous day, and a
few bears display sword wounds about a day old.
Adjusting the Encounter
Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat
encounter. These are not cumulative.
Very weak party: Remove two bears, and the remaining
bears have only 21 hit points.
Weak party: Remove one bear, and the remaining bears
have only 21 hit points.
Strong or very strong party: Add two brown bears
Mysterious Drumming After three rounds of combat, a persistent distant
drumming echoes through the forest. This
drumming originates from the Bogarav
encampment, where the family is beginning their
evening rituals. The bears associate the drumming
with the folk that drove them away the previous day
and immediately flee into the surrounding forest.
Treasure If the characters take the time to skin the bears, they
are able to fetch a total of 50 gp for their hides.
In the Bogarav Camp
The drumming originates from a Vistani
encampment nearly a mile away. As the adventurers
approach, they hear woodwinds and stringed
instruments join in with the drumming.
Seven gaudily-painted wagons with rounded wooden roofs
fill a large clearing in the forest. The wagons form a large
circle around a blazing campfire. Two dozen humans
surround this fire, playing musical instruments and dancing.
They are all dark-haired and light-skinned, and range from
young children to the elderly. Their mismatched clothing is
well-worn, indicating a rough life on the open road.
This family of Vistani, called the Bogaravs, belongs to
the Boem tasque. The Boems are primarily
entertainers and tend to be more welcoming of
outsiders than other Vistani. The captain of the
Bogarav family is an old weathered man named
Elias. The family's raunie is Elias's sister Sergenna,
but Sergenna defers to her brother in nearly all
matters. Treat the other twenty-one Bogaravs as
scouts.
If the party approaches the camp or announces
their presence, Elias decides to solicit their aid to
solve Donani's problem.
A rangy, weathered man approaches with his hands held out
to his sides. His clothing is just as mismatched as the others'
and he wears a sky blue headscarf. The others in the camp
move deferentially to let him pass, indicating that he holds
some sort of authority in their group.
"Welcome and well-met to you. With an open heart, I
invite you to share my family's fire. It is rare for us to ever
welcome giorgios into our camp, but our need is great. First,
please respect and enjoy our traditional activities. Then,
there will be time for discussion.
Although Elias has much to ask of the party, he first
attempts to put them at ease with a warm welcome
and participation in the traditional dance called the
prastonata and the storytelling called the doroq. The
Vistani share a spicy, nourishing stew.
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DDAL04-05 The Seer 10
Roleplaying Captain Elias
Elias is a weathered Vistani man who looks much younger
than his 55 years. He is rarely seen without wearing his bright
blue head-scarf, a gift from his grandmother when he was
only a child. Elias is a smooth talker, a skilled musician, and a
natural leader. Elias understands how Vistani traditions can
be used to enrapture and deceive giorgios, He is well-
traveled and knows that there are worlds other than Barovia,
but he has a tendency to assume that all giorgios from those
worlds are naïve rubes.
Quote: "The Vistani have many ancient traditions. All of
them touch on truths. Come, let us show them to you."
Roleplaying Donani
Donani is a friendly young Vistani man of 17 years. He is
handsome but self-conscious about his own abilities and his
future. Donani's love for Lela is deep and genuine, but his
heart burns with a cold jealousy to think that a mortu could
turn her affections. His anxiety about Lela is apparent in his
open, honest face.
Quote: "My heart aches to think that my lovely Lela could
be in danger."
The Prastonata
The prastonata is the traditional Vistani dance,
performed each evening near sundown. As the music
around the campfire picks up in tempo, one of the
Bogarav girls (Annika, Donani's sister) sways to the
music and dances over to the character with the
highest Charisma.
"Ah, the prastonata!" calls the crowd around the campfire.
Captain Elias leans in to you "It is a traditional dance, fast and
seductive. Our Annika dances it well. Look, she invites you to
dance it with her, to match her step for step as she sways!"
If the character Annika selected does not wish to
dance with her, she is happy to accept another dance
partner from among the party instead. She cannot
lead more than one other dancer, so the characters
must select only one among their number to dance
with her.
A character dancing with Annika must attempt
three Dexterity (Acrobatic) checks as her pace
increases: DC 11, DC 13, and DC 15. Failing one of
these checks means the character makes some
obvious missteps, but may continue the dance.
Failure by 5 or more results in some overtly clumsy
maneuver that ends the prastonata—tripping over a
log, catching a clothing hem on fire, or similar. If the
character succeeds at all three checks, the entire
camp praises the character's skill, and Annika grants
the dancer a passionate kiss.
XP Award If any character participates in the prastonata,
regardless of his or her performance, award each
character 25 XP.
The Doroq
Captain Elias motions for quiet. "Tonight, I will give the
doroq, the nightly tale or lesson. Although a doroq can
sometimes be very long, I sense that we are all weary and I
do not wish to bore our guests." The man winks in your
direction and drops his voice to a low, solemn tone.
"We Vistani are people of family, of tradition. We do not
turn our hands, heads, or hearts against each other; to do so
is to forsake what it is to be Vistani. Those that break the
faith of their people can no longer participate in this life.
They are exiled from the family, and called mortu, or the
'living dead.'
"No Vistani will harbor a mortu. They are marked as an
exile. This is not a mark that can be seen with the eye, but a
mark that every Vistani feels when looking upon a mortu. The
crime itself is not visible; perhaps he killed an uncle in anger,
or perhaps he thought to get drunk rather than mind his
young nephews and a boy came to harm. We know not why a
mortu was exiled when we look upon him, only that he is no
longer of the Vistani.
"For some Vistani, compassion upsets the heavy weight of
tradition. A family provides comfort and shelter to a mortu. It
seems a kindness to one who appears—but is not—Vistani.
But is not the nature of a man in his past actions? The mortu
will drink again, or murder again, and suffering will surely
follow. We hold our traditions because they keep us safe—safe from wild beasts, safe from violent giorgios, and safe
from the wickedness of mortu.
"This is as it is. A restful night's sleep to all."
XP Award If the characters are attentive and polite during the
telling of the doroq, award each character 25 XP.
Donani’s Plea
While the camp prepares to sleep—some Vistani
retiring into the barrel-topped vardos but many
spreading blankets and bedrolls near the fire—Captain Elias and Donani speak further with the
party.
Captain Elias explains that Donani is engaged to a
girl from another Vistani family, the Moslavarics.
The Bogaravs and the Moslavarics cross paths no
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DDAL04-05 The Seer 11
more than once or twice each year, but such
meetings were enough for Donani to fall in love with
Lela, a Moslavaric girl. Donani explains that he and
Lela were to wed within the next few days, as the
Moslavarics are now camped only a few miles away.
But Donani heard rumors that a mortu—a handsome
young man named Hanzi—has been following the
Moslavaric family. Although the Moslavarics refuse
to shelter or aid the mortu, he is persistent in
attempting to woo Lela. Donani has heard that Lela's
affections may be turning to Hanzi, despite her
promises of love to Donani, her upcoming wedding,
and the stern admonishments of her own family.
Donani worries that Hanzi could be dangerous--if he
cannot win Lela's affections, he might hurt or kidnap
her.
Donani is forbidden from approaching the
Moslavaric encampment so close to his wedding. He
asks the characters to go on his behalf, to profess his
love for Lela and to present her with a gift. Donani
would also like the characters to put a stop to
Hanzi's inappropriate bid for Lela's affections, and to
drive him away if they can. In exchange, Donani will
provide the characters with the extent of his worldly
wealth—35 gp.
Donani's gift for Lela is a magical wind fan. This
fan is made of thin parchment and emits a pleasant
floral scent and warm wind.
If the characters ask about a reward, Captain Elias
seems genuinely puzzled; he insists that the
prastonata and the doroq are rarely revealed to
giorgios, and the simple task is fair recompense for
such a rare experience.
When the characters travel to the Moslavaric
camp (likely in the morning), proceed to Part 2.
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DDAL04-05 The Seer 12
Part 2: The Moslavarics The Moslavarics are camped several hours from the
Bogarav camp, but Captain Elias's directions are
sufficient for the party to find it.
The thick pine forest is broken by a large, stony clearing in
the lee of a large hill. Five barrel-topped wagons stand in a
close ring. Unlike the gaudy and cheerful Bogarav wagons,
these wagons are dull brown in color and festooned with
utilitarian tools of all types: smithing implements, farrier's
tools, and bellows. The campfire within the ring of wagons is
small, and a score of sullen humans work at fixing wheels,
shining shields, or other mundane crafts. They eye you
suspiciously, hands near their weapons, alert for danger.
The Moslavarics belong to the Kaldresh tasque and
are dour crafters and tinkers. The Moslavaric captain
is a scarred, lean old man named Keldro (treat as a
bandit captain). The family's raunie is Keldro's wife,
the matronly Tayrizha (treat as a priest). Treat the
other seventeen Moslavarics as bandits.
Keldro does not approach the party; he instead
sends his son Advan (who is as scarred and lean as
his father) to speak on the Moslavarics' behalf.
Although Advan does not specifically claim to be the
family's captain, he does not discourage the
characters if they seem to believe he is.
Roleplaying Advan
Advan is a scarred, lean man with wiry and well-toned
muscles. He is nearly 40 but looks older due to a hard life as a
traveling blacksmith and armor-maker. Advan is blunt in his
manner, particularly to giorgios.
Quote: "I will answer your questions not out of friendliness,
but so that you might sooner depart my camp."
Roleplaying Tayrizha
Tayrizha is a tough woman in her late fifties whose dour,
pinched appearance belies a kind heart and matronly
concern for everyone in her family. Her counsel is always
wise and her fortunes are rarely wrong. Tayrizha sees her skill
with the Sight not as a mere tool, but as a gift she shares with
her family or worthy giorgios.
Quote: "The Sight should not be selfishly used; it is a gift to
be shared with others."
The Moslavarics confirm what the characters heard
from Donani. Lela is a beautiful young woman; she is
nearly as gifted as her raunie with the Sight. The
Moslavarics liked Donani and looked forward to the
wedding. Unfortunately, the mortu Hanzi had trailed
the Moslavarics for more than a month, pining for
Lela and continually professing his devotion to her.
The Moslavarics had attempted to keep Hanzi away--
even by throwing stones and threatening him with
weapons--but Hanzi kept returning to profess his
inappropriate love for Lela.
Four nights ago, Lela stayed out in the woods past
nightfall. The Moslavarics suspect she was trysting
with Hanzi, but she insisted that she was not. Still,
she started to act distant, keeping to herself in her
vardo all day and interacting with her family only
rarely. Something was wrong with the girl, although
the Moslavarics did not know what it was.
This morning, the door to Lela's vardo hung open
and Lela was gone. Similarly, Hanzi has not been
lurking at the outskirts of the camp. Two sets of
footprints lead away from the camp into the snowy
forest. It seems obvious to all the Moslavarics that
Hanzi forced Lela to leave with him. A few eager
youths followed the tracks, but learned that the pair
had several hours’s head start and travelled quickly.
Catching up seemed unlikely without a long journey
through the dangerous wilderness, which the Vistani
consider a sure death.
Most of the Moslavarics already consider Lela a
lost cause, and have resigned themselves to never
seeing her again. The exception is the raunie
Tayrizha, who thinks that determined pursuers
might still catch up to Hanzi and bring her dear Lela
home. If the characters do not intend to follow the
tracks, Tayrizha pleads with them to do so.
Lela’s Vardo
If the adventurers want to investigate Lela's vardo
before following the footprints, the Moslavarics
allow it. Other than to confirm Lela's absence earlier
that day, none of the Moslavarics have been in the
wagon. Although most Vistani vardos are shared,
Lela's gift of the Sight earned her a vardo of her own.
Lela's vardo is crowded with hanging herbs,
beaded curtains, a table and a small bunk. Its few
windows have thick scarves tacked over them,
making the interior dark and gloomy. Lela spent the
last few days here as a vampire spawn, secretly
making the wagon's interior more fitting to her new
unlife and venturing out only on cloudy days or in
the evening. Investigative characters might identify
the following clues in the wagon's interior.
A successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check
notes that the scarves have been tacked up over
the windows so that no light penetrates the
vardo's interior.
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Any character investigating the bed finds that its
blankets cover not a pallet or mattress, but a thick
bed of fresh earth.
A successful DC 13 Intelligence (Nature) check
detects the odor of garlic and other strong-
smelling herbs but can find none within the vardo.
A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation)
check uncovers a recent love notes from Hanzi,
folded back to reveal the phrase, "I would give
anything for you, Lela, even my life!"
A successful DC 17 Wisdom (Perception) check
identifies the faint smell of decay pervading the
vardo.
These clues indicate that Lela is not all she seems,
and might not have been an innocent victim, but
they are not proof--the Moslavarics dismiss these
clues.
XP Award If the characters find any clues in Lela's vardo, award
each character 50 XP.
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Part 3: The Standing Stones When the adventurers examine the woods around
the Moslavaric camp, they discover tracks in the
snow leading deep into the forest. The tracks
ultimately lead to a circle of standing stones where
Lela is ritually sacrificing Hanzi.
General Features
Snow lies thick in the pine forest, allowing the
adventurers to follow the tracks of Lela and Hanzi
with little difficulty.
Terrain. The terrain is flat and stony, and covered
in deep pine forest. The land is covered in snow that
varies from a few inches to a few feet deep. The
clearest areas are under the snow-laden pine
boughs, which are also the darkest. Although the
terrain is wild and dense, the party cannot get lost so
long as they follow the tracks in the snow.
Light. Dim light predominates in the forest. At
night, the moon is nearly full and illuminates the
countryside with a pale, sickly glow. Even if the
adventurers wait until daytime to pursue the tracks
in the snow, the day is overcast and snow-shrouded
tree boughs block much of the light. It is dark near
the trunks of the largest pine trees.
Sound. Sound is muffled in the snowy forest.
Smell. The pine smell of the trees is strong, but the
faint unpleasant odor of dead flesh hangs around the
tracks of Lela and Hanzi in the snow.
Tracks. As the snow is all but gone beneath the
trees, and several wolf tracks cross the snow behind
the trees, it is not immediately obvious which
direction Lela and Hanzi went. Recovering the
humanoid tracks requires an hour of searching,
although a successful DC 14 Wisdom (Survival)
check reduces this time to only 10 minutes.
Adventure Pacing
If you have less than 45 minutes remaining to complete this
adventure, omit the Shambling Dead encounter below.
Shambling Dead
After the adventurers have been traveling for an
hour, read the following:
Several large pine trees grow closely together here, their
snow-laden boughs creating deep pools of shadow. The trail
in the snow leads beneath these trees.
Lela sent a wight and two ghouls to trace her back
trail and eliminate any pursuers. Thirty minutes
after the encounter with the lurking wolves, the
undead catch up to the adventurers.
If the characters are still searching for tracks near
the pine trees, the undead creatures attack the
adventurers normally. If they have already
discovered the tracks, or if they have posted a guard
to keep an eye on the surrounding terrain while
searching for tracks, then the adventurers spot the
approaching undead and have an opportunity to
surprise the undead.
Adjusting the Encounter
Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat
encounter. These are not cumulative.
Very weak party: Replace the wight with a ghoul and
replace the ghouls with zombies.
Weak party: Replace the wight with a ghast
Strong party: Replace the ghouls with ghasts and add a
zombie.
Very strong party: Add a second wight and replace the
ghouls with ghasts.
Treasure The wight's clothing is tattered and valueless, but it
still wears an ornate bronze torc worth 70 gp. A
characters that searches the area finds a jeweled
bracelet worth 25 gp. Lela dropped the bracelet here
in her flight.
At the Standing Stones
After two hours of following the tracks, the
adventurers catch up with Lela and her victim. Read
the following:
The dense trees give way to a large, rocky clearing nearly a
hundred feet in diameter. At the center of this clearing,
seven massive, weather-worn stones jut from the ground like
blunt, misshapen teeth. At the center of these standing
stones is a small hill bearing a flat, table-like rock. A man is
stretched across this table, bound with ropes and struggling
weakly. A Vistani woman stands above him, her pallid skin
hanging loosely on her frame. She holds aloft a stone bowl in
a clawed hand.
Lela is performing an hours-long ritual sacrifice to
restore her human disguise, but her undead nature
is currently plain. A ghast lurks amid the standing
stones, ready to do Lela's bidding. Hanzi is a
commoner that is restrained and too weakened to
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DDAL04-05 The Seer 15
provide the characters with any assistance. A large
symbol like a stylized eye is daubed on his bare
chest with a foul-smelling paste.
As soon as the adventurers spy Lela in her undead
form, the wind fan in their possession transforms
into a mockery of its lovely form. Instead of emitting
a warm wind and floral scent, its wind is cold and it
emits a carrion stench. The adventurer currently
bearing the wind fan notices this transformation.
If Lela or her ghoul minion spot the adventurers,
they immediately attack in order to protect Lela's
secret. If Lela is badly injured and near Hanzi, she
attacks Hanzi with her bite to regain hit points. Lela
and the ghoul fight until destroyed.
The Dark Powers protect Lela; any saving throws
made by the vampire spawn or her minions against
turn undead are made with advantage.
Adjusting the Encounter
Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat
encounter. These are not cumulative.
Very weak party: Reduce Lela's hit points to 30. Her evil
eye only inflicts 9 (2d8) psychic damage. Replace the ghast
with a zombie.
Weak party: Replace the ghast with a ghoul.
Strong party: Add one a ghoul.
Very strong party: Add a ghast.
Treasure Lela wears several items of gold and silver jewelry
worth 220 gp. Most of these items were gifts from
Hanzi. If alive, Hanzi encourages the party to keep
the treasure for saving his life.
XP Award If Hanzi survives, award each character 50 XP.
Conclusion With Lela defeated, the characters can reveal the
truth to the Vistani. Donani is grieved over his
beloved's fate, but Captain Elias assures the
characters that time heals the hearts of the young.
The Moslavaric family bears the news with stoic
acceptance. Although Lela's corruption wasn't
directly attributable to Hanzi's attentions, they see
the situation as proof that tragedy follows when
mortu consort with Vistani. However, as the
characters revealed Lela's nature and prevented her
from causing more death among the Moslavaric
family, Tayrizha is quite grateful and extend an
invitation to stay and learn from them (see
Downtime Activities, below).
Treasure Donani and Elias encourage the party to keep the
transformed wind fan as a reward (but also because
they worry it is tainted). In addition, Donani gives
the characters their promised reward—even if Lela
was never fated to be his. Donani secretly hopes that
the characters will not accept the gold and puts on
quite a show in an attempt to persuade them to
allow him to keep it.
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Rewards Make sure the players note their rewards on their
adventure log sheets. Give your name and DCI
number (if applicable) so players can record who
ran the session. If you are playing all of the missions
as a single adventure, or playing multiple missions in
one session, you can wait and give the rewards for
all missions played at the end of the session.
Experience
Total up all combat experience earned for defeated
foes, and divide by the number of characters present
in the combat. For non-combat experience, the
rewards listed are per character. Give all characters
in the party non-combat experience awards unless
otherwise noted.
Combat Awards Name of Foe XP per Foe
Brown bear 200
Owlbear 700
Dire wolf 200
Winter wolf 700
Wight 700
Zombie 50
Ghoul 200
Lela 1100
Non-Combat Awards Task or Accomplishment XP per Character
Attempt to dance the prastonata 25
Listen to the doroq 25
Gain any clues from Lela's vardo 50
Rescue Hanzi 50
The minimum total award for each character
participating in this adventure is 635 experience
points. The maximum total award for each character
participating in this adventure is 850 experience
points.
Treasure
The characters receive the following treasure,
divided up amongst the party. Characters should
attempt to divide treasure evenly whenever
possible. Gold piece values listed for sellable gear are
calculated at their selling price, not their purchase
price.
Consumable magic items should be divided up
however the group sees fit. If more than one
character is interested in a specific consumable
magic item, the DM can determine who gets it
randomly should the group be unable to decide.
Permanent magic items are divided up according
to a system set forth in the sidebar.
Treasure Awards Item Name GP Value
Bear hides 50
Donani's reward 35
Discarded bracelet 25
Bronze torc 70
Lela's jewelry 220
Wind Fan Wondrous Item, uncommon
This fan is made of thin, brittle parchment glued
over sharpened iron tines. When used, the wind
issuing from this fan is bone-chillingly cold and
carries the sickly-sweet stench of rotting flesh. The
fan can be used as a weapon; it is treated as a non-
magical short sword (dealing slashing damage)
when it is open, or as a non-magical club when it is
closed. A description of this item can be found in the
Dungeon Master’s Guide.
Permanent Magic Item Distribution
D&D Adventurers League has a system in place to determine
who is awarded permanent magic items at the end of a
session. Each character's logsheet contains a column to
record permanent magic items for ease of reference.
If all the players at the table agree on one character taking
possession of a permanent magic item, that character gets
the item.
In the event that one or more characters indicate an
interest in possessing a permanent magic item, the
character that possesses the fewest permanent magic item
gets the item. If there is a tie in the total number of
permanent magic items owned by contesting characters,
the item's owner is determined randomly by the DM.
Renown
All faction members earn one renown point for
participating in this adventure.
Downtime
Each character receives 10 downtime days at the
conclusion of this adventure.
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Downtime Activities
Characters who wish to spend more time with the
Vistani have special downtime activities available for
this adventure only. Each character can perform
only one of these downtime activities, and then only
once. Record this as a story award on the character's
logsheet.
Cunning Insight. The Vistani are quite good at
reading people. If you spend 10 downtime days
learning from the Vistani, you may invoke it at any
point in the future, granting advantage to all attack
rolls made during your turn. Remove this story
award from your logsheet once it's been used.
Trackless Travel. Some Vistani know secrets to
conceal their passage through the wilderness. If you
spend 10 downtime days learning these secrets, you
can apply them during future travel. For one day you
choose in the future, each creature you choose
within 30 feet of you (including you) can't be tracked
except by magical means and leaves behind no
tracks nor other traces of its passage. Remove this
story award from your logsheet once it's been used.
Story Awards
Characters have the opportunity to earn the
following story awards during this adventure. This
award is given to those characters that begin their
adventures in Ravenloft during this adventure (see Welcome to Barovia , above .
The Demiplane of Dread. You have traversed the
mists and now find yourself in the Demiplane of
Dread and, until this story award is removed, you
are unable to leave. So long as you are trapped, you
cannot participate in any adventure or event that
takes place outside of Barovia. Tread carefully
during your time here, the Dark Powers are
watching.
DM Rewards
For running this adventure, you receive 225 XP, and
112 gp.
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DDAL04-05 The Seer 18
Appendix: Monster/NPC
Statistics
Brown Bear Large beast, unaligned
Armor Class 11 (natural armor)
Hit Points 34 (4d10 + 12)
Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
19 (+4) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 2 (-4) 13 (+1) 7 (-2)
Skills Perception +3
Senses passive Perception 13
Languages --
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Keen Smell. The bear has advantage on Wisdom
(Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Actions
Multiattack. The bear makes two attacks: one with its
bite and one with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage.
Dire Wolf Large beast, unaligned
Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 37 (5d10 + 10)
Speed 50 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
17 (+3) 15 (+2) 15 (+2) 3 (-4) 12 (+1) 7 (-2)
Skills Perception +3, Stealth +4
Senses passive Perception 13
Languages --
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Keen Hearing and Smell. The wolf has advantage on
Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or
smell.
Pack Tactics. The wolf has advantage on an attack roll
against a creature if at least one of the wolf's allies is
within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't
incapacitated.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) piercing damage. If the target is
a creature, it must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving
throw or be knocked prone.
Ghast Medium undead, chaotic evil
Armor Class 13
Hit Points 36 (8d8)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 17 (+3) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 10 (+0) 8 (-1)
Damage Resistances necrotic
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Common
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Stench. Any creature that starts its turn within 5 feet of
the ghast must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving
throw or be poisoned until the start of its next turn. On
a successful saving throw, the creature is immune to
the ghast’s Stench for 24 hours.
Turning Defiance. The ghast and any ghouls within 30
feet of it have advantage on saving throws against
effects that turn undead.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft.., one
creature. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) piercing damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage. If the target is
a creature other than an undead, it must succeed on a
DC 10 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1
minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the
end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a
success.
Ghoul Medium undead, chaotic evil
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 22 (5d8)
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Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
13 (+1) 15 (+2) 10 (+0) 7 (-2) 10 (+0) 6 (-2)
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Common
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft.., one
creature. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) slashing damage. If the target is
a creature other than an elf or undead, it must succeed
on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed
for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at
the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself
on a success.
Lela (Vampire Spawn) Medium undead, neutral evil
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 60 (11d6 + 22)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 10 (+0) 12 (+1)
Saving Throws Dex +6, Wis +3
Skills Perception +3, Stealth +6
Damage Resistances necrotic
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages Common
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
Regeneration. Lela regains 5 hit points at the start of
her turn if she has at least 1 hit point and isn't in direct
sunlight or running water. If Lela takes radiant damage
or damage from holy water, this trait doesn't function
at the start of her next turn.
Spider Climb. Lela can climb difficult surfaces, including
upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an
ability check.
Vampire Weaknesses. Lela has the following flaws:
Forbiddance. Lela can't enter a residence with an
invitation from one of the occupants.
Harmed by Running Water. Lela takes 20 acid
damage when she ends her turn in running water.
Stake to the Heart. Lela is destroyed if a piercing
weapon made of wood is driven into her heart while
she is incapacitated in her resting place.
Sunlight Hypersensitivity. Lela takes 20 radiant
damage when she starts her turn in direct sunlight.
While in direct sunlight, she has disadvantage on
attack rolls and ability checks.
Actions
Multiattack. Lela makes two melee attacks, only one of
which can be a bite attack.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
creature. Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3) slashing damage. Instead of
dealing damage, Lela can grapple her target (escape DC
13).
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 5 ft., one
willing creature, or a creature that is grappled by Lela,
incapacitated, or restrained. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing
damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage. The target's hit
point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the
necrotic damage taken, and Lela regains hit points
equal to that amount. The reduction lasts until the
target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect
reduces its hit point maximum to 0.
Evil Eye. Lela magically forces a creature she can see
within 30 feet of her to make a DC 13 Charisma saving
throw. The creature takes 18 (4d8) psychic damage on
a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful
one.
Reactions
Insightful Defense. When an attacker Lela can see hits
her with an attack, Lela can halve the damage against
her.
Owlbear Large monstrosity, unaligned
Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points 59 (7d10 + 21)
Speed 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
20 (+5) 12 (+1) 17 (+3) 3 (-4) 12 (+1) 7 (-2)
Skills Perception +3
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages --
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Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Keen Sight and Smell. The owlbear has advantage on
Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight or smell.
Actions
Multiattack. The owlbear makes two attacks: one with
its beak and one with its claws.
Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 10 (1d10 + 5) piercing damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) slashing damage.
Snow Camouflage. The wolf has advantage on
Dexterity (Stealth) check made to hide in snowy
terrain.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage. If the target is
a creature, it must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving
throw or be knocked prone.
Cold Breath (Recharge 5-6). The wolf exhales a blast of
freezing wind in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that
area must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking
18 (4d8) cold damage on a failed save, or half as much
damage on a successful one.
Wight Medium undead, neutral evil
Armor Class 14 (studded leather)
Hit Points 45 (6d8 + 18)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 15 (+2)
Skills Perception +3, Stealth +4
Damage Resistances necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing,
and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't
silvered
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages Common
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the wight has
disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom
(Perception) checks that rely on sight.
Actions
Multiattack. The wight makes two longsword attacks
or two longbow attacks. It can use its Life Drain in place
of one longsword attack.
Life Drain. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) necrotic damage. The target
must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or
its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal
to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the
target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect
reduces its hit point maximum to 0.
A humanoid slain by this attack rises 24 hours later
as a zo ie u der the ight’s o trol, u less the humanoid is restored to life or its body is destroyed.
The wight can have no more than twelve zombies
under its control at one time.
Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5
ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) slashing damage, or 7
(1d10 + 2) slashing damage if used with two hands.
Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range
150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing
damage.
Winter Wolf Large monstrosity, neutral evil
Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points 75 (10d10 + 20)
Speed 50 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
18 (+4) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 7 (-2) 12 (+1) 8 (-1)
Skills Perception +5, Stealth +3
Damage Immunities cold
Senses passive Perception 15
Languages Common, Giant, Winter Wolf
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Keen Hearing and Smell. The wolf has advantage on
Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or
smell.
Pack Tactics. The wolf has advantage on an attack roll
against a creature if at least one of the wolf's allies is
within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't
incapacitated.
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DDAL04-05 The Seer 21
Zombie Medium undead, neutral evil
Armor Class 8
Hit Points 22 (3d8 + 9)
Speed 20 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
13 (+1) 6 (-2) 16 (+3) 3 (-4) 6 (-2) 5 (-3)
Saving Throws Wisdom +0
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8
Languages understands Common, but can't speak
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the zombie to 0
hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw
with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage
is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the
zombie drops to 1 hit point instead.
Actions
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) bludgeoning damage.
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Appendix: NPC Summary This section is provided to the Dungeon Master to
help keep track of the various NPCs present in the
adventure.
Bogaravs (BO-gahr-ahvs). Friendly Vistani family
of musicians. Elias and Donani are Bogaravs.
Moslavarics (mo-SLAV-ah-reeks). Dour Vistani
family of crafters. Lela, Advan, and Tayrizha are
Moslavarics.
Elias (uh-LIE-uss). Captain of the Bogaravs.
Donani (doe-NAH-nee). A young man of the
Bogaravs, engaged to Lela.
Lela (LEE-luh). A young woman of the Moslavarics,
engaged to Donani. Unbeknownst to her family, she
has become a vampire spawn.
Advan (ODD-vonn). Son of the captain of the
Moslavarics, Advan protects his father by pretending
to be captain.
Tayrizha (tay-REEZH-uh). Raunie of the
Moslavarics.
Hanzi (HAHN-zee). A mortu, or Vistani outcast, who
has fallen in love with Lela.
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DDAL04-05 The Seer 23
Results Code: March - April 2016
If you are DMing this adventure during the months of March – May 2016, please show your players this page. The QR
code below can be scanned, and will allow them to give feedback and results on the adventure to influence the
storyline in the future!
If a player does not have a mobile device, please tell them to head to dndadventurersleague.org/results to enter
their results.
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