 The land of Barovia. A dark and somber place. Its inhabitants are lifeless, struggling to find a means to survive. Previously a prosperous country, now it lays in shackles of a tyrannical ruler. One may attempt to liberate the Binds that hold the land, but be warned, this land is unkind to outsiders. Curse of Strahd is a campaign designed to emulate the classic horror genre of the late 20th century. It is filled with death at every turn and conflict everywhere you go. Here we will explore the story that occurs in Curse of Strahd and hopefully understand the adventure of this famous campaign module. In a tavern you are approached by a mysterious figure dressed in brightly colored clothing. He hands you a letter and tells you that his master, Burgomaster Indirovich, is in need of aid. He says, If you be creatures of honor, you will come to my master's aid at first light. It is not advisable to travel the woods at night. The man takes his leave, paying for your drinks along the way out. As you travel deep into the woods, a dense mist engulfs the surrounding behind you. Standing tall in the path ahead is a towering gate flanked by two large statues. The gate creeps open, beckoning you to enter through the rusted doors. You take your first steps into the land, hearing a creaking noise as the gates close behind you. The Burgomaster needs your help, and there's little time to waste. Traveling deeper into the lands, you come across tall shapes in the far distance, jutting out of the fog. Approaching the figures, you are able to make them out to be buildings belonging to a small town but in a dire condition. The sight of decrepit structures in gray lands greet you, for it will become a familiar tone throughout your journey. Overlooking the village from a cliff far away is a grim castle, almost as if it's watching the small town. In the tavern of the village, you meet a man named Ismar Kolyanovich. As the son of the Burgomaster, he welcomes you to the land of Barovia. Confusingly enough, he also welcomes you to the town you see before you, the village of Barovia. You hand Ismar the letter that you have received from the man earlier, which confuses him greatly. The letter claims to be written by his father, Kolyanovich, but he identifies that the handwriting does not match that of his father. Additionally, his father has passed away three days ago. Someone is setting you up to something. Acknowledging that the contents of the letter are strange, Ismar requests that you guide his adopted sister, Irina, to the town of Vlaki. The castle in the far distance is known as Castle Ravenloft and belongs to an evil tyrant named Strahd von Zarovich. Strahd has been searching for Irina and, for some unknown reason, desires her above all else. Agreeing to help Ismar, he takes you to his manor. Entering the manor, you meet a striking young woman with auburn hair. She introduces herself as Irina. Irina gestures towards a coffin in the room, hoping you would help her carry it to the local chapel to bury her recently deceased father. It is her last wish before embarking on the journey to Vlaki. Transporting the coffin to the chapel, you see a mad priest in prayer. From beneath the chapel, you hear a voice cry out, Father, I'm starving! The mad priest spots you. He explains that his son has been turned by the bite of a vampire. With the boy locked in the cellar of the chapel, he prays day and night for the gods to release his son from the curse without killing him. You request his help in burying the coffin in which he obliged. During the burial, the priest expresses his sympathy for Koleon, the deceased burgomaster. Koleon had adopted Irina when he found her in the edge of the woods. She was a mere child at the time, with no memory of her past. Regardless, the burgomaster loved her dearly. Thanking the priest for his aid, you set forth towards Vlaki, leaving the unfortunate man praying endlessly for the cure to his son. On the road to Vlaki, you encounter a camp containing people dressed in brightly colored clothing. They welcome you with open arms and drink with you by fire. They usher you to enter a camp where you meet an elderly woman sat behind a table. She calls you by name and beckons you to sit by her. You may address her as Madam Ava and claims that there is nothing more enlightening than having your fortune told, gesturing to her deck of cards. Feeling a bit curious, you ask her to tell your fortune when she gladly does so. She reveals each of the following cards from the top of the deck and narrates as such. This card tells of history. Knowledge of the ancient will better help you understand the enemy. Look for a wizard's tower on a lake. This card tells of a powerful force of good and protection, a holy symbol of great hope. The treasure you seek is hidden beneath the sun in the house of the saint. This is a card of power and strength. It tells of a weapon of vengeance, a sword of sunlight. I see a faceless god. He awaits at the end of a long and winding road, deep in the mountains. And with that, she grows silent, eyeing the door and back to you. Taking her gesture, you exit the tent and rest a bit at the camp before embarking back on your journey to Valaki. Upon entering the town, you find it fairly joyous at first glance. Soon enough, however, you uncover that it is only a false pretense in which the burgomaster of the town has conjured. Speaking to the residents of the town, you uncover that the burgomaster, Varun Vargas Valakavich, believes keeping the town in a perpetual state of bliss, deters Strahd from its grounds. This could further be from the truth. Traveling to the Blue Mist Inn for a night's rest, you meet a man named Rectavio. Rectavio claims to be a carnival ringmaster from a distant land. Although the odd fellow suspiciously eyes you, he seems friendly enough and shares some unbelievable tales to pass time. You pay the innkeeper for a room and take a night's rest hoping to gather more information on the following morning. The next day, you set forth into the town, stumbling upon the local chapel known as St. Andrew's Church. You meet Father Lucian, who seems to be lost in deep thought. Recently, the bones of St. Andrew has been stolen off the crypt beneath the church. The hollowed bones have been protecting the grounds from Strahd's grasp, and now, with the bones missing, the church is liable to being attacked by the tyrant himself. He requests that you find the remains and return them to protect the lands once more. You agree and keep the search for the bones in the back of your mind. Traveling to the northern end of the town, you come across a lake with a fishing boat on it. The man on the boat seems frustrated and reaches below to produce a burlap bag formed in the shape of a small childlike body. He tosses it overboard, waits a few moments, then casts a fishing line. Alarmed with these actions, you leap into a boat and row out to save the body. Recovering the bag, you find a little girl inside, mostly unharmed. Unfazed by the event that unfolded, she thanks you for your rescue and introduces herself as Arabelle. The little girl requests to be returned to her family's camp just outside of Valaki. Pitying the poor girl, you row back to shore and search for her family. Upon finding her family's camp, you notice the inhabitants to be dressed in brightly colored clothing. The residents seem foreign compared to those in the land of Barovia. They immediately pick up their arms when spotting you, but lower their guard upon seeing Arabelle. She rushes to the people and introduces them to you as the Vestani. The Vestani embrace Arabelle and give you much gratitude for rescuing her. You explore the camp to find some Vestani arguing and complaining. It appears that the wine supply of the area has been depleted and there has not been any shipment as of late. You empathize with them and keep the troubles in mind, for it would be unimaginable to live in the land of Barovia without the aid of alcohol. Finally, you travel back into the town of Valaki to be greeted with a terrible sight. You arrive to the town to find a completely overrun by vampire spawns. From the path of destruction, you pinpoint the source of the activity to be St. Andrew's Church. Rushing into the building, you witness a sinister site. Bodies layer the floor, sucks dry of any fluids by the vampire spawn. Blood speckled a wall in flooring, showing signs of a powerless struggle. In the center of the altar is the lifeless body of Father Lucian. These were merely backdrop details, for the most frightening view of all was that of a tall, well-groomed man. Fear strikes you as his eyes meet yours. The blood of Father Lucian trickles down his lips. A moment's pause before he politely introduces himself. Count Strahd Von Zarovich. A pleasure to finally meet you and many thanks for coming to the land of Barovia. Paralyzed in place, either by the magical gaze of Strahd, or that of fear, you are helpless as he plays with you. He tells you that he instructed Vistani to exit the land of Barovia to hand you the letter and lure you into his domain. Strahd is tired of ruling the lands and wishes to find a successor once he marries his beloved Tatiana. He gestures to Irina. A reincarnation of his former love, he declares that they will be wed in a few weeks time at Castle Ravenloft. Strahd then abducts Irina and informs you that when the wedding comes, he expects your appearance. The vampire and his spawns take off into the night sky, leaving you to deal with the mess in the church. You retire back to the inn, hoping to rest after a brutal defeat and encounter Rectavia once again. He encourages you to pick your head up and stride forward, for Irina has limited time before she is turned into a vampire. Additionally, he mentions to meet him in a tower nearby Lake Baratok, where he can discuss important matters with you. Suspiciously, Victavio leaves the inn, saying not another word. You take a night's rest, waking up from your blissful sleep, back to the horrific reality. Setting forth out of the town and towards Lake Baratok, you embark on a journey to save a bride to be. A day's trek brings you to Lake Baratok, where you find a large and mighty tower. Approaching the tower, it is clear that the building has seen better days. You enter the building, where you find an old yet fit man waiting patiently. Rectavia reintroduces himself as Rudolf van Richten. Van Richten is a legendary monster hunter and has his sights set for the greatest vampire of all, Strahd von Zarovich. He produces a book that he claims is the Tome of Strahd, and contains his secrets within it. Reading through its pages, he learned that Strahd was once a man who lived in Brovia. His former lover, Tatiana, had fallen in love with his brother, Sergei. Strahd had killed his brother in order to turn himself into a vampire, and his brother's sword of light harmed him immensely. Van Richten informs you that he knows of the blade that is mentioned in the tomb. It is located in a temple far off in the southern region, referred to as the Amber Temple. As you discuss the contents of the Tome, you hear the rattling of horse steps approaching from the outside until it comes to an abrupt stop at the door. You draw your weapons, and van Richten prepares himself for a confrontation. As the door opens, a single Vistani woman enters the building, gravely wounded. To your surprise, van Richten frantically rushes over to the woman and helps her recover. You overhear conversations of endearment and argument between the two, bickering and reminiscing, friends with the history it seems. After gathering himself, you are introduced to van Richten's protege, Esmeralda. She has just arrived from a brutal battle in Castle Ravenloft, and came to the tower to recover herself. Surprised to find Esmeralda in Barovia, van Richten scraps any previous conversation he had with you in favor of the new one. Keep Esmeralda safe. A letter slips through the cracks of the door and lands with a seal facing upright, the seal of Strahd. Opening the letter, it reads, My friends, know that it is I who have brought you to this land, my home, and know that I alone can release you from it. I bid you dine at my castle so that we can meet in civilized surroundings. Your passage here will be a safe one. I await your arrival. Your host, Strahd van Zarovich. He knows you are here. He knows van Richten and Esmeralda is here. Agreeing to separate from the castle, it is time to investigate for more information from the land. Esmeralda leaves with you as van Richten leaves on his own. Perhaps investigating the winery nearby would lead to some clues as to the defeat of Strahd. Whatever the case may be, here is not safe. As you exit van Richten's tower, you decide to explore the winery's situation. Something must be going on, and alcohol is the only escape from reality that these inhabitants have. Hearing rumors of the lack of produce from the winery, you travel the roads eastward to the location and find a robed figure in the distance. He introduces himself as Davian Martikov and requests that you rid the winery of the druids and vine blights that plague the building. After doing so, he expresses gratitude and tells you that the vineyard is dying due to the lack of the magic seed. Additionally, they have cargo needing to be brought urgently to the village of Kresk where a holy priest that can cure all wounds reside. Agreeing to take the cargo to the town, you give your word that you would retrieve the seeds if you encounter them. As you reach the village of Kresk, guards patrolling the entrance stops you. You show them that you are here to deliver wine and they reluctantly allow you to pass. Once inside, you deliver the cart and investigate the safe haven. You stumble across the Abbey of Saint Markovia where you meet a handsome young man. He is known to the town as the Abbot. A long sign tab is a woman who strangely resembles Irina. The Abbot has been creating brides for Strahd, but nothing has seemed to captivate what the vampire desires so far. The inhabitants in the rest of the compound seems to be amalgamations of humans in various animal parts. Hidden behind a golden sun disc above a fireplace, you find a platinum amulet shaped like a sun. You take it with you as you leave the town, identifying it as the holy symbol of Ravenkind, a holy object with radiant magic. Setting forth with a powerful artifact in hand, you decide it is time to visit Strahd and attend his dinner invitation. Strangely enough, just as his letter said, the path towards Castle Ravenloft was void of any danger. Before you sits a castle on top a high mountain. Stark against the sky, the towering fortress emanates a menacing aura. Thick fogs surround the courtyard. Sporadic instances of lightning strikes in the background. Between you and the castle is a long ravine. A drawbridge lowers from the castle landing right before your feet alluring you into its grasp. At the opposite end of the bridge stands an elf. He introduces himself as Rahadin, a servant to his beloved master. His master is expecting you. Rahadin guides you across the bridge through the tall ornate doors of the building and into the compound in which Strahd resides. Cobwebs stretch across the pillars that hold this great dusty hall dimly lit by torches. The torches cast odd shadows across the face of eight stone gargoyles squatting motionlessly on the rim of the doom ceiling. Cracked and faded ceiling frescoes are covered by decay. In the distance, you hear a soft organ playing, sad yet majestic tones. Hearing the music, Rahadin explains that his master's in a joyous state. Guiding you to the dining hall, he seats you at one end of the mast of table before retreating into the hallways. Shortly afterwards, three beautifully dressed women enter the room, panning out around the table. Following them is the murderous lord of the castle himself. Strahd seats himself at the other end of the table, and the other woman flank his sides. The vampire politely thanks you for accepting his invitation into the castle, even if it was a bit delayed. He introduces the woman before you as his brides and they each give you an unsettling smile. Strahd gestures towards the food. There is a plentiful array of culinary delights, and you are invited to eat to your heart's content. He raises a glass and offers a toast to the adventurer who graciously reunited the beloved Tatiana to her rightful husband. He hesitantly eye your glass, suspicious of its content. This infuriate Strahd, his irritated outburst shocks you as his voice expresses the clear annoyance. Strahd would never resort to such obvious tactics as to try to poison you. You are his guest. You will be treated as such. No more, no less. With fear in your heart, you raise your glass before cautiously drinking its content. Believe that it's just wine. Afterwards, you enjoy a wonderful dinner and finish your meal. Once the plates were cleared, it was time to have a discussion with Strahd. Through your dialogue with him, you discover that he has been closely watching every step you take. He had hoped to make you a successor, but deems you unworthy of this task for you are weak. Expressing disappointment in your pathetic performance, Strahd tells you that the wedding between him and his Tatiana will occur in a few days. He makes a small request of you. Bring him his brother's sword on the day of the wedding. It would make a marvelous gift for the magnificent day. Satisfied with the outcome of the dinner, Strahd takes his lead from the table and allows you to see your way out. Rahadin guides you out of the castle and across the bridge, raising it back over the ravine. Left with nowhere else to go, you leave for a temple located far off in the distance, recalling that the Amber Temple is where the blade must reside. A day's journey takes you to the location of the Amber Temple, where you meet an undead lich sitting upon a throne. He asks if he knows you. The lich seems to be missing his memories and is unable to recall anything of the past. Casting greater restoration on the lich, he now greets you as Exanther. He gestures to the doors lining the room and gives you the passphrase that unlocks each door. Within each door contains a dark entity granting you sinister powers. Lastly, while exploring the building, you find a hidden hilt. As you activate the hilt, a surge of light emanates from it, forming a blade to the sword. This must be the legendary sword that could defeat Strahd. Armed with your new abilities, you exit the temple in hopes to re-confront Strahd. Unfortunately, waiting for you outside is Rahadin, along with the Horde of Empire spawn. Rahadin thanks you for finding the sword. It demands that you hand over the artifact. Unwilling to do so, a battle breaks loose and you test out your new acquisitions. Slaying the elf's servant, you embark on the path towards the castle once more, this time prepared to slay the horrific vampire. On the day of the wedding, you reach the castle's gates. The bridge has already been lowered for you, clearly inviting you as a wedding guest. As you enter, you find through a multitude of monsters ranging from vampires to gargoyles. On reaching the chapel room, you find Irina in the clutches of Strahd Von Zarovich. When Strahd spots you wielding the sword of his brother, he cries out in frustration. Strahd claims that the curse of the land will never allow him to be reunited with his lover, but today is the day that changes. Strahd lunges forward and striking you with all of his might. You fend him off with the sword in hand, battling with the powerful tyrant. With one final slash, you press the sword across his body where he vanishes into the mist. You rescue Irina and return her back to her brother, who is overjoyed at the outcome of Strahd's demise. Leaving the land of Barovia liberated, you can't help but feel that this is not the end, but merely a small interruption. Hello everybody! If you guys enjoyed the story of Curse of Strahd, please subscribe and give me a like. Would really help me out. Thanks!