TEXT:  
   
   
   
  
  Barovian Folk Tales 
   
  Credits 
  Author: Maddison Nichol 
  Developer: Maddison Nichol 
  Editors: Elizabeth Price 
  Artwork: Canva Pro Stock Art 
  Layout: Maddison Nichol 
   
  Website: maddnichol.com 
  Twitter: @maddnichol121 
   
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Eberron, the 
  dragon ampersand, Ravnica and all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective 
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  This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast and/or other authors. Such 
  material is used with permission under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters 
  Guild. 
   
  All other original material in this work is copyright 2021 Maddison Nichol and published under the 
  Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.
  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Barovia, a mist-drenched valley surrounded by 
  imposing, snow-capped mountains. Its rugged 
  beauty is masked by the constant twilight, a sun that 
  never truly shines, and the constant battering of 
  rain. Its woods are thick and dark, their canopy 
  blocking out every little ounce of light that 
  penetrates the thick cloud cover. This constant 
  dreariness, this never-ending dusk permeates every 
  aspect of Barovian life and influences the stories 
  they tell each other, some to scare the children, 
  others told around the dim embers of the tavern fire 
  after one too many glasses of wine. 
   
  And as the wind, the rain, and the darkness begin 
  to take root in the hearts, bodies, and minds of its 
  people, so too does this despair emerge in the folk 
  lore these people tell each other. But in a land as 
  haunted, as cursed as Barovia truly is, these tales 
  are much more than mere cautionary tales. These 
  beasts and places are very real and have invoked 
  terror amongst Barovians for generations. Now it is 
  time these stories came to light and shared with 
  you, dear reader. 
   
  Read on, if you dare, and learn all you can muster 
  about a few of the cryptids and cursed locations no 
  sane Barovian would dare venture. Uncover the 
  secrets of this shrouded land, and, perhaps, discover 
  some treasure lost long ago. 
  - 
  Van Richten 
  
  1 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Barovian Folk Tales contains five optional 
  cryptids and five new encounters for your 
  adventurers to hear about, locate, and 
  discover as they journey through Barovia. 
  The book is separated into two sections, 
  Cryptids and Haunts, and are explained in 
  further detail below. While these 
  creatures and events were designed with 
  Barovia in mind, they can easily be made 
  setting neutral with a few minor changes. 
   
  Cryptids 
  Cryptids are mysterious and powerful 
  creatures. Only one such creature exists in 
  the world and each one will prove a 
  challenge to track and kill, unless it finds 
  the players first. Each cryptid has a 
  detailed stat block, accompanying lore, as 
  well as a lair. In addition, each cryptid will 
  also have a story to accompany them for 
  the more lore-minded players at your 
  table. How these cryptids interact with 
  your characters is entirely up to you. 
   
  Haunts 
  Haunts are areas that have an associated 
  folkloric tale about them. These range 
  from a cabin hidden deep in the woods to 
  a battlefield where an endless battle has 
  been waged for centuries. Each haunt will  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  have an associated legend attached to it, 
  as well as details and the events that 
  occur once the players uncover it.  
   
  Running Folk Tales 
  Folk tales play out like a miniature self-
  contained adventure within the Curse of 
  Strahd campaign. Learning about the 
  folklore of a cryptid or a haunt is part of 
  the fun and sometimes may just lend itself 
  to the general creepiness of Barovia. 
  However, since haunts and cryptids (save 
  for one) have a set location, they can 
  occur anywhere you desire in Barovia. 
  Should the party run into a random 
  encounter, consider have one of the 
  cryptids stalk them for a while before 
  attacking, or they see the unblinking eyes 
  of Lady Svalich staring from the woods. 
  Every encounter with a cryptid will stoke 
  curiosity and fear in the characters and 
  create a new layer of mystery to Barovia. 
  Haunts create new tensions, new 
  mysteries, and hidden rewards to 
  tantalize players into seeking them out. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  2 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  This chapter goes over the five Barovian 
  cryptids the adventurers may learn about 
  and uncover during their time in Barovia. 
  Each cryptid is a formidable opponent, 
  even more so in its lair, and should be 
  approached with caution. 
  Bloody Elk 
   
  Saw it with my own eyes, I did. A beast, 
  biggest thing I ever saw… but it didn’t look 
  right. Its legs were… backwards, bending 
  the wrong way as it walked on all fours. 
  And that face… I close my eyes and I still 
  see it watching. Two blood red eyes in a 
  skinless skull. Teeth the size of my arm. 
  And the antlers were so large you could 
  hang a man from them. 
  Every now and then I wake up with cold 
  sweats in the night and hear that low bray 
  in the darkness. It calls for me, beckons in 
  a voice I don’t understand. The worst part, 
  the noises I hear are starting to change. 
  It… calls my name. It knows me. Only a 
  matter of time before it gets me. Once you 
  see it it’s only a matter of time. Beware 
  the Bloody Elk, strangers, lest it find you 
  first. 
   
  -Kaylin Drendar, Barovian Tracker 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Tales of Bloody Elk go back centuries, 
  originating around the time of Strahd’s 
  death. To many Barovians, Bloody Elk is a 
  story to tell children not to wander out at 
  night. To those who have spent a night 
  deep in the heart of the Svalich Woods, or 
  travelled along the roads without a lamp, 
  Bloody Elk is very real. 
   
  Few survive an encounter with Bloody 
  Elk, and those unlucky enough to escape 
  alive wish they hadn’t. None escape the 
  ever-watching eyes of Bloody Elk, and, 
  over time, it will always learn to say their 
  name. In a braying voice not meant for 
  words, the beast calls their name from the 
  darkness of the woods, waiting until the 
  survivor gives in to their fear and run 
  screaming through the trees, never to be 
  seen again. 
   
  Over the years, the tale of Bloody Elk 
  has changed. Some describe it as a huge 
  wolf with impossibly large antlers. Others 
  as a beast with twisted, unnatural legs. 
  But all accounts of Bloody Elk share a few 
  commonalities. Its head is a skinless skull 
  full of fangs with large black antlers rising 
  from its head, and it always finds you in 
  the end, learning to say your name until 
  the thought of it drives you mad. 
   
  Territorial. Bloody Elk has been known 
  to be incredibly territorial, keeping wolves 
  and other dangerous creatures out of its 
  
  3 
   
  hunting grounds. A stretch of road that is 
  unnaturally quiet, or a silent glade in the 
  Svalich Woods is likely all part of Bloody 
  Elk’s territory. Nothing dares venture 
  there. 
   
  Impossible Form. The limbs of Bloody 
  Elk bend in unnatural ways. It walks on 
  gaunt legs with backwards bending knees 
  while its fleshless skull scans the mist for 
  prey. Gazing upon Bloody Elk is enough to 
  drive anyone to near madness. 
   
  Voracious Hunger. Bloody Elk is always 
  hungry and never full. It always appears 
  emaciated and starving, it’s fur mottled 
  and mangy with patches of flesh missing 
  to reveal sinew and rotting bones. No 
  amount of food can sate the beast’s 
  impossible hunger, but despite this it has 
  never attacked a settlement. This is 
  because Bloody Elk doesn’t require food 
  or drink to sustain it and eats only out of 
  habit. 
   
  Bloody Elk’s Lair        
  Bloody Elk lives in a crudely dug burrow in 
  a hillside. Its home consists of a few 
  smaller chambers near the entrance 
  where it keeps the devoured remains of 
  its victims. Deep in the back of the lair is a 
  large, circular chamber where the beast 
  sleeps. Scattered around the room are 
  objects Bloody Elk finds interesting and 
  can sometimes be seen picking up an item 
  with long, stick-like fingers and staring 
  into it while humming a tuneless song to 
  itself. 
   
  Lair Actions 
  When fighting inside its lair, Bloody Elk 
  can evoke the ambient magic to take lair 
  actions. On initiative count 20 (losing ties), 
  Bloody Elk can take one lair action to 
  cause one of the following effects: 
  • A 30-foot square area of ground 
  within 50 feet of Bloody Elk fills 
  with skeletal remains; that area is 
  difficult terrain until initiative 
  count 20 of the next round. 
  • A blood red mist floods the lair, 
  obscuring everything until 
  initiative count 20 on the next 
  round. 
  • The lair trembles like an 
  earthquake. Each creature in the 
  lair, except for Blood Elk, must 
  succeed a DC 15 Constitution 
  saving throw or be knocked prone. 
  Bloody Elk can’t repeat an effect until they 
  have all been used, and it can’t repeat the 
  same effect in two consecutive rounds. 
   
  Regional Effects 
  The region containing Bloody Elk’s lair is 
  corrupted by the beast’s foul presence, 
  which creates one or more of the 
  following effects: 
  • The area within three miles of 
  Bloody Elk’s lair is dead silent. 
  Birds don’t chirp and the woods 
  are absent of wolves. 
  • Light casts strange shadows in the 
  area within three miles of Bloody 
  Elk’s lair. They move 
  independently and never seem to 
  make the correct shape. Every 
  shadow of a creature or person 
  has elk horns sprouting from their 
  heads and burning red eyes. 
  Once Bloody Elk dies, the effects of its lair 
  fade after 1d10 days. Wildlife returns to 
  the woods until its territory is once again 
  inhabited by the numerous other dangers 
  that dwell under those mist shrouded 
  leaves. 
   
   
   
  
  4 
   
  Bloody Elk 
  Large beast 
  Armor Class 16 (natural armour) 
  Hit Points 121 (16d10+33) 
  Speed 50 ft. 
  STR 
  20 
  (+5) 
  DEX 
  15 
  (+2) 
  CON 
  20 
  (+5) 
  INT 
  11 
  (+0) 
  WIS 
  12 
  (+1) 
  CHA 
  14 
  (+2) 
  Saving Throws Con +3 
  Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and 
  slashing from nonmagical attacks 
  Damage Immunities necrotic 
  Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, 
  frightened 
  Senses blindsight 60 ft., passive perception 15 
  Languages Common (garbled) 
  Challenge 8 (3,900 XP) 
  Legendary Resistance (2/Day). If Bloody Elk fails 
  a saving throw, it can choose to succeed 
  instead. 
  Regeneration. Bloody Elk regains 10 hit points 
  at the start of each of its turns if it has at least 1 
  hit point. If Bloody Elk takes fire damage, this 
  trait doesn’t function until the start of it’s next 
  turn. 
  Unusual Nature. Bloody Elk doesn’t require 
  food, drink, or sleep. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. Bloody Elk makes two Claw attacks 
  followed by one Bite attack. If both Claw attacks 
  hit the same creature, the Bite attack is made 
  with advantage. 
  Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 
  ft., one target. Hit:  9 (1d8+5) slashing damage. 
  The target must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving 
  throw to avoid being dragged five feet towards 
  Bloody Elk. 
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d8+5) piercing damage 
  plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage. 
  Legendary Actions 
  Bloody Elk can take 3 legendary actions, 
  choosing from the options below. Only one 
  legendary action can be used at a time and only 
  at the end of another creature’s turn. Bloody 
  Elk regains spent legendary actions at the start 
  of it’s turn. 
  Gore (Costs 2 Actions). Bloody Elk moves up to 
  its speed in a straight line, ignoring other 
  creatures and terrain. Any creature and object 
  in the path takes 27 (5d10) piercing damage. 
  Claw. Bloody Elk makes two Claw attacks. 
   
  Tactics             
  Bloody Elk may look bestial in nature, but 
  the beast was once a person turned into 
  something foul. It retains some of this 
  intelligence and tactics and is capable of 
  thinking about how best to take down a 
  group of hunters. It makes frequent use of 
  its Gore legendary action to deal huge 
  damage to as many heroes as possible 
  and get close to the squishy back lines. It 
  knows that magic wielders and healers are 
  a big threat to its corrupted life and will 
  focus its attention on taking them down 
  as quickly as possible. Forcing the up-close 
  and personal warriors to chase the beast 
  down keeps it healthier and alive for 
  longer as it dashes across the battlefield. 
   
  When reduced to half of its hit points, 
  Bloody Elk enters a fit of rage. Instead of 
  charging across the map it will stand its 
  ground and let out a barrage of claws and 
  bites, focusing whoever wields fire magic 
  or weapons. With fire damage out of the 
  question, the beast will then resume 
  trying to outpace its opponents and 
  eliminate the weaker adventures first. 
   
   
   
  
  5 
   
  Brambleskin 
   
  I thought it was a tree, some great oak or 
  pine, long dead. Fine piece of timber, I 
  remember thinking. So, I went up to it, axe 
  in hand, and set about ready to chop. 
  That’s when the others started screaming, 
  being lifted into the sky by roots and 
  branches. Worst of all, I watched as 
  thorny brambles began wrapping around 
  my friends’ necks like a noose before they 
  were left to hang, the life being drained 
  from their faces as them thorns dug 
  deeper into their necks. Dropped my axe 
  and ran, I did. Didn’t look back. 
   
  But those screams… I’ll never forget 
  them. Nor the three blinking eyes bleeding 
  some kinda sap that opened in the bark as 
  that unholy thing groaned like a tree being 
  felled. 
   
  -Kastov Vortin, Barovian Logger 
   
  While the story of Brambleskin is a more 
  recent creation, the fear this stalking tree 
  instills in the people is no less great than a 
  tale as old as Strahd. Loggers speak of a 
  foul tree that moves, its bark thorned, and 
  its roots covered in brambles and bracken. 
  Strange flowers accompany it, growing 
  like a weed in the glades it calls home. But 
  the worst tales of all recounts the bodies, 
  some still unnaturally fresh and barely 
  alive, hanging from thorned nooses. 
   
  Brambleskin is no static tree reduced to 
  tricking loggers into its glade. Capable of 
  moving around the Svalich Woods with 
  ease as if it were a simple beat of flesh 
  and bone, Brambleskin finds new places 
  to nest and wait. Preferring places near 
  roads, ruins, or logging camps, it is not 
  uncommon to find the remains of a crew 
  of lumberjacks’ camp amongst a glade of 
  strangely beautiful flowers in an 
  otherwise dreary landscape. 
   
  No one truly knows how Brambleskin 
  came to be, or if this is simply another far 
  fetched tale told by frightened loggers in 
  the woods. Those who have seen the tree 
  moving or have experienced an attack 
  firsthand know different. Its eyes bleed a 
  thick red sap, and each pupil appears as a 
  glittering gemstone. There is talk amongst 
  the Keepers of the Feather that 
  Brambleskin might be the foul perversion 
  of one of the missing magic gemstones 
  from the Wizard of the Wines, but only 
  those brave enough to find, and slay the 
  creature will ever know. 
   
  Nature’s Perversion. Before Barovia 
  was corrupted and whisked away into the 
  mists of Ravenloft, Brambleskin was 
  destined to become a treant. But once 
  Barovia began to darken and foul magics 
  began to take hold of the land, 
  Brambleskin’s meditations became 
  tainted. Thoughts of vengeance flooded 
  through its head and slowly, over the 
  centuries since Strahd took control, 
  Brambleskin became convinced that it had 
  to commit evil acts to protect its forest. 
   
  Legendary Malice. The hatred that 
  infests every root and branch of 
  Brambleskin runs deep and spreads like a 
  plague to the nearby plants. Furthered by 
  the treant’s possession of the third 
  gemstone from the Wizard of the Wines, 
  its power is only growing until, perhaps 
  one day, the entire Svalich woods will be 
  under its sway. 
   
  Corruptor of the Woods. Like all 
  treants, Brambleskin is capable of 
  animating plants around it. It enjoys 
  creating sickly sweet-smelling flowers that 
  can turn into thorned vines it then uses to 
  strangle and hang trespassers in the 
  forest. 
   
   
  
  6 
   
  Brambleskin’s Lair        
  Brambleskin is always found in its lair, 
  waiting for unsuspecting intruders to 
  approach or attempt to chop it. It always 
  sits in a glade surrounded by lovely 
  smelling flowers that shine brightly in the 
  dim of Barovia. 
   
  Lair Actions 
  When fighting inside its lair, Brambleskin 
  can evoke the ambient magic to take lair 
  actions. On initiative count 20 (losing ties), 
  Brambleskin can take one lair action to 
  cause one of the following effects: 
  • The flowers release a sweet aroma 
  that, when inhaled, causes 
  paralysis. Each non-plant creature 
  in the area must make a DC 16 
  Constitution saving throw. On a 
  failed save they are paralyzed. 
  Paralyzed creatures can repeat the 
  saving throw at the end of their 
  turns, ending the paralysis on a 
  success. 
  • The brambles and roots within 50 
  feet of Brambleskin wrap around 
  those unfortunate enough to be 
  caught in the lair. Each creature 
  must make a DC 16 Dexterity 
  saving throw to avoid being 
  grappled until initiative count 20 of 
  the next rounds. 
  • The ground within 50 feet of 
  Brambleskin shift and become 
  difficult terrain until initiative 
  count 20 on the next round. 
  Brambleskin can’t repeat an effect until 
  they have all been used, and it can’t 
  repeat the same effect in two consecutive 
  rounds. 
   
  Regional Effects 
  The region containing Brambleskin’s lair is 
  corrupted by the tree’s foul presence, 
  which creates one or more of the 
  following effects: 
  • Ghostly voices cry out for help on 
  the wind, their voices faint and 
  garbled as if full of blood. 
  • The trees seem to quake and 
  shiver on their own. Branches 
  move to create labyrinths in the 
  woods. 
  • An ever-present aroma of honey 
  and sugar drifts on the winds, 
  beckoning people closer to 
  Brambleskin’s lair. 
  Once Brambleskin dies, the effects of tis 
  lair fade after 1d10 days. 
   
   
   
   
  
  7 
   
  Brambleskin 
  Huge plant 
  Armor Class 16 (natural armour) 
  Hit Points 138 (12d12+60) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
  STR 
  23 
  (+6) 
  DEX 
  11 
  (+0) 
  CON 
  21 
  (+5) 
  INT 
  12 
  (+1) 
  WIS 
  18 
  (+4) 
  CHA 
  14 
  (+2) 
  Saving Throws Con +3, Dex +4 
  Damage Vulnerabilities fire 
  Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and 
  slashing from nonmagical attacks 
  Damage Immunities necrotic 
  Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, 
  frightened 
  Senses passive Perception 13 
  Languages Common, Druidic, Sylvan 
  Challenge 10 (5,900 XP) 
  False Appearance. While Brambleskin remains 
  motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal 
  tree. 
  Siege Monster. Brambleskin deals double 
  damage to objects and structures. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. Brambleskin makes two Slam 
  attacks and one Vine attack. 
  Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 16 (3d6+6) bludgeoning 
  damage. 
  Vine. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 
  10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d8+6) bludgeoning 
  damage. The target must make a DC 16 
  Dexterity saving throw or be grappled by 
  Brambleskin. 
  Hang (Recharge 5-6). Brambleskin attempts to 
  hang one of the creatures it is currently 
  grappling. That creature must make a successful 
  DC 16 Constitution saving throw. On a failed 
  save, the creature drops to one hit point and 
  begins to suffocate. 
  Legendary Actions 
  Brambleskin can take 3 legendary actions, 
  choosing from the options below. Only one 
  legendary action can be used at a time and only 
  at the end of another creature’s turn. It regains 
  spent legendary actions at the start of it’s turn. 
  Attack. Brambleskin makes either a Slam or a 
  Vine attack. 
  Grasping Dread. Brambleskin animates the 
  dead bodies hanging from its branches to plead 
  for help or mutter maddening words. Each 
  creature must make a DC 16 Wisdom saving 
  throw or become frightened. 
  Tactics             
  Brambleskin has a lot of crowd control 
  abilities which it uses with deadly effect. 
  Its only purpose is to destroy those who 
  attack it, venture into its woods, or come 
  seeking out the gem it uses as its heart, 
  the fabled missing gem from the Wizard 
  of the Wines. 
   
  When it has a creature grappled with 
  its vines it will always attempt to hang 
  them if possible. If not, it will continue to 
  squeeze the life from them and Slam them 
  into the ground. 
   
  Due to Brambleskin’s aversion to fire, it 
  will always try to incapacitate or hang 
  someone wielding a torch, fire weapons, 
  or flame spells. This weakness, when used 
  well by the adventurers, can make short 
  work of Brambleskin. If it feels it cannot 
  win, it may flee into the woods, crashing 
  through trees and leaving an obvious path 
  of destruction in its wake. Hiding amongst 
  the other trees is its only goal for survival, 
  but the still hanging corpses do little to 
  help mask its true nature. If Brambleskin 
  can hide for eight hours, it regains all its 
  hit points and sets out trying to seek 
  vengeance on those that harmed it. 
   
   
   
  
  8 
   
  Lady Svalich 
   
  We heard a sobbing sound in the woods 
  just off the road, so Vlad thought he’d 
  investigate. The sobbing stopped when the 
  screaming began. We saw Vlad running 
  back towards us, dodging low hanging 
  branches, and leaping over roots. That’s 
  when we saw Her, Lady Svalich Herself, 
  the weeping widow of the woods. Vlad 
  never did manage to escape. He stopped 
  dead in his tracks, his eyes went white as 
  snow, and then he turned around and 
  walked away from us. 
   
  Was us who started screaming then. 
  We high tailed it out of there as fast as we 
  could. Just… don’t go after the sound of 
  sobbing should you find yourself on the 
  roads. You might not make it out the 
  same. 
   
  -Boren Dvorchik, Trader 
   
  The story of Lady Svalich stretches back to 
  the dark, twisted roots of Barovia’s past. 
  Before Strahd, before the mists engulfed 
  the land, there was a woman widowed on 
  her wedding day. Time has forgotten her 
  name but not her story. 
   
  On the day of her wedding, Lady 
  Svalich watched in horror as her 
  betrothed collapsed under the effects of a 
  curse. His skin withered away into dust, 
  his hair, once thick and black, became 
  wispy and grey in a moment. She rushed 
  to embrace the man she loved and held 
  him tightly, taking the curse within her. 
  Her pristine white dress turned black as 
  night, her once elegant fingers became 
  emaciated and devoid of flesh.  
   
  The people screamed and tried to 
  escape, but somehow Lady Svalich 
  survived. The curse, not meant for her, 
  slowly became her only friend and most 
  trusted ally. She learned to harness it, 
  channel it, and over time became the 
  fearsome being known only as Lady 
  Svalich. 
   
  Corruption Incarnate. Lady Svalich is 
  corruption incarnate; a feature that only 
  strengthens with every passing year 
  trapped within Ravenloft. The curse that 
  destroyed her husband and transformed 
  her is a power she can now channel 
  against others. Some say those touched 
  by Lady Svalich’s curse wither away and 
  perish. Others say those poor unfortunate 
  people become something else, 
  something inhuman. 
   
  Inhuman Likeness. While Lady Svalich 
  does appear, for all intents and purposes, 
  as a human woman deep in mourning, her 
  piercing white eyes and fondness for bats 
  and crows betrays her form. Bats have 
  been known to fly from beneath her veil 
  in the hundreds as if they were leaving a 
  cave, and crows frequently perch on her 
  shoulders awaiting an easy meal. 
   
  Veiled Gateway. Lady Svalich is an 
  undead unlike many others. Halfway 
  between the Material and Ethereal 
  planes, she acts as a form of gateway 
  between the two. When Lady Svalich is 
  close by, the border between these 
  realms is fragile and supernatural events 
  are common. 
   
   
  
  9 
   
  Lady Svalich’s Lair        
  Lady Svalich is always found in her lair 
  because, unlike other lairs and creatures, 
  the Lady’s lair follows her wherever she 
  goes. It is less a physical place than it is a 
  presence darkening the world. 
   
  Lair Actions 
  When fighting inside its lair, Lady Svalich 
  can evoke the ambient magic to take lair 
  actions. On initiative count 20 (losing ties), 
  Lady Svalich can take one lair action to 
  cause one of the following effects: 
  • Lady Svalich casts darkness (no 
  components required). 
  • Visions of death and decay flash 
  before your eyes as the trees 
  appear to be melting away. Each 
  creature in Lady Svalich’s lair must 
  make a DC 16 Wisdom saving 
  throw. On a failed save, the 
  creature becomes frightened until 
  the end of their next turn. 
  • Lady Svalich calls on a swarm of 
  bats to harass any creature within 
  her lair. One targeted creature 
  makes their abilities or attacks at 
  disadvantage until the start of the 
  next round. 
  Lady Svalich can’t repeat an effect until 
  they have all been used, and it can’t 
  repeat the same effect in two consecutive 
  rounds. 
   
   
  Regional Effects 
  The region around Lady Svalich is tainted 
  by her presence, which creates one or 
  more of the following effects: 
  • Bats hang in droves from the 
  branches near Lady Svalich. They 
  watch in morbid fascination. 
  • The air within one mile of Lady 
  Svalich smells of rot and decay. 
  Creatures that spend more than an 
  hour near Lady Svalich have 
  difficulty breathing. After four 
  hours they begin to suffocate. 
  • Creatures within one mile of Lady 
  Svalich hear wedding bells ringing 
  in the distance. 
  • Ghosts and other spectral undead 
  flit between the trees and 
  pathways sobbing uncontrollably. 
  These are the souls of those slain 
  by Lady Svalich. 
  If Lady Svalich dies, these effects fade 
  over the course of 3d10 days. 
   
   
  
  10 
   
  Lady Svalich 
  Medium undead 
  Armor Class 17 (natural armour) 
  Hit Points 136 (16d8+64) 
  Speed hover 60 ft. 
  STR 
  10 
  (+0) 
  DEX 
  17 
  (+3) 
  CON 
  19 
  (+4) 
  INT 
  14 
  (+2) 
  WIS 
  14 
  (+2) 
  CHA 
  22 
  (+6) 
  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 13 
  Languages Common 
  Challenge 10 (5,900 XP) 
  Ethereal Sight. Lady Svalich can see 60 feet into 
  the Ethereal Plane when she is on the Material 
  Plane, and vice versa. 
  Incorporeal Movement. Lady Svalich can move 
  through other creatures and objects as if they 
  were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force 
  damage if she ends her turn inside an object. 
  Actions 
  Withering Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to 
  hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 29 (6d6+8) 
  necrotic damage. The target must make a DC 16 
  Constitution saving throw, reducing their hit 
  point maximum by the amount of damage dealt 
  on a failed save. A creature whose hit point 
  maximum is reduced to zero dies. 
  Cursing Gaze. Lady Svalich magically forces one 
  creature it can see within 60 feet of it to make a 
  DC 14 Charisma saving throw. The creature’s 
  eyes go white, and they attack the closest 
  creature that isn’t Lady Svalich. A creature 
  affected by this can repeat the saving throw at 
  the end of their turns. 
  Legendary Actions 
  Lady Svalich can take 3 legendary actions, 
  choosing from the options below. Only one 
  legendary action can be used at a time and only 
  at the end of another creature’s turn. It regains 
  spent legendary actions at the start of it’s turn. 
  Attack. Lady Svalich uses her Withering Touch. 
  Summon Spirits (2 Actions). Lady Svalich 
  summons 1d4 specters from the Ethereal Plane 
  to aid her. These specters are banished to the 
  Ethereal Plane if Lady Svalich dies. 
  Etherealness. Lady Svalich enters the Ethereal 
  Plane from the Material, or vice versa. It is 
  visible on the Material Plane while in the 
  Ethereal, but it cannot be targeted or harmed. 
  Tactics 
  Lady Svalich is a challenging fight, one 
  where the characters will have to work 
  together if they ever hope to slay her or 
  make it out alive. She uses her Summon 
  Spirits ability as often as possible, flooding 
  the battlefield with allies to distract and 
  deal with the characters. She moves 
  around constantly, attempting to stay out 
  of the reach of melee and ranged 
  characters and harass them with her 
  Withering Touch when possible. She 
  would rather let her minions deal with the 
  characters then do it herself. 
  Over the course of a prolonged fight, 
  the withering effects of Lady Svalich’s 
  attacks and the necrotic miasma in the air 
  will begin to take hold. Be warned, 
  fighting lady Svalich is not meant to be an 
  easy task and may prove incredibly 
  difficult. Using her ability to shift into and 
  out of the Ethereal Plane, Lady Svalich 
  avoids heavy attacks and patiently waits 
  to strike while the characters spend their 
  resources defeating nearly endless waves 
  of spirits. 
   
  
  11 
   
   Marek, The Great Wolf 
  The house was a wreck, you see. 
  Everything was torn and shredded. The 
  floorboards were warped under some 
  immense weight and gouges raked the 
  surface. The way the floor bowed and 
  buckled formed a pathway of destruction 
  to a macabre finale. 
   
  I don’t think I’d ever seen so much 
  blood. The walls were painted red, and 
  entrails hung like curtains before 
  shattered windows. But it wasn’t until I 
  stared out the window that I saw it, 
  looming in the mist just behind the tree 
  line. 
   
  A wolf with blood-soaked fur and 
  glowing red eyes stared at me through the 
  shards of broken glass. Its paws were 
  bigger than shields, it’s claws longer than 
  swords. Worst of all was the menacing 
  intelligence lurking behind those accursed 
  eyes. It knew what it had done, and it liked 
  it. 
   
  -Dvensky Luric, Vallaki Guard 
   
  Marek has haunted the woods of Barovia 
  ever since the land was drawn into the 
  mists. Some whisper that it is the bestial 
  nature of Strahd given flesh, others that it 
  is Strahd’s chosen champion. The truth, 
  however, is that Marek is a foul, mutated 
  direwolf that has gorged on monstrous 
  flesh. 
   
  With a hide as thick as plate mail and 
  teeth sharper than freshly made spears, 
  Marek is a danger to all. Worst of all is his 
  intelligence and his ability to speak. Marek 
  loves nothing more than to wait and 
  torment his next meal for weeks on end, 
  savouring the fear that spices the meat 
  until he breaks down the door and 
  devours his prey. 
   
  People chosen by Marek slowly lose 
  their minds over the course of a week, 
  hearing his deep and bestial voice in the 
  darkness, watching him stalk through the 
  trees and gazing through windows. And 
  when the time has come to enjoy his next 
  meal, Marek slaughters entire families in 
  their beds, creeping into homes in the 
  dead of night and leaving a grizzly scene in 
  his wake. 
   
  Nowhere is truly safe, for even homes 
  in walled cities have fallen victim to 
  Marek’s prey. Many have whispered that 
  Marek is a werewolf and lives amongst 
  them, others that the guards are corrupt 
  and work for Strahd. None know for 
  certain what Marek truly is, but those who 
  know the story quake in fear, wondering if 
  they will ever be chosen by the Great 
  Wolf. 
   
  Sinister Intelligence. Marek is an 
  intelligent, evil beast that has learned how 
  to slip past walls and into buildings with 
  ease. Capable of speech and reasoning 
  beyond that of a normal wolf, Marek 
  knows exactly what it’s doing and relishes 
  in it. 
   
  Immortality. Marek cannot truly be 
  slain. When Marek is killed, his spirit 
  inhabits a new wolf within seven years, 
  causing Marek to be reborn. 
   
   
   
  
  12 
   
  Marek’s Lair        
  Marek’s lair is a ruined house deep in the 
  woods, the remains of a hunting lodge 
  long forgotten. 
   
  Lair Actions 
  When fighting inside its lair, Marek can 
  evoke the ambient magic to take lair 
  actions. On initiative count 20 (losing ties), 
  Marek can take one lair action to cause 
  one of the following effects: 
  • Blood unnaturally drips from the 
  walls and ceiling in a 20-foot radius 
  on a point Marek chooses. 
  Creatures within that radius must 
  make a DC 16 Wisdom saving 
  throw, becoming frightened of 
  Marek on a failed save. 
  • Marek stomps his feet and the 
  house reacts to its master, quaking 
  unnaturally and throwing the 
  characters off balance. Each 
  creature in Marek’s lair must 
  succeed a DC 14 Strength saving 
  throw or be knocked prone. 
  • The house warps and reacts to 
  Marek’s whims. Marek is 
  transported to any unoccupied 
  space within 50 feet of him inside 
  the lair. 
  Marek can’t repeat an effect until they 
  have all been used, and it can’t repeat 
  the same effect in two consecutive 
  rounds. 
   
  Regional Effects 
  The region around Marek’s lair is tainted 
  by his presence, which creates one or 
  more of the following effects: 
  • Wolves prowl in alarming numbers 
  within 1 mile of Marek’s lair. They 
  alert Marek of any intruders. 
  • The woods are completely silent 
  save for the occasional wolf howl. 
  • Water in the region is always thick 
  and the colour of blood. 
  If Marek dies, these affects end in 
  1d10 days until Marek is reborn in 
  seven years. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  13 
   
  Marek, The Great Wolf 
  Large monstrosity 
  Armor Class 16 (natural armour) 
  Hit Points 127 (15d10+45) 
  Speed 40 ft. 
  STR 
  20 
  (+5) 
  DEX 
  14 
  (+2) 
  CON 
  16 
  (+3) 
  INT 
  10 
  (+0) 
  WIS 
  14 
  (+2) 
  CHA 
  10 
  (+0) 
  Skills. Perception +9, Stealth +6 
  Damage immunities necrotic 
  Senses passive Perception 19 
  Languages Common 
  Challenge 10 (5,900 XP) 
  Keen Hearing and Smell. Marek has advantage 
  on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on 
  hearing or smell. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. Marek makes two Bite attacks. 
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 19 (4d6+5) piercing damage. 
  The targeted creature must succeed on a DC 16 
  Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. 
  Decaying Breath (Recharge 5-6). Marek exhales 
  a noxious cloud of decaying gas in a 15-foot 
  cone. Each creature in that area must make a 
  DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, taking 36 (8d8) 
  necrotic damage on a failed save and half as 
  much damage on a successful one. 
  Legendary Actions 
  Marek can take 3 legendary actions, choosing 
  from the options below. Only one legendary 
  action can be used at a time and only at the end 
  of another creature’s turn. It regains spent 
  legendary actions at the start of it’s turn. 
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 19 (4d6+5) piercing damage. 
  The targeted creature must succeed on a DC 16 
  Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. 
  Devour Corpse. Marek can devour an 
  incapacitated body or a corpse, restoring 25 hit 
  points. An incapacitated character who is 
  targeted with this ability fails all their death 
  saving throws and dies 
  Tactics  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Marek is aggressive and relentless. With 
  no fear of death, the Great Wolf rushes 
  down prey and attempts to lure them 
  deep inside its lair if possible. If Marek is 
  caught outside its lair, he will attempt to 
  hide and pick off the characters one by 
  one or frighten them by speaking from the 
  shadows. Marek does his best to terrify 
  the characters, preferring the flavour of 
  meat saturated with fear. 
   
  When stalking the characters or some 
  other prey, Marek always remains out of 
  range from spells and attacks. He watches 
  from the trees, his eyes visible in the dark, 
  he scratches at doors, windows, and walls 
  while people sleep, and he ensures that 
  his prey sees him and knows he is there. 
  When it is time to attack, Marek breaks 
  down the door to a home and creates a 
  scene of bloodlust and destruction to 
  terrify the guards and local townsfolk, or 
  even adventurers hot on his trail. 
   
   
  
  14 
   
  The Pumpkin King 
  You ever seen the eyes of the Pumpkin 
  King? It’s not something I’d ever wish 
  upon someone, let me tell you. I was 
  walking from Barovia to Vallaki one day 
  when I saw something tall poking from the 
  mist. It looked like a huge plant, it’s stalk 
  tall and slender with limbs protruding 
  from it. And that was when it moved, its 
  body turning to face me with a smile 
  etched across its face. 
   
  It was a pumpkin, the largest pumpkin 
  I’d ever seen, but it was carved to 
  resemble a smiling, joyous face. A sickly 
  green light filled the inside of its head, 
  casting reflections of my thoughts into the 
  real world like dancing shadows. But 
  worse of all was when its head spun 
  around to reveal the frown, its smile now 
  twisted into a leering, toothy grin. Jagged 
  bones should not grow from a gourd and 
  yet they did, all bloody and serrated. 
   
  I screamed and fled into the woods, 
  chased by the crashing, woody footsteps 
  of this horror until I found a place to hide. 
  It searched for me, making a snuffling 
  groaning noise as it stooped low to lift 
  boulders and logs. Shadows danced 
  around it, shadows of people from my 
  own thoughts. It knew it was close but 
  couldn’t find me. At last it left, its limbs 
  creaking with each massive step until that 
  gaunt monstrosity was absorbed by the 
  mist. 
   
  I don’t leave town anymore. It’s not 
  safe out there, and the Pumpkin King 
  knows my thoughts. 
   
  -Halin Farlakov, Urban Recluse 
   
  The Pumpkin King is perhaps the most 
  feared cryptid in Barovia. Impossibly tall 
  and gaunt, its sticklike silhouette is 
  enough to terrify anyone with just a 
  simple sighting. It stalks the roads and 
  forests of Barovia, wandering from place 
  to place without a home until it finds 
  someone. Its face a joyous smile, the 
  Pumpkin King listens to the memories of a 
  person until it senses fear. It’s face 
  changes into a toothy frown as it detects 
  nightmare after nightmare and projects 
  them into the world around it. It only 
  wishes to silence the fear that forces its 
  change but driven by maddened rage it 
  always attempts to slaughter those who 
  have upset it. 
   
  Powerful Mind Reader. The Pumpkin 
  King can read the thoughts and memories 
  of those around it, projecting them from 
  its hollow face into the real world. Entire 
  scenes can play out around the Pumpkin 
  King, distracting those around it. When it 
  detects a nightmare or a trace of fear, it’s 
  demeanor changes into one of murderous 
  rage. 
   
  Split Personality. The Pumpkin King 
  acts on a duality between a curious 
  observer and a murderous fiend. How it 
  behaves depends on the memories and 
  thoughts it detects. 
   
  One With the Mists. The Pumpkin King 
  can bend the very Mists to its will, using it 
  to hide itself or ambush prey. The Mist is 
  always unnaturally thick around the 
  Pumpkin King. 
   
   
   
  
  15 
   
  The Pumpkin King’s Lair     
  The Pumpkin King’s lair is an abandoned 
  and overgrown farm in the woods. Carved 
  pumpkins sit on crooked fence posts, their 
  insides rotting and oozing through their 
  faces. In the field are rows of pumpkins, 
  each growing a different face on itself. 
   
  Lair Actions 
  When fighting inside its lair, the Pumpkin 
  King can evoke the ambient magic to take 
  lair actions. On initiative count 20 (losing 
  ties), the Pumpkin King can take one lair 
  action to cause one of the following 
  effects: 
  • 1d4 pumpkins sprout legs and 
  attack. Their stats are those of a 
  scarecrow. 
  • Entangling vines sprout from the 
  ground in a 30-foot radius, 
  creating difficult terrain for any 
  creature moving across it. 
  • One pumpkin explodes, sending 
  necrotic, rotting pumpkin chunks 
  flying in a ten-foot radius. Any 
  character in that radius must make 
  a DC 4 Dexterity saving throw, 
  taking 3d6 necrotic damage on a 
  failed save and half as much on a 
  successful one. 
  Regional Effects 
  The region around the Pumpkin King’s lair 
  is tainted by his presence, which creates 
  one or more of the following effects: 
  • Crows and ravens dare not fly 
  within ten miles of the farm. 
  • The roots of any vegetation in the 
  region occasionally squirms 
  underfoot like snakes. They 
  sometimes attack any non-plant 
  creature within 10 miles of the lair. 
  • Faces seem to grow on trees in the 
  area and they glow with a sickly 
  green light. 
  • Eerie laughter travels on the wind, 
  echoing through the mists from all 
  directions. 
  If the Pumpkin King dies, these affects 
  end in 1d10 days later. 
   
   
  
  16 
   
  The Pumpkin King 
  Huge plant monstrosity 
  Armor Class 17 (natural armour) 
  Hit Points 145 (15d12+48) 
  Speed 40 ft. 
  STR 
  20 
  (+5) 
  DEX 
  14 
  (+2) 
  CON 
  16 
  (+3) 
  INT 
  10 
  (+0) 
  WIS 
  14 
  (+2) 
  CHA 
  10 
  (+0) 
  Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and 
  slashing from nonmagical attacks 
  Damage Immunities psychic, poison 
  Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, 
  frightened, paralyzed, poisoned 
  Languages Common, but speaks through 
  projected memories 
  Challenge 11 (7,200 XP) 
  Memory Projection. Memories from one of the 
  characters around the Pumpkin King spill out of 
  his face. Anny non-undead, non-plant creature 
  within fifty feet of the Pumpkin King must make 
  a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, 
  they are charmed. A character can reroll the 
  saving throw at the end of its turns. A character 
  who succeeds on this saving throw is immune to 
  this effect for 24 hours. 
  Mist Cloak. While in thick mist, the Pumpkin 
  King can hide as a bonus action.  
  Actions 
  Multiattack. Marek makes two Claw attacks. 
  Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., on target. Hit: 28 (6d6+7) slashing damage 
  plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage. 
  Drown in Mist (Recharge 5-6). The Pumpkin 
  King chooses up to three hostile creature it can 
  see within 200 feet. A thick mist swirls around 
  them, diving into the creature’s mouth and 
  pulling them into the air. The target must make 
  a DC 16 Constitution saving throw, taking 36 
  (8d8) necrotic damage on a failed save or half as 
  much damage on a successful one.  
  Legendary Actions 
  The Pumpkin King can take 3 legendary actions, 
  choosing from the options below. Only one 
  legendary action can be used at a time and only 
  at the end of another creature’s turn. It regains 
  spent legendary actions at the start of it’s turn. 
  Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., on target. Hit: 28 (6d6+7) slashing damage 
  plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage. 
  Thicken Mist. The mist within fifty feet of the 
  Pumpkin King thickens creating an area with 
  low visibility. Ranged attacks made inside or 
  into this area are made at disadvantage. This 
  area lasts until the start of the Pumpkin King’s 
  next turn. 
  Tactics 
  Defeating the Pumpkin King is no simple 
  challenge. Using his Mist Cloak as often as 
  possible, the creature is capable of 
  masking it’s immensity in the thickest of 
  mist. And by projecting memories out of 
  its face, characters are at risk of being 
  charmed as the Pumpkin King slaughters 
  their companions. 
   
  When in combat, the Pumpkin King 
  focuses whoever it sees as a threat. 
  Characters who deal high damage to it in 
  a round are likely its first targets, 
  particularly those who wield magic or 
  carry magic weapons. He will mercilessly 
  attack them, using his Drown in Mist 
  ability to hurt several hostiles before 
  cloaking itself and attacking from the mist. 
   
  If fought in his lair, the Pumpkin King 
  uses the scarecrows to harass enemies at 
  range or keep melee combatants engaged 
  while he takes out the mages and rangers. 
   
   
  
  17 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  This chapter goes over the five Haunts 
  present in Barovia. Haunts play out like 
  mini adventures or encounters that add 
  depth and folk horror to the mysterious 
  lands of Barovia. 
   
  Bloodshed Fields 
  Somewhere in Barovia is a battle that 
  never ended. The crashing of blades on 
  shields rings out nightly, mingling with the 
  endless death cries of horses and men. It 
  is a cursed place where few living people 
  have dared venture, and it is a place none 
  have known to return from. For once you 
  step inside those bloody fields, the rage 
  consumes you and you join the endless 
  ranks of soldiers dying and rising again 
  each night to fight forevermore. 
   
  The battle was once fought between 
  Strahd’s mortal soldiers and the defenders 
  of Barovia in the days before the mist. 
  Once a golden field of wheat, the site is 
  now a charnel scene of mangled corpses, 
  rusted armour and weapons, and a single 
  tattered flag in the center of it all. 
   
  Each night, the bodies of fallen soldiers 
  rise as zombies and attack with rusted 
  weapon and glove, biting and scratching 
  and slashing at anything and everything 
  around them. There is no longer a sense 
  of sides, there is only bloodshed. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Bloodshed Fields Rumours     
  While exploring the lands of Barovia, or 
  while chatting with some of the locals, the 
  characters may hear stories of an ancient 
  battlefield where the fighting never 
  stopped. Over time, the people of Barovia 
  invented new and fantastical reasons for 
  the ceaseless violence. Some says the 
  spirit of a powerful necromancer lives in 
  the field and does it for fun. Others that a 
  curse was laid upon the land, the result of 
  a deadly battle. Some say that beneath 
  the field is great treasure vault filled to 
  the brim with gold and treasure. 
   
  If the characters don’t seem very 
  interested in going to the field, that’s 
  perfectly fine. They can stumble upon it 
  while travelling Barovia, or a local can 
  approach them and ask them to 
  investigate the rumors of hidden treasure. 
  The choice is yours. 
   
  
  18 
   
  The Encounter          
  As the characters approach Bloodshed 
  Fields, read or paraphrase the following: 
   
  The clang of steel scraping against steel 
  rings out into the night, followed by the 
  shrieks of horses and bloodcurdling 
  yells of men. 
    
  If the characters investigate, read or 
  paraphrase the following when they see 
  the fields: 
   
  Hundreds of soldiers clad in rusted 
  armour are fighting to the death around 
  a tattered flag bearing the symbol of 
  Strahd. Horses with pikes jutting from 
  their throats gallop while riders 
  wielding shattered lances slaughter 
  indiscriminately. Many of the soldiers 
  have swords run through their bellies or 
  arrows peppering their armour. None of 
  them seem quite alive. 
   
  The field is full of zombies, each attacking 
  whichever zombie is closest to them with 
  swords, spears, or fists. They surge 
  towards the tattered flag in the center of 
  the field. 
   
  As the players move through the field, 
  they will have to clear a path through 
  dozens of undead. The zombies will fight 
  each other as well as them, but very 
  quickly the characters themselves may 
  turn on each other. 
   
  The Blood Rage 
  As soon as a player defeats their first 
  zombie, they must succeed a DC 12 
  Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, 
  the character is driven mad with rage, 
  attacking whoever, or whatever, is closest 
  to them. The DC goes up by 1 for each 
  zombie slain, capping at a DC of 18. A 
  character affected by the blood rage can 
  make a Wisdom saving throw equal to 
  their current DC, ending the effects of a 
  success at the cost of 1d6 psychic damage. 
   
  The Tattered Standard 
  In the center of the field is a tattered and 
  broken flag bearing the symbol of Strahd. 
  It is tipped with a rusted spear head that 
  hums with energy. 
   
  If a character grabs hold of the tattered 
  standard, they can attempt to wrest it 
  from the ground and claim it for 
  themselves. The flag can be pulled from 
  the ground with a successful DC 14 
  Strength (Athletics) check. 
   
  Once a character pulls the flag from the 
  ground, the carnage around them stops. 
  The soldiers fall to the ground and any 
  character affected with the blood rage is 
  cured. 
   
  However, the person who has pulled 
  the flag from the ground is inflicted with a 
  terrible curse. 
   
  Curse of the Standard Bearer 
  The character who holds the standard 
  takes on the curse of the standard bearer. 
  Whenever they defeat an enemy in 
  combat, they must make a DC 14 Wisdom 
  saving throw or succumb to the effects of 
  blood rage until the end of their next turn. 
  This effect can only be removed by a 
  remove curse spell. 
   
  Strahd’s Standard 
  Longspear, Rare (Requires Attunement) 
  Strahd’s Standard has +1 bonus to attack 
  and damage rolls. In addition, once per 
  long rest, the wielder can use an action to 
  force five creatures to make a DC 12 
  Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, 
  the targets suffer the effects of blood rage 
  until the end of their next turn. 
   
  If the curse is lifted from the item, the 
  standard bearer can instead choose five 
  friendly targets and give them advantage 
  on their next attack rolls. 
  
  19 
   
   
   
  
  20 
   
  Lost Toy Workshop 
  Lost and abandoned in the Svalich Woods 
  is a glade of toys. Some were dropped, 
  others brought here on purpose, but all 
  lost toys in Barovia invariably find their 
  way here. Like moths to a flame, these 
  toys are dragged or caried by beasts and 
  people into the woods and abandoned. 
   
  Some say that abused toys wander 
  here on their own, desperately trying to 
  escape from their torment. Others than 
  the glade houses the abandoned 
  workshop of Fritz von Weerg and that the 
  toys are the remnants of the great 
  inventor. 
   
  The truth is more sinister. 
   
  When von Weerg left Barovia, his 
  workshop was taken over by a Barovian 
  witch. Fascinated by the toys, she worked 
  her magic to animate them and create 
  living friends. When he toys gained 
  sentience, they killed the witch and 
  turned her into one of their kind. Stuffed 
  with cotton and stitched together again, 
  the witch now presides over the workshop 
  with her toys enjoying endless “Tea 
  Parties” with chipped, empty cups and 
  moldy cakes. 
   
  Lost Toy Workshop Rumours    
  While exploring Barovia, or if they ever 
  speak with Blinsky, they might hear about 
  this lost toy workshop in the Svalich 
  Woods. Locals will warn them of a 
  secluded forest glade off the road with 
  toys strung up from the withered, gaunt 
  branches. 
   
  Blinsky tells another story. In addition 
  to what he mentions about von Weerg in 
  Curse of Strahd, he will also ask the 
  characters to investigate the workshop 
  and see if there is anything left that might 
  help Blinsky create better toys and make 
  people ‘hyappy’. 
   
  If the characters ask about von Weerg 
  and his workshop, they may find out some 
  eerie details about cackles ripping through 
  the silence, blank button eyes staring 
  from lifeless sack faces, and a wand that 
  the witch used to give the abandoned toys 
  life. 
   
  The Encounter          
  As the characters approach the glade, 
  read or paraphrase the following: 
   
  Toys stare down from the withered 
  branches with lifeless buttons eyes. 
  Permanent smiles have been stitched 
  onto their weathered and split faces. A 
  narrow muddy track runs through the 
  mist deeper into the woods where the 
  faint sound of laughter echoes around 
  you. 
   
  As the characters move towards the 
  workshop, read or paraphrase the 
  following: 
   
  The dense trees abate, opening into a 
  secluded forest glade. Mist blows 
  across the long, brown grass cloaking a 
  ruined wooden building choked in 
  brambles. Toys lay scattered across the 
  area, hanging from tiny nooses or 
  nailed to the trees with rusted nails. 
  From inside the small house comes the 
  sound of clinking glasses and a high-
  pitched shrieking laugh. 
   
  The workshop is home to a stuffed and 
  animated body of a Barovian witch. Her 
  flesh is decayed and blackened with grave 
  mold, and crude stitching covers her body. 
  Stuffing pokes out of her flesh where the 
  seams are beginning to fray. She has the 
  statistics of a carrionette (see Van 
  Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft). Seated 
  around a wooden table are several other 
  motionless carrionettes, a total of 2 per 
  player character. 
  
  21 
   
  The Tea Party 
  As the characters enter the house they are 
  invited to sit around the table for tea. The 
  witch offers them empty cups and moldy 
  cakes and asks them why they’ve come to 
  visit her. 
  The witch is not hostile at first and 
  enthusiastically ‘drinks’ her tea while 
  listening to the characters. When they tell 
  a joke or attempt to lighten the mood, she 
  laughs in a high-pitched shriek.  
  Throughout this event, the carrionettes 
  are readying themselves to attempt and 
  murder the characters and transform 
  them into toys like them. They don’t 
  attack until the party angers the witch, 
  attempts to take anything, or mentions 
  that there isn’t any tea. 
  Should the characters get through the 
  tea party without angering the witch, she 
  thanks them for coming and says that it is 
  rare she gets any visitors these days. She 
  asks them to stay and, if they refuse, 
  becomes more persistent until the 
  carrionettes jump up to attack the 
  players. When combat begins, she 
  expresses how happy she is to add to her 
  friends, because good friends never leave. 
   
  Animating Wand 
  Wand, Rare (Requires Attunement) 
  This wand has 3 charges. While holding it, 
  you can use an action and expend one of 
  its actions to animate any non-animate 
  object for 1 minute. The stat block of the 
  object is usually an animated armor 
  unless a weapon or rug has been 
  animated. The wand regains one spent 
  charge at dawn. If you expend all the 
  wand’s charges, roll a d20. On a 1, the 
  wand crumbles to dust and is destroyed. 
  
  22 
   
  Spring of Memories 
  A glowing green-blue spring lies 
  somewhere deep in the woods, its waters 
  aglow with a strange and unnatural light. 
  Faces drift underneath the surface, hollow 
  and desiccated, whispering dark and 
  depraved stories for any willing to listen. 
   
  In a whispering voice, the memories of 
  long-ago people echo forth into the 
  present. They tell tales of bloodshed, or 
  betrayal, of lost love, and of secrets no 
  one could ever know. All came here to rid 
  themselves of an unwanted memory. 
   
  But the spring drinks as deeply as those 
  who drink from it. Sometimes memories 
  are sapped away, stolen until nothing is 
  left but the hollow shell of a person bereft 
  of joy, knowledge, or name. 
   
  These are the forgotten, and they are 
  doomed to wander until the end of their 
  days without so much as a single memory 
  of their life before they drank. Few 
  forgotten are still alive, and those that 
  have been reduced to feral beasts that 
  wander near the spring. 
   
  But, for those willing to forget some 
  terrible act, or allow a fear to disappear 
  forever, the Spring of Memories is a holy 
  grail. 
   
  But finding it won’t be easy. Few 
  recognize it’s existence, fewer still know 
  where it is. But the story of a spring 
  capable of letting people forget their 
  troubles is a common story among 
  Barovians. 
  Spring of Memories Rumours    
  The Spring of Memories is a common 
  story told amongst the downtrodden and 
  destitute of Barovia. They tell each other 
  stories of how they knew someone who 
  sought it out and was never seen again, or 
  how they themselves desperately want to 
  forget something they have done. Sprinkle 
  in references to the spring whenever the 
  party is in a tavern with soulless 
  Barovians, or those who have committed 
  a great wrong. 
   
  Eventually, a player may become 
  curious or even have something they want 
  to forget themselves. They can seek it out, 
  asking around town for anyone who 
  knows where it may be. Eventually they’ll 
  find someone who knows more than they 
  let on, having traced where the spring is 
  rumoured to be. 
   
  
  23 
   
  The Encounter          
  As the characters approach the trail 
  leading to the spring, read or paraphrase 
  the following: 
   
  A crow calls out from somewhere in the 
  darkened branches, the branches 
  intertwining to create formless shapes 
  above you. A narrow game trail leads 
  deep into the woods, its end nowhere in 
  sight. 
   
  The journey to the spring can be as long or 
  as short as you’d like. For longer journeys, 
  consider using an encounter. 
   
  As the characters approach the spring, 
  read or paraphrase the following: 
   
  In the center of an overgrown forest glade 
  is a spring of glowing water. Silhouetted 
  against the gentle light is a hunched over 
  figure drinking greedily from the water, 
  laughing and mumbling to themselves 
  with each fervent sip. The smell of decay 
  lingers on the air like smoke as the gaunt 
  figure turns his neck towards you, eyes 
  sunken and rotten teeth showing in a 
  deranged smile. 
   
  The Forgotten 
  Twelve forgotten are laying in wait around 
  the spring, ambling through the trees 
  without a thought in their mind. 
  Characters with a passive Perception of 13 
  or higher notice a few of these figures 
  dressed in decaying fabrics and leather. 
   
  None of the forgotten can speak a 
  coherent sentence, forming a string of 
  nonsensical words and phrases that don’t 
  make any sense. They aren’t immediately 
  hostile towards the characters unless 
  attacked. Should a character drink from 
  the spring and offer up a memory, the 
  forgotten will surround the glade and 
  watch eerily from the forest’s eaves. 
  A Memory Offered 
  As one or more characters offer up a 
  memory to the spring, they feel a burning, 
  stinging sensation in their mind. Describe 
  how the characters can feel the memory 
  being violently pulled from their head as if 
  someone were tugging on a stuck rope. 
  Then ask them to make a DC 16 
  Intelligence saving throw. On a failed save, 
  the spring draws more memories into it, 
  sapping the character’s treasured 
  moments alongside it. They character 
  must repeat this saving throw if they fail 
  up to three times, losing more and more 
  memories until they become a Forgotten. 
  On a successful save, the character loses 
  only one memory of their choice. 
   
  Attack of the Forgotten 
  The Forgotten aren’t normally aggressive, 
  having lost their memories about people 
  outside their small, shriveled circle. They 
  are distrustful of other people but do not 
  attack unless provoked. If one of the 
  characters becomes a Forgotten and the 
  party tries to take them from the Spring, 
  the Forgotten attack from all sides. There 
  are three Forgotten per party member 
  and they each have the statistics of a 
  ghoul. 
   
  Becoming Forgotten 
  A character who becomes Forgotten loses 
  all their memories. Despite not having any 
  memories, Forgotten characters are still 
  proficient in things they used to know, 
  retaining the muscle memory or some 
  innate knowledge that lingers at the back 
  of their mind. They can still speak any 
  languages they know, but they struggle to 
  form a full sentence. Their memories can 
  never be returned to them without some 
  powerful magic, such as a wish spell or a 
  pact with the Dark Powers of Ravenloft. 
   
   
  
  24 
   
  The Keeper and the Cabin 
  They say a cabin lies in the woods, lonely 
  save for its shadow creeping through the 
  mist. With no road leading from it, and no 
  one brave enough to live there, the place 
  is said to be abandoned. And yet, lost 
  woodsmen say that lights have guided 
  them to its door where a young family 
  lives a peaceful and quiet life. 
   
  They say the birds never chirp in that 
  strange and tranquil place, and that the 
  sun never shines through those thick and 
  twisted boughs. But the cabin’s shadow 
  stretches still, watching, waiting in the 
  darkness of the woods where the sun 
  never shines. 
   
  This is the Cabin, and the Cabin always 
  needs a Keeper. Living inside the cabin is 
  the shadow of a man, withered and 
  decrepit. But the Cabin never shows this, 
  for the Keeper lives in an illusion created 
  by the home.  Sapping his life away bit by 
  bit, the Cabin keeps its victim trapped 
  inside until he is spent. Then it will pick 
  another, for the Cabin always needs a 
  Keeper. 
   
  The illusory world the Keeper lives in is 
  projected to the outside world. But the 
  veil is thin, and a keen observer can notice 
  the sloppy details. Shadows are not 
  consistent. Light bends in strange ways. 
  The family never speaks. 
   
  But if the Cabin decides that someone 
  new would do nicely as a Keeper, it will 
  trap them there, tempt them by a sickly-
  sweet illusory world and keep them inside 
  forever. 
  Rumours of the Cabin       
  The Cabin and the Keeper works better as 
  a random encounter while the characters 
  are exploring the woods rather than 
  something they actively seek out. 
  However, during an adventure, characters 
  can hear stories of a mysterious cabin in 
  the woods that guides lost people to its 
  doors. 
   
  As the characters are exploring Svalich 
  Woods, perhaps while seeking a cryptid, 
  consider running the following encounter. 
   
  The Encounter          
  As the characters are wandering through 
  the Svalich Woods, read or paraphrase the 
  following when they see the Cabin: 
   
  Lights pierce the crushing darkness 
  around you, glowing like yellow eyes 
  through the trees. As you approach the 
  sounds of the forest quiet until total 
  silence envelopes the world. As you 
  approach, the shape of a small overgrown 
  cabin emerges from the brush, its leaded 
  windows streaming a warm and 
  welcoming light into the forest beyond. 
   
  The Illusion 
  The outside of the cabin is small and aged. 
  But inside appears much larger. Rooms 
  stretch down long well-lit hallways past 
  the mounted heads of various animals. 
  The Keeper appears as a young man, 
  happy and full of life while his wife and 
  daughter are shy and reserved. They 
  never speak to the characters, but the 
  Keeper will sometimes laugh as if he 
  heard them say something. Creating an 
  uncanny feeling inside the Cabin is key. 
  Explain the varying lengths of the 
  shadows, how the flames in the candles 
  never move, and the family never 
  speaking no matter how many times 
  they’re spoken to. 
   
  
  25 
   
  The Keeper 
  The Keeper is a young man with a wide 
  smile and a helpful demeanor. He is eager 
  to help guide the characters to where 
  they are going and provide directions but 
  says he shouldn’t leave his family alone. 
  The Keeper never offers his name but will 
  ask for the characters’ names. However, 
  when asked about his name, he will frown 
  and say he can’t remember it. 
   
  To roleplay the Keeper, speak as if he 
  was much older than he appears. He 
  recalls things from decades ago, asks 
  about the village of Berez where he is 
  from, and even mentions that he hasn’t 
  seen the sunrise in years and how strange 
  that is. Eventually, the characters may be 
  able to piece together that this man is 
  older than he appears. 
   
  The Fake Reality 
  Over the course of their stay, the Keeper 
  will serve food and drinks, tell stories of 
  the war against Strahd, and be as homely 
  as possible. A storm begins to rage 
  outside the windows and the Keeper 
  urges the characters to stay the night. 
  They can refuse with no consequence if 
  they are unnerved. Leaving will reveal that 
  the storm outside isn’t real and that the 
  world beyond the cabin is the same as 
  when they entered. 
   
  Should they stay, the characters hear a 
  storm rage. Thunder crashes outside and 
  lightning streaks through the windows. 
  The longer the characters stay, the more 
  the illusion begins to crumble away 
  around them. Decorative walls begin to 
  age rapidly and then renew themselves 
  just as quickly. Shadows act of their own 
  accord and then return to normal. The 
  lights disappear, plunging them all into 
  darkness before coming back up. 
   
  At any point, a character can realise 
  that the interior of the house is an 
  elaborate illusion by succeeding a DC 17 
  Intelligence (Arcana) check. As the night 
  wares on and the effects begin to falter, 
  this DC is lowered however you see fit. 
   
  The Real Cabin 
  Once the characters determine that the 
  interior is an illusion, the Cabin drops all 
  pretense of its fake reality. They see the 
  keeper as an impossibly old, withered 
  figure with tangled hair stretching across 
  the house. He is melded to his rickety 
  wooden chair, flesh mingling with wood 
  while white cataracts stare blindly in the 
  darkness. He wears nothing but a reeking 
  cloth robe that doesn’t hide his shrivelled, 
  gaunt figure. 
   
  The Keeper acts as if he still sees the 
  illusion, and a character who passes a DC 
  14 Perception check can see the illusion 
  reflected in his white eyes. Should they kill 
  the man, or steal him from the house, the 
  Cabin will lure a new Keeper to the Cabin, 
  potentially one of the characters. 
   
  Forcing the keeper to leave the Cabin 
  immediately kills him. He screams as they 
  move him towards the door, saying that 
  he wants to stay with his family and how 
  he doesn’t want to go outside. The Cabin 
  may appear for the characters again, but if 
  there is no Keeper it will attempt to trap 
  one of them inside forever. 
   
  
  26 
   
  The Wishing Well 
  Deep in the woods lies the village of 
  Grensk secreted away from the prying 
  eyes of Barovia. They say that it’s a place 
  of tranquillity, where the people don’t live 
  in fear of Strahd and his servants. And it’s 
  true, the people here have no fear of 
  Strahd. 
   
  But we should be afraid of them. 
   
  For in this ruined town of people lies a 
  deep well with no bottom in sight. But the 
  well holds magic, powerful magic that the 
  few remaining denizens of the village 
  guard fiercely.  The Well contains the dark 
  portents of wishing magic, but the magic 
  that pools in the bottom of the well has a 
  mind of its own. It is not to be used. Ever. 
   
  What little people remain in Grensk are 
  hellbent on keeping the dangerous magic 
  in the well stuck there. And while the well 
  can grant wishes, no one ever truly gets 
  what they ask for.  
  Rumours of the Wishing Well    
  Whispers of the wishing well are 
  abundant in Barovia. A wish is something 
  that anyone could use, even if the cost is 
  high. The people speak of a deserted 
  village hidden in the woods where Strahd 
  can’t find it and in the center of town, 
  amongst the rotting timber walls of the 
  cottages, is a stone well. 
   
  Characters may be drawn to seek out 
  the well if they’re after a wish or be driven 
  to it by rumours that Strahd is searching 
  for it himself. With nearly every person in 
  Barovia wishing they could find this place, 
  eventually the characters will find 
  someone who knows of the village. 
   
  They will offer to lead them there but 
  urges them to reconsider. The person will 
  tell them of their own wish, how they 
  barely escaped with their lives, and how 
  their joy turned to ash in their mouth 
  when they returned to civilization. 
  
  27 
   
  The Encounter          
  As the characters approach the aged 
  village of Grensk, read or paraphrase the 
  following: 
   
  Seven shattered houses lean over a 
  muddy central square. In the center of the 
  village is a tumbling stone well. A crow 
  caws loudly from a rotting rooftop, 
  mingling with the banging of a shutter 
  slamming into the bloated wall of one of 
  the houses. All around you, the scent of 
  decay lingers almost as thick as the mist 
  curling around your feet. 
   
  As the characters approach the well, add: 
   
  Seven sets of bleeding eyes stare out from 
  cracked and broken windows. Long, 
  toothy smiles spread over their faces as 
  they stare outwards. 
   
  The Townsfolk of Grensk 
  Wishing to be eternally happy, the 
  townsfolk of Grensk made their bargain 
  with the magic in the well. They now live 
  forever with a permanent smile, unable to 
  lower their lips to cover their rotting 
  teeth. 
   
  While not immediately hostile, they 
  will avoid contact with the characters until 
  they get very close to the well. Should the 
  characters move in to make a wish, the 
  seven remaining townsfolk will rush in to 
  attack, demanding the characters never 
  make a wish. When they speak, they hiss 
  through the gaps and holes in their teeth. 
   
  The townsfolk of Grensk have the 
  statistics of a tribal warrior. 
   
  Making a Wish 
  Characters who wish to make a wish may 
  do so, but the well only has enough magic 
  left for one single wish. As they approach, 
  the well whispers that it can grant one 
  wish and one wish alone, but they must 
  offer it something of equal worth in 
  exchange. 
   
  The well accepts any currency, but 
  blood, memories, flesh, and even spell 
  slots are all viable. Let your players be 
  creative and run with whatever they 
  suggest offering the well. However, 
  determine in secret how much their wish 
  is worth. 
   
  Whatever your characters wish for, 
  there are some stipulations. For starters, 
  they cannot wish for Strahd to be 
  defeated, removed from Barovia, or for 
  them to leave. The well is empowered 
  with magic from the Dark Powers of 
  Ravenloft and they won’t interfere with 
  Strahd. 
   
  No wish made is truly perfect. For 
  example, a character who makes a wish to 
  have their memories restored will regain 
  their memories, but they will be out of 
  place and determining what happened 
  when will be difficult. Or take the 
  townsfolk of Grensk for example. Their 
  wish to be eternally happy granted them 
  immortality and permanent smiles. 
  Consider your characters’ wish and find a 
  way to grant it and terrify them in some 
  way. It’s important to not let the wish’s 
  side effect overpower the wish itself or 
  the players may feel cheated. It’s 
  sometimes better to grant them their 
  wish and build up to the reality of what 
  their wish has caused. This gives you time 
  to develop a suitable curse and build 
  tension at your table. 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/Official Content Expanded/Curse of Strahd & Ravenloft/Barovian Folk Tales.pdf