Arc D - St. Andral's Feast - Curse of Strahd: Reloaded

_An adventure for five 4th-level characters._ > [!info]+ **The New Arc D** > The prior Arc D, [[Arc D - The Tome of Strahd]], has been deprecated and merged with [[Arc H - The Lost Soul]]. This arc, formerly Arc E, has been accordingly re-lettered to accommodate its removal. In this arc, the players escort Ireena Kolyana to St. Andral's Church in Vallaki, fulfilling their vow to her brother, Ismark. However, Father Lucian, the church's priest, informs them that the bones of Saint Andral—the source of the church's protective magic—have recently been stolen, placing its wards and parishioners at risk. The players have until the night of their fifth day after arriving in Vallaki to identify the thief (the church groundskeeper, Milivoj), track down the bones to their hiding place (the Vallaki coffin maker's shop), and return them to their rightful place in the church. Their mission will bring them into direct conflict with Volenta Popofsky, Strahd's most sadistic vampiric bride, and her vampiric minions. Can the players defeat Volenta's plan and restore the church's protection? Or will the church be lost in darkness and blood, its flickering light snuffed out in the shadows? > [!abstract]+ **An Early Start** > If the players bring Ireena to St. Andral's Church on their first night in Vallaki (i.e., "day zero" in Vallaki), they arrive to find Father Lucian finishing a service to his congregation. After giving reassurances to Wilemina Rikalova (see [[Act I - Into the Mists/Arc C - Into the Valley#Exiting the Inn|Arc C - Into the Valley]] for more information about Wilemina), Father Lucian welcomes the players and Ireena to the church and offers his assistance. > > If told that Ireena hopes to find sanctuary at the church, Father Lucian is glad to offer her a pallet to sleep on in the chapel. After Ireena offers to compensate him for his kindness, Father Lucian considers her request, then invites her to assist with Yeska's chores and education for the duration of her stay—a request which Ireena graciously accepts. > > The following morning, after St. Andral's bones are stolen as described below, Ireena visits the players at the Blue Water Inn before their conversation with Urwin Martikov described in [[Act I - Into the Mists/Arc C - Into the Valley#Urwin's Advice|Arc C - Into the Valley]] and asks them to visit the church to speak with Father Lucian about an "incident." (Father Lucian has asked her not to speak of the incident outside of the church, for fear of raising a panic.) The remainder of this arc then proceeds normally. # D1. St. Andral's Church This scene takes place in Chapter 5: Area N1. The church is largely as described in N1. St. Andral's Church (p. 97). The church's occupants follow the following schedule unless interrupted: * At dawn, Yeska joins Father Lucian for prayers in the chapel and assists him in preparing breakfast. * In the morning, Yeska runs errands around Vallaki while Father Lucian sweeps the chapel, dusts the pews, polishes the altar, and tidies up the kitchen. * In the afternoon, Father Lucian teaches Yeska how to read, and educates him in basic history and theology. * In the evening, with Yeska's assistance, Father Lucian leads the congregation in prayer and delivers a sermon promising sanctuary and comfort. > [!profile]+ **Profile: Father Lucian Petrovich** > > **Roleplaying Information** > ***Resonance.*** Father Lucian should inspire gratitude with his hospitality, flattery with his willingness to listen and empathize, comfort with his warmth, serenity, and wisdom, and sympathy for his anxiety regarding the missing bones and the safety of his congregation. > > ***Emotions.*** Father Lucian’s most frequent emotions are thoughtfulness, hopefulness, concern, and compassion. > > ***Motivations.*** Father Lucian wants to keep Vallaki's spirits up, to keep the church a place of sanctuary and comfort, and to raise Yeska as best he can. > > ***Inspirations.*** When playing Father Lucian, channel Uncle Iroh (*Avatar: The Last Airbender*), Michael Carpenter and Father Forthill (*The Dresden Files*), and Mr. Rogers (*Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood*). > > **Character Information** > > ***Persona.*** To strangers, Father Lucian is a serene, humble, and compassionate priest who is always happy to share a word of praise or a few pearls of wisdom. To those he trusts, Father Lucian is a dedicated and stalwart defender of his community, who nonetheless worries about his ability to keep his congregants safe. Deep down, Father Lucian harbors a twinge of doubt about the Morninglord's providence and power, wondering if Strahd's awakening is a test of Barovians' faith or a sign that the land is forsaken forever. > > ***Morale.*** In a fight, Father Lucian would prefer to dissuade his attackers, surrendering peacefully if necessary to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. However, if an innocent life or the members of his congregation were threatened, he would fight to the death with a prayer on his lips and peace in his heart. > > ***Relationships.*** Father Lucian is a mentor and father figure to the orphan and altar boy Yeska, the employer of the groundskeeper Milivoj, the brother of Baroness Lydia Petrovna, and the distant descendant of Tasha Petrovna, an ancient cleric of the Morninglord whose remains are kept in the catacombs of Castle Ravenloft. > [!lore]+ **The Stolen Bones** > Though he helped House Von Zarovich ascend to power, St. Andral ironically remained a fierce and powerful foe of the undead for all his life. As Most High Priest of the Morninglord's church, Andral directed fierce crusades against undead that lurked in the dark places of King Barov's kingdom, rooting them out wherever they could be found. > > So great was his hatred of undeath that, in his final hours of life, St. Andral vowed that his resting place would forever be a sanctuary from the forces of darkness. Since then, his bones have been interred in the crypt beneath Vallaki's church, its priests performing an annual ritual at dawn each year on his holy day - the day of St. Andral's Feast. So long as this rite is completed, the church remains hallowed ground for an additional year, as described in Bones of St. Andral (p. 97). > > When Strahd awoke from his recent hibernation, his vampiric bride Volenta Popofsky decided to impress him the only way she knew how: with a wanton display of suffering, carnage, and terror. Where better, she thought, than a gruesome massacre at St. Andral's Church on the night of its most holy feast? > > It was a dark and windy night when Volenta paid a visit to Henrik van der Voort, Vallaki's coffin-maker. Finding a macabre pleasure in the setting, and finding the lonely Henrik a perfect target for her plots, Volenta politely threatened to burn his shop to the ground unless he allowed her to use it as a base for her machinations. > > A terrified Henrik soon capitulated, and Volenta established a link with the teleportation brazier in Castle Ravenloft's dungeons. Using that link, she summoned two feral **vampire spawn**—former members of Doru's rebellion driven mad with bloodlust—and a trio of crates filled with grave dirt to rest in. > > A remnant of an older age, Volenta knew that St. Andral's remains provided the church with its blessed protection. She commanded Henrik to find and steal those bones before the night of St. Andral's Feast - by any means necessary. > > Given his profession, Henrik had encountered Milivoj—the church's groundskeeper—on more than one occasion. He knew that Milivoj was familiar with the church's occupants and layout, that Milivoj thought little of the Morninglord's faith, and—most importantly—that Milivoj had a host of younger siblings he was desperate to feed. > > Digging into his own savings for funds, Henrik approached Milivoj with a story and an offer. St. Andral, Henrik claimed, was an ancestor of Henrik's own family—and one whose remains Henrik was anxious to claim. "In these darkened times," Henrik said somberly, "we all want our families close at hand." > > Henrik told Milivoj his family had searched for St. Andral's remains for centuries—but that only recently had he learned them to be located somewhere in the church. Doubtless, he claimed, the good Father Lucian would be loathe to surrender such a relic, even though their only true value was sentimental. > > That was where Milivoj came in. In exchange for a payment of fifteen electrum pieces, Milivoj would find and retrieve Andral's remains. Old legends, Henrik noted, indicated that those remains carried St. Andral's blessing, sanctifying the church from evil—though he personally doubted they were true. He suggested Milivoj use those legends, however, as an excuse to inquire about the remains' location, either from Father Lucian or from Yeska, the altar boy. ("Of course," Henrik noted with a dry chuckle, "I'm fairly certain I've seen Izek Strazni entering the church, so perhaps those legends have lost their luster for good cause, eh?") > > Milivoj, eager to secure funds to care for his siblings, was easily convinced to steal those "moldy old relics" and soon agreed to Henrik's offer. He knew Yeska, a recent orphan, was a timid and fearful child who looked to Father Lucian for safety and comfort. Though he couldn't escape the guilt he felt for leveraging the boy's fear, Milivoj decided that a few nights of Yeska's nightmares were a worthy price to pay to ensure his own family had food to eat. > > Six days later, shortly before Yeska's lessons with Father Lucian, Milivoj wondered aloud in front of the boy whether Strahd might attack the church with an army of vampires and demons. "I heard vampires hate the sun," Milivoj said darkly as Yeska's face paled. "And if the Devil came here, what could we possibly do to stop him?" > > When Yeska's lesson began shortly thereafter, Milivoj eavesdropped outside the door—and silently cheered when Father Lucian revealed the bones' location beneath the altar. That same night, a cloaked and hooded Milivoj returned to the church with his shovel in hand, creeping through the darkened chapel and forcing open the crypt that lurked below. > > But a splintering floorboard betrayed him—and when Milivoj emerged from the crypt, Father Lucian emerged to block the exit. Without recognizing him, Father Lucian demanded the intruder reveal his face and relinquish what he had stolen. Milivoj panicked and fled through one of the church's glass windows, shattering it. Milivoj then delivered the bones to Henrik, who paid him. > > Yeska doesn't yet know that the bones were stolen. Instead, Father Lucian told him only that a broken tree branch had crashed through the window, breaking the glass and damaging the floor. The following dawn, Father Lucian sent Yeska to Henrik's shop to obtain planks and nails for the repair, which Henrik delivered personally to scope out whether Lucian suspected his involvement. > > Father Lucian doesn't know who stole the bones or why. Though he gently interrogated Yeska as to whether he told anyone about the bones, Yeska truthfully told him that he hadn't. Father Lucian has been unable to discern more from his own brief inspection of the crime scene. With the date of reconsecration fast approaching, however, he fears the worst. ## D1a. Entering the Church When the players first move to enter the church after the bones have been stolen, Henrik van der Voort emerges at the same time, forcing one of the players to make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or crash into him. Whether the player succeeds or fails, the near-impact makes Henrik trip, sending him tumbling to the ground. As he does, he loses his hold on a bundle of nails and planks held in his arms, which scatter across the stairs and earth below. The farsighted Henrik also loses his pair of half-cracked spectacles in the fall, which land across the steps a short ways beneath him. The players can help Henrik collect his glasses, nails, and planks as he scrambles helplessly to find them. If they do, he thanks them profusely, dabbing at his face and hands with a slightly soiled handkerchief. He is willing to share the following information if directly asked: * His name is Henrik van der Voort, and he is Vallaki's resident coffin-maker and occasional carpenter. * Father Lucian asked him to visit to deliver some tools and supplies to repair some damage to the floor caused by a falling tree branch the previous night. * His shop can be found at the south end of Arasek Stockyard. "Although," Henrik jokes awkwardly, "I do hope you won't need my services too soon." Henrik then excuses himself and departs to return to his shop. ## D1b. The Chapel When the players first enter this area, read: <div class="description"> A dozen ornate candelabras bathe rows of well-kept pews in candlelight, casting a soft luminescence that touches every corner of this chapel. At the far end of the room, a wooden altar stands proudly, carved with a proud sunburst with rays thrusting forth in cheery defiance. Six tall windows flank the altar, though one appears to have been broken, with glass shards lining its dark iron pane like jagged teeth. A broad-shouldered, black-haired young man stands atop a small stepladder before the broken window, nailing a tarp into place to cover it as a young boy sweeps the chapel floor not far away. A middle-aged priest, with graying hair and crisp, clean vestments watches them work from the pews, holding a broom of his own and looking lost in thought. </div> The young man is Milivoj, who is as described in N1. St. Andral's Church (p. 97). The priest is Father Lucian Petrovich. The boy is Yeska. ![[Father Lucian Petrovich.png]] "Father Lucian Petrovich" by Caleb Cleveland. Support him on <a href="https://patreon.com/calebisdrawing/">Patreon!</a> When the players first meet [[Non-Player Characters#Father Lucian Petrovich|Father Lucian]], he greets them warmly, recognizing them as newcomers to Vallaki, welcoming them to St. Andral's Church, and asking if they have come seeking fellowship or to pray to the Morninglord. After the players have exchanged pleasantries, Milivoj dismounts his stepladder and returns it to Father Lucian. The following exchange then takes place, giving the players generous time and opportunity to interrupt and respond: * Upon noticing the players, Milivoj immediately scowls, and asks, "Father, are these outsiders bothering you? I can ask them to leave." * If the players say nothing, Father Lucian chides Milivoj, noting that, "In these dark times, it's never been more important to be hospitable to others." * If rebuffed, Milivoj retorts: "You can't be too sure about strangers. I thought the town gates were supposed to be closed. They could be vampires, or worse." He then glowers at the players, and asks, "Unless you have some way of proving that you're not?" Milivoj is eager to prevent further investigation of the church, and hopes to persuade Father Lucian to drive the players away. However, he's not willing to look suspicious, and drops the issue if the players or Father Lucian push back. "You can't be too careful," he mumbles. "Be safe, Father." He then departs. Once Milivoj leaves, if Father Lucian is informed that Ireena is seeking sanctuary in the church from Strahd or other monsters, he first ensures that no other congregants are present—shooing away Yeska if present—and swears the players to secrecy. If the players agree not to spread his words beyond the church, Father Lucian sorrowfully informs them that, while he would love nothing more than to extend Ireena an offer of permanent shelter, recent events have left the church's wards in a precarious state. He can also share the following additional information at the players' prompting: * The church is ordinarily hallowed ground, as though the building was protected by a *hallow* spell. This magical ward prevents fiends and undead from entering the church, and keeps them from magically charming, frightening, or possessing those within it. * The source of this protection is the crypt of Saint Andral, which has historically held the blessed bones of Andral himself, the founder of Vallaki's church and a great cleric of the Morninglord. * Originally, only Father Lucian knew of the bones' existence. However, after news the siege of Barovia reached Vallaki a few days ago, he shared the knowledge of the bones with Yeska, as described in Bones of St. Andral (p. 97). * To retain the church's protection, Father Lucian must invoke a particular rite of protection over Saint Andral's bones once every year, at dawn on the morning of Saint Andral's Feast—a holy day that memorializes Andral's life. * If the rite cannot be carried out at that time, the wards will fall until the rite is completed on a subsequent dawn. * Last night, someone broke into the church's crypt and stole St. Andral's bones, damaging the floorboards behind the altar and escaping through a window. Without the bones, Father Lucian can't complete the protective rite, and the wards will fall at dawn on the day of St. Andral's Feast. * Father Lucian is fearful that some fell creature or wicked soul has manufactured this crisis as an opportunity to cause his congregation harm; though the Baron is confident that no monsters could breach Vallaki's walls, Father Lucian fears that the town is not as safe as it appears. Father Lucian can also share the date of St. Andral's Feast, which will take place on the fifth day after the players arrived in Vallaki. He has not reported the theft of the bones for the reasons described in Bones of St. Andral (p. 97). He does not suspect Milivoj of stealing the bones either, having no reason to do so. If the players express an interest in doing so, Father Lucian is glad to allow them to inspect the crime scene—having made neither heads nor tails of it himself—and to interview Yeska, so long as they promise to be patient and gentle with the boy. If the players ask for the identities of other possible witnesses, Father Lucian notes that the only other employee of the church is the groundskeeper, Milivoj. Father Lucian can give the players directions to Milivoj’s house, which is located in the northwestern quarter of Vallaki. Father Lucian accompanies the players as they complete their investigation, answering additional questions when asked. If the players' investigation takes them beyond the church, he insists on joining them and asks Yeska to attend the chapel in his absence. (He takes personal responsibility for the bones' disappearance, and—given his connections across the town and his service to the Morninglord—wishes to assist the players in recovering them.) While accompanying the party, Father Lucian fights alongside them, but allows the players to take the lead in social encounters and exploration. > [!warning]+ **Father Lucian's Aid** > Without Father Lucian's assistance—and, specifically, the damage output and radiant damage provided by his *spirit guardians* spell and ***divine eminence*** feature—the battle at the coffin-maker's shop in [[#D4c. Volenta's Trap]] is nearly impossible. To avoid a TPK, ensure he accompanies the players upon their departure from the church. ## D1c. The Scene of the Crime [[Non-Player Characters#Father Lucian Petrovich|Father Lucian]] is glad to lead the players to the location of the crypt if prompted. Read: <div class="description"> A small pile of fresh wooden boards rests against the altar, a small pouch of nails sitting atop their surface. Not far away, the old wooden floorboards behind the crypt have been pried up and broken, with splintered edges jutting out at odd angles. Between them, a small, dark opening descends into a dark, dusty space. </div> The fresh boards and nails were delivered by Henrik. The opening is barely wide enough to allow one person to enter, and descends into the crypt. The crypt is as described in Bones of St. Andral (p. 97), lying largely beneath the chapel's altar. If a player enters the crypt, read: <div class="description"> You descend into a small, dark, damp chamber, the walls made of rough-hewn stone blocks stained with age and moisture. At the center stands a lonely stone slab, an empty, circular depression carved neatly into its surface. </div> The slab held the bones until Milivoj stole them. The players can find the following information by investigating the area around the crypt: * While investigating the floorboards, the players can find a torn piece of gray wool fabric snagged on a nail with a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check, and a line of rust-stained dirt smeared across a floorboard with a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check. * While investigating the interior of the crypt, the players can find several clumps of earth with a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check. Each clump is in the shape of a large bootprint, and contains several blades of pale green grass and white flower petals. * While investigating the altar or the stone slab in the crypt, the players can find a few strands of dark black hair with a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. The fabric was torn from Milivoj's shirt as he lowered himself down, and the rust was left when he used his shovel to pry up the floorboards. The clumps of earth were left when Milivoj's boots hit the floor of the crypt. Father Lucian can inform the players that the petals are from the ramson plant, which grow in several patches in the church graveyard. The hair is Milivoj's. ## D1d. Interviewing Yeska If the players choose to interview Yeska, [[Non-Player Characters#Father Lucian Petrovich|Father Lucian]] asks them not to press him too hard for information. The boy is still emotionally fragile from the death of his parents three months ago, and Father Lucian doesn't wish to harm his mental well-being over a mere suspicion of danger. (Yeska doesn't know that the bones have been stolen; Father Lucian has been careful to keep him away from the hole behind the altar.) If one of the players asks Yeska whether he has told anyone else about the bones, he truthfully denies doing so. However, if the players ask whether anyone might have overheard his conversation with Father Lucian, Yeska shares that Milivoj was also in the church at that time. (Yeska, though alarmed by the direction of the conversation, can also be persuaded to share that Milivoj's tales of Strahd potentially attacking the church encouraged him to ask Father Lucian about the church's protection in the first place.) ![[Yeska.png]] "Yeska" by Caleb Cleveland. Support him on <a href="https://patreon.com/calebisdrawing/">Patreon!</a> # D2. Milivoj’s House Milivoj’s house is located in the impoverished northwest quarter of Vallaki, a short walk from St. Andral’s Church. <div class="description"> The muddy road that leads into the town’s northwest quarter is rough and uneven, chilled by a persistent fog that seems to cling to the soaked earth beneath your feet. As you move further from the town’s center, the streets narrow and the houses grow grimier and more dilapidated, the smell of damp wood and mildew filling your nostrils. Your path leads you to a leaning, decrepit structure that seems to sag beneath its own weight. Its timbers are rotting, the windows cracked and filthy. At its front, a ramshackle wooden door stands slightly askew in its frame atop a small, mud-spattered porch. </div> If the players knock on the door, it’s answered a few moments thereafter by Jarzinka, Milivoj’s mother. Read: <div class="description"> The door groans open, revealing a gaunt, glassy-eyed woman standing on the other side. Her hair is matted with grease and hangs in knots across her shoulders, and a painted beaded necklace hangs around her neck, its colors faded and chipped with age. Behind her, a trio of young children wrestle and shout as they roll across a cramped living space stuffed with old, threadbare furniture and an old, stained rug. Two other children—a near-adolescent boy with long, shaggy hair, and a freckled girl of similar age wearing cracked, oversized glasses—peer curiously around a pair of overstuffed, patchwork armchairs at the sight of you. The woman at the door grunts, her hollow gaze scanning you expectantly. </div> The children in the armchairs are a twelve-year-old boy named Bogan and a ten-year-old girl named Zondra. The three children wrestling on the ground are named Lazlo (eight years old), Grilsha (seven years old), and Dargos (five years old). Jarzinka is a woman of few words, and is annoyed because she has just finished the last of her dream pastries. If the players ask to speak with Milivoj, she turns to Bogan and Zondra, then grunts at them. The conversation then proceeds as follows: * Bogan cheerfully informs the players that Milivoj is sick and doesn’t want to talk to anyone today. * If the players succeed on a DC 10 Charisma (Persuasion) check or insist that the matter is urgent, Zondra turns and hollers, “Milo! Someone wants to speak to you.” A few moments later, the nineteen-year-old [[Non-Player Characters#Milivoj|Milivoj]] exits a swollen wooden door at the back of the room, with his three-year-old brother Jirko giggling delightedly from atop Milivoj’s shoulders and his four-year-old twin sisters, Victoria and Vasha, hanging from his biceps. > [!profile]+ **Profile: Milivoj** > > **Roleplaying Information** > ***Resonance.*** Milivoj should inspire scorn with his gruff, cynical, and stubborn personality, sympathy for his frustration at his parents' addiction to dream pastries, and endearment to him for his wholehearted dedication to provide for his siblings, no matter the cost to himself. > > ***Emotions.*** Milivoj's most frequent emotions are annoyance, worry, frustration, boredom, bitterness, and cynicism, and (when with his siblings) compassion, mirth, and joy. > > ***Motivations.*** Milivoj wants to provide for himself and his siblings. > > ***Inspirations.*** When playing Milivoj, channel Katniss Everdeen (*The Hunger Games*), Arya Stark (*Game of Thrones*), and Carl Fredericksen (*Up*). > > **Character Information** > ***Persona.*** To strangers, Milivoj is a quiet, gruff, and hardworking groundskeeper. To those he trusts, Milivoj is a loving and dedicated elder sibling, a frustrated and bitter son, and a desperate and confused young man. > > ***Morale.*** In a fight, Milivoj would brandish his shovel in an attempt to get his attacker to back down, but would quickly surrender if seriously wounded. (If defending his siblings, however, Milivoj would fiercely and gladly fight to the death.) > > ***Relationships.*** Milivoj is employed by Father Lucian Petrovich, secretly works for the coffin maker Henrik van der Voort, and is the eldest of nine children belonging to Oleg and Jarzinka, two dream pastry-addicted Vallakians. ## D2a. Confronting Milivoj Upon spotting the players, Milivoj’s face visibly falls, and he gently shakes Victoria and Vasha from his arms and sets Jirko down in Bogan’s lap. A successful DC 10 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals his body language has grown tense, and that he is shifting uncomfortably. As Milivoj reaches the door, he tersely addresses Jarzinka as “Mother” and gives her a grudging nod. Jarzinka grunts and shuffles away from the door, disappearing into the room from which Milivoj came. If the players inform Milivoj that they want to speak with him about St. Andral’s bones, he scowls, insists that he knows nothing about the matter, and attempts to close the door. A player can prevent him from doing so with a successful DC 10 Strength or Dexterity check. (If Milivoj successfully closes the door, the players can make him open it again by making a sufficient nuisance of themselves, by succeeding on a DC 10 Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) check, or by forcing the door down with a successful DC 10 Strength check.) Milivoj denies any knowledge of the bones or their theft if asked about them outright. However, he claims to have seen a cloaked figure watching the church two days ago from an alleyway. (The description of the cloaked figure coincidentally matches the appearance of Ernst Larnak, Fiona's spy, though Milivoj doesn't know Ernst or the nature of his employment.) A successful DC 10 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals that he is speaking slightly too quickly. If the players accuse Milivoj of stealing the bones and succeed on a DC 15 Charisma (Intimidation) check, Milivoj admits to stealing them, as described in Bones of St. Andral (p. 97). Players who confront Milivoj with evidence from the crypt automatically succeed. Milivoj can't take the players to the coffin maker's shop himself, but notes that Father Lucian can lead them there. If asked his motive for stealing the bones, Milivoj shares the reasons described in Bones of St. Andral (p. 97). He can also share that, after his father—a former Vallakian guard—was wounded in a recent wolf attack, both of his parents began regularly purchasing dream pastries from the peddler Morgantha outside of the gates. With both parents addicted to Morgantha's wares, Milivoj sees himself as his siblings' sole means of avoiding total poverty. (If asked, Milivoj can provide a basic description of the effects of dream pastries, as described in Dream Pastries (p. 125).) If informed that the bones may have been stolen to allow an attack upon the church, Milivoj dismisses the idea, insisting that the bones are just a "moldy old relic" and that "he doesn't have time to believe in fairy tales." He can also share that Henrik told him the bones were a powerless family heirloom, and that Henrik sought to recover them to honor his ancestor. > [!abstract]+ **Milivoj’s Revelation** > > If he is later informed that Henrik's actions were directed by one of Strahd's vampire spawn, and that the theft of the bones could have allowed a slaughter at the church, [[Non-Player Characters#Milivoj|Milivoj]] is overcome with anxiety, horror, and guilt. He prostrates himself before Father Lucian and begs for his forgiveness, offering to exile himself to the Svalich Woods if doing so will make up for the harm he has caused. (Father Lucian, of course, declines, tearfully embracing and forgiving Milivoj instead.) ## D2b. Departing the House Once Milivoj has admitted to the bones' theft, [[Non-Player Characters#Father Lucian Petrovich|Father Lucian]] can lead the players to the coffin maker's shop. (He knows the owner, Henrik, well, and hopes that he can reason with the man.) If the players appear skeptical, Father Lucian—who has the statistics of a **priest**—reveals that he bears the holy symbol of Tasha Petrovna—his ancestor and a mighty follower of Saint Markovia—and promises them that he is more than capable of defending himself. If the players suggest reporting the theft of the bones to the burgomaster, Father Lucian is reluctant to do so, fearing the possibility of raising a panic. With a successful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check, however, the players can convince Father Lucian to join them in reporting the theft to Baron Vallakovich, who responds as described in **N6. Coffin Maker's Shop.** (If the players don't have Father Lucian with them, the burgomaster refuses to believe that the bones are responsible for the church's divine protection or to assist the players in recovering them.) > [!abstract]+ **Reporting the Theft** > > If the players report the theft to Baron Vallakovich and do not accompany his guards, the four guards gain access to the coffin maker's shop as described in **N6. Coffin Maker's Shop**, but are slaughtered when they accidentally trigger Volenta's trap and alert the vampires to their presence. > > One day later, Baron Vallakovich responds by sending Izek to summon the players to **N3. Burgomaster's Mansion**, where he accuses them of causing his faithful guards to disappear and threatens to exile them from Vallaki. (The players can win back his good graces by promising to recover the bones themselves.) # D3. Arasek Stockyard This scene takes place in Chapter 5: Area N5. Arasek Stockyard is largely as described in N5. Arasek Stockyard (p. 115). However, while Rictavio's wagon is mostly covered by old and faded paint, the Carnival of Wonders sign on its side is brand new and fresh-painted. If one of the players expresses an interest in breaking into the wagon, [[Non-Player Characters#Father Lucian Petrovich|Father Lucian]] discourages them from doing so if he is present. If a player nonetheless attempts to unlock or force open the door to the wagon, the entire wagon suddenly rocks violently from side to side. The players can also hear the sound of something with large, heavy claws scratching against the interior of the wagon. (The rocking and scratches are made by the ghost of Erasmus van Richten, a **poltergeist** seeking to protect Arabelle by scaring visitors away.) If the players successfully break the door to the wagon or pick its padlock, they find that the wagon’s interior contains a soft bed of straw, a comfortable woolen blanket, a few books, and a young Vistana girl—Arabelle—who is clutching a plush saber-toothed tiger to her chest and wearing a beaded necklace with a carved copper amulet. (For more information about Arabelle, see [[Arc E - The Missing Vistana]].) # D4. Coffin Maker's Shop This scene takes place in Chapter 5: Area N6. The coffin maker's shop is largely as described in N6. Coffin Maker's Shop (p. 116). However, the crates in N6f. Vampire Nest (p. 118) have been replaced by three coffins packed with grave dirt from Castle Ravenloft, which contain two **vampire spawn** and **Volenta Popofsky**, one of Strahd's vampiric brides. In addition, players who explore N6f. Vampire Nest (p. 118) find a faded green-tinged pentagram 5 feet in diameter burned onto the floor at the edge of the room, just beyond the vampires' coffins. > [!lore]+ **The Burned Pentagram** > The green pentagram is a remnant of Volenta's use of the teleportation brazier in K78. Brazier Room (p. 82). If asked, Henrik doesn't know what it signifies. However, he can share with the players that, one night shortly after he first met Volenta, a sickly green light flashed through the shop, with her two **vampire spawn** companions exiting from N6f. Vampire Nest (p. 118) shortly thereafter. Henrik van der Voort, the coffin maker, follows the following schedule: * In the morning, he sleeps in, remaining in bed in **N6e. Henrik's Bedroom**. * In the late morning, he anxiously checks that the wardrobe containing St. Andral's bones hasn't been disturbed, and then prepares breakfast in **N6d. Kitchen**. * In the afternoon, he builds coffins in **N6c. Workshop**. * In the evening, he prepares an evening meal in **N6d. Kitchen**. * At night, he sleeps in **N6e. Henrik's Bedroom.** ## D4a. Entering the Shop The players cannot access the shop through persuasion, deception, or intimidation; in each case, Henrik will respond as described in **N6. Coffin Maker's Shop**. Additionally, note that the windows are locked from the inside and the doors are barred. As such, the players cannot open a window or door by use of *thieves tools*. Instead, the players can enter the shop by either of the following means: * They can break down one or both of the barred doors with a successful DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check. Doing so alerts Henrik, who comes to confront them. (Doing so doesn't alert Volenta or the **vampire spawn**, who merely assume Henrik has dropped a coffin or other wooden object.) * They can use magic (e.g., *mage hand* or *misty step*) to open the windows or doors from the inside. Doing so avoids alerting Henrik, who remains in his current location. In either case, Henrik offers no resistance as soon as he sees that the players have entered the shop. Instead, he rightfully guesses that they have come to recover the bones and informs them of the bones' location and the danger of the vampire nest, as described in **N6. Coffin Maker's Shop**. In exchange, he pleads with them to protect him from the vampires, who he rightfully fears will butcher him for his betrayal. He won't retrieve the bones alone, but will accompany the players upstairs if demanded. Henrik does not know that Volenta has secretly installed a poison needle trap and tripwire bell in the wardrobe secret compartment where the bones are kept. He assumes that the players will be able to quietly recover the bones, depart the shop, and escort him elsewhere to safety. > [!abstract]+ **Ambushing the Vampires** > Players who attempt to ambush the vampires in N6f. Vampire Nest (p. 118) before recovering the bones must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity (Stealth) check to approach a crate without awakening the nearby vampires, and a DC 14 Dexterity (Stealth) check with disadvantage to open it. A woken vampire attacks intruders on sight. ## D4b. Recovering the Bones The bones have been concealed as described in N6e. Henrik's Bedroom (p. 117). However, Volenta Popofsky has added two additional safeguards to the secret compartment: * a **poison needle** trap (Dungeon Master's Guide, p. 123), which triggers unless a particular wooden panel is pushed before the compartment is opened, and * a hidden wire attached to the compartment's opening, which connects to a noisemaker at the base of the compartment shaped vaguely like the head of the toymaker Gadof Blinsky, including his jester’s cap and bells. The poison needle trap can be identified and disarmed as described in the Dungeon Master's Guide (p. 123). > [!warning]+ **Which Needle?** > There are two official poison needle traps in *Dungeons & Dragons* 5th Edition: the ***poison needle*** provided on page 123 of the *Dungeon Master's Guide*, and the ***poison needle trap*** provided on page 114 of *Xanathar's Guide to Everything*. This guide refers to the former, which merely poisons its victim instead of paralyzing them. The hidden wire can be identified before the compartment is fully opened with a successful DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check, and disarmed with a successful DC 20 Dexterity (Thieves' Tools) check. Opening the compartment without disabling the wire or unsuccessfully attempting to disarm the wire causes the noisemaker to loudly screech, “Is no fun, is no Blinsky!” repeatedly for 1 minute, alerting the vampires in **N6f. Vampire Nest**. > [!lore]+ **The Noisemaker** > Volenta purchased the noisemaker from Gadof Blinsky of Blinsky Toys, described further in N7. Blinsky Toys (p. 118), several nights ago. Though tempted to kill him or take the toy by force, Blinsky's affinity for the macabre led Volenta to regard him as a kindred spirit, and she elected to spare his life on a whim. > [!abstract]+ **Disabling the Noisemaker** > If the players successfully retrieve the bones without alerting the vampires, Volenta discovers the bones to be missing shortly after she awakens at dusk that night. If Henrik is still within the shop, she disembowels and beheads him, then leaves his head staked on a spear leaning against the statue at the center of N8. Town Square (p. 119). In either case, Volenta then departs Vallaki for Castle Ravenloft, slinking back to the keep in shame. ## D4c. Volenta's Trap If the players allow the noisemaker to activate, [[Non-Player Characters#Volenta Popofsky|Volenta]] and her two loyal **vampire spawn** arise to confront them one round later, either by forcing their way into **N6d. Kitchen** or (if the players have already exited **N6e. Henrik's Bedroom**) by obstructing the players' path down the stairs. When the vampires appear, they use their ***spider climb*** to clamber across the walls before dropping down to the players’ level, with Volenta crouching upside-down on the ceiling behind them. ![[Volenta Popofsky.png]] "Volenta Popofsky" by Caleb Cleveland. Support him on <a href="https://patreon.com/calebisdrawing/">Patreon!</a> > [!profile]+ **Profile: Volenta Popofsky** > > **Roleplaying Information** > ***Resonance.*** Volenta should inspire revulsion with her obsession with pain and gore, discomfort with her sadistic and psychotic personality, and a strange sort of flattery with her flirtatious—if eccentric—attitude. > > ***Emotions.*** Volenta most often feels amused, curious, irritated, bored, fascinated, enraged, and gleeful. > > ***Motivations.*** Volenta wants to impress Strahd and earn her place as foremost among his brides, to satisfy her frequent sadistic urges, and to find novel ways to cause suffering and pain through tinkering and innovation. > > ***Inspirations.*** When playing Volenta, channel Jinx (*Arcane*), Ty Lee (*Avatar: The Last Airbender*), and Harley Quinn (*Batman*). > > **Character Information** > > ***Persona.*** To strangers, Volenta is a manic, impulsive, and trigger-happy sadist with a flair for invention and innovation. > > ***Morale.*** In a fight, Volenta would gleefully relish the opportunity to test her custom-made weapons on hostile subjects—and, when pushed far enough, to tear those subjects apart with her bare hands and teeth. > > ***Relationships.*** Volenta is fanatically loyal to Strahd von Zarovich, and views his other brides and consorts—especially Anastrasya, Ludmilla, and Escher—with deep resentment, jealousy, and suspicion. Volenta uses the two vampire spawn with her as cover, placing them between her and the players. She then greets them as follows, providing them with an opportunity to respond each time: * Volenta addresses the players as "her Lord's new toys" with amusement and disbelief. * She claims that they're "less impressive" than she'd expected, and boasts that neither they nor "Ludmilla, Anastrasya, or her Lord's skinny new plaything could hold a candle to her vision." (The "skinny new plaything" is referring to Escher.) * She insists that the players couldn't stop her scheme if they tried. "Once I make the pews of your little church run red with blood," she raves, "my beloved will recognize the real gem of his realm—_me!_" * She observes that it's lucky that they're in a coffin shop, adding, "After all, they'll need *somewhere* to put your parts when I'm through with you." She then directs the other vampires to attack. > [!combat]- **Balancing the First Bride** > Due to the phase mechanic and chokepoint, this is a series of two consecutive **bruising** combat encounters against a party of five 4th-level players and a CR 3 ally (Father Lucien), with each consuming approximately 24% of the players' total maximum hit points (for a total of 48% of their maximum hit points). For parties of smaller or larger sizes, modify the encounter as follows: > > * ***Three Players.*** Remove the vampire spawn. > * ***Four Players.*** Decrease the number of vampire spawn to one. > * ***Six Players.*** Increase the number of vampire spawn to three. > [!warning]+ **Sunlight in Barovia** > Remember that vampires and other creatures in Barovia are unaffected by Barovian daylight, as described in Sunlight in Barovia (p. 24). > [!warning]+ **Vampires Aren't Humanoid** > Remember that **vampire spawn**, including Volenta, have the **undead** type, rather than the **humanoid** type. As such, spells and effects that target only humanoids, such as _hold person_, or which can't affect undead, such as _command_, have no effect on Volenta and the vampires accompanying her. <div class="statblock"> <h2>Volenta, First Form</h2> Medium undead, chaotic evil <hr> Armor Class 15 (natural armor) Hit Points 82 (11d8 + 33) Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft. <hr> <table class="ability-table"> <thead> <tr> <th>STR</th> <th>DEX</th> <th>CON</th> <th>INT</th> <th>WIS</th> <th>CHA</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>16 (+3)</td> <td>18 (+4)</td> <td>16 (+3)</td> <td>16 (+3)</td> <td>14 (+2)</td> <td>14 (+2)</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <hr> Saving Throws Dex +7, Wis +5 Skills Acrobatics +10, Perception +5, Stealth +10 Damage Resistances necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15 Languages Common Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Proficiency +3 <hr> Regeneration. Volenta regains 10 hit points at the start of her turn if she has at least 1 hit point and isn't in sunlight or running water. If Volenta takes radiant damage or damage from holy water, this trait doesn't function at the start of her next turn. Spider Climb. Volenta can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. Sunlight Hypersensitivity. While in sunlight, Volenta takes 20 radiant damage at the start of her turn, and she has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks. Nimble Escape. Volenta can take the Disengage or Hide action as a bonus action on each of her turns. Awakened Bloodlust. When Volenta drops to 0 hit points, her nostrils flare like a bats, her claws lengthen, and her eyes begin to glow a dim crimson. Her statistics are then instantly replaced by the statistics of her second form. Her initiative count doesn't change. Excess damage doesn't carry over to her new form, but she retains any conditions she had in her previous form. <h3>Actions</h3> Multiattack. Volenta uses hail of daggers twice, dagger twice, or hail of daggers once and either tanglefoot or thunderstone. Hail of Daggers. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 15 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d4 + 4) piercing damage. Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack +7 to hit, 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d4 + 4) piercing damage. Tanglefoot (1/day). Volenta hurls a bag of writhing, sticky black tar at a point on the ground within 30 feet. The bag bursts on impact, covering up to two creatures within 5 feet of one another with sticky tar and forcing each target to succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be restrained. A target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. Thunderstone (1/day). Volenta hurls a crystalline shard at a creature, object, or surface within 30 feet. The shard shatters on impact with a blast of concussive energy. Each creature within 10 feet of the point of impact must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or be knocked prone and pushed 10 feet away from that point. A creature that fails the save is also deafened until the start of Volenta’s next turn. Alchemist's Firebomb (1/day). Volenta hurls a flask of concentrated alchemist's fire at a point within 30 feet. The vial shatters on impact and detonates in a 10-foot radius. Any creature in that area must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or take 2d6 fire damage and be set ablaze. A creature set ablaze in this way takes 1d4 fire damage at the start of each of its turns, and can make an additional DC 14 Dexterity saving throw at the end of each of its turns to extinguish the flames. <h3>Reactions</h3> Smokestick (1/day). When Volenta is reduced to 0 hit points, if she isn't grappled, restrained, or incapacitated, she can crack a charred, black wooden stick, releasing a cloud of thick, opaque smoke that creates a heavily obscured area in a 20-foot radius. She can then move up to her speed without triggering opportunity attacks. A moderate wind (at least 10 miles per hour) disperses the smoke in 4 rounds; a strong wind (20 or more miles per hour) disperses it in 1 round. </div> <div class="statblock"> <h2>Volenta, Second Form</h2> Medium undead, chaotic evil <hr> Armor Class 15 (natural armor) Hit Points 82 (11d8 + 33) Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft. <hr> <table class="ability-table"> <thead> <tr> <th>STR</th> <th>DEX</th> <th>CON</th> <th>INT</th> <th>WIS</th> <th>CHA</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>16 (+3)</td> <td>18 (+4)</td> <td>16 (+3)</td> <td>16 (+3)</td> <td>14 (+2)</td> <td>14 (+2)</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <hr> Saving Throws Dex +7, Wis +5 Skills Acrobatics +10, Perception +5, Stealth +10 Damage Resistances necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15 Languages Common Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) <hr> Regeneration. Volenta regains 10 hit points at the start of her turn if she has at least 1 hit point and isn't in sunlight or running water. If Volenta takes radiant damage or damage from holy water, this trait doesn't function at the start of the vampire's next turn. Spider Climb. Volenta can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. Sunlight Hypersensitivity. While in sunlight, Volenta takes 20 radiant damage at the start of her turn, and she has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks. Blood Frenzy. Volenta has advantage on melee attack rolls against any creature that doesn't have all its hit points. <div class="break"></div> <h3>Actions</h3> Multiattack. Volenta makes two attacks, only one of which can be a bite attack. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one willing creature, or a creature that is grappled by Volenta, incapacitated, or restrained. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage. The target's hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken, and Volenta regains hit points equal to that amount. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. Each time the target finishes a long rest without being bitten again, it can roll one of its hit dice and add its Constitution modifier. The target’s maximum hit points increase by an amount equal to the result. (This increase can’t raise the target’s hit points above its original maximum.) Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3) slashing damage. Instead of dealing damage, Volenta can grapple the target (escape DC 13). <h3>Bonus Actions</h3> Leap. Volenta moves up to her speed without provoking opportunity attacks. As she does, she can replace 10 feet of movement with a 10-foot high jump. Dislocate. Volenta dislocates her joints, automatically escaping any nonmagical restraints, such as manacles or a creature that has her grappled. <h3>Reactions</h3> Volenta can take up to three reactions per round, but only one per turn. If Volenta would lose her reactions, she loses one reaction instead. Spit Blood. In response to taking damage from a melee attack, Volenta spits a wad of blood at the attacking creature’s eyes, forcing it to make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, the creature is blinded until the end of its next turn. Aggress. In response to taking damage from an attack or spell, Volenta moves up to her speed toward a hostile creature she can see without provoking opportunity attacks. Abscond. In response to escaping a grapple, Volenta uses her leap feature. </div> ### 1. Volenta [[Non-Player Characters#Volenta Popofsky|Volenta]] begins combat in her **first form**, preferring to start the fight by lobbing her ***alchemist's firebomb.*** Afterward, she alternates between using her ***multiattack*** to use ***tanglefoot*** and ***thunderstone***. When using her ***hail of daggers***, Volenta prefers to target the players instead of Father Lucian. As she fights them, she taunts Father Lucian gleefully, noting, "I'd intended to rip out your throat in front of your cute little congregation, but I guess decorating the church steps with your friends' heads and entrails isn't a bad second place!" Volenta flees from combat if her first form is reduced to 0 hit points, using her *smokestick* reaction to escape if possible. (The other **vampire spawn** don't accompany her, and fight to the death.) When Volenta flees, she smashes through a nearby window and gallops across the rooftops like a four-legged beast. As she flees, she snarls, “You think your precious little church can keep you safe? He'll burn down the rest of Vallaki to get to you, and kill the rest of this stinking vermin to force you out!” She then sneers at the players and promises to see them again soon before vanishing from sight behind a chimney. ### 2. Father Lucian [[Non-Player Characters#Father Lucian Petrovich|Father Lucian]] retains the statistics of a **priest**. However, his ***divine eminence*** feature now reads as follows: * ***Divine Eminence.*** As a reaction when he sees another creature within 30 feet hit with a weapon attack, Father Lucian can expend a spell slot to cause that attack to magically deal an extra 10 (3d6) radiant damage to a target on a hit. If Father Lucian expends a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the extra damage increases by 1d6 for each level above 1st. In combat, Father Lucian directs the players to form a defensive line around the door, hoping to funnel the vampires one-by-one into a choke point in order to dispatch them individually. Father Lucian himself attempts to end his turns behind full cover on each round of combat, ducking out only briefly to target vampires with his offensive spells. On his first turn, Father Lucian uses his action to cast *spirit guardians*, filling the air with a galaxy of swirling, fiery suns that burn with fierce golden light. He stands as near to the front lines as possible while remaining behind full cover, seeking to ensure that any attacking vampire spawn will inevitably be drawn into range of his spell. On his second turn, Father Lucian casts *spiritual weapon*, summoning and attacking with a golden ethereal mace whose head resembles a sunburst—a facsimile of the mace that his ancestor, Tasha Petrovna, once wielded in battle. He then casts *sacred flame*, targeting any vampire that is currently attacking the players. On his third and subsequent turns, Father Lucian uses his action to cast *guiding bolt* and his bonus action to attack with *spiritual weapon* once again. If any of the players are reduced to 0 hit points, Father Lucian spends his action casting *cure wounds* on them. If his concentration is ever disrupted, he spends his action to renew *spirit guardians* instead. > [!info]+ **Dying NPCs** > > Because Volenta and her **vampire spawn** prefer to target the players instead of Father Lucian, it's unlikely that Father Lucian will be reduced to 0 hit points in this battle. > > However, as noted in **Monsters and Death** (Player's Handbook, p. 198), allied non-player characters—such as Father Lucian, Ireena Kolyana, and any other NPC fighting alongside the players—should fall unconscious upon being reduced to 0 hit points. When they do, they follow the same rules for death saving throws as player characters, described further in **Death Saving Throws** (Player's Handbook, p. 197). ### 3. The Vampire Spawn The two **vampire spawn** fight by using their ***claws*** to grapple enemies, who they then drag away to feast upon in private—preferably by hauling grappled prey out of the windows and onto the rooftop of the shop. Both spawn fight to the death. # D5. Retrieving the Bones If the players and Father Lucian successfully return the stolen bones to St. Andral’s Church by dawn on Neyavr 7, Father Lucian thanks the players and invites Ireena to remain under their protection for as long as she desires. Ireena then sleeps at St. Andral's Church each night until the party departs Vallaki in [[Arc J - The Stolen Gem]]. **_Milestone_**. Restoring the bones of St. Andral completes a story milestone. If the church is successfully reconsecrated, award each player 1,250 XP. # D6. Rahadin's Visit At dusk on the first night after the bones have been restored and Lady Fiona Wachter has assumed power in [[Arc F - Lady Wachter's Wish]] or following [[Arc G - The Strazni Siblings]], Rahadin, Strahd's chamberlain, arrives in Vallaki atop his _phantom steed_. He then commands the town guard to arrest Milivoj and Henrik and bring them to the town square for judgment. (Because of Lady Wachter's standing orders to obey the laws of Castle Ravenloft—so long as they do not bring harm to the innocent people of Vallaki—the guards at the gates do not disobey.) ## D6a. The Invitation Rahadin next rides to the Blue Water Inn or wherever else the players can be found. There, he delivers the players an invitation to dine at Castle Ravenloft, as described in [[Arc O - Dinner with the Devil]], before departing. Shortly after Rahadin leaves, a red-faced, sobbing Yeska approaches the players and pleads with them to quickly come to the town square. Milivoj, he tells them, has been taken prisoner by the town guard, and is set to be executed. (Father Lucian, who has already gone to the town square to call for clemency, sent Yeska to find and summon the players when Milivoj was taken from the church grounds.) ## D6b. The Trial When the players arrive in the town square, which is largely as described in N8. Town Square (p. 119), they find a small crowd of onlookers has gathered around the platform holding the empty stocks. Atop the platform stands Rahadin, flanked by two pale-faced Vallakian **guards**. One of the guards is bending down and arguing with Father Lucian, who stands at the base of the platform. On either side of Rahadin kneel Milivoj and Henrik van der Voort, their legs and feet bound with rope. Henrik is weeping with fear, while Milivoj is staring vacantly at the ground. Not far away, Milivoj's sobbing seven younger siblings, described further in [[#D2. Milivoj’s House]], struggle to ascend the platform stairs to reach him as a third **guard** blocks their path. Father Lucian and Milivoj's siblings are grateful to see the players upon their arrival. Father Lucian asks the players to help "stop this madness," noting quietly that Milivoj may have made mistakes, but hardly ones deserving of death. If confronted, Rahadin can coldly share that Milivoj and Henrik have been found guilty of crimes against Vallaki and its people. If the players demand to know which crimes Milivoj and Henrik have committed, or at another suitable point during the proceedings, the crowd parts as Lady Fiona Wachter arrives, flanked by four **guards** and two **cultists**. Lady Wachter then demands Rahadin inform her of Milivoj and Henrik's crimes. "If the servants of Castle Ravenloft presume to commandeer my guards without my knowledge or permission," she fumes, "I have that right, at least." Rahadin then reads aloud the following proclamation: <div class="description"> I, Strahd von Zarovich, Lord of Barovia, hereby find Henrik van der Voort of Vallaki GUILTY of the following charges: conspiracy to commit burglary; conspiracy to commit theft; accessory to theft; and receiving stolen property. I further find Milivoj of Vallaki GUILTY of the following charges: trespassing, destruction of property, conspiracy to commit burglary, burglary, and theft. It is therefore ordered that each receive suitable punishments as befitting the circumstances and nature of their crimes, to be determined and carried out by the Chamberlain of Castle Ravenloft with all reasonable haste. </div> The proclamation is signed and sealed by Strahd. As the Chamberlain of Castle Ravenloft, Rahadin informs the players, he has determined that the sentence for these crimes is death—unless any are willing to speak in the convicted's favor, presenting mitigating circumstances that alleviate the severity of their transgressions. (Lady Wachter will take no action to bar Strahd's justice, but supports the players in their efforts if friendly toward them.) Should the players do so, Rahadin plays the role of an adversarial and cold-hearted judge, pushing back against their responses and probing at the hole in their reasoning. The players might argue the following mitigating circumstances: * **Henrik:** Henrik committed his crimes subject to coercion and duress by Volenta, an ostensible agent of Strahd himself. Henrik is also unlikely to commit his crime again, has no criminal history, and committed no violent act against any person. Additionally, Henrik cooperated with the players when confronted at the coffin-maker's shop. * **Milivoj:** Milivoj's actions were driven by the necessity of his family's poverty, rather than by malice. He was also ignorant of the implications of stealing the bones, and was manipulated by Henrik into doing so. Like Henrik, he has no criminal history and committed no violent act against any person. The players can also argue that either character has shown sincere remorse for their actions. When the players conclude their arguments for each prisoner, they can make a Charisma (Persuasion) check—to attempt to convince Rahadin to decrease Milivoj and Henrik's sentences if their points are at least reasonably well-argued. The difficulty of convincing Rahadin to decrease Henrik's sentence is as follows: * DC 5: Rahadin agrees to a heavy sentence. * DC 10: Rahadin agrees to a moderate sentence. * DC 15: Rahadin agrees to a light sentence. * DC 20: Rahadin agrees to free Henrik without punishment. The difficulty of convincing Rahadin to decrease Milivoj's sentence is as follows: * DC 5: Rahadin agrees to an extreme sentence. * DC 10: Rahadin agrees to a severe sentence. * DC 15: Rahadin agrees to a heavy sentence. * DC 20: Rahadin agrees to a moderate sentence. Once the players have convinced Rahadin to decrease a prisoner's sentence, he then invites the players to suggest a suitable sentence. If the sentence they suggest is too light, he informs them and counters with an alternative suggestion of his own. Suitable punishments for each sentence include: * **Extreme.** Life imprisonment in Castle Ravenloft. (Rahadin takes the prisoner to the castle dungeons.) * **Severe.** Mutilation. (Rahadin removes the prisoner's dominant hand.) * **Heavy.** Branding. (Rahadin commands a guard to retrieve and light a torch, which he uses to heat an iron signet ring that bears the image of Castle Ravenloft—the symbol of his office. He then uses the hot ring to brand the prisoner on the neck.) * **Moderate.** Flogging. (Rahadin commands a guard to fetch a whip, then delivers the agreed-upon number of lashes himself.) * **Light.** A fine. (Rahadin directs the prisoner to pay a fine of the agreed-upon sum, to be paid to the town coffers. If the prisoner cannot afford to pay it, Rahadin also sentences him to forced labor in the town's service until he has paid off his debt.) Rahadin does not deliver any sentence until all have been agreed upon. If the players prove intransigent or appear to be stalling, Rahadin warns them that his patience is not infinite, and that he will choose and proceed with a suitable sentence unless the players can provide new evidence—not new arguments—mitigating the severity of the prisoners' crimes. "If any person interferes," he warns, "I will not hesitate to incapacitate them. I answer to none but the master of Castle Ravenloft, and you will not obstruct the exactment of justice this night." If the players appear horrified by Rahadin's chosen sentence, he coldly reminds them that the prisoners have been found guilty of conspiring to steal from a holy church. "My lord's subjects often claim he lacks appreciation for the sacred," he says. "It seems, perhaps, that he is the only one with any appreciation at all." If the players appear unpersuaded, Milivoj tells them hoarsely, "Please, don't do anything stupid on my behalf. I did something wrong, and I'll accept any punishment. Just so long as my siblings don't suffer." (If punished with branding, flogging, or mutilation, Milivoj grits his teeth and stifles a roar of pain, but refuses to cry out and give Rahadin the satisfaction.) If any players appear likely to obstruct Rahadin's efforts to carry out a sentence, Lady Wachter quietly pleads with them not to be foolish. "He is the chamberlain of Castle Ravenloft and Von Zarovich's right hand," she insists. If the players have successfully bartered Rahadin down from execution, she adds: "You've already saved lives today. Don't trade your own for a doomed endeavor. Vallaki *needs* you." If the players actually attempt to obstruct Rahadin's efforts to carry out that sentence, he attacks, stopping once those players have been reduced to 0 hit points. Immediately before he delivers the final blow, he intones, "I find you guilty of obstruction of justice—and sentence you accordingly." While the player is unconscious, he then uses his iron signet ring to brand them on the neck with the image of Castle Ravenloft. He then delivers Henrik and Milivoj's sentences. Once Rahadin is satisfied justice has been done, he summons his _phantom steed_ once more and departs Vallaki for Castle Ravenloft. <div class="statblock"> <h2>Rahadin, Castle Chamberlain</h2> Medium humanoid (elf), lawful evil <hr> Armor Class 18 (studded leather) Hit Points 180 (24d8 + 72) Speed 35 ft. <hr> <table class="ability-table"> <thead> <tr> <th>STR</th> <th>DEX</th> <th>CON</th> <th>INT</th> <th>WIS</th> <th>CHA</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>14 (+2)</td> <td>22 (+6)</td> <td>17 (+3)</td> <td>15 (+2)</td> <td>16 (+3)</td> <td>18 (+4)</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <hr> Saving Throws Dex +11, Wis +8 Skills Acrobatics +11, Deception +9, Insight +8, Intimidation +14, Perception +13, Stealth +16 Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 23 Languages Common, Elvish Challenge 14 Proficiency +5 <hr> Screams of the Dead. Any creature within 10 feet of Rahadin that isn't protected by a mind blank spell hears in its mind the screams of the thousands of people Rahadin has killed. Fey Ancestry. Rahadin has advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put him to sleep. Innate Spellcasting. Rahadin's innate spellcasting ability is Intelligence. He can innately cast the following spells, requiring no components: - 3/day: phantom steed - 1/day: nondetection Mask of the Wild. Rahadin can attempt to hide even when he is only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena. Murderous Instinct. When Rahadin drops to 0 hit points, he stows his saber and draws his twin scimitars, Thorn and Chain. His statistics are then instantly replaced by the statistics of his second form. His initiative count doesn't change. Excess damage doesn't carry over to his new form, and he doesn’t retain any conditions he had in his previous form. <h3>Actions</h3> Multiattack. Rahadin makes two attacks. Saber. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (1d8 + 6) slashing damage, and Rahadin can push the target up to 5 feet away. Instead of pushing the target, Rahadin can force it to succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. Poisoned Dart. Ranged Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (1d4 + 6 plus 2d4) piercing and poison damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the start of Rahadin's next turn. <h3>Bonus Actions</h3> Wind Strike. Rahadin moves up to his speed in a straight line toward an unoccupied space he can see, including through enemy spaces, without provoking opportunity attacks. Each creature within 5 feet of a space he passes through must make a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw, taking 7 (2d6) slashing damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Whirling Blades. Each creature within 10 feet of Rahadin must make a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw, taking 7 (2d6) slashing damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. <h3>Reactions</h3> Rahadin can take up to three reactions per round, though no more than one per turn. If Rahadin would lose his reactions, he loses one reaction instead. Indomitable. Trigger: A hostile creature ends its turn. Effect: Rahadin can repeat the saving throw against one effect or condition currently affecting him. (This reaction has no effect if the effect or condition didn’t originally require it to fail a saving throw.) Punishing Strike. When Rahadin is hit by a melee or ranged attack, he can use his reaction to move up to his speed toward the attacker and make an attack with his saber. This movement doesn't trigger opportunity attacks. Disarm. When an enemy misses Rahadin with a melee attack while wielding a weapon, he can use his reaction to force that enemy to make a DC 19 Strength saving throw, with advantage if the enemy is holding the weapon with two hands. On a failure, the enemy drops the item, which is knocked 10 feet away. Misty Step (1/round). When an enemy misses Rahadin with an attack or deals damage to him, he can use his reaction to cast misty step. He can then immediately take the Hide action. Rahadin doesn't need to see his destination when casting misty step in this way. Psychic Scream (1/day). When Rahadin is reduced to 0 hit points, he can use his reaction to cause his deathly choir to release a terrible scream. Each creature within 60 feet of Rahadin must make a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw, taking 11 (2d10) psychic damage on a failed save or half as much on a success. If a creature fails the saving throw by 5 or more, it is also stunned until the start of Rahadin's next turn. </div> <div class="statblock"> <h2>Rahadin, Kinslayer</h2> Medium humanoid (elf), lawful evil <hr> Armor Class 18 (studded leather) Hit Points 180 (24d8 + 72) Speed 35 ft. <hr> <table class="ability-table"> <thead> <tr> <th>STR</th> <th>DEX</th> <th>CON</th> <th>INT</th> <th>WIS</th> <th>CHA</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>14 (+2)</td> <td>22 (+6)</td> <td>17 (+3)</td> <td>15 (+2)</td> <td>16 (+3)</td> <td>18 (+4)</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <hr> Saving Throws Dex +11, Wis +8 Skills Acrobatics +11, Deception +9, Insight +8, Intimidation +14, Perception +13, Stealth +16 Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 23 Languages Common, Elvish Challenge 15 Proficiency +5 <hr> Screams of the Dead. Any creature within 10 feet of Rahadin that isn't protected by a mind blank spell hears in its mind the screams of the thousands of people Rahadin has killed. Fey Ancestry. Rahadin has advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put him to sleep. Mask of the Wild. Rahadin can attempt to hide even when he is only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena. <h3>Actions</h3> Multiattack. Rahadin makes three attacks with his scimitars Thorn and/or Chain. He can replace one attack with his haunt feature. Thorn. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d6 + 6) slashing damage, and Rahadin can force the target to make a DC 19 Constitution saving throw or bleed for the next 1 minute. (A bleeding target must succeed on a DC 19 Constitution saving throw at the start of each of its turns or take an additional 1d6 slashing damage. On a success or upon receiving magical healing, the target is no longer bleeding.) Chain. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d6 + 6) slashing damage, and Rahadin can force the target to make a DC 19 Constitution saving throw or have its speed reduced to 0 until the end of its next turn. If the target fails by 5 or more, it also falls prone. Haunt. Rahadin forces a creature he can see within 30 feet to succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or take 7 (2d6) psychic damage and be frightened and deafened by shrieking souls until the start of his next turn. <h3>Bonus Actions</h3> Deathly Choir. Each creature within 10 feet of Rahadin that isn't protected by a mind blank spell must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw, taking 9 (2d8) psychic damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one. If a creature fails the saving throw by 5 or more, it is also frightened until the start of Rahadin's next turn. Swift Step. Rahadin takes the Dash or Disengage action. <h3>Reactions</h3> Rahadin can take up to three reactions per round, though no more than one per turn. If Rahadin would lose his reactions, he loses one reaction instead. Indomitable. Trigger: A hostile creature ends its turn. Effect: Rahadin can repeat the saving throw against one effect or condition currently affecting him. (This reaction has no effect if the effect or condition didn’t originally require it to fail a saving throw.) Parry. Rahadin adds +5 to his Armor Class against one melee or ranged attack that would hit him or to the result of a failed Dexterity saving throw, or takes no damage from magic missile this turn. If he causes a melee attack to miss in this way, he can then immediately use an additional reaction, if available, to use his Riposte against the attacker. Riposte. When an enemy misses Rahadin with a melee attack, he can use his reaction to move up to his speed to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of that enemy without triggering opportunity attacks. He can then immediately make an attack with Thorn or Chain attack against that enemy with advantage. </div> # Design Notes: St. Andral's Feast ***St. Andral's Church.*** The original module's requirement that one of the players be a cleric or paladin to receive this quest has been removed to make it more accessible. Though it doesn't exist in the original adventure, the holy day of St. Andral's Feast has been added to provide a clear deadline for the players' efforts to recover the bones, and to ensure a safe place for Ireena to stay while the arc unfolds. The date of the bones' theft has been moved to the night of the players' arrival in Vallaki to ensure that the scene of the crime is sufficiently undisturbed for the players to do substantive detective work while investigating. An assortment of clues has been added to clearly point the finger at Milivoj. Milivoj himself has been relocated to his family home—both to show (not tell) his motivation for stealing the bones, to provide dramatic distance between the players' investigation and their confrontation with its prime witness, and to accentuate the appearance of Milivoj's guilty conscience. ***Return to the Church.*** Father Lucian asks to accompany the players to the coffin maker's shop in order to ensure that the party has the benefits of his *spirit guardians* spell during the fight with Volenta's **vampire spawn** (i.e., to counteract their regeneration). ***Arasek Stockyard.*** Erasmus' ghost has been added to discourage the players from investigating the wagon while also carefully avoiding *encouraging* them to do it out of spite. The fresh paint for the Carnival of Wonders sign has been added to intentionally foreshadow that Rictavio (who the players will confront in [[Arc E - The Missing Vistana]]) is not all that he seems. ***Coffin Maker's Shop.*** Volenta's two traps have been added to increase the probability that the players do battle with the vampires, thereby introducing them directly to Strahd's minions and the threat posed by vampires. The number of **vampire spawn** has been reduced from six to three, including Volenta, to ensure that the encounter is balanced for a 4th-level party. Volenta has been placed as the mastermind of this scheme in order to provide the players with a low-level boss that they can reasonably defeat—but who will recur as an antagonist throughout the adventure. Volenta's statblock has been designed to provide the players with a dynamic, tactical experience while ensuring that she is not the first of her minions to die. Meanwhile, Father Lucian's ***divine eminence*** feature has been modified to allow the players to reap its benefits and ensure that the encounter is not too deadly, as well as to ensure that martial characters without access to magical weapons can deal substantive damage despite the vampires' resistances to nonmagical weapon damage.