Strahd von Zarovich is dead, and the Sun has risen over the Balinok Mountains for the first time in centuries. But for the people of Barovia, this ending is only a new beginning. In Vallaki, a grateful town prepares a celebration for the party of returning heroes. In Krezk, the cursed Belviews face a choice between humanity and peace. At Argynvostholt, a silver egg waits amidst the ashes of its forebear. Meanwhile, the Ladies Three have been reborn, but a fourth sister dreads their judgment. Lady Fiona Wachter must lead her people to a new future, but fears her past has left her unworthy. Victor Vallakovich must decide whether his feelings for Stella Wachter are worth fighting for. Rudolph van Richten and Doru must find a way to live where once dwelled only death. And, in the wilds of Barovia, bereft of his master, Escher must decide whether to seek redemption—or revenge. Will the players help Barovia find its first steps in this brave new world? Will they leave a legacy strong enough to endure the uncertain paths ahead? And—when the call to adventure comes once again—will they answer it or refuse? ## 1. Return From the Castle ***Cyrus & Lief***. When Strahd summoned the eternal night, he ordered every creature in Ravenloft to join the undead horde marching upon the settlements of Barovia. Three members of the horde, however, snuck away: Cyrus Belview, Lief Lipsiege, and (if still present in Ravenloft) Pidlwick II. Since escaping Strahd’s armies, the three deserters have lingered by **I. Black Carriage (p. 37)**, watching to ensure they haven’t been missed while anxiously debating their next moves. Cyrus is terrified of the lingering undead and anxious about Strahd’s promise to restore his family’s forms, while Lief is despondent from his apparent dismissal from service. If present, Pidlwick is suspicious of the world outside the castle but delighted to explore the world beyond Ravenloft’s walls. All three are awed by the rising of the sun—though Cyrus is suspicious that it’s some sort of trick and Lief, as a wight, finds the sun’s rays taxing, painful, and “unsightly." When the players arrive at the crossroads following their return from Ravenloft, will they find the deserters lingering nearby? If so, will they help Cyrus find new hope in the wake of Strahd’s broken promise, help Lief find new purpose in the destruction of Strahd’s power, and help Pidlwick II find a new home? ***The Town of Vallaki***. When the players departed Vallaki in [[Arc U - Dreams of Dawn]], they left their friends to face an oncoming horde of undead. Through the visions of the Heart of Sorrow, they beheld flashes of Vallaki’s fight against Strahd’s army—visions of death and life alike. Now, as they return to Vallaki, how much of the town will they find standing—and how will the town greet them? ### 1a. The Odd Couple **When the players first return to I. Black Carriage (p. 37) after completing [[Arc U - Dreams of Dawn]], read: <div class="description"> <p>A familiar crossroads lies ahead, faintly illuminated in the morning sun. One branch leads west, toward Vallaki, and the other south, toward Barovia.</p> <p>Across the way, something rustles in the bushes behind a tree. You catch a glimpse of a squat silhouette, then hear a sharp, short whine, followed by a muffled shushing noise.</p> </div> The squat silhouette is Cyrus Belview, who is hiding behind the tree. Cyrus is joined by the **wight** Lief Lipsiege. **If the players didn’t retrieve Pidlwick II from Castle Ravenloft in [[Arc P - Ravenloft Heist]], add: <div class="description"> <p>A moment later, something clinks and whirs faintly from the underbrush nearby.</p> </div> The whirring is Pidlwick II, who is crouching in the bushes near Cyrus and Lief. **If the players have previously met Cyrus, Lief, or Pidlwick**, they recognize the sound of their voices and gears, respectively. **During this interaction,** Cyrus, Lief, and Pidlwick have the following perspectives: * **Cyrus.** Cyrus is terrified of lingering undead, determined to return to his family at the Abbey of St. Markovia, and grimly ready to defend himself. * **Lief.** Lief is despondent following his apparent dismissal from service, irritated at the pains from exerting “old, aching bones," and disgusted at and fearful of the “big, ugly yellow thing" (the Sun). * **Pidlwick II**. Pidlwick is simultaneously suspicious of the world outside of the castle (including the players) and delighted to be able to explore beyond Castle Ravenloft’s walls. **If the players investigate the lurkers,** their conversation might begin as follows: * **If a player calls out and succeeds on a DC 10 Charisma (Persuasion) check**, or a DC 5 Charisma (Persuasion) check if they identify themselves, Cyrus calls back, “You sure you ain’t more shamblers? ‘Cuz that’s what a shambler would say if they wanted to eat our brains." **If the players provide further reassurance,** Cyrus adds, “Fine, but if you try any funny business, I’ll take you apart." Cyrus, Lief, and Pidlwick II then reveal themselves, with Cyrus suspiciously brandishing a wooden spoon like a dagger. * **If a player approaches the tree**, Cyrus calls out, “Oi! You shambley lads take one step forward, and I’ll take yer hands clean off." **If the players round the tree,** Cyrus whirls to face them, brandishing a wooden spoon like a dagger, with Lief nervously hiding behind him. “I mean it!" Cyrus warns. * **If a player approaches the bushes and Pidlwick II is present,** they hear a quiet, steady ticking noise emanating from the bushes. **If a player pulls the bush’s branches aside,** Pidlwick cowers before them, holding its hands before its face. **If the players comfort or reassure the lurkers,** Cyrus and Lief relax and are willing to speak with them. **However, if the players invite Lief into the sunlight**, Lief won’t willingly leave the shadows unless sheltered by a cloak or similar protection. **If the conversation turns to the zombie army,** it might unfold as follows: * **Strahd’s Orders.** Lief shares solemnly that Strahd ordered every creature in Ravenloft to join the undead horde marching upon the settlements of Barovia. “Unacceptable," he sniffs. “I did not complete my accountancy apprenticeship to be *conscripted*." * **Escape From the Horde.** Cyrus shares that he, Lief, and (if present) Pidlwick II snuck away from the horde soon after departing Ravenloft. “Don’t think none of them cared much what we were doing," he grumps. “So much the better for it. Didn’t want to give any of them shamblers a chance to take a bite out of my noggin." * **Hope for Barovia.** Cyrus shares his quiet, solemn hope that “Clovin and the others made out okay." “That was an awful lot of shamblers," he mumbles, looking at the ground. **If the conversation turns to Strahd and Castle Ravenloft,** it might unfold as follows: * **Lief’s Broken Heart.** Lief asks the players whether “Lord von Zarovich" asked for Lief to return back to the castle. “I have served him faithfully for centuries," he says anxiously, fidgeting with his hands. “If I did something to displease him, I hope he might forgive it." * **The Floating Castle.** Lief and Cyrus confirm that they saw “the floating castle" in the distance as they fled the horde. (Neither knows what it meant, or why the castle was floating. “Ain’t natural for a castle to float," Cyrus adds, gruffly.) * **Cyrus’s Theory.** Cyrus freely shares his theory that the castle was secretly an enormous bat, and took to the skies at Strahd’s command. “It’s the only explanation that makes sense," he insists, crossing his arms. * **Strahd’s Death.** **If the players share that Strahd is dead,** Cyrus’s jaw drops, and Lief freezes. “I apologize," Lief says stiffly, “but I must have misheard you." **If the players confirm that Strahd is dead,** (1) Lief grows despondent, wondering aloud how he might find work if his employer is deceased, and (2) Cyrus snarls in tearful frustration, demanding to know “how he’s gonna set his family back to rights if the old bloodsucker is dead." (Cyrus is referring to Strahd’s promise to “cure" the Belviews’ condition if Cyrus cleaned every room of Castle Ravenloft.) **If the conversation turns to the Sun**, it might unfold as follows: * **The Big, Ugly Yellow Thing.** Lief mops his head with an old, rotted handkerchief and complains about the “big, ugly yellow thing" in the sky. “My old skin is too sensitive for that kind of light," he moans. “Won’t someone extinguish it?" * **The Lich-King’s Scheme.** Cyrus insists that the “giant torch in the sky" is a plot by the Lich-King Firan, who intends to use it to control the minds of every thinking creature in Barovia. * **What’s a Sun?** **If informed that the Sun is the Sun**, (1) Lief glowers at it and notes that he “never cared much for the outdoors, anyway," and (2) Cyrus falls quiet, eyes the Sun worshipfully, and says softly that he had always believed it to be a myth. **If the conversation turns to the lurkers’ intentions after Strahd’s death**, it might unfold as follows: * **Lief’s Intent.** Lief bemoans the loss of his career. “With my lord gone, there is surely no place in this valley for a learned man as me," he murmurs, dabbing at a bloody tear with his handkerchief. **(If the players offer to introduce Lief to Lady Wachter or another employer**, Lief is skeptical, but cautiously grateful.) * **Cyrus’s Intent.** Cyrus shares his intent to reunite with his family. “I don’t know how we’ll fix things, with *him* gone," he adds, bowing his head and slumping his shoulders. “I only went to the castle to help them—but if he’s gone, I guess it was all for nothing." * **Pidlwick’s Intent.** **If present**, Pidlwick is curious about the players, and eager for any opportunities to explore Barovia further. **If the players invite the lurkers to join them**, Lief, Cyrus, and Pidlwick II are glad to do so. ### 1b. The New Svalich Road **If the players depart the crossroads** for Vallaki, read: <div class="description"> <p>The crumbling Barovian gates hang open, their rusted hinges too old and tired to bar the way ahead. Beyond them, the road winds north through a familiar wood—but a wood that seems fresh and new again.</p> <p>Flowers bloom in the soft, loamy earth beneath the trees, and a quiet creek trickles beside the road, its waters sparkling and clear. A cool wind stirs the orange-red leaves above, which seem to be on fire beneath the golden light of the autumn sun. Birdsong flows through the woodland canopies, joined by the chittering of squirrels and the tapping of a distant woodpecker.</p> <p>A silhouette pads through the underbrush: a wolf, the dappled sunlight granting its gray-brown hide a golden sheen. Above it, a black-feathered raven alights upon a sturdy oak bough, where a gossamer spiderweb glistens like diamond-set silk.</p> <p>Slowly—unmistakeably—the beasts bow low before you.</p> </div> The wolf, raven, and spider are messengers of the Ladies Three. Regardless of the players’ response, they vanish into the woods shortly after paying their respects. ### 1c. The Gates of Vallaki **When the players return to Vallaki**, read: <div class="description"> <p>Death surrounds the walls of Vallaki—piles of bodies, heaped a dozen high.</p> <p>The walls are battered, the gates askew, and the road stained with blood. But above it all, fluttering defiantly beneath a clear blue sky, stands a proud flag painted with a golden sunburst.</p> <p>People fill the road. Some drag bodies toward the mounds of the dead, while others set pyres alight, their leaping flames sending ash into the wind. Some clean debris through the streets, while others patch great holes and gouges in the town’s palisade wall.</p> </div> Continue, modifying the text as necessary to reflect each character’s current status: <div class="description"> <p>One of the haulers catches sight of you and turns. Though his hair is stained with blood and grime, and though his clothes are torn and muddy, you recognize him: Milivoj. His eyes widen, and he sways faintly, as if in awe.</p> <p>You recognize other faces in the crowd. Victor and Stella. Arrigal and Luvash, with Arabelle on Luvash’s shoulders. One by one, they follow Milivoj’s gaze—and one by one, their eyes widen in recognition.</p> <p>Someone begins to clap—slowly at first, then faster, growing in volume as more and more join in. Whoops and cries of joy break through the air, many voices mixing in a single shared message:</p> <p><em>They’re back.</em></p> <p><em>They’re safe.</em></p> <p><em>They <strong>did it!</strong></em></p> </div> * **Milivoj** is grateful and humbled to see the players, and regrets ever doubting them. **If the players sanctified St. Andral’s Church**, he can gladly share that his siblings are safe in the church with Yeska, which sheltered the town’s children and elderly during the fighting. * **Victor and Stella** are joyous to see the players, having missed them since their departure and having anxiously awaited their return. Victor, in particular, quietly feared that the players would never return, but has loudly proclaimed to any others who doubted that the players were guaranteed to “put the bloodsucker back in the dirt." * **Arrigal** is quietly awed by the players and impressed by their strength. Although still slightly tense regarding his suspicion that the Vallakians might reject his people, he is deeply grateful to Lady Wachter and the rest of Vallaki for accepting the Vistani and dusk elves when they came to the town’s gates seeking shelter and allies against the oncoming horde. * **Luvash and Arabelle** are delighted to see the players, with Luvash loudly congratulating them and offering an enormous bear hug to any player who will accept it. Arabelle welcomes the players back, and can quietly share that her foresight extended no further than the Eternal Night. “I wanted you to succeed," she says, hugging them tightly. “But I didn’t know for sure." **If the players ask**, they can learn the following information: * **The Gathering.** As the Whispering Wall retreated, the Vistani and dusk elves came to the town’s western gates, warning of a great host of undead and pleading for sanctuary. At Lady Wachter’s command, the gates were opened to them, with any children and elderly taking up refuge in St. Andral’s Church, any noncombatants fortifying the Blue Water Inn, and the remainder taking up arms to defend the town. To mark the alliance’s defiant stand, the defenders hoisted a sunburst flag above the walls. (A blushing Stella can admit that she painted the flag and shared it with the town’s guards. “I just thought that we needed something to fight for," she says, “not just something to fight against.") * **The Siege.** Strahd’s undead breached the eastern gates and nearly tore down the western gates, but Vallaki’s defenders initially held them from taking any further ground. As the town’s forces seemed about to break, the beacon to the west flashed with silver light, and they rallied. Less than a minute later, the undead army fell as one, the crimson sigils on their foreheads vanishing and life leaving them. * **The Dawn.** Soon after Strahd’s army fell, shouts came from the east that a new light had appeared on the horizon—a red-golden glow from beyond the eastern rim of the Balinok Mountains. Slowly, then rapidly, the townsfolk opened their windows, flooded into the streets, and looked up at the skies at a sight that Barovia had not seen for centuries: the rising Sun. (“This lad cried a bit at that," Luvash says, teasingly jostling Victor with an elbow. “Hey!" Victor retorts. “As if you didn’t too." “Aye," Luvash adds, chuckling. “That I did.") * **The Rebuild.** Since the battle ended, the townsfolk have come together to identify and gather their dead, to repair fallen structures, and to remove and burn the remains of those they felled. (“They didn’t choose to fight for him," Milivoj says quietly. “They deserved that much.") Since then, many have waited anxiously for the players to return—not only for the players’ sake, but out of fear that their victory might be Strahd’s last trick: a trap to lower their guards. * **The Others.** Lady Fiona Wachter is directing the rebuild from the town square, aided by the Martikovs (providing food and drink) and Father Petrovich (providing healing to the wounded and counsel to the grieving). The Vistani and dusk elves, led by Kasimir, have taken up residence in the town square as well, and are aiding in the recovery efforts. ### 1d. The Town Square **If the players travel to the town square,** read the following, modifying the text as necessary: <div class="description"> <p>Tents, bedrolls, and smoldering campfires fill Vallaki’s town square, joined by throngs of people working, talking, or simply staring up at the sky in awe.</p> <p>A line of townsfolk has assembled by the square’s wooden platform, where Urwin and Danika Martikov serve chunks of bread and stew from a great metal pot. You catch glimpses of Lady Wachter and Father Lucian going separately from fire to fire, pausing by each person, speaking quietly and kindly to them, then moving to the next. By the stocks, Blinsky acts out a play with a pair of puppets, a crowd of delighted children watching enraptured.</p> </div> * **Urwin and Danika** are tired after a long night of aiding in the town’s defense, but relieved and grateful for the safety of their children. They’re delighted to see that the players are safe (and Danika is even happier to put them to work bringing deliveries of bread to some of the elderly and wounded in the square—though she and Urwin insist that the players eat their own fill first). * **Lady Wachter** is heartened and deeply grateful to see the players. Although she does her best to remain polite and refined, she is sincerely and genuinely glad for their return and company. (“Thank you," she shares, earnestly, the tension leaving her shoulders. “I—*we*—would have been lost without you.") * **Father Lucian** is overjoyed to see the players, and embraces them on sight. Although he’s eager to discuss the Sun’s return and the fate of Castle Ravenloft, he insists on seeing to the players’ needs first. (“You’ve returned!" he proclaims, looking them up and down. “Are you harmed? Have you had a chance to rest?") * **Blinsky** is doing his best to distract and delight Vallaki’s children, especially those whose family members were wounded in the fighting. Although the children were initially intimidated by Blinsky’s macabre toys, he accidentally made them laugh by accidentally locking himself in the stocks—and for the past hour or so has been keeping them entertained by putting on a self-deprecating “silly" slapstick show with some of his toys and puppets. * **Yeska, Brom, and Bray** are watching Blinsky’s show by the stocks alongside Milivoj’s siblings and several other Vallakian children. All are glad to see the players’ return. If the players ask after Kasimir, any Vistani, dusk elf, or Martikov can share that he departed the town a short while ago to return home. (“He said he needed to see something.") ### 1e. The Vistani Camp **If the players travel to the Vistani encampment**, read: <div class="description"> <p>The hilltop stands bare, bereft of the great tent and many wagons that once stood here. Below it, the dusk elves’ small cottages stand silent and empty around the hilltop. A lone silhouette lies on the hillside, the grasses swaying in a sweet and gentle breeze.</p> </div> The silhouette is **Kasimir**, who is watching the sky and thinking. Kasimir is glad to see the players, though thoughtful and somber. He can share that he came here to escape the noise and bustle and think. (“I felt I had more I could do," he says, “but Miss Dorakova insisted that I rest—and so I came here.") Kasimir has come to the hill to reflect on everything—his people, his sister, his regrets, and his future. (“For five hundred years, my people’s fates have been dictated by the whims of House Von Zarovich," he says. “To think of what might come after—I struggle to grapple with it, I admit.") Kasimir welcomes any thoughts or guidance the players may be willing to provide. Although he is grateful if the players join him on the hill for a little while, he is glad to accompany them back to Vallaki. ## 2. The Festival of the Dawn When the players return to Vallaki, Urwin, Danika, Victor, and Stella urge Lady Wachter to organize a festival to celebrate their victory and Barovia’s freedom from Strahd. Publicly reluctant, but quietly pleased, Lady Wachter makes the necessary arrangements, with the Martikovs providing food and drink, Blinsky providing decorations and games, the Vistani providing music, the dusk elves providing stories, and the town’s resident mages—Victor and Kasimir—providing colorful displays of magic. But behind the festival lurks a collage of uncertainties. Lady Wachter, from the high table, wonders if her lack of faith leaves her unworthy to lead Vallaki into a new dawn. Victor, from the mages’ stage, wonders if he can muster up the courage to tell Stella how he feels. Escher, sulking in the darkened alleys, wonders if he can escape the sins of his past. And the Dreamer, cloaked and disguised, wonders if she can mend her relationship with her sisters, the Ladies Three. Will the players help each of these lost attendees find their path forward? ### 2a. The Flickering Beacon Shortly after the players return to Vallaki, Lady Wachter visits them personally to request their aid. Lady Wachter shares that the beacon of Argynvostholt, which shone brightly through Strahd’s unending night, fell dark when the Sun rose over Barovia. Since then, however, she’s received reports that the beacon has lit again—but that, this time, it’s begun to flicker strangely with an odd, irregular pattern. Lady Wachter isn’t sure what the relit beacon means, but shares her concern that it may be some kind of message or distress signal. If the players are willing, she asks them to travel to Argynvostholt swiftly to uncover the truth. However, she also shares that traces of undead have been seen in the woods, and insists that the players return by dusk in case any return. > [!info]+ **Lady Wachter’s Scheme** > Lady Wachter is telling only half the truth: Argynvost’s beacon *has* relit, and has been seen to flicker oddly. However, her request is merely a pretext to get the players out of Vallaki while she oversees the necessary preparations for the celebration of their victory. Moreover, while her scouts have seen “traces" of undead in the nearby woods, those traces have been limited to undead *remains*; Lady Wachter’s true motivation is to ensure that the players return in time for the festival. ### 2b. The Empty Mansion If the players return to Argynvostholt, read the following when they arrive: <div class="description"> <p>The once-grand manor stands silently before you. Where once a cold shadow dwelled, there is now only emptiness—save for a faint silver light that pulses from the top of the mansion’s tallest tower.</p> </div> If the players ascend to <span class="citation">Q53. Beacon of Argynvostholt (p.142)</span>, read: <div class="description"> <p>The tower’s peak is quiet and empty—save for a large silver egg that lies upon the floor, pulsing with an iridescent light.</p> </div> The light fades permanently if the egg is touched. > [!info]+ **The Egg** > The egg is the child—or reincarnation—of Argynvost, brought into being by the immolation of his spirit. > > A player who succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana or Nature) check recalls that the egg of a silver dragon can only incubate in a suitable environment—typically, ice or snow—and might take months to years to hatch. ### 2c. Let the Festivities Commence! When the players return to Vallaki, the guards at the western gate inform them that Lady Wachter has requested their presence in the town square. (The guards refuse to divulge further information, insisting only that they were told that the players were needed on “urgent business.") As the players traverse Vallaki’s streets, read: <div class="description"> <p>The town’s streets are quiet—near deserted. Not a light flickers in the windows of St. Andral’s Church, and the Blue Water Inn stands empty and dark. In the distance, however, light shines past the rooftops surrounding the distant town square—and faint tones of music float through the air.</p> </div> If the players proceed to the town square, continue: <div class="description"> <p>A now-familiar street splits off from the main road toward the town square, winding south past dark houses and empty storefronts. The sound of distant music grows stronger, now matched by swells of laughter and the echoes of many voices.</p> <p>The street bends once more—and the town square comes into view, filled with life and color and <em>light</em>.</p> <p>Golden banners and garlands criss-cross the square, and flags bearing sunbursts hang from a dozen windows and roofs. A hundred lanterns hang from hooks around the perimeter, their flickering light illuminating hundreds of people talking, laughing, dancing. At the center of the square, near the stone fountain, a great bonfire has been raised, its fierce tongues of flame casting shadows across a troupe of Vistani musicians and dancers who lead a circle of celebrants in a frolic around the fire’s edge.</p> <p>Eight points of shimmering light streak into the clear sky above, then explode in showers of blue and violet light. Atop the wooden stage overlooking the square, you see Victor and Kasimir standing with arms outstretched, conjuring another stream of arcane fireworks as their royal-blue cloaks whip in the cool wind.</p> <p>"They’re here!" Stella Wachter, from a position posted beside the nearest lantern, turns toward the stage and waves her hand excitedly while gesturing toward you. “They’re here!" A cheer runs through the crowd, which surges toward you in welcome.</p> </div> Unless the players resist, they soon find themselves well-supplied with mugs of wine, cheese pastries, and honey cakes. Soon after Stella’s arrival, Lady Wachter arrives to greet them personally. Lady Wachter makes no apologies for her deception, but is honored to formally welcome the players as the guests of honor to “the Festival of the Dawn." (“I am not particularly fond of “festivals," she sniffs, smiling wryly, “but I found myself outvoted.") > [!info]+ **The Decorations** > The decorations are leftovers from old Vallakovich festivals that Blinsky kept stored in his cellar. Lady Wachter invites the players to relax and celebrate, and encourages them to enjoy themselves. “Our walls are well-watched tonight," she assures them. “You have more than earned a night of feasting and festivities." ### 2d. Festival Games If the players explore the festival, they can find the following attractions: * A game of “pin-the-tail-on-the-nightmare," run by Blinsky outside his shop. (To play, a character must make a Wisdom check. On a result of 20 or more, the character pins the tail on the nightmare and wins a free toy from <span class="citation">Blinsky Toy (p. 50)</span> or <span class="citation">N7. Blinsky Toys (p. 118)</span>. The lower the result, the further the tail lands.) * A wine stand run by any Martikovs still in Vallaki, at which Davian Martikov is loudly telling the tale of the players’ defeat of Baba Lysaga to anyone who will listen. (If asked, Urwin or Danika can share that the Vistani had several barrels of wine in their wagons and tent and gladly donated them to the festivities.) Davian’s audience includes Nikolai and Karl Wachter, who gleefully challenge the players to a drinking competition—soon joined by Arrigal, who asks slyly if the players would mind “an additional competitor." (To play, a character must make a Constitution saving throw each time they drink a glass. The DC begins at 4 and increases by 2 with each successive glass. The first time a character fails a saving throw, they become ****poisoned****—i.e., drunk—and the DC resets to 4. The second time a character fails a saving throw, they fall unconscious.) * A fortunetelling stand run by Sofiya Zalken, a young Vistani woman with a tabby cat named Joie (pronounced “Zhwah") curled up around her neck. Sofiya is glad to offer Tarokka readings for a silver piece, but insists that the players don’t pay if she learns their identities. (Although Sofiya plays up her “inner eye" for children and onlookers, she freely admits that she is no true seer. “Nevertheless," she says, with a gleam in her eye and a grin on her face, “I’ve always thought that the future one sees in the cards is often the future that one *needed* to see—or at least, that’s what my mother always told me.") Other attendees of the festival include Milivoj (with his siblings and Yeska), Luvash (with Arabelle), and Szoldar and Yevgeni. ### 2e. Tales of Faith & Victory Once the players have had an opportunity to enjoy the festival, they’re approached by Lady Wachter and Father Lucian, who can share the following information: * Lady Wachter intends to officially dedicate the festival in a ceremony later this evening, and would be honored if one or more of the players would tell the tale of Strahd’s defeat to the festivalgoers. * Father Lucian intends to open the ceremony with an invocation, but is uncertain how to properly acknowledge the “nature goddesses" he’s heard about from Lady Wachter. He would appreciate the players’ help or guidance in doing so. > [!abstract]+ **Milivoj’s Plea** > If Father Lucian is dead, Milivoj instead approaches the players separately shortly after Lady Wachter’s request. He shares that, given Father Lucian’s absence and Yeska’s youth, Lady Wachter has invited him to deliver an invocation to begin the ceremony. However, Milivoj has no idea how to give a proper invocation, and feels unworthy of doing so given his past complicity with Strahd’s schemes. Milivoj is grateful for any help or guidance the players can provide. > [!abstract]+ **Fiona’s Uncertainty** > A player with a passive Wisdom (Insight) score of 13 or more notices that Lady Wachter appears distracted and somewhat anxious. If pressed, Lady Wachter quietly admits that she wonders whether she is truly qualified to lead Vallaki into this new age. “I failed to see the sunrise until it had very nearly risen," she confesses. “I pushed for acquiescence instead of resilience, and schemed instead of defending. What right have I to lead these people—my neighbors—when I failed to fight for them for so long?" > > Lady Wachter is grateful for any guidance or counsel the players can provide. At a suitable time after speaking with Lady Wachter and Father Lucian, Lady Wachter invites the players to speak on stage as parts of the ceremony. Unless the players intervene or otherwise alter the agenda, the ceremony unfolds as follows: * Lady Wachter stands atop the wooden platform and welcomes the attendees to the Festival of the Dawn, “the day when Vallaki—and all of Barovia—celebrates our freedom from the neverending night." * Lady Wachter shares her hope that the attendees are enjoying the festival—receiving a hearty cheer in response—and thanks them for their “spirited defense of our home, at a time when all seemed lost." * Lady Wachter invites the following “exceptional individuals" to the stage to receive “tokens of Vallaki’s gratitude": the Vistana Arabelle, for “courageous and timely foresight"; the mages Kasimir Velikov and Victor Vallakovich, for “igniting a fire in the dark"; and the players, for “returning sunlight to a land that had long forgotten it." She then affixes a golden pin in the shape of a sunburst to each character’s chest, proclaiming them a “friend of Vallaki" and guest of honor of the festival. * While the guests of honor linger on the stage, Father Lucian delivers an invocation to the Morninglord and Ladies Three, thanking the Morninglord for “lighting the way" to dawn and thanking the Ladies for “restoring a land long-lost to darkness and decay." He concludes by asking the gods to bless Vallaki, the valley of Barovia, and all their people, for “this night and all the nights to come." * Lady Wachter then invites one or more of the players to deliver the tale of Strahd’s defeat, which the attendees receive with enraptured delight. (The players are welcome to make this tale as long and inclusive as they would like.) ### 2f. Tales of Fear and Forgiveness Shortly after the ceremony, the players are prompted to action by one or both of the following events: ***Victor’s Hesitation.*** Kasimir asks the players to help him find Victor, who has gone missing shortly before their fireworks “grand finale." A player who succeeds on a DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) check, or who finds and asks a suitable witness, can track Victor to the stone fountain at the center of the square, where he’s sitting slumped on the ground with his head in his hands. A player who treats Victor kindly can convince him to share that he nearly asked Stella to dance with him by the fire after the ceremony, but lost his nerve at the last minute and offered to fetch them honey cakes instead. Victor is uncomfortable with the romantic feelings he’s developed for Stella, and terrified of losing her friendship if he shares them with her. He is grateful for any guidance or counsel the players can provide. ***The Dreamer’s Return.*** If the players redeemed the Dreamer’s heart in [[Arc U - Dreams of Dawn]], a player with the highest passive Wisdom (Perception) score notices a figure watching them from an alleyway. Read: <div class="description"> <p>You feel a prickling on the back of your neck and sense the temperature around you suddenly plummet. Out of the corner of your eye, you catch a figure watching you from a darkened alleyway, its form concealed beneath a pale blue cloak. It lingers beneath your gaze for a moment, regarding you silently—then recedes and vanishes around a corner.</p> </div> The figure is a manifestation of the Dreamer. If the players initially ignore it, the figure appears twice more to them from an alleyway during the festival before disappearing into the night. If the players follow the figure into the alley, read: <div class="description"> <p>The light and laughter of the festival seems so distant here, and the cold and darkness everpresent. A light, chill mist crawls across the earth, a faint lattice of frost forming across the nearby windows.</p> <p>A small butterfly flutters down from the night sky above, its pale violet wings glittering like faerie dust beneath the silver moon. It pauses before you, then turns to fly deeper into the shadows, as if to beckon you forward.</p> </div> If the players follow the butterfly, read: <div class="description"> <p>You round the corner—and find a dead end, blocked by a wooden fence and a pile of old barrels. A puddle around the barrels has frozen over, crystals of ice shimmering beneath the pale moonlight.</p> <p>A figure, wearing a cloak of pale blue, stands at the end of the alley, the ground beneath its feet frozen solid. The butterfly alights upon its shoulder, settling comfortably beside the figure’s neck.</p> </div> The figure is a manifestation of the Dreamer. If she speaks, a player who spoke with her in [[#U3h. The Lonely Maid]] recognizes her voice. If not addressed first, the Dreamer greets the players and apologizes for watching them. She then removes the hood to her cloak, revealing a young woman’s features, pale violet eyes, slightly pointed ears, and snow-white hair that falls past her shoulders. The Dreamer can share the following information: * She has had many names but most call her “Dreamer." (If asked, the Dreamer can also sadly confirm that she is also sometimes called “Lady Winter," though she winces at the name.) * She is the youngest of her sisters, whom she believes the players are familiar with. If asked, she confirms that her sisters’ names are Weaver, Huntress, and Seeker, though her eyes grow sad at the mention of their names. * Long ago, she perished at the hands of her sisters for crimes she had committed. “You need not fear, however," she assures the players. “I have had long to reflect on my folly, and I accept the justice they meted out to me." * After her death, her essence lay fallow amidst the “whispering mists" for many years—until it was taken and encased in amber by a guild of mages. “I do not know how many years my spirit lay imprisoned," she confesses. “Little of my mind remained, and that which did was twisted by pain and hate." * From time to time, mortals would come to her prison seeking power. Each time she granted such power, she took a sliver of their soul as compensation—and as she did, she grew in awareness. * By the time the “blood-drinker"—Strahd—came to her prison, she had enough awareness to smell the stench of his darkness—and to recognize the power of her sisters that flowed within him. He tore her from her prison, then imprisoned her anew in a heart of crystal blood. “I know not how he did it," she says, “but he forced the entirety of my sisters’ power through me—to focus it, to control it. But it was tainted and corrupted, and too much for the shreds of my mind to bear. It was agony—until you saved me." * The Dreamer saw the players, their faces refracted through the many facets of the crystal heart, as they ascended the tower and fought the “blood-drinker" beneath “a void of blackest night." “When you struck him down," she says, “his prison shattered—and for the first time in an eternity, I was free." * Her body—her mantle of power—called to her from the western valley, and she was drawn to it “like a moth to a firelight." Infused with the lingering power of her sisters’ Fanes, she united with her ancient remains—and so was reborn. In doing so, she also gained the memories of her heart, and saw the players as her heart had seen them, both in the whispering mists and upon the frozen lake. * Since then, she has traversed the cold and dark places of the valley, searching for her saviors in the hopes of thanking them for her freedom. The Dreamer comes to the players with two things: a gift and a plea. ***The Dreamer’s Gift.*** The Dreamer, still empowered by the lingering energies of the Heart of Sorrow and the Grand Conjunction, can offer the players a single boon, “so long as it is within my power to give." The Dreamer’s boon takes the form of a *wish* spell, with the following constraints: * The spell’s effects must relate to darkness, cold, ice, sleep, or dreams. * The spell can’t be used to duplicate a spell of 8th or 9th level. * The spell can’t affect a range larger than a single community. * The spell can’t manipulate space or time. * The Dreamer won’t use the spell to harm innocents. ***The Dreamer’s Plea.*** The Dreamer senses that her sisters have returned to power. She wants nothing more than to reconcile with them—to apologize for the evil she once wrought, and for the jealousy that made her a monster. “But I am too ashamed to face them," she says, “and they would not have me if I did. You are their champions—is there no hope for me at all? What should I do?" The Dreamer is grateful for any guidance or counsel the players can provide. When satisfied, she dissipates into a shroud of chill grey mist, which soon fades into the night air. ## 3. Return to Krezk > [!abstract]+ **Cyrus’s Request** > If the players escorted Cyrus to Vallaki, he approaches them following the [[#Festival of the Dawn]] to request their escort to Krezk and the Abbey of St. Markovia. “I will return a failure," he says mournfully, “but better to be a failure with family than a failure without. They deserve to know the truth, if nothing else." ### 3a. Arrival at the Walls If the players return to the village of Krezk after defeating Strahd, they find the gate guarded by Zygfrek and Otto Belview. Zygfrek and Otto are glad to welcome the players back to Krezk, and can share the following information: * The village was attacked by an onslaught of undead, but fought them off in a great battle. * To help keep the village safe, Zygfrek and Otto have been deputized as “official guards" by the village. (Otto puffs up at the thought, and even Zygfrek seems somewhat proud.) * The Abbot is helping the “important man" (Baron Krezkov) tend to the wounded at the “big house" (the Krezkovs’ cottage). Zygfrek and Otto are glad to open the gates and lead the players to Ithuriel and the Krezkovs if asked. ### 3b. Krezk’s Gratitude If the players visit the burgomaster’s cottage, they can find the following characters there: * **Ithuriel**, if redeemed, is—with Vasilka’s assistance—tending to the wounded, changing bandages, pouring water, and sharing prayers to the Morninglord. (“My healing touch is less than it was," he says, abashedly, “but I shall still do what I can.") * **Anna and Dmitri Krezkov** are discussing repairs to the walls with a small group of townsfolk. (If asked, they can share that Ilya and Kala have gone to the Shrine of the White Sun to play. “I didn’t want to let either of them out of my sight," Anna says, biting her lip. “But something about the light just makes it feel . . . safe." Dmitri can also privately share, if asked, that Emil is helping him and Ilya learn to meditate in order to commune with and calm the wolf within. “I still don’t know that I like him," he says. “But I suppose I’m beginning to understand him, against my better judgment.") * **Zuleika** is assisting Ithuriel with healing and tending to the wounded, and discussing lore of the Morninglord and Mother Night (while engaging in friendly debate about the merits of serving either). * **Emil** is helping to deliver fresh blankets and food where needed. **If the players ascend to the Abbey of St. Markovia,** they find that some of the Belviews have been released from their cells or sheds to play, bicker, weed, and bask in the garden beneath the warm light of the sun, beneath the watchful eye of Clovin Belview and the flesh golem. **If the players reunite Ithuriel and Cyrus Belview**, Ithuriel prostrates himself before Cyrus and begs his forgiveness for his lies and sins against him—specifically, his offering of Cyrus to Strahd as a servant and failing to dispute Strahd’s implication that he could help “cure" Cyrus’s family. Cyrus, surprised to see the “new" Abbot, looks to the players for guidance before responding. Although Cyrus still hopes for an opportunity to cure his family of their madness, Ithuriel has few ideas for how to do so. “The Sun has helped some of them regain a semblance of their wits, but many are still lost in the darkness of their minds and instincts," Ithuriel says. “The Morninglord is not a master of the minds or bodies of the beasts of the woods. I fear that my abilities to help them are limited and, perhaps, have always been so, despite my best efforts otherwise." Ithuriel is grimly determined to continue doing what he can to help the Belviews—by making them comfortable, if nothing else. If the players suggest seeking the help of the Huntress at the Forest Fane, he is surprised, but more than willing to assist them. ### 3c. Return to the Forest Fane If the players return to Yester Hill, they are greeted by a gray-brown **wolf** where the path emerges from the trees—the same wolf they encountered in [[#1b. The New Svalich Road]]. The wolf, a servant of the Huntress, can guide them to the Forest Fane atop Yester Hill. The Fane is largely as the players left it in [[Arc T - The Three Fanes]], except that the oak sapling has grown into a young, sturdy tree, approximately ten feet in height. If the players attempt to commune with the Huntress at the Forest Fane, read: <div class="description"> <p>Tongues of emerald flame wreathe the trunk of the oak tree, dancing in feral delight. The flames suggest the faint shape of a woman—a stalwart maid of long hair, a spear clasped in her hand.</p> </div> The Huntress welcomes the “champions of the Forest Fane" to her demesne, and is glad to do what she can to help the Belviews if asked. If the players haven’t brought a Belview, she invites them to bring one of the Belviews to the Fane so that she can study “the nature of their affliction." If the players bring one of the Belviews to the Forest Fane, the Huntress asks them to touch the trunk of the burning tree. (Depending on the Belview, this request might take some mild persuasion.) Once the Belview does so, the flames run across their skin, briefly wreathing them in fire before returning to the trunk. (The flames are warm, but not hot, and might be observed to “tickle.") After inspecting a Belview, the Huntress can solemnly share the following information: * She cannot heal the dark magic that has twisted their souls and bodies. “Beast and man live as one within them," she says, “instincts and rationality at war within their minds. I cannot separate them without destroying both." * She can, however, allow them to complete their transformation fully—to allow them to become one of the beasts whose bodies they share. “They would not be human anymore," she says, “but they would be whole and whole-minded." Any Belview who comes to the Forest Fane and chooses to undergo the Huntress’s transformation is engulfed by a cocoon of emerald flame. When the flames retreat, the Belview is transformed into a beast of their choice from one of their mutations. > [!info]+ **The Belviews’ Choice** > If offered the opportunity, Otto chooses to undergo the transformation, but asks the players whether he should choose to be a wolf, a lion, or a donkey. > > If the players have treated her kindly, Zygfrek chooses to remain humanoid. Otherwise, she chooses to become a lizard, scrambling off into the foliage soon after her transformation. > > If brought to the Forest Fane, Mishka Belview becomes a spider and scurries into the woods, while Marzena Belview becomes a bat and flies into the air. > > Neither Clovin nor Cyrus choose to undergo the transformation, having mastered their animal instincts years ago. However, both are simultaneously sorrowful to bid their family members farewell and glad to see them finally at peace. ## 4. Return to Barovia ### 4a. The Raven and the Rider If the players return to <span class="citation">F. River Ivlis Crossroads (p. 35)</span> after defeating Strahd, read: <div class="description"> <p>The old wooden gallows stands quietly beneath the warm, golden light, its aged wood speckled with lush green moss and lichens. Near the small graveyard rests a pile of bones beneath the watchful vigil of a raven.</p> </div> The pile of bones are the remains of the skeletal rider—Dalvan Olensky and his stolen horse—whose spirit found peace when the Mists dissipated. A player who inspects the remains finds the bones of a horse and a man, as well as a lopsided, rusty lantern. The raven is an ordinary raven and servant of the Seeker, come to honor Dalvan’s remains for his service to the Seeker. ### 4b. Return to Tser Pool If the players return to <span class="citation">G. Tser Pool Encampment (p. 36)</span>, they find that only two tents remain: Stanimir’s tent and Madam Eva’s. (The other Vistani have traveled to the village of Barovia to assist in the rebuilding efforts. Only Stanimir and his family—who are currently out hunting—have remained to tend to the encampment and Madam Eva.) Stanimir is delighted to see the players, whom he assumes are responsible for the return of the Sun and Strahd’s evident defeat. However, while he believes that Strahd’s defeat was necessary for the good of all Barovia, he quietly mourns the future and legacy of the young soldier his ancestors once aided on the battlefield, as described in <span class="citation">Mysterious Visitors (p. 19)</span>. “I know not how darkness came to consume him," he says sorrowfully. “If only a man of such power and ambition had put his spark to good, instead of ill, what might he have accomplished?" If the players enter Madam Eva’s tent, read: <div class="description"> <p>The open tent-flap casts a ray of warm light into the dark, quiet tent. At its center, Madam Eva lies slumped over her black velvet-covered table, as though sleeping. A piece of parchment lies on the table before her, an inkwell and quill a few inches from her fingers.</p> </div> A player who inspects Madam Eva finds that she is unresponsive, but has a warm, genuine smile on her face. A successful DC 2 Wisdom (Medicine) check confirms that she is dead; on a result of 10 or more, the players learn that she has been dead for only a few hours, evidently of natural causes. The parchment appears to be an incomplete letter. It reads, simply: <div class="description"> <p>My dearest Varushka,</p> <p>I have so much to tell you.</p> </div> If the players tell Stanimir of Eva’s death, he reverently and mournfully shares that Eva has watched over the Tser Pool Encampment since “his birth, and his father’s birth, and his father’s father’s birth." “To lose her wisdom is a grievous loss indeed," he says. “But I hope she found peace." (Stanimir doesn’t know Eva’s true identity as Katarina or the avatar of the Seeker, or how she has remained alive for centuries, but has always believed that she remained at Tser Pool for a purpose. “Perhaps that purpose has now been fulfilled," he ponders.) After the players depart Tser Pool, if they helped the Dreamer in [[#2f. Tales of Fear and Forgiveness]], they encounter a brief vision of the Rozana reunited. Read or paraphrase: <div class="description"> <p>As you turn to depart the crossroads, a warm breeze sighs through the woods, sending a flurry of fallen, red-gold leaves dancing across the road. Beyond the lonely graveyard, something catches your eye: the silhouette of a woman, raven-haired, robed in the blues of the darkest storm, and with a raven atop her shoulder. Beside her stands a tall, stocky, fur-clad woman with fiery red hair and a tall, sharp spear; and a shorter, squatter woman whose dress seems to be woven from long grasses and flowering vines. All three stand proudly beside a fourth figure: a slender maid, clad in gossamer ice and mist, her eyes bright and full of joy. They incline their heads in greeting—and then vanish with the gusting wind.</p> </div> ### 4c. A Heroes’ Welcome If the players return to the village of Barovia, they can find: * **Four of the five Vistani families** from Tser Pool recamped to tents at the foot of Lugdana’s Knoll, just outside the village, assisting the villagers with the rebuilding efforts. * **Ismark** at the Blood of the Vine tavern, having established a small “office" in the taproom from which to manage and oversee the rebuilding efforts. * **Father Donavich**, **Van Richten**, **Erasmus**, and **Parriwimple** at the village church, tending to the wounded and grieving. * **Gertruda** and **Mary** in their home, preparing stew and bread for the wounded in the church, and to be distributed to those whose homes were damaged or destroyed in the fighting. * **Doru** in a soil-filled crate in his room during the day, helping Mary and Gertruda distribute food at dusk and evening, and in Gertruda’s room or on her rooftop at night. All are glad to see the players again, and assume that their actions are responsible for the rising of the Sun and the defeat of the undead army. If the players remain until nightfall, Ismark insists that they attend a celebration—with all drinks paid—at the Blood of the Vine tavern that night. Before the players depart, if the players helped Doru overcome his bloodthirst in [[Arc B - Welcome to Barovia]], Van Richten and Doru approach them with a proposition and a request. They can share the following information: * Following Strahd’s defeat at the players’ hands and Van Richten’s reunion with his son, Van Richten believes that the time has come for him to retire. * However, upon seeing the evidence of Doru’s ability to resist his bloodthirst, and following Van Richten’s experience with his own curse and redemption, Van Richten believes that he can still do good as a *rehabilitator* of monsters and the accursed, rather than as a slayer of monsters. Doru intends to join him in this venture, as his apprentice and partner. * Van Richten has heard that the Abbey of Saint Markovia was once a holy place of healing and refuge, and that the Abbot there is a holy man of great stature. “If it would not be too great an imposition," he says, “I would most appreciate an introduction." ## 5. Escher’s Fate Escher’s ultimate fate depends on the players’ choices and actions earlier in the campaign: * If the players (1) reunited Escher with Doru (e.g., during [[Arc P - Ravenloft Heist]], (2) treated Escher with respect and compassion, and (3) encouraged Escher to seek redemption, run [[#5a. Escher’s Quest]]. * If the players achieved only two of these three prerequisites, run [[#5b. Escher’s Isolation]]. * If the players achieved only one of these three prerequisites, run [[#5c. Escher’s Temptation]]. * If the players achieved none of these three prerequisites, run [[#5d. Escher’s Fall]]. ### 5a. Escher’s Quest Shortly after Strahd’s defeat, Escher seeks out the players in Vallaki, traveling by night and presenting himself openly at the gates. * ***If the players are known to be present in Vallaki,*** one of the town guards fetches them and asks them to come to the gate, where “one of the Devil’s spawn" is asking for them. * ***If the players aren’t known to be present in Vallaki***, Escher insists that he be allowed to meet them and requests an audience with Lady Wachter. Upon her arrival, he surrenders to her and insists that he be granted an opportunity to speak with the players. At Lady Wachter’s direction, Escher is bound in manacles and imprisoned in <span class="citation">N4t. Cult Headquarters (p. 114)</span>, whose secret door is locked and guarded by two **guards** until the players return to Vallaki. If the players subsequently speak with Escher, he surrenders to them and asks them to decide his fate. “I can’t atone for the things I did or the people I hurt," he says, his voice choked with tears. “Every time I sleep, I see their faces in my dreams. Please—I just want it to stop." Escher is willing to accept any decision the players make. ### 5b. Escher’s Isolation One to two weeks after Strahd’s defeat, local hunters report sightings of dead livestock and wildlife in the woods around Vallaki, with two puncture wounds in each victim’s neck. Fearing a new kind of bestial vampire, Lady Wachter asks the players to investigate and deal with any threat. Szoldar Szoldarovich and Yevgeni Krushkin can lead the players to Jander’s Hollow, a small valley in the Svalich Woods where the most recent victims have been found. Upon their arrival, the players can find a dead stag with two puncture wounds along its throat. A DC 15 Wisdom (Medicine) check reveals that the puncture wounds were likely made by sharp humanoid teeth—not a beast. * If the players investigate the area during the day, they can also find a trail of fresh footprints leading around the edge of the hollow into a small cavern below an ancient oak tree. Within the cavern, the players can find Escher, asleep in a small depression in the ground and covered with pine boughs. Escher swiftly surrenders if awakened. * If the players investigate the area at night, they are watched by Escher from the trees, who attempts to conceal himself in the shadows. If a player’s Wisdom (Perception) check or passive Wisdom (Perception) score exceeds Escher’s Dexterity (Stealth) check, they automatically detect his silhouette crouched in the canopy. Escher attempts to flee if detected, but swiftly surrenders if caught. If caught, Escher can share that he fled Strahd’s army shortly after its departure from Castle Ravenloft, and sought refuge in the woods following the rise of the Sun. Since then, he has done his best to live off the blood of beasts instead of human blood, hoping to “avoid any more trouble." Players who show Escher compassion and respect and succeed on a DC 10 Charisma (Persuasion) check can convince him to seek rehabilitation, rolling with advantage if they mention Doru or Van Richten’s goal of rehabilitating “monsters." Escher fights only in self-defense, but prefers to flee if attacked. ### 5c. Escher’s Temptation Shortly after Strahd’s downfall, Escher searches the ruins of Castle Ravenloft in search of the secret to becoming a vampire lord, determined not to let his immortality be in vain. After multiple nights of searching, he unearths Strahd’s teleportation brazier and uses it to teleport to the Amber Temple, where he’s driven out of the amber vault by the ghost of Exethanter. Before fleeing the temple, Escher accepts the dark gift of Zrin-Hala, hungry to exact revenge on the players for “destroying his life." He then proceeds to fight his way down Mount Ghakis, defeating or escaping multiple amber-cursed demons and slaughtering a group of Mountain Folk hunters before entering the valley and tracking the players down. Approximately two weeks after Strahd’s downfall, Escher attacks the players on a night and at a time of his choosing, hoping to ambush and kill one of them before fleeing, then repeating the pattern each night thereafter. When he does, he has the statistics of a **vampire spawn**, with the following changes: * He has a Strength of 19 (+4). * He has an **armanite**’s ***claw*** and ***magic resistance*** features, as well as a resistance to lightning damage. * He can cast *call lightning* and *lightning bolt* without components twice per day each. Each time he casts either spell, he must make a DC 5 Charisma saving throw, transforming into an **armanite** on a failure and increasing the DC of future saving throws by 3 on a success. * His feet have fused into cloven hooves, two bony horns have burst from his head, and his fingernails have sharpened into long, jagged claws. Escher fights to the death, fleeing only if he successfully kills one of the players. ### 5d. Escher’s Fall Three weeks after Strahd’s downfall, an isolated and blood-starved Escher journeys to Vallaki, where he takes up residence in an abandoned house and begins preying upon townsfolk in the streets. After a Vallakian woman named Miruna Swilova narrowly escapes death at his hands, Lady Wachter directs the players to find the “vampire" still haunting Vallaki’s streets. Miruna can direct the players to an abandoned house three doors down from Milivoj’s home in northern Vallaki, where she first saw the vampire’s silhouette crouched upon the roof. If asked, Milivoj can confirm that, although the home’s residents died in Strahd’s siege, he’s had a strange feeling of being *watched* whenever he’s passed by that home on recent nights. * If the players investigate the home during the day, Escher is asleep in a coffin in the basement. Escher immediately attacks if awakened. * If the players investigate the home at night, Escher is watching the players from atop a roof on the opposite side of the street. If a player’s Wisdom (Perception) check or passive Wisdom (Perception) score exceeds Escher’s Dexterity (Stealth) check, they automatically detect his silhouette crouched on the rooftop. If detected, Escher descends into an alley and hides there, hoping to lure the players into an ambush. Whether the players detect him or not, Escher subsequently stalks the players through the night, hoping to ambush them and drain their blood. Escher’s anger, isolation, and hunger have driven him to forsake his humanity altogether, reducing him to an enraged, near-feral state. He refuses to listen to reason and fights to the death. ## 6. Endings & Beginnings ### 6a. The Council Within two weeks of Strahd’s defeat, Lady Fiona Wachter invites the players—either by a letter, messenger, or personal invitation—to a meeting at Wachterhaus to discuss Barovia’s future. The meeting, which takes place in **N4j. Dining Room (p. 112)**, is attended by Lady Wachter, Kasimir Velikov, Ismark Kolyanovich, Dmitri Krezkov, Urwin Martikov, Luvash, and Stanimir (or their replacements, if any are deceased). The purpose of this meeting, Lady Wachter explains, is as follows: * to evaluate and address the remnants of Strahd’s court and castle, including the “druidic tribes" (i.e., the Forest Folk and Mountain Folk), the werewolf pack, the hag coven (if still alive), and any of Strahd’s surviving vampire spawn (if any) * to confirm the fate of the Order of the Silver Dragon * to discuss the valley’s governance, trade, and common defense * to discuss the valley’s reintroduction to the outside world (i.e., exploring the local area and establishing diplomatic relations) * to facilitate the return of the Barovian refugees to their home village, for those that wish to do so The meeting’s attendees have the following goals and interests, though they can be swayed from these interests with suitable arguments and a Charisma (Persuasion) check: * **Lady Wachter** hopes to create a defensive and trade alliance between the three settlements, with Vallaki as a senior partner due to its size and resources, and to provide for the centralized (or at least coordinated) government of the valley to ensure shared prosperity, facilitate reintegration with the outside world, and provide for defense against external threats. * **Kasimir** hopes to preserve the culture, dignity, and independence of the dusk elves while allowing them to reintegrate with Barovia’s population. (“Perhaps we have lingered too long in the shadows of the past," he muses, “unwilling to let go of memories and grief.") * **Ismark** hopes to bolster and fund the village of Barovia’s restoration efforts, especially following Strahd’s second siege, to facilitate the return of the refugees to Barovia, and to ensure the village’s prosperity and defense in the future (especially due to its exposure to the valley’s eastern pass and lack of walls). * **Dmitri** (still somewhat suspicious of outsiders, and faithful of his village’s high walls and self-sufficiency) hopes to preserve Krezk’s independence and autonomy. * **Urwin** (who has assumed command of the Keepers of the Feather following Davian’s recent retirement) hopes to preserve the Keepers’ independence and to avoid allowing any political leader to control them for martial use or surveillance. * **Luvash** has no strong opinions on politics or government, but wants to ensure the freedom of Vistani caravans (and traders) to come and go as they please while preserving Vistani culture and providing a safe, permanent, place for the Vallakian encampment to remain. * **Stanimir** is present merely to inform the other attendees that, following Madam Eva’s death, the Tser Pool encampment will be disbanding, with some caravans relocating to the Vallakian encampment and others (including Stanimir) departing for distant lands. The attendees welcome the players’ input and assistance as mediators. However, none are willing to live beneath the rule of a monarch again. ### 6b. Into the Mists Shortly after Lady Wachter’s council, Muriel Vinshaw approaches the players alongside Ezmerelda and Elvir Martikov. (If Ireena entered a romantic relationship with Ezmerelda, Ireena accompanies them as well.) All carry heavy packs containing supplies for several days’ travel. Muriel and Ezmerelda have learned, both from migrating flocks of ravens and traveling Vistani caravans, that—although Strahd has been defeated and Barovia freed—the Mists (or a near-identical phenomenon) still survive elsewhere, and that the Powers that entrapped Barovia may have ensnared other innocent settlements within them. (“It seems Barovia may not have been the only victim of the Mists," Ezmerelda says grimly. “I’ve heard tales of far-off lands spirited away—desert kingdoms, jungle temples, and sprawling cities where the living sleep forever.") Muriel, Ezmerelda, Elvir, and Ireena intend to travel to these lands with the aid of an item called a *mist talisman* that Ezmerelda obtained from a Vistani merchant. (See **Domains of Ravenloft (*Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft*, p. 61)** for a list of mist talismans that Ezmerelda might have obtained.) Upon their arrival in each land, Muriel intends to found new chapters of the Keepers of the Feather—and will need new members to help do so. The four have come to bid the players farewell—and, if they’re interested, to invite any of them to join their venture. (“So long as any of us are trapped in the Mists," Ireena says, with steely determination, “all of us are.") Even if no players join their expedition, the travelers thank the players for their efforts to aid Barovia and bid them warm farewells.