Lunch Break Heroes

Presents
 • Patrick Boswell • Stephen Schuldt
Credits • Peever Family • Sterling Hanson
Lead Designer: Steve Miller • Pendrake • Steven Valdez
Writers: Sven Truckenbrodt, Steve Miller • Pocki228 • Stuart Murray
Artists: Alexander Novikov, HappyRichStudio, • Ray Nelson • Talon ReQuo
pashabo, warmtail, wirakorn, yotrakbutda • Rebecca Cama- • Taylor White
cho-Clark • That Man Jackson
Patrons • Robert Fellner • Trevor Cochrane
This content is made possible through the support of • Russ Jones • Ty Johnson
the following patrons. If you’d like to see yourself here, • Ryan Hammond • Tyler Smith
visit • Scott Chambers • Víctor Moreno
https://patreon.com/lunchbreakheroes • Scott Johnson • Violet
• Shane Alexander • Will Brensdal
Gold Patrons • shawn kuester • Wren_Tales
• Shen Zhao • Xavier Madison
• 14danray • Guy Russo
• Aaron Dotson • Howard Dale Platinum Patrons
• Akash Singh • Jako Kempen
• Amy Moulton • Jame • Alex Rosalez • joe somoza
• Andrew Baird • JAMES MANINT • Alpha Nerd • Joel Hallet
• Andy M Goldberg • Jason Reese • Andy D’Amato • John Pugh
• Ash Napier • Jeffrey Sheldon • Ben McInnis • Justin Bassett-Green
• Bradly Cline • Jerry • Captain Lyons • Kevin Brandon
• Brian Higginbotham • Joe Ford • Charles Schroeder • Lars Millahn
• Brian VanderVeen • JOSEPH ROSS • Christian A Ferrer • Omni Rogers-Muel-
• Bushwood • Joseph Trueblood • Christian Breffle ler
• Christeline • Josh Barker • Christopher Grace • Randall Dorn
• Christian Waga • Justin Charles • Dan Felder • Raz47924
• Chukwuemeka • Justin Mendoza • Dave Richards • Ric V
Uchendu • Kaede Miura • Dor Edras • Sebastian David
• Clane Kaluna • Kay Sprinkle • Doug Cook • Skyout Dova
• Clint Carlson • Kris Mullins • Edouard Jallad Wanderer
• Cobalt • Lars Holdgaard • Erik Comtois • Strahd von Zarovich
• Cody Marcotte • Lucas Bittencourt • Greywalker23 • Tags
• Colton Johnson • Luke Neu • Haraka • TimeBender 1775
• Daniel Shone • Mahtaran • Jack B Nimble • Toby Harper
• Debby • Matthew Engles • Jason Dowd • Vadym Prokopov
• Depot • MattLG Thatgamer- • Jimmy Johnson
• Derrick Charlton guy
• Dustin Rhine • maxitron3000
• Eastern Shore • Melgros
Screen Printing • Metalkat
• Edward Warren • Nairi
• Eric • NoSmallParts
• Eric Wolfe • Nyadnar#17
• Fiodor Podrezov • Oliver Tormey
•
•
Francis Stiassney
GolfLimaZulu
•
•
Oogle6
Oscar Lara
Get more adventures at
lunchbreakheroes.com
 Table of Contents
Arabelle............................................................................ 1
Arrigal............................................................................... 3
Clovin Belview................................................................ 5
Davian Martikov............................................................. 7
Father Donavich............................................................. 9
Ezmerelda d’Avenir........................................................ 11
Ireena Kolyana................................................................ 13
Ismark Kolyanovich....................................................... 15
Kasimir Velikov............................................................... 17
The Mad Mage................................................................ 19
Nikolai Wachter.............................................................. 21
Parriwimple..................................................................... 23
Pidlwick II....................................................................... 25
Rictavio............................................................................. 27
Sir Godfrey Gwyilym..................................................... 29
Sir Klutz........................................................................... 31
Stella Wachter................................................................ 33
Vasilka.............................................................................. 35
Victor Vallakovich.......................................................... 37
Zuleika Toranescu......................................................... 39
Introduction
Curse of Strahd is, hands down, my favorite adventure
module from Wizards of the Coast. If you’re reading
this, however, you probably already knew that.
There are times when I feel that Lunch Break
Heroes was built on the foundations of Castle Raven-
loft, and Strahd is the real head of the business. So
much is owed to that charismatic maniac and his
demiplane of dread.
Last year, with the help of the very talented Sven
Truckenbrodt, we came out with a guide for each one
of “Strahd’s Enemies.” Our goal was help Dungeon
Masters run them to their fullest potential, and to gain
an insight into their (potential) personalities. Aside
from the primary guides to Curse of Strahd, this series
was some of our most well-received content.
This supplement is a re-release of that series.
We have condensed it down from five volumes to
one, alphabetized the content, and packaged it a
much more print-friendly format (the original was in
landscape orientation). There have also been some
improvements in layout and art direction, but that’s
just my personal opinion!
So, as always, I hope that this supplement proves
useful to you and your work in running the incom-
prable Curse of Strahd. I thank you for your support
and your time, and I thank each and every one of our
patrons for their continued support.
So game on, fellow Dungeon Masters, and make
sure that you don’t get lost in the mists.
Steve Miller
Lunch Break Heroes
September, 2022
Card. Tempter (Queen of Diamonds)
Ideal. I know that a great destiny awaits me—and I’m
prepared to meet it!
Bond. The Vistani are my people, and I feel at home with them
more than anywhere else.
Flaw. As often as I foresaw peril for others, I’m blind to the
dangers Barovia poses to myself—I believe that fate will
protect me.
Arabelle is the young daughter of Luvash, the leader
of the Vistani camp at Vallaki. When the characters
meet her, she’s been abducted by the superstitious
drunkard, Bluto. Bluto is a fisherman fallen on bad
times, who thinks Vistani are “lucky” and intends to
sacrifice Arabelle to lake Zarovich, hoping it will give
up more fish in return. The characters must act quick-
ly and decisively to save her!
Arabelle’s Motivation
Arabelle is convinced that a great destiny awaits her.
She is unusually sober and driven for her age, and
sees the party as an opportunity to advance towards
the future she foresees for herself.
Earning Arabelle’s Trust
If the characters manage to rescue Arabelle from
being drowned by the madman Bluto, this is all the
proof of their trustworthiness she needs.
1
Benefits of Arabelle
as an ally
• Arabelle is, despite her young age, a well con-
nected Vistana. Her father is a leader of the camp
at Vallaki, who is feared and respected by his fel-
low Vistani. As any daughter, Arabelle has learned
how to subtly manipulate her father to do what she
wants.
• Arabelle is connected, by blood, both to the Baro-
vian nobility and the Vistani seer Madam Eva. She
does not know that she is technically—if distant-
ly—a relative of Strahd. But Strahd, as a noble
with a keen sense of family and descent—not to
speak of blood itself—just might be aware of their
connection.
• Arabelle has inherited the prophetic talent of
Madam Eva. She is, as yet, unpracticed and not
able to control it, but she might occasionally have
life-saving premonitions regarding the party. Even
if Arabelle is not with the group, for example
because the characters wanted to keep her out
of harm’s way or did not want to go against her
father Luvash (see below), you could allow her to
contact the party through an occasional dream or
sending spell, or similar magic. Arabelle cannot
actively cast these spells, yet. They come to her
infrequently and uncontrollably, typically at times
of great distress. Similarly, you could occasionally
allow her the benefit of an augury, divination or
scrying spell, or similar divination magic. Make
these occasions rare, but impactful.
 Drawbacks of Arabelle
as an ally
• Arabelle is a child. She uses the stat block of a
commoner. She has 2 (in words: two!) hit points.
Almost anything in Barovia that hits her (and she
is easy to hit) will kill her outright. The party might
need to find a safe place to leave her behind regu-
larly, or even permanently.
• Luvash, Arabelle’s father, is understandably op-
posed to her going off to battle Strahd with a band
of strangers. He will do everything to prevent the
characters from taking Arabelle. It may be difficult
for most parties to argue against his reasoning.
This is made even more difficult by the fact that
Arabelle does not wish to see her father harmed.
2
Roleplaying Arabelle
Arabelle is an unusual child. She does like to play
and she is curious and outgoing—in this, she does not
differ much from others of her age, at least among the
Vistani. However, this is paired with a stronger and
more mature character, and a greater independence
and adventurousness than usual for a child. Arabelle
is not easily led; she expects her opinions to be heard
and valued just as those of any adult, and she argues
her points well.
Her recent abduction by Bluto has not impacted her
as traumatically as it would have many other children
who lack Arabelle’s composure, but it did leave its
marks. She does not trust most strangers lightly, and
has a particular dislike for men. She keeps away from
them as much as possible, and sticks close to her
friends when she can’t avoid strangers completely. She
doesn’t cling to anyone or hide, however—she glares,
and can access the Vistani people’s Evil Eye ability
when necessary (save DC 10; see chapter 2, Vistani).
If anything, her encounter with Bluto has inspired
Arabelle with a greater urge to go adventuring and
meet her destiny. Clearly, death can come to anyone
in Barovia—anywhere, anytime—if it could find her in
her father’s camp. In light of that, why shouldn’t she
go forth now? She is determined to discover what fate
has in store for her, and is prepared to sneak away
from her father to follow the adventurers who rescued
her, even if they leave her with Luvash.
Card. Horseman (Joker 2)
Ideal. I’m younger, more handsome, and just as cut out to be a
ruler as Strahd—I’d make a better lord of Barovia!
Bond. The traditions of the Vistani are sacred, and pretty much
the only thing I truly respect.
Flaw. I’m overconfident and have never really experienced
failure or been denied something I couldn’t take by force.
Arrigal is a Vistana who resides in the camp outside
Vallaki, which he controls with his older brother
Luvash. The party can also meet him at the very start
of the adventure, as he is the courier who delivers
Strahd’s forged invitation in the Plea for Help adven-
ture hook.
Arrigal’s Motivation
Arrigal has been an unquestioning servant of Strahd
his entire life, which makes him one of the more
unlikely allies for the party. However, he is also exceed-
ingly confident and sees himself as a younger and
better version of Strahd—he will take his chance to
usurp the ruler of Barovia if it presents itself.
Earning Arrigal’s Trust
Arrigal is deeply traditional, which means he trusts
his elder Madam Eva and her wisdom as an oracle.
He accepts the card reading of Madam Eva as his
true fate—especially as he sees it as a supernatural
confirmation of his own ambitions. He does, however,
require some sort of proof for Madam Eva’s reading or
some sign he can interpret as confirmation that these
washed-up adventurers before him are indeed the key
to his destiny.
3
Benefits of Arrigal
as an ally
• Arrigal is an assassin, which likely makes him
the most capable offensive ally the party can find
in Barovia. If all his attacks hit, he can dish out a
whopping average of 74 damage per turn!
• With expertise in Stealth, for an impressive +9
modifier, Arrigal is an extremely capable scout and
ambusher.
• Arrigal knows thieves’ cant and likely has many
connections to Barovia’s criminals and other
unsavory folk. He knows one additional language
besides Common, likely Elvish since he lives with
dusk elves; this can also give him connections to
this dwindling folk.
• The party might even use Arrigal as a double agent
against Strahd, if they figure out their connection.
He might easily deal with Rahadin or other of
Strahd’s minions.
• As the co-leader of one of the two Vistani camps in
Barovia, he commands respect among his people
(even if born out of fear).
 Drawbacks of Arrigal
as an ally
• Arrigal is a Vistana, and one who has openly
served Strahd his entire life. His reputation pre-
cedes him, and the party may even encounter
some of his past victims—or their blessed be-
reaved. The best anyone who chooses to associate
with him can hope for from most Barovians is
instant damnation.
• Arrigal is arrogant and full of himself. He is used
to taking what he wants and unconcerned about
his own reputation. This can become a problem
for the party, when his actions taint them by asso-
ciation.
• The greatest problem about Arrigal is his dark
ambition: he will help eliminate Strahd, but only
to take his place as lord of Barovia! He never risks
his own hide for the party or their cause—and once
they achieve their common goal, he will betray
them. He is smart enough to plan out his move,
and skilled enough in Deception to keep his plans
secret from the party. A single assassin might not
seem like a great threat to the party by the time
they confront Strahd, until they have to deal with
him after an all-out fight to the death with the
devil! Arrigal will stab them in the back when they
are at their most vulnerable.
4
Roleplaying Arrigal
Arrigal oozes machismo—he is a man in his prime,
muscular and lithe, handsome with his chiseled chin
and long black mane, and he has a confident swagger
to his step. He knows that there are few in Barovia
who could oppose him and survive, and he has no
qualms about taking advantage of that.
Arrigal is a casually evil man who sees the fear
of others as a sign of his own strength. He is also a
perfect opportunist—if he can get away with it and it
will advance his goals, he will do it. Arrigal also is a
narcissist who does not care about the opinions of
others, which he finds beneath his concern. He does
have a has a very high opinion of himself, however. He
does not mind getting his hands dirty, especially if the
work plays into his particular set of skills, but he won’t
do anything that he finds demeaning or that could
put him in real danger. Choking a man to death in his
sleep? Sure! Crawling through the sewers or charging
Strahd in an open field? Certainly not!
Despite his high opinion of himself, Arrigal does not
exactly exude charisma. He may think himself charm-
ing, especially with the ladies, but he usually just
comes across as sleazy.
Card. Marionette (Jack of Hearts)
Ideal. Clovin loves the viol, and he plays it well! Maybe, one
day, he’ll find an audience to appreciate his music.
Bond. Clovin doesn’t care much about anyone or anything,
except poor little Clovin—it’s not against anyone, but when
nobody looks out for Clovin then Clovin must do himself.
Flaw. Clovin needs a good sip of wine every now and then, or
he’ll go mad!
Clovin Belview is the personal attendant of the
Abbot at the Abbey of Saint Markovia in Krezk. He
is a mongrelfolk, a strain of humanoids with strange
mutations and animal body parts. The Abbot tasked
him with keeping the other mongrelfolk in line, who
are more animalistic and crude even than him—a job
which he despises.
Clovin’s Motivation
Clovin wants to leave the service of the Abbot, and
is keen to grasp at any chance that would allow him
to leave the Abbey. At the same time, he would never
strike out alone—he needs company, and he wishes
to continue to have a patron. He does not care much
about Strahd one way or another, but he will go with
anyone who gets him out of the Abbey.
Earning Clovin’s Trust
Clovin will not leave without the approval of his
master, the Abbot. He is too afraid of the Abbot to
even ask, however, so the characters have to petition
for him. The Abbot is unlikely to approve the request,
unless they can provide something of significant value
in return, but Clovin has no problem accompanying
the party if the Abbot should meet an untimely end.
5
Benefits of Clovin
as an ally
• Clovin is a jovial and good-natured travel compan-
ion. His loyalties don’t run deep, but while they ar-
en’t challenged by circumstances, he’s good fun to
have around. He has a keen sense of his inferiority
and wishes to please, if only to make his life easier.
• As a mongrelfolk with the two-headed variant,
Clovin has advantage on Wisdom (Perception)
checks, which can prove very useful in keeping the
party out of danger.
• When Clovin throws his lot in with someone, he
sticks with them—for better or worse. He may be
of evil alignment, but it’s part of his strange and
tortured personality to not abandon anyone once
he has attached himself to them. Just as he didn’t
act against the Abbot, even while despising him,
he will never act against the characters and will
always follow their commands. Clovin might even
take initiative and try to anticipate the party’s
wishes if they treat him even a sliver more kindly
than the Abbot.
• Clovin is good with his viol. He might be able
to ingratiate the party with anyone who has any
appreciation for music and is willing to tolerate his
deformities—the Vistani might show great appreci-
ation for his talents.
 Drawbacks of Clovin
as an ally
• Clovin is a poor fighter, as a mongrelfolk. He
neither deals much damage nor can he take much.
Moreover, he is easy to hit at an AC of 11, and even
his speed is much lower than that of most other
humanoid creatures at a mere 20 feet. He is going
to be more of a liability than an asset in most com-
bat situations—and gods forbid the party has to
run from something while he is with them!
• Most Barovians will react with disgust towards
the mongrelfolk and won’t even let them into their
cities or homes without significant convincing. Clo-
vin resents this, and might do something spiteful
whenever he gets the chance.
• Clovin is a functional drunk, meaning he needs
a regular sip of wine or something comparable
to remain sane and effective. He is not picky, and
the cheapest stuff will do, but he needs a regular
supply of one bottle per day. If that supply runs
out, he’ll show withdrawal symptoms and become
irritable. He even loses his ability to play the viol
and, with that, his ability to support the party with
the usual ally trait Inspire. This means he can turn
from marginally supportive to near-useless quickly.
6
Roleplaying Clovin
Clovin cares, first and foremost, about Clovin. He is
a low-level hedonist and shirks hard labor wherever
he can. He is easily pleased, however—a bottle of the
cheapest wine and some hours a day to idly practice
on his viol, and he’s happy as happy can be. Clovin has
a surprising sense for beauty, and not only when it
comes to music. He plays the viol beautifully and with
a unique verve that is impossible to copy. Beyond that,
he appreciates the beauty in nature, poetry, and any
other art form just as much.
Like most mongrelfolk, Clovin’s mind is somewhat
disturbed. He keeps the madness in check with alco-
hol, but it’s never far away. Even when he maintains
a constant level of inebriation, he retains some odd
behaviors. For example, he only speaks of himself in
the third person and incongruously speaks with great
assurance and authority even while pleading for some-
thing or cowering in fear.
Clovin is the born minion. He does not like to work
hard, but at the same time he feels lost and grows
desperate without a patron to guide him and give
some structure to his days. He is loyal to a fault once
he has thrown his lot in with someone, and is almost
compulsive in how he cannot bring himself to act
against whoever he considers his mistress or master.
Card. Raven (Queen of Clubs)
Ideal. I want to see a Barovia free of Strahd, it would allow me
to die content.
Bond. The Wizard of Wines has provided hope to Barovians for
generations, and I won’t be the Martikov who lets it fail!
Flaw. I have grown inflexible and scoff at opinions that don’t
happen to align with my own.
Davian Martikov is the head of the family that runs
the Wizard of Wines vineyard, which supplies wine to
all of Barovia. He and his entire extended family are
wereravens, and members of the Keepers of the Feath-
er, a secret society of wereravens opposed to Strahd.
Davian’s Motivation
Davian has opposed Strahd his entire life, working
tirelessly with the Keepers of the Feather to thwart
the devil in whatever small ways they could. He has
longed to bring down Strahd all his life, but it seemed
an impossibility—until now!
Earning Davian’s Trust
Davian does not need much convincing to see that
this new group of adventurers is different, especially
if they helped his family by eliminating Wintersplinter
or retrieving the magical gem that Baba Lysaga stole.
He sees them as his last chance to finally do some-
thing permanent about Strahd. However, he wants his
affairs in order before joining them on what is likely to
be his last flight. If the characters agree to accompany
him to reconcile with his estranged son Urwin, he is at
ease and joins them against Strahd.
7
Benefits of Davian
as an ally
• The Martikovs are the only source of wine in
Barovia—which is, in many ways, the life’s blood
of the valley, and the only glimmer of joy and hope
to many Barovians. Having Davian along can open
doors to the party.
• Access to a flying speed of 50 feet, at will, can be
immensely useful, even if Davian cannot share it
with anyone in the party. In raven form, this also
makes Davian a perfectly inconspicuous spy.
• Despite his age, Davian is a surprisingly hardy
fighter, owing to his supernatural wereraven
abilities. Most notable among them is his unusual
Regeneration feature, which can keep him alive
pretty much indefinitely—unless hit with a silvered
weapon.
• Davian is a member of the Keepers of the Feather,
a cabal of wereravens opposing Strahd. His
connections can provide the party with access to
the most extensive network of spies and quickest
means of communication across all of Barovia.
 Drawbacks of Davian
as an ally
• Davian has not survived this long by flashing
around his identity as a wereraven. He is ex-
ceedingly reluctant to risk using his abilities in a
situation that might expose him—he has his family
to think about as well! This has overriding priority
to him—this party might yet fail, but as long as the
Keepers of the Feather remain, hope lives on.
• Davian is a curmudgeonly old man, who’s best
years are well behind him. This does not show in
his stats, but it should show in his behavior. He is
likely to try and avoid combat, reluctant to operate
away from the security of the party, often argues
for the most straightforward approach to any
problem, and it is almost impossible to change his
mind once he has voiced his opinion. This inflexi-
bility could hinder the party when quick decisions
are required.
• As the patriarch of the Martikovs and leader of the
Keepers of the Feather, Davian is used to being
obeyed. His take-charge and commanding nature
may not sit well with adventuring parties who
expect him to follow in their footsteps.
8
Roleplaying Davian
Davian is an old-school patriarch. He can come across
as a condescending, thick-headed reactionary, and
is used to being obeyed and not have his opinions
criticized. He is not a bigot, however—he values each
and every member of his family greatly (even his
son Urwin, who he is currently at odds with), and he
harbors no particular prejudices against anyone but
those who serve Strahd.
He has grown opinionated and inflexible mainly due
to the huge burden that has rested on his shoulders
since a young age: maintaining the Wizard of Wines
against all misfortunes. He was unprepared for inher-
iting this responsibility when his father died young in
a werewolf attack, and when his whole family looked
to him as an anchor, he had nobody else to lean on for
council or emotional support.
He has lived up to the expectations heaped upon
him, but he has grown rigid under them. His heart is
still in the right place, but the scars left on it from a
harsh and sorrowful life will never heal. He is not a
kind grandfatherly figure, but remains an imposing
and, at times, imperious patriarch who is used to
being obeyed. He does not ask for help even when
he might need it, since he believes that a man in his
position must solve his own problems if he wants to
continue to lead.
 Card. Broken One (King of Diamonds)
Ideal. The Morninglord’s Light will shine in Barovia once more.
Bond. I love my son Doru. There is one last thing left to do, but
then I will see him again in the Morninglord’s Light.
Flaw. I’m a fanatic with little regard for my own life.
Donavich is the priest of the Morninglord who admin-
isters the church in the village of Barovia. He loves his
son Doru above all else. Against his advice, the boy
went off with the Mad Mage in his doomed uprising
against Strahd. But unlike most commoners, Doru
returned—as a vile vampire spawn! Donavich knows
he will never have his son back but he cannot bring
himself to end the creature of darkness Strahd has
made of him.
Donavich’s Motivation
Donavich has nothing left but his faith and the deter-
mination that no parent should have to see their child
be turned into a monster by the devil Strahd ever
again. Until what happened to Doru, Donavich did not
have the strength to oppose the lord of Barovia—but
now, all bets are off.
Earning Donavich’s Trust
Donavich has been wrestling with his faith for the
Morninglord and the love for his son ever since his
return as a vampire spawn. He knows that his son
is lost to the light and the undead shell that remains
must be destroyed, but he cannot bring himself to do
it. If the characters do this for him, he will be grateful
until his dying breath.
9
Benefits of Donavich
as an ally
• As an acolyte, Donavich knows the cure wounds
spell and as such is one of the very few allies
with any healing ability. Three 1st-level spell slots
are not much, but it can still make the difference
between life and death in Barovia. Other notable
spells include the buff spell, bless, as well as sa-
cred flame. The latter can act as a reliable source
of radiant damage to disrupt the healing abilities
of undead such as vampires.
• Donavich is a devout follower of the Morninglord
and certainly knows a few choice pieces of Baro-
vian lore that will help prepare the characters for
what they will find later on.
• Donavich is proficient in the Medicine skill, for a
+4 modifier. This can be useful in treating injuries
or identifying the cause of death for creatures the
party comes across.
• Donavich’s devoutness to the Morninglord is
known in the valley, and most Barovians trust
him implicitly. He might be able to open doors for
the party on reputation alone, and might further
extend trust towards them when he tells of their
exploits against the devil Strahd while handing out
blessings.
 Drawbacks of Donavich
as an ally
• In combat, Donavich is extremely fragile and many
enemies in Barovia can kill him with ease. His
best strategy is to stay out of harm’s way as much
as possible, but hover just in range to run in for an
emergency casting of cure wounds—if he brings
one character back to consciousness per combat,
he fulfilled his purpose. The party just has to be
very careful not to lose him permanently—espe-
cially if he is the only source of healing for the
group!
• Even though Donavich is dedicated to ending
Strahd, he is hanging on the ragged edge of sanity.
He is convinced that this will be his end, and one
way or another, it will be. Either he dies trying or
succeeds and then breaks down when this last
remaining purpose of his life is gone. Even as he
travels with the party, his faith and the guilt over
the death of his son war with each other and he
might drift into long periods of gloom, interrupted
by reckless outbursts of holy fervor. He is the
archetypal mad priest—sometimes, this will be
useful; sometimes, this will be deadly.
10
Roleplaying Donavich
What Strahd did to Doru broke Donavich. But it also
instilled in him a purpose and dedication like he has
never felt before. The light of the Morninglord has
always burned inside him, but now it has blazed from
a homely candle into a raging pyre—a pyre either
Strahd or Donavich himself will burn on.
Donavich is an unremarkable man, if you look only
at his appearance. Most of the time, he acts kindly
and fatherly towards others, like you would expect
from a mere village priest. But inside, he is a burning
fanatic. He is kind only as long as someone does not
show that they have been tainted by darkness—and
few in Barovia haven’t been. Barovia is a place for the
creatures of the night, and Donavich knows that there
can be no peace or truce between them and the light
of the Morninglord—and so he knows what needs to
be done.
Donavich is fearless, believing that the Morninglord
will protect him for as long as his continued existence
serves the light—and if it doesn’t, anymore, what use
will staying in this world be? Donavich is a fanatic, but
a tolerant one. He often preaches to the characters
and will try to convert them to the Morninglord’s faith.
However, anyone who fights against darkness serves
the Morninglord, whether they pray to Him or not.
Card. Mists (Queen of Spades)
Ideal. Evil that feeds on the innocent is the worst of all evils
and must be destroyed.
Bond. My mentor and teacher, Dr. Rudolph van Richten, is like
a father to me.
Flaw. I go where angels fear to tread.
Ezmerelda d’Avenir is a proud and accomplished
vampire hunter that possesses a complicated history
with Rudolph van Richten, her mentor.
Having been separated from Rudolph for many
years now, she is now looking for her old mentor
again, having heard about his plan to take on Strahd.
She currently resides in the village of Krezk, but the
party might also encounter her anywhere else in Baro-
via; maybe even multiple times before allying with her.
Ezmerelda’s Motivation
Ezmerelda has two simple priorities in Barovia:
first, find her long-lost mentor and, second, elimi-
nate Strahd von Zarovich. Anyone who shares her
latter goal is automatically an ally to her. Anyone who
supports her first goal may even become a friend.
Earning Ezmerelda’s Trust
Ezmerelda is extremely capable and will not simply
follow any band of adventurers that she doesn’t view
as an asset. She keeps tabs on what is going on in
Barovia, however, and might have heard about the
group’s exploits. To join forces with any party, she
needs to see them in action against the forces of
darkness. If the characters have any information on
van Richten and offer to help her meet him, that goes
a long way to persuade her.
11
Benefits of Ezmerelda
as an ally
• Ezmerelda is among the most effective allies the
characters could hope to make in Barovia. She has
an incredible list of skill proficiencies and exper-
tises to make any rogue blush, can cast up to 4th-
level spells and has a great selection of utility and
combat options prepared. To top things off, she
has a brutal Vistani curse up her sleeve for difficult
combat encounters.
• Ezmerelda came to Barovia well-prepared for
her intended task. She has indestructible magic
armor, magic weapons to circumvent damage re-
sistances or immunities, a silvered sword to fight
werewolves, and stakes and holy water to take
on vampires. She even has two potions of greater
healing, a treasure notoriously difficult to come by
in Barovia.
• Under the tutelage of van Richten, Ezmerelda has
amassed vast knowledge of all sorts of monsters.
She likely recalls at least some pertinent informa-
tion about the abilities of any creature the party
could encounter in Barovia.
• Ezmerelda is quick-witted and can operate effec-
tively on her own. She is used to going into dan-
gerous situations without backup and instinctively
finds the tactically most advantageous option, in
and out of combat. Play her smart, always!.
 Drawbacks of Ezmerelda
as an ally
• Ezmerelda makes no secret of being a Vistana.
Her dress, speech, and confident behavior easily
betray her heritage. This could make interactions
with native Barovians difficult. Most towns might
not even admit her. If someone comments deroga-
torily on her heritage, she is very likely to respond
in kind and show them why it would be wiser not
to insult a Vistana.
• Ezmerelda may get carried away in her zeal to slay
vampires and other creatures of the night. She
knows that not every battle can be won, but she
remains supremely self-assured of her abilities—
which can sometimes lead to overconfidence.
12
Roleplaying Ezmerelda
Ezmerelda is bold, cocksure, and dauntless in the face
of evil. She can be pushy in pursuit of her priorities,
but would never force her opinions down someone’s
throat—if someone disagrees with her, that’s their call
and, usually, their loss. She values freedom—that of
others just as much as her own.
Never forget that Ezmerelda, unlike the characters,
is in Barovia by choice! Her upbeat outlook on life and
ferociously eager approach to the hunt for the crea-
tures of the night make her an ideal travel companion,
one who can really lift the spirits of a party depressed
by the bleakness of the land. Ezmerelda never loses
hope—she didn’t give in when a werewolf ripped off
her leg, and she certainly won’t give in to any puffed-up
vampire lord and his undead minions. Speaking of her
prosthetic: that’s a point of pride to her, even a source
of bravado. She shows off the prosthetic as evidence
of her battle experience and the story of how she
bested the werewolf that night is one of her favorites.
She never strays into the territory of vaingloriousness
about it, however.
Ezmerelda is used to operating alone, and to rely-
ing on her own experience and wits. She is certain
to voice her opinion on any significant matter, and if
a disagreement arises, she argues her points strenu-
ously and with passion. Her debating style is academ-
ically precise and always supported by facts and
figures—something she picked up in endless discus-
sions with van Richten.
Ezmerelda has internalized that nobody will be
able to look past her being a Vistana. If her closest
friend and ally—Rudolph van Richten—couldn’t do it,
who can? She is protective of her secrets and does
not share personal information idly. Sometimes, this
can make her appear unnecessarily cagey. She usually
makes up for it with her generally friendly and opti-
mistic attitude, however.
Card. Innocent (Queen of Hearts)
Ideal. My soul is clean and I’ll keep it that way—I’d die before I
let evil touch me.
Bond. I feel this longing after something that I lost, I do not
know what. Something... or someone?
Flaw. Deep down, I don’t believe there is a future for me.
Ireena Kolyana is the adopted daughter of the burgo-
master of the village of Barovia and Strahd’s current
obsession. Her childhood and origins are a mystery.
She does not remember where she came from herself,
and Strahd believes her to be the true reincarnation of
Tatyana, over whom he sacrificed his humanity.
Ireena’s Motivation
Ireena hates being at Strahd’s mercy, always dreading
his next move. She does not want to be a victim for
the rest of her life—she wants to fight back!
Earning Ireena’s Trust
Ireena dearly loved her adoptive father, Kolyan
Indirovich. As much as she burns for her chance to
confront Strahd, she won’t allow the devil to corral her
and shirk her duties as daughter. Characters who help
her bury Kolyan Indirovich earns her trust. Heroic
acts along the journey afterward further cement her
belief that the characters are worthy companions.
13
Benefits of Ireena
as an ally
• Strahd would never allow Ireena’s death—except
at his own hands, of course. This may seem little
consolation, except that Strahd’s servants all know
this, and they would never risk harming Ireena
and invoking Strahd’s ire. This can cushion the
party in many encounters throughout Barovia
while traveling with Ireena.
• Ireena is a noble, which commands respect among
most civilized Barovians. While she hardly revels
in etiquette, she knows how to carry herself and
how to impress when needed. Peasants are likely
to follow her command (Persuasion +5) and she
knows her way around the aristocracy (Deception
+5, Insight +4). The social arena is where she can
really shine, moreso than the battlefield.
• While she finds the very idea revolting, Ireena
knows that Strahd’s obsession with her is some-
thing that can be used against him. She can use
her skills in Deception to mislead and distract him
when necessary.
• Ireena is one of the few companions with the
potential for significant growth, both in terms of
mechanics and character, by using the “Something
Blue—Revisited” event in the Krezk chapter of
this guide. This reflects her constant struggle to
improve herself and her coming to terms with the
experiences from Tatyana’s past reincarnations.
Supporting Ireena on this path of maturation and
growth can be hugely rewarding to the party.
 Drawbacks of Ireena
as an ally
• As strong-willed and prepared to fight for her free-
dom as she is, Ireena is not a very durable fighter
(at least not until Krezk). She uses the stat block
of a noble, with the only slight boost being her hit
points increased to 14. Her Parry ability does not
add much protection.
• Strahd is obsessed with Ireena, and convinced
that she will become his bride. Sooner or later, he
will come for her. This can precipitate a confronta-
tion with Strahd before the party is prepared for it.
• Ireena would rather die than submit to Strahd.
The reality of her existence is even worse than
that, however: the Dark Powers will never allow
Strahd to have her. They kept Tatyana from him,
and they will continue to keep every re-incarnation
of her just out of reach. Ireena is doomed, and
whenever it looks like Strahd could get her under
his control, she will perish—whether at her own
hand or by her fate being arranged by the Dark
Powers. This makes Ireena one of the most likely
allies to lose before her time.
14
Roleplaying Ireena
Ireena does not remember where she comes from or
how she ended up in Barovia. Despite the love and
safety Kolyan Indirovich and Ismark have shown her,
she has always felt out of place, strangely discon-
nected from the world and people around her. At the
same time, there is a pull on her soul, and a sense
of an inevitable fate that she’s inexorably moving
towards. Although she cannot tell what it will be, a
sense of inevitable doom and finality accompanies this
sensation for, which has made her grow anxious and
somber.
Ireena has a drive for self-improvement, and an
urge to learn and better herself. This is her response
to the feeling of a predetermined destiny that has
accompanied her all her life. It does not make that
dreadful sense of fate go away, but it allows her to
assert herself. Freedom and control are paramount to
her. She will never hand a decision about her life off to
someone else.
Now that Strahd has taken an interest in her, she
rages against the possibility that he might be her
destiny. Although her encounters with him are only
dimly remembered, she is repulsed by the very idea.
She would rather die than become Strahd’s bride. Her
dark premonitions have left her anxious and prepared
for the other shoe to drop all her life, and now she is
not afraid to face Strahd in the least—if this is how
it ends for her, so be it! In a very real way, finally
being able to name the devil as a concrete threat has
emboldened and encouraged her.
Befriending Ireena can be a strange experience.
She fiercely, almost defiantly, embraces life and
cherishes every moment. You can see her hunger for
life burning in her eyes every waking moment. At the
same time, she is bound to drift off into bouts of a
bottomless and inexplicable melancholia, seemingly
out of nowhere, overcome by the sense of fate and
doom that has followed her for as long as she can
remember.
Card. Executioner (Jack of Spades)
Ideal. I want to be a good man and make my father proud—I
really miss him and I’ll never live up to him, but I’ll not fail his
memory.
Bond. My sister Ireena must be safe from the devil Strahd! I
will do everything to protect her from that monster.
Flaw. I’m a bit naive and sometimes misjudge where the true
danger is going to come from.
Ismark Kolyanovich is usually looking to share a
drink and a laugh, especially with newcomers, but he
is currently more somber than usual. His father died
from a heart attack some nights ago, and now Strahd’s
minions assault the burgomaster’s mansion. Strahd
himself has his eye on Ismark’s sister Ireena—all that’s
on his mind now is to get her to safety.
Ismark’s Motivation
Strahd has lorded over Barovia for as long as Ismark
has been alive. He saw the people suffer or even go
through their lives as soulless shells—and Ismark
could do nothing. Strahd has lusted after Ismark’s
sister, Ireena—and Ismark could do nothing. Strahd
has sent his minions, which his father’s old heart
could not bear—and Ismark could do nothing. He will
jump at any chance to help bring Strahd down, if given
half an opportunity.
Benefits of Ismark
as an ally
• With a veteran stat block, Ismark is a solid, if not
exceptional, fighter. Especially in the early phases
of the adventure, he is likely to be a considerable
boost to the party’s fighting power, and he is the
first possible ally most groups meet. This makes
him immensely valuable in keeping them alive
early in the adventure, and it will hit the party less
hard if they misjudge any danger.
• While Ismark would rather chop off his sword
hand than follow in his father’s footsteps and go
into politics, he is the natural successor to his
father’s office as burgomaster of the village of
Barovia. If the party can convince him to use this
fact, he can wield some considerable power in
negotiating with other nobles in Barovia. Most
commoners in the village of Barovia will simply do
as he says. In time, he might even properly grow
into the role—although he won’t pursue that path
unless pushed.

Earning Ismark’s Trust

As much as Ismark wishes Strahd a swift and brutal
end, and is prepared to take an active hand in this, he
won’t risk it before his sister Ireena is safe. He does
not go with the characters on any mission that is not
aimed at providing that safety, until it is achieved.

15
 Drawbacks of Ismark
as an ally
• Getting Ireena to safety can be a rather lengthy
quest, and is one of the longer missions to earn an
ally’s trust. This is somewhat offset by the fact that
the group is likely going in the same direction as
Ismark and Ireena anyways, at least for the early
sections of the adventure. However, where Ireena
can be considered “safe” is difficult to predict and
the mission might feel like it drags on, to some
players. Use this guide, both for Ismark and Ire-
ena, to make them interesting travel companions!
• Ismark is not exactly a fool, but the party shouldn’t
look to him for any inspired tactics. He is driven
more by his emotions than reason, especially
when his sister is threatened. He might do some
truly stupid things, potentially even endangering
the party, if he feels it’s necessary to protect his
sister. This can happen, especially, in tense or
surprising situations where he is driven to make a
snap decision.
16
Roleplaying Ismark
Ismark is a real sweetheart. He is always ready to
help, he doesn’t require anything in return or prior
acts of kindness towards him. This also makes him
a bit naive, as he still has an almost child-like trust in
a stranger’s good intentions. Neither his insight into
other people nor his logical reasoning capabilities are
overly well developed. Some might even say about
him that he is a bit dim, but that would be unkind—he
simply doesn’t reason out his decisions, but goes with
his heart instead.
Ismark’s traditionally good looks, with a chiseled
chin and beefy muscles, do not influence his behavior.
He is genuinely unaware that people might find him
attractive. So while he might look like a macho hunk,
he is incredibly kind—especially considering he grew
up in dangerous and depressing Barovia. He respects
every woman like he respects his sister Ireena and is
more-often-than-not oblivious to their attentions.
While Ismark can be too trusting and lacking
caution when dealing with strangers, when it comes
to the safety of his sister, he is prone to being overly
cautious and suspicious of others. This trait can turn
him against those who would be his allies if he sees
them as being pawns of the devil, or an otherwise
danger to Ireena.
Card. Seer (Jack of Clubs)
Ideal. I failed my people and my sister, and now I must atone
or be damned.
Bond. I seek to return my long-dead sister, Patrina, to life—
even at the cost of my own life.
Flaw. I believe my sister can be redeemed.
Kasimir Velikov is the leader of the dusk elves at the
Vistani encampment outside Vallaki. His people are
doomed to extinction, after Strahd murdered all of
their women centuries ago. This was his revenge for
the dusk elves stoning Patrina Velikovna to death, a
dusk elf of immense arcane talent who wanted to wed
Strahd to advance her power. Patrina was Kasimir’s
sister—and he led the stoning himself, believing it a
mercy to stop her from falling further to darkness.
Kasimir’s Motivation
Kasimir is tormented by regret over what he did to
Patrina. He hopes to resurrect and redeem her in
order to finally quiet his guilt. Furthermore, he hates
Strahd for what he did to the dusk elves, dooming
their entire race to a torturous centuries-long decline
by murdering their women.
Earning Kasimir’s Trust
The only thing that keeps Kasimir going is tormented
grief over Patrina’s death, intertwined with the need
to bring her back to life. If the characters help him
accomplish Patrina’s resurrection, he will stand with
them against Strahd.
17
Benefits of Kasimir
as an ally
• Kasimir is a powerful high-level spellcaster. He
has a number of great combat and utility spells
prepared and can bolster any party, whether they
already have an arcane spellcaster or not.
• Kasimir is on good terms with the Vistani, es-
pecially in the camp at Vallaki. This can ease
relations with them for the party, which might be
useful in defusing potential conflicts with Luvash
and Arrigal. Beyond this immediate impact, having
a go-between with the Vistani could gain the party
access to information, services and goods that
would otherwise be in short supply in Barovia.
• Maybe the greatest strength of having Kasimir as
an ally is that he is the de facto leader of the dusk
elves in Barovia. This is one of the few chances
to get to know these mysterious folk, which can
be a boon in itself for an inquisitive party. While
they are a broken people, they can be quite useful.
The dusk elves know the woods of Barovia and
make excellent guides, trackers, or scouts in the
wilderness. Some might even be convinced to take
up arms against Strahd, one last time, at least to
distract some of his minions when the time comes.
 Drawbacks of Kasimir
as an ally
• Kasimir will die if that is what it takes to bring
Patrina back—he believes it to be his only chance
at redemption. The party is ultimately only a
means to an end for him, and he will never put
their friendship before his mission—if he ever even
develops anything beyond a professional working
relationship with them, which is unlikely for a man
so consumed with grief and purpose.
• Kasimir’s mission to resurrect and redeem Patrina
is doomed. It is quite possible to bring her back,
but Patrina follows her own agenda and the
concept of “redemption” is alien to her. She will
pretend to work with the party until she can betray
them and snatch as much power for herself as
she can. She no longer harbors any allegiance to
Strahd, but that makes her even more dangerous—
the characters are facing a possible new Dark
Lord of Barovia in her ,and one with the stat block
of an archmage. It’s possible that Patrina is just
waiting to betray them when they are at their most
vulnerable. Since resurrecting Patrina is inexo-
rably linked to gaining and keeping Kasimir as
an ally, the party might ultimately face a foe more
powerful than Strahd himself as a consequence.
18
Roleplaying Kasimir
Kasimir is dour and consumed by self-loathing for
what he did to his sister, even though he thought it the
only right thing to do at the time. He has had centu-
ries to stew in a growing regret over his actions, as he
witnessed the slow and inevitable decline of his once
proud people. The consequences of his actions have
left him broken in both body and soul—his cut-off ears
a constant reminder of his failures.
In stark contrast to Ezmerelda d’Avenir, Kasimir
is ashamed of his mutilation and will never willingly
show this maimed head. If anyone should discover his
secret, even by accident, he is bound to react like a
furious wounded animal.
The dreams that Patrina sends to him can shock
Kasimir out of his meditations, and he might wake up
the party screaming from time to time. He does not
share that he is in contact with his long-dead sister
nearly every night, and that this is where he takes
his insights about the Amber Temple from. He fears
that nobody will believe him and the characters might
withdraw their help, should they discover his secret.
He might not even share the true extent of his plans to
resurrect Patrina if he does not fully trust the party.
His secretiveness, paired with the paranoid
compulsion that drives his actions, can make him an
enigmatic ally who is difficult to befriend. He keeps
to himself and makes no moves to connect, and even
beds down slightly apart from the group around a
campfire.
Card. Broken One (King of Diamonds)
Ideal. I will achieve complete understanding of the magicks of
the multiverse. I know I will.
Bond. My pact with the Dark Powers was a mistake. I must
find a way to rid myself of it.
Flaw. My wanton ambition will be my destruction.
The Mad Mage has forgotten his true identity: he is
Victor Vallakovich, come back to Barovia from beyond
space and time to rid the land of Strahd and acquire
the mysteries secreted in the devil’s library.
A younger Victor escaped Barovia—but at great
cost. He made a pact with the Dark Powers in
exchange for the power to travel the multiverse, but
felt more trapped than he had in Barovia. So, he came
back—to a time when there was a band of adventurers
who almost succeeded in eliminating Strahd. If he
helps them this time around, they might not perish,
and he may gain access to Strahd’s vast library to find
a way to break free of the Dark Powers.
The Mage’s Motivation
Due to his ambitious and haphazard planar time trav-
el, as much as his defeat at the hands of Strahd, Victor
has lost much of his memory, sense of self, and sanity.
However, the desire to eliminate Strahd still burns
brightly behind his madness.
Earning the Mage’s Trust
Victor beseeches the party to help him with magic.
Once they cast greater restoration on him, he recog-
nizes them from his past. And while he is not fully
restored, he remembers what he came back to Baro-
via to do. He will help them defeat Strahd.
19
Benefits of the Mage
as an ally
• The Mad Mage is a supremely powerful spell-
caster. In the module, he does not accompany
them until the final showdown, which is disap-
pointing. We want to make him a true companion
with the following modifications:
(1) Victor uses the stat block of an archmage, but
when the party first meets him he only has access
to spells up to 5th level, and he only has the num-
ber of spell slots available to a 9th level wizard.
(2) He can still cast Mordenkainen’s magnificent
mansion, but only to renew it in the location where
the party finds him.
(3) When the party advances to level 10, and on
each higher level, his spell slots expand as if he
was leveling in the wizard class. He uses the same
modified spell list Mordenkainen uses in the mod-
ule.
• Having a safe haven in Barovia can be extremely
helpful, even if the location of Mordenkainen’s
magnificent mansion cannot be shifted.
• Victor learned much about Strahd. He is likely
to recall valuable information, often in moments
of acute danger. He might even recall the layout
of sections of Castle Ravenloft, from his previous
battle against Strahd.
 Drawbacks of the Mage
as an ally
• Even after restoring Victor’s mind, he remains a
difficult traveling companion. He is constantly on
the lookout for arcane secrets—particularly dark
magic—as he tries to find salvation. He would still
do anything to advance his power, no matter the
consequences for himself or others.
• Victor is unpredictable. Occasional flashes of
memory, triggered at random or by encountering
places and people throughout Barovia, can alter
his behavior radically.
• Getting Victor restored to a semi-coherent state
of mind requires a greater restoration spell. If the
party does not have access to such magic, they
might need to find someone to cast it for them, or
a scroll (from van Richten, for example).
• Victor is extremely hesitant to return to Vallaki,
where he may run into his past self or his family.
20
Roleplaying The Mad Mage
In many ways, Victor is still the lonely and driven
boy discovering magic by himself. His personality
can be described as, in part, a heightened version of
that of Victor Vallakovich presented in this guide. In
other ways, he has matured and diverged from that
template.
Victor continued to acquire his magical knowledge
mostly by himself, with only intermittent and brief
periods of formal teaching—nobody could get along
with him for long, and he disliked being led. Conse-
quently, Victor has grown into an eccentric old mage.
He thinks rules are for the weak-minded and weak-
willed, and he respects anyone who shows they can
think for themselves. This might gel well with many
adventuring parties.
Contact with many people in the multiverse has
matured Victor’s understanding that no man is an
island, and he has grown to deeply regret his past
transgressions against the servants of his parents’
household and poor Stella Wachter. If he should get
any chance to make things right while he’s back in
Barovia, he’ll do it. However, he won’t actively pursue
this, as he is deeply disturbed by the whole experience
of coming back home. Everything is familiar, yet not,
and old memories and bitterness come flooding back
to him. He might strenuously argue against visiting
certain places and people, without even realizing he’s
letting his emotions take over. In particular, he has a
distaste for the idea of meeting his past self—he does
not wish to be confronted with his sins and with how
feeble of mind and understanding he was.
Victor knows that messing with the timeline could
be dangerous, but he is willing to risk it. He does not
know how exactly the party failed last time, but he
discusses the possibilities with an academic cheer—
including the rather unsettling idea that him having
come back has set in motion the events that will inevi-
tably lead to their failure.
Card. Horseman (Joker 2)
Ideal. I want to leave my family more influential than it was
when I became its head.
Bond. My family was here before Strahd, and we will be here
after Strahd.
Flaw. My ambitions exceed even my considerable reach.
Nikolai Wachter is another ally who is dead when
the characters meet him—but unlike the others, he is
actually dead, not undead, and needs to be brought
back to life before he can aid them. He is—or was—the
head of the influential and wealthy Wachter family. His
wife, Fiona, still sleeps next to his corpse which she
maintains with a gentle repose spell.
Nikolai’s Motivation
Nikolai Wachter’s family has long served Strahd—
that’s how they managed to expand and maintain
their considerable power. However, Nikolai is more
ambitious even than his ancestors who made a pact
with the devil: he has come to recognize that Strahd
is ultimately holding back the family, and they need to
rid themselves of the dark lord to expand their power
further.
Earning Nikolai’s Trust
Nikolai died in frustration, seeing his ambitions unful-
filled—and there is nothing more valuable to a rich
old man than a few more years to wield his power and
wealth. If the characters bring him back to life, they
have proven worthy of his patronage. Once Nikolai
learns they oppose Strahd, their value to him shoots
through the roof.
21
Benefits of Nikolai
as an ally
• Once returned to life, Nikolai Wachter resumes
his role as the Wachter patriarch and he will wield
his considerable power and wealth in the party’s
favor. There is no richer ally in all of Barovia, and
they will never have to worry about money again.
Granted, there is a durth of purchasable equip-
ment in Barovia, and what is to be had is expen-
sive in the extreme. For Nikolai Wachter, however,
none of it is out of reach.
• Beyond his wealth, Nikolai’s political power and
connections can be very useful. He can very likely
help the characters considerably in sorting out the
mess that is Vallaki politics. He could simultane-
ously wrest control away from the incompetent
and disliked Baron Vallakovich and prevent the
evil plans of his wife from coming to fruition.
• Few people truly like Nikolai Wachter, but almost
everyone respects or fears him. Either emotion
can smooth the characters’ progress considerably,
especially when Nikolai deigns to accompany
them in person. His presence lends considerable
weight to any of their social endeavors in Barovia.
 Drawbacks of Nikolai
as an ally
• Nikolai is next to useless in a fight, with the stat
block of a noble. His AC of 15 and his Parry ability
afford him some protection, but he will neither
deal much damage nor withstand serious attacks.
• The cost of obtaining Nikolai as an ally is high,
at a resurrection or raise dead spell. While van
Richten willingly provides a scroll to help them out
if he learns of their need, the characters might be
tempted to save it for themselves.
• Nikolai won’t put himself in harm’s way and will of-
ten refuse to go into battle unless no other option
exists. Nikolai wants to keep himself safe, above
all. His original death was enough for a few years,
thank you very much!
• Depending on how much power Fiona Wachter
has acquired before the party could resurrect
Nikolai, she might be loath to bend to resurrected
husband’s will. She preserved her his corpse out
of deep devotion and love, but she does not agree
at all with his plans to overthrow Strahd. If she
manages to conceal this from her husband, this
could turn her into a powerful double-agent, with
her “book club” as an independent power base.
The characters might find themselves suddenly
embroiled in a dangerous family feud.
22
Roleplaying Nikolai
Nikolai Wachter is a self-serving manipulator, and an
old-fashioned patriarch for whom his legacy comes
before anything else. He would not oppose Strahd if
he didn’t think it would suit him and his family. Howev-
er, since his goals align with those of the party, he will
back them to the hilt. Actually, he can hardly believe
his good fortune—first, they bring him back to life, and
then they prove exactly the tool to achieve his ambi-
tions he lacked last time around!
While Nikolai is ultimately only using the char-
acters, he treats them with the same gravitas and
generosity any patron would treat a favored artist.
They are more than mere henchmen to him. He has
a sense of noblesse oblige, and enjoys this role. The
other side of this coin is that he won’t take orders or
take kindly any insinuation that the characters could
make demands of him. Yes, he is in their debt, but
that does not change their roles—they do, ultimately,
remain beneath him. This is a very unusual relation-
ship between the characters and their ally in Curse of
Strahd, and likely not one they will expect—play it for
dramatic tension!
The idea of romping all over Barovia is appalling to
Nikolai—he needs to lead his family if he is supposed
to be any use to the characters, surely they must see
that! That said, he wants to see Strahd fall with his
own eyes, and he knows that his presence will some-
times be necessary. He goes with them for the final
confrontation and on individual missions where he
sees the need—or the characters convince him thereof.
Card. Innocent (Queen of Hearts) Benefits of Parriwimple
Ideal. Any day where I could help out someone is a good day. as an ally
Bond. Uncle Bildrath knows best, and I must listen to him.

Flaw. I often don’t realize when someone wants to do some-
thing bad or treats me badly.
Parriwimple is the slow-witted nephew of Bildrath
Cantemir, the owner of Bildrath’s Mercantile in the
village of Barovia. Nobody calls him by his real name,
Parpol Cantemir. His uncle bosses him around and
uses him for cheap labor in his shop. Although Parri-
wimple suffers heavily from his uncle’s bullying, and
could snap the older man like a twig, it would never
occur to him to rebel against family. Any band of
adventurers would be fortunate to find a friend in
Parriwimple, but Bildrath is not going to give up his
free muscle easily.
Parriwimple’s Motivation
Parriwimple does not have any immediate reason to
abandon his uncle or go fight the devil Strahd. Ending
Strahd’s rule is too abstract and outlandish of a goal to
motivate him. He is very receptive to any concrete and
straightforward problem put to him, however, especial-
ly when he sees someone is suffering or helpless.
• Parriwimple is one of the best companions to have
at your side in a straight fight. He can both take a
hit and dish out heavy damage. He may not be a
smart fighter, but that also means that he readily
follows any directions given to him.
• Parriwimple is very strong: he has expertise in
Strength (Athletics), adding up to a +10 modifier!
He is very likely to remove any obstacle for the
characters that can be removed with brute force.
• If the party can find a shield for Parriwimple, he
becomes an even stronger combatant by increas-
ing his AC and unlocking his Shield Bash attack.
• Perhaps surprisingly, Parriwimple can be a true
rock to the party. He is proficient in Strength,
Dexterity and Constitution saving throws, but his
Brave feature also gives him advantage on saving
throws against being frightened—this can prove
invaluable in scary Barovia!

Earning His Trust

Parriwimple defers to his uncle, and convincing
Bildrath to let him go is difficult. Bildrath does not
care much for his nephew beyond his labor force, so
a cash payment of 75 gp (covering about a year of
unskilled labor) would change his mind. Bildrath is
greedy, though, and will try to sweeten the deal in his
favor as much as possible.

23
Drawbacks of Parriwimple
as an ally
• Parriwimple is easily manipulated or tricked, and
unlikely to realize when someone uses him against
the party’s interests. He knows that there is evil in
the world, but is too naive to expect encountering
people with ill intentions unprepared.
• The party cannot rely on Parriwimple realizing
signs of problems. A swarm of bats descending
at night on their camp would alert any adventurer
in Barovia, but if Parriwimple has the watch he’s
more likely to enjoy the flapping noises of the cute
tiny critters than to sound an alarm.
• If Bildrath were to show up for whatever reason,
and demand that Parriwimple come back home
with him, the party might have to do some heavy
lifting convincing him to stay with them. As much
as Parriwimple might want to help, his deference
to Bildrath is so ingrained that it may be difficult to
break.
24
Roleplaying Parriwimple
Parriwimple maintains an inexplicably sunny disposi-
tion, even on the bleakest day in Barovia. He is a kind
soul and even wild animals seem to have a natural
trust towards him. As scary as his muscled hulk may
seem at first, nobody who meets him could doubt he
has any but the best intentions.
Parriwimple is a man of action and doesn’t under-
stand why everyone seems to think life is so hard in
Barovia—you can grow food when you’re hungry, chop
wood when you’re cold, and if a wolf attacks you on
the road you can make a new winter coat! Straight-
forward as his outlook on life may be, he has an eye
for beauty and is quite the natural craftsman, equally
skilled with stone and wood.
Parriwimple is a rare example of an intrinsically
good person. He regularly goes out of his way to do
little kindnesses for his friends—whittle something
for them, take over a watch, offer to carry their back-
pack, or sharpen their dagger. Because of his altru-
istic nature, he can be tricked into doing something
that serves an evil manipulator. Despite that, Parri-
wimple is essentially incorruptible and would never
consciously do anything to harm someone who does
not evidently deserve it.
Card. Marionette (Jack of Hearts)
Ideal. I wish I could make people happy.
Bond. I would like to find someone—anyone—who isn’t afraid
of me and who enjoys my company.
Flaw. When I’m upset, I do bad things.
Pidlwick II is a clockwork effigy made in the image of
the late fool and jester Pidlwick—late, because Pidl-
wick II pushed him down a flight of stairs in Castle
Ravenloft! The little effigy could never entertain people
like its namesake could, and thus succumbed to a
jealous rage.
Pidlwick II was commissioned by Duchess Dorf-
niya Dilisnya as present to Sergei and Tatyana, when
she unsuccessfully courted Strahd, before his fall.
Pidlwick II today hides on the highest tower of Castle
Ravenloft (chapter 5, area K57).
Pidlwick II’s Motivation
All Pidlwick wants is to entertain! Strahd himself
never had any appreciation for a fool’s entertainment,
and Pidlwick has been languishing in the deserted
castle for centuries—despising and fearing Strahd.
Earning Pidlwick II’s Trust
Winning over Pidlwick is simple. If the sad and lonely
construct finds an appreciative audience in the party, it
would do anything for them! Anything.
25
Benefits of Pidlwick II
as an ally
• Pidlwick has dwelt in Castle Ravenloft for centu-
ries, and knows every nook and cranny—having
used many of them as spots to launch deadly
ambushes on visitors unappreciative of its enter-
tainment. It can lead the characters anywhere
they want to visit, warn them of dangers it knows
of, and point out places of interest they may have
missed.
• Pidlwick’s performance skills are rudimentary,
and it falls squarely into the category of “cute, but
creepy.” However, it still loves to perform and can
thus serve as distraction. And, who knows, it might
have an actual moment some day and unexpect-
edly delight someone the party needs on their side!
• Pidlwick is a construct, and as such immune to
poison, paralyzation, and petrification. It can safely
traverse areas that could be potentially deadly to
the characters. In many ways, being a construct
can give Pidlwick some advantages only undead
creatures otherwise have in Barovia. Since the list
of useful characteristics of Pidlwick as an ally is
short, keep these features in mind and apply them
liberally wherever appropriate!
Drawbacks of Pidlwick II
as an ally
• Communication with Pidlwick is difficult, since
it cannot speak, read, or write. It understands
Common, but it can effectively only communicate
by mime or possibly sketches. This may lead to
misunderstandings and even frustration—and if
Pidlwick gets frustrated, it is prone to doing silly
things… silly and murderous things. This can be
an annoying trait for the party to deal with, so con-
sider giving it the ability to learn at least rudimen-
tary writing or sign language, if taught!
• More often than not, Pidlwick will creep out its au-
dience in its efforts to entertain. This can quickly
upset it, turning a playful performance into a mur-
derous rampage.
• Pidlwick is fragile and doesn’t deal much damage,
but flings itself into combat with gleeful abandon,
and at the drop of a hat. If they don’t protect it, the
party might not get to enjoy their new companion
for long.
26
Roleplaying Pidlwick II
Pidlwick is a tragic figure. It only wants to bring joy
to people, but all it seems capable of eliciting is revul-
sion. This frustrates Pidlwick, like a child who only
craves love but only receives rejection. Pidlwick is not
truly evil, just damaged by being treated like a discard-
ed toy for centuries. This makes it prone to terrible
rages, but equally itching for any small signs of
acknowledgment. Pidlwick wants to please, and all its
behavior is aimed at delighting anyone it meets—even
after countless bad experiences. If someone shows it
the appreciation it craves, it quickly grows attached
and possessive like a small puppy.
Unfortunately, this puppy has a deadly club and
remains emotionally unstable even at the best of
times. Pidlwick is prone to psychotic breaks, and
when it sees red it cannot be reasoned with—except,
maybe, by someone it has grown fiercely attached to,
who never showed any signs of rejecting it. Pidlwick
can swing between murder and complete docility
within seconds, wich makes its behavior highly erratic.
Card. Artifact (Joker 1)
Ideal. Evil cannot go unchallenged.
Bond. To protect those I love, I must keep them distant and
hidden from my enemies.
Flaw. I am cursed. Thus, I will never have peace.
The circus master Rictavio, also known as Doctor
Rudolph van Richten, is likely the most legendary
vampire hunter of the multiverse. From his heavily
trapped carnival wagon, he investigates Barovia for
information about Strahd and ways to end him.
Rictavio’s Motivation
Van Richten is haunted by the deaths of his family at
the hands of the vampire Baron Metus. He wants to
see all vampires destroyed—and Strahd is the most
powerful of them all. After all he has learned about the
vampire lord, however, van Richten knows he needs
allies.
Earning Rictavio’s Trust
Van Richten usually travels alone, as he is cursed to
bring death to anyone he grows close to. However, he
is willing to travel with the characters if they tell him
about Madam Eva’s tarokka reading. Suspicious as he
is of Vistani, he recognizes Madam Eva’s considerable
prophetic prowess. If this is the only way Strahd can
be brought down, so be it.
27
Benefits of Rictavio
as an ally
• Van Richten’s greatest value comes from his exten-
sive experience fighting the forces of darkness. He
has studied Strahd and his minions, and he knows
more about them than anyone else in Barovia,
living or dead.
• Like Ezmerelda, van Richten came to Barovia
prepared. Among his arsenal, he counts: a hat of
disguise, a ring of mind shielding, wooden stakes,
vials of holy water, a healer’s kit, and a trained
saber-toothed tiger!
• Van Richten is a decent enough fighter, who will
not go down immediately and even carries a
silvered sword against werewolves. His Undead
Slayer makes him one of the best allies when it
comes to dispatching undead.
• Van Richten carries a spell scroll of raise dead,
which makes him one of the very few sources of
resurrection in Barovia.
• Van Richten is one of the more powerful spellcast-
ers in Barovia, with a spell list full of great utility
spells. If the party does not know some or any
of these spells, van Richten can be a real game
changer: protection from evil and good is a univer-
sally useful protective spell in Barovia and makes
many encounters much easier, augury might give
them some insights at crucial decision points,
speak with dead can completely flip certain quests
on their head, remove curse is an instant solution
to some otherwise very annoying situations.
 Drawbacks of Rictavio
as an ally
• Strahd is actively hunting for van Richten (see
chapter 1, “Strahd’s Goals”). True, he is also
spying on the characters anyways. However, the
characters intrigue him and he wants to observe
them a bit longer—van Richten, however, he wants
to torture in his dungeons until he breaks. This
puts a huge target on the characters’ backs, only
surpassed by traveling with Ireena Kolyana—and
unlike Ireena, Strahd has little compunction about
hurting van Richten.
• A powerful Vistani curse rests on van Richten:
doom will come to those he grows fond of. Van
Richten greatly suffers from this curse, and he
is very reluctant to travel with the characters, as
he does not want to be their death. Ultimately, he
goes against his better judgment, but that doesn’t
mean the curse won’t strike.
28
Roleplaying Rictavio
Van Richten is an academic, but not one who restricts
himself to his ivory tower. Strangely, he found that this
life of hunting monsters that he took up out of neces-
sity suits him much better than a life of quiet study. He
approaches it with the same meticulousness, however,
as the composition of a research manuscript.
Van Richten holds a doctorate in medicine, which
gives him both an appreciation of science and no
reluctance at all to get his hands dirty. He is one of
those scientists who believe that those who can do,
do—and those who can’t do, teach. He combines the
fatherly attitude of a country doctor with the studious-
ness of a professor—and the ruthlessness of a trained
killer. Although van Richten keeps fit, he knows that
recklessness will only buy death for a man his age.
After the death of his wife and son, van Richten
cannot shake off his distrust and even hatred for
Vistani, as one of them set in motion the events that
led to his family’s demise—even though he loathes
himself for this, as he intellectually recognizes that it
is base prejudice unworthy of a man of intellect.
Van Richten is given to a certain unintentional
pompousness, the result of a life spent among pupils
who looked up to him reverently combined with a
very firm (and justifiably so) appreciation of his own
knowledge. He does not mean anything by it, but he
can come across as lecturing from time to time. Van
Richten would be thrilled to discover that any of the
characters has a learned background and will become
“science buddies” with anyone who shows comparable
ability to his, always discussing the philosophy of evil
or dissecting a monster they just killed.
Card. Ghost (King of Hearts)
Ideal. We have fallen far from the code of conduct the Order
of the Silver Dragon demands of us—I hope I can return to our
lost ideals.
Bond. I still love Vladimir, and would do everything to set his
soul free.
Flaw. I cannot control my hatred whenever the devil Strahd is
before me—HE. MUST. END. NOW!
Sir Godfrey Gwilym is one of the revenants at Argy-
nvostholt, sworn to the unfulfillable quest of ending
Strahd. His love for Vladimir is all that keeps his mind
and soul—and those of other revenants—safe from
oblivion.
Godfrey’s Motivation
Sir Godfrey is sworn—and cursed—to oppose Strahd.
With the exception of his love for Vladimir, this is the
only motivation in his revenant mind. Nothing else in
the world matters anymore.
Earning Godfrey’s Trust
Sir Godfrey immediately feels the inevitable pull of
fate when he lays eyes on the party. He recognizes that
they are his best chance of finally ending Strahd, and
lifting the curse on him and his fellow knights. Howev-
er, he is not ready to leave Argynvostholt to accompa-
ny them on his final mission before putting Vladimir
Horngaard, the love of his life (and unlife), to rest.
The characters must help Sir Godfrey, and the
other four revenants who have not yet succumbed to
Vladimir, with their unfinished business in order to
break the seal to the mausoleum of Argynvostholt (see
the Argynvostholt chapter of Raising the Stakes).
29
Benefits of Godfrey
as an ally
• So long as Strahd is not destroyed, Sir Godfrey
is, as a revenant, invincible. Even if he is “killed”,
his spirit just possesses another body somewhere
in Barovia (see chapter 7, Revenants of Barovia).
It might take him a day or two to locate the party
after that, but he’ll always be back. Sir Godfrey
is very matter of fact about this, as he has experi-
enced it many times before. This perfectly qualifies
him for particularly suicidal missions.
• In addition to dishing out respectable blows (don’t
forget, he is no standard revenant who uses his
bare fists but wields a greatsword that deals 2d10
+ 4 damage on a hit!), Sir Godfrey is a strong pala-
din spellcaster with access to multiple smite spells
to further bolster his damage output. He even has
a few utility and control spells at his disposal, nota-
bly dispel magic and command.
• Sir Godfrey has sworn vengeance on Strahd,
which means he knows exactly where he is, at all
times, via his Vengeful Tracker feature! This also
means that his bonus damage of 14 (4d6) per hit
triggers against Strahd.
 Drawbacks of Godfrey
as an ally
• If the characters don’t light the beacon at Argyn-
vostholt, Sir Godfrey remains so locked into his
need for vengeance that his alignment remains
evil. This rage blinds him when the group faces
Strahd, and he is bound to rush in blindly. The
worst that can happen to him is that he comes
back by possessing another corpse—and he just
cannot give up even an outside chance of ending
his centuries long torment by striking against
Strahd whenever and wherever possible. His reck-
lessness may put other party members in undue
danger, however.
• Sir Godfrey is not going to be accepted in any
polite company, due to his clearly undead visage.
Not even him turning back to good, if the beacon
at Argynvostholt is lit, can change this.
30
Roleplaying Godfrey
When the characters first meet Sir Godfrey, he comes
across as irritable and irascible. His reaction to even
slight discourtesies or inattentiveness is baleful, at
best. This comes from his centuries old frustration of
first having failed his duty to Argynvost, then point-
lessly fighting against Strahd without any hope of
victory, and finally seeing his great love Vladimir slip
away from him and their order’s ideals. Nonetheless,
Sir Godfrey treats the characters as friendly as he can
muster—although he might keep them on edge with
the ceaseless grinding of his teeth, bone on bone. Sir
Godfrey is seething at all times, barely holding onto
his own sanity by the anchor of his love for Vladimir,
but eternally frustrated that it can be returned no
longer.
Once Vladimir is put to rest, by lighting the beacon
at Argynvostholt, a great weight is lifted from Sir
Godfrey. He suddenly becomes much more amiable,
and is very apologetic about his earlier behavior. He
will never be a cheerful traveling companion, but is
now happy to share stories of his order’s exploits. He
even talks about Vladimir and takes a keen interest
in the love lives of the characters (if any), believing
that love is the strongest thing in the multiverse and
delighting in seeing it on display.
Card. Ghost (King of Hearts)
Ideal. The tenets of knightly valor must be upheld, no matter
the hardship or obstacles!
Bond. I serve my liege, whoever they may currently be. With
my pledge, I bind my very body and soul to a cause that’s
worthy.
Flaw. I’m terribly clumsy and just plain unfortunate in all
things I do.
Sir Klutz Tripalotsky was a knight in the Von
Zarovich army while Strahd was still a living man.
Tragically, and embarrassingly, he died by falling on
his own sword. His body and armor, still telling of his
ungraceful demise, are entombed in the catacombs of
Castle Ravenloft (area K84, crypt 32).
Sir Klutz’s Motivation
Sir Klutz, for all his clumsiness, remains a gallant and
chivalrous man, even in death! Having known Strahd
only in life, he cannot believe the monster his former
lord has become. He cannot rest before he removes
the stain on his honor to ever have served such a vile
beast of a man, or until he helps his former master
find redemption.
Earning His Trust
Sir Klutz pays little heed to the cards of the Tarokka
deck, believing them to be a superstition. He also does
not immediately believe the characters when they tell
him that Strahd has terrorized Barovia as an undead
vampire for generations. He knew Strahd only as a
stern but noble lord, and needs to see irrevocable
proof of Strahd’s corruption to join the party’s cause.
31
Benefits of Sir Klutz
as an ally
• Sir Klutz, being a phantom warrior, is endowed
with a number of unique abilities that are oth-
erwise almost impossible to access for a party
trapped in Barovia: he can move through walls
via his Incorporeal Movement trait, see into the
Ethereal Plane with his Ethereal Sight, and even
move into the Ethereal Plane via his Etherealness
ability.
• He can move through solid objects and the Ethe-
real Plane, even if he cannot take anyone with him.
This opens up a myriad of creative solutions to
problems all over Barovia. Scout what’s behind the
next wall in Castle Ravenloft? Done! Have a look
inside a locked chest? Done! Deliver a message to
someone in secret? Done!
• There are a few specific instances where being
able to see into the Ethereal Plane can be invalu-
able. Several enemies throughout the land can
move through the Ethereal Plane, such as the
night hags of Old Bonegrinder. Sir Klutz could give
an early warning before an ambush by these foes
or track them in case they try to retreat or outflank
the party.
 Drawbacks of Sir Klutz
as an ally
• As a spectral undead, Sir Klutz will frighten off
almost any native Barovian and elicit an immedi-
ately hostile reaction from the rest. Unlike many
other companions, his abnormal nature is difficult
to conceal. He remains visible as a ghostly figure
while in the Border Ethereal, so there is no easy
way to keep him out of sight when bringing him
into civilized company, unless he hides in the Ethe-
real Plane.
• Sir Klutz’s central fault is in his name: he’s clumsy
and can be actively inept. If the party gives him a
task, there is a good chance he fumbles it in some
spectacularly awkward and unexpected manner.
He always tries his best, however, and will not
allow his failings to impact the party if he can help
it. Accordingly, do not use this as an excuse to foul
up your players’ plans. Rather, and in keeping with
his personality, play if for laughs and always fail
forward!
32
Roleplaying Sir Klutz
Sir Klutz is gallant to a fault, and has been looking to
right wrongs and fight noble battles for the good of
the people all his life. Unfortunately, his reach often
exceeds his grasp when it comes to living up to his
ideals of knightly valor. He never falters in his convic-
tions or gives in to temptation, but he often fails miser-
ably and spectacularly at the most straightforward of
tasks. Case in point: he died when he slipped and fell
onto his sword while trying to present it in renewing
his allegiance to Strahd—with all the court looking
on. Had the sword not pierced his heart, he may have
died of humiliation instead. He keeps the details of his
demise and his many other accidents secret as best he
can.
When his awkwardness gets the better of him, Sir
Klutz is mortified, every single time! Against over-
whelming evidence, he expects himself to live up to
the image of the confident knight in shining armor
that he has idealized since childhood.
If there’s one word to describe Sir Klutz, it would
be “indomitable.” There is a unique strength in his
persistence. No embarrassment or setback, no matter
how grievous, could deter him from his path or shake
his noble soul. Sir Klutz knows what it is to be a
knight more than most—he has had to deal with fail-
ure all his life, and yet he keeps pressing forward. He
is not afraid to engage an enemy even against over-
whelming odds. That, paired with his undying loyalty
to his friends, has turned many a day’s fortune in the
many great and good quests he has undertaken.
Card. Donjon (King of Clubs)
Ideal. I cannot bear to see the people of Barovia suffer so
much—there must be something I can do!
Bond. I love my found family and would do anything for them!
Flaw. I’m too trusting; I simply cannot see the bad in people
before it is too late.
Stella Wachter is the youngest child of the wealthy
and influential Wachter family, and has played an
unhappy role in her mother’s scheme to join the Wach-
ter family to the Vallakoviches, the rulers of the town.
When introduced to Victor, their courting went
horribly awry. Stella told him that she would love to
see the colorful worlds described in the old books,
so Victor tried to impress her with a spell that would
let her experience those worlds in her dreams. Stella
happily agreed. Unintentionally, Victor cast a modi-
fied feeblemind spell on her. As a result, Stella has
languished in her room ever since.
Stella’s Motivation
Stella knows well that the people of Barovia suffer.
She would like to change this, and if the characters
promise there is a way, she’s more than happy to help.
Her real motivation, however, is that she wants to
repay the kindness shown her by the characters.
Earning Stella’s Trust
Stella suffers greatly when the characters first meet
her, having taken on the personality of a house cat.
Once cured of her ills, she is eager to leave home and
pay the characters’ kindness forward.
33
Benefits of Stella
as an ally
• Stella is loyal to a fault, once the characters cure
her of her madness. They could not wish for a
more dedicated, cheerful, or kind companion in all
of Barovia. Stella is a pleasure to be around, dis-
pelling any darkness with her innocence and joy.
• After what she’s been through, there is nothing in
Barovia that will ever break Stella’s spirit again.
She can become a true anchor to the party, almost
a motherly figure to return to for advice and conso-
lation, despite her young age.
• If the characters wish to do something about
the volatile political situation in Vallaki, Stella
might be the key. Neither the Vallakoviches nor
the Wachters are well liked, but Stella is univer-
sally beloved by anyone who has ever met her. If
the crimes of her family are exposed and Baron
Vargas falls from grace, the town would happily
accept her as the new head of the Wachter family,
and perhaps as Burgomaster. If Stella comes into
power, she is more than happy to use it to assist
the party and the people of Barovia.
• Stella is non-threatening and trustworthy, which
makes her useful when the party needs some-
one to vouch for them. She is almost a child still,
which might make some foes more reluctant to
turn to violence in her presence. Also, she’s not
usually going to be a high-priority target even
when a confrontation erupts, and might thus
accomplish something sneaky for the party while
combat rages.
 Drawbacks of Stella
as an ally
• Stella is a commoner. This makes her not just use-
less as a combatant, but an actual liability—keep-
ing her alive will likely cost the party much more
resources than Stella can contribute herself.
• Stella is naive and gullible. Even if she somehow
comes to power and wealth, she is likely to squan-
der it by being too giving. She is so caring that she
simply cannot see the plight of the people without
helping. If her wealth and power won’t stretch to
cover all misfortunes of the land (it won’t), she may
break under the pressure.
• If the party does not have access to greater resto-
ration to cure Stella’s madness, she’s not going to
be able to be an ally to them. Van Richten might be
able to help them out with a scroll, though—for a
price, most likely.
34
Roleplaying Stella
Unlike the rest of her rotten family, Stella isn’t inter-
ested in scheming, power, or wealth. She’s sweet and
innocent, kind for kindness’ sake, and quite possibly
the only real altruist in all of Barovia. Even in the
madness the characters first meet her in, she’s not
aggressive—only afraid and pitiful. Victor’s botched
spell decreased her Intelligence and Charisma scores
to 3, reducing her to almost animalistic levels of
thought. She can still speak, but barely, and “normal”
human behavior is beyond her—instead, she adapted
by mimicking the behavior of the animal she likes and
knows best: a cat! Even after she’s restored to health,
Stella retains some feline behavior, especially in highly
emotional moments: she might curl up and purr when
going to sleep happy, or hiss when distressed. It is
unclear if these are after-effects of Victor’s spell, or if
she just found that she enjoys behaving like a cat!
Once cured of her madness, Stella is keen to leave
her birth family behind and join the characters as
her found family. If they show her any kindness, she’s
going to stay with them and finally find happiness—
and she’s going to return that happiness, with great
interest! Stella values friends and family, and invests
all her time into keeping those close to her feeling
loved and happy. She gets distressed when she cannot
keep her family in good spirits, but never pouts long,
instead launching into her next attempt to cheer up
those around her.
Not many would expect it, but Stella likes to play
pranks! These capers are never mean-spirited or
intended to hurt anyone, they are all just playful little
jabs to keep things interesting and everyone in a good
mood. Stella loves the concept of family—and families
should have fun together! She also takes any kind joke
or prank leveled at her extremely well, even as confir-
mation of her “belonging”. This also eggs her on to
become ever more creative.
 Card. Tempter (Queen of Diamonds)
Ideal. I’m a lady, and I know how to behave myself.
Bond. I like those who took me out to find Strahd. They are
nicer than my creator.
Flaw. I get upset when people do not treat me like a lady.
Vasilka is a flesh golem, constructed by the Abbot of
the Abbey of Saint Markovia. The Abbot intends to
offer her to Strahd as bride, believing their wedding to
somehow be the key to ending the curse that plagues
Barovia. The Abbot is, of course, mistaken.
Vasilka’s Motivation
Vasilka understands, from the Abbot’s tireless teach-
ing, that she is supposed to meet Strahd one day. She
has, in fact, become obsessed with the idea of leaving
and finding the lord of the land. The Abbot does not
realize this idea has taken root, and still believes Vasil-
ka to be entirely his creature to command.
Earning Vasilka’s Trust
Vasilka’s urge to find Strahd has become overwhelm-
ing. Her mind is not very expansive, and this concept
is almost all that it can hold. If the characters tell
Vasilka they can take her to Strahd, she does not have
the mental capacity to even question it and is prepared
to go with them at once. As willing as Vasilka is to
follow, the Abbot is not going to let her go, however. If
it comes to a fight, Vasilka joins the characters against
the Abbot, because he will not let her leave to meet
Strahd immediately! Once she goes with the char-
acters, the one of them who treats her most kindly
replaces the Abbot as her master for the purposes of
calming her if her Berserk feature triggers.
35
Benefits of Vasilka
as an ally
• Vasilka being a flesh golem gives her certain com-
bat advantages. First of all, she is extremely hardy:
immunity against all non-magical damage (except
from adamantine weapons), immunity against a
slew of conditions (including being charmed or
frightened—important, against Strahd!), immu-
nity to being polymorphed from her Immutable
Form feature, and advantage against magic from
her Magic Resistance feature. Second, she deals
solid damage and even bypasses immunity against
non-magical weapons.
• If anyone in the party has access to a cantrip that
deals lightning damage (lightning lure, shocking
grasp), they can heal up Vasilka in no time via her
Lightning Absorption feature. This is a very condi-
tional advantage, but it can boost her survivability
and staying power significantly.
• Vasilka can behave perfectly when put into any
situation where etiquette is important. If disguised
properly and attended by the characters, she might
even impress a Barovian noble in ways the charac-
ters couldn’t, due to her extensive training by the
Abbot.
 Drawbacks of Vasilka
as an ally
• As a flesh golem, Vasilka has no skills, very low
mental ability scores, and shows no useful initia-
tive at all. This makes her almost entirely useless
out of combat. Even worse, it’s very difficult to dis-
guise the fact that Vasilka is an abomination—with
predictably unfavorable consequences in how both
native Barovians and Vistani react to her.
• In combat, Vasilka is a double-edged sword. She
may be almost completely invulnerable in most
encounters and hit like a freight train—but for
these very reasons, she can turn into a significant
threat to the party should she ever succumb to
her Berserk feature. If someone can bypass her
immunities, she’s extremely easy to hit, and could
break quickly. She also shows next to no initiative
and needs constant guidance in a fight.
36
Roleplaying Vasilka
Vasilka is not supposed to have a will of her own,
being a mindless construct. However, the Abbot’s
strenuous instructions have, against all odds, instilled
her with something approximating a personality. Vasil-
ka has heard so much about Strahd that she’s dying to
meet him. She’s not so clear on the marriage part, so
she’ll happily smash his face in, if so instructed.
She doesn’t talk much, but Vasilka can speak a
few courteous phrases, such as “enchanté”, “m’lord”,
or “thank you”, but she uses them more or less at
random. When she speaks, it’s in a soft and coyly
shy voice. If you wish, you could flesh out Vasilka’s
personality as she continues maturing while traveling
with the party, especially if the group treats her kindly,
until she fully blossoms into the young dame she was
meant to become.
Vasilka is a gentle giant. She does not have the
capacity to harbor ill will to anyone or anything—
unless she gets hurt or is instructed to attack by some-
one she is familiar with, then she becomes a furious
wrecking ball. However, Vasilka acts with improbable
grace, owing to the Abbot’s instructions, in all situa-
tions—she moves across the battlefield like a dancer
across a ballroom.
Most of the time, Vasilka is passive and follows
wherever she is taken. Occasionally, she may wander
if left unattended. There is a certain muted curiosity
to her, and she is prone to picking up random items
and inspecting them closely, especially in unfamiliar
places. Even when given specific instructions to stand
still, Vasilka can never go long without stereotypically
executing a few perfect pirouettes or curtsying and
offering her hand for a kiss—whether meeting some-
one new or not. Her etiquette is always on point in
terms of technical execution, but triggers mostly at
random.
 Card. Donjon (King of Clubs)
Ideal. I will achieve a complete understanding of the magicks
of the multiverse. I know I will.
Bond. There must be more knowledge out there, beyond this
measly library—beyond Barovia.
Flaw. What do you mean, “... how this makes them feel?” I
care not!
Victor Vallakovich usually secludes himself in his
workroom in the burgomaster’s mansion (area N3t),
where he tries to teach himself magic from old spell-
books he found in his father’s library. His self-taught
approach requires much trial and error, and he has
magically coerced and killed several servants as part
of his arcane experiments. Victor feels limited and
trapped, and yearns to venture forth to discover more
arcane secrets.
Victor’s Motivation
All he cares for is the furtherance of his skill and
knowledge in the arcane arts, and he would do
anything to satisfy his obsession. He knows that
Strahd must own a vast library and he yearns to
access it and ultimately find a way to transcend Baro-
via to explore other planes.
Earning His Trust
Victor is distrustful, but an opportunist. He immedi-
ately grasps at any chance to learn from someone who
proves themselves more advanced in the arcane arts
than himself. If there is no one like that in the party, he
would still sign on to destroying Strahd as soon as he
learns that this is the only way to make escape from
Barovia possible.
37
Benefits of Victor
as an ally
• Victor’s understanding of magic is far from com-
plete, but his natural talent is not rivaled by any
other inhabitant of Barovia. There are a few mages
who have superior ability (such as the Mad Mage,
or Strahd himself), but only because of their
advantage in years of study and access to proper
learning material and teachers. Victor can solve
nearly any arcane problem in Barovia for the char-
acters—either instantly, or given minimal time.
• A mage with high-level spell slots and the variety
of combat and utility spells Victor has prepared
would be an asset to any party, whether they
already have an arcane spellcaster or not. Victor
is eager to practice his spells, so he is never shy
of expending a spell slot. In particular, the party
might find his counterspell, detect magic, fly, or
greater invisibility spells invaluable—especially if
they lack an arcane spellcaster of their own.
• A party cleric or paladin with empathy might find
it quite rewarding to teach Victor about evil and
good and see him change his behavior under their
kind tutelage.
• Victor has no morals. Some parties might find this
useful, on occasion, even if they themselves have
qualms about some of his methods.
 Drawbacks of Victor
as an ally
• Victor can be a deeply unpleasant individual to
be around. He lacks any social graces and even
neglects personal hygiene, to the point where both
can bother travel companions or people the party
wants to interact with.
• If Victor sees an opportunity to advance his knowl-
edge about magic, he will take it—consequences
be damned. He does not consult with anyone, as
he feels entitled to quench his thirst for knowl-
edge.
• Obsessed with his arcane pursuits, Victor’s mind
is slowly tearing itself apart under the desire to
reach a perfection that is, fundamentally, unat-
tainable. He could break at any point, even turn
against the party, when denied pursuing a promis-
ing lead or treated callously.
38
Roleplaying Victor
It would be all too easy, for anyone who witnessed
Victor’s disregard for the life of others, to label him
a dangerous psychopath. However, Victor is not like
Strahd—he did not choose evil. Strahd made a choice
to succumb to evil—he always knew that he was in the
wrong, but was too arrogant to care. Victor is certainly
arrogant, but he lacks the understanding of his actions
that Strahd had. It simply never quite occurred to
Victor that other beings are sentient and might have a
soul. On a deeper level, it never quite occurred to him
that he has one as well.
Victor is not easy to parse, as he keeps himself to
himself. On the rare occasions when he emotes, his
expressions of joy or frustration are typically effusive
and often inappropriate to the situation. Victor has a
vague idea that others find him objectionable, but he
is too entitled to care.
He does not hide his lack of morals, but he is
no sadist and thus does not brag about his twisted
thoughts or acts, either. To him, it is all purely a means
to an end, and the means are hardly worth speaking
of.
Victor has no desire to be evil—he simply has no
intrinsic understanding of the concept and nobody
has ever socialized him to learn it. If someone were to
show him kindness and gently teach him what “good”
means, they might find that Victor has the potential to
grow. Indeed, Victor has a deep thirst for appreciation
and positive attention, which he does not consciously
realize.
 Card. Beast (Jack of Diamonds)
Ideal. We must learn to rely on the pack—we don’t need the
devil Strahd!
Bond. My mate Emil is the only person I ever really cared
about.
Flaw. Annoy me, and I’ll tear you limb from limb.
Zuleika Toranescu is a werewolf of “The Night’s Chil-
dren” clan. She resides in the Werewolf Den where
she does the bidding of Kiril, the pack’s leader. She is
only biding her time to rip his throat out, however, for
Kiril is responsible for delivering her mate Emil into
Strahd’s hands. Kiril did this to rid himself of Emil,
who challenged the initiation practices of the clan.
The pack would kidnap children and Kiril had them
fight to the death. Emil wanted to abolish this bloody
spectacle and initiate all into the clan, not just the
winner.
Zuleika’s Motivation
Zuleika’s mate Emil has been delivered into Strahd’s
hands by Kiril, the pack leader. She believes Emil is
dead and is burning up with bottled up rage. First,
she’ll see Kiril rattle out his life at her feet. Then, she’ll
tear into Strahd and see if even the devil may die.
Earning Zuleika’s Trust
Zuleika has only one thing on her mind when the
characters meet her: revenge for her mate Emil. She’ll
pledge loyalty to anyone who can help her get that
revenge, which would forever be out of her reach to
her without allies. Killing Kiril is the prerequisite for
her to ally with the characters. If she can have the
killing blow, her loyalty will only increase.
39
Benefits of Zuleika
as an ally
• She’s a werewolf. First and foremost, that makes
her one of the apex predators in Barovia—second
only, at least in her own estimation, to Strahd him-
self. Second, she can put her wolf nose and ears to
good use tracking in the wilderness.
• As a werewolf, Zuleika is immune against damage
from any nonmagical weapons that aren’t silvered.
In Barovia, that means she’s almost invulnerable.
The revenants of Argynvostholt, Wintersplinter of
Yester Hill, Strahd’s vampire spawn—none of them
could so much as scratch her hide. She might be
the best ally when it comes to tanking damage.
• Since all werewolves in Barovia belong to the
same pack and Zuleika has a high standing among
the clan, she can defuse almost any werewolf
ambush. She cannot control Strahd’s dire wolves,
but any regular wolf pack would also recognize her
by smell and she should be able to convince them
quickly to follow her lead.
• If Zuleika or her mate Emil become pack leader
(the line of succession if Kiril dies is: first Emil,
second Zuleika), the entire clan could conceivably
support the party’s efforts against Strahd. They
may not be at their beck and call, exactly, but could
surely help out tremendously—so long as Zuleika
or Emil can maintain control.
 Drawbacks of Zuleika
as an ally
• Zuleika may not be as fanatically cruel as her
brethren, but violence is still her go-to solution to
most problems. The characters shouldn’t be sur-
prised if she casually kills a peasant if she doesn’t
see any value in keeping them alive.
• If Zuleika’s werewolf nature ever became known,
the common folk of Barovia could easily turn
against the party. The werewolves of Barovia have
terrorized the peasantry for centuries, after all.
They may not easily be convinced that the charac-
ters are on their side anymore if they consort with
werewolves.
40
Roleplaying Zuleika
Zuleika is a fierce and bold warrior, but she’s sharp
and pragmatic too. She doesn’t run into trouble head-
long, and is perfectly fine with enduring any hardship
and humiliation to achieve her goals. However, if
Zuleika believes violence to be the quickest solution
to a problem and without significant repercussions,
she’ll go down that route every time. The commoners
of Barovia are to her like rabbits are to a wolf and she
cannot be convinced to value their lives.
Zuleika does not truly believe that Strahd can ever
be defeated. She’s more than content to die trying,
and she’ll give it her all and never voice a complaint or
concern, but she knows with a chilling certainty that
this can all only end in her own death and that of her
allies. She still pursues this path relentlessly, since her
burning desire for revenge is all that keeps her going.
If she is reunited with Emil, this triggers a change
in her behavior. She still believes that Strahd must die,
but she has something to lose once again. She won’t
jeopardize Emil’s life under any circumstances. While
she knows that Strahd can never be trusted, she’ll
need powerful signs that their fight against him is not
a fool’s errand—otherwise, she might still give in to
Strahd’s promises and betray the characters and their
common cause.
D i d yo u e n j oy t h i s g u i d e ?
L e av e u s a r e v i e w !