The blueprint for Gothic horror in D&D. The adventurers are drawn into the mist-shrouded land of Barovia, trapped by the will of Count Strahd von Zarovich, an ancient vampire lord imprisoned in his own domain. To escape, they must uncover Strahd's tragic history, find the relics that can harm him, and storm Castle Ravenloft itself.
Story Arcs
Prisoners of the Mist
The adventurers enter the land of Barovia, a realm shrouded in perpetual mist and ruled by the vampire Count Strahd von Zarovich. The mists close behind them — there is no escape without confronting the master of Castle Ravenloft. The party must explore the oppressed village of Barovia, seek allies among the fearful populace, and receive a Tarokka card reading from Madam Eva that reveals the locations of three artifacts and the identity of Strahd's enemy within the castle.
Gathering the Relics
Guided by the Tarokka reading, the adventurers must locate the three relics that can weaken Strahd: the Holy Symbol of Ravenkind (which can hold vampires at bay), the Sunsword (a sentient blade of radiant energy), and the Tome of Strahd (which reveals his history and weaknesses). Each relic is hidden in a different location across Barovia, guarded by undead, monsters, or environmental hazards.
Castle Ravenloft
Armed with the relics and knowledge of Strahd's weaknesses, the adventurers storm Castle Ravenloft — a towering Gothic fortress of crumbling towers, shadowed halls, and hidden crypts. Strahd is aware of their coming and toys with them, appearing as a charming host before unleashing his full vampiric power. The final confrontation takes place in the castle's crypts, where Strahd's coffin rests beside the tomb of his beloved Tatyana.
Session Outlines
These outlines are for planning reference only. Actual sessions are not created by the template.
Into the Mists
The party travels along a road that gradually becomes shrouded in thick mist. The gates of Barovia open to admit them and close behind — there is no going back. They find a crumpled letter from the Burgomaster of Barovia begging for help against a great evil. The road to the village passes through dark woods where wolves howl and shadows move. Arriving in the village of Barovia, they find a terrified populace, boarded windows, and the wailing of a woman mourning her dead father. Introduce Ismark and Ireena Kolyana.
The Tarokka Reading
The party seeks out Madam Eva at the Vistani camp outside the village. The Tarokka card reading is the pivotal scene — draw cards to determine the locations of the three relics, the identity of Strahd's enemy within the castle, and where the final confrontation will take place. This makes every playthrough unique. After the reading, Strahd himself may appear — charming, terrifying, and utterly in control. He invites the party to dinner at his castle. Whether they accept is up to them.
The Village and Its Sorrows
Deeper exploration of Barovia. The church is haunted by the former priest's son, now a vampire spawn trapped in the undercroft. Ismark begs the party to escort Ireena to safety — she is the reincarnation of Tatyana, Strahd's lost love, and the count will stop at nothing to claim her. The party may also encounter Rahadin, Strahd's dusk elf chamberlain, who delivers a formal invitation to the castle. Undead prowl the streets at night.
The First Relic
Based on the Tarokka reading, the party seeks the first relic. Possible locations include the crypts beneath the church, a hidden cave behind a waterfall, or the attic of a haunted mansion. Each location has its own guardian and hazards. The relic's power is immediately apparent — it radiates warmth and light in this land of darkness. Strahd's spies (bats, wolves, Vistani scouts) report the party's movements to their master.
The Second Relic
The search for the second relic takes the party deeper into Barovia's dangerous wilderness. Possible locations: the ruins of a windmill inhabited by night hags, a werewolf den in the forest, or the tomb of a fallen paladin. Each site has moral complexities — the hags offer bargains, the werewolves might be cured, the tomb's guardian tests the party's virtue. Strahd grows more aggressive, sending vampire spawn to harass the party at night.
The Tome of Strahd
The party finds the Tome of Strahd, which reveals his tragic history: Strahd was a mortal prince who made a pact with dark powers to gain immortality and win the love of Tatyana, his brother Sergei's bride. He murdered Sergei on their wedding day, but Tatyana threw herself from the castle walls rather than be taken. The Dark Powers granted Strahd eternal life as a vampire — and eternal imprisonment in Barovia. Understanding his history is key to defeating him.
Entering Castle Ravenloft
The party enters Castle Ravenloft through the massive front gates, which swing open at their approach — Strahd is expecting them. The castle is enormous: a great hall with organ music playing itself, dining rooms set for guests, a chapel desecrated by dark magic, towers with dizzying stairways, and hidden passages behind every wall. Strahd appears as a gracious host, offering wine and conversation before the horror begins. Animated armor, phantom warriors, and Strahd's brides lurk throughout.
The Final Confrontation
The climactic battle with Strahd in the heart of Castle Ravenloft. The Tarokka reading determines the exact location — his throne room, the chapel, the overlook tower, or the crypts. Strahd fights with the full arsenal of a centuries-old vampire: charm, shapeshifting, wall-walking, summoning wolves and bats, and regeneration. He uses the castle itself as a weapon — locking doors, collapsing stairs, and retreating through walls to strike from ambush. Only the relics can overcome his regeneration. When destroyed, his body crumbles and the mists part, allowing the party to leave Barovia at last.
NPCs
Count Strahd von Zarovich
Vampire · Lord of Barovia
The master of Castle Ravenloft and the absolute ruler of Barovia. Once a mortal prince and conqueror, he traded his soul for immortality and has ruled his domain for centuries. He is cultured, charming, and utterly evil — a monster who still mourns his lost humanity. He is obsessed with Ireena, whom he believes to be the reincarnation of his beloved Tatyana.
Ireena Kolyana
Human · Burgomistress's Daughter
A brave and compassionate young woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to Tatyana, Strahd's lost love. She has been bitten by Strahd twice and will become a vampire spawn if bitten a third time. She carries a rapier and fights with determination despite her fear. She refuses to be reduced to a damsel and insists on fighting alongside the party.
Ismark Kolyanovich
Human · Son of the Burgomaster
Ireena's brother and the de facto leader of the village of Barovia after their father's death. Known as "Ismark the Lesser" by the cynical villagers, he is determined to protect his sister and his people. He is a competent fighter but knows he is hopelessly outmatched by Strahd. He begs the party to escort Ireena to safety.
Madam Eva
Human (Vistani) · Tarokka Card Reader
An ancient Vistani seer who dwells in a camp outside the village of Barovia. Her Tarokka card readings reveal the locations of the relics and the key to defeating Strahd. She has her own mysterious history with the count and knows far more than she reveals. Her readings are never wrong, though their meaning may not be immediately clear.
Rahadin
Elf (Dusk Elf) · Castle Chamberlain
Strahd's loyal chamberlain and enforcer, a dusk elf who has served the count for centuries. He carries an aura of death — the screaming souls of his victims swirl around him, dealing psychic damage to those nearby. He is coldly efficient, utterly loyal to Strahd, and an extremely dangerous combatant who fights with twin scimitars.
Sergei von Zarovich
Human (Ghost) · Strahd's Brother (Deceased)
The ghost of Strahd's younger brother, murdered by Strahd on his wedding day. His spirit lingers in the castle, particularly near his tomb in the crypts. He was kind, noble, and beloved — everything Strahd secretly wished he could be. His ghost may aid the party at a critical moment, or his tomb may hold one of the relics.
Cyrus Belview
Human (Mongrelfolk) · Castle Servant
One of the Belview family, inbred servants who have served Castle Ravenloft for generations. Hunchbacked and misshapen, Cyrus is oddly kind-hearted despite his grotesque appearance. He knows many of the castle's secret passages and may help the party if treated with genuine kindness rather than revulsion.
Escher
Human (Vampire Spawn) · Strahd's Consort
One of Strahd's vampire consorts, a former bard who was turned centuries ago. He is beautiful, melancholic, and resentful of his eternal servitude. He may be convinced to betray Strahd — not out of courage, but out of jealousy over Strahd's obsession with Ireena. He knows the castle intimately but is treacherous and may betray the party if it serves his interests.
Locations
Village of Barovia
A squalid village huddled in the shadow of Castle Ravenloft, perpetually shrouded in mist. The buildings are dark, the windows boarded, and the few villagers who venture outside do so with eyes cast downward. The village reeks of despair. No one smiles here, and strangers are regarded with suspicion — or pity.
Castle Ravenloft
A towering Gothic fortress perched atop a thousand-foot pillar of stone, its spires clawing at the perpetually overcast sky. The castle is a labyrinth of grand halls, crumbling towers, hidden passages, and dark crypts. Organ music echoes through empty corridors, doors open and close by themselves, and the very walls seem to watch intruders. It is both Strahd's home and his prison.
Tser Pool Encampment
A small Vistani camp on the shores of a dark, still pool surrounded by mist-draped trees. Colorful wagons circle a central bonfire where the Vistani sing, dance, and tell fortunes. Madam Eva's tent is the largest, draped with silks and heavy with the scent of incense. The Vistani are the only people who can freely enter and leave Barovia.
The Svalich Woods
Dense, primeval forest that covers most of Barovia. The trees are ancient and gnarled, their branches forming a canopy so thick that sunlight (what little there is) never reaches the forest floor. Wolves, dire wolves, and worse hunt these woods. The mist is thickest here, and travelers easily lose their way.
Old Bonegrinder Windmill
A dilapidated windmill on a hilltop overlooking the village, now home to a coven of night hags disguised as old women. They bake "dream pastries" that grant narcotic visions of happiness to the despairing villagers, creating addicts who trade anything — even their children — for another dose.
The Ruins of Berez
A drowned village on the banks of the Luna River, destroyed by Strahd centuries ago when one of Tatyana's reincarnations appeared there. Now a swampy ruin haunted by scarecrows and the spirit of the witch Baba Lysaga, who believes she is Strahd's mother. The swamp is treacherous, and will-o'-wisps lure travelers to their doom.
Quests
Escape Barovia
The mists of Barovia have trapped the party in Strahd's domain. The only way out is to destroy the vampire lord himself. Find the weapons that can harm him, learn his weaknesses, and end his curse — or be trapped here forever, slowly drained of hope and life.
Protect Ireena Kolyana
Ireena bears the face of Strahd's lost love Tatyana and has already been bitten twice. A third bite will make her a vampire spawn forever. Escort her to a place of safety — if such a place exists in Barovia — and keep her from Strahd's clutches.
Find the Three Relics
Madam Eva's Tarokka reading revealed the locations of three powerful relics: the Holy Symbol of Ravenkind, the Sunsword, and the Tome of Strahd. Each is hidden somewhere in Barovia, and each is essential to defeating the vampire lord. Recover all three before assaulting Castle Ravenloft.
Lay the Dead to Rest
Barovia is plagued by restless undead — the victims of centuries of Strahd's predation. Father Donavich's son screams in the church undercroft. Ghosts haunt the old ruins. Even Sergei's spirit is trapped. Show mercy to the dead where you can, and put down those who cannot be saved.
Uncover Strahd's History
Understanding Strahd's past is key to defeating him. The Tome of Strahd, conversations with ghosts and Vistani, and clues within Castle Ravenloft itself reveal the tragedy of a prince who sold his soul for love he could never have. Knowledge is power against an ancient evil.
Encounters
Wolves in the Mist
Packs of unnaturally large wolves shadow the party through the Svalich Woods, their eyes glowing red in the mist. They attack from all sides, howling in coordinated patterns. These are Strahd's servants, testing the party's strength.
The Vampire Spawn Ambush
Strahd sends his vampire spawn to test or punish the party. They attack at night, climbing walls and dropping from rooftops with supernatural speed. Their charm gaze can turn party members against each other.
Night Hag Coven
The three night hags of Old Bonegrinder reveal their true forms when threatened. They fight with claw attacks, magic resistance, and their nightmare haunting ability. One turns invisible while the others distract. They attempt to bargain for their lives, offering dark knowledge.
The Haunted Crypts
The crypts beneath Castle Ravenloft are full of restless dead. Wights in ancient armor, wraiths drifting through walls, and specters of Strahd's past victims emerge from sarcophagi and shadows. The crypt of Sergei is a sanctified haven, but reaching it requires fighting through waves of undead.
Strahd von Zarovich
The final confrontation with the master of Ravenloft. Strahd fights with centuries of tactical experience, using his lair actions (closing doors, summoning swarms, casting shadows) to separate and demoralize the party. He charms the strongest fighter, retreats through walls to regenerate, and returns at full strength. Only the Sunsword and Holy Symbol of Ravenkind can truly harm him.
Factions
The People of Barovia
Neutral Good
The oppressed inhabitants of Barovia have lived under Strahd's shadow for centuries. Most have given up hope and cower in their homes after dark. A few brave souls, like Ismark, still resist. The dream pastries offered by the night hags provide temporary escape but deepen their despair. They need heroes to believe in.
The Vistani
True Neutral
Nomadic people who can pass freely through the mists of Barovia. They have a complicated relationship with Strahd — he allows them freedom in exchange for their service as his eyes, ears, and occasional agents. Not all Vistani serve Strahd willingly, and Madam Eva works subtly against him, but trusting any Vistani completely is risky.
Strahd's Court
Lawful Evil
The vampire spawn, undead servants, and living thralls who serve Count Strahd. His vampire consorts — Escher, Ludmilla, Anastrasya, and Volenta — each have their own personalities and jealousies. Rahadin, his chamberlain, is utterly loyal. Together they maintain the castle and carry out Strahd's will throughout Barovia.
The Keepers of the Feather
Chaotic Good
A secret society of wereravens who oppose Strahd from the shadows. They run the winery that produces Barovia's wine and use their shapeshifting abilities to spy on Strahd's forces. They are the party's most reliable allies, offering safe houses, intelligence, and healing. They guard the Holy Symbol of Ravenkind.
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