Chapter 3: The Village of Barovia - Curse of Strahd

Chapter 3: The Village of Barovia. The village of Barovia is the saddest place in the land, its residents so terrified of Strahd that they rarely venture from their homes. The village lies in the shadow of Castle Ravenloft, buried under fog but still unable to hide from the vampire's sight. Until recently, Strahd had been paying nightly visits to Ireena Kolyana, the adopted daughter of the village burgomaster. Ireena carries the soul of Strahd's beloved Tatyana and looks exactly like her. Strahd intends to make Ireena his bride, turn her into a vampire, and lock her away in the castle crypts for all time. Same voice, same face, same graceful body, she was Tatyana come back to life again. I was absolutely witless from astonishment. Approaching the Village When the characters first approach the village, read: Tall shapes loom out of the dense fog that surrounds everything. The muddy ground underfoot gives way to slick, wet cobblestones. The tall shapes become recognizable as village dwellings. The windows of each house stare out from pools of blackness. No sound cuts the silence except for mournful sobbing that echoes through the streets from a distance. The sobbing comes from Mad Mary's townhouse (area E3). With the exception of areas E1 and E2, all the shops in the village are permanently closed, and the unoccupied shops have been looted of anything valuable. Claw marks cover most of the walls. When the fog eventually burns off, Castle Ravenloft looms over the village, like a lance piercing the sky. House Occupants If the characters explore a residence other than Mad Mary's townhouse (area E3) or the burgomaster's mansion (area E4), roll a d20 and consult the following table to determine the house's occupants. 1-3 None 4-8 2d4 Swarm of Rats 9-16 Barovian villagers 17-20 2d4 Strahd Zombie (see appendix D) Occupants of Houses in Barovia Rats A house infested with rats looks abandoned. The rats are servants of Strahd and attack if the characters explore the interior...