Star Wars
Dark Heart of the Sun
INTRODUCTION
UNDER RAGING STORM CLOUDS, A LONE figure stands silhouetted against the ancient walls of Castle Ravenia. The Sith Lord Strahd van Zarrow stares down a sheer cliff at the settlement below. A cold, bitter wind spins dead leaves about him, billowing his cape in the darkness. Lightning splits the clouds overhead, casting stark white light across him. Strahd turns to the sky, revealing the angular muscles of his face and hands. He has a look of power—and of madness. His once handsome face is contorted by a tragedy darker than the night itself.
Rumbling thunder pounds the castle spires. The wind's howling increases as Strahd turns his gaze back to the settlement. Far below, yet not beyond his ken, a party of adventurers has just entered his domain. Strahd's face forms a twisted smile as his dark plan unfolds. He knew they were coming, and he knows why they have come—all according to his plan. He, the master of Ravenia, will attend to them.
Another lightning flash rips through the darkness, its thunder echoing through the castle's towers. But Strahd is gone. Only the howling of the wind—or perhaps a lone wolf-fills the midnight air. The master of Ravenia is having guests for dinner. And you are invited.
RUNNING THE ADVENTURE
Dark Heart of the Sun is a story of galactic horror, presented here as a Star Wars 5e roleplaying game adventure for a party of four to six adventurers of levels 1-10. A balance of character classes is helpful, since the adventurers will face a variety of challenges. Each character class will certainly have its moment to shine.
This book is meant for you, the Game Master, alone. We recommend you read the entire adventure before attempting to run it. It assumes that you have the Star Wars fifth edition Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Scum and Villainy. Scum and Villainy contains stat blocks for most of the creatures and nonplayer characters (NPCs) found in this adventure. Descriptions and stat blocks for new creatures and NPCs are provided in appendix D. When a creature's name appears in bold type, that's a visual cue pointing you to the creature's stat block in Scum and Villainy. If the stat block is in appendix D, the adventure's text tells you so. Powers and unenhanced equipment mentioned in the adventure are described in the Player's Handbook. Enhanced items are described in the Dungeon Master's Guide, unless the adventure's text directs you to an item's description in appendix C.
Text that appears in a box like this is meant to be read aloud or paraphrased for players when their characters first arrive at a location or under a specific circumstance, as described in the text. Indoor and nighttime descriptions are written with the assumption that the adventurers are using a torch or other light source to see by.
STORY OVERVIEW
Adventurers from a foreign land find themselves on Ravenia II, a mysterious planet shrouded in deadly fog and ruled by Strahd van Zarrow, an immortal Sith Lord. Using a deck of tarokka cards to predict their future, a fortune-teller named Mother Eva sets them on a dark course that takes them to many corners of Ravenia II, culminating with a final duel in Castle Ravenia.
Mother Eva's people are called the Witches of Vistan. They travel in ragged starships from world to world, luring strangers into Strahd's domain. Ravenia II is a world of ghosts, aberrations, and other fell creatures. The wilderness hides many secrets, including forgotten ruins and battlefields that tell the story of Strahd's life as a conqueror. Adventurers who explore the wilderness find the remnants of Strahd's ancient enemies, not all of them as dead as one might expect.
For the people of Ravenia II, there is no escape from this harsh land. The city of Vallak stands ready to defend itself against the servants of Strahd, but it's far from the sanctuary it purports to be. The outpost of Cresh lies near the edge of Strahd's domain, its medbay now in the clutches of evil, misguided beings.
Of all the settlements in Strahd's domain, the settlement of Barro is by far the most oppressed. Many of its shops are closed, and the locals have succumbed to despair. It is well known that Strahd desires the overseer's adopted daughter, Reyna Kolyana. The settlers neither protect nor harm her, lest they incur the sith's wrath. Few know that Reyna bears an uncanny resemblance to Tardana, Strahd's dead beloved.
The settlement of Barro cowers in the shadow of Castle Ravenia, Strahd's home and fortress. The castle stands atop a great spire of rock, invincible and ever watchful. Every night, thousands of mynock fly out of the castle to feed. Ravenia II will never be safe until the evil in his castle is destroyed.
Once Strahd becomes aware of the adventurers, he and his spies watch them closely. When the time is right, Strahd invites his "guests" to Castle Ravenia. He aims to turn them against one another, torment them, and kill them, as he has done with so many other visitors. Some will become undead thralls. Others will never rise again.
The adventurers' best hope of defeating Strahd is to learn his secrets, for he is no ordinary Sith Lord. Guided by Mother Eva's card reading, they must scour his domain and his castle for enhanced items that might weaken or slay him, all the while trying to stay alive.
Although the adventurers can escape by slaying Strahd, he can't be truly destroyed. Ravenia II is his prison, and not even death can free him from his curse. The adventure ends when either Strahd van Zarrow or the characters are defeated. Your goal is to keep Strahd in play for as long as possible, using all the abilities and resources at his disposal.
ADVENTURE STRUCTURE
Much of the adventure's action is driven by the clash between the adventurers' decisions and Strahd's goals, and the adventurers and the sith are all caught in strands of fate that are represented by a special card reading detailed in chapter 1, "Into the Mists." Before you run the adventure, you need to conduct that reading to determine the location of several items that are key to the story, as well as one of the locations where Strahd can be found.
Chapter 1 also outlines Strahd's goals, and it suggests adventure hooks to draw the player characters into the cursed world of Ravenia II. If the characters are 1st level, the character background in appendix A is available to them, and consider starting their time in Barovia with the mini-adventure "Derelict Ship" in appendix B.
Chapter 2, "The World of Ravenia," provides an overview of the planet and includes special rules for it and its people, including the mysterious Witches of Vistan. Chapters 3-15 detail areas that correspond to places on the map of Ravenia II in chapter 2.
The epilogue offers ways for you to end the adventure. Appendix C details the special items — enhanced or otherwise — introduced in the adventure, and appendix D provides stat blocks for Strahd and various NPC's and creatures that can be met in Ravenia. Appendix E shows the tarokka cards that the witches use for their fortune telling, and Appendix F contains handouts for you to show the players.
CHARACTER LEVELS
The adventure is meant for characters of levels 1-10 and includes threats for those levels and beyond. Strahd can be an especially deadly challenge at these levels. It is assumed that the characters will gain levels over the course of the adventure, as well as acquire allies and powerful enhanced items that can tip the scales in their favor. Characters who head directly to Castle Ravenia without first increasing their power will likely die.
You can award experience points for the defeat of foes, use milestone awards, or a mixture of both. Given the fact that much of the adventure involves social interaction and exploration, rather than combat, your work will probably be easier if you use milestone awards. Appropriate milestone awards include the following:
Finding Artifacts. The characters gain a level when they obtain Strahd's Holocron, the Archsaber, or the Heart of Ravenia.
Defeating Villains. The characters gain a level when they defeat the featured antagonist(s) in a location, such as the witches in the Old Coven (chapter 6).
Accomplishing Story Goals. The characters gain a level when they accomplish something significant, such lighting the beacon of Argyn Vos (chapter 7), thwarting the sith's ritual at the Yeston Droid Factory (chapter 14), or forging an alliance with Ezmera Davendir (appendix D).
Appendix B, "Derelict Ship," uses milestone awards by way of example.
Be prepared for the fact that the adventure is exceedingly open-ended-one of the hallmarks of the original Ravenloft. The card reading in chapter 1 and the adventurers' choices can lead them all over the map, and a party can easily wander into an area well beyond their power. If you'd like to steer them toward places that correspond to their level, consult the Areas by Level table, but beware of undermining the sense that the characters' choices matter. Sometimes the adventurers will simply need to flee or hide when they are out of their depth.
If an area of the adventure ends up feeling free of mystery or danger, consider using tips from the "Marks of Horror" section to increase the ominousness. If a combat encounter feels too easy, either (a) guide it to its end as quickly as possible or (b) increase the threat by raising a foe's hit point maximum to the upper end of its hit point range, by adding monsters/traps, or both.
AREAS BY LEVEL
| Avg. Level | Area | Chapter |
|---|---|---|
| 1st—3rd | Settlement of Barro | 3 |
| 4th | Vallak City | 5 |
| 4th | The Old Coven | 6 |
| 5th | Outpost Cresh | 8 |
| 5th | Maro's Mechanics | 12 |
| 6th | Vane Rakton's Hideout | 11 |
| 6th | Yeston Droid Factory | 14 |
| 7th | Argyn Vos | 7 |
| 7th | Rakghoul Den | 15 |
| 8th | Solar Pass | 9 |
| 8th | The Ruins of Outpost Besh | 10 |
| 9th | Castle Ravenia | 4 |
| 9th | The Sith Temple | 13 |
Marks of Horror
A gust of air like the foul-smelling breath of some horrible creature greets the adventurers as they climb the steps of a tower in Castle Ravenia. Nearing the top, they begin to hear the beating of a heart in the darkness above. Not a human heart, but the heart of something monstrous and horrible; Such is the nature of gothic horror: fear bred by anticipation and the dark realization that all will be truly and horribly revealed in time.
The following tips can help you make this adventure a chilling experience for you and your players.
THE UNKNOWN
Horror is born out of fear of the unknown. Our fear is heightened when the darkness engulfs us and we can't see, or when the truth is behind a locked door, covered by a sheet, or buried in the soft earth. It's not the monster, but its shadow, that breeds horror. The more we know about a monster, the less we fear it, so the trick is to keep it out of the light for as long as possible. Here are two tricks to heighten fear of the unknown:
• When it seems as though the characters have everything under control, you can have a surge of power suddenly blow out all lights in the area, plunging them into darkness.
• Before a creature appears, take a moment to describe the odor that precedes it, the eerie sound it makes, or the weird shadow it casts.
FORESHADOWING
Foreshadowing is about finding clues to a horrible truth yet to be revealed. Consider the following examples:
• Before characters encounter a creature, hint at the creature's presence with clues such as claw marks, gnawed bones, and bloodstains.
• Whenever characters take a long rest, give one character a prophetic vision in which he or she glimpses something yet to be found or encountered.
AGE
Ravenia is the grim reflection of its dark master. Almost everything here is old and timeworn. Everywhere the adventurers go, they should be reminded of death, decay, and their own mortality. Here are a couple of ways to reinforce these pervasive themes:
• Take time to describe the rotting timbers of buildings, the faded and moth-eaten clothing of the Ravenian commonfolk, the worm-ridden pages of old books, and the rust on long-forgotten droids and ancient technologies.
• A character gazing into a mirror, a pool, or other reflective surface might glimpse an older, more decrepit version of himself or herself.
LIGHT
A tale that is perpetually dark in tone becomes tiresome very quickly. It needs to feature the occasional ray of light for contrast and to create a sense of hope. Monsters and other terrors must be offset with creatures that are kind and lovable, giving the characters even more reasons to stand against the darkness. Here are a couple of ways to add glimmers of light to a tragic tale:
• On a planet as dreary as Ravenia II, take the time to describe the occasional scene of beauty, such as a pretty flower growing atop a grave.
• Make sure that the heroes have contact with NPCs who are honest, friendly, and helpful, such as the Maro's in Vallak or the Krezkovs in Outpost Cresh.
PERSONIFICATION
Ascribing human characteristics to an inanimate thing is one way to turn something ordinary into something malevolent. A groaning ship, the wailing wind, grasping mud, and a squatting chest aren't just mundane things—they're characters in your story, made all the creepier thanks to their humanlike traits. Lights sputter nervously, rusty hinges shatter silence with their sudden cries of anguish, and cobwebs quietly beckon us to our doom. Here are more examples:
• Imagine darkness as a silent crowd that follows the characters everywhere and stares at them while they sleep.
• Imagine trees as towering giants that stand idle yet ever watchful as characters face the perils of the Sarlacc Woods alone.
DETAILS
In a horror story, there's no telling where danger might be lurking. A leering gargoyle might be a monster in disguise, or merely a fiendish sculpture. A mirror hanging on a wall might have the power to transfix all who gaze into it, or it might be nothing out of the ordinary. In a horror story, taking the time to describe an object in detail draws attention to it, makes one suspicious of it, and might distract from the real danger. Here are a couple of tricks you can use:
• In a given encounter area, choose one object or feature to describe in some detail. It need not be important to the story.
• Allow the character who has the highest passive Wisdom (Perception) score to see, hear, or smell something that no one else can perceive.
HUMOR
There are no stranger bedfellows than horror and humor. Tension can't be sustained indefinitely, so a dash of humor provides a respite, giving horror a chance to sneak up on us later and catch us off guard. While humorous situations will occur naturally in the course of running the adventure, here are some tips for creating humor when needed:
• Allow NPCs (even evil ones) to tell jokes, speak in a funny-voice, or behave idiotically. Even morbid humor is better than none.
• When a hero, villain, or creature rolls a natural 1 on an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, describe a humorous mishap that occurs as a result of the low roll, such as a character accidentally knocking over a torch and setting some furniture on fire while trying to hide or move silently.
CHAPTER 1: INTO THE MISTS
ERIE MISTS SURROUND RAVENIA II AND bind its inhabitants there. This chapter gives you the information you need to prepare for the adventurers' journey into those mists. The chapter first outlines the history and goals of Lord Strahd van Zarrow so that you are prepared for what awaits the characters. In the "Fortunes of Ravenia" section, the chapter walks you through the tarokka card reading that helps set the stage for the adventure's action, and the chapter closes with adventure hooks that you can use to draw the characters into the horror of Ravenia.
STRAHD VAN ZARROW
Strahd van Zarrow, an immortal Sith Lord, has the statistics presented in appendix D. Although he can be encountered almost anywhere on his planet, the sith is always encountered in the place indicated by the card reading later in this chapter, unless he has been forced into his sanctum in the catacombs of Castle Ravenia.
THE SITH LORD'S HISTORY
In life, Strahd van Zarrow was a count, a prince, a jedi, and a conqueror. After the death of his father, King Barrit, Strahd waged long, bloody wars against his family's enemies. He and his army cornered the last of these enemies on a remote outer rim world before slaying them all. Strahd named the sector Barridia, after his deceased father, and named the planet Ravenia II, after his mother, and was so struck by its scenic beauty that he decided to settle there.
Queen Ravennia lamented the death of Barrit and was fearful of Strahd. War had made him cold and arrogant. She kept her younger son, Serrin, away from the battlefield. Strahd envied the love and attention his mother visited upon his brother, so in Barridia he remained. Peace made Strahd restless, and he began to feel like his best years were behind him. Unwilling to go the way of his father, Strahd studied the force and undertook a costly ancient Sith ritual on behalf of dark force entities in the hope of immortality.
Strahd scoured his conquered worlds for witches and artisans, brought them to the Barrow Valley, and commanded them to raise a castle to rival the magnificent fortresses of his ancestral world. Strahd named the castle Ravenia, after his mother, to demonstrate his love for her. When it was complete, Strahd commanded his mother and brother to come to Ravenia II and stay with him. Serrin eventually took up residence at Ravenia, but Ravennia herself passed away while traveling to her namesake. In
sorrowful disappointment, Strahd sealed his
mother's body in a crypt beneath the
castle.
I AM THE ANCIENT. I AM THE LAND.
My beginnings are lost in the darkness of the past. I am not dead. Nor am I alive. I am undead, forever.
—Strahd's Holocron
Strahd's attention soon turned to Tardana, a young Ravenian woman of fine lineage and remarkable beauty. Strahd believed her to be a worthy bride, and he lavished Tardana with gifts and attention. Despite Strahd's efforts, she instead fell in love with the younger, warmer Serrin. Strahd's pride prevented him from standing in the way of the young couple's Jove until the day of Serrin and Tardana's wedding, when Strahd gazed into a mirror and realized he had been a fool. Strahd murdered Serrin and drained his life through the force, sealing the dark ritual between Strahd and the Dark Entities. He then chased Serrin's bride-to-be through the gardens, determined to make her accept and love him. Tardana hurled herself off a castle balcony to escape Strahd's pursuit, plunging to her death. Treacherous castle guards, seizing the opportunity to rid the galaxy of Strahd forever, shot their lord with blaster bolts.
But Strahd did not die. The Dark Entities honored the ritual he had performed. The sky went black as Strahd turned on the guards, his eyes blazing red. He had become something more than Jedi or Sith. He had become an immortal.
After slaughtering the guards, Strahd saw the faces of his father and mother as force ghosts, looking upon him and judging him. He had destroyed the family bloodline and doomed all of Ravenia II. The castle and the world itself were sealed away, locked in a storm of cosmic energy and surrounded on all sides on the ground by deadly fog. For Strahd and his people, there would be no escape.
Strahd has been the ruler of Ravenia for centuries now. Since becoming an immortal, he has taken several consorts—none as beloved as Tardana, but each a person of beauty. All of them he turned into sithspawn. Although he feeds off the force energy of the people of Ravenia II, they provide little nourishment and no comfort. From time to time, strangers from faraway worlds are brought to his domain, to play the sith's game of cat-and-mouse. Strahd savors these moments, for though these strangers offer him no worlds to conquer, they aren't so easily destroyed and therefore provide a welcome diversion.
Strahd believes that the key to his escaping Ravenia II lies in finding someone worthy to rule in his stead, but his arrogance is so indomitable that no one is ever good enough in his eyes. He believes in his cold heart that only a van Zarrow as great as he or his father could sway the Dark Entities to release him.
STRAHD's GOALS
Strahd has the following goals in the adventure.
TURN REYNA KOLYANA
Strahd's unrequited love for Tardana drove him to slay his brother, Serrin. Some time ago, Strahd glimpsed the young woman Reyna Kolyana in the settlement of Barro and felt extreme deja vu. Reyna looked exactly like Tardana! Strahd now believes that Reyna is the latest reincarnation of Tardana, and thus he seeks to claim her.
Strahd's evil courtship has led him to visit Reyna twice. On both occasions, he charmed his way into her home—the house of her adopted father, the mayor of the settlement of Barro—and drained the force from her. He intends to kill Reyna during their next meeting and turn her into his sithspawn consort.
Chapter 3 gives details about Reyna and where to find her in the settlement of Barro. ·
FIND VANE RAKTON
Although he is usually focused on making Reyna Kolyana his bride, Strahd has been distracted by reports that a legendary bounty hunter named Vane Rakton has come to Ravenia II. It takes more than one old man with a death wish to frighten Strahd; nevertheless, the sith has his spies searching Ravenia for Rakton. Strahd would like very much to meet the old bounty hunter, lock him in the cells of Castle Ravenia, and slowly break his spirit.
Chapter 5 describes Vallak City, where Rakton currently resides incognito.
SEARCH FOR A SUCCESSOR OR CONSORT
Strahd can sense the arrive of new blood on his world. When newcomers enter Ravenia II, he shifts his attentions from Reyna Kolyana and Vane Rakton to his new guests so that he can determine whether any of them is worthy to be his successor or consort. (Eventually, he decides that none of them can replace him as lord of Ravenia, but he doesn't arrive at this conclusion immediately.)
Strahd pays close attention to adventurers who are charismatic and arrogant, like himself. He focuses his attacks on them, to see how much they can withstand. If they crumble easily, he loses interest in them. If they exhibit great fortitude and passion, his interest is piqued—even more so if the character displays uncommon knowledge or beauty. Such a person might not be worthy to succeed him, but the person might provide amusement to Strahd as a new possession.
ROLEPLAYING STRAHD
Strahd believes his soul is lost to the dark side. He feels neither pity nor remorse, neither love nor hate. He doesn't suffer anguish or wallow in indignation. He believes, and has always believed, that he is the master of his own fate.
When he was alive, Strahd could admit to letting his emotions get the better of him from time to time. Now, as an immortal, he is more monster than man, with barely a hint of emotion left. He is above the concerns of the living. The only event that occasionally haunts him is the death of Tardana, but his view of the past is bereft of romance or regret. In his mind, her death couldn't have been prevented, and what is done cannot be undone.
In life, Strahd lived to conquer. In undeath, he conquers still—not worlds, but people, driving good beings to become corrupt and destroying those who won't yield. Characters who try to appeal to Strahd's humanity will be gravely disappointed, because there is little humanity left in him. If they ask Strahd why he's preying on Reyna Kolyana, he tells them that Reyna's body is the host for Tardana's soul, and Tardana's soul belongs to him.
Strahd can be seductive and subtle when he chooses to be, especially if a person is clever or attractive. Men and women of beauty and cunning amuse Strahd for a time—playthings to possess or discard as he desires.
If he senses a lack of cohesion in a party of adventurers, he preys on that weakness and tries to drive a wedge between the characters by promising to help one at the expense of another. If Strahd senses darkness in a person, he cultivates that tendency by offering to turn that character into a full-fledged sith lord after helping Strahd destroy the rest of the party. Ultimately, Strahd doesn't honor his promise, instead turning the character into a sithspawn under his control.
WHEN STRAHD ATTACKS
Strahd isn't a villain who remains out of sight until the final scene. Far from it—he travels as he desires to any place in his world or his castle, and (from his perspective) the more often he encounters the characters, the better. The characters can and should meet him multiple times before the final encounter, which most likely takes place in the location determined by the card reading. His combat details are available in appendix D.
When Strahd wants to terrorize the characters, he pays them a visit, either under the cloak of night or beneath overcast skies duriqg the day. If they're indoors, he tries to charm or goad a character into inviting him inside (along with his sithspaWn; if they are present). Strahd and his minions never attack Reyna. These encounters are meant to test the characters, not kill them. After a few rounds of toying with them, Strahd and his creatures withdraw. If the characters retreat, Strahd is likely to allow them to flee, savoring their fear and believing he has broken them.
FORTUNES OF RAVENIA
The events of this adventure are part of dark twists of the force that a fortuneteller can discern with the cards of a tarokka deck. Before you run this adventure, you must draw cards from a deck to determine the following elements of the adventure:
- Strahd's location inside Castle Ravenia
- The placement of three important treasures that can be used against Strahd—Strahd's Holocron, the Heart of Ravenia, and the Archsaber
- The identity of a powerful ally in the fight against Strahd
This card reading can make the adventure different each time you play it.
At some point during the adventure, the characters are likely to meet Mother Eva, the old witch of Vistan seer (see chapter 2, area G), who can perform the same card reading for them. Characters can also have Ezmera Davendir perform a card reading for them, provided she has her deck of tarokka cards. Ezmera's cards are hidden in her landspeeder (chapter 11, area Vl).
Appendix E shows all the cards of the tarokka deck and summarizes their symbolic meanings.
USING REGULAR PLAYING CARDS
If you like, you can use a regular deck of playing cards in place of the tarokka deck. To do so, separate the numbered cards from the face cards and jokers, and treat them as two separate decks: the common deck (the numbered cards) and the high deck (the face cards and jokers).
Common Deck. Each suit in a regular deck of playing cards corresponds to a suit in the tarokka deck. The ace cards represent the "l" cards in the tarokka deck, and the "10" cards represent the "master" cards in the tarokka deck.
Hearts = Ciphers Spades = Sabers Diamonds = Coins Clubs = Stars High Deck. Each jack, queen, king, and joker corresponds to a card in the tarokka high deck.
Playing Card Tarokka Card King of hearts Ghost Queen of hearts Innocent Jack of hearts Marionette King of spades Dark Lord Queen of spades Mists Jack of spades Executioner King of diamonds Broken One Queen of diamonds Tempter Jack of diamonds Beast King of clubs Prison Queen of clubs Raven Jack of clubs Seer Joker 1 Artifact Joker 2 Harbinger
CARD READING
When you perform a card reading before running the adventure, write down the results for reference later. If the characters have their fortunes read in the adventures, do the card reading again, out loud for the players' benefit. Substitute the new results for the old ones.
When you're ready to begin the card reading, remove the fourteen cards with the crown icon (the high deck) and shuffle them. Then shuffle the remaining cards (the common deck), keeping the two decks separate. Draw the top three cards from the common deck and lay them face down in the 1, 2, and 3 positions. Then draw the top two cards from the high deck and lay them face down in the 4 and 5 positions, as shown to the left.
Once all five cards are drawn and placed face down, follow the instructions below for each card in order.
- STRAHD'S HOLOCRON
Flip over card 1, and read:
This card tells of history. Knowledge of the ancient will help you better understand your enemy.
This card determines the location of Strahd's Holocron (described in appendix C). Read the boxed text for the appropriate card, as given in the "Treasure Locations" section that follows.
- THE HEART OF RAVENIA
Flip over card 2, and read:
This card tells of a powerful force for good and protection, a technological wonder of hope.
This card determines the location of the Heart of Ravenia (described in appendix C). Read the boxed text for the appropriate card, as given in the "Treasure Locations" section that follows.
- THE ARCHSABER
Flip. over card 3, and read:
This is a card of power and strength. It tells of a weapon of vengeance: the light of an ancient warrior.
This card determines the location of the Archsaber (described in appendix C). Read the boxed text for the appropriate card, as given in the "Treasure Locations" section that follows.
- STRAHD's ENEMY
Flip over card 4, and read:
This card sheds light on one who will help you greatly in the battle against darkness.
This card determines where the characters can find a powerful ally. Read the boxed text for the appropriate card, as given in the "Strahd's Enemy" section later in the chapter.
- STRAHD
Flip over card 5, and read:
Your enemy is a master of darkness, whose powers are beyond mortality. This card will lead you to him!
The revealed card determines where Strahd can always be found. Read the boxed text for the appropriate card, as given in the "Strahd's Location in Castle Ravenia" section later in the chapter.
TREASURE LOCATIONS
The cards of the common deck determine the locations of Strahd's Holocron (card 1), the Heart of Ravenia (card 2), and the Archsaber (card 3).
SWORDS (SPADES)
1 OF SABERS - AVENGER
The treasure lies in a dragon's house, in hands once clean and now corrupted.
The treasure is in the possession of Valon Hornguard in Argyn Vos (chapter 7, area Q36).
2 OF SABERS - GUARDIAN
I see a sleeping prince, a servant of light and the brother of darkness. The treasure lies with him.
The treasure lies in Serrin's tomb (chapter 4, area K85).
3 OF SABERS - SOLDIER
Go to the mountains. Climb the white tower guarded by golden knights.
The treasure lies on the rooftop of the Solar Pass guard tower (chapter 9, area T6).
4 OF SABERS - MERCENARY
The thing you seek lies with the dead, under mountains of gold coins.
The treasure lies in a crypt in Castle Ravenia (chapter 4, area K84, crypt 31).
5 OF SABERS- APPRENTICE
Look for a den of wolves in the hills overlooking a mountain lake. The treasure belongs to Mother Night.
The treasure lies in the shrine of Mother Night in the rakghoul den (chapter 15, area Z7).
6 OF SABERS - BERSERKER
Find the Akk Dog's crypt. The treasure lies within, beneath blackened bones.
The treasure lies in the crypt of General Kroval "Akk Dog" Grisdova (chapter 4, area K84, crypt 38).
7 OF SABERS - HOODED ONE
I see a faceless god. He awaits you at the end of a long and winding road, deep in the mountains.
The treasure is inside the head of the giant statue in the Sith Temple (chapter 13, area X5a).
8 OF SABERS - EMPEROR
I see a throne fit for a king.
The treasure lies in Castle Ravenia's audience hall (chapter 4, area K25).
9 OF SABERS - TORTURER
There is a city where all is not well. There you will find a house of corruption, and within, a dark room full of still ghosts.
The treasure is hidden in the attic of the Governor's mansion in Vallak (chapter 5, area N3s).
MASTER OF SABERS - WARRIOR
That which you seek lies in the womb of darkness, the demon's lair: the one place to which he must return.
The treasure lies in Strahd's sanctum (chapter 4, area K86).
STARS (CLUBS)
1 OF STARS - ALCHEMIST
Go to a place of dizzying heights, where the steel itself is alive!
The treasure lies in Castle Ravenia's north tower peak (chapter 4, area K60).
2 OF STARS - PRECOGNIZANT
Look to the one who sees all. The treasure is hidden in her camp.
The treasure lies in Mother Eva's encampment (chapter 2, area G). If she is the one performing the card reading, she says, "I think the treasure is under my very nose!"
3 OF STARS - ENGINEER
I see a kneeling woman-a rose of great beauty plucked too soon. The master of the marsh knows of whom I speak.
The treasure lies under Mar'ryna's monument in Outpost Besh (chapter 10, area US). "The master of the marsh" refers to Overseer Lazio Ulrich (area U2), whose ghost can point characters toward the monument.
4 OF STARS - PROTECTOR
I see a fallen house guarded by a great stone dragon. Look to the highest peak.
The treasure lies in the beacon of Argyn Vos (chapter 7, area Q53). "Great stone dragon" refers to the statue in area Q1.
5 OF STARS - CELESTIAL
The treasure is hidden in a small castle beneath a mountain, guarded by twin giants.
The treasure is inside a model of Castle Ravenia in the Sith Temple (chapter 13, area X20).
6 OF STARS - EVOKER
Search for the crypt of a sorcerer ordinaire. His staff is the key.
The treasure is hidden in the crypt of Gralgo Nimblenobs (chapter 4, area K84, crypt 37).
7 OF STARS - ILLUSIONIST
A man is not what he seems. He comes here in a transport of the strange. Therein lies what you seek.
The treasure lies in Rakton's oddities transport (chapter 5, area NS).
8 OF STARS - NECROMANCER
A woman hangs above a roaring fire. Find her, and you will find the treasure.
The treasure lies in Castle Ravenia's study (chapter 4, area K37).
9 OF STARS - CONSULAR
I see a dead outpost, drowned by a river, ruled by one who has brought great evil into the world.
The treasure is in Mother Lysaga's hut (chapter 10, area U3).
MASTER OF STARS - SORCERER
Look for a wizard's tower on a lake. Let the wizard's name and servant guide you to that which you seek.
The treasure lies on the top floor of Vane Rakton's Tower (chapter 11, area V7).
COINS (DIAMONDS)
1 OF COINS - RUFFIAN
I see the skeleton of a deadly warrior, lying on a bed of stone flanked by gargoyles.
The treasure lies in the crypt of Endor (chapter 4, area K84, crypt 7).
2 OF COINS - PHILANTHROPIST
Look to a place where sickness and madness are bred. Where children once cried, the treasure lies still.
The treasure is in the nursery of the Medbay of Sando Markovo (chapter 8, area S23).
3 OF COINS - INDUSTRIALIST
Look to the master of the mechanical! In steel and soot the treasure hides.
The treasure lies in the welder's workshop in Maro's Mechanics factory (chapter 12, area W10).
4 OF COINS - MERCHANT
Seek a cask that once contained the finest wine, of which not a drop remains.
The treasure lies in Castle Ravenia's wine cellar (chapter 4, area K63).
5 OF COINS - CARTEL MEMBER
I see a dark room full of bottles. It is the tomb of a cartel member.
The treasure lies in the crypt of Artank Swilo (chapter 4, area K84, crypt 5).
6 OF COINS - BEGGAR
A wounded elf has what you seek. He will part with the treasure to see his dark dreams fulfilled.
The treasure is hidden in Kasimir's hovel (chapter 5, area N9a).
7 OF COINS - SMUGGLER
What you seek lies at the crossroads of life and death, among the buried dead.
The treasure is buried in the graveyard at the Iridonian River crossroads (chapter 2, area F).
8 OF COINS - TAX COLLECTOR
The Vistan have what you seek. A missing child holds the key to the treasure's release.
The treasure is hidden in the Vistan treasure transport (chapter 5, area N9i). "A missing child" refers to Ara'bel (see chapter 2, area L).
9 OF COINS - HUTT
Look for a fortress inside a fortress, in a place hidden behind fire.
The treasure lies in Castle Ravenia's treasury (chapter 4, area K41).
MASTER OF COINS - ROGUE
I see a nest of ravens. There you will find the prize.
The treasure is hidden in the attic of the Blue Milk Inn (chapter 5, area N2q).
CIPHERS (HEARTS)
1 OF CIPHERS - MONK
The treasure you seek is hidden behind the sun, in the house of a healer.
The treasure lies in the main hall of the Medbay of Sando Markovo (chapter 8, area S13).
2 OF CIPHERS - RECRUITER
I see a garden dusted with snow, watched over by a droid with a sackcloth grin. Look not to the garden but to the guardian.
The treasure is hidden inside one of the droids in the garden of the Medbay of Sando Markovo (chapter 8, area S9).
3 OF CIPHERS - HEALER
Look to the west. Find a pool blessed by the light of the white sun.
The treasure lies beneath the gazebo in the Shrine of the White Sun (chapter 8, area S4).
4 OF CIPHERS - WATCHMAN
Find the mother-she who gave birth to evil.
The treasure lies in the tomb of King Barrit and Queen Ravennia (chapter 4, area K88).
5 OF CIPHERS - ASTROTECH
A dark droid builds atop a mound of graves where the ancient dead sleep. The convor can help you find it. Look for the treasure there.
The treasure lies at the base of the GULTHIAS Mark IV droid (chapter 14, area Y4). Any convor encountered in the wilderness can lead the characters to the location.
6 OF CIPHERS - ANARCHIST
I see walls of bones, a chandelier of bones, and a table of bones-all that remains of enemies long forgotten.
The treasure lies in Castle Ravenia's hall of bones (chapter 4, area K67).
7 OF CIPHERS - CHARLATAN
I see a lonely shrine on a precipice. The treasure lies within.
The treasure lies in the attic of the old coven (chapter 6, area 04).
8 OF CIPHERS - LORE KEEPER
What you seek lies in a pile of treasure, beyond a set of crimson doors.
The treasure lies in the sealed treasury of the Sith Temple (chapter 13, area X40).
9 OF CIPHERS - TRAITOR
Look for a wealthy woman. A staunch ally of the demon, she keeps the treasure under lock and key, with the bones of an ancient enemy.
The treasure is hidden in the master bedroom of Wachterhaus (chapter 5, area N4o).
MASTER OF CIPHERS - PEACEKEEPER
You will find what you seek in the castle, amid the ruins of a place of meditation.
The treasure lies in Castle Ravenia's meditation chamber (chapter 4, area K15).
Strahd's Enemy
Drawn from the high deck, the fourth card in the card reading determines the location of an NPC who can improve the characters' chances of defeating Strahd. (Some cards offer two possible results, A and B; in such a case, you can pick the one you prefer or that better suits the circumstances of the adventure.)
Strahd senses that this NPC is a danger to him and tries to eliminate the threat as quickly as possible. This NPC, whoever it ends up being, gains the following additional action:
Inspire. While within sight of Strahd, this character grants inspiration to one player character he or she can see.
Each of the NPCs described in this section has a role to play in the adventure, even if that individual isn't indicated in the card reading. For the one so designated, however, the information in.this section regarding the NPC's behavior takes precedence over whatever is said elsewhere in these pages; that NPC is extraordinary.
ARTIFACT (JOKER 1)
Look for an entertaining man with a kowakian monkey-lizard. This man is more than he seems.
This card refers to Rakavan (see appendix D), who can be found at the Blue Milk Inn in Vallak City (chapter 5, area N2). Normally reluctant to accompany the characters, Rakavan changes his tune if the characters tell him about the card reading. He sheds his holodisguise and introduces himself as Vane Rakton.
The characters might think that Gaddo Bluesky, the toymaker of Vallak (area N7), is the figure they seek, because he has a pet monkey-lizard. If they speak to him about this possibility, Bluesky jokes that he and the monkey-lizard are "old friends," but if the characters ask him to come with them to fight Strahd, he politely declines. If the characters tell him about the tarokka reading, Bluesky admits that he acquired the monkey-lizard from a duros oddities dealer named Rakavan.
BEAST (JACK OF DIAMONDS)
A rakghoul holds a secret hatred for your enemy. Use her hatred to your advantage.
This card refers to the rakghoul Zulka Tornyk (see chapter 15, area 27). She will accompany the characters if they promise to avenge her mate, Emil, by killing the leader of her pack, Kir Stoyrak.
A. BROKEN ONE (KING OF DIAMONDS)
Your greatest ally will be a jedi. His mind is broken, but his powers are strong.
This card refers to the Mad Mage of Mount Baratok (see chapter 2, area M).
B. BROKEN ONE (KING OF DIAMONDS)
I see a man of faith whose sanity hangs by a thread. He has lost someone close to him.
This card refers to Dondo Vam, the shaman in the settlement of Barro (see chapter 3, area ES). He will not accompany the characters until his son, Doru, is dead and buried.
DARKLORD (KING OF SPADES)
Ah, the worst of all truths: You must face the evil of this world alone!
There is no NPC who can inspire the characters.
A. PRISON (KING OF CLUBS)
Search for a troubled young man surrounded by wealth and madness. His home is his prison.
This card refers to Victor Valk (see chapter 5, area N3t). Realizing that the characters are the key to his salvation, he enthusiastically leaves home and accompanies them to Castle Ravenia.
8. PRISON (KING OF CLUBS)
Find a girl driven to insanity, locked in the heart of her dead father's house. Curing her madness is key to your success.
This card refers to Stella Wachter (see chapter 5, area N4n). She grants the party no benefit unless her madness is cured. With her wits restored, Stella is happy to join the party and leave her rotten family behind.
SEER (JACK OF CLUBS)
Look for a rattataki living among the Vistan. He has suffered a great loss and is haunted by dark dreams. Help him, and he will help you in return.
This card refers to Kaz Veltrom (see chapter 5, area N9a). The rattataki accompanies the characters to Castle Ravenia only after they lead him to the Sith Temple and help him find the means to resurrect his dead sister, Petra Veltrom.
A. GHOST (KING OF HEARTS)
I see a fallen guardian of a fallen order of knights. He lingers like a ghost in a dead dragon's lair.
This card refers to the Jedi Master Gandry Gwin (see chapter 7, area Q37). Although initially unwilling to accompany the characters, he will do so if the characters convince him that the honor of the Order of the Krayt Dragon can be restored with his help. Doing this requires a successful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check.
8. GHOST (KING OF HEARTS)
Stir the spirit of the clumsy knight whose crypt lies deep within the castle.
This card refers to Padawan Klutz the force ghost (see chapter 4, area K84, crypt 33). If Padawan Klutz is Strahd's enemy, then the force ghost disappears not after seven days, but only after he or Strahd is reduced to 0 hit points.
EXECUTIONER (JACK OF SPADES)
Seek out the brother of the demon's bride. They call him "the lesser," but he has a powerful spirit.
This card refers to Brismar Indiros (see chapter 3, area E2). Brismar won't accompany the characters to Castle Ravenia until he knows that his sister, Reyna Kolyana, is safe.
A. HORSEMAN {JOKER 2)
I see a dead man of noble birth, guarded by his widow. Return life to the dead man's corpse, and he will be your staunch ally.
This card refers to Nikolai Wachter the elder, who is dead (see chapter 5, area N4o). If the characters cast a raise dead spell or a resurrection spell on his preserved corpse, Nikolai (LN male human noble) agrees to help the characters once he feels well enough, despite his wife's protests. Although his family has long supported Strahd, Nikolai came to realize toward the end of his life that Strahd must be destroyed to save Ravenia. If the characters don't have the means to raise Nikolai from the dead, Rakavan (see appendix D) gives them a spell scroll of raise dead if he learns of their need. If they're staying at the Blue Milk Inn, he leaves the scroll in one of their rooms.
8. HORSEMAN {JOKER 2)
A man of death named Arri Galo will forsake his dark lord to serve your cause. Beware! He has a rotten soul.
This card refers to the Vistan assassin Arri Galo (see chapter 5, area N9c). If the characters mention this card reading to him, he accepts his fate and accompanies them. If the characters succeed in defeating Strahd, Galo betrays and attacks them, believing that he is destined to become Ravenia's new lord.
A. INNOCENT (QUEEN OF HEARTS)
I see a young man with a kind heart. A mother's boy! He is strong in body but weak of mind. Seek him out in the settlement of Barro.
This card refers to Parri Wimbles (see chapter 3, area El). Although he's a simpleton, he won't travel to Castle Ravenia without good cause. Characters can manipulate him into going by preying on his good heart. For instance, he might go there to help rescue missing Ravenians, or to save the Life of Reyna Kolyana, who is very beautiful. The characters must somehow deal with Bild'snar, Parri Wimbles employer, who won't let the foolish boy go to the castle for any reason.
8. INNOCENT (QUEEN OF HEARTS)
Evil's bride is the one you seek!
This card refers to Reyna Kolyana (see chapter 3, area E4). Her brother, Brismar, opposes the idea of Reyna's being taken to Castle Ravenia, but she insists on going there once the characters tell her about the card reading. Reyna won't accompany the characters, however, until Kolar Indiros' body is laid to rest in the cemetery.
A. MARIONETTE (JACK OF HEARTS)
What horror is this? I see a man made by a man. Ageless and alone, it haunts the towers of the castle.
This card refers to the P6-WK Mark II (see chapter 4, area K59, as well as appendix D).
B. MARIONETTE (JACK OF HEARTS)
Look for a man of music, a man with four arms. He lives in a place of great hunger and sorrow.
This card refers to Chorvin Bakkoo (see chapter 8, area Sl 7), the four-armed Besalisk. Chorvin serves the Doctor out of fear and a perverse sense of loyalty. His job is to deliver food to the other alienfolk, whom he abhors. If the Doctor still lives, Chorvin doesn't want to earn his boss' ire by attempting to leave, and he refuses to accompany the characters. But if the Doctor dies, Chorvin doesn't have any reason to remain in the medbay, so he's willing to come along if he is bribed with wine. Chorvin provides no benefit to the party without his mandoviol.
MISTS (QUEEN OF SPADES)
A Vistan Witch wanders this land alone, searching for her mentor. She does not stay in one place for long. Seek her out at Sando Marko's medbay, near the mists.
This card refers to Ezmera Davendir (see appendix D). She can be found in the Medbay of Sando Marko (see chapter 8, area S19), as well as several other locations throughout Ravenia II.
RAVEN (QUEEN OF CLUBS)
Find the leader of the mechanical ones who live among the vines. Though old, he has one more fight left in him.
This card refers to Davian Maro (see chapter 12, "Maro's Mechanics"). The old cyborg, realizing that he has a chance to end Strahd's tyranny, leaves his workshop and factory in the capable hands of his sons, A'dian and Elvi. But before he travels to Castle Ravenia to face Strahd, Davian insists on reconciling with his third son, Ulwin Maro (see chapter 5, area N2).
A. TEMPTER (QUEEN OF DIAMONDS)
I see a child—a Vistan. You must hurry, for her fate hangs in the balance. Find her at the lake!
This card refers to Arabel (see chapter 2, area L). She gladly joins the party. But if she returns to her camp (chapter 5, area N9), her father, Luvash, refuses to let her leave.
B. TEMPTER (QUEEN OF DIAMONDS)
I hear a wedding bell, or perhaps a death knell. It calls thee to a mountainside medbay, wherein you will find a woman who is more than the sum of her parts.
This card refers to Vasla the sithspawn cyborg (see chapter 8, area S13).
STRAHD'S LOCATION IN THE CASTLE
Drawn from the high deck, the fifth card in the card reading determines the location of the final showdown with Strahd-the place in Castle Ravenia where the characters are sure to find him. The first time the characters arrive at the foretold location, Strahd is there, provided he hasn't been forced back into his sanctum.
ARTIFACT (JOKER 1)
He lurks in the darkness where the morning light once shone-a sacred place.
Strahd faces the characters in the chapel (area K15).
BEAST (JACK OF DIAMONDS)
The beast sits on his dark throne.
Strahd faces the characters in the audience hall (area K25).
BROKEN ONE (KING OF DIAMONDS)
He haunts the tomb of the man he envied above all.
Strahd faces the characters in Serrin's tomb (area K85).
DARKLORD (KING OF SPADES)
He lurks in the depths of darkness, in the one place to which he always returns.
Strahd faces the characters in his sanctum (area K86).
DONJON (KING OF CLUBS)
He lurks in a hall of bones, in the dark pits of his castle.
Strahd faces the characters in the hall of bones (area K§7).
SEER (JACK OF CLUBS)
He waits for you in a place of wisdom, warmth, and despair. Great secrets are there.
Strahd faces the characters in the study (area K37)
GHOST (KINC OF HEARTS)
Look to the father's tomb.
Strahd faces the characters in the tomb of King Barrit and Queen Ravennia (area K88).
EXECUTIONER (JACK OF SPADES)
I see a dark figure on a balcony, looking down upon this tortured world with a twisted smile.
Strahd faces the characters at the overlook (area K6).
HORSEMAN (JOKER 2)
He lurks in the one place to which he always returns-a place of hate.
Strahd faces the characters in his sanctum (area K86).
INNOCENT (QUEEN OF HEARTS)
He dwells with the one whose blood sealed his doom, a brother of light snuffed out too soon.
Strahd faces the characters in Serrin's tomb (area K85).
MARIONETTE (JACK OF HEARTS)
Look to great heights. Find the beating heart of the castle. He waits nearby.
Strahd faces the characters in the north tower peak (area K60).
MISTS (QUEEN OF SPADES)
The cards can't see where the evil lurks. The mists obscure all!
The card offers no clue about where the final showdown with Strahd will occur. It can happen anywhere you like in Castle Ravenia. Alternatively, Mother Eva tells the characters to return to her after at least three days, and she will consult the cards again for them, but only to discern the location of their enemy
RAVEN (QUEEN OF CLUBS)
Look to the mother's tomb.
TEMPTER (QUEEN OF DIAMONDS)
I see a secret place-a vault of temptation hidden behind a woman of great beauty. The evil waits atop his tower of treasure.
Strahd confronts the characters in the treasury (area K41). "A woman of great beauty" refers to the portrait of Tardana hanging in the castle's study (area K37), which contains a secret door that leads to the treasury.
ADVENTURE HOOKS
In the event that begins the adventure, the fates of Strahd and the adventurers are entwined as the characters are invited or forced into his domain. Different ways to get the adventurers to Ravenia II are described in the sections that follow. Use whichever one you favor.
In "Plea for Help," a colorfully dressed stranger approaches the characters while they are resting at a cantina. The stranger delivers a datapad from his master, inviting them to the settlement of Barro with an urgent request for their assistance. If the characters take the bait, cosmic fog engulfs them as they fly into Strahd's domain.
In "Mysterious Visitors," the characters are asked to scare off a band of rowdy travelers who are camped outside a spaceport town on the Outer Rim world of Formos. The travelers welcome the characters to their camp and invite them to sit by their fire while their elder recounts a tragic tale of a cursed yet noble prince. The characters, lulled into a trance by the fire, awaken to find themselves on a foggy road, delivered to Ravenia II by their Vistan hosts.
In "Fangs in the Mist," the characters are drawn together by a series of savage attacks. The hunt for the creatures responsible leads the characters into a cosmic fog, where they are pulled onto the world of Ravenia II.
In "Cosmic Fog," the characters are traveling through a lonely Outer Rim sector when the cosmic fog engulfs them, drawing them down to the world of Ravenia II.
PLEA FOR HELP
The characters start their adventure in an old cantina, the details of which are for you to decide,
To a party of seasoned adventurers such as yourselves, what you see is but another dull cantina in another dull settlement on some nameless planet. It is but another span of time between the challenges of true adventuring.
Outside the cantina, a fog lies over the settlement this evening. The damp, cobbled pavement glistens as the neon lights of street signs dance across the slick stones. The fog chills the bones and shivers the soul of anyone outside.
Yet inside these cantina walls the food is hearty, and the ale is warm and frothy. The band plays a jaunty song, and the cantina is alive with the tumbling voices of outer rim folk.
Suddenly, the cantina door slides open, and a hush falls over the room. Framed by the lamp-lit fog, a form strides through the hatchway. His heavy, booted footfalls and the jingle of his coins shatter the silence. His brightly colored clothes are draped in loose folds about him, and his hat hangs askew, hiding his eyes in shadows. Without hesitation, he walks up to your table and stands proudly in a wide stance with folded arms.
In an accented voice he says, "I have been sent to you to deliver this message. If you're creatures of honor, you will come to my master's aid at first dawn. It is not advisable to travel the Svalian Way at night!" He pulls from his vest a sealed writ, addressed to all of you in beautiful flowing script. He drops the writ on the table. "Take the Westroda Route hyperlane from here some five hours flight down through the Svalian Way. There you will find my master in Barridia."
Amid the silent stares of the patronage, the stranger strides to the bar and says to the wary bartender, "Fill the glasses, one and all. Their throats are obviously parched." He drops a purse heavy with credits on the bar. With that, he leaves.
The babble of cantina voices resumes, although somewhat subdued. The writ is lying before you. The seal is in the shape of a crest you don't recognize.
The characters can interrupt the messenger at any time. His name is Arri Galo (ND male human assassin), and he is a Vistan. The other cantina patrons regard his people as friendly folk who travel about in colorful starships and usually keep to themselves.
Arri Galo describes Barridia as a system of great beauty and his master as a remarkable man. If the characters question Arri Galo about the identity of his master, he claims to serve Mayor Kolar Indiros, but in truth he serves Strahd. After delivering the writ, Arri Galo boards his ship and flies off. He doesn't wait for the characters to follow him.
The crest depicted on the writ's seal belongs to Strahd, though the characters have never seen it before. Show the players Strahd's crest on page 239.
The writ, which seems to have been written by the mayor, was actually penned by Strahd. If the characters read the message, show the players "Kolar Indiros' Writ (Version 1)" in appendix F. The writ is bait to lure the adventurers to Ravenia II. If the characters take the bait, they arrive at area A (see chapter 2, "The World of Ravenia").
MYSTERIOUS VISITORS
The details of this adventure hook assume that your SW5e campaign is based in or near Formos, a planet in the Kessel Sector in the Outer Rim Territories, but you can change the location to suit your campaign.
Governor Morwen of Formos is having guests for dinner and you are invited. No strangers to Formos, you have come to the settlement's defense on more than one occasion, and you count Lady Morwen as a friend and a benefactor.
A cool breeze blows through the streets as you make your way to the Governor's Hall. As you dine on hot, spicy tenderly cooked golden pheasant, you can tell that the governor seems more out of sorts than usual. Then a pall comes over the occasion as she voices her concern about a band of wayward travelers camped outside the town's walls. They seemed harmless at first, but Morwen has received reports that they have begun harassing locals and other visitors as they come and go, demanding credits and wine, and threatening to put hexes on anyone who doesn't pay up.
Yesterday, the governor ordered several guards to scare away the mysterious visitors, but they couldn't get the job done. When the guards returned, they spoke sympathetically about the visitors. It seemed as if the guards had been mind tricked.
Morwen doesn't want an armed conflict, but she aims to send a stern message to the visitors and asks you to deliver it on her behalf. "If they don't leave before dawn," she says, "I'll burn their ships to the ground."
The characters are asked to deliver Governor Morwen's message immediately after dinner.
The travelers are camped on the hill outside the gates of Formos, near the road. Guards atop their towers watch the camp closely at all hours.
When the characters approach the camp, read:
As the evening grows dark, you see a dozen men and women gathered around a crackling bonfire. The folk are in good spirits. A few of them sing and dance around the fire while others find happiness in their flasks and bottles. Three barrel-topped ships are parked at odd angles nearby. Tied to a nearby tree, grazing, are half a dozen eopie wearing bright coats with bangles and tassels.
The men and women are Vistan. They have no interest in Formos. Their orders are to deiiver the characters safely to Ravenia II.
The leader of this group is Stanimir (CD male human), an old man with the statistics of a sorcerer (appendix D) who has the following force powers known:
Cantrips (at will): affect mind, force push/pull, mind trick
1st level (4 slots): battle precognition, cloud mind, sense force
2nd level (3 slots): coerce mind, phasewalk
3rd level (3 slots): bestow curse, plant surge, remove curse
4th level (3 slots): drain life, improved force camouflage
5th level (1 slot): dominate mind
Stanimir is joined by his daughter, Damia (CB female human spy), and his son, Ratka (CB male human bandit captain). Nine other Vistan (CB male and female ruffians) heed Ratka's commands. The six eopies are used to carry their belongings, but they have nothing of value.
THE DANCING FIRE
Stanimir introduces himself and welcomes the characters to his camp. If they deliver Governor Morwen's warning, read:
Stanimir laughs. "Don't worry. We have no wish to make enemies of Lady Morwen. I have a story to tell all of you. First you listen, then we go."
If the characters agree to hear Stanimir's story, he invites them to gather around the fire and hear his tale:
Stanimir fills his mouth with wine, then spits into the fire. The flames turn from orange to green. As they dance and sway, a dark shape appears in the bonfire's core.
"We come from an ancient world whose name is long forgotten-a world of kings. Our enemies forced us from our homes, and now we wander the galaxy."
The dark shape in the fire takes the form of a man being knocked from his steed, a spear piercing his side.
Stanimir continues. "One night, a wounded soldier staggered into our camp and collapsed. We nursed his terrible injury and quenched his thirst with wine. He survived. When we asked him who he was, he wouldn't say. All he wanted was to return home, but we were deep in the land of his enemies. We took him as one of our own and followed him back toward his home world. His enemies hunted him. They said he was a prince, yet we didn't give him up, even when their assassins fell upon us like clamberwolves."
Deep in the bonfire, you see the dark figure standing with saber drawn, fighting off a host of shadowy shapes.
"This man of royal blood fought to protect us, as we protected him. We bore him safely to his home, and he thanked us. He said, 'I owe you my life. Stay as long as you wish, leave when you choose, and know that you will always be safe here."'
The figure in the dancing fire vanquishes its final foe, then disperses in a cloud of smoke and embers.
Stanimir's face becomes a somber mask. "A curse has befallen our noble prince, turning him into a tyrant. We alone have the power to leave his domain. We've traveled far and wide to find heroes such as yourselves to end our dread lord's curse and put his troubled soul to rest. Our leader, Mother Eva, knows all. Will you return to Ravenia with us and speak with her?"
These Vistan refuse to speak the name of their "dread lord" and provide no additional information. If the characters press them for details, the Vistan reply, "Mother Eva has the answers you seek."
If the characters agree to accompany the Vistan, the Vistan lead them through the Trade Way hyperlane. After several days of uneventful travel, the cosmic fog of Barridia engulf the ship, transporting the characters and the Vistan to Ravenia II. The Vistan then lead the party safely to their leader, Mother Eva, at area G (see chapter 2). The characters arrive at area A and are taken through areas B, E, and F on the way to Mother Eva's camp. If the characters rid themselves of their Vistan hosts before reaching Mother Eva's camp, they're on the own.
If the characters decline Stanimir's invitation, the Vistan are disappointed but leave as promised. A day or two later, use the "Cosmic Fog" adventure hook or some variation of it to draw the characters into Ravenia.
RAKGHOULS IN THE MIST
This adventure hook assumes you're running a campaign in or near the Outer Rim Territories, but you can change the location to suit your campaign.
"Rakghouls in the mist!" You've heard these dreaded words spoken again and again by farmers, merchants, and adventurers alike. The sectors in the outer rim have fallen prey to a pack of rakghouls that spills out of mysterious fog on nights of the full moon, cloaked in crawling mist that seems to follow them wherever they go. The monsters spread death and mayhem, slaughtering adults and surprisingly, stealing children before retreating back into the fog. Others have tried to combat the rakghoul menace, with little success.
The planets of the outer rim have been terrorized of late by mysterious rakghouls that appear and disappear in fog. The trail leads towards a little-known sector close to Dark Space called the Barridia System. The party has come together to avenge those killed by the foul creatures and rescue the missing children if possible. At first chance, they set off to the Barridia System, arriving just above the planet Ravenia II after a few days of uneventful travel.
COSMIC FOG
This scenario assumes that the characters are traveling through realspace when the fog engulfs them. They are quietly borne to the edge of the Barridia System.
Drifting through an empty stretch of space, the ship is quiet this night, and the air grows chill. Your lights sputter as a low mist gathers around the edges of your ships sensors, growing closer as the night wears on. As the hours roll on, the fog hangs thick in the air, turning the stars around you into gray ghosts. Then you notice these aren't the same stars that surrounded you just hours before.
No matter which direction they go, the characters come to a lonely planet in a vast system, right on the edge of the atmosphere near a floating derelict ship (see appendix B). As an alternative, you can have them awaken on a dusty dirt road near the settlement of Barro (area A, chapter 2) or near Outpost Cresh (see chapter 8).
CHAPTER 2: THE LANDS OF BAROVIA
THE IDYLLIC VALLEY NESTLED IN THE Balinok Mountains was a slice of heaven to those who knew of its existence before Strahd's arrival. The serenity of the place was forever shattered when Strahd led a bloody crusade against the enemies of bis family that ended here with the slaughter of hundreds. Struck by the scenic beauty of his most recent conquest and eager to escape the shadow of his father's legacy, Strahd made the valley his home and named it Barovia after the late King Barov, his father.
The land now called Barovia is no longer part of the world that Strahd once tried to conquer. It now exists within a demiplane formed by Strahd's consciousness and surrounded by a deadly fog. No creature can leave without Strahd's permission, and those that try become lost in the mist.
Strahd allows the Vistani to come and go as they please because he admires their lust for life and their willingness to serve him when he needs them. He also owes an ancient debt to the Vistani people. As a soldier centuries ago, he suffered a grievous injury in battle, and the Vistani tended his wounds and returned him safely to his family without making any demand for payment. The Vistani claim to possess potions that allow them to leave Strahd's domain, but the potions are false concoctions with no magical power. Nevertheless, the Vistani are willing to sell them for a hefty price.
Native Barovians have been terrorized for centuries by the one they call "the devil Strahd." Only a handful of them have the will to oppose him. Barovians congregate in the valley's three main settlements-the villages of Barovia and Krezk and the town of Vallaki-for fear of falling prey to wolves and other beasts that prowl the woods. Among these people are the Keepers of the Feather, a secret society of wereravens. Not powerful enough to defeat Strahd on their own, the Keepers readily assist adventurers who find themselves drawn into Strahd's domain.
MY ARMY SETTLED IN THE SYSTEM
of Barridia and took power over the people in the name of a just god, but with none of a god's grace or justice.-Strahd's Holocron
LAY OF THE LAND
Rolling thunderclouds cast a gray pall over the world of Ravenia II. A deathly stillness hangs over the dark woods, which are patrolled constantly by Strahd's dark wolves and other servitors.
The evergreen trees of the Svalian Woods climb the sides of the mountains that enclose the valley. The largest of these peaks is Mount Baratok, with its snow-covered cap and rugged slopes. Baratok's slightly smaller twin, Mount Ghakis, is mostly bald with tufts of trees here and there.
Between these two mountains stands Lake Zarrow, which is fed by streams of ice-cold water pouring down the face of Mount Baratok. On the south side of the lake rests the city of Vallak, enclosed by a metal palisade. West of the two mountains, atop a hill, stands the Sando Markovo Medbay, around which the Ravenians built a walled outpost named Cresh. Between Vallak and Cresh lie the ruins of Argyn Vos, the fallen bastion of a remote jedi order called the Order of the Krayt Dragon, wiped out by Strahd and his army. East of the mountains lies the settlement of Barro, shrouded in mist and bereft of walls and defenses. The dark silhouette of Castle Ravenia looks down on this settlement from its perch atop a 1,000-foot-high column of rock known as the Pillarstone of Ravenia.
MISTS OF RAVENIA
A deadly fog surrounds the world of Ravenia II and engulfs any creature that tries to leave. Even flying creatures are subject to the fog's effects, which are as follows:
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A creature that starts its turn in the fog must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw or gain one level of exhaustion (see appendix A in the Player's Handbook). This exhaustion can't be removed while the creature is in the fog.
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No matter how far a creature travels in the fog, or in which direction it goes, it gets turned around so that it eventually finds itself back in Ravenia.
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The area within the fog is heavily obscured (see "Vision and Light" in chapter 8 of the Player's Handbook).
SUNLIGHT IN RAVENIA
By the will of the Dark Entities, the sun never fully shines on the world of Ravenia II. Even during the day, the sky is dimmed by fog or storm clouds, or the light is strangely muted. Ravenian daylight is bright light, yet it isn't considered sunlight for the purpose of effects and vulnerabilities, such as an energy spider's, tied to sunlight.
Nevertheless, Strahd and his sithspawn tend to stay indoors most of the day and venture out at night, and they are subject to sunlight created by enhanced means.
RAVENIANS
After his armies occupied the planet and slew its inhabitants, Strahd repopulated the area with human subjects drawn from his other conquered worlds. As a result, Ravenians have a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds.
Ravenians are deeply invested in their homes and their traditions. They are wary of strange species and customs. The way Ravenians deal with strangers can be unsettling to those newcomers. Ravenians have a tendency to stare openly, in silence, thereby expressing their disapproval of anything that isn't familiar to them. Ravenians aren't talkative with strangers, to the extent of being pointedly rude,
Most Ravenians have violent tempers that boil up through their customary silence when they are provoked. They also have a social cohesiveness (thrust upon them by their weird circumstances) that can make them act together against outsiders if a Ravenian is mistreated.
Ravenians were a happy people once, but their history and current conditions aren't pleasant. If one manages to win the trust of a Ravenian, one has a friend for life and a stalwart ally.
Ravenian children aren't happy children. They are raised in a culture of fear and told time and again not to wander too far from their homes or enter the woods. They experience little hope or joy, and they are taught to fear the demon Strahd above all.
Ravenian adults eke out modest livings. With no new wealth pouring into the world, they trade in old credits that bear the profile of their dark lord, Strahd, as he looked when he was alive. They hide their precious baubles in their houses and dress plainly outdoors, so as not to attract the attention of Strahd or his spies.
Ravenians live within a closed ecosystem. Every Ravenian adult is expected to learn a trade or serve a function. Ravenians stitch their own clothing, craft their own furniture, grow their own food, and make their own wine. With fewer than thirty thousand people living on the entire planet, finding the perfect mate isn't easy, so Ravenians have learned to settle for what they can get.
SOULS AND SHELLS
Ravenians are made of flesh and blood. They are born, they live, they age, and they die. But not all of them-only about one in every ten-have souls.
When a being with a soul dies in Ravenia, that soul remains trapped in Strahd's domain until it is reincarnated in a newborn. It can take decades for a bodiless soul to find a host, and Ravenians who share the same soul over generations tend to look alike. That is why Reyna Kolyana looks exactly like Strahd's beloved Tardana-both women were born with the same soul.
Strahd needs loyal subjects to feed his ego. Ravenians without souls are empty shells created by his conscious control of the living force to fill out the local population. Although they are physically indistinguishable from Ravenians with souls, they tend to be bereft of charm and imagination and to be more compliant and depressed than the others. They dress in drab clothing, whereas Ravenians who have souls wear clothes with a splash of color or individuality.
A Ravenian woman, soulless or not, can give birth. A child born on Ravenia II might have a soul even if one or both parents do not. Conversely, the child of two parents with souls isn't certain to have a soul of its own. Ravenians without souls are maudlin folk who experience fear but neither laugh nor cry.
Reyna Kolyana and her brother Brismar both have souls, as do all Vistan. Which Ravenians have souls and which don't is left up to you.
Strahd periodically feeds on the force of Ravenians who have souls, but he can't draw nourishment from the force of the soulless. He can tell at a glance whether a Ravenian has a soul or is merely a shell.
RAVENIAN NAMES
You can use the following lists to create Ravenian NPC names on the fly.
Male Names: Alek, Ando, Ango, Baltaza, Bogan, Borri, Dargos, Darzin, Drack, Embo, Falkon, Ferrian, Franoz, Garg'oz, Gor, Gryllo, Han, Harkos, Ivar, Jiro, Karga, Kobal, Krysio, Lazio, Livius, Marek, Miros, Niko, Nimir, Oteg, Radovan, Radu, Seraz, Serrin, Syl, Tural, Valon, Vasyor, Voit, Waldar, Yesper, Zolt
Female Names: Alana, Claadia, Danya, Dasha, Dezelle, Dorna, Dreela, Dynae, Elizia, Fia, Gryla, Isa, Iwopa, Jarzina, Kala, Kataenne, Kereza, Korina, Lyla, Magwa, Mara, Mavie, Mindo'nora, Mira, Mirune, Nim, Nyanda, Olive, Ruxa, Serina, Teruyo, Valencia, Vasha, Vyna, Wennryia, Zyrie
Family Names: Alastar, Andor, Bardos, Beren, Candemi, Daragon, Desyk, Dim, Djinn, Dueles, Garpo, Gessar, Graf, Groza, Intan, Janek, Kardu, Keyis, Kresh, Kryk, Lanston, Lazaress, Lut'ala, Limpan, Markovo, Mirono, Mors, Neetu, Nothel, Ordo, Pellaeon, Pol, Randa, Rils, Shulo, Sobaaks, Swaldum, Taltos, Targo, Thressin, Ulgo, Urndar, Vadu, Valeur
If Strahd is defeated, the fog that surrounds Ravenia II fades away, allowing the inhabitants of the world to leave if they wish. Only those who have souls, however, can truly leave this place. Soulless Ravenians cease to exist as soon as they depart the planet.
RAVENIANS AND NONHUMANS
Ravenians are human. Although they know that duros, rodians, twi'lek and other civilized species exist, few living Ravenians have seen such "creatures," let alone interacted with them.
Aside from the secretive rattataki of Vallak (see chapter 5), the only nonhumans most Barovians are familiar with are the adventurers that Strahd has lured to his dark realm. Ravenians thus react to nonhuman characters the same way most humans in the real world would react to jawa, duros, or wookie adventurers suddenly walking the streets. Most such outsiders are scorned, feared, or shunned.
RAVENIAN LORE
Typical Ravenians know certain facts, or have certain beliefs, about their existence and their surroundings. This common lore is summarized here. Characters can learn this information after earning a Ravenian's trust.
THE DEMON STRAHD
About Strahd and sithspawn, the Ravenians believe the following:
- Strahd van Zarrow is a sithspawn, and he dwells in Castle Ravenia. No one is welcome at the castle.
- The demon Strahd is a curse placed on the world because of a forgotten sin of the Ravenian's ancestors. (This is untrue, but Ravenians believe it nonetheless.)
- A sithspawn must rest in its sanctum during the day. At night, it can summon dark wolves and vermin to do its bidding. A sith can transform into a bat, a wolf, or a cloud of mist. In its humanoid form, it can dominate you with its powerful force abilities.
- A sithspawn can't enter a residence without an invitation from one of the occupants (untrue but Ravenians believe it anyway).
- Running water burns a sithspawn like acid, and sunlight causes a sithspawn to burst into flame (again, untrue but nonetheless widely believed).
THE WORLD OF RAVENIA
Ravenians know the following facts about their home world:
- Anyone who attempts to leave the world of Ravenia II begins to choke on the fog. Those who don't turn back perish.
- Many strangers have been drawn to Ravenia over the years, but they all die or disappear before long.
- Wolves, dark wolves, and rakghouls prowl the Svalian Woods, and hungry hawkbats fill the skies at night.
- The settlement of Barro sits at the east end of the valley. Its mayor is named Kolar Indiros.
- Vallak City lies in the heart of the valley. Its governor is Duke Varan Valak.
- The fortified Outpost Cresh lies at the west end of the valley and is built around an old medbay. The outpost's overseer is named Demrin Kresh.
- Wine is the lifeblood of Ravenia-for some, it is the only reason to keep living. Ravenian cantinas get their wine from the Maro's Mechanics droid factory and winery near Cresh.
- A mad jedi of great power haunts the foothills of Mount Baratok. He is an outsider and no friend of the sith's.
BELIEFS AND SUPERSTITIONS
Ravenians have deep-rooted religious beliefs and superstitions that they pass down from one generation to the next:
- Two divine forces watch over the Ravenian people: the Star Mother and Dusklord.
- Before the curse of Strahd befell the world, the Star Mother watched over the Ravenian people from sunrise until sundown. Now, the sun has not shone unobscured for centuries, and the Star Mother no longer answers their prayers.
- The presence of the Dusklord is felt most strongly between dusk and dawn, although nighttime prayers to him go unanswered. It is widely believed that he has forsaken the Ravenian people and sent the demon Strahd to punish them for their ancestors' offenses.
- Spirits drift along the Old Svalian Road toward Castle Ravenia in the dead of night. These phantoms are all that remain of Strahd's enemies, and this damnable fate awaits anyone who opposes him.
- The Vistan serve the demon Strahd. They alone are allowed to leave Ravenia.
- Never harm a condor, lest ill fortune befall you!