The Dark Powers

Before we begin with the first chapter, I'd like to stop for a moment and address perhaps one of the most important aspects of the Ravenloft setting, and the subject of one of WotC's most baffling decisions — the Dark Powers.

In Van Richten's Guide, the Dark Powers received a major face lift; specifically, they were given a face. Previously only portrayed as a mysterious unknown entity (or perhaps multiple entities) responsible for the existence of and events within the Demiplane of Dread, Fifth Edition does the unthinkable: it not only gives identities to the Dark Powers, but provides us with concrete facts pertaining to some of them. This is a very, very difficult thing to reconcile. But that won't stop me from trying.

Document Structure

Each chapter of Unparalleled Darkness will be split into a number of sections, each one devoted to detailing each featured domain for that installment.

These domain profiles serve two purposes: to reconcile the specific, glaring contradictions between both canons, and to detail the recent history of the domain from 758 BC onwards to the current year of 780. As such, each domain profile will feature the following sections.

The Triangle of Hate

The Core can be divided into many regions. Most notable of these divisions is north and south. The Shadow Rift acts as a divider between the northern lands of Darkon and the southern realms of Barovia, Borca, and other neighboring domains.

The south is a collection of many domains, and today we will focus on three of them: Barovia, Borca and Invidia. These three lands form a triangle of strife and rivalry. Malocchio of Invidia despises the Vistani that Strahd protects, Strahd despises the Dilisnyas that rule Borca, and Ivan and Ivana despise the Invidian warlord that threatens their borders. This rivalry, paired with adjacent conflicts such as the Gundarakite situation, leave the region naturally predisposed towards conflict.

Domain Profile: Barovia

Barovia, as it has always been, is a contradiction. It is a land of stagnation, where society seems frozen in time, and yet over the past four decades has undergone massive, sweeping changes. Most of these changes have done little to affect the daily lives of the Barovian people. However, the changes that followed the Darkness Ascendant are quite different, and the lives of Barovians will never be the same.

Reconciled History

Barovia has a long and complex history, one of the longest in the Core. With the many changes brought in 5e's take on canon, there are as a result many discrepancies.

Strahd would prove to be a prodigy in matters of combat, and equally skilled in history and the arts. As was Barovian tradition, he, the firstborn son, was trained for the military. His first brother Sturm would be groomed for administration. And his youngest brother, Sergei, would be sent off to study the faith.

In 320 BC, at the age of 21, Strahd attained the rank of general in the Barovian military. It would be just in time, as Barovia was soon swept up in an invasion by a foreign force known as the Tergs. They drove the Von Zaroviches out, and Strahd would be the one to lead the brutal and bloody reconquest of his family's homeland.

Strahd's war would last for twenty-seven years as his armies swept across the valley. In the end, he brought down the Terg warlord Dorian the Unstoppable in 347 BC, capturing his fortress with plans to reconstruct it as his castle. But the war changed Strahd, leaving him weary and cynical as an aged man.

The day of the wedding soon drew near, and Strahd acted quickly. He confronted Sergei alone and betrayed his innocent brother, slaying him with an infamous assassin's dagger. Quickly, he ran to Tatyana, proclaiming that Sergei was gone and they could finally be together, that he would protect her. But she was not so easily deceived, and his declaration of love was interrupted by grim news.

In his moment of distraction, Strahd was attacked by betrayers of the Dilisnya clan. Leo Dilisnya, in a bid for power, had assassinated the Count and many others in the castle. As they fled, and as Strahd bled out, mists poured over the castle walls. But Strahd did not die. Nor did he live. He rose again, undead, forever.

Strahd made short work of the Dilisnya guards, though Leo would escape. It would take another 47 years for Strahd to find him and exact revenge, slaying and sealing him away.

But when he finally turned back to Tatyana, it was too late. She hurled herself from the Pillarstone of Ravenloft, vanishing into the Mists. And in that moment, Barovia was doomed, consumed by the Mists and dragged away.

Visitors from Beyond the Fog

In the next two centuries, Barovia would play host to a number of visiting outlanders. All of them would leave their mark on the domain.

The first of these was Jander Sunstar of Toril. The elven vampire would live with Strahd for two decades, as they learned from each other. Eventually, Jander learned that his unrequited love, Anna, had met a grim fate as a result of Strahd's past actions. He turned on the darklord, but failed to kill him as Strahd fled the Castle. In shame, he tried to burn himself in the sun, but he was whisked away far from Barovia.

Later came Azalin of Oerth. He quickly established a base of operations on the banks of Lake Baratok, and after meeting Strahd, reluctantly began to work with the vampire. After a failed escape attempt, they parted ways, and Azalin left into the Mists, discovering Darkon.

Curse of Strahd's Many Side Plots

There are many different ways that Curse of Strahd can end based simply on who you draw during the Tarokka reading. Since Van Richten's Guide doesn't move the timeline forward from 735 BC, none of these side stories have a canon ending.
I've decided to take the Elder Scrolls approach to this: all of the side plots were resolved, whether the outlander adventurers were involved or not. For a detailed explanation, see the end of this chapter.

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Dread Alternative: Barovia Usurped

In the Unparalleled Darkness continuity, Strahd returns to rule Barovia after a period of several months, as described in the epilogue of Curse of Strahd. This is necessary to maintain continuity with events that happen after 735 BC in Core canon, and because he's simply too iconic to kill.

However, at your table, you have a lot more freedom to play with these aspects of the setting. A popular alternative ending to Curse of Strahd is for a new darklord to arise in Castle Ravenloft. This has precedence in the lore of other domains like Borca, which begs the question: what would happen if Strahd didn't return? Below are a few examples to consider.

Patrina Velikovna. This one's an obvious option — in fact, the book outright states that this is her goal if she survives until the end of the adventure. In Strahd's absence, she plunders the libraries of Castle Ravenloft and the Amber Temple, uncovering many of the dark, arcane secrets that Strahd did in his life. Her thirst for power carry her down the same dark path, and may be enough to catch the Dark Powers' attention.

Rahadin. In my interpretation of things, Rahadin is left alive when the outlanders are done with him and Strahd. He's left the sole figure of authority, attempting to piece together the broken shards of Strahd's rule after the outlanders depart. Already far gone down the path of corruption, his anguish at failing to protect his master would only further his descent. In the absence of another candidate, the land may latch on to him, marking him as a new lord.

A Fallen Outlander. Perhaps the most popular interpretation is for one of the player characters of Curse of Strahd to take the mantle themselves. I can't give any specific suggestions here, as such a curse is tailored to its bearer. Players that have taken Dark Gifts are prime candidates for this.

Recent History

From 735 to 758 BC, things proceed exactly as they did in Core canon, and thus, won't be addressed in this document. The following section covers events that happened after 758 BC.

Madame Eva and the Zarovan

Beguiled by the Caller in 775 BC, Madame Eva has vanished in the wake of the Darkness Ascendant. Not a single clue exists to her whereabouts, and for a year, the Zarovan found themselves without a leader. After a year of awaiting her return, they resolved to select a new raunie that would take her place as the leader of the tribe, as they had done before.

Madame Arabelle was that successor. Born to the encampment outside Vallaki, Arabelle is a descendant of Eva herself, and was similarly gifted with the Sight from a young age. She took charge of the Zarovan tribe in her ancestor's absence, and has since become an influential figure among the Vistani in Barovia.

Despite the lack of explanation for her absence, the Zarovan insist that Madame Eva is still alive, and is still out there somewhere in the world. Perhaps she, ashamed at her failure to see the Caller's tricks, took it upon herself to enter a self-imposed exile. Or perhaps instead, she has disappeared into the Mists to follow the path that fate has shown her. That path may very well have taken her far away, even into the past, as, being a Vistana of the Manusa tasque, she may traverse time as easily as she does the land beneath her feet.

The Lycan Feud

Following the tumultuous events in 735 BC, the tyrant werewolf Kiril Stoyanovich fled from the mountains north of Krezk, away from the clan he usurped. With his departure, Emil Toranescu quickly took control and severed the clan's relationship with Strahd.

But that was not the last they would see of Stoyanovich. He retreated into the shadows alongside those most loyal to him, believing himself betrayed by Strahd after he was bested in combat by Emil and his outlander allies, with no assistance from the darklord he had sworn his service to. Kiril was furious, and he swore to exact revenge on those who had wronged him.

For decades, he rebuilt his strength. From the secluded caves of the Balinoks, his agents traveled out into the wilderness and brought back victims to be transformed and forcibly added to his pact. It began in the late 750s. Across the southern valleys and fields of Barovia, livestock began to go missing at an alarming rate, with only claw marks and bloodstains left behind.

Then, children began vanishing, just as they did around Krezk in the 730s. There were rumors, tales of wolves the size of bears that hunt in packs and ambush their prey. But these tales were shrugged off by most as superstition.

But north of Krezk, deep in the mountains, Emil Toranescu knew what this was. He watched it happen 30 years ago, and now he was watching it happen again. Kiril's pack had grown, and now, they were back to their old tricks, growing their numbers in preparation for conflict. For war.

Midway through the 760s, it broke out. Across Barovia, tales were spun — howls in the night, packs of hideous beasts struggling in the moonlight, blood, fur and bone left scattered upon the fields. Kiril struck fast and struck hard, and Emil matched his strength as best as he could. Neither would let the other triumph so long as they still drew breath.

But the war couldn't rage forever. Numbers on both sides dwindled, and both Kiril and Emil had grown tired with age, their old bones unfit for the stress of conflict. In time, the conflict would cool down, transforming from a raging war to a silent, simmering feud, one that still continues to this day.

The former alphas are long past their prime, and in their place, the packs are led by their respective children. Emil has been succeeded by his and Zuleika's son, Mihail, who does not share his father's level-headed demeanor. Kiril's pack is now led by the old wolf's daughter, Raina Kirilovna, who inherited her mother's snow-white pelt and her father's ruthless nature. The two successors to their parents' legacies are staunch rivals, and have kept the feud between their packs alive. Even now, almost 20 years after the war's start and 50 years since their families first came to blows, that feud shows no sign of ending.

Mihail's pack maintains their position north of Krezk. After Kiril's first defeat, Emil insisted on a policy of isolation and secrecy, and since the 730s, few travelers have ever found their den and survived. They have long avoided agitating the humans in Krezk, knowing well that it may bring unwanted consequences, though Mihail has grown to resent the Krezkites, wishing his clan could live and hunt without hiding. Raina's pack, meanwhile, has based itself deep in the mountains just north of Tsolenka Pass, finding easy prey in the trading caravans that travel to and from Gundarak.

The Lord of Ravenloft

In comparison to many darklords, Strahd has been somewhat idle over the past several decades. 45 years ago, Tara Kolyana escaped his domain, and continues to live. So long as she lives, Tatyana will not be born again, and thus he is left with nothing to do but watch her grow old beyond his reach. Leaving matters of governance in the hands of Rahadin and his many subordinates, Strahd whiles away his time scrying on what he sees as the unattainable prize he lost, pulling himself away only when a matter of great importance presents itself, as he did during the Grand Conjunction.

As usual, this was nothing new to the people of Barovia. Strahd was already a recluse, and it was often impossible to tell if the lord of Ravenloft was even still alive. His appearances in public were sporadic and brief, and Rahadin often acted in his stead, who assured the Barovian people that their lord was very much alive and well.

Strahd pulled himself out of his daydreaming and depression in 775, when war sparked west of Barovia. With Malocchio unbound from Invidia, he presented a very real threat to Barovia, and in particular to his pact of protection with the Vistani. With few other options to keep the Dukkar out, Barovia's misty border rose for the first time in 40 years.

The Mists would eventually rise, after the war came to a close. As evil as he is, Strahd still recognized the importance of trade, and Malocchio's occupation with the Gundarakite population left him as less of a threat than he might be otherwise. But even so, Barovian soldiers still vigilantly watch the southern borders, ready at Strahd's command to defend the domain from the threat of the Dukkar.

Current Sketch

Barovia finds itself in a time of conflict and chaos. It balances upon several tipping points simultaneously, and were any of them to be upset, it could change the state of the domain and the lives of its inhabitants irrevocably, forever.

A Land Devoid of Light

The people of Barovia are at their most hopeless. The sun was once their shield from the terrors of the night, but now the day has forsaken them, leaving them vulnerable and afraid. Many cower in fear of their fates. Others have given up, so accepting of their fate that even fear has lost meaning. Others still cling to their faith, hoping for any sign that the Morninglord or his faithful will save them.

This is where a party of adventurers might step onto the stage. Arriving in Barovia, they see a land stranded in a sea of perpetual torment, and they make it their mission to alleviate it. Hunting monsters, opposing Strahd, seeking out the darkness that plagues the people, or even taking on whatever force blackens the sky, they act as a living beacon of hope in a land that has forgotten how to feel it. Over the course of a campaign, they might transform Barovia from a desolate, sorrowful land, to its former self. They might restore the Barovia that once was, before any semblance of hope it had was ripped from their arms.

Of course, this plan would not be without opposition. The monsters have grown to like this new status quo. The people, fearful and lacking their boldness, make easier prey. And of course, the vampires do appreciate the freedom to feed whenever they please. Any manner of Barovian creature may find itself opposed to a party of lightbringers, making the salvation of Barovia a tough goal to pursue. Such a quest might even bring the party in conflict with Strahd himself, who would rather not see his greatest weakness return.

Being such a fundamentally difficult and world-changing quest, this could be the subject of an entire campaign, focusing the party's entire efforts on saving the Barovian people.

The Gundarakite Plight

The battle for freedom in Gundarak rages on. Though old faces of the movement like Ardonk Szerieza have grown old, their successors continue fighting the good fight to break free from Strahd's control.

In Gundarak, a party of adventurers will likely find themselves embroiled in the ongoing rebellion. The average party of heroes will likely fight for the right of the region's people, working to undermine the grip that Strahd's forces have on the region. The rarer party of evil adventurers might instead support Strahd's regime. Either way, in no time at all they could end up on the battleground that is Zeidenburg's back alleys.

There are a great many ways such a campaign could progress. They might support riots or attacks in the streets of Zeidenburg, clashing against guards. They might act covertly, finding dirt on the boyars of the region and blackmailing them to get what they want. They might steal resources for the rebellion, leading heists for money, weapons and food. Or they may even find themselves perpetrating an assassination against the figureheads of Barovian control. The possibilities are endless.

In the Darklord's Sights

Strahd himself is, of course, still the centerpiece of Barovian adventure. Moreso than ever in the midst of his depression, he watches those that come to Barovia, looking for interesting toys to play with and, eventually, break.

Strahd is, as always, looking for ways to escape his accursed existence, and still mistakenly believes that, if one were to take his place, he would be allowed to walk free. Adventurers make prime candidates — unlike the average, fearful, complacent Barovian, adventurers are bold and curious, often too much for their own good. He sees a reflection of his younger self in many of them, and sees them as prime candidates to test his theory.

Of course, he never gets that far. Eventually, he always comes to the conclusion that they are insufficient, unworthy to rule Barovia in his stead. And when he concludes that, well, he has no more use for them.

This is the traditional, basic Barovian adventure. Though it isn't exactly treading new ground, it's reliable, and still works well even in this period of history.

Domain Profile: Borca

The domain of Borca is one of lies, trickery and betrayal. For decades, its noble families have been at each others' throats, embroiled in a web of inter-familial intrigue that dates back to the early 4th century. Lying, cheating, and backstabbing is second nature to the Borcan nobility. Now, in the wake of the Four Towers' War, which left the Borcan people in dire straights, the conflict between the twelve families burns brighter than ever, as feelings of suspicion, envy and loathing bubble to the surface.

Reconciled History

In comparison to some other domains, Borca is relatively young, having existed for just under a century. Its history is similarly short; before 351 BC its supposed history was identical to neighboring Barovia, and the 333 years before its formation are more or less entirely uneventful.

Acts of Simultaneous Evil

Twenty years after their respective births, the Dark Twins once again found themselves bound by fate. On a stormy night in 709 BC, both committed cold-blooded betrayals, and both found themselves the object of the Dark Powers' interests.

On one end of Borca, Ivana was furious. Camille, jealous of her daughter's ability to find the love she herself was denied, disguised herself and seduced Ivana's suitor, Pieter. She hoped to teach Ivana the lesson she had learned, that romance was not worth pursuing. However, it backfired, and Ivana instead realized how corrupt her family was. She concocted a series of powerful toxins, and ended the lives of her mother and her brothers, making her the sole heir of the Boritsi line — and Borca's new darklord.

Elsewhere, Ivan too felt betrayed by his family. His sister Kristina, the only person to whom he felt close, was to be sent away to be educated. Of all his relatives, Ivan valued only her, taking for granted the sheltered life that his parents had engineered for him. That night, his tantrum turned to murderous rampage, and Ivan found himself the sole heir of the Dilisnya line. He fled Borca, and the Mists parted to reveal his new domain — Dorvinia.

On that night, two darklords were born. Both would bear the brunt of horrible new curses. Ivana is forced into society by her role as ruler, while Ivan knows only solitude. Ivana is eternally condescended upon for her youth, while Ivan is imprisoned in a decaying, elderly form, forevermore.

Malocchio's Ultimatum

Her suspicions would turn out to be right. Within a month of the Jongleur's departure, the world would be thrown into turmoil. The Darkness Ascendant, felt all across the demiplane, marked the beginning of a dark new age, and the Borcans were the first to feel it.

Malocchio Aderre, the fearsome Dukkar of Invidia, was unbound from the curse that imprisoned him in his mother's domain. He now sought a number of Vistani — the Tribe of Hyskosa — that had fled from Barovia into Borca, after attempting to murder him and several of his long-lost fiendish siblings. Furious at those who would dare make an attempt on his life, he issued an ultimatum to Borca: allow him to enter and deliver swift punishment to those who wronged him, or suffer the full might of Invidia's wrath.

Ivan, too proud to sit idly by as one of his most hated rivals trampled on his homeland, refused, and mustered the armies of Borca. Ivana, too, was disgusted by Malocchio's threats, and began organizing her network of assassins, in preparation for targeted attacks against Aderre's generals. Messages were sent, couriers traveling to Borca's closest allies to call for aid.

But it would not be enough.

Desolation

The war turned out to be a disaster. Malocchio marched from the south. Within the week, word came that Vlad Drakov of Falkovnia marched from the north. It had been a long while since Falkovnia had attempted an invasion, but now the military state believed it had found its chance for revenge.

Borca was crushed between the jaws of an insurmountable foe. They reached Levkarest in a week, and word spread of massacre in the streets. The croplands of the central valleys were burned and looted by passing armies as they marched north along the Ruby Road. In the following weeks, Sturben would follow it, Malocchio sacking the city, and then holding it as he awaited the Falkovnian forces that were fighting their way up the Musarde River. Western Borca was brought to its knees, despite the greatest efforts of Borca and its allies.

The war continued onward. Malocchio was enraged to discover how small of a force Drakov had sent to Borca — the majority of Falkovnia's armies were at the time tied up with Borca's many allies to the north and west. The invasion of Borca stalled at Ilvin, dragging out for several months as Ivan ordered extensive conscription to bolster the army's numbers. With the war grinding to a standstill, there were hopes that eastern Borca might survive, and that this might be the end for Malocchio's forces.

Then came the horrid news. Richemulot had fallen, and with it, the main obstacle to Drakov's invasion was removed. Falkovnians poured into Borca, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake as the invaders once again found the upper hand. For just a few weeks more, chaos reigned in Borca.

Then, just as abruptly as it started, the war came to an end. Falkovnia, with little warning, abandoned its Invidian allies, with just a short message of justification: Vlad Drakov was dead. Malocchio, who relied on Falkovnian troops to form the backbone of his own army, was forced to retreat, fleeing from Borca back to his own realm. Borca teetered at the brink, but just barely managed to remain intact.

Current Sketch

Though it has been five years since that disastrous war, Borca is still in the midst of chaos and conflict. In the wake of the struggle, quiet intrigue between the twelve families of Borca turned to open warfare, mirroring the violent rivalries of the War of the Silver Knives nearly 500 years earlier. Meanwhile, the lowborn classes struggle to rebuild what they once had.

The War of Venomous Blades

The post-war noble rivalry between Borca's twelve clans started innocently, or at least relatively so. Each family threw blame at another, citing their insufficient contribution to the war, their alleged consorting with the enemy, or their efforts to avoid involvement in the conflict that threatened them all.

But around the start of 777 BC, the conflict turned violent. Noble families began to take their rivalries very seriously, refusing to associate with their sworn enemies. Through targeted slander and manipulation, each family's businesses were harmed and undercut. As the conflict escalated further, it reached the logical conclusion: murder and assassination.

For three years now, the twelve families have been pruning each other's branches. The frequency of assassinations comes and goes like the tide; sometimes the domain might go months between noble deaths as the families prefer more covert tactics, and sometimes, murders are announced every week as families trade direct, violent blows. The Borcan people have since grown desensitized to it all, as the conflict sees no sign of ending.

In a Borcan adventure, a party can easily be dragged into this ongoing conflict. Assassination, manipulation, intrigue, it's messy work, the kind of thing that a noble doesn't want to get their hands dirty with in the interest of maintaining their own reputation. Adventurers make good pawns in the grand game of Borca, eager for reward and willing to do less than morally sound actions for it. But players should be careful that they don't get played themselves, used as a tool and discarded when their usefulness runs out.

Ivana's Search for Truth

Years after their meeting, Ivana is still hung up on the offer that the Caller made to her. Ancient family secrets. Breakthroughs in her experiments. And most enticing of all, her father's will, a bargaining chip too valuable to leave in play. She would do anything to get her hands on it.

However, Ivana had a problem. Try as she might, she only had scattered memories of her encounter. Unable to recall the exact location of the document, she was left trying to piece together fragments of information, hoping to find through logical deduction the location of her quarry.

Now, years later, in the midst of such a large conflict between families, Ivana grows desperate. Many of her distant cousins (and especially Ivan) have turned against her, trying everything they can to discredit and damage her name. If any of them were to get that will, she would be done for. And she can't allow that to happen.

A party of adventurers might be (willingly or not) dragged into this desperate search. Needing to maintain appearances, Ivana relies on minions for her dirty work. Adventurers might serve that role, or fight against her deadly emordenung.

Ivan's Shadow War

Elsewhere in Borca, another darklord is embroiled in a conflict of his own. The aftermath of Malocchio's war has taken a toll on Ivan Dilisnya. Already a paranoid man (a natural trait of nobles in Borca), Ivan has found himself jumping at shadows, always suspicious that Malocchio's retreat was naught but a ruse.

His paranoia has only escalated as the years have passed. Five years later, Ivan's enforcers are scattered all across Borca, watching, reporting, and hunting potential enemies of the state. They hide in plain sight, blending in with town guards, with local militia, and even with the average passersby.

Suspicious individuals often find themselves under the scrutiny of these enforcers. Adventurers, especially those coming from Invidia, find themselves under the greatest scrutiny, as Ivan believes their lack of allegiance makes them a dangerous wild card. The most suspicious or dangerous are abducted and taken to Degravo, where they are personally interrogated by Ivan himself. They are near universally found guilty by the paranoid man, and their fates are grim.

A party of adventuring heroes are sure to attract Ivan's eye. As their adventures in Borca go on, they might take part in conflicts between nobles, or support the people, generating unrest, promoting conflict, and destabilizing the status quo. If it goes on long enough, they will surely find themselves on a one-way trip to Degravo to meet the man himself.

Domain Profile: Invidia

Invidia would, in any other age, be a footnote in the history of the Core. It isn't particularly large, and is known mostly for the great violence of its history. Until recently, only Kartakass held a strong opinion of the landlocked domain that borders it. But unfortunately, none of that is true now, and that is thanks to the influence of Malocchio, whose mere name causes uneasy shudders across the continent. Unbound from his sealing curse, he is even more terrifying than ever before. Should he return to his true strength, then the world will face a truly apocalyptic fate.

Recent History

Unlike Barovia and Borca, there isn't much 5e lore to bring into step with Core canon. Thus, you can assume that any events before 758 BC occur as described in Gazetteer IV and other sources of lore.

Falkovnia Betrays its Ally

When his ultimatum was denied, Malocchio brought war to the people of Borca. He would not rest until his enemies were left rotting underneath the rubble. Along with him came the forces of Falkovnia, and the dark alliance wrought chaos in the land of their enemies. Southern Borca burned by the fires of their hate.

But at the turning point of the war, Malocchio was delivered a message, one that also reached the Falkovnian generals, and the Hawks themselves. Vlad Drakov was dead. His daughter Vladeska now sat upon the throne, and required the aid of her soldiers to defend Falkovnia against an "unprecedented threat," the nature of which she left unspecified. She called an end to Falkovnia's involvement in the war, and recalled her soldiers to their homeland.

Malocchio's army was left weak by the betrayal. Though Invidia's army was formidable, it was insufficient for an invasion of this scale, and without Drakov, Aderre had no hope of winning. The wretched Borcan army had already began to turn the tide, and with little other choice, Malocchio fled in disgrace, returning to Castle Loupet.

Gundarak Burns

When Malocchio perpetrated his war upon Borca, he took most of his mercenary force with him. The Gundarakites took note of their absence, and was quick to exploit this opportunity.

Malocchio returned to a land in chaos. Gundarakite rebels marched virtually unopposed, and with few enemies to stop them, they had secured control over a number of villages in the domain's east. Infuriated, Malocchio ordered what remained of his army to destroy them. If the rebels would not stand down, he said, then they would die, and everything they loved would burn. But despite the threat, they fought on. Eastern Invidia descended into open warfare. As Malocchio settled back into his castle, he heard word of a new figurehead in the Gundarakite movement, one bearing a name that caused his blood to boil with rage. According to his generals, the Gundarakites were led by one Lucita Aderre.

Current Sketch

Invidia is a land fundamentally in chaos. With rebellion in the east, a scheming darklord in the south, and the discontent Dukkar in the west, the Aderre family brings no shortage of conflict for parties to engage in.

Gundarak's Chains Will Break

In the east, the conflict between rebels and soldiers has grown no less bloody. The war has stalled to a near standstill as both sides have entrenched themselves. While the Invidians rely on mercenaries to bolster their numbers, the Gundarakites are supported by their Barovian cousins, who Gabrielle allows in. As the war rages on, adventurers may find themselves involved. Perhaps they sympathize with the Gundarakite cause, or perhaps they were conscripted by the Invidian regime. Or maybe they simply crossed over from Barovia, and found themselves unexpectedly swept up in the fight.

Lucita has become a figure of fame in Invidia. Her relationship to the Dukkar is well known, and she is seen as his polar opposite; while Maloccio is monstrous, she is noble and pure, and a symbol of their rebellion. However, who knows what might happen if the truth of her heritage is revealed? Gabrielle struggles still to maintain the spell that conceals her antherion identity. If Lucita were to transform now, it could be a disaster.

Gabrielle's Schemes Continue

From Castle Hunadora, Gabrielle continues to influence the conflicts in her domain. Matton is gone from her, and Ardonk has grown old, but she is still known as an ally to the Gundarakite people, especially through their trust of her daughter. She works tirelessly to leverage the Gundarakites against her son, hoping to finally defeat the fiendish child she regrettably bore.

However, the darklord of Invidia is consumed by indecision more now than ever. She has come to realize that the rebellion might not be enough, and that the wolfweres of Kartakass might prove a great ally. Sadly, her amicable relationship with them was damaged by her falling out with Matton. If Lucita were to be revealed as a wolfwere, she might have something, evidence of her past favor with their people. But she knows well the risks, and finds herself unable to act, for if Lucita were unmasked, it might ruin everything.

Appendix: Curse of Strahd's Many Side Plots

There are many different ways that Curse of Strahd can end based simply on who you draw during the Tarokka reading. Since Van Richten's Guide doesn't move the timeline forward from 735 BC, none of these side stories have a canon ending.
As described in the previous sidebar, my approach to this is simple: all of the side plots were resolved, whether the outlander adventurers were involved or not. This appendix briefly touches on each sidequest, revising some elements to better fit a place in Core canon.

Ireena and Ismark. In the main plot, Ireena has been replaced with Tara Kolyana, the actual Tatyana incarnation of this era. Tara was smuggled out of the county as a child, and warned never to return by her dying father. Despite this, she felt herself drawn to Barovia, and arrived in the domain shortly before the outlanders. She was staying in the home of her cousin Ismark when Strahd caught wind of her presence, closing the domain's borders behind her. Izek's role would have to be slightly different to account for this. He might be a long-lost relative, or he might simply be a deluded stranger that has mistaken Tara for his own missing sister.