Barovians Know
Typical Barovians know certain facts, or have certain beliefs, about their existence and their surroundings.
History and the Devil
- The current ruler of the land of Barovia is Count Strahd von Zarovich X. Most commonly dubbed "the Devil" by his subjects (as have been many Count Strahd von Zaroviches before him), the Count demands strict obedience of the laws of the state, but his edicts are few and appearances fewer.
- The Count enforces only three laws of significance, edicts that are centuries old.
- First, no one may enter Castle Ravenloft without the Count's permisson, on pain of death.
- Second, theft from the state is considered treason, and punishable by death. This applies equally to a beggar that filches from a garrison's kitchen or a burgomaster that skims from the Count's coffers.
- Finally, the lives of the Vistani are sacrosanct; any who spill Vistani blood forfeit their own lives. None can say for certain the reason for this special treatment.
- Hundreds of years ago, Barovia was conquered by the barbarian Tergs. The land was liberated from their rule by Count Strahd von Zarovich I.
- Successive generations of von Zarovich rulers have grown increasingly erratic and despotic, a fall from grace from the heroic liberator that was Strahd I. Some elderly Barovians whisper that the long-lived von Zaroviches have delved into black magicks to extend their lifespans unnaturally, and spend their time in pursuit of blasphemous knowledge. They say they have brought a curse upon the land.
The Land and the Mists
- Any non-Vistani who venture into the Mists in an attempt to leave the land of Barovia begin to choke on thick fog. Those who don't turn back, perish.
- Within living memory, older Barovians can recall adjoining realms within the Land of the Mists that were once reachable from Barovia's misty borders. For many, however, the impenetrable wall of fog that borders the realm is all they have ever known.
- The Old Svalich Road crosses the land of Barovia, cutting through the Balinok Mountains by way of Svalich Pass, and connecting the village of Krezk in the west to the village of Barovia in the east, which lies at the foot of Castle Ravenloft. The town of Vallaki lies between these on the south shore of Lake Zarovich.
- Travel is treacherous. The mountainous roads are difficult to traverse. Wolves and monsters prowl the woods, and hungry bats fill the sky at night. Most Barovians never leave the settlement in which they were raised.
Belief and Superstition
- One must never say the the name of the Devil aloud.
- The Vistani are servants of the Devil. They alone are allowed to leave Barovia.
- One must never harm a raven, lest ill fortune befall them.
Vallakians Know
Residents of Vallaki all know or believe the following.
- The burgomaster, Baron Vedran Vallakovich, has thrown one festival a week for the past several years, insisting that "all will be well!" Some Vallakians believe the festivals keep the Devil's curse at bay. Others think they provide no protection or benefit whatsoever. Most consider them dismal affairs. Attendance is mandatory.
- Those who speak ill of the festivals are declared by the burgomaster to be in league with the Devil and arrested. Some are thrown in the stocks in the town square, while others are taken to the burgomaster's mansion to be purged of their evil.
- The captain of the town guard and burgomaster's henchman, Izek Strazni, has a history of violence and a fiendish deformity: a monstrous arm with which he can conjure fire. Fear of Izek keeps the baron's enemies at bay.
- St. Andral's Church, dedicated to worship of the Morninglord, is overseen by Father Lucian Petrovich. His sister, Lidija Petrovna, is the burgomaster's wife.
- The Blue Water Inn, in addition to sheltering visitors, is the main gathering place for locals, particularly at night. It is owned and run by Urwin Martikov and his wife Danika Dorakova, who are well-liked.
- The Vistani aren't welcome within the walls of Vallaki. Currently, Vistani have set up camp in the woods southwest of town. They aren't very friendly.
- Wolves and dire wolves prowl the woods and aren't afraid to attack travelers on Old Svalich Road. Well-armed groups of hunters and trappers have managed to kill several of the wolves, but more keep coming.
- South of town is a village that has been abandoned for decades. Its burgomaster committed some terrible offense and incurred the wrath of the Devil.
Dramatis Personae
- Father Lucian Petrovich is a warm and welcoming man who has dedicated his life to the Morninglord. He has a fanatical streak to his faith. He has no wife or biological children but he loves each of the children at the orphanage of St. Andral as if they were his own—although he does play favorites.
- Headmistress Klaudia Bosko is a shrewd woman in her early fifties who loves propriety and order. She replaced the previous headmistress of the orphanage—an older woman named Viktoria Mirovna—after her death less than a year ago. Ms. Bosko was previously a caretaker for the children at the orphanage, but has struggled to control the children as Ms. Mirovna did.
- Milivoj, nineteen, is a moody, jaded young man who was raised at the orphanage and now works as the groundskeeper and gravedigger for the cemetary at St. Andral. He contributes the bulk of his earnings toward the care of the other children who remain at the orphanage. His younger foster siblings adore him.
- Yeska, nine, another orphan, has been taken under Father Lucian's wing and serves as the altar boy for St. Andral. Yeska is a wide-eyed, fearful little thing; dutiful, but constantly thrumming with nervous energy.
- Szoldar Szoldarovich and Evgeni Krushkin are local hunters and trappers—a dangerous occupation in Barovia. Middle-aged, dour, not men of many words. They won't turn down work so long as there is an appropriate amount of coin in it.
Faith in Barovia
The vast majority of Barovians are not religious. Most believe that the nebulous gods of antiquity are either missing or dead, and that churches are sanctuaries for pretenders and fools. They seldom frequent churches except when attending funerals, and weddings are commonly held in the local inn.
Heaven and Hell
Regardless of their professed faith—if any—most Barovians share folk that correspond to heaven, or "Refugiu," and hell, or "Iadul."
Refugiu is a vague and mysterious place, not so much a paradise as a place of rest, where the weariness of the mortal coil is shed for eternal spiritual slumber. Refugiu is thought to lie above the mortal world, beyond the firmament of stars. The souls of most mortals, even those who were generally wicked in life, are thought to journey to Refugiu upon death.
Iadul is vividly conceptualized as a place of unspeakable horror, a foetid pit of disease that stretches into the bowels of the earth. Such a place does not serve to punish evildoers in a cosmic sense, but is the abode of demons, and any mortal who finds their way there forged their own damnation. Demons are thought to claw their way up into the mortal world to wreak havoc—agents of destruction and perversity interested only in furthering their own dark desires.
The Church of the Morninglord
The Church of the Morninglord can be found throughout Barovia, and every Barovian has an opinion on the Morninglord and his faithful. Most view it with bemusement or cynicism, considering the Morninglord's message of blind hope in the face of darkness to be foolishly naïve. Some believe that the Morninglord may have watched over the Barovian people once—but since the Devil's curse has fallen over the land, the sun has not shone unobstructed for centuries and the Morninglord no longer answers any prayers.
Brief worship services are held every morning, and lay folk are encouraged to attend at least once a week at their convenience. There is no centralized authority, and each church is autonomous. Rites, liturgies, hymns, and other elements that prove popular at one church are quickly shared with others in the region. Clergy are charged with protecting others from the minions of evil and bestowing hope through their words and deeds.
The Church is often involved in local festivals, but also celebrates its own high holy day, Nevermore Night, held on the winter solstice, with prayers of hope and haunting hymns filling the sixteen hours of darkness.
The Morninglord
The Morninglord is the god of the rosy dawn that marks the end of every night. The deity asks little of His followers, save that they treat each other with kindness and retain hope in their hearts. This humble faith holds great appeal for those who have little more than hope and kindness to offer. Its simple teachings conceal a message of intense hope. No matter how bleak the future may seem, no matter how dark the night, the dawn will come. Many of the Morninglord's followers follow a prophecy that, someday, the Morninglord will return once again to lead the world into the daylight.
Dogma
Even the darkest night cannot last forever. Dawn approaches, and you are its herald. You are the emissary of hope, salvation, and surcease. Liberate others from their fear and teach those you cannot release to endure just a little longer. Justice comes to all evildoers eventually, not by man's laws, but by your hand and the tortuous paths of fate. Lift the spirits of the downtrodden with the good news of the Morninglord's coming. Pledge your protection to the unfortunate whenever the opportunity presents itself, and see your pledge through to the end. Destroy the foul undead wherever you find them, for they are the enemies of the dawn.