Arc Q - A Shining Beacon - Curse of Strahd: Reloaded

_An adventure for five 7th-level characters._ In this arc, upon returning from Castle Ravenloft in [[Arc P - Ravenloft Heist]], the players learn that the Abbot of the Abbey of St. Markovia plans to seize Baroness Anna Krezkova’s heart before nightfall. Meanwhile, the mutated werewolf Kiril Stoyanovich hunts the players down, even as Commander Vladimir Horngaard gathers his revenant knights to execute a warrant for their deaths. Can the players redeem the Abbot, overthrow Kiril, and light the beacon of Argynvostholt—or will their efforts to return light to the Barovian valley come to a gruesome and bloody end? # Q1. Flight From Ravenloft Depending on their means of escape, players who flee from Castle Ravenloft following [[Arc P - Ravenloft Heist]] can attempt to rest for the night in a number of different locations. ## Q1a. The Teleportation Brazier Players who escape Castle Ravenloft via the teleportation brazier in K78. Brazier Room (p. 82) can teleport to the locations described in [[Arc P - Ravenloft Heist#P11e. Brazier Room|Arc P - Ravenloft Heist]]. From there, they can find shelter as follows: ***Village of Barovia.*** If the players teleport to the graveyard in the village of Barovia, Ismark Kolyanovich is happy to let them rest in the guest rooms of the burgomaster's mansion. Though surprised to learn that Ireena has joined the players in their quest to defeat Strahd, he is comforted by the fact that Ireena has grown in strength, confidence, and will through her time at the players' side. ***Town of Vallaki.*** If the players teleport to the coffin-maker's shop in the town of Vallaki, they can find shelter at the Blue Water Inn, St. Andral's Church, or (if they are on friendly terms with Lady Fiona Wachter and do not disclose their assault on Castle Ravenloft) Wachterhaus. ***Village of Krezk.*** If the players teleport to the Shrine of the White Sun in the village of Krezk, they can find shelter at the Krezkovs' cottage, which is as described in [[Arc K - The Fallen Abbey#K1a. The Krezkovs’ Cottage|Arc K - The Fallen Abbey]]. The Krezkovs are heartened if the players share that they have obtained the *Icon of Dawn's Grace* from St. Markovia's crypt in Castle Ravenloft and hope to use it to cleanse the Abbot's madness. If the players are joined by Emil Toranescu, Baron Dmitri Krezkov angrily recognizes him as "the wolf that stole his sister," Zuleika, and insists that Emil sleep outside unless convinced otherwise. > [!lore]+ **Dmitri & Emil** > Dmitri doesn't seriously believe that Emil kidnapped Zuleika or forced her to join the werewolf pack against her will. However, Dmitri resents Emil for "luring" Zuleika away from Krezk with tall tales of the "gift" of lycanthropy, which Dmitri believes is a curse. If challenged, Dmitri grits his teeth, and spits, "He convinced my sister that it was a *gift* to be a monster—a *beast*. He filled her head with lies and mad tales, and took her from me—from all of us." ***Van Richten's Tower.*** If the players teleport to Van Richten's Tower, they can take shelter in the tower itself, or travel to the village of Krezk. The journey from the tower to Krezk is three-and-one-half miles long and takes one hour and ten minutes. ***Ruins of Berez.*** If the players teleport to Marina's Monument in Berez, they can take shelter in U2. Ulrich Mansion (p. 162) or U4. Churchyard (p. 164), their arrival hidden by the thick fog that clings to the swamp. If the players attempt to take shelter in U1. Abandoned Cottages (p. 162), they are attacked by two **Barovian hexwitches** and two **Barovian bogwitches**, who are as described in [[Arc P - Ravenloft Heist#P9c. Cauldron Room|Arc P - Ravenloft Heist]]. The tumult attracts the attention of the seven **scarecrows** standing guard in the marsh, which arrive three rounds after combat begins. The players can also travel from Berez to the town of Vallaki, Van Richten's Tower, or the village of Krezk: * The journey from Berez to Vallaki is four-and-one-half miles long and takes one hour and thirty minutes. * The journey from Berez to Lake Baratok is seven miles long and takes two hours and twenty minutes. * The journey from Berez to Krezk is eight-and-one-quarter miles long and takes three hours. ***Old Svalich Road.*** If the players teleport to Marina's Monument in Berez, they can make camp on or near the Old Svalich Road. If they do, they experience the Strahd Zombies (p. 31) random encounter one hour after making camp, but with eight **zombies** instead of **Strahd zombies**. ***Wizard of Wines.*** If the players teleport to the Wizard of Wines, the Martikovs are glad to give them a place to sleep for the night. When the players depart the next morning, Davian sends two **swarms of ravens** to accompany them to their destination. (The ravens depart when the players next arrive at Vallaki, Krezk, or Argynvostholt, whichever comes first.) ***Tsolenka Pass.*** If the players teleport to Tsolenka Pass, they can sleep in the guard tower there. The petrified **vrocks** don't attack players who bypass the gatehouse from the north side of the portcullis. The players can also travel from the guard tower to the town of Vallaki, Van Richten's Tower, or the village of Krezk: * The journey from the tower to Krezk is eleven miles long and takes three hours and forty minutes. * The journey from the tower to Lake Baratok is ten-and-one-half miles long and takes three hours and thirty minutes. * The journey from the tower to Vallaki is thirteen and one-quarter miles long and takes four hours and thirty minutes. ## Q1b. The Pillarstone Players who escape Castle Ravenloft by descending the southeastern cliff of the Pillarstone of Ravenloft land just north of the village of Barovia, a short distance from the northern edge of E6. Cemetery (p. 48). They can find shelter in the village as described in [[#Q1a. The Teleportation Brazier]]. ## Q1c. The Drawbridge Players who escape Castle Ravenloft by crossing the western chasm can find shelter as follows: ***Old Svalich Road.*** The players can make camp on or near the Old Svalich Road as described in [[#Q1a. The Teleportation Brazier]]. ***Town of Vallaki.*** The journey from Castle Ravenloft to Vallaki is eleven and one-quarter miles long and takes three hours and forty-five minutes. Players can find shelter in Vallaki as described in [[#Q1a. The Teleportation Brazier]]. ***Village of Barovia.*** The journey from Castle Ravenloft to Barovia is thirteen-and-one-quarter miles long and takes four hours and thirty minutes. Players can find shelter in Barovia as described in [[#Q1a. The Teleportation Brazier]]. ***Tser Pool Encampment.*** The journey from Castle Ravenloft to Tser Pool is twelve miles long and takes four hours. Arturi Radanavich is no longer present, having departed three days prior without forewarning. If visited, Madam Eva declines to read the players' fortunes a second time, and merely warns them that they have entered the "final threshold of the path they have chosen." If the players inform her that they have learned her true name (Katarina), Madam Eva wryly congratulates them on their perceptiveness and can share the information regarding her relationship with Varushka in [[Arc O - Dinner with the Devil]]. If the players suggest that she is associated with the Ladies of the Fanes, Madam Eva's gaze tightens and she stonily warns the players "not to invoke the names of the ancient, lest they rouse undesired attentions." (Madam Eva doesn't explain further.) # Q2. Dmitri's Plea ## Q2a. A Dark Omen At dawn on the first day after the players raid Castle Ravenloft, a snow-white feather descends from the Abbey of Saint Markovia and lands on the kitchen windowsill of the Krezkovs' cottage. Anna and Dmitri recognize the feather as a promised message from the Abbot signaling that he intends to collect Anna's heart at dusk. If the players aren't already in Krezk, Dmitri sets out for Vallaki accompanied by two Krezkian **guards**, hoping to find the players there. * If the players are traveling to Krezk from Berez, Tsolenka Pass, Van Richten's Tower, or a section of the Old Svalich Road west of Vallaki, they encounter Dmitri and his companions at R. Raven River Crossroads (p. 40). * Otherwise, Dmitri and his companions arrive in Vallaki two hours after dawn, whereupon they leave a message with the guards at the western gate and travel to the Blue Water Inn, hoping to find the players there. If the players slept at the Krezkovs' cottage the night before, they are awoken by the sound of quiet sobs from the kitchen, where Anna attempts to reassure Dmitri that "everything will be alright," while a tearful Dmitri desperately vows that he "won't let anything happen" to her. Regardless of where he encounters the players, an anxious Dmitri informs them that the Abbot intends to collect Anna's heart at dusk, and will likely lay waste to Krezk unless Anna makes the journey to the Abbey of Saint Markovia by that time. If the players don't offer to do so, Dmitri begs them to intercede on Anna's behalf—"if not for us, then for our children." ## Q2b. The Old Svalich Road ### Journey to Vallaki #### The Raven Guard If the players slept east of Vallaki after escaping Castle Ravenloft, such as in the village of Barovia or at the Tser Pool encampment, they awake to find four **swarms of ravens** standing watch from nearby rooftops or trees. The ravens, which have heard of the players' heroics from the Keepers of the Feather, accompany the players as an honor guard until they reach the town of Vallaki. #### The Wolves' Ambush One hour before the players reach Vallaki, they encounter three corpses scattered across the road, as described in Corpse (p. 30). Two of the corpses belong to Barovian adults killed by dire wolves, while the third resembles whichever player has displeased Strahd the most. If the third corpse melts away, or when the players first move to depart the corpses, they are attacked by six **dire wolves**, as described in Dire Wolves (p. 30), accompanied by two **scarecrows**, which are as described in Scarecrows (p. 31). The wolves and scarecrows fight to the death, as do the swarms of ravens, which fight fiercely to defend the players. #### Arrival in Vallaki Upon the players' arrival at Vallaki, the guards at the gate inform them that Baron Dmitri Krezkov of Krezk is awaiting them at the Blue Water Inn. If they venture there, the players can find Baron Krezkov in the taproom, sitting anxiously at the bar with an untouched drink as Danika attempts to comfort him. The scene then unfolds as described in [[#Q2a. A Dark Omen]]. ## Journey to Krezk As the players journey to Krezk, they again encounter the **revenant** standing guard at the bridge over the Raven River, as described in [[Arc I - The Walls of Krezk#I1. The Road to Krezk|Arc I - The Walls of Krezk]]. The revenant greets the players warmly, but warns them, as a shadow crosses its face, that "dark tidings" are alight on the wind, and that it may be recalled from its post sooner than expected. The revenant isn't sure what the dark tidings are, but can share that Commander Vladimir Horngaard is enraged by the players' assault on Castle Ravenloft. The revenant doesn't know how Vladimir might have learned of the players' actions, but suggests that he may have learned it from the **phantom warriors** that serve as his eyes and ears in the Ethereal Plane. As the players depart, the revenant wishes them well, solemnly bidding them farewell and adding, almost wistfully, "May the Morninglord shelter you in the light of His grace." # Q3. Return to Krezk Upon arriving in Krezk, the players are met at the gate by Anna Krezkova, who has been waiting anxiously for Dmitri to return. When he does, she embraces him in gratitude for his safe return and thanks the players sincerely for making the journey. Anna and Dmitri, two **nobles** with Strength scores of 14 (+2) and wielding a ***silvered battleaxe*** and ***longsword***, respectively (+4 to hit, 1d10 + 2 slashing damage each), are glad to accompany the players to the Abbey if asked. However, they warn the players abashedly that they will likely be of little help in a fight. > [!abstract]+ **Emil Helps Out** > If Emil is present, the players can convince him to assist them in confronting the Abbot by referencing his obligations as the Krezkovs’ brother-in-law and succeeding on a DC 10 Charisma (Persuasion) check. (Emil, who dislikes Dmitri for his “cowardice" and “resignation" to his family’s curse, and for Dmitri’s efforts to make Zuleika avoid Emil and feel ashamed of her lycanthropy, feels no obligation to assist the Krezkovs initially.) > > The players make the check with advantage if they argue that Zuleika would want him to help her brother. The players succeed automatically if they inform Emil that the Abbot used the appearance of his wife, Zuleika, to manipulate Ilya into killing Kala (Emil’s niece). ## Q2a. Return to the Abbey As the players ascend S5. Winding Road (p. 147), the shard of divinity in the *Icon of Dawn’s Grace* speaks to them, asking: * what became of the Abbey of St. Markovia following Markovia’s death at Castle Ravenloft * how the Abbot came to reside in Krezk at the Abbey * what became of the Abbot after he came to the Abbey, and how he descended into madness Regardless of the players’ answers, the shard warns them that the Abbot, like all creatures of celestial creation, is likely to be zealous, inflexible, and utterly devoted to his perceived cause. “Tread carefully, and ready your steel," the shard whispers telepathically. “For the Morninglord’s rays flare only brighter when they perceive darkness before them." ### The North Gate The players are met at S6. North Gate (p. 147) by Otto and Zygfrek Belview. If the players agreed to investigate Cyrus’s “perfection" in [[Arc K - The Fallen Abbey#The Eavesdroppers|Arc K - The Fallen Abbey]], Otto (excitedly) and Zygfrek (anxiously) ask the players whether they’ve seen Cyrus since departing the Abbey, and how the Abbot’s “perfection" has transformed him. “Is he strong?" Otto hee-haws happily. “Is he beautiful?" Zygfrek whispers, her voice trembling. If the players share the truth of Cyrus’s situation, Otto and Zygfrek are horrified, with Zygfrek falling silent and clutching her cloak around her while Otto angrily demands the players recant their “lie." “The Abbot would never lie to us!" Otto howls, with tears beading at the corners of his eyes. The players can convince Otto and Zygfrek that they are telling the truth with a successful DC 10 Charisma (Persuasion) check, succeeding automatically if they describe Cyrus’s appearance, personality, or other details they could have gleaned only by encountering him. If they do, Otto and Zygfrek utterly deflate, appearing heartbroken. “We’ve been waiting for so long," Otto mumbles, snifling. “What do we wait for now?" As he speaks, Zygfrek pulls her hood down to cover her face, leaves the gate, and sits at the edge of the cliff, staring out at the village below with sorrow, shame, and self-loathing. Otto and Zygfrek are grateful for any guidance or encouragement the players can provide. Otto and Zygfrek are glad to bring the players to the Abbot if asked to do so, though Zygfrek prefers to linger by the cliffside if told of the Abbot’s duplicity. ### The Courtyard Upon entering S12. Courtyard (p. 150), the players encounter Clovin Belview, who is delivering bowls of cold porridge to the Belviews in the padlocked stone shelves. Clovin greets the players and informs them that the Abbot is in the asylum, located in S15. Madhouse (p. 151), tending and ministering to Clovin’s family therein. If the players agreed to investigate Cyrus’s “perfection" in [[Arc K - The Fallen Abbey#The Eavesdroppers|Arc K - The Fallen Abbey]], Clovin eagerly asks the players whether they’ve seen Cyrus since departing the Abbey. “Is he well?" he asks, adding, “Has he taken to his new form?" If the players share the truth of Cyrus’s situation, Clovin’s face briefly falls, and then becomes cold and carefully composed. “I see," he notes, even as the infant head upon his shoulder begins to wail. Regardless of his own disappointment, Clovin is determined to make good on his promise should the players bring news of Cyrus. If they do, before bringing them to the Abbot, he brings them to a wooden stand covered with black cloth in the southeast corner of the S17. Loft and Belfry (p. 152). From the stand hang two sets of *wings of flying* with animal-bone frames. (The Abbot crafted the wings as part of his original experiments with the Belviews, but abandoned them long ago.) They have the following changes: * The wings are artificial wings, rather than cloaks, and animate when activated instead of transforming. * A set of wings animates for 1 minute, rather than 1 hour * Once a set of wings has been used, it can't be used again until the next dawn. * One set resembles bird wings and bears hundreds of large, downy feathers plucked from the Abbot's giant eagle form, while the other resembles bat wings and bears long membranes of tanned animal hide. * A creature can attune itself to the wings in 1 minute. ## Q2b. Confronting the Abbot The players can find the Abbot in the Abbey’s asylum, which is largely as described in S15. Madhouse (p. 151). However, the players overhear the following conversation as they approach and enter this area: <div class="description"> A handsome young man in monk’s robes stands halfway down the hall, a prayer book tucked beneath one arm—the Abbot. Before him stands a dainty woman wearing a tattered gown, her head bowed in silent acquiescence—Vasilka. The flesh golem stands behind them, its grotesque form towering above them in the shadows. "I’ve told you not to sully yourself with the unclean," the Abbot scolds her, his voice harsh. “Especially not today, of all days. Have you forgotten the operation you’re to undergo tonight? One iota of blight from these creatures could bring damnation to the land you’re meant to serve." "I’m sorry," Vasilka whispers, trembling. “I didn’t think—" "No," the Abbot says coldly. “You didn’t." </div> Unless the players interrupt, the conversation proceeds as follows: * The Abbot sighs, rubs his temples, and places a fatherly hand on Vasilka’s shoulder. “Fear not," he says softly. “The Morninglord’s forgiveness and grace are eternal, so long as we remember our proper places." * The Abbot gestures to the flesh golem and the Belviews in the cells, adding: “Theirs is here. And yours is . . . ?" * Vasilka’s head bows deeper as she replies, “In the hall, waiting to be wed." * The Abbot smiles, nods, and squeezes her shoulder. “Good. So long as you remember that, you cannot be led astray." The Abbot then turns to the players and greets them warmly, welcoming them back to the Abbey of St. Markovia and inquiring as to the reason for their presence. If the players insist that he spare Anna and forgo his mission to retrieve her heart, he laughs softly and chides them gently, noting that “the ways of the gods may seem callous, or even cruel to the unenlightened, but faith shall always guide us to salvation." > [!abstract]+ **Revealing the Truth** > If the players confront the Abbot for his lies to the Belviews regarding Cyrus and the promise of “perfection," the Belviews in the cells fall silent. The Abbot’s face grows stony, and he coldly asks the players how they came by such “tall tales." > > Regardless of the players’ answer, the Abbot then turns to the Belviews in the cells and says, “Do not allow these outsiders to lead you astray. In the Morninglord, all things are possible." The Belviews in the cells then begin howling and gnashing their teeth, pounding against the metal bars as they demand for the “filthy, lying outsiders" to be “butchered, quartered, and stewed." > > The players can calm the Belviews and convince them of the truth by succeeding on a DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) check. The DC falls to 10 if the players first challenge the Abbot to tell the Belviews whether he can “perfect" them. (The Abbot, who cannot lie, refuses to do so, insisting only that “his flock" knows and trusts the words of its “shepherd.") If Otto, Zygfrek, or Clovin are present, the players succeed automatically as their companions confront the Abbot for his “lies," proclaiming to their family that Cyrus has not been “perfected" and the Abbot has no means of completing their transformation. If the players present the *Icon of Dawn’s Grace* and tell him that his spirit has been corrupted and must be restored through use of the *Icon*, the Abbot’s expression grows icy, and he warns them softly that they “speak the words of false prophets." “This artifact has lain in the vampire’s castle for centuries," he intones. “Cast it aside, and excise the poisons it has instilled in your minds." If the players insist on cleansing the Abbot’s spirit or otherwise continue to challenge him, the Abbot’s eyes narrow, and he demands softly that the players depart the Abbey at once, “lest they overstay their welcome." As he does, read: <div class="description"> A palpable tension fills the air as the shadows of the room darken. The floors and walls seem to hum with power, and the Abbot’s eyes glimmer briefly with golden madness. </div> ***Vasilka Intercedes.*** If the players decline to depart and previously delivered Vasilka’s garland necklace to the **flesh golem** in [[Arc K - The Fallen Abbey#Vasilka’s Lesson|Arc K - The Fallen Abbey]], she steps between the Abbot and the players and begs the Abbot not to harm them. “They are brave and kind and wise," she says, her voice trembling. “Surely it would not be folly to listen to them?" Unless the players interrupt, the following exchange then occurs: * The Abbot instructs Vasilka: “Step aside, foolish creature. Do not allow their words to cloud your mind and obscure your duties." * Vasilka shakes her head silently. The Abbot’s expression darkens, and he asks Vasilka whether she is defying him. She hesitates, then slowly nods her head, tears falling from the corners of her eyes. * A shadow crosses the Abbot’s face, and his eyes narrow. “Then you are defective—and must be disposed of." Read: <div class="description"> The Abbot’s hand lashes forward, gripping Vasilka around the throat and lifting her into the air. A shroud of radiant shadows swirls in his palm, then congeals into a platinum mace that glitters cruelly. “Perhaps I was too patient with you," he intones lifelessly, “too compassionate. I can always start again, with better parts and training." </div> Unless prevented by the players, the Abbot then grapples Vasilka (who does not resist) and uses his wings to fly her out into the courtyard, where he proceeds to attack her with his ***mace***. (See below for more information regarding the Abbot’s attack.) ***The Players’ Defiance.*** If the players decline to depart and did not previously deliver Vasilka’s garland necklace to the **flesh golem** in [[Arc K - The Fallen Abbey#Vasilka’s Lesson|Arc K - The Fallen Abbey]], a shadow crosses the Abbot’s face, and his eyes narrow. Read: <div class="description"> The Abbot steps forward, his single footstep echoing like a crack of thunder through the darkened hall. A shroud of radiant shadows swirls in his palm, then congeals into a platinum mace that glitters cruelly. "If you will not obey," he intones, “then you will be made to." </div> The Abbot then attacks. ## Q2c. The Abbot's Rage When the Abbot attacks, he sheds his monk’s robes and transforms, revealing his true angelic form. Read: <div class="description"> A brilliant cascade of divine light shines from the Abbot’s form, and towering wings unfurl from his shoulders, each massive feather snow-white and perfectly formed. His mortal vestments fall away, revealing white, luminous flesh that seems chiseled from marble itself. Golden gauntlets inscribed with celestial runes encircle his forearms, and a golden sarong wraps gently around his waist, its fabric whipping in a rising, churning wind. The Abbot’s hair grows until it reaches his shoulders, shimmering like spun gold. As his shoulders and torso grow broader, he seems to stand up straighter, ascending until he stands near seven feet in height. The air seems to crackle with power, the very walls seeming to bend closer toward him as his eyes blaze with celestial wrath. </div> If the Abbot initiated combat by attacking Vasilka, he continues to do so until he has reduced her to 0 hit points or a player deals him 20 points of damage in a single turn, at which point he turns his attention to the players. (Vasilka doesn’t fight back under any circumstances.) In combat, the Abbot prefers to fight in the Abbey’s courtyard, but might be lured into one of the adjoining wings if a player succeeds on a DC 20 Charisma (Performance) check. > [!abstract]+ **The Flesh Golem’s Loyalty** > If the players gave Vasilka’s flower garland to the **flesh golem** in [[Arc K - The Fallen Abbey]], it joins them in battle against the Abbot when the Abbot enters his second phase. <div class="statblock"> <h2>Ithuriel, the Dawnbringer</h2> Medium Celestial, Lawful Evil <hr> Armor Class 17 (natural armor) Hit Points 255 (30d8 + 120) Speed 30 ft., fly 90 ft. <hr> <table class="ability-table"> <thead> <tr> <th>STR</th> <th>DEX</th> <th>CON</th> <th>INT</th> <th>WIS</th> <th>CHA</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>18 (+4)</td> <td>18 (+4)</td> <td>18 (+4)</td> <td>17 (+3)</td> <td>20 (+5)</td> <td>20 (+5)</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <hr> Saving Throws Wis +10, Cha +10 Skills Insight +10, Perception +10 Damage Resistances radiant Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 21 Languages all, telepathy 120 ft. Challenge 15 Proficiency Bonus +5 <hr> Legendary Resistance (1/day). If Ithuriel would fail a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead. Innate Spellcasting. Ithuriel's spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 19). He can innately cast the following spells, requiring only verbal components: At will: detect evil and good 1/day each: commune, raise dead Magic Resistance. Ithuriel has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Fallen Grace. When Ithuriel is reduced to 0 hit points, his form expands and twists, becoming a massive creature with the head of a lion, the body of a ram, the wings of a bat, and the tail of a crocodile. His statistics are then instantly replaced by the statistics of his second form. His initiative count doesn't change, excess damage doesn't carry over to his new form, and he retains none of the conditions he had in his previous form. He then immediately uses his frightful presence reaction. <h3>Actions</h3> Multiattack. Ithuriel makes two attacks. He can replace one of those attacks with ray of light. Mace. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage plus 4 (1d8) radiant damage. Ray of Light. Ranged Spell Attack: +10 to hit, range 30 feet, one target. Hit: The target takes 9 (2d8) radiant damage and is outlined in radiant light until the end of Ithuriel's next turn. Any attack roll against an affected creature or object has advantage if the attacker can see it, and the affected creature or object can't benefit from being invisible. Being within 5 feet of a hostile creature doesn't cause Ithuriel to make this attack with disadvantage. Healing Touch (3/Day). Ithuriel touches another creature. The target magically regains 24 (4d8 + 5) hit points and is freed from any curse, disease, poison, blindness, or deafness. Change Shape. Ithuriel magically polymorphs into a humanoid or beast that has a challenge rating equal to or less than his own, or back into its true form. He reverts to his true form if he is reduced to 0 hit points. Any equipment he is wearing or carrying is absorbed or borne by the new form (Ithuriel's choice). In a new form, Ithuriel retains his game statistics and ability to speak, but his AC, movement modes, Strength, Dexterity, and special senses are replaced by those of the new form, and he gains any statistics and capabilities (except class features, legendary actions, and lair actions) that the new form has but that he lacks. <h3>Bonus Actions</h3> Divine Wind. Ithuriel unleashes a powerful gale from his angelic wings in a 10-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or take 14 (4d6) slashing damage and be pushed 10 feet away. Sacred Radiance (1/day). Ithuriel's form bursts with divine light. Each creature that can see him within 20 feet must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or take 14 (4d6) radiant damage. A creature that fails the saving throw by 5 or more is also blinded until the start of Ithuriel's next turn. A creature that fails the saving throw by 10 or more is also charmed by Ithuriel until the start of his next turn. While charmed in this way, the creature must fall prone to grovel before Ithuriel at the start of its turn, then immediately end its turn. <h3>Reactions</h3> Ithuriel can take up to three reactions per round, but only one per turn. If Ithuriel would lose his reactions and isn't incapacitated, he loses one reaction instead. Punish. In response to an enemy missing him with a melee attack, Ithuriel makes the following attack against it: Palm. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage, and Ithuriel can force the target to make a DC 18 Strength saving throw. On a failure, the target is pushed up to 10 feet away or grappled (escape DC 18). If he grapples the target, Ithuriel can immediately use his descend. Descend. In response to grappling an enemy, Ithuriel can immediately fly up to his speed while dragging that enemy with him. If he moves within 5 feet of the ground while moving, the grappled enemy must succeed on a DC 17 Strength saving throw or take 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage per 10 feet fallen. For each additional 5 feet Ithuriel moves along the ground, the grappled enemy takes an additional 2 (1d4) bludgeoning damage as Ithuriel grinds it along the earth. (This movement doesn't provoke opportunity attacks.) When Ithuriel's movement ends, the grappled enemy falls prone. Ascend. In response to taking damage, Ithuriel releases any creatures he has grappled, then flies up to one third of his speed without provoking opportunity attacks. Shift (Costs 2 Reactions). In response to suffering one of the following conditions, Ithuriel momentarily assumes the form of the corresponding beast, ending the condition: blinded (giant bat), grappled (octopus), paralyzed (giant poisonous snake), prone (giant spider), restrained (mouse), or stunned (jellyfish). Ithuriel then immediately returns to his true form. </div> > [!warning]+ **Grappling Enemies** > Remember that Ithuriel's speed is halved when grappling a creature, including when using his ***descend*** reaction. <div class="statblock"> <h2>Ithuriel, the Fallen Star</h2> Huge Celestial, Lawful Evil <hr> Armor Class 19 (natural armor) Hit Points 255 (30d8 + 120) Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. <hr> <table class="ability-table"> <thead> <tr> <th>STR</th> <th>DEX</th> <th>CON</th> <th>INT</th> <th>WIS</th> <th>CHA</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>23 (+6)</td> <td>14 (+2)</td> <td>21 (+5)</td> <td>17 (+3)</td> <td>20 (+5)</td> <td>20 (+5)</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <hr> Saving Throws Wis +11, Cha +11 Skills Insight +11, Perception +11 Damage Resistances radiant Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 21 Languages all, telepathy 120 ft. Challenge 16 Proficiency Bonus +5 <hr> Legendary Resistance (1/day). If Ithuriel would fail a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead. Magic Resistance. Ithuriel has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. <h3>Actions</h3> Multiattack. Ithuriel makes one attack with his claws and one with his bite or radiant darts Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) radiant damage. If the target is a creature, it is grappled (escape DC 19). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and Ithuriel can't bite another target. Claw. +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) slashing damage. Radiant Darts. +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., three separate targets. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) radiant damage. Being within 5 feet of a hostile creature doesn't cause Ithuriel to make this attack with disadvantage. <h3>Bonus Actions</h3> Erupt Earth. Ithuriel slams his tail against the ground, causing fountains of churned earth and stone to erupt in a 5-foot radius around him. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 19 Strength saving throw or take 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage and fall prone. Eclipse Beam (1/day). Ithuriel exhales a burst of brilliant radiance and shadowy mirk in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw, taking 9 (2d8) radiant damage plus 9 (2d8) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. <h3>Reactions</h3> Ithuriel can take up to three reactions per round, but only one per turn. If Ithuriel would lose his reactions and isn't incapacitated, he loses one reaction instead. Tail. In response to being missed or hit by a melee attack, Ithuriel makes the following attack against the attacker: Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d4 + 6) bludgeoning damage and the target must make a DC 19 Strength saving throw. On a failure, Ithuriel can either knock it prone or push it up to 5 feet away (Ithuriel's choice). Wings (1/round). In response to a creature he can see completing a spell, making an attack, or moving to a space within 60 feet of him, Ithuriel beats his wings, forcing each creature within 5 feet of him to succeed on a DC 19 Strength saving throw or be pushed 5 feet away and knocked prone. Ithuriel can then fly up to his speed toward the original creature without triggering opportunity attacks. Frightful Presence (1/day). In response to assuming his second form, Ithuriel forces each creature of his choice within 120 feet that is aware of him to make a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, a creature is frightened of Ithuriel until the end of its next turn. </div> > [!info]+ **Defeating the Abbot** > ***Milestone.*** Defeating the Abbot completes a story milestone. When the players free the Abbey and Krezk from the Abbot’s control, award each player 2,000 XP, or 2,500 XP if they also redeemed the Abbot (see below). ### The Abbot's Redemption When the players reduce the Abbot’s second phase to 0 hit points, read: <div class="description"> The beast roars, its terrible form twisting and writhing. Then, with a final, shrieking cry, it falls to the ground, unmoving. </div> Shortly after the Abbot is defeated, if the *Icon of Dawn’s Grace* is present, his soul reacts to its presence of the *Icon of Dawn’s Grace*. <div class="description"> Small motes of golden light begin to glimmer across the beast’s still form. Slowly, they come together to form an orb of golden flame that hovers above the Abbot’s chest. </div> The *Icon of Dawn’s Grace* begins to shine with golden light, and the shard of divinity within asks the players to touch the *Icon* to the orb. “He has suffered greatly, and lost himself in the mists and shadows," the shard says mournfully. “But perhaps he is not so far gone as to be lost forever." If the players touch the *Icon* to the orb, their spirits are transported to a demiplane within the Abbot’s soul. Read: <div class="description"> You blink—and when your eyes open again, you find that the Abbey around you has vanished. In its place, a dark, endless void unfolds in all directions, its floor covered by a softly rolling covering of mist, and its silence disturbed only by the sound of distant sobs. Beside you, an orb of golden flame hovers quietly. </div> The orb holds the shard of divinity that dwells within the *Icon*. It follows the players as they move and can communicate with them through telepathy. As it does, it informs them that, if they can find the Abbot and persuade him to reunite with it, it can restore him to his former glory and cleanse the corruption from his soul. The players can track the sound of sobbing to the Abbot. Read: <div class="description"> The sound echoes from a gaunt, pale figure seated on the ground a short distance away—a young man. His monk’s robes are tattered and threadbare, his cheeks blotchy and red beneath the thin blindfold of mist that encircles his eyes. A pair of once-majestic wings hang limply at his sides, their feathers frayed, dulled, and discolored. Twin shackles forged of mist bind his wings to the ground, and a dark cloud of shadows clings to him like a burial shroud. </div> The players recognize the man as the Abbot’s ordinary mortal guise. As they approach him, they can hear him muttering to himself, over and over: “I have failed you." As he does, he clutches his knees to his chest and rocks back and forth, tears falling from behind the misty blindfold across his eyes. The Abbot believes that he has failed the Morninglord and fallen from grace, and that he is therefore damned. If the players greet him, he whirls in fear, demanding that they “reveal themselves," for “they walk in darkness, and he cannot see them." If the players tell the Abbot that he is blindfolded, he is briefly stunned, then shakes his head. “I see," he murmurs. “I am damned, then. Begone, then, and trouble yourselves with my wretchedness no more." If the players ask the Abbot to reunite with the shard of divinity, he hesitates, then asks to feel its warmth. If the players direct the orb to move toward the Abbot, he cups his hands around it, then begins to weep with joy, murmuring that it is “beautiful." As he does, if any player has a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 13 or greater, add: <div class="description"> The shroud of shadow curls ever-closer around him, and you realize that it is not a single shadow, but an assembly of countless overlapping, amorphous, indistinct silhouettes. They whisper into his ears, their cold, hollow voices echoing into the void. </div> The Abbot pauses, then recoils, scurrying back and away from the orb with a fearful cry. As he does, any player with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 14 or greater sees a nearby cloud of mist briefly curl into the shape of a face—a woman’s—before the face is torn apart by swirling shadows. A player who saw the face and succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check discerns that it bore an expression of grief and concern—and appeared to be calling out. A player who asks the Abbot or succeeds in a DC 13 Wisdom (Insight) check learns that the Abbot neither perceives the whispers nor realizes that they’re there. A player who approaches the Abbot or who succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check can make out a few words and phrases from the cacophony of whispers: * “The light has abandoned you, as you abandoned it." * “Their lies are comforting, but lies nonetheless." * “You have earned your damnation. You know that you have." If confronted, the Abbot replies, his voice quavering: “It is too late. I have betrayed my purpose and discarded my grace. I cannot find my way back into the light—and the Morninglord would not have me if I could." > [!lore]+ **Dark Whispers** > The whispering shadows are a manifestation of the [[Lore of Barovia#Dark Powers|Dark Powers]], which lured the Abbot’s spirit into evil long ago to prevent him from challenging Strahd or healing the land of its corruption. As the Abbot finishes his protest, any player with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 10 or greater sees a nearby cloud of mist—a short distance from the first—briefly rises to form the shape of a robed female silhouette before it is torn apart by swirling shadows. A player with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 13 or greater discerns that it appeared to be reaching a hand toward the players, and that it appeared to be calling out. A player who saw the face and succeeds on a DC 13 Wisdom (Insight) check discerns that it bore an expression of grief and concern. As the silhouette vanishes, a single Tarokka card floats down from the void and lands before one of the players. If a player inspects the card, read: <div class="description"> The Tarokka card is the Four of Glyphs: the Shepherd. It depicts a middle-aged woman in a plain, white robe standing amidst a flock of sheep on a hilltop before a rising sun. </div> If Ezmerelda is shown the card, she shares that it is “odd" for the Shepherd to be depicted with a rising sun in the background. “That kind of iconography would be more appropriate for the Priest card," she muses. “And the Shepherd is usually young—in the suit of Glyphs, only the Missionary or the Bishop are traditionally portrayed as old." > [!lore]+ **The Shepherd** > The Tarokka card is a message sent by the spirit of Saint Markovia. While she cannot enter the Abbot’s soul herself, she hopes that the players will conjure her so that she may speak with the Abbot on their behalf. The players can again attempt to persuade the Abbot to reunite with the shard of divinity by making any reasonable argument and succeeding on a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check, made with advantage if their arguments directly rebut the Dark Powers’ whispers or if they mention St. Markovia’s seance. > [!abstract]+ **Redemption Failed** > If the players attempt to persuade the Abbot here without first summoning St. Markovia and fail, the darkness grows deeper and more oppressive, while the Abbot curls further into himself, his wings seeming to wither and crack. “Do you not see?" he whispers, his voice barely audible. “Even you cannot deny my damnation. It is ended." > > As the whispering shadows grow stronger, the golden orb begins to flicker and dim, and the mist begins to encircle the Abbot’s body, consuming him entirely in two rounds. While the mist is rising, the DC for any further Charisma (Persuasion) checks made to convince the Abbot increases to 25. > >The players can cause the mist to recede by convincing the Abbot to reunite with the shard or by using the Shepherd card to call forth the spirit of St. Markovia (see below). If they fail to do so before the Abbot’s body is consumed, they vanish from the void and reappear in the Abbey of St. Markovia, where the Abbot’s corpse swiftly dissipates into mist. Alternatively, the players can also use the card to call forth the spirit of St. Markovia. (No particular ceremony or incantation is required—merely a summons and an invocation of St. Markovia’s name while holding the card.) If they do, read: <div class="description"> The darkness roils in fury, the void twisting at the sudden intrusion—and then stills, falling silent once more. A woman appears behind you. She wears a simple white robe tied with a plain, rope cord. Though her face has begun to wrinkle and her brown hair has begun to grey, her eyes are kind and strong. "You called for me?" she says. </div> Markovia greets the players warmly, thanking them for their summons. She can share the following information if asked: * The angel the players call “Abbot" was once among the greatest servants of the Morninglord. It was he who chose her as the Morninglord’s prophet. * It breaks her heart to see the Abbot reduced to such a state, but she is grateful for the players’ efforts to rescue him. “He has sinned," she murmurs, “but only because he was lost in the mists. The dark powers that rule this land have clouded his mind and led him astray from his true path. It is thanks to you that he has an opportunity to be otherwise again." (Markovia doesn’t know anything more about the “dark powers" that rule Barovia, except that they aren’t Strahd, and either control the Mists or are the Mists themselves.) If the players permit her to, Markovia approaches the Abbot. Read: <div class="description"> "Ithuriel," she says, and the name is like a bell that sings amidst the darkness, the shadows cowering with each step she takes toward him. “I am here." </div> Unless the players interrupt, the following exchange then occurs: * The Abbot whirls at the sound of Markovia’s voice. “Markovia?" he says weakly, his voice cracking. “Please—do not look upon me. I am sullied and broken." * Markovia then approaches him and kneels on one knee beside him. “Was I not the same when you first found me?" she replies gently. “Lost and broken and despairing?" * “It was my duty to guide you," the Abbot murmurs. “A duty I have forsaken." * “Hush, old friend," Markovia says. She places a hand on the Abbot’s shoulder, and he stiffens. “Was it not you who once told me that we were never meant to be less than equals before the divine?^[Inspired by *High Wizardry*, by Diane Duane] You showed me the path once before. Now, let my friends do the same for you." * The Abbot’s shoulders tremble, and he hesitates—and then slowly nods. Markovia then turns toward the players and gestures for them to bring the orb of flame forward. Whether the players summon St. Marokia or not, before accepting the orb, the Abbot hesitates, then asks the players: “I threatened your friends. I sought to bring harm upon you. I separated parents from their children and abused the faith of those who trusted me. How can you offer me this second chance, knowing what I have done?" If the players offer the Abbot forgiveness, or otherwise indicate a belief that he deserves such a chance, the Abbot once more takes the orb of flame in his hands. Read: <div class="description"> The flickering flame casts a warm, cheerful glow across the Abbot’s face. In an instant, the mist burns away from his eyes, revealing a visage that appears youthful once more, with every crease of worry or fear banished. A golden light dances in his eyes—but rather than madness or cruelty, it is full of hope and wonder. "I see," he whispers reverently. Joyous tears began to fall down his cheeks as the light grows stronger—fiercer—purer. “I can see!" </div> The void then evaporates in a flash of white light, and the players find themselves once more in the Abbey of St. Markovia. ### The Abbot’s Penance When the players return to the Abbey, read: <div class="description"> The twisted beast that once lay upon the ground has vanished. In its place, a white-winged youth clad in plain, white robes lies still across the earth. </div> The youth, who appears to be no more than nineteen or twenty years of age and resembles a younger version of the Abbot’s ordinary mortal guise, is the restored Abbot. He awakens if touched, or naturally shortly after the players return. Once awoken, the youth—who asks the players to call him Ithuriel, rather than the Abbot—expresses momentary disorientation as the shard of divinity gradually integrates his memories and sense of self. > [!info]+ **Ithuriel, Restored** > Ithuriel uses the statistics of a **pegasus**, but with the **healing touch** feature of a **unicorn** and the size, creature type, languages, and ***change shape*** feature of a **deva**. Replace the pegasus’s ***hooves*** attack with the following: ***Mace.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit*: 1d6 + 4 bludgeoning damage plus 4 (1d8) radiant damage. In addition, Ithuriel can cast *raise dead* once per day, but no more than three times per year. > > When first restored, Ithuriel awakens with 1 hit point and four levels of exhaustion. Ithuriel is deeply grateful to the players, and bows deeply before them in gratitude for their kindness and mercy. If permitted, Ithuriel heals and apologizes profusely to Vasilka (“For seeking to control you, for inflicting terror upon you, and for forcing you into a role you never wished for"), the Krezkovs (“For the terrible evils I have wrought upon your family, for which I can never atone"), to the Belviews (“For the curse I brought upon your family, for my manipulations and deceit, and for my cruelty and callousness"), and to the players (“For the shadows I cast upon your lives, and the lives of those you cared for"). Ithuriel can also share the following information if asked: * He is not quite the Abbot, nor is he entirely the shard that dwelled in the *Icon*. “I am both, and yet neither," he muses. “The same sun rising, but upon a new dawn." * He intends to free Vasilka from his orders. “She shall be free to find her own path," he says wistfully, “as all creatures must be." * He similarly has no intention of taking Anna Krezkova’s heart. “I cannot see the way by which this land shall be freed," he says, bowing his head. “But I know that darkness cannot drive out darkness—only light." * He is unsure how to heal the Belviews’ condition. “However, I shall do what I can to heal the minds of those I can, and allow their family to be whole again," he says. “In time, and by the Morninglord’s grace, I shall find the wisdom and strength to remove the affliction I once placed upon them." * He intends to remain at the Abbey and in Krezk. “I have an obligation to these people that I might never repay," he says solemnly. “My place is here—and I sense that, perhaps soon, I shall be called upon to defend those I once tormented." Before the players depart, Ithuriel freely offers them healing through the use of his ***healing touch***, and offers them the use of his *raise dead* feature should they require it. “My abilities are sorely limited following my rebirth," he says, plucking three snow-white feathers from his wings, “but should you require rebirth of your own, you need merely speak my name while you hold this feather aloft, and I shall be there." > [!info]+ **Ithuriel’s Feathers** > If a player speak’s Ithuriel’s name while holding one of his feathers aloft, the feather burns up into radiant embers. Ithuriel then flies to the players’ location, arriving within five minutes if the players are in the western portion of the valley (e.g., the Wizard of Wines, Yester Hill, or Lake Baratok), fifteen minutes if the players are in the central portion of the valley (e.g., Vallaki, Berez, or Mt. Ghakis), and thirty minutes if the players are in the eastern portion of the valley (e.g., the village of Barovia, Castle Ravenloft, or Tser Pool). > > Once summoned, Ithuriel lingers only long enough to cast *raise dead* and provide the players with words of faith and encouragement for the trials they face ahead. If requested, he is also glad to provide one or more uses of his ***healing touch*** feature. > > If asked to linger or fight alongside the players, Ithuriel politely declines, insisting that his place is at the Abbey, and he cannot leave his wards or neighbors without his protection. “Do not fear," he reassures the players before departing. “The Morninglord is with you." > [!profile]+ **Ithuriel** > **Roleplaying Information** > ***Resonance.*** Ithuriel should inspire endearment for his determination to repair the harm he has done, comfort for his deep compassion and care, and gratitude for his earnest efforts to aid the players. > > ***Emotions.*** Ithuriel most often feels thoughtful, sorrowful, cheerful, guilty, ashamed, apprehensive, defiant, bold, or serene. > > ***Motivations.*** Ithuriel wants to repair the harm he has done to Vasilka, the Belviews, the Krezkovs, and the players, and to defend the Abbey and the village of Krezk from those who might wish them harm. > > ***Inspirations.*** When roleplaying Ithuriel, channel Zuko (*Avatar: The Last Airbender*), Neji Hyuuga (*Naruto*), and Father Forthill (*The Dresden Files*). > > **Character Information** > ***Persona.*** To the world, Ithuriel is a mature, contemplative youth with a strong sense of humility and a deep compassion for others. To those he trusts, Ithuriel is a young angel persevering to reassemble his purpose and identity following his corruption, defeat, and restoration. > > ***Morale.*** In a fight, Ithuriel would seek to calm his foe, but would not hesitate to forcefully defend an innocent threatened by enemies of ill intent. ## Q2d. St. Markovia’s Gratitude When the players first descend the switchback road and enter the village of Krezk after defeating the Abbot, whether they redeem the Abbot or not, St. Markovia calls them to the Shrine of the White Sun. Read: <div class="description"> A warm, pleasant breeze rustles through the pines as a woman’s voice, gentle and kind, whispers into your ears: “Find me at the Shrine of the White Sun, by the water’s edge. As you have healed this place, allow me to bring you healing in turn." </div> Players who spoke with St. Markovia in [[#The Abbot’s Redemption]] recognize her voice. ### Markovia’s Gift If the players follow St. Markovia’s invitation to S4. Pool and Shrine (p. 146), read: <div class="description"> As you reach the pool’s edge, an image appears in its sparkling blue waters: an older woman clad in a plain white robe, her wavy brown hair beginning to gray. Creases line the edges of her eyes, but age does not mar the kindness and compassion that dwells there. </div> Any players who received visions of St. Markovia in Ezmerelda’s seance in [[Arc K - The Fallen Abbey]] recognize her visage. If she did not speak with the players in [[#The Abbot’s Redemption]], St. Markovia introduces herself to the players and thanks them for freeing the Abbey and Krezk of the “shadow that lay upon it." If the Abbot was defeated, but not redeemed, she expresses sorrow for “Ithuriel’s passing," but notes that she finds comfort in the fact that “his memory will live on in the stones of the Abbey." Markovia invites each player to fill a single waterskin from the waters of the pool. “These waters once carried far greater magic. While that magic faded long ago, your victory has allowed me to remind them of the blessing they once carried—if only for a time." > [!item]+ **Water of the White Sun** > As an action, a player can drink the full contents of a waterskin containing water from the blessed pool. When they do, they immediately gain the benefits of a long rest, as well as the benefit of a *lesser restoration* spell. ### Cleansing of the White Sun Once the players have filled their waterskins from the pool, if the players redeemed the Abbot and any player has received a vestige’s boon and condition after reaching Stage Three of an amber shard’s corruption, St. Markovia addresses that player personally. Read: <div class="description"> "You carry a great weight upon your shoulders," she says, her eyes sorrowful as they seek to meet yours. “That you have chosen to bear it makes it no less heavy. If you would discard the yoke of the power you have chained yourself to, I can aid you in doing so while the water’s magic lingers." </div> If the player expresses interest in doing so, Markovia directs them to stand in the pool’s waters, speak a prayer to the Morninglord, and submerge themselves. “When you arise from the water," she says, “your affliction shall be healed—so long as you speak truly and have faith that, as you once were, you can be again." If the player isn’t sure what prayer to use, Markovia suggests: “As the sun banishes the darkness of night, banish the shadow from my soul, and let the light embrace me once again." As the player submerges themselves after speaking a prayer, read:^[Inspired by *Critical Role*] <div class="description"> The water ripples around you, the sounds of the world above muffled and muted. You hear the distant wash of gentle waves against the shores, and the pounding of the blood in your ears. Then—a whisper, quiet and gentle, echoes through the water. "You have been lost, ensnared in a shadow of ancient evil. Its tendrils have seeded your mind with chaos, desperation, and fear, and left your soul in darkness." Your own heartbeat echoes in your ears, and amidst the darkness, you see a faint and flickering light in the void, its surface choked with the tendrils of a thick and oily shadow. </div> Allow the player a brief moment to respond. Whether they do or not, continue: <div class="description"> "This darkness I cannot heal—but I can allow the light within you to drive it out, if you would but embrace it." "Will you seek hope over despair, claim courage before fear, and forsake this darkness for light?" </div> If the player truthfully agrees to do so, the whisper replies: <div class="description"> "Then my blessing is yours—for as long as you wish to keep it." The light in the void flickers brighter, its surface glimmering, and then flares with a pure, piercing light. The shadow shrieks, its tendrils writhing as the light burns them away—until nothing remains but the light, shining and pulsating to the beat of your heart. </div> The player then loses all stages of amber corruption, including any conditions or boons gained from that corruption. Before the players depart, as St. Markovia’s visage begins to fade from the surface of the pool, she warns any cleansed player that the shadow has been cleansed from their soul, but can return if reinvited. “Just as night follows day," she warns, “so too does darkness pursue our hearts. You must be stalwart, vigilant, and brave, for darkness is not so easily removed a second time. Do you understand?" Regardless of the player’s answer, Markovia wishes them luck and bids them farewell before vanishing from the surface of the pool. # Q4. The Revenant's Warning Shortly after the players defeat the Abbot, the **revenant** from the Raven River Crossroads travels to Krezk and requests an audience with them. A **guard** named Harkus Grejenko is dispatched to locate the players and summon them to speak with the revenant. If the players do so, the revenant gravely informs them that it has received a message from a **phantom warrior** of Argynvostholt, and shares the following information: * Commander Vladimir Horngaard has commanded all knights of the Order of the Silver Dragon to return to Argynvostholt no later than tomorrow noon. * Commander Horngaard is enraged following the players’ recent incursion into Castle Ravenloft, and seeks their deaths, so that they shall meddle with Strahd von Zarovich no further. * Commander Horngaard is expected to compel his knights to swear a new oath: to seek out the players’ destruction, at any cost. The revenant apologizes sincerely to the players “for the harm it may be forced to visit upon them if they meet again." If the players share or indicate that they have been to Argynvostholt, it asks whether they have spoken with Sir Godfrey Gwilym and learned of the mission he sought to fulfill. If told that the players have recovered the skull of Argynvost in accordance with the dragon’s wishes, the revenant urges the players to fulfill the dragon’s prophecy before Commander Horngaard “releases his full wrath upon them." The revenant, bound to obey Vladimir’s orders, can’t be convinced to remain in Krezk, and departs once it has conveyed its message. # Q5. Pack Attack > [!abstract]+ **Does the Pack Attack?** > This scene only occurs if (1) the players took the *Holy Symbol* from the werewolf den, therefore indicating that someone had stolen from Mother Night’s shrine, or (2) the players failed to disguise their scents (e.g., using *pass without trace*) while infiltrating the werewolf den in [[Arc L - The Den of Wolves]], thereby allowing Kiril to detect that outsiders had entered the den. ## Q5a. The Pack Arrives At nightfall on the day the players confront the Abbot, if the players have not yet defeated him, Kiril Stoyanovich rouses the werewolf pack—including eighteen **wolves** and eight **werewolves**—and leads them to the ruins of Berez. There, he consults with Baba Lysaga, who uses her magic to discern the players’ current location. Kiril then leads his pack to that location, hoping to kill and eat the intruders that infiltrated the den previously. ***Outside the Walls.*** If the players have made camp at Van Richten’s Tower or Argynvostholt, they are awoken by a chorus of howls led by a deep, terrible roar. When the players first approach the pack, read: <div class="description"> More than two dozen wolves emerge from the thick, souplike fog that clings to the earth outside, their golden eyes glinting in the faint moonlight. A monstrous, two-legged silhouette stands at their head, its shaggy head nearly a full story high. </div> If Emil Toranescu is accompanying the players, his hand tightens into a fist at his side, his fingernails lengthening into claws. “Kiril," he whispers. ***Within the Walls.*** If the players are resting in Krezk or Vallaki, Kiril arrives outside the gates with the pack, then demands that the guards bring him “the outsiders—the vermin that trampled through his den." A terrified guard then delivers the message to the Krezkovs’ cottage (if in Krezk) or the Blue Water Inn (if in Vallaki), hoping to find the players there. (If the players aren’t there, Baron Krezkov or Urwin Martikov delivers the message themselves.) When the players first approach the pack, read: <div class="description"> More than two dozen wolves emerge from the thick, souplike fog that clings to the earth outside, their golden eyes glinting in the faint moonlight. </div> The wolves bare their teeth at the players, but don’t immediately attack. A player with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 12 or greater notices that the wolves appear surprisingly ill-fed, with some wolves’ ribs showing through their hides. If Emil Toranescu is with them, a player with a passive DC 13 Wisdom (Insight) score notices that the wolves seem to regard him with apprehension and surprise. > [!info]+ **The Starving Wolves** > Due to his gluttony and pride, Kiril has claimed the first—and, by far, the largest—share of each meal the pack has hunted since Emil’s disappearance. As a result, the other members of the pack, other than Bianca, have suffered from ill nutrition and deprivation for the past several weeks, forcing them to survive off rabbits, rats, and other small game while losing notable amounts of weight. Shortly after the players approach the wolves, or when they first call out for Kiril, read: <div class="description"> A monstrous, two-legged silhouette lumbers out of the mist, its shaggy head nearly a full story high. </div> If Emil Toranescu is accompanying the players, his hand tightens into a fist at his side, his fingernails lengthening into claws. “Kiril," he whispers. ## Q5b. Kiril’s Challenge > [!abstract]+ **Impatient Players** > Kiril doesn’t feel threatened by the players. As such, if any individual player attacks him for the first time using a non-silvered weapon, a spell below 3rd-level, or any attack or spell that doesn’t deal necrotic damage, Kiril laughs as his natural regeneration heals his wounds, rather than responding in kind. “Your flailing tickles me, little morsel," he rumbles. He licks his chops, fixing them with a steady look of anticipation. “Perhaps I’ll let you tickle my teeth next—I’ve got a scrap or two of meat in there that I could use some help in getting out." > > The second time a player attacks, or if a player attacks him with a silvered weapon, an attack or spell that deals necrotic damage, or a spell of 3rd-level or above, Kiril snarls, his nostrils flaring as his eyes snap wide open. “Impatient to die, little morsel? Then I won’t keep you waiting." Kiril then attacks. > [!info]+ **Moonbeam** > Due to Kiril’s corruption, his hybrid form—not his human form—has become his “true form." As such, while he takes damage from *moonbeam* normally, the spell cannot cause him to revert to his human form. When the players first approach Kiril, or vice-versa, read: <div class="description"> The monstrous silhouette steps forward, a sliver of silvery moonlight illuminating the charcoal-black fur that covers its hide. It stands just over nine feet tall, its arms, legs, and torso layered with thick, ropy muscle. Its scimitar-shaped fangs jut out beyond its muzzle, descending so far beneath its jaw that they seem almost like tusks. Its claws, long, dark, and stained with layers of blood, twitch and flex eagerly, as if ready to slice through flesh once more. The beast’s scarlet irises pierce through the mist that swirls around and below it, and its lupine muzzle curls into a bestial grin. When it speaks, its voice is a low, snarling rumble that echoes through the gloomy night. "So you’re the little mice that scampered through my den," the beast rumbles. It licks its lips in obvious anticipation, a line of saliva drooling from its jagged teeth. “Seems you couldn’t run forever." </div> > [!info]+ **Kiril’s Keys** > Players who scrutinize Kiril’s neck notice two keys hanging from a chain around his neck. The chain snaps when Kiril enters his second phase (see below), allowing the players to retrieve them. If retrieved, the keys can unlock the *silverthorn collars* imprisoning Ilya and Zuleika in the werewolf den. The beast is Kiril in his first phase (see below). If Ezmerelda is present, her eyes widen, and she hisses to the players that she recognizes his fur pattern. “The bastard’s bigger than he was two years ago," she whispers through gritted teeth, “but that’s the Black Terror." (Ezmerelda can quietly remind the players, if asked, that the Black Terror was the moniker of the werewolf that bit off her leg.) Like a cat playing with its prey, Kiril is in no immediate hurry to kill the players, and hopes to taunt, demean, and demoralize them before he attacks. As the conversation unfolds, if Emil Toranescu is present, read: <div class="description"> Kiril’s eyes slide toward the man at your side, and his black lip curls. He stares for a moment, then throws his head back in uproarious laughter. "You brought the whelp back with you!" he booms. “Congratulations, weakling. How does it feel to know that you needed these mice to rescue you? Though I’m impressed—how did they do it? </div> > [!abstract]+ **Imprisoned Emil** > If the players failed to rescue Emil from Castle Ravenloft, when Kiril feels that the time has come for the conversation to end, he commands the wolves flanking him to kill the players. Players who point out the wolves’ obvious hunger and succeed on a DC 18 Charisma (Persuasion) check can convince the pack to stand back while the players deal with Kiril directly. Otherwise, the wolves and werewolves (excepting Kiril) then attack. Kiril attacks the players as soon as the rest of the pack has been defeated or slain. At a suitable point in the conversation, if he is present, Emil challenges Kiril for the leadership of the pack. Unless the players interrupt, the following exchange then occurs: * Emil steps forward, his eyes glinting gold in the dim light. “Kiril," he intones. “I cannot stand by and watch what you have done to our pack—our family. You have betrayed them for your own pride, hunger, and ego." * Kiril’s muzzle curls into a wolfish, toothy grin. “Pride? Hunger? Those are *strength*, weakling. I have brought the pack nothing but glory." * Emil’s eyes narrow. “You have sought to bring *yourself* glory." * Kiril snarls. “I am alpha! In my glory, the pack is exalted." * “A leader *cares* for his pack," Emil replies cooly. “He hunts for them, not himself." * “Do you challenge me, then, whelp?" Kiril responds. “You and your little mice?" * Emil then looks to the players to seek their assent. If they express an interest in fighting Kiril alongside him and don’t reply to Kiril themselves, Emil turns to Kiril and says, “We do." * Kiril laughs, and replies, “A wolf does not concern himself with the defiance of sheep." He glances toward the wolves flanking him, then gestures toward the players. “Kill them." * As the other members of the pack hesitantly step forward, Emil meets the largest wolf’s eyes and says, “Kellen—this is *your* choice, not his." The wolf falters, and Emil turns to face the rest of the pack, adding, “I failed you once before. I have no right to ask your loyalty. I ask only that you remain loyal to yourselves, and to each other—and not to any man who would demand your submission." He turns to face Kiril evenly, his clawed hand curling into a fist. “For we are wolves, not dogs—and obedience is a thing of men." * One by one, each wolf stops, turns, and returns to its original place, where it sits upon the ground—waiting. * Kiril’s eyes flash crimson, and his claws and fangs grow slightly longer, his massive body trembling with rage. “Cowards and traitors!" he snarls. He turns to face Emil and the players. “It’s a shame the vampire will never reclaim his prisoner," he rumbles—"because when I’m through with you, there won’t be a single bone left!" Kiril then attacks. <div class="statblock"> <h2>Kiril, Werewolf Alpha</h2> Large Monstrosity (Shapechanger), Chaotic Evil <hr> Armor Class 16 (Natural Armor) Hit Points 306 (36d12 + 144) Speed 50 ft. in hybrid or dire wolf form (30 ft. in humanoid form) <hr> <table class="ability-table"> <thead> <tr> <th>STR</th> <th>DEX</th> <th>CON</th> <th>INT</th> <th>WIS</th> <th>CHA</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>18 (+4)</td> <td>18 (+4)</td> <td>18 (+4)</td> <td>12 (+1)</td> <td>16 (+3)</td> <td>16 (+3)</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <hr> Saving Throws Strength +10, Constitution +10 Skills Perception +9, Stealth +9 Senses passive Perception 19 Languages Common (can’t speak in dire wolf form) Challenge 19, or 18 without his regeneration Proficiency Bonus +6 <hr> Regeneration. Kiril regains 20 hit points at the start of its turn. If he takes necrotic damage or bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage from a silvered weapon, this trait doesn't function at the start of his next turn. Legendary Resistance (1/day). If Kiril fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead. Indomitable. If Kiril would be paralyzed or stunned, he is slowed instead. (His speed is halved, he has disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws, and creatures have advantage on attacks made against him.) Keen Hearing and Smell. Kiril has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell. Second Phase. When Kiril is reduced to 0 hit points, he digs his claws into his chest, pulls out his own heart, and devours it. He then doubles in height and breadth, gaining a hunched back, bony protrusions along his arms and shoulders, and a grotesque, bloated head with oversized fangs and teeth, as well as a pair of toothy jaws for eyes. His statistics are then instantly replaced by the statistics of his second form. His initiative count doesn’t change. Excess damage and conditions don’t carry over to his new form. <h3>Actions</h3> Multiattack. Kiril makes three melee attacks, up to one of which can be a Bite. He can then immediately use alpha's howl Claw. Melee Weapon Attack, +10 to hit, range 5 ft., 1 target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) slashing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 17 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack, +10 to hit, range 5 ft., 1 target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage. If the target is a Humanoid, it must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be cursed with werewolf lycanthropy until Kiril dies. If the target was already cursed with werewolf lycanthropy and has gained a werewolf's regeneration feature, it can't regenerate until it completes a long rest. Alpha's Howl. Any number of targets within 60 feet that can hear Kiril and which Kiril or his infected victims have cursed with werewolf lycanthropy must make a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw, losing one level of bloodlust on a success (minimum 0). On a failure, a target gains one level of bloodlust (maximum 2) and must immediately use its reaction, if available, to move up to its speed toward a random creature other than Kiril. If it has at least one level of bloodlust, it must make an attack against the other creature with its claws (see below). If it has two levels of bloodlust, it must also make an attack against the other creature with its bite (see below). A target with one level of bloodlust gains wolflike claws and can use its claws to make an attack using its Strength modifier (minimum 2), dealing 2d4 slashing damage plus its Strength modifier (minimum 2) on a hit. A target with two levels of bloodlust also gains a wolflike muzzle and can use its bite to make an attack using its Strength modifier (minimum 2), dealing 1d8 piercing damage plus its Strength modifier (minimum 2) on a hit. A target with bloodlust is proficient with its claws and bite. A Humanoid bitten in this way must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or be cursed with werewolf lycanthropy until Kiril dies. <h3>Bonus Actions</h3> Savage Frenzy. Kiril leaps up to his speed without triggering opportunity attacks. Each creature within 5 feet of him must then make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw, taking 14 (4d6) slashing damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Shapechange. Kiril polymorphs into his human form or into a dire wolf, or back into his true form (a wolf-humanoid hybrid). His statistics, other than his AC, are the same in each form. Any equipment he is wearing or carrying isn't transformed. He reverts to his human form if he dies. <h3>Reactions</h3> Kiril can take up to three reactions per round, but only one per turn. If Kiril would lose his reactions and isn't incapacitated, he loses one reaction instead. Pounce. In response to a creature moving within 30 feet, Kiril moves up to his speed toward it without triggering opportunity attacks. Lash Out. In response to being missed by an attack made by a creature he can see, hear, or smell, Kiril moves up to his speed toward that creature without triggering opportunity attacks. He can then attack that creature with his claws if it's within reach. Maul. In response to being hit by an attack made by a creature within 5 feet, Kiril attacks that creature with his bite. </div> ![[The Black Terror.png]] "Kiril, Mutant Lycan" by Caleb Cleveland. Support him on <a href="https://patreon.com/calebisdrawing/">Patreon!</a> <div class="statblock"> <h2>Kiril, Mutant Lycan</h2> Huge Monstrosity, Chaotic Evil <hr> Armor Class 17 (Natural Armor) Hit Points 306 (36d12 + 144) Speed 30 ft. <hr> <table class="ability-table"> <thead> <tr> <th>STR</th> <th>DEX</th> <th>CON</th> <th>INT</th> <th>WIS</th> <th>CHA</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>21 (+5)</td> <td>8 (-1)</td> <td>19 (+4)</td> <td>5 (-3)</td> <td>9 (-1)</td> <td>18 (+4)</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <hr> Skills Perception +5 Senses passive Perception 14 Languages Common Challenge 18, or 17 without his regeneration Proficiency Bonus. +6 <hr> Regeneration. Kiril regains 20 hit points at the start of his turn. If he takes necrotic damage or bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage from a silvered weapon, this trait doesn't function at the start of his next turn. Legendary Resistance (1/day). If Kiril fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead. Indomitable. If Kiril would be paralyzed or stunned, he is slowed instead. (His speed is halved, he has disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws, and creatures have advantage on attacks made against him.) Keen Hearing and Smell. Kiril has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell. <h3>Actions</h3> Multiattack. Kiril makes one attack with his claws and one attack with his bite. He can replace the bite with a swallow if he already has a target restrained with his bite. Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, range 10 ft., 1 target. Hit: 15 (4d4 + 5) slashing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw or be pushed 10 feet away or grappled (Kiril's choice). Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, range 10 ft., 1 target. Hit: 18 (4d10 + 5) piercing damage. If the target is Large or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 18). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and Kiril can't bite another target. Swallow. Kiril makes one bite attack against a Medium or smaller creature he has restrained with his bite. If the attack hits, the target takes the bite's damage, the target is swallowed, and the grapple ends. While swallowed, the creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside Kiril, and it takes 7 (2d6) acid damage at the start of each of Kiril's turns. If Kiril takes 20 damage or more on a single turn, he must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of him. Kiril must also immediately regurgitate all swallowed creatures if he dies. <h3>Bonus Actions</h3> Corrupted Miasma. Kiril exhales a cloud of necrotic mist. Each creature within 20 feet of him must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw, taking 9 (2d8) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a success. Shadow Beam. A 5-foot-wide, 100-foot-long beam of swirling shadows bursts from Kiril’s maw. Each creature in that area must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw, taking 14 (4d6) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a success. A target grappled by Kiril’s bite automatically fails the saving throw. <h3>Reactions</h3> Kiril can take up to three reactions per round, but only one per turn. If Kiril would lose his reactions and isn't incapacitated, he loses one reaction instead. Leap. In response to a creature moving within 30 feet of him, making a ranged attack against him, or casting a spell, Kiril leaps toward it without provoking opportunity attacks. Each creature within a 5-foot radius of him must then immediately make a DC 19 Strength saving throw or fall prone. Kiril can then attack the creature that moved, attacked, or cast a spell with his claws. Devour. In response to a creature moving within his reach for the first time on a turn, Kiril attacks it with his bite if he isn't currently biting another creature. If the attack misses, that creature has advantage on its next attack against Kiril before the start of its next turn. Pin. In response to being missed by an attack made by a creature within reach or a creature leaving his reach, Kiril attacks it with his claws. If he grapples the creature, it must succeed on an additional DC 19 Strength saving throw or fall prone. </div> > [!warning] **Dragging Grappled Creatures** > Remember that Kiril's second phase, as a Huge creature, isn't slowed while grappling and dragging a Medium or smaller creature, as noted in Moving a Grappled Target (Player's Handbook, p. 195). ## Q5c. Kiril Vanquished Shortly after Kiril is defeated, if Emil is present, the **werewolves** amongst the pack assume their human forms to greet him. Read: <div class="description"> Eight of the wolves stand higher—and then higher, rising upon their hind legs as fur falls away, muzzles compress into faces, and forelegs twist into arms. Where eight wolves once sat, eight men and women now stand, clad in animal skins and furs. They hesitate, briefly, regarding you with wariness and caution—until one of them, a broad-shouldered man with thick, shaggy sideburns steps forward and embraces Emil. "We thought you were dead," he says gruffly. “I’m sorry we didn’t—" "You have nothing to apologize for," Emil interrupts fiercly, embracing him in return. “It was I who failed you." He then gestures toward the players, adding, “And it was they who saved us both." </div> The broad-shouldered man, Kellen, leads the other werewolves in thanking the players for their efforts. As they do, he asks the players: “I don’t understand. Did the vampire allow you to return Emil from the castle? And if he didn’t—what will become of us, now that Kiril is dead?" If the players fail to do so, Emil claps a hand on Kellen’s shoulder and reassures him that the pack has nothing to fear, for the players are “great warriors" whose courage “will see to the vampire’s undoing." Although Kellen initially looks doubtful, he is grateful for any reassurances the players can provide. Emil is glad to allow the players to accompany him and the remainder of the pack back to the werewolf den. (See [[#Q7. Return to the Werewolf Den]] for more information if they do.) Otherwise, he thanks them again for their help before bidding them farewell. If the players give him the keys from the chain around Kiril’s neck, Emil promises to free both Zuleika and Ilya as soon as he returns to the den, and to personally see that Ilya is escorted back to his family in Krezk. Emil is also happy to ask Zuleika to release the players from the *Oath of the New Moon*, if they took the oath before departing the werewolf den. If asked, Emil reassures the players that the pack will no longer hunt for human flesh. “We were never meant to prey upon our own kind," he promises. “Though we stand apart from you, we are your brethren—not your enemies." ***Milestone.*** Defeating Kiril completes a story milestone. When the players do so, award each player 3,000 XP. # Q6. Return to Argynvostholt > [!lore]+ **Vladimir’s Command** > When the players retrieve Argynvost’s skull from Castle Ravenloft, Vladimir Horngaard learns of it through his **phantom warrior** spies, who have heard of the players’ exploits through contacts in the Ethereal Plane. After interrogating Sir Godfrey Gwilym and learning of the players’ intent to place the skull in Argynvost’s mausoleum, Vladimir relocates to Q15. Cemetery (p. 134), where he waits for the players to return to Argynvostholt. ## Q6a. Return to the Foyer When the players first return to Argynvostholt after retrieving Argynvost’s skull in [[Arc P - Ravenloft Heist]], if they approach Argynvostholt’s cemetery by passing through Q3. Dragon’s Foyer (p. 132), they encounter a number of **revenants** depending on the time of their return: * If the players return to Argynvostholt before noon on the day they escape Castle Ravenloft in [[Arc P - Ravenloft Heist]], no revenants are present in the foyer. * If the players return to Argynvostholt before dusk on the day they escape Castle Ravenloft in [[Arc P - Ravenloft Heist]], one revenant is present in the foyer. * If the players return to Argynvostholt before midnight on the day they escape Castle Ravenloft in [[Arc P - Ravenloft Heist]], two revenants are present in the foyer. * Otherwise, three revenants are present in the foyer. Read the following, modifying the text as needed depending on the number of revenants present: <div class="description"> A thick fog covers the floor of the chamber. Through the fog, you see three armored figures standing at the northern end of the chamber—one before the western doors, one before the eastern doors, and one at the foot of the once-grand staircase. Each gaunt, ashen figure is clad in tattered chain mail and bears an ancient, rusted longsword. Red eyes glint solemnly behind beaten helms, each figure’s head downcast in sorrow and shame. As each revenant lifts a head in greeting, you notice strands of black, spiked wire encircling their limbs and torsos in a web, looping around armor and gauntlets before wrapping around the hilts of their swords. As you watch, the wire seems to crawl along their flesh, flexing and writhing like a puppet’s strings. "May you greet your deaths with honor and courage," one revenant rasps, “as our general has commanded." </div> The revenants then attack. In combat, the revenants attack with their longswords as described in Q13. Chapel of Morning (p. 134). A player with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 13 or greater notices that, each time a revenant attacks, its cheeks are streaked with tears. In addition, a player who succeeds on a DC 13 Wisdom (Insight) check notices that the revenants don’t appear to be moving of their own volition, but move jerkily, as though the black wires are controlling their movements directly. A player can attempt a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check to convince the revenants to fight back against the wires’ control. The check is made with advantage if the players share that they’ve recovered Argynvost’s skull from Castle Ravenloft and intend to restore it to his mausoleum. If the check succeeds, the revenants make attacks and Dexterity saving throws with disadvantage, and grant advantage on any attacks made against them. When the players defeat the last revenant, it warns them that Commander Horngaard is waiting for them in the cemetery. “May the Morninglord protect you," it rasps before collapsing. ## Q6b. Return to the Cemetery When the players first return to Q15. Cemetery (p. 134) after retrieving Argynvost’s skull in [[Arc P - Ravenloft Heist]], they find the cemetery apparently empty, with the stone door to Q16. Dragon’s Mausoleum (p. 134) hanging open. > [!abstract]+ **Teleporting Players** > When the players first return to the cemetery, Vladimir is waiting for them inside of Argynvost’s mausoleum. If a player teleports into the mausoleum without first entering the cemetery, Vladimir attacks them on sight, throwing them out of the mausoleum using his ***greatsword*** attack if possible. The first time the players enter the cemetery, if they’re not using stealth or fail a group DC 19 Dexterity (Stealth) check, Vladimir hears their approach and exits the mausoleum to address them. Read: <div class="description"> The sound of shrieking, rusted metal cuts through the silent graveyard as a tall, broad-shouldered knight clad in once-fine armor steps forth from the open mausoleum. "I did not expect you to be fool enough to return," Vladimir rasps, his red eyes flashing. His ancient iron gauntlets wrap tightly around the hilt of the gleaming greatsword he holds at his side, black flames dancing briefly along its edges. “If you wish your lives to end, I shall gladly grant that wish." </div> > [!abstract]+ **Zorya’s Return** > If the players befriended her in [[Arc M - The Dragon’s Manor]], the spirit of the pseudodragon Zorya dives from one of the mansion’s upper windows on the first round of combat to assist them. In combat, Zorya uses simple gestures and squeaks to attempt to communicate that the players should place Argynvost’s skull in the mausoleum before fighting Vladimir. If the players attempt to place Argynvost’s skull there, Zorya attempts to defend them by attacking Vladimir as they do so. Vladimir attacks if the players attack him first, or if he deems further conversation unnecessary. If the players ask to restore Argynvost’s skull to the mausoleum, he falters briefly, then shakes his head. “You are too dangerous to be left alive," he rumbles. “Your antagonism to von Zarovich is a threat I shall not tolerate. When you lie in the ground, perhaps then I shall complete the task you have set yourselves upon—but not until the last breath has left your bodies." When Vladimir enters his second phase, four **phantom warriors** materialize to aid him. The phantom warriors fight to the death. In addition, the first time a player enters the mausoleum, Vladimir summons a ring of black fire encircling the cemetery. Read: <div class="description"> Jet-black shadows swirl in Horngaard’s eyes as he lifts a hand toward the mausoleum’s yawning door. Dark flames erupt from the crypt’s stone floor, then spread hungrily across the dying grass that fills the cemetery, forming a ring of black flames that clings to the wrought-iron fencing. </div> Each player within 5 feet of the mausoleum’s entrance must also succeed on a DC 18 Strength saving throw as a shockwave of force erupts from the flames’ origin. On a failure, a player is thrown 10 feet away from the mausoleum and lands prone. The flames form a sheet of black fire eight feet high. A creature takes 10 (3d6) fire damage plus 10 (3d6) necrotic damage when it enters the flames for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there. A player can vault over the flames if they can make a high jump of eight feet (see High Jump, Player’s Handbook (p. 182)) or by succeeding on a DC 18 Strength (Athletics) check. (If a player is carrying the full weight of Argynvost’s skull, their high jump distance is reduced by 3 feet, and they make the Strength (Athletics) check with disadvantage). On a failure, the player lands prone in the flames. ## Q6c. Argynvost’s Return When a player first places Argynvost’s skull on an alcove in the mausoleum, read: <div class="description"> A silver light thrums within the mist that crawls across the floor below, as tendrils of perlescent fog rise toward the massive skull. The stone of the crypt trembles, the temperature plummeting, as two silver pinpricks of light flare to life within the skull’s great eyes. With a roar as fierce as rolling thunder, a bank of roiling silver mist bursts from the mausoleum’s depths, flooding forth into the cemetery beyond. The thick fog churns, flashing with silver light as an enormous form slowly coalesces in the air above. Claws emerge first, then a serpentine torso half as long as the manor is tall, curving into a long, elegant neck crowned by a noble, horned head. Mighty wings extend from strong, stalwart shoulders, their ghostly scales shimmering with an ethereal silver light as they fill the sky above. </div> As Argynvost’s spirit appears, any phantom warriors fall to their knees and bow their heads before him. If still alive, Vladimir ceases his assault, dropping his greatsword to the ground as he stares upward in disbelief. Read: <div class="description"> The ghostly dragon bows its great neck, its eyes glinting with sorrow. “My knights," it rumbles. “What has this land done to you?" Vladimir’s rusted gauntlet curls into a fist. “We have fought," he swears hoarsely, his voice trembling with exhaustion and pain. “We have endured." "Have you fallen so far into shadow," the dragon responds, “that you cannot see what you have become?" A deep and sorrowful rumbling emanates from its great chest. “You have forsaken courage for fear, and faith for despair, and so forgotten me." "Never," Vladimir swears. Tears fall from his eyes, staining the damp earth below. “We would never—I would never give up the faith." The dragon studies him for a moment. “No," it rumbles, finally. “Your faith is strong indeed, to have borne you for so long." Its great, clawed hand descends from the air above, its talons extended toward Vladimir in clear invitation. “But the time to fight has ended," the dragon says. “You have endured long enough, my brave knight. Now is the time to rest." Vladimir stares at the hand before him, his body trembling. Slowly, he raises a gauntlet toward it—then stops. “What have I left," he bites out, “if not the suffering of the one who took all I once loved?" The dragon’s gaze lingers somberly upon him for a moment—then, slowly, shifts to rest upon you, as if inviting you to speak. </div> The players may then provide Vladimir with any good reason to accept Argynvost’s offer of rest, including (but not limited to) promises that they will return peace to the valley through Strahd’s destruction. When they have finished doing so and Vladimir has replied (if appropriate), read: <div class="description"> Vladimir’s jaw trembles—then halts. He considers the dragon’s hand for a moment more. Finally, he murmurs, “From this until the end of days." He places his hand in the dragon’s palm. "From this until the end of days," the dragon rumbles. Its other hand descends, and a single, enormous claw brushes tenderly against the side of his cheek. “Your watch is ended." Vladimir’s eyes fall shut, and he exhales, releasing a breath that aches with longing, grief, and—at long-last—relief. His fingertips begin to crumble away like fine ash, then his palms and forearms. His weathered skin flakes away, swirling into the cool, quiet air, as the dissolution takes his torso, then his legs, and—at long last, his ancient, tired face. His clothes and rusted armor, now empty, fall peacefully to the earth beside his fallen sword. </div> > [!info]+ **Vladimir’s Greatsword** > Players who later investigate Vladimir’s remains can recover his greatsword and holy symbol, which are as described in Q36. Dragon’s Audience Hall (p. 138). As Vladimir dies, any remaining **phantom warriors** haunting Argynvostholt or its cemetery dissolve into mist, and any character cursed by Vladimir’s ***oathbind*** feature is freed from its constraints. In addition, the spirits of any **revenants** of the Order of the Silver Dragon are freed from the corpses they inhabit, including Sir Godfrey Gwilym. Read: <div class="description"> From the chapel, you hear the clattering of chains and feel the brush of a whispering wind. Slowly, a new ghostly silhouette takes form in the fog below the dragon’s shadow—humanoid, this time, tall, and clad in gleaming armor. Once-white hair now shimmers with an ethereal golden hue, cascading down his shoulders in thick waves, as once-haunted scarlet eyes are replaced by piercing blue. His face, no longer gaunt and skeletal, is now noble and full, with strong cheekbones, a squared jaw, and warm crinkles around his eyes. His skin, once ashen and corpse-like, now glows with the warmth of the life it once bore, and the ornate collar that once weighed so heavily upon his shoulders now sits proudly beneath his neck. As he sees you, the spirit raises a solemn fist to his chest and descends to one knee, bowing his head in deep respect. “Hail, friends," he says, his deep, yet gentle voice trembling with gratitude and awe. He thumps his fist against his chest, tears of pride and joy streaking across his ghostly face. “Hail, Lord Argynvost." </div> The players recognize the spirit of Sir Godfrey, now restored to the appearance he bore before he died. Argynvost’s spirit greets Sir Godfrey with warmth and deep affection, then greets the players with great gratitude. “Though my knights fell into darkness, you have saved them, and shown them the light they have lost," he booms, bowing his head deeply before them. “For this, I am forever in your debt." Argynvost’s spirit can share the following information if asked, or as appropriate: * He has long waited for one who might restore his remains to their rightful place, so that his spirit might be empowered to speak with his knights once again. “I am grateful that my patience was not in vain," he rumbles. “Even my hope had waned to a flicker—but you rekindled it to a roaring flame." * Although his spirit lay dormant for centuries, he was awoken several weeks ago by the sound of distant dragonsong—a harmony from the planes beyond—that Barovia had not heard since the descent of the Mists. “A grand alignment approaches us," he murmurs. “I know not what it portends, but the great veils are shifting." If asked, Argynvost can also share any and all of the information regarding events that occurred in [[History of Barovia#The Founding Era (1 BC–345 BC)|The Founding Era]] or during the [[History of Barovia#Birth of Barovia|Birth of Barovia]], excepting any information regarding the origins of King Barov’s *Brightblade*, Baba Lysaga’s history with the Von Zarovich clan, the birth of Sergei, and the origins of the Wizard of Wines (though Argynvost can share his strong suspicions that the winery’s founders had strong ties to—or were descended from—the indigenous people of the valley itself). If he has reason to believe the players hold an interest in journeying to the Amber Temple, Godfrey can also share the following information: * Several weeks ago, a dusk elf named Kasimir Velikov visited the manor and spoke with Godfrey, seeking information regarding the history, location, and contents of the Amber Temple. * Godfrey warned him to avoid the darkness that lay within the temple, but believes that Kasimir may have gleaned some information nonetheless by canvassing the ruins of Argynvostholt. * Godfrey did not ask Kasimir’s purpose in seeking out the Temple, but does not believe that he bore any ill intent. “Even so, I knew all too well of the allure the Temple poses," he says. “I could sense the magic, intelligence, and desperation within him. Such individuals are the Temple’s most vulnerable prey." * The Amber Temple is located near the peak of Mt. Ghakis, at the end of a trail now long-lost to the ages. “I sense the elf has rediscovered it, however," Godfrey says solemnly. “Seek him out, and he may guide you to the place you seek." As the conversation draws to a close, or if the players request a boon for restoring his skull to his crypt, Argynvost offers to instill one of their nonmagical weapons with “the flame of a silver dragon." A weapon blessed in this way gains the following additional features: * The weapon becomes a +1 magical weapon of its kind, and has 3 charges. It regains all expended charges at dawn. * The weapon’s wielder can use 1 charge as a bonus action to imbue the weapon with silver flames for the next 1 minute. While the flames remain, each of the creature’s attacks deals an additional 1d4 cold damage. In addition, if the weapon’s wielder rolls a critical hit while the flames remain, the target must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed until the start of the wielder’s next turn. * The weapon’s wielder can use 2 charges as a bonus action to cast the *beacon of hope* spell. * The weapon’s wielder can use 3 charges as a bonus action to create a blast of silver flame, which takes the shape of a 15-foot cone for a melee weapon and a 30-foot line for a ranged weapon. Each hostile creature in that area must make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw, taking 58 (13d8) cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Once this feature is used, the weapon doesn’t regain charges for the next three days. Once Argynvost has blessed a player’s weapon, he notes that they have “a long and difficult path ahead of them," and asks if they truly understand the evil they now face. “You will face trials unbeknownst to most mortals," he rumbles, “and endure things that should never be endured. Are you prepared to do so?" If the players assent, or if they request his aid in doing so, Argynvost looks up toward the shadowed beacon of Argynvostholt. “I cannot accompany you on your journey," he says solemnly, “but perhaps I can light the way." Read: <div class="description"> Motes of silver light begin to emanate from Argynvost’s ghostly scales. “My knights have earned their rest," he says, “but I have not fulfilled my debt, nor atoned for my failure." His wings flex wider as silver flames wisp across their span. “As that flame burns within you, so too shall my spirit burn atop the beacon of Argynvostholt, bringing light and hope to this dark land." His gaze, steady and solemn, returns to yours. “Will you bear the legacy of the Order of the Silver Dragon in my stead?" he asks quietly. </div> If one or more players agrees to do so, Argynvost then asks if they will take the oath of the Order of the Silver Dragon. If they do so, he recites the oath in full, pausing after each phrase as appropriate to allow them to repeat after him: <div class="description"> I solemnly vow to uphold the virtues of the Order of the Silver Dragon, with honor as my shield and truth as my guide. In the shadow of evil, I shall be the light; in the face of despair, the beacon of hope. No challenge shall shake my resolve; no defeat shall quell my heart. With sword and spirit, I shall stand against darkness and forge a brighter dawn. So do I swear in the name of the Silver Dragon, from this to the end of days. </div> When the oath is completed, Argynvost’s wings sag in evident relief. “Thank you," he whispers. “You have done more for me than you know." Whether the players take the oath or not, Argynvost says, “My spirit shall act as a beacon unto the valley, so that all shall know the final conflict is at hand. Yet that flame shall not last long—you must make haste, lest my soul burn away before your task is complete. Do you understand?" If asked, Argynvost confirms that his soul will be destroyed by lighting the beacon, and that it may last for “a half-cycle of the moon"—i.e., seven days—"or perhaps more, if I have the strength in me," before it is utterly consumed. Argynvost freely shares that he does not fear the annihilation of his soul, and that he will consider the sacrifice well-worth it if it leads to the liberation of the valley. When the players have answered his final question, Argynvost then looks toward the beacon of Argynvostholt once more and says, “It is time." Read: <div class="description"> As Argynvost’s spirit closes its eyes, a distant sound echoes through the air: a chorus of low, rumbling tones that resonate through the ground, mixed with sharp, clear high notes that pierce the air like chiming crystal. As the harmony grows stronger, however, you realize that they are not simple tones at all, but voices—thousands of them, ancient and resonant and true, reaching across unfathomable distances in wordless song. Argynvost’s spirit blurs, his edges growing ill-defined as silver flames wisp across every inch of his form. The flames swell with each passing second, growing from perlescent embers to a roaring inferno that devours his claws, his tail, his wings—and, finally, his head. As the distant chorus grows to a proud and fierce crescendo, the silver blaze that was once Argynvost thrums with power. It hangs in the air, just for a moment—then surges upward, burning through the sky like a comet before alighting in the mansion’s tallest tower. The flame bursts, into radiant light, a brilliant explosion of silver that drowns out the light of the sky above. For a brief instant, the landscape for miles around is painted in hues of silvers, greys, and whites, casting away the shadows that flee from the burning light. </div> Continue with the following, modifying the text as necessary to reflect each non-player character’s current status: <div class="description"> Time itself seems to hold its breath as countless reflections shimmer in the depths of that radiance, each one illuminated by the silver light above. In those reflections, you see the light fall first upon a walled and lonely town—Vallaki—its glimmers dancing across the surface of the once-dark Lake Zarovich nearby. The light finds its way into the taproom of the Blue Water Inn, where Brom and Bray Martikov press their faces against the windowglass as Urwin and Danika gaze into the distance with awe. Shadows of silver and white fall upon Muriel Vinshaw, her eyes rekindling with a brilliant spark as she leans forward from her seat upon the taproom counter, while Nikolai and Karl Wachter gape at the windows from their barstools. At a table not far away, Victor Vallakovich’s hand twitches hesitantly toward Stella Wachter’s—who takes his hand in hers and squeezes it tight. The light twists through Vallaki’s narrow alleyways, finding its way to a muddy street before an old, run-down hovel where Milivoj and his siblings, who cling joyfully to his legs and arms, look up into the sky as if seeing it for the first time. Nearby, more of Milivoj’s siblings, playing in the mud with the altar boy Yeska, fall still in wonderment while a watchful Father Lucian clutches the sunburst around his neck with a fierce and reverent joy. The light falls upon a hilltop beyond Vallaki’s walls, piercing through the smoke that drifts lazily from the campfires below until it finds a wide-eyed Arrigal, a half-whittled statuette dropping from his hands as Arabelle, curled up against Luvash’s chest, watches the light with quiet satisfaction. She reaches out to Van Richten beside her, lifting his chin with her small, gentle hand, until his eyes behold the light and well with unshed tears. The light travels east, until it finds the village of Barovia beyond the mountains, where the shadow of Castle Ravenloft has, if only for a heartbeat, withdrawn in loathing and fear. Ismark, wielding a hammer instead of a sword, looks up from a half-built wall and pounds a proud fist against his chest. Parriwimple, carrying a pile of lumber with Bildrath in the street nearby, points into the sky with rapt fascination, and a small, fragile smile touches the corners of his uncle’s lips. In a candlelit kitchen not far away, Father Donavich and Mary look up from a table with eyes wide and hopeful while, just upstairs, Doru’s arms wrap tenderly around Gertruda’s waist, her slender hand clasping his clawed one against her heart. The light travels west, too, illuminating the village of Krezk, and the snow-capped abbey that stands far above. It finds Kala and Ilya Krezkov, who throw themselves, ruddy-cheeked and laughing, into the fresh-fallen snow that dusts the shores of Krezk’s sacred pool, while Dmitri and Anna watch the skies from the old gazebo nearby, two familiar wolves curled quietly in the snow beside them. On the high mountain spur that overlooks the village, amidst a quiet, snowy garden, Otto, Zygfrek, and Clovin Belview watch the light from their perch atop an old stone wall. Behind them, Ithuriel, Vasilka, and a silent golem look up from the flourishing vegetation, the flowers in Vasilka’s hands painted a perlescent and joyful silver. The light travels south, touching rows of wooden posts laden with green-growing vines, each one groaning with the weight of the grapes that peek forth from their leaves. It finds Davian Martikov, whose hand wraps tightly around the locket in his pocket; Claudiu, who looks up into the sky from the shadows of the vineyard and stares; and Elvir, who clutches the hilt of his shortsword as solemn understanding blooms across his face. The light finds the dark and twisted rooftops of Castle Ravenloft, where Sasha Ivliskova stands alone, her face twisted with the pain of sudden hope. It finds a lonely cairn amidst the Svalich Woods, where Kavan’s spirit lifts his head in remembrance and sorrow. And it finds, at long last, the sagging doorstep of an old and tired manor, where Lady Fiona Wachter holds a trembling hand to her face as tears spill across her cheeks. And then—the instant passes, the reflections vanish, and the day slowly returns. The distant song, too, fades, leaving tones of lingering sorrow, remembrance, and defiance that soon vanish into silence. The beacon of Argynvostholt, however, still shines bright, bathing the woods and valleys below with a lustrous silver radiance. </div> All creatures that oppose Strahd, including the players, then gain the effects of the ***Beacon of Protection*** described in Lighting the Beacon (p. 142). ***Milestone.*** Returning Argynvost’s skull to his crypt completes a story milestone. When the players light Argynvost’s beacon, award each player 3,000 XP. # Q7. Return to the Werewolf Den > [!abstract]+ **Fighting Kiril** > Players who aren’t hunted by Kiril in [[#Q5. Pack Attack]] can encounter him again in one of two ways: > > * If they arrive at the werewolf den during daylight hours, Kiril is asleep in Z6. Kiril’s Cave (p. 204) in his dire wolf form. > * If they arrive at the werewolf den during nighttime hours, Kiril and the pack are out hunting, but eventually return as described in Leader of the Pack (p. 205). > > If a fight occurs in the den, Kiril prefers to lead it outside. The scene otherwise unfolds largely as described in [[#Q5. Pack Attack]]. Once Kiril is defeated, the players can easily free Ilya and Zuleika from their *silverthorn collars* using the keys from the chain around Kiril’s neck. If the players rescued Emil from Castle Ravenloft, Emil and Zuleika are glad to allow them to take any treasure from Mother Night's shrine without incurring the goddess's curse. ("Most of what you see was seized by Kiril," Emil says sadly, "stolen from its rightful owners beyond the mists in his many bloody raids. We have no more right to it than you do.") In addition to the treasure described in Z7. Shrine of Mother Night (p. 204), the hoard also contains one diamond worth 300 gp. > [!tip] **You've Reached the End of the Mists** > You’ve reached the end of the current public release of the _Curse of Strahd: Reloaded_ guide. > > To get a sneak peek at drafts for [[Arc R - Trials of the Mountain]], as well as additional outlines and notes for _**Act IV: Secrets of the Ancient**_ and the remainder of the adventure, support the guide by joining the author’s [Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/DragnaCarta).