The Interactive Tome of Strahd Much of the truth surrounding the dread land of Barovia's past has been lost to its mysterious mists. Adventure through the pages of Lord Strahd von Zarovich's personal journal and see the past through his eyes. A series of adventures exploring the echoes of Barovian history for characters of 5th- 15th level. By The Aciduous Adventurer Sample file The Tome of Strahd his hand-assembled, aged, leather book hangs on weighted, steel hinges. Though many pages Rules of the Tome are brittle and damaged, it is clear that it was Once the attuned creature has decided to investigate a penned by Strahd von Zarovich, Lord of chapter, if it is successfully decoded, they are forcefully Barovia himself over the course of the many absorbed into the pages of the book along with any other centuries of his life. A brief, intimate creature within 30ft. Tintroduction gives you the impression that the The first chapter has already been decoded by Rudolph pages may reveal deep secrets of his long life, though they are van Richten and will absorb the readers instantly when it mostly written in a near incompressible cipher. is opened for the first time after it has been attuned to. If the creature attuned to the Tome dies, a creature friendly to them may attune to the item within one day of What is Contained Here? the initial attunement ending and refer to their The Tome of Strahd is an ancient text penned by a terribly companion's shorthand in order to resume their powerful, immortal wizard. This guide turns the legends of translation. Strahd's history into a series of short adventures. Time moves differently inside the memories of the Tome. The following adventures are scaled for an adventuring Exploring a single chapter takes 1 hour of time in addition party of 4-5 characters that discover the Tome at level 4 and to the 4 hours spent on research and deciphering the text. levels to 5 upon its discovery. Non-magical items found in a chapter can be brought back to the present. Magical items taken from the memories of the Tome lose any magical properties if returned to the Tome of Strahd (Item) present. Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement by a Any damage taken while in a chapter is sustained when a spellcaster) character leaves. If a character dies within the chapter, While attuned to the Tome you gain the following benefits: their body must be carried to the end of the chapter's events or it is lost to the pages of history. You have advantage on any checks made to recall Events are recorded on the pages as they occur and information about Barovian history or lore. include the actions of those present but not their names. You gain a +1 to your AC and to any saving throws when defending against Strahd von Zarovich’s magic. Table of Contents While attuned to the Tome you may spend 4 hours Though the Tome itself does not have a formal table of attempting to decipher new sections of the Tome in order to contents or distinct chapters, it is broken into two clear gain further insight into the life of Strahd and the land of halves: Life and Death. Barovia. Deciphering a chapter requires an Intelligence Life.......................................................................................................2 (Investigation) or Intelligence (Arcana) check and at least Prologue | Youth ........................................................................2 4 hours of dedicated research time. Another creature can Chapter 1 | The Battle of Argynvostholt................................3 assist you in the attempt and grant advantage on the check if Chapter 2 | The Rise of Ravenloft...........................................4 they help. Attempting to decipher the book or offering help in Chapter 3 | Brothers in Arms..................................................6 deciphering it reduces your passive perception by 5 for the Chapter 4 | Tatyana....................................................................7 duration of the 4 hours. Chapter 5 | The Unholy Communion....................................9 The Tome also appears to contain esoteric, magical Chapter 6 | Wedding Bells ....................................................12 knowledge akin to the knowledge contained within a wizard's spellbook. As the secrets and magic contained within are Death ...............................................................................................14 unveiled, you may cast any spells recorded in the Tome as a ritual. If a spell found within does not have the ritual tag, it is Chapter 7 | The Corruption of Yesterhill............................14 nonetheless a ritual spell for you when cast from the Tome. Chapter 8 | The Heart of the Old Gods...............................15 Once a spell is cast in this way, it cannot be cast from the Chapter 9 | The March of the Dawn....................................18 Tome again until the following dusk. Chapter 10 | The Legacy of Vasili von Holtz......................21 If the spell is of a higher level than you are able to cast, you Chapter 11 | The Final Dusk.................................................27 must succeed on a DC10 + the spell's level Intelligence Chapter 12 | A Soul's Return................................................29 (Arcana) check. If you fail, the spell's use for the day is still Epilogue | A Lord's Rest.........................................................33 expended. The Interior With a successful DC13 Intelligence (Arcana) check, a Samplecharacter can recognize a dispellfileed Glyph of Warding on the clasp that once secured the front cover. This was removed by Rudolph van Richten. When a character opens the Tome for the first time after attuning to it, read: INTRODUCTION 1 You leaf through the pages, some torn, some flooded or The Courtyard The courtyard is walled-in on four sides by 30ft tall stone burned, some branded with unknowable symbols, and others walls. There are 10ft tall wooden double doors set on the still artfully scribed with a murky, black ink in a foreign script east, south, and west walls. On the other side of these doors that you do not recognize. The tale is long though appears as are simply clouds of mist. Any adventurer that attempts to gibberish, save the first page which transforms before your exit through these doors are met with the same fate as they eyes into Common: would entering the Mists of Ravenloft. "I, Strahd, Lord of Barovia, well aware certain events of my The boy seated on the stairs is a young Strahd von reign have been desperately misunderstood by those who are Zarovich, taking a short rest from his sword training with Rahadin. His father's attendant has bested him and is better at garbling history than recording it, hereby set down an currently reporting back to King Barov. exact record of those events, that the truth may at last be known." The Door The pages flutter open to a blank pair along the spine and Just beyond the northern door is a small office chamber mist begins to pour from the binding. You feel lightheaded. where Barov is drunkenly boasting of his excitement for his Your vision fades, and from the blackness now surrounding soon-to-be-born son Sergei and the immense pride has for you, a hungry fog rolls along the ground. Strahd. Characters listening at the door that succeed on a DC 14 You shout, and there is nothing. The mist chokes closer. Wisdom (Perception) check can hear Barov request that From the growing cloud, a man clad in a black cloak and a Rahadin push Strahd harder so that his son will one day be a regal, red tunic looks at you with a stern face and piercing great leader that will leave Barovia in the history books. They eyes. He steps toward you with the grace of a king. Your eyes also hear Rahadin respond, in turn, informing King Barov meet his cold glare as it bears down on you, he speaks. that the prince is still far too young to lead and that he is brash, foolish, and overzealous. Prologue - Youth The Boy “I am the Ancient. I am the Land. My beginnings are lost This young version of the Dark Lord will believe the in the darkness of the past…” characters are imaginary friends, and, so long as they do not This chapter details Strahd's childhood, establishes his become hostile, he will speak freely about himself and his relationship with his father King Barov, his mother Queen family. Ravenovia, Rahadin, and Sergei, and lets the characters meet Anyone speaking to the boy in a kind manner can learn the the boy who will go on to become the Devil. following: His name is Strahd von Zarovich. The visage of the man disperses into a black and red cloud He is meant to become lord of this castle, and his mother before reforming into a young boy no older than 12, with a thinks he'll make a great lord. His father, King Barov, small sword at his side and tears streaming down his cheeks. believes he might, but he also says that he has a lot of The mist recedes further, revealing a glorious, well-adorned, work to do. He is nervous about living up to his father's expectations. and sunlit castle courtyard. His father's advisor, Rahadin, is his teacher. He's a difficult The low buzz of insects and humidity add weight to the teacher, and he pushes too hard sometimes. summer air. Hanging high above you are red banners draped His mother is pregnant with a boy, Sergei, and his mother over towering ramparts that depict the same raven says it'll be his job to teach Sergei what he knows. iconography cast in metal on the front of the book you’ve just opened. After the party has spoken to young Strahd, listened at the The boy that stood before you moments ago now sits atop a door for sometime, or they party attacks the boy, Rahadin small set of stairs leading to a wooden door.