Credits

Strahd Loves, Writing and Design: Jack Shear

Cover Art: Jack Shear
Interior Art: Bahador, Jacob Bentzinger, Cottonbro, Mona

Man Kills
Dennaoui, Axel Eres, Katherine Hanlon, K. Mitch Hodge, Jan
Huber, Nurlan Imash, Kyle Johnson, Zachary Kadolph, Anis
Rahman, Mathias P.R. Reding, Jametlene Reskp, Mahdi Rezaei,
Andre Sebastian, Petr Sidorov

Contact: totgad@gmail.com

Issue Seven
Nemo Me Impune
Lacessit
I bid you welcome to the seventh issue of Strahd Loves, Man Kills.
Imagine one of Strahd’s emissaries being lured into the vaults
beneath Abreptoro with the promise of a rare Malaturno vintage.
Once tricked into the cavernous dungeons of the Borcan estate,
Strahd’s agent finds himself in chains as he’s walled in alive.
“For the love of Strahd, Ivliskova!” he cries.
“Yes,” intones his murderer, “for the love of Strahd!”
Perhaps you will disinter some inspiration from this issue’s
dank and nitre-encrusted features:
Lurid Locations gives Invidia an expansive treatment.
Cryptic Alliances unveils the treachery and horrors of the
Church of Holy Blood.

Portraits of the Damned introduces three troublesome
priests vying for the hearts and souls of the Invidian people.
Baleful Backgrounds adds apothecary to the roster of
possible character backgrounds.
Seeds of Evil outlines several adventure seeds you can use to
craft scenarios set in Ravenloft.
Midnight Horrors offers templates for transforming
mundane nonplayer character statblocks into ermordenung and
undead monstrosities.
Forged in Shadow describes two magical weapons that might
be found in Ravenloft.
Tragic Heroes suggests ways to create violent visionaries as
characters in your games.
Random Ruin presents a table of art-related adventure seeds
for use in the domain of Ghastria.
Forbidden Tomes provides a bibliography of the disaster
horror, occult detective story, psychological horror, and slasher
horror genres for your edification and entertainment.
Lurid Locations
This installment of Lurid Locations re-imagines Invidia by
exploring the tension between barely controlled passions and the
restrictions of castigating religion. The version of Invidia that I
present here is heavily influenced by the portrayal of the Catholic
Church, as well as the lands in which Catholicism still held sway,
such as Italy, Spain, and France, in the popular Gothic novels of
the eighteenth century. In Gothic fiction, the Catholic Church is
often a morally compromised and hypocritical institution that is
both an authority on spiritual matters and a locus of political
power. It preaches abstinence and self-denial, but the most
licentious, prideful, greedy, and bloodthirsty villains find safe
haven under its protective mask of piety.
Inspirations
My version of Invidia was inspired by Gothic works such as
Matthew Lewis’s The Monk and Ann Radcliffe’s The Italian, as
well as the dark fantasy video game Blasphemous.
Invidia
Domain of Uncontrollable Passions
Darklord: Gabrielle Aderre
Genres: Gothic horror and dark fantasy
Hallmarks: Unrestrained desires, religious horror
Mist Talismans: Fraudulent holy relic, vial of a martyr’s blood
The people of Invidia are possessed by simmering passions and
desires that are always threatening to boil over into violence,
betrayals, and licentiousness. Playful flirtations become
tumultuous love affairs rife with infidelity, perfidy, and secret
trysts. Minor quarrels spill over into brutal confrontations,
murder, and bloody vendettas. Hot-blooded and impulsive, the
Invidian populace seems barely able to constrain their impulses
and countermand the dictates of their wild, romantic hearts.
In the absence of a centralized secular authority governing the
land, the Church of Holy Blood provides stability, order, and
strictures against illicit behavior. The Church’s prohibitions
against sin are enforced by parish beadles, the machinations of its
inquisitors, and a culture that encourages exposing the failings of
others to public scrutiny. Nevertheless, although it strives to
provide an exemplar of virtue, the Church itself is comprised of
fallible mortal agents. The Church harbors hypocrites, hedonists,
and the power-hungry behind its facade of holiness.
Many tensions prey upon and exacerbate the atmosphere of
heightened emotional turmoil in Invidia. Unable to accept
responsibility for the sinful actions borne of their desires, many
Invidians blame diabolic influence for their misdeeds, which leads
to innocents being accused of practicing witchcraft. Long-running
feuds among sects of the Church or the domain’s aristocratic
families result in partisan violence on Invidia’s streets.
Invidia is also a land divided by ethnic discrimination. A
displaced people known as the Gundarkites have immigrated to
Invidia and now occupy farmland surrounding Castle Hunadora in
the north of the domain. Native Invidians look upon the
Gundarkites with distrust, viewing them as usurpers come to steal
their land. Additionally, both Invidians and Gundarkites regard
the Vistani with suspicion. The entertainments, news, and trade
the Vistani bring are treasured, but they are judged to be shiftless
vagabonds all the same.
Noteworthy Features
Those familiar with Invidia know the following facts:
• Emotions run wild in Invidia, and its populace possess
fiery tempers, poor self-control, and lusty imaginations.
• The Church of Holy Blood is the sole institution attempting
to curb the Invidians’ excesses, but its doctrine of sins and
virtues merely disguises the hypocrisy of a religion that
judges others harshly for shared vices.
• Native Invidians feel threatened by the presence of a
Gundarkite ethnic minority in the north.
• The Vistani are both welcome in Invidia because of the
information, goods, and entertainments they bring and
mistrusted as outsiders.
Invidian Characters
Characters from Invidia are wildly passionate, though often also
burdened by guilt. They are loud, expressive, and gesticulate
demonstratively while speaking. Most harbor a secret sin that
haunts their conscience. When players create characters from
Invidia, consider asking them the following questions.
What is your relationship with the Church? Characters
from Invidia usually have a strong connection to the Church of
Holy Blood in one way or another. Do you regard it as a positive
influence that tends to the needs of Invidia’s citizens or are you
troubled by the power the Church wields?
Which of your vices predominates? The passionate
Invidian temperament usually results in a pronounced
inclination toward a specific vice. Which sin—wrath, sloth,
gluttony, pride, greed, envy, or lust—are you most drawn to?
Whom do you want revenge against? Nearly every
Invidian carries the encumbrance of vengeance in their heart.
Whether over sectarian differences, a familial vendetta, or a
minor slight that has taken on a magnified importance, define
who has earned your lasting ire.
Settlements and Sites
Invidia is a land of pleasant hills, verdant farmland, beautiful
vineyards, and deep forests, yet it is buffeted by extreme weather
that reflects the violent emotional shifts of its inhabitants. Storms
rise suddenly, and they are invariably tempests rather than soft
showers. Bright, sunny days quickly turn to oppressive heat and
the threat of drought. When winter arrives, unpredictable
blizzards are the rule.
Invidia’s villages, towns, and cities are all independently
governed. The only commonality they share is the presence of the
powerful Church of Holy Blood.
Beltis
The ruins of Beltis are a popular pilgrimage destination for the
faithful of the Church of Holy Blood, for beneath the village lie
catacombs that house the gilded and bejeweled skeletons of
venerated saints. It is unknown who placed these skeletal remains
within the subterranean crypts or who has taken pains to dress
them in sumptuous religious vestments, but the Church’s
adherents consider it an act of faith to anoint the saints’ bones
with blessed oil.
Oddly, the saintly corpses within the caverns are sometimes
found to have changed posture or position—or to have moved to a
different section of the catacombs entirely. The faithful regard
these unexplained movements as miraculous, but there is a darker
truth to the ambulatory dead of Beltis. When the sun sets, the
unquiet spirits of Beltis’s former residents stalk the ruins in search
of prey.
A thriving market peddling fraudulent saintly relics, fake holy
water, and other chicanery has taken root just outside the walls of
the ruined village.
Castle Hunadora
The decaying Castle Hunadora has become the rallying point for
the Gundarkites who have immigrated to Invidia. As they clear the
forests in northern Invidia and establish farmsteads of their own,
the Gundarkites look to Castle Hunadora for protection. Now
occupied by Ardona Szerieza and her Gundarkite soldiers, plots to
annex great swaths of Invidia are afoot behind the walls of Castle
Hunadora. Unbeknownst to most, Gabrielle Aderre makes secret
visits to Castle Hunadora; she has taken the jealous Ardona
Szerieza as one of her lovers.
Castle Loupet
An ancient fortress refreshed with modern accommodations to
suit the whims of its current mistress, Castle Loupet is the home of
Gabrielle Aderre. The castle features numerous secret passages
and hidden exits—all the better for Gabrielle to carry on
clandestine affairs with her many possessive lovers.
The Crucible
The sublimely beautiful mountains of the Crucible are rumored to
be the meeting place for covens of devil-worshiping witches.
Legends of treasure buried in the mountains lure the greedy and
foolhardy to their perilous precipices, but those who dare to
explore the Crucible are never seen again.
Curriculo
Curriculo, the second largest city in Invidia, is home to the
domain’s yearly Harvest Festival. Although it is ostensibly a
holiday marking the end of the fall season, it has earned a sinister
reputation. The Harvest Festival begins with fervent services by
priests of the Church of Holy Blood and feasts in honor of the
saints, but always ends in a riot of drunken pleasures, bloodshed,
and abandonment of the religious principles that Invidians
supposedly hold dear.
Karina
The scent of incense hangs heavy in the air of Karina, a metropolis
of towering churches and cathedrals. Statues of saints crop up like
funereal marble gardens throughout the city. Karina is nominally
governed by a council of cardinals from the Church of Holy Blood,
though they leave the daily business of the city to a tangled
conclave of appointed magistrates, judges, and bureaucrats.
The Church of Holy Blood infiltrates every facet of life in
Karina, but control of the Church is currently contested by three
popular spiritual leaders. Anjelica Navarre, the Hooded Minister,
and Father Raspaldo bitterly vie against each other for power and
pride of place in the Church’s hierarchy.
 Although piety is a prized quality in Karina, the city is both a
den of immoral decadence and a hotbed of religious fanaticism.
Karina is the most wealthy city in Invidia, yet it is also an abyss of
crushing poverty for the city’s underclass. Afflicted beggars
dressed in rags call for alms as gilded carriages roll past them in
the streets. Solemn religious processions are a common sight in
the city, as are crackling pyres that stand ready to burn accused
witches and heretics alive—regardless of their actual guilt.
Tancos
Known popularly as “the Town of Cats,” Tancos is famous for the
number of feral felines who wander its lanes. Positioned as a way
station on the Musarde river, Tancos is an integral part of the local
logging industry. The hidden truth is that the old families who
control Tancos are weretigers engaged in bloody intrigues.
Valetta
Valetta is a picturesque town devoted to wine production.
Ownership of Valetta’s vineyards is split between two ancient
noble lines, the Malaturno family and the Haptmeyer family. The
Malaturnos and the Haptmeyers are engaged in a vicious feud
whose origins have been lost to time and memory. Cavaliers and
partisans attached to the families make the streets of Valetta their
battleground, while the families’ heads maneuver against each
other to gain prestige for their house and tarnish the reputation of
their rival. The enmity between the families will come to an
unavoidable confrontation when it is discovered that two of the
families’ star-crossed heirs have fallen in love with each other.
Vulpwood
Vulpwood is haunted by a pack of
werewolves led by a fierce warrior
named Matton Blanchard.
Gabrielle Aderre has seduced
Matton; he is a frequent visitor to
Castle Loupet, but he would be
incensed to learn that he is not her
only paramour. However, as long
as Matton believes he has sole
rights to Gabrielle’s affections, his
pack is at her disposal.
Gabrielle Aderre
At a tender age, the Vistana Gabrielle
Aderre was warned by a seer that she
must never conceive a child, as her
son was destined to be the dukkar—a
man prophesied to bring untold death
and destruction in his wake. As she
grew into womanhood, Gabrielle
found her sensual appetites
impossible to govern, even in the face
of such a dire warning. One night, a
handsome stranger approached her
band’s campsite, begging for shelter
and a hot meal. A storm raged that
night, and Gabrielle allowed herself to
be seduced by the mysterious
wayfarer. When dawn broke, the
stranger—who was, in fact, the fiend known as the Caller—was
gone, and Gabrielle soon discovered that she was with child.
Knowing that her fellow Vistani would believe her child to be
the fabled dukkar, Gabrielle betrayed her band to a pack of
werewolves before her pregnancy could be discerned. After the
slaughter of her companions, Gabrielle was enveloped by the Mists
and taken to Invidia. Invidia’s culture suited her tempestuous
passions and the teachings of the Church of Holy Blood offered a
tempting new way for her to view her child: as a savior, rather
than as an agent of unholy darkness.
Gabrielle Aderre is convinced that her son, Malocchio, is
destined to become the messiah foretold by the Church of Holy
Blood. From Castle Loupet, her estate outside the city of Karina,
she employs an endless string of monastic scholars, religious
instructors, and esoteric mystics to provide Malocchio the best
possible education in spiritual matters. Inevitably, though, every
tutor flees or vanishes, either as a result of Gabrielle’s
unreasonable expectations or the deadly tricks and accidents that
frequently occur around the child.
Gabrielle isn’t content to leave her son’s grand destiny to
chance, though. Using her precious bone spirit board, she calls
upon supernatural forces to guide and protect her son. Spirits,
fallen angels, fiends, and worse answer her summons, but as long
as they chart Malocchio’s path to spiritual ascendance, Gabrielle
eagerly accepts their gifts and ignores the obvious signs indicating
that her child is a burgeoning force of supernatural evil.
Gabrielle’s Powers and Dominion
Gabrielle Aderre has retained her beauty and allure throughout
the intervening years. Few would guess her true age, and fewer
still can penetrate her disarming charm to see the venomous
manipulator who lies beneath. Gabrielle has stats similar to those
of an enchanter.
Vistani Heritage. As a Vistana, Gabrielle possesses several
talents common to the wanderers of the Mists, such as the power
of the Evil Eye, the ability to bestow curses, and divination via
spirits boards and the tarokka.
Closing the Borders. When Gabrielle closes the borders of
her domain, the sound of ominous chanting punctuated by the
laughter of wicked children begins to echo throughout the Mists.
Gabrielle’s Torment
The Dark Powers torture Gabrielle by frustrating her hopes and
dreams for her son in the following ways:
• Every effort to mold Malocchio into a great man is destined
to fail. His malevolence cannot be checked.
• Malocchio’s inherent inclination for evil is a mirror of his
mother’s inability to control her impulses and curb her
attraction to sin.
• Gabrielle is a potent diviner, save where her son is
concerned. Any attempt to forecast Malocchio’s future is
distorted and misleading.
Roleplaying Gabrielle
Gabrielle is cruel, seductive, and malignantly artful, but her
twisted love for her son is genuine and guides her every action.
Personality Trait. “A mother would sacrifice anything for
her children.”
Ideal. “I will see my son cloaked in grace and crowned with
heavenly glory.”
Bond. “My lovers are tools to be used to advance my interests.”
Flaw. “I cannot deny my child anything.”
Adventures in Invidia
The horror of Invidia is that it exemplifies the mortal struggle
between our passions and the expectations thrust upon us.
Invidian Adventures
d6 Adventure
1 The characters are asked to investigate the disappearance of
a kindly parson who has learned too much about the
underhanded dealings of high-ranking members of the
Church of Holy Blood.
2 A trade dispute between two wealthy merchant families has
erupted into dangerous hostility. The characters must find a
way to broker peace between the families before their feud
devolves into open violence that claims innocent lives.
3 An outbreak of a mysterious “sleeping sickness” has begun
to afflict the populace of a small village near Vulpwood. This
disease can be traced back to the vile bards who have been
using their magical songs to lull the populace into slumber
so that they might perpetrate larcenous robberies.
4 One of the characters’ friends or allies has been falsely
accused of practicing witchcraft. Evidence of their innocence
must to be uncovered or they will need to be rescued from
the clutches of religious fanatics before they are executed.
5 A tangled web of sexual intrigue threatens to upset the
delicate balance of power on an Invidian town council.
Whom is sleeping whom needs to be unraveled to dispel the
atmosphere of paranoia and distrust that has consumed the
town’s leaders.
6 An essential piece of information has been hidden away
within the Church’s archives. Does this scroll or book
incriminate the Church in wrongdoing or was it secreted in
the archive because some eldritch truths were not meant for
mortal eyes? The archive must be infiltrated by adventurers
willing to abscond with the text in question.
The Dukkar
First prophesied by Hyskosa, the Vistana poet and storyteller, the
dukkar is a figure of darkness who looms ominously in the cultural
beliefs of those who wander the Mists. According to Vistani
folklore, the dukkar will be a man born of a Vistana woman and a
fiend. The Vistani believe that the coming of the dukkar will cause
widespread destruction and could lead to an apocalyptic end of
days for the Domains of Dread as a whole.
Hyskosa’s prophesies contend that the dukkar’s malignancy
will be obvious even in his boyhood. The dukkar will master the
Vistani art of the second sight, and it is said that the potency of his
Evil Eye will be pronounced at a young age. The dukkar’s power
will grow as he attains adulthood, culminating in a profane
mastery of black magic. Fiends will kneel to the dukkar at the
height of his blasphemous ascension, rivers will run red with
blood, and the Mists with birth hitherto unknown monstrosities to
ravage the Domains of Dread.
Some Vistani hope that the dukkar can be redeemed. They
contend that if the dukkar is identified early, before he has begun
to irrevocably walk the path of darkness, he could be encouraged
to abjure the terrible fate that awaits him—the crisis he is foretold
to bring could thereby be averted. Most Vistani, however, believe
that the dukkar is irredeemably evil and should be killed before he
can begin his reign of terror in earnest.
Cryptic Alliances
This installment of Cryptic Alliances details the Church of Holy
Blood, the dominant faith in Invidia.
The Church of Holy Blood
The Church of Holy Blood is the state religion in Invidia. It wields
tremendous power throughout the land, weaving itself into the
daily lives of the domain’s populace. The Church preaches the
virtues of restraint and self-denial—a potent theological bulwark
against the barely constrained passions that dominate the
emotional lives of Invidia’s citizens. The Church of Holy Blood’s
many prohibitions and strictures are considered necessary
restraints that keep society from plunging into a state of
impassioned anarchy and unrepentant sin.
Central to the Church’s beliefs is a scriptural account of its
saints rising up against the gods they served. According to the
Church’s testament, the gods’ divinity was compromised by their
inability to master their impulses, so the saints slew the gods and
thereby cleansed the heavens of wickedness. The faithful believe
that they must follow the example set by their saints; they must
oppose sin in the world and attempt to emulate saintly virtues.
 The Church of Holy Blood venerates its saints through the
imbibing of sanctified blood. The blood used in these rites is
believed to be the literal blood of the martyred saints, created
through miracles of transubstantiation. The faithful often feel an
especial connection to a particular saint, whom they adopt as their
patron and spiritual intercessor.
The Church is as much a political entity as it is a spiritual one,
and it exercises its authority severely—its agents are zealously
committed to a creed of inflexible morality, devoted to rooting out
corruption, and dedicated to punishing sin. They view all other
religions as worship of false idols and fictitious gods. The Church
maintains its power in Invidia through fear, violence, and
coercion; its inquisitors, witchfinders, and templars are
empowered to convert pagans, persecute the faithless, and defend
the religion from blasphemous heresy.
Although the Church is united in the broad outlines of the faith,
it is internally riven by disagreements regarding doctrinal and
liturgical matters. The Church of Holy Blood may caution its flock
against petty jealousies that give rise to anger and warn them of
the dangers of pursuing temporal power, but the Church’s agents
are not immune to the sins it preaches against. Sectarian clashes
and skirmishes, as well as occasional scandals involving its
leaders, taint the reverential atmosphere of abnegation cultivated
by the Church.
The Saints of the Church of Holy Blood
The saints revered by the Church of
Holy Blood number in the hundreds,
but the following seven are the most
popular throughout Invidia. The
saints are not actually extant spiritual
entities, but the Dark Powers grant
the Church’s clerics magic as if they
were real divinities.
Evetta, Patron Saint of the
Chaste. Depicted as a buxom
maiden, Saint Evetta is nonetheless
an idol of sexual restraint, virginity,
purity, and abstinence. However, the
voluptuous icons and statuary
depicting Evetta often draw the eye of
the lustful.
Filiona, Patron Saint of the Merciful. According to
scripture, as part of her martyrdom Filiona condemned herself to
eternal torment in the Nine Hells to save the souls of the faithful
who were unjustly trapped in the underworld. Despite her
merciful nature, she is often adopted as the patron saint of soldiers
and mercenaries.
Lortres, Patron Saint of the Faithful. In life, Lortres
transformed the holy creed of the Church into psalms that would
brand themselves into the memories of converts and proselytes.
She traveled throughout Invidia spreading the gospel of the
Church through song. However, she is most often venerated by
those who are spiritually intolerant and spread the faith with
sword and fire.
Nazaren, Patron Saint of Humility. Nazaren was a great
sinner consumed by guilt even at a tender age. To atone for his
misdeeds, he fell prostrate upon the earth and prayed for
punishment. The gods caused a thorny tree to grow from the spot
on which he lay; the tree bent and broke his body, crucifying him,
but Nazaren never once complained or cried out for mercy. He has
since been regarded as a model of submission to the will of the
divine. Those who revere him often inflict mortifications of the
flesh upon themselves and others.
 Orazion, Patron Saint of the Industrious. A humble
blacksmith in life, Orazion was martyred upon an earthly pyre, but
was reborn from the ashes of his destruction. His example is
meant to symbolize the heavenly reward that awaits those who toil
Portraits of the Damned
This installment of Portraits of the Damned details three
without complaint. And yet, those who adopt him as their patron
nonplayer characters who are currently embroiled in a battle for
saint are often bent toward greed and sloth in equal measure.
the hearts and minds of faithful in Karina: Anjelica Navarre, the
Santiaga, Patron Saint of Patience. Although Santiaga was Hooded Minister, and Father Raspaldo.
born the second son of a holy man, she felt that her nature was
essentially feminine in character and chose to live her life as a
woman. Santiaga’s devotees safeguard important religious tomes Anjelica Navarre
and scrolls in their fastidiously cataloged archives. Despite their Anjelica Navarre is a firebrand
patient contemplation of spiritual mysteries, they are frequently within the Church of Holy Blood.
drawn to heretical scholarship. She preaches a particularly
Yazmina, Patron Saint of Charity. Yazmina was a rich inflexible version of the Church’s
noblewoman who divested herself of earthly wealth to spare the creed, castigating those who
poor from lives of hardship, preferring to go without so that others succumb to their desires and
might flourish. Her most devoted aspirants work to grow the engage their basest inclinations.
Church’s wealth. Though some of the funds gathered by the In Anjelica’s view, sinners are the
faithful go toward charity, more coin is dedicated to spectacular worm that eats at the heart of her
processions, costly incense, and sumptuous vestments than are beloved Church. She earnestly
bestowed upon the impoverished. believes that any member of the
flock who fails to embrace the
virtues of the saints and resist
temptation is past the possibility
of redemption. Anjelica calls for a
great crusade to punish sinners
who fail to live up to the standards of the faith—a call that her
zealous followers have rallied behind.

Anjelica Navarre's Traits

Ideal. “Hate the sin and the sinner.”
Bond. “I would do anything to preserve the power of the
Church of Holy Blood.”
Flaw. “It is unfortunate that those who delve too deeply into
the Church’s secrets must find an early grave.”

Adventures with Anjelica Navarre

Anjelica Navarre is a fallen deva. When featuring Anjelica in an
adventure, consider using the following plot:
• Anjelica and her minions storm a Church of Ezra, taking all
within captive—they are to be tried for heresy.
The Hooded Minister Father Raspaldo
The identity of the Hooded Father Raspaldo is a mystic whose
Minister is literally shrouded in teachings are often at odds with
mystery—they have never the accepted dogma of the Church
appeared in public without of Holy Blood. Father Raspaldo
obscuring their features with a believes that in order to deserve
funereal pall, and no one who has the saints’ forgiveness, aspirants
conversed with them privately can must first experience the depths of
claim to have seen their face. sin. To that end, he entreats his
Despite their anonymity, the followers to pursue their vices so
Hooded Minister is immensely that they might more fully
popular with the common people experience the grace of
of Invidia, who judge their repentance. Though his creed is
commitment to hiding their unorthodox, Raspaldo’s followers
identity to be an expression of are fanatical and regard him as a
humility and lack of vanity. In living saint.
truth, the Hooded Minister hides
their visage because they are an Father Raspaldo’s Traits
inhuman creature who has Ideal. “Physical gratification leaves our souls open to the grace
infiltrated the Church of Holy Blood in order to subtly pervert the that penitence brings.”
religion’s teachings at the behest of Hadar.
Bond. “My followers are my blessed family.”
The Hooded Minister’s Traits Flaw. “I surround myself with the young and beautiful because
their comeliness is evidence of divine grandeur.”
Ideal. “My pious words carry an echo of eldritch truths.”
Bond. “A corrupting ministry can only succeed if it is built Adventures with Father Raspaldo
within the broken minds of the common people.”
Now past middle age, he is bald, stoutly built, and sports a long,
Flaw. “My true identity must he hidden at all costs.” unkempt beard. He exudes an aura of palpable menace, and when
his gaze falls upon someone, it feels as though he penetrates their
Adventures with the Hooded Minister most deeply guarded secrets. Raspaldo has the statblock of a cult
The Hooded Minister dresses in plain, nondescript clothing and fanatic, but he also can cast several enchantment spells using the
wears no ornamentation. They speak in an ambiguous voice that power of his hypnotic eyes alone. When featuring Father Raspaldo
defies categorization. If their face and body were to be revealed, it in an adventure, consider the following plot:
would be immediately apparent that they are a larva mage. • Father Raspaldo’s sect abducts Malocchio Aderre, planning
When featuring the Hooded Minister in an adventure, consider the to hold him hostage until Gabrielle agrees to let Raspaldo
following plot: become her personal spiritual advisor.
• Followers of the Hooded Minister begin to deface statues
of the saints throughout Invidia, transforming them into
profane icons channeling power to Hadar. Dread Possibility
Father Raspaldo could be one of the many identities adopted by
the Caller to further his fiendish schemes.

Baleful Backgrounds
After one of my players expressed an interest in playing an
herbalist or apothecary character, I was shocked to discover that
the option isn’t really extant in any of the official books. This
installment of Baleful Backgrounds aims to fill that hole by
presenting a background with skill in concocting healing remedies,
the ability to identify plants and other useful natural ingredients,
and even a bit of knowledge about nature’s poisons.
Apothecaries might be found in even the smallest villages in
Ravenloft, but the nature of their work is dependent on the level of
local scientific progress. For example, an apothecary in Tepest
might be reliant on knowledge of folk medicines passed down
through the ages, while an apothecary in Lamordia would be
guided by the latest discoveries that medical science has to offer.
Inspiration
This background was inspired by Simon Fronwieser in Oliver
Pötzsch’s novel The Hangman’s Daughter.
Apothecary
You have learned the art and craft of combining natural
ingredients to make salves, poultices, and other medicines to treat
diseases and common ailments.
Skill Proficiencies: Medicine, Nature
Tool Proficiencies: Herbalist’s kit, poisoner’s kit
Equipment: A pruning knife and scissors, an herbalist’s kit, a set
of common clothes, and a belt pouch containing 10 gp
Feature: Nature’s Medicine
If you spend 1 minute scrutinizing a plant, you can determine what
healthful or dangerous properties it may have. Additionally, you
generally have a good idea where any natural ingredients you seek
might be found.
Personality Traits
d8
1
Personality Trait
I’d rather be tending my plants than talking to people.
2 A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.
3 I keep my implements scrupulously clean.
4 I tend to my herb garden as if it were a nursery filled with
orphans.
5 My folksy ways and salt-of-the-earth demeanor puts people
at ease.
6 Like a thorn, my brusque ways can prick.
7 I talk the ears off my customers.
8 I love to hear gossip and am not adverse to spreading idle
talk.
Ideals
d6 Ideal
1 Aid. I ply my trade to improve the health of my community.
(Lawful)
2 Preservation. I hope to pass on my knowledge so that the
art of natural healing will not be forgotten. (Neutral)
3 Altruism. A long and healthy life is the greatest gift I can
bestow. (Good)
4 Prevention. I wish to bolster the general health to prevent
outbreaks of disease and other rampant infirmities. (Any)
5 Culling. I use my remedies to give succor to the strong and
my poisons to weed out the weak among us. (Chaotic)
6 Creation. I believe that discovering new combinations of
ingredients will lead to more efficacious treatments. (Any)

Bonds
d6
1
Bond
I was once the personal apothecary of an ailing noble.
2 A loved one is afflicted with a disease I hope to eradicate.
3 My assistant is still a foolhardy youth, but I am slowly
training them to be fine apothecary in their own right.
4 My garden is my sanctuary.
5 I am on friendly terms with a sect of druids who help me
gather the ingredients for my medicines.
6 I share my discoveries with a community of apothecaries
and doctors; we learn from each other.
Flaws
d6 Flaw
1 I am interested in treating diseases, not the people who
suffer from them.
2 I am addicted to a mind-altering plant.
3 I refuse to give my medicines away for free.
4 Memories of a disease I could not treat haunt me.
5 I grow angry if people tread upon plants carelessly.
6 I experiment upon my customers without their knowledge.
Seeds of Evil
The following seeds can be used as the basis of single-session
adventures or multipart scenarios set in Ravenloft.
Viva la Revolution!
Incendiary political revolutionaries calling themselves the
Unmasked call for the violent overthrow of Dementlieu’s faux
aristocracy, a radical redistribution of wealth, and an
abandonment of the anonymity provided by masquerade attire.
The Unmasked oppose pretense and present themselves as
working-class rebels who hold the ideals of liberty, fraternity, and
equality as the greatest moral precepts. However, at the heart of
the Unmasked movement is a desire for vengeance against those
who have managed to claw their way to the top of the social
hierarchy. The leaders of the Unmasked will not be satisfied until
the streets run red with blood. Indeed, it is only a matter of time
until the Unmasked erect guillotines in every market square and
demand the bloody executions of those they judge to be social
malefactors.
The Bereaved
A nobleman who lost the love of his life before they could be
married is disturbed by reports that his deceased betrothed has
been spotted walking the battlements of a ruined castle. He is
willing to fund an expedition to the fortress to discover the
ultimate fate of his beloved. His mind is wracked by theories. He
presumes it is possible that another admirer faked her death and
kidnapped her—stealing her away to this lonesome fastness. He
also admits that perhaps her ghost haunts the castle—though why
she would be seen at that obscure edifice is a mystery. The truth of
the matter is far sadder than the nobleman realizes: the castle is
the abode of someone who was also in love with his darling, but
the woman seen at the castle is nothing more an illusion. Unable
to shake their grief, the admirer continually tortures themselves
with the conjured image of the departed woman.

The Piper and the Rat King

The people of Valancourt, a town in Richemulot, were overjoyed at
the prospect offered by a wandering bard. This pipe-playing
minstrel insisted that she could lead the disease-carrying rats that
plagued Valancourt out of the town and out of their lives.
Unfortunately, they were less excited to pay the piper’s fee.
When it became clear that the people of Valancourt were not
Midnight Horrors
The message behind many pieces of modern horror media is that
going to pay her what was owed, the piper brought the rats back to
“man is the real monster.” While quite possibly true, it’s a lesson
the town—however, now the rats prowl the streets of Valancourt as
that feels both apt and perhaps overstated. Personally, I’m more
a single mass of vermin, their tails hopelessly tangled. Brave
interested in the transformation from man to monster than in the
heroes are needed to slay the rat king the piper has set upon the
monstrosity lurking in mankind’s secret heart.
tight-fisted town of Valancourt.
In the pages that follow, you will find a few templates for
altering mundane nonplayer character statblocks into true
Inspirations monsters. The first is intended to create ermordenung, the
“Viva la Revolution!” was inspired by Tanith Lee’s historical poisonous creatures who served Ivana Boritsi in the 2e and 3e
novel The Gods Are Thirsty. iterations of Ravenloft. The second set are general templates for
quickly and easily creating a range of undead monsters from pre-
“The Bereaved” was inspired by Jules Verne’s The Castle of existing statblocks. For example, if you’d like an adventure to
Transylvania, which is also sometimes named The Carpathian feature an undead spellcaster, but the characters aren’t prepared
Castle in some editions. to face a lich, you could apply the major or minor undead traits to
“The Piper and the Rat King” was inspired by Malifaux’s any of the wizardly statblocks, such as necromancer or evoker,
Hamelin, Kathleen Jenning’s Flyaway, and China Miéville’s in Volo’s Guide to Monsters.
King Rat.
Ermordenung Undead
Ermordenung are men and women who have been altered by There are plenty of undead monsters
Ivana Boritsi’s foul experiments with poisons. Infused with toxins to be found throughout the 5e D&D
of Ivana’s devise, their mere touch is deadly. Ivana tends to choose books, but I firmly believe that there
comely specimens when she creates an ermordenung. They serve is no such thing as too many undead.
the Darklord of Borca as her trusted agents, and on rare occasions Apply the following traits to pre-
ermordenung are sent to other domains to further the interests of existing statblocks to quickly create
their mistress. new kinds of unliving monstrosities.
To create an ermordenung, choose any nonplayer character
statblock and add the following traits and actions. The spy Incorporeal Undead Traits
statblock is appropriate for the most typical ermordenung. Creature Type undead
Damage Resistances acid, fire,
Traits lightning, thunder; bludgeoning,
Damage Immunities poison piercing, and slashing from
Condition Immunities poisoned nonmagical weapons
Damage Immunities cold, necrotic,
Action poison
Poisonous Touch. Melee weapon attack: attack bonus equal to Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened,
the base creature’s highest attack option, reach 5 ft., one target. If grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained
the target is a creature, it must succeed on a Constitution saving Senses darkvision 60 ft.
throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. The target can repeat the Damage Type change damage type from weapon attacks to
saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on necrotic
itself on a success.
If a creature has the Multiattack action, poisonous touch can Major Undead Traits
replace any attacks in that action.
Creature Type undead
See the table below to determine the damage and save DC of
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from
the ermordenung’s poisonous touch.
nonmagical weapons
Damage Immunities necrotic, poison
Poisonous Touch Damage
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened,
Challenge Rating Damage Save DC paralyzed, poisoned
1-4 6 (1d12) poison damage 14 Senses darkvision 60 ft.
5-10 13 (2d12) poison damage 16
11-16 18 (3d12) poison damage 18 Minor Undead Traits
17+ 26 (4d12) poison damage 19 Creature Type undead
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft.
Forged in Shadow
This feature presents two magical weapons found in the Land of
the Mists.

Sorrow’s Pale Sliver

Weapon (saber), legendary (requires
attunement)
Sorrow’s Pale Sliver is an enchanted
saber whose thin blade shines like a
gleam of moonlight. Legends say that
it was forged for Myra Goncourt, the
famed hunter of lycanthropes, by a
disgraced queen of the archfey.
Sorrow’s Pale Silver is a silvered

Tragic Heroes
saber (see below for the stats of a
normal saber) that grants a +1 bonus
to attack and damage rolls.
Additionally, while you are attuned to This feature gives six brief outlines of heroes you might create as
this weapon, you have advantage on characters to face the horrors of Ravenloft. The theme of this
Survival (Wisdom) checks to track lycanthropes and you are installment is violent visionaries.
immune to lycanthropy.

Martial Melee Weapon Chrononaut

Name Cost Weight Damage Properties The chrononaut is a traveler from the future bearing dire warnings
about the dark fate that awaits Ravenloft. The chrononaut hopes
Saber 25 gp 2 lb. 1d8 slashing Finesse
to change things in the past to ensure a brighter future for the
Domains of Dread, bringing it into accordance with the cosmic
Synaptic Blade order they believe can alter Ravenloft for the better.
Weapon (dagger, shortsword, longsword, or greatsword), very Suggested build: Warforged Clockwork Soul sorcerer
rare (requires attunement)
Synaptic blades were constructed by a mad artificer as a means of
personal protection. This item appears to be the hilt of a dagger,
Decapitator
shortsword, longsword, or greatsword. While holding the hilt, you Motivated by a desire for revenge against the gargantuan horrors
can use a bonus action to cause a blade of psychic energy to spring that decimated their tribe, the decapitator has become a student of
into existence, or make the blade disappear. The blade uses your the runes of the giants to empower themselves. The decapitator
Intelligence modifier for attack and damage rolls instead of travels the Land of the Mists, hoping to rid the domains of every
Strength or Dexterity, and it deals psychic damage. last hulking monstrosity by decapitating them and taking their
heads as trophies.
Suggested build: Orc Rune Knight fighter
Draconic Aspirant
The draconic aspirant dreams of becoming a true dragon. Until
their ultimate goal is achieved, they are content to harness
dragonkind’s innate magical power through sorcerous
transformation and mastery of arcane magic. With each change
their body undergoes, the more they begin to think like a dragon
and the closer they come to their desired metamorphosis.
Suggested build: Kobold Draconic Bloodline sorcerer
Green Hand Revelator
The Green Hand revelator belongs to a secret society of druids in
Har’Akir. Though the Green Hand cult is dedicated to ridding the
world of the undead, the revelator sees that goal as only one step
in the process of purifying the land. The Green Hand revelator
foresees a time when the magic that lies trapped beneath the
domain’s sands is unlocked and put to the task of rejuvenation; the
revelator dreams of transforming the deserts of Har’Akir into a
lush and verdant land.
Suggested build: Lizardfolk Circle of the Land druid
Sidereal Vessel
The sidereal vessel has trained their body, mind, and soul to
become the perfect receptacle for the spirit of the revered warrior
who founded their family line. When the sidereal vessel manifests
their astral body, it takes the form of an ancestor renowned for
their martial skill and ascetic practice.
Suggested build: Hobgoblin Way of the Astral Self monk
Wrathbringer
The wrathbringer is an agent of nature’s fury dedicated to slaying
those who abuse the natural world. Surrounded by a swarm of
spectral beasts who were killed purposelessly, the wrathbringer
and their cohort pursue ravagers, unnatural predators, and
poachers alike. From the wrathbringer’s perspective, every villain
slain brings the world one step closer to being cleansed of evil.
Suggested build: Firbolg Swarm ranger
Random Ruin
Use the table below to generate an adventure hook set in Ghastria,
a domain in which art is often a twisted force for evil.
Ghastrian Adventures
d10 Adventure Hook
1 A song is circulating among the bards of Ghastria. It inspires
those who hear it to commit suicide.
2 A sculptor has fallen in love with the beautiful statue they
have carved. The statue comes to life at night, but can it be
made to love the sculptor in return?
3 An intricately carved puzzle box is sought by several
obsessive and dangerous individuals. They believe that
solving the puzzle will release them from the Ravenloft, but
it will instead allow fiends to enter from the Lower Planes.
4 An innovative artist has introduced the daguerreotype to
Ghastria, but their images capture the souls of all who sit to
have their picture taken.
5 A spurned doll maker has begun to craft vicious little
instruments of revenge.
6 A play entitled The Marquis in Violet is slowly enticing its
audience into a cult devoted to Caiphon.
7 An accursed red violin has fallen into the hands of a
despondent troubadour who plans on using its unearthly
tones to draw their faithless lover into the jaws of death.
8 A vain noble is obsessed with rare gems, but no ordinary
jewels will sate them. They employ a fiendish jeweler to
transform the souls of abducted victims into baubles.
9 A traveling circus has arrived, and with it comes a tent
promising uncanny phantasmagoria. The magic lantern
used to project images within it makes the viewers’ greatest
fears animate as bloodthirsty shadows.
10 A death mask cast from the face of a beautiful drowned
woman begins to speak, giving cryptic clues as to the
identity of the lover who murdered her.
 Psychological Horror
Forbidden Tomes Aronofsky, Darren. Black Swan and Mother!
Atwood, Margaret. Alias Grace.
Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft features a fantastic discussion of Banks, Iain. The Wasp Factory.
different genres of horror. Unfortunately, the one thing it doesn’t
include is a list of inspirations you can turn to for each of the Jackson, Shirley. We Have Always Lived in the Castle.
genres it covers. This feature aims to add to Van Richten’s Guide Meyrink, Gustav. The Golem.
by providing a list of media you might want to read or watch to Poe, Edgar Allan. “The Black Cat.”
deepen your understanding of those genres. This installment Palahniuk, Chuck. Haunted.
covers the minor genres detailed in Van Richten’s Guide: disaster
horror, occult detective stories, psychological horror, and slasher Polanski, Roman. Repulsion.
horror. These selections are not intended to be comprehensive— Tourneur, Jacques. Cat People.
these are merely my favorite examples.
Slasher Horror
Disaster Horror Argento, Dario. Profundo Rosso.
Atwood, Margaret. Oryx and Crake. Barker, Clive.“The Midnight Meat Train.”
Ennis, Garth & Jacen Burrows. Crossed. Bloch, Robert. Psycho.
Hodgson, William Hope. The Night Land. Keene, Brian. Urban Gothic.
Kirkman, Robert. The Walking Dead. King, Stephen. The Dark Half.
Matheson, Richard. I Am Legend. Moore, Alan & Eddie Campbell. From Hell.
McCarthy, Cormac. The Road. Suskind, Patrick. Perfume.
Shelley, Mary. The Last Man. Wan, James. Malignant.
VanderMeer, Jeff. Borne. Zombie, Rob. House of 1000 Corpses and The Devil’s Rejects.
Wells, H.G. The War of the Worlds.

Occult Detective Stories

Blackwood, Algernon. The Complete John Silence Stories.
Carter, Chris. The X-Files.
Crowley, Aleister. The Simon Iff Stories.
Curtis, Dan. Kolchak: The Night Stalker.
Ennis, Garth. Hellblazer.
Hodgson, William Hope. Carnacki, the Ghost-Finder.
Howard, Jonathan L. Johannes Cabal the Necromancer.
Le Fanu, Joseph Sheridan. In a Glass Darkly.
Mancuso Jr., Frank & Larry B. Williams. Friday the 13th.