THE VINES OF WRATH

Save the Wizard of Wines from a Blight invasion

in this mini-game add-on for the Curse of Strahd

Contents
Introduction 3
Starting the Game 4
Phase One: The Killing Fields 6
Phase Two: Root and Vine 10
Phase Three: The Wine Press 17
Option: Late Harvest 22
Finale: In Vino Veritas 24
Denouement: A Rare Vintage 27
The Wine List 28
Appendix A: Game Maps 29
Appendix B: Game Icons 31
Appendix C: Monsters 34

Credits
Created by: Jefferson Chalmers u/SwimmingOk4643
Adapted Vineyard Map Source: Menacro
Wizard of Wines Map Source: u/Chaouleon
Template Design: u/Kaiburr_Kath-Hound
Cover and Interior Art: Bing AI

The contents of this document is unofficial

Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy.
Not approved / endorsed by Wizards.
Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards
of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
 Wither on the Vine
he party’s introduction to the The game is run in the four phases listed below, with an

t
Wizard of Wines takes the form of a optional addendum to the fourth phase that tasks
defensive siege in which they must players with the rescue of trapped NPCs. Although the
withstand the attack of waves of Blights DM may choose not to run this part of the game, it is
and their Druid masters. While an recommended in order to create more meaningful
overwhelming swarm of creatures stakes and as a breadcrumb to guide the party to the
descending upon the embattled Druid conclave at Yester Hill.
defenders should, in theory, make for an
exciting battle, the reality is often disappointing. Meet the Martikovs: Introduces the party to the
Martikovs and explains the situation, challenges, and
Although great in number, Blights are low-intelligence limitations for the party in the following phases.
creatures, incapable of tactics beyond the instinctual.
Assuming they are guided by their Druid overseers - The Killing Field: Sees the party fight their way
although the module mentions nothing of the sort - the through a field of Blights, defeat the Blight Druid
DM could decide to play them with a semblance of mini-boss and retrieve the Gulthias Staff.
strategy. But even in this instance, it is a simple enough Root and Vine: Challenges the party to overcome the
matter to barricade oneself indoors and bombard the power of the Gulthias Staff, get safely past the Wine
enemy with devastating area-of-effect attacks. With the Blight and gain entry to the Winery.
party safely ensconced behind stone walls the fragile
Blight hordes amount to little more than kindling. The Wine Press: Pits the exhausted party against the
To avoid this scenario, “The Vines of Wrath” reimagines remaining horde of Blights in defense of the Winery.
the encounter’s mechanics, employing a gamified Late Harvest: (optional) Rescue Dag Martikov and
approach to deliver the thrill of the few against the many his children from the clutches of the Gulthais
without the monotony of a battle of attrition. Cultists.
All phases are played in sequence and the successful
Changes to the Source Material completion of each step is required to begin the next.
This addendum makes significant changes to the source Although few of the individual phases are deadly in
material in the interest of both improved game mechanics themselves, the sheer number of obstacles and the
and story logic. Creature stat blocks have been changed, new inability of the party to take a long or short rest, ensures
monsters are introduced, and parts of the story have been that The Vines of Wrath presents players with a
altered from the original. challenging gauntlet that will test character endurance.
Should the DM prefer to hew closer to the original module,
It is important that the game be grueling but survivable.
alternatives that are in keeping with the letter of the
To achieve this, the DM should ensure that the difficulty
adventure are included where possible.
is adjusted appropriately for their players.
Should the DM decide to adhere to the events inside the
winery as written in the source material, it is advised to
Red, Red Wine end the mini-game after the Killing Field.
The primary objective of The Vines of Wrath is to save
the Wizard of Wines from its Blight infestation while
doing as little damage to the fragile fields and ancient
winery as possible. It is a gauntlet that will challenge Optional Rules
Throughout this mini-game, boxes like this one
players’ ability to conserve resources for when they will suggest optional rules. These are offered to
really need them and test their hardiness in the face of allow the DM to adjust the difficulty of the
waves of threats without a moment between to rest. encounter, either providing additional challenges
How much the DM reveals of the challenge ahead is up for those with a greater taste for danger or taking
to them. things a bit easier on less experienced parties.

I N T RODUC T ION
3
Meet the Martikovs
omewhere to the south of the raven Although they will heal from their wounds, the

s
River, the Old Svalich Road gives up its Martikovs are clearly in no condition to fight further. If
pretense of cobblestone civility and recalls the party is aware of their true lycanthrope nature, the
its rutted, muddy ancient self. Although DM should stress that the severity of the wounds means
Barovia’s great vein here narrows capillary that recovery will take time. Even if the party offers
thin, its nurturing blood still flows. To your healing magic, the loss of the vineyard has broken their
right, the forest makes way for fertile spirit and they are at a loss to act. Wereraven or not,
plains, dotted with the ruins of farms they are desperately in need of the party’s help.
forgotten. Ahead, a wooden signpost points, insisting to
all who pass the hardly credible possibility of a Read the following text to the party:
“Vineyard” to the West.
Following, more improbable signs of life: fences tracing Adrian points a ragged finger at the fields in the distance.
gentle paths, dutifully mended wherever the wood had “There, in the middle of our vineyard. Can you see that foul
lost its battle to the rain. Ahead, the road continues light?” As if in answer, you see the fog ahead slowly pulse a
toward the shadow of a great house rising above a long sickly green. “That’s their leader. She’s devilishly powerful.
field of tangled vines. But before you can follow the path Wields some sort of magic that allows her to control
to its promise, a sudden bird cry breaks the silence and Blights.”
your heart skips. Looking to your left for the source, you
see only a group of people gathered on a hill overlooking “I’m not certain, but I think the staff she holds might have
the Vineyard. something to do with it. It looks like it’s rooted to the

As you approach, one of the pack waves, breaks off and ground… and to her… It’s causing some sort of damage to

scrambles down the hill to meet you. A tall, thin man the fields… the grapes have become over-ripe and the land
with a sharp nose under a grey hood reaches you and around it looks, well… wrong… I’m sorry, I wish I could
breathlessly stammers, “I am Adrian Martikov. If you explain better.”
come seeking wine, you should turn back. If you come
with good heart and strong steel, we could use your “Be careful”, he warns “she’s not alone.”
help.” As he presses his hand into yours, a thin rivulet of
blood runs down his wrist, staining your sleeve. “I am Adrian will entreat the party to intercede, offering them
sorry… Please, follow me and I will tell you all.” a reward of gold or wine if they can help recover what
has been lost. Other than that, he’s unable to add much.
He can describe the Twig, Needle, and Vine Blights’
Setting the Scene appearance, but can’t give much insight into what they
If the DM is going to run the optional Late Harvest are capable of. Unlike their Vallaki kin, the Martikovs at
phase, then Dag Tomescu, Martin, Viggo and Yolanda the Wizard of Wines are not experienced fighters and
will be in the winery and not present on the hilltop for were disoriented by the suddenness and ferocity of the
the introduction as described in the source material. If attack.
not, acquaint players with all NPCs as per the module’s If the party ascents to Adrian’s request, Davian will
instructions. speak for the first time, his voice trembling with fear,
In either case, read the following text to the players: begging the party to take care not to harm the vines. He
will plead with them, pressing until he extracts a
promise that no one will use spells that harm their
The spread of blood on the makeshift bandages that hide the
harvest. The desecration of the field has left the vines
face and hands of the elder Martikovs speak to the ferocity of dry and brittle and Davian fears a stray spark might
a battle lost. Stephania’s arm hangs limp at her side like a destroy his vineyard forever.
bird’s broken wing, Elvir’s face swollen and barely human,
but worst of all Davian, the family Patriarch, who though less
visibly scarred than his family, bears the full weight of the
desecration of his beloved vineyard. He sits silently, alone,
and makes no sound.

M E E T T H E M A RT I KOVS
4
 Option: Late Harvest
If the DM decides to run the optional fifth phase
of the encounter, follow Adrian’s description text
from the proceeding page with the following:
“Vineyard be damned! My children are trapped in
that house!” Stephania shouts as Adrian casts his
eyes to the ground, belatedly ashamed of his
misplaced priorities.

Pulling her son Claudiu in front and wrapping her

one good arm around him protectively, she
continues “My husband and three of my children are
prisoners in the winery. Thank the Morninglord my
dear Claudiu was able to escape before the vines
closed off every exit. I tried to get in… I tore at the
horrid things, but they kept growing back… Every
wall, door, and window is covered in them…

I don’t think they’re alone in there. Why else trap

them inside? Please, please help us, my family is in
danger, I’m sure of it!”

If asked, Claudiu will tell the party that when he

last saw them, his father had hidden his brothers
in empty barrels in the Barrel Storage (W4)
room, and then left to retrieve his sister Yolanda
from the Master Bedroom (W17).
What happened after that, Claudiu is uncertain.
His father, Dag, sent him to warn his mother and
he was fortunate to escape from a window before
everything sealed shut.
Events and dialogue for the Late Harvest option
are collected in The Wine Press: Late Harvest.

Other Plot Points

Regardless of the options selected, the DM may manage
the introduction of other plot points, such as the loss of
the magic gems, the estrangement of Urwin, and the
possible revelation of the Keepers of the Feather as per
the source material.

M E E T T H E M A RT I KOVS
5
The Killing Field: Set Up
he vineyard is surrounded by an

t
impassible wall of trees, webbed Setting Up
together with regenerating vines and a The Map
thick carpet of brambles. The only To set the game up for play, either use the included map
entrance to the field is the single path at or set up a 40x20 grid on an erasable one. If the DM
the far left of the game map. To begin decides to use a homebrewed map, ensure that it is
the game, position players at the head of longer than it is wide and that the players begin at the
the road, just outside of the tree line. opposite end of the field from the winery.
From this vantage, players can see the Blight Druid and
the winery in the distance. The Icons
The icons can be found on the page titled Appendix B:
Game Icons. Print the page, cut out the icons, and
The dirt path winds its way through a field of tangled vines. collect them into separate envelopes. One each for Twig
Although clearly once tended with great care, a corruption Blights, Needle and Vine Blights, and the last for
has since taken hold and the plants produce a blackened, Ravaged Vines.
fetid fruit. A strong smell of alcohol fills the air. At the center
of the devastation stands a single druid wielding a crooked
staff from which pulses a sickly green light. Behind her, the Setting Game Difficulty
winery, wrapped tight in a weave of sharp thorns, from which The challenge level of the mini-game can be set to
no door or window peeks through. accommodate the degree of difficulty the DM wants the
players to face. With the exception of including optional
The game begins as soon as the first player passes the content, this is done by setting the initial number of
edge of the vine garden (marked “S” on the game map). Twig Blights on the game board.
Once this happens, the DM should read the text below The chart immediately following recommends difficulty
and set up the board for play. As the Blights are levels for a standardized group of 4-6 players. The first
possessed of Blindsight, no attempt at stealth or column indicates the number of different Twig Blight
invisibility will prevent this or fool the enemy. colors to place in each group. The second shows how
many Blights, in total, will be placed on the game board
as a result. Instructions for placement appear in the
Preparing the Board section on the next page.
One step past an invisible threshold and the vineyard seems
to burst with life. Not the welcoming, gentle green and red
of ripening grapes, but a sudden violence of twisted branch Should the DM prefer a more tailored game - to better
and cutting thorn, a mockery of Spring. The loam of each suit party composition, for example - it is possible to
field births a host of thorny abominations; monstrous tweak any of these numbers. It is worth noting,
Blights dragging themselves slowly across the wounded however, that the greater the number of Blights on the
earth with sharp claw and terrible purpose. map, the more complicated the game will be to manage.
Setting Game Difficulty
Difficulty Colors per Group Total on Map
What You Will Need Easy 4 88
Everything that you need to run the mini-game is either Challenging 5 110
included within this add-on or available as part of your Difficult 6 132
typical D&D session.
Game Map: Found in Appendix A: Game Maps, or a
Regardless of chosen difficulty, all the pages from
Appendix B: Game Icons should be printed, cut and
dry-erasable 40x20 gridded map. stored.
Game Icons: Twig Blight, Needle Blight, Vine Blight
and Ravaged Vine icons are included in Appendix B
to be printed and cut out.
Dice: 4-6 d8 and 1d4; excluding dice for combat.
Miniatures: or tokens to represent player characters
and the Blight Druid
T H E K I L L I NG F I E L D : SE T U P
6
 Game Icons Preparing the Board
The Killing Field utilizes four different icons, one of After you have selected the difficulty level desired, it’s
which is separated into six individual colors. Three of time to plant some Blights!
the icons represent the different types of Blights the
party will face, while the last is placed should an errant The game map is divided into 12 individual plots, with
Wizard find themselves unable to resist casting Fireball. one near the center of the map disfigured by corruption.
To begin with, place the miniature or icon of the Blight
Twig Blight icons come with six background Druid in a square lying within the corrupted area. The
colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and players are able to see this figure even before the
violet. They are more nuisance than threat, but Blights themselves appear.
their number, unpredictable movement, and ability to
trap opponents make them an obstacle best avoided. Once a player has crossed the threshold and the game
has begun, organize the Twig Blights in separate rows
Needle Blight is the product of two Twig according to color. If you are using four colors per
Blights. Although substantially hardier than group, return the blue and violet Twig Blights to the
their parents, the Needle Blights are less of a envelope, if five, only discard the violet.
danger for the damage they inflict than their Briars Place two rows of Blights in each plot of land with the
which can slow player movement to a crawl. exception of the one the Blight Druid occupies. Each
Vine Blight is the most dangerous of all the row should contain one of each color of Blight, placed
beasts in the vineyard. They are durable, can from left to right or top to bottom in the following order:
reduce movement over a wide area, and their red, orange, yellow, green, and (if using), blue and violet.
vine limbs both damage and grapple opponents. Ensure that no Blight groups overlap nor cross over the
treeline border.
Ravaged Vines are the stuff of Davian
Martikov’s nightmares. Careless use of A vine plot on a board set for Challenging difficulty
damaging area-of-effect spells or items can might look similar to the example below:
harm the tender vines and destroy Barovia’s sole
remaining source of happiness.
The complete game mechanics explaining the usage of
the icons follow in the How to Play section following.
It is important to note that the Blights, an unnatural
product of an ancient vineyard, have been altered from
their official entries. The adjusted Stat Blocks are found
in Appendix C: Monsters.

When the last Twig Blight has been placed, the board is
ready to play.
On the side of the map, arrange three piles: one each for
Needle Blights, Vine Blights and Ravaged Vines. Keep
an envelope ready for discards or, if you are using the
Sprout Like Weeds option, set aside an empty space
near the board.

T H E K I L L I NG F I E L D : SE T U P
7
The Killing Field: How to Play
he party’s objective is to slay the Starting with the red Twig Blights, roll

t
Blight Druid and capture her Gulthias 1d8 and move them all in the direction
Staff , a task complicated by the horde of indicated by the diagram to the left. A
bloodthirsty Blights that lie between the roll of 1 indicates Blights move one
players and their quarry. To make square North, a roll of 5, one square
matters worse, Gulthias’s evil South, a roll of 8, one square to the
benediction gives her the power to twist Northwest, and so forth. An easy way to remember the
and pervert nature to her own ends. pattern of movement is that odd numbers move North,
While the Blights themselves are a meager threat, East, South, and West while even numbers move
should two become entangled, they splice and between the points of the compass.
germinate a creature of greater power. Each beast thus
spawned presents an ever greater challenge to the If any Twig Blight comes to occupy the same space as
party, a situation that, if allowed to grow out of control, another Twig Blight as a result of this move, remove
can swiftly overwhelm. both from the map and replace them with a Needle
Blight. If you are using the Sprout Like Weeds option,
place the Twig Blights in a temporary discard pile for
Starting Off later return to the map. Otherwise, place the discarded
Twig Blights back in their envelope.
Party Actions
After the Blights initially appear on the map, if any Repeat the steps for each color of Twig Blight in the
players have yet to take their turn, they may do so. order in which they were placed: red, orange, yellow,
green, blue, and violet until all have moved from their
Initiative and Turn Order starting point. It is helpful for the players to assist the
Players go first in whichever order they decide, DM here, particularly in the early rounds.
following which the Blight Druid may choose to either Should a Twig Blight move into a player’s space, the
take a turn or wait until the Blights have moved. character will automatically take 3 (1d4+1) piercing
Movement always proceeds in the following order: damage, may become entangled in Brambles and be
Players > Blight Druid (option) > Twig Blights > Needle unable to move on their next turn. As long as the player
Blights > Vine Blights > Blight Druid (if action held). remains entangled, the Blight will not move, and the
player will take an additional 3 (1d4+1) piercing damage
If the Blood on the Vine option was selected and the on each of their turns, until they break free on a
Blight Druid is capable of Legendary Actions, those successful DC 10 Strength check or else kill the Blight.
actions may be taken at the end of a player’s turn. If a second Twig Blight should move into the same
space as a player while they are under the effect of
Running the Blights Brambles, the two will combine into a Needle Blight and
Stat Blocks for all Monsters can be found in Appendix the tangle will be broken. However, the player will
instead suffer the effects of the Needle Blight’s Briars
C: Monsters ability (as described in the Needle Blight section that
Twig Blights
follows).
After players have completed their turns, and assuming If a Twig Blight lands on a space occupied by a Needle
the Blight Druid has delayed hers, it is time to Blight, together they form a Vine Blight, which will be
determine Twig Blights movement. Rather than move discussed at length in its own section following. A Twig
under the control of the DM, Twig Blights move 5 feet in Blight that lands in a space occupied by a Vine Blight is
a random direction decided by the roll of a 1d8. unable to move and remains instead in the position it
was in before the roll.
Any Twig Blight within 5 feet of a hostile creature will
use its turn to make a Claw attack.

T H E K I L L I NG F I E L D : HOW TO PL AY
8
 Needle Blights Vine Blights
Needle Blights are formed from the combination of two A Vine Blight is formed when a Twig Blight lands on a
Twig Blights. square occupied by a Needle Blight.
Unlike the other Blights, the Needle Blight has no The Vine Blight is significantly more dangerous than its
movement speed and is Rooted in the position where it Blight cousins. Although it lumbers along at a
spawned. movement speed of a mere 10 feet per turn, it does so
of its own volition in the direction it chooses.
Although unable to move, the Needle Blight may use its
Thorns attack on any one hostile creature within 30 As an attack action, the Vine Blight is able to Constrict
feet. If it hits a creature of large or smaller size, the its victim to cause both 9 (2d6+2) bludgeoning damage
target takes 6 (2d4+1) piercing damage and is affected and, upon a successful hit, grapple them unless they
by Briars, painful burrs that cause it an additional 6 succeed against a DC 12 Athletics or Acrobatics skill
(2d4+1) piercing damage for each 10 feet of movement check to escape. Until the grapple ends, the target is
it makes until the effect is removed. restrained and takes an additional 9 (2d6+2)

The effect will disappear if either an action is spent to bludgeoning damage from the crushing force of
constriction each turn.
remove the burrs or the target receives any magical
healing. Additionally, the ground within a 15 foot radius
centered on the Vine Blight sprouts Entangling Vines
that grasp at any non-plant creature, rendering the area
difficult terrain for the duration. In addition, each
Example: Briars
Agar is struck by two Needle Blights. He takes 12 piercing
creature of the Blight’s choice in that area when the
damage 2x(2d4+1) and is affected by Briars. Rather than
plants appear must succeed on a DC 12 Strength check
spend a round to remove the burrs, on his turn Agar moves
to free itself or another entangled creature within reach
10 ft and takes an additional 6 piercing damage (2d4+1). On
the following turn, he receives cure wounds and the effect is or else be restrained. When the Vine Blight moves, the
removed. area affected moves with it and Entangling Vines left
outside of its 15 foot radius immediately wither and die,
Alvina is struck by a Needle Blight. She takes 6 piercing leaving the abandoned space in its previous state and
damage (2d4+1) and is affected by Briars. On her turn, she
uses an action to remove the burrs and subsequently moves
releasing any restrained creatures within it.
without taking damage. The Blight Druid’s Gulthias Staff allows Vine Blights to
act with an Intelligence that makes them capable of
tactical decision making and the DM should play them
If a Twig Blight lands on a space occupied by a Needle accordingly. If, for example, one has successfully
Blight, together they form a Vine Blight. grappled a player, it may choose to use its movement to
carry them within range of a nearby Blight or to an area
affected by Spike Growth.

Option: Sprout Like Weeds

Any Twig Blight removed from play for any
reason other than its destruction by players,
returns to any unoccupied space in a cultivated
field of the DM’s choosing other than the one
which it previously occupied.

T H E K I L L I NG F I E L D : HOW TO PL AY
9
The Blight Druid As long as the party remains out of range for Thorn
Whip, the Blight Druid will tap into the power of the
When the party defeats the Blight Druid and claims her Gulthais Staff to Summon Blights. This ability allows
staff, The Killing Field is over; however, with an entire her to sprout a Twig Blight from any square in the
field of plant creatures at her disposal and possessed of vineyard, and she will use it to create the most
formidable powers herself, doing so is no small task. formidable Blight possible given circumstances.
If players are within range of a Needle Blight, she will
summon a Twig Blight under it, so that it merges into a
Option: Blood on the Vine Vine Blight. If only Twig Blights are nearby, she will
The Blight Druid is possessed of three choose one of them to create a Needle Blight.
Legendary Abilities which she may use any time
after a player’s turn. These abilities are A summoning that does not result in a stronger Blight is
described on her Stat Block in Appendix C: her least preferred option, so if none are within range of
Monsters. the party, she will instead hold her turn, allow the
Blights to move, and take advantage of the new
situation. If no better options are available, the Blight
Druid will summon a Twig Blight in the space occupied
by players that appear to have lower Strength.
Playing the Blight Druid
The Blight Druid begins her turn after the players move, When players are close enough to engage the Blight
and unless directly threatened, will use it to ensure the Druid, she will begin to cast Spike Growth in
party’s journey through the fields is as harrowing as combination with Thorn Whip, pushing players back
possible. Her objective is to keep them from moving where their movement is restricted and in range of her
faster than a crawl so that the Blights have the Blight minions. As her Mistress of Plants ability allows
opportunity to wear them down as much as possible her to move without impediment, she will try to stay
before they reach her position. mobile within the corrupted field where she began the
game, using her minions for cover.
The Blight Druid will almost always use her first
combat turn to cast Plant Growth, causing the space Should she move from the corrupted plot, her power
between her and the party to become overgrown with over the Blights will diminish. All Twig Blights will
thick vines, reducing player movement by 75%. Unless cease to move and Vine Blights will no longer benefit
this effect is dispelled, she will only use future spell slots from the intelligence-enhancing abilities of the Gulthias
to cast Spike Growth. Staff. Her mastery over the Blights will return once she
re-enters the corrupted space.
Option: Wine Trip
If the party lacks abilities allowing them to
counter Plant Growth, movement may become
so difficult as to leave the encounter a dull slog
rather than challenging fun. In this case, the DM
may choose to substitute the effect of the spell
with the following:
Any movement within the area of effect results in
a 25% chance per 10 ft moved of tripping and
falling prone. The player should roll a 1d4 for
each 10 ft increment moved. On a roll of 1, they
fall prone and are unable to take any additional
actions or movement on that turn.

T H E K I L L I NG F I E L D : HOW TO PL AY
10
 Ravaged Vines The following example illustrates how the devastation a
overzealous Fireball spell (20-foot sphere) might look
If the party decides to ignore Davian’s plea in favor of on the map.
quickly dealing with an overwhelming horde of Blights,
they may cause devastation to the delicate vineyard.
When this happens, the DM should place Ravaged Vine
icons on the affected area.
Although not an exhaustive list, spells that will certainly
destroy the vines, those that are safe to use, and
examples of effects that may or may not cause harm
depending on the care taken, follow. For those not
listed, the DM should decide on a case-by-case basis
into which category a spell or effect belongs. In general,
spells that bombard an area with missiles, fire, ice, or
such-like; as well as those that significantly disturb soil
or plant life will result in Ravaged Vines.
Option: Crush and Burn
Examples of Damaging Attacks:
Call Lightning, Cloudkill, Cone of Cold, As Twig Blights are vulnerable to flame and
AOE Effect:
Conjure Volley, Fireball, Flame Sphere, Hunger of combust easily, any use of fire damage spells on
Hadar, Ice Storm, Sleet Storm, Storm Sphere, them has a strong likelihood to catch and spread
Thunderwave, Tidal Wave to the vines.
Soil / Plant Effect: Destructive Wave, Erupting Earth, If any Twig Blight is hit by an effect that causes
Wither and Bloom fire damage, roll a 1d20 and compare the result
to the number of Twig Blights hit. If the result is
Examples of Benign Attacks: higher, no Ravaged Vines should be placed, if the
Confusion, Darkness, Entangle, Fear, same or lower, place a number of icons equal to
AOE Effect:
Fog Cloud, Shatter, Slow, Spike Growth, Stinking the result where the Blights used to be.
Cloud, Thunderclap, Web
Soil / Plant Effect: Plant Growth, Speak with Plants
Each cultivated field is roughly 6x10 feet, comprising an
average of 60 map squares. At the end of the Root &
Vine phase, the DM should total the number of Ravaged
Examples for DM Judgement Call:
AOE Effect: Aganazaar’s Scorcher, Breath Weapons, Vines, divide the result by 60, and check against the
Burning Hands, Bursting Arrow, Conjure Barrage, table below to determine the damage wrought by the
Infestation, Insect Plague, Lightning Bolt fighting:
Soil / Plant Effect: Earth Tremor, Gust of Wind,
Mold Earth, Warding Wind
Damage to Cultivated Plots
If the DM determines that the effort has caused damage, % of Ravaged Vines Plot Damage Production Value
a number of Ravaged Vines equal in shape and breadth 1-25% Minor Full
to the area of the spell effect should be placed on the 26-60% Considerable Half
map. Ravaged Vines are only placed on map squares 61-100% Complete Loss None
inside of the cultivated plots and not on grassland,
footpaths, stone walls, or buildings. In addition, the field
where the Blight Druid begins her turn is already
marked with corruption and can not be further harmed.

T H E K I L L I NG F I E L D : HOW TO PL AY
11
The Killing Field: Rewards
he less devastation the players

t
Champagne du le Stomp Reserve
inflict on the vineyard, the sooner the
Wizard of Wines can resume full Wondrous item, Very Rare

production, the more barrels of wine can One of a handful of bottles left over from the Wizard
be spared, and the greater the gratitude of Wines first harvest. Although the champagne has
Davian will show to the party. by now undoubtedly lost its effervescence, the taste is
There are at least three parties in the unimportant. This is the rarest of collectors items and
Curse of Strahd who send the players out seeking to
only a savage would dare uncork such a treasure!
replenish their diminishing stocks of wine: the Blue For non-oenophiles seeking only practical value, the
Water Inn, the Vallaki Vistani Camp, and the bottle may be traded to any noble in the land,
Burgomeister of Krezk. Depending on the confidence including Strahd von Zarovich himself, in exchange
Davian has that he’ll be able to meet future demand, he for the granting of one boon.
will provide sufficient wine for the party to take to each
of these destinations. The more powerful the noble, the less can be
demanded. The DM should determine what the
The Wizard of Wines ordinarily has 12 plots under noble in question would consider fair exchange for
constant production. One is a complete loss due to the such a prize.
Blight Druid’s corruption. For the remaining 11, the DM
should calculate their capacity using the Damage to
Cultivated Plots table on the previous page. Each plot
that suffered only minor damage is equal to 1
productive field, each one that has considerable is worth
0.5 and each complete loss is worth 0. Add up the value
and compare it to the table below to determine the
number of shipments immediately available to the party.
Wizard of Wines Production
Productive Fields Shipments Available
0-2 No Shipments
3-6 One Shipment
7-9 Two Shipments
10-11 Three Shipments

If the party manages to clear the Blights from the

vineyard while causing only minor damage to the fields,
Davian will reward them additionally with an
exceptionally rare bottle of Champagne du le Stomp
Reserve, a vintage bottled from the Martikov’s first
grape harvest.

T H E K I L L I NG F I E L D : R E WA R DS
12
 Root & Vine
nce the party has dispatched the

o
The Gulthias Staff
Blight Druid and claimed the Gulthias The staff, hewn from the branches of the Gulthias Tree
Staff, they still need to find a way to get is no simple magic item. It is alive, potent, and
through the tangle of vines strangling irredeemably evil.
the winery. Unfortunately for the
players, the staff does not surrender Although the staff may share a character’s alignment,
itself so readily. this is not a weapon anyone should covet. It has a mind
The DM should read the following description to the of its own and enough dark power at its command to
first to touch the Gulthais Staff after the Druid has been ensure that the staff wields the creature holding it
dispatched: rather than the reverse. Anyone foolish enough to
believe that they can master it will soon discover, to
their mortal cost, the nature of its vampiric origins.
As you extend your hand to grab the gnarled staff, the
The Gulthias Staff has one aim: the defilement and
terrible recognition that its thorny tendrils are reaching out
corruption of Barovia’s soil and the propagation of
Gulthias Trees. To that end, it will sink roots into the
to grasp yours in return shocks you. You instinctively pull
back, but not quickly enough to avoid its grasp. The vines
earth, poisoning the land it comes in contact with,
that once bound the mistress to her weapon now envelop draining it of life, and leaving it infertile and forever
you, wrapping your limbs in thick brambles, expanding barren. It also has the power, through its bearer, to raise
towards your neck and chest, its roots already burrowing Blights from the plant life it has polluted to help it fulfill
their way into your flesh. its terrible purpose.
The Druid matron startles to brief life, reaching out for the To channel its power, the staff requires a living
staff even as it pulls its deep roots from her exhausted humanoid host - it will not bond with the undead,
constructs, or animals. It is enough to touch it while in
frame. For a second, the vines loosen their grip on you, as
contact with the soil where it may root for the parasitic
an instinctual loyalty to its mistress takes over.
plant to burrow its way under the flesh, merging itself
with the host and feeding from its life-blood. The end
But there is far more life left in you and the staff has already
result of this process is inevitably fatal; first, to the mind
made its choice…
of the creature whose will it saps, then to the body upon
whose essence it draws.
Even a cursory investigation of the staff reveals that it is To be bonded to the staff, even for a moment, is enough
alive and that its tendrils seek to completely envelop its to get a sense of this. Although it does not communicate
bearer. Detect Magic reveals a corrupted aura of druidic with its host, they feel its intent… and as a result, they
magic around the staff, a successful DC 20 Arcana
check reveals it to hail from Faerûn. Its magic can not can learn much of its character, its powers, and its
be dispelled, nor will remove curse effect it. weakness. Anyone who has felt the staff’s roots spread
under their skin can learn any or all of the following by
The only way to destroy the staff while its roots are succeeding on the corresponding Nature check:
embedded in a creature is to kill the host. Any damage (DC 10) One of sufficient will may use the staff may
done to the staff is done directly to the bearer. The only control the Blights.
way to remove the roots is to separate them from direct (DC 15) The staff wants to remain in contact with the
contact with the ground. earth and needs a living host to do it. It will fight to
The heavy stone floors of the winery will break the stay connected to both.
bond. But the Gulthias Staff won’t make it easy for its (DC 20) The staff cannot be destroyed by means
bearer to get there… short of its complete annihilation. A broken staff will
reform in time.
(DC 30) Repeated use of the staff will enthrall the
bearer and they will not willingly surrender it.
As there are other Gulthais Staves in the Curse of
Strahd, it is recommended either to refer to this one as
The Gulthias Blight Staff or preferably, to any of its
cousins as a Lesser Gulthias Staff
RO OT & V I N E
13
Getting to the Winery Terror of the Terroir
As long as the bearer of the Gulthias Staff is in contact In a last-ditch attempt to stop the party from reaching
with the earth, the roots will grow, eventually the winery, the Gulthias Staff will splice all remaining
insinuating themselves throughout the body. If they Twig Blights together into a single, monstrous terror:
stand in place, eventually the tendrils will completely the Wine Blight.
penetrate them and they will become petrified. This
condition can not be removed through any magical Once the bearer of the staff passes the Westernmost
means short of a wish spell. end of the last cultivated field before the vineyard, read
the following text aloud:
If the player moves while holding the staff, it tries to
root them to the earth. To resist, for each 5 feet of
movement, the bearer must either pass a DC 20 Nature Without warning, the land around you heaves and quakes.

skill check, using willpower to command the staff, or a From every corner of the vast field, the Blights plaguing the

DC 20 Athletics skill check to pull up roots with each vineyard retreat back into the earth. The danger, it seems, is
step. On the first failure, movement speed is reduced by past. All that remains are the final few steps to the winery.
half, and on the second they become petrified. Then suddenly, the ground shakes once more, but this time,
The staff cannot be thrown nor can the affected player it births a new terror. You watch, petrified, as hordes of
be levitated off the ground, as the roots embedded in the Blights erupt from the field in front of you, scrambling over
carrier will not release their deep hold on their body nor each other like ants on carrion. As they climb and clatter
the earth. impossibly high, something new and dreadful grows…

Shadow Step, Teleport, and the like leave the staff in

branches entwine, ossifying into a thick skeletal frame, vines
place, but sever the roots, which remain inside the twist and wrap around each other forming arboreal muscle,
player causing 7d8 piercing damage. Should a character and thorns sprout and grow into long scythelike talons.
attempt this while in possession of the staff, they will
feel the roots tighten under their skin, and a DC 10 As the beast ascends, now towering above the winery
Insight check will warn of serious harm and allow the rooftop, its limbs bear a rotten fruit. Grapes overripe with
opportunity to rethink. corrupted juice burst, stifling the air with a thick red haze.

So long as it remains in contact with the earth, the You breathe in, involuntarily, feel light-headed and swoon.

Gulthias Staff is indifferent to who possesses it. Should

another attempt to seize it or should the carrier try to The Wine Blight will appear from the ground in front of
pass on their burden, both parties should roll a DC 10 the winery building, with the upper-left-hand corner of
Nature check. If either succeeds, the staff attaches itself the icon placed on the square with the wheelbarrow.
instead to the receiver. If the previous bearer was Anyone occupying that space will be thrown back 30
petrified, that condition will fade by the start of their feet and take 3d6 bludgeoning damage or half that if
next turn. Additionally, they will recover 50% of their they succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw.
maximum speed and return to full movement at the Anyone else in a 30-foot radius of the creature, other
start of their following turn. The staff may thusly be than one holding the Gulthias Staff, must succeed on a
passed from person to person and gradually be moved DC 25 Constitution saving throw or else be compelled
to the safety of the winery. to retreat to the nearest empty space outside of the area.
The staff bearer, upon a failed save, must move only as
Example: Moving the Gulthias Staff
far as their condition allows.
Agar, a Barbarian with 40 foot movement speed, picks up the
staff and makes for the winery. He fails his first Athletics
check and his speed drops to 20 feet. He succeeds on the
next two checks and moves 10 feet before failing on the next
and becoming petrified.

Alvina, who has a 30 foot movement speed, attempts to take

the staff from Agar. Agar fails, but Alvina passes a DC 10
Nature check, gaining possession of the staff. She succeeds
on her next two Nature checks and moves 10 feet before
failing the next two.

After two turns, Agar has recovered full movement and is

now beside Alvina. She successfully passes the staff to him
and he continues his trek.

RO OT & V I N E
14
 The Wine Blight
Example: Distracting the Wine Blight
Setting Hit Points
The Wine Blight is a construct of all the blighted Phoenix, Yenner, and Scarlet distract the Wine Blight while
Agar and Alvina flee with the staff.
vegetation of the field. As it is the primary threat for the
next several game phases, it needs enough Hit Points to Phoenix scorches the Blight for 13 damage, attracting its
both survive and present a challenge. attention, but since she likely wouldn’t survive the counter-
attack if hit, Scarlet jumps in. Unfortunately, her rapier scores
In the first phase of the game, the party should aim to a glancing blow and the beast only loses 5 HP. Since two
get past, rather than kill the Wine Blight. In the second players have attacked the Blight, they are 2 HP short of
phase, the beast will have a fixed amount of damage it distracting it from the paralyzed staff bearer.
will take. In the final phase, the players will have their Luckily Yenner is able to blast the creature for 15 damage, for
opportunity to deal with the Blight once and for all. a total of 33, three more than the necessary 30 to distract
(3d10). With no one else left to attack it, the giant turns its
Assuming a party of 4-6 5th level players will do an attention to Yenner…
average of 10 damage per round per individual and that
the Blight will require 100 Hit Points for the first part of If a player out of the Wine Blight’s blindsight range hits
The Wine Press, the Wine Blight will need somewhere
between 400-600 health to start the game with. it, the damage caused counts toward the total, but it will
not be lured away from the staff carrier by a creature too
The DM should feel free to adjust that suggestion far away to sense.
according to the capability and number of their players The DM should also note that the Wine Blight’s Branch
with the goal of a three phase trial in mind. Smash causes damage in a 30-foot line from itself to the
target, so everything in between is also in danger of
Playing the Wine Blight being struck.
The Gulthias Staff has created the gargantuan Blight for
the sole purpose of preventing its bearer from crossing
the winery threshold. If not hindered in its task, it will
attack whoever holds the staff until they are dead. Option: Four & Twenty Blackbirds
Fortunately for the party, as with the Twig Blights, the Now that the Martikovs have had time to recover,
Wine Blight is constructed from the over-ripe grapes of they’re not going to stand by idly while the party
the vineyard, and as such, shares their befuddled is in danger.
nature. The Wine Blight can be distracted from its
purpose by a sufficiently powerful attack made against If the party is unaware of the Wereraven’s true
it. Of course, that comes at the price of its attention nature, and one of their number is struck by what
focusing on the one who dealt the blow… would have been a fatal blow, a flock of ravens
As with the previous phase, the players take their moves will seemingly come out of nowhere and swarm
first in whatever order they choose. Only when they the Wine Blight, distracting it and preventing the
attack from landing.
have finished their turns does the Wine Blight strike.
The Stat Block for the Wine Blight can be found in If the party has the trust of the Keepers of the
Appendix C: Monsters.
Feather, they may call upon the ravens once
every three rounds of combat to force a missed
attack, but must decide to do so before the Wine
Creating a Distraction Blight begins its turn.
With a range of 30 feet, the Wine Blight’s reach is
formidable and the damage it can do to a petrified staff
bearer is deadly, fortunately, the beast can be distracted
by damage dealt by other creatures within its area of
blindsight.

If the party deals at least a total of one Hit Dice (d10) of

damage for each attacker to the Blight before its turn, it
will attack the player that hit it last rather than the
bearer of the staff, as long as that player is in its range.

RO OT & V I N E
15
Wine Must Breathe Inebriation Effects
The bursting of the sour grapes that envelop the Wine A creature suffering from inebriation gains the following
Blight fills a 30-foot square around it with Fermentation conditions at each level:
Miasma, an overpowering vapor that causes inebriation Tipsy (Level 1): -1 penalty to all attacks and to spell
to any living, breathing creature that spends time within save DC; +1 to armor class; 1d10 erratic movement
it. One round spent inside the area is enough to make Drunk (Level 2): -3 penalty to all attacks and to spell
anyone tipsy, and more time spent breathing the save DC; +2 to armor class; 3d10 erratic movement
intoxicating fumes has an even stronger effect. Luckily, Soused (Level 3): -5 penalty to all attacks and to spell
moving outside of the area to take in fresh air is enough save DC; +3 to armor class; 5d10 erratic movement
to clear the head and return to normal. Wasted (Level 4): incapacitated; -5 to armor class; all
For each turn a creature begins within the vapor, they movement is erratic.
Passed Out (Level 5): unconcious
must succeed on a Constitution saving throw of
increasing difficulty or gain one level of inebriation. For On the first turn, a creature spends inside the
each additional failed save thereafter, they gain another Fermentation Miasma, they must succeed on a DC 10
level up to a maximum of five, at which point they fall Constitution saving throw or else gain one level of
unconscious. inebriation. For each additional turn spent inside, the
If, at any time, they begin their turn outside of the DC increases by 5, until they either fall unconscious or
Fermentation Miasma, they lose all levels of inebriation become sober.
and become sober. A lesser restoration spell has a Anyone holding the Gulthias Staff or immune to poison
similar effect. is not subject to Fermentation Miasma and loses any
Erratic Movement
levels of inebriation previously gained.
An inebriated creature gains erratic movement. When
they move, for each level of inebriation up to five, roll a Entering the Winery
1d10. On a roll of 1, they move 5 feet to the North, on a
roll of 4, they move 5 feet Southeast. On a roll of 9-10, If the player holding the staff comes within five feet of
they move in whichever direction they choose. The the walls of the winery and is not petrified, they can
scheme of movement is similar to the Twig Blights in command it to force the engulfing vines to retreat on a
Running the Blights. successful DC 10 Nature check.
Even if the player opts to move no further, they must Once the party has entered the building, the next phase
spend all erratic movement during their turn or else begins.
instead choose to fall prone.
Example: Erratic Movement
Yenner has two levels of inebriation, giving her 3d10 erratic
movement. She wants to move 30 feet to the West to clear the
miasma. She moves 15 feet and then decides to use her
erratic movement.

She rolls a 1, which takes her directly North. She uses the
second and rolls a 3, which would take her East, opposite her
goal. Instead, she chooses to fall prone and continue the
attempt in her next turn.

RO OT & V I N E
16
 The Wine Press
nce the staff bearer has

o
crossed the threshold, they are free of Defending the Winery
its invasive roots and can move and act The Wine Blight’s roots have broken through the front
normally. Of course, this doesn’t mean and side entrances, allowing a flood of Blights access to
that the Gulthias Staff is resigned to its assault the building. There are four access points that
destruction. It continues to use all the the party must seal in order to safely move about. They
means at its disposal to free itself from are marked on the map of the Winery’s 1st floor in
its new, uncooperative master, Appendix A: Game Maps. Until these locations are
including causing the complete destruction of the barricaded, Blights will continue to pour through and
winery and everyone trapped inside. will eventually overwhelm the players.
As long as there are party members still outside the
building, the Wine Blight attacks them rather than Blight Assault
focusing its attention on those inside. Once all party Combat begins immediately after the description has
members are within, read the following aloud: been read. As with previous phases, the players start the
round and the Blights follow. As before, the players can
As you cross the threshold and the last roots of the Gulthias take turns in whichever order they choose.
Staff are wrenched out of the ground, you feel its tendrils First, the DM should place Invading Roots at
retreat from your tender flesh. Surprisingly there is no pain the locations indicated near the entryways.
or wound, only the dull throb of loss. Something that was These are the appendages of the Wine Blight
briefly a part of you is gone, but somewhere inside its which the party must first destroy in order to block
presence lingers. ingress. The Stat Block for the Invading Roots can be
found in Appendix C: Monsters
Circumstance leaves no time for reflection as the heavy oak
Next, starting from the Western-most side entrance (E1
door behind you smashes into splinters, burst open by thick
on the labeled map) roll a 1d10 and place the type and
ligneous roots. From every corner of the winery echoes the
number of Blights indicated on the following table in the
sound of wood and stone surrendering to the irresistible
nearest open squares. Once positioned, repeat the
insistence of the Wine Blight’s assault. process for E2, E3 and finally, E4.
As you cast about in panic for something, anything to block Invading Blights
the entryway, you feel a sudden shiver of foreboding. Looking
1d10 Blights
back towards the field you just escaped, you see hordes of
1-2 No Blights
blights clambering over the massive roots, following its path 3-6 1d8 Twig Blights
straight into the winery, right to you. 7-9 1d4 Needle Blights
10 1 Vine Blight

The winery is not a particularly large area, so if are a

great number of Blights are gathered, either have new
ones appear just outside the door or consider the A
Option: Late Harvest Single Twig Breaks option that follows.
Events and dialogue for the Late Harvest option The Blights that enter the winery are no longer in
which occur at this point are collected in The connection with the vineyard and, as a result, lose both
Wine Press: Late Harvest under the section their additional passive abilities - Brambles, Briars and
titled Defending the Winery Entangling Vines - and their movement restrictions -
Sour Grapes and Rooted.

T H E W I N E P R E SS
17
 Option: A Single Twig Breaks Option: Late Harvest
The Twig Blights, from having merged to form Events and dialogue for the Late Harvest option
the Wine Blight, have gained the ability to join which occur at this point are collected in The
into more formidable Branch Blights. Wine Press: Late Harvest under the section
titled Boys in a Barrel
A Branch Blight shares a stat block with a Twig
Blight but adds each Twig Blight’s Hit Points
and damage dice to its own for every additional
merged Twig Blight up to a maximum of four.
The Gulthias Staff
Thus, a Branch Blight composed of three Twig
Blights would have 12 (4 HP x 3) Hit Points and The staff, although loathe to aid the party, is still
deal 7 (3d4+1) damage. capable of powerful magic, and a player with a strong
enough will may force it to serve its new master.
To distinguish between the levels of Branch
Blight, use the colors in the same order as they If the bearer succeeds on a DC 10 Nature skill check,
moved in Running the Blights to represent each the Blights - with the notable exception of the Wine
size: red for single Twig Blights, orange, yellow, Blight and its Invading Roots - will react as if under the
and green respectively as they become stronger. effect of a Channel Divinity: Turn Undead effect, fleeing
as far from the staff bearer as possible. To maintain this
effect, the staff bearer must succeed on the Nature
check each round.
The process of placing new Blights repeats at the start
of each round. Blights will no longer appear at an On a successful DC 15 Nature skill check, the staff
entrance that has been sealed. bearer may command any one Blight it chooses - with
the same exceptions as above - to do their bidding as
per the Dominate Monster spell for one round.
Barricading the Building
The doors to the winery may only be closed off when the Unbeknownst to them, when the bearer commands the
Invading Roots that block the way have been severed. Gulthias Staff in this way, the item begins to embed the
roots of dependence in its owner’s mind. The DM
If the party manages to reduce the root’s Hit Points to should secretly keep track of the number of times the
zero, it will retreat back into the earth and the door may staff has been called upon (whether successfully or not)
be sealed shut. Until then, it will strike the nearest throughout this and the following phase of the mini-
hostile creature with its Root Slam attack. game. Eventually, when the time comes to destroy the
Once the path has been cleared, the doors may be staff, this total will be significant.
sealed by moving empty barrels taken from the Barrel If the player rolls a Natural 20 while commanding the
Storage (W4) area, breaking them apart, and using the Gulthias Staff, the DM may hint as to its addictive
wood and nails to barricade the open portal. nature, pointing out how its continual use makes the
A player may carry as many barrels as their Strength bearer feel pleasure that they long to experience again.
modifier with a minimum of one. A character with a +2
Strength may carry two empty barrels, while one with a
-1 may still carry one. Salvaging a barrel and using the
pieces to seal the entry requires an action.
When all four entryways have been sealed and
remaining Blights have been dealt with, the first floor
will be secure.
The DM should subtract all damage done to the
Invading Roots from the Wine Blight’s total health in
preparation for the next phase.

T H E W I N E P R E SS
18
 Other Plot Points
In the source material, the Fermentation Room (W9 pg.176) includes an encounter with several Twig Blights and a
Druid failing to surreptitiously poison a vat of wine. To allow for a more fluid gameplay it is recommended either to
exclude this encounter or to return to it when the Vines of Wrath mini-game has reached its conclusion.
The DM may choose instead, for example, to allow the party to discover a mysterious broken vial near one of the vats,
giving them impetus to investigate for tampering. Or else, the Druid and its Blight retinue might have waited to do
their evil deed outside the Glassblower’s Workshop (W10) and will sneak in when the party leaves to defend the
upstairs from the Wine Blight.
This last option has the benefit of introducing a motive for the previously inscrutable action: the poisoner is simply
getting revenge on the Martikovs and their helpers for the death of the Blight Druid.

T H E W I N E P R E SS
19
The Siege of the Winery If the staff remains on the 1st floor or is otherwise out of
reach, selection will begin with the second point on the
Once the ground floor has been successfully defended list. If the Gulthias Staff has been destroyed or is no
and the entrances sealed, the Wine Blight will make its longer on the same plane of existence as the Wine
last desperate attempt to save the Gulthias Staff by Blight, the behemoth will gain the Enraged condition
collapsing the building and killing all inside. and attack once before the party has moved, then again
After the last door has been barricaded and the invading following.
Blights have been dealt with, read the following passage Anyone who is inside a room whose roof collapses takes
to the players: 20 (4d10) bludgeoning damage from the cave-in or half
that on a successful Dexterity saving throw and
becomes trapped in the rubble. A character who is
For the briefest second, there is silence as the last of the
trapped may extricate themselves on a successful DC
invading Blights is dispatched. You breathe easier, although
15 Athletics skill check. A room with a collapsed roof is
your tired muscles use the respite to remind you with pangs
of sharp pain that they need rest.
considered rough terrain.
When all six 2nd-floor rooms have been destroyed, the
Then, without warning, the whole building shakes, loose front of the building will collapse, dealing 40 (8d20)
dust falls from the ceiling as a fine rain. A sound like a damage to anyone inside, causing them to become
thunderclap, but much nearer, rattles your teeth. trapped, and exposing everyone in the rear of the

You realize the booming noise is coming from upstairs.

building to direct attack.
Then, your fatigue-addled mind unwillingly reaches the The Wine Blight will continue to attack the winery until
precarious conclusion: the Wine Blight intends to bring the either the staff bearer and their companions within its
blindsight have been killed or it has itself been
building crashing down on your head.
destroyed.
If you are playing the Late Harvest option, add the
following dialogue: Option: Late Harvest
“Martin!” Stephania shouts in anguish, “He’ll be killed! Events and dialogue for the Late Harvest option
which occur at this point are collected in The
Wine Press: Late Harvest under Martin is
There’s no time, follow me!

Missing

The Collapsing Building

The Wine Blight, in an attempt to bring the building
down on top of the party, is smashing the tiled roof with Killing the Wine Blight
its crushing blows. If left uninterrupted, it will eventually For the party to end the siege, they must finally put
decimate the 2nd floor and the resulting destruction will dispatch the Wine Blight. Its health, having been
completely collapse the winery. whittled down by the distracting attacks in the vineyard
and the damage done on the 1st-floor to its roots, should
There are six rooms at the front end of the building. The leave its destruction a formidable, but achievable task.
roof of each of these can withstand 100 Hit Points of
damage before collapsing, or roughly, three direct Ranged attacks may be made from the shattered
attacks from the Wine Blight. The beast will attack once windows, but no more than two players may attack from
per round after the players have taken their turns. one window at a time. Melee fighters may either
descend from the Loading Winch (W16) or leap from
The creature’s decision of which room to attack is based the second floor. Anyone choosing the latter path must
on the following criteria, ranked in order of importance: succeed on a DC 10 Acrobatics skill check or take 1d10
1. The room closest to the bearer of the Gulthias Staff bludgeoning damage from the fall.
2. The room with the greatest number of occupants
3. A room chosen at random (1d6)

T H E W I N E P R E SS
20
 The Gulthias Staff
Once again, the Gulthias Staff may be forced against its
Option: A Kindness of Ravens will into aiding the party, but at the price of its greater
If the party is unaware that the Martikovs are bond with its wielder.
lycanthropes, the first Wine Blight attack that If the bearer succeeds on a DC 15 Nature skill check,
would reduce an occupied room to zero Hit the Wine Blight be compelled to avoid damaging the
Points, is interrupted by a mysterious swarm of room closest to the staff bearer and will instead advance
ravens, who cause it to hit a random room to the second point of selection. Commanding the staff
instead. in this way costs an action and the skill check must be
If the party is aware of the secret, they may repeated on each turn for the effect to continue.
instruct the Wereravens to confuse the Wine The staff will also remove the effects of the Gulthias
Blight into hitting a room of their choice once Cultist’s Sap of Gulthias from a target of the bearers
every three rounds. choice on a succesful DC 10 Nature check (Late
Harvest option).

Once the Wine Blight has been reduced to zero Hit As before, the DM should note the number of times the
Points the Wizard of Wines is safe, the gauntlet is over Gulthias Staff’s magic has been used.
and the only task remaining for the players is to decide
what to do with the Gulthias Staff and collect their Other Plot Points
rewards from the grateful Martikovs.
This conclusion is covered in the section In Vino Veritas In the source material, both the Printing Press (W20
pg.179) and the Loading Winch (W16 pg.178) list
that follows the next chapter. encounters with Druids and their Blight servants.
If you are running the optional Late Harvest, then we
recommend ignoring these confrontations. If you are
not, then their inclusion will add a degree of
incremental difficulty to the Wine Blight’s siege.
The DM is free to decide, although, for the purposes of
narrative consistency, we recommend excluding the
Druid’s vainglorious boast in praise of his Lesser
Gulthias Staff: “Nature bows to my every whim, for I
have the vampire’s staff!” unless you wish to introduce a
bit of comic relief.

T H E W I N E P R E SS
21
Late Harvest Martin is Missing
Stephania will lead the party up the Spiral Staircase
Defending the Winery (W11) to the westernmost Sleeping Quarters (W19),
If you do not want to reveal the Martikov’s most guarded where she expects Martin to be.
secret, add the following dialogue: Instead, the party encounters a Gulthias Cultist, caught
Suddenly, from behind the giant cedar vats appear familiar
while searching for the boy.
faces. Stephania and Claudiu, having recovered amazingly Once the room is clear, Stephania will search and,
well from their injury, race towards you. finding the toy missing, will surmise that Martin must
be hiding elsewhere.
If the players are aware the Martikovs are Wereravens, In fact, he is hiding in a pantry in the Kitchen & Dining
use the following dialogue instead: Room (W18) where the party will interrupt two more
Gulthias Cultists who also search for the child.
Suddenly, from out of the chaos of grey and green, two jet-
Once the cultists are dead and her son has been found,
black birds deftly maneuver their way past the stream of
Stephania will escort him out the back entryway,
Blights and alight beside you. Reverting to their human
forms, Stephania and Claudiu rush towards you to help
returning to the party mere moments later.
reinforce the door. From there, she will lead the party to the Master
Bedroom (W17) where her husband Dag has just

Following either variant read: recovered from a knockout blow. His assailant has fled
with their daughter, Yolanda, through the open secret
door to the East.
“We need to keep them out!” Stephania shouts, “It looks like
they’ve broken through all the doors. You push them back, Read the following text to the party:
and we’ll go get the boys. Once they’re safe, we can use the
empties in the barrel room to seal them shut!” “Oooh, my head…” complains a wirey man, black hair
matted with blood, as he wakes up. Noticing Stephania’s
concern you conclude that this must be her husband, Dag.
His eyes immediately open wide, remembering something.
Boys in a Barrel
Stephania, having found him hiding in an empty barrel,
returns to tell the party that while Viggo is safe, their Although bloodied and battered and looking a frightful sight,

other boy Martin left his hiding place to fetch his Dag takes no notice of you, instead leaping to his feet and

favorite Blinsky toy and never returned. rushing to an empty cradle. “She’s gone!”, he calls to
Stephania, who appears at his side.
Viggo also told her that there were strangers searching
the winery, wearing robes and carrying weapons. She He points to a door in the Eastern wall, once concealed, now
will need the party’s help to save her son. in splinters, that opens to a space beyond. “He took her that
way. I think they’re going downstairs.”
First, though, she will aid in sealing the doors. If the
party can clear an area of the Invading Roots and any
nearby Blights, Stephania will manage to move the Dag will immediately run out the door and turn to the
barrel and seal the door shut without further aid. right. If the party moves to follow, Stephania extends an
arm to stop them.
Once all the entrances are barricaded, Stephania will
escort the party up to the 2nd-floor bedroom where she
believes Martin to be hiding. “No. You’ve got to stop that creature before it tears down
the winery. If the building collapses on top of us, it won’t
If asked about the whereabouts of Viggo or Claudiu, she matter if we find Yolanda.”
informs the party that the elder brother is taking his
younger sibling back to the hill and that she’s confident “Dag and I will take care of this, just find us when you’re
that they’ll be well. done here.” she insists as she turns to follow her husband.

L AT E H A RV E ST
22
 A Tragic Waste of Good Wine Given that this is near the finale of the gauntlet and it’s
When the party has dealt with the Wine Blight and the likely that many characters will be at the limits of their
dangers of the siege have passed, they will hear the endurance, it’s recommended to either allow the players
sounds of battle echoing through the building. If they a passive Perception to intuit the danger or modify the
follow the disturbance, they will find that it comes from mold to cause damage on touch rather than proximity.
the Wine Cellar (W14). When the party makes their way to the cave mouth, read
By the time the players enter the cellar, the din will have the following:
died down and only the tense, hushed voices of a nearby
stand-off will be heard. Here, in the heart of ice, a mother and father bargain for the
life of their infant child. Opposite them, with a bundled
The cellar feels unnaturally cold, so much so, that a thin blanket in one hand and a dagger in the other, a Gulthias
sheet of mist covers the floor and wraps itself around two Druid, threatening murder.
tall wooden wine racks.
You look towards Stephania, she nods and silently mouths
In between the racks, in the center of the room, the mist is at the words you’ve already understood. “He has her.”
its thickest, cold billowing out of an open door that leads to
rough, stone-hewn walls and further, into darkness. Beyond Seeing you for the first time, the Druid signals over his
come the echoes of voices in tense negotiation… a stand-off. shoulder to an ally hidden in the dark.

For a second, you catch sight of something behind the rack, The Druid is accompanied by two Vine Blights, who
magnified in the dusty bottles of wine… which suddenly, answer to his commands.
explode in a razor hail of red and glass.
If the party takes any hostile action that the Druid can
The encounter with the Druid and their thunderwave react to, he will sacrifice the child. He is not paying
assault (W14 pg.178) is in keeping with the story and attention to the Vine Blight, however, which can be
we recommend including it as written, with the possible controlled by the wielder of the Gulthias Staff on a
exception of the superfluous Twig Blights. If the DM successful DC 15 Nature skill check.
wants to up the challenge, consider adding a few Once Yolanda is safe, the gauntlet is over and all that
Gulthias Cultists instead. remains is for the party to decide what to do with the
Gulthias Staff and to collect their rewards from the
The Cellar Standoff
Martikovs.
When the party proceeds into the Brown Mold Cave
(W15), read the following:
Additional Monsters
The stat blocks for the Gulthias Cultist and the Gulthias Druid
What little light the wine cellar affords poorly illuminates the are found in Appendix C: Monsters.
entrance to what appears to be a roughly carved passageway
leading down into the dark.

The cold here is almost unbearable, as bone-biting as the

Other Plot Points
Mountains of Krezk. On the walls a thin patina of dark
While Late Harvest diverges significantly from the
brown mold. Ahead, shouting, amplified by the narrow
source material, it is still possible to include original
corridor to a pitch that sounds almost like the insistent
cawing of a livid crow.
plot points within the action.
The party may overhear the Druid in the cellar offering
As per the source material, the mold will not react to to exchange Yolanda’s life for the third gem, unaware it
players’ presence unless they insist on getting too close. was lost long ago. They may allude to the coming of
Wintersplinter as revenge for the death of the Blight
Druid. They may let slip an ominous threat about
poisoned wine…
The DM is encouraged to tailor these encounters and
interactions to fit their game.

L AT E H A RV E ST
23
In Vino Veritas
he threat to the wizard of wines The staff’s roots dig deeper than the merely physical

t
now passed, the party has earned a well- and having once wielded the powerful weapon, its
deserved rest over a bottle of fine wine. master will be loathe to condemn it to the fire.
But the matter of the staff still stands. It
is clearly a thing of evil, but such power To rid oneself of the staff, the bearer must succeed on a
in the hands of the good and righteous… Wisdom saving throw or else be unwilling to either
that may shake even the spires of surrender or destroy it. If they had not used the staff’s
Ravenloft. power since entering the winery, the DC to beat is 15.
For each use of the staff thereafter, however, the
Davian, as humbled and grateful to the party as he is for difficulty class increases by one, up to a maximum of 30.
their great deeds, nevertheless preaches caution.
Should the bearer fail the saving throw, they will go so
far as to fight or flee anyone who threatens to do the
“I can see it in your faces,” Davian says quietly, steady hand
staff harm. For the consequences of letting them
on your shoulder as he pours you a glass of wine.
escape, see the section Keeping the Staff which follows.
“It has magic that might even give the Master of Ravenloft
himself pause. But I have lived long, and seen many things
If the Gulthias Staff is destroyed, read the following text:
and I can tell you that power corrupts even the purest souls.
An acrid stench accompanies the thick black smoke that fills
It is not worth the cost of yours.”
the small room, the smell of something foul and unnatural
burning. You feel your eyes well with tears, but you realize
The other Martikovs may have different opinions, it’s not from the fumes. You are remembering something.
depending on the DM’s desires, but ultimately, the
decision on what to do with the Gulthias Staff falls to Not something in your lifetime, but something deep in the

the players. grain of the burning wood.

You close your eyes and try to focus on the vision. Then you
see it. A vast underground stream runs red through the
Destroying the Staff
The only way to destroy the blasphemous fragment of Barovian soil. It branches off, individual capillaries carrying
the Gulthias Tree is to reduce it to ashes, for if even the the blood of the land through forest, swamp, and plain.
smallest sliver survives, it will be the seed for a new
corruption. Fortunately, the winery has a furnace in the Ahead, something penetrates the thick skin of the earth,
Glassblower’s Workshop (W10) capable of generating needle roots digging deep, piercing the fragile vessels,
such intense heat. injecting them with a polluted black bile. As you follow the
trail to the surface, the land swells with pestilence. You find a
hill, now a pustule of yellow ichor, where there was once
green life.

And from its crest grows a twisted, blackened tree, a parody

of nature, an unholy blight germinating decay and death. You
hear voices chanting.

You open your eyes again. The staff is now ash. The smoke
has cleared. The air smells fresher than it has since you got
here. But the memory lingers.

T H E G U LT H I A S STA F F
24
 Keeping the Staff Secret Staff Attunement
If, against all advice, the party chooses to keep the Save Fails Effect Insight / Medicine
Gulthias Staff, there will be consequences. Although it 1 Deep Sleep DC 30
can be used in service of good, eventually its evil will 5 Twig Blight Companion DC 25
overwhelm even the most strong-willed. 10 Barkskin DC 20

Although the staff requires attunement, the player will 15 Movement Reduction DC 15

find that there is no obvious way in which this can be 20 Cosmetic Changes DC 10

done. However, after the first long or short rest taken 25 Rooted DC 5

with it in one’s possession, they will find that while

sleeping, they have somehow achieved attunement and Effects
may command the staff’s magic. Deep Sleep
Thereafter, before each long rest, the bearer of the staff The staff bearer will not awaken while the staff is
must succeed on a DC 5 Nature check to successfully spreading its roots during a long or short rest. If the
command the staff for the next day. The DM should party should be interrupted, the player will be the last to
make sure to see or ask about the result of the roll. awaken as the roots retreat back to the staff.
What the player does not know is that, as they sleep, the The attunement is very subtle and one would have to be
staff is quietly and unobtrusively extending its roots into watching the victim carefully and continuously to notice.
the bearer’s body. For each Nature skill check rolled to Twig Blight Companion
control the staff, the DM should secretly check the The staff bearer gains a
Twig Blight (MM pg.32) as a
result against an initial DC 10 Constitution saving throw familiar. While the Blight is not hostile to the player’s
and note any failures. companions, it will not follow their orders unless
Each failure of the secret saving throw thereafter raises commanded to do so by its master.
the subsequent DC of the next attempt by 1. This only If the Blight is killed, it regrows after a long rest.
applies to the hidden check, the DC 5 Nature roll to
control the staff does not change. Barkskin
The staff bearer gains Barkskin as per the 2nd-level
Over time, the effects of the staff’s insidious takeover transmutation spell. The effect is permanent and can
will become apparent. The DM should not volunteer to not be removed except by destruction of the staff.
explain what is happening but allow the player an
Insight or Medicine check to understand for themselves. Movement Reduction
Consult the Secret Staff Attunement table for effects The staff bearer begins to feel physically slower and
and required checks. loses 10 feet of movement in combat. Outside of
combat, they are not capable of moving faster than a
From the first attunement, the staff bearer will not normal travel pace unless mounted.
willingly surrender the staff. Use the rules from In Vino
Veritas: Destroying the Staff and substitute that DC Cosmetic Changes
with the one used for the secret saving throw. The physical transformation of the staff bearer becomes
undeniable. Their hair takes on the color and texture of
sickly vines, their finger and toenails become wooden
and long, twisted toward the ground, their barkskin
Option: Corked becomes thick and begins to shed, and their eyes take
The DM may decide that upon the final defeat of on the polish of mahogany.
the Wine Blight, the Gulthias Staff reverts to a
Lesser Gulthias Staff with the properties of the Rooted
item in the source material (CoS pg.221). The staff has completely taken over its bearer. They are
more plant than person. Their legs have fused to
become a solid trunk, their toes are roots that sink deep
into the ground, their arms branches, and their hair,
blackened leaves. Only the bare outline of the face is
visible on the trunk.
The staff bearer has become completely petrified and
within a week will transform into a Tree Blight (CoS
pg.230). At this point, nothing short of a Wish spell can
save them.
T H E G U LT H I A S STA F F
25
Gulthias Staff
Staff, Weapon, Legendary (requires attunement)
Simple Weapon, Melee Weapon
4 lbs
Hewn from the wood of the Gulthias Tree, the staff
is an object of unspeakable evil. Any non-evil
characters will feel discomfort in its presence and
those that are evil aligned with a Wisdom under 12
will feel compelled to possess it.
The staff can be wielded as a magic quarterstaff that
grants a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls.
Additionally, the bearer of the staff may use its other
magical properties for 24 hours on a successful DC 5
Nature skill check made before each long or short rest.

Master of Blights. The bearer may use the charges of

the Gulthias Staff to summon Blights under their
command. The staff has 10 charges that renew after
each long rest and may be expended according to the
following:
1d8 Twig Blights (1 charge)
1d4 Needle Blights (2 charges)
1 Vine Blight (5 charges)
The Blights will remain with their master until
destroyed or until the next long or short rest
Entangling Roots The bearer of the staff may cast
the 1st-level conjuration spell Entangle three times
per day (spell save DC 15).
Master of Plants. While attuned to the staff, Blights,
and other evil plant creatures will not regard you as
hostile unless you harm them. Additionally, you may
ignore the effects of Entangle.
T H E G U LT H I A S STA F F
26
 A Rare Vintage
hether or not the party decides Stephania insists on assaulting Yester

w
Yester Hill:
to keep the Gulthias Staff, the Martikovs Hill while they are weakened, recounting the
are grateful for their intervention and previous battle and what they witnessed.
celebrate the party’s victory with a
marvelous feast and fine wines from The Wizard of Wines: Davian reminisces about the
Davian’s private stock. first harvest, the state of the fields left by the
Krezkovs, and the patronage of Strahd von Zarovich.
This is a time to commend the players
for their endurance and to have the plot-forwarding
dialogue with the Martikovs that would be out of place Raise a Glass
on the hilltop where it all started. Whether or not the party has earned the Bottle of
Champagne du le Stomp Reserve for their care in
A Bottle Between Friends preserving the valuable fields in their battle with the
Blight Druid, Davian has a special gift that he begs the
As the wine flows, even the gruff patriarch of the players to accept:
Martikov clan begins to open up. Depending on how
successful the party has been at avoiding damage to the
vineyard and the winery, the DM should consider using Corkscrew of Good Health
the opportunity to allow for secrets to be revealed in a Wondrous item, Very Rare
narratively appropriate context. An ornate ivory-handled corkscrew carved with the
Among the potential revelations from loosened tongues: symbol of a raven. Purportedly, a gift from the archmage
Khazan to the Martikov family on their first pressing
The Missing Gems: Adrian drunkenly laments that centuries ago.
all that effort might be for naught anyway, leading to
the truth about the stolen gems and their likely When the phrase “To Your Health” is spoken and the
whereabouts. corkscrew is used to open a bottle of red wine, the wine
assumes the characteristics of a Potion of Healing with
The Third Gem: As Davian rewards the party with five uses. For each use, the drinker gains 2d4+2 Hit
the bottle of Champagne du le Stomp Reserve, he Points, but also a cumulative -1 to Dexterity and +1 to
reminisces about the days when the Chardonnay Charisma skill checks for each failed DC 10
grapes were ripe and full in the fields and recalls the Constitution saving throw. The effect lasts for one hour.
gem that gave them life.
When the phrase “Cheers” is spoken and the corkscrew
The Estranged Brother: Dag casually inquires about is used to open a bottle of white wine, the wine acts as a
his brother-in-law in Vallaki and gets a stern look 1st-level enchantment cantrip Friends with five uses. A
from Stephania. But when she notices that Davian is DC 10 concentration check must be passed each turn to
paying misty-eyed attention… maintain the effect, with the difficulty increasing by DC
The Keepers: Claudiu excitedly tells of how he
5 for each drink taken.
swooped in, grabbed his little brother Viggo by the When the phrase “In Vino Veritas” is spoken and the
tailfeathers, and saved him from the Wine Blight. corkscrew is used to open a bottle of champagne, the
The talk and laughter become deafening silence as drink has a 20% chance to work as a 4th-level
everyone slowly turns their heads to Davian, who Divination spell. The bottle contains five uses, and for
considering a moment, nods assent… each additional person who has a glass, the chances of
Wine Deliveries: Adrian and Elvir begin calculating
one of them having a question answered increases by
how many barrels they have left and working out 20%. Following a vision, the person who had it suffers a
how they can fulfill their obligations. hangover giving them disadvantage to Constitution
saving throws until a long rest is taken.
Once a bottle is opened, it must be consumed within the
next hour or it reverts to its former, non-magical state.

A R A R E V I N TAGE
27
The Wine List
ince your local wine shop is

s
unlikely to carry a bottle of Red Dragon Red Wine Menu
Crush, if you decide to accompany the
Vines of Wrath with a rare vintage, here are Phase One: The Killing Fields
some recommendations for each phase of Character: Surprising, Unexpected
the game courtesy of u/jonnielaw on the Lambrusco from Emilia-Romagna, Italy
r/wines forum.
Phase Two: Root & Vine
Don’t forget that as you play, both the wine and the Character: Strong, Slow
player need to breathe… Valpolicella Ripasso from Italy
Phase Three: The Wine Press
White Wine Menu Character: Intense, Thrilling
Super Tuscan from Tuscany, Italy
Phase One: The Killing Fields
Character: Surprising, Unexpected Apres-Bataille
Jongieux from the Savoie region of France Character: Celebratory, Effervencent
Gruet Brut Rose From New Mexico
Phase Two: Root & Vine
Character: Strong, Slow
Chablis or Pouilly Fusse from France Mixed Menu
Phase Three: The Wine Press Phase One: The Killing Fields
Character: Intense, Thrilling Character: Surprising, Unexpected
Alsatian Gewurtztraminer Pinot Grigio Ramato
Apres-Bataille Phase Two: Root & Vine
Character: Celebratory, Effervencent Character: Strong, Slow
Gruet Brut Rose From New Mexico Dry Riesling from the Rhine Valley, Germany
Phase Three: The Wine Press
Character: Intense, Thrilling
Monastrell from Central Spain
Apres-Bataille
Character: Celebratory, Effervencent
Gruet Brut Rose From New Mexico

T H E W I N E L IST
28
Appendix A: Game Maps
Wizard of Wines - Vineyard

Wizard of Wines - Winery 1st Floor

Appendix A: Game Maps
Wizard of Wines - Winery 2nd Floor

Wizard of Wines - Wine Cellar & Brown Mold Cave

Appendix B: Game Icons
Twig Blights & Vine Blight
Appendix B: Game Icons
Twig Blights, Ravaged Vines & the Wine Blight
Appendix B: Game Icons
Needle Blights & Ravaged Vines
Appendix C: Monsters
Twig Blight - Sour Grapes Needle Blight - Rooted
Small Plant, Neutral Evil Medium Plant, Neutral Evil

Armor Class 13 (natural armor) Armor Class 12 (natural armor)

Hit Points 4 (1d6+1) Hit Points 11 (2d8+2)
Speed 5 ft. Speed 0 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
6 (-2) 13 (+1) 12 (+1) 4 (-3) 8 (-1) 3 (-4) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 13 (+1) 4 (-3) 8 (-1) 3 (-4)

Damage Vulnerabilities fire Condition Immunities blinded, deafened

Condition Immunities blinded, deafened Senses Blindsight 60 ft, Passive Perception 9
Senses Blindsight 30 ft, Passive Perception 9 Languages understands Common but can’t speak
Languages understands Common but can’t speak Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
Fruit of the Vine. As long as the Blight is in contact with the soil
Fruit of the Vine. As long as the Blight is in contact with the soil of the Vineyard, it has the passive abilities below.
of the Vineyard, it has the passive abilities below.
Rooted. The Needle Blight sprouted from the grafting of two
Sour Grapes. Sprouted from fermenting grape vines, the Twig Twig Blights and is rooted to the ground, unable to move.
Blight can only move 5ft in a random direction.
Briars. A creature of large or smaller size is stuck by painful
Brambles. If a Twig Blight occupies the same space as a large or thorns that cause an additional 6 (2d4+1) piercing damage for
smaller creature, the Blight’s Claw attack automatically hits and each 10 ft of movement it makes until the effect is removed.
the creature is grappled unless it succeeds on a DC 10 Strength The effect may be removed by expending an action to take
saving throw. them out or by any magical healing.

A ctions A ctions
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft, one target. Thorns. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range 30 ft, one target.
Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) piercing damage Hit: 6 (2d4 + 1) piercing damage, and any creature hit gains
Briars
Appendix C: Monsters
Vine Blight - Grape
Medium Plant, Neutral Evil

Armor Class 12 (natural armor)

Hit Points 26 (4d8+4)
Speed 10 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

15 (+2) 8 (-1) 14 (+2) 5 (-3) 10 (+0) 3 (-4)

Condition Immunities blinded, deafened

Senses Blindsight 60 ft, Passive Perception 10
Languages understands Common but can’t speak
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

Fruit of the Vine. As long as the Blight is in contact with the soil
of the Vineyard, it has the passive ability below.

Entangling Vines Grasping grape vines sprout in a 15-foot

radius centered on the Blight, withering away when it moves
out of range. For the duration, that area is difficult terrain for
non-plant creatures. In addition, each creature of the blight’s
choice in that area when the vines appear must succeed on a
DC 12 Strength check to free itself or another entangled
creature within reach.

A ctions
Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 10 ft, one
target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage, and a large or
smaller target is grappled (escape DC 12). Until the grapple
ends, the target is restrained and takes an additional 9 (2d6+2)
bludgeoning damage from the constricting vine. Once the
Blight has a creature grappled, it can not constrict another
target.
Appendix C: Monsters
Blight Druid Gulthias Staff. As long as the Blight Druid holds the Gulthias
Medium Humanoid (Human), Chaotic Evil Staff, any Blight with an Intelligence of 5 or more within a 240 ft
radius reacts instinctively to her will, enabling them to act as if
Armor Class 16 (natural) their Intelligence were equal to her own and fight accordingly.
Hit Points 130 (20d8+60)
Speed 30ft. A ctions
Thorn Whip. Melee Spell Attack: +6 to hit, reach 60 ft, one target.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
Hit: 7 piercing damage, and if the target is large or smaller, it
10 (+0) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 17 (+3) 11 (+0)
can be moved up to 10 feet in any direction from its position
when hit.
Saving Throws Constitution +5, Wisdom +6
Skills Nature +3, Perception +6 Summon Blight. As long as the Blight Druid holds the Gulthias
Senses Blindsight 30 ft, Darkvision 60 ft, Passive Perception 16 Staff, she may cause a Twig Blight to spawn anywhere within a
Languages Common, Sylvan 240 ft radius of her, including in spaces occupied by hostile
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP) Proficiency +3 creatures or other Blights.

Innate Spellcasting. The Blight Druid can cast the following L egendary A ctions (O ption *)
spells requiring no material components. Wisdom is her As long as she holds the Gulthais Staff, the Blight Druid can
spellcasting ability (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell
take 3 legendary actions from the options below. Only one
attacks). legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of
another creature’s turn. The Blight Druid regains spent
at will: druidcraft, thorn whip (5th-level)
legendary actions at the start of her turn.
3/day: plant growth, spike growth
Thorn Whip. The Blight Druid casts thorn whip
Plant Hybrid. The Blight Druid has advantage on saving throws
Move. The Blight Druid moves up to its speed without
against effects that cause blindness and deafness.
provoking opportunity attacks
One of Us. All plant life will clear a path where the Blight Druid Summon Blight. The Blight Druid causes a Twig Blight to
walks, as a result, she cannot have her movement speed spawn anywhere within a 240 ft radius.
reduced by plants (either magical or nonmagical) and is
immune to any damage they would deal.

(*) Legendary Actions are available should the DM choose to use the Blood on the Vine option.
Appendix C: Monsters
Wine Blight Invading Roots
Huge Plant, Neutral Evil Medium Plant, Neutral Evil

Armor Class 14 (natural) Armor Class 14 (natural armor)

Hit Points Variable (8d10+Varies) Hit Points 25 (4d8+3)
Speed 0 ft. Speed 10 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
18 (+4) 8 (-1) 18 (+4) 5 (-3) 10 (+0) 3 (-4) 18 (+4) 8 (-1) 18 (+4) 5 (-3) 10 (+0) 3 (-4)

Condition Immunities blinded, deafened Condition Immunities blinded, deafened

Senses Blindsight 30 ft, Passive Perception 10 Senses Blindsight 60 ft, Passive Perception 10
Languages understands Common but can’t speak Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
Roots of the Blight. The roots share their health with the Wine
Grafted. The Wine Blight is the construct of several Blights Blight. When they are damaged, the Wine Blight loses an equal
grafted together. It’s Hit Points are a product of the total. number of Hit Points..

Staff Spawn. The Wine Blight ignores the damage resistance

effects of a creature petrified by the Gulthias Staff.
A ctions
Root Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 10 ft, one
Siege Monster. The Blight deals double damage to objects and target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage, and a large or
structures. smaller target will be tossed up to 10 feet in any direction from
its position when hit unless a successful DC 10 Strength saving
Fermentation Miasma. Any creature that starts its turn within 30 throw is made.
feet of the Blight must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving
throw or gain one level of Inebriation. For each level gained, the
save DC increases by 5 and the following effects apply:

Tipsy (Level 1): -1 penalty to all attacks and to spell save DC;
+1 to armor class; 1d10 erratic movement
Drunk (Level 2): -3 penalty to all attacks and to spell save DC;
+2 to armor class; 3d10 erratic movement
Soused (Level 3): -5 penalty to all attacks and to spell save DC;
+3 to armor class; 5d10 erratic movement
Wasted (Level 4): incapacitated; -5 to armor class; all
movement is erratic.
Passed Out (Level 5): unconcious

A ctions
Enraged. If the Gulthias Staff has been destroyed or is not on
the same plane of existence, the Wine Blight will make two
Branch Smash with each attack action.

Branch Smash. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 30 ft, all

targets in a 30 ft line from self. Hit: 20 (4d8+4) bludgeoning
damage.
Appendix C: Monsters
Gulthias Cultist Gulthias Druid
Medium Humanoid, Lawful Evil Medium Humanoid, Lawful Evil

Armor Class 13 (leather armor) Armor Class 12 (hide armor)

Hit Points 15 (3d8+2) Hit Points 24 (4d8+8)
Speed 30 ft. Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
11 (+0) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 13 (+1) 15(+2) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 12 (+1)

Saving Throws Contitution +4, Charisma +4 Skills Nature +5, Survival +5

Skills Nature +3, Persuasion +5 Senses Passive Perception 15
Senses Passive Perception 13 Languages Common, Sylvan
Languages Common Challenge 3 (700 XP) Proficiency +2
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Spellcasting. The Druid is a 4th-level spellcaster, it’s spellcasting
Dark Devotion. The fanatic has advantage on saving throws ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 13, +5 to Hit).
against being charmed or frightened.
Cantrips: Druidcraft, Thorn Whip, Shillelagah
Sap of Gulthias. The fanatic has dipped their blade in the sap of 1st-Level (4 slots): Cure Wounds, Fog Cloud, Thunderwave
the Gulthias tree. Anyone wounded by it must succeed on a DC 2nd-Level (3 slots): Barkskin, Wither and Bloom
10 Constitution saving throw or else lose 1/3rd of their
movement speed each round as Gulthias roots start to grow A ctions
within their flesh. Once all movement speed is lost, the target
becomes Paralyzed. The condition may be removed by a lesser Shillelagah. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft, one
restoration spell. target. Hit: 7 (1d8+3) bludgeoning damage. This attack counts
as magical for purposes of overcoming resistance.
A ctions
Multiattack. The fanatic makes two melee attacks

Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft or

range 20/60 ft, one target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) piercing damage,
and the target is poisoned with the Sap of Gulthias.
 Sour Grapes
A dirt path winds its way through a field of tangled
vines. Although clearly once tended with great care,
a corruption has since taken hold and the plants
produce a blackened, fetid fruit. At the center of the
devastation stands a single druid wielding a crooked
staff from which pulses a sickly green light. Behind
her, the winery, wrapped tight in a weave of sharp
thorns, from which no door or window can be seen.

One step past an invisible threshold and the

vineyard seems to burst with life. Not the
welcoming, gentle green and red of ripening grapes,
but a sudden violence of twisted branch and cutting
thorn, a mockery of Spring. The loam of each field
births a host of wooden abominations, dragging
themselves across the wounded earth toward you
with sharp claws…

The Vines of Wrath reimagines the opening siege

battle at the Wizard of Wines, employing a gamified
approach to deliver the thrill of the few against the
many without the monotony of a battle of attrition.

For use with the fifth edition

Curse of Strahd.