Strahd’s Evil Plans - 1

Strahd’s Evil Plans - 2

strahd’s evil plans

What’s an evil plan?
How do I do it?
Determining the evil plan
1: Chosen
2: Random
3: Fortunes of Ravenloft
The Evil Plans
Artifact: Soul Engine
Beast: Vaewolves
Broken One: Strahd’s Madness
Darklord: Strahd’s Pupil
Donjon: First God
Executioner: Strahd’s Enemy
Mist’s: A New Identity
Innocent: Hero Strahd
Ghost: Resurrect Sergei
Raven: Ravenkind
Marionette: Witch Hunt
Horseman: Zombie Plague
Strahd’s Zombie Plague
Barovia Village Alt Intro
Seer: Time Machine
Tempter: Fallen Angel

Additional Info
The High Deck
Using Playing Cards

Hi there, I’m GMJ, thanks for picking up my supplement! If you use it, email me at
bavacheux@protonmail.com and let me know how it goes! I’m also GMJ on Itch, StartPlayingGames,
and GMJ#2996 on Discord. Happy gaming!
 Strahd’s Evil Plans - 3
What’s an evil plan?
Strahd’s driving force is his obsession with Tatyana Federovna, and his pursuit of the women he
believes to be her reincarnations. Ireena Kolyana has been the unfortunate target of this
obsession since I6: Ravenloft in 1983.

Earlier editions of Ravenloft gave Strahd a randomly-determined secondary goal, which he

worked toward when he wasn’t actively hunting Ireena or the PCs. The goals were varied, and
some radically altered Strahd’s behavior, and thus the mood and trajectory of the overall
adventure, increasing its replayability immensely.

5e’s Curse of Strahd mentions that Strahd has other goals, but the goals are fixed and thus don’t
shake up the adventure. In fact, many GMs ignore them entirely.

With this supplement, I’ve created 14 “evil plans” to add a new twist to your Curse of Strahd
adventure, each linked to a particular card from the Tarokka High Deck. With an evil plan up your
sleeve, you can surprise your PCs when they think they’ve got it all figured out.

If you want to make Strahd a more dangerous, and interesting enemy, keep reading.

How do I do it?
Each evil plan has an associated Tarokka card from the High Deck, but the players are not given
a reading on it like they are with the other Fortunes of Ravenloft. The sixth card’s meaning
should be a mystery to the players. When Madame Eva (or whoever does the reading) sees the
sixth card, it should terrify her. It is an omen of doom, foretelling a fate unknown to even the
most powerful fortune-teller in the land. That much alone should worry the players.

You may want to give them the text of what the card represents, listed in Appendix E (CoS p243),
or at the end of this PDF, which they can freak out about for the whole campaign.

Each session, consider how Strahd is making progress on his evil plan. It might actively bring
him into contact with the PCs, or it might mean the PCs don’t hear from him for a while, and
interact with his minions instead.

If the PCs don’t stop Strahd’s evil plan (and they aren’t always meant to), by the time they are
ready for the final confrontation in Ravenloft, Strahd has moved into the endgame! This is the
moment to really make the players sweat. The cockier they are, the more you should twist the
screws. Put the fear of the Devil back in them.

Remember, the evil plan (especially the endgame) isn’t meant to be another item on the PCs
to-do list; it’s the card up your sleeve to make the finale truly spectacular.
 Strahd’s Evil Plans - 4
Determining the evil plan
The 14 evil plans vary widely in tone, scale, and intent, and some of the plans substantially alter
how Strahd functions in the game. I recommend skimming the plans before you choose how
you want to choose, so to speak, and then use the method of determination that best suits you.

1: Chosen
Read the evil plans and choose one you like. At some point in your campaign, the PCs find a
single loose Tarokka card in an unusual place; nailed to the forehead of a corpse, in their
clothing following a disturbing dream, or on the broken sarcophagus in the Amber Temple. The
PCs may seek out a Vistani seer to explain the omen, and the seer will be shocked to be given a
card from her own deck, having no idea it was even missing. She will be doubly horrified when
her sight reveals nothing of its meaning. This is the best one for a game already in motion.
Choose one that Strahd could have already been working on.

2: Random
Choose the evil plan randomly before the game by dealing yourself a card from the Tarokka High
Deck (you can use playing cards, Tarokka cards, or this Trokka High Deck generator I made with
perchance. Otherwise, it functions like Method 1.

3: Fortunes of Ravenloft
Most Curse of Strahd games will feature a Tarokka reading called “the Fortunes of Ravenloft” to
determine the locations of the artifacts, the ally against Strahd, and Strahd’s location within the
castle. With this method, the reading goes as normal, but after the fifth card and its meaning is
revealed, a sixth card adds itself to the spread, either it just falls onto the table, or it does so in
an overtly supernatural way; regardless of how it happens, the seer is as shocked (or more) as
the PCs.

The seer looks at the sixth card, and though she can name it as “the Devil’s plan”, her prophetic
sight is blind to its true meaning. She is terrified, and so should the PCs.

The Evil Plans

Strahd has had a long time to cook up his evil plans, and they are no slouch. I’d suggest using
just one, but if it suits you, you could combine elements of several, to create something truly
nightmarish.

For each, I will explain the concept of the evil plan, outline Strahd’s strategy, the potential
endgame, and the mood you might evoke or cultivate for it.
 Strahd’s Evil Plans - 5
The purpose of this supplement is to make CoS games more varied, and make your CoS
campaign unique to your group. I encourage you as the GM to treat this material as a jumping
off point rather than a script. Go ahead and use elements you like and remove those you don’t,
tailoring the specifics of Strahd’s plan to fit your unique take on the setting, cosmology, and
tone. Interweave Strahd’s plan with your PCs' backstories and character arcs, especially if doing
so makes it more fun for you. Trust your own instincts over anything from this guide.

ARTIFACT - SOUL ENGINE

Through conversation with learned wizards and study of texts from far-off lands, Strahd has
learned of a mad lich who sought to become a god. Whether the lich succeeded is a matter of
debate, but the method of his attempted apotheosis was well-documented in bleak chronicles.
The lich performed a ritual with the aid of a device that consumed the souls of countless
innocents. Strahd has long considered the people of Barovia his property, and now he finally has
a use for their miserable souls.

A vampire cannot escape Barovia, but perhaps a god can.

Strategy: Strahd has assembled his Soul Engine in Castle Ravenloft’s North Tower Peak (K60),
plugging huge cables into the Heart of Sorrow, and connecting them to the Soul Engine.
Meanwhile, a huge lightning rod has been set up on the North Tower Roof (K60a), and
connected by wires to the Soul Engine.

Strahd requires one last thing: an object of power, the material component of the spell he will
perform inside the Engine. It may be something brought by the PCs, an artifact of Barovia, the
head of the Mad Mage of Mount Baratok, a lich’s phylactery like that of Exethanter, or something
else that you & your players will find interesting.

Strahd is keeping his full plan secret from everyone; even his most loyal minions might turn on
him if they knew he planned to kill them all. However, several characters know individual pieces
of the plan, so it may be possible for the PCs to figure it out if they travel about and are clever in
their investigation. Strahd has used Arrigal, Rahadin, and his brides to acquire key components
of the engine, consulted with Exethanter & the Abbot regarding lichdom and apotheosis, and
Van Richten & the wereravens have noticed the comings and goings of secret shipments. The
Amber Temple, Van Richten’s Tower, Castle Ravenloft, and the Abbey have within their walls
dusty old tomes that could shed light on Strahd’s obsession. If the PCs do not thwart the plan
before he completes it, though, Strahd goes ahead without hesitation. Not even Ireena’s death
will give him pause in this. He believes that once he is a god, he will be able to resurrect her as
he pleases.

Endgame: Once Strahd has the object he needs, he retreats to Castle Ravenloft’s North Tower
Peak (K60), enters the Soul Engine, and conducts the ritual of apotheosis. The Mists spread
through the valley, across the lakes, up the mountains, and into the dark corners of the earth. It
finds and drains the souls of all native-born Barovians, and reduces them all (living or undead,
 Strahd’s Evil Plans - 6
ally or enemy) to soulless husks. There is no saving throw, no magic item, no protective spell
that will save a Barovian from this fate.

The Mists then ascend into the sky and form huge black storm-clouds made of thousands of
screaming faces. Lightning, full of spiritual energy, strikes down, and is caught by the lightning
rod on the North Tower Roof (60a), and spiritual energy travels down into the Soul Engine.
Powered by the Heart of Sorrow, the Engine transforms the spiritual energy into divine energy,
which merges with Strahd’s spell and flows into his body.

Unfortunately for Strahd, there are not enough souls in Barovia for an apotheosis.

A strange truth of Barovia is that people can live without souls, or at least be born without them.
Whether the traumatic extraction of one’s soul kills someone, renders them catatonic, or alters
them in some subtler way, is up to you. What that means for PCs and spellcasting is also up to
you. Whatever you do, let the players keep control of their PCs, even without their souls. It is up
to you whether the Soul Engine’s effects can be reversed, sending the souls back into the people,
or if the souls are gone and the people changed forever, or if the souls are reincarnated as new
people so that the new people and old people who shared a soul are alive at the same time in
the coming decades. Likewise, it is up to you whether the Soul Engine actually empowers
Strahd, or if a half-baked apotheosis is as good as none at all.

Mood: This plan showcases that Strahd is not some weekend wizard, but a magic-user of the
highest caliber, with the intelligence, drive, and wherewithal to build a machine that can turn him
into a god, in the span of a few hundred years. It also shows how alienated from humanity he
has become in his prison, that he would throw away so many lives in this vain attempt at
escape. It is up to you whether you focus on the mad science wizardry, or the desperation
behind it.

If the players are familiar with Acererak or Vecna, you’ll want to be more secretive when hinting
at Strahd’s plan; but if they crack it, so much the better! Half the fun of a mystery is figuring it out
before you are supposed to!

Once the element of souls is introduced, it will probably prompt questions and discussions
about what it means to be soulful or soulless in Barovia, which may prompt similar questions
about the real world. Expect things to get a little esoteric.

BEAST — VAEWOLVES
Strahd has become fascinated with heredity (what we call "genetics"). Through research and
torturous experimentation, he has come to the conclusion that he could create a new species
that combines his two most powerful fleets of servitors, vampires and werewolves. These
vaewolves would have the strengths of both and the weaknesses of neither. They could freely
travel inside and outside Barovia, changing their forms, charming and flying, and achieve nearly
any task Strahd gave them.
 Strahd’s Evil Plans - 7
Strategy: So far he has produced nothing but failures (Mongrelfolk [CoS p234] but with all
vampire spawn and werewolf weaknesses), which he has locked in the dungeon or sent to dwell
in the Krezk Abbey.

Strahd has set up a laboratory in Castle Ravenloft's Hall of Bones (K67), just above the cells
(K74 & K75) where his test subjects await their gruesome fate. The bone furniture has been
moved one room over to Kingsmen Hall (K70), and the Fortunes of Ravenloft treasure is found
there, on the bone table. Conversely, if the Hall of Bones is your fated location, they will find
Strahd in his laboratory, contemplating, ironically, how to increase the bone density of his
vaewolves, perhaps holding a one-sided conversation with the skull of a long-dead foe. It is up
to you whether he is casting speak with dead or just amusing himself while working on a
stressful project.

If the PCs come here on an early visit to the castle, they will find prototype vaewolves maturing
in vats, and can freely read Strahd's notes on his experiments. Destroying the prototypes or the
notes or indeed the entire laboratory will infuriate Strahd and set him back a little bit, but will not
ultimately foil his evil plan (unless that is what you choose. If you decide destroying the
laboratory foils the plan, then the area should be heavily guarded).

Strahd has put hybrids he considers partially successful in the Guards' Quarters (K69). In this
case, the old guards' skeletons animating unleashes pandemonium in the room, as the partial
successes and skeletons fight each-other.

Strahd needs to diversify his dataset with creatures beyond werewolves and vampires, so he will
kidnap wereravens, hags, and druids throughout the adventure, taking them to his laboratory and
experimenting on them. If any PC is a druid, lycan, shapeshifter, or unfamiliar species, Strahd will
want to get them into his laboratory for tissue sampling and testing. He is looking for anything
that will crack the code and give him his vaewolves.

Strahd’s werewolf and vampire minions will be working closely together while he pursues this
plan. Strahd sends Volenta Popofsky, his most bloodthirsty bride, to the Werewolf Den; the
werewolves have likewise sent a representative to Castle Ravenloft. Encounters with
werewolves could also contain vampire spawn, and vice-versa.

Endgame: If Strahd is able to complete his plan, by the time the PCs confront him in Castle
Ravenloft, he will have at least 2 Vaewolves accompanying him in the final battle, if not more.
Vaewolves are powerful monsters, with the powers of their forebears and few, if any, of the
weaknesses. I have included a stat block here. You may wish to use it as-is, or make your own.
Remember, they are supposed to be extremely strong, “unfair” monsters. The PCs must make
sure these abominations never leave Barovia.

Mood: The PCs will be facing a combined offensive of 2 powerful and ferocious supernatural
threats, so they are probably going to be getting into a lot of fights. What’s more, any
shapeshifting PCs are going to feel the weight of Strahd’s special attention. In the endgame,
Strahd will likely have the backup of a couple vaewolves, making the final combat especially
 Strahd’s Evil Plans - 8
challenging. The PCs will need to work extra hard if they want to survive this excursion into
Barovia.

BROKEN ONE — STRAHD’S MADNESS

Strahd's descent was not quick, but it was steady. After all these centuries there is nearly
nothing left of the man he once was.

Strategy: Many NPCs will behave as usual, but characters who interact directly with Strahd, like
Ireena and Rahadin, will be more desperate and irrational than they would otherwise be; and any
encounter the PCs have with Strahd will be much stranger, as he will be highly unpredictable.

As for Strahd’s operation, perhaps Rahadin has stepped in to keep things running smoothly, and
a polymorphed or glammered minion could continue making appearances as Strahd to fool the
public. On the other hand, maybe Strahd’s entourage has descended into factionalism, turning
Castle Ravenloft into a battleground for supremacy.
 Strahd’s Evil Plans - 9
Endgame: By the time the PCs are ready to confront Strahd, he will have had an almost total
break from reality. He can be found wandering the castle, wailing and weeping; about Tatyana,
about Sergei, about his mother and father. He is truly a pathetic thing, but still incredibly
dangerous. Upon encountering the PCs, he has a 50% chance to attack them and fight until a PC
is dead or they have fled, a 25% chance to flee in terror of the PCs, and 25% to speak to them as
though they are his dear friends come to save him.

If the PCs go to the foretold location, they will find Strahd there, surprisingly lucid. He will answer
questions about his condition, but certain things will send him into ranting, screaming fits.
Precisely what will trigger this response is up to you.

In the Audience Hall of Castle Ravenloft (K25), the players will find the physical embodiment of
Strahd's madness, (treat as erinyes [MM p77] except its monster type is aberration),
accompanied by two gibbering mouthers (MM p157). If the Audience Hall is the foretold
location, Strahd can be found here too, cowering in the corner. He will attack if the Manifestation
commands him to, but will flee if injured.

The Madness Manifestation may take whatever form you wish, and have whatever additional
powers that form might grant it. Maybe it takes the form of a vengeful Tatyana, a mournful
Sergei, a disapproving King Barov, or a weeping Queen Ravenovia, or even a young Strahd,
horrified by what he has become.

If they defeat the Manifestation, Strahd's madness will be cured. Strahd may be grateful to them
and allow them to leave, but he may still attempt to kill them, out of sheer embarrassment. And,
of course, he is still thoroughly obsessed with making Ireena love him.

Mood: This scenario will be far more off-kilter than a typical Curse of Strahd game, with
emphasis placed on Strahd’s desperate and pathetic state. In his unpredictability, he may be
more dangerous, especially for lower-level PCs, as he will be more likely to launch into an
unprovoked and unrelenting attack.

DARKLORD — STRAHD’S PUPIL

Strahd is bored. He has been in Barovia for centuries, and he long ago grew tired of tormenting
the local peasantry. The only thing that provides him entertainment between his failed
courtships of Tatyana's reincarnations is a steady influx of adventurers, whom he toys with and
kills. But over time, even that has lost its sheen.

When the PCs arrive in Barovia, he decides to try something. He will take a hero, break them
down, and rebuild them in his image. He will teach them his methods and ways, hard-learned
over centuries of horror, and shape them into either a consort to stand over all the others, or a
worthy successor.

Strategy: Strahd will watch the PCs with interest, both spying on them and becoming their
"friend" as Vasili von Holtz, to learn everything he can about their moral strengths and failings.
 Strahd’s Evil Plans - 10
Once he has identified one or more PCs as bearing the seed of evil, he will begin to cultivate
those seeds. He will engineer events in such a way that the players are repeatedly placed in
situations where the easiest and most expedient solution to the problem is to be selfish,
heartless, and callous.

Ultimately, his goal is to cultivate the traits in the party that match his own: cruelty,
mercilessness, determination, and shape one or more of the party into villains worthy of Strahd’s
attention. He will try to corrupt the good-hearted among them, but his primary purpose here is
not to corrupt, but to sculpt. A truly incorruptible person will never be perfect for him; after all, he
believes himself to be broken inside, and he looks for a similar brokenness. He looks for those
with a seed of evil within them that can be nurtured and caused to flourish and bear fruit.

Mood: This plan will give the campaign a dark tone, as Strahd creates situations to drive the PCs
further into depravity. Expect a lot of difficult decisions, as Strahd will set up no-win scenarios in
which there is no good outcome. His goal is to put the PCs through the wringer, and in the end,
turn a PC into a mirror of himself.

DONJON — FIRST GOD

Deep beneath Castle Ravenloft, there is a chamber secret to everyone. It is all that is left of an
ancient temple to a nameless, long-forgotten god worshipped by the very earliest inhabitants of
the valley. In that chamber is a massive, black stone altar upon which countless ritual sacrifices
were performed. Above the altar looms an ancient statue, an eidolon of this forgotten god. This
secret, hidden from everyone for so long, might be the key to breaking the Dark Powers' hold
over Strahd’s fate, or so he believes.

Strategy: Strahd has only just discovered this location when the PCs arrive in Barovia and he is
attempting to understand and unlock its secrets, making frequent trips to the Amber Temple
and the monoliths, trying to discover if there is a connection between the Amber Vestiges, the
Dark Powers, and this forgotten god.

Strahd will be extremely preoccupied, and will view the PCs as an annoyance and hindrance, and
chasing Ireena as a necessary but distracting commitment. If the PCs interfere with his
investigation, or even worse, tamper with the Old Temple, Strahd will refocus his efforts on
stopping the PCs, so that he might pursue his goal in peace.

Endgame: Ivan Ivliskovich’s crypt (K84, Crypt 24) has been exhumed, his bones
unceremoniously tossed out on the floor. The crypt’s west wall is broken open, and there is a
rough-hewn vertical shaft, 5 feet in diameter, that can be climbed with a DC 10 Strength
(Athletics) check. It goes down 40 feet, terminating in the ceiling of the First God’s forgotten
fane.
 Strahd’s Evil Plans - 11
The underground fane is a 65 by 40 foot cavern with rough walls with a 30-foot high ceiling, with
a floor of packed dirt. The walls feature ancient cave paintings of warriors and sacrifices, and at
the center of the room stands a primitive stone altar, watched over by an ancient idol.

The altar is a perfect 10-foot stone cube composed of an unknown material, and is slightly
warm to the touch. It is buried in the surrounding earth, such that the stone only rises 3 feet
above the ground. There are cracked, broken stairs buried in the earth as well, that once led from
the temple floor to the edge of the cube. Pictograms run across the visible lip of the cube.

The idol is a 12-foot tall humanoid statue, carved of purplish stone, with pitch-black hands. It is
horned and multi-limbed, and instead of a face has a strange sigil of unknown meaning. The idol
is an Eidolon (MTF p194) or Stone Golem (MM p170), and it awakens if anyone climbs atop the
altar, making an immediate opportunity attack against the offending climber, and then rolling
initiative and fighting, attacking the closest creature with relentless fury.

If your PCs have no intention of getting anywhere near the altar, you can have a hostile creature
(like a vampire spawn or ankheg) arrive into the room on the far side of the altar, and charge the
PCs, thus crossing the altar, activating the idol, and possibly dying and triggering the altar’s
special effect (see a couple paragraphs down). You could fiat kill the monster if that’s what you
want.

Once the idol is defeated, the players can investigate further. The visible writing of the altar is
writing from a long-dead pictographic language. that can only be reasonably deciphered with
magic (Strahd has already done so with his comprehend languages spell).

The visible text says: “Spill your life for the First God and be born anew to an innocent
existence.” The hidden text could say whatever you want, perhaps giving some clues about the
forgotten god and its worshippers.

Anyone slain on the altar immediately liquifies and is absorbed into the black stone cube. They
emerge a moment later (1 round in combat, or 1 minute out-of-combat), alive, with full health
and no penalties, free of any curses, spells, diseases, sicknesses, or poisons they were
suffering. Though they retain their memories and personality, they are young and healthy, and for
all cosmic purposes, they are a new person. This will cure vampirism, lycanthropy, madness,
polymorph, and release the person from any Dark Gift they have accepted, or any pact they have
made with a supernatural entity. It may cause trouble for a warlock, as they may now have free
access to their patron’s power with no strings attached, or they may have lost access to their
patron’s power until they renegotiate their agreement, potentially not possible until they leave
Barovia… such a change might even drive them to bargain with an Amber Vestige as a warlock
patron!

This only works once per person! If someone is sacrificed a second time, they do not liquify, and
merely die, as normal.
 Strahd’s Evil Plans - 12
Though, as written, it only works if the person actually dies while making contact with the altar,
however, you may rule that if a dead body is brought to the altar it will be resurrected in the
same manner. You should put some limits on that, otherwise the players may decide to resurrect
the entirety of the nearby catacombs.

Unlike some other endgames, this one doesn’t have Strahd doing some big dramatic thing on his
own (though, you can add that). Strahd will ultimately decide it is too risky to sacrifice himself
on the altar. Even after testing it on others, he will be understandably distrustful of its effects.
However, if the PCs bring Strahd's body here after sending him back to his coffin, place him upon
the altar and drive a stake through his heart, he will be absorbed and emerge as a young, living
Strahd von Zarovich. He will actually be free of his vampirism, and perhaps even free of the Dark
Powers.

Mood: If the PCs are investigating this plan, they will delve into Barovia’s forgotten history, the
dark rituals of the ancient proto-humans, and that may precede and exceed the Dark Powers.
There is also the potential for a great change in the status quo, even a hopeful ending, if they
free Strahd from his recursive loop of suffering and abuse. If your players want to be those
redeemers, let them. It is important to note, however, that Strahd has done terrible things, and if
there is to be redemption, he must make amends. This doesn’t have to be a death penalty; in
fact, it's better if he spends the following decades working to undo the damage he has done to
the people of Barovia.

Note: If it suits your group, I encourage you to invent a secret prehistory for Barovia, and dole out
the information as the PCs investigate ancient sites.

Here is an example:

In an ancient age, the gods made their first attempt at creating intelligent life, and it was a
disaster. These ape-like creatures immediately attacked their creators, seeking to devour them.
The gods were disturbed by their failure, and smote their creations into dust. But an elder being,
out of pity and spite, swallowed the dust and rebirthed the ancients, and in a secret valley, hidden
from the sight of the gods, they built a simple society that in time grew and flourished; but the
hierarchy they created awoke their dark nature, and now they were mighty. The ancients warred
against one-another, and the most violent and depraved triumphed. The victors massacred the
defeated, drinking their blood and eating their bodies, fulfilling their ancient hunger. The very
Cosmos could not bear these blasphemous twice-cursed fiends, and so their bodies were made to
mirror their souls, and they became bitter husks who hated the light and loved only darkness and
death. They left the valley and spread their foul curse about the world, and were remembered
forevermore only as "the Vampyr".

You can use this or create something on your own. I suggest tying it to your players interest, and
embedding it in the ancient history of your campaign setting. The most relevant thing for PCs
about the black altar is its function, so make sure to reward any player who goes digging into the
history with content tailor-made to appeal to them.
 Strahd’s Evil Plans - 13
EXECUTIONER — STRAHD'S ENEMY
An old foe has returned! The Ba'al Verzi assassins, who so complicated Strahd's conquest of
Barovia, have reappeared after centuries in hiding. The reason for their arrival is that Nicoleta
Moldonesti, a vampire rival of Strahd’s, now leads them. Nicoleta, an extremely rare psychic
vampire, has leveraged the resentment of the 12 remaining Ba’al Verzi, and used her prodigious
powers of mind control to spur them into one last crusade against Strahd. Nica plans to take
Barovia for herself, and reign over a queendom of mind-addled sycophants.

Strategy: Though they are just 12 aging assassins, the Ba’al Verzi are waging a war of terror
across Barovia. Operating out of an old mansion in Krezk (hidden from the populace by a
psionic nondetection field erected by Nica), they strike against Strahd and his allies, traveling in
secret throughout Barovia with a network of magic mirrors that function as gates to one-another
if the right command word is spoken. One is located in the Vallaki Burgomaster's Mansion
(N3P), and similar mirrors are set up in Krezk, Barovia Village, Berez, Argynvosthold, and even
Castle Ravenloft itself (K11). They are extremely careful about using the mirrors, for Strahd
knows about the mirror in Vallaki, though not its full function.

When the PCs arrive in Barovia, the assassins are in the middle of their campaign against
Strahd. Once the PCs are known to be opposing Strahd, the Ba’al Verzi will begin conducting
surveillance on them. Nicoleta appears to them as Rebeka Ditrau, a human spurred to lead a
secret resistance after her town burgomaster's brutal execution. Nicoleta would prefer the PCs
do the heavy lifting in any attempt on Strahd's life, so as not to put strain on her limited
resources.

Strahd keeps his routines unpredictable and his actions secretive to avoid attack by the Ba'al
Verzi, and travels with Beucephalus always nearby to spirit him away to the ethereal plane if
danger rears its ugly head. He is paranoid and on edge, and he likely suspects the PCs to be
spies as soon as he meets them.

While Nicoleta Moldonesti may seem like the perfect ally against Strahd, she is every bit as
ruthless and manipulative as he. If she is found out to be involved with an assassin's guild, she
will plead innocence, claiming to have been caught up in something beyond her, but still
committed to defeating the evil Strahd. Even if she is fully revealed as Nicoleta Moldonesti, the
vampire rival of Count Strahd, she will attempt to maintain a congenial relationship with the PCs,
though at this point she will mark them for future elimination.

Endgame: Once Nicoleta discovers Strahd's obsession with Ireena and the full scope of Ireena's
situation (and she will), Nicoleta will use Ireena as bait to lure Strahd to the place of her
choosing, where she will spring her trap to kill Strahd. The precise nature of the trap is up to you,
but remember that Nicoleta is no fool. When Nicoleta springs her trap, you should assume that
she will be successful in killing and deposing Strahd. Otherwise she would not spring the trap in
the first place.
 Strahd’s Evil Plans - 14
Mood: Strahd is on the back foot, dealing with an insurrection led by a powerful contender, while
also trying to pursue his other concerns. In that case it might seem like Barovia would be safer,
but that is not the case. The Ba'al Verzi attack remorselessly, with no care of collateral damage,
and because Nicoleta feeds on the death and suffering her thralls cause, she makes no move to
stop their massacres. Likewise, Strahd’s reprisals are sickeningly brutal, and anyone even
suspected of collaborating with the Ba'al Verzi is executed in the most torturous and sadistic
manner. For example, Strahd suspects the Martikovs of the Blue Moon Inn have some
connection to the Ba'al Verzi (they don't), and unless the PCs intervene, the Vallaki Martikovs will
all be dead by the end of the campaign. Likewise, when Strahd discovers that Krezk is sheltering
Nicoleta (even unknowingly), he will feed everyone in the village to werewolves.

Nicoleta Moldonesti functions as a vampire (MM p297), but with some modifications. She uses
detect thoughts continuously with no need to concentrate; she can create ongoing psychic
suggestion fields; she has an energy-draining kiss rather than a bite (her “bite” deals psychic
damage rather than piercing); she can use her vampire charm on anyone whom she has kissed
(creating thralls) regardless of distance; she can communicate telepathically with those she has
charmed, and can create a telepathic link between several thralls. She has no forbearance
against entering residences uninvited, and is not hurt by sunlight, though it does prevent her
from regenerating or otherwise using supernatural abilities (it does not break any effect she has
already put in place). She is not impeded or harmed by running water, but if she touches a holy
symbol, she will recoil, and if a holy symbol is pressed against her, she will take 20 fire damage
per turn as it sears her flesh like a hot iron, and she will be unable to regenerate until it is no
longer contacting her. If she ingests garlic, she will go into a gagging fit, and will receive
disadvantage on all attacks and ability checks. For these reasons, she is uncomfortable around
holy symbols, and the smell of garlic makes her slightly nauseated. (Unfortunately for her, they
grow garlic in Krezk.)

A Ba’al Verzi functions as an assassin (MM p343) but their shortsword crits on a roll of 19-20,
and their attacks pass through any armor but adamantine (determine this as you wish; treat
enemy AC as 10+DEX mod, attack against AC 10, always have advantage, etc). Their swords are
curved, with a hilt wrapped in black, red, and gold, and a hilt of decorated leather. The telepathic
link created between herself and the assassins allows them to relay information between
one-another instantaneously, and can thus swap their initiative counts with one-another, so long
as she is alive.

MISTS — A NEW IDENTITY

It should come as no surprise that Strahd does not want to live in Barovia anymore. He doesn’t
even want to be Strahd anymore. He believes that only by inhabiting a different body and going
by a different name, can he live free of his dismal fate. To that end, he is making preparations to
leave Barovia. He is going to steal someone’s life.
 Strahd’s Evil Plans - 15
Strategy: Only his closest companion, Rahadin, knows of his plan. As reward for his long years
of loyal service, Strahd has named Rahadin his heir, intending for him to be “Count Rahadin von
Zarovich, Lord of Barovia”. Rahadin has mixed feelings on the matter, but he is proud to be given
this honor, and he will do as Strahd commands.

As soon as Strahd learns of the PCs, he will dedicate time and resources to learning everything
he can about them, to make an informed decision about his new life. His ideal candidate is a
handsome, young, aristocrat with ample friends and money in the world outside the Mists.
However, any PC who has formed a strong relationship with Ireena, especially a romantic one,
jumps to the top of the list of candidates. (You should make an actual list, it’s important to know,
and the PCs can find it as a clue).

Before they set off towards Castle Ravenloft for the final confrontation (potentially much earlier,
depending on how you want the finale to play out), PCs hear, by town crier or newspaper or
however information is disseminated by Strahd across Barovia, that Count Strahd von Zarovich
has passed away. No mention is made of his vampiric nature. If Ireena is dead or out of reach,
Strahd’s official cause of death is “a broken heart”.

For a week before the funeral, Strahd’s body is on display in the foretold location in Castle
Ravenloft for mourners to pay their respects. Despite Strahd’s tyranny, people cross Barovia to
bid farewell to their departed dread master, showing surprising grief. All of Strahd’s staff is
present at the castle, dressed up and on their best behavior, and mourners who keep to the
approved areas are not harmed. This week of mourning is the most peaceful Barovia has been
in nearly a thousand years.

Strahd’s soul is temporarily housed in his signature necklace, which Rahadin wears at all times.
Right before the funeral, Rahadin will move Strahd's soul into a newly-built towering statue of
Strahd in the Audience Hall (K25), where the funeral & subsequent coronation will be held.

If the PCs check out Strahd’s body, they will find that his soul is not present. They could destroy
his body at this point, but it will not "kill" Strahd. Rahadin will be furious, but he will restrain
himself, and will do his best to cover up the incident, and will command one of Strahd's servants
to polymorph and take his place on display at the state funeral.

Endgame: The PCs will receive invitations to attend Strahd’s state funeral as guests of honor.
Though Strahd intends to replace, deceive, and possibly massacre the PCs, as an incredible
narcissist, he cannot pass up the temptation to hear what they will say about him. The funeral is
a huge affair, with everyone important in all of Barovia attending. Even Strahd's enemies are
there.

Strahd has prepared a special body swap spell to use on his chosen PC after they have spoken,
either during his funeral or Rahadin's coronation. The spell functions as Magic Jar, using
Strahd’s spell save DC (18, or higher if you have changed it), but it requires no components, and
its duration is permanent. If successful, Strahd's soul enters the PC's body, and the PC's soul is
locked inside the Strahd statue. Strahd will attempt to possess his second-choice PC, going
 Strahd’s Evil Plans - 16
down the line. If he is completely unable to succeed, he will possess Ireena (if she is alive), and
defer his plan until later.

Do not tell the PC(s) why they are making a saving throw; merely ask for it, and take note of the
results. If you like, have the other PCs make saving throws as well, even if they are not targeted.
Regardless of whether they succeed or fail the save, only tell them they feel a chill down their
spine.

Note: Taking control of a PC is a touchy issue for many people, and only you can determine how
to handle it at your table. My recommendation is to take the possessed player aside after the
scene is over, maybe during a break or after the session, and tell them everything; they are now
playing Strahd, and their goal is to bide their time until Rahadin can part the Mists, avoid alerting
the others, get close to Ireena to come with them. Be very careful which you give this storyline
to. The absolute highest priority is that the player is SUPER into playing this. You can just “DM
fiat” Strahd’s soul into a particular PC, regardless of rolls or verisimilitude, if you know that one
particular player will be thrilled to play it out.

Mood: Because Strahd is trying to replace one of the PCs, he will have a different relationship
with the PCs than in most campaigns. PCs should have neutral or even friendly interactions with
Strahd, as he susses out their identities and relationships. However, he still isn’t a good guy. You
should play up Strahd’s envy, jealousy, and possessiveness.

INNOCENT — HERO STRAHD

Strahd has embarked upon a quest to rehabilitate himself in the people’s eyes, and, he hopes,
win Ireena’s love. He has done what he can to make himself look good, using all the lessons he
has learned as Vasili to act kind and charming, but now he believes it’s time to demonstrate his
heroism with a grand act of fighting a truly repulsive villain; enter the party.

Strategy: Once the PCs have gained a certain level of notoriety, Strahd will use all his agents to
spread news of the PCs' misdeeds, real or fabricated, to convince the general populace of
Barovia that they are terrible villains that must be stopped. Special care is placed on convincing
Ireena of their villainy, cultivating an aura of distrust, culminating in Strahd mind-controlling the
PCs or using illusion to make them attack Ireena. When they attack, Strahd will swoop down and
save her. Strahd hopes that the rescue will turn Ireena’s heart to him. He wants Ireena to love
him willingly, to see him as a hero, as Tatyana saw Sergei.

Endgame: Strahd’s plan will fail, either through the PCs interfering, Ireena's ambivalence, or his
own inability to keep up the facade long-term. By the time the PCs confront him in Castle
Ravenloft, Strahd should be at his most petulant, wallowing in self-pity. He blames the PCs for
his plan failing, rightly or not, and will take extreme vengeance upon them.

Mood: Barovia will be a more hopeful place, initially, with its residents more at-ease in their
home. After all, Strahd has reformed his wicked ways! However, once his "nice guy" act fails to
 Strahd’s Evil Plans - 17
win over Ireena, he will be even more bitter and vindictive than ever before, engaging in a spree
of terror across Barovia in retribution for her failure to love him. The game can have a very
uneasy mood, and you can play with that sense of unease.

GHOST — RESURRECT SERGEI

Strahd believes that if what trapped him in the Mists is fratricide, surely by resurrecting his
brother he can end his curse. Strahd knows it is not enough to raise Sergei’s corpse, he must
bring Sergei back with soul and body intact. Strahd has learned about the blessed pool in Krezk
(S4), which contains Sergei’s soul, and along with Zhudun’s gift, is the focus of his plan.

Strategy: Strahd will send his servants to investigate the pool in Krezk, and to the Amber
Temple. If he believes he can manipulate the PCs into helping him, he will. Finally, we will
attempt to manipulate a PC or someone close to them into selling their soul to Zhudun the
Corpse Star in the Amber Temple (X42, East Sarcophagus) for the power to bring back the
ancient dead.

Endgame: If Strahd is able to assemble the parts of the plan, he will have Sergei’s coffin brought
by coach to Krezk, to be placed into the holy waters of the pool along with someone using
Zhudun’s true resurrection.

It will fail, of course. The Dark Powers will not allow Strahd peace, and through his meddling, he
has damned his brother as well. Sergei will rise from the pool as a Death Knight (MM p47),
feeling nothing but hatred now for the brother who murdered him and drove his beloved to
suicide. He will immediately attack Strahd. If Strahd escapes or is killed and sent back to his
coffin in mist form, Sergei will ask the PCs to help him lead an immediate assault on Castle
Ravenloft to put an end to the Devil once and for all.

If Strahd is killed, he will be proven right, in part. Sergei will take his place as the new Darklord of
Barovia, adopting the moniker "Saint Sergei", telling his new subjects he is a messiah sent by the
Morninglord to purge them of their sin and wickedness. He will part the Mists and allow the PCs
to leave Barovia. What happens next is up to you.

Mood: Strahd’s attempts at doing good are tainted by his selfish motivations and evil methods.
Once they learn about the plan, the PCs will probably feel conflicted about the whole thing. And
if Sergei is resurrected as a Death Knight, they are likely to feel even more conflicted, as he will
be an extremely powerful ally against Strahd, who will let them leave afterwards. But in the long
term, who can say that Saint Sergei will be better than the Devil Strahd?

RAVEN — RAVENKIND
Strahd desires control of the Wizard of Wines winery, the Martikov family, the Keepers of the
Feather, and the wereravens of Barovia. How lucky for him they are all the same people.
 Strahd’s Evil Plans - 18
He knows that the Martikov vineyards provide the people of his land some comfort, and he
wants to control that directly. What’s more, he is vaguely aware that wereravens are involved in a
resistance movement, but would rather turn them to his side than exterminate them.
Wereravens make excellent spies.

Strategy: Strahd will personally involve himself in the goings on of the vineyards. He will remind
the Martikovs that in ages past, he was their family’s benefactor, and offers them his renewed
protection and patronage.

Urwin Martikov and the others at the Blue Water Inn are strongly against the idea, but patriarch
Davian Martikov is uncertain on the topic of defiance. Between the Yester druids, blights,
scarecrows, and Baba Lysaga, Davian is afraid that soon his beloved winery will be destroyed,
and his family rendered homeless. He is seriously considering Strahd's offer.

The PCs will find themselves embroiled in a family drama in which half the family is willing to
accept Strahd’s deal, while the others believe that they give up too much by siding with Strahd
and would become just as bad as all the others who have fallen under the vampire's sway.
Despite his distrust of Strahd, Davian Martikov is inclined to believe that a life under Strahd with
the winery is better than life without the winery. Strahd uses both the carrot and the stick,
sending aid to the Martikovs who he believes he can win over, and assassins to kill those he
cannot. He finds it particularly amusing to set lycan against lycan, so once he discovers the
wereravens operating out of the Blue Water Inn cannot be won over, he will send the Children of
Mother Night there to slaughter them.

Endgame: If the PCs do not intervene, Strahd succeeds at bullying and cajoling the Martikovs
into his service, and by the time they are ready to enter Castle Ravenloft, will have a legion of
wereravens watching them, led by a fully broken Davian Martikov, who knows that Strahd has
killed his son and grandchildren, but does nothing.

Mood: Everyone in Barovia has some link to Strahd; werewolves, vampires, druids, witches,
Vistani, and Rahadin & Lady Wachter all serve him, but for different reasons. You can compare
and contrast how each first fell under Strahd’s control, how they have changed over time, their
own rationalization, and the level of culpability they bear for collaborating with the Devil. The
ultimate question is whether the Martikovs could maintain their goodness under Strahd or
would ultimately turn them evil. That same question can be made of the PCs, and even the
players themselves.

MARIONETTE — WITCH HUNT

Strand does not like having Morgantha's hag coven in his domain. He feels threatened by these
powerful and malevolent entities who operate independent of him, especially since he learned of
their link to Ceithlenn of the Crooked Teeth, a hugely powerful and evil archfey. Additionally, the
witches of Barovia, once loyal to him, have pledged themselves to a new master.
 Strahd’s Evil Plans - 19
Despite all this, Strahd is wary of acting directly against Morgantha and her followers. He knows
that hags wield strange and powerful magic, and suspects they have countermeasures in place
against vampires. He seeks a group of disposable dupes to take care of Morgantha’s coven for
him; the PCs will do nicely.

Strategy: Strahd will, either through his alter ego Vasili or his minions, inform the party of the
terrible evils wrought by Morgantha's coven against the poor people of Barovia village. If that
does not serve as enough motivation, he will concoct a deception that Ireena (or a NPC they
like) is suffering under a curse that can only be broken with the coven's extermination, or even
use his charm ability to strong-arm them into helping him.

If the PCS are successful in dealing with Morgantha, Strahd will recruit them for a more personal
task. Strahd has learned of Baba Lysaga’s activities, and, ironically, Strahd is extremely
uncomfortable being the subject of another's obsession. Because of that, and his suspicion that
Baba Lysaga was responsible for Queen Ravenovia’s death, Strahd has decided his old
nursemaid must die.

While working against the hags, Strahd's minions are unlikely allies, who offer information,
equipment, and transport (though they will not fight alongside the PCs). If the PCs enter
forbidden parts of Castle Ravenloft before defeating the hags, Rahadin will appear and suggest
they get back to work.

Endgame: Once the PCs have eliminated all the hags, Strahd will offer the PCs a way out of
Barovia. Now seeing their true power, he hopes to shepherd them away before they turn on him.
If they refuse to leave, have collected all the artifacts, or attempt to take Ireena out of Barovia,
Strahd will react exceptionally poorly, believing himself to have been betrayed.

Alternate Endgame: The hags foresaw their deaths, and prepared for it. With the death of the
final hag, a ritual is completed that opens a gate through which Ceithlenn of the Crooked Teeth
can enter Barovia. The realm is turned into the staging ground for a battle between colossal
forces. Treat Ceithlenn as Trostani (GGR p252) or another powerful otherworldly being by
changing their alignment to CE and monster type to fey.

Mood: Working for Strahd should cause the PCs some internal struggle. The threat the hags
pose to the people of Barovia is undeniably real, and who can say what Ceithlenn of the Crooked
Teeth would do, but if they succeed in foiling the hags’ plans, Barovia will just be returned to its
dismal status quo, and Strahd’s focus can return to his typical evil pursuits.

HORSEMAN — ZOMBIE PLAGUE

Strahd has grown tired of the people of Barovia. He has grown tired of their paltry uprisings, of
the demands they make of him, of the necessity of interacting with living beings. To remedy this,
he has decided to slay every single person in all of Barovia.
 Strahd’s Evil Plans - 20
But that is not enough. If everyone were dead, Barovia could be repopulated by Vistani or
hapless settlers drawn into the Mists. He must make Barovia uninhabitable.

Strahd freed Fekre, Queen of Poxes, from the Amber Temple, and she helped him create a magic
zombie plague that has spread throughout the village of Barovia. Only the difficulty of travel has
prevented it from spreading beyond the insular village's borders; but the citizens, the dogs, and
the rats could all be carriers; them and the zombie.

strahd’s zombie plague

This magic illness quickly turns the sufferers into zombies whose only drive is spreading the
plague further.

A creature that comes face-to-face with a contagious carrier of SZP must succeed on a DC 15
Constitution saving throw or become infected (make this saving throw in secret). They are not
immediately contagious, and show no symptoms at first. 1d4 days later, they become
contagious, but still show no symptoms. 1d4 days after that, they start feeling dizzy,
coughing, and suffering from headaches. 1d4 days after that, they transform into a Plague
Zombie, identical to a Strahd Zombie (CoS p241), but with the ability to spread Strahd’s
Zombie Plague.

A creature can be cured of SZP by lesser restoration or heal before transforming into a Plague
Zombie. Once they are a zombie, only the most powerful magic can restore them.

PCs cannot be transformed into Plague Zombies. However, they can become carriers. If a PC
would transform into a Plague Zombie, they seem to recover from the condition, but they have
simply stabilized as an asymptomatic carrier. Strahd hopes the PCs will carry his plague to the
far corners of Barovia. Only once the Zombie Plague is unstoppable will Strahd seriously
attempt to kill the PCs, thus tying up loose ends.

When the PCs meet an NPC in Barovia Village, either decide whether they have the SZP, or
have them make a Constitution save. On a failed save, roll the d20 again. On a 1-10 they have
stage 1 of the disease (not contagious, asymptomatic), on a 11-15 they have stage 2
(contagious but asymptomatic), on a 16-20 they have stage 3 (contagious and symptomatic).

Strategy: Strahd will mostly leave the plague to progress on its own. Ireena, like the PCs, cannot
become a Strahd Zombie, instead becoming an asymptotic carrier. Strahd will act as normal
throughout the adventure, though his mood will be notably more melancholy and pessimistic.
Though he doesn’t want to admit it, contact with the Queen of Poxes has changed him...
 Strahd’s Evil Plans - 21
The epidemic is causing problems in the village, but a unique blend of despair and stubbornness
makes the Barovians react to the epidemic with denial rather than coordinated effort. They are
far more likely to distrust the PCs' insistence and label them as liars and Strahd's agents of fear.
They hurl abuses at Ireena whenever she tries to get anyone to do anything, and even her
brother Ismark would rather she not kick up a fuss until he is secure in his position as new
burgomaster.

An alternate introduction to Barovia Village is presented at the end of this section.

If the PCs comment on the zombies, the Barovian villagers will become hostile, telling the PCs
to mind their own business and that all the problems they have are brought by outlanders.

For a reason known only to the plagues' creators, the PCs cannot become zombies. If a PC fails
their Constitution save against the disease, they will become an unknowing carrier, and any NPC
they interact with face-to-face will be forced to make a DC 15 Constitution save to avoid being
infected, unless they take precautions to prevent the spread.

If a PC spreads the zombie disease to at least 5 other people, they will be visited in their dream
by Fekre, Queen of Poxes, who will praise their disease-spreading and offer them her dark gift,
though without the typical reeking drawback. Instead, they gain the flaw: "I enjoy spreading
disease to others."

Endgame: Castle Ravenloft is a hive of disease. Beyond just Plague Zombies, the place is
replete with various monsters that have associations with sickness. Add whatever
disease-related monsters you think are the most unpleasant.

The plague does not end with Strahd's death. In fact, the parting of the mist will likely prove
disastrous, as infected Barovians pour into the PCs home plane, bringing an extremely virulent
magic disease to a world much larger than fair Barovia. In order to end Strahd’s Zombie Plague,
the PCs must kill Fekre, Queen of Poxes. But who can say where she has gone?

Mood: Barovia in this plan is half-pandemic, half-zombocalypse. Between Strahd’s apathy, the
roving zombies, the fear of infection, and the pyrrhic victory, the zombie plague makes for a grim
campaign; it’s not for everyone.

barovia village alt intro

No one greets the PCs as they enter Barovia Village; it seems abandoned. Several buildings
are burnt shells, others are barricaded and abandoned. The air is thick with the smell of
garbage and carrion. The mists swirl around the PCs, severely limiting vision, and shepherding
 Strahd’s Evil Plans - 22
them along the street. Then, up ahead, they see a corpse lying face-down in the mud, with a
swarm of plague rats feasting on it.

If the PCs approach, the rats squeal at the PCs, defending their meal. But unfortunately for
them, their meal has its own plans. The corpse, with the rats still clinging to it, shakily gets to
its feet, and advances towards the PCs, moaning. If they turn to run back the way they came,
they see 1d4+2 Plague Zombies have been following them, with more in the mist behind.

If they try to enter a nearby building, they find it inhabited by 1d4+3 Plague Zombies.

The only clear path is towards the town square.

When the PCs reach the town square, they see a young, auburn-haired woman standing atop
an overturned hay cart. Two Plague Zombies, one on each side, attempt to pull her down,
while Ireena fends them off with a silvered longsword. If the PCs do not intervene, eventually
one zombie catches her ankle and yanks her off the cart and onto the ground. She is able to
fight off the zombie and run back home to the Burgomaster’s Mansion (E4). She will be alive,
but will have become infected with stage 1 of Strahd’s Zombie Plague.

SEER — TIME MACHINE

Strahd is cursed. Accepting the Vampyr’s gift, murdering Sergei, causing Tatyana’s death,
genociding the Dusk Elves, and killing and torturing untold innocents; there can be no atonement
for such crimes. Nor is there any escape from his curse, even were he free of the Mists.

But study of philosophy and metaphysics has taught Strahd that causality is fungible; that time
is a weave, and it can be unwoven.

Strahd plans to go back in time and fix what was broken from the outset. He will right his
wrongs by stopping himself from committing them in the first place!

Strategy: Throughout Barovia, objects are going missing, many associated with timekeeping;
churches missing bells, clocktowers missing clocks, hourglasses stolen from personal studies.
No one quite knows why.

In Castle Ravenloft, Strahd has exhumed the crypt of King Katsky the Bright (K84, Crypt 13), a
self-proclaimed time-traveler. Strahd found that what appeared to be a flying machine was in
fact a tiny time machine. Strahd needs something bigger, and he has kicked the witches out of
rooms K54, K55, and K56, and converted that area into a workshop. If the PCs explore Castle
Ravenloft before the final encounter, in Room K56, they can find Strahd’s time machine in the
center of the room. It is built of a claw-foot bathtub, a pair of upholstered chairs, a giant clock,
hourglasses, copious levers and dials, an analog input for date (similar to a combination lock)
which reads 07-07-350, and various other gizmos and gadgets. Soon it will be ready, and he'll be
on his way back to the day he killed Sergei!
 Strahd’s Evil Plans - 23
Strahd’s interest in the PCs is lessened, as he is primarily concerned with building his time
machine and going back to the past to fix his mistakes. Tormenting the PCs is a fun break from
his work, which involves wrangling mind-bending mathemagical theorems and implementing
them into a machine. It's stressful.

Strahd has made special plans to capture Ireena and bring her back to the past with him. He
does not know exactly what will happen once he stops Sergei's death, and he wants to have
Ireena there to bring him comfort.

Endgame: By the time the PCs arrive, Strahd has just finished his time machine and moved it to
the foretold location. By his calculations, the fickle winds of time can only be harnessed in that
location. The machine is incredibly finicky. It must be calibrated based on the weight of its
cargo, so if anyone besides Strahd (and Ireena if he has captured her) gets in the time machine
when he activates it, they will overshoot the intended date and hurtle backwards through time!
(This is probably what you want.)

Note: If the PCs disrupt Strahd's time travel operation (and they should), they will be sent back to
the era of Barovia's history that most interests your group. If your players are REALLY interested
in it, they can go to multiple eras.

Here are some suggestions:

● Prehistoric Barovia; Ancient people erected monoliths and worshiped forgotten gods
(see DONJON plan for ideas).
● Amber Wizard Era; Wizards built and dwelt within the Amber Temple to contain the evil
vestiges.
● Wildfolk Era; Kavan ruled through blood and violence, uniting diverse people into a single
powerful tribe.
● Ancient Barovia; King Dostron the Hellborn reigned over a land of monsters, and
Lugdana used the Holy Symbol of Ravenkind to fight vampires.
● Occupied Barovia; Barovia was occupied by Strahd’s family’s ancestral enemies, but the
land was at peace.
● Wartime Barovia; when Strahd drove his armies into the valley, and made war on all who
opposed him.
● Postwar Barovia; the early years of Strahd’s reign, while he lived at Ravenloft with Sergei,
and tried fruitlessly to win Tatyana’s affections.
If they eventually arrive to witness Sergei's wedding, all will be for naught. The Dark Powers exist
outside time, and they will foil Strahd’s plans. When he sees Tatyana, he will be struck by longing
and race to embrace her. She will flee in terror from him, plummeting to her death from the
overlook as she did in the distant past. While Old Strahd screams in impotent, sorrowful rage,
Young Strahd will go berserk and kill Sergei. As Barovia is pulled into the Mists, and young
Strahd is cut down by the guards, Old Strahd will attack the PCs, cursing their interference for
the ruination of his plan. What happens from there is uncharted waters.
 Strahd’s Evil Plans - 24
Mood: This plan is all about mad science and Barovia’s past. There is also a mystery element, as
the PCs ponder what Strahd is doing with this eclectic collection of pilfered items. Once the
players discover he's building a time machine, they may investigate Barovia's past. This plan has
particular synergy if you are using the Interactive Tome of Strahd, using the continuity from the
supplement or your own custom-built continuity. Time travel is inherently a bit preposterous, so
you may want to lean into the silliness of a premise like “a vampire uses time travel to save his
brother from a past version of himself”.

TEMPTER — FALLEN ANGEL

Strahd has always taken an interest in corrupting the pure, but after discovering the Abbot’s true
nature, that fascination has intensified. Strahd recognizes how debased the Abbot has become
over the century he’s been in Barovia, and all that without his influence. Strahd wants to see how
much he could twist the Abbot (and other good beings like him) if he made a concentrated
effort. He is attempting to drive the Abbot into such deep corruption that he falls from grace,
becoming a fallen angel and servant of the Devil.

Strategy: Strahd will take an interest in particularly pure-hearted PCs, attempting to tempt them
into dark depravity, offering incentives to good PCs for doing heinous actions. Strahd is focused
on twisting truly good PCs, so he will not pay much attention to more darkly minded PCs, except
to drive further corruption into the good-hearted. He will manipulate situations to place them in
moral dilemmas where they must make no-win decisions that will feel like pyrrhic victories at
best.

Strahd will pay frequent visits to the Abbot. He will dote upon Vasilka and compliment the Abbot
on his good work, though suggest that fresher parts would be better (and there are plenty down
in the village of Krezk). He will ask the Abbot to find and bring him Rudolph van Richten, as a
personal favor. The Abbot is thrilled. He thinks he is lifting Strahd towards the light, not
suspecting Strahd is pulling him into darkness.

When the PCs arrive in Krezk, the tiny village is facing a string of mysterious disappearances.
The only clues so far have been claw marks and a tuft of dog fur found in the home of one
disappeared villager. The burgomaster suspects it is werewolves, but it is actually the Abbot’s
doing. He is sending mongrelfolk to abduct villagers in the night, to use in his modifications to
Vasilka.

The Abbot has Ezmerelda in the Abbey, and is interrogating her to learn Van Richten’s
whereabouts.

If the PCs kill the Abbot, Strahd will be disappointed, but heroes killing angels qualifies as some
high-quality corruption, so he won’t be too disappointed. He will pivot his focus towards
corrupting a particular PC, while he works at summoning another angel.
 Strahd’s Evil Plans - 25
As for the Abbot… in truth, he has already fallen. He just doesn’t know it yet. If at any time he
tries to assume his angelic form, he will find himself unable to do so. If he tries to force it, his
body will rupture, and a new, horrific form will emerge, a mass of scratching claws, beating
wings, singing mouths, and blazing eyes; a mongrel born of heaven.

Endgame: With the help of divine spellcasters, forced or otherwise, Strahd has transformed the
Castle Ravenloft Chapel (K15) into an outsider summoning chamber. Strahd has not been able
to call a Deva, but he has successfully summoned a Cherub, a tiny celestial with the appearance
and demeanor of a child. Her name is Mustiel, she is innocent and pure, and she trusts Strahd
completely; she is ignorant to even the existence of falsehood. While Strahd was initially irritated
to have summoned a lesser celestial, he made a new plan, with the potential to pay dividends in
the long-term. A century or two from now, Strahd will conduct a ritual to transform Mustiel into a
higher order angel, but until then he will spend his time sculpting her mind, and teaching her to
lead armies. When she is ready, she will be utterly loyal to him, and supremely cruel to his
enemies. She will lead a host of fallen angels, with nought but righteousness in her kind heart as
she does the Devil's bidding.

Mood: Since this story heavily features celestials and questions of morality, it may prompt
themes of good and evil, the “ends justify the means” mentality, the supposed infallibility of
religious authorities and the righteousness of religious zeal.

Additional Info
Curse of Strahd offers information on the secret meaning behind particular Tarokka cards.
 Strahd’s Evil Plans - 26
Artifact The importance of some physical object that must be obtained, protected, or destroyed
at all costs

Beast Great rage or passion; something bestial or malevolent hiding in plain sight or lurking just
below the surface

Broken One Defeat, failure, and despair; the loss of something or someone important, without
which one feels incomplete

Darklord A single, powerful individual of an evil nature, one whose goals have enormous and
far-reaching consequences

Executioner The imminent death of one rightly or wrongly convicted of a crime; false
accusations and unjust prosecution

Donjon Isolation and imprisonment; being so conservative in thinking as to be a prisoner of

one’s own beliefs

Ghost The looming past; the return of an old enemy or the discovery of a secret buried long ago

Horseman Death; disaster in the form of the loss of wealth or property, a horrible defeat, or the
end of a bloodline

Innocent A being of great importance whose life is in danger (who might be helpless or simply
unaware of the peril)

Marionette The presence of a spy or a minion of some greater power; an encounter with a
puppet or an underling

Mists Something unexpected or mysterious that can’t be avoided; a great quest or journey that
will try one’s spirit

Raven A hidden source of information; a fortunate turn of events; a secret potential for good

Seer Inspiration and keen intellect; a future event, the outcome of which will hinge on a clever
mind

Tempter One who has been compromised or led astray by temptation or foolishness; one who
tempts others for evil ends

Using Playing Cards

If you are using a standard deck of playing cards instead of a Tarokka deck, the High Deck is
represented as the jacks, queens, kings, of each set and 2 jokers.
 Strahd’s Evil Plans - 27
Playing Card Tarokka Card

King of hearts Ghost

Queen of hearts Innocent

Jack of hearts Marionette

King of spades Darklord

Queen of spades Mists

Jack of spades Executioner

King of diamonds Broken One

Queen of Tempter
diamonds

Jack of diamonds Beast

King of clubs Donjon

Queen of clubs Raven

Jack of clubs Seer

Joker 1 Artifact

Joker 2 Horseman

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Eberron, the
dragon ampersand, Ravnica and all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their
respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries.

This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast and/or other authors. Such
material is used with permission under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters
Guild.

All other original material in this work is copyright 2021 by GMJ and published under the
Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.