The Tome of Strahd
The true history of Ravenloft begins on a distant world whose name is unspoken even by the bravest of men. Some say that its origins have been forgotten by all but one. That may be true. That shadowy world had kingdoms not unlike those found on Oerth, Faerun, Krynn, or any of the other spheres that circle the fiercely burning stars of the Prime Material Plane. Our journey into the past begins at the heart of one such place. It was called Barovia, and it was the quarry in which the keystone of Ravenloft was cut.
Before we begin our voyage, we must establish certain criteria by which it can be measured. After all, a journey is not judged by its beginning or its end, but by its middle. How we define this transitional period is important.
It has long been the tradition of scholars in Ravenloft to use the Barovian calendar when keeping track of events in the Demiplane of Dread. This is done for many reasons, custom and practicality among them. The fact that it is the accepted standard in Barovia, Necropolis, and among the wandering Vistani makes it as good a yardstick as any. This being the case, we shall adopt the same practice here.
The Time Before
Few, if any, records detail the events surrounding the life of the warrior-prince Strahd von Zarovich. It is known (for he freely admits it) that he and his family had been driven out of their ancestral homes by an enemy he calls the Tergs. Exactly who these people were or what their motivations might have been we have no way of knowing. It is enough to say that they are painted as ransacking barbarians by Strahd, and there seems to be no reason to discount his assertions.
After decades of warfare, Strahd and his legions drove the Tergs back through the mountain passes from which they had come. At long last, the enemy was defeated and the ancestral lands of the Von Zarovich family reclaimed. Entering the valley of Barovia at the head of a weary and battered army, the great prince claimed the right to rule over all the lands that had been reclaimed from the Tergs. Some scholars point to this as being nothing more than the trading of one tyrant for another. Others, however, see Strahd as a liberating hero who claimed no more than was his just reward for years of effort.
As his subjects repaired Castle Ravenloft, Strahd sent word to the scattered survivors of his clan. He called for them to join him and to establish a lineage that would rule over Barovia for centuries to come. By his order, a coronet of the purest silver was created to mark the occasion and become the symbol of power in that green land. Little did Strahd realize that three-quarters of a millennium later, he would still wear that same tarnished crown.
For all his outward enthusiasm and vitality, the lord of Barovia was but a shell of the man he had once been. Years of campaigning had left him mentally, emotionally, and physically drained. While his health was sound enough, his spirit had passed into a gray, wasting period that could only end in a lingering demise of the soul and then the flesh. Strahd had accepted his fate. With the Tergs defeated and the ancestral lands reclaimed, his task was done. Death would come for the aging warrior. He neither feared it nor sought to escape its embrace.
With the coming of his brother Sergei, however, Strahd's life suddenly changed. Sergei was nearly two decades younger than Strahd and among the most handsome men in Barovia. In many ways, he reminded the warrior-prince of himself in the years before he had taken up the sword and shield. He had but to look upon Sergei to see all the vibrance of a life he himself might have known. Strahd, of course, despised him for this.
In coming to the valley, Sergei had met a young woman named Tatyana. She was every bit as beautiful and vital as Sergei, so it came as no surprise to anyone when they announced their plans to marry. Strahd, however, took this news as a defeat greater than any he had ever experienced in war. The lord of Barovia was deeply and passionately in love with this simple village girl. He saw in her a chance to recapture all the things that he thought lost to him. Surely, she was betrothed to the wrong man.
The tragic events that followed are best recorded by the pen of one who was there. See The Tome of Strahd on the following page.
According to the Barovian calendar, it was the year 351 when the Mists descended to claim Strahd, Castle Ravenloft, and the lands of Barovia. No one knows how it is that the Demiplane was formed, although many theories have been put forward.
Perhaps we would be best advised not to look too long into this mystery.
Turning Points
Throughout the grim history of Ravenloft, there have been several points where major changes have occurred that altered the structure of the Demiplane itself. The following are the most important of these.
Formation: 350 to 449
The first hundred years of Ravenloft's existence are dated by most scholars from the year 350, although the actual formation of the Demiplane of Dread did not occur until 351. This is both a matter of convenience and a recognition of the fact that the events which drew the Mists to Barovia predated the actual formation of the land.
The First Century, as it is often called, was a time of microcosm. The only domain held by the Mists was that of Barovia, and the only lord was Strahd von Zarovich. This period is detailed in the novel I, Strahd.
No evidence exists of a true Vistani presence in Barovia at this time, although gypsies are certainly apparent. This is an important note to make, for many scholars have mistakenly referred to the gypsies living in Barovia at this time as Vistani.
Arrivals: 450 to 549
During this period, the domain of Barovia became home to a new race of people, the mysterious Vistani. Their leader, Madame Eva, was quick to see the power of the vampire Strahd and forged an uneasy alliance with him. Exactly where these people came from is unknown, but they clearly had powers no other creature in Ravenloft could fathom. In addition to the Vistani, other notable creatures came into Ravenloft during this period. Most important among them are Jander Sunstar and the lich Azalin.
It is during this time that Strahd faces his first great challenge in Ravenloft. A group of adventurers who found their way into the Mists from some distant land entered Castle Ravenloft intent on the destruction of the vampire within. No record remains of exactly how these foolish heroes died.
Expansion: 550 to 649
Although the second domain of Ravenloft is formed in 547 (Forlorn), it is not until the Third Century that the Demiplane of Dread truly began to grow. Over the course of these ten decades, over a dozen new domains appeared. Exactly what caused this expansion to begin is unknown.
Centuries of isolation left the citizens of Barovia highly xenophobic. The residents of the newly arriving domains had different languages, traditions, and beliefs. Like the Barovians, they too were reluctant to trust their new neighbors. The traditions of isolationism and distrust established during this century have not lessened in the years, decades, or centuries since.
Dead Man's Campaign: 650 to 734
This period of time is best remembered for the wars fought between Falkovnia and the neighboring domain of Darken. Unaware that the lord of Darken had great power over the dead (and undead), Vlad Drakov sent untold armies to their deaths in an effort to increase the size of his holdings. It seems certain that Drakov did not fully understand the nature of his captivity at that time. The Mists recognize only their own borders, not those of men and armies.
The Grand Conjunction: 735 to 740
In 735, the Vistani seer Hyskosa prophesied the destruction of the Demiplane of Dread. In a grim and terrible vision, he foresaw a series of six signs that would come to pass and shatter the Land of the Mists.
Recognizing this chance to escape from his long imprisonment by the Mists, the lich lord Azalin was greatly fascinated by Hyskosa's words. Due to his interference, however, the fifth and sixth signs of the Conjunction occurred out of order. In the wake of this mishap, chaos swept through the Demiplane. When the Mists cleared and the land was restored, the geography of the Demiplane was greatly changed. Many of the domain lords are still discovering new powers and abilities bequeathed to them during this upheaval.
The most fascinating feature of the "new" Ravenloft was the Shadow Rift. Looking much like a great chasm torn in the heart of the Core, the Rift is an area of swirling mists and darkness. Exactly what it is and what horrors it might hold remain unknown. It is interesting to note that the Vistani will not speak of the place and always make a sign of protection if it is mentioned in their presence.
The Grim Harvest: 740 to 750
Undaunted by his failed attempt to escape the Demiplane of Dread, Azalin undertook a new plan. Using a macabre device, the lich lord planned to transform himself into a demilich. So powerful a creature, he was sure, would be able to easily slip free of the Mists. For nearly a decade, Azalin's plan unfurled. The Infernal Machine he would use to ascend to demilich status was built, and the souls that would power it were harvested.
In the end, however, Azalin's plan appears to have failed. At the critical moment of ascension, a powerful group of adventurers destroyed the machine and, it appears, the lich lord himself.
The destruction of the Infernal Machine had repercussions felt across Darken. Thousands of people were instantly killed. The city of II Aluk became a ruined city of the dead, from which the domain drew its new name: Necropolis.
In the wake of this disaster, a terrible creature rose to power in the domain of Necropolis. Calling himself Death, he appears to embody exactly that. Although it is certain that Death's power is great, it seems clear that he is not the actual lord of the domain. Indeed, as of this writing, no darklord appears to be ruling Necropolis.
While all of this was going on in Il Aluk, another tragedy befell the Domains of Dread. After decades of battling evil, the esteemed Dr. Rudolph van Richten died at the hands of the evil Madame Radanavich. The fact that the great vampire hunter dragged Radanavich into the grave with him is scant consolation for the demise of this great hero.
Most recently, the Burning Peaks Cluster has formed in the Mists, bringing with it perhaps the most powerful domain lord to date: Vecna. Simultaneously, a new sea appeared on the eastern side of the Core. The Nocturnal Sea brought with it new islands to explore (though some are actually former Islands of Terror) and new horrors to behold.
The Present: 751
Ravenloft campaigns created using this book are assumed
to begin in the year 751.
This is a time of confusion and mystery in the Demiplane of Dread. Scholars wonder about the ascension of Death in the land of Necropolis. Many wonder if the lich lord Azalin actually perished in the destruction of II Aluk, fearing that he may return to torment the citizens of Necropolis as he did those of Darkon.
Van Richten's death is another topic of concern. Some believe that his death marks the beginning of a truly vile age for the Land of Mists. Without this great champion to inspire others, will new heroes arise to face the evils that stalk the night?
Another source of great confusion and dread is the mysterious Shadow Rift. Enigmatic and malevolent, this churning pit of darkness bodes nothing but evil. No one knows what horrors dwell within its dark folds and how long the sheer walls of the Rift will contain them. The fact that it so terrifies the Vistani only compounds everyone else's fears.
There are many who have said that the gypsies of the Mists have some macabre purpose to all they do. Whether this is true or not remains to be seen. However, for good or evil, the Vistani are tied to the land like no other race.
