Barovians are deeply invested in their homes and their traditions. They are wary of strange peoples and customs. The way Barovians deal with strangers can be unsettling to those newcomers. Barovians have a tendency to stare openly, in silence, thereby expressing their disapproval of anything that isn’t familiar to them. Barovians aren’t talkative with strangers, to the extent of being pointedly rude. Most Barovians have violent tempers that boil up through their customary silence when they are provoked. They also have a social cohesiveness (thrust upon them by their weird circumstances) that can make them act together against outsiders if a Barovian is mistreated.
Barovians were a happy people once, but their history and current conditions aren’t pleasant. If one manages to win the trust of a Barovian, one has a friend for life and a stalwart ally.
Barovian children aren’t happy children. They are raised in a culture of fear and told time and again not to wander too far from their homes or enter the woods. They experience little hope or joy, and they are taught to fear the devil Strahd above all.
Barovian adults eke out modest livings. With no new wealth pouring into the valley, they trade in old coins that bear the profile of their dark lord, Strahd, as he looked when he was alive. They hide their precious baubles in their houses and dress plainly outdoors, so as not to attract the attention of Strahd or his spies.
Barovians live within a closed ecosystem. Every Barovian adult is expected to learn a trade or serve a function. Barovians stitch their own clothing, craft their own furniture, grow their own food, and make their own wine. With fewer than three thousand people living in the entire valley, finding the perfect mate isn’t easy, so Barovians have learned to settle for what they can get.
- Skill Proficiencies: Perception, Survival
- Tool Proficiencies: Three types of artisan’s tools
- Equipment: A set of artisan’s tools (one of your choice), a shovel, an iron pot, a set of common clothes, and a pouch containing 10 gp
You used to live peacefully under Strahd rule, but slowly an obsession started growing.
| d5 | Obsession |
|---|---|
| 1 | A good vampire is a dead vampire |
| 2 | A fortune teller told me my fate is to defeat a great evil |
| 3 | There must be a way to escape the mist |
| 4 | We are all doomed, might as well kill some monsters |
| 5 | I have a secret, a dangerous secret, that could change everything |
You have lived in Barovia a long time, unlike the outsiders coming out of the mist you know the land, its people, and its secret.
You know at the start of the adventure:
- The recent events, recent gossip, and people living in your home town
- The location of a dangerous site and some rumors about it
- The map of the land around your home town
Furthermore, you know something about Barovia:
- Anyone who attempts to leave the land of Barovia begins to choke on the fog. Those who don’t turn back perish.
- Many strangers have been drawn to Barovia over the years, but they all die or disappear before long.
- Wolves, dire wolves, and werewolves prowl the Svalich Woods, and hungry bats fill the skies at night.
- The village of Barovia sits at the east end of the valley. Its burgomaster is named Kolyan Indirovich.
- The town of Vallaki lies in the heart of the valley. Its burgomaster is named Baron Vargas Vallakovich.
- The fortified village of Krezk lies at the west end of the valley and is built around an old abbey. The village burgomaster is named Dmitri Krezkov.
- Wine is the lifeblood of Barovia—for some, it is the only reason to keep living. Barovian taverns get their wine from the Wizard of Wines winery near Krezk.
- A mad wizard of great power haunts the foothills of Mount Baratok. He is an outsider and no friend of the vampire’s.
And about Stradh:
- Strahd von Zarovich is a vampire, and he dwells in Castle Ravenloft. No one is welcome at the castle.
- The devil Strahd is a curse placed on the land because of a forgotten sin of the Barovians’ ancestors.
- A vampire must rest in its coffin during the day. At night, it can summon wolves and vermin to do its bidding. A vampire can transform into a bat, a wolf, or a cloud of mist. In its humanoid form, it can dominate you with its powerful gaze.
- A vampire can’t enter a residence without an invitation from one of the occupants.
- Running water burns a vampire like acid, and sunlight causes a vampire to burst into flame.
And finally:
- Two divine forces watch over the Barovian people: the Morninglord and Mother Night.
- Before the curse of Strahd befell the land, the Morninglord watched over the Barovian people from sunrise until sundown. Now, the sun has not shone unobscured for centuries, and the Morninglord no longer answers their prayers.
- The presence of Mother Night is felt most strongly between dusk and dawn, although nighttime prayers to her go unanswered. It is widely believed that she has forsaken the Barovian people and sent the devil Strahd to punish them for their ancestors’ offenses.
- Spirits drift along the Old Svalich Road toward Castle Ravenloft in the dead of night. These phantoms are all that remain of Strahd’s enemies, and this damnable fate awaits anyone who opposes him.
- The Vistani serve the devil Strahd. They alone are allowed to leave Barovia.
- Never harm a raven, lest ill fortune befall you!
Suggested Characteristics
A Barovian is always a Barovian, for better or for worse. Most of them look at their origins as a curse, but their own communities remain very important to them.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I judge people by their actions, not their words. |
| 2 | If someone is in trouble, I’m always ready to lend help. |
| 3 | When I set my mind to something, I follow through no matter what gets in my way. |
| 4 | I have a strong sense of fair play and always try to find the most equitable solution to arguments. |
| 5 | I’m confident in my own abilities and do what I can to instill confidence in others. |
| 6 | Thinking is for other people. I prefer action. |
| 7 | I misuse long words in an attempt to sound smarter. |
| 8 | I get bored easily. When am I going to get on with my destiny? |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Respect. People deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. (Good) |
| 2 | Fairness. No one should get preferential treatment before the law, and no one is above the law. (Lawful) |
| 3 | Freedom. Tyrants must not be allowed to oppress the people. (Chaotic) |
| 4 | Might. If I become strong, I can take what I want—what I deserve. (Evil) |
| 5 | Sincerity. There’s no good in pretending to be something I’m not. (Neutral) |
| 6 | Destiny. Nothing and no one can steer me away from my higher calling. (Any) |
| d5 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I will make my world a safe place to finally have a family |
| 2 | I worked the land, I love the land, and I will protect the land. |
| 3 | A vampire almost killed me, someone saved me. I will never be that weak |
| 4 | My tools are symbols of my past life, and I carry them so that I will never forget my roots. |
| 5 | I protect those who cannot protect themselves. |
| d5 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | The tyrant who rules my land will stop at nothing to see me killed. |
| 2 | I’m convinced of the significance of my destiny, and blind to my shortcomings and the risk of failure. |
| 3 | I have a weakness for wine |
| 4 | Secretly, I believe that things would be better if I were a tyrant lording over the land. |
| 5 | I have trouble trusting in my allies. |