Anastraya Karelova: First Bride of Strahd
Medium Undead, Lawful Evil
Armor Class 21 armor of resistance: radiant, shield
Hit Points 131 (15d10 + 56)
Speed 30 ft.
STR
20 (+5)
DEX
16 (+3)
CON
19 (+4)
INT
10 (+0)
WIS
12 (+1)
CHA
16 (+3)
Saving Throws STR +10, DEX +8, WIS +6
Skills Athletics +10, History +5, Perception +6, Stealth +8
Damage Resistances Necrotic, Radiant; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
Condition Immunities Charmed, Frightened, Poisoned
Senses Darkvision, Passive Perception 16
Languages Common
Challenge 16 (15,000 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +5
Traits

 

Regeneration. Anastraya regains 10 hit points at the start of her turn if she has at least 1 hit point and isn't in sunlight or running water. If she takes radiant damage or damage from holy water, this trait doesn't function at the start of her next turn.

Spider Climb. Anastraya can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.

Vampire Weaknesses. Anastraya has the following flaws:

Forbiddance. Anastraya can't enter a residence without an invitation from one of the occupants.
Harmed by Running Water. Anastraya takes 20 acid damage when she ends her turn in running water.
Stake to the Heart. Anastraya is destroyed if a piercing weapon made of wood is driven into her heart while she is incapacitated in her resting place.
Sunlight Hypersensitivity. Anastraya takes 10 radiant damage when she starts its turn in sunlight. While in sunlight, she has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.
 

Aura of Vampyr. Anastraya and all allies within 10 feet get +3 to all saving throws and can't be frightened.

If a creature is frightened of Anastraya, its speed is reduced to 0 while in the aura, and that creature takes 7 psychic damage if it starts its turn there.
 

Greater Steed. Anastraya's mount is the Winter Wolf Sköll. Anastraya controls it in combat. While Sköll is within 1 mile of her, she can communicate with it te1epathically. It disappears temporarily when it drops to 0 hit points or when she dismisses it as an action. Casting this spell again re—summons the bonded mount, with all its hit points restored and any conditions removed.

Order to Charge. As a bonus action, Anastraya can command an ally within 30 feet to move up to their speed and make a single melee attack.

Special Equipment. Anastraya has +1 Armor of Resistance (radiant), Vambrace of the Resolute, and her +1 shortsword, Steadfast Perdition.

Vambrace of the Resolute (requires attunement by a creature missing a hand) is a left-handed forearm guard made of black steel. It ends in a stump, though there is a permanent Mage Hand that stays in place at the end of it and the prosthetic allows for a shield to be attached if the user is proficient. The Mage Hand glows a pale lilac and can be used as a normal Mage Hand, moving off of the wrist for the full functionality of the spell. There is no concentration check needed to maintain it, it is immune to all damage, and it can be used to attack when attached at the wrist. Vambrace of the Resolute can also be used as a Bigby's Hand by disappearing from the wrist up to three times a day and requires no concentration checks to maintain. It regains all uses at midnight.

Steadfast Perdition has three charges. As a reaction, Anastraya can expend one charge to cast Compelled Duel on a target she attacks. Steadfast Perdition regains all charges each midnight.

Spellcasting. Anastraya is a 13th-level spellcaster. Her spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks). Anastraya has the following paladin spells prepared:

1st level (4 slots): Command, Wrathful Smite
2nd level (3 slots): Branding Smite, Hold Person, Spiritual Weapon, Zone of Truth
3rd level (2 slots): Bestow Curse, Blinding Smite, Dispel Magic, Fear
4th level (1 slots): Find Greater Steed, Staggering Smite
Actions

 

Multiattack. Anastraya makes two attacks, only one of which can be a bite attack.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one willing creature, or a creature that is grappled by Anastraya, incapacitated, or restrained. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage. The target's hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken, and Anastraya regains hit points equal to that amount. The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.

Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3) slashing damage and 4 (1d8) necrotic damage. Instead of dealing damage, Anastraya can grapple the target (escape DC 13).

Steadfast Perdition. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. +1 Shortsword. Hit: 10 (1d6 + 6) slashing damage and 9 (2d8) psychic damage.

Lay on Hands. Anastraya can heal from a pool of 65 hp, which restores on a long rest. Has no effect on constructs.

Channel Divinity. Anastraya has the following Channel Divinity options:

Conquering Presence. Anastraya can force each creature of her choice within 30 feet of her to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, a creature becomes frightened of her for 1 minute. The frightened creature can repeat this saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Guided Strike. When Anastraya makes an attack roll, she can use your Channel Divinity to gain a +10 bonus to the roll
Reactions

 

Templar Reprisal. When a creature within 5 feet of Anastraya casts a spell, she can use her reaction to make a melee weapon attack against that creature.

Deathless Vanguard. After making an attack against a creature, Anastraya can expend one charge (out of three) from Steadfast Perdition to cast Compelled Duel on the target.

 

Description

*For use in Curse of Strahd*
 
Anastraya Karelova: “The Devil’s Gauntlet”, Captain of the Guard
Anastraya is the oldest of the brides and served with Strahd during the conquest of the valley as a conscript. Through war with the natives, the dusk elves, the forest folk, and the knights of Lord Argynvost, she developed a skill with arms and tactics surpassed only by Strahd and an undying faith for the man that would turn into unrequited love. For her prowess and devotion, she would be promoted to an officer’s rank and serve at Strahd’s side where the fighting was thickest.
At the final battle of the war, The Battle of the Fallen Silver, she was gravely wounded along with Rahadin protecting Strahd in a duel with Ser Vladimir and Ser Godfrey, though her sacrifice gave Strahd the opening needed to slay his foes. Though it cost her her left hand, it was her proudest moment and a decision she wouldn’t hesitate to repeat. For her valor, she was named Strahd’s Captain of the Guard and served ably at the task for a decade.
When Strahd sealed his pact with Vampyr, she wasn’t aware of the deal though by now, in her blind devotion, she wouldn’t have cared. She was ambushed the night Strahd’s guards betrayed him and took half a dozen wounds before passing out from blood loss. When she awoke, he was at her bedside, commanding terrified servants to tend to her wounds in a tone that brook no argument. She couldn’t believe how any signs of age had left him, leaving him as he had been when she first came to love him. Once she was healed, she resumed her duties, serving another five years with her master more sullen than ever at the loss of his bride. No one had thought Tatyana would ever return the night that Strahd came to Anastraya, and though his love was lost, there remained the one who loved him most of all, a beautiful, powerful woman in her own right, his Captain of the Guard, and the first he would ever marry. When she awoke as a vampire held in his arms, it was the happiest feeling she had ever experienced. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t last. Strahd was brooding and distant, over time becoming withdrawn and neglectful though never outright cruel to her. It was devastating to feel him slip from her grasp as she slowly resumed the sole role of Captain and her marriage became naught but a formality. It was even worse when Strahd discovered Tatyana’s reincarnation, but before she was his wife, she was his loyal soldier and though it pained her dearly, she retreated inwards and resigned herself to obedience. Strahd would still claim to hold her in high regard and treat her with all the dignities and honors accorded by her military rank, but it he would never look upon her with love as much as she would fight and kill and slaughter in his name. The only feeling that ran deeper than her hatred of Tatyana was the love for her king.
Anastraya has a unique, trusted role within Strahd’s military. She alone amongst his vampires is trusted enough to venture beyond the mists to see to his bidding in the outside world. That far outside Barovia, Strahd’s grip on his spawn’s minds is strong but the curse trapping him limits Vampyr’s influence outside his home dimension. A willful spawn could potentially break free but betrayal is simply out of the question for Anastraya.
For her stats, I’m going to make her a more martial vampire spawn, with elements of a conquest paladin of Strahd/Vampyr thrown in and some abilities to emphasize her role as an officer and commander. In the backstory my player wrote, she had black plate armor and a sword, so I’ll definitely work in magic armor and a shortsword (there aren’t many strength based characters in my party and presuming they manage the monumental task of killing her, they deserve to get something they can use). I anticipate her being the most formidable of the brides and roughly as dangerous as Rahadin. Were Strahd to die, she would tirelessly try to raise whatever forces she could muster to avenge him at all costs.
TheThirdCharles

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