Ravenloft - Legacy of the Blood v3.5

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A Lineage of DarknessJust as every darklord bears a curse, their blood also carries the seeds of greatness or

infamy. Some who share a common legacy with the ruling families of Ravenloft rise tovirtue, while others succumb to the lure of corruption. What is it like to share the bloodof the Boritsi, to bear the secrets of the Von Zaroviches, or to carry a vestige of the Drakovcurse?

This book explores the histories of Ravenloft’s most powerful families, providinginformation on how to create player characters and NPCs who bear the names ofMordenheim, Dilisnya, or Renier. New prestige classes, family feats and heirloom magicprovide a wealth of choices for players and DMs who wish to walk in the shoes of thepowerful and the damned.

Requires the use of the Dungeons & Dragons Player’sHandbook, published by Wizards of the Coast®. This product

utilizes updated material from the v.3.5 revision.The Ravenloft® campaign setting is an officially licensed Dungeons & Dragons® property.

Great Families of the CoreGreat Families of the CoreGreat Families of the CoreGreat Families of the CoreGreat Families of the Core


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Legacy of the Blood

CreditsAuthors:

Steve Miller, Anthony Pryor, PennyWilliams and Skip Williams

Developers::Jackie Cassada and Nicky Rea

Editor:Scott Holden-Jones

Sword & Sorcery Managing Editor:Andrew BatesArt Director:

Richard ThomasLayout and Typesetting:

Ron ThompsonInterior Artists:

Talon Dunning, Brian LeBlanc, JeremyMcHugh and Claudio Pozas

Front and Back Cover Designer:Ron Thompson

© 2004 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Ravenloft, Legacy of the Blood: Great Families of the Core, D&D, Dungeons& Dragons and its logo, the d20 System logo, and Wizards of the Coast and its logo are trademarks of Wizards of theCoast Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro Inc., in the USA and other countries, and are used by Arthaus under license.

Arthaus and its logo are trademarks of Arthaus Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Sword and Sorcery and itslogo are trademarks of White Wolf Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.

PRINTED IN CANADA

Special AcknowledgementsAndria Hayday (1st ed. design)Bruce Nesmith (1st ed. design)

Tracy & Laura Hickman (originalconcept)

Additional ThanksBased on the Original Dungeons &

Dragons ® rules created by E. Gary Gygaxand Dave Arneson and the new Dungeons& Dragons game designed by Johnathan

Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams,Richard Baker and Peter Adkison.

Great Families of the Core Great Families of the Core Great Families of the Core Great Families of the Core Great Families of the Core

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Introduction

Table of Contents

Introduction 3

Chapter One: Blood and Poison — The Boritsi Family 7

Chapter Two: Manipulators of the Mind — The d’Honaire Family 23

Chapter Three: Spillers of Blood — The Dilisnya Family 37

Chapter Four: Blood of the Mighty — The Drakov Family 48

Chapter Five: The Blood of the Haunted — The Godefroy Family 61

Chapter Six: Blood of Madness — The Hiregaard Family 74

Chapter Seven: The Blood of Invention — The Mordenheim Family 87

Chapter Eight: Blood of the Rat — The Renier Family 104

Chapter Nine: Blood of Hunger — The Von Zarovich Family 118

Appendix: A Rogues’ Gallery 130

Great Families of the Core Great Families of the Core Great Families of the Core Great Families of the Core Great Families of the Core

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Legacy of the Blood

IntroductionIntroduction

4

Introduction

elcome to a book that has been a longtime coming… over a decade, in fact.Back in 1991, the Ravenloft: Realm ofTerror boxed set featured a number offamily trees, one for each of the most

powerful noble families of the Core domains. Amost intriguing and game-worthy feature of thesetrees was the inclusion of several blank spots inwhich birth dates were provided but no otherinformation.

The intent was to allow Dungeon Masters(DMs) to create new villains and heroes related tothe central nonplayer characters (NPCs) in thesetting, and even to allow particularly bold playercharacters (PCs) to get close to the darklords inevery sense of the word. Individual gamers couldmake their own decisions of what to do with thisinformation in their own campaigns — with theexception of the characters Laurie and GenniferWeathermay-Foxgrove, who, like their uncleGeorge Weathermay, have dedicated their lives torooting out and destroying the creatures of thenight.

Legacy of the Blood returns to the family treeidea in a big way, not by filling the details outcompletely — although some of that will occur byway of sample NPCs — but instead by giving somedefinition to what distinguishes the so-called “greatfamilies” of the Domains of Dread from one an-other. There is more than just a surname to beinga real Von Aubrecker, Drakov, or Renier.

This is a book about skeletons in the closet,family strengths, weaknesses and peculiarities. Itdelves into traditional goals and attitudes of thevarious great families, as well as the responsibilitiesmembers are expected to fulfill in exchange for thepower and prestige their name grants them.

How to Use This Bookegacy of the Blood is a sourcebook forplayers and DMs alike. Its purpose is toprovide tools to create interesting char-acters from the upper strata of society inthe Ravenloft setting. To accomplish

this, we provide rules but also general flavor andsetting guidelines. DMs can use this book to createallies and enemies for PC heroes, or players can useit to create characters whose lives of power andprivilege are at once both blessing and curse. (Asalways, players should consult with the DM beforecreating new characters, particularly if drawing

material from supplements. Just because we print itdoesn’t mean a DM will adopt it for his campaign.)

Chapter OrganizationEach chapter in this book describes one or

more leading families, starting with a brief bit of“in-world” text, followed by a more factual over-view of the family and its recent history. Enoughextended family history is also provided here togive a sense of why the family is currently impor-tant within the Domains of Dread.

Thereafter, all of the chapters conform to thefollowing format:

Fitting InThis section discusses recommended behavior

for characters who wish to fit into the family underdiscussion (or perhaps into another leading familywith close ties to it). Here you’ll find unique habits,customs, or traits that set members of a particularfamily apart from other families, perhaps offeringexplanations for their importance in the land — orreasons for why they aren’t more important.

This information is consistent with previouspublications. For instance, if an earlier releasestated flatly that no males are ever born to aparticular family line but must instead be adopted,this circumstance is also discussed here.

Claiming MembershipThis section focuses primarily on mechanical

issues that should be followed or at least consideredduring the character creation process. It’s not allrules-related, though, some roleplaying-orientedinformation is also included. Matters such as familyblessings and curses, feuds with other families orother branches of the family, known enemies,notoriety, family holdings, alliances, affinities forparticular skills or professions, and so on are de-tailed here as relevant.

Family FeatsThis section describes typical feats that mem-

bers of the family possess and feats that are exclusiveto members of the bloodline. Be sure to considerthese feats first when a character of a particularbloodline advances in levels.

Family Prestige ClassMost of the chapters feature a specific prestige

class that is either very common among or perhapseven unique to members of the lineage in question.

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Legacy of the Blood

Family MagicSome families have unique magic items and/or

spells associated with them. Any mystical andarcane items of note are detailed in this section.

Story HookThis section contains adventure seeds involv-

ing the family described in the chapter. (Playersreading this book, as with any supplemental gam-ing resource, should always make sure their DMisn’t planning on using the hooks in his campaignbefore reading this section. If the DM is amenable,they might contain useful ideas for the backgroundfor a character that you are in the process ofcreating.)

Sample CharactersA character or two representative of each

great family appears in the appendix of this book.

References to Other TextsMany feats, classes, magic (or scientific) items,

skills, and so on referenced in this book can befound in various Ravenloft releases. Since it isn’tfeasible to include full text on each one, whereappropriate, notations indicate the Ravenloft titlein which you can find the relevant listing. Thenotations are listed as follows:

* Found elsewhere in this book.R Ravenloft Player’s Handbook.M Ravenloft Dungeon Master’s Guide.C Champions of Darkness.H Heroes of Light.G1 Ravenloft Gazetteer, Volume I.G2 Ravenloft Gazetteer, Volume II.G3 Ravenloft Gazetteer, Volume III.G4 Ravenloft Gazetteer, Volume IV.G5 Ravenloft Gazetteer, Volume V.V Van Richten’s Arsenal.

The Aristocrat as PlayerCharacter

layer characters can come from all walksof life, so it stands to reason that somemay be high-born. Such characters mayhave a very different mindset than theson or daughter of a tinker who decides

to take up arms against the creatures of the night.While the duties and responsibilities that come

with being born into an aristocratic family mayvary widely from domain to domain, depending onlocal culture, there are a few constants acrosscultural boundaries. In some domains, for example,it may be perfectly acceptable for young nobles tobehave in risqué and roguish ways, while in othersit may be utterly unacceptable for them to beanything but prim and proper in all things.

The following list includes a number of detailsthat players of high-born characters should keep inmind during character creation, as well as when-ever they gain levels. These are not changes to thestandard d20 System character creation rules; rather,they are suggestions regarding skills and feats thatshould aid in creating and developing characters ofnoble blood. Not every high-born PC needs to (orought to) follow every suggestion, but if a playerfollows at least a couple of them, the character issure to have more of that “Ravenloft noble feel.”

Bring Honor to the Family NameWhile every family has its black sheep — and

it is mostly among those black sheep that PCs canbe found — few noble characters want to sully thereputation of their family. This principle applies tofamily members who are born out of wedlock, aswell as “legitimate” children; it is not uncommonfor nobility in Ravenloft to dally outside of mar-riage and then to recognize their byblows. In somehouseholds, such half-siblings even live side-by-side.

Nobles tend to shy away from skills associatedwith common thievery, such as Disable Device,Open Lock, and Sleight of Hand (although thelatter in particular may be acceptable in domainswhere young nobles are expected to be rakish).

Knowledge is PowerMost of the great families in Ravenloft con-

sider this simple statement to be a truism. Knowingfriend from enemy or knowing what others mightwant to keep secret from the rest of the world cangive a person just the advantage she needs to stayat the helm of power. Despite what some mayclaim, noble blood alone is rarely enough to carrya person through life successfully; more often thannot, the true advantage of the noble lies with thechance he has to receive a better education thanmere peasants or laborers. The noble also findsadvantage in the broader, more informed perspec-tive he can gain by traveling the realms and thus

6

Introduction

learning aboutthe culturesand creaturesthat existthere.

N o b l ec h a r a c t e r sshould have atleast one rankin any two ofthe followingskills: Deci-pher Script,Gather Infor-m a t i o n ,K n o w l e d g e(geography),K n o w l e d g e(history), Knowledge (lo-cal), Knowledge (nobilityand royalty), Knowledge(religion).

In addition, the DM is justified inmaking the noble character’s player select one ormore of the following feats: Investigator, DabblerH,KnowledgeableH, LibraryH, LiteracyH, Sharp Ears*,Skill Focus (any Knowledge skill), and UniversityEducationH. The feat may be taken at 1st level, orat any time thereafter, as agreed upon by the playerand DM; the character must meet all prerequisitesfor each feat, as usual.

Words Carry WeightWhen leaders speak, people listen. As a mem-

ber of a noble family, the PC automatically carriesthe mantle of leadership upon his shoulders; heshould be able to wield words the way a commonwarrior might use a mace or a sword. He should beable to turn others’ wills his way through negotia-tion or threats, but he should rarely have to resortto violence. Silver-tongued nobles face a potentialweakness in that they often need to be as truthfulas possible, or at least able to break agreements (orfail to follow through on threats) in such ways thatminimize the public exposure of such lapses. Thisis out of concern for their family reputation and fortheir words to be ones that others heed and trust.

A noble character should have at least onerank in each of Diplomacy and Intimidate. Any of

the followingfeats may alsobe mandatoryfor noble char-acters, as eachenhances thecharacter’s ver-bal acuity,perspicacity,and/or glibness:L e a d e r s h i p ,MesmerizingC,N e g o t i a t o r ,Sharp Wit*,Skill Focus (Di-plomacy orIntimidate), orVoice ofWrathR. The

character must meet all prerequisites foreach feat, as usual; these feats may be required

at 1st level or at any time thereafter, as agreed uponby the player and DM.

Say What You Mean — But Don’tNecessarily Mean What You Say

Being able to carry on witty repartee and utterclever but ambiguous phrases, whether in tradenegotiations or in social settings, is a hallmark ofcourtiers and the intelligentsia. For the noble whowishes to distance himself from earlier commentsor to deliver veiled insults or threats, the ability to“doublespeak” — that is, use words that carry avariety of meanings dependent upon the listener’scontext or frame of reference — is a very usefultalent. Note that if doublespeak is used too often todeliver insults or to humiliate others (such asseeming to offer them a compliment that moreeducated or careful listeners recognize as an insult),or if the noble comes to be viewed as deceitfulbecause he always equivocates, he may soon findthat no one trusts him and that shame is starting toaccumulate around the family.

The noble character should take at least onerank in Bluff for every two character levels. TheDM might also insist that the character acquire thefeat(s) Persuasive and/or Skill Focus (Bluff) atsome point in his career; the character must meetall prerequisites for each feat, as usual.

7

The Boritsi Family

Chapter One:Blood and Poi<on

The Borit<iFamily

Chapter One:Blood and Poi<on

The Borit<iFamily

8

Chapter One: Blood and Poison

Dearest Sister,I write you this letter from an inn on the border between Borca and Richemulot, just barely

on the Richemulouse side, to inform you that my return home will be at least two weeks later than

planned, for I need some time to recover from a most severe bout of poisoning. Please don’t worry!

I am fine now, but I need to regain my strength.

It is with regret, however, that I must inform you that my mission has failed — I was unable

to lay eyes upon the “Deathstone” Uncle Rudolph mentioned in his journal. It seems we were at

once right and wrong when we decided this was an expedition I was most suited to undertake. That

is small consolation, though, for I continue to be wracked by chills and find it difficult to keep down

any sustenance other than water and the blandest oatmeal. The only joy I can take in our decision

is my belief that, with your constitution, you may well have been murdered outright rather than

merely laid up in bed.

Looking back, I think my trouble began the day I sought out the Boritsi Trading Company’s

offices in Levkarest. I developed an almost instant rapport with Bevel Boritsi, the middle son of

Anton Boritsi and nephew to Lady Ivana herself. He is exceedingly handsome and well spoken,

and I found myself liking him so much that I felt obliged to be honest with him. I revealed to him

that I was only in Borca to meet with his aunt, and that I had only come to the Boritsi Trading

Company in the hopes of speaking with someone who could arrange such a meeting. Strangely

— at least in the light of the events that have left me bedridden — it seems that Lady Ivana is not

terribly close to the rest of her family. Bevel told me of a party Lady Ivana was to hold at week’s

end and said he would be honored if I would allow him to escort me there. He was such a charming

young man that I could hardly refuse.

Over the next several days, Bevel introduced me to his siblings and his mother. They all

seemed pleasant enough and far more down-to-earth than nobles in most domains. Both Bevel

and his sister Hellena worked in the family’s freight yards, supervising the loading and unloading

of cargoes. I have a hard time picturing many of the young men father keeps insisting we allow

to court either of us putting in a hard day’s work like Bevel did! On the other hand, I also witnessed

first hand that the reputed miserliness of the Boritsi is true.

The dockhands working in Levkarest receive but half of what they earn in Mordent and but

a quarter of what they are paid in Martira Bay. I quizzed Bevel and Hellena about this over a

sumptuous dinner at a truly elegant inn in the very heart of the city, but they were firm in their

belief that their workers were paid a fair wage for their labors. They seemed equally oblivious to

the emaciated and ragged appearance of so many of the their citizens, including a number of their

dock workers.

I resisted pointing this fact out to either of them, as I did not wish to lose my chance to speak

to Lady Ivana. Further, Bevel was being such a delightful host that I didn’t want to endanger the

chance I had been presented with to enjoy the city I was visiting — it is so rare that we have a

chance to savor the places we visit, have you noticed, sister? As Bevel said when I told him of our

activities, it was refreshing to spend time with someone who was intelligent and interesting, and

yet not a monster-hunter or adventurer. He said that responsibilities of nobles such as we are many

and can be heavy, but that we should make sure that we take the time to enjoy our station in life.

By the time the night of the gathering arrived, I had acquired a suitable dress, surprisingly

with the help of Hellena! I say “surprising” because if we were to place her and you side-by-side

9

The Boritsi Family

in your everyday garb, she, dear sister, is so manly in her style of dress that she would make you

appear as the most delicate of debutantes. Like you, though, when the occasion calls for it, she

“cleans up nicely,” as that boor from Kartakass put it last year. Very nicely, in fact — I hardly

recognized her.

Similarly, I failed to recognize Lady Ivana when I finally met her at the ball. Our dear Uncle

Rudolph has remarked on her beauty, but since he met with her nearly thirty years ago, I assumed

the bloom would have faded somewhat. Nothing could have been further from the truth! When

Bevel led me through a crowd of young nobles clustered about one of the most beautiful and

graceful young women I have seen, I thought he was going to introduce me to a niece or cousin.

I failed to hide the surprise on my face when he introduced the woman as Lady Ivana — she didn’t

look a day over nineteen! At the time, Lady Ivana did not seem to take offense at my obvious

surprise, but with a laugh said that she thought I had just paid her a compliment. She then

explained to me that her family was blessed with youthful looks that last well into their middle

years, even if she was an exceptionally well-preserved Boritsi.

As we talked, I found Lady Ivana to be a fine and witty conversationalist. I found myself

almost regretting it when Bevel stepped in and informed his aunt that I had come to Borca on a

very specific errand. Thus prodded, I explained to her the fact that you and I have taken it upon

us to continue the work started by Rudolph van Richten and that I had come hoping that she would

allow me to study what he referred to as the “Deathstone.” Her pretty face darkened every so

slightly as she informed me that her opinion had not changed since Dr. van Richten had visited

her decades earlier. The Deathstone, she revealed, is a relic of an earlier time in the Boritsi family

history, and she had no interest in letting “writers of sensationalistic monster tales drag her

family’s name into the muck.” Despite her friendly tone, I sensed that she was keeping her anger

in check and I quickly apologized. Moments later, I found myself handed off to Hellena while Bevel

took his aunt aside and launched what appeared to be part defense, part plea on my behalf. As

he spoke, Lady Ivana threw the occasional thoughtful glance in my direction.

It was all for naught, however. Bevel sought me out a short time later and said that he aunt

was adamant that the Deathstone was not to be spoken of — he said that she was cross with him

for even confirming its existence to me. Over his protestations, I went to explain to Lady Ivana

that I had not intended to cause any strife within her family, and that all I was interested in was

continuing Dr. van Richten’s scholarship. Lady Ivana listened patiently, and then asked, “You

and Bevel have grown quite fond of each other, have you not?”

I said that I was indeed fond of him, but that I had no notion of what he thought of me. I told

her, quite truthfully, that it was hard not to become fond of a man as handsome and well spoken

as Bevel. She nodded and then turned to other guests with no further words. Bevel was at my arm

seconds later, entreating me to go. He stated nervously that he had seen that expression on his

aunt’s face before and it meant that she was angrier than he had first believed and that it would

be best if I left Borca with all possible haste!

For my part, I had not seen her expression change in the slightest. Further, I could not think

what either of us had done to anger her so terribly. However, I know enough to take such advice

when it is given, and Bevel and I said our goodbyes outside my inn after his carriage dropped me

off. He promised that he would look into the family archives for information about the Deathstone

10


and write to us about it, and I suggested that perhaps he should come to Mordent in person some

time, so I could return the kindness he had shown me. I had the distinct feeling that he liked that

idea.

That morning, the carriage I had ordered to take me by road through Richemulot arrived

before dawn. The innkeeper served a fine breakfast for which he didn’t charge me, stating that

my presence in the inn and my known association with Bevel Boritsi had helped his business to

the point where he felt he should give me a parting gift. In retrospect, I should have realized that

his “gift” was anything but.

Within a few hours of leaving Levkarest, I found myself beset with terrible nausea. I cried

to the coachman to stop, and I barely managed to eject myself from the carriage before my

breakfast repeated on me. Even after there was no more food to regurgitate, my stomach still

continued to heave. The coachman was clearly upset by my condition, but his concern turned to

obvious fear when another black-clad coachman approached us. The newcomer told me that his

mistress wished to speak with me and he gestured back down the road I had just traveled. A

hundred yards distant, I saw Lady Ivana emerge from a coach with the Boritsi coat of arms on

the door. He led me to her, and when she spoke, I felt my blood run cold, despite my illness.

“You would poison my kin against me, so I have seen to it that you have received a far more

palatable and immediate poison. Nothing happens in Borca without my knowledge, and no one

will ever succeed in subterfuge against me.”

I tried to explain that I was not trying to poison her family against her, but she put a gloved

finger to my lips and said, “I care nothing for your excuses. I don’t even want to hear pleas for

mercy. I just want you to know that Borca is my domain, and when I say something is so it will

be so. You will never lay eyes upon the Deathstone. Nor will you ever lay eyes upon Bevel again.

You will never set foot upon Borcan soil again. If you do, I will not be so merciful next time.”

Lady Ivana pulled a tiny vial from a small purse at her waist and offered it to me.

“Drink this. It will neutralize the poison in your blood.” I did as she instructed, and while

I did not feel better, neither did the awful shaking that had been growing upon me worsen.

“Heed my warning, Miss Weathermay-Foxgrove,” Lady Ivana said, turning back to her

coach, “and pass it along to your sister as well. Neither of you is welcome in my land.”

Her manservant took me back to my coach and instructed the driver to deliver me to the

Richemulouse inn where I remain still. My weakness persists, and only the blandest food and

drink stays in my stomach, but I am getting better with each passing day. When I return to the

shop, we shall have to discuss most earnestly how we wish to approach Lady Ivana in the future.

I have quizzed other guests here at the inn about her when I have been well enough to venture

to the common room.

I have come to the conclusion that she actually did show me mercy in letting me leave Borca

alive, but I have also learned things that lead me to believe that Lady Ivana is not quite mortal.

More when we talk again in person.

Your Loving Sister,

Gennifer

11

The Boritsi Family

The Boritsishe Boritsis have the honor of being onlyone of two noble families that have heldpower since Borca was founded, theother being the Dilisnyas. In fact, theBoritsis have always held a slightly more

prominent position than the Dilisnyas, and theirpower has grown even more obvious in recentdecades. While Ivana Boritsi wields the most obvi-ous power, her younger siblings and their childrenand grandchildren wait in the wings. Some are stillin Borca, while others have moved as far away asKartakass, Nova Vaasa and Liffe. Regardless ofwhere they live, they are still Boritsi, and they carrywith them their family legacies.

According to records kept in the Boritsi familyarchive at the ancestral estate of Misericordia, theBoritsis were a prominent merchant family whosupported Strahd von Zarovich I in his battlesagainst the Tergs. Many of the most prominentmembers of the family traveled to Barovia to attendthe wedding of Strahd’s younger brother, Sergei;however, before they could return, a strange mistdescended upon the land’s borders, and for the nextthree centuries Borca had no contact with the rest

of the world. (See Ravenloft Gazetteer Vols. I andIV for details.)

During the land’s three centuries of isolationfollowing the murder of neighboring ruler Strahdvon Zarovich I, the Boritsi family was instrumentalin keeping peace in the land. They kept the peas-antry organized and working, as well as keepingother powerful and affluent families in Borca frompanicking and overworking the commoners of theirland. Everyone suffered a decrease in lifestyles, butthe land held together. Over time, the Boritsisbecame the de facto rulers of Borca, with virtuallyeveryone else owing them a debt in some fashion oranother.

Putting the strength of the community aheadof personal or family wealth and power became aBoritsi trademark during Borca’s long isolation.When the Mists lifted from the realm and the landcould once again interact with Barovia and thenew nations that had formed on its borders, theBoritsis eagerly took to the roadways and riverswith their trade goods. The sudden influx of vastwealth for the Boritsis was more than the ego ofpatriarch Klaus Boritsi could handle. He startedthrowing extravagant parties and wooing count-less women into his bed. One of his conquests was

12


Camille Dilisnya, a member of a family with an-cient ties to the Boritsis. The two eventually wedand had three children together — Ivana, Sulo andAnton — but Klaus Boritsi continued his philan-dering. Eventually, someone grew tired of feelingbetrayed by him; whether it was one of his mis-tresses or his wife, none can say, but Klaus waspoisoned with a horrible concoction that grantedhim a painful death. Most concur that the culpritwas his estranged wife.

With Klaus Boritsi’s death, change came toboth Borca and the Boritsi family. While the Boritsishad never before been forceful about their owner-ship of nearly everything within the land’s borders,Camille immediately starting making it very clearthat whatever non-Boritsis owned, they had onlywith the leave of the Boritsis. The light hand of theBoritsis suddenly became very heavy.

Camille felt that a merchant’s life was beneathher and her children. She had always discouragedher daughter from having anything to do with thefamily’s traditional occupation, instead encourag-ing her to refine her courtly manners and to earnher living solely by growing her wealth out of thelabor of serfs toiling on her lands. Ivana took to hermother’s tutelage like a fish to water. In fact, heremulation of Camille was perhaps too accurate, forCamille died as mysteriously and painfully as KlausBoritsi had, and Ivana took control of the familyholdings at the tender age of just 20.

In the decades that have followed since Ivana’sascension to the head of the Boritsi family, she hascontinued to rule Borca with a system very muchlike that started by her mother, although the taxburden Ivana imposes upon her nobles and mer-chants is even heavier. Nonetheless, her siblingsand their children are carrying on the grand tradi-tion of the Boritsi Trading Company. Sulo Boritsirelocated with his wife and young children toBergovista in Nova Vaasa shortly before the GreatUpheaval. He was quick to take advantage of thediscovery of new islands in the Nocturnal Sea, andthe Boritsi Trading Company now has permanentoffices in Armeikos, along with a ship that plies thelength of the coast and visits every nearby islandwith noteworthy settlements. Further, his wealthgrew quickly because he had business interestsoutside Borca and therefore clear of Ivana’s heavytaxes.

Ivana has no children (but see “Eduardo Leoniand the Boritsi Family”), yet Sulo and Anton eachhave three children who range in age from their

late teens to late twenties. The eldest of Sulo’s sonsis married with a child of his own, while the othersare either recently married or engaged in court-ships. All are involved in the Boritsi TradingCompany to some degree. (Further, both Sulo andAnton are rumored to have inherited their father’swandering eye. It is possible that each has one ormore illegitimate children in addition to theiracknowledged progeny.)

While Anton Boritsi died in 739 under myste-rious circumstances, his wife and two eldest childrenBevel and Hellena continue to operate the family’smain warehouses, caravans and river barges fromLevkarest. Although the family is still associatedwith Ivana’s eccentric and harsh rulership in Borca— and with her reputation as the “Black Widow”who loves and leaves men dead — the Boritsi nameis also increasingly linked with what is emerging asthe foremost trading company in the known world.

In addition to the dangerous reputations ofIvana and her surviving brother, several among theyounger generation of Boritsis have dark streaks aswell. While the Boritsi Trading Company is rela-tively fair in the wages it pays workers, Bevel inparticular is known to deal harshly with employeeswho are found to give less than all to their jobs, andeven harsher with those who are caught stealing. Ithas been said that Vlad Drakov himself could learna thing or two from Bevel Boritsi when it comes topainful punishments meted out to dishonest em-ployees.

Sulo Boritsi is much less of a disciplinarianwith his workers than his otherwise charmingnephew Bevel. Nonetheless, more than one would-be competitor has either found his wares tainted bydeadly poisons or has himself fallen victim topoison; this is especially true among those who failto reach some arrangement with the Boritsi Trad-ing Company before entering into private dealswith shops and suppliers the Boritsis have previ-ously patronized. Involvement on the part of theBoritsis has never been proven in any of theseincidents.

Eduardo Leoni and the Boritsi FamilyThe one well-known illegitimate Boritsi is also

the most controversial person associated with thefamily, save perhaps for the Lady Ivana herself.Eduardo Leoni, owner of a minor merchant andhorse-trading company based in Nova Vaasa’s Arbora,claims his father was Abelardo Leoni, one of IvanaBoritsi’s many ill-fated lovers. Eduardo claims that

13

The Boritsi Family

his grandmother snatched him from the Boritsi es-tate of Misericordia only days after he was born. Hemaintains that the madwoman believed Ivana to bea monstrous killer who murdered his father and thatrescuing him from her daughter’s clutches would bethe only way to save the infant Eduardo from suffer-ing the same fate. Leoni claims to have become awareof his heritage through diaries uncovered after hisgrandmother’s death. He now wishes to establish aplace within the Boritsi family for himself, his wifeand his two children.

When news of this claim first reached theBoritsis, an angry Sulo Boritsi ordered his eldestson to investigate. Adventurers were hired anddispatched, but word came back that the docu-ments in Eduardo’s possession indeed seemedgenuine; they even reported that Leoni bears apassing resemblance to Lady Boritsi herself.

The rest of the family turned to their agelessmatriarch for answers. She denied ever having hadany children and ordered them to drop the matter.She then instructed Ivan Dilisnya to keep a watchon the border and seize any caravans, traders, ortravelers associated with Eduardo Leoni’s mer-chant company that dared cross into her domain.Ivana will hear no more talk of the imposter whoclaims to be her son. Eduardo, for his part, standsadamantly by his claim even in the face of the angryBoritsi family, and has encouraged his children toattempt to build at the very least cordial relation-ships with the youngest children of Sulo and Anton.

The Truth of the MatterIvana Boritsi’s denial of Eduardo Leoni’s claim

of being her son is legitimate; she has never becomepregnant by any of her lovers (for this is another areaof expertise in which her mother taught her well).The diaries possessed by Eduardo — those revealinghow his grandmother faked his death when he was ababy and spirited him away to Nova Vaasa for safety— are extremely well-made forgeries.

The truth is that Eduardo is the child ofBentino Leoni, Abelardo Leoni’s older brother; infact, Eduardo’s actual birth date lies a full 8 yearsafter Abelardo’s untimely death. His “passing re-semblance” to Lady Boritsi was achieved through acarefully worded limited wish cast by his mistress, anaccomplished elf wizard from Sithicus. She alsohelped create the forged diaries, using magical andmundane means mastered during her long life.(Eduardo himself is also well versed in the art offorging documents.)

Why is Eduardo Leoni engaging in such adangerous fraud? Simple greed, nothing more.While his grandmother and his parents did spendhis childhood years filling his head with tales ofhow evil Ivana Boritsi is and how corrupt herbrothers are, he has no interest in them beyond thewealth and influence he hopes to gain by beingaccepted into the family. What money Eduardocurrently has came to him from his deceased wife(whom he “disposed of” shortly after hatching theplot to impersonate a Boritsi), and it is not enoughto satisfy either his tastes or those of his elf lover.

Eduardo believes that he will eventually gainsome inroads into the Boritsi family, because whilehe dislikes honest labor, his children are all diligent,hard workers, something both Sulo and Bevel Boritsiseem to appreciate. He is also certain that no one willbe able to unmask his lies as his only (possibly) livingrelatives, his younger sister and brother, have beenmissing since the Great Upheaval. It may take a fewyears, but Eduardo is nothing if not patient, espe-cially since his mistress is quite knowledgeable in theart of brewing life-extending potions.

Fitting InHouse Boritsi is a proud and ancient merchant

family that was counted among the chief support-ers of Strahd von Zarovich I when he broughtpeace to Barovia and the surrounding realms. Mem-bers of the Boritsi family are expected to bewell-spoken, well-groomed and well-educated.They have an almost inborn desire for the betterthings in life, and they always strive to make surethat they have the best of everything. However,the Boritsis do not necessarily insist that familymembers adhere strictly to social convention; forexample, Anton Boritsi’s teenage daughter Hellenais not shunned by the rest of the family simplybecause she tends to dress and act more like a barge-pilot than a young noble-woman. They will not,however, tolerate ignorance and boorish behavior.

The Boritsis are also known for their ability tocarry grudges, always “evening the score” againstthose who wrong them. Generally, if someone dealsdishonestly with a Boritsi in trade or some otherbusiness dealing, the Boritsi slowly but surely destroythe other person’s business; if someone wrongs aBoritsi in affairs of the heart, the wronged one takessteps to ensure that the offender never wrongs any-one again; and if someone harms them or theirs, theymake that person — and often that person’s entirefamily — regret they ever heard the name Boritsi.

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Boritsis are also known for not picking fightsthey can’t win. They have risen rapidly as a mer-cantile power in the Core, managing to keep Borcafrom disintegrating during its long isolation, be-cause as a group they seem to have a knack foraccurately judging opponents and situations beforeexposing themselves to danger. Of course, justbecause a Boritsi deems an enemy too powerful ora challenge too complex doesn’t mean he ignoresit. As with the way they carry grudges, the Boritsiscan be very patient in their approaches to chal-lenges. If an enemy or obstacle is too much for themto handle at first, they are willing to spend weeks,months, or even years working toward buildingthemselves up or chipping away at whatever ob-stacles lie in their way until the day comes whenthey can claim victory.

All in all, the Boritsis look out for those theyconsider friends (or at least people useful to theircurrent goals), but they do whatever they can tobring ruin to those who cross or slight them. Mem-bers of the family work hard to make themselvesloved and admired by those around them, but whendoing so proves difficult or impossible, they resortto inspiring fear — which they consider a perfectlyacceptable alternative.

Claiming MembershipThe typical Boritsi conforms almost perfectly to the

ideal of physical beauty as held by the people of Borca:Both males and females have athletic, statuesque figures,with smooth porcelain skin that accentuates their inkyblack eyes and hair. Their hands and feet are typicallysmall, with long, delicate digits.

Boritsi Family Traits• +2 Intelligence, +2 Charisma: The Boritsi

are known to possess sharp, analytical minds inaddition to remarkable presence and stunninglygood looks.

• Graceful Aging: The Boritsi have alwaysbeen blessed with long and healthy lives, main-taining their youthful appearance and vigor wellinto middle age. The price they pay for this is asudden and sharp decline in bodily and mentalhealth toward the end of their lives, so that theysuffer the indignities of old age in a far briefer andmore severe manner than most humans. (IvanaBoritsi may well be the most extreme example ofthis curious Boritsi trait — although a sexagenar-ian, she still appears to be a young woman in herlate teens or early twenties.)

Members of the Boritsi family age according tothe following table, rather than using the “AgingEffects” table in Chapter 6 of the Player’s Hand-book.

Race MiddleRace MiddleRace MiddleRace MiddleRace Middle OldOldOldOldOld22222 VenerableVenerableVenerableVenerableVenerable3 3 3 3 3 MaximumMaximumMaximumMaximumMaximum Age Age Age Age Age11111 Age Age Age Age AgeHuman 55 68 80 +2d12 yearsHalf-Elf 93 100 125 +2d20 yearsCaliban 45 55 65 +2d8 years1 At middle age, –1 to Str, Dex and Con; +1 to Int, Wis and Cha.2 At old age, –1 to Str, Dex and Con; +1 to Int, Wis and Cha.3 At venerable age, –4 to Str, Dex and Con; –2 to Int, Wis andCha.

• Favored Class: Aristocrat. A multiclassBoritsi’s aristocrat class does not count when deter-mining whether she takes an experience pointpenalty for multiclassing (see XP for MulticlassCharacters, Chapter 3, Player’s Handbook). Fur-ther, this favored class limitation is more stringentthan most: A Boritsi must begin at 1st level as anaristocrat, and fully one-quarter of her characterlevels at any given time must be aristocrat levels;that is, a Boritsi character must take a 2nd level inaristocrat by the time she reaches 8th level, a 3rdaristocrat level by 12th level and so on.

Family Featslthough they have spread to many do-mains in the Land of Mists, the Boritsisstill carry certain family traits and cus-toms with them. They are sharp inbusiness matters, gifted at making con-

versation and possessed of naturally outgoingpersonalities. They have also learned the value ofkeeping a close eye on both friends and enemies, forone never knows when a reversal in status orfortune may take place.

When creating a Boritsi, the player or DMmust select at least one of the character’s feats fromthe following list during character creation: Alert-ness, Deceitful, Diligent, HauntedR, JadedR, JudgeDifficulty*, KnowledgeableH, LibraryH, LiteracyH,Negotiator, Persuasive, Poison Resistance*, SharpEyes*, Sharp Wit*, or Skill Focus (Appraise, Bluff,or Diplomacy).

New FeatsThe feats presented here are particularly suited

to Boritsi characters, but under special circum-stances the DM may allow other characters toacquire them.

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The Boritsi Family

Judge Difficulty [General]You are particularly talented at sizing up an

opponent or a situation to better decide whetherdiscretion truly is the better part of valor.

Prerequisite: Sense Motive 1 rank.Benefit: To use this feat, you must first ob-

serve a creature, location, or situation for a numberof consecutive rounds equal to 10 – your Wisdombonus. The target observed must be within line ofsight for the entire time; you may move normallyduring this time, or take other move actions that donot draw your attention away from your target,since your observation requires only a standardaction each round.

Once this time has elapsed, you make a SenseMotive check to discern the relative challengeinherent to whatever you have been observing. Ifyou have been watching a creature, you may deter-mine its HD/character level and the class or prestigeclass in which it has the most levels. If you havebeen observing a location or situation, you maydetermine the approximate DC of the check re-quired to overcome or bypass it. For example, if youhave been observing the people around you todiscern whether you might get from them theidentity of the true master of Dementlieu’s crimi-nal underworld, you could find the DC of a GatherInformation required to determine that informa-tion. If you were at a council meeting to negotiatewith Malocchio Aderre so that he would cease hisattacks against the Vistani, you would discover theDiplomacy DC necessary to succeed.

The result of your Sense Motive check deter-mines the information you gain.

Sense Motive Result Benefit or Information Gained

10–1510–1510–1510–1510–15 Learn creature’s power relative toyour own†; learn whether a check canbe made to overcome or bypasscurrent situation

16–2016–2016–2016–2016–20 Learn creature’s approximate HD/levels‡; learn approximate DC‡ ofcheck required to overcome orbypass current situation

21–2521–2521–2521–2521–25 Learn creature’s exact HD/levels;learn exact DC of check required toovercome or bypass current situation

26–3026–3026–3026–3026–30 As 21–2521–2521–2521–2521–25 above. If observing acreature with character levels, youalso determine the class in which ithas the most levels (this might simplyidentify a creature as having more“monster HD” than character levels).

If observing a situation, you gain a +1competence bonus on any check madewithin the next 24 hours to overcomethat particular situation.

31+31+31+31+31+ As 26–3026–3026–3026–3026–30 above. If observing acreature, you also determine allclasses in which it has levels, as well asthe precise number of levels it has inits highest class. If observing asituation, you gain a +2 competencebonus on any check made within thenext 24 hours to overcome thatparticular situation.

† “Lesser,” meaning total HD/levels lower than the observer’sby 3 or more; “about the same,” meaning within 2 HD/levelsof the observer; or “greater,” meaning total HD/levels higherthan the observer’s by 3 or more.‡ To within 1 or 2 HD/levels, for a creature, or to within 3 DCpoints for a situation, as determined by the DM.

You may make only one Sense Motive checkper creature or challenge in any 24-hour period,unless the circumstances under which the checkwas first made change in a dramatic fashion (DM’sdiscretion).

Poison Resistance [General]You have developed a tolerance to a certain

type of poison by carefully exposing yourself tosmall doses over an extended period of time.

Prerequisite: Con 13.Benefit: Choose one of the four basic types of

poison as defined in the Dungeon Master’s Guide(contact, ingested, inhaled, or injury). You gain a+4 bonus to all saving throws made to resist theeffects of poisons of that type.

Special: You can gain this feat multiple times.Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat,it applies to a new type of poison.

Sharp Eyes [General]You have a knack for noticing tiny details and

things that may be out of place.Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on all Search

checks and Spot checks.

Sharp Wit [General]You are an adept debater and conversational-

ist and a sharp observer of human nature.Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on Bluff checks

made to send hidden messages, a +2 bonus onopposed Diplomacy checks and a +2 bonus onSense Motive checks made to avoid being bluffedor to discern secret messages.

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Family Classeshe majority of Boritsi belong to thearistocrat class, although expert levelsare not uncommon; some members ofthe family are known to have levels infighter or rogue. In many cases among

second and third children of the Boritsis, enteringthe church and gaining cleric levels is not uncom-mon. Some exceptional members of the familyenter prestige classes such as detectiveH, dilettanteH,duelist, or pistoleerV. Certain Boritsi, mostly thosewith close ties to the Dilisnya family, may also havelevels in court poisonerG4.

Third or fourth children or those who aredistant cousins also occasionally gain levels in thecourtier prestige class, described below, using theirgood looks and family ties to make their presencedesired at noble parties, while also gathering morepower and wealth for themselves. (Many courtiersinvolved with the Boritsis, however, come to themin the form of suitors.)

CourtierMany who flourish at court are nothing more

than high-class prostitutes, or perhaps lesser noblessimply looking for a wealthy spouse. Others harbormore ambition, and almost always hide ulteriormotives behind their brilliant smiles and flatteringwords. They might be seeking information to helpthem or their current allies gain advantage over thetarget of their attentions, or they could have evenmore sinister thoughts in mind. Courtiers are al-ways on the lookout for loose-tongued fools whomight mistake friendship or physical intimacy for abond of trust, and who then talk too easily aboutthings that should be kept secret.

Members of the courtier prestige class mayseem no different from the fetching young baubleswho appear on the arm of many powerful nobles,but like a ring or a boot-heel with a secret compart-ment, they can be very dangerous depending onwhat they hide within.

Hit Die: d6.

RequirementsTo qualify to become a courtier (Crt), a char-

acter must fulfill all the following criteria.Skills: Bluff 7 ranks, Diplomacy 7 ranks,

Gather Information 7 ranks, Knowledge (nobil-ity and royalty) 5 ranks, Sense Motive 5 ranks.

Feats: Alertness, Judge Difficulty*, SharpWit*.

Special: Must have spent at least 6 monthsamong other courtiers at a recognized court of amajor noble or ruler.

Class SkillsThe courtier’s class skills (and the key ability

for each) are Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Disguise(Cha), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information(Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge(geography) (Int), Knowledge (history) (Int),Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nobility androyalty) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex),Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis),Sleight of Hand(Dex), Spot(Wis).

S k i l lPoints at EachLevel: 8 + Intmodifier.

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The Boritsi Family

Class FeaturesAll of the following are class features of the

courtier prestige class.Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The court-

ier is proficient with all simple weapons and withthe rapier, but is not proficient with any kind ofarmor or shields.

Attractive (Ex): Starting at 1st level, thecourtier is highly skilled at making herself anappealing companion by quickly identifying whatother people’s interests and desires are. After inter-acting with a member of her own race for a numberof rounds equal to 10 – her Wisdom bonus, thecourtier gains a +2 competence bonus on all Bluff,Diplomacy and Gather Information checks di-rected at that target. This bonus is lost if the targetlearns that the courtier has friendly dealings withindividuals or groups opposed to him, or if he everperceives the courtier to threaten the target oranything or anyone dear to him.

This bonus increases to +3 at 3rd level and to+4 at 5th level.

Charm Person (Sp): At 2nd level, thecourtier’s personality and physical allure has be-come so remarkable that she can effectively usecharm person a number of times per day equal to herCharisma bonus. This functions as the spell cast bya sorcerer of the courtier’s class level.

Alluring (Ex): At 3rd level, the courtier growsmore capable of attracting others. Her attractiveability, as gained at 1st level, now extends to allhumanoids of the same class (in the scientificsense; i.e., all mammalian humanoids); thus, thecourtier gains a +2 competence bonus on all Bluff,Diplomacy and Gather Information checks di-rected at such targets.

Poison Sense (Ex): At 4th level, the courtierhas seen and participated in enough of the darkerside of courtly life that she has developed a strongaptitude for detecting poisons in food and drink.The courtier must be able to inspect the foodstuff

for at least 1 full round and must make a Spot check(DC = poison’s save DC) to notice the poison.

Seductive (Ex): At 5th level, the courtier’sattractive ability now extends to all creatures withan Intelligence score of 4 or higher; thus, thecourtier gains a +2 competence bonus on all Bluff,Diplomacy and Gather Information checks di-rected at such targets. If the courtier is using theBluff skill in combat to feint against a nonhumanoid,she suffers the usual –4 penalty to her check.

Family Magic Itemsew of the magic items in possession ofthe Boritsi family hold any more signifi-cance than the silver serving trays thathave been used in formal dinners for thepast four generations. While a few cloaks

of charisma (some in the shape of shirts or dresses)and rings of protection may be passed down throughthe generations, none are considered heirlooms orfamily hallmarks.

However, both Boritsi and Dilisnya artisanshave been know to craft spoons of poison detection.

Spoon of Poison Detection: When this uten-sil is placed into food or drink that has beenpoisoned, the spoon immediately turns very warm(not hot enough to burn the hand, but nearly so).The spoon cannot identify the type or the nature ofthe poison, only its presence. It also detects anysubstance to which the user may have a deadlyallergy, but which is harmless to others and there-fore would not normally be revealed through theuse of detect poison.

Faint divination; CL 3rd; Craft WondrousItem, detect poison, heat metal; Price 6,000 gp.

Exceptional Magic ItemsThere are three noteworthy items contained

within the shadowed halls of Misericordia — anintelligent magical spoon and two minor artifacts

Table 1–1: The CourtierLevel BAB Fort Ref Will Special

Save Save Save

1 +0 +0 +0 +2 Attractive2 +1 +0 +0 +3 Charm person3 +2 +1 +1 +3 Alluring4 +3 +1 +1 +4 Detect poison5 +3 +1 +1 +4 Seductive

18


— although few among the Boritsi know of theseitems’ significance.

Camille’s TeaspoonThis item is more properly a signature item of

the Dilisnya family, as the poison-loving bankerand assassin clan have long believed the old adage,“He who lives by the sword also dies by it.” Becausethe Dilisnya have long considered poison to betheir “sword,” they have for many generationscommissioned magical artisans to create silverware(and other items) enchanted to sense poison infood. As a result, perhaps dozens of spoons of poisondetection exist in the hands of the Dilisnya familyand their relatives. However, the oldest knowversion, once owned by Ivana Boritsi’s mother, isan intelligent item with a unique flaw.

Camille’s teaspoon is located with the rest ofthe family’s formal silverware, next to the butler’spantry on the ground floor of Misericordia. It hasnot been used by any save Ivana herself since thedeath of her mother, for it features the Dilisnyafamily crest on the handle and therefore doesn’tmatch any of the rest of the silverware in the house.

Camille’s Teaspoon: Spoon of poison detection;AL NE; Int 17, Wis 17, Cha 10; speech, telepathy,120 ft. darkvision and hearing; Ego score 15.

Lesser Powers: Deathwatch (continually ac-tive), item has 10 ranks in Craft (poison making)(total modifier +13) and Knowledge (nature) (to-tal modifier +13).

Special Purpose: Defeat/slay all enemies of theDilisnya family.

Dedicated Power: Item can use poison (height-ened to 4th level) when stirred in food or drink.

Personality/Traits: Camille’s teaspoon is a surlyentity, caring only about the wellbeing of theDilisnya family fortune. When stirred by a Dilisnya,it can poison the food or drink of anyone it per-ceives as an enemy to the Dilisnya fortune or anenemy to any particular Dilisnya and has done soon many occasions, with or without the approval ofthe Dilisnya who used the spoon. While IvanaBoritsi is technically half-Dilisnya, the spoon stillrecognizes here as a Dilisnya; it is unknown whetherit might be as cognizant of others who carry only asmall portion of Dilisnya blood.

Even when used by one of Dilisnya blood, thespoon has a unique flaw unknown in other ex-amples of this type of item. If used in food or drinkthat has been poisoned by someone who has astrong emotional attachment to the imbiber —

whether that emotion is love, hate, jealousy, orsome other — the spoon cannot detect the poison.The spoon functions normally if the one with theemotional attachment has hired or tricked anotherperson into poisoning the food or drink, but not ifhe or she herself administers the poison.

Moderate conjuration; CL 7th; Craft Won-drous Item, detect poison, heat metal, poison; Price74,800 gp.

Danzig’s Icon of Ezra(Minor Artifact)

This beautifully painted ivory curio was cre-ated by Seigfreid Danzig, a Levkarest artist andworshipper of Ezra. It consists of three panels, twosmaller ones attached with hinges on the left andright sides of the larger (15-inch-tall) central panel.The left panel shows Ezra as a young girl, bringingjoy to her parents in their simple cottage home.The central panel shows scenes of Ezra caring forthe sick and wounded, protecting peasants from aviciously fanged vampire while preaching to anadoring crowd. The right panel shows Ezra ascend-ing into the Mists, with vampires, werewolves anddemons retreating from the righteous glow of hersilver sword. The smaller panels fold over the largerone and can be fastened into this closed position bya silver clasp that resembles Ezra’s sword and shield.

Danzig is known to have created at least twentysuch “icons,” and each was different from the onebefore. The icon owned by the Boritsi family waspurchased by Klaus Boritsi because he found thepicture of Ezra as a child to be remarkably similar inappearance to his beautiful eight-year-old daugh-ter Ivana. It was Klaus’s last gift to Ivana before hisdeath, and it has stood on the bedside table inIvana’s private chambers ever since. In fact, up-stairs maids at the Boritsi manor have said that theyoccasionally find their mistress praying before theicon when summoned to assist her in dressing inthe morning. Those with sharper tongues than witshave been heard to say that Ezra most certainlydoes not want her attention drawn to Lady Ivana’sbedchamber, for ill things occur there — anyonesave the lady herself who spends the night thereemerges either dead or utterly transformed.

It is unknown whether all of Danzig’s iconshave mystical powers (see below), or just the onepurchased by Klaus Boritsi. Most of Danzig’s cre-ations have been destroyed over the years — somein shipwrecks, some in paka raids along the MusardeRiver and others in fires or other disasters. Eleven

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The Boritsi Family

are known to have been destroyed or irrevocablylost, and the whereabouts of the rest are unknown.Any sect of Ezra would pay handsomely for thereturn of even one of the icons, not because theyhave any notion of their magical power but becauseof their great beauty and sanctity. Ezran clericshave approached Ivana Boritsi to inquire about theicon her father purchased from Danzig, but she hasdenied still having it in her possession. Not eventhe Bastion of Ezra dares to openly doubt LadyIvana’s word.

The icon had already been in Ivana’s posses-sion for ten years when she first became aware of itsproperties. That fateful night, she prayed before it,hoping Ezra might help her secure the love of thebeautiful poet Pieter, who had captured her heart.As she prayed, the painted scenes changed beforeher eyes. The left panel showed an image of her firstmeeting with Pieter. The middle panel showed herplaying a harp while he stood next to her with ajoyous expression on his face. The right panelshowed Ivana embracing and kissing Pieter, hermother looking on with a broad smile. The girl wasof course elated, for she thought Ezra was showingher that not only would her love for Pieter growinto marriage, but that the obvious dislike hermother showed for him would also be overcome. Intime, as the icon showed, Ivana and Pieter’s lovedblossomed, but only a few months later, Ivanarealized that the last scene had not been one ofmarriage but a revelation about how she would killPieter with a poisoned kiss after (from her perspec-tive) he seduced her mother.

In the decades since, the icon has grantedIvana several more visions, some of which havestirred her heart with false hope of love similar tothe first one, but mostly ones that warned her aboutimpending danger so she could avoid it. One of themost important visions warned her about an at-tempt on her life by her cousin Ivan; the attemptmight well have been successful if she hadn’t beenable to turn it back on him. Another significantvision showed her that dust from the mysteriousdeathstone in Misericordia’s wine cellar was theingredient that had been missing from her concoc-tion to transform men and women into her loyalservants, the ermordenungs.

The simple truth is that a powerful divinatoryentity — whether Ezra or some other — can beaccessed through the icon, since Ivana’s prayers toit are sometimes answered with visions of past,present and/or future.

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Danzig’s Icon of Ezra: This artifact grantsaccurate visions drawn from the past, present andfuture of one who pray to Ezra in front of it.However, since these images are static representa-tions, they are open to interpretation. For instance,Ivana’s initial assumption that the icon had shownher a happy union between herself and Pieter (asopposed to her later understanding after she hadkilled him with a poisoned kiss) is a perfect ex-ample of how the icon’s “messages” might bemisinterpreted.

When a solitary character (i.e., one who isalone and out of earshot of any other creature)prays to Ezra before the icon seeking any sort ofassistance or guidance, the DM should roll 2d10. Ifthe result is 15 or greater, the character must makea DC 15 Will save. If this save is successful, thecharacter receives a vision of three images culledfrom her past, present and/or future; these imagesappear upon the icon’s panels and are in somemeaningful way related to her prayers. Note thatthe new images are figments visible only to thepraying character, and that anyone else enteringthe room sees only the icon’s usual imagery. (Natu-rally, if the DM wishes to use the icon to provide ahint for the party or to place a covert lead towardtheir next adventure, a lone PC praying or evenmerely genuflecting before the icon might auto-matically receive a vision.)

The icon reveals only situations or facts thatrelate directly to the praying character. The DMshould describe the scenes neutrally, but withenough detail that the player can recognize charac-ters, locations, or events featured in it. The meaningof the images — particularly those that portray thefuture — should be left entirely up to the interpre-tation of the one who sees the vision. The icon’srevelations always have some connection to thematter or difficulty prayed about, but its visions arealways centered on the supplicant.

For example, if a PC’s prayer is related to hisfamily in a faraway domain, one of the icon’simages may be of him embracing his loved ones intravel-stained clothes, looking several years older.From this, the PC may be reassured that he willmake it home some day. However, the secondpanel might show the PC, as he appears now,standing before an unknown castle; presently, hehas no idea what the castle image means. Are hisloved ones held captive there? Does the personwho lives there have the secret to sending him backto the land he came from? Will he someday become

a lord and invite his family to live in his castle? Theimage is completely open to interpretation.

Note that a prayer along the lines of “Pleasereveal where Strahd sleeps during the day” neverresults in a response if the DM has no plans ofsending the party against Strahd. If the vampirelord plays some part in the ongoing storyline,however, the icon may well reveal the informationthe PC desires — although, at the DM’s discretion,it may provide only partial, vague, or cryptic cluesregarding darklords and similarly powerful beings.

Danzig’s Icon of Ezra radiates magic only whenit displays its visions to a supplicant. At any othertime, it seems a lovely but nonmagical object.

Strong divination (but only when function-ing); CL 17th; Weight 2 lb.

Deathstone (Major Artifact)In the farthest, darkest corner of what is now

Misericordia’s vast wine cellar sits a large block ofblack stone. No records exist of how the stone cameto be there, but it resided in that place for manygenerations. This roughly cubic stone, approxi-mately 3 feet in each dimension, is covered withcurious pictographs. Learned men who were al-lowed to inspect it before Lady Ivana came topower claim these characters bear a distinct resem-blance to the script used in the faraway desert realmof Har-Akir. The symbols are different enough thatthe scholars can’t be certain, however, for there isonly one (which appears repeatedly on the stone)that seems identical in both forms of writing — theHar-Akiri symbol for “death.” The last scholar toseek to examine the stone was Rudolph van Richten,who was turned away by order of Ivana herselfwhile he was researching his Guide to the AncientDead.

During the Grand Conjunction, cracks formedall over the stone and a dim light seemed to shinefrom the largest of them. The sounds of anguishedhowling and angry screams could also be heard inthe cellar, coming from the direction of theDeathstone. As the cracks in the stone grew larger,the cries grew louder. Lady Ivana was alerted tothese alarming developments, but her response wasmerely to order the servants to lock the wine cellarand not to enter it until she gave them permission.

However, one of the menservants claimed thatthe voices had been shouting a message and felt itimportant that Ivana know immediately; he burstinto the sitting room where she was comforting herhysterical cousin Ivan Dilisnya, who had fled to her

21

The Boritsi Family

manor house when the ground started shaking andthe stars swirled in the sky. She rebuked the servant,saying that his “matter of importance” would have towait. When the world returned to normal and Ivanreturned to his own estate, however, Ivan killed himso that no one would tell the world of his cowardice.Whatever the servant had heard in the stone’s voicesremains a secret.

The Deathstone is one of Ivana Boritsi’s mostprized possessions and one of her most closelyguarded secrets. Ground-up shards from theDeathstone are the most important ingredient inthe potion that creates her loyal servants, theermordenung. Further, shards chipped of the stonecan be fashioned into magical weapons. Over theyears, Ivana has given several of these dagger-shards to those ermordenung she sends against herworst enemies or against those upon whom shewishes to inflict the greatest pain. Lady Ivana hasfound over time that any damage to the Deathstonecaused by the creation of her so-called Deathstonedaggers is magically repaired once the weapon claimsa life. The damage caused in scraping material forErmordenung potions remains on the stone, how-ever, so a number of irregular grooves exist alongthe Deathstone’s top edges.

Deathstone: The Deathstone is a minor arti-fact that effectively turns Misericordia’s wine cellarinto a rank 4 sinkhole of evil and the rest of thestructure into a rank 3 sinkhole (see “Sinkholes ofEvil” in Ravenloft Dungeon Master’s Guide).This artifact was created millennia ago on theworld that spawned the domains of Sebua and Har-Akir, although in an age that predates eitherdomain. A powerful sorcerer whose civilizationwas troubled by the undead decided to create areceptacle that would forever keep the dark souls ofmalefactors imprisoned, so that they could not riseagain to plague the living. The stone was created tohold up to 1,999 souls, at which point the sorcererhoped a descendant would bury it in the middle ofa pyramid and start a new Deathstone. Unfortu-nately, his civilization fell and the stone’s purposewas lost as the great city it resided in crumbled tothe sand. Explorers discovered it and, recognizingit as a powerful magic item of unknown purpose,brought it back to their homeland, where it even-tually fell into the possession of the Boritsi.

Ground-up shards from the Deathstone are themost important ingredient in the potion that cre-ates her loyal servants, the Ermordenung. Further,sufficiently large shards chipped from the Deathstone

can be fashioned into weapons known as Deathstonedaggers. Each of these weapons is the equivalent ofa +1 unholy dagger with a minor aura of necroman-tic magic; however, the dagger crumbles as soon asit successfully hits a living creature. As it crumbles,particles of the Deathstone enter the victim’s blood-stream, and the victim must immediately make aDC 20 Fortitude save. If the save fails, the victimsuffers 1 temporary negative level. Each roundthereafter, he must make another DC 20 Fortitudesave or suffer another negative level. This effectends only once the victim is reduced to level 0 (anddies) or once he receives a remove curse spell froma caster of 9th level or higher.

The soul of any person killed by a Deathstonedagger (see below) is trapped within the Deathstone,although it can still be reclaimed normally throughthe use of resurrection or similarly powerful magic(raise dead is not sufficient to draw a soul back fromthe stone). Anyone slain while in direct contactwith the Deathstone, though, has his soul drawninto it as if the stone were the gem normally usedin a soul bind spell.

The Deathstone currently houses 1,903 souls,and thus has room for 96 more. Should a 2,000thsoul ever be trapped within the Deathstone, itshatters and every soul inside is released as a spectrethat immediately seeks to slay any living being itencounters.

The stone has a hardness of 10 and 1,999 hitpoints. It requires at least 6 points of damage to thestone to break off a piece large enough to form aDeathstone dagger (thus, including the stone’s hard-ness, a blow dealing 16 points or more is required).

Story HookSeventeen-year-old Lollar Boritsi (male human,

Ari1/Clr1 (Ezra), NG) is the youngest son of AntonBoritsi and a recently ordained anchorite of Ezra. Hisdevotion to Ezra borders on fanaticism, and nothingoffends him more than a comment upon how hisseemingly ageless aunt Ivana resembles Ezra herself(which is not an uncommon observation). Lollarhates his aunt with a passion, particularly for herreputation as a cruel seductress and for the hard-hearted way she rules Borca. He doesn’t believe sheis the murderess that the worst of the gossip purports,but he does consider her corrupt and wanton.

Recently, Lollar found out that she does indeedkeep the famous Boritsi Danzig’s Icon of Ezra (q.v.) inher bedchamber, and he is thoroughly disgusted bythat fact. It turns his stomach to consider that his

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blessed goddess may witness the acts of perversionthat he is convinced must take place behind theclosed doors of her private chambers. To that end, heapproaches one or more of the PCs, choosing tospeak with any anchorites in the group first.

Lollar wants the characters to help him stealDanzig’s icon from Lady Ivana and transport it tothe Grand Cathedral in Levkarest. Ivana is to beholding a large party at Misericordia later thatweek, and Lollar will be in attendance. If one of thePCs is a female, he suggests that she come as hisguest. Then, once the party is in full swing, she canfurtively admit the rest of the group to the house,where they are to obtain the icon at all costs.Because it is located in Ivana’s bedroom, they willhave to move fairly early in the evening, because hehas no doubt that his aunt will be entertaining oneor more men in the bedchamber later. His disgustis clear, and his eyes gleam with fanatical zeal whenhe talks about how he wishes to remove the “HolyGoddess” from his aunt’s foul presence.

If the characters are wealthy and well con-nected, they might all be able to attend Lady Ivana’sparty. In that case, any male PC with a Charisma of15 or higher has a chance to attract Ivana’s attentionduring the ball (DM’s discretion). Similarly, if afemale PC with a Charisma of 16 or better is withLollar, she might draw Ivana’s jealous eye. In eithercase, Ivana singles out the PC for individual atten-tion, initially engaging in simple, vapid party chatter,but eventually drifting into flirtation (if the PC ismale), or veiled threats and blandishments to begone from Borca, perhaps even before the nextsunrise (if female). If no PC is present to distractIvana, Lollar gives the PCs directions to herbedchamber just before they sneak into the houseand then engages his aunt in conversation until hethinks the PCs have had enough time to escape withthe icon. (Of course, she is cunning and knows of hishatred for her, and may suspect that something isafoot if this becomes necessary.)

Once they’ve escaped safely with the icon, Lollardiscovers that even the Bastion of Levkarest daresnot keep anything stolen from Lady Ivana within theGrand Cathedral: He instructs Lollar to spirit theicon away to Mordent. Lollar again turns to the PCsto ask for their help and protection. By now, how-ever, Ivana has noticed that her prized icon is missing,and the borders to her domain are sealed.

What might the PCs do from here?

23

The d’Honaire Family

Chapter Two:Manipulator< of

the Mind

The d’HonaireFamily

Chapter Two:Manipulator< of

the Mind

The d’HonaireFamily

24

Chapter Two: Manipulators of the Mind

Dear Cousin James,Regards from Chateufaux! I have finished the books you sent in your most recent package.

I remain utterly fascinated by the possibilities in these new approaches to the methods of ourvenerated forefather, Germaine. The work that you and your father have done with mesmerism andexploring the true causes of the illnesses that cripple the minds of men and women is astonishing!Wilhelm Mikki and even the honored Dr. Illhousen of Nova Vaasa seem like simple-mindedschoolboys when their theories are placed next to yours.

As much as it saddens me, I understand why you are unable to take me on as a student orassistant at the Mousel Sanitarium. I was not fully aware of the history between the two branchesof our family, and I agree that we do not want to reopen old wounds. (Particularly not since CousinDominic and my father and brother are once again arguing with one another over whether Paulis bringing shame to the family or not.) If you ask me, the only shame that is brought to thed’Honaire family is the way my father and Uncle Claude bow and scrape to Dominic’s every whim.I don’t understand why they allow themselves to be manipulated by him the way they do. Everyopinion they have and every action they take originates with a suggestion or outright commandfrom Dominic, and they seem not even to realize it!

I know that you think I am exaggerating. I am not, however. I have been watching my familyand the political and artistic leaders of Dementlieu for my entire life, although it’s only in the pastyear that I’ve recognized the unnatural influence that Uncle Dominic seems to have over most ofthem. The way he makes his will known is very subtle, but for the observant with the sort of trainingthat I have had, it is clear that he is the one in charge.

And this brings me back to your writings. Can it be that Uncle Dominic is someone usingthe methods you present in your book to twist his family and other political leaders to his will? Heis known to have studied the methods of Germaine d’Honaire, but not those practiced by any otherhypnotist, alienist, or doctor of mental health anywhere in the world.

Until you can present me with a sensible answer to how Uncle Dominic can wield so muchpower from his position in a land where image is everything, I will continue to pursue my ownresearch into the methods laid out in your book. I think that the secrets to it — or, perhaps evenbetter, a way to counteract it — can be found within your methods.

You will be able to reach me care of Dr. Mikki’s asylum, where I continue my studies. I ama bit nervous that Uncle Dominic seems so supportive of my goals even when my parents are soopposed. Of course, I wonder if they truly disagree, or whether it isn’t all just another of Dominic’smanipulations…

Yes, dear Cousin, I realize that last sentence makes me sound as brain-fevered as some of thepatients here at the asylum.

I look forward to reading your next letter, and I wish you and yours good health andhappiness,

Love,

Celeste d’Honaire-Loverde

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The d’Honairehe d’Honaire family is one of the fewleading families in the Core that holdpositions of power, wealth and honor intwo realms, with Dr. James Mousel be-ing the foremost member of the Mordent

branch and Dominic d’Honaire being the mostinfluential among the Dementlieu branch.

The d’Honaire family has long held a promi-nent yet unique position in Mordent. Forgenerations, the family had a reputation as skilledhealers. Nobility and peasantry with ailments bothsought them out before any other doctors or heal-ers. However, the family consistently shied awayfrom seeking political power, despite many oppor-tunities for sons and daughters to marry intoMordentish noble families, instead existing in asocial layer of their own, somewhere between thoseof the nobles and the commoners. They lived likenobles, though, due to financial considerationsand fees charged to the wealthy (particularly afterthe lands of Richemulot and Borca were discoveredby Mordentish explorers). They constructed a largemansion on the edge of Mordentshire, which hascome to be thought of as the family’s ancestralhome.

With the ascension of Germaine d’Honaire tothe position of leadership in the family toward thelatter half of the seventh century, the reputation ofthe d’Honaires grew to cover the entire Core.While the family had previously focused on physi-cal ailments, Germaine turned his attentionprimarily to the troubles of the mind and eventu-ally became recognized as the greatest mesmeristthe world has ever known. As the recognition ofthe d’Honaire family grew, so did Germaine’s am-bitions. He was not content with the centuries-longposition between lords and underlings that thefamily had held. He encouraged his two eldestchildren, Bernadette and Claude, to focus mostlyon studying the refined arts that personified nobil-ity while forcing only his youngest son Maurice tofocus entirely on medicine and mesmerism so thatthe family traditions would be kept alive. ToGermaine’s frustration, however, Bernadette tooknaturally to the healing arts, despite it being some-thing she merely dabbled in, while Maurice lackedthe empathy or degree of talent to be even amediocre physician.

The split in the d’Honaire family occurredwhen Bernadette fell in love with Hugues Mousel,

a mystic of mixed Richemuleuse and Vistani bloodwho was equally smitten with Bernadette on theirvery first meeting. They married, quite againstGermaine’s will, in 698 BC, ending the mesmerist’sdreams of uniting his family with that of theWeathermays through marriage and thus enjoyingtheir noble status. Germaine and Bernadette neverspoke with each other again, though she continuedto hold great love for her father. The anger he felttoward her also poisoned her brothers against herand her husband. The newlyweds traveled southand settled in a tiny hamlet on the border withValachan, where Bernadette remained until herfather’s death in 707.

While in the southern part of Mordent,Bernadette rediscovered a part of her family’s heri-tage that had been lost for centuries; she madecontact with witches of Hala who tended to themedical needs of poor farmers on both sides of theborder. While Bernadette never had the religiousconviction to be admitted into the deeper secretsinvolved in Hala’s worship, she brought a moremodern and scientific view to the covens operatingin southern Mordent, mostly shedding light uponthe way the mind sometimes impacts upon physicalproblems, and vice versa.

When Bernadette’s brothers abandoned Mor-dent and moved with their families to Dementlieufollowing Germaine’s death, she returned toMordentshire and took up residence in thed’Honaire mansion and continued her father’smesmerism work. To her relief, her brothers seemedmuch too occupied with establishing themselves intheir new homeland to object. As a result,Bernadette’s children followed in her footsteps,with her son François becoming an accomplishedalienist and her daughter Madeleine returning tothe southern moors and rejoining the Hala witchesto serve the locals there as a healer. In 720 BC,Bernadette gave the d’Honaire mansion to her son,and he converted it into the Mousel Sanitarium forMental Health, bringing together the methodspracticed by his grandfather and his mother inorder to provide more humane treatment for thosesuffering from mental disorders.

In the north, Bernadette’s brothers, Claudeand Maurice, devoted themselves to bringing abouttheir father’s dream of elevating the d’Honairesfrom the status of privileged servants to masters.When the d’Honaires arrived, the domain ofDementlieu was recovering from a bloody andviolent popular uprising. The d’Honaires put their

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money and support behind the new lord-governor,Marcel Guignol. This, combined with the family’sgreat intelligence and highly polished ways, al-lowed them to overcome the stigma associatedwith their Mordentish origins — the Dementlieuseand the Mordentish people share cultural roots inthe distant past, but the former generally view thelatter as “country bumpkins.”

The d’Honaires’ position in Dementlieu wascemented when Claude accepted a position onMarcel Guignol’s advisory council, and his brotherMaurice established himself as a doctor specializ-ing in curing the (mostly imaginary) ailments ofeffete but wealthy nobles. Claude quickly becameGuignol’s most trusted advisor, and the family wascloser to being the masters of the halls of powerthan ever before. It appeared to Claude that itwould only be a matter of time before he wouldreplace Marcel Guignol as Lord-Governor. Themansion that Claude built for his and his brother’sfamily to share on the shores of Pernault Bay was afurther expression of this desire, for it was both anelaborate example of the finest of Dementlieusearchitecture and a place suitable or state functions.

In truth, Claude’s and Maurice’s families wereaccepted so readily in Dementlieu because thedomain was created for Claude’s thoroughly evil

and manipulative young son, Dominic. (SeeRavenloft Gazetteer Vol. III or Secrets of theDread Realms for details.) As Dominic grew toadulthood, he made all of Dementlieu his play-thing, manipulating people and politics from theshadows so he could always remain free of respon-sibility when things went wrong. He wished tokeep himself and his family next to the thronerather than on it. As such, when it appeared asthough his father Claude had eclipsed Guignol inpopularity with the people of Dementlieu and thathe might replace Guignol as Lord-Governor,Dominic promptly saw to it that Claude fell ill.Dominic, now a young man, was called to replacehis father on the advisory council. Bringing thisabout was the simplest of manipulations, forDominic had long since made all of his olderrelatives in Dementlieu, as well as the Lord-Gov-ernor himself, into his Obedient, mental slaves.

By 730 BC, Dominic was in control of everyimportant figure in his domain — reputations andcareers were made and shattered by Dominic’swhim. Virtually all power and authority wielded byothers was but an illusion. However, Dominicrealized that there were those in his realm that hedid not control, and that these people were some ofthose closest to him. That year, the eldest son of

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Maurice d’Honaire, Paul, ran away from home atthe age of 15 when his parents and uncles insistedthat he study medicine instead of becoming asoldier. He vanished for three years, but eventuallyresurfaced at the d’Honaire estate with a wife, aFalkovnian refugee named Kara. All the d’Honaireswere outraged, and Dominic the most shocked ofall.

Worse (at least in Dominic’s eyes), beforerunning away, Paul had resisted Dominic’s at-tempts to use his mind-altering powers to forcePaul to study medicine, and now that he was back,he still rejected his older cousin’s attempts to usehis powers to get him to dispose of his embarrassingwife. However, Dominic decided to let this onerebel live, correctly thinking that he could at leastpartly control Paul through his wife.

Yet Paul’s inexplicable resistance to Dominic’swill was only the first among the younger genera-tions of the family. In 733 BC, Gerard, the secondson of Dominic’s half-sister Julienne, paid a visit tothe Mordentish relatives. François Mousel’s sani-tarium was gaining in reputation, and Dr. Rudolfvan Richten was becoming increasingly celebratedas a scholar of the monstrous and occult. Gerard,who was about to enter the foremost medicalcollege in Dementlieu, wanted to meet these greatmen in person. While he never got to meet Dr. vanRichten, Gerard was touched by the gentle natureof his great aunt Bernadette and the keen sense ofcompassion that François had for his patients. Therustic charm of his family’s land of origin called tohim to move back to Mordent to study underBernadette and François.

Dominic was livid. Never before had anyonechallenged his intentions for them — Gerard wasto be the next Germaine d’Honaire, as far asDominic was concerned, but he would not attainthat status among the fools in Mordent. Dominicturned his mental powers upon Gerard only to findthat Gerard too seemed to be immune. All at-tempts by Dominic and Gerard’s parents to changehis mind about moving south only made the six-teen-year-old’s resolve stronger. Eventually, anexasperated Dominic ordered a number of hisObedients to kill Gerard; one rebellious nephew hecould accept, but not two. Further, he instructedthem to arrange for the assassination of his auntBernadette, her husband Hugues and son Francois,so that no more of the Dementlieu d’Honaireswould be seduced away to their lands. Francoissurvived the attempt due to the timely interven-

tion of his son James, but Bernadette and Huguesboth died violently just as 733 gave way to 734.

Despite lack of evidence, James remained con-vinced that the assassins had been sent by Mauriced’Honaire, an act of belated revenge over the wayhis grandmother had rebelled against Germaineand her encouragement of her grand-nephew to dothe same. Dominic naturally did nothing to dis-courage this perception, but James’s father Françoisdid. The younger Dr. Mousel nonetheless remainedhostile toward all the Dementlieu d’Honaire rela-tives for the next two decades.

During this time, the Mousel Sanitarium slowlygained a reputation as one of the Core’s best placesto recover from mental breakdowns and illnesses.François corresponded with many leading doctorsand asylum operators while James traveled theCore and spent time studying their methods. Bythe time François retired in 752 BC, the father-and-son team had developed a unique approach totreating mental illnesses, which they referred to as“the analytical method.” James in particular hasbecome a respected figure among alienists andphysicians specializing in illnesses of the mind,even if his theories are often ridiculed by those whoprimarily shape medical thought in the Core — theprofessors of Dementlieu’s universities and schools.James believes that the ridicule from the neighbor-ing medical community can ultimately be traced toClaude and Maurice d’Honaire, and his hatred ofthe two has only grown stronger since the death ofhis grandparents two decades ago.

Virtually no contact has existed between theMordent and Dementlieu branches of the familyfor several decades. James and Dominic have en-gaged in the occasional brief exchange of letters —started by Dominic writing a note of sympathy toJames after a particularly harsh spew of intellectualvenom from a Dementlieuse intellectual. It endedwith James accepting Dominic’s well-wishes andencouraging him to look to the evil of Claude andMaurice if he really wanted to stop the pointlesscharacter assassination engaged in by the intellec-tuals of his land.

However, within the past year, James hasopened more extensive communications with hisyoung niece Celeste d’Honaire-Loverde (see Ap-pendix). The teenage girl has her heart set onentering the medical field and she is particularlyenamored of François’ and James’ theories. LikeGerard d’Honaire twenty years earlier, Celeste hadshown up on the doorstep of her Mordentish rela-

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tives, and she had hoped to study under thoserelatives. James recognized that part of her desirewas spawned by rebellion against her parents andparticularly her uncle Dominic. He gently sug-gested she return to Dementlieu, but helped arrangefor her to study under Dr. Wilhelm Mikki ofChateufaux, one of the few Dementlieuse doctorswilling to take James’ medical theories seriously.He also informed Dominic of Celeste’s restlessnature, hoping that the one man he’d come to viewas an honorable northern relative could help easetensions between the girl and her parents.

Unwittingly, though, James has placed Celesteand other younger members of the d’Honaire fam-ily living in Dementlieu in danger. Paul and Gerardd’Honaire’s inexplicable resistance to Dominic’spowers of domination was only the beginning.Since then, Dominic has found that all the young-est generation of the family seem immune to hiscontrol, and he is particularly frustrated with thosethat openly defy his will, such as Celeste.

Over the past ten years, Dominic has beenfacing an increasing challenge from a crime lordknown as the Brain, and as the Brain’s power hasgrown, so has Dominic’s suspicion of all bloodrelatives that are not under his total control. Hehas always viewed his family as the last line ofdefense against his enemies. Now, he is starting tofear that the younger members may in fact beundergoing a transformation into foes who canstrike at him with impunity. He would rather nothave the up-and-coming d’Honaires murdered —but he will if he comes to the conclusion that theypose too great a threat.

Fortunately for Dominic, some members of hisfamily are planning to remove themselves volun-tarily from the perverse power game played by himand his hidden foe. For example, Julienne’s familywas recently threatened by some of the Brain’sagents. When she came to Dominic begging foradditional protection, he played up the danger andhis inability to do anything about it in the mostmelodramatic of fashions. He offered to secure hersafety in the only way he knew how — to pay for herand her entire family to be relocated to Pont-a-Museau. His terrified niece and her weak-willedhusband accepted the promised refuge even morereadily when Dominic secured an official promiseof protection from Lady Jacqueline Renier herself.Dominic dislikes putting himself in perceived debtto Lady Renier, but he is willing to make this

sacrifice if it denies the Brain access to a potentialweapon against him.

Some of the oldest of Dominic’s own childrenare also thinking about moving their young fami-lies abroad, both because of the Brain and becauseof strained relations with their father. Dominicdoes not attempt to stop them. Celeste is viewed asless of threat by Dominic at the moment, as sheseems to have settled down in Chateufaux whereshe is studying medicine; Dominic would havepreferred her to be a poet, but he is willing tocompromise… for now.

In addition to the two main branches of thed’Honaire family, there is also a “lost branch.” In719 BC, the eighteen-year-old half-sister ofDominic (by Claude d’Honaire’s second wife,Babette Batista), Angelique d’Honaire, married ayoung Lamordian doctor named Bertrand Shroeder.Shroeder had been on his way to visit FrançoisMousel as part of an effort to confirm the validityof mesmerism techniques in treating mental ill-nesses, but when he laid eyes on Angelique heknew his journey had come to an end.

In an echo of his grandfather’s dislike of HuguesMousel, Claude developed a hatred for BertrandShroeder as strong as Bertrand’s love for Angelique.He forbade their marriage, yet the star-struck lov-ers disobeyed him and were secretly married by apriest in Port-a-Lucine. When Claude discoveredthis, he swore to have Bertrand killed and Angeliqueimprisoned — and he placed a bounty on theirheads large enough to make sure it happened.Dominic came to the pair’s rescue at this point,secretly arranging passage for them on a ship boundfor Martira Bay. From there, it would be easy forBertrand and Angelique to reach Ludendorf andBertrand’s home and practice.

The ship, sadly, never reached its destination.The fate of its crew and passengers remains amystery to this day.

Fitting InThe d’Honaires are first and foremost intellec-

tuals. Even those among them who are morecomfortable on the battlefield than in a universitylecture hall or council meeting tend to rely onintelligent strategy and tactics and on psychologi-cal manipulation as opposed to brute force. Thisbent seems to be more nature than nurture, foreven those who are unacknowledged members ofthe family tend to be bookish and manipulative.

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There are two main branches of the d’Honairefamily, as well as a third “lost” branch and thedistinct possibility of unrecognized offspring ofRemy d’Honaire from other domains borderingDementlieu. Fitting PCs (and NPCs for the DM’suse) into the d’Honaire family while remainingconsistent with official Ravenloft material is asimple matter.

The Mordent BranchIn Mordent, Bernadette and Hugues had two

children, François and Madeline, each of whomhas adult children of his or her own.

As well, James Mousel is married to MarieChiraq, and they have two children currently intheir mid- or late teens. James is described in detaillater in the Appendix of this book, but his childrenare left undefined and would make excellent playercharacter material. They are likely to be involvedin the operation of the Mousel Sanitarium, butthey could also be studying or adventuring abroad.

Madeline married Raymonde Bioume, andthey have one child in his or her mid-twenties.This character is also left completely undefined forplayer or DM development, but might serve as away to bring Hala worshippers into a campaign, asMadeline and her husband are both active mem-bers in a coven.

The Dementlieu BranchThe Dementlieu branch of the d’Honaire

bloodline also has plenty of opportunities intowhich player characters or characters created bythe DM might fit.

Claude d’Honaire has four children by hissecond wife, the youngest of whom was born in 740BC, just as the Great Upheaval seized the land.This youngest half-brother of Dominic d’Honaireis now just coming of age. Aside from his genderand his auspicious birthdate, he is left open fordevelopment by individual DMs or gaming groups.Of Claude’s other children, eldest daughterAngelique d’Honaire eloped with BertrandShroeder and has vanished from knowledge. (Herpossible offspring are discussed in the sidebar “TheLost d’Honaires.”) Claude’s youngest daughterJulienne has had three children with BernardLoverde, including the tragically deceased Gerardand the prodigal daughter Celeste (the latter isdetailed in the Appendix); Julienne and Bernard’schildren were born in Dementlieu and are there-fore immune to all hypnosis and mind-affecting

spells and effects while within that domain —meaning they are the object of increasing suspicionfrom their uncle Dominic. Finally, Claude’s eldestchild by his second wife is in his or her early thirtiesand is left for development by DMs and players —he or she may be an adventurer, or perhaps some-one who has children who are about to come intotheir own.

Maurice d’Honaire and his wife Alicia Norbertalso have four children. As described above, theireldest son Paul (born in 715 BC) has long beenalienated from the rest of family — he married aFalkovnian refugee despite the objections of par-ents and uncles. Paul resides in Chateufaux withwife Kara and two children, both of whom areunder the age of 10. Maurice and Alicia’s secondson, Remy, was born in 723 BC; he is a spiritedwanderer and incurable ladies’ man who invariably“loves them and leaves them.” He is the father ofseveral illegitimate children in Dementlieu, Mor-dent, Richemulot and Lamordia, any one of whommight make a suitable player character. The re-maining two children of Maurice and Alicia are intheir mid- to late-teens and are left open for devel-opment. All these children — except possibly theillegitimate offspring of Remy d’Honaire — wereborn within the borders of Dementlieu, and arethus immune to all hypnosis and mind-affectingspells and effects in that domain.

There are also the children of Dominicd’Honaire himself. He has four children by his firstwife, presently ranging from their mid-twenties toearly thirties. Of all his relatives, Dominic is mostsuspicious of his own children, as they are impervi-ous to his mind-bending powers, and they have allbeen nearly as rebellious as Paul d’Honaire. OnlyDominic II (born in 722 BC) has a close relation-ship with his father, with the others are estrangedto varying degrees. Some still live at the d’Honaireestate, while others have moved away. These directdescendants of the darklord and any spouses orchildren they may have are left undefined so thatthey may be used as player characters or NPCs whoare among the closest possible blood-relations to adarklord; as well, some of Dominic’s oldest chil-dren may have a child or children of their own intheir mid- or even late teens who may be suitablefor development as characters.

Dominic II is unmarried, but shares his bed inthe d’Honaire mansion with one mistress whilemaintaining two others in lavish homes in Port-a-Lucine. He has at least one child by each woman,

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The Lost d’HonairesWhat happened to Angelique d’Honaire and

Bertrand Shroeder? That’s ultimately left up to theindividual DM to decide, but here are a couple ofpossibilities:

Dominic’s Jealousy: Darklord Dominic d’Honairewas insanely jealous of his brilliant half-sister and thehandsome doctor who had won her heart. It was hewho filled Claude d’Honaire’s mind with a burninghatred for Shroeder, hoping that it would drive theLamordian south to Mordent. When the couple wentahead and married in secret, Dominic decided theyhad to die. The darklord’s Obedients commanded theship he arranged passage on, and they murdered thelovers shortly after the ship left port. The evil of thisact, however, caused the Mists to engulf the vessel, andthe ghost of an anguished Angelique now haunts it.The crew has long since perished (many at her hand),and now the ship drifts aimlessly, Mistbound.

No travelers who have found the ship have sur-vived Angelique’s wrath, for few have been able toanswer the two questions that consume her to hersatisfaction: Why were my love and I murdered? Andwhy am I not with him in the afterlife? Those who didanswer her questions failed to convince her of eithertheir correctness or their sincerity, or they simply did

not have the skills needed to complete a task shedemanded of them — to bring the bodies of her and herlove to Dementlieu so that her beloved brother Dominiccan give them a proper funeral. (Of course, if PCs takeon this task, the ghost of Angelique may come torecognize that Dominic was the one to blame for herdemise once she is brought into close proximity withhim. The PCs may then be in the odd position of havingto defend a darklord against a vengeful spirit — orperhaps the spirit from the darklord.)

Dominic’s Compassion: Dominic was acting in arare, almost unique moment of compassion. In one oftheir many inscrutable moments, however, the Mistsrose from the Sea of Sorrows just as the ship was cominginto view of Ludendorf’s port. As they parted again, theproud sailing ship smashed into the jagged rocks southof Armeikos, on the island of Liffe. Most of the ship’screw and passengers perished, but miraculously bothAngelique and Bertrand (or perhaps just Angelique)survived. It became apparent that travel from the eter-nally Mistbound island was impossible, so they eventuallysettled in with the local population.

Bertrand and Angelique have established themselvesas the island’s foremost doctors, but as visitors to the islandhave increased in recent years, Angelique has been long-ing to reestablish contact with her family — and to see ifher father is willing to forgive her “betrayal.”

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and his offspring are also in their mid- to late teens,making perfect potential player characters. LikeDominic II and his siblings, these children were allborn in Dementlieu, and are therefore immune toall hypnosis and mind-affecting spells and effectswhile within that domain.

Finally, Dominic’s eldest child by his secondwife was born in 734 BC and is in his mid-twenties.He too is left for DMs or players to develop.(Dominic recently had another child by his secondwife — a son. This “autumn child” is the darling ofall the d’Honaires who live at the family estate.)

Claiming MembershipD’Honaires tend to be slightly shorter than

average, with slim, athletic builds when young thattend to swiftly grow plump as they enter theirmiddle years. Hair colors often range from deepauburn to strawberry-blonde, and skin tone is usu-ally pale with smatterings of freckles. The exceptionsto this rule are the descendants of Bernadette andHugues, who tend to have lightly olive skin anddark brown hair. Eye color tends to be pale blue orgreen, although a fair number of the family are bornwith mist-gray eyes. These pale eye colors can bestartling, particularly when set in the darker-skinnedfaces of the Mordent branch.

• D’Honaires born within Dementlieu areimmune to the effects of the Hypnosis skill, mind-effecting magic, mind-effecting spell-like effectsand mind-effecting drugs (other than intoxicants)so long as they are within that domain’s borders.They lose this immunity when outside Dementlieu,but it returns as soon as they reenter the domain.

D’Honaire Family Traits• –2 Constitution: The d’Honaires are gener-

ally somewhat more frail than other humans andtend to be sickly.

• Natural Aptitude: At 1st level (duringcharacter creation), the player may choose a spe-cific Knowledge skill. That skill is thereafterconsidered a class skill for that character, regardlessof his or her actual class(es).

• D’Honaires receive a +2 bonus on all Healand Hypnosis checks.

• D’Honaires born within Dementlieu areimmune to the effects of the Hypnosis skill and toall mind-affecting spells or effects, including drugs(but not the intoxicating effects of alcohol) as longas they remain within that domain’s borders. They

lose this immunity when outside Dementlieu, butit returns as soon as they reenter the domain.

Family Featslthough the two branches of thed’Honaire family might deny it, theyhave a great deal in common. Whetherin Mordent or Dementlieu, they tend tobe bookish and scholarly. They also

have a natural aptitude for academics, particularlythe study of medicine and other healing arts. Ad-mittedly, this latter penchant has been largelyignored in the generations since Germained’Honaire, who turned to mesmerism.

A negative trait that runs in the family is atendency toward sociopathy, which has grownstronger in recent generations — and which isundoubtedly to blame for so many of them notheeding the natural call they feel toward medicine.

Aside from the new feats presented below,d’Honaire family members typically possess one ormore of the following feats: Diligent, Iron Will,KnowledgeableH, LibraryH, LiteracyH, LogicalMindV, MesmerizingC, Negotiator, Open MindR,RedheadR, Sharp Wit*, Skill Focus (Gather Infor-mation), Skill Focus (Healing), Skill Focus (SenseMotive).

New FeatsThe following feats are particularly suited to

members of the d’Honaire family. DMs may con-sider allowing others to gain them if they so wish.

Cold-Hearted [General]Your sociopathic tendencies that make you

dispassionate; as a result, the Dark Powers that sooften rise up to touch those who commit crimes ofpassion are less likely to notice you.

Benefit: Whenever an action you have takenrequires a powers check, the chance of failing thecheck is reduced by 2%, with a modified result of0% or less being treated as “This act does notwarrant a powers check.”

Special: You cannot take this feat if you al-ready have the Warm-Hearted feat.

Healing Spirit [General]Whether by some supernatural means or

through the force of your own compassion andhuman warmth, you are able to speed the recoveryof injuries with but a touch of your hand.

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Prerequisite: Ability to cast cure light wounds,Warm-Hearted.

Benefit: You do not require a divine focus tocast any cure spell.

Soothing Presence [General]You have an air about you that calms even the

most savage spirits.Benefit: You receive a +2 bonus on all Diplo-

macy checks and Handle Animal checks.

Warm-Hearted [General]Your deep compassion for others manifests

itself in the gentle way you approach those you tryto help, whether you treat injuries of the body orthe mind.

Benefit: You receive a +2 bonus on all Healchecks and Hypnosis checks.

Special: You cannot take this feat if you al-ready have the Cold-Hearted feat.

Willbreaker [General]You have a gift for forcing your will upon

others.Benefit: You receive a +2 bonus on all Hypno-

sis checks and Intimidate checks.

Family Classes’Honaires come from a tradition of in-tellectualism and public service, existingto support the rulers of the domains theylive in rather than being the rulers them-selves. Many of them have levels in the

aristocrat and expert classes, with skill ranks con-centrated around Bluff, Diplomacy, Heal, Hypnosis,Knowledge and Perform, as they tend to gravitatetoward medical, scholarly, artistic, or political pur-suits.

Adventuring d’Honaires lean toward the bardand rogue classes. A rare few become clerics in theservice of Hala, finding the dedication to one’scommunity an appealing aspect of the faith. Trulyexceptional d’Honaires may pursue prestige classlevels in analyst (see below), dilettanteH,lamplighterG3, mesmeristC and/or propagandistC.

AnalystThe analyst is intellectual cousin to the alien-

ist and the mesmerist, although analysts generallyclaim to be grounded more in “real science” thaneither of the aforementioned professions. The ana-

lyst treats mental illnesses by carefully interview-ing the patient to identify possible anomalies in thepatient’s attitudes and mental states.

The analyst’s methods for treating insanitywere formulated through correspondence betweenFrançois Mousel and doctors and administrators atseveral of the Core’s leading asylums and sanitari-ums. James Mousel, whose reputation as a mesmeristis second only to that of his grandfather, Germained’Honaire, brought these methods from theory topractice. Mousel took his father’s and grandfather’stheories, expanded upon them at the Mousel Sani-tarium and established the unique derivative as theprimary method of treatment the very week hetook over following his father’s semi-retirement in751 BC. François continues to work at the sani-tarium, although most of his time is spent writingbooks and tracts in collaboration with his son,trying to spread the word about the treatmentmethods they co-developed.

The analyst prestige class expresses the powerof Mousel’s treatment method in game mechanics.Like any weapon, it is only as good or evil as itswielder, and thus the class reflects both the goodand evil that the analytical method can do. It alsobrings into play mystical qualities that even Mouselhimself has not yet discovered, although he isstarting to suspect they exist as he deepens andexpands his preliminary research.

Hit Die: d4.

RequirementsTo qualify for the analyst (Anl) prestige class,

a character must meet the following criteria.Skills: Diplomacy 5 ranks, Gather Informa-

tion 8 ranks, Heal 5 ranks, Hypnosis 8 ranks, SenseMotive 8 ranks.

Feats: Investigator, Negotiator, Soothing Pres-ence*.

Class SkillsThe analyst’s class skills (and the key ability

for each) are Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Diplomacy(Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Heal (Wis),HypnosisR (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge(arcana) (Int), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowl-edge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nobility and royalty)(Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Listen (Wis),Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis),Spot (Wis).

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

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Class FeaturesThe following are class features of the analyst

prestige class.Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The analyst

gains no additional weapon or armor proficiencies.Bonus Feat: At 1st level, and again at 4th, 7th

and 10th levels, the analyst receives a bonus featfrom the following list: Diligent, IndomitableV,Iron Will, KnowledgeableH, LibraryH, LiteracyH,Logical MindV, MachiavellianC, MesmerizingC,Open Mind*, Sharp Eyes*, Sharp Wit*, Skill Fo-cus (Bluff), Skill Focus (Diplomacy), Skill Focus(Gather Information), Skill Focus (Hypnosis),Voice of WrathR, WealthH, Willbreaker*.

The analyst must meet any prerequisites be-fore a feat can be chosen.

Likable (Ex): Starting at 1st level, theanalyst’s training allows him to project anaffable demeanor at all times: He gains a +2bonus on all Diplomacy checks and GatherInformation checks.

Mindshadows (Ex): Starting at2nd level, using careful observationaland linguistic techniques, the ana-lyst can identify things that frightenor disturb another individual witha successful DC 15 Gather Infor-mation check. This requires 1 fullminute, during which time theanalyst must speak with a subjectwho can hear him. Then, by speak-ing with the subject for at least 1hour each day for one full week, theanalyst may cause the subject to make aDC 15 Wisdom check. If the check issuccessful, the subject gains a perma-nent +2 bonus or –2 penalty (dependingon the analyst’s stated intention) to allfear checks against the stated source offear. The ability can be used only once persource of fear on any given subject. Onlyanother use of this ability or a wish orsimilarly powerful effect can negate thisbonus or penalty.

Using this ability to impose a penaltyon fear saves is grounds for a powerscheck (2%, or higher if the DMdecides other factors are involvedthat might attract the attentionof the Dark Powers).

Trusted Friend (Ex): At 3rd level, the analystcan forge a bond of trust with a subject. After 1 hourof conversation, the analyst may make a DC 15Bluff check; if successful, the analyst places thetarget under an effect similar to that of the spellcharm person, save that it has no maximum dura-tion. Further, this effect, being an extraordinaryability, is not negated by dispel magic or similareffects.

While a subject is under the sway of the trustedfriend ability, any powers checks triggered by ac-tions the analyst takes in relation to the subject areincreased by 2%.

Insightful (Ex): At 4th level, the analyst’sability to predict behavioral responsesto linguistic triggers increases: He gainsa +2 bonus on all Bluff checks andSense Motive checks made againstany creature with whom he canconverse.

Shadow Terrors (Ex): At5th level, the analyst may delve

deep into the minds of those whosetrust he has gained (whether through

simple friendship, the use of the trustedfriend ability, or some other means). By

speaking with a subject for at least 1 houreach day for one full week, the analyst maycause the subject to make a DC 16 Wisdomcheck. If the check is successful, the subjectthereafter gains a permanent +2 bonus or –2 penalty (depending on the analyst’sstated intention) to all horror saves. Onlyanother use of this ability or a wish orsimilarly powerful effect can negate thisbonus or penalty.

Using this ability to impose a pen-alty on horror saves is grounds for a powerscheck (3%, or higher if the DM decidesother factors are involved that might at-tract the attention of the Dark Powers).

Spellcasting: Starting at 5th level,the analyst has studied so many obscureand arcane texts dealing with matters ofthe psyche and the spirit that he has

gained the ability to cast a num-ber of arcane spells. To cast

a spell, an analyst musthave a Charisma scoreof at least 10 + the spell’slevel, so an analyst with

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a Charisma of 10 or lower cannot cast these spells.Analyst bonus spells are based on Charisma, andsaving throws against these spells have a DC of 10+ spell level + the analyst’s Charisma bonus. Theanalyst’s spell list appears below. An analyst castsspells just as a sorcerer does.

Upon reaching 7th level, at again at 9th, ananalyst can choose to learn a new spell in place ofone he already knows. The new spell’s level must bethe same as that of the spell being exchanged, andit must be at least one level lower than the highest-level analyst spell the analyst can cast. An analystmay swap only a single spell at any given level, andmust choose whether or not to swap the spell at thesame time that he gains new spells known for thatlevel

Discern Nature (Ex): At 6th level, usingcareful observational and linguistic techniques,the analyst can determine a subject’s alignmentwith a successful Gather Information check op-posed to the subject’s Will save. This requires 1 fullminute, during which time the analyst must speakwith a subject he can see clearly and who can hearhim. The information gained depends on the rela-tive success of the Gather Information check (seebelow).

If the subject has multiple personalities (dueto a failed madness save, for example), the analystreceives information about the alignment of thedominant personality at the time the check ismade.

Superior Technique (Ex): At 7th level, theanalyst knows the workings of the mind so well thathe can attempt to impose his will upon othersthrough subtle manipulation: He gains a +2 bonuson all Hypnosis and Intimidate checks.

Mindbending (Ex): Starting at 8th level, theanalyst can easily find weaknesses in a subject’smental integrity. By speaking with a subject for atleast 1 hour each day for one full week, the analystmay cause the subject to make a DC 18 Wisdomcheck. If the check is successful, the subject there-after gains a permanent +2 bonus or –2 penalty(depending on the analyst’s stated intention) to allmadness saves. Only another use of this ability or awish or similarly powerful effect can negate thisbonus or penalty.

Using this ability to impose a penalty onhorror saves is grounds for a powers check (3%, orhigher if the DM decides other factors are involvedthat might attract the attention of the Dark Pow-ers).

Gazing Into the Abyss (Ex): Starting at 9thlevel, the analyst is able to pick his way througheven the deepest and darkest recesses of a subject’smind. If the subject is currently under the influenceof mindshadows, shadow terrors and/ormindbending, the analyst may increase the bonusor penalty to the subject’s fear, horror, or madnesschecks, as specified by the analyst.

By speaking with a subject for at least 1 houreach day for one full week, the analyst may causethe subject to make a DC 20 Wisdom check. If thecheck is successful, the subject thereafter gains apermanent +4 bonus or –4 penalty (depending onthe analyst’s stated intention) to any one of fear,horror, or madness saves. This bonus or penaltyreplaces that already in place as a result of themindshadows, shadow terrors and/or mindbendingability, as applicable. Only another use of thisability or a wish or similarly powerful effect cannegate this bonus or penalty.

This close intimacy with the minds of others,however, threatens to crack the analyst’s ownsanity. Whenever the analyst uses this ability, theanalyst must make a Will save and possibly suffer illeffects as a result of the treatment, as shown on thetable below. (All penalties or effects from failedWill saves made as a result of this ability arecumulative.)

Gather Information Result… Information Gained

Is less than subject’s Will save NoneTies subject’s Will save, or wins by less than 5 Subject’s ethical alignment axis (i.e., lawful, neutral, or chaotic)Beats subject’s Will save by 5 or more Subject’s exact alignment

Will Save Result Effect

6 or less Make an immediate DC 25madness save

7–10 Analyst suffers permanent–1 penalty on all madnesssaves

11–13 Analyst suffers permanent–1 penalty on all horrorsaves

14–15 Analyst suffers permanent–1 penalty on all fear saves

16 or higher No effect

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Mind Harnessing (Su): At 10th level, the analystgains the supernatural ability to shatter or restore thesanity of a subject. By speaking with a subject for at least10 minutes, the analyst may force the subject to make animmediate madness check, with a DC equal to theanalyst’s Bluff check result; if the result of a failedmadness save is a “moderate” madness result or higher(see the “Failure Margin” chart in the in the RavenloftPlayer’s Handbook), the analyst may instead inflict amadness of his choice of one level of severity less than theactual result. For example, if the analyst’s Bluff result is a29 and the subject’s madness save result is only a 13, thenthe analyst may inflict a major madness effect of hischoice.

Alternately, the analyst may use this ability tocure a subject who has failed a previous madnesscheck. Simply by speaking with a subject for at least10 minutes, the analyst may make a Hypnosis check— if his check result beats the DC of the madnesseffect affecting the subject, the subject is immedi-ately cured of her madness as if by a heal spell.

This ability may be used a number of times perday equal to the analyst’s Charisma modifier.

Using this ability to cause madness is groundsfor a powers check (5%, or higher if the DM decides

other factors are involved that might attract theattention of the Dark Powers).

Analyst Spell ListAnalysts choose their spells from the following list.1st Level: Cause fear, charm person, compre-

hend languages, daze, detect magic, doom, hypnotism,message, remove fear.

2nd Level: Calm emotions, daze monster, detectthoughts, eagle’s splendor, lesser confusion, lesser geas,rage, scare.

3rd Level: Charm monster, crushing despair,lesser restoration, modify memory, suggestion, tongues.

Table 2–1: Analyst Spells Known—— Spells Known ——

Level 1st 2nd 3rd

4th — — —5th 2 — —6th 3 — —7th 3 2 —8th 4 3 —9th 4 3 210th 4 4 3

Table 2–2: The AnalystLevel BAB Fort Ref Will Special Spells per Day

Save Save Save 1st 2nd 3rd

1 +0 +0 +0 +2 Bonus feat, likable — — —2 +1 +0 +0 +3 Mindshadows — — —3 +1 +1 +1 +3 Trusted friend — — —4 +2 +1 +1 +4 Bonus feat, insightful — — —5 +2 +1 +1 +4 Shadow terrors, spellcasting 1 — —6 +3 +2 +2 +5 Discern nature 2 — —7 +3 +2 +2 +5 Bonus feat, superior technique 2 1 —8 +4 +2 +2 +6 Mindbending 3 2 —9 +4 +3 +3 +6 Gazing into the abyss 4 2 110 +5 +3 +3 +7 Bonus feat, mind harnessing 4 3 2

Family Magichile the d’Honaires have received manymagic items over the decades from grate-ful and wealthy former patients andcolleagues, only the mesmerist’s pendu-lum is considered a magical family

heirloom. It was last known to be in the possessionof Maurice d’Honaire although he hasn’t used it inyears. In fact, Maurice several years ago gave thependulum to his rebellious daughter Celeste (be-fore she became rebellious, that is).

Mesmerist’s PendulumThis is a small, teardrop-shaped platinum plumb

attached to a delicate three-inch silver chain. It isused to put hypnosis subjects into deep trances byswinging it back and forth in front of them whileurging them to relax and let their minds go blank.

Mesmerist’s Pendulum: When used by a char-acter with at least 1 rank in HypnosisR, the pendulumgrants a +4 enhancement bonus on Hypnosischecks. However, unbeknownst to all, the pendu-

36


lum also carries a mild control put in placeby its compassionate and fair-minded cre-ator: Whenever it is used, both thehypnotist and the subject must make aDC 10 Will save. If the save is failed byeither, that character is treated as if sub-ject to a charm person spell cast by theother character. This effect lasts for 12hours.

This effect can be particularly dam-aging if the pendulum is being used by anevil character who is attempting to usehypnosis to implant suggestions in a vic-tim — while under the influence of thependulum’s charm, for instance, she mayfeel guilty and disburse the entire schemeto her erstwhile victim.

Faint enchantment; CL 3rd; CraftWondrous Item, charm person, hypnotism;Price 800 gp.

Story HooksGhost Ship: One or more PCs are

children of Angelique d’Honaire andBertrand Shroeder (or possibly an illegiti-mate child of Remy d’Honaire who knowsof his or her parentage, if the DM wantsthe “Lost d’Honaires” to remain lost).The characters travel to Dementlieu bysea, carrying a letter of introduction fromtheir mother. En route, they encounter aghost ship manned by a crew sent to theirdeaths through the manipulations ofDominic d’Honaire. The phantoms givethem a choice between fighting or beingplaced under a geas that will not allowthem to travel the sea or any waterwaysagain until they have unmasked and de-feated Dominic d’Honaire’s evil.

The Coven: A d’Honaire relative orfriend living in Mordent receives an ur-gent summons from a small village in thesouth of the domain. When the PCs ar-rive, they learn that Madeline Mouseland members of her Coven have van-ished within one of the abandoned manorhouses in the area. They had gone thereto deal with a ghost that demanded tospeak with a member of the family bloodbefore it could rest, but what has becomeof them only the DM knows….

37

The Silisnya Family

Chapter Three:Spiller< of Blood

The Dili<nyaFamily

Chapter Three:Spiller< of Blood

The Dili<nyaFamily

38

Chapter Three: Spillers of Blood

They say that Borca is the domain of the Dilisnya.Truth be told, we are everywhere: anywhere a knifeflashes in the shadows, anywhere a victim falls with apoisoned crossbow quarrel in his back. Our bloodlineis spread across the realms. We carry the dark flame,we lurk in the night, we watch, we listen… and whenthe time is right, we strike.

It is said that our bloodline is cursed due to ourbetrayal of the great Von Zaroviches, that the poisonwe used to slay Strahd I has crept into our very soulsand transformed us into what we are today — cursedand tainted.

I say this curse is no curse at all. Instead, it has setus free and made us more than what we were before.Shorn of the weaknesses and shortcomings of the past,we Dilisnya are now what we were meant to be —stalkers, hunters, lurkers in shadow, death-dealers.

Though since that night some of our bloodlinewent on to become rulers of Borca and Dorvinia,others balked at the restrictions of nobility and rulership,so they journeyed to other lands where they made theirlivings as spies, thieves and cutthroats for hire. Today,those who have a secret they want stolen or an enemythey want to disappear seek out the Dilisnya. We areeverywhere, but only if you know where to look.

— Zann Dilisnya, prominent Lamordian as-sassin

The Dilisnyaven before the massacre at Sergei VonZarovich’s wedding, the Dilisnya had afell reputation. Intriguers, spies, smug-glers and sellers of secrets, the Dilisnyahad always worked on the fringes of

society, and many thought that their “noble” pedi-gree was obtained only through illicit means. Thisrumor may indeed be true, for there is evidence thatthe household and its titles were bought from thoseprevious, an impoverished family of Baroviannobles, by the members of an upstart criminalfamily.

In the following years, the Dilisnya were ableto earn a small amount of respect, but tales of theirdarker natures persisted. If you needed things done,especially things of an illegal or immoral nature,then you were advised to contact the Dilisnya.

The Von Zaroviches, ever arrogant and proud,rarely took notice of the “upstart nobles,” andnever chose to avail themselves of the Dilisnya’sservices. In time, the Dilisnya grew more and moreresentful at being ignored and undervalued, and adeep hatred of the Von Zaroviches grew in their

already black hearts. Family patriarch Leo Dilisnyaworked with others who disliked the VonZaroviches, and together they hatched a plot tooverthrow Strahd I and seize power. Invited to thewedding of Sergei Von Zarovich, Leo and hisfellow conspirators smuggled in a great number ofweapons and prepared to strike.

Leo’s plans nearly succeeded. The massacre atSergei’s wedding might have wiped out the entireVon Zarovich family and left Barovia in Dilisnyahands had it not been for Strahd Von Zarovich,whose own horrifying betrayal had transformedhim into an undead monster. Claiming to be SturmVon Zarovich and saying that he had missed thewedding only by a stroke of grim luck, Strahd tookthe nation in hand and led a crusade of vengeanceagainst the assassins. The nation’s anger was in-deed terrible — the Dilisnya had supposedly slainthe land’s greatest hero and liberator, and now theconspirators would pay the fullest price imagin-able. The Dilisnya, their allies, their friends andeven their associates were slain or driven intohiding. Leo himself suffered the most — some evenclaim, in dark whispers, that he lives on, trappedsomewhere by “Sturm,” as a tormented undeadthing.

After what has been called by some historians“the Great Reprisal,” the Dilisnya were scattered,having fled to the neighboring realms of Borca andDorvinia. Some fled even farther, settling in dis-tant lands where they once more took up theDilisnya tradition as spies, thieves and hired assas-sins. Soon, the Dilisnya had murdered andblackmailed their way to the Borcan throne underthe leadership of the infamous Camille Dilisnya.An accomplished schemer and poisoner, Camilletook the nobleman Klaus Boritsi as her husband,and together they produced the infamous IvanaBoritsi, who carries the dread legacies of bothparents (see Chapter One).

Meanwhile, Ivana’s cousin Ivan Dilisnya car-ried on the family name (since Ivana is, at least inname, a Boritsi). Forced to flee Borca after murder-ing his sister and her husband and child in a fit ofjealous rage, Ivan was briefly darklord of Dorviniauntil the merging of the two realms. Now he andIvana control the enlarged domain in an uneasypower-sharing arrangement, growing more es-tranged by the day.

The Dilisnya remain scattered across the corerealms, however — save in Barovia where they areofficial enemies of the state and subject to the most

39

The Silisnya Family

severe penalties if ever caught and revealed. Occa-sionally, a Dilisnya may venture into Barovia (eitherby design or by accident), in which case he must actwith enormous caution. While Strahd is not omni-scient in his realm, he is nevertheless aware of mosteverything that goes on. Anyone who suspects thepresence of a Dilisnya interloper is almost certainto report it to the authorities, motivated both byfear of Strahd and by the desire for the rich rewardsthat are said to be offered for capturing one ofStrahd’s ancient enemies.

Outside of Borca, the scions of Dilisnya pursuetheir ancestral calling. Most do not use the familyname publicly, though they are generally aware oftheir heritage and family traditions. They usuallylive under assumed identities, playing the part(often quite successfully) of merchants, shopkeep-ers, laborers, sailors, artisans and even vagrants.Few speak freely of the Dilisnya’s other trade (i.e.,assassination), but a loose network of informers,thugs and rumor-mongers can almost always directa potential client to the right potential “hireling.”A Dilisnya may go for weeks or months under afalse identity before being contacted by a client. Insuch cases, the cover must be perfect and no au-

thorities must suspect a thing. The means of con-cealing a Dilisnya’s true identity have beendeveloped over centuries and are all but impen-etrable. An informal network of Dilisnya agentsand allies helps keep family members safe andundetected.

Other members of the family live relativelyopenly, using the family name or freely admittingto their Dilisnya ancestry. These individuals alsotend to engage in the household traditions ofstealth, espionage and murder, but their criminalidentity remains hidden, while the public personais one of decadence and dissipation. No one usuallysuspects an indulgent, effete, pampered fop of be-ing a highly skilled and disciplined criminal, leavingthe Dilisnya free to pursue his or her desired occu-pation.

A Dilisnya player character can be a memberof either of these groups — an outwardly normalcitizen of her chosen realm, or a dissolute, hedonis-tic noble, apparently living only for pleasure, whosecretly pursues a grim life in the shadows. Suchindividuals are generally well versed in the historyof the family, and they know how to seek out andcontact family members in other lands. Adventur-

40


ing is entirely acceptable for these Dilisnya, for inthis fashion they can gain greater riches and alsoobtain knowledge that might aid them in theirsecret pursuits.

A few Dilisnya grow up unaware of their heri-tage and are actually contacted later in life by othermembers of their family, who invite them to followin their ancestors’ footsteps. Still others find outabout distant relationships with the Dilisnya andseek out the family on their own. In such cases, thecharacter must prove his relationship to the Dilisnyaor be rejected, possibly even slain, by the realfamily members.

In Borca, where they share rule with the equallyinfamous Boritsis, the Dilisnya can both live andpractice their trade relatively openly. This is not asgood a thing as it sounds, however, since IvanaBoritsi has little love for or loyalty to the Dilisnyaside of her family. Troublesome Dilisnya are some-times invited to grand feasts or parties — fromwhich the family members in question often fail toreturn. A Dilisnya working openly in Borca shouldbe prepared to acknowledge Ivana’s supremacy, orface serious consequences. They should certainlybe ready to use their particular skills in service toone or both of the darklords.

Worse still, the growing gulf between thecousins may force Borcan Dilisnya to side withIvan against Ivana Boritsi, involving them in apotentially disastrous conflict. This is a formula forvery exciting and violent roleplaying adventures,and the growing hatred between Ivan and Ivanaforges an increasingly difficult dilemma for BorcanDilisnya characters.

Outside of Borca, Dilisnya are relatively freefrom the rivalry in their home kingdom. Theyoperate in a large and informal network, with theDilisnya in one city or province maintaining con-tact with those in neighboring communities, passingmessages and sharing intelligence about contractsand potential clients. Dilisnya player charactersare likely to have a number of contacts among theirlocal community and are expected to aid otherDilisnya scions who ask for their help. The Dilisnyawho live beyond Borca form a vast, violent andsomewhat dysfunctional (yet surprisingly loyal andresourceful) family — one that is well-suited toplayer characters and their exploits.

Fitting InWhen creating a Dilisnya character, it’s im-

portant to make several decisions. Is she aware of

her connection to the family? If so, is she in contactwith other Dilisnya, and has she been taught thehouse’s traditions? What is her public identity —decadent noblewoman, humble shopkeeper, simpleweaver, mad beggar? Or does she work openly,accepting employment as a thief or assassin in somewarren of lawlessness?

The Dilisnya are present all across the DreadRealms, save in Barovia, where they are hated foes.Most Dilisnya live in Borca, where Ivan Dilisnyarules jointly with the matriarch Ivana Boritsi.Though Ivan sees other Dilisnya as potential allies,he nevertheless keeps a close watch on his familymembers, while Ivana grows increasingly convincedof a Dilisnya plan to overthrow or supplant her.Elsewhere, the Dilisnya have adapted to local con-ditions, lending their services to the highest bidderand helping to perpetuate local rivalries and con-flicts.

In Invidia, for example, local Dilisnya aid boththe land’s ruler, Malocchio Aderre, and his foes,the rebels of Castle Hunadora. They have alsotaken contracts there on behalf of the embattledVistani, striking back at Malocchio, stealing hisgold and slaying his minions, while at the sametime dealing with troublesome Vistani onMalocchio’s behalf.

In lands such as Richemulot, the Dilisnya arein their element, playing rival nobles against oneanother, selling and trading information and se-crets, acting as willing (and dangerous) pawns inthe endless games of politics and intrigue. Else-where, in crime-ridden cities such as Port-a-Lucine,the Dilisnya work hand-in-glove with criminalelements, providing information, guidance andeven direct assistance to crime guilds and syndi-cates, smugglers and unscrupulous merchants alike.

Even though most Dilisnya carefully cultivateelaborate and seemingly impenetrable cover iden-tities, no secret in the Dread Realms is evercompletely safe, and a new Dilisnya scion is likelyto inherit a number of enemies along with his new-found occupation and supportive fellow familymembers. This is no minor inconvenience — theDilisnya count among their enemies the mostpowerful and infamous darklord in the dread realms,Strahd Von Zarovich, ruler of Barovia. Despiterelatively calm relations at present between Baroviaand Borca, the Von Zaroviches’ hatred for theDilisnya has scarcely lessened with the passingyears. After all, Dilisnya assassins foully betrayedthe Von Zaroviches’ hospitality and deprived the

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The Silisnya Family

nation of its greatest hero, Strahd I. In the follow-ing days, weeks and months, terror gripped thenation. The Dilisnya and their supporters werebrutally dealt with, but many members of the houseescaped to foreign lands, beyond the reach of VonZarovich vengeance.

Any Dilisnya caught in Barovia are quicklyarrested and interrogated about their intentions inthe realm. These interrogations rarely end well forthe suspect. The lucky ones — those with a mini-mal connection to the hated Dilisnya, or those whocan conclusively prove that their presence inBarovia has an innocent explanation — are simplydeprived of all their belongings and holdings (ifany) and escorted to the nearest frontier, withinstructions never to return. Any subsequent visitsto Barovia by that character invariably end badly.

Of course, the Von Zarovich vendetta is notlimited to Barovia, and Strahd have been known tosend agents after especially successful or conspicu-ous Dilisnya elsewhere. Player characters who drawtoo much attention to themselves may find them-selves forced to deal with Von Zarovich minions —assassins, thugs, or even vampiric followers of Strahdhimself.

Other families and groups hold grudges againstthe Dilisnya as well. There are deadly enemies ofthe Dilisnya among those who have been theirvictims or who have been double-crossed by them,those who don’t feel that the conditions of certaincontracts with them have been met, or those whosimply want revenge for some past atrocity orslight.

Claiming MembershipThe Dilisnya as a whole are a secretive and

cunning group, favoring subtle and manipulativeor stealthy and self-sufficient character classes.The aristocrat and expert classes are commonamong them. While there are some fighters in thefamily who serve as guards and mercenary warriors,most are rogues, sorcerers and wizards. The familyhas never been terribly devout, so clerics amongthem are rare; as might be expected, paladins areordinarily out of the question (although one of thebest-known Dilisnya is a fallen paladin — see theAppendix). Rangers’ tracking and wilderness skillsare sometimes useful, as are the martial and death-dealing abilities of certain monk orders.

A new Dilisnya character is likely to be of evilor at best neutral alignment; Dilisnya are oftenchaotic, and rarely if ever lawful. A good alignment

among the Dilisnya is about as rare as paladinhood,which is to say virtually non-existent.

As previously mentioned, freelance adventur-ing is an entirely acceptable pursuit for Dilisnyafamily members due to the riches and secrets it canbring to the household. A Dilisnya who is part of atraditional adventuring party can bring consider-able advantages in the form of her contacts withother family members and her familiarity with theunderworld. On the other hand, a Dilisnya partymember might offer considerable challenges, notthe least of which is her neutral or evil alignmentand unsavory past. In amoral or evil parties, this isscarcely an issue, but it can cause dissent andeventually even collapse in many if not most par-ties.

Dilisnya Family TraitsScions of the Dilisnya family are almost always

normal humans. (Dilisnya half-elves, half-Vistani,or calibans are always treated as normal charactersof their respective races.) However, if a humanDilisnya character knows of his or her family heri-tage and has been raised under Dilisnya precepts,the usual racial traits for humans are altered slightly,as follows:

• The 4 bonus skill points gained by otherhumans at 1st level can be spent only on Knowl-edge (history) and/or Knowledge (local). However,these skills are always class skills for the Dilisnyacharacter, regardless of his or her class(es).

• Family Bond: By making a successful DC 15Knowledge (history) or Knowledge (local) check,as appropriate, the Dilisnya character can locateother family members at any time and in virtuallyany locale. For example, a Dilisnya trying to find alost cousin whose parents moved to Dementlieumany years ago might be required to make a Knowl-edge (history) check. If the character is trying tofind a relative within his current domain, a Knowl-edge (local) check is more appropriate. The DMmay alter the difficulty of the check under certaincircumstances, such as when a Dilisnya is beingsought in a small, isolated village (DC 20), forexample, or even in the remote wilderness (DC 25or higher).

A successful check indicates that the charac-ter has located one or more Dilisnya (or, if it seemsmore reasonable, one of their allies). The exactnature of this contact is up to the DM, but theindividual located is able to provide at least mini-mal assistance to the character, often in the form of

42


information, shelter, food, a small amount of cashand so on. Note that this assistance cuts both ways.From time to time, relatives asking for assistanceshould approach a Dilisnya PC who is known toother family members. (This supplicant might evenbe a fraud, claiming Dilisnya allegiance in order toobtain assistance.) A Dilisnya who doesn’t supportfamily members in need soon gains a bad reputa-tion and may be denied aid when he needs it oreven ostracized from the family.

Family FeatsWhen creating a Dilisnya, the player or DM

should select at least one of the character’s featsfrom the following list (or from those new featslisted further below) during character creation:Agile, Alertness, Ancestral LegacyV, Back to theWallR, Blind-Fight, Deceitful, Deft Hands,HauntedR, JadedR, Judge Difficulty*, Nimble Fin-gers, Nine LivesV, Persuasive, Poison Resistance*,Secret SocietyH, Self-Sufficient, Sharp Eyes*,Stealthy, UnseenV, or WealthH.

The Dilisnya have a number of feats unique totheir family members. A character of Dilisnyaancestry can select any of the following feats, aslong as he or she meets the feat’s requirements.(Naturally, a DM may allow characters other thanDilisnya acquire these feats as well, although sheshould carefully consider the matter first.)

Case the Joint [General]You have cultivated the ability to discern a

given location’s weak points — where to enter, thebest routes for stealthy movement, good hidingplaces and the like.

Prerequisite: Int 13.Benefit: You must spend at least 1 hour care-

fully studying a given location within line of sight.The size and nature of a “location” for this purposeis up to the DM, but in general it should encompassnothing larger than a moderately sized manor orencampment, for instance; if the area is larger, youmay choose to study an appropriately sized portionthereof. You can do nothing else during this periodbesides study the target location.

Once the period of study is complete, you maymake an Intelligence check; if successful, you re-ceive a competence bonus to all Hide, Listen,Move Silently, Search and Spot checks made inthat location, as shown on the chart below. Forevery 4 hours beyond the 1st spent studying a

location, you gain a +1 bonus on the Intelligencecheck (up to a maximum of +5).

Intelligence Check Result Competence Bonus

10 or less +011–15 +116–20 +221–25 +326+ +4

This feat may be used only once every 1d4 daysfor any given location. The benefits of the feat lastfor a similar period (1d4 days), after which time anew study must be made.

Special: At the DM’s discretion, a charactermay use this feat even when not in line of sight withthe studied location, but only if she has access toup-to-date information regarding the location, suchas a knowledgeable inhabitant willing to shareinformation, or a set of blueprints and ledgersdescribing the area and its inhabitants in greatdetail.

Find Weakness [General]You are trained to find openings in an enemy’s

defenses, allowing you to quickly dart in and inflictdeadly damage.

Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +3.Benefit: By using a standard action to study an

opponent’s tactics, you may make an opposed In-telligence check against that foe; both you andyour foe also add your BAB to this check. If yourcheck is successful, the critical damage multiplierfor any melee weapon you wield is increased by x1against that opponent for the duration of thecombat. Thus, if you are using a longsword, youdeal x3 damage, rather than x2, on any successfulcritical hit against that foe.

If you encounter the same opponent again at alater date, you must make another Find Weaknesscheck to gain the same benefit.

Special: A fighter may select Find Weaknessas one of his fighter bonus feats.

Stealthy Blade [General]Using a combination of silent movement,

feints and lethal skill, you can inflict additionaldamage against unsuspecting foes.

Prerequisite: Sneak attack ability.

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The Silisnya Family

Benefit: You deal an additional +1d6 points ofdamage with a successful sneak attack against aflat-footed opponent. This bonus damage stackswith that from the sneak attack ability.

Family Classeshe Dilisnya thrive in darkness andshadow. Rogues and those prestigeclasses that are associated with them —such as assassins, court poisonersG4 andshadowdancers — are common among

Dilisnya family members. In this they are notdissimilar from many other great houses of thedread realms.

However, as a household that favors secrecy,surreptitious theft and the accumulation of illicitinformation and goods, they are unparalleled. Thefamily’s most infamous and successful membersoften have levels in the deceiver prestige class(sometimes in addition to other classes such asassassin) — making them spies, killers, thieves andconfidence men par excellence.

DeceiverMost deceivers live up to their title. In fine

Dilisnya tradition, they live as foolish and dissi-pated nobles, or perhaps ordinary citizens,unthreatening peasants, impoverished beggars andthe like. Only those who know or suspect a deceiver’strue identity and calling can approach her, askingfor a wide range of services.

Some deceivers maintain a circle of confiden-tial allies or contacts who act as liaisons, contactingpotential employers and keeping the deceiver’sidentity safe. In such cases, the deceiver comes andgoes like a shadow, with none the wiser.

A deceiver rarely allows herself to be seen inthe same guise twice. One day she may appear as awizened crone and deliver poisoned food to abanquet, then the next she is a raven-haired tempt-ress who passes her most recent lover’s secrets on tohis enemies. Similarly, a crippled war veteran beg-ging in the streets may transform into a nimble,whirling cloud of death, armed with envenomeddaggers and a cruel streak.

Hit Dice: d6.

RequirementsTo qualify to become a deceiver (Dec), a

character must fulfill all the following criteria:Alignment: Any non-lawful and non-good.

Base Attack Bonus: +4.Skills: Disguise 6 ranks, Forgery 6 ranks, Gather

Information 5 ranks, Hide 6 ranks, Move Silently6 ranks.

Feats: Deceitful, Stealthy.

Class SkillsThe deceiver’s class skills (and the key ability

for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha),Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int),Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise(Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather

44


Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha),Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex),Open Lock (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive(Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim(Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha) andUse Rope (Dex).



deceiver prestige class.Deceptive (Ex): At 1st level, the deceiver

receives a +1 bonus on all Disguise checks andForgery checks. At every other level thereafter(3rd, 5th, etc.), this bonus increases by +1.

Poison Use (Ex): At 1st level, deceivers aretrained in the use of poison and never risk acciden-tally poisoning themselves when applying poisonto or wielding a poisoned blade.

Sneak Attack: This is exactly like the rogueability of the same name. The extra damage dealtincreases by +1d6 every other level (3rd, 5th, 7thand 9th). If a deceiver gets a sneak attack bonusfrom another source (such as rogue levels) thebonuses to damage stack.

Trap Sense (Ex): At 2nd level, the deceivergains a +1 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoidtraps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacksby traps. At 6th level, these bonuses rise to +2 andthen to +3 at 10th level. These bonuses stack withtrap sense bonuses gained from other classes.

Contacts (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, a de-ceiver has established an extensive network ofinformants, friends, dependents and hangers-onfrom whom he can gain information and aid. Thedeceiver obtains this aid with a combination ofcamaraderie, threats, extortion and cajolery, allmade in the form of a Charisma check. The precisenature of the aid is up to the deceiver, but the DMmust determine the DC of the check in each caseand the assistance generally applies only to oneisolated event or job lasting up to one week at most.

The following are common uses for contacts,along with suggested DCs.

Safe House: If the deceiver needs to lie low orhide out for a time, he can use this ability to find alocation that is relatively secure and safe from theauthorities. The availability of a safe hiding placedepends upon the location, as determined on thefollowing table. A safe house is secure for 1d4 days,after which the authorities start searching in the

area, requiring another Charisma check to find anew safe location.

Current Location Contacts DC

Wilderness or frontier 25Thorp 22Hamlet 20Village 18Small town 16Large town 15Small city 14Large city 13Metropolis 12

Alibi: The deceiver needs someone to tell theauthorities that he was someplace else at the timeof the crime, that he ran in the opposite direction,that he never had the stolen property and so on.The DC of this check depends upon the severity ofthe crime, from 10 for petty crimes to 20 or more forgrand theft, murder, or other severe crimes. If thedeceiver succeeds in obtaining an alibi, the au-thorities are persuaded to look elsewhere, at leasttemporarily, although after more investigation theymay eventually see through the deception andonce more begin pursuing the deceiver.

Assistance: A deceiver may need assistance inthe form of hired thugs or toughs, or perhaps skilledobservers or assistants. These may be simpledimwitted brawlers, experienced underworld sol-diers, competent petty thieves, or notorious fences.These assistants always have commoner, warrior,or expert levels and are never above 5th level. TheDC of the check is obtained by multiplying thenumber of assistants needed by the number ob-tained on the following table, based upon theassistants’ average level and NPC class.

Average NPC Level Multiplier

1st 12nd 23rd 44th 85th 12

NPC Class Modifier

Commoner +0Expert +1Warrior +3

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The Silisnya Family

For example, if the deceiver needs the assis-tance of a couple of very competent thugs (4th-levelwarriors) to help him as enforcers for a particularjob, he must make a DC (8 x 2) + 3 = 19 Charismacheck. If he needs a dozen pairs of strong arms, butno one particularly skilled (i.e., 1st level common-ers), to help him unload an illegal cargo at night, hemust make a DC (1 x 12) = 12 Charisma check.

At 2nd level, the deceiver gains a +1 bonus onall Charisma checks made to obtain the help ofcontacts, and this bonus increases by +1 at everyother subsequent level (4th, 6th, 8th, 10th).

Con Artist (Ex): The deceiver is trained toobserve marks and hide effectively, and to misleadand lie convincingly and evade others’ attempts todo likewise to him. Starting at 3rd level, he gains a+1 bonus on all Will saves against mind-affectingspells or effects, and a +1 bonus on all Bluff, SenseMotive and Spot checks that are opposed by an-other creature’s skill check or saving throw.

These bonuses increase by +1 at every othersubsequent level (5th, 7th, 9th).

Furtive (Ex): At 4th level, the deceiver re-ceives a +2 bonus on all Hide checks and MoveSilently checks. These bonuses stack with thosefrom the Stealthy feat.

Bonus Feat: At 8th level, the deceiver re-ceives a bonus feat from the following list: Agile,Alertness, Back to the WallR, Blind-Fight, Casethe Joint*, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes,Darkness WithinC, Deft Hands, Dodge, Find Weak-ness*, HauntedR, Improved Initiative, JadedR, JudgeDifficulty*, Leadership, MachiavellianC, NimbleFingers, Persuasive, Poison Resistance*, Quick

Draw, Run, Stealthy Blade*, Sworn EnemyV,UnseenV, Weapon Finesse, or WealthH.

The deceiver must meet all the usual require-ments for the chosen feat.

Family Magic

New Spell

Deadly FeastNecromancyLevel: Level: Level: Level: Level: Sor/Wiz 5Components: Components: Components: Components: Components: S, MCasting Time: Casting Time: Casting Time: Casting Time: Casting Time: 1 minuteRange: Range: Range: Range: Range: Short (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)Target: Target: Target: Target: Target: See textDuration: Duration: Duration: Duration: Duration: 1 hourSaving Throw: Saving Throw: Saving Throw: Saving Throw: Saving Throw: Fort negates (see text)Spell Resistance: Spell Resistance: Spell Resistance: Spell Resistance: Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell, which has also been used with greatsuccess by spellcasters attached to the Boritsi fam-ily, is said to have originated with the Dilisnya. Itis also rumored to be the spell used in the massacreat Sergei Von Zarovich’s wedding feast many yearsago.

The spell causes all food and drink in range tobecome poisoned. The DC of the ingested poisonis equal to 15 + the caster’s key spellcasting abilitymodifier; initial damage is 1d6 points from anyability of the caster’s choice, while secondary dam-age is 2d6 points from any ability of the caster’schoice. These two abilities need not be the same,but the initial and secondary effects are the samefor all who consume the poisoned food (i.e., the

Table 3–1: The DeceiverClass Level Base Attack Fort Ref Will Special

Bonus Save Save Save

1st +0 +0 +2 +0 Deceptive, poison use, sneak attack +1d62nd +1 +0 +3 +0 Contacts +1, trap sense +13rd +2 +1 +3 +1 Con artist +1, sneak attack +2d64th +3 +1 +4 +1 Contacts +2, furtive5th +3 +1 +4 +1 Con artist +2, sneak attack +3d66th +4 +2 +5 +2 Contacts +3, trap sense +27th +5 +2 +5 +2 Con artist +3, sneak attack +4d68th +6 +2 +6 +2 Contacts +4, bonus feat9th +6 +3 +6 +3 Con artist +4, sneak attack +5d610th +7 +3 +7 +3 Contacts +5, trap sense +3

46


poison’s initial damage can’t be Strength for somevictims and Constitution for others).

Detect poison cannot detect this spell’s pres-ence (or rather that of the poison it creates), but anecromantic aura can be discerned using detectmagic. The spell is effective for 1 hour, after whichthe effect disappears along with any trace of poison,leaving investigators to puzzle out how the crimewas committed.

New Magic Item

Nicolai’s Dagger (Minor Artifact)Many Dilisnya family legends revolve around

this grim and terrible object. It is said that in thedistant past, the family’s patriarch, Nicolai Dilisnya,ruled over a prosperous and successful noble housewhose trade caravans spanned the known world.Sadly, while his children, grandchildren and mem-bers of the extended family strove to always increasethe family’s wealth and influence, they always fellshort in his eyes. As he grew older, Nicolai grewmore and more cynical and bitter — though hishousehold continued to grow more powerful andwealthy, he was never satisfied. If a son broughthim a bag of gold, he demanded ten more. When agranddaughter married a wealthy baron, he beratedher for not marrying a prince.

For their part, Nicolai’s family eventually gaveup trying to please their demanding sire and sankinto decadence, squandering the family’s wealth asquickly as it accumulated. Lavish parties, bloodyspectacles, ever-more ostentatious homes and cloth-ing — by the time Nicolai was an old man, hisfamily had grown as infamous for its excesses as ithad once been famous for its prosperity.

In time, Nicolai decided that all of his childrenand grandchildren had failed him utterly. He placedall his hopes on his granddaughter Nadia, whocarried his first great-grandchild. In his mind,Nicolai imagined greatness for his great grandson— for, of course, the child would be a boy. Hehimself would raise the child, teaching him all thathe had learned and infusing him with the spirit tolead the Dilisnya family to the glory that was itsbirthright.

As the day of the child’s birth drew near,Nicolai’s fantasies grew more and more elaborate,and he secured the services of the finest midwivesin the realm. Nicolai himself attended the birth,feeling that now at last his true vision of Dilisnyagreatness would be realized.

To his shock, disgust and absolute amazement,however, Nadia gave birth not to a son, but to ahealthy young daughter.

Even though Nicolai could have expressed hisvision perfectly well through a girl, he saw thesimple fact that she was not male as a final, intol-erable act of defiance by his children, their childrenand the greater powers beyond them as well. As theinfant lay wailing in her mother’s arms, Nicolaidrew his dagger and slew both Nadia and herdaughter. Then he turned his blind, unreasoningrage upon the midwives, mercilessly cutting themdown.

Bloody and wild-eyed, Nicolai burst fromNadia’s chambers, pushing aside the other familymembers who had gathered for the birth. Leavingscarlet footprints, he staggered into the hall anddragged his way up the stairs to the parapets, evenas the other horrified observers entered Nadia’schamber and saw the nightmare that the old manhad left behind. Overwhelmed with revulsion,they pursued Nicolai and found him just in time tosee the family patriarch fling himself from thehighest castle wall, his body tumbling down throughthe misty night air.

Some believe that this is the incident thatcaused the Dilisnya to become part of the DreadRealms — after that terrible night, it is whispered,the mists never fully lifted. Others claim that thisis merely yet another tragic story in the long historyof a bloody and cursed family.

Nicolai’s body was never recovered. All thatsearchers found was his bloody dagger, which wastaken and kept as a reminder of that dark night’sevents. Soon after, however, the Dilisnya discov-ered that the dagger had special powers and aidedthe household to follow its new direction — that ofassassins, spies and workers in night and shadow.Today, Nicolai’s dagger resides at the family estatein the care of Ivan Dilisnya, and is still used forespecially difficult jobs or tasks that are critical tothe family’s survival.

The dagger is possessed of a malign and blood-thirsty intelligence, and the Dilisnya sometimessuggest in hushed whispers that the weapon actu-ally contains the soul of the departed Nicolai, nowfully lost to madness and violence.

Nicolai’s Dagger: A +5 keen vicious dagger ofwounding (also functions as dagger of venom 3/day;Fort DC 20); AL NE; Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 10;empathy, 30 ft. vision and hearing; Ego score 14.

Lesser Powers: Deathwatch (at will).

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The Silisnya Family

Phase 2: A unique aspect of Nicolai’s dagger,and one of which the Dilisnya themselves are notfully aware, is that its abilities and powers increasewith the more violence it does. If the dagger is usedto slay 10 or more levels or HD of foes in a singleday, its statistics become as follows:

Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 10; speech (Balok,Falkovnian, Mordentish), 120 ft. vision and hear-ing; Ego score 17.

Lesser Powers: Deathwatch (at will), darkness 3/day.

Phase 3: These statistics remain for one fullday, after which the dagger returns to normal. If,however, another 15 levels or HD of foes are slainwithin that time, the dagger’s statistics increaseagain, and remain that way for another full day, asfollows:

Int 16, Wis 16, Cha 10; speech (Balok,Falkovnian, Luktar, Mordentish), 60 ft. darkvisionand hearing; Ego score 20.

Lesser Powers: Deathwatch (at will), darkness 3/day, item has 10 ranks in Spot (total modifier +13).

Phase 4: Finally, if another 20 or more levelsor HD of foes are slain in the next full day, thedagger’s statistics increase to the following. Thedagger uses its substantial ego to dominate itswielder, effectively possessing him with the spiritof the rage-filled Nicolai Dilisnya and driving himto more and more bloody crimes. Fortunately forthe Dilisnya, this event has never actually oc-curred, although the growing possibility of openconflict with the Boritsi may allow for an opportu-nity to bring out the dagger’s darker side.

The dagger remains in this phase until it failsto slay at least 20 HD/levels of creatures in any 24-hour period, at which time it reverts to its normal(“Phase 1”) state.

Int 18, Wis 18, Cha 10; speech (Balok,Falkovnian, Luktar, Mordentish, Patterna), te-lepathy, read languages, read magic, 120 ft.darkvision, blindsense and hearing; Ego score 31.

Lesser Powers: Deathwatch (at will), darkness 3/day, item has 10 ranks in Spot (total modifier +14).

Greater Powers: Dismissal 1/day.Special Purpose: Slay all.

Dedicated Power: Waves of exhaustion.Strong necromancy; CL 18th; Weight 1 lb.

Story HooksThere are a number of potential plotlines

involving the Dilisnya and their dark stock-in-trade. The following are merely a few suggestionsfor working the Dilisnya into a Ravenloft cam-paign, or for involving a Dilisnya player character.

A Passage Through Barovia: The adventur-ers must travel through Barovia — whether theyare simply passing through the country or intend-ing to stay for a while — and are unaware that theyinclude a disguised Dilisnya in their midst. Theymay be pursued by Barovian authorities who areaware of their companion’s true identity, or beforced to go along with the Dilisnya’s subterfugerather than risk arrest, imprisonment and possiblytorture or death.

Shakedown: A Dilisnya character is offered alucrative contract to slay a prominent nobleman,and is promised his choice of items from among thevictim’s considerable possessions. He persuades hiscompanions to join him, only to find that theentire affair is a sham engineered by the would-bevictim, who merely wishes to frame a rival. Theauthorities are waiting, and the Dilisnya and hiscompanions must escape from the trap.

Family Politics: Ivan Dilisnya has had enough— he asks a fellow Dilisnya (the player character)to assassinate a prominent member of the rivalBoritsi clan. To this end, he loans the character theinfamous weapon called Nicolai’s dagger. The char-acter is faced with a dilemma: join the strugglebetween the two houses that might lead to openwarfare, or offend and possibly make an enemy ofhis household’s most prominent member.

Worse, if the character accepts the job, thenthe dagger’s more fearsome attributes may begin toshow themselves, with the weapon growing inpower as the assassin gets closer to his goal, even-tually possibly taking control of his actionsaltogether and driving him to engage in a bloodyrampage.

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Chapter Four: Blood of the Mighty

Chapter Four:Blood of the

Mighty

The DrakovFamily

Chapter Four:Blood of the

Mighty

The DrakovFamily

49

The DrakovFamily

It was with a palpable sense of dread that I stepped into the audience room, my legs trembling,my insides turning to jelly. I had been summoned — summoned! — to the presence of the mightyKingsfuhrer, Vlad Drakov, the Bloodied Hawk himself. Now, clad in my finest ceremonial uniform,I stroke alone down the crimson carpet that poured from Vlad’s high seat like a river of blood.

His Majesty sat there, his very gaze bespeaking his gore-drenched past. His expression wasindecipherable, but behind those old eyes there lurked intelligence, strength and savagery. Twoguards flanked the throne, staring fixedly ahead, as distant and unmoving as twin paintings. It wasas if they were decorations, as much as the crossed swords and tapestries on the walls or the muralsof Vlad Drakov’s past military triumphs. For all intents, it was clear that the Kingsfuhrer and I werethe room’s sole occupants.

“Come closer,” Drakov commanded in a tone that brooked no disobedience. Though my firstinstinct was to bolt forward and prostrate myself before him, begging forgiveness for any offensesI had committed, I kept my fear in check and marched forward with the semblance of calm, as ifstriding beside my comrades in parade. At the foot of the dais I bowed and sank to one knee, my righthand across my heart.

“Great Leader,” I intoned, “Lord of Falkovnia and High Commander of the Talons. I am SirViktor Helsinger. I command the first squadron, second company of the Steel Brigade in your BlackWolf regiment. It was my honor to lead my squadron against the Spawn of the Lizard in the battleof Vladik’s Ford last spring.”

Drakov seemed pleased at this. “I know well your exploits, Sir Viktor,” he intoned, and his voiceseemed to fill the room. “You have lived up to all my expectations.”

I suppressed a desire to frown in puzzlement at this cryptic comment and instead spokerespectfully.

“Your Majesty is generous,” I replied. “I have endeavored always to live in the manner that wouldserve to increase your glory. It is how my father lived and how I continue to live.”

Drakov’s countenance transformed as I spoke, breaking into a grim, humorless smile.“I summoned you because I wish to offer you a valuable gift,” he said. “Two gifts, in fact. First,

the truth. The man you call father — Baron Albrech Helsinger — is not truly your father.”I swallowed. The words should have shaken me to my very soul, but now they seemed nothing

less than the truth. I had always felt estranged from my father, as if we were merely strangerssharing a homestead.

“You know of the tradition of First Night, in which a bride may be asked to surrender her virtueto the ruler of the land or his appointed representatives. Your mother was one such bride — abeautiful young woman who gave herself willingly to her ruler, and who joyfully gave birth to astrong, intelligent son. Your mother and the man you call Father raised this child happily, glad thatthey nurtured the seed of their beloved lord and master.”

I could not conceal my expression of astonishment and disbelief. Drakov smiled with pleasure ashe saw the truth dawn in my eyes. Now, the pieces of my puzzle began to fit.

“Now, Sir Viktor…” he continued, his voice swelling with pride, “now you truly understand.”I met his gaze, my fear and apprehension melting away.“Welcome to House Drakov,” the Kingsfuhrer said, then paused and spoke slowly, as if savoring

every syllable. “Welcome, my son.”

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House Drakovalkovnia is a military dictatorship, withKingsfuhrer Vlad its absolute ruler. VladDrakov has fathered numerous illegiti-mate sons and daughters through thepractice of First Night privileges. And

he is not the only one — his own offspring and theirrelatives often hold important ranks within Drakov’spower structure and produce their own minor rela-tions in this way. Some estimate that as many asone in five Falkovnians can trace some connectionto its ruler, though this may be another crude rumorspread by Drakov’s enemies.

It should be noted that Vlad Drakov’s views ofrelations between the sexes holds that women arechattel, useful only as broodmares and nursemaidsto the next generation of Falkovnian soldiers.Female adventurers are offered full family member-ship only if they have proven themselves to beexceptional individuals. They must also demon-strate fanatical loyalty to the Falkovnian cause.Even then, female Drakovs must generally fightand fight hard, to maintain their status, for theofficially-sanctioned household view is that even

female warriors eventually ought to settle downand perform their “duties.”

The large number of Drakov family memberssometimes leads to difficulties as well, for from timeto time a member may grow weary or disillusionedwith Drakov’s bloody policies or the nation’s op-pressive conditions. Such individuals have beenknown to disavow their connection to HouseDrakov and usually flee Falkovnia altogether. Vladhimself considers such folk to be traitors, and theyare to be slain on sight by any other loyal familymember who encounters them. Once they havepassed Falkovnia’s borders, however, Vlad has littlepower over them; they are usually left in peace,though they can never again return to their home-land.

One of Vlad Drakov’s illegitimate children orother illicit relations need not necessarily claim hisbirthright directly. More often than not, Vladhimself cements the political power and loyalty ofhis army and government by offering positions ofprivilege to his various bastards and relatives. Ayoung Drakov may grow to adulthood believing

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The DrakovFamily

that his parents are both exactly what they claim tobe, though in some cases (such as Sir ViktorHelsinger, whose description and game statisticscan be found in the Appendix) they may feel acertain distance and uncertainty about their realrelationships.

In come cases, especially when the youngDrakov is an accomplished soldier or military of-ficer, Lord Vlad himself may command theindividual to a personal audience. In other cases,the Kingsfuhrer’s representatives may contact theindividual and interview him to be sure of hisloyalties. In extreme cases — when, for example,the young Drakov’s mother has fled Falkovnia andis living abroad — Vlad’s representatives havebeen known to go so far as to abduct the offspringand bring him before the Kingsfuhrer. Once acandidate has been confirmed to be a real child,grandchild, or some other close relative of VladDrakov, the Kingsfuhrer personally offers him fam-ily membership.

Although the offer to join House Drakov isphrased as an invitation, it is of course nothing ofthe kind. Vlad Drakov is not used to being dis-obeyed. His methods are intended as a means ofcementing his total control of the kingdom and ofexpanding his army of followers and minionsthroughout Falkovnia — love and paternal affec-tion have no role in his actions. Anyone whorefuses him, whether politely or otherwise, risks hiswrath and, most often, a sudden and unpleasantend. Sometimes a valuable Drakov who expressesdoubts is invited to remain in Castle Draccipetri,enjoying the benefits of the Kingsfuhrer’s hospital-ity. The implied threat is usually enough to persuadeanyone who is unsure, but a few have been knownto hold out, even in the face of arrest and imprison-ment.

Once accepted into House Drakov, the newscion gains a number of benefits from his relation-ship to the nation’s ruler and is expected to act inall ways to promote the welfare and success ofFalkovnia. Some may be employed at or nearCastle Draccipetri; if loyalty is not in question, hemay be posted to another important location. Oth-ers, especially those who have few martial skills,may simply be given a token title or official desig-nation. Some Drakovs already serve in theFalkovnian military; these lucky ones are oftengiven substantial promotions or special privileges.

Once a Drakov has accepted family member-ship, he is usually allowed to go about his life, albeit

with a new sense of importance. Drakovs who haveaccepted membership in the household carry atangible aura of authority and fear withinFalkovnia’s borders. Commoners are far more likelyto cater to the wishes of a Drakov for fear ofprovoking another powerful family member oreven Vlad himself. A member of the Drakov familyis considered welcome in any extended familyholding throughout the realm, from the grim andforbidding chambers of Castle Draccipetri to thesmaller demesnes of lesser-ranking nobles who canclaim only tortuous connections to the ruling house.

Still, in general it is best for a Drakov not toabuse these privileges, for most family membersdon’t want to support yet another hanger-on orminor relation, and their hospitality usually coversat most day or two of pleasant company. On occa-sion, a Drakov in need of aid can seek shelter in arelative’s home or castle, healing for wounds, or aplace to recuperate, but this should not happen toooften, lest other Drakovs start to come up withexcuses as to why they cannot help.

Of course, there are drawbacks as well.Falkovnians are almost universally despisedthroughout the Dread Realms save in Lamordia,the only nation that maintains diplomatic rela-tions with Vlad Drakov. Owing to his many militarydisasters (and his apparent inability to learn any-thing from them), the Kingsfuhrer is widely regardedas a power-mad buffoon — and those who promotehis cause are not much better. Tales of Vlad’slicentiousness and his hordes of illegitimate chil-dren are the subject of much ribald humor and farceperformed by bards throughout the realms. Any-one so unwise as to admit to being one of Drakov’sbyblows risks being treated with utter disdain —insulted, refused service, made the butt of jokes andso forth.

This disdain for members of House Drakov isthe least of the perils that family members encoun-ter outside Falkovnia. Vlad Drakov and his brutalarmies have spilled oceans of blood all across theDread Realms and have created bitter, undyinghatreds along the way, hatreds that endure forgenerations and that many are only too willing toexpress violently. A Drakov who travels openlybeyond Falkovnia risks attack from any number ofthose who remember the house patriarch’s ruthlessviolence and blood-soaked tyranny.

Falkovnians are barely tolerated in Dementlieuand Richemulot, nations that have both felt theiron tread of Vlad’s soldiers. Even Falkovnians

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with legitimate reasons for visiting these realms arewatched closely by the official authorities, oftenharassed and even assaulted by citizens who wereraised on tales of Falkovnian brutality.

Lamordia was the first to face Vlad Drakov’simperialistic ambitions and defeated his armiessoundly. Yet strangely enough, the Lamordiansthemselves seem to feel less antipathy towardFalkovnia than some of their neighbors and haveeven gone so far as to maintain diplomatic rela-tions with the brutal Kingsfuhrer. A Drakov mightget a few strange looks in Lamordia, but probablywon’t face unprovoked violence.

The greatest antipathy toward Falkovnians isundeniably found in Darkon, the closest thingVlad has to a hereditary national foe. Falkovniansare demonized in Darkon, shunned or harassed,and Falkovnian merchants — who, despite the badblood between the two nations continue to plytheir trade — usually travel there only under veryheavy escort.

Fitting InOnce, long ago, Vlad Drakov was famous as

one of the most skilled and ruthless mercenaryleaders in his world. Since then, his skills andintelligence have not declined, but the Dark Pow-ers have refused to grant him what he desires most:military glory and conquest. As with all darklords,it is Drakov’s own weaknesses that have conspiredto frustrate him. Though he remains a powerfulindividual and a brilliant commander, he stub-bornly fails to modernize his armed forces — and hehas yet to realize that it is the supernatural power ofthe realms themselves that frustrate his chosendestiny.

Despite this, he continues to pass on his tacti-cal and strategic skills to his offspring and his mosttrusted officers, as well as techniques to aid follow-ers against their foes. He hopes that one day hisarmies will at last be victorious, and that all theDread Realms will bow down before him as abso-lute ruler and invincible conqueror.

One of Vlad Drakov’s favorite hobbies, a prac-tice that is thus pursued by many of his scions, isthat of falconry (see the Master Falconer feat andthe hawkmaster prestige class later in this chapter).In fact, so central is the practice of falconry toVlad’s household culture that non-Drakovs inFalkovnia are forbidden from keeping birds of preyin any fashion — a crime punishable by imprison-ment and heavy fines.

Vlad Drakov and his warriors, the Talons, areinfamous for their merciless conduct on the battle-field. Fallen enemies are not spared, and women,children and the elderly are all fair game. Theirreputation has grown so that Falkovnian enemiesusually surrender rather than face them, and entirecommunities flee before them. Vlad and his Talonshave developed several tactics to further spreadtheir infamy, including setting great fires as theymarch, leaving columns of smoke to mark theiradvance and to demoralize any settlements ordefenders in their path.

When Vlad’s troops ride into battle, they do sowhile voicing fearsome war chants, known as theHawk’s Cry (see the feat of the same name later inthis chapter). Merely hearing this terrifying soundis often enough to cause most enemies to flee infear. Today, Vlad and his followers teach this warcry to leaders and elite troops, who use it as theyride into battle. Despite the cry’s effectiveness,Vlad’s campaigns outside Falkovnia have uniformlymet with disaster, but the Hawk’s Cry remains oneof his soldiers’ best-known tactics.

Membership in the Drakov family is not hardto claim; in fact, often the family claims its ownmembers. As might be expected, the martial classesare most common among his offspring and house-hold members. Drakovs are most often fighters orrangers, though rogues and even bards are notunheard of among them. Sometimes a Drakov setsoff on a non-military path before discovering histrue heritage, and may thus have levels in someother class(es).

The nation’s distrust of magic means that fewfollow the path of the spellcaster, whether divineor arcane, although rangers’ meager spell ability isconsidered acceptable. Those who have been ac-cepted into the House of the Hawk are discouragedfrom the practice of magic, though those who havealready proven their arcane abilities are sometimesallowed to continue their studies under the carefulauspices of the Minister of the Arcane. Those whojoin the family and later wish to study magic mustobtain special permission from the ministry to doso; most of the relatively few arcane casters inFalkovnia are wizards, for Drakov blood does notusually carry the essence of magic that is requiredfor the practice of sorcery. The national belief thatthe gods are dead or have forsaken the land has ledto a severe shortage of clerics, and Vlad himself hasforbidden any household member from taking

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priestly vows. (Again, divine magic is toleratedwhen used by rangers in service to House Drakov.)

From time to time (such as when, for example,an expectant mother escapes from Falkovnia toraise her child away from Vlad and his bloodthirstyfollowers), a Drakov is born outside of Falkovnia.These expatriates may sometimes be contacted, orin come cases actually abducted by the Kingsfuhrer’srepresentatives and invited, sometimes at swordpoint, to take their “rightful” place with the family.This leaves open the possibility for virtually anycharacter class to be incorporated into HouseDrakov, although clerics and especially paladinsare still rarely if ever adopted as official householdmembers.

Claiming MembershipDrakov family members have obligations as

well as privileges, for Vlad uses them to keepcontrol of Falkovnia. He may sometimes call upona family member to perform a task for him, whichmay be as simple as transporting orders or docu-ments to a nearby city. More often it is somethinglike leading troops into battle, dealing with atroublesome enemy, scouting into a neighboringrealm in advance of yet another ill-advised military

campaign, or locating and “persuading” anotherfamily member to present himself to Vlad Drakov.Drakov scions are well advised to accept suchmissions unless they have an extremely well war-ranted reason not to.

Drakov Family TraitsScions of the Drakov family are always normal

humans. (Drakov half-castes and calibans are un-heard of and would generally be destroyed at birthif they occurred.) However, if a Drakov characterhas been accepted by the Kingsfuhrer himself as amember of the royal household, he gains the fol-lowing traits:

• Family Curse: The most dangerous aspectof membership in House Drakov is an individual’sslow but almost irrevocable slide into depravityand violence. A character can be any alignmentwhen invited to join, but once the invitation isaccepted, a change comes over the new Drakov. Inbattle, an acknowledged Drakov fights ferociously,shouting and raving, while cutting and hewing atfoes with wild abandon. He gains the rage ability,as a barbarian, usable once per day (if he already hasrage from another source, such as barbarian levels,he may use the ability one additional time per day).

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However, if an enemy ever attempts to flee orsurrender, the Drakov must make a DC 15 Willsave or attack at once, attempting to kill theoffender in as quick and bloody a way as possible.After killing a foe in this manner, the Drakov mustthen make another Will save (DC 12, +1 for everyother death caused in this way in the past 24hours); if this save fails, the Drakov’s alignmentshifts one step toward chaotic evil. Eventually,most Drakovs are consumed by bloodlust, insistingupon executing prisoners, attacking innocents andengaging in sadistic, violent practices.

• National Pride: A Drakov receives a +2bonus on all Diplomacy and Intimidate checksinvolving Falkovnian citizens. When dealing withnon-Falkovnians, this bonus becomes a –1 penalty.Within Falkovnia, a Drakov’s successful Intimi-date checks are usually sufficient to persuadeinnkeepers and merchants to charge significantlyless (or, in some cases, not at all).

Family FeatsWhen creating a Drakov, the player or DM

should select at least one of the character’s featsfrom the list of fighter bonus feats, or else from thefollowing list (or from those new feats listed furtherbelow): Alertness, Ancestral LegacyV, Back to theWallR, BrawlerC, CourageR, HauntedR, HollowC,JadedR, Self-Sufficient, Sworn EnemyV, or Voice ofWrathR.

The Drakov also have several feats unique totheir family members. A character of Drakov an-cestry can select any of the following feats, as longas he meets the feat’s requirements. (Naturally, aDM may allow characters other than Drakov ac-quire these feats as well, although she shouldcarefully consider the matter first.)

Hawk’s Cry [General]Merely hearing this awful sound is often enough

to cause enemies to flee in terror.Prerequisites: Cha 13, base attack bonus +3.Benefit: As a free action, you may emit a

terrible shout, causing all opponents within a 30-foot cone to be affected as if by a scare spell (WillDC 10 + one-half your character level + yourCharisma modifier). This ability cannot be usedwhile you are currently engaged in melee. This is asonic, mind-affecting extraordinary ability.

Hawk’s Cry can be used a number of times perday equal to your Charisma modifier.

Special: A fighter may select Hawk’s Cry asone of his fighter bonus feats.

Inspired Leadership [General]You can relay competent and compelling in-

structions to those around you, improving theirperformance in battle.

Prerequisite: Leadership.Benefit: As a standard action, you can issue

commands to all creatures within line of sight. Thiscan be by voice, or by pre-arranged signals such ashand gestures and so on. For a number of roundsequal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1 round),your allies receive a morale bonus equal to yourCharisma modifier on all attack rolls, skill checksand saving throws.

This feat can be used a number of times per dayequal to your Charisma modifier.

Special: A fighter may select Inspired Leader-ship as one of his fighter bonus feats.

Master Falconer [General]You have a natural aptitude or perhaps a

trained insight into the nature of raptors and arethus highly skilled at handling them.

Prerequisite: Cha 13.Benefit: You receive a +4 competence bonus

on all Handle Animal checks (and animal empa-thy checks, if you have that ability) with respect toany true raptor or any magical beast that has raptortraits (such as a giant eagle or a griffon).

Family Classesrakovs are almost always fighters, al-though rangers are not uncommonamong them, and many Drakovs have alevel or two in rogue. In terms of prestigeclass, they tend to gravitate toward black-

guard, horizon walker and night lordC; those whohave arcane spellcaster levels previous to joiningthe household may pursue levels in eldritch knight.

In addition, the two new prestige classes pre-sented below, hawkmaster and raptor knight, arecommon to Drakovs.

HawkmasterFalconry is outwardly an innocent enough

pursuit — though it almost always ends in thedeath of some creature, it is no more evil than anyother form of hunting. As practiced by Vlad Drakov,however, the practice of falconry has taken on a

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darker and more brutal aspect. Long a favoritediversion of Vlad Drakov, the falconry of theKingsfuhrer has grown more sadistic overthe years. He has dispensed with smallerbirds such as the traditional falcons,kites and kestrels, preferring largerand more dangerous species such asthe zwiefalk (see Ravenloft Gazet-teer Vol. II) and the bloodhawk (seesidebar), both native to Falkovnia.As well, hunting “lesser” birds, rabbitsand other animals grew stale decades ago,and Drakov has since sought new and morechallenging diversions.

For many years now, he has trained hisraptors to seek human prey, sending them againstfleeing slaves or captives, tearing the helplessvictims to pieces before Drakov’s dark, ap-proving eyes. Eventually, an elite unit ofhawkmasters, trained in techniques to bringout the most violent behavior in theirbloodhawk companions, accompaniedVlad and his mercenaries in their variouscampaigns of terror. When foes fled beforehim, Vlad commanded his hawkmasters tosend their birds out to bring down strag-glers, and they have even trained thehawks to fight alongside his men inbattle.

Today, hawkmasters continue toserve Vlad Drakov and the nation ofFalkovnia, pursuing criminals andfugitives, hunting down wayward vil-lagers and rebels, or simply providingentertainment for the Kingsfuhrer’samusement.

Hit Dice: d8.

RequirementsTo qualify to become a hawkmaster (Hkm), a

character must fulfill all the following criteria.Alignment: Any evil.Base Attack Bonus: +4.Skills: Handle Animal 8 ranks, Knowledge

(nature) 5 ranks, Spot 5 ranks, Survival 5 ranks.Feat: Master Falconer*.Special: Wild empathy ability.

Class Skills The hawkmaster’s class skills (and the key

ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int),Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex),

Jump (Str),Knowledge (na-

ture) (Int), Listen(Wis), Move Silently

(Dex), Profession (Wis), Ride(Dex), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis)and Swim (Str).



hawkmaster prestige class.Bloodhawk Companion: At 1st level, the

hawkmaster receives a bloodhawk (see sidebar) ashis dread companion. If the hawkmaster alreadyhas a dread companion from some other source(such as druid or ranger levels), he must release hisformer companion and take a bloodhawk as hisnew companion.

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The bloodhawk companion ability functionsin all ways as the druid’s animal companion ability,save that the bloodhawk is a magical beast and notan animal. If the hawkmaster already has the ani-mal companion ability from previous class levels,then his hawkmaster class levels stack with thoseprevious levels for the purpose of determining thebenefits gained by his bloodhawk companion. Forexample, a 6th-level ranger/4th-level hawkmasteris treated as a 7th-level druid for the purpose ofdetermining his bloodhawk’s abilities and benefits.(A ranger’s level is halved for the purpose of theanimal companion ability.)

If a bloodhawk companion is killed, thehawkmaster gains another, but he must spend 2d4weeks training the bird before it gains the specialabilities of its predecessor.

Hawk’s Swiftness (Ex): At 2nd level, thehawkmaster gains a +10 feet bonus to his basespeed when wearing light or no armor.

Hawk’s Sight (Ex): At 3rd level, thehawkmaster gains low-light vision and a +4 bonuson Spot checks.

Evasion (Ex): At 4th level, the hawkmastergains evasion. If exposed to any effect that nor-mally allows him to attempt a Reflex saving throwfor half damage, he takes no damage with a success-ful saving throw. The evasion ability can only beused if the hawkmaster is wearing light armor or noarmor.

Hawk’s Agility (Su): At 5th level, thehawkmaster is so attuned to his companion’s abili-ties that he can draw upon its speed and grace as afree action. Once per day, he may gain a +4 bonusto Dexterity that lasts for 5 minutes.

Raptor KnightBeing engaged in ever more brutal campaigns

of conquest, Vlad Drakov’s soldiers over time de-veloped new techniques for terror and violence,committing unbelievable atrocities against the in-habitants of those realms that they invaded. Soon,Vlad Drakov recognized their achievements anddeclared them to be as savage as the raptors he soadmired.

Raptor knights are expected to be highly expe-rienced in mounted combat, as well as beingcompletely incapable of showing mercy or compas-sion. They are among the elite of Falkovnia’smilitary but serve in a wide range of roles, includingacting as disciplinarians assigned to “shape up” laxmilitary units, as leaders of purges in which en-emies of Falkovnia (real or imagined) are roundedup and massacred, and as commanders of punitiveexpeditions against such foes as bandits, rebels andthe humanoid Spawn of the Lizard.

The BloodhawkThe hawkmasters of House Drakov are

trained to work with bloodhawks, an espe-cially large and vicious breed of hawk nativeto Falkovnia. Bloodhawks are highly intelli-gent and trained to attack with great agilityand skill. Linked to their chosen hawkmaster,these creatures gain abilities as their masterincreases in power, eventually becoming al-most literal extensions of their trainer’s will.

Bloodhawk: Bloodhawk: Bloodhawk: Bloodhawk: Bloodhawk: CR 1/2; Tiny magical beast; HD 2d8; hp 9;Init +4; Spd 10 ft., fly 60 ft. (average); AC 18 (+2 size,+4 Dex, +2 natural), touch 16, flat-footed 14; BAB +2;Grap –8; Atk +8 melee (1d4–2, talons); Atk +8 melee(1d4–2, talons) and +3 melee (1d4–2, bite); Space/Reach 2 _ ft./0 ft.; SQ low-light vision; AL N; SV Fort+3, Ref +7, Will +2; Str 6, Dex 19, Con 10, Int 4, Wis 14,Cha 8.

Skills: Listen +2, Spot +15. (Thebloodhawk receives a +8 racial bonus to Spot,already included here.)

Feats: Weapon Finesse.

Table 4–1: The HawkmasterLevel Base Attack Fort Ref Will Special


1st +1 +2 +2 +0 Hawk companion2nd +2 +3 +3 +0 Hawk’s swiftness3rd +3 +3 +3 +1 Hawk’s sight4th +4 +4 +4 +1 Evasion5th +5 +4 +4 +1 Hawk’s agility

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Currently, there is no major campaign againstone of Falkovnia’s many hereditary foes, and theknights are growing restless — the raptor knightsare as blind to the futility of open warfare in theDread Realms as Vlad Drakov himself. As a result,they tend to take their frustrations out on thecommon folk of Falkovnia.

The rank of raptor knight is most often awardedto those relatives who have impressed Vlad Drakovwith their martial skill and cruelty.

Hit Dice: d10.

RequirementsTo qualify to become a raptor knight (Rpk), a

character must fulfill all the following criteria.

Alignment: Any evil.Base Attack Bonus: +6.Skills: Intimidate 5 ranks, Ride 5 ranks.Feats: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (hawk bow)

[see sidebar], EquestrianC, Mounted Combat, RapidReload, Trample.

Special: Must have killed an Innocent inservice to Falkovnia.

Class Skills The raptor knight’s class skills (and the key

ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int),Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump(Str), Ride (Dex) and Swim (Str).



raptor knight prestige class.Mounted Archery: At 1st level, the raptor

knight gains Mounted Archery as a bonus feat.Crossbow Charge (Ex): At 2nd level, the

raptor knight may fire a crossbow as a free actionduring a mounted charge. (If he uses a hawk bow,he may discharge both bolts as a free action.) Thisattack is made with the normal penalty for shoot-ing from a running mount.

This ability allows a raptor knight with a hawk bow(see sidebar) to fire two shots at a foe as he charges, dropthe hawk bow (another free action) and still draw amelee weapon (a free action while charging) to make amelee charge attack against the same foe.

Rage (Ex): At 3rd level, the raptor knightgains the rage ability, as the barbarian class abilityof the same name. If the knight has the rage abilityfrom some other source (such a barbarian levels orthe Drakov bloodline), he may use the ability oneadditional time per day.

At 5th level, the raptor knight may rage twiceper day (or two additional times per day if he has

the ability from another source).Improved Trample (Ex): At 4th level, a mounted

raptor knight does not provoke an attack of opportu-nity when attempting to overrun an opponent. Further,the knight’s mount gains a +2 bonus to its Strengthcheck when attempting to knock the target prone andreceives a +2 bonus to its hoof attack if it succeeds inknocking the opponent down.

Greater Rage (Ex): At 5th level, the raptorknight gains the greater rage ability, as the barbar-ian class ability of the same name.

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Hawk BowThis weapon is inextricably associated with Falkovnia’s soldiers and particularly his raptor knights.

Drakov perfected many audacious and cunning battle tactics before he was transferred to the Dread Realms,and was a highly successful and prosperous mercenary general. Since gaining the throne of Falkovnia, hisdrive for greater and greater conquests has been frustrated — military brilliance and superior tactics matterlittle to the Dark Powers, who revel in turning such gifts against their owners.

Vlad’s cavalry was trained in highly adaptive tactics, acting as heavy assault troops or mobileskirmishers as needed. Accordingly they were armed with an unusual weapon, a heavy dual-shot crossbowwhose two spring-steel laths were forged in the shape of hawk’s wings, and whose tiller was carved into thelikeness of a feathered hawk’s body. The weapon has a double trigger and can thus be cocked and loadedwith two quarrels at a time, increasing the number of shots a wielder can make with it at one time (orallowing two shots at separate targets as apart of a full-attack action, as with a repeating crossbow).

Most raptor knights and other mounted warriors who use hawk bows keep them closely tethered to theirmilitary saddles, so that they may release them as a free action once fired without losing or damaging theweapons.

Hawk Bow: Any character proficient with simple ranged weapons can use a hawk bow, but in that caseit functions identically to a normal heavy crossbow. Each lath must be loaded separately, requiring a full-round action for each.

If a wielder gains proficiency with the hawk bow as an exotic weapon, he can load both laths at onceas a full-round action. Moreover, if he wishes, he can make two simultaneous attacks with the weapon asa standard action before reloading; both of these shots must be at the same target, however, and both usethe same attack roll.

Weapon Cost Dmg (S) Dmg (M) Critical Range Inc. Weight Type

Hawk bow 130 gp 1d8 1d10 19–20/x2 110 ft. 12 lb. Piercing

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Family Magiche Drakovs’ inherent distrust of magic-use does not extend to enchanted items:Kingsfuhrer Vlad himself possesses manypotent magic items, as do his followers. Inaddition, as noted elsewhere in this chap-

ter, ranger spells are considered acceptable inFalkovnia, and the following new spell is one in-stance of such magic harnessed to aid in making war.

New Spell

Hawk’s FlightTransmutationLevel: Level: Level: Level: Level: Rgr 2Components: Components: Components: Components: Components: V, SCasting Time: Casting Time: Casting Time: Casting Time: Casting Time: 1 standard actionRange: Range: Range: Range: Range: TouchTarget: Target: Target: Target: Target: Up to 50 projectiles (all of which must be in contactwith each other at the time of casting)Duration: Duration: Duration: Duration: Duration: 10 min./levelSaving Throw: Saving Throw: Saving Throw: Saving Throw: Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless, object)Spell Resistance: Spell Resistance: Spell Resistance: Spell Resistance: Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless, object)

This spell grants an +1 enhancement bonus toattack and damage rolls per three caster levels(maximum +3) for up to as many as 50 arrows, bolt,or bullets. The affected projectiles also have theirrange increment doubled, so that, for example,arrows fired from a longbow have an increment of200 feet rather than 100 feet.

The projectiles to be affected must be of thesame kind, and they have to be together (in thesame quiver or other container). Projectiles losetheir transmutation once fired.

New Magic Items

Figurine of Wondrous Power:Bloodstone Hawk

When activated, these items transform intohellish birds willing to fight on behalf of theirowners. These items are sometimes used for execu-tions, with several Drakovs combining theirbloodstone hawks together to rend and tear at an

Table 4–2: The Raptor KnightLevel Base Attack Fort Ref Will Special

Bonus Save Save Save1st +1 +2 +0 +0 Mounted Archery2nd +2 +3 +0 +0 Crossbow charge3rd +3 +3 +1 +1 Rage 1/day4th +4 +4 +1 +1 Improved trample5th +5 +4 +1 +1 Rage 2/day, greater rage

Half-Fiend Bloodhawk: Half-Fiend Bloodhawk: Half-Fiend Bloodhawk: Half-Fiend Bloodhawk: Half-Fiend Bloodhawk: CR 2; Small outsider (na-tive); HD 3d8+3; hp 16; Init +5; Spd 10 ft., fly 60ft. (average); AC 19 (+1 size, +5 Dex, +3 natural),touch 16, flat-footed 14; BAB +3; Grap +1; Atk +9melee (1d6+2, talons); Atk +9 melee (1d6+2,talons) and +7 melee (1d6+1, bite); Space/Reach5 ft./5 ft.; SA smite good 1/day, spell-like abili-ties; SQ damage reduction 5/magic, darkvision60 ft., immunity to poison, low-light vision, re-sistance to acid, cold, electricity and fire 10, SR13; AL NE; SV Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +3; Str 14,Dex 21, Con 12, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 10.

Skills: Hide +15, Intimidate +6, Lis-ten +8, Move Silently +11, Search +5,Spot +16, Survival +8. (The bloodhawkreceives a +8 racial bonus to Spot, al-ready included here.)

Feats: Multiattack, Weapon Finesse.Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day—darkness;

1/day—desecrate. Caster level 3rd.

unfortunate victim, often for the personal amuse-ment of Vlad Drakov.

Bloodstone Hawk: Normally, this item re-sembles a tiny hawk carved from red-speckledgreen stone. When it is tossed into the air and acommand word uttered, however, it transformsinto a Small 3-HD half-fiend bloodhawk under thecommand of its possessor.

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The bloodstone hawk can be used up to threetimes per week for up to 12 hours per use. When the12 hours have passed or when the command wordis spoken, the hawk reverts to statuette form.

Faint enchantment and transmutation; CL11th; Craft Wondrous Item, animate objects, sum-mon monster III; Price 11,700 gp; Weight 1 lb.

Hawk HelmOne of these marvelous items accompanied

Vlad Drakov and his men in their unwilling so-journ into the mists; since taking the throne ofFalkovnia, the Kingsfuhrer has commissioned thecreation of several more, often forcing magicalartisans to construct the helms at sword point.Today, these helms are worn by elite leaders ofVlad’s forces and are occasionally lent to Drakovofficers on important military missions.

A hawk helm is made of dark metal in the formof a screaming hawk’s visage, the visor being shapedas the beak.

Hawk Helm: This helm grants its wearer a +4bonus on all Search and Spot checks. He also gainsa +3 deflection bonus to AC, and once per day thewearer can cast expeditious retreat as a spell-likeability. If the wearer is mounted, the expeditiousretreat ability also affects his mount.

Moderate abjuration and transmutation; CL9th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Won-drous Item, expeditious retreat, true seeing; Price24,900 gp; Weight 3 lb.

Story HooksVlad Drakov and his ill-famed household are

rich sources of plot and campaign ideas. Thoughmuch of the information in this chapter may sug-gest adventure ideas to DMs, the following arefurther suggestions that might also be used.

Enemies of the State: Traveling in ruralFalkovnia, the characters encounter a band ofDrakov soldiers, led by a ruthless raptor knight,who are in the process of burning down a smalltown and massacring its inhabitants. The charac-ters may be forced to intervene (perhaps theindividual whom they must talk to is an inhabitantof the town and is threatened by the Falkovnians),in which case the raptor knight sees them as hispersonal enemies and pursues them. If the knighthimself is killed, Vlad Drakov — incapable oftolerating such an insult to his family’s honor —will undoubtedly seek vengeance.

Scion of Drakov: A character who was raisedoutside of Falkovnia’s borders realizes that he isbeing watched and perhaps even stalked by myste-rious strangers. Finally, on one occasion, theyactually attempt to kidnap him. The character andhis companions must discover the identity of thestalkers. To their horror, they find that the charac-ter is actually one of Vlad Drakov’s bastard progeny,and that his mother escaped Falkovnia rather thangive her child up to the Kingsfuhrer. The charac-ters must deal with the would-be kidnappers (whowant to take the PC “home” to meet his realfather), throw them off the scent, or flee to anotherrealm to escape them.

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The Godefroy Family

Chapter Five:The Blood of the

Haunted

The GodefroyFamily

Chapter Five:The Blood of the

Haunted

The GodefroyFamily

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Chapter Five: Blood of the Haunted

As told by Michael Jendalis to his secondcousin Laurie Weathermay-Foxgrove:

I’m not sure if you ever knew, but I was born atGryphon Manor. My mother, who was LiliaGodefroy’s third cousin twice removed, was informedthat she was to inherit the manor, and she and myfather went to see it while she still carried me. Fatherdidn’t tell me the whole of what happened until he layon his deathbed a few years ago. Though gruesome, thestory has done much to acquaint me with my own mostunusual heritage.

It seems that my parents’ carriage broke a wheelupon entering the grounds, and since a storm wasbrewing, they decided to spend the night at the manorand have the wheel repaired in the morning. They hadheard the tales about the house and about its last lord,but they were educated folk who did not believe in “oldwives’ tales.” They went into the manor and settled inone of its dusty bedrooms. They shared a simple repastthey had purchased at the inn in town, and then Fatherwent to look for some candles.

While rummaging in the kitchen, he noticed a ragbusily wiping grime off the cupboards — by itself —and he thought he heard snatches of a mournful song,sung very low. Upon going over to investigate, he sawthe faint outline of a young girl, dressed in the garb ofa housemaid. Before he could recover his voice, heheard someone coming down the back stairs. Thinkingit was his wife, he turned to admonish her for walkingabout in her condition, but he saw instead an old mandressed in a tailcoat and ruffled shirt that had beenfashionable more than 200 years earlier. Evil glinted inthe stranger’s eyes as he took in the scene before him.

“So, you are having assignations with lads fromthe village instead of working, are you Janelle?” heasked in a menacing tone. “Is that why your cleaninggoes so slowly?”

“N… no sir!” cried the spectral girl in alarm. “Ihave never seen this man before!”

“A likely story!” the man spat. “I’ll teach you tomoon after men when you should be working!”

With that, the old man began to beat the poor girland my father mercilessly with his silver-headed walk-ing stick. Wounds appeared on the girl’s ghostly body,and her screams rent the air. The man’s blows pro-duced no visible wounds on my father, but he felt aterrible coldness, as though the chill of the grave weresetting in with each blow. Father tried to fight back, buthis hands closed on nothing. Knowing true terror forthe first time in his life, he ran upstairs, leaving thespectral maid to her fate.

Father rushed upstairs to mother’s room andfound her sound asleep. Exhausted beyond words, he

lay down beside her and was almost asleep himselfwhen new screams reverberated through the room.This time, they came from his wife, who was staringwide-eyed at the spectre of the old man standing overher, cane raised to strike once again.

However, just as he was about to bring theweapon down upon her head, two more ghostly figuresappeared — this time a woman and a child, their facesbruised and bloodied and their clothing torn. Theyclawed viciously at the man, screaming “Murderer!”Though he was obviously not a creature of flesh andblood, he screamed in apparent pain from their attacks,and gashes opened in his ghostly flesh where theyclawed at him.

His screams mingled with those of my mother,who was horrorstruck at the scene. On and on, the twoghostly rescuers tore at the old ghost’s flesh. Mymother, always a sensitive creature, was so frightenedthat she went into premature labor. The birth, as youknow already, dear cousin, was to be her last gift to me.My father delivered me, a three-pound infant barelyclinging to life outside the womb, but he could not savehis wife. She bled to death before his eyes there inGryphon Manor. As dawn illuminated the window,he saw her spirit rise from her body, and the ghost of theold man — his tormentors having faded away in thelight — said, “Welcome, my dear. You will like ithere.”

My father fled the house on foot, cradling me in hisarms. In the village, he found and hired a wet-nurse forme. Then he arranged for a carriage to take all three ofus, plus his wife’s body, back to his home. Afterburying my mother, he threw himself into his work,becoming more distant and less like his old self witheach passing day.

My nurse, Katherine Hines, stayed on to becomemy nanny, and I was as close to her as any other childwould be to its mother. She nursed me through count-less childhood illnesses, for I was always a sickly child— probably because I had had insufficient time insidethe womb. But when I was five years old, she devel-oped consumption and died. At her bedside, I cried outfor her to stay, and stay she did — in spirit. No one elsecould see or hear her, but I could. My father got me anew nanny, but she could never compete with myNanny Katherine. The new girl thought me possessedby demons because I talked to people who she couldn’tperceive, but I was too young to understand. Eventu-ally, my behavior drove her to drink, and she spent therest of my childhood in a stupor while Nanny Katherine’sghost raised me.

I had many friends as a child and thought myselffortunate to be so popular. People young and old were

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The Godefroy Family

always coming to visit me for a chat. As time went by,I realized that they too were ghosts, and that no onecould see or hear them except me. Nanny Katherinesaid it was because I had been born in that awful housethat ghosts flocked to me. She claimed that whateverancient evil resided there had awakened in me a latentsensitivity to the spirit world — probably inheritedfrom my mother, who had been part of the samebloodline that had produced Lord Godefroy. Andperhaps she was right.

For the most part, my gift was welcome. Though Inever had the chance to make friends among the living,since I was often ill and hadn’t the constitution for physicalsports, I was never truly alone. Ghosts flocked aroundme, eager to tell their tales. Sometimes there were so manythat I could not handle the strain, and Nanny Katherinehad to chase them away while I rested.

My strangeness coupled with my physical weak-ness made me a target for bullies in my youth. I shallnever forget the horrible night when, lured out by thepromise of good fellowship, I slipped out of the house tojoin a group of boys who had invited me on anadventure. But instead of taking me to their secretclubhouse as they had promised, they took me to agraveyard and locked me in. I shall never forget thehorror of that night. Ghosts swarmed all around me —young, old, diseased, marked by violence — all of themtalking at once, telling me how they had died. Myyoung mind couldn’t fathom the pain and horror thatoften accompanied death, and I screamed and screamed,lashing out against their insubstantial forms, trying to

make them go away. When they found me the nextmorning, I was curled in a fetal position, mumbling tomyself. It took weeks of Nanny Katherine’s ministra-tions to bring me out of the tiny corner of my own mindinto which I had retreated. It wasn’t the boys’ fault, shetold me. They had no way of knowing what such anexperience would do to me.

As I grew up, I learned to master my connectionwith the spirit world, and I became as you see me now,an accomplished medium. Oh, as a youth I wanted tobe an adventurer like you and Gennifer, don’t doubtit, but I hadn’t the strength and stamina for such aprofession. Better that I accept my own strengths andfrailties and do what I do best. I still hear and see spiritsall around me, but I can keep them at a distance andsummon forward only those with whom I wish toconverse. Many have messages they wish me to deliverto loved ones, and those who have not been properlylaid to rest often tell me how such can be done.

They are wrong, you know — those who say thatonly certain people become ghosts upon their deaths.Spirits are everywhere. It’s just that those who havebeen laid to rest properly do not make their presenceknown to the living. Only discontented souls meandercorridors at night, manifesting themselves to mortals.But all of your loved ones who have passed over are stillfree to visit, and they can hear what you say and seewhat you do.

There is no such thing as being alone, my dearLaurie, and the next time you feel lonely, thank yourlucky stars for the blessing of limited perception.

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The Godefroysord Wilfred Godefroy slew his only childbefore she was old enough to marry, sohe has no direct descendants. Someclaim that his evil nature was not hisown, that it was absorbed from Gryphon

Manor itself, a structure he inherited and that wassaid to have evil in its very mortar. Those who havestudied his life, however, agree that he was amalicious and vindictive man before he came intocontact with the manor, and that indeed, his owncruel nature made him its true lord.

In his mid-sixties, Godefroy married EstelleWeathermay, a girl of sixteen, who bore him onedaughter, Lilia. Godefroy, who had hoped for a sonto carry on his name, was disappointed in hisoffspring and laid the blame on his young wife.Eventually he convinced himself that Estelle hadbeen unfaithful, and he beat her to death with hiscane in a fit of rage. When Lilia, then a child of 10,tried to intervene, he slew her as well. Godefroysuccessfully hid his crime from the town, but thespirits of his wife and daughter came back to haunthim every night. After a year of this torment, hecommitted suicide. Later, when Mordent becamepart of Ravenloft, Godefroy became its darklord.

Since then, Godefroy has ruled over the shadesand spirits in his manor with an iron fist, beatingthem mercilessly with his cane for any imaginedslight. Though he rarely leaves the manor, he hasarranged for the mayor of Mordentshire, DanielFoxgrove, to keep him informed of any threats bythe simple expedient of threatening the ghost ofhis late wife, Alice Weathermay, who is also tied byher bloodline to the manor. Daniel’s two children,Laurie and Gennifer Weathermay-Foxgrove, havenot yet investigated the manor.

Fitting InBecause of the Godefroys’ proclivity for seeing

and becoming ghosts, characters with Godefroyblood are born with an affinity for the spirit world.They walk the thin line between the world of theliving and the world of the dead for most of theirlives. Godefroys are strangely drawn to hauntedplaces and frequently purchase haunted houses fortheir homes. Conversely, ghosts are drawn to them.Disembodied spirits cluster around those withGodefroy blood, and most do everything in theirpower to make their presence known. In manycases, doing so is not difficult, since Godefroys

possess a high degree of sensitivity to spirits and canoften see them easily.

Because the Godefroys are so close to the spiritworld, most of them tend to look a bit otherworldly,with thin physiques, pale skins and haunted eyesthat dart about as though seeing what others donot. They tend to lack stamina, and quite a few areactually rather frail and sickly, yet even they havea sort of ethereal grace about them. Many peopleare initially attracted to Godefroys because of theirunearthly air and delicate beauty, but after a while,acquaintances tend to become uncomfortablearound them. Godefroys often seem privy to secretsthat no one could know — family secrets, crimeslong covered up, locations of lost treasure andother such information that they receive from theirghostly friends, either verbally or as flashes ofintuition.

A Godefroy character acts more often on thebasis of intuition than cold, hard fact. He trustswhat he cannot see as much as, or perhaps evenmore than what he can see. His conversations areoften characterized by quick changes of topic orremarks out of nowhere — as though he wereholding multiple conversations, only one of whichthe listener can hear.

Claiming MembershipLord Godefroy’s direct line ended with his

daughter Lilia, who produced no offspring beforeshe died. However, his close relatives intermarriedwith the Foxgroves and the Weathermays in Mor-dent, so characters from any of these families mayclaim Godefroy blood. Many such distant relativesof Lord Godefroy live in Mordentshire and else-where.

Additionally, some members of these familieswere prominent adventurers who traveled widely,so they may have offspring, legitimate or otherwise,in other realms as a result of affairs with formercompanions or even wedded unions. Adopted chil-dren, while they do not bear the Godefroy bloodline,may nonetheless have a heightened sensitivity tothe spirits due to their close proximity to etherealoccurrences.

Godefroy Family Traits• –2 Constitution, +2 Charisma: The

Godefroys tend to be rather frail and sickly, butthey possess a certain captivating presence andethereal loveliness.

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The Godefroy Family

• Spirit Sensibility: A Godefroy receives a +2bonus on Sense Motive checks involving spirits orghosts. However, Godefroys tend to be somewhatunused to normal human interaction, so they suffera –1 penalty on Sense Motive checks involvingother living beings.

• Spiritual Magnetism: Any free-ranging ghost(or other incorporeal undead) within a 1-mileradius of a Godefroy must make a DC 15 Will saveor be attracted to him. The ghost thereafter staysnear the Godefroy character until forced to leavewith a successful Intimidate check opposed to theghost’s Will save. Such a ghost does its best to makeitself known to the character, and feels compelledto relate its life and death story to the character,whether the latter wants to listen or not. Other-wise, the behavior of such spirits is left to the DMto decide, as dictated by alignment, intelligenceand situation.

• Haunting Curse: If a Godefroy kills one ofhis own race (i.e., human, half-elf, half-Vistani, orcaliban, as appropriate), the slain victim may makea DC 15 Will save to return as a ghost to haunt hisslayer. Such a ghost always possesses the drainingtouch ability (see Ghost in the Monster Manual).

• Ghostly Afterlife: A Godefroy automati-cally becomes a ghost upon death. The details andpowers of the ghostly character are left to the playerand DM to decide.

Family FeatsWhen creating a Godefroy character, the player

or DM should select at least one of the character’sfeats from the following list (or from among thosenew feats listed further below): Cold OneR,CourageR, DabblerH, Eschew Materials, EtherealEmpathyR, Ethereal TouchC, GhostsightR,HauntedR, Improved Turning, Investigator, IronWill, JadedR, Kiss of DawnH, KnowledgeableH,Magical Aptitude, MuseV, Negotiator, Nine LivesV,Open MindR, Persuasive, Second SightC, Voice ofthe SpiritsG3, Warding GestureV, or WealthH.

The Godefroy have a number of unique featsavailable to them. A character of Godefroy ances-try can select any of the following feats, as long ashe meets the feat’s requirements. (Naturally, a DMmay allow characters other than Godefroy acquirethese feats as well, although she should carefullyconsider the matter first.)

Mist Sight [General]Concentrating briefly allows you to see what

others cannot.Prerequisites: Wis 13, Cha 13, GhostsightR.Benefit: As a full-round action, you can at-

tune yourself to perceive the spiritual world aroundyou. This effectively grants you the blindsenseability out to a number of feet equal 5 x yourWisdom modifier (minimum 5 feet), but only withrespect to living creatures that have a soul, or toincorporeal and ethereal creatures of spirit. Thisability lasts for a number of rounds equal to yourCharisma modifier (minimum 1 round). Whilethis ability remains in effect, you are effectivelyblind to constructs and other creatures that haveno soul (including characters with the HollowC

feat).You can use this ability a number of times per

day equal to 1 + your Charisma modifier.

Poltergeist Hands [General]You can call upon the spirits around you to

move things beyond the reach of your hands.Prerequisites: Cha 15.Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on all Sleight of

Hand checks. In addition, as a full-round action,you can use unseen servant as a spell-like ability, upto a maximum number of times per day equal toyour Charisma modifier. Your effective caster levelis 1st.

Threatening Presence [General]You are exceedingly good at intimidating

people.Prerequisites: Cha 13.Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on Intimidate

checks. In addition, as a standard action, you canmake an Intimidate check (DC 10 + one-half thetarget’s total HD) against a single sentient creaturewithin 30 feet and in line of sight. If your checksucceeds and the creature has fewer Hit Dice thanyou, it is shaken (–2 penalty on attack rolls, savingthrows, skill checks and ability checks) for 1d4rounds and must flee from you as quickly as it can.Once it can no longer see or hear you, it can act asit chooses. However, if it comes into sight orhearing range of you again before the duration ofthe effect expires, it must flee once more. Creaturesunable to flee can fight, though they are stillshaken.

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If you succeed on the Intimidate check againsta creature whose Hit Dice are equal to or greaterthan your own, it is still shaken for 1d4 rounds butneed not flee.

Frightening a creature in this manner is amind-affecting fear effect. Once a creature success-fully saves against your threatening presence, it isimmune to that presence for 24 hours.

Family Classeshe Godefroys are attracted to classesthat capitalize on their innate intuition,their high Charisma and their affinityfor spirits. Few take up military profes-sions because of the family’s haunting

curse, and those few who do often go mad; likewise,Godefroys almost never become assassins.

The following prestige classes are available tomembers of the Godefroy bloodline. At the DM’sdiscretion, they may also be made available toother characters who meet the prerequisites.

Accomplished MediumThe accomplished medium has embraced his

natural affinity for the spirit world and used it to aidboth the living and the dead in finding peace.Many take up this prestige class because of positiveexperiences with ghosts early in their lives. Ingeneral, accomplished mediums make their livingsby passing information from spirits to living people.Often they contact deceased loved ones on behalfof grieving relatives to ensure that they rest inpeace, but sometimes they do so to ask questions ofthe dead. Alternatively, ghosts may contact medi-ums to pass along information that for one reasonor another they cannot communicate directly tothe living persons involved. For example, a ghostmight wish to warn a loved one about an unseendanger, or reveal the location of a family treasure,or detail how to lay her to rest.

Bards are most frequently drawn to this pres-tige class, since it plays directly to theirconversational and persuasive abilities. Clerics andpaladins sometimes take up this class because oftheir natural insight and their constant dealingswith life and death. Necromancers do not oftentake up this path because they gain power fromcontrolling undead, not from simply communicat-ing with them. Rogues and charlatans who pretendto have the ability to speak with the dead occasion-

ally find that they actually have it, and then decideto take up the path of the medium.

Fighters, rangers and other characters whospecialize in killing rarely find this path appealing,since they do not usually desire to meet again withthose they have slain; in some rare cases, though, afighting-class Godefroy may take up this prestigeclass as a means of dealing with the spirits of thosehe has slain.

Hit Die: d6.

RequirementsTo qualify to become an accomplished me-

dium (Amd), a character must fulfill all thefollowing criteria.

Skills: Knowledge (religion) 8 ranks, Perform(acting, oratory, or singing) 4 ranks.

Feat: Ethereal EmpathyR, GhostsightR.Special: The candidate must have encoun-

tered and interacted with a ghost or some otherincorporeal undead creature.

Class SkillsThe accomplished medium’s class skills (and

the key ability for each skill) are Concentration(Con), Gather Information (Cha), Knowledge (allskills, taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Per-form (Cha), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), SenseMotive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int) and Spot (Wis).


Class FeaturesAll the following are class features of the

accomplished medium prestige class.Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Accom-

plished mediums gain no proficiency with anyweapon, armor, or shield.

Spells per Day: Beginning at 1st level, anaccomplished medium gains the ability to cast asmall number of arcane spells. To cast a spell, anaccomplished medium must have a Charisma scoreof at least 10 + the spell’s level, so an accomplishedmedium with a Charisma of 10 or lower cannot castthese spells. Accomplished medium bonus spellsare based on Charisma, and saving throws againstthese spells have a DC of 10 + spell level + theaccomplished medium’s Cha modifier. An accom-plished medium casts spells just as a sorcerer does.

Upon reaching 6th level, and at every even-numbered level thereafter (8th and 10th), anaccomplished medium can choose to learn a newspell in place of one he already knows. The new

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The Godefroy Family

spell’s level must be the same as that of the spellbeing exchanged, and it must be at least 2 levelslower than the highest-level accomplished me-dium spell the character can cast. An accomplishedmedium may swap only a single spell at any givenlevel, and he must choose whether or not to swapthe spell at the same time that he gains new spellsknown for that level.

Cantrips: At 1st level, the ac-complished medium can usea number of cantrips asspell-like abilities. Hemay use a number ofcantrips each dayequal to 3 + hisCharisma modifier,and may choosefreely among the fol-lowing cantrips anytime he uses thisability: Dancinglights, daze, detectmagic, ghost sound,guidance, know direc-tion, light, mage hand,message and open/close. Where appli-cable, the save DC is 10+ the accomplishedmedium’s Charisma modi-fier; effective caster levelequals accomplished mediumlevel.

Turn/Rebuke Undead(Su): At 1st level, the accom-plished medium gains thesupernatural ability to turn orrebuke undead as if he were a clericof the same level. He may use thisability a number of times per dayequal to 3 + his Charisma modi-fier. If the accomplished mediumalready has the ability to turn or re-buke undead from some other source(such as cleric levels), these levels stack.

Spirit Counselor (Su): Starting at 2nd level,the accomplished medium gains access to a friendlyspirit who can provide him with advice and infor-mation. Each use of this ability requires one dailyuse of the accomplished medium’s turn/rebukeundead ability. The spirit counselor’s powers de-pend on the accomplished medium’s level; in each

case, the effect occurs as if the accomplished me-dium had cast the spell noted below (caster levelequals accomplished medium’s character level).

2nd-level or higher: locate object.4th-level or higher: augury.6th-level or higher: speak with dead.8th-level or higher: discern lies.

10th-level or higher: greater scrying.A spirit counselor can pro-

vide any effect allowed bythe accomplished

medium’s level, but eachstill counts as a use ofthis power. That is, a10th-level accom-plished medium usesup one daily use ofturn/rebuke undeadwhether he calls uponhis spirit for locate ob-ject or greater scrying.

Mist Sight: At 3rdlevel, the accomplished

medium gains Mist Sight*as a bonus feat.

Improved Mist Sight(Ex): At 5th level, the ac-complished medium’s visionrange with his Mist Sight*feat doubles to a number offeet equal to 10 x his Cha-risma modifier.

Extra Turning: At7th level, the accom-plished medium gainsExtra Turning as a bonusfeat.

Greater Mist Sight(Ex): At 9th level, the ac-

complished medium’s visionrange with his Mist Sight* feat

increases to a number of feet equalto 15 x his Charisma modifier.

Accomplished Medium Spell ListAccomplished mediums choose their spells

from the following list.1st Level: Comprehend languages, deathwatch,

detect secret doors, detect undead, hide from undead,hypnotism, magic mouth, see ethereal resonanceV,

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sleep, speak with animals, true strike, unseen servant,ventriloquism.

2nd Level: Corpse whisperG2, darkness, dazemonster, detect thoughts, enthrall, find traps, gentlerepose, hypnotic pattern, insightV, misdirection, sta-tus, suggestion, tongues, whispering wind.

3rd Level: Arcane sight, blink, clairaudience/clairvoyance, daylight, deeper darkness, deep slumber,diminish undeadV, dispel magic, eyes of the undeadG2,gaseous form, glibness, remove curse, scrying.

4th Level: Break enchantment, death ward,detect scrying, dimensional anchor, divination, free-dom of movement, legend lore, locate creature, modifymemory, speak with plants, zone of silence.

Table 5–1: Accomplished Medium Spells Known— Spells Known —

Level 1st 2nd 3rd 4th

1st 3 – – –2nd 3 3 – –3rd 3 3 3 –4th 4 4 3 –5th 4 4 3 36th 4 4 4 37th 4 4 4 48th 5 5 4 49th 5 5 5 410th 5 5 5 5

Table 5–2: The Accomplished MediumLevel Base Attack Fort Ref Will Special — Spells per Day —

Bonus Save Save Save 1st 2nd 3rd 4th

1st +0 +2 +0 +2 Cantrips, turn/rebuke undead 1 – – –2nd +1 +3 +0 +3 Spirit counselor (locate object) 1 1 – –3rd +2 +3 +1 +3 Mist Sight 1 1 1 –4th +3 +4 +1 +4 Spirit counselor (augury) 2 2 1 –5th +3 +4 +1 +4 Improved mist sight 2 2 1 16th +4 +5 +2 +5 Spirit counselor (speak with dead) 2 2 2 17th +5 +5 +2 +5 Extra Turning 2 2 2 28th +6 +6 +2 +6 Spirit counselor (discern lies) 3 3 2 29th +6 +6 +3 +6 Greater mist sight 3 3 3 210th +7 +7 +3 +7 Spirit counselor (greater scrying) 3 3 3 3

Divine ExorcistThe divine exorcist can force spirits to do her

will. Most divine exorcists specialize in freeingothers from ghosts who possess them, their lovedones, or their property, but members of this prestigeclass can free people of any form of control by othercreatures, corporeal or otherwise. Thus, a divineexorcist can negate a vampire’s domination, awizard’s charm, or a bard’s fascination as well as aghost’s possession.

Virtually all divine exorcists have had careersas clerics or paladins, though some may also havetraining in arcane spellcasting or in the talents ofrogues. Some divine exorcists are attached tochurches or other formal religious organizations,but a few are solo practitioners.

Hit Die: d8.

RequirementsTo qualify to become a divine exorcist (Dve),

a character must fulfill all the following criteria.Alignment: Any good.Skills: Intimidate 5 ranks, Knowledge (reli-

gion) 5 ranks.Feats: Ethereal EmpathyR, Extra Turning,

Threatening Presence*.Spells: Ability to cast 3rd-level divine spells.Special: Ability to turn undead.

Class SkillsThe divine exorcist’s class skills (and the key ability for

each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), GatherInformation (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (allskills, taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), Search(Int), Sense Motive (Wis) and Spellcraft (Int).


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divine exorcist prestige class.Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Divine ex-

orcists gain no proficiency with any weapon, armor,or shield.

Spellcasting: At every even-numbered divineexorcist level, the character gains new spells perday (and spells known, if applicable) as if she hadalso gained a level in whatever divine spellcastingclass had granted her access to 3rd-level divinespells. She does not, however, gain any otherbenefit a character of that class would have gained(improved ability to turn undead and so on), ex-cept for an increased effective level of spellcasting.This essentially means that she adds the level ofdivine exorcist to the level of her previous divine

spellcasting class, then determines spells per day,spells known and caster level accordingly.

If the character has more than one divinespellcasting class that grants her access to 3rd-leveldivine spells, she must decide to which class sheadds each level of divine exorcist for the purpose ofdetermining spells per day and spells known.

See Possession (Su): At 1st level, as a full-round action, the divine exorcist may observe anycreature or object within line of sight and deter-mine whether the target is currently possessed byanother entity. A possessing entity that has ahigher Charisma score than the divine exorcist canmake a Will save (DC 10 + divine exorcist level +divine exorcist’s Cha modifier) to remain unseen;if the save succeeds, the divine exorcist’s see pos-session power cannot reveal that entity for 24hours. (If the divine exorcist has 5 or more ranks inSense Motive, add +2 to the save DC.) Otherwise,the divine exorcist sees the possessor’s outlinesuperimposed over the subject.

Once the divine exorcist sees an entity pos-sessing a subject, he continues to see that entity foras long as he keeps the subject in line of sight, oruntil the entity leaves the subject. After leavingthe subject, the entity may or may not be visible,depending on its nature and abilities. If the pos-sessed subject leaves the divine exorcist’s line ofsight, the divine exorcist also loses sight of thepossessing entity and must use this power again tosee the possessing entity the next time he views theformerly possessed subject.

Smite Possessor (Su): At 1st level, a divineexorcist can strike a supernatural blow against anentity possessing a creature or object, provided thathe has used his see possessor power to reveal thepossessing entity. To do so, he makes a melee touchattack against the possessed subject. If the attackhits, the divine exorcist makes an Intimidate checkas a free action; this is opposed by the possessingentity’s Will save.

If the Intimidate check succeeds by 4 or less,the possessing entity takes 1d4 points of Charismadamage. If it succeeds by 5 or more, the entity takes1d4+1 points of Charisma damage and is immedi-ately driven from the subject. For the next 2d6rounds, the entity must move away from the divineexorcist at its fastest available speed. If it cannotmove, it cowers instead. In any case, the entitycannot attempt to possess the same subject againfor 24 hours.

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If the divine exorcist uses this power in asinkhole of evil, the possessing entity gains thesinkhole’s numerical value as a bonus to its Willsave to resist the smite.

This ability deals only half the usual amount ofCharisma damage to darklords capable of possess-ing others, and it cannot drive them out. The DMmay also designate other creatures that cannot bedriven out. This ability is a supernatural assaultthat pits the divine exorcist’s will against thepossessor’s will. It is effective against creatures ofany type or kind, even those normally immune tofear effects.

The divine exorcist can use this ability anumber of times per day equal to 3 + his Charismamodifier. Starting at 5th level, the divine exorcistcan use this power a number of times per day equalto 4 + his Charisma modifier.

Shielded Soul (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, thedivine exorcist develops an inner strength thathelps him resist assaults on his mind or being. Headds his divine exorcist level to any saving throwhe makes to resist any charm, compulsion, negativeenergy effect, or effect from the school of necro-mancy.

See Control (Su): At 3rd level, as a full-roundaction, the divine exorcist may observe any crea-ture or object within line of sight and determinewhether the target is currently under a charm orcompulsion effect. If the subject is under such aneffect, the divine exorcist sees a luminous trail (the“path of control”) that leads off in the direction ofthe controller. If the controlling entity is alsowithin the divine exorcist’s line of sight, she seesthe path connect to both the controller and thevictim. No one except the divine exorcist can seethis path.

A controller that has a higher Charisma scorethan the divine exorcist can make a Will save (DC10 + divine exorcist level + divine exorcist’s Chamodifier) to keep its path of control unseen; if thesave succeeds, the divine exorcist’s see possessionpower cannot reveal that path of control for 24hours. (If the divine exorcist has 5 or more ranks inSense Motive, add +2 to the save DC.) Otherwise,the divine exorcist sees the possessor’s outlinesuperimposed over the subject.

Once the divine exorcist notes a path of con-trol or a controller, he continues to see the trailconnecting the two as long as he keeps the subject(or the controller) in line of sight, or until thecontrol ends. If the divine exorcist does not keep

the subject or the controller in line of sight, he alsoloses sight of the path connecting the two and mustuse this power again to see the path of control thenext time he views the formerly possessed subject.

Smite Controller (Su): At 3rd level, a divineexorcist can strike a supernatural blow against anentity using a charm or compulsion effect on an-other creature, provided that he has used his seecontrol power to reveal the controlling entity. Todo so, he makes a melee touch attack against eitherthe controlled subject or the controller. On asuccessful hit, the divine exorcist makes an Intimi-date check as a free action; this is opposed by thecontroller’s Will save.

If the Intimidate check succeeds by 4 or less,the controller suffers wracking pains that impose a–2 penalty on all attack rolls, ability checks, skillchecks, level checks and saving throws for 1 minute.If the Intimidate check succeeds by 5 or more, thecontroller suffers wracking pains as above, and thecharm or compulsion effect ends immediately, evenif it cannot normally be dispelled. If the divineexorcist smites the same entity several times, thepenalties from the resulting pain stack (as penaltiesgenerally do).

If the divine exorcist uses this power in asinkhole of evil, the controller gains the sinkhole’snumerical value as a bonus to its Will save to resistthe smite.

The divine exorcist can use this ability anumber of times per day equal to 3 + his Charismamodifier. Starting at 7th level, the divine exorcistcan use this power a number of times per day equalto 4 + his Charisma modifier.

Bonus Feat: At 4th, 6th, 8th and 10th levels,the divine exorcist gains one bonus feat from thefollowing list: CourageR, Death’s FavorC, EtherealTouchC, GhostsightR, Greater Spell Focus (abjura-tion), Greater Spell Penetration, GreaterSupernatural ResilienceG3, HexbreakerV, ImprovedTurning, IndomitableV, Kiss of DawnH, Mist Sight*,Open MindR, Persuasive, Spirit of LightV, SkillFocus (Intimidate), Spell Focus (abjuration), SpellPenetration, Supernatural ResilienceG3, Voice ofthe SpiritsG3, or Warding GestureV.

The divine exorcist must meet all the usualprerequisites for these feats.

Break Control (Ex): Starting at 6th level, thedivine exorcist can break loose from enchantmenteffects placed on her and from attempts to possesher. If the divine exorcist is affected by an enchant-ment spell or effect, or is possessed, and fails her

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saving throw, she can attempt the save again 1round later at the same DC. If that attempt fails,the divine exorcist can try again after 1 hour, andif that save fails, she can try again each day there-after.

Dispel Evil (Sp): Starting at 9th level, thedivine exorcist can use dispel evil, as the spell, anumber of times per day equal to his Charismabonus (caster level equals divine exorcist level).

Table 5–3: The Divine ExorcistLevel Base Attack Fort Ref Will Special Class Spellcasting


1st +0 +2 +0 +2 See possession, smite possessor2nd +1 +3 +0 +3 Shielded soul +1 level of existing divine

spellcasting class3rd +2 +3 +1 +3 See control, smite controller4th +3 +4 +1 +4 Bonus feat +1 level of existing divine

spellcasting class5th +3 +4 +1 +4 Smite possessor +1/day6th +4 +5 +2 +5 Bonus feat, break control +1 level of existing divine

spellcasting class7th +5 +5 +2 +5 Smite dominator +1/day8th +6 +6 +2 +6 Bonus feat +1 level of existing divine

spellcasting class9th +6 +6 +3 +6 Dispel evil10th +7 +7 +3 +7 Bonus feat +1 level of existing divine

spellcasting class

Family Magic

New SpellsThe Godefroys who take up spellcasting classes

have created a few spells that deal with the spiritworld. These spells are available to members of thefamily and, at the DM’s discretion, to otherspellcasting characters.

DirgeNecromancyLevel:Level:Level:Level:Level: Brd 1Components:Components:Components:Components:Components: V, SCasting Time:Casting Time:Casting Time:Casting Time:Casting Time: 1 standard actionRange:Range:Range:Range:Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)Target:Target:Target:Target:Target: YouDuration:Duration:Duration:Duration:Duration: Concentration, maximum 1 round/levelSaving Throw:Saving Throw:Saving Throw:Saving Throw:Saving Throw: None (see text)Spell Resistance:Spell Resistance:Spell Resistance:Spell Resistance:Spell Resistance: No (see text)

After you cast dirge, all mind-affecting abilities fromyour bardic music (fascinate, inspire courage, inspirecompetence, suggestion, inspire greatness, inspire heroicsand mass suggestion) become necromantic effects. Whilethis effect lasts, these bardic music abilities affect undead

creatures, even though undead normally are immune tomind-affecting spells and abilities; however, they haveno effect on creatures of other types.

Concentrating to maintain this spell requiresa standard action each round, but you can use abardic music ability each round as part of thatstandard action.

You must use this spell on yourself. The spellallows no saving throw and spell resistance isn’tapplicable, but these parameters refer only to thespell’s effect on you. The undead creatures subjectedto your bardic music are still entitled to saving throwsagainst your subsequent music used, and their spellresistance (if any) also applies normally.

Eternal RestNecromancyLevel:Level:Level:Level:Level: Clr 6Components:Components:Components:Components:Components: V, S, DFCasting Time:Casting Time:Casting Time:Casting Time:Casting Time: 1 standard actionRange:Range:Range:Range:Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)Effect:Effect:Effect:Effect:Effect: Ray (see text)Duration:Duration:Duration:Duration:Duration: InstantaneousSaving Throw:Saving Throw:Saving Throw:Saving Throw:Saving Throw: Will partial (see text)Spell Resistance:Spell Resistance:Spell Resistance:Spell Resistance:Spell Resistance: Yes

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This spell creates a ray of golden light thatdestroys one undead creature’s material body (if ithas one), causing it to crumble to dust, which isthen wafted away in a swirling breeze. This spellaffects incorporeal undead without the usual incor-poreal miss chance, and such a creature merelywinks out of existence if it fails its save.

If the target makes a successful save, it stilltakes 6d6 points of damage. If the creature has aspecial quality that allows it to return after destruc-tion (such as a vampire’s fast healing power or aghost’s rejuvenation power), the creature gains abonus equal to its Charisma modifier on its savingthrow. If such a creature fails its saving throwagainst this spell, it must make a successful Willsave at the same DC (also with its Charismamodifier as a bonus) to return. If the creature’smethod of return normally requires a saving throw(as a ghost’s rejuvenation power does), the creaturemust first make that saving throw, then make theWill saving throw against this spell.

You can improve your chance of success bypresenting at least one object or substance that thetarget hates, fears, or otherwise finds repulsive orpainful (such as a mirror and bud of garlic for avampire). For each such object or substance, yougain a +1 bonus on your caster level check toovercome the target’s spell resistance (if any), andthe spell’s saving throw DC increases by +1. Aparticular creature’s history might suggest addi-tional objects or substances that would make thespell more effective.

This spell can also be cast when an undeadcreature has been physically destroyed and its re-mains are not present. In this case, the spell must beaimed at the spot where the creature was destroyed,and it must be used within 1 minute of the undeadcreature’s destruction. No attack roll is required forthis use of the spell.

This spell can destroy an undead darklord’sphysical form, but it cannot prevent the darklordfrom returning.

New Magic ItemsThe Godefroys have developed a number of

magic items that deal with safeguarding the soul ormimicking the powers of ghosts.

Cloak of Ghostwalking: This lightweight gar-ment is usually made from pale silk. A characterwearing it feels light on her feet and gains a +2circumstance bonus on Jump and Move Silentlychecks. She also takes half normal damage from falls.

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Three times per day, the wearer can use the cloak towalk through a solid object no thicker than her space;for example, a human wearer has a space of 5 feet andso could walk through a wall 5 feet thick.

Faint transmutation; CL 5th; Craft WondrousItem, blink, Price 15,000 gp; Weight 1/4 lb.

Ghost Trap: This item resembles a pear-shapedcrystal flask with a silver stopper. When the wielderuncorks the flask, he can target any incorporealcreature or manifested ghost within 30 feet andattempt to force the creature into the flask. Theattempt succeeds unless the target creature suc-ceeds on a DC 22 Will save. Once the flask hassuccessfully trapped a creature, it permanently sealsitself and cannot be used again. If the target makesa successful saving throw, the flask does not func-tion again for 24 hours.

A creature trapped in the flask remains trappedmore or less permanently, but it can attempt a newsaving throw once per year to escape confinement.If the save succeeds, the flask shatters. The flaskcan also be broken open, which releases the crea-ture. The flask is a Diminutive object with a hardnessof 5 and 25 hit points.

The flask cannot trap a darklord. If it is used ina sinkhole of evil, the target creature adds thesinkhole’s numeric value as a profane bonus to itssaving throw.

Strong conjuration; CL 15th; Craft WondrousItem, trap the soul, Price 48,000 gp; Weight 1 lb.

Gloves of Ghost-Fingers: These pale silkengloves make the wearer’s hands seem almost trans-lucent. When the wearer has them on, her unarmedstrikes, weapon attacks, natural weapon attacks,spells and other magical attacks have only a 20%miss chance when aimed at incorporeal creatures,rather than the usual 50%.

Faint transmutation; CL 3rd; Craft WondrousItem, true strike, Price 8,000 gp; Weight 1/4 lb.

Amulet of Life ProtectionThese items come in two levels of power, lesser

and greater. Whatever its strength, an amulet of lifeprotection typically consists of a gold or platinumlocket. Opening it reveals a piece of jet in one halfof the locket and a caduceus or ankh on the otherside. The amulet is a Fine object with a hardness of8 and 20 hit points.

Lesser Amulet of Life Protection: When a char-acter wearing this item dies, her soul and body areimmediately placed inside the amulet (even if someother effect would otherwise trap or destroy body and/or

soul), where they remain until the amulet is destroyed orthe soul and body are released by some other means. Aspell such as raise dead, resurrection, or true resurrectioncast on the amulet restores the body and soul held insideas a normal casting of the spell. An eternal rest spell caston the amulet destroys the body and lays the soulpermanently to rest if the creature inside fails its savingthrow. Destroying the amulet causes the body to reformon the spot and sets the soul loose to whatever fateawaited it at the original time of death. In any case,releasing the soul and body from the amulet destroys theamulet.

While the soul and body are held in theamulet, a speak with dead spell cast on the amuletallows the caster to converse with the creatureinside. A character with the GhostsightR feat, thesee possession* class feature, or the true seeing spellin effect can see the outline of the creature insidethe amulet superimposed over it.

The smite controller class feature (from the divineexorcist* prestige class) can force the soul stored in theamulet to depart if the creature inside fails its check toresist the attempt by 5 or more, but the attempt does notdeal any Charisma damage to the creature. If the smiteattempt drives the occupant out, the body is destroyedand the soul is laid permanently to rest.

Moderate necromancy; CL 9th; Craft Won-drous Item, plane shift, Price 22,500 gp; Weight 1/4 lb.

Greater Amulet of Life Protection: This itemfunctions as a lesser amulet of life protection, exceptthat the wearer returns to life 2d4–1 days afterdeath, just as if he had received a resurrection spell.A creature held within the amulet gets a +4 bonuson any save or check it makes to resist being drivenout and/or permanently laid to rest.

Strong necromancy; CL 12th; Craft Won-drous Item, plane shift, resurrection, Price 68,000 gp;Weight 1/4 lb.

Story HookA distant cousin of the Weathermay-Foxgrove

twins needs an introduction to them and a guide toan estate she has inherited that is reported to behaunted. The twins direct her to a Godefroy PC,whom they say is likely to be able to divine the truenature of the place for her. The estate once be-longed to a Godefroy — not Wilfred, but it isindeed haunted by Wilfred’s cousin Herman andHerman’s son Mento. The ghosts are not willing toleave, so the powers of an exorcist may also berequired. Or perhaps an accommodation can benegotiated.

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Chapter Six: Blood of Madness

Chapter Six:Blood ofMadne<<

The HiregaardFamily

Chapter Six:Blood ofMadne<<

The HiregaardFamily

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Dearest Grandfather,Although Castle Faerhaven is but a swift ride away, I feel I do not have the time

to leave my post here in Kantora, so letters will have to suffice. I have only been the city’schief constable for two weeks, but the corruption I have witnessed in this city alreadychallenges the imagination. Much has changed since you controlled law and order here.

I know you hate it when we speak ill of Prince Othmar or other nobles — that youbelieve they would not be allowed by the Lawgiver to retain their positions of privilegeand power if they were indeed as debauched as detractors would portray them. On myfirst night in Kantora, however, Othmar’s third son Vilmar invited me to a feast at hisestate; I was so sickened by the behavior I witnessed there that I was forced to leave.Among the “entertainments” was the spectacle of an unarmed horse thief forced to battlefor his life in a pit against two ravenous and wounded plains cats. I can’t even put downupon paper what one of the guests did to a dancing girl while Vilmar cheered him on.

If not for the fact that I have known Vilmar’s whereabouts the last time the fiendMalken was engaging in his murderous “amusements” across town, I should think I hadfound the person who must have adopted the mantle.

Yes, grandfather, I say “adopted the mantle” because am convinced that the Malkencurrently taunting law enforcers and menacing prostitutes and courtesans is not thesame Malken that you had to contend with in your youth — or even the same Malkenthat my father attempted to capture. The vague descriptions I have collected of him sofar make him far too young to have been the same villain as years past. Like the mantleof guardianship, truth and justice that has been passed from Hiregaard fathers to sons,so do I believe that something similar has happened in Malken’s circle. (I cannot sayfamily, as I find it inconceivable that such a monster could have a family.)

I think you can tell from this letter that Malken and his underworld forces rankhigh on my list of things to eliminate from life here in Kantora. The vile excesses of theruling class are also something to be curbed, but I am forced to admit that perhapsrealism needs to encroach upon my ideals. At least for the present.

I believe this city has grown far worse than what you remember, grandfather, andI think it’s important that we Hiregaards once again exert the sort of authority in thisplace that you once did, both in the effort to eliminate Malken and for the good of theentire city. I intend to write to a number of my brothers, nephews, nieces and cousinsin the hopes that they will join me as constables in Kantora. The citizens need justice,and I do not believe that Prince Othmar is willing or able to provide it. It is up to us totake action, openly or covertly.

I hope you will give me your support, if not publicly then at least in your heart.Your Loving Grandson,

Stepan

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The Hiregaardshe Hiregaard family has ruled northernNova Vaasa for all of the land’s recordedhistory. The most ancient of epic talescredited to Vaasi bards chronicle howthe Hiregaards came to the defense of

settlers menaced by savage cultists who worshippedan evil cat goddess. They built Castle Faerhaven toprovide protection for the common man and as aneternal symbol of the family’s devotion to defend-ing the weak and the blameless. The current leaderof the family, Sir Tristen Hiregaard, has alwaysseemed strangely embarrassed by this story, mostlybecause he claims there is no evidence that it istrue. For many Vaasi, however, it is an illustrationthat the Hiregaards have been their protectorssince the land was settled.

Several generations of Hiregaards presentlylive in Castle Faerhaven with Sir Tristen. He hasruled his lands from within its austere walls forroughly ninety years, having come to power at ayoung age after the tragic deaths of his mother andfather. Nature — or some other power — hasblessed the Hiregaard bloodline with robust healthand exceedingly smooth features, so that Sir Tristenseems barely above 60 years in age. His three grownsons Yorgi, Sasha and Myar live with their familiesin the castle as well. Those of Tristen’s grandsonsand granddaughters who have come of age andstarted families of their own have mostly moved toLiara, Kantora, or to one of several outlying manorhouses to better keep their lands and businessmanaged in the tradition befitting their familyheritage.

Out of the five Vaasi noble houses, theHiregaards are the strongest — perhaps not mili-tarily, but certainly politically and economically.They are the unquestioned masters of the landsbetween the Dnar, Borchava and Little BorchavaRivers, as well as the town of Liara. Though PrinceOthmar suspended the traditional system of rotat-ing rulership among the five noble families in favorof his own permanent despotic regime, theHiregaards have gained a large degree of influencein Othmar’s capitol of Kantora. The long servicethat family patriarch Tristen Hiregaard gave toKantora as its chief law enforcement officer iscarried on through the current service of his eldestgrandson Stepan.

Annual tax collections within the Hiregaarddemesne are never marred by peasant uprisings or

merchant protests, such as are common in thedomain’s southern regions; the Hiregaards are neverbrutal with those under their rule, but are well-loved for remaining true to their traditional courseof honoring and protecting the weak. TheHiregaards do not permit laziness or corruptionamong their peasants and retainers, and everyoneis expected to work hard and pay their fair share oftaxes to Nova Vaasa’s overlord, Prince Othmar.While those who attempt to evade taxes or laborare punished firmly, those who are truly frail or illare given much lighter tasks and are well-treated bytheir hereditary lords.

Yet the Hiregaards are not retiring or effete.They may not work the fields or the Koshka quar-ries that supply food and a tax base for their lands,but young members of the family are expected tohelp manage the farms and quarries firsthand, andto serve in the militias that protect the people frombeasts and bandits.

The Hiregaard family works to improve thestate of affairs both inside and outside Nova Vaasa.Decades ago Sir Tristen shipped food and suppliesto Tepest when crops failed there one season. Everyyear, Tristen or one of his sons can be found at thecourt of Prince Othmar, arguing that the tax bur-den on Vaasi peasants and merchants should bereduced so that they can spend less time workingand more time enjoying their families, as the noblesdo. At best, however, the Hiregaards manage onlyto prevent overall tax increases or to make theincrease smaller.

Younger Hiregaards are commonly foundalongside merchants and peasants in the halls andtaverns that spread out along Nova Vaasa’s roadsand around the land’s cities. While many peasantsand business owners tremble when they see thesons and daughters of other noble houses approach-ing, they welcome the Hiregaards. A Hiregaardnever expects to eat or dine for free; he neverexpects games of chance to be rigged in his favor;nor does he ever force his romantic or sexualattentions upon someone who doesn’t want them.The generosity shown by the Hiregaards to respect-able peasants and merchants, as well as the generalgood cheer that they bring to an establishment,means that a Hiregaard is often happily given foodand drink for free where other Vaasi ruling familieswould take it forcefully.

On the other hand, the Hiregaards are quick topunish those who are found to deceive or swindlethem. Dishonest merchants, crooked gamblers, or

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peasants and laborers who shirk their duties orattempt to evade taxes imposed by Othmar or theHiregaards themselves are punished to the fullestextent allowable under Vaasi law. The kindnessthe family shows to the lower classes should neverbe mistaken for naiveté, permissiveness, or a shirk-ing of the divinely ordained arrangement of Mastersand Servants established by the Lawgiver. TheHiregaards merely believe that every person, nomatter their station in life, deserves to be treatedwith respect until he or she proves otherwise throughbase actions.

Despite their honorable and generous natures,the Hiregaards have many enemies. Aside from thepolitical rivalries that are to be expected among thenoble houses, a decades-long animosity exists be-tween the family and the criminal mastermindknown as Malken. From Tristen Hiregaard’s earli-est days as Kantora’s chief constable, Malken hasbeen a thorn in the family’s side. He first appearedas a simple yet astonishingly brutal murderer whodelighted in leaving taunting messages and daringSir Tristen to catch him, through today he standsat the head of a far-reaching underworld empirethat has crooked gambling dens, slaving opera-tions, protection rackets and prostitution rings

within its authority. The interests of the Hiregaardfamily remain favorite targets for Malken’s activi-ties.

None know when or how the rivalry betweenSir Tristen and Malken began. It has continued forso long now that Hiregaards and other noble housesalike wonder if the hatred isn’t perhaps an ancientfeud spanning generations. The theory is that themysterious Malken of today may be a child orgrandchild of the original Malken, since it is un-likely that Malken could have the same long lifeand health as the honorable Hiregaards.

A theory whispered among Hiregaard retain-ers and discussed with glee among the competingnoble families is that there is a hidden relationshipbetween Malken and Sir Tristen. It is held thatMalken — the original, unless he indeed has beenreplaced by a child or grandchild — is actually theunacknowledged bastard child of Tristen’s father,Romir Hiregaard. Romir and Tristen’s mother bothdied under mysterious circumstances, and thosewho hold to the rumor of Malken being Tristen’shalf-brother believe the parents were Malken’s fistvictims. Most Hiregaards themselves would dis-miss this rumor angrily should they hear it, althoughStepan Hiregaard, in his recently gained capacity

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as Chief Constable of Kantora, has been quietlyinvestigating the rumor.

Still, those who believe that Malken is anunacknowledged member of the Hiregaard familyare generally ridiculed for these beliefs; respect forlaw and order is a matter of nature among theHiregaards, not nurture. However, those who scoffmight not do so if they were aware of the dark secretthat the Hiregaards struggle to keep hidden; along-side all the honor and lawfulness that seemsingrained in the family, there is also a deep-seatedstreak of madness that afflicts many members too.

At one time or another, nearly every adultmember of the family has suffered some form ofmental breakdown and has spent time either in oneof Nova Vaasa’s sanitariums or isolated within oneof the family’s homes while they recovered. EvenSir Tristen himself is rumored to suffer from boutsof madness, during which he locks himself in atower room in Castle Faerhaven. Madness hasplagued the family since its earliest, most anti-quated and legendary ancestors, but it has grownmore pronounced in recent generations. Eventu-ally, it may grow so severe and obvious that it willdamage the family’s sterling reputation.

Of course, unbeknownst to everyone but SirTristen himself, Malken is not an unacknowledgedmember of the Hiregaard family but rather SirTristen’s madness made manifest through a heredi-tary curse. (For details, see Tristen Hiregaard’sentry in Secrets of the Dread Realms.)

Fitting InHiregaards are known for their tall statures,

strikingly handsome features and great virility andzest for life. Most members of the family have darkbrown or raven-black hair, and they do not start togo gray until late in life. They retain their youthfulgood looks far longer than most humans, giving riseto speculation that they may have elf-blood some-where in their distant history.

It is often said that young Hiregaards mustrestrain themselves when attending functionshosted by other Vaasi nobles, lest their presenceovershadow that of their hosts. Add these factors tothe great libido and lustiness that seems to run inHiregaard blood, and you have a family that isfirmly at the forefront of Nova Vaasa’s carousers.Tales of Sasha Hiregaard’s exploits are legend, andhis name is featured in bawdy ballads as far away asKartakass and western Darkon. The prowess ofHiregaards as fighters, horsemen and anything else

that involves physical activity is also widely recog-nized. Male or female, being a Hiregaard meanshaving a love for physical pleasure and a greatcapacity for pursuing it.

However, the devotion that the Hiregaardfamily shows to honor, truth, justice and fairness iseven greater than their love of physical pursuits.All family members have a strong sense of duty anda natural impulse to help those in need and protectthose who are threatened. For most, this hasprompted them to remain close to home in order toprotect the peasantry and merchants of their an-cestral lands from the ever-increasing demands ofPrince Othmar’s taxing authority.

Yet some members of the current generationhave set their sights on righting wrongs in moredistant lands. Kiev Hiregaard, son of Sasha, hastraveled to Falkovnia to help the Freemen under-mine the brutal regime of Vlad Drakov and hisTalons. Meanwhile, the youngest daughter of Myar,Narana, has already set herself upon a path ofheroic adventure at the tender age of seventeen.When she heard about the increasing instances ofpiracy in the Sea of Sorrows and the Nocturnal Sea,she convinced her grandfather and a group ofmerchants to provide her with funding to secure aship and a seasoned crew. She will soon be settingsail from Egertus, with a number of more distantHiregaard relations along to help and fabled ex-plorer and merchant mariner Captain OnidRhelarian in command.

For all their admirable traits, however, allHiregaards live under the threat of losing theirminds. It is not a widely known fact, but manymembers of the family are subject to bouts ofinsanity, some raving so violently that they must becommitted to asylums for their own protection andtreatment. Some believe the Hiregaard family hasbeen living under a curse since they defeated thecultists that once held sway in the land theHiregaards now claim as their own.

Player characters with Hiregaard blood caneither be acknowledged grandchildren of TristenHiregaard, or they might be illegitimate children ofsome other adult member of the family. Hiregaardhonor demands that any child of whom they areaware be treated decently, if not necessarily con-sidered an heir to the Hiregaard holdings, so manyof the family’s retainers are half-brothers and half-sisters of those they serve.

Fitting new characters who can trace theirfamily lineage to the Hiregaards without contra-

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The HiregaardFamily

dicting established source material is an easy thingto do in a Ravenloft campaign. Further, any personwith a legitimate claim to being a member of thefamily is likely to be welcomed with open arms.There may be suspicion of the character at first, butonce his origins can be confirmed, he is likely givenas important a position within the Hiregaard powerstructure as is practical and appropriate. Distantcousins and remote relatives by marriage are notafforded as much leave as direct offspring of fullyrecognized Hiregaards.

Claiming MembershipA Hiregaard is expected to embody all of the

noblest qualities — and any Hiregaard who consis-tently fails to live up to these ideals is firmlydisavowed. If the scion is criminal and thus be-comes too much of a blight upon the family name,he is likely to be hunted down by his kin and jailedor even executed. It is rare for members of thefamily to take such drastic action, however, occur-ring only when the offender commits truly dastardlydeeds such as rape and murder. Even distant cous-ins seem to possess enough of the traditionalHiregaard devotion to law, order and justice thatfew ever bring significant disgrace to their family

(or if they do, they are intelligent enough to hidetheir misdeeds).

Hiregaards are always human, for their mad-ness often brings with it xenophobia.

Hiregaard Family Traits• A Hiregaard receives a +2 bonus on all

Diplomacy and Gather Information checks.Hiregaards are pleasant and affable.

• Longevity: The Hiregaards have alwaysbeen blessed with long lives. They age as half-elvesrather than humans (see the “Aging Effects” tablein Chapter 6 of the Player’s Handbook).

• All Hiregaards suffer a –1 penalty on mad-ness saves.

• Blood Curse: A hereditary curse plagues allHiregaards. If this curse indeed dates back to an-cient times, it has become more acute in recentgenerations following a curse placed upon RomirHiregaard by his wife with her dying breath. It isalso highly likely that the Dark Powers themselveshave taken to shaping and altering the curse uponthis noble lineage for their own inexplicable rea-sons.

The blood curse takes affect whenever aHiregaard character fails a powers check. The

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character begins a descent down the Path of Mad-ness, and should roll on the following tables at eachstage of corruption. All the effects below are con-sidered to be moderate to major madness effects, asdefined in the Ravenloft Player’s Handbook.Recovering from each of them requires at least onemonth, plus a number of weeks equal to the nu-merical percent chance of the powers check failed.(Thus, a Hiregaard who fails a 9% powers checkneeds one month + 9 weeks to recuperate.) Duringthis time, the Hiregaard must be in calm surround-ings and receive treatment from skilled doctors andalienists. Any interruption of the treatment re-quires it to be started all over again.

Hiregaard Path of Madness —Stage One

d8 Result Effect

1 Hatred of male halflings and humanmale children

2 Hatred of female halflings and humanfemale children

3 Hatred of male elves (and half-elves)4 Hatred of female elves (and half-

elves)5 Hatred of male Vistani6 Hatred of female Vistani7 Hatred of dwarves8 Hatred of humans of opposite gender

Stage One Hatred: The Hiregaard suffers a –1penalty to all Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Informa-tion and Sense Motive checks involving the hatedfolk, but gains a +1 bonus on attack and damagerolls against them.

Hiregaard Path of Madness —Stage Two

d8 Result Effect

1 Hatred of halflings and humanchildren

2 Hatred of elves (and half-elves)3 Hatred of Vistani4 Hatred of humans5 Hatred of gnomes6 Amnesia7 Mild monophobia8 Roll on Moderate Madness Effect

table (Ravenloft Player’s HandbookRavenloft Player’s HandbookRavenloft Player’s HandbookRavenloft Player’s HandbookRavenloft Player’s Handbook)

Stage Two Hatred: The Hiregaard suffers a –1penalty to all Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Informa-

tion and Sense Motive checks involving the hatedfolk, but gains a +1 bonus on attack and damagerolls against them. If appropriate, these modifiersstack with those from Stage One hatred.

Amnesia: The Hiregaard falls unconscious fora time (anywhere from a few rounds to severalhours, at the DM’s discretion). When he awakens,he has forgotten everything that has occurred sincejust before he gained his most recent level: Heeffectively loses one level. This lost level can beregained only if the Hiregaard somehow redeemshimself for the act that caused the powers check(see “Redemption” in the Ravenloft Player’s Hand-book.)

Mild Monophobia: The Hiregaard cannot standto be alone for more than a number of minutesequal to his Wisdom modifier (minimum 1 minute).If he is alone for longer than this, he becomes verynervous and distracted, increasingly eager to findsome company. He suffers a –1 penalty to all skillchecks, attack rolls and saving throws until he isonce again together with at least one other person.

Hiregaard Path of Madness —Stage Three

d8 Result Effect

1 Hatred of all non-humans2 Moderate monophobia3–4 Paranoia5–6 Unyielding fury7–8 Roll on Moderate Madness Effect

table (Ravenloft Player’s HandbookRavenloft Player’s HandbookRavenloft Player’s HandbookRavenloft Player’s HandbookRavenloft Player’s Handbook)

Stage Three Hatred: The Hiregaard suffers a –1penalty to all Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Informa-tion and Sense Motive checks involving the hatedfolk, but gains a +1 bonus on attack and damagerolls against them. If appropriate, these modifiersstack with those from Stage One and Stage Twohatred.

Moderate Monophobia: The Hiregaard cannotstand to be alone for more than a number of roundsequal to his Wisdom modifier (minimum 1 minute).If he is alone for longer than this, he becomes verynervous and distracted, increasingly eager to findsome company. He suffers a –2 penalty to all skillchecks, attack rolls and saving throws until he isonce again together with at least one other person.(If the character already suffers from mild mono-phobia, the penalties from the two defects stack.)

Paranoia: The Hiregaard becomes nervous andjumpy; he feels as if every shadow hides an enemy

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The HiregaardFamily

and every door conceals a new threat. A lack ofconfidence starts to plague his every action. Hesuffers a –2 penalty on all Charisma-based skillchecks, but gains a +1 bonus on Listen and Spotchecks.

Unyielding Fury: When insulted, threatened,or attacked, the Hiregaard must make a DC 15 Willsave to avoid exploding in a wild, violent, uncon-trolled fury for 1d8+2 rounds. In somecircumstances, the DM may apply a bonus or pen-alty to this save whenever she feels one is called for.If the save fails, the Hiregaard attacks the offendingcharacter(s) and any who try to interfere. Duringthis episode, the Hiregaard gains a +2 bonus todamage rolls, but suffers a –2 penalty to attack rollsand AC.

Hiregaard Path of Madness —Stage Four

d8 Result Effect

1 Intense hatred of all non-humans2 Blind rage3 Homicidal mania4 Insomnia5 Severe monophobia6–8 Roll on Major Madness Effect table

(Ravenloft Player’s HandbookRavenloft Player’s HandbookRavenloft Player’s HandbookRavenloft Player’s HandbookRavenloft Player’s Handbook)

Intense Hatred: The Hiregaard suffers a –2penalty to all Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Informa-tion and Sense Motive checks involving the hatedfolk, but gains a +2 bonus on attack and damagerolls against them. If appropriate, these modifiersstack with those from all previous hatred results.

Blind Rage: When insulted, threatened, orattacked, the Hiregaard must make a DC 20 Willsave to avoid exploding in a wild, violent, uncon-trolled fury for 2d6+1 rounds. In somecircumstances, the DM may apply a bonus or pen-alty to this save whenever she feels one is called for.If the save fails, the Hiregaard attacks the offendingcharacter(s) and any who try to interfere. Duringthis episode, the Hiregaard gains a +3 bonus todamage rolls, but suffers a –2 penalty to attack rollsand a –4 penalty to AC.

Homicidal Mania: The Hiregaard develops ahatred and disgust for a particular type of non-human humanoid (for example, elves or Vistani),as chosen by the player and DM; the race inquestion should be one for which the characteralready has a hatred. The character must kill at

least one individual of the hated race every monthof game time — either in combat or throughoutright murder — or he starts falling apart: Everyday beyond one month that goes by without killingone of the hated beings, the character suffers 1point of both Constitution and Wisdom damage.The urge to kill grows stronger with each passingday until, once his Wisdom attribute drops to 8, hesuffers a blackout; at this point, the DM takescontrol of the character. When (or if) the Hiregaardonce again becomes aware of himself, he is stand-ing over the slain body of a member of the hatedrace, his Constitution and Wisdom attributes re-stored to full.

Insomnia: The Hiregaard finds it impossible tosleep, for every time he closes his eyes his mindstarts to race and strange sounds and images fill histhoughts. He must make a DC 15 Will save simplyto fall asleep. (Such a save can be made only onceevery hour.) Once he falls asleep, he must make anadditional Will save every hour (DC 15, +1 perprevious consecutive save); if the save fails, hewakes up and cannot get back to sleep for at least2 hours. A character who cannot sleep for at least4 hours per night or who gets less than 8 hours ofsleep for three consecutive nights is fatigued; acharacter who gets less than 4 hours of sleep forthree consecutive nights is exhausted. This disor-der is a virtual death sentence for spellcasters, whocannot prepare spells without at least 8 hours ofsleep.

Alchemical sleep aids can be used to over-come this affliction, but if they are used, thecharacter is groggy for the first 2 hours upon awak-ening. Spellcasters (both arcane and divine) suffera 10% chance of spell failure when casting and allcharacters suffer a –2 penalty on all skill checks andattack rolls during this 2-hour period.

Severe Monophobia: The Hiregaard cannotstand to be alone, needing at least two others withhim at all times. When he is with only one otherperson, he grows nervous and distracted and startsurging his companion to find others with him. Hesuffers a –1 penalty to all skill checks, attack rollsand saving throws until he is once again togetherwith a larger group. If ever completely alone, hesuffers a –2 penalty to all skill checks, attack rollsand saving throws and a –4 penalty to all fear andhorror checks. (If the character already suffers frommild and/or moderate monophobia, the penaltiesfrom these defects stack.)

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Hiregaard Path of Madness —Stage Five

A Hiregaard who fails a fifth powers checkmust roll on the Major Madness Effects table (seeRavenloft Player’s Handbook) with a –4 penalty.

Hiregaard Path of Madness —Stage Six

A Hiregaard who fails the sixth and finalpowers check becomes a maddened darklord in hisown right, although this may apply in much thesame way that Tristen Hiregaard is a darklord onlythrough the separation of his alternate identity,Malken. The details of this change are left to theplayer and the DM to determine.

Family Featshe Hiregaard family is the exemplar ofVaasi nobility — honorable and de-voted to the defense of their families,peasants and lands. They are skilled inboth martial and verbal battles, and

many of them are also as comfortable on horsebackas they are on foot. They are also unique in thatthey are equally comfortable in the halls of poweras on the smallest farmstead.

There are no feats required when creating anew member of the Hiregaard family, but any featfrom the fighter bonus feat list or the following listis strongly recommended: Animal Affinity, Backto the WallR, BlessedH, CourageR, EquestrianC,Great Fortitude, Investigator, Iron Will, LightningReflexes, Martial Weapon Proficiency, MountedCombat, Negotiator, Nine LivesV, Persuasive, SharpWit*, Shield Proficiency, Skill Focus (HandleAnimal or Ride), SmittenV, Track, WealthH.

New FeatThe following feat is ideal for a Hiregaard

character, especially a fighter or paladin.

Defender of the Weak [General]You may tap into hidden reserves of strength

when defending the weak and downtrodden.Prerequisite: Non-evil alignment.Benefit: If you witness an opponent actively

threaten or attack a weaker being, you are inspired;for this purpose, a “weaker being” is any characterhaving commoner levels or any other characterwho is at least 3 levels lower than you. For the next24 hours, you gain a +2 morale bonus to attack rolls

against the threatening opponent and a +1 moralebonus on all saving throws against his spells orspecial attacks. You also gain a +1 morale bonus onany fear or horror saves that would prevent orinterfere with your ability to defend the weakerbeing from the threatening opponent.

Special: You cannot gain any benefit from thisfeat if the weaker being is also a favored enemy ora member of a race or group you hate (such as froma failed Hiregaard dark powers check or some otherbackground choice or trait).

For the purpose of dark powers checks, youtreat weaker beings as Innocents. (That is, merelylying to such a character causes you to make a 1%dark powers check.) This does not apply if theweaker being is also a member of a hated race.

Family Classeslmost every Hiregaard is, at heart, awarrior and adventurer. Unlike themajority of the Core’s nobility, theHiregaards don’t hide behind their hiredtroops — they are often found leading

them. For this reason, nearly all those with Hiregaardblood (as opposed to those who marry into thenoble house) start in one of the adventuring classes.They are most typically fighters, paladins, or rang-ers, although those with more cerebral bent may berogues or wizards. Hiregaards who prefer a quieter(although not necessarily safer) life at court soontake levels in the aristocrat class, however, seekingto focus instead on diplomacy and other pursuits.

Those Hiregaards who enter into prestigeclasses tend to toward such classes as the avengerV,blessed defenderH, detectiveH, duelist, eldritchknight, knight errantH and monster hunterR, aswell as the new class — the people’s champion —shown below.

People’s ChampionAlthough the Hiregaards are staunch support-

ers of the Church of the Lawgiver, few actuallyenter the church’s service as clerics, and even fewerhave risen far within its ranks. Invariably, they arebothered by the inability of mortals to live up to thestandards of the divine, and these disenchantedpriests tend to return with renewed determinationand focus to the ideals that have served their familyas a moral compass for generations. As such, theybecome ideal candidates for the people’s championprestige class. Other Hiregaards have been knownto subscribe to the belief that embodies this pres-

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The HiregaardFamily

tige class as well, for they too have seen petty abuseof power from those they believe should knowbetter, but it is disenchanted priests of the Law-giver who are most often drawn to it.

In every land, there are nobles who misusetheir positions of privilege. In lands like NovaVaasa where some nobles feel threatened by anemerging merchant class, the abuse can be particu-larly severe. Here, the people’s champion rises tothe defense of commoners who suffer under theexcesses of abusive nobles and their hirelings. Thechampion has no desire to overthrow the existingsocial order, but is instead motivated by a desire tosee that justice is done within its confines.

Characters belonging to this class can be foundin Darkon and Falkovnia, but they are most com-mon in Nova Vaasa and Hazlan. They are invariablyformer clergy or church warriors who turned theirbacks on the organized churches of Ezra or theLawgiver. This was due to what they perceived ascorruption, abuse of authority for personal gain ofthe clergy and exploitation of the masses of faithfulin favor of the rich and powerful.

Some members of this class remain within thechurch hierarchy, where they work to root outcorrupt church leaders and their toadies, but otherstake to the streets to defend commoners againstnobles who lack nobility. Interestingly, althoughthese champions have invariably turned away fromthe structure of their faith to a greater or lesserdegree, they remain strongly devoted to the beliefin their deity. In turn, the god or goddess clearlyfavors the character’s efforts, as they continue toanswer his prayers for spells and to grant him othersupernatural abilities.

Hit Die: d8.

RequirementsTo qualify for the people’s champion (Pch)

class, a character must meet the following criteria.Alignment: Non-chaotic and non-evil.Base Attack Bonus: +4.Skills: Diplomacy 5 ranks, Gather Informa-

tion 3 ranks, Knowledge (nobility and royalty) 3ranks, Sense Motive 3 ranks.

Feats: Defender of the Weak*.Spellcasting: Ability to cast 1st-level divine

spells.Other: Must be of noble rank.

Class SkillsThe people’s champion’s class skills (and the

key ability for each) are Concentration (Con),Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha),Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha),Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (his-tory) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge(nobility and royalty) (Int), Knowledge (religion),Listen (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), SenseMotive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis).


Class FeaturesThe following are class features of the people’s

champion prestige class.

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Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The people’schampion is proficient with all simple and martialweapons and with all armor and shields.

Spellcasting: At 2nd and again at 4th level,the character gains new spells per day (and spellsknown, if applicable) as if he had also gained a levelin whatever divine spellcasting class had grantedhim access to 1st-level divine spells. He does not,however, gain any other benefit a character of thatclass would have gained (improved ability to turnundead and so on), except for an increased effec-tive level of spellcasting. This essentially meansthat he adds the level of people’s champion to thelevel of his previous divine spellcasting class, thendetermines spells per day, spells known and casterlevel accordingly.

If the character has more than one divinespellcasting class that grants him access to divinespells, he must decide to which class he adds eachlevel of people’s champion for the purpose of deter-mining spells per day and spells known.

Eye for Detail (Ex): At 1st level, the people’schampion gains a +2 competence bonus on allGather Information, Sense Motive and Spot checks.

Righteous Anger (Ex): At 2nd level, thepeople’s champion uses his rage and indignation toadd extra fuel to his crusade when things getparticularly difficult. Once per day, as a free action,he can cal upon a cold fury that grants him a bonusto attack and damage rolls equal to his Wisdommodifier (minimum +1). The benefit lasts for anumber of rounds equal to his people’s championlevel.

Bonus Feat: At 3rd level, the people’s cham-pion gains a bonus feat from the following list:Alertness, Back to the WallR, Blind-Fight, Combat

Casting, Combat Expertise, CourageR, Dead ManWalkingR, Death’s FavorC, Dodge, Endurance, Ethe-real EmpathyR, HauntedR, HexbreakerV,IndomitableV, Investigator, Iron Will, Leadership,Mounted Combat, Negotiator, Open MindR, PointBlank Shot, Power Attack, Self-Sufficient, SharpEyes*, Spirit of LightV, Track, Two-Weapon Fight-ing, Voice of WrathR, Weapon Focus.

The people’s champion must meet all theusual prerequisites for these feats.

Aura of Confidence (Su): At 4th, a people’schampion has such a strong belief in the righteous-ness of his struggle that he inspires others by hisexample. He gains a +4 bonus on all saving throwsagainst fear effects, and each ally within 20 feet ofhim gains a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls and onsaving throws against fear effects.

This ability functions while the people’s cham-pion is conscious, but not if he is unconscious ordead.

Unyielding Devotion (Ex): At 5th level, thepeople’s champion is so firm in his crusade that hismind is nearly unassailable by those who wouldbend it. He gains a +4 bonus on all saving throwsagainst mind-affecting spells and effects. (Thisbonus does apply to horror saves, but not to fear ormadness saves.)

Family Magiche Hiregaard family has in their posses-sion many masterwork and magicalweapons and suits of armor, but few ofthese have any particular historical sig-nificance other than having belonged

to a noted member of the family. However, one ofthe family’s enchanted heirlooms is of particularnote: The cat’s paw.

Table 6–1: The People’s ChampionLevel Base Attack Fort Ref Will Special Spellcasting


1 +1 +2 +0 +2 Eye for detail —2 +2 +3 +0 +3 Righteous anger +1 level of existing divine

spellcasting class3 +3 +3 +1 +3 Bonus feat —4 +4 +4 +1 +4 Aura of confidence +1 level of existing divine

spellcasting class5 +5 +4 +1 +4 Unyielding devotion —

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The HiregaardFamily

The Cat’s Paw (Minor Artifact)The cat’s paw is the remarkably well-preserved

paw of a large black hunting cat, perhaps a pantheror a plains cat. It is typically kept in a soft leatherpouch that is decorated with symbols and picto-graphs of unknown meaning and purpose.According to well-known legends, PersarvalHiregaard seized the cat’s paw from a worshipper ofthe legendary cat cult, although for years TristenHiregaard himself believed the item and its leathercontainer to be just a myth. Then, his son Yorgifound it within a secret compartment in his ward-robe, where it apparently had lain hidden forcenturies.

Yorgi carried the cat’s paw with him on manyof his youthful adventures, enjoying its many magi-cal advantages. Eventually, though, he was setupon by a band of paka, a shapeshifting race offeline humanoids (see Denizens of Dread andRavenloft Gazetteer Vol. IV for details) intent onseizing the pouch with the cat’s paw — over Yorgi’sdead body. Further attempts upon Yorgi’s life, allwhich could be traced back to his possession of thecat’s paw, convinced him to stop carrying the itemand to leave it in his father’s treasury, deep withinthe central keep of Castle Faerhaven.

Over the years since, Hiregaards have occa-sionally carried the cat’s paw on important missions,always returning it to the treasury within days.Shortly after its use, however, a band of pakainvariably appears in the castle and attempts tosteal it. It is unknown why the paka are so eager toget their hands on the cat’s paw.

After the last attempt, some five years ago,Tristen Hiregaard attempted to take a paka pris-oner to explain the significance of the artifact tothe cat people, as he would consider surrenderingit to them if it was important enough. The prisonerrefused to tell Sir Tristen anything, but he wasultimately released so that he could bring the offerto his leaders. Sir Tristen refused to hand over thecat’s paw without answers to his questions. At-tempts to discern the origin of the item — and evento read the inscriptions upon leather pouch —have always met with failure.

The truth is that although the cat’s paw wasindeed claimed by Persarval Hiregaard during theconflict with the cat cultists, it had fallen into theirpossession only after the paka had very recently lostit. It is but one part of a larger artifact that, whenassembled, gives its possessor untold powers. Theexact function of all eight pieces has been lost to

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the paka, but they believe that once they havethem all, they will be able to destroy all humanseverywhere and turn the Land of Mists into aparadise for their kind.

Cat’s Paw: The cat’s paw grants its possessor a+2 bonus to Dexterity (since this bonus has notype, it stacks with all other bonuses to Dexterity).It also grants low-light vision and a +2 bonus on allSearch and Spot checks, as well as a +4 compe-tence bonus to any Handle Animal checks involvingfelines. Three times per day, it allows the user tocast cat’s grace (caster level 12th). Finally, no felineanimal or magical beast will attack the possessor ofthe cat’s paw unless attacked first and unable toflee.

The cat’s paw may have other powers in thehands of paka or other feline humanoids, but this isleft up to the DM.

Strong transmutation; CL 15th; Weight 1/2 lb.

Story HooksSeveral years ago, Sasha Hiregaard’s daughter

Illyana married a charming young merchant whohad relocated from Darkon to Kantora. Sadly,Illyana started to show signs of distressed nervesseveral months ago. She has recently been con-fined to the Clinic for the Mentally Distressed onthe outskirts of Egertus, but the doctors there foundthat she is sane. Tristen Hiregaard has never fully

trusted Illyana’s husband, and he asks the PCs — astrusted members or retainers of the Hiregaard fam-ily — to investigate the husband’s activities.

As they start their investigation, the charac-ters receive word that Malken has struck at theClinic of the Mentally Distressed, apparently in anattempt to kill Illyana Hiregaard, but has managedonly to slay an orderly. In a throwback to his earlierdays, however, the violent criminal wrote a threat-ening message in his victim’s blood.

Whichever path the characters decide to takein their investigation, they find no evidence ofwrongdoing on the husband’s part, nor do they findany sign of Malken being involved, despite themessage. Instead, they find evidence that Illyanahas a lover (having the initial “M.”) who wasscheming with her to kill the husband so he couldget the business.

If they confront Illyana with this information,it becomes apparent that she is hopelessly insane;she believes herself to be Malken, and, in fact, thispersonality emerges and she attacks the PCs. If thecharacters go to Tristen Hiregaard with their find-ings, he peremptorily and coldly tells them to keepit to themselves. Whatever steps they take afterthis, they find themselves targeted by Malken’sorganization and perhaps even Malken himself.Their demand is that the PCs reveal Illyana’s secretto Ivan Hiregaard, the Chief Constable of Kantora.

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The Mordenheim Family

Chapter Seven:The Blood ofInvention

The MordenheimFamily

Chapter Seven:The Blood ofInvention

The MordenheimFamily

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Chapter Seven: Blood of Invention

Excerpt from the diary of Artisa Juvenoth:The dreams have come again. It seems that the more I bury myself in my research, the more often they come.

Sometimes I feel as if the truth is just beyond my grasp, that if I reached out for it, the dreams would stop. Myhand rises as though of its own accord, as if to seize a truth I cannot see, but a feeling of such dread fills me thatI cannot continue. I know then that the truth is too terrible to grasp, and that to know it would be to go utterlymad.

I try to take consolation in the mundane matters of life — my home, my family and my work. Though I canremember nothing of my childhood, my studies at the university gave me comfort as a young woman, and they broughtme love as well. Jervais and I were fellow students working under Professor Gemblatt, and our research into thenature of aging brought us into constant contact. A quiet romance blossomed, and when we had completed our studies,we married. Our five children have filled our home with the joy of discovery, and the eldest is now preparing foruniversity studies himself. I should be the happiest of women, but the dreams rob me of the contentment that shouldbe mine.

In one dream, I see the face of a woman smiling at me with the warmth that a mother reserves for her child.And indeed, I must be a child, because she holds up a child’s dress to my body as if to test its size. The color and styleplease her, but I care not — I urge her to play with me instead. And she does, until it is time to sleep and she putsme to bed with a kiss. But sleep does not come easily. I lie awake in the darkness, listening to her voice raised in strifewith that of a man. “Never!” she cries. “I will never accept that monster — that abomination. The next time he touchesher, I shall kill him with my bare hands!”

“Now, darling,” says the man, “you know he loves her. He would never hurt her — or you.”“That creature cannot love!” wails the woman. “He is not human!”In another dream, I wake in the darkness, not knowing where or even who I am. In the dim light of a lamp, I see

above me a face — or more accurately, a parody of a face, for surely no living visage of such incredible ugliness couldexist. From its craggy features, I judge it to belong to a man, but its gray skin and livid scars make it seem moremonster than human. Its light-colored, watery eyes bulge from their sockets as though not firmly attached there,and its skin stretches so taut across its cheekbones and jawline that it barely masks the muscles and bones beneath.Its black hair falls in greasy, lanky locks well past its shoulders, and its thin, black lips part to reveal dirty, stainedteeth. “Come,” it says in a whisper that grates like a shovel in the dirt of a grave.

A scream tears from my throat. “No!” says the creature placing a hand over my mouth. “It is only I. Please.You must be quiet.” I struggle against the restraining hand for a moment, and then I look again into those wateryeyes. Instead of cruel intent, I see gentleness there, like the regard of a boy for a beloved pet or a younger sibling.There is something almost endearing about that face, somewhere beyond the ugliness. This creature, for all itsgruesome appearance, truly is a man. The fear retreats, and I almost smile against his hand.

Just then, I see the glint of moonlight on the edge of a blade raised behind the man’s head, and I struggle againto speak, raising my hand to point behind him. “No! I won’t let you harm her, you monster!” shouts a woman’s voice,and the man lurches and staggers as if from a blow, releasing my scream into the night. “I would never harm her,”he protests, turning to face his attacker. The woman rushes at him with her weapon, and his face contorts in rageas he retaliates against her attacks.

Yet another dream finds me fleeing for my life from some danger I cannot understand. The moon shines down,illuminating the stones beneath my feet with a ghostly white light. A hard barrier hits my legs, and I tumble overit, grabbing onto the first object my hand finds. A man leans over the barrier — a railing, it seems — and grabsmy wrist. Just when it seems that I shall be saved, a thud is followed by a cry of anguish, and he lets go of my hand.I fall. And fall. And then I awaken.

I know, of course, that these dreams are nothing more than my subconscious trying to tell me who I really am,to give me the identity I never had.

But I am happy with the life I have made — I need no other. So why? Why does my past come to find me now?

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The Mordenheimsaron Mordenheim’s wife Elise was bar-ren, so he never had children of his own.Since the baron had always embracedscience above divinity, he became de-termined to create a “son” for himself.

He felt no compunction about dabbling in therealm of creation, which rightly belongs to thegods, since he believed in no gods — except possi-bly Science itself. Victor Mordenheim’s naturalbrilliance and prodigious scientific knowledge gavehim the tools he needed to pursue his plan. Gath-ering body parts from corpses by night, he patchedtogether a human form and tried to imbue it withlife. Perversely, the gods whose existence he hadalways denied saw fit to grant him this terrible“gift,” and they gave his creation the spark of life.Naming the creature Adam, Mordenheim intro-duced it to his wife. But she greeted his creationwith repulsion, though Adam seemed to harbor astrong affection for her.

Eventually, the Mordenheims adopted a younggirl they found wandering the streets, naming herEva. Elise showered the girl with affection even as

her hatred for Adam grew. The Mordenheims fellto arguing about what to do with Adam, whoshowed affection for both Eva and Elise, and thetension in the household became almost palpable.

Eventually, Adam decided that life with thewarring Mordenheims was not good for Eva andresolved to take her away with him. But the at-tempt ended in tragedy when Elise, awakened byEva’s scream, attacked Adam in a frenzy of fear andhate. Eva fled out onto the balcony and tumbledover the balustrade. When Adam tried to save her,Elise attacked him again, forcing him to relinquishhis grasp. As the girl fell to the ground, Adamturned to face his attacker, his rage overwhelmingthe love he felt for Elise.

Moments later, the baron arrived to find Adamstanding over his wife’s mangled body. Adam spranginto the night, never to return, and he soon becamedarklord of Lamordia. Eva’s body was never found,but she has never been seen by the Mordenheimsagain.

Miraculously, Elise was not quite dead, despiteher terrible wounds. Since that night, the baronhas labored for years to keep her alive and to restore

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her to health and vigor using the means he em-ployed to create Adam. Yet all his work has been tono avail, and Elise continues to hover at the verybrink of death.

Fitting InEven if Baron Mordenheim wished to remarry

(which he never has), he cannot do so while liferemains in Elise — and the Dark Powers haveensured that she remains just barely alive to in-crease the Baron’s frustration and torment. Thus,most characters with Mordenheim blood are thebaron’s nieces, nephews, or cousins many timesremoved. Little is known of the baron’s extendedfamily, so almost any relation other than directdescent is possible.

Alternatively, if the DM wishes, a charactermight claim Mordenheim blood through the lostchild Eva. Though Eva was an adopted child, thetime she spent with the Mordenheims during herformative years imbued her with a love of scienceand rational thought second only to that of theadoptive father whose favor she so desperatelywanted to win. Eva herself might surface underanother name (in fact, see Artisa Juvenoth in theAppendix). Alternatively, one of her elder chil-dren could become a player character withMordenheim blood (although her family’s geneal-ogy might need to be altered slightly by the DM, forotherwise, given the timeline of VictorMordenheim’s story, her oldest child could notpossibly be more than perhaps 12 or 13).

The bloodline of Baron Mordenheim is ladenwith potential for both good and ill. Born with ahunger for knowledge and a predilection for scien-tific study, the Mordenheims prefer cold, hard factsto emotional appeals. All of them are incrediblyintelligent and prone to developing their minds tothe fullest extent. Most are scientists of one sort oranother, and nearly all consider religion to be littlemore than a sop for those of lesser intellect.

Many Mordenheims are unmarried, preferringto devote themselves to study above family. Sev-eral have found places in prestigious schools anduniversities, and a few have made discoveries orinvented techniques that actually improve thelength and quality of life for those who use them.Unfortunately, the Mordenheims are also obses-sive to a fault, highly opinionated and often quiteantisocial.

Any Mordenheim character should be moti-vated primarily by a love of knowledge — and,

particularly, scientific knowledge. A certain arro-gance and possibly a complete rejection of divineand/or arcane magic in favor of facts and logicmight also be characteristic of the bloodline. Thebaron’s rejection of the gods has caused the gods toreject not only him, but his entire bloodline as well.Thus, no deity will accept a Mordenheim as acleric.

Claiming MembershipA PC may actually bear the Mordenheim

name if her descent came through the male linefrom one of the baron’s siblings or other bloodrelatives. Descent through the female line merelyrequires tracing her ancestry back to VictorMordenheim’s parents, grandparents, or more dis-tant kin. Since the Mordenheims tend to be ratherconventional about marriage and notions of ro-mance, as well as somewhat emotionally distant,affairs of the heart resulting in illegitimate birthsare highly uncommon, though not impossible.Thus, the family line should be readily traceable,even though little is known of it.

The Mordenheim curse — abandonment bythe gods — also fell on the child Eva, and all of herdescendents can also be considered to bear theblood. Claiming membership through Eva is moredifficult, since Eva’s whereabouts have been un-known since the night of Adam’s flight.

Mordenheim Family Traits• +2 Intelligence, –2 Charisma: The

Mordenheims are known to possess sharp, analyti-cal minds, but others often find them cold andunfeeling, supercilious and even a bit dull.

• All Mordenheims are fascinated with knowl-edge, but most specialize in one area (or perhaps asmall handful of disciplines). Each Mordenheimcharacter should choose one area of Knowledge(excluding religion), in which she gains a +2 bonuson all checks.

• Curse of Godlessness: Mordenheims, dueto the curse brought upon them by Baron VictorMordenheim, cannot take levels in any class thatgrants divine spells.

Family Featshe Mordenheims tend to focus on knowl-edge above all else, and the feats they taketend to reflect the family’s predilectionfor science, knowledge and invention.

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When creating a Mordenheim character, the playeror DM should select at least one of the character’sfeats from the following list (or from among thosenew feats listed further below): DabblerH, Diligent,Eidetic MemoryH, Investigator, Iron Will,KnowledgeableH, LibraryH, LiteracyH, Logical MindV,Mechanical AptitudeC, Negotiator, Skill Focus (forany skill with Intelligence or Wisdom as its keyability), University EducationH, or WealthH.

In addition, the following new feats are avail-able (only) to members of the Mordenheimbloodline.

Create Device [General]Your scientific knowledge and creativity allow

you to invent devices that mimic the effects ofcertain magic items.

Prerequisites: Int 15.Benefit: Choose an item creation feat for

which your character level equals or exceeds therequired caster level. You can create nonmagicalequivalents of the magic items that the selectedfeat would normally allow you to create. For thepurpose of creating these items, you are consideredto be a spellcaster of the appropriate type with acaster level equal to your character level; you mayignore the spells normally required to create theitems, but you cannot crate an item that wouldproduce spell effects beyond the capacity of youreffective caster level. (Thus, a 5th-level charactercould produce the scientific equivalent of a wand offireball, a 3rd-level spell, but not a wand of dimensiondoor (a 4th-level spell).

The cost of creation and the time required foreach device are the same as for the equivalentmagic item. The devices so created duplicate theeffects of the items they mimic. All other aspects ofthe item (including color, shape, method of func-tion and design) are under your control, at theDM’s discretion.

Items created with this feat always require theuse of a power supply (see Family Magic later in thischapter) to function. This requirement does notchange the cost to create a charged item; the powersupply is an additional cost.

Special: You can gain this feat multiple times.Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat,it applies to a new item creation feat.

Godless [General]You are more resistant than normal to divine

magic.

Prerequisite: No patron deity.Benefit: You gain spell resistance equal to 5 +

your character level against divine spells of anykind. If a divine spell penetrates your spell resis-tance, you gain a +2 bonus on any saving throwsallowed against it. You may not voluntarily sup-press your spell resistance to receive the benefit ofany divine spell. In addition, you cannot be raised,resurrected, or otherwise restored to life via anydivine magic once you die.

Greater Skill Focus [General]Choose a skill to which you have already

applied the Skill Focus feat. You are now even moreadept with that skill than you were before.

Prerequisites: Skill Focus with selected skill.Benefit: You gain a +3 bonus on all checks

made with the selected skill. This bonus stackswith all other bonuses to this skill, including theone from Skill Focus.

Special: You can gain this feat multiple times.Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat,it applies to a new skill to which you have alreadyapplied the Skill Focus feat.

Laborious Training [General]Your selfless dedication to study and the long

hours you have spent training for your craft havegiven you an increased capacity for learning.

Prerequisites: Int 13, Knowledge (any one) 5ranks.

Benefit: Your maximum rank in any Intelli-gence-based skill equals 5 + your character level.

Normal: A character’s maximum rank in anyskill equals 3 + character level.

Superior Alchemy [General]Through your studies of alchemy, you have

developed an in-depth understanding of alchemi-cal processes.

Prerequisites: Int 15, Craft (alchemy) 5 ranks,Skill Focus (Craft [alchemy]).

Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus on all Craft(alchemy) checks. Furthermore, you can use theCraft (alchemy) skill to make any of the followingitems (see the Family Magic section, later in thischapter, for actual descriptions of these items).

Superior Alchemy Item Craft (Alchemy) DCOil of Agony 20bOil of Animation 25Oil of Preservation 25

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Family Classeshe Mordenheims devote themselveswith an almost fanatical zeal to thepursuit of knowledge, especially in thesciences. Many are attracted to medi-cine; others pursue more general

scientific paths or mix their scientific knowledgewith arcane magic. The majority of Mordenheimsbelong to the expert class, although aristocratlevels are not uncommon; some members of thefamily are known to have levels in rogue or wizard.Fighters are uncommon, but not unheard of, but noMordenheim, due to the family curse, can takelevels in cleric or any other class thatgrants divine spells.

Some exceptional mem-bers of the family enterprestige classes such as al-chemical philosopherV,dilettanteH, loremaster,metaphysicianH, orscholarH. The followingnew prestige classes arealso available to membersof the Mordenheimbloodline. (At the DM’sdiscretion, they may alsobe made available to othercharacters who meet theprerequisites.)

LearnedPhysician

Though medicine ishis stock-in-trade, thelearned physician has usedhis medical training as aspringboard into other fieldsof natural science. In fact, hisskill with healing is only onemanifestation of a thirst forknowledge in general, and henever stops learning. Much more thana simple country doctor, the learnedphysician has garnered knowledge that al-lows him to understand the vectors of infectionand the factors that affect the progress of illnesses.Not only has he learned classic medical tech-niques, he has acquired skills in healing far beyondwhat his fellow physicians — and even some clerics— are able to perform.

In addition, the learned physician’s keen eyeand logical mind allow him to piece together howevents must have occurred when presented with aset of mysterious circumstances. Many learnedphysicians go on to make scientific contributionsin medicine or even in other fields based on theirpassion for finding out how and why the naturalworld works as it does.

Monks make excellent learned physicians, asdo experts who have gathered sufficient medicaltraining. Clerics and other divine spellcasters some-times choose this path, but arcane spellcasters alsofavor it because of its emphasis on logic and on thepiecing together of factual information and sensory

observation. Paladins have also beenknown to choose this path on

occasion, but fighters, rangersand rogues rarely do.

Hit Die: d6.

RequirementsTo qualify to become a

learned physician (Lph), acharacter must fulfill all thefollowing criteria.

Skills: Knowledge(any) 5 ranks, Healing 8ranks, Profession (herbal-ist) 5 ranks.

Feat: Investigator,University EducationH.

Special: The candi-date must be a graduate ofa recognized university.

Class SkillsThe learned

physician’s class skills (andthe key ability for each skill)are Appraise (Int), Concen-tration (Con), DecipherScript (Int), Knowledge (allskills, taken individually)(Int), Profession (Wis),

Spellcraft (Int), plus any fiveadditional skills chosen by the

learned physician when he first enters the class.Skill Points at Each Level: 8 + Int modifier.


learned physician prestige class.

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Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Learnedphysicians gain no proficiency with any weapon,armor, or shield.

Spellcasting: At every even-numbered learnedphysician level, the character gains new spells perday (and spells known, if applicable) as if he hadalso gained a level in whatever spellcasting class hehad before taking the level in learned physician.He does not, however, gain any other benefit acharacter of that class would have gained (im-proved ability to turn undead, and so on), exceptfor an increased effective level of spellcasting. Thisessentially means that he adds the level of learnedphysician to the level of his previous spellcastingclass, then determines spells per day, spells knownand caster level accordingly.

If the character has more than one spellcastingclass, he must decide to which class he adds eachlevel of learned physician for the purpose of deter-mining spells per day and spells known.

If the character had no spellcasting abilitybefore taking levels in this prestige class, he mayinstead choose one spell-like ability from the tablebelow at each even-numbered learned physicianlevel. He may choose any spell-like ability with a“task rating” less than or equal to his learnedphysician level + his Wisdom modifier. Each ofthese abilities is usable once per day. If the learnedphysician chooses the same ability multiple times,he gains one additional use per day each time hechooses it.

Saving throw DCs, where applicable, are 10 +spell level + the learned physician’s Wisdom modi-fier.

Task Rating Ability Gained1 or less Cure minor wounds2 Detect poison3 Cure light wounds4 Deathwatch5 Delay poison6 Remove paralysis7 Cure moderate wounds8 Neutralize poison9 Cure critical wounds10 Heal

Scientific Knowledge (Ex): Learned physi-cians gather knowledge about all sorts of topics. At

1st level, the learned physician knows informationregarding various esoteric topics, just as a bard does.He adds his learned physician level and his Intel-ligence modifier to a 1d20 roll and compares theresult with the scientific knowledge DC for theinformation. This ability otherwise works like thebardic knowledge ability.

A learned physician can make a scientificknowledge check to connect a power source to anitem made with the Create Device* feat. He canalso make a scientific knowledge check to learnhow to use any spell trigger or spell completionitem created with the Create Device feat as thoughhe were a spellcaster of the appropriate type with acaster level equal to his character level. The DC forsuch a check is 15 + the device’s effective casterlevel.

Speedy Observation (Ex): Beginning at 3rdlevel, the learned physician becomes a keen ob-server who can notice apparently unrelated detailsand quickly form a valid conclusion. The charactergains a +2 bonus on all Search checks and Healchecks. In addition, the learned physician canmake a Search check over a space or volume ofgoods roughly 10 feet by 10 feet by 5 feet as a full-round action.

Healing Touch (Su): At 5th level, a learnedphysician can heal wounds (his own or those ofothers) by touch. Each day, he can heal a totalnumber of hit points of damage equal to his learnedphysician level x his Charisma modifier (minimum1). The learned physician may choose to divide hishealing among multiple recipients, and he doesn’thave to use it all at once. Using healing touch is astandard action. Starting at 9th level, the learnedphysician’s healing touch can cure a number ofpoints of damage per day equal to his learnedphysician level x his Charisma modifier (minimum1) x his Wisdom modifier (minimum 1). In addi-tion, the learned physician can now use removeblindness/deafness or remove disease a number oftimes per day equal to his Charisma modifier (mini-mum once per day). The use of either effect countsas one daily use of this ability.

Bedside Manner (Ex): Beginning at 9th level,the learned physician develops a knack for puttingpeople at ease and reading their body language. Hegains a +2 bonus on all Bluff, Diplomacy, GatherInformation and Sense Motive checks.

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ScientistThe scientist has made the pursuit of scientific

knowledge her life’s work. A respected scholar, shehas pursued research of her own design in the hopeof discovering fundamental scientific principlesand putting them to use for the betterment of allpersons — or even for her own selfish ends, sincescience by itself is neither moral or immoral. Ingeneral, scientists do not pursue magic as such,even if they themselves are or have been spellcasters.In their minds, any effect that appears “magical” infact has a scientific explanation that simply has notyet been discovered.

Most scientists began their careers as expertsspecializing in some branch of science. Many wereoriginally assistants to other scientists or scholars,performing experiments under the supervision oftheir mentors. Rogues and monks may be attractedto the path of science, as are bards and certain otherarcane spellcasters. Divine spellcasters rarely adoptthis prestige class, since the tenets of science tendto conflict with their tenets and beliefs.

Scientists are most often attached to universi-ties, where they can easily access books andequipment as well as the knowledge of their peers.Some, however, choose to equip their own labora-tories and conduct their research alone. Most often,such solo scientists are pursuing research that theirpeers believe to be irresponsible, immoral, or fool-hardy.

Hit Die: d4.

RequirementsTo qualify to become a scientist (Sci), a char-

acter must fulfill all the following criteria.Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 8 ranks, Knowl-

edge (construction and engineering, or nature) 8ranks.

Feats: Create Device*, Skill Focus (Knowl-edge [any one except religion]), UniversityEducationH.

Special: The candidate must be a graduate ofa recognized university.

Class SkillsThe scientist’s class skills (and the key ability

for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Craft (Int),Decipher Script (Int), Gather Information (Cha),Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge(all skills, taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis),Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), SpeakLanguage, Use Magic Device (Cha).


Class FeaturesAll the following are features of the scientist

prestige class.Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Scientists

gain no proficiency with any weapon, armor, orshield.

Science: In her studies, a scientist gains allsorts of knowledge and learns many new tech-niques, but she eventually decides to focus on onefield of study. At 1st level, the scientist chooses onescience from the following list: biology, chemistry,

Table 7–1: The Learned PhysicianLevel Base Attack Fort Ref Will Special


1st +0 +2 +0 +2 Scientific knowledge2nd +1 +3 +0 +3 +1 level of previous spellcasting class (or spell-like ability)3rd +2 +3 +1 +3 Speedy observation4th +3 +4 +1 +4 +1 level of previous spellcasting class (or spell-like ability)5th +3 +4 +1 +4 Healing touch6th +4 +5 +2 +5 +1 level of previous spellcasting class (or spell-like ability)7th +5 +5 +2 +5 Bedside manner8th +6 +6 +2 +6 +1 level of previous spellcasting class (or spell-like ability)9th +6 +6 +3 +6 Healing touch10th +7 +7 +3 +7 +1 level of previous spellcasting class (or spell-like ability)

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physics, or psy-chology. Once made, this choice cannot bechanged.

Upon choosing her scientific discipline, thescientist automatically acquires a small toolkit andpower source of her choice (see Family Magic else-where in this chapter); these enable her to performseveral technological “tricks.” These effects workas the spells of the same name, except that each isan extraordinary ability that requires a standardaction to use, and the scientist must make a scien-tific knowledge check (DC 10 + effective spelllevel of trick) to power the trick (assuming she hasa power source at hand). These effects are notsubject to dispelling (unless otherwise noted),antimagic, or spell resistance.

The scientist can use an “at will” effectanytime as a standard action. She can use anumber of “limited” effects per day equal to herscientist level plus her Intelligence modifier, andany use of such an effect counts against thattotal. (In either case, she must make a scientificknowledge checks, as noted above.) Those tricksusable at will never draw charges from thescientist’s power source, even though a scientificknowledge check is still required to power thetrick (as described above); limited tricks require1 charge per use.

For example, a 1st-level biologist with anIntelligence score of 15 can use her limitedeffects 3 times per day. Thus, on a given day,she could choose to use cure light wounds,endure elements and inflict light wounds onceeach, cure light wounds three times, or anyother combination of effects that doesn’texceed three uses in a day.

Saving throw DCs, where applicable,are equal to 10 + spell level + the scientist’sInt modifier. Caster level, where appli-cable, is equal to the scientist’s class level.

Biology: At will—cure minor wounds,inflict minor wounds, resistance, touch offatigue1, virtue; limited—cure light wounds,

endure elements, inflict light wounds.Chemistry: At will—acid splash, detect

poison, flare, light, purify food and drink; lim-ited—burning hands, grease, obscuring mist1.

Physics: At will—ghost sound, know direction,mage hand2, open/close2, ray of frost; limited—featherfall, jump, shocking grasp.

Psychology: At will—daze, guidance, lullaby,message, virtue; limited—charm person1, lesser con-fusion1, remove fear.

1 Although these effects cannot be dispelledusing dispel magic, other magical effects that re-move the conditions imposed by these tricks negatethem just as though they were 1st-level spells castby a spellcaster of the character’s scientist level. Forexample, a heal spell negates touch of fatigue or lesserconfusion, a gust of wind clears away obscuring mistand break enchantment negates charm person.

2 The scientist actually employs some physicalapparatus to achieve these effects, such as a systemof hooks, strings and pulleys, or perhaps even adevice producing a tiny electromagnetic field, formage hand.

Scientific Knowledge (Ex): Scientists gatherknowledge about all sorts of topics. At 1st level, the

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scientist knows information regarding various eso-teric topics, just as a bard does. She adds herscientist level and her Intelligence modifier to a1d20 roll and compares the result with the scien-tific knowledge DC for the information. This abilityotherwise works like the bardic knowledge ability.

A scientist can make a scientific knowledgecheck to connect a power source to an item made withthe Create Device* feat, or to tap a power source forone of her technological tricks or applied scienceabilities (as noted in those abilities). She can alsomake a scientific knowledge check to learn how touse any spell trigger or spell completion item createdwith the Create Device feat as though she were aspellcaster of the appropriate type with a caster levelequal to her character level. The DC for such a checkis 15 + the device’s effective caster level.

Mind Over Metaphysics (Ex): Starting at 2ndlevel, the scientist’s trained mind allows her to resistmagical effects, regardless of their form. When thescientist makes a saving throw against any spell,spell-like ability, or supernatural ability, she gains abonus on the roll equal to her Intelligence modifieror half her scientist level, whichever is lower. Forexample a 2nd-level scientist with an Intelligencescore of 15 gains a +1 bonus, while a 10th-levelscientist with an Intelligence score of 17 gains a +3bonus on saving throws against magical effects.

Applied Science: At 3rd level and every twolevels thereafter (at 5th, 7th and 9th level), thescientist learns an advanced trick related to herchosen science or to a different one. She may selecther advanced trick from the chart below. Theseadvanced tricks work as the spells of the samename, except that each is an extraordinary abilitythat requires a standard action to use, and thescientist must make a scientific knowledge check(DC 10 + effective spell level of trick) to power thetrick (assuming she has a suitably charged powersource at hand). Each use of an advanced trickdraws 1 charge from the scientist’s power source.

If the character selects an advanced trick fromamong those available to the scientific disciplineshe chose at 1st level, she may choose any ad-vanced trick with a complexity rating less than orequal to one-half her scientist level + her Intelli-gence modifier. These tricks work just like thetricks she learned at 1st level, except that each isuseable a number of times per day equal to 1 + herIntelligence modifier. If she chooses the same ad-vanced trick again at a later level, she gains 3additional daily uses of that trick. The scientist’s

effective caster level for these tricks equals herscientist level. Saving throw DCs, where appli-cable, are equal to 10 + scientist level + Int modifier.

Alternatively, the scientist can choose anadvanced trick from a science other than herspecialty, but in that case she may select any trickwhose complexity rating is less than or equal toone-half her scientist level. Furthermore, she canuse each such trick only once per day, and choosingthe same advanced trick more than once adds only1 extra use per day. Her effective caster level forthese tricks equals one-half her scientist level.

Some tricks are given as sets that include mul-tiple spell effects. When a trick indicates more thanone effect, the scientist can use any of these effects,but each use counts as one daily use. For example a3rd-level biologist with an Intelligence score of 16(+3 modifier) can use her tricks 6 times a day. If shechooses the first set of tricks on the biology list (bull’sstrength, bear’s endurance and enlarge person) she canuse each effect twice, any single effect 6 times, oneeffect once and another 5 times, or any other combi-nation that adds up to 6 uses in a day.

Applied BiologyComplexity Rating Advanced Trick(s)

1 Bull’s strength, bear’s endurance,enlarge person

2 Cure moderate wounds, delaypoison, inflict moderate wounds

3 Entangle, snare4 Blindness/deafness, contagion,

remove blindness/deafness, removedisease

5 Command plants, giant vermin6 Animate plants, spike growth7 Blight, waves of fatigue8 Harm, heal, regenerate9 Finger of death, waves of exhaustion10 Energy drain, horrid wilting

Applied ChemistryComplexity Rating Advanced Trick(s)

1 Pyrotechnics, web2 Acid arrow, glitterdust3 Rusting grasp, slow4 Flame arrow, haste5 Repel vermin, stinking cloud6 Neutralize poison, poison7 Fire shield, solid fog8 Cloudkill, stoneskin9 Acid fog, fire seeds10 Incendiary cloud, iron body

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Applied PhysicsComplexity Rating Advanced Trick(s)

1 Shatter, sound burst2 Darkness, daylight3 Rusting grasp, slow4 Chill metal, heat metal, resist energy5 Call lightning, gust of wind6 Lightning bolt, searing light7 Wall of fire, wall of ice8 Cone of cold, shout9 Freezing sphere, repulsion10 Delayed blast fireball, prismatic spray

Applied PsychologyComplexity Rating Advanced Trick(s)

1 Daze monster, hideous laughter2 Rage, suggestion3 Crushing despair, lesser geas4 Greater command, hold monster5 Break enchantment1

6 Dominate person7 Insanity, mass hold person8 Mass charm monster, power word stun9 Mass hold monster10 Dominate monster1 Works only against mind-affecting spells or effects.

Discovery: At 4th level and again at 8th level,the scientist discovers some bit of knowledge thatgives her a new ability, chosen from among thoseon the chart below. She may choose any discoverywith a perplexity rating less than or equal to herscientist level + her Intelligence modifier. A scien-tist cannot make the same discovery twice.

Perplexity Rating Benefit

1 Instant mastery Gain 4 ranks of a skill in which thescientist has no ranks

2 Robust health +1 hit point per scientist level13 Inner strength +2 bonus on Will saves4 Increased stamina +2 bonus on Fortitude saves5 Adroit avoidance +2 bonus on Reflex saves6 Tactical offense +1 bonus on attack rolls7 Tactical defense +1 dodge bonus to AC8 Expanded knowledge Gain a bonus feat

(must meet prerequisites)9 Flash of insight +2 bonus to any mental ability score2

10 Secret of youth Reduce the scientist’s physical ageby one-half the “middle-age” valuefor her race3

1 Applies retroactively and continues in effect as the charac-ter gains more scientist levels. For example, a scientist who

chooses this discovery at 4th level gains +4 hit points, thengains an additional extra hit point with each new scientistlevel gained (to a maximum of +10 hit points at 10th level).2 Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma.3 For example, a human (middle age 35 years) effectivelybecomes 17 years younger physically. If this reduction in agereduces the scientist’s age category, remove all ability penal-ties (but not bonuses) that were applied when the scientistreached her current age category. For example, if a venerablescientist regresses to the old age category, she gains +3 toStrength, Dexterity and Constitution.

Metaphysical Resistance (Ex): The scientist’shighly trained and disciplined mind shields herfrom most kinds of magical attacks. This abilityworks like spell resistance, except that it applies tospells, spell-like abilities and supernatural abilitiesalike. (However, spells and spell-like abilities withSpell Resistance entries of “No” are still not subjectto metaphysical resistance.) The scientist’s meta-physical resistance score equals her scientist level +her Intelligence score (not her Int bonus). If theattacker’s caster level check overcomes thescientist’s metaphysical resistance, the scientiststill gets a saving throw (if one is allowed), and herbonus for her mind over metaphysics ability ap-plies.

If an attack does not have a caster level, use theattacker’s Hit Dice instead. For example, a 6th-level scientist with an Intelligence score of 16 isaffected by a medusa’s a gaze attack. The scientisthas a metaphysical resistance score of 6 + 16 = 22,so she ignores that particular use of that gaze attackunless the medusa makes a level check with a DCof 22. Since the gaze attack has no caster level, themedusa uses its Hit Dice for the check, giving it a+6 bonus.

Extended Resistance (Ex): This ability worksjust like the metaphysical resistance ability, exceptthe effect covers a 10-foot radius centered on thescientist, and the extended resistance score equalsone-half the scientist’s metaphysical resistancescore. Each day, the scientist can use this ability fora maximum of 10 rounds + her Intelligence modi-fier. The scientist can activate this ability as a freeaction on her turn, and it need not be used duringconsecutive rounds.

For example, a 10th-level scientist with anIntelligence score of 18 has a metaphysical resis-tance score of 28 and an extended resistance scoreof 14. She can use her metaphysical refusal abilityfor a maximum of 14 rounds each day (which neednot be consecutive).

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Every ally of the scientist who is within theradius gains the benefit of the extended resistancepower. The extended resistance radius does notblock any effect’s area or line of effect, but simplymakes allies within the radius resistant.

If an attack can affect multiple subjects withinthe radius, the attacker makes a separate casterlevel check for each subject. For example, if afireball is aimed so that it affects four characters, allof whom are within the extended resistance radiusof the scientist in the previous example, the fireballcaster must make a DC 14 caster level checkagainst each subject to determine whether thefireball affects that individual. Thus, it’s possible forsome subjects to be affected and others not.

This ability does not stack with the scientist’sown metaphysical resistance ability or with anycreature’s spell resistance — use only the highestresistance score that might apply to a given attack.

Family “Magic”he Mordenheims depend more on tech-nology and science than magic, andthey tend to create their items as tech-nological devices using the CreateDevice* feat rather than as magic items.

As technological items, they produce no magicalauras.

Aerosol Bomb: This device looks like a metalpotion bottle fitted with a ceramic stud instead ofa stopper. It contains a liquid under pressure, andcan be used as either a hand device or a splashweapon. When using it as a hand device, thewielder can aim the bomb at any target within

reach and empty its contents onto that target witha successful melee touch attack. As a splash weapon,the bomb douses its target with its contents andalso splashes the material on everything within 5feet of the target, just as any other splash weapon.

The bomb’s effects depend on its contents, asdetailed below. Because the contents are underpressure, any material projected from the bomb isslightly more potent that usual. An aerosol bombholds one vial of liquid. Once the bomb has beenfilled, its contents can’t be changed.

Acid: An acid spray deals 2d6 points of aciddamage. As a splash weapon, the bomb deals 2d6points of acid damage with a direct hit and 1d4points with a splash.

Alchemist’s Fire: An alchemist’s fire spray deals2d6 points of fire damage, and the target takes anextra 1d6 points of fire damage on the followinground unless it put out the flames, as noted in thealchemist’s fire description in the Player’s Hand-book. A direct hit from a thrown alchemist’s firebomb has the same effect as the spray, and a splashdeals 1d3 points of fire damage.

Holy Water: A holy water aerosol bomb harmsundead and evil outsiders in the same way an acidbomb harms normal creatures. Normally, holy waterdoes not affect incorporeal creatures unless theattacker is adjacent to the target (see the holywater description in the Player’s Handbook); how-ever, the bomb is effective even as a thrown weapon,although the attack still has a 50% miss chance forthe target’s incorporeality.

Oil of Agony: (This substance in its typicalform is described later in this section.) When used

Table 7–2: The ScientistLevel Base Attack Fort Ref Will Special

Bonus Save Save Save1st +0 +0 +0 +2 Science, scientific knowledge2nd +1 +0 +0 +3 Mind over metaphysics3rd +1 +1 +1 +3 Applied science 14th +2 +1 +1 +4 Discovery5th +2 +1 +1 +4 Applied science 26th +3 +2 +2 +5 Metaphysical resistance7th +3 +2 +2 +5 Applied science 38th +4 +2 +2 +6 Discovery9th +4 +3 +3 +6 Applied science 410th +5 +3 +3 +7 Extended resistance

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as a spray, oil of agony forces any living creature itcontacts to make a DC 16 Fortitude save. On afailed save, a creature with 4 or fewer Hit Dice isblinded and nauseated for 1d6 rounds, and a crea-ture with 5 or more Hit Dice is merely blinded for1d6 rounds. A direct hit from an oil of agony bombhas the same effect as the spray. A splash blinds aliving creature that failed its save for 1d3 rounds,regardless of Hit Dice.

CL 3rd; Create Device (Wondrous Item), Craft(metalworking) 6 ranks or scientific knowledge +6or higher; Price 150 gp + the price of the contents;Weight 1/10 lb.

Ectoplasmic Netcaster: This device looks likea bullseye lantern, except that is has a cluster ofelectrodes where the lens should be. Once every1d4+1 rounds, a character wielding the lantern cancause it to generate a ray of ectoplasmic force (treatas a force effect) that can have dramatic effects onanything it strikes. The user must make a rangedtouch attack to hit a target. The effect depends onthe target struck, as follows.

Living Creature: The creature takes 2d6 pointsof nonlethal damage and must make a DC 16 Willsave. If it fails its save, motes of energy flash aroundit for 2d4 rounds, creating a faerie fire effect. If thecreature has a Strength score of 16 or less, it also isslowed, as the slow spell, while the effect lasts. If thecreature has a 17 Strength or higher, it merely takesa –1 penalty on attack rolls, AC and Reflex saveswhile the effect lasts.

Object, Corporeal Undead Creature, or Con-struct: The target takes 2d6 points of damage, andthe attack ignores the target’s hardness or damagereduction (if any). This attack affects even golems.

Incorporeal Undead Creature: The creature takes2d6 points of damage and must make a DC 16 Willsave. If the a creature fails its save, motes of energyflash around it for 2d4 rounds, creating a faerie fireeffect and entangling the creature in a net ofectoplasmic force that affects it as a web spell.

The lantern functions safely up to 3 times perday. If it is used more often, the wielder must makea Wisdom check (DC 15 + the number of previouschecks in the last 24 hours). A scientist or learnedphysician can make a scientific knowledge checkin place of the Wisdom check. If the check fails by4 or less, the device shorts out and does not func-tion for the rest of the day, but is otherwiseunharmed. If the check fails by 5 or more, thedevice explodes, dealing 5d6 points of damage (as

a force effect) to everything within a 30-foot radius(no saving throw).

CL 9th; Create Device (Rod), Craft(gemcutting) 12 ranks or scientific knowledge +12or higher; Price 30,000 gp; Weight 3 lb.

Hand Stunner: This device resembles a dag-ger with two thin blades. It has the same statisticsas a dagger, except as follows. As a standard action,the user can make a normal melee attack with thestunner. If the attack hits a living creature that issusceptible to critical hits, the target takes a num-ber of points of nonlethal damage equal to 1d2 +the wielder’s Dexterity modifier. In addition, thetarget must make a DC 14 Will save. On a failedsave, a creature is stunned for 1d2 rounds if it has 4or fewer Hit Dice or dazed for 1d2 rounds if it has5 or more Hit Dice.

CL 8th; Create Device (Magic Arms andArmor), Craft (weaponsmithing) 11 ranks or sci-entific knowledge +11 or higher; Price 7,200 gp;Weight 1 lb.

Lantern of Fascination: This bullseye lanternoperates as a normal lantern of its type. The frontof the lantern, however, has a series of lenses thatcreate kaleidoscopic effects when they are poweredand set in motion. The user can manipulate thelenses so they cast a cone of sparkling light or a rayof scintillating light.

Cone: Any creature in this 30-foot cone mustmake a DC 16 Will save or become fascinated. Theuser must take a move action each round to main-tain the effect. This is a mind-affecting compulsion.

Ray: The user must make a successful rangedtouch attack to strike any target within 60 feet.Any creature so struck becomes fascinated if it failsa DC 16 Will save. The subject remains fascinatedas long as the user keeps the beam trained on it byusing a move action each round. This is a mind-affecting compulsion. After at least 1 round offascination from the lantern’s ray function, how-ever, the user can attempt a suggestion on thefascinated creature (Will DC 16 negates). If suc-cessful, the suggestion remains in effect for 5 hoursor until the suggested action is completed, whetheror not the subject remains in the beam. This is alanguage-dependent, mind-affecting compulsion.

A lantern of fascination can produce its fasci-nate and suggestion effects for a maximum of 10rounds each day, after which it cannot be usedagain for 8 hours.

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CL 5th; Create Device (Wondrous Item),Craft (glassblowing) 8 ranks or scientific knowl-edge +8 or higher; Price 27,000 gp; Weight 3 lb.

Oil of Agony: This caustic substance comes invials that can be thrown as splash weapons. Adirect hit forces any living creature struck to makea DC 14 Fortitude save. On a failed save, a creaturewith 4 or fewer Hit Dice is blinded and nauseatedfor 1d4 rounds, and a creature with 5 or more HitDice is merely blinded for 1d4 rounds. A splashblinds a creature that failed its save for 1 round,regardless of Hit Dice.

CL 3rd; Superior Alchemy*; Price 675 gp;Weight 1/10 lb.

Oil of Animation: This greasy fluid imbues aninanimate object with motive power for 12 rounds.At the user’s option, this period of animation canbe delayed for up to a month. A delayed animationcan take place at a time the user designates, or inresponse to some trigger condition the user deter-mines when first using the oil. If the object becomesanimate when the user is not present to control it,it follows whatever simple instructions the userspecified at the time the oil was applied.

Trigger conditions can be as general or asdetailed as desired, although only visual and au-dible triggers (or actions that are visible or audible)can be used. Audible triggers can be keyed togeneral types of noises or to a specific noise orspoken word. Visible triggers activate in responseto the situation as it appears; thus, disguises andillusions can fool them. Normal darkness does notdefeat a visual trigger, but magical darkness orinvisibility does. Silent movement or magical silencedefeats audible triggers. The animated object can-not distinguish alignment, level, Hit Dice, or classexcept by external garb.

The range limit of a trigger is 180 feet. Regard-less of range, the object can respond only to visibleor audible triggers and actions within line of sightor hearing distance. Instructions given to the ob-ject must be simple, such as, “attack all creaturesentering an area”; “attack only certain creatures”;“sound an alarm gong”; or the like.

A single vial covers one Small or Mediumobject, two Tiny objects, four Diminutive, or eightFine. Larger objects require more vials — two vialsfor a Large object, four for a Huge one, eight for

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Gargantuan and at least sixteen for a Colossalobject. The object must be completely covered toget any benefit.

A dead body treated with the oil becomes anappropriately sized zombie under the control of thecharacter who applied it. Other objects becomeanimated as though affected by an animate objectsspell. A singe creature can control one zombie orobject animated by means of the oil per point ofCharisma it possesses. If this limit is exceeded, theoil does not affect new corpses and objects.

Using this substance to animate dead bodiesrequires a powers check (2%).

CL 5th; Superior Alchemy*; Price 4,800 gp;Weight 1/10 lb.

Oil of Preservation: When rubbed into deadorganic matter, this viscous fluid preserves it againstrot and decay. The oil stains the dead flesh arepulsive greenish-purple color, making it look asthough it were covered with graveyard mold, butthe item remains sound and intact underneath aslong as the coating lasts. Food treated with the oilbecomes foul-tasting but retains its nutritive value.An object treated with the oil is preserved fromnatural decay for 100 years, provided it’s otherwiseleft undisturbed. If it is carried around or used aftertreatment, the oil’s effects wear off in a week.

A single vial covers one Small or Mediumcreature or object, or else two Tiny, four Diminu-tive, or eight Fine. Larger subjects require morevials — two for Large, four for Huge, eight forGargantuan and at least sixteen for Colossal. Thecreature or object must be completely covered toget any benefit.

If subjected to a magical attack, an objecttreated with the oil gains a +3 resistance bonus onany saving throw it makes as an object. An unat-tended nonmagical object is not normally entitledto saving throws, but it gets one (with no bonus) iftreated with the oil. A creature wearing an objecttreated with the oil gains no benefits.

An unliving creature, such as a golem orcorporeal undead creature, gains +3 hit points anda +3 resistance bonus on Fortitude and Reflex savesif treated with the oil. The oil lasts a maximum of1 day when applied to a creature.

CL 1st; Superior Alchemy*; Price 225 gp;Weight 1/10 lb.

Power Source: These items can provide powerto items produced with the Create Device* feat, orpower for the use of the scientist’s various tricks. A

power source usually resembles some kind of leatheror metal container with any manner of studs, wires,tubes and electrodes sticking out of it, plus severalmysterious openings or slots. It may hum quietly,give off a whiff of ozone, leak strange fluids, or anycombination of these effects.

To power a device, the power source must firstbe connected to the device. Doing so requires aKnowledge (arcana) check (DC 15 + the device’scaster level). A scientist or learned physician canmake a scientific knowledge check instead; a scien-tist gets a +2 bonus on the check if the power sourceis associated with her chosen science (see theindividual power source descriptions below). Onceattached, a power source supplies power to thedevice until detached again (a standard action, nocheck required) or until it runs out of charges, atwhich point it must be detached so that a new onecan be connected.

Connecting a power source requires 1 minuteper point of the required check DC. If the checkresult exceeds the DC by 5 points or more, theeffort takes only half that time. If the check fails by4 or less, the character tinkers with the device forthe allotted time and achieves nothing, but can tryagain. If the check fails by 5 or more, the powersource overloads and explodes, dealing 1d6 pointsof damage to everything within a 15-foot radius.The type of damage depends on the power source, asshown below. A Reflex save (DC 13, +1 per charge)halves the damage. Thus, a power source holding 4charges deals 1d6 points of damage (Reflex DC 17half).

No matter how many power sources are avail-able, a charged device burns out after it has beenused a number of times equal to the number ofcharges a similar magic item would have held. Forexample, a wand of fireballs made with the CreateDevice (Wands)* feat functions only 50 timesbefore burning out, no matter how many batteriesare available.

A scientist can also attempt to tap a powersource to use one of her tricks or advanced tricks.Doing so is part of the standard action required toperform the trick, and requires a successful scien-tific knowledge check (DC 10 + the effective spelllevel of the trick). For example, a psychologist’sdaze monster ability requires a DC 12 check tofunction. If the check fails by 4 or less, the charac-ter tinkers with power source for a standard actionbut achieves nothing. If the check fails by 5 or

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more, the power source overloads and explodes, asnoted above.

Unless noted otherwise, a power source cannotbe recharged once it has been drained.

Battery (Chemistry): This type of power sourceusually resembles a bundle of 8 to 12 leather-covered glass cylinders, each about 18 inches longand as wide as two human fingers. The cylinders situpright on a leather base, and leather straps keepthe bundle together. A leather or wooden handleallows a character to carry the assembly like abucket. The cylinders have glass and copper topsconnected by electrodes and wires, and a centralelectrode rises from the heart of the bundle.

A battery usually contains 10 charges uponcreation, but 1d4 additional charges may be coaxedfrom it by spending 1 minute and making a success-ful DC 15 Craft (alchemy) check. A scientist orlearned physician can make a scientific knowledgecheck instead. The DM should roll the number ofextra charges in secret. Once those run out, thecharacter can once again attempt to coax 1d4charges, but the DC for each subsequent attempt tocoax out charges increases by 5. If such a check failsby 4 or less, the character tinkers with battery for 1minute without result but can try again starting1d4 rounds later. If a check fails by 5 or more, thebattery overloads and explodes.

Damage from an exploding battery is acid andslashing.

CL 4th; Create Device (Wondrous Item),Craft (alchemy) 7 ranks or scientific knowledge +7or higher; Price 3,000 gp; Weight 8 lb.

Static Collector (Physics): A static collectorusually resembles a metal sphere about the size of agrapefruit, with dozens of short electrodes stickingout of its surface and several long copper chainsdangling from it. It also has two short loops forattaching it to a belt or fitting it with a shoulderstrap.

A static collector holds 1 charge. However,once discharged, it recharges itself in 1d4 rounds,provided that the user moves around or places itsomewhere that’s charged with static, such as aroom with dry air, or just about anywhere during athunderstorm. A static collector cannot rechargeitself underwater or in a still, clammy area, such asa fog bank.

Damage from an exploding static collector iselectricity and piercing.

CL 5th; Create Device (Wondrous Item),Craft (metalworking) 8 ranks or scientific knowl-edge +8 or higher; Price 6,500 gp; Weight 3 lb.

Hand Generator (Physics): A hand generator issimilar to a static collector, except that the usersupplies the energy himself by turning a crank. Ahand generator usually resembles a metal batonabout 1 foot long and 2 inches thick. It has a metalcrank with a wooden handle on one end and acrystal dome surrounded by electrodes at the other.Like a static collector, it can be hooked on a belt orslung from a strap.

When cranked for 1 full round, the deviceproduces 1 charge per round for the next 2d4rounds (rolled secretly by the DM), storing anyunused charges for up to 1 full minute. Any chargesremaining unused at the end of that time are lost.The dome glows and gives a general clue as to howmuch power is left in the device; when the durationexpires, the light winks out. When lit, the domesheds as much light as a candle, though the user caneasily cover it and block the light.

It is possible to over-crank the device so thatit produces 2 charges per round for 2d4 rounds.Cranking in this way requires 2 full rounds, and thecharges are stored for 2 minutes before dissipating.The user must also make a Wisdom check (DC 15+ the total charges produced by this instance ofover-cranking). A scientist or learned physiciancan make a scientific knowledge check instead of aWisdom check. If the check fails by 4 or less, thecharacter cranks for 2 rounds and the device shortsout, producing no power, but is otherwise un-harmed. If the check fails by 5 or more, the deviceexplodes.

An exploding hand generator deals electric-ity, slashing and sonic damage.


Biocharger (Biology): This device taps intobiological and physiological energy. It consists of acollar or skullcap studded with electrodes andsprouting wires, like some bizarre wig or stole.When worn by a living creature with Intelligenceand Charisma scores of at least 10 each, the deviceproduces 1 charge every 1d4 rounds. The wearercan feel the device humming with energy when itholds a charge. Once charged, the device stayscharged indefinitely until the charge is expendedor the device is removed.

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A wearer can also attempt a Charisma checkas a full-round action to forcibly charge the device.The DC for doing so is 15 + the number of attemptsthe wearer has made to recharge the device in thepast hour. A scientist or learned physician canmake a scientific knowledge check instead of aCharisma check. If the check fails by 4 or less, thecharacter uses a full-round action and provides nopower to the device, but takes 1 point of Charismadamage and 1 point of Constitution damage. If thecheck fails by 5 or more, the device explodes,dealing 1d4 points of both Charisma and Constitu-tion damage to the wearer, in addition to the 1d6points of damage normally dealt by any explodingpower source.

An exploding biocharger deals electricity andslashing damage. The wearer receives no savingthrow against this damage.


Story HookA most wondrous machine has been discov-

ered in a secret laboratory long hidden beneath thenearby mountains. Its function seems to involvethe creation of golems, but none of the scientistswho discovered it have yet managed to make itwork. Some notebooks found within indicate thatit is operated by means of biomechanical energy.No power source sufficient to operate such a ma-chine was found, though, and its operation remainsa mystery — but the notebooks are all signed“Mordenheim.”

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Chapter Eight: Blood of the Rat

Chapter Eight:Blood of the Rat

The RenierFamily

Chapter Eight:Blood of the Rat

The RenierFamily

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The Renier Family

Dearest Mary,

I cannot stress enough how important it is that you and the children remain in Darkon until I send

for you. Olaf and his men will keep you safe there. I am becoming increasingly concerned that they will not

be able to protect you from enemies we may have here. I’m not sure anyone would be able to.

I have learned that the loving relationship we first believed to exist between Lady Jacqueline and her

sister Louise is but a sham. The two hate each other deeply, and I am growing increasingly certain that

Louise’s offer to establish me as a premiere recruiter and supplier of men-at-arms to the nobles of Richemulot

is part of one of many plots she seems to be engaged in against Lady Jacqueline.

To make matters worse, the cousins we met at the Lady Jacqueline’s ball are madmen. They approached

me with a bizarre tale that Lady Jacqueline and her sister are some sort of monsters. What kind I cannot

say, for I ejected them from the house forthwith. However, my research has indicated that they too are

involved not only with some obscure plot against Lady Jacqueline, but also appear to be engaged with a

strange cult that holds rituals within the confines of the ancestral crypts in Ste. Ronges.

In most circumstances, I would believe that someone who has earned so much hatred from family members

as Lady Jacqueline appears to have done must be a black-hearted fiend. I have not found any evidence of

this, however. If anything, all signs point to the contrary; she is an intelligent and generous woman

surrounded by ungrateful and evil relatives. I would inform her of the plots against her, but I have come

to realize that I am being watched — and this is why you must stay in Darkon.

Darling, it seems like madness, I know, but— everywhere I go, there are rats in the shadows, staring

intently at me. Some manner of sorcery is being used to watch me, and it hails from Louise or else the detestable

brothers, or perhaps some unseen ally they possess. I do not know what enchantments are in use, but it is

the only explanation I can imagine for the rodents’ behavior. I likewise do not know what actions might

be taken against me if any of them witness me revealing what I have learned to Lady Jacqueline. I know

that I must do so eventually — for she is in desperate need of someone to lend her support — but I need

to find a way to do it so no harm will come to me, you, or our children.

Do not be concerned for me. I have dealt successfully with the “noble” families of Nova Vaasa. I can

straighten out the difficulties here as well. Please follow all Olaf’s instructions until I send for you.

Thinking of you always,

Javier Renier

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The Reniersn days long forgotten by all who cur-rently live within the Domains of Dread,and only dimly hinted at in the oldest ofdiaries maintained by Claude Renier,there were two branches of the Renier

family who had already been at each other’s throats— both literally and figuratively — for centuries.

Many years ago, the Reniers were widely hon-ored as heroes throughout the realms they originallyhailed from. One of their most fabled members,Jacques Renier, was one of the original settlers inthe land that eventually became Mordent, and itwas he who built the original House on GryphonHill as well as the current seat of the Weathermayfamily, Heather House.

No one knows what caused it, but a few yearsafter the Reniers settled in Mordent, a dark heri-tage that had been deeply hidden within the familyblood emerged. Whether Jacques Renier’s childrenhad been cursed by the dark spirit that even thenwas said to dwell within the House on GryphonHill, or whether the foulness had simply somehowbeen held in check is a complete mystery, but fiveof his six children proved to be natural wererats.The Reniers departed from Mordent, and those of

them who were wererats turned their backs ontheir family’s noble heritage. This was the dawn ofa feud that lasted until Claude Renier led his familythrough a magical portal to the lands of Mist. Atthat time, the non-wererat Reniers on their origi-nal home world could claim ultimate victory,because one of their number had been in thehunting party from which Claude and his familyhad been running.

For Claude, however, the feud was not over. Ina curious development that could only have oc-curred in a patchwork-continent like the Core, thenon-wererat branch of the family had entered mist-shrouded lands of Ravenloft many decades earlier.A handful of Reniers had been visiting Mordent —returning briefly to visit the manor house theirancestors had once called home — when it wasclaimed by the Mists.

Ever the adventurous sort, these unafflictedReniers were among the first people from the newlyformed domain of Mordent to travel to Barovia,where they attempted to free the population therefrom their vampire overlord. They all died, how-ever, leaving behind small children who had butthe slimmest knowledge of their family history.When grown, most of these children eventuallyimmigrated to Darkon in search of more opportu-

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The Renier Family

nities than the tiny land of Mordent could offer.Here, the family has spawned many popular localheroes — whose bravery as militia-men or officersin Azalin’s army brings honor to their family name— but any trace of their outlander roots have beencompletely forgotten.

Shortly after Claude Renier emerged as theruler of Richemulot, the Darkon Reniers con-tacted him, curious to know if he was aware of anyrelationship between his family and theirs. Claude’sresponse was a furious rejection of the possibility,and a covert dispatching of assassins in hopes ofending the other branch of the Renier family.Jacqueline went on one of these missions, but, asthe first stirrings of resentment toward her grand-father were already starting, she instead saw to itthat the mission failed. Although Claude saw theDarkon Reniers as a threat, Jacqueline saw them aspotential allies.

Over the years that followed, Jacqueline keptquiet contact with them — and covertly held ahidden hand over them, shielding them from hergrandfather until the day she’d finally had enoughand killed him. When Darkon started to descendinto chaos and the Darkon Reniers came underattack from would-be despots who didn’t want tohave to deal with a pack of reputed “heroes,” sheextended an invitation for her cousins to join thegrowing nation of Richemulot.

The beleaguered Darkon Reniers accepted herseemingly kind offer, little knowing that the invi-tation was extended only so Jacqueline could keepa closer eye on them — and perhaps because sheconsidered them a potential source of new wereratallies and breeding stock. She had been hearingrumors that her own first-born son might be eyeingher seat of power covetously, so allies were a sorelyneeded commodity. The Reniers formerly of Darkonnow dwell in a series of large buildings near thecenter of Mortigny. Small elements of the familyremain in Darkon and Mordent as well.

As for the extended family of RichemulotReniers, Jacqueline’s older sister Antoinette andyounger brother Raul each have one child, andAntoinette has recently become a grandmother; ofthe elder generation, only Jacqueline’s twin Louisehas yet to have a child. Jacqueline herself has bornefour sons, with her eldest being the father of twinboys. So far, all children born to Jacqueline and hersiblings are wererats, and all of the darklord’s niecesand nephews are receiving the best educationmoney can buy in Richemulot while also being

groomed to assist their aunt in ruling her domain.Jacqueline is known to dote on her grandchildren,though the stirring ambitions of Jacques may soonend the lives of his entire family.

Fitting InWhile there are two distinct branches of the

Renier family, they have more shared traits thandifferences. The differences are easily summed upas follows: One branch produces naturallycanthropes and the other does not. Clearly, if acharacter is from the lycanthropic branch, he shouldbe a natural wererat; if he’s from the branch thatdoesn’t produce wererats, he should be human (orperhaps half-elf or the like).

However, that said, there are some Reniersfrom the wererat branch who are not lycanthropes;roughly one in six children born to Renier womenis not a natural lycanthrope. Such a child has theall the other qualities listed under “Renier FamilyTraits,” however, and he or she may well becomean afflicted wererat soon enough. These non-wererat children are viewed as embarrassments bythe wererat Reniers, and are usually barely toler-ated. Interestingly, the biggest threat to the wereratReniers does not come from the descendants of theReniers that entered Ravenloft through Mordent,but rather these discarded family members; someare in the advanced stages of a plot to gain controlof the domain, a venture for which they maycarefully attempt to recruit family members whorelocate to the domain. (More information on thisplot can be found in Ravenloft Gazetteer Vol.III.)

The other branch of the family is comprised ofpureblooded humans. Although the occasionalRenier has dallied with an elf, no recognized mem-ber of the family has ever been the product of sucha mixed union. Any such family members mayhave contact with their mothers or fathers, butthey have not relocated to Richemulot with theirrelatives, or if they have, they live apart from otherfamily members and are generally assumed to beclose friends rather than actual children.

Regardless of the branch from which a Reniersprings, they are almost without fail charmingindividuals. All seem possessed of a certain poiseand a mastery of the social graces. Some are truly asnoble as they seem on the surface, but the majorityof the family — particularly those on the wereratside of the family warren — would frame their ownmother for murder if it were to their benefit.

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Player character Reniers are most likely to befrom the Darkon branch of the family. If particu-larly creative DMs and players are interested inhaving PC wererats in a campaign, then the threechildren of Antoinette and Raul would be ideal; inthe period from 750 to 755 BC, they are all ofstarting player character ages.

The children of Jacqueline might also makeinteresting PCs, even if their ages are a bit beyondthe typical starting PC, as they range from the mid-

twenties to early thirties. With the exception ofJacques, Jacqueline Renier’s children have all leftRichemulot for other parts of the Core; unlike theirelder brother, they had the distinct feeling theirmother did not like to have so many potentialclaimants to her power within close proximity.Since the whereabouts of these children are un-known, the DM and players have free reign; perhapsJacqueline has even lied about all of her childrenbeing wererats. Maybe one of them is a purebloodedhuman.

The DuBoises of RichemulotThe DuBoises have been masters of a sprawling estate west of Pont-a-Museau in the

borderlands with Dementlieu for as long as anyone can recall. The now-extinct Tinctnoire lineare the only nobles of Richemulot who can actually lay ancestral claim to the DuBois home andthe lands upon which it stands. Claude Renier tolerated the DuBoises because they are a familyof simple landed gentry whose primary concern was making sure their peasantry was hale andhearty so that the rich vineyards and cherry orchards could be properly tended. When Jacquelineassumed leadership of the domain, she not only tolerated the DuBoises, but found their ancestralties to certain merchant houses of Dementlieu to be exceeding useful when it came to pursuingher vision of Richemulot’s bright economic and political future.

As the years went by, however, and Henri, the youngest son of House DuBois, grew intomanhood, Jacqueline grew even more interested in this family of noble farmers. She admiredHenri for his good looks, sharp mind, light sense of humor and straightforward honesty. Theadmiration eventually deepened to love. Jacqueline knew she had to take action or she would losehim when she lost control of her shapeshifting ability, as she always did when in the companyof someone she truly loves. She tried to infect him with lycanthropy so that he might come tounderstand her better.

Yet she failed because, unknown to her or any other Renier, a strong resistance tolycanthropy runs within the bloodline of the DuBois.

While Henri DuBois’ older brother was always too nervous to make any serious inquiries intohis brother’s fate, perhaps one or more of his children might be brave enough. Armed withcourage, determination and the family gift, maybe a Dubois PC might be able to unlock thedecades-old secret of his or her uncle’s disappearance.

DuBois Family TraitsThe DuBois are a relatively handsome folk who have inherited the best physical features

from the people of Dementlieu and those native to Richemulot. It is the hidden ability that eventhe family remains unaware of that is the most important sign of a true DuBois, though, amiraculous resistance to infection by the dread disease of lycanthropy.

• A DuBois suffers a –1 penalty on all Charisma-based checks made with respect to naturallycanthropes.

• Lycanthropy Resistance: All DuBoises receive a +5 racial bonus to Fortitude saves madeto resist any lycanthrope’s curse of lycanthropy. Further, if a DuBois should be unfortunateenough to contract the disease, she suffers only one uncontrolled transformation; afterwards, sheautomatically gains complete control over her transformations as if she were a natural lycan-thrope. Of course, this benefit is also a curse in disguise, for once an infected DuBois realizes thatshe can control her transformation, she is not likely to want to be cured of the affliction.

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Claiming MembershipDomains that value stoutness in women and

strong builds in men will find little in the Renierphysique to admire, but nearly everyone willing toexpress an opinion on the matter will say that theeyes of a Renier are most fascinating to behold.Those eyes are invariably set within a narrow facewith pale skin and gently angular, exotic features,framed by dark hair. The eyes in particular are whatset the Reniers apart — they are usually brilliantlyblue or green, with apparent flecks of gold, spar-kling when the light hits them just right.

Renier Family Traits• –2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma: Reniers from

either branch of the family are known to be amongthe most handsome people in the domain; how-ever, they are not always the wisest or most sensitive.

• Natural Wererats (lycanthrope branchonly): Five out of six Reniers born to the lycan-thrope branch of the family are natural wererats.

• Curse of the Rat (pure humans only): Mosthuman Reniers are but a bite away from becomingafflicted lycanthropes. Those who are not naturallycanthropes are particularly susceptible to infec-tion by the strain of lycanthropy that is spread by

wererats. Reniers suffer a –8 penalty on all Forti-tude saves made to resist any wererat’s curse oflycanthropy.

• Rodent-Friend: Both branches of the Renierfamily have a strange affinity for rodents of alltypes, gaining a +2 competence bonus on HandleAnimal checks when dealing with such creatures.Further, they gain a +2 bonus on all Bluff andDiplomacy checks made in dealings with wereratsor other rodent-like monsters. This ability has aslight downside for Reniers who are sorcerers andwizards; they must take some type of rodent if theysummon a familiar.

• Allergen: All Reniers, wererat or no, suffersevere allergies to a particular substance. (For theRenier wererats, the chemical bane quality is sub-sumed by this family trait; assume that these traitsare interchangeable and identical.) Curiously, theallergen varies from family member to family mem-ber, with no apparent pattern. The allergy can beto a particular mineral or animal, a type of food orplant. More often than not, it is to some utterlyobscure substance, so many family members gotheir entire lives without discovering what it isthey are allergic to. (These Reniers often thinkthey are free from this peculiar family trait, but theyare wrong.)

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This family drawback can make life difficultfor a Renier who happens to be allergic to a com-mon substance. For instance, one allergic to chickenmust check every inn where he eats to make surethey aren’t using chicken broth in their gravy,while someone allergic to gold, silver, or coppermust do business transactions involving coins ofthat substance either very quickly or while wearinggloves.

The origins of this strange affliction are un-known, but it is unquestionably linked to Renierblood. Perhaps it arose at the same time the taint oflycanthropy entered into the once-honored lin-eage, or maybe it is the result of some other curse.To date, no Renier has consulted outside arcanespecialists or mystics for fear that the knowledge ofthis family weakness could somehow be turnedagainst them, nor have any been able to learn theorigin of the affliction through their own magicalor mundane practices.

The DM should secretly decide the substanceto which a Renier player character or NPC isallergic. She can make this choice on her own, orshe can choose or randomly determine one of thesubstances from the following list:

1. Beef2. Belladonna3. Chicken4. Camphor5. Copper6. Dandelions7. Fermented grapes8. Gold9. Grapes10. Iron

If the Renier is in contact with the allergen formore than a few seconds, he starts to break out ina rash the following round. Depending on the areaaffected, the painful itching, burning sensationimposes anywhere from a –2 to a –8 penalty to allskill rolls, attack rolls and saving throws for onehour after a thorough washing. For example, ifAntoinette Renier is allergic to fermented grapesand gets splashed with a goblet of wine, she suffersan allergic reaction the following round. If thewine splashed on her face and blouse, she mightsuffer a –4 penalty to her rolls until she can get outof the tainted clothes and clean herself carefully.

If the Renier ever finds the toxic substancewithin his or her body (whether through ingestion,

injury, or some other means), the allergen behaveslike an ingested poison with a Fortitude save of DC20. The initial effect is 1d6 points of Constitutiondamage, while the secondary effect is 2d6 points ofConstitution damage.

While the DM should occasionally expose thecharacter to his or her allergen (and even at theworst possible moments and in the worst possibleways), it should not be something that makes thecharacter unplayable. As long as the characterbehaves in an appropriately cautious fashion oncethe character’s allergen has come to light, it shouldnot necessarily be his or her downfall. Of course,there’s nothing that says that a cunning enemymight not discover that a Renier always avoidseating beef, and then try to poison him with some-thing as harmless as a stew.

On the other hand, players should realize thatthere will be times when a Renier character fallsvictim to his allergies in some fashion.

Family Featshen creating a member of this family,whether a wererat or a normal human,at least one of the feats gained duringcharacter creation must be chosen fromthe following list (or the Sharp Ears feat,

printed below): Agile, Alertness, Back to the WallR,Bestial ConscienceH, DabblerH, Dodge, FeralRearingC, Improved Initiative, Investigator,KnowledgeableH, LiteracyH, LunaticR, Persuasive,Piercing GazeC, Sharp Eyes*, Sharp Wit*, Univer-sity EducationH, or WealthH.

New FeatWhile particularly suited to Renier charac-

ters, the following feat may be taken by anyone.

Sharp Ears [General]You are adept at picking up snippets of conver-

sation and sounds that just happen to drift yourway.

Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to all GatherInformation checks and Listen checks.

Family Classesost Reniers from both branches are eitheraristocrats or rogues. Exceptional mem-bers of the family multiclass into a rangeof adventuring classes, with fighters per-haps the next most common class; the

11. Jade12. Lye13. Pears14. Platinum15. Pork16. Pussy willow18. Rye18. Silver19. Sugar20. Wolfsbane

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best among them sometimes adopt prestige classes,most often black powder avengerH, court poisonerG4,dilettanteH, duelist, grimetrekkerG3, moon baneC,moon childG4, pistoleerV, or propagandistC, or elseone of the two new prestige classes described below:the recruiter and the rumormonger.

RecruiterThe recruiter is particularly adept at rallying

others to his banner, either through payments,promises or threats, and he has turned this abilityinto a profession. Where there is a need for labor,soldiers, or lynch-mobs, the recruiter can be trustedto help organizers to find the best talent for the job.He is very adept at discerning an individual’stalents and potential, at reading their wants anddesires, and in saying the right things to attracttheir interests. Further, members of this trade even-tually develop minor magics to aid them in theirefforts.

A recruiter whocan keep the loyalty ofthose he draws to a causeis a highly sought aftervassal indeed. Unfortu-nately, more often thannot, recruiters rely onoverly positive presenta-tions of the tasks for whichthey are recruiting; theyrarely lie outright, for thatwould surely damage their fu-ture efforts, but they rarelydiscuss the downside of the job.

Any Richemulot noblewho wishes to keep his or herstatus is liable to have at leastone member of this class amongher advisors. Recruiters have alsobeen fanning out from Richemulotin increasing numbers to spread theword in the realms of the Core aboutthe free housing and bright futurethat can be had for those willing towork hard and help build a new eco-nomic center in Jacqueline Renier’sdominion.

Other domains wherelocal recruiters can beencountered includeDarkon (where membersof the class are busily help-

ing to rebuild Azalin’s army and navy), Invidia(where they can be found building and even lead-ing mercenary bands for Malocchio), Nova Vaasa(where they help organize the militias maintainedby the five noble families), and on the isolatedislands of Rokushima Taiyoo (where both thefeuding warlords and the assassin clans rely onrecruiters to keep the quality of their ranks high).

Hit Die: d6.

RequirementsTo qualify for the recruiter (Rcr) class, a char-

acter must meet the following criteria.Alignment: Any neutral.Base Attack Bonus: +3.Skills: Bluff 5 ranks, Diplomacy 5 ranks, Gather

Information 5 ranks, Knowledge (local) 5 ranks,Perform (oratory) 8 ranks, Sense Motive 5 ranks.

Feats: Negotiator, Persuasive.

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Class SkillsThe recruiter’s class skills (and the key ability

for each) are Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), DecipherScript (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha),Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Infor-mation (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge(geography) (Int), Knowledge (history) (Int),Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nobility androyalty) (Int), Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha), Pro-fession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis),Speak Language, Spot (Wis).


Class FeaturesThe following are class features of the recruiter

prestige class.Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The re-

cruiter is proficient with all simple and martialweapons. The recruiter is proficient with light andmedium armor, as well as bucklers and light shields.

Inspiring Oratory (Ex): At 1st level, therecruiter can inflame a friendly or neutral crowd,spurring them to activity. In most cases, recruitersuse this ability to encourage townsfolk or idlemercenaries to sign up with the group he is recruit-ing for, but it is also occasionally used to reinvigorate

troops who are losing their enthusiasm for thecause they were hired to fight for.

When using this ability upon a crowd of po-tential recruits, the recruiter makes a Perform(oratory) check. The result determines how manyrecruits step forward from the crowd. The roll ismodified by how long the recruiter addresses thecrowd and based on the crowd’s composition, asshown on Table 8–1.

This skill must be used in a public place.Recruiters can visit as many marketplaces, water-front gathering places and taverns as are present ina town, and a different check can be made at eachlocation. However, if a recruiter is too successful inhis efforts, local authorities may take a dim view ofhis activities, assuming he isn’t working for themalready. (No noble wants to see an outsider raisingan army in his streets, or otherwise luring away hisable-bodied workforce.) Attempts to recruit at anygiven location can only be made once per week.

If the Diplomacy check fails, the recruiter doesnot find anyone interested in joining his cause.There are no ill effects from a failed roll — therecruiter is professional enough to not attempt tosway hostile crowds — but he is still limited to oneweekly attempt per location.

Table 8–1: Inspiring Oratory Variables

Circumstance Diplomacy Check Modifier

Recruiter is recognized as having worked for crowd’s enemies –4Many distractions while recruiter speaks –3Majority of crowd is of different race/society/culture than recruiter –2Majority of crowd is of different than recruiter –1Recruiter from society/culture known as ally of crowd +1Recruiter addresses crowd for more than 3 minutes +1Recruiter has trustworthy reputation to majority of crowd +2Recruiter addresses crowd for more than 10 minutes +4Recruiter has outcast rating (OR) –OR

Diplomacy Result Number of Able Recruits†

10 or less 011–15 1d416–20 2d4+121–25 3d6+226–30 4d8+331–35 5d10+536+ 6d12+10† A recruiter can never recruit more than one half of his current audience, regardless of his Diplomacy check result.The numbers of recruits assume the recruiter is attempting to locate people to fill the most basic roles in a militia, ship’s crew,or construction project (i.e., 0-level NPC classes). If more specialized help is needed (experts in particular types of warfare,crews with experience plying the misty waters of the Nocturnal Sea, and so on — class and level is left to the DM’s discretion),then the numbers above should be divided by 5.

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Spells per Day: Beginning at 1st level, arecruiter gains the ability to cast a small number ofarcane spells. To cast a spell, a recruiter must havea Charisma score of at least 10 + the spell’s level, soa recruiter with a Charisma of 10 or lower cannotcast these spells. Recruiter bonus spells are basedon Charisma, and saving throws against thesespells have a DC of 10 + spell level + the recruiter’sCha modifier. A recruiter casts spells just as asorcerer does.

Upon reaching 4th level, and again at 6th, arecruiter can choose to learn a new spell in place ofone he already knows. The new spell’s level must bethe same as that of the spell being exchanged, andit must be at least 1 level lower than the highest-level recruiter spell the character can cast. Arecruiter may swap only a single spell at any givenlevel, and he must choose whether or not to swapthe spell at the same time that he gains new spellsknown for that level.

Bonus Feat: At 3rd, 6th and 9th levels, therecruiter receives a bonus feat from the followinglist: Athletic, Back to the WallR, Combat Exper-tise, Combat Reflexes, CourageR, Diligent, GreaterSupernatural ResilienceG3, HauntedR, Iron Will,JadedR, MesmerizingC, Open MindR, Quick Draw,Secret SocietyH, Sharp Ears*, Sharp Eyes*, SharpWit*, Skill Focus (Diplomacy), SupernaturalResilienceG3, Voice of WrathR, Weapon Finesse,Weapon Focus.

The recruiter must meet all the usual prerequi-sites for these feats.

Leadership: At 4th level, the recruiter hasgained a reputation as someone who can be trustedto provide sell-swords and other skilled workerswith lucrative opportunities. As such, he developshis own cadre of loyal followers who wish to consis-tently benefit from the good fortunes he generates.He gains Leadership as a bonus feat.

Inspire Confidence (Ex): Recruiters eventu-ally become adept at not only attracting talentedindividuals to a cause, but to keep them motivatedand inspired. At 5th level, the recruiter can use hisoratory to inspire confidence in recruits and otherallies. This ability functions as the inspire couragebardic music ability, except that inspire confi-dence grants all allies a +1 morale bonus on allattack and damage rolls, skill checks and Willsaves.

At 10th level, the morale bonus granted toinspired allies increases to +2.

Friends in Strange Places (Ex): At 7th level,the recruiter has dealt with so many differentmercenaries, nobles and adventurers that he canfind a friendly contact in all but the most alien,hostile, or desolate environments. To locate acontact, the recruiter need merely make a DC 15Gather Information check. The friendly contact isat the very least willing to impart informationcommonly known in the area and to warn therecruiter and allies away from dangers they may nothave been aware of. In most cases, the contactoffers the recruiter a place to rest for the night, ifneed be. In order to convince the contact toendanger himself or extend costly favors, the re-cruiter is likely to have to make Diplomacy checks(DC set by DM) and possibly offer bribes.

The character can use this ability a number oftimes per week equal to his recruiter level.

Judge of Character: At 8th level, the recruiterhas developed an ability to ascertain the relativeperils or difficulty of any endeavor. He gains JudgeDifficulty* as a bonus feat

Recruiter Spell ListRecruiters choose their spells from the follow-

ing list.1st Level: Comprehend languages, daze, detect

magic, detect poison, disguise self, epiphanyV, expedi-tious retreat, hypnotism, read magic, remove fear,Tasha’s hideous laughter.

2nd Level: Calm emotions, charm person, dazemonster, detect thoughts, detect undead, enthrall, lo-cate markG2, sanctuary, tongues.

3rd Level: Awaken guiltV, charm monster, com-mand undead, good hope, lesser geas, speak withanimals, suggestion.

Table 8–2: Recruiter Spells Known— Spells Known —

Level 1st 2nd 3rd

1st – – –2nd 2 – –3rd 3 – –4th 3 2 –5th 4 2 –6th 4 3 17th 5 3 28th 5 4 29th 5 4 310th 5 5 4

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RumormongerThis character’s stock in trade is the dirty little

secret that others want to keep hidden. She is adeptat ferreting them out and even more talented atspreading them with just the right spin to do themost harm to her target’s reputation.

Rumormongers are most common inRichemulot, Dementlieu and the isolated city stateof Paridon, where rumor and innuendo are simul-taneously coins and weapons. Rumormongers whodon’t mind living dangerously can also be foundwhispering at social functions in Borca.

Hit Die: d6.

RequirementsTo qualify for the rumormonger (Rmr) class, a

character must meet the following criteria.Skills: Bluff 6 ranks, Diplomacy 5 ranks, Gather

Information 6 ranks, Knowledge (local) 5 ranks, Knowl-edge (nobility and royalty) 5 ranks, Listen 3 ranks.

Feats: Sharp Ears*, Skill Focus (Gather Infor-mation).

Class SkillsThe rumormonger’s class skills (and the key

ability for each) are Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha),Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy(Cha), Disguise (Cha), Forgery (Int), Gather In-formation (Cha), Hide (Wis), Knowledge (history)(Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nobil-ity and royalty) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently(Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Search(Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language, Spot(Wis).


Table 8–3: The RecruiterLevel Base Attack Fort Ref Will Special Spells per Day

Bonus Save Save Save 1st 2nd 3rd

1 +0 +0 +0 +2 Inspiring oratory – – –2 +1 +0 +0 +3 Spellcasting 1 – –3 +2 +1 +1 +3 Bonus feat 2 – –4 +3 +1 +1 +3 Leadership 2 1 –5 +3 +1 +1 +4 Inspire confidence +1 3 1 –6 +4 +2 +2 +5 Bonus feat 3 2 17 +5 +2 +2 +5 Friends in strange places 4 2 18 +6 +2 +2 +6 Judge of character 5 2 19 +6 +3 +3 +6 Bonus feat 5 3 210 +7 +3 +3 +7 Inspire confidence +2 5 4 2

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Class FeaturesThe following are class features of the

rumormonger prestige class.Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The

rumormonger gains no additional weapon, armor,or shield proficiencies.

A Friend to All (Ex): The rumormonger isexceptionally adept at getting others to trust her(for good or ill). She gains a competence bonusequal to her rumormonger level on all GatherInformation and Sense Motive checks.

It’s Not What You Say (Ex): Therumormonger gains a +5 bonus on all Bluff checksmade to start gossip (see the “Gossip” sidebar).

It’s How You Say It (Ex): At 2nd level, therumormonger has developed an ability to start“whisper campaigns” that greatly outshines that ofcommon gossips. If she succeeds at a Bluff check tostart a rumor, she may control the spread of therumor as she wishes. For example, she may have therumor spread only among an isolated section of thecommunity, such as the membership of a certain

GossipA New Use for the Bluff SkillThe Bluff skill can be used to spread rumors about another character, affiliation, or group. Gossip is a

popular weapon wielded by the Reniers and certain others in Richemulot, such as characters who havelevels as propagandistsC, recruiters and rumormongers (the latter two both being new classes described inthis chapter).

By making a successful Bluff check opposed to a typical listener’s Sense Motive check, a character canstart a particular line of local gossip, whether malicious or harmless. For this purpose, a “typical listener”is decided by the DM based on the social circles amongst which the character wishes to start the gossip. Forexample, starting a rumor among uneducated low-level peasants is liable to be fairly easy (Sense Motive +0),while doing so among political leaders of Richemulot will probably be quite difficult (Sense Motive +10or more).

Attempting to start a rumor also draws the usual circumstance modifiers for a Bluff check. However,in most cases — unless the character is attempting to start unfriendly rumors among allies of a target ofcensure, for example — the listeners are generally treated as willing to believe the character (thus imposinga –5 penalty to their Sense Motive checks).

For example, if Elise deMaison decides she wants to spread gossip that Louise Renier’s latest dalliancewith a young dandy (who happens to be Elise’s former beau) has left Louise with child, Elise would makea Bluff check. The DM assumes that her typical listener, a low-level aristocrats, has a Sense Motive bonusof +3; however, the DM also acknowledges that Elise’s circle of friends also tend to like such juicy bits ofgossip, so they suffer a –5 penalty for being “willing.” Elise’s player rolls a 12, but adds +5 for Elise’s Bluffskill modifier, for a total of 17; the DM rolls a 9, for a Sense Motive result of only 9 + 3 – 5 = 7. Very soon,a new bit of gossip will be making the rounds of the afternoon tea parties in Pont-a-Museau.

Rumors started using the Bluff skill can be tracked back to their originator through the use of the GatherInformation skill. The DC to track a rumor is 5 greater than the Bluff check result that was rolled when itwas started. Thus, continuing the above example, Louise Renier could find the source of Elise’s ugly rumorby making a DC 22 Gather Information check.

Rumors generally spread over the course of a week in a typical small city, assuming there is fertile groundfor the story to spread. The DM may modify this amount of time based on the relative success of the Bluffcheck and the size of the community in question. (So Elise’s rumor, above, might spread in just a few days,since she beat the opposed Sense Motive check by a full 10 points and the elite social circles of Pont-a-Museau, despite the size of the city, are relatively small groups.)

Special: A member of the propagandistC prestige class gains a bonus equal to his propagandist class levelwhen making Bluff checks to start gossip.

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club or organization, and she may keep the rumorfrom reaching certain ears or groups, as desired.Further, she may choose to have the rumor spreadto any number of individuals or communities asdesired, from a handful of close acquaintances to anentire city or domain.

Traceless Gossip (Ex): At 3rd level, therumormonger is a master at planting informationabout others in ways that make it virtually impos-sible to trace the tales back to her. GatherInformation checks made to trace gossip started bythe rumormonger suffer a –10 penalty.

Table 8–4: The RumormongerLevel Base Attack Fort Ref Will Special


1 +0 +0 +0 +2 A friend to all, it’s not what you say2 +1 +0 +0 +3 It’s how you say it3 +1 +0 +0 +3 Traceless gossip

Family Magiceither branch of the Renier family isrenowned for wizards or magical arti-sans. However, draped over anover-stuffed chair in the rarely visited,cobweb-choked library on the third floor

of the Renier ancestral home called ChateauDelanuit is a dusty, threadbare traveling cloak. It isa unique magical item known as the cloak of the rat.Created by one of Claude Renier’s older siblings, ittraveled with the old rat to Richemulot when hefirst came there.

Further, within the left inner pocket of thecloak is a crumpled page torn from a book. At firstglance, it appears to be covered with gibberishpenned in a childish hand. In actuality, this is aunique spell — rat eyes — concealed by a secret pagethat reveals its hidden writing only if the wordsalaud (High Mordentish for “rat”) is spoken nearby.

New Magic Item

Cloak of the RatThis magic item must be created from a cloak,

coat, or jacket that has at least one pocket.Cloak of the Rat: The most obvious function

of this garment is an ability to dry quickly andremain clean. No matter how waterlogged, muddy,or filth-stained it becomes, the garment dries within1 hour of being hung in a dry location, and anystains and smells upon it likewise vanish. Whenthe hour is up, the garment is covered with dust nomore repulsive than that left on clothing after ajourney along a dry country road.

A second, less immediately obvious functionis that up to four pockets on the garment functionas miniature Heward’s handy haversacks. Each pocketcan hold a maximum of 1 cubic foot in volume or10 pounds in weight, without changing the baseweight of the garment or showing any bulges. Likethe haversack, the wearer always finds the item hereaches into a pocket to find.

All other conditions of these extra-dimen-sional storage spaces that apply to Heward’s handyhaversacks also apply to the pockets on a cloak of therat.

Moderate conjuration; CL 8th; Craft Won-drous Item, Leomund’s secret chest, prestidigitation;Price 1,800 gp.

New Spell

Rat EyesDivinationLevel: Level: Level: Level: Level: Brd 1, Drd 1, Rgr 1, Sor/Wiz 1Components: Components: Components: Components: Components: V, SCasting Time: Casting Time: Casting Time: Casting Time: Casting Time: 1 actionRange: Range: Range: Range: Range: Long (400 ft. ft + 40 ft/caster level)Target: Target: Target: Target: Target: One rat or similar rodentDuration: Duration: Duration: Duration: Duration: 5 minutes/levelSaving Throw: Saving Throw: Saving Throw: Saving Throw: Saving Throw: YesSpell Resistance: Spell Resistance: Spell Resistance: Spell Resistance: Spell Resistance: Yes

The caster controls the movements and sharesthe vision of a single rat, chosen from within lineof sight. Once affected, the animal can move out ofthe caster’s line of sight, but the spell continues ineffect as long as the rat remains within the spell’srange. The caster can see anything the rat sees.

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The rat targeted by this spell can be mentallyinstructed by the caster to move and look in anydesired direction. However, the rat cannot beforced to do anything but stop, walk, run, or look ina given direction. If the rat is ordered into combator otherwise instructed to do something that wouldharm or endanger it, the spell immediately ends.(Ordering the rat to observe something that mightbe dangerous to it does not end the spell, as long asthe rat can watch from a hidden location that itperceives as relatively safe.)

Story HookA Renier who is a distant cousin to the ruling

family (a player character, or an NPC with whomthey are friendly) is approached by a friend ormember of the DuBois family. The Renier is askedif he would be willing to approach Lady Jacquelineor her sister Louise to beg for aid in discoveringonce and for all what happened to Henri DuBois.The DuBois family members share with the PCswhat little they know about Henri’s final days andthe circumstances around his disappearance. Whileall signs point to involvement on the part of LadyJacqueline Renier, they find it hard to believe thatsomeone who has been as generous to the family asshe has would be involved in the disappearance ofHenri, particularly when they were so in love.

Whether the characters approach Jacquelineor Louise in their search for information aboutHenri DuBois, they find only firm denials; theReniers “have already done all that can be done tofind the missing man.” (These statements are actu-ally true; despite her failure to transform Henri intoa wererat, Jacqueline is still in love with him and atthe very least wants to know what his currentsituation is, while Louise wants to kill Henri andmake sure her sister finds his mutilated corpse.)

Whether or not the characters launch theirown investigation, they eventually find themselvesunder attack by wererats and mysterious assassins.The attacks are easily dealt with at first, but theyquickly become very deadly — and Renier charac-ters may discover just how vulnerable they are tolycanthropic infection.

Who is behind the efforts to kill the partybefore they locate Henri DuBois? Is it some of thehateful non-wererat members of the Renier family?Is it perhaps Jacques Renier, Jacqueline’s son, whohas been keeping Henri captive in the hopes thathis mother’s ongoing search will leave her exposedenough so he can assassinate her?

Or could it be that the assassins are sent byHenri DuBois himself, who was driven mad by thedouble-blow of witnessing the transformation ofhis beloved Jacqueline and then being attacked byher immediately after? He may not have beentransformed by Jacqueline, but perhaps he hassince become infected by an aberrant strain ofwererat lycanthropy, and is now so monstrous thathe can barely be recognized as human — and a cultof wererats who formerly chafed under Jacqueline’srule now worship him as a god and follow his everywhim.

Finally, perhaps the attacks against the partyhave nothing to do with Henri DuBois at all.Instead, they are merely another attempt on thepart of Louise Renier to remove her sister frompower, using the PCs as her weapon. She is sendingthe killers at the party and planting clues thatimplicate Jacqueline. Louise might even be leavingclues to convince the party that Jacqueline is amonster — a vampire, or perhaps even a wererat,although the clues should indicate that she is aninfected lycanthrope, not a natural one.

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Chapter Nine: Blood of Hunger

Chapter Nine:Blood of Hunger

TheVon Zarovich

Family

Chapter Nine:Blood of Hunger

TheVon Zarovich

Family

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The Von Zarovich Family

Von Zarovich — my name invokes a sting of fear in the hearts of even the sternest heroesand the most experienced investigators. The Von Zarovich name carries with it a legacy ofsadness, evil, corruption and darkness unequaled by any other great house of the realms. In fact,my researches into our origins suggest that, but for the excesses of Strahd Von ZarovichI and his unforgivable crimes against his own family, we would not now be cursed by the darknessthat so easily takes root in our hearts.

Over time, I have come to suspect that the Strahd Von Zarovich who currently rulesBarovia is no other than the same evil being that began our curse. Yes, though it strikes terrorthrough me to even whisper such a thing, I have become convinced that Strahd is, in fact, oneof the undying, a vampire that preserves his own evil life through the murder of others. Hislongevity, cruelty and cunning are legendary, yet, to my shame, though he is easily the best-known of our bloodline, he is far from the only Von Zarovich that the good folk of the realmsmust fear.

In the early days of Barovian history, the Von Zaroviches were (along with the Dilisnya,Katsky and Petrovna) the leading noble clan of the realm. In those days the Von Zarovicheswere bold warriors driving the wicked Tergs from Barovia and liberating an entire nation. Theirleader in those days was the mighty Strahd I. My ancestor’s tale has been related time andagain over the years — his illicit love for his brother Sergei’s betrothed Tatyana, Sergei’smurder at Strahd’s hands, the massacre of Sergei’s wedding guests at the hands of Dilisnyaassassins and the suicide of sad Tatyana.

Nearly the entire Von Zarovich clan perished on that night, though Strahd himselfsurvived, I now believe, somehow transformed into a vampire. My investigations indicate thathe spread the rumor that his relative, “Sturm,” had missed the wedding; in Sturm’s guise,then, he himself undertook a campaign of vengeance against the Dilisnya and their patriarch,Leo. Though the Von Zaroviches were weakened and nearly destroyed, we emergedvictorious, successfully driving the Dilisnya from the realm.

In time, the household itself began to recover, though the taint of Strahd’s sanguine thirsthas touched all of us to some extent. To this day, sadly, House Von Zarovich remain oneof the most dangerous in the realms, home to schemers and diabolical geniuses as well as ruthlesskillers and practitioners of the darkest of dark arts.

I believe that it is vital for you to fully understand the other members of my household,My Darling, if you are to truly understand what you join should you consent to become mywife. And so I humbly relate my origins to you, Dearest, in hopes that you may forgive memy family and help me to escape the evil fate so many of us embrace and instead follow the pathof good I sense shining from within you.

— letter from Reval Von Zarovich to his prospective wife and fiancée, KatarynaMandorova, priestess of the Morning Lord

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The Von Zarovicheshis great family is as old as Barovia itself,and its evil is as deep as any in the DreadRealms. The Von Zaroviches are theliving embodiment of gothic horror, afamily cursed by the sins of its founders

and tormented by the wickedness of its presentruler. With this history and this dark burden, it isnot surprising that most members of the VonZarovich clan have followed paths of corruption.

Unlike some other households, however, theVon Zaroviches also harbor a handful of others —brave and strong-willed individuals capable of re-sisting the call of darkness, of living their livesindependently of their grim heredity. Some haveeven embraced the powers of good, but these indi-viduals are few and far between.

Fitting InVon Zarovich is quite a widespread clan, with

minor branches in several lands beyond Barovia’sborders, such as Kartakass, Invidia and Verbrek.Most remain concentrated in the mountainousregions of Barovia, however, where they are free topursue whatever cruel schemes they desire becauseof their connection to Strahd and the ruling house.

Strahd is at best an absentee ruler who takeslittle interest in the lives and welfare of his citizens.For the most part, he leaves the daily running of thenation to his boyars and burgomasters. Althoughthese positions are not normally awarded to mem-bers of the old ruling families — the Katsky,Petrovna, or the hated Dilisnya — Strahd is willingto make an exception in the case of his relatives,and open positions are sometimes awarded to mi-nor members of the Von Zarovich household.

Gaining such a position sometimes requires aVon Zarovich to make a direct appeal to CountStrahd himself, which of course requires a pilgrim-age to Castle Ravenloft — the dark heart of theDread Realms. Strahd isn’t necessarily an ungra-cious host, yet save for a desire to maintain controlin his realm by whatever means necessary, he hasno overwhelming sense of loyalty or warmth to-ward his own bloodline. Requests for assistanceshould always be phrased as politely and cordiallyas possible, and denials must be accepted with goodgrace lest the supplicant find himself on the receiv-ing end of Strahd’s displeasure.

Those Von Zaroviches who don’t hold impor-tant positions in the realm can be of just about any

social station from simple freeman on up. Distantclaims to Von Zarovich ancestry are quite com-mon, for the family’s worst traits are only expressedin those who are most closely related to Strahd. Allcarry a certain amount of the family’s taint, how-ever, and the inhabitants of Barovia treat all whobear the name or claim a relation to it with a certainfearful respect.

Even outside Barovia, the name of VonZarovich garners considerable respect, even thoughother darklords such as Ivana Boritsi and AzalinRex harbor deep hatred for Strahd and his familyand will not hesitate to take vengeance on mem-bers of the Von Zarovich household. Consequently,members of the household tend to tread carefullywhen in hostile territory, even though it is contraryto the household’s traditional arrogance and self-assurance to do so.

Being a Von Zarovich comes with some re-sponsibilities, for although Strahd has little love orloyalty for other family members, he neverthelessrules with an iron hand, demanding that his rela-tions never bring disrespect or derision to thehousehold. Von Zaroviches must dress well, andtheir weapons and armor must always be of thehighest quality; their dwellings must always be keptin good condition, and they must never be drawninto such petty concerns as local power struggles,street crime or similar plebian pursuits.

Adventuring is allowed, though a VonZarovich is expected to keep his adventuring com-panions at arms’ length. He must avoid carousing,brawling, excessive drinking, gluttony and associ-ating with unseemly members of the opposite sex.An adventurer is certainly entitled to seek hisfortune, but the gross display of magical skill isstrongly discouraged. Despite the horrors of thepast, House Von Zarovich retains its dignity anddemands that its members observe the strictestrules of decorum.

In some cases, Strahd himself has been knownto intervene should any of his family membersviolate these rules. First, trusted servants are sent toinform the offending scion that his behavior isunacceptable. Usually this is enough to shock awayward family member into good conduct, butthose who persist may end up with another visit,this time by another high-ranking Von Zarovich.Should Strahd himself ever become directly in-volved, the scion’s career as a Von Zarovich — andindeed his life — is probably over.

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Being GoodThough there is indeed a darkness in the heart

of the Von Zarovich soul, there remains in some atiny spark of indefatigable goodness and a willing-ness to battle the influence of the shadow. Suchindividuals are quintessential gothic characters —good-hearted individuals who try to do the rightthing but who must constantly battle the evil intheir souls.

Good-aligned Von Zaroviches are still ac-cepted by the family, though they are certainlytreated like black (or, perhaps more accurately,white) sheep — ostracized, ridiculed and con-stantly tempted to follow the Path of Corruption.Only if a good-aligned Von Zarovich’s activitiesput him in direct conflict with the family will heface open opposition.

In some ways, the Von Zarovich heritage canbe a powerful inducement to a good character, forthe memory and knowledge of a household’s pastsins can show her quite clearly what actions orexcesses to avoid. They also provide sins and crimesfor which a good character can seek atonement(that the character herself did not commit thesecrimes usually shouldn’t matter to a selfless gothic

hero, for the sins of the parents are invariablypassed down to sons and daughters).

For the most part, a good-aligned Von Zarovichavoids the family’s homeland for fear of cominginto direct conflict with other family members.Wandering adventurers sometimes openly admitto their Von Zarovich pedigree in order to showthat they have defied their evil heritage, or simplyto show that not all Von Zaroviches are bad.Others hide their past and their ancestry as well asthey are able, carrying it inside them like a secretshame. In all cases, however, the good-aligned VonZarovich feels a deep and abiding need to right thewrongs of the world and to see justice done.

No matter how much they do, however, thedarkness of the Von Zarovich soul never goes awaycompletely.

Claiming MembershipClaiming membership in house Von Zarovich

is not necessary per se — an individual is either aVon Zarovich or she is not. The nature of theDread Realms and the influence of the Dark Pow-ers is such that a Von Zarovich scion simply knowsher true heritage and understands her connection

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to the shadows. Even those who are not immedi-ately informed of their intimate connection to themost infamous household in the realms will knowthat they are different from the cowed, supersti-tious peasants that surround them.

Distant relatives or those whose parents at-tempt to hide their Von Zarovich legacy almostalways learn of their connection — if not byfinding it out through research or by being told,then perhaps by the dark and troubling dreams orvisions that often plague them as they grow older.The murder of Sergei and tragic suicide of Tatyanais often the subject of these visions, as is the lonelyand tormented existence of Strahd himself, wan-dering his cold, bleak castle tormented by thespirits of his countless victims. In time, it becomesclear to the Von Zarovich scion that these are nottruly dreams, but instead mystical visions of Strahd’spast and present.

Though Strahd is far from the most loyal orsupportive family patriarch, he nevertheless wel-comes new members to the family, even going so faras to explain the individual’s genealogical connec-tion to House Von Zarovich. Sometimes thisrevelation fills the recipient with nothing less thanhorror, bringing Strahd himself a tiny but welcomemoment of joy and sadistic pleasure. He especiallyenjoys passing the truth on to good-aligned charac-ters, for he knows that their path will most oftenspiral into darkness.

Once a Von Zarovich knows of his or herheritage, life is rarely the same. Simply being asso-ciated with Barovia’s ruling household bringsconsiderable benefits, from the terrified respect ofthe peasants to the obsequious fawning of innkeep-ers, boyars and burgomasters. Occasionally, familyholdings become available and Strahd or anotherhigh-ranking Von Zarovich may award them to anoteworthy (or even an undeserving) relative. Asin other kingdoms, estates and property that areconfiscated from traitors and enemies of the stateare sometimes given to newly recognized VonZaroviches for safekeeping.

Von Zarovich Family Traits• +2 Intelligence: Von Zaroviches tend to be

cunning and shrewd individuals.• Taint of the Blood: The cursed taint of Von

Zarovich blood is etched deep into the heart andsoul of all family members. Though these fearsometraits are strongest in those most closely related toStrahd himself, nearly all of Von Zarovich ancestry

show at least one of these inherent curses. The DMshould assign at least one of these features to anyVon Zarovich character, although the charactershould not be made unplayable; for instance, ifmore than one is assigned, then the curses need nottake effect every time their requirements/triggersare fulfilled.

Lure of the Dark Powers: The Von Zarovich hasa permanent +1% modifier to all powers checks.For example, an unprovoked assault upon a friendnormally requires a 2% powers check, but in thecase of the tainted Von Zarovich character, thispercentage rises to 3%.

Nightmares: From time to time, Von Zarovichesare tormented by terrible dreams of darkness andblood. Whenever he sleeps, the Von Zarovichcharacter must make a Will save (DC varies basedon the character’s actions the previous day, butgenerally 10–15) or be visited by nightmares; ifnightmares do occur, the character is consideredfatigued upon waking. If they visit the Von Zarovichfor any three nights in succession, he is consideredexhausted.

Thirst for Blood: When in combat, every timehe wounds an opponent with a melee attack, theVon Zarovich must make a DC 12 Will save or flyinto a berserk frenzy, gaining a +1 bonus to attackand damage rolls and attacking that opponentuntil it falls (even if he had been dealing nonlethaldamage up to that point, for instance). Once theopponent drops, the Von Zarovich must make aDC 15 Will save each round or continue to attackit, effectively making a coup-de-grace attack thatround. If at any time he rolls a natural 1 on thissave, the character immediately abandons the fallenenemy and throws himself upon the nearest oppo-nent, still gaining the bonuses for his frenzy. If thisopponent drops, the Von Zarovich must againmake a Will save to avoid mutilating the fallen asdescribed above.

The DM may apply penalties to the VonZarovich character’s Will saves if the current oppo-nent is a hated enemy (these modifiers shouldrange from –1 to –5, with higher modifiers givenonly for major antagonists of the character orperhaps traditional family enemies).

A Von Zarovich character can’t undergo afrenzy at the same time as he experiences a visionof horror (see below), even though he may haveboth curses.

Visions of Horror: On occasion, some VonZaroviches are visited with images of the horrors

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from their family’s past and the horrors of thefuture, as well as haunting images of the tormentsthat await them at the hands of the Dark Powers.Every time he is wounded in battle, the VonZarovich character must make a DC 12 Will saveor be dazzled by these flitting images for the dura-tion of the present combat and for 1d3 roundsthereafter. A dazzled character takes a –1 penaltyon attack rolls, Search checks and Spot checks.(Multiple “dazzled” effects do not stack.)

A character can’t experience visions of horrorat the same time as he is possessed by his thirst forblood (see above), even though he may have bothcurses.

Family Featshen creating a Von Zarovich, the playeror DM should select at least one of thecharacter’s feats from the following list(or from among those new feats de-scribed below) during character creation:

Alertness, Ancestral LegacyV, Athletic, Cold OneR,Combat Casting, Combat Expertise, CourageR,Darkness WithinC, Diehard, Endurance, HauntedR,HeroismH, HollowC, Iron Will, JadedR,KnowledgeableH, LibraryH, LiteracyH, MagicalAptitude, Martial Weapon Proficiency, PiercingGazeC, PortentsV, Second SightC, Spell Focus (nec-romancy), Spell Mastery, Weapon Focus, VampiricRegenerationC, or Voice of WrathR. The charactermust meet all requirements for each feat, as usual.

The following new feats should be availableonly to Von Zarovich characters (or, at the DM’sdiscretion, to those of some other bloodline thathas a history of vampirism among its ancestors).

Blood Ritual [Metamagic]You may recover arcane spell energy using the

blood of a sacrificial victim.Prerequisites: Blood Spell*, wizard level 9th.Benefit: You can cast spells as if by means of

the Blood Spell feat (q.v.), except that you mayshed the blood of another creature rather than yourown. The victim used to gain this benefit must behelpless, and drawing blood from him or her pro-vokes attacks of opportunity. Using this feat alwaysextends the spell’s casting time to at least 1 fullround.

You must make a powers check as if you hadinflicted “routine torture” every time you use thisfeat.

Blood Spell [Metamagic]Accessing the dark curse of your bloodline,

you may shed your own blood to power your arcanespells.

Prerequisites: Wizard level 5th.Benefit: This metamagic feat is unique in that

it requires hit points rather than additional spelllevels to function. By ritually cutting yourself aspart of casting a spell (thereby increasing the spell’scasting time), you may avoid expending the pre-pared spell slot. You must sacrifice a number of hitpoints equal to twice the total level of the spell cast(which may be modified by other metamagic feats)to do so. The casting time of the spell is increasedbased on its usual casting time, as follows.

Normal Casting Time Modified Casting Time

Free action 1 standard action1 standard action 1 full round1 full round 2 full roundsMore than 1 full round +1 full round

For example, a wizard with this feat wishes tocast the empowered vampiric touch he has prepared,but wants to be sure he can cast the spell again. Bycutting himself for 10 points of damage and in-creasing the spell’s casting time to 1 full round, heprovides the spell energy to cast the spell (which isnormally 3rd level, but has been modified to use a5th-level spell slot because of the Empower Spellfeat).

Commanding Gaze [General]Your penetrating, unnatural gaze is often

enough to stop even the most hardened killer in histracks.

Prerequisites: Wis 13, Cha 13, Piercing Gaze.Benefit: As a standard action, you can cause

any target within 30 feet to make a Will save (DC10 + half your HD/levels + your Charisma modi-fier) or be stunned for 1 full round. A creature thatsaves against your commanding gaze is immune toits effect for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting,supernatural ability.

Lure of the Blood [General]Due to your inherited connection to Strahd’s

curse of vampirism, your melee attacks can causebleeding wounds.

Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +6, WeaponFocus, Weapon Specialization, fighter level 4th.

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Benefit: Choose a melee weapon for whichyou already have Weapon Specialization. When-ever you wield a weapon of that type in combat, itfunctions as if it had the wounding property inaddition to any actual magical properties it mightbear. This is a supernatural ability.

If you are of good alignment, you must make a1% powers check for every 24-hour period duringwhich you utilize the benefit of this feat.

Special: You can gain this feat multiple times.Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat,it applies to a new type of weapon.

A fighter may select Lure of the Blood as oneof his fighter bonus feats. He must have WeaponSpecialization with a weapon to gain the Lure ofthe Blood feat for that weapon.

Touch of Darkness [General] You can attack foes with an enervating attack

that resembles a vampire’s energy drain.Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +10, Cleave,

Darkness WithinC, Power Attack.Benefit: Any time you successfully strike a

living opponent in melee combat, she takes 1 pointof Strength damage.

Family Classesost Von Zaroviches have a natural apti-tude for magic. Wizards abound amongthem, as do sorcerers and practitionersof divine magic; nearly all of the latterhave dedicated themselves to the gods

of evil. However, fighters and rogues are not un-common among them, for House Von Zarovich isfrom its ancient roots a warrior clan; still, in thepresent age, warrior-types are actually outnum-bered by spellcasters. The Von Zaroviches do notnormally claim much of a connection with nature,so barbarians, druids and rangers are uncommon;likewise, they aren’t known for their asceticism,making monks even rarer. Paladins — championsof the light and justice that the Von Zarovichesfind utterly repellent — are the rarest of all and aregenerally abhorred or scorned by other members ofthe family.

Exceptional Von Zaroviches who take pres-tige class levels most commonly choose archmage,blackguard, dreamcasterC, eldritch knight,hierophant, knight errantH, loremaster and nightlordC. In addition, there are two new prestigeclasses presented below that are virtually unique to

those of Von Zarovich blood. (A DM may decideto let other characters take these prestige classes,but should have a good reason for doing so — suchas the character being an adoptee or special ally ofthe family).

Crimson Hound The Von Zaroviches have always excelled at

both the black and the martial arts, and theirguardsmen — touched by the bloodlust that hascursed the family for generations — are among themost feared and dangerous fighters in the DreadRealms. They are named for their fierce loyalty totheir household, their unstoppable desire for vio-lence and their great skill in tracking and briningdown enemies of the great Von Zaroviches.

Crimson hounds generally lead Strahd’s elitearmy units and guard the most important locationsand citadels in Barovia. For especially sensitive orimportant missions, a crimson hound, if placed incommand of a unit of veteran soldiers, may begiven the authority to engage in any activity nec-essary for the security of the state and the welfare ofHouse Von Zarovich. Of course, this usually entailsthe shedding of large quantities of innocent bloodand excessive acts of torture and mayhem, but suchare a crimson hound’s specialty.

Hit Dice: d10.

RequirementsTo qualify to become a crimson hound (Crh),

a character must fulfill all the following criteria:Alignment: Any evil.Base Attack Bonus: +6.Skills: Intimidate 8 ranks, Survival 4 ranks.Feats: Iron Will, JadedR, Track.Special: The crimson hound must swear an

unholy oath to obey Count Strahd Von Zarovichand his appointed representatives. If the hound everdisobeys a direct order from any such source, he is castout of service (if not hunted down and slain outright)and cannot progress further in this class unless for-given and reinstated by Count Strahd himself.

Class SkillsThe crimson hound’s class skills (and the key

ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int),Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str),Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search(Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis) and Swim (Str).


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crimson hound prestige class.Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Crimson

hounds are proficient with all simple and martialweapons and with all types of armor and shields(except tower shields).

True Servant (Ex): At 1st level, the crimsonhound gains a bonus against any mind-affecting spellor ability that would cause him to directly disobey hisVon Zarovich masters or to undertake actions thatwould plainly oppose or undermine the interests ofthe Von Zarovich family. The value of this bonus isequal to the character’s crimson hound level.

Command (Sp): At 2nd level, a crimson houndcan use command a number of times per day equalto his Charisma modifier (minimum once per day).The save DC is equal to 11 + the crimson hound’sCharisma modifier.

Demoralize (Ex): At 3rd level, the crimsonhound gains the ability, through his ferocious ex-hortations and fearsome threats, to dishearten hisenemies. As a standard action, the crimson houndcan make an Intimidate check; all enemies within20 feet must then make a character level check(DC = the crimson hound’s Intimidate result).Those who fail suffer a –1 penalty to all attack rollsand saving throws for 2d4 rounds. The crimsonhound may use this ability a number of times perday equal to his Charisma modifier.

Demoralize is a mind-affecting fear effect.Hold Person (Sp): At 4th level, a crimson hound

can use hold person once per day. The save DC is equal to13 + the crimson hound’s Charisma modifier.

Fearsome Presence (Ex): At 5th level, thecrimson hound’s fearsome threats can be terriblyunsettling to foes. As a standard action, the crim-son hound can make an Intimidate check; allenemies within 20 feet must then make a characterlevel check (DC = the crimson hound’s Intimidateresult). Creatures that fail are affected as follows:Those having fewer levels/HD than the hound arefrightened for 4d6 rounds, while those having asmany or more HD/levels are shaken for 2d6 rounds.The crimson hound may use this ability a numberof times per day equal to his Charisma modifier.

Fearsome presence is a mind-affecting feareffect.

Table 9–1: The Crimson HoundLevel Base Attack Fort Ref Will Special


1st +1 +2 +0 +0 True servant2nd +2 +3 +0 +0 Command3rd +3 +3 +1 +1 Demoralize4th +4 +4 +1 +1 Hold person5th +5 +4 +1 +1 Fearsome presence

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Tyrant MageIn some ways, the Von Zarovich family are

quintessential tyrants, ruling with absolute author-ity and treating their subjects with disdain or atbest benign neglect until they disobey or until theVon Zaroviches need them. Then, members of thehousehold are quick to lay the heavy hand ofoppression upon their people.

Commonly, the infamous Von Zarovich ty-rant mages are not themselves rulers, but serve thehouse patriarchs, using their considerable magicalabilities to control, oversee and if necessary repressthe peasants of Von Zarovich lands. Tyrant magesproved instrumental in Strahd’s struggle againstthe Ba’al Verzi, and when the assassins failed to killStrahd in 350 BC, the tyrant mages descendedupon the cabal and almost completely destroyed it.Only the tragic massacre of 351 BC, in whichSergei Von Zarovich and Strahd I (supposedly)perished, saved the Ba’al Verzi. Seriously weak-ened by the tragedy, the tyrant mages spent thenext few years piecing the realm back together andrebuilding their forces.

Since then, the tyrant mages have continuedto serve House Von Zarovich, helping to ferret outand eradicate those who would disrupt the securityof Barovia, and destroying threats to Strahd and hisfollowers.

Hit Dice: d4.

RequirementsTo qualify to become a tyrant mage (Trm), a

character must fulfill all the following criteria.Alignment: Any evil.Base Attack Bonus: +3.Skills: Intimidate 4 ranks, Knowledge (arcana)

8 ranks, Sense Motive 4 ranks.Feats: Any two metamagic feats.Special: Ability to cast 3rd-level arcane spells.

Class Skills The tyrant mage’s class skills (and the key

ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con),Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy(Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all skills,taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), SenseMotive (Wis), Speak Language and Spellcraft (Int).



tyrant mage prestige class.Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Tyrant

mages gain no proficiency with any weapon, armor,or shield.

Spellcasting: At every tyrant mage level, thecharacter gains new spells per day (and spellsknown, if applicable) as if she had also gained alevel in whatever arcane spellcasting class hadgranted her access to 3rd-level spells. She does not,however, gain any other benefit a character of thatclass would have gained (bonus metamagic feats,and so on), except for an increased effective levelof spellcasting. This essentially means that sheadds the level of tyrant mage to the level of herprevious arcane spellcasting class, then determinesspells per day, spells known and caster level accord-ingly.

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If the character has more than one arcanespellcasting class that grants her access to 3rd-levelspells, she must decide to which class she adds eachlevel of tyrant mage for the purpose of determiningspells per day and spells known.

Charm Person (Sp): At 1st level, a tyrantmage can use charm person as a spell-like abilityonce per day. The save DC for this ability is 11 +her Charisma modifier, and her effective casterlevel is equal to her actual arcane caster level.

Tyrant’s Eye (Ex): At 2nd level, the tyrantmage gains a +2 competence bonus on all Intimi-date and Sense Motive checks.

Suggestion (Sp): At 3rd level, a tyrant magecan use suggestion as a spell-like ability once perday. The save DC for this ability is 13 + herCharisma modifier, and her effective caster level isequal to her actual arcane caster level.

Bonus Feat: At 4th level, the tyrant magereceives a bonus metamagic feat.

Domination (Sp): At 5th level, a tyrant magecan use dominate person as a spell-like ability onceper day. The save DC for this ability is 15 + herCharisma modifier, and her effective caster level isequal to her actual arcane caster level.

Family Magic ItemsThe following items are all family heirlooms

belonging to the Von Zaroviches and their retain-ers.

Heartsblood OrbThis crystalline sphere is about the size of an

apple and glows with a rich, reddish inner light.When held, it feels cold to the touch and gives

good-hearted wielders a tangible sense of dread.The orb is reputed to contain a small amount ofblood from an ancient, powerful outsider defeatedby Count Strahd I. Rumor claims that this outsiderstill lives and will one day seek out the orb’s holderto take horrific vengeance on him and all otherswho have ever benefited from its magic.

Heartsblood Orb: This item conveys cold,electricity and fire resistance 10 and a +1 bonus toall saving throws upon its possessor. Once per day,the holder of the heartsblood orb can use it to castthe equivalent of a heal spell (caster level 11th)upon himself.

Moderate conjuration and transmutation; CL11th; Craft Wondrous Item, heal, resistance, resistenergy; Price 53,000 gp; Weight 1 lb.

Sanguine ChaliceThe Von Zaroviches have many fell magic

items, some of which require the suffering of otherliving beings in order to function. This item wasmade long ago, well before Barovia’s descent intothe mists, intended to replenish the bodies andspirits of Von Zarovich soldiers and leaders. Somesympathetic historians claim that the chalice wasoriginally powered by holy water or perhaps wineor some other innocuous fluid, but most believethat the item was always used with the blood ofvictims.

The sanguine chalice is a beautiful silver goblet,etched with intertwined roses and skulls; it bearsseveral large blood-red stones set about its base.When blood is poured into the cup, these stonesglow faintly, throbbing slightly as if to a strugglingheartbeat.

Table 9–2: The Tyrant MageLevel Base Attack Fort Ref Will Special Spellcasting


1st +0 +0 +0 +2 Charm person +1 level of existing arcanespellcasting class

2nd +1 +0 +0 +3 Tyrant’s eye +1 level of existing arcanespellcasting class

3rd +1 +1 +1 +3 Suggestion +1 level of existing arcanespellcasting class

4th +2 +1 +1 +4 Bonus feat +1 level of existing arcanespellcasting class

5th +2 +1 +1 +4 Dominate person +1 level of existing arcanespellcasting class

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Sanguine Chalice: When the equivalent of 2points of temporary Constitution worth of theblood of any living creature is poured into thechalice, its magical powers activate. The contentsof the chalice can then be drunk, granting the userany one of the following benefits (user’s choice).

• The drinker is healed of 4d8+7 points ofdamage.

• The drinker is affected as if by remove disease.• The drinker is affected as if by neutralize

poison.• The drinker’s fatigue or exhaustion condi-

tions are removed as if he had slept 8 hours.• The drinker gains a +1 morale bonus to

attack and damage rolls for 1d10 minutes.• The drinker gains a +2 deflection bonus to

AC for 1d10 minutes.The chalice is usable only three times per day

and is considered an evil item for the purpose ofprovoking powers checks.

Moderate transmutation; CL 7th; Craft Won-drous Item, bless, cure critical wounds, neutralizepoison, remove disease, shield of faith; Price 70,000gp; Weight 1 lb.

Scarlet BreastplateThis item is magnificently crafted, enameled

in deep, vivid red and etched with thorny vines andflowers. Such breastplates are typically worn byVon Zarovich officers, though a few have turned upin the hands of bandits and mercenaries (presum-ably after being wrested from their legitimateowners). Wearers of the breastplate are grantedconsiderable strength and resistance to magic, butbecome prone to rash acts.

Scarlet Breastplate: This +3 breastplate grantsits wearer the benefit of spell resistance 19. As well,it grants a +2 enhancement bonus to Strength, butalso a –2 penalty to Wisdom. Any time there is anenemy with a drawn weapon within charge range,the wearer must make a DC 15 Will save orimmediately charge that opponent. (If there ismore than one opponent within range, he chargeswhichever is closest.)

Moderate transmutation; CL 9th; Craft MagicArms and Armor, bull’s strength; Price 60,000 gp;Weight 30 lb.

Sword of the BatMade of night-black steel, its hilt in the form

of a stylized bat and quillons in the form of a bat’s

outstretched wings, this weapon has been carriedby the best of the elite Von Zarovich warriors forgenerations.

Sword of the Bat: This +4 wounding ghosttouch longsword grants its wielder a fly speed of 50 ft.(good maneuverability) for up to 1 hour each daywhile holding the weapon. The flight ability neednot be used all at once, but may be broken up intoany number of uses per day, as long as the total timespent flying does not exceed 1 hour.

Moderate conjuration, transmutation and nec-romancy; CL 12th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor,Mordenkainen’s sword, overland flight, plane shift;Price 173,000 gp; Weight 3 lb.

The Tome of Strahd (Minor Artifact)Ostensibly a self-serving, self-glorifying biog-

raphy penned by Strahd Von Zarovich himself, theoriginal copy of this book is held in the depths ofCastle Ravenloft. Black-bound and reeking of tan-gible evil, the original Tome of Strahd also hassubstantial magical powers. Many copies of thisbook exist — most are incomplete or inaccurate insome details and have little or, more often thannot, no magical power.

The original tome resides in a special cham-ber, resting on a black oak bookstand. Strahdhimself adds to the book from time to time, and itmiraculously always seems to have enough pages toaccommodate whatever he writes.

Tome of Strahd: The Tome of Strahd func-tions as a book of vile darkness, save that it functionsfor arcane (not divine) spellcasters, who gain a +2inherent bonus to Intelligence (rather than a +1bonus to Wisdom and one experience level) if theyread the book.

In addition, reading the book causes any readerto gain one of the Von Zarovich curses (see Taintof the Blood in Von Zarovich Family Traits, earlierin this chapter), but also allows any evil characterwho reads it to thereafter take any of the VonZarovich feats (see Family Feats) as if he had VonZarovich blood.

Due to the detailed information contained inthe book, any evil character who spends 1 minuteporing over the book gains a +2 bonus to anyKnowledge check made the following round, aslong as the check has something to do with curses,evil magic, the Von Zaroviches, the Dread Realms,or the undead.

Strong evocation (evil); CL 17th; Weight 5lb.

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Story HooksCall of the Blood: A player character has been

plagued by horrifying nightmares. Eventually, ei-ther he or his friends discover the horrifying truth— that he is distantly related to the infamous VonZarovich family. The character is periodically vis-ited by dreams in which a dark noble invites him toaccept his destiny, and he may also develop one ormore of the Von Zarovich curses. The characterand his companions must deal with the constantdanger of giving in to the family’s bloodthirstyheritage and decide whether to fight the darknessor simply accept the inevitable and embrace it.

The Lost Tome: The Tome of Strahd has beenstolen! How such an outrage could have been perpe-trated under the very nose of the powerful Count isanyone’s guess, but Strahd Von Zarovich immediatelycalls upon all of his household to find the volume. Theobvious suspects are traditional enemies such as AzalinRex and the Dilisnya family, but it is up to the DM todecide who is really behind the act.

One possibility is that the culprit is none otherthan Malocchio Aderre, ruler of Invidia, who hasfinally discovered his ability to teleport withouterror anywhere in the Dread Realms, regardless of

the will of the realm’s darklord. This event couldlead to a major confrontation and possibly result ina crisis that necessarily shakes all the realms, forMalocchio’s ability deals a major blow to the bal-ance of power among the darklords.

Assassin Hunt: While Strahd Von Zarovichis usually content to allow his relatives to go abouttheir business in peace (as long as they do notunduly embarrass the family), he sometimes callsupon family members to take care of certain deli-cate matters of business. A Dilisnya assassin hasbeen seen in the city of Zeidenburg. While it isunlikely that this individual can threaten Strahdhimself, he can nevertheless inflict considerabledamage on family holdings and create mischiefwithin Barovia’s borders by associating with andaiding rebels, bandits, criminals and other trouble-makers who are especially common in Zeidenburg.

A Von Zarovich scion (the player character oran NPC close to the party) and his companions arecommanded to journey to Zeidenburg, locate theassassin and find out what she knows. The charac-ters are forced to plunge into the dark intrigue ofZeidenburg, dealing with crime lords, renegades,Gundarakite rebels and a secret underground net-work of Dilisnya allies and informants.

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Appendix:A Rogue<’

Gallery

Appendix:A Rogue<’

Gallery

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s with other such appendices, this oneshould be read only with DM approval.

The following character descrip-tions illustrate possible members of thefamilies addressed in detail throughout

the various chapters of this tome. They may beutilized by the DM as NPCs or used to suggeststarting points and ideas for player characters.

In the NPC stat blocks below, italicized featsindicate bonus feats gained from race, class, orbloodline.

Boritsi

Bevel Boritsi, Eldest Son ofAnton BoritsiMale human, Ari2/Rog3/courtier 3: Male human, Ari2/Rog3/courtier 3: Male human, Ari2/Rog3/courtier 3: Male human, Ari2/Rog3/courtier 3: Male human, Ari2/Rog3/courtier 3: CR 7; Medium humanoid(human) (5 ft., 11 in. tall); HD 2d8+4 plus 3d4+6 plus 2d6+4;hp 42; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 13 (+1 Dex, +2 deflection), touch13, flat-footed 12; BAB/Grap +4/+6; Atk +7 melee (1d6+3/18–20, +1 rapier) or +9 melee (1d4+4/19–20, +2 dagger) or+7 ranged (1d4+4, 10 ft., +2 dagger); SA charm person 3/day,sneak attack +2d6; SQ alluring, attractive, Boritsi traits,evasion, gift of numbers, trapfinding, trap sense +1; AL LN;SV Fort +4 (+8 vs. ingested poisons), Ref +5, Will +8; Str 14,Dex 13, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 16.

Skills: Appraise +5, Balance +5, Bluff +11(+13 sending hidden messages), Decipher Script+3, Diplomacy +17 (+19 on opposed checks),Disguise +3 (+5 acting), Gather Information +15,Intimidate +5, Jump +4, Knowledge (history) +5,Knowledge (local) +6, Knowledge (nobility androyalty) +7, Listen +8, Move Silently +3, Profes-sion (foreman) +4, Ride +3, Search +4, SenseMotive +8 (+10 vs. Bluff), Sleight of Hand +7,Spot +8, Swim +3, Tumble +4, Use Rope +4.

Feats: Alertness, Judge Difficulty*, PoisonResistance (ingested)*, Sharp Wit*.

Languages: Balok; Mordentish.Signature Possessions: +1 rapier, 2 matching +2

daggers, ring of protection +2.

DescriptionBevel is a handsome man apparently in his late

twenties, with the pale skin and dark hair typical ofthe Boritsis. He has strong facial features andstriking blue eyes similar to those of his aunt, IvanaBoritsi. As the eldest son of Anton Boritsi, he couldhave his pick of jobs within the company, but hehas always delighted in physical activity, so he canoften be found laboring alongside the cargo-han-

dlers at the Boritsi Trading Company’s yards anddocks.

Bevel has the manners and polish of the mostwell-bred men of the finest courts of the Core, butcan also hold his own in a fight or a brawl or intrading sailors’ bawdy talk.

BackgroundBorn in 719 to Anton Boritsi and Katarina

Piechota, Bevel grew up in the lap of luxury. Hereceived the finest education that Mordentish andDementleuse tutors could provide, and learned theins and outs of the family business from one of theCore’s most talented merchants, his own father.Anton also taught him how to keep a smile on hisface and seem like everyone’s best friend, all thewhile carefully observing their strengths and weak-nesses so he might strike hard should they proveunworthy of his friendship or trust.

Bevel’s mother, a daughter from a minor trad-ing company, instilled in both Bevel and his youngersister Hellena a love of the outdoors and thephysical world, as well as a degree of respect for thecommoners who labor at the menial tasks in theirbusiness. All these lessons have led Bevel to pursuework as a foreman in the shipping yards of theBoritsi Trading Company. He continues to work inthis capacity whenever he can, although since hisfather’s death in 739 BC, the need to tend to theoverall business has taken him away from his rootsperhaps more than he cares to admit.

While Bevel’s mother taught him respect forthe lower classes, the examples set by his father andhis infamous aunt — not to mention virtuallyevery Dilisnya cousin he’s ever met — has led himto believe he can’t fully trust any of his peers. Fiveyears ago, Bevel’s distrust of his fellow nobles wasdriven fully home when a girl he loved, MariaPaldo, was shown to be slowly poisoning him in thehopes of inheriting part of the Boritsi TradingCompany by finishing the task of murdering himjust after their wedding night. Agents of his auntdiscovered the truth about Maria before it was toolate, and it was they who saw to it that she was…fittingly punished.

Unfortunately for Bevel, since he has takenover the family business, his respect for the lowerclasses is also quickly eroding. While working therein his youth, he had of course noticed the occa-sional theft from the yards. He had stood by andwatched his father punish the thieves when caught,but now that he was in charge, he saw thievery on

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virtually every level, from the lowest workers to theforemen and caravan masters.

Over the past decade, Bevel’s punishmentstoward lazy and light-fingered workers has becomeharsher and harsher, putting even the reputation ofhis stern father to shame and truly shocking thosewho have dealt only with the smiling, urbanecharacter he affects most of the time.

Current SketchSince the incident with Maria, Bevel has

avoided attachment to any noblewomen, despitehis mother’s insistence that it’s time for him to starta family. He continues to attend social functionsand pretend that he might court daughters oflandholders in Borca and neighboring lands; intruth he has no interest in them beyond whatinsight their chatter may give him regarding com-petitors or potential markets.

Further, as his frustration with the avarice andsloth among the lower classes grows, Bevel is be-coming increasingly alienated from the people heonce loved to work alongside. At present, he trustsand confides only in his mother and his sisterHellena, although he is greatly encouraged by hisbaby brother Lollar’s devotion to the Home Faith.He hopes that with a Boritsi in the church hierar-chy, the growing tide of corruption in Borca can bestemmed.

Recently, Bevel met Gennifer Weathermay-Foxgrove. He was impressed with her honesty andstraightforward manner; she had come to Borca tomeet his aunt, and did not in any way try to deceivehim about her motivations. For the first time inyears, Bevel found his heart stirred, for Genniferseemed as beautiful on the inside as on the outside.Although her meeting with Ivana was far frompositive and she has now been commanded tonever set foot on Borcan soil again, Bevel hopes hewill see her again someday soon.

He is considering sending Hellena and a cara-van master or two to Mordent to investigate theprofitability of opening a trading post in Mordentlike the one Sulo opened on the isle of Liffe. If theword comes back positive, he will have an excuseto disobey his aunt’s order that he never see Genniferagain.

CombatBevel is not easily goaded into combat, instead

trying his best to talk his way out of disputes using

his considerable diplomatic talents. If this fails, heis a moderately competent combatant, and if he isattacked anywhere near a Boritsi Trading Com-pany office or caravan, several workers come to hisdefense.

If a fight does break out, Bevel is not aboveshoving one of his daggers in the back of an enemywho isn’t looking. He is also not above going aftera foe at a later date, even if the dispute was appar-ently resolved; if the insult to Bevel or his family isgrave enough, he will not let it go.

Gift of numbers (Su): As a full-round action,Bevel can determine the exact number of coins inany standard container simply by running his handsthrough them. When doing this, however, hishands seem to turn withered and blackened, so healways does so only in private; gloves or any otherhand covering negate the ability. This strangeability came to Bevel two years ago, the result of afailed powers check when he nearly drowned aworker in a vat of Richemulot wine from which theman had siphoned a full wineskin.

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d’Honaire

James Mousel, Heir to the Legacyof Germaine d’HonaireMale human, Ari1/Exp6/analyst 4: Male human, Ari1/Exp6/analyst 4: Male human, Ari1/Exp6/analyst 4: Male human, Ari1/Exp6/analyst 4: Male human, Ari1/Exp6/analyst 4: CR 9; Medium humanoid(human) (5 ft., 10 in. tall); HD 1d8 plus 6d6 plus 4d4; hp 41;Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 13 (+1 Dex, +2 deflection), touch 13, flat-footed 12; BAB/Grap +6/+7; Atk +8 melee (1d6+2/18–20,+1 rapier) or +4 ranged (1d10+1/x3, 50 ft., +1 pistol and +1bullet); Full Atk +8/+3 melee (1d6+2/18–20, +1 rapier); SQd’Honaire traits, insightful, likable, mindshadows, trustedfriend; AL NG; SV Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +14; Str 12, Dex 13,Con 10, Int 16, Wis 16, Cha 15.

Skills: Bluff +11, Diplomacy +21, DecipherScript +13, Disguise +2 (+4 acting), Gather Infor-mation +19, Handle Animal +4, Heal +15,HypnosisR +17, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (his-tory) +9 (+11 with access to personal library),Knowledge (local) +9 (+11 with access to personallibrary), Listen +7, Profession (alienist) +11, Ride+3, Search +11 (+15 finding information in books),Sense Motive +15, Spot +9, Survival +6, Swim +5.

Feats: Investigator, LibraryH, LiteracyH,MesmerizingC, Negotiator, Soothing Presence*,Warm-Hearted*.

Languages: Mordentish; Balok, Darkonese,Vaasi.

Signature Possessions: +1 rapier, +1 pistol, 10+1 bullets, ring of mind shielding, ring of protection+2.

DescriptionJames Mousel has dark brown hair shot through

with gray streaks. His skin has a perpetually tannedhue, a vestige of the Vistani blood that runs fromhis grandfather’s side of the family, while his ice-blue eyes come from his d’Honaire blood. Althoughhe is now at the age where most d’Honaire menstart turning plump or even obese, James remainslean, almost gaunt in appearance.

BackgroundBorn in 721 BC to François Mousel and Joelle

Fountaine, James grew up around his father’s grow-ing mesmerism and medical practice; at the sametime, he learned much about Hala’s gentle healingmethods from his grandmother, Bernadetted’Honaire-Mousel. It was only natural that heshould follow in the footsteps of his elders, and itwasn’t long before parents and grandparents alikecame to realize that, if James applied himself, he

might someday rival the legendary Germained’Honaire in skill.

After learning what he could in Mordent,James traveled the Core to study with famousdoctors, alienists and mesmerists there. InDementlieu, though, he was received with hostil-ity and distrust by his grand uncles, although hisUncle Dominic was welcoming. These good rela-tions came to an end, however, when a patient inthe Mousel Sanitarium confided to James that hehad been involved in the murder of the youngman’s grandparents and of Gerard d’Honaire. Thepatient claimed that Dominic had been behind thedeaths. Although François chalked the man’s con-fession up to madness, James was convinced of thetruth of it, and he severed all ties with his relativesto the north.

Over the past decade or so, James has taken allhe has learned and synthesized his practice into anew approach to curing mental illnesses. Develop-ing these methods at the Mousel Sanitarium andspreading their influence to other sanitariums hasbeen the main focus of his life for many years.While he loves his wife and children, they havealways been secondary to his life’s work.

James Mousel

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Recently, James has mended some of the badrelationship between himself and the d’Honairesin Dementlieu. The catalyst to this was Celested’Honaire, a brilliant young woman who soughthim out in the hopes of studying his methodology.He convinced her to return home, but her passion-ate endeavor eventually served as a bridge betweenJames and Dominic. The two men now correspondregularly, mostly about political matters. Jamesalso corresponds with Celeste, as she remains inter-ested in learning from him.

Current SketchJames continues to operate the Mousel Sani-

tarium and to research and expand upon hisanalytical techniques with help from his semi-retired father. As James’ work continues, both menare growing increasingly certain that they are un-locking not only secrets of the mind, but also somemore profound, even mystical revelations.

In particular, James has started to see somesimilarities between some of his recent findingsand some of the wilder “oneirological” theoriesformulated by Dr. Gregorian Illhousen before hemysteriously vanished. While James thinks heshould continue his research into these mysticalsecrets, his father is growing increasingly con-cerned at what is taking shape before them. Françoiswants James to take their methods in a differentdirection, but James believes there is never anyharm in knowledge.

As James’ relationship with his father sours, hegrows closer to his niece, Celeste d’Honaire-Loverde. Despite her youth and his encouragementfor her to return to Dementlieu when she sought tobecome his apprentice, Celeste is someone heviews as the only person who might become a fullpartner in the next stage of his development of the“analytical method.”

CombatJames resorts to physical violence only as a last

resort. He first attempts to reason with attackers, orto outwit or bluff them into standing down. If thatfails, the good doctor usually has bodyguards whentraveling or orderlies nearby when at the sani-tarium. As a last resort, James has some basiccombat training and possesses an enchanted rapierand pistol that was given to him by a grateful formerpatient.

Celeste d’Honaire-Loverde, Heir tothe d’Honaire DarknessFemale human Ari1/Exp1:Female human Ari1/Exp1:Female human Ari1/Exp1:Female human Ari1/Exp1:Female human Ari1/Exp1: CR 1; Medium humanoid (human) (5ft., 4 in. tall); HD 1d8–1 plus 1d6–1; hp 9; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.;AC 12 (+1 Dex, +1 deflection), touch 12, flat-footed 11; BAB/Grap +0/+0; Atk +0 melee (1d3 nonlethal, unarmed) or +0melee (1d4/19–20, dagger); SQ d’Honaire traits; AL NE; SVFort –1, Ref +1, Will +5; Str 11, Dex 15, Con 8, Int 18, Wis 13,Cha 15.

Skills: Appraise +6, Bluff +6, Craft (poetry)+5, Diplomacy +8, Gather Information +6, HandleAnimal +4, Heal +4, HypnosisR +10, Intimidate+6, Knowledge (local) +5, Knowledge (nobilityand royalty) +7, Listen +5, Profession (alienist)+3, Ride +2, Sense Motive +5, Spot +5, Swim +2.

Feats: Cold-Hearted*, Soothing Presence*.Languages: Mordentish; Balok, Darkonese,

Lamordian, Vaasi.Signature Possessions: Mesmerist’s pendulum (see

Family Magic Items in Chapter 2), ring of protection+1.

DescriptionCeleste d’Honaire-Loverde is a frail-seeming

woman in her late teens, with delicate facial fea-tures framed by strawberry-blonde hair. Despitealways having had access to the finest food andhighest standards of living, she appears as if she ison the verge of collapse from starvation and ex-haustion. Even on her best days, the pallor of herskin makes the dark circles around her pale blueeyes seem even more pronounced, and causes whatmight otherwise be a beautiful face to appear some-what ghastly. Only by wearing heavy face powderand makeup, such as at a formal ball, does she notappear deathly tired.

Her physical appearance is only slightly worsethan the truth. While she is not quite as sickly asshe looks, Celeste has never had robust health;every winter, she is the first in the household tosuffer from colds and is always the one hit hardestby illnesses. When walking or on her occasionalhorseback rides, she also tires far more quickly thanher companions.

Celeste’s weak physical state, however, is instark contrast to her strong spirit and razor-sharpintellect. Friends of the d’Honaire family havequipped that perhaps her soul is so demanding thatit is consuming her physical body, for no doctor hasbeen able to offer any physical reason for her weakhealth. While there is no truth to such silly conjec-ture, there is no denying that Celeste has been

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contrary and stubborn in all things since her earli-est years. In fact, her run-down appearance hasbecome more pronounced as she has grown in-creasingly at odds with her parents and otherrelatives.

BackgroundBorn in 739 BC, Celeste grew up in the lap of

luxury, with her every whim and desire met by herdoting parents, Julienne d’Honaire and BernardLoverde. She was close with the other youngsters ofthe d’Honaire family and learned at an early age toact coy and cute in order to win the affection ofothers.

Celeste also showed early talent as a poet, sothat was the direction her parents attempted todirect her. Yet as she entered her teens, she grewincreasingly interested in the study of medicineand mesmerism long practiced by her family, andset her heart on becoming a physician. By fifteen,Celeste had all but abandoned poetry, spendingher spare time reviewing medical texts and writingletters to famous doctors and mesmerists through-out the Core. Her parents objected and threatenedto have her confined to a finishing school, and herUncle Dominic arranged for her to be admittedinto the domain’s finest school, but Celeste fled

southward hoping to become a student of herMordentish cousin, Dr. James Mousel.

Despite decades of alienation from his rela-tives to the north, Mousel encouraged the girl toreturn home, convincing her that good relationswith her family were more important than a medi-cal career. At the same time, he asked Dominicd’Honaire, with whom he had had no contact formany years, to intercede on Celeste’s behalf withher parents. Through the combined efforts ofDominic and James, Celeste is currently working atWilhelm Mikki’s asylum in Chateufaux, where sheis swiftly proving to the be the best student Dr.Mikki has ever had. Mikki believes that, with a fewyears of training and education, she might equallyrival the greatest medical minds of the Core.

Unbeknownst to all, though, Celeste has arather less-than-humanitarian reason for her inter-est in medicine and mesmerism.

Current SketchDespite her seeming devotion to the medical

arts, Celeste actually harbors no empathy for herfellow person. A darkness fills a large part of Celeste’ssoul, one that generally blinds her to the feelingsand cares of others, so that she tends to view themas little more than the means or obstacles to achiev-ing her goals. Her superior intellect allowed her torecognize at an early age how much power physi-cians, mesmerists and alienists could wield overtheir patients if they approach their positions cor-rectly, and that is what enamored her with thefield.

When she learned of James Mousel’s “analyti-cal method,” she knew she had to master it — yetshe does not view it as a way to help people, butinstead as a way to bring them under her sway.Unlike her uncle Dominic d’Honaire, Celeste doesnot enjoy toying with others simply to play withthem. Her manipulations are not born from crueltyor boredom, but are motivated by greed and a desirefor prestige and power.

If Celeste could obtain her goals without hav-ing to harm or disenfranchise another human being,she would be perfectly content to leave othersalone. She knows this is not feasible, though, so sheuses her sharp mind and charming personality togain the friends she needs to accomplish what shewants. She continues to study Mousel’s methodsand she has targeted a number of patients whomshe hopes to turn into her puppets when she isproficient enough.

Celeste d’Honaire-Loverde

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The only potential threat that Celeste sees toher goals is her Uncle Dominic. From an early age,she noticed the unusual power he seemed to wieldover others. At first, she was disgusted by the wayothers bowed to his every whim. Later, she grewjealous, and after returning to Dementlieu shedecided to convince her cousin James to help herdiscover Dominic’s secret.

More recently, she has decided that maybe sheshould target Dominic with Mousel’s “analyticalmethod.” She suspects this could be a very danger-ous gambit, however, and is weighing that optionagainst simply leaving Dementlieu for Richemulot(along with her family, of course) and using theknowledge she has already gained to set up her own“mental health practice” in the neighboring land.Getting them away from Dominic, she reasons,would make every older member of her family — allof whom continue to encourage her to reconcilewith her parents — easier to manipulate.

CombatCeleste has no combat training, and her rela-

tively weak physique makes her even less capablethan most. Although she carries a dagger for self-defense when traveling, she relies upon hired guards(or on orderlies at the asylum) to protect her fromthreats she is unable to neutralize through charmand diplomacy.

Dilisnya

Andrei PalasçuMale human Rog7/deceiver 3:Male human Rog7/deceiver 3:Male human Rog7/deceiver 3:Male human Rog7/deceiver 3:Male human Rog7/deceiver 3: CR 10; Medium humanoid(human) (6 ft., 2 in. tall); HD 7d6 plus 3d6; hp 35; Init +8; Spd30 ft.; AC 16 (+4 Dex, +2 armor), touch 14, flat-footed 12;BAB/Grap +7/+9; Atk +13 melee (1d6+4/19–20, +2 shortsword) or +12 ranged (1d4+2, 10 ft., masterwork dagger); FullAtk +13/+8 melee (1d6+4/19–20, +2 short sword); SA sneakattack +6d6; SQ con artist +1, contacts +1, deceptive, Dilisnyatraits, evasion, poison use, trap sense +3, trapfinding, un-canny dodge; AL NE; SV Fort +3, Ref +12, Will +4; Str 14, Dex18, Con 11, Int 16, Wis 13, Cha 15.

Skills: Appraise +4, Balance +9, Bluff +12,Climb +10, Decipher Script +8, Diplomacy +7,Disable Device +9, Disguise +14 (+16 acting),Escape Artist +14, Forgery +13, Gather Informa-tion +7, Hide +13, Intimidate +7, Jump +12,Knowledge (history) +5, Knowledge (local) +5,Listen +11, Move Silently +14, Open Lock +5,Search +8, Sense Motive +10, Sleight of Hand+14, Spot +10, Survival +1 (+3 tracking), Swim+3, Tumble +9, Use Rope +5.

Feats: Deceitful, Dodge, Improved Initiative,Stealthy, Weapon Finesse.

Languages: Balok; Falkovnian, Mordentish.Signature Possessions: Leather armor, +2 short

sword, 4 masterwork daggers, vial with 6 doses ofpoison (injury, Fort DC 20; 1d6 Con/2d6 Con),cape of the mountebank, thieves’ tools.

DescriptionHaving become quite successful as an im-

porter-exporter in Dementlieu, Andrei has madehimself a fixture at the most lavish parties amongPort-a-Lucine society, where his dashing good looksenabled him to win the hearts of many lovelywomen. He is also known to drink heavily and haslost large sums gambling. With a reputation as arake and wastrel, Andrei further diverts suspicion,allowing him to pursue his more nefarious occupa-tion.

BackgroundA minor Dilisnya family member, Andrei

Palasçu was forced to leave Borca by the intriguesand manipulations of Ivana Boritsi (coupled witha lack of support from her cousin Ivan Dilisnya).Accordingly, he made contact with Dilisnya mem-bers in Dementlieu and undertook the difficult

Andrei Palasçu

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carriage trip from Sturben to Port-a-Lucine, wherehe set up shop as an importer, exporter and occa-sional smuggler (a small amount of semi-publicdishonesty hides Andrei’s greater criminal activi-ties).

Those who need to know are aware that AndreiPalasçu is one of the most discreet and well-con-nected thieves, spies and killers in Port-a-Lucine.Though called upon infrequently in those capaci-ties, usually through the services of confidentialgo-betweens and other minor members of theDilisnya bloodline, Andrei guarantees confidenti-ality and quick resolution, no matter what the job.Already he has rid the city of two leading crimebosses, allowing rivals to move into their territory,and provided a powerful merchant with embarrass-ing information about other mercantile concerns.He is careful not to work against the Council ofBrilliance or Dominic d’Honaire, whom he hasbeen strongly advised against offending.

Current SketchAndrei maintains his cover identity as a deca-

dent nobleman — a popular conceit for Dilisnyafamily members. He is careful to cultivate theimage of someone who is wealthy but chronicallyshort of money due to his gambling habit andextravagant tastes. In reality, Andrei keeps hisincome tightly controlled and has vast gold andsilver reserves, far more than he needs to survive.His legitimate business is actually quite successful,shipping beer, wine and foodstuffs through hiscontacts in Borca and sending fish, weapons andfine clothing from Dementlieu. These activitieshelp him locate potential clients in addition tomaintaining the illusion of a successful but spend-thrift businessman.

Andrei always makes sure that no word of hisexploits ever gets back to Borca, lest Ivana get windof them and send someone to end his fun. In reality,this is unlikely, for Ivana is not terribly concernedabout what displaced Dilisnyas do outside of Borca,as long as they do not let their activities interferewith her political games and machinations.

Andrei maintains a lavish mansion in thewealthy Quartier Savant. A three-story chateauwith extensive grounds purchased from its impov-erished previous owner, the mansion is wellprotected by guard dogs and cunningly-built alarmsthat awaken Andrei instantly should any intrudersattempt to enter. He deals personally with any

lesser attacker, while using his cloak to escape morepowerful interlopers.

Andrei’s fortune is hidden in the cellar, be-neath a series of intricately designed secret doorsand passages. Only the most determined or knowl-edgeable of thieves can get close to this treasure,and a number of deadly traps have also been laid,making theft from this cunning Dilisnya a highlydangerous proposition.

CombatAndrei prefers not to fight directly, but instead

is skilled at striking from hiding, allowing his preyto get as close as possible before catching a foe off-guard with a deadly poisoned throwing dagger. Ifforced to fight in the open, he defends himselfefficiently and uses the powers of his cloak of themountebank to make a clean escape. Indeed, thisitem is one of the chief reasons for his success atvanishing from crime scenes without a trace, and iseasily his most prized possession.

Rodjan DilisnyaMale human ex-Pal3/blackguard 10/Ftr2:Male human ex-Pal3/blackguard 10/Ftr2:Male human ex-Pal3/blackguard 10/Ftr2:Male human ex-Pal3/blackguard 10/Ftr2:Male human ex-Pal3/blackguard 10/Ftr2: CR 16 (see Path ofCorruption); Medium humanoid (human) (5 ft., 8 in. tall); HD3d10+3 plus 10d10+10 plus 2d10+2; hp 97; Init +3; Spd 20 ft.in armor; AC 27 (+1 Dex, +4 natural, +12 armor), touch 11, flat-footed 26; BAB/Grap +15/+20; Atk +21 melee (1d10+6/19–20 plus contagion, claws [demon armor]); Full Atk +21/+16/+11 melee (1d10+6/19–20 plus contagion, claws); SAcommand undead 6/day (as 8th-level cleric; +2 on rebukechecks), smite good 4/day, sneak attack +3d6 (+4d6 vs. flat-footed); SQ aura of despair, aura of evil, dark blessing,Dilisnya traits, DR 10/magic, fiendish servant, lay on hands(45 hp), Path of the Demon, poison use; AL LE; SV Fort +16,Ref +10, Will +8; Str 20, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha16.

Skills: Concentration +5, Diplomacy +7,Gather Information +5, Handle Animal +8, Heal+3, Hide +3, Intimidate +9, Knowledge (history)+3, Knowledge (local) +5, Knowledge (nobilityand royalty) +3, Knowledge (religion) +5, Ride+14, Sense Motive +6.

Feats: Blind-Fight, Cleave, Great Cleave, Im-proved Critical (claws), Improved Sunder, MountedCombat, Power Attack, Stealthy Blade*.

Languages: Balok.Blackguard spells (3/2/2): DC 11 + spell level;

CL 10th.Path of the Demon (Su): Having progressed to

the Embrace, Rodjan has been granted several“blessings” by the Dark Powers, as follows (allmodifiers are already included in the stat black

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above). Due to these benefits, his CR has beenincreased by +1.

• Stage One: Rodjan has a +2 bonus to Strength,but his features are distorted into a rather demonicform.

• Stage Two: Rodjan has a +2 bonus to Dexter-ity and a +2 bonus to Charisma, but suffers a –2penalty on all Cha-based skill checks.

• Stage Three: Rodjan has a +4 natural armorbonus to AC, but he is affected by holy water andsimilar substances as if he were a fiend.

• Stage Four: Rodjan has damage reduction10/magic, but he now can be detected via detect evilas if he were a fiend.

Signature Possessions: Demon armor, boots ofspeed, orb of storms.

DescriptionSmall and muscular, Rodjan Dilisnya has tre-

mendous strength and the prowess of a warrior. Hewas once a handsome man, with curly blond hairand dark blue eyes. Since his turn toward corrup-tion, however, his face has taken on a cruel visage,some even call his features demonic (though not tohis face). He usually wears dark clothing, his armoris elaborate and menacing in appearance and hiswhole stance speaks of his vile tendencies.

BackgroundOnce a shining paladin, a champion of good,

Rodjan Dilisnya has become one of the foulest andmost debased creatures imaginable. Born outside ofBorca, in the relatively sophisticated city ofMordentshire, Rodjan’s was raised by his mother inthe family traditions of secrecy, assassination andcrime. To her great shame and disgust, youngRodjan did not take well to the Dilisnya lifestyle,rejecting the path of the killer and sneak-thief,instead taking holy vows to serve Ezra and battleinjustice wherever he found it. Within a few years,Rodjan had completely estranged himself from hisfamily and had taken up the sword of a paladin.

For several years, Rodjan proved a tremendousembarrassment to his family. Slowly, however, thetaint of Dilisnya blood began to show. Rodjan’senthusiasm for exterminating evil gradually grewinto a fanatical love of combat, then to an abidingbelief that everyone who opposed him was, bydefinition, evil. Finally, when he one day de-manded payment from a caravan that he had savedfrom bandits, Rodjan’s career as a paladin ended.Enraged at the caravan-master’s refusal, he slew a

dozen innocents, including several children andelderly folk. Covered in blood, he strode into thewilderness, only to find that his powers as a paladinhad deserted him.

Furious, Rodjan obstinately rejected Ezra andcalled upon the Dark Powers to grant him power.They obliged, transforming the once-powerful pala-din into a blackguard. Soon, Rodjan became asfeared and infamous as he had once been good andjust. He cast aside his holy sword and silver armor,taking up instead an enchanted suit of grim black-and-red armor, eschewing other melee weapons infavor of the armor’s bloody claws.

Rodjan quickly gathered a band of other de-based warriors around him, and began hiring himselfand his men out as mercenaries and guards. Today,he remains active in some of the wilder and morelawless portions of the Dread Realms; he has madecontact with Ivan Dilisnya, offering to help shouldopen conflict with Ivana Boritsi ever break out.

Current SketchCurrently, Rodjan and his band occupy a

fortress in Forlorn, where he dominates the localgoblyn clans and treats with potential employers.He is prepared to travel throughout the DreadRealms in search of riches, and is especially fond of

Rodjan Dilisnya

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taking jobs that involve the shedding of largequantities of innocent blood. Rodjan leads a bandof roughly a dozen evil Dilisnya fighters and rogues,along with fifty warriors and low-ranking fightersfrom a range of lands and backgrounds. All areemployed for their ruthlessness, and the band isavailable to the highest bidder, ready to take on anytask no matter how unpleasant or evil.

Though he has never taken any official title ormoniker, Rodjan is becoming popularly known as“the Demon.” In reality, Rodjan is well along thePath of Corruption, having reached Stage Four:the Embrace. Rodjan knows in his heart that he isbound for eternal damnation — but he no longercares, so long as his lust for blood is slaked.

Though he is loyal to the family, Rodjan hasbegun to nurse notions of displacing Ivan as Dilisnyapatriarch, and even if this scheme does not suc-ceed, Rodjan may one day grow so wicked as to berewarded with his own Dread Realm — he appearsto be on track to one day take up the mantle of adarklord one way or another, ruling one of the CoreRealms or perhaps his own bloody island of terror.

CombatRodjan enjoys battle greatly, leading his mer-

cenaries from the back of his fiendish heavywarhorse mount, Nightmane, whom he spurs fear-lessly into battle while slashing at foes with thewicked claws of his demon armor. With little regardfor his own safety, Rodjan seeks to smash throughfoes to attack the closest leader or officer.

When forced to dismount, he uses the powersof his boots of speed, cutting enemies to piecesalmost before they realize he is upon them. Heoften employs his orb of storms to further damagehis foes. So far, he seems blessed with incredibleluck, for he has emerged from every battle un-scathed.

Drakov

Sir Viktor HelsingerMale human Ftr12/raptor knight 4:Male human Ftr12/raptor knight 4:Male human Ftr12/raptor knight 4:Male human Ftr12/raptor knight 4:Male human Ftr12/raptor knight 4: CR 16; Medium humanoid(human) (6 ft. tall); HD 12d10+36 plus 4d10+12; hp 136; Init+2; Spd 20 ft. in armor; AC 24 (+2 Dex, +8 armor, +4 shield),touch 12, flat-footed 22; BAB/Grap +16/+20; Atk +25 melee(1d8+8/17–20, +4 mighty cleaving unholy longsword) or+21/+21 ranged (1d10+3/19–20, 110 ft., +3 hawk bow ofseeking); Full Atk +25/+20/+15/+10 melee (1d8+8/17–20,+4 mighty cleaving unholy longsword) or +21/+16/+11/+6ranged (1d10+3/19–20, 110 ft., +3 hawk bow of seeking); SAcrossbow charge, improved trample, rage 2/day; SQ DR 5/

magic, Drakov traits; AL LE; SV Fort +15, Ref +7, Will +5; Str19, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 16.

Skills: Climb +11, Handle Animal +9, Intimi-date +17, Jump +10, Ride +19, Survival +4, Swim+9.

Feats: Cleave, Dodge, EquestrianC, Hawk’sCry*, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (hawk bow),Improved Critical (longsword), JadedR, Leadership,Mounted Archery, Mounted Combat, Power Attack,Rapid Reload, Trample, Weapon Focus (longsword),Weapon Specialization (longsword).

Languages: Falkovnian; Balok.Signature Possessions: +3 breastplate of invulner-

ability, +2 heavy steel shield, +4 mighty cleavingunholy longsword, +3 hawk bow of seeking (see “HawkBow” sidebar in Chapter Four), 20 bolts.

DescriptionViktor is a darkly handsome man with black

hair and deep-set violet eyes. Since his audiencewith Vlad, he has let his hair grow and has culti-vated a small beard, which only enhances hisdiabolical good looks. He is normally encounteredon the hunt or on patrol with his knights, seekingout enemies or simple peasants with whom he canhave some sport (that is, engage in crossbow prac-tice). Viktor wears a rich black cloak and a beautifulbreastplate emblazoned with the Drakov arms andrides a powerful black warhorse named Kol.

BackgroundSir Viktor Helsinger always felt out of place as

he grew up. Though his mother was the picture ofa doting, loyal Falkovnian woman, his father al-ways seemed distant and cold. Like most youngnoblemen, Viktor joined the Falkovnian militaryat an early age and quickly rose through the ranks,first as a page, then as a sergeant, and finally as asquadron leader; he fought against rebels, banditsand nonhuman insurrectionists, winning glory andfame. Though his family professed pride in hisaccomplishments, Viktor still felt that he was some-how separated from them, as if they were twostrangers cheering him on from the other side of avast and impassible chasm.

When he was summoned to the presence ofVlad Drakov, Viktor was torn between fear andelation. Was he to be punished for some unknowninfraction, or praised for his bravery and service tothe nation? Viktor himself might have guessed thetruth, had he ever taken the time to ponder thequestion — that he was actually an illegitimate son

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of the Kingsfuhrer himself, conceived during a FirstNight encounter between his mother and VladDrakov.

Now, at last, Viktor’s life made sense: thedistance and coldness of his father, the icy butgenuine pride that they took in his accomplish-ments, the strange looks that they sometimes gavehim. Other things also became clear; Viktor’s lovefor violence and bloodshed, his affinity for hawks,his growing sense of sadism and superiority regard-ing the lesser inhabitants of the kingdom. WhenVlad Drakov invited Viktor to officially join hishousehold, he enthusiastically accepted.

At first, all was well. Viktor served alongsideVlad’s elite guardsmen, and was trained in the waysof the household. He practiced falconry with thechief nobles of the realm. He feasted with his new-found father and enjoyed the bloody spectaclesthat were presented for the Kingsfuhrer’s pleasure.After two years, Viktor was awarded the covetedtitle of raptor knight.

In time, however, things began to change. Ashad always happened in the past, Vlad Drakovbegan to lose faith and interest in his newestfavored son. No matter what he did, Viktor seemedto disappoint his father, and Vlad began to sendhim away on errands more and more, at last assign-ing him command of a unit of raptor knightsassigned to keep “order” in the western portions ofthe kingdom, along the frontier with Dementlieu.

Current SketchViktor isn’t a terribly subtle individual, and his

vices are well known — with each passing monthhe grows more like his father, engaging in sadistickillings of innocent peasants, bouts of hard drink-ing and lustful exploitation of the local women. Forall the world, he looks like a loyal member of HouseDrakov — rejected by his father and left to pursuehis own increasingly bloody amusements.

Deep in his heart, however, Viktor has begunto lose faith in his nation and his ruler. He knowsthat the mere thought of disloyalty is a capitaloffense — particularly for a scion of the rulinghousehold. He has no idea how to relieve hisgrowing unease, to reassure himself that Drakov’s(and thus Falkovnia’s) is just.

Today, Viktor has not heard from his father inmonths and now wonders if he can ever regain theKingsfuhrer’s favor. Despite this, he continues toenjoy the benefits that membership in HouseDrakov brings — terrorizing peasants, taking his

pleasure from any female who takes his fancy,hunting for humans as well as animals, and growingmore bloodthirsty and merciless by the day. Per-haps in this fashion Sir Viktor can attract Vlad’snotice and once more take his place at his father’sside, but in the meantime he simply uses his statusto gain as much pleasure for himself as possible.

Sir Viktor has recently taken over a pleasingvilla on the shores of Lake Kriegvogel, by thesimple expedient of having its owner, RudolfStrasser, arrested and executed for treason. Viktorthan simply seized the lands and the villa (alongwith the former owner’s two attractive daughters)as “property of the state.” He has turned the placeinto a fortress, filling it with his servants andtoadies and throwing lavish entertainments, oftenwith bloody diversions in the form of bear-baiting,executions, torture and gladiatorial combat.

The two daughters, Eva and Vanna Strasser,are currently Viktor’s favored concubines, and areboth willing to do almost anything to please their“master” — so as to spare themselves the fate oftheir father. Their mother, Gundra is employed asa scullery maid in the household, a hostage againsttheir good behavior. Just the same, Eva and Vannaboth nurse a deep hatred for Viktor, and if theopportunity presents itself they are quite willing to

Sir Viktor Helsinger

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take whatever steps may be necessary to kill him orbring him to ruin.

Much of the time, however, their plotting isinterrupted by competing for his favor, for Viktortakes great pleasure in playing the two sisters offagainst each other.

CombatViktor enjoys combat, especially against weak

or helpless opponents. Normally he rides down foesand crushes them beneath his horse’s hooves.Against more powerful foes, he usually lets his mentake the brunt of the fight, shooting at enemieswith his crossbow. He is not averse to close combat,but prefers his enemies to be “softened up a bit”before attacking. As might be expected, he is mostfond of striking fleeing opponents from behind.Though he has a sadistic streak and an increasingfondness for slaughtering the weak, Viktor is nocoward and fights bravely if required.

Godefroy

Michael JendalisMale human Brd5/accomplished medium 6: Male human Brd5/accomplished medium 6: Male human Brd5/accomplished medium 6: Male human Brd5/accomplished medium 6: Male human Brd5/accomplished medium 6: CR 11; Mediumhumanoid (human) (5 ft., 8 in. tall); HD 5d6–5 plus 6d6–6;hp 28; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 14 (+2 Dex, +2 natural), touch12, flat-footed 12; BAB/Grap +7/+6; Atk +7 melee (1d6/18–20, +1 rapier); Full Atk +7/+2 melee (1d6/18–20, +1 rapier);SA cantrips, spells, turn undead 11/day (+2 on turning checks),unseen servant 4/day; SQ bardic knowledge +5, bardic music5/day (countersong, fascinate, inspire competence, inspirecourage +1), Godefroy traits, improved mist sight, spiritcounselor (augury, locate object, speak with dead); AL NG;SV Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +10; Str 8, Dex 14, Con 8, Int 11, Wis13, Cha 19.

Skills: Bluff +12, Concentration +10, Diplo-macy +16, Disguise +5 (+7 acting), GatherInformation +10, Hide +4, Intimidate +6, Jump+1, Knowledge (religion) +9, Listen +6, MoveSilently +4, Perform (sing) +15, Sense Motive+13, Sleight of Hand +10, Spot +11.

Feats: Alertness, Ethereal EmpathyR,GhostsightR, Improved Turning, Mist Sight*, Pol-tergeist Hands*.

Cantrips (7/day; DC 14): Dancing lights, daze,detect magic, ghost sound, guidance, know direction,light, mage hand, message, open/close.

Accomplished medium spells known (3/3/3/2;DC 14 + spell level): 1st—deathwatch, detect undead,hide from undead, true strike; 2nd—darkness, findtraps, hypnotic pattern, whispering wind; 3rd—blink,

dispel magic, gaseous form, remove curse; 4th—breakenchantment, death ward, divination.

Bard spells known (3/4/2; DC 14 + spell level):0—detect magic, dirge, ghost sound, open/close, pres-tidigitation, read magic; 1st—alarm, cure light wounds,hypnotism, mage armor; 2nd—bull’s strength, invis-ibility, tongues.

Unseen servant (Sp): Michael may use unseenservant as a full-round action up to 4 times per day(caster level 1st).

Signature Possessions: +1 rapier, amulet of natu-ral armor +2, cloak of ghostwalking, lesser amulet oflife protection, potion of cure serious wounds, master-work lute.

DescriptionMichael Jendalis is slender to the point of

gauntness. His eyes are a luminous blue, and theytend to dart about, fixing here and there on noth-ing that anyone else can see. His hair is jet-black,and his skin, like that of many Godefroys, is un-naturally pale. His features are delicate and almostfeylike. Though he tends to cough frequently, asthough he suffered from consumption (actuallyresidual pneumonia, which he has had severaltimes in his life), he smiles frequently and seems atease with others. He moves with an ethereal grace

Michael Jendalis

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that often makes people who don’t even know himstop to watch him pass.

BackgroundAs noted in his conversation with Laurie

Weathermay-Foxgrove (see the beginning of Chap-ter 5), Michael Jendalis is the son of PernellaWeathermay, who was related to both the Godefroysand the Weathermays. George Jendalis, his father,has no relation to the line, and his blood doubtlessgave Michael the constitution to survive his legacy.

The fact that he was born at Gryphon Manorawakened Michael’s latent talents at a very youngage. Despite his frail physical appearance, Michaelhas faced down countless dangerous and angryspirits and amassed a considerable fortune fromwhat spirits have told him.

Current SketchMichael long ago made peace with his physi-

cal weakness and learned to revel in his ability towalk the line between life and death. In some ways,death fascinates him. However, he is in no hurry totoss aside all the pleasures of this world, eventhough he understands the next one better thanmost. He knows that when death comes for him,his existence will shift only slightly, since he willreturn as a ghost.

Michael has never killed another human, sincehe well knows that its spirit would return to haunthim. He has, however, returned to Gryphon Manorand spoken with several of the spirits there, includ-ing his mother’s. The irascible lord of the manorhas threatened him, but has never harmed him —possibly because he has taken no action againsteither him or his family wealth. Michael also knowsthe predicament that Daniel Foxgrove would faceshould his daughters ever decide to investigate theplace. Thus, the young medium intends to divertthem by supplying them with as much informationas they wish about the place while using his innatecharm to cozen them into investigating other mys-teries.

Michael currently lives in his father’s home —a modest bungalow in Mordentshire. He is theyoungest practicing medium in Mordentshire, andthe best. He has fitted the place out with all thetypical divination items that people expect to see,even though he does not require them. He hasdiscovered over the years that people expect acertain degree of “performance” when consulting amedium, and he tries not to disappoint them.

Hiregaard

Narana Hiregaard,Granddaughter of Sir TristenHiregaardFemale human, Rog1/Ftr1: Female human, Rog1/Ftr1: Female human, Rog1/Ftr1: Female human, Rog1/Ftr1: Female human, Rog1/Ftr1: CR 2; Medium humanoid (human)(5 ft., 5 in. tall); HD 1d6 plus 1d10; hp 13; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.;AC 16 (+2 Dex, +2 armor, +1 shield, +1 deflection), touch 13,flat-footed 14; BAB/Grap +1/+2; Atk +3 melee (1d8+2/19–20, +1 longsword) or +4 ranged (1d6/x3, 60 ft., masterworkshortbow); SA sneak attack +1d6; SQ Hiregaard traits,trapfinding; AL LG; SV Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +0; Str 12, Dex15, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 12.

Skills: Appraise +4, Balance +4, Bluff +5,Climb +6, Diplomacy +3, Gather Information +6,Hide +4, Intimidate +1, Jump +1, Knowledge(local) +4, Knowledge (nobility and royalty) +3,Move Silently +3, Ride +7, Search +5, SenseMotive +4, Swim +5, Tumble +4, Use Rope +4.

Feats: Athletic, Combat Expertise.Languages: Vaasi; Mordentish.Signature Possessions: Leather armor, light steel

shield, +1 longsword, masterwork shortbow, 12arrows, choker of protection +1.

DescriptionSeventeen-year-old Narana Hiregaard is slen-

der and athletic, with a narrow, tanned face that isframed by night-black, shoulder-length hair. Asmile usually plays on her lips and in her browneyes, but when confronted with injustice, dishon-esty, arrogance, or ignobility, particularly amongmembers of her own social class, an icy and danger-ous expression sets itself upon her attractive features.

Narana is a life-long tomboy who hates theformal gowns of society functions, who dislikesspending time with her peers of either sex andprefers the company of the Hiregaard family’s re-tainers. As the youngest daughter of SashaHiregaard, she lags behind her other siblings byover ten years and has always had her quirky waysindulged by protective brothers and doting parentsand uncles. Her grandfather is particularly proud ofher strong spirit and natural devotion to enforcingjustice.

It has been acknowledged by the Hiregaardsthat Narana’s destiny lies beyond the balmy plainsof Nova Vaasa. When she was twelve, her fathertook her on a visit to Egertus to see the newlyexpanded harbor and the ships that were beinglaunched there. Ever since, even while mastering

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traditional Vaasi pursuits such as riding, she couldtalk of nothing but the sea and someday exploringthe lands beyond the misty horizons. With suitorsslow in coming (as she has older sisters who are farmore demure in nature and therefore far betterprospective wives), Narana has been encouragedby her parents and older siblings to follow whatevercourse her heart wishes.

Current SketchLast year, a group of merchants came to Sir

Tristen seeking to borrow funds and men-at-armsto better protect their ships from growing pirateattacks on the Nocturnal Sea. (The merchants hadalready been rebuffed by other Vaasi lords, or foundtheir demands for compensation too high.) Thepatriarch of the Hiregaard family promised a smallamount of funds in exchange for cheaper cloud-berry wine from Tepest.

Narana, however, decided that more neededto be done. She convinced her parents and SirTristen to support and fund a warship operated bythe Hiregaards. Narana has been supervising thepreparation of the ship and the hiring of the crewand men-at-arms. She intends to lead the mission,but is wise enough to hire a seasoned captain andcrew, as well as skilled adventurers to support her.

Even Prince Othmar has high hopes for the expe-dition, though he is dubious that a teenage girlshould be leading it. Still, neither he nor any ofNarana’s elders in the Hiregaard family has seenany reason to doubt her ability to successfullymount this effort.

The Waveprowler is expected to set out on itsfirst pirate hunt within the month.

CombatAlthough Narana is a competent fighter and

can already outride some of her older brothers, sheis still reluctant to engage in combat unless abso-lutely necessary. She is not a coward, but sheunderstands that her family hires men-at-arms andretainers for a reason. At the insistence of herfather and grandfather, she never goes anywherewithout having at least two bodyguards (humanWar2) nearby.

If a confrontation appears to be going badly forher bodyguards, Narana joins the fray, usuallyattempting to flank the enemy and attack themunawares. She is not at all above “fighting to win”(i.e., what other Hiregaards might call “fightingdirty”); she knows that she can’t help those whorely upon her family if she is dead.

Mordenheim

Artisa Juvenoth (EvaMordenheim)Female human Exp5/scientist (biologist) 4: Female human Exp5/scientist (biologist) 4: Female human Exp5/scientist (biologist) 4: Female human Exp5/scientist (biologist) 4: Female human Exp5/scientist (biologist) 4: CR 8; Mediumhumanoid (human) (5 ft., 6 in. tall); HD 5d6 plus 4d4; hp 31;Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 12 (+1 Dex, +1 deflection), touch 12, flat-footed 11; BAB/Grap +5/+4; Atk +4 melee (1d4–1/19–20plus 1d2+1 nonlethal and stun, hand stunner) or +7 ranged(1d8/19–20, 80 ft., masterwork light crossbow); SA appliedscience, science; SQ discovery (robust health), mind overmetaphysics, Mordenheim traits, scientific knowledge +8;AL N; SV Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +13; Str 8, Dex 12, Con 10, Int19, Wis 14, Cha 11.

Skills: Appraise +8, Craft (alchemy) +16, Craft(metalworking) +12, Decipher Script +13, GatherInformation +10, Handle Animal +3, Heal +12,Knowledge (arcana) +12, Knowledge (architec-ture and engineering) +12, Knowledge (history)+11, Knowledge (nature) +20, Listen +13, Search+18, Spot +14.

Feats: Create Device (Wondrous Item)*, In-vestigator, Iron Will, Skill Focus (Knowledge[nature]), University EducationH.

Narana Hiregaard

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Languages: Lamordian*, Balok, Darkonese,Falkovnian, Mordentish

Applied science: 5/day—blindness/deafness, con-tagion, remove blindness/deafness, remove disease.Caster level 4th; save DC 14 + spell level.

Science: At will—cure minor wounds, inflictminor wounds, resistance, touch of fatigue1, virtue; 8/day—cure light wounds, endure elements, inflict lightwounds. Caster level 4th; save DC 14 + spell level.

Mind Over Metaphysics: Artisa gains a +2bonus on all saving throw against spells, spell-likeabilities, or supernatural abilities.

Signature Possessions: Hand stunner, master-work light crossbow, 10 bolts, ring of protection +1,cloak of resistance +1, oil of preservation, wand offireballs (25 charges; scientific item), power source(biocharger).

DescriptionThough she herself does not realize it, Artisa is

really Eva Mordenheim, long-lost adopted daugh-ter of Baron Mordenheim and his wife Elise. She iscurrently 30 years old and slight of build, withwatery blue eyes and dishwater blond hair that shewears carelessly tied back. Like her long-lost adop-tive parents, she is highly intelligent but slow toform friendships.

BackgroundAs described in Secrets of the Dread Realms,

Artisa was adopted as a child by Baron Mordenheimand his wife Elise. She spent a few years in theirhousehold, where Elise doted upon her. The baron’screation, Adam — a creature literally stitchedtogether from the parts of corpses and animated bythe baron’s scientific skills and energy from theDark Powers — was introduced to her as a brother.Unlike her adopted mother, Eva was not entirelyrepulsed by Adam, in whom she saw a bit ofhumanity. But Elise refused to accept Adam’s con-tinued presence, and the Mordenheims arguedincessantly about what to do with him.

Eventually, Adam came to take Eva away withhim, but Elise interrupted and attacked him. Theincident so frightened Eva that she ran out ontothe balcony of her room and fell over the railing.Adam caught her hand, but Elise attacked himagain before he could drag Eva to safety, and thechild fell to the ground.

The unconscious Eva was picked up by aservant and taken to be cared for by his sister, whohealed her wounds and raised her as her own

daughter — for the girl had lost all memory of herprevious life and of the Mordenheims. Though hersecond adopted mother wanted her to take a hus-band and settle down, the shy Eva (now calledArtisa) had other ideas. She threw herself into herstudies and won a prestigious fellowship at theuniversity, where she earned a degree in biologyand entered graduate school. There she met herhusband-to-be and married at last.

Current SketchArtisa is married to a biologist she met in

graduate school named Jervais Juvenoth, withwhom she has five children. Though Artisa caresdeeply about her family, she does not hesitate toleave the children in the care of a nanny while sheand Jervais work on their research. Science iseverything to her, and she and her husband enjoyanimated discussions about biology — particularlyon the subjects of preservation and healing. Sheentertains a fantasy of someday reanimating deadtissue, though even her husband considers thatgoal impossible. Jervais fears his wife’s ambition,since he does believe in the gods. Artisa, however,does not, and her seeming inability to consider themorality of her research has driven a wedge be-tween them.

Artisa Juvenoth(Eva Mordenheim)

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Artisa and Jervais live in a three-storytownhouse. The house has a nursery and plenty ofplay areas for the children, plus a large sciencelibrary and two fully equipped laboratories, one forher and one for Jervais. The two employ a cook,three maids, a nanny and several tutors for thechildren. They once had a butler, but when he diedthey didn’t replace him, since they so rarely enter-tain. (Rumor holds that he never received a properburial, and that Artisa has his corpse in the housesomewhere, perfectly preserved for some futureuse.)

CombatArtisa dislikes physical combat and, if for some

reason forced to fight, prefers to negate threats at adistance with her crossbow. When she cannot doso, she uses her hand stunner and other scientificdevices to disable foes. If she manages to render afoe helpless, she might be tempted to take him toher laboratory to study his living body, hoping togain more knowledge of the human system.

Renier

Javier Renier, Cousin Caught inthe MiddleMale human, Rog4/Ftr3/recruiter 4:Male human, Rog4/Ftr3/recruiter 4:Male human, Rog4/Ftr3/recruiter 4:Male human, Rog4/Ftr3/recruiter 4:Male human, Rog4/Ftr3/recruiter 4: CR 11; Medium human-oid (human) (5 ft., 10 in. tall); HD 4d6+4 plus 3d10+3 plus4d6+4; hp 45; Init +7; Spd 30 ft.; AC 16 (+3 Dex, +2 armor,+1 deflection), touch 14, flat-footed 16; BAB/Grap +9/+10;Atk +11 melee (1d6+2/15–20, +1 keen rapier) or +13 ranged(1d10+1/x3, 50 ft., +1 pistol and +1 bullet); Full Atk +11/+6melee (1d6+2/15–20, +1 keen rapier); SA sneak attack +2d6,spells; SQ allergen (silver), evasion, inspiring oratory, Reniertraits, trapfinding, trap sense +1, uncanny dodge; AL LG; SVFort +6, Ref +9, Will +5; Str 13, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 10,Cha 14.

Skills: Balance +5, Bluff +9, Climb +5, Deci-pher Script +5, Diplomacy +16, Disable Device+6, Disguise +3 (+5 acting), Gather Information+12, Hide +5, Intimidate +9, Jump +3, Knowledge(geography) +4, Knowledge (history) +4, Knowl-edge (local) +6, Knowledge (nobility and royalty)+6, Listen +7, Move Silently +6, Open Lock +6,Perform (oratory) +11, Profession (mercenary) +6,Ride +6, Search +6, Sense Motive +11, Spot +6,Swim +3, Tumble +7, Use Magic Device +5.

Feats: Back to the WallR, CourageR, ExoticWeapon Proficiency (firearms), Improved Initiative,Judge Difficulty*, Leadership, Negotiator, Persua-sive, Sharp Wit*.

Languages: Balok*, Darkonese, Mordentish,Vaasi.

Recruiter spells known (3/2; DC 12 + spell level):1st—comprehend languages, read magic, remove fear;2nd—daze monster, locate markG2.

Signature Possessions: Leather armor, +1 keenrapier, +1 pistol, 10 +1 bullets, ring of protection +1,thieves’ tools.

DescriptionA dark-haired man with a narrow face, a long

narrow nose and brilliant blue eyes, Javier Renieris slender of build and moves with a natural preda-tory grace. He carries himself like the experiencedfighting man that he is, and his face and arms showsmall scars from many battles and sword-fights.

Javier is an honest man who makes friends andenemies for life, a rarity among mercenaries — aman of scruples, morals and strong honor. Hespeaks gruffly and rather bluntly with everyone buthis beloved wife and children. They alone areallowed to see his gentler side, something that hasremained hidden from the world at large for thetwo decades he has worked as a mercenary and amilitary recruiter in Darkon, Falkovnia andRichemulot.

BackgroundJavier Renier was born in 720 BC, the son of

Mikkel and Esther Renier, life-long residents ofDarkon. From an early age he gravitated to theRenier tradition of adventuring and monster-hunt-ing, and by his late teens he was gaining a solidreputation among adventurers. By 20, though, he’dalready grown tired of associating with grave rob-bers and ghost-hunters, and he turned his talents toworking as a hired guard for nobles and wealthymerchants. With them, he gained such a sterlingreputation for trustworthiness and honesty that hisemployers started turning to him for advice as towhom else they should hire as men-at-arms.

It was only natural that Javier should changeprofessions yet again, moving from sell-sword intoan arranger of work for sell-swords. The move fromwarrior to organizer was prompted to a large degreeby Javier’s marriage to Mary Kasten, as he did notwant to condemn the person he loved more thananything to widowhood before her time. Childrensoon followed.

Within two years, Javier had gained a reputa-tion for lining up reliable and brave guards andtroops for noble houses in Nova Vaasa and for

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merchants and city leaders in Darkon. However,when the Grim Harvest toppled Azalin’s govern-ment in 750, several of the pretenders to theWizard-King’s throne decided that Javier’s skill asa military recruiter might be too valuable an assetfor their competition and decided that he neededto be removed from the picture. No matter howemphatically he swore that he would limit hisbusiness to Nova Vaasa for the duration of theunrest in Darkon, he found that he was increas-ingly forced to fend off attacks from suspiciouslordlings who would rule all of Darkon.

He was about to quit his homeland and relo-cate his family to the slightly better nation of NovaVaasa when he received a letter from JacquelineRenier, ruler of Richemulot, whom he had alwaysassumed to be only a very distant cousin. Jacqueline’sletter confirmed Javier’s belief, but it also offeredan invitation to move his family to Richemulot,where they would be safe. In return, Javier woulduse his recruiting talents to help Richemulot’snobles secure skilled guardsmen for the cities andtowns of the domain — and he would still be ableto command his usual fees. Javier and his wifegladly moved with their babies to what they hopedwould be the security of Richemulot.

However, it did not take long before the feud-ing branches of the Renier family in Richemulotattempted to either lure Javier to support themexclusively, or attempted to manipulate him into aposition where he would serve as a weapon againstother family members. He quickly caught on to thedanger and secretly sent Mary and the childrenback to Darkon where he hoped they would besafer.

Current SketchJavier is convinced that Lady Jacqueline is a

kindly woman who is so consumed by her ambi-tions to build a grand nation for the people ofRichemulot that she is unaware that she is sur-rounded by jealous, evil and outright insanerelatives. Further, he has come to regret acceptinghelp from Jacqueline’s twin-sister Louise, whohelped him become the premiere source of troopsfor Richemulot’s nobles when he first relocated.

It seems that whenever Javier tries to seeJacqueline to warn her about the plots brewingagainst her, another noble with whom he has acontract needs to see him immediately. (He haslong since realized that the affection that Jacquelineand Louise seem to have for one another is purely

for show; Louise hates her sister and may well beengaged in plots against her.)

Javier desperately wants someone he can trustto either take care of his business or to carry amessage to Jacqueline. Unfortunately, the onlypeople he trusts implicitly are needed to protect hisfamily from known enemies in Darkon and sus-pected enemies in Richemulot.

CombatAnyone who has had business dealings with

Javier Renier would be amazed at his dirty andvicious fighting style. When it comes to battle,Javier is utterly practical and ruthless; whateverone has to do to carry the day is justifiable. Whilehe is not one to slaughter defenseless foes andalways accepts a surrender, he takes advantage ofevery opening he can find.

Louise Renier, Twin Sister of aDarklordFemale human, natural wererat, Ari8/Sor3 (human form): Female human, natural wererat, Ari8/Sor3 (human form): Female human, natural wererat, Ari8/Sor3 (human form): Female human, natural wererat, Ari8/Sor3 (human form): Female human, natural wererat, Ari8/Sor3 (human form): CR12; Medium humanoid (human, shapechanger) (5 ft., 5 in. tall);HD 1d8+3 plus 8d8+24 plus 3d4+9; hp 69; Init +8; Spd 30 ft.;AC 20 (+4 Dex, +2 natural, +3 armor, +1 deflection), touch 15,flat-footed 16; BAB/Grap +7/+7; Atk +12 melee (1d6+2/18–20, +1 rapier of speed) or +13 ranged (1d10+2/x3, 50 ft., +2

Javier Renier

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pistol); Full Atk +12/+12/+7 melee (1d6+2/18–20, +1 rapierof speed); SA spells; SQ allergen (curry), alternate form,low-light vision, Path of the Rodent, rat empathy, Reniertraits, scent, summon familiar; AL NE; SV Fort +8, Ref +9,Will +11; Str 11, Dex 18, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 11, Cha 15.

Skills: Appraise +5, Bluff +16 (+18 vs. rat-likebeings), Climb +10, Concentration +10, Diplo-macy +13 (+15 vs. rat-like beings), Forgery +6,Gather Information +14, Handle Animal +6 (+8with rodents), Intimidate +4, Knowledge (arcana)+9, Knowledge (local) +7, Knowledge (nobilityand royalty) +7, Knowledge (the planes) +5, Lis-ten +15, Ride +8, Spot +7, Sense Motive +6,Spellcraft +11, Swim +10.

Feats: Alertness, Eschew Materials, ExoticWeapon Proficiency (firearms), Improved Initia-tive, Iron Will, Sharp Ears*, Weapon Finesse.

Languages: Mordentish; Falkovnian.Sorcerer spells known (6/6; DC 12 + spell level):

0—daze, detect magic, disrupt undead, read magic,resistance; 1st—alarm, charm person, magic missile.

Path of the Rodent (Su): Having progressed tothe Stage Three corruption, Louise has been grantedseveral “blessings” by the Dark Powers, as follows(all modifiers are already included in the stat blackabove).

• Stage One: A veritable tunnel rat, Louise canalways take 20 on Survival checks made to deter-mine her direction or to keep from getting lost, andall such checks require only a free action.

• Stage Two: Even in human form, Louise cansqueeze into a tiny area like a rat; she may movethrough tight spaces as if she were a Small creature.Any creature witnessing her contort her body inthis manner must make a DC 10 horror save.

• Stage Three: Louise is immune to all diseasesand poisons (except for her deadly allergy to curry).However, she must eat 1 pound of rotting refuseeach day or she becomes sickened until she con-sumes the requisite material.

Signature Possessions: +1 rapier of speed, +2pistol, 10 bullets, 10 silver bullets, bracelets of armor+3 (as bracers), choker of mind shielding (as ring), ringof protection +1.

DescriptionIn human form, Louise Renier is a stunning

woman whose age is virtually impossible to pindown. Although chronologically she is nearly 70,the Dark Powers have seen fit to extend her life,and she wears her advanced years as lightly as hertwin sister; her appearance is closer to that of a

woman in her early thirties. She possesses the wiry,athletic build so often associated with people ofRichemuloise stock. Her beautiful face has vaguelyexotic, angular features, and it is framed with blackhair that has gone gray at the temples. She hasgreen eyes that seem to be speckled with tiny goldflakes.

Contrary to the popular styles of her home-land, Louise tends to wear her long hair down andwith little styling; unknown to all but a few, thisapparent flaunting of convention is actually ameans to hide the mangled ear that resulted froman old injury.

When in hybrid or dire rat form, Louise iscovered with lustrous gray fur shot through withstreaks of black. In either form, her left ear appearstattered and torn.

BackgroundLouise Renier was born on a faraway world in

the year 719 BC, her family representing the clos-est thing that could be called a “ruling house”among wererats. She and her twin sister Jacquelinewere the favored children of the patriarch, ClaudeRenier, and they spent their childhood and earlyadult years in competition for his affection.Jacqueline always seemed to be ever so slightlymore favored than Louise, no matter how hard shetried. Even though it was Louise who discoveredthe magic portal that allowed the family to escapepursuers when all seemed lost, Claude still seemedto give Jacqueline more credit than she was due.

As the family established itself first in Falkovniaand later in Richemulot, Louise’s jealousy ofJacqueline grew into bitter hatred. At one pointshe attacked and tried to kill her twin, but all thatshe learned was that perhaps Jacqueline was betterthan she, for Louise barely escaped with her life. Bythe time she obtained magical healing, the scars onher body and the damage to her ear could not beundone.

The only time in the past 40 years that Louiseand Jacqueline have been able to feel any sort ofsisterly bond was the day Jacqueline finally becamefed up with Claude. She shared her feelings withLouise, who — shocked to learn that her sister feltexactly as she did in terms of deserving but neverreceiving their grandfather’s approval and affec-tion — joined her in staging a plan to remove himfrom their lives once and for all. Together theydeduced that Claude was fatally allergic to cam-

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phor and set up a situation where they could poisonand then kill him.

At the last minute, however, Louise lost hernerve and Jacqueline executed their plan alone.With Claude dead, Jacqueline claimed the leader-ship of Richemulot, and made it clear to Louisethat she would forever be a distant second.

Over the years, Louise has tried to break outfrom under Jacqueline’s shadow by other means,either by attempting some unique contribution tothe growth of Richemulot, or by starting a family ofher own. All former efforts have, unfortunately,met with disaster of a variety of kinds, some throughsimple bad luck, and others because of sabotagefrom Renier cousins who want to limit the powerthe sisters wield. Fate — or perhaps some otherforce — has always stepped in to destroy or removeany suitable mates Louise locates, always just be-fore she has had a chance to consummate arelationship.

Similarly, Louise has more than once resolvedto leave Richemulot behind, for nothing she at-tempts seems to fully succeed there. Whenever shehas been close to finalizing arrangements to relo-cate — Dementlieu continues to hold an allure —Jacqueline steps forward with a mixture of tasks,rewards and pleas to keep Louise nearby. Initially,these projects always seem to lead Louise to aposition of enhanced prestige and power, and thusshe is kept happy for a time, but soon it becomesclear that Jacqueline is also benefiting from Louise’sefforts, her star continuing to shine brighter thanthat of her sister.

Over the past two decades, Louise has initi-ated a number of plots to embarrass Jacqueline, orto shift the power Jacqueline wields in the wereratcommunity to herself. Invariably, the plots nar-rowly miss their target and instead eliminate orweaken enemies of Jacqueline. As a result, thewererats continue to be loyal to the great JacquelineRenier, with Louise winning only that respectgiven the twin sister of the gifted leader.

The only area in which Louise has excelledbeyond Jacqueline is that of magic. Since she wasa small girl, Louise has shown potential as a sor-cerer. However, her progress in the field has beenslow, for she has a hard time staying focused on themental exercises that could help her learn morespells.

Current SketchLouise continues to dwell in her sister’s shadow,

and her resentment festers within her. Althoughshe hides it well, her mood tends to vacillate fromjealous hatred to seething anger, and thence todark depression. When consumed with hatred andjealousy, she spends her days and nights conceivingand implementing complex plots intended to bringher sister low. In her angrier moments, she lashesout at anyone who has ever offended her in theslightest; this includes even those who are part ofher schemes against Jacqueline but who have notaccomplished enough in her eyes. The rage is evenmore severe if it is triggered by Jacqueline spoilingone of Louise’s schemes.

When she sinks into depression, Louise stayslocked within her rooms at Chateau Delanuit, orretreats to the Renier country cottage. Usually, thedepression is lifted by news that one of her schemesappears to be coming to fruition (which brings hertransitory bouts of happiness) or news of anothersuccessful venture or manipulation by Jacqueline(which tends to swing her back toward anger,jealousy and more scheming).

Louise Renier

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Louise has also grown determined that she willstart a family of her own, regardless of what fatewishes. She has long been aware that Jacquelinebecomes almost frantic to keep Louise involvedwith public and political life in Richemulot when-ever her sister’s departure from the domain appearscertain. She has started to suspect that the unfor-tunate fates her would-be mates suffer may not fatealone conspiring against her: It could be Jacquelineguaranteeing that Louise will never have some-thing as good as or better than what her twin has.

With this in mind, Louise has put forth quietinquires and delicate feelers to determine whatmanner of wererat community exists in Dementlieuand where she might best purchase a home. Insteadof announcing her intentions or publicly showingher mate, she plans to set everything up privatelyand then relocate. She remains paralyzed, how-ever, by a lack of trustworthy minions or hirelings,and by her own attacks of depression and rage.

Louise has also sent out a call for a tutor whocan help improve her skill as a sorcerer. In particu-lar, she has come upon a spell that she desperatelywants to learn, but currently lacks the skill to do so.(The spell in question is rat eyes [see Family Magicin Chapter Eight], and Louise thinks that it mightbe just the tool she needs to gain an edge overJacqueline — or at least to give her the ability to spyon her sister and determine once and for all if sheis actively sabotaging her life.)

CombatLouise is not a highly skilled fighter, though

she is competent; she attempts to avoid physicalconfrontation if at all possible. When movingabout Richemulot, or when at the Renier countrycottage, she is always accompanied by 5 humanbodyguards: 2 normal humans (Ftr3) and 3 af-flicted wererats (Rog2/Ftr2). Two of the wereratsare also nearby when she is home at ChateauDelanuit. Her bodyguards engage hostiles first whileLouise remains clear of the fray and attacks withher spells and her pistol.

When forced to fight, Louise uses her spellsfirst. One lesson she learned in childhood was toalways keep her true nature secret from the unini-tiated: Louise never assumes her hybrid or rat formsin view of others unless she is facing wererats whoare already aware of her true nature (alternately,she might do so if she has no other options and isfacing certain doom, but this circumstance hasnever yet come up).

Von Zarovich

Talena Von Zarovich,“Strahd’s Dagger”Female human Wiz9/tyrant mage 5: Female human Wiz9/tyrant mage 5: Female human Wiz9/tyrant mage 5: Female human Wiz9/tyrant mage 5: Female human Wiz9/tyrant mage 5: CR 14; Medium humanoid(human) (5 ft., 2 in. tall); HD 9d4 plus 5d4; hp 35; Init +3; Spd30 ft.; AC 13 (+3 Dex), touch 13, flat-footed 10; BAB/Grap+6/+5; Atk +5 melee (1d4–1/19–20, adamantine dagger);Full Atk +5/+0 melee (1d4–1/19–20, adamantine dagger);SA spell-like abilities, spells; SQ summon familiar, tyrant’seye, Von Zarovich traits; AL NE; SV Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +11;Str 9, Dex 16, Con 11, Int 18, Wis 12, Cha 16.

Skills: Bluff +8, Concentration +16, DecipherScript +12, Diplomacy +13, Disguise +3 (+5 act-ing), Intimidate +13, Knowledge (arcana) +18,Knowledge (history) +8, Knowledge (nobility androyalty) +9, Listen +3, Sense Motive +13, Spellcraft+20, Spot +3.

Feats: Blood Spell*, Cold-Hearted*, EnlargeSpell, Extend Spell, JadedR, Quicken Spell, ScribeScroll, Silent Spell, Vampiric RegenerationC.

Languages: Balok; Luktar, Patterna, Vaasi,Sithican.

Spell-like abilities: 1/day—charm person (DC14), dominate person (DC 18), suggestion (DC 16).Caster level 14th.

Wizard spells (4/5/5/5/5/3/3/2; DC 14 + spelllevel).

Signature Possessions: Adamantine dagger,amulet of death ward, chaos diamond, minor cloak ofdisplacement, ring of wolf summoning M.

DescriptionIn addition to the family’s cruel streak, Talena

has inherited its legendary beauty; blessed withunnaturally pale skin and raven tresses, many claimthat she is herself a vampire. Though she is actuallyhuman, Talena does nothing to discourage thisbelief, and in fact plays it for all it is worth, normallydressing in revealing and seductive clothing con-cealed by voluminous cloaks or other fanciful wraps.

BackgroundA distant cousin of Strahd Von Zarovich,

Talena undertook the study of magic at a young ageand found that she had a real knack for spellcasting— particularly those magics that controlled others’actions, either through compulsion or through theinfliction of pain. As she advanced in power, shecame to Strahd’s attention and was immediatelyrecruited into his service as a tyrant mage.

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Talena progressed quickly, surprising her in-structors with her enthusiasm and skill. She wasinitiated as a full-fledged tyrant mage within asingle year, where most recruits took over three.Two years later she was one of the most successfuland dangerous tyrant mages in all of Barovia, withdozens of arrests and executions to her credit. Soonshe was known as “Strahd’s Dagger,” his left hand,a keen weapon that slays without hesitation.

Current SketchTalena Von Zarovich has certainly found her

calling as Strahd’s living weapon. Her heart, neverterribly warm to begin with, has grown icy cold,and now the only thing that can being her evenbrief excitement is the prospect of killing an enemyof the state. Talena’s emotional state is equallychill; though she has taken many lovers, theyusually fail to hold her interest, and she abandonsthem as readily as she takes them. The lucky onesare given a small reward and sent away, while theunlucky ones — those who irritate her in some way— are rewarded with a trip to the dungeons belowTalena’s manse, where they make the acquain-tance of her hounds or her hired torturers.

Talena lives in a grim stone keep on theGundar River. She has a company of elite guards-men at her service, and sometimes brings prisonershere for interrogation and torture in the cells thatlie beneath the keep. She has a number of undeadservants as well — they are Strahd undead (seeRavenloft Gazetteer Vol. I), given to her byCount Strahd as a reward for her faithful service.

CombatUnlike many spellcasters, Talena adores com-

bat, and even sometimes fights hand-to-hand aftercasting Tenser’s transformation, stone skin and per-haps a couple of other “buffing” spells. On dangerousmissions she is always accompanied by one or moresquads of her elite guards, and allows them toengage in any heavy fighting while she supportswith spells.

Talena prefers destructive spells, particularlythose that deal in pain, and also those that controlthe actions of others. She is quite fond of havingher men encircle small groups of foes, then usingher spells and spell-like abilities to force them tofight one another, finally sending in her escorts topick up the pieces.

Andrez Weissritter,Troubled KnightMale human Pal 9:Male human Pal 9:Male human Pal 9:Male human Pal 9:Male human Pal 9: CR 9; Medium humanoid (human) (5 ft., 10in. tall); HD 9d10+9; hp 57; Init +1; Spd 20 ft. in armor; AC 21(+1 Dex, +8 armor, +2 shield), touch 11, flat-footed 20; BAB/Grap +9/+12; Atk +15 melee (1d8+6/19–20, +3 holylongsword) or +12 ranged (1d6+5, 20 ft., +2 shortspear); FullAtk +15/+10 melee (1d8+6/19–20, +3 holy longsword); SAsmite evil 2/day, turn undead 7/day (as 6th-level cleric; +2 onturning checks); SQ aura of courage, aura of good, detectevil, divine grace, divine health, lay on hands (36 hp), removedisease 2/week, special mount, Von Zarovich traits (thirst forblood); AL LG; SV Fort +11, Ref +8, Will +11; Str 16, Dex 12,Con 12, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 18.

Skills: Concentration +3, Diplomacy +10,Handle Animal +9, Heal +6, Knowledge (nobilityand royalty) +3, Knowledge (religion) +5, Ride+9, Sense Motive +5.

Feats: Cleave, CourageR, Divine Might,HeroismH, Iron Will, Power Attack.

Languages: Balok.Paladin spells (2/1; DC 12 + spell level).Signature Possessions: Masterwork full plate,

masterwork heavy steel shield, +3 holy longsword,+2 shortspear.

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DescriptionAndrez Weissritter cuts a heroic figure in his

gleaming steel armor astride his paladin’s mount,named Engel. In his prime, the 30-year-old paladinembodies the legends of Count Strahd Von Zarovichas a consummate warrior, before his embittered fallfrom grace. Andrez stands just over 6’ tall. He hasdark hair and eyes and classically handsome fea-tures. His muscular body testifies to his excellencein combat. He carries himself with poise and grace,though his face often bears a troubled look, as if hewages a constant inner war. He dresses in well-made, though not ostentatious clothing.

BackgroundBorn nearly 30 years ago in a small Barovian

village, young Andrez Kreigel (Weissritter is anassumed name; see Current Sketch) grew up onhorror stories about the excesses and atrocities ofthe Von Zaroviches. In time, however, Andrezbegan to feel the slow and inexorable tug of his trueheritage, and was horrified when his mother finallyconfessed that his family was related to the VonZaroviches. Recoiling from his heritage, Andrezswore to follow a different path, and embraced theall-healing power of the Morninglord, taking uparms as a paladin.

Andrez’s greatest secret is his connection tothe Von Zarovich family, which he hides withnear-fanatical devotion, even going so far as tochange his surname to Weissritter (or “WhiteKnight”) and cutting off all contact with his familyand friends from Barovia. He lives in fear that hissecret will someday be discovered, even though hecannot say what might happen should this occur.

Alas, the taint of the Von Zaroviches is diffi-cult to escape, and once he set off on his quest forjustice, Andrez found that he had a love for battle— a bit too much love, in fact, for from time to timehe stopped in the middle of a fight, hacking andslashing at foes who had already been slain in aberserk, bloodthirsty rage. In his heart, he knowsthat this is a result of his damned heritage, but heis determined to overcome it nonetheless. Hisconduct, while not frequent, has attracted atten-tion, however, and some adventurers have refusedto work with him, fearful of his strange “rages.”

Andrez has redoubled his efforts to pursue thepath of justice, trying with all his being to suppresshis heritage. He has wandered the Dread Realmsfor years, gaining a reputation as a fearless, ifsomewhat unpredictable and occasionally danger-ous, righter of wrongs. While freeing a group ofkidnapped children from a lich in Valachan, heobtained his holy sword, and later crossed pathswith the astoundingly lucky hero Robin Stillwater,with whom he adventured for a time until finallymoving on, seeking to make contact with RudolphVan Richten’s adherents.

Current SketchCurrently, Andrez has become closely

associated with Gennifer and Laurie Weathermay-Foxgrove, hunting and destroying both undeadand lycanthropes; his goal is only to rid the worldof their evil, but he understands the necessity inhelping the Weathermays to find new and moreeffective ways of defeating their foes. He has triedseveral times to atone for his rages and must bedoing something right, as he somehow keeps hispowers as a paladin.

Andrez has no real home or base of operations.He presently resides in Mordent, occupying quar-ters in a small keep leased by the Weathermays, butis there only part of the time. Most of Andrez’s lifeis devoted to wandering the nearby countryside,hunting down the creatures of evil who threatencommoners. He has considered relocating to

Andrez Weissritter

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Dementlieu and pursuing his mission (as well asgathering information for the Weathermays) in oraround Port-a-Lucene.

CombatThough he tries to fight according to the

paladin’s ideal — defending the weak, helping thehelpless, showing mercy to defeated foes, convert-ing evil to the side of light and truth — Andrez isalways troubled by his heritage, although he hasdeveloped the strength of mind in general to avoid

savaging corpses and slaying those who have sur-rendered honorably.

When not in the throes of rage, Andrez eagerlycharges into battle, usually leading the attack whilemounted on Engel, hewing left and right with his+3 holy longsword. He generally charges the mostpowerful wicked foe that he can, and then keeps histarget busy while his companions deal with lesserthreats. He is always the last to retreat and, if notenraged, is only too willing to give up his life to savean innocent.

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A Lineage of DarknessJust as every darklord bears a curse, their blood also carries the seeds of greatness or

infamy. Some who share a common legacy with the ruling families of Ravenloft rise tovirtue, while others succumb to the lure of corruption. What is it like to share the bloodof the Boritsi, to bear the secrets of the Von Zaroviches, or to carry a vestige of the Drakovcurse?

This book explores the histories of Ravenloft’s most powerful families, providinginformation on how to create player characters and NPCs who bear the names ofMordenheim, Dilisnya, or Renier. New prestige classes, family feats and heirloom magicprovide a wealth of choices for players and DMs who wish to walk in the shoes of thepowerful and the damned.

Requires the use of the Dungeons & Dragons Player’sHandbook, published by Wizards of the Coast®. This product

utilizes updated material from the v.3.5 revision.The Ravenloft® campaign setting is an officially licensed Dungeons & Dragons® property.



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Ravenloft - Legacy of the Blood v3.5

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Transcript of Ravenloft - Legacy of the Blood v3.5