After an unsuccessful attempt to defeat Strahd and escape the realm, Mordenkainen went insane and lost his spellbook and staff. Which ruins a lot of things about. For comparison, the Forgotten Realms in D&D 5e is about 5 million square miles. [3][2][4], Almost the entire valley consisted of densely forested rough terrain, with sheer cliffs and outcroppings. Fanes of Barovia - As the mists swarm around the little village of Barovia, you and your companions find yourself lodge in Blood on the Vin Great Wheel This does not make it less dangerous than the Forgotten Realms. Plus Barovia is not a Demiplane itself it was by powerful magics put into one. [19][20][21], The writer Volothamp Geddarm visited Barovia with the objective of mapping it, after being offered a commission of 99 gp by his rival Randilus Qelver, who suggested that Volo enter Barovia through a path in the Wood of Sharp Teeth. The kingdom's border was about two and a half days ride from Waterdeep. He was the older brother of Sergei and Sturm. Even during the brightest hours of the day, light was unnaturally muted and dimmed, and did not affect normally sensitive creatures such as vampires. The country was accessed via the old Svalitch Rd, which led through iron gates into a valley perpetually shrouded in fog. After stealing the locket from the Temple of Kelemvor in the Lower City, they were intercepted by the Heroes of Baldur's Gate. Barovia is a mist-shrouded region ruled by the vampire Strahd. The next day, when intercepted by Strahd himself, Volo used the charm to return to Faerûn. The next day, having received a bottle of the locally-produced Red Dragon Crush, the group left for the fishing village of Vallaki. The valley of Barovia. In the struggle, they were all transported by the mists into Barovia. It is (mercifully) not connected to the Forgotten Realms in any permanent fashion. The evergreen forest of the Svalich Woods covered the entire valley, which was trespassed by the Old Svalich Road that ran from East to West. The valley of Barovia was the oldest and best known of the Domains of Dread. A good spot might be in Greyvale, where the High Forest abuts the Greypeak Mountains. Sometime in the late 15th century DR, the archmage Mordenkainen became trapped in Barovia. He dresses in outrageous colors, with his favorite being his bright purple ringmaster tux, complete with a purple top hat and tails. [1], It was bordered to the south by the domain of Hazlan. The Shadowfell, like the Feywild, is not on a map. It's like having a rewind button for your campaign. The kingdom was centered on the foreboding Castle Ravenloft , home of Count Strahd von Zarovich. Barovia from the Ravenloft module was merely a small town at the foot of a mountain, with surrounding forests. [22][23], One of the deities that looked over Barovia before it became part of the Demiplane of Dread was known as the Morninglord, who shared many characteristics with the Faerûnian deity Lathander, such as an association with dawn and renewal. Originally, Barovia was home to worshippers of Lathander, a benevolent solar deity from Faerun, but Executive Meddling over fears about licensing issues resulted in the church being reworked to a historically muddled "offshoot" of the Lathanderian church. It is the setting for the second part of the campaign A Grand Tour of the Sword Coast. [15], During their stay in the valley, the heroes met Madame Eva, who foretold that Minsc would fail to rid that realm of its evil. The creatures, always surrounded by the ever-present mists, killed villagers and kidnapped their children during nights of full moon. Ravenloft is unique among the various campaign settings in that, unlike Faerun or Krynn, or even Athas, Ravenloft doesn’t occupy a planet or even a continent–instead, Ravenloft is a Twilight Zone-esque demiplane (of dread!) 577 BC, Avgust: The vampire Duke Gundar enters Barovia … Geography The realm was a prison for its darklord, the vampire Strahd von Zarovich, as well as the entire population of the valley. 724 BC, Dekavr: The lich Azalin enters Barovia and is employed by Strahd von Zarovich. Barovia in the Forgotten Realms - Where to stick it? The pact inadvertently caused the death of Tatyana and ended up turning Strahd into a vampire and imprisoning him within the realm. The Vistani are a group of travelers in the Forgotten Realms Campaign of Nat19. The whole area is only a few square miles, so it can be dropped pretty much in any mountain range next to a forest. Winters were usually long and bitter. World Map Dozens of nations, hundreds of citystates, and countless tribes, villages, and settlements dot its expanse. However, Strahd was a feared tyrant who took whatever he wanted and whom no one dared disobey. The valley of Barovia is located northeast of Faerun but has always been notoriously difficult to find due to the shifting mist, perilous mountain passes and thick forests. Barovia is the name of a location within the fictional universe of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. [6][5], Originally part of a world in the Material Plane, sometime before the 11th century DR, Barovia was conquered by then-human general Strahd and his army. [6], Much of the lower hilled forests throughout Barovia were made up of hardwood trees, such as beech, cherry, hazelnut, and oak. After years looking after her and failing to turn her into a vampire to prevent her death, in the Year of the Rose, 1098 DR, Jander was transported to Barovia by the Dark Powers, vowing to take revenge upon whoever had been responsible for her fate. He also visited the Blood of the Vine tavern in the village of Barovia and the Blue Water Inn in Vallaki, where he met another vampire hunter, Rudolph van Richten, who revealed that Qelver was, in fact, a servant of Strahd. Demiplane in the Domains of Dread[2] Barovia Adventure Zone – From the Vistani Camp surrounded by a dense forest to the Ruins of Berez, Ravenloft ’s setting is a stark change of scenery from the bright and lively Protector’s Enclave. [5], The sky of Barovia was permanently overcast with storm clouds. New as level 70 new, tough but it is possible if you get in through a party. [16] Later, the group met Davian Martikov, a wereraven member of the Keepers of the Feather, at the Wizard of Wines Winery, who allowed them to stay for the night. During his visit, Volo met the vampire hunter Ezmerelda d'Avenir, who helped him slay a vampire spawn called Andramar. The valley of Barovia was the oldest and best known of the Domains of Dread. Barovia is the name of a location within the fictional universe of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. If you put in an area of the realms then only people from that area can end up in Barovia. Other lands lie in distant corners of the world, but Faerun is the center of it all, the crossroads and crux upon which all else turns. [5], The valley was located between Mount Baratok to the north and Mount Ghakis to the south. Barovia The valley of Barovia is located northeast of Faerun but has always been notoriously difficult to find due to the shifting mist, perilous mountain passes and thick forests. Originally a location in a forgotten world of the Prime Material plane, the entire valley was transported to the Shadowfell by mists controlled by evil entities known as the Dark Powers. I am working on my homebrew variation of the Forgotten Realms and I know I want to include Barovia as part of the world. The curse meant that no one who entered Barovia could ever leave; anyone making such an attempt would meet with a horrible, choking death. On the contrary, it is much more dangerous! The gates of Barovia on the Old Svalich Road. If you're running a campaign in Faerûn or Barovia and you're looking for a dedicated player to fill out the party ranks, send me a PM! Most inhabitants were not aware that Strahd was a vampire. After the death of their master, many Vistani have left to Faerûn for fear of persecution by the people of Barovia. The kingdom's border was about two and a half days ride from Waterdeep. Fair Barovia is a campaign for Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition based on a heavily-modified Curse of Strahd. Both mountains were part of a larger mountain range known as the Balinok Mountains. Take your favorite fandoms with you and never miss a beat. Post by Angelika Tatsu » Sat Jan 21, 2017 5:22 am. Land animals such as deer, rabbits, rats, wolves, and black bears were common in the woods. Disclaimer: The views expressed in the following links do not necessarily represent the views of the editors of this wiki, nor does any lore presented necessarily adhere to established canon. Locations in Barovia Barovia. https://thedragonfriends.fandom.com/wiki/Barovia?oldid=1095. In Barovia, you can travel from the East gate on the Old Svalich Road to the West one in about 10 hours, without considering rests, encounters, etc. [5], The valley was completely surrounded by deadly mists that sapped the life force and could rapidly kill anyone who ventured inside. Son of Barov von Zarovich and Ravenia von Roeyen. This way people from all over can end up in Barovia and from different planes. Travelers coming into Barovia would breathe in this fog, and with it, the terrible curse that had been placed on the land. His left hand was withered and appeared burnt after contact with the Holy Symbol of Ravenkin… * Rictavio the Magnificent is a traveling half-elf bard, carnie entertainer, and circus ringmaster (“Rictavio the Magnificent and his Circus of Wonders”) from a faraway land, most likely somewhere in Faerun. The Domains of Dread There, he befriended Strahd, then still an inexperienced vampire, and, over more than 25 years, taught him much of his vampiric skills, including the ability to communicate with and control animals. On the contrary, it is much more dangerous! The gothic horror theme plays a huge role in this new module. A semi-aside: connecting Eberron to the Great Wheel. The realm was a ruled over by Count Strahd von Zarovich, and has a mixed population of humans, gnomes, elves and orcs. Barovia is a kingdom trapped in the Demiplane of Dread attached to or nested within the Shadowfell. Jander was 5 feet and 9 inches (1.8 meters) tall[note 1] and weighed 130 pounds (59 kilograms). Count Strahd von Zarovich is a fictional character originally appearing as the feature villain in the highly popular Advanced Dungeons and Dragons adventure module I6: Ravenloft.Later, this character and his world would be explored in follow-up modules, novels, and the Ravenloft campaign setting.Within this setting, Strahd is the first and best-known of Ravenloft's darklords. Originally, Barovia was home to worshippers of Lathander, a benevolent solar deity from Faerun, but Executive Meddling over fears about licensing issues resulted in the church being reworked to a historically muddled "offshoot" of the Lathanderian church. 683 BC, Mai: The domain of Kartakass is formed for Harkon Lukas, who originally hailed from the land of Cormyr, on the continent of Faerun. Backtracking Through Barovia is one of the adventures in the campaign A Grand Tour of the Sword Coast. Wiki Le Monde des Royaumes Oubliés (French), https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Barovia?oldid=614180. [14], Another group of werewolves led by Sangin traveled to Baldur's Gate in search of a locket that possessed the power to free certain individuals from the Domain of Dread. [10][11], In the late 15th century DR, werewolf servants of Strahd traveled from Barovia to the Misty Forest near Daggerford. [4], In the Year of the Wandering Elfmaid, 1072 DR, the sun elf vampire Jander Sunstar encountered Anna, a fragment of Tatyana's soul who had been trapped in an asylum in Waterdeep for almost a century. In DDO, The Land of Barovia is a Wilderness Adventure Area introduced with the Mists of Ravenloft expansion. Few areas were easily traversable, and it was always dangerous to stay off the road. The location is loosely based on the real world Transylvania. They ranged from 3rd-level to 8th-level, and touch all D&D pillars, all of the encounters supported by uniquely detailed maps. In Barovia, you can travel from the East gate on the Old Svalich Road to the West one in about 10 hours, without considering rests, encounters, etc. Barovia was a small and ancient kingdom in Faerûn, located inland from the Sword Coast, where the river Iblis met the Svalitch wood. 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