Barovia
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| Barovia | |
|---|---|
| |
| Culture Level | Medieval |
| Ecology | Full |
| Climate & Terrain | Temperate forest, hill, mountains |
| Year Formed | 351 BC |
| Population | 27,700 |
| Races (%) | Humans 98%, half-Vistani 1%, Other 1% |
| Languages | Balok, Luktar, Vaasi, Sithican, Forfarian, Thaani |
| Religions | Cult of the Morninglord, Ezra, Hala, Erlin |
| Government | Feudal monarchy |
| Ruler(s) | Count Strahd von Zarovich |
| Darklord(s) | Count Strahd von Zarovich |
| Nationality | Barovian |
| Analog | Transylvania |
| Related Categories | |
| Locations in Barovia | |
| Transportation in Barovia | |
| Inhabitants of Barovia | |
| Former Inhabitants of Barovia | |
| Flora of Barovia | |
| Fauna of Barovia | |
| Native Monsters of Barovia | |
 |
This section contains canon info from officially published sources |
Barovia is the first domain with which the Demiplane of Dread and the Core began, arising from the heinous actions Strahd von Zarovich in 351 BC. Strahd has continued to rule the land and the dour Barovian people through a fake line of successive rulers all bearing his name. In 740 BC, the Grand Conjunction dissolved the neighboring land of Gundarak and caused part of it to be absorbed by Barovia. Strahd's political annexation of Gundarak has caused an ethnic strife that continues to inflame conflict between the ethnic Balok against the Gundarakites.
Out of character, Barovia has always been at the heart of every version of Ravenloft, beginning with I6: Ravenloft, the module that inspired the setting, all the way up to its most recent product, the 5e module Curse of Strahd.
Things, Creatures & Personnages of Legend
Biology
Flora
Fauna
Native Horrors
Wolves
Lycanthropic
Geography
Weather
Terrain
The terrain is mountainous and forested, winters are cold. A beautiful but hostile domain.
Mountains & Hills
- The Balinoks divide the Core into east and west. The bridge that rejoins them is Barovia. It is her Old Svalich Road and her Svalich Pass that bring east and west back into contact with each other for a few precious months each year.
- The Hills of Bleak Vistas, called the Howling Hills by Nova Vaasans, are the eastern foothills of the Barovian Balinoks. They are thickly forested by the Graenseskov ("Borderwood"). It, however, comes to an end before the Old Svalich Road where the beech-firs of the Old Svalich Woods resolutely hold their ground.
- The Dreadmount are the northwestern foothills of the Barovian Balinoks.
- The Bloodfang Hills are adjacent to Forlorn.
Forest
- The Old Svalich Woods is a small forest of old growth beech-firs along the Old Svalich Road in Barovia from the Village of Barovia to the Nova Vaasan frontier.
- The Graenseskov ("Borderwood") grows thickly on the lower slopes of the eastern foothills of the Balinoks in Barovia and well out onto the flatter land of Nova Vaasa beyond them. Its upper reaches are known to Barovians as the Hills of Bleak Vistas and to the Nova Vaasans as the Howling Hills. The northern boundary of the forest lies a little south of the Old Svalich Road where the beech-firs of the Old Svalich Woods resolutely hold their ground. The southern limit extends at least to the border of Hazlani frontier but perhaps continues into Hazlan itself.
Lakes
- Nameless? lake at adjacent to Immol
Landmarks
- The Gates of Barovia guarding, symbolically at least, the Svalich Pass
Communication
Rivers
- The Ivlis River
- The Ulvand River cuts a path through the Graenseskov ("Borderwood"), roaring down the Howling Hills and into Nova Vaasa, its source being Terestrãu ("Mount Sawtooth"). The Ivlis River is joined from the south by the Ulvand, a little south-east of Bergovitsa, along the Vaere Bange Road, ultimately draining into the the Nocturnal Sea halfway between Arbora and Egertus via the Storrokke Canyon. The Ulvand is far too steep for navigation of any sort.
- The Saniset River has its source in summer melt waters from Terestrãu ("Mount Sawtooth") in south-eastern Barovia that feed the lake adjacent to Immol. From Barovia the Saniset rushes down onto the Ensommark ("Lonely Plain") of Hazlan, flows east by southeast to Sly-Var, passes just north of the Skyggeskov ("Shadowwood") as it crosses the border into Nova Vaasa, and flows gently to the sea. The upper reaches of the Saniset are unnavigable, even on a small raft, given its swiftness, rapids, and gravel bars.
- The Luna River
Roads
Mistways
- The Outlander's Gate (one-way, poor reliability) from outside of the Land of Mists to southern Barovia
Note: The Bleak Road does not lead to or from Barovia, but rather the Misty Border south of Arbora in southern Nova Vaasa. This is treated in the errata. "Charted Mistways sidebar: The Bleak Road should connect “Southern Nova Vaasa — Northern Vorostokov”, and not Barovia!>(Errata)"
Frontiers
The Shadow Rift
Nova Vaasa
- The Dyrskov ("Beastwood") fronts the Barovian frontier a little north of the Old Svalich Road to the edge of the Shadow Rift and fronts the Shadow Rift to a little south of the Borchava River. It covers the southern half of the Vaesen Foothills that themselves fronted the Balinoks of vanished Markovia.
- The Graenseskov ("Borderwood") grows thickly on the lower slopes of the eastern foothills of the Balinoks in Barovia and well out onto the flatter land of Nova Vaasa beyond them. Its upper reaches are known to Barovians as the Hills of Bleak Vistas and to the Nova Vaasans as the Howling Hills. The northern boundary of the forest lies a little south of the Old Svalich Road where the beech-firs of the Old Svalich Woods resolutely hold their ground. The southern limit extends at least to the border of Hazlani frontier but perhaps continues into Hazlan itself.
Hazlan
Forlorn
Kartakass
Sithicus
Invidia
Borca
The Great Upheaval
Barovia was impacted not insignificantly by the Great Upheaval. The land's chokehold over east-west trade was greatly strengthened by the cutting of the Timori Road. The disappearance of Markovia from its northern frontier would have been welcomed if only it had been replaced by something less ominous than the Shadow Rift. The disappearance of Bluetspur from its southern frontier was an indisputable boon. And the relocation of Hazlan from its central eastern and southern eastern frontiers to its southern frontier did little more than change the direction of travel from Immol to Toyalis.
Population Distrubtion
Towns
- Vallaki (pop. 1547)
- Immol (pop. 1623)
Villages
- The Village of Barovia (pop. 535)
- Renika is a village where in 348 BC Strahd had its burgomaster executed for withholding taxes.
Authority
Darklord
Temporal Ruler
The current and undisputed ruler of Barovia is Count Strahd von Zarovich XI. The Zaroviches have ruled Barovia in an unbroken line for as long as history recounts, although doing so more than once in the teeth of enemy invasion. The name "Strahd" has been used by the last eleven counts, a want of creativity or perhaps a meglamania, that was previously absent.
Spiritual Ruler
No religion has been sanctioned by the Zarovich line in centuries, indeed religion is discouraged in Barovia. Additionally, the Barovians have long felt abandon by the divine. The Morning Lord is making some progress towards reversing the last situation.
Church and State
It has been centuries since the rule of Barovia's temporal leaders was recognised by a spiritual authority. Likewise, it has been centuries since the rule of Barovia's spiritual leaders was enforced by a temporal authority. A classical theologico-political arrangement ceased to exist in Barovia during the reign of Count Strahd von Zarovich I.
Government
At the local level by boyars in each town or village.
Law
Law-Enforcement
Information Gathering
The Vistani
Military Footing
Fighting the Gundarakite Resistance following the successful annexation of half the former land of Gundarak.
Possible army of skeletons and zombies hidden and at the ready.
Language & Culture
Balok
Mouning
Barovian females wear black for five years after the death of even their most distant relatives, lending a universal drabness to their dress.
Fashion
Barovian females wear black for five years after the death of even their most distant relatives, lending a universal drabness to their dress.
Inns & Taverns
Immol
Village of Barovia
Vallaki
The Nova Vaasan Frontier
Chronology
- 1 BC Nation of Barovia forged of independent city-states by the von Zarovich family.[2]
- 168 BC Founding of the Church of Andral.[3]
- 230 BC Approximate date of the invasion of the Neureni Horde.[4]
- 299 BC Strahd is born.[5][6][7]
- 314 BC The War of Silver Knives, a conflict between the Dilisnyas, Katskies, and the Petrovnas, purportedly begins with the Assassination of Lady Izabela Dilisnya.[8] Pidlwik Dilisnya, her son, swears a vendetta against the foes of the family.[9]
- 316 BC Count Barov von Zarovich commands an end to the War of Silver Knives and appeases the warring parties with gifts of land, though the war will still fragment Barovia in the face of the Terg invasion to come. Pidlwik bears lingering resentment for Barov as a result.[9]
- 320 BC Strahd gains the military rank of general.[6][7]
- 320 BC Tergs invade Barovia.[5][10]
- 321 BC Strahd von Zarovich takes the Barovian troops to war against the Tergs for the sovereignty of Barovia.[5][11][12]
- 326 BC The Siege of Krezk occurs.[10]
- 341 BC The Bright Blade is given to Sergei von Zarovich as he joins the Church of Andral.[13]
- 346 BC Count Barov and Countess Ravenia von Zarovich slain by Tergs.[10]
- 347 BCStrahd makes a pact with Inajira right before a critical battle with the Tergs.[14]
- 347 BC Last of the Tergs driven from Barovia.[10][5] Strahd takes the rule over Barovia as the prize for his victory.[5]
- 348 BC Strahd orders the execution of the burgomaster of Renika for withholding taxes. The choice of a replacement is left to the people of Renik itself.[15]
- 349 BC Castle Ravenloft completed.[10] Strahd assumes residence there.[5]
- 350 BC Count Strahd von Zarovich, Commander Alek Gwilym, Sergei von Zarovich, and Lieutenant Falov lead a military strike force to defeat Red Lukas and his gang of bandits.[16]
- 350 BC Most High Priest Kir dies creating the Holy Symbol of Ravenkind. Sergei von Zarovich succeds him as high priest of Andral.[17]
- 350 BC The Ba'al Verzi try and fail to assassinate Count Strahd von Zarovich.[10]
- 351 BC Barovia forms due the actions of Strahd von Zarovich.[18][5][19] Strahd turns into a vampire.[5][19]
351 BC A comet shines in the Barovian sky during the fermenting season. Hence, the year is known as The Year of the Comet. Barovian Red, a local wine, marked the event with labels bearing the image of the comet.[20]- 352 BC Strahd flexes his muscles to show domination over Barovia.[5][19]
- 398 BC Count Strahd von Zarovich confronts Lord Leo Dilisnya at the Monastery of Silver Threads, walking into Lord Dilisnya's trap. Strahd is almost put down, but the monks of the monastery act to turn the tide of battle. Strahd turns Lord Leo Dilisnya into a vampire and imprisons him in a tomb to starve from a lack of blood.[21][19]
- 399 BC Jezra Wagner is born.[22]
- 400 BC First known reincarnation of Tatyana.[5][19]
- 426 BC Winter: Jezra Wagner perishes on Mt. Baratok and becomes a heat-draining spectre.[22]
- According to a version of Strahd's diary ready by van Richten in 736 BC, Alina, the second reincarnation of Tatyana Federovna dies of fever in this year of 445 BC. Count Strahd attempts suicide with Alina in hand, but the Mists prevent him and snatch away her corpse.[23] However, this goes against a version of Strahd's diary read by Jander Sunstar that says Tatyana's second reincarnation was Olya Ivanova who died 30 years later in 475 BC[24]
- Sometime between 450 BC and 460 BC: Gregorri Kolyan the bard is held captive by Strahd fo several years. Kolyan is ultimately let go with the story of Strahd's past.[25][26]
- 470 BC The Vistani appear in Barovia for the first time.[10]
- 470 BC Madame Eva and Strahd form an alliance.[5]
- 475 BC Martyn Pelkar is drawn into Barovia, bringing tales of a "golden morning lord."[27] At first the boy is called mad, but Martyn's stories of whom he called the Morninglord would sprout a full Cult of the Morninglord among the Barovians[28], which history shows as appearing that same year.[29] The figure protective figure Martyn encounters is not actually Lathander, but rather Jander Sunstar, whom was also a new arrival in Ravenloft.[30]
- 485 BC Petya and Anastasia Petrovich killed by Strahd[31]
- 495 BC Jacqueline Montarri murders Madame Eva and is horrifically cursed. Madame Maruschka becomes the new raunie of the Zarovan tribe. (Note that Madame Eva is still seen after this; this can be accounted for by her tribe’s existence in non-linear time.) [32]
- 499 BC Alexi "Sasha" Petrovich, Leisl, and Jander Sunstar assault Castle Ravenloft drive Strahd into hibernation.[31]
- 525 BC Lyssa von Zarovich is born.[33]
- 528 BC Outlander adventurers assault Castle Ravenloft and are destroyed.[34][5][35]
- 542 BC Azalin enters Ravenloft and arrives in Barovia.[36][37][5] Reluctantly, he serves Strahd for a time.[38][5]
- 542 BC Strahd discusses the potential threat Azalin poses with Madame Ilka, the new raunie of the Zarovan tribe (Maruschka having apparently died at some point in the last 40 years). [39]
- 547 BC Forlorn appears.[40] Strahd sends Azalin to investigate, but nothing of value to them is found.[41]
- 550 BC Lyssa von Zarovich becomes a vampire and discovers a way to achieve the power of a vampire much greater than her age.[33]
- 550 BC *In this approximate year, Forfarian survivors stream over the border from Forlorn to Barovia and end up settling in Immol.[42]
- 579 BC Strahd and Azalin create a portal to Mordent[36], where The Alchemist conducts strange research on changing the soul.[43] The Mists snatch up Mordent before either Strahd or Azalin can make good their escape, leaving them with only hazy dream-like recollections of what happened.[36]
- 579 BC Azalin leaves the service of Strahd.[38][5] Darkon forms.[44][38][5]
- 580 BC A Barovian militia established by Boyar Yersinia Wachter and led by Aldrick Wachter repels an invading party of Azalin's undead.[45]
- 581 BC Bluetspur appears.[5][11][12]
- 585 BC Thaani stream into Barovia from Bluetspur.[42]
- 593 BC The domain of Gundarak appears.[34][5]
- 593 BC First known contact between Barovians and Gundarakites.[34]
- 613 BC (approximately) Strahd encounters Harkon Lukas running amok in Barovia and thoroughly thrashes him, forcing Harkon to flee into the Mists.[46]
656 BC Tiryn Olenka-Blaas, future founder of the Celestines, is born.[47]- 756 BC After his parents murder Erich Reinhold and hold a funeral for him, Erich rises from the grave vrykolaka vampire. He murders everyone at Reinhold Manor. Reinhold begins haunting the hills of Soutwestern Barovia.[48]
- 697 BC After the Ba'al Verzi assassins botch several attempts on his life, Boyar Nicu Moldonesti seizes control of the organization, and he enslaves many of its master assassins.[49]
- 718 BC Tara Kolyana is born. Not too long thereafter, her parents flee Barovia to go to Hazlan.[50]
- 720 BC Soth arrives in Ravenloft[51], slays the tribe of Magda Ilyanova Kulchevich, encounters Strahd, and meets Azrael.
- 720 BC Azrael Dak slays Medraut Gundar.
- 730 BC Ardonk Szerieza is born.[52]
- 733 BC Boyar Invich marries an Invidian noble named Mina, much to her chagrin.[53]
- 735 BC Count Strahd von Zarmovich's current guise, Count Strahd von Zarovmich XI]], "ascends to power".[54]
- 735 BC Tara Kolyana experiences her first brush with the supernatural with an afflicted werewolf. After witnessing the man become cured, Tara resolves to help people throughout the Land of Mists. Her parents make her promise to never to go to Barovia.[50]
- 735 BC By this year, Tiryn Olenka-Blaas has discovered and disseminated enough knowledge to gather a crowd of curious stargazer disciples around her. Labeled as heretics and associated in the public eye with the Terg astrology, the Celestines grow closer together and soldier on despite the threat of persecution.[47]
- 736 BC Duke Gundar is assassinated.[55][51]
- 736 BC An unknown Gundarakite commoner family are murdered in a fire caused by an unknown stranger. One of the victims becomes a terrible geist known as The Screaming Flame as a result.[56]
- 736 BC The hag Magravelle attacks Invich Manor (near Vallaki in the mistaken belief that Imix, traitor to their coven, has received shelter there. Magravelle murders Boyar Imix and severely disfigures Mina Invich. However, Imix takes Magravelle by surprise and kills her, saving Mina.[57]
- 739 BC Lyssa von Zarovich conspires with Bluetspurean illithids to create a vampiric version of their race. She hopes to use these vampire mind flayers to take over Barovia, but she ultimately fails.[33][58]
- 740 BC The Great Upheaval.
- 740 BC The Grand Conjunction rearranges much of the celestial bodies, causing the starmaps of the Celestines to become innacurate. Tiryn Olenka-Blaas dies, but her former pupils carry on her work. A falling star leads Astrilax diCorvi to a hilly set of ruins just out of Vallaki. The Celestines build Midway Haven, the first Celestine Observatory there.[59]
- 740 BC Strahd begins the annexation of Gundarak.[55]
- 745 BC By this year, the Celestines have star-maps for the entire Core. They also discover that they could relate celestial events to earthly events and use the former to predict the latter.[59]
- 750 BC Strahd poisons Lyssa von Zarovich into a slumbering state that leaves her active for only a few hours each night.[33] The poison is delivered via the blood of the dread flesh golem Tom (created by Emil Bollenbach) that acts as a stand-in for a human she hoped to enslave.[60]
- 750 BC The Bright Blade vanishes from the possession of the Weathermay-Foxgrove Twins shortly after Dr. Van Richten vanishes.[13]
- 753 BC: On his deathbed, Tara Kolyana's father expresses how proud he is of her and tells her of the prophecy the Vistani gave about her and why they left Barovia.[50]
- 753 BC: Count Strahd von Zarovich personally executes Burgomaster Shaithis Vosrovna for goating adventurers into the murder of one of the Vistani.[61]
- 754 BC The Resurrection of Erlin (Dread Possibility): Emanuel Maryszkas calls upon the power of Erlin for succor against Barovian pursuers. His prayer are answered, and his pursuers are driven away by unholy power.[62]
- 755 BC Pyoor Twohundredsummers dies of natural causes and is succeeded by Keeva Sixtywinters as leader of the Keepers of the Black Feather.[63]
- The Coursers of Chaos, a group of Gundarakite rebels ram a wagon full of gunpowder into the Barovian military garrison in Zeidenburg, blowing up the facility. This act of violence ignites greater Barovian-Gundarakite conflict within Zeidenburg and beyond. In addition, the incident seemingly confirms widely-held suspicions linking the Zeindenburg rebels to Gabrielle Aderre and the Gundarakite forces holding Castle Hunadora in Invidia, where the gunpowder is said to have been smuggled in from.[64]
- 755 BC The Effigy of Ivan Szimin animates as a dread wood golem thanks to the actions of Ardonk Szerieza and his fellow rebels.[65]
| This page incorporates content from the inactive Mordent Cartographic Society. Used with their express permission. | 
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References
- ↑ I, Strahd p. 60
- ↑ Gazetteer I, p. 15.
- ↑ Gaz 1, p 16.
- ↑ Gaz 1, p 16.
- ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 5.17 Domains of Dread p.16
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Ravenloft Third Edition p.12
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Ravenloft Player's Handbook p. 14
- ↑ Gazetteer I p.15
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Gazetteer IV p.15
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 Gaz 1, p 17.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Ravenloft Third Edition p.17
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Ravenloft Player's Handbook p.19
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Ravenloft Gazetteer Volume I p. 118
- ↑ Gazetteer I p.142
- ↑ I, Strahd p. 51-60
- ↑ I, Strahd p.73-85
- ↑ Vampire of the Mists p.247
- ↑ Gaz 1, pp 10, 16.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 I, Strahd
- ↑ Alanik Ray's library archive
- ↑ Ravenloft Gazetteer Volume I p.13
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 Ravenloft Monstrous Compendium I & II p. 113, "died at the age of 27 some 75 years" after Barovia became a domain
- ↑ I, Strahd: The War Against Azalin
- ↑ Vampire of the Mists p. 266-267
- ↑ Van Richten's Guide to Vampires p.6-9
- ↑ Van Richten's Monster Hunter's Compendium I p.10-13
- ↑ Gaz 1, p 18.
- ↑ Ravenloft Third Edition p.13
- ↑ Ravenloft Third Edition p.17
- ↑ Vampire of the Mists
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 VotM
- ↑ VotM pg. 284: “died four years ago.” RLMC I&II pp. 89-90: tells us how it happened.
- ↑ 33.0 33.1 33.2 33.3 Ravenloft Gazetteer Volume I p.34
- ↑ 34.0 34.1 34.2 Gazetteer I p.18
- ↑ House of Strahd
- ↑ 36.0 36.1 36.2 Gazetteer II p.135
- ↑ King of the Dead
- ↑ 38.0 38.1 38.2 King of the Dead
- ↑ I, Strahd, The War Against Azalin - p71, pp109-117, pp167-171
- ↑ Gazetteer I p.63
- ↑ Gazetteer I p.73-74
- ↑ 42.0 42.1 Gazetteer I p.18
- ↑ I10: Ravenloft II: The House on Gryphon Hill
- ↑ Gazetteer II p.9
- ↑ I, Strahd: The War Against Azalin
- ↑ Domains of Dread p.16, 64
- ↑ 47.0 47.1 Undead Sea Scrolls 2002 p.127
- ↑ Undead Sea Scrolls 2003 p. 110-111
- ↑ Gazetteer I p.35
- ↑ 50.0 50.1 50.2 Gazetteer I p.144
- ↑ 51.0 51.1 Domains of Dread p.17
- ↑ Book of Souls (Netbook) p. 70
- ↑ Undead Sea Scrolls 2003 p.121
- ↑ Ravenloft Gazetteer Volume I p.28
- ↑ 55.0 55.1 Gaz 1 p 19
- ↑ Traumatized Spirits, Undead Sea Scrolls 2002 p.143
- ↑ Undead Sea Scrolls 2003 p.122
- ↑ Thoughts of Darkness
- ↑ 59.0 59.1 Undead Sea Scrolls 2002 p.128
- ↑ Children of the Night: Vampires p.21-26
- ↑ Ravenloft Gazetteer I, p35.
- ↑ Ravenloft Gazetteer Volume I p.26
- ↑ Gazetteer I p.38
- ↑ Gazetteer I p. 19, 33
- ↑ Book of Souls (Netbook) p. 90; source says that hatred of the boyars had been growing in the men for the past 15 years. The year of the Gundarakite Annexation was 740 BC.
Data from the Ravenloft Catalogue
|
|
Domains of Dread |
|
Secrets of the Dread Realms - pp7,10-12,18,40 | |
|
Secrets of the Dread Realms - pp8-9 |
