Voldra

Voldra is a minor character from the novel Knight of the Black Rose. He is a former adventurer, a servant of Gilean, and a companion of Terlarm until Voldra's capture and enslavement by Count Strahd von Zarovich. Voldra served the latter as a seer and prophet until the destruction of Voldra's Crystal Ball by Lord Soth and ensuing murder by Strahd at the frustration of Soth's action.

History

Born blind and deaf, Voldra's prophetic and mystical abilities nonetheless enabled him to become one of the Mages of the Red Robes and an adventurer. Like the rest of Terlarm's Adventurer Band, Voldra originally hailed from the city of Palanthas on Krynn, but the Mists captured Voldra and his companions and brought them to Barovia in 690 BC. The group eventually learned of the Luna River Portal and attempted to use it to escape the Demiplane of Dread. However, three of their number were killed by the Watcher of the Luna River Portal. Voldra and Terlarm survived but were forced to retreat. Voldra was subsequently capture by Strahd in Castle Ravenloft

Strahd subsequently imprisoned Voldra. Following an escape attempt, Strahd tore out Voldra's tongue. As time cut off from the outside worked on his mind, Voldra became so lonely he would give predictions as the sole way he had any interaction with the outside world.

In 720 BC, Voldra delivered to Strahd a series of divinations and prophecies regarding Soth and his intrusion into Barovia. When Strahd brought Soth to discover a way out, Voldra's mind-reading abilities offended Soth. In rage, Soth destroyed the crystal ball. Strahd became enraged at Voldra's having become useless to him, and murdered him as a show of anger and force to Soth. Voldra's influence outlasted his life, as a prophecy delivered to Strahd enabled the master of Barovia to outwit Soth by manipulating Caradoc.

Powers and Abilities

Voldra was a mage (in the context of 2nd Edition, a wizard) with special mystical abilities so peculiar that even Strahd did not understand them. Even blind, deaf, and mute, Voldra's could probe the thoughts of those around to answer their questions. Though illiterate, Voldra's crystal ball enabled him to write mysterious messages about the visions he experienced of the outside world, including but not necessarily limited to visions of the future.