Haunted House

A wrought-iron gate with hinges on one side and a lock on the other fills the archway of a stone portico . The gate is unlocked, and its rusty hinges shriek when the gate is opened. Oil lamps hang from the portico ceiling by chains, flanking a set of oaken doors that open into a grand foyer.

Hanging on the south wall of the foyer is a shield emblazoned with a coat-of- arms (a stylized golden windmill on a red field), flanked by framed portraits of stony-faced aristocrats (long-dead members of the Durst family). Mahogany- framed double doors leading from the foyer to the main hall are set with panes of stained glass.

Arriving in the village of Barovia, Death House:

The gravel road leads to a village, its tall houses dark as tombstones. Nestled among these solemn dwellings are a handful of closed-up shops. Even the tavern is shut tight.
A soft whimpering draws your eye toward a pair of children standing in the middle of an otherwise lifeless street.

The children are ten-year-old Rosavalda (“[Rose”) and her seven-year-old brother, Thornboldt “Thorn Durst"". Thorn is weeping and clutching a stuffed doll. Rose is trying to hush the boy.

If the characters approach the children or call out to them, add the following:

After shushing the boy, the girl turns to you and says, “There’s a monster in our house!” She then points to a tall brick row house that has seen better days. Its windows are dark. It has a gated portico on the ground floor, and the rusty gate is slightly ajar. The houses on either side are abandoned, their windows and doors boarded up.

Characters who question the children learn the following information:

The children don’t know what the “monster” looks like, but they’ve heard its terrible howls.
Their parents (Gustav and Elisabeth Durst) keep the monster trapped in the basement.
There’s a baby (Walter) in the third-floor nursery. (Untrue, but the children believe it.)

Rose and Thorn say that they won’t go back in the house until they know the monster is gone. They can be convinced to wait in the portico (area 1A) while the characters search the house. Although they appear to be flesh-and-blood children, Rose and Thorn are actually illusions created by the house to lure the characters inside. The children don’t know that they’re illusions but vanish if attacked or forced into the house.

The children died of starvation centuries ago after their insane parents locked them in the attic and forgot about them. They were too young and innocent to understand that their parents were guilty of heinous crimes. Their parents told them stories about a monster in the basement to keep the children from going down to the dungeon level. The “terrible howls” they heard were actually the screams of the cult’s victims.

***# FIRST FLOOR (Areas 01-05)
The rooms on the first and second floors are free of dust and signs of age. The floorboards and wall panels are well oiled, the drapes and wallpaper haven’t faded, and the furniture looks new. The first floor has 10-foot-high ceilings.

SECOND FLOOR (Areas 06-10)

The rooms on the first and second floors are free of dust and signs of age. The floorboards and wall panels are well oiled, the drapes and wallpaper haven’t faded, and the furniture looks new. The second floor has 12-foot-high ceilings.

THIRD FLOOR (Areas 11-15)

No effort has been made to preserve the contents of the third floor or the attic. These areas are dusty and drafty, everything within them is old and draped in cobwebs, and the floorboards groan underfoot. The third floor has 8-foot-high ceilings.

ATTIC (Areas 16-21)

DUNGEON FIRST LEVEL (Areas 22-34)

The dungeon level underneath Death House is carved out of earth, clay, and rock. The tunnels are 4 feet wide by 7 feet high with timber braces at 5-foot intervals. Rooms are 8 feet tall and supported by thick wooden posts with crossbeams. The only exception is area 38, which has a 16-foot-high ceiling supported by stone pillars. Characters without darkvision must provide their own light sources, as the dungeon is unlit.

As the characters explore the dungeon, they see centuries- old human footprints in the earthen floor leading every which way.

DUNGEON SECOND LEVEL (Areas 35-38):

Adventure Ending

The mists of Ravenloft continue to surround Death House until the characters stand atop the dais and either appease or defy the cultists. Strahd is satisfied either way, prompting the mists to recede.

Ending: The Cult Is Appeased

Ending: The Cult Is Denied

Encounters:

Area 11: 1 x Animated Armor
Area 14: 1 x Flying Sword (Broom)
Area 15 or 18: 1 x Specter (Nursemaid)
Area 20: 2 x Ghost (Rose and Thorn)
Area 23: 1 x Swarm of Centipedes Area 28 1 x Grick
Area 29: 4 x Ghoul
Area 31: 5 x Shadow
Area 33: 1 x Mimic
Area 34: Ghast (parents)
Area 38: 1 x Shambling Mound

Traps and Hazards:

Area 26: 10-Foot Spiked Pit. DC 15 Perception. 1d6 + 2d10 dmg (3+11 avg).

Treasure and Trinkets

Area 03: Crossbows, bolts, cards
rea 09: Books, spell scrolls, deeds
Area 12: Misc. Jewelry (900 Gp)
Area 25: Personal Effects, 116 Gp, 60sp, Silvered Shortsword
Area 31: Crystal Orb/Focus (25gp)
Area 35: Cultist Trinkets
Area 36: Gold Ring (25gp)

Escape From Death House

Once inside, the players are trapped and told that a monster will hunt them down once it awakens. They have six hours to find it first and either appease it with a suitable sacrifice—or kill it. As they explore the house, they come to learn the house’s lurid history, as well as the true identity of the beast that lurks beneath.

If the players kill the monster, the house begins to collapse, forcing them to flee or be lost in the rubble. Upon emerging, they find that their surroundings have changed, transporting them to the darkened land of Barovia.

A1a. The Nightmare’s Bridle

If one or more of your players are using the Barovian Relics hook, read the following text. Otherwise, proceed to A2. Death House below.

It’s the evening before Highharvesttide, and a storm has descended over Daggerford, with dark clouds pouring cascades of rain down upon the town below. Despite the weather, however, the town buzzes with anticipation of the impending falltime festival, each home filled with warmth and joy. Bright, cheery candlelight twinkles from every window, and the sounds of song and dance echo throughout the wet and muddy streets.

Amidst the merriment, however, you stand apart. Neither locals nor visitors, you’re vagabonds—travelers, ghosts passing through an unfamiliar town. As laughter rings out from inns and homes, you face a simpler, starker dilemma: the quest for shelter.

Every room in this town is claimed, every hearth filled to bursting, leaving you in the grip of the bitter storm. Until, that is, the owner of the ramshackle Nightmare’s Bridle tavern offers you a grudging reprieve: the hayloft above their stable. It’s nothing to boast about, leaving the biting cold and the lingering scent of musty hay as your only companions. But it’s a roof over your heads nonetheless—a small mercy on a night such as this.

One by one, you find a home amidst the muck and hay.

Overhead, rain lashes the stable, thunder punctuating the rhythmic drumming on the roof. Flashes of lightning lance across the skies, casting the stable’s interior in stark lights and darks. Rainwater drips steadily down through a leak in the roof, snaking its way across the floor until it pools in the corner.

Here, then, you find yourselves: huddled in the darkness amongst strangers, while joy and mirth dance just out of reach.

Invite the players to describe each character's appearance and countenance, how they’ve positioned themselves, and how they’ve arranged their belongings.

When the players have finished introducing themselves, read:

Wanderer's Scarf. The scarf is carried away by the wind, its patterns shifting and turning in the air as it whirls through the streets toward Death House.
If the players give chase, read:

You emerge from the hayloft into the swirling mists beyond, the stones of Daggerford's streets slick and gleaming beneath your feet. The city’s laughter and cheer is now but a hollow echo, the brightness of its revelry drowned in the fog that encircles you. The taste of the cold, damp air is sharp on your tongue, and the sound of your own breath loud in your ears. Your relics call you forward, the mists parting to make way. You move slowly at first, then faster, your hearts pounding in your chest. As you venture deeper into the fog, each step you make feels heavier, each echo of thunder a beat in this relentless march.

The fog swallows the town, buildings reduced to looming shadows, their shapes dancing and flickering in the storm's sporadic flashes of lightning. Rain drums a relentless rhythm, the patter of drops on cobblestone accompanying the distant, mournful peal of thunder. For brief moments, you can feel something else beneath your feet: the steady pounding of a deep and distant heartbeat.

You're pulled left, then right, then left again, the relics guiding you through the murky labyrinth. Distance and direction have lost all meaning, the shadows around you contorting in twisted shapes. Your blood sings in your ears, and the air grows denser, electric, as the energy of the storm —of the chase—swells with reckless abandon.

And then—the pounding stops.

The thunder pauses.

And the mist breaks.

The fog pulls back like a curtain, revealing a tall, eerie silhouette that towers in the gloom before you.
This is Death House.

A2. Death House

If one or more of your players are using the Lost in the Mists hook, read the following text. Otherwise, proceed to A2a.

The Arrival below.

Highharvesttide in Daggerford. It’s a time of joy and celebration, of hearth and home, of golden laughter ringing out into the night. But tonight, as a storm has swept over the town, you find yourselves apart from the warmth and revelry, drawn into the cold, dark embrace of mystery.

As mercenaries, you're no strangers to danger or the unknown. But this—this is different. Over the past few weeks, whispers have spread throughout Daggerford of disappearances: ordinary folk, vanished without a trace.

A searing bolt of lightning rends the sky, illuminating the evening in a blinding flash of stark white. The booming thunder that follows is so loud it shakes the very ground beneath you, causing the timbers of the stable to creak and groan.

The light of the strike lingers unnaturally, silhouetting small wisps of fog that twist through the air. A thick, ankle-deep mist gathers outside, shrouding the earth in a ghostly veil. Its tendrils curl invitingly, as though beckoning you to the darkness beyond.

The rain continues to pelt the roof above, but the wind no longer howls, and the merry sounds of Daggerford’s festivities seem muted and distant. The horses in the stable beneath stir uneasily, their whinnies echoing loudly in the stillness. An uneasy feeling sweeps through the hayloft, a cold shiver that has nothing to do with the wind or rain.

The only connection? A grand, old manor, known in hushed tones as “Death House.”

Tonight, as the storm rages outside, you've been

summoned to investigate this mysterious dwelling. The town crier’s proclamation still echoes in your ears, a bounty for any brave souls who dare to uncover the truth. Driven by a mix of greed, curiosity, and perhaps a touch of bravado, you stepped forward.

Now, guided by the faint glow of your lanterns, you traverse the slick, fog-shrouded cobblestone streets. The distant merriment is a stark contrast to the eerie quiet around you. The world has been reduced to hushed whispers and the steady drumming of rain, a somber serenade to your perilous journey.

And then, as if answering an unspoken summons, the mists before you part, revealing the grim silhouette of your destination: the “Death House.” Its dark, stone façade and towering spires loom ominously against the storm-tossed sky, a wordless challenge against your resolve.

A2a. The Arrival

Entrance

Strahd & the Cult

The cult of Death House earned no love from Strahd in life. But in death, the two parties have come to an informal, unspoken understanding. In exchange for the permission to roam far afield from the misty land of Barovia to claim sacrifices, Death House is bound to return to the valley after each hunting excursion. Should any adventurers successfully escape the house's bloodied altar, they inevitably emerge into Strahd's domain— assuring him of a worthy crop of prey to pursue.

Main Hall

When the players pass through Death House’s threshold, any Barovian relics they carry cease to be active. (For example, the sunrise medallion ceases to glow.)

The main hall is largely as described in Main Hall (p. 212) but now contains a grandfather clock, which is placed in the circular space at the base of the stairs.

Instead of a longsword, the portrait of the Durst family from 6. Upper Hall (p. 213) now hangs above the fireplace. In the portrait, Rose is holding a smiling doll wearing a yellow lace dress. A plaque beneath the portrait reads: Mr. Gustav and Mrs. Elisabeth Durst, with their two children,

Read all players the following text:

Rosavalda and Thornboldt.

A grand manor stands before you, four stories of cold, soot stained stone, tall narrow windows, and high peaked roofs forming a picture of austere, chilling grandeur. Midway up, a narrow balcony juts out from the third floor, offering a grim perch from which to survey the surrounding grounds.

The centerpiece of this imposing facade is the portico, a stone arch standing sentinel before the house's oaken doors. A wrought-iron gate fills this arch, its rusty hinges creaking as it sways in the wind.

On either side of the gate, oil lamps hang from chains, their light dim and flickering, casting a sickly glow that barely pierces the surrounding fog.

Beyond the gate, a set of sturdy oaken doors stand closed, framed by the gate and the lamps. The doors are old and weathered, their wood darkened by time, but they stand strong and and proud—an unwelcome entrance to the house beyond.

A gust of wind sweeps past you, carrying with it a whisper of cold dread that sends shivers down your spine.

Any players who began with the Barovian Relics hook can now see the players who began with the Lost in the Mists hook, and vice-versa. (If any of the players’ relics flew or rolled to Death House—as with the wanderer’s scarf or the electrum coin—they land on the house’s threshold, just beyond the portico.) The street is otherwise deserted.

The entrance beyond the portico is otherwise as described in 1. Entrance (p. 212).

Shortly after all of the characters enter the main hall, the front door slams shut, extinguishing all lights in the house. The sound of the rain outside completely vanishes, leaving the house eerily silent.

Bloody letters then begin appearing on the southern wall, just above the marble staircase. They read as follows:

Beneath this dwelling lurks a beast

Who hungers for a bloody feast.

He sleeps until the midnight chime

Then wakes to feed his dark design.

If morsels seek to flee their doom,

Then bring toward his secret room

A gift to soothe his savage mood

But mind the servants of his brood.

The grandfather clock then strikes six o’clock.

A player who opens any outside-facing door or curtain in Death House, or who exits onto any balcony, finds that the exterior of the house has been surrounded by thick, fleshy tendrils. Although the tendrils can be damaged, more grow back swiftly to replace them, sealing the players inside. A player who inspects the tendrils finds that they appear to be extruding from beneath the house.

A2b. The First Floor

Cloakroom

A player who investigates the cloakroom adjoining the Main Hall can observe an envelope poking from the pocket of one of the cloaks. The envelope, which is addressed to Lady Lovina Wachter, contains an invitation. It reads:

Time in Death House

When the clock strikes six, place three six-sided dice on the table in front of the players, with each side showing a six. Each pip on the dice represents twenty minutes until midnight. As the players explore the house, tick this dice clock downward to indicate the passage of time, always starting with the die showing the lowest number. If the lowest die shows a one, you can tick it down to “zero” by removing it from the group instead.

The dice clock counts down as follows:

Each time the players enter a new floor of the house or dungeon, tick the dice clock down by one. Each time the players make a Perception or Investigation check to search an entire room, tick the dice clock down by one.

Each time the players complete a short rest, tick the dice clock down by three. The grandfather clock in the Main Hall sounds on the hour, every hour, and can be heard throughout the house and dungeon. When the clock strikes midnight, the flesh mound in the Ritual Chamber awakens and makes a beeline for the players, exiting through the Hidden Trapdoor into the Den of Wolves if necessary to reach them.

At least one minute should pass between the time the mound wakes up and the time that it first reaches the players, nullifying its heavy sleeper feature and allowing it to use its multiattack actions.

Resting in Death House

Due to their midnight deadline, it is impossible for the players to take a long rest in Death House. However, the players might still need to take a short rest. Each time they do so in the main house, they experience one or more of the following hauntings:

A player hears rats scrabbling up and down the spaces between the walls.

A thick, choking stench of rot seeps into the room.

A player hears the sound of a woman’s humming emanating from the opposite side of a closed door. If the door is cracked open, a cold blue eye stares back before vanishing.

A player hears footsteps descending from the attic, which stop outside of their door before moving away to the library. Soon after, a grinding noise can be heard coming from the library—the sound of the secret door.

A player hears maniacal laughter echoing from far below the house.

A player hears a pleading female voice in their right ear that swears that “it isn’t his.” Another, colder female voice in the player’s left ear scoffs and says, "You would say that, you little harlot."

You are cordially invited to join

MR. GUSTAV & ELISABETH DURST

for a celebration of the one-year anniversary of the Durst Mill.

The Durst Residence, Barovia Village

6 o'clock p.m.

13 Neyavr, 348

Dinner and refreshments to be served.

Den of Wolves

This room is largely as described in Den of Wolves (p. 212). As the players enter this room, read:

As you crack the door to this room open, you catch a glimpse of something feral beyond: an amber eye that flashes in the darkness, and a bestial muzzle curled into a snarl.

If the players proceed, read:

The door cracks open, revealing a gray-furred wolf frozen into place. It's only a moment before you realize that it's not moving—and another before you realize that it's not alone.

This oak-paneled room looks like a hunter's den. Mounted above the fireplace is a stag's head, and positioned around the outskirts of the room are two additional stuffed wolves—a large gray wolf and a smaller brown wolf.

Two padded chairs draped in animal furs face a hearth, with an oak table between them supporting an assortment of objects. A chandelier hangs above a cloth-covered table surrounded by four chairs, and two cabinets stand against the walls. A pair of small toys seems to have been forgotten beneath one of the chairs.

The discarded toys are small, plush gray wolves, whose threadbare coats show evidence of heavy mending and patchwork. Clumsy stitchwork on their stomachs reads ROSE and THORN, respectively.

In addition to its other contents, the east cabinet contains three silvered crossbow bolts mixed in with the other twenty bolts. Meanwhile, the north cabinet also contains a mounted piece of child's needlework that depicts a boy and girl holding the hands of a young woman, alongside clumsily stitched words that read FOR MISS KLARA. The young woman's face has been slashed and cut out.

The first time that no players are looking at them, the three taxidermied wolves move. When the players next look at them, the large gray wolf is standing beside the smaller brown wolf, and the first gray wolf has turned its snarl toward the others.

A player that succeeds on a DC 12 Intelligence (Nature) check can identify the large gray wolf as male and the other two as female.

Dining Room

Players that approach this door can hear the muffled sound of a lively dinner feast, including clinking glasses, quiet laughter, and distant conversation. If the players open or knock on the door, however, the room falls silent, leaving only the stillness and the cold grandeur of the room beyond.

This room is largely as described in Dining Room (p. 213). When the players enter it, read:

You enter into a wood-paneled dining room. The centerpiece is a carved mahogany table surrounded by eight high-backed chairs with sculpted armrests and cushioned seats. A crystal chandelier hangs above the table, which is set with resplendent silverware and crystal glasses polished to a dazzling shine. Mounted above the marble fireplace is a mahogany-framed painting of an alpine vale.

The wall paneling is carved with elegant images of deer among the trees. Red silk drapes cover the windows, and a tapestry hangs from an iron rod bolted to the south wall.

The table groans beneath the weight of a delicious-looking feast. Exquisite dishes lay on grand platters: succulent roasted poultry glazed with a shimmering honey sauce, perfectly grilled cuts of beef still steaming lightly, a variety of cheeses and fresh fruits, and freshly baked breads giving off a comforting aroma.

A player who partakes in the food suffers no ill effects.

Kitchen and Pantry

This room is largely as described in Kitchen and Pantry (p. 213). When the players enter this room, read:

The wine's label shows that it is from the Wizard of Wines winery and provides the name of the wine: Champagne du le Stomp. (A player that drinks the wine finds it to have turned to vinegar, as though it has magically aged centuries in mere moments.)

The piece of lace bears the initial "K" sewn onto one corner.

A successful DC 14 Intelligence (Nature) check identifies the brown powder as dried silphium, a contraceptive herb. The parchment scroll reads: "For the light of my life. —G."

If the players read the note, one of the knives in the kitchen flies off of its shelf and embeds itself in the opposite wall.

A2c. The Second Floor

Upper Hall

This room is largely as described in Upper Hall (p. 213). When the players enter this room, read:

Unlit oil lamps are mounted on the walls of this elegant hall. Hanging above the mantelpiece is a longsword with a windmill cameo worked into the hilt.

Standing suits of armor flank wooden doors in the east and west walls. Each suit of armor clutches a spear and has a visored helm shaped like a wolf's head. The doors between them are carved with images of dancing youths.

The red marble staircase continues its upward spiral to a third floor, a cold draft whispering down from above.

Servants’ Room

This room is largely as described in Servants’ Room (p. 213). When the players enter this room, read:

You enter a tidy kitchen, with dishware, cookware, and utensils neatly placed on shelves. A worktable has a cutting board and rolling pin atop it. A stone, dome-shaped oven stands near the

east wall, its bent iron stovepipe connecting to a hole in the ceiling. Behind the stove and to the left is a thin door. In the front right-hand corner of the room stands a small wooden door set into the wall.

If the players inspect the cookware, they find that the largest kitchen knife is missing.

A player who enters the pantry finds that one of the shelves contains a set of beautiful decorative plates painted with pictures of windmills. One of the plates appears to have been knocked off of the shelf and lies in shattered pieces on the floor, leaving an empty spot in the row of plates.

A few inches behind the empty spot on the shelf sits an antique copper pot, its lid slightly ajar. Peeking out from beneath the lid is the cork of what appears to be a bottle of wine.

A player who opens the pot finds it to contain a bottle of wine, a folded piece of delicate lace, a vial of a brownish dried powder, and a bouquet of wilted sunflowers tied to a small scroll of parchment.

This undecorated bedroom contains a pair of beds with straw stuffed mattresses. At the foot of each bed is a closed foot locker. A door to the left appears to lead to a closet.

In the right-hand corner stands a small wooden door, a metal button set into the wall beside it. A basket full of unwashed laundry appears to have been left beside it.

The basket contains a man's laundry, including fine suits, tunics, neckties, pants, and stockings. However, a single, much-smaller woman's slip appears to have been mixed in with the rest.

3. Conservatory

Players that approach this door can hear the faint sound of a harpsichord playing from beyond the doors. If the players open or knock on the door, however, the music falls silent.

This room is largely as described in Conservatory (p. 214). When the players enter it, read:

You enter into an elegantly appointed hall, the windows of which are covered by gossamer drapes. A brass-plated chandelier hangs from the ceiling, and upholstered chairs line the walls.

Several stained-glass wall hangings depict beautiful men, women, and children singing and playing instruments. A harpsichord with a bench rests in the northwest corner. Near the fireplace is a large standing harp. Alabaster figurines of well-dressed dancers adorn the mantelpiece.

The Harpsichord. A player who inspects the harpsichord finds that one of the keys appears to be permanently pressed in the "down" position. A player who investigates the interior of the harpsichord finds the cause: a rolled-up piece

parchment tucked beneath one of the strings.

The parchment is a piece of handwritten sheet music for the harpsichord titled Waltz for Klara. If the sheet music is played on the harpsichord, read:

As you press your fingers to the keys, the notes echo, a

haunting melody filling the quiet, dusty room. As you continue to play, the music seems to take on a life of its own, your hands moving across the keys unbidden as if guided by an unseen force.

From the edges of the room, spectral figures begin to materialize, spinning and weaving in a ghostly dance as though led by the song. Most are unfamiliar to you, but you recognize two: Elisabeth Durst, in the corner, watching Gustav's apparition dancing with a beautiful young woman wearing humble clothes.

The eyes of Elisabeth's apparition eyes narrow into a cold, furious stare. The dancers pay her little heed, however, the song growing faster as the spirits whirl to the rhythm of the harpsichord's crescendo.

With a swift movement, Elisabeth reaches for a pendant around her spectral neck—a shimmering amber shard hung on a cord of ethereal mist. As her ghostly fist curls around it, her eyes flash a bright, menacing amber—and the spectral dancers dissipate, swept away as if by an unseen wind.

Elisabeth's apparition lingers but a moment longer before disappearing with the rest. As it does, a sound resonates through the room: the low sound of scraping wood, originating from the room across the hall. The floor trembles faintly—and you hear a crash from the mantelpiece. Two of the alabaster figurines have fallen from their place on the shelf: one, toppled over on its side; the other, shattered across the floor.

A player who inspects the fallen figurines finds that the toppled figurine has cracked across its face, arms, and torso, and depicts a young and slender female dancer. The shattered figurine has broken into dozens of pieces, and appears to have once depicted a comely, older man. A third, female dancer figurine remains defiantly standing atop the mantelpiece where all three once stood.

4. Library

This room is largely as described in Library (p. 213-14). When the players enter this room, read:

Red velvet drapes cover the windows of this room. An exquisite mahogany desk and a matching high-back chair face the entrance and the fireplace, above which hangs a framed picture of a windmill perched atop a rocky crag. Situated in corners of the room are two overstuffed chairs.

Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves line the south wall. A rolling wooden ladder allows one to more easily reach the high shelves.

The Desk. A handwritten note sits atop the desk. It reads:

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Durst,

In light of my current condition, I respectfully ask your leave for a brief time away from my responsibilities.

While my devotion to your dear children makes this decision difficult, I have taken it upon myself to find a solution that, I hope, will serve your household well. A good acquaintance of mine is experienced in the care of children, and I believe that she could assume my role during my temporary leave without difficulty.

I realize that my request is not without its complications. However, my years serving your family have shown me the depth of your understanding and compassion. I truly feel that I have become a part of this family, and I look forward to bringing another member of that family into this world.

Yours sincerely,

Klara

The top drawer of the desk now contains a number of receipts for candles, daggers, and incense, rather than the key to 20. Children's Room* (p. 215).

The Bookshelves. A small rock collection sits upon one of the shelves, each of the stones labeled with its scientific name. (This collection once belonged to Mr. Durst.) Immediately beside the rock collection is a book titled The Tale of ________, with the final word being the name of the player character who first found it. It appears blank to any other creature, but, if read by that player character, tells the 2 story of their life.

The final written page of this book reads:

________ pulled the book down from the shelf and began to read, unaware of the creature that

watched them from the shadows. Slowly, the beast began to creep forward.

The next page is blank, save for a bloodstain. A search of the room provides no evidence of any lurking monster. A character that searches the room and succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check can see flickering candle light emanating from beneath the secret door.

The Secret Door. The secret door in this room has two components. First, a player must pull on the switch as described in Secret Door (p. 214). Doing so causes the bookshelf to swing forward, revealing a blank wooden wall behind it.

Once the bookshelf has been moved, the players can see a small panel made of dark wood behind it, built into the wall at approximately chest level. A small hollow niche, jagged and irregular, lies at the panel's center and emanates a faint amber glow.

The door cannot be opened unless the amber shard from the Master Suite (see below) is placed into the niche. The secret door then swings open, allowing the players to enter the Secret Room.

Secret Room

This room is largely as described in Secret Room (p. 214). When the players enter this room, read:

This small hidden room is packed with bookshelves groaning with old and ominous-looking leather-bound tomes. A heavy wooden chest with clawed iron feet stands against the south wall, its lid half-closed. Sticking out of the chest, its ribs and head caught beneath the lid, is a skeleton in leather armor.

Change Strahd’s letter to read as follows:

Making Multiple Ability Checks

As the players explore Death House and the many secret places within the land of Barovia, don't forget the Multiple Ability Checks rule, found on page 237 of the Dungeon Master's Guide, which reads as follows:

Sometimes a character fails an ability check and wants to try again. In some cases, a character is free to do so; the only real cost is the time it takes. With enough attempts and enough time, a character should eventually succeed at the task. To speed things up, assume that a character spending ten times the normal amount of time needed to complete a task automatically succeeds at that task. However, no amount of repeating the check allows a character to turn an impossible task into a successful one.

In other cases, failing an ability check makes it impossible to make the same check to do the same thing again. For example, a rogue might try to trick a town guard into thinking the adventurers are undercover agents of the king. If the rogue loses a contest of Charisma (Deception) against the guard's Wisdom (Insight), the same lie told again won't work. The characters can come up with a different way to get past the guard or try the check again against another guard at a different gate. But you might decide that the initial failure makes those checks more difficult to pull off.

My most pathetic servant, I am not a messiah sent to you by the Dark Powers of this land. I have not come to lead you on a path to immortality. However many souls you have bled on your hidden altar, however many visitors you have tortured in your dungeon, know that you are not the one who brought me to this beautiful land. You are but a worm writhing in my earth.

You say that you are cursed, your fortune spent. Your husband took solace in the bosom of another woman, sired a bastard son, and drove you to abandon love for madness. Cursed by darkness? Of that I have no doubt. Save you from your wretchedness? I think not. I much prefer you as you are.

Your dread lord and master,

Strahd von Zarovich

The players do not recognize the name "Strahd von Zarovich."

A2d. The Third Floor

As the players ascend the spiral stairs to the third floor, remind them that they can see down the center of the staircase all the way to the bottom floor.

Balcony

This room is largely as described in Balcony (p. 214). When the players enter this room, read:

You climb the red marble staircase to its full height, arriving at a dusty balcony. The air here is dry and musty, but tinged with a strange, coppery scent.

A suit of black plate armor stands against one wall, draped in cobwebs and marked by age. Oil lamps are mounted on the faded oak-paneled walls, which are carved with woodland scenes of trees, falling leaves, and tiny beasts.

When triggered, the animated armor will use one or both of its multiattack attacks to attempt to push a player over the railing using a shove attack, or attempt to grapple its nearest target before shoving them prone.

If the armor is thrown down to the first floor and the players do not reveal their presence atop the balcony, it is unable to observe them with its sixty feet of blindsight, and is too stupid to think to climb back up.

A creature that is pushed over the edge of the balcony falls two stories, or twenty feet, and takes 2d6 bludgeoning damage. That creature must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or land prone.

Master Suite

When a player first approaches this door, read:

These grand doors loom tall, their dark wood frames enclosing a pair of dusty stained-glass windows. Each pane is etched with intricate designs that resemble windmills, their once vibrant hues now faded and obscured beneath a thick veil of grime.

Through the dusty haze that prickles your eyes , you catch a glimpse of something through the windows: a silhouette, standing mere inches behind the glass, lit from behind by a dim, amber glow. It's still and unmoving, but the mere sight of it seizes your muscles in a vice-like grip, your limbs refusing to obey your conscious mind.

The air around you thickens, its temperature plummeting to a bone-chilling cold. Your breath fogs the glass panes, a delicate frost creeping across them as the house's distance creaks and whispers are swallowed by a heavy silence. The shadow behind the door is nearly formless— insubstantial—but its presence invokes a primordial dread deep within your marrow. Your heart beats faster, sweat beading on your forehead, pulse racing through your veins. Slowly, the silhouette begins to turn its head toward yours.

And then, just as suddenly as it appeared, the shadow evaporates. The biting cold ebbs away, and the house's quiet sounds return once more.

This room is largely as described in Master Suite (p. 214). When the players enter this room, read:

You enter a dusty, cobweb-filled master bedroom with burgundy drapes covering the windows. A four-poster bed with embroidered curtains and tattered gossamer veils stands against the center wall.

A door facing the foot of the bed has a faded full-length mirror mounted on it. In the right-hand corner of the roomstands a small wooden door, its surface half-rotted by age. A tarnished metal button is set into the wall beside it.

A rotting tiger-skin rug lies on the floor in front of the fireplace, which has a dust-covered portrait of the man and woman from the first-floor portrait hanging above it. A web

filled parlor in the southwest corner contains two chairs and a table holding several items, as well as a door with a dark, dirt flecked window.

The room also contains a matching pair of wardrobes, a padded chair, and a vanity with a wood-framed mirror and a silver jewelry box. A soft amber glow emanates from beneath the jewelry box's lid.

The Jewelry Box. The jewelry box is empty of valuables. Instead, it is filled with grain, with an amber shard resting in the center of the box. (This amber shard is the unique key to the secret door in the Library.)

A roll of parchment is half-buried in the grain beside the shard. If unfurled, it reads as follows:

Drasha,

I have selected you as the Beast’s custodian in my absence. Should the Beast grow unruly or show signs of agitation while I am away, I have left this amber shard to weaken it and soothe its fury.

Should the need arise, present the shard and

speak the Beast's name to quiet its tantrums—but be sure to begone from the house before it

awakens at midnight.

So long as the Beast draws breath, it—not you— is the heart of this house, and no meal shall ever sate its appetite. Should you linger in its domain, it will mean doom for you all.

Elisabeth

A player can present the shard and speak Walter's name as a bonus action while within 30 feet of the flesh mound in the Ritual Chamber (see below) to force the mound to make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be dazed until the start of the player's next turn. (A dazed creature can move or take one action on its turn, not both. It also can’t take a bonus action or a reaction.)

Bathroom

This room is as described in Bathroom (p. 215).

Storage Room

This room is largely as described in Storage Room (p. 215). When the players enter it, read:

Dusty shelves line the walls of this room. A few of the shelves have folded sheets, blankets, and old bars of soap on them. A cobweb-covered broom leans against the far wall.

When a player first approaches within 5 feet of the broom of animated attack, it attacks with surprise as soon as they avert their eyes or turn away, thwacking them once upside the head. It then immediately returns to its initial position—now cobweb-free. On its future turns, the broom uses its multiattack to continue to attack any player not looking at it who remains within 5 feet, foregoing opportunity attacks against players that move away.

Nursemaid’s Suite

This room is largely as described in Nursemaid’s Suite (p. 217). When the players enter it, read:

The Bed. A player that approaches the bed can see that a large, bloodstained kitchen knife has been driven into one of the pillows.

Dust and cobwebs shroud this elegantly appointed bedroom. A large bed stands against the far wall, its once-opulent coverings now faded and threadbare.

Beside the bed, a mildew-covered towel covers most of a dusty yellowed book on one of its two end tables. On the far side of the room, you can see a pair of two more stained-glass doors, their windows flecked with dirt and grime.

To the left stands an empty wardrobe, its doors slightly ajar. Mounted beside it stands a full-length mirror, its wooden frame carved to resemble ivy and berries.

To the right, an empty doorway leads into a darkened nursery. You can see the silhouette of a crib, its quiet form veiled by a hanging black shroud. A strange substance seems to cover the floor beneath it.

As you look around the room, you notice that the blankets atop the bed lift slightly away from the mattress, as though something is lying atop the mattress beneath. As you watch, you can see the coverings, almost imperceptibly, slowly rise and fall with low, rhythmic rustling.

Though its appearance is disturbing, players observing the spirit feel that it is simply watching them with shy curiosity. The spirit can neither speak aloud nor exit the mirror. However, it shows no hostility toward the players, and can answer basic questions by nodding or shaking its head. It knows everything that the nursemaid did in life. It shows fear at any mention of Mrs. Durst’s name, sorrow at any mention of Mr. Durst’s, melancholic fondness at any mention of Rose or Thorn, and despair at any mention of Walter. If the players ask the spirit for aid in reaching the basement or finding the “monster,” the spirit steps aside— vanishing from sight—and the secret door behind the mirror slowly swings open. The spirit does not return.

A2e. The Attic

Attic Hall

This room is largely as described in Attic Hall (p. 215). When the players enter this room, read:

The Bed. A player that removes the covers from the bed finds that there is nothing beneath them. Instead, the player only finds a bloodstained mattress and crude hand-and-foot restraints made from barbed wire nailed to the four posts of the bed frame.

The Doors. A player that exits the bedroom through the stained-glass doors and onto the balcony sees that the town of Daggerford has vanished. Instead, the balcony looks out over an endless, mist-filled chasm.

The Book. The book is a cobwebbed copy of a raunchy romance novel titled Blue-Blooded Lips. It tells the story of a peasant woman's romance with a wealthy duke. The Nursery. If a player enters the nursery, read:

The air in this small nursery is strangely warm and tinged with a coppery scent. Blood-red runes cover the walls, arranged in concentric circles around the crib in the center, which seems to have a name carved into its side. Strange, flesh-like tumors have grown along the floor around it in sparse clusters, and slowly pulsate as if they're breathing.

Looking down, you notice that a small object seems to have fallen beneath the crib. In the distance, you can faintly hear the sound of an infant's soft whimpering.

The object is a severed human finger with several pieces of flesh stripped from it. Tiny toothmarks can be seen around the wounds. A DC 12 Wisdom (Medicine) check identifies the finger as a woman's, and the teethmarks as a human child's.

The name "Walter" has been lovingly carved into the head of the crib. A successful DC 14 Intelligence (Arcana) identifies the runes around it as dark necromantic magic.

The Mirror. The nursemaid’s specter does not appear in this room. Instead, when a player approaches the mirror, the nursemaid’s spirit appears as an apparition in the glass.

The spirit resembles a pale, skeletally thin young woman, with all of her fingers and toes removed, her eyes sewn shut, and her lips and teeth torn from her mouth. Countless knife thin scars line her entire body, including the flesh around her

wrists and ankles, and her hair has been carelessly hacked to stubble.

This bare hall is choked with dust and cobwebs. Several doors lead from this attic corridor, including a door held shut with a padlock.

A low creak cuts through the air as one of the unlocked doors slowly creaks open.

The door leads to the Spare Bedroom (see below).

Spare Bedroom

This room is largely as described in Spare Bedroom (p. 215). When the players first enter it, read:

This cold, dust-choked room contains a slender bed, a

nightstand, a small iron stove, a writing desk with a stool, an empty wardrobe, and a rocking chair. A frowning doll in a lacy yellow dress sits in the northern window box beside a

tarnished old music box, cobwebs draping it like a wedding veil.

The players can recognize the doll as the same doll that Rose was holding in the family portrait in the Main Hall.

The music box contains a rusted, bloodstained skinning knife as well as the key to the padlock on Rose and Thorn's bedroom door.

The music box also contains two curled-up pieces of

parchment. The first parchment shows a basic floor plan split into three rectangles labeled QUARTERS, SHRINE, and ALTAR. QUARTERS and SHRINE are connected at the top by a single line, and at the bottom by a double line, which connects both to ALTAR. The second parchment contains a list of unfamiliar names beneath the word RECRUITMENT.

As the players exit the room, the rocking chair begins to rock softly and the music box opens and begins to play. The sound of motherly humming floats through the air for two measures, but grows off-key and distorted before coming to a violent, screeching halt. The rocking chair then stops rocking.

Children’s Room

This room is largely as described in Children’s Room (p. 215-16).

Profile: Rosavalda "Rose" Durst

Roleplaying Information

Resonance. Rose should inspire sympathy for her

insecurities and fears, endearment for her

dedication to Thorn, and gratitude for her earnest efforts to aid the players.

Emotions. Rose most often feels apprehensive,

curious, defiant, or bold.

Motivations. Rose wants to keep Thorn safe and

comforted, and to allow their spirits to finally find peace.

Inspirations. When playing Rose, channel Eleven

(Stranger Things), Matilda (Matilda), and Lucy

Pevensie (The Chronicles of Narnia).

Character Information

Persona. To the world, Rose is Thorn's fiercest

protector. To those she trusts, Rose is a lost,

fearful, and traumatized young girl.

Morale. In a fight, Rose would plead for peace,

but flee with Thorn if that proved impossible.

Relationships. Rose is Thorn Durst's older sister,

Walter Durst's half-sibling, and the eldest child of Elisabeth and Gustav Durst.

Profile: Thornboldt "Thorn" Durst Roleplaying Information

Resonance. Thorn should inspire sympathy for

his shyness and fear, and endearment for his

childlike joy.

Emotions. Thorn most often feels uncomfortable,

joyous, anxious, or terrified.

Motivations. Thorn wants to keep close to Rose and find toys to play with.

Inspirations. When playing Thorn, channel Neville

Longbottom (Harry Potter) and Piglet (Winnie the Pooh).

Character Information

Persona. To the world, Thorn is a frightened young boy who clings to his sister. To those he trusts, Thorn is a quietly observant and insightful child.

Morale. In a fight, Thorn would cower and cry, pleading for Rose to rescue him.

Relationships. Thorn is Rose Durst's younger brother, Walter Durst's half-sibling, and the youngest child of Elisabeth and Gustav Durst.

In life, Rose was a budding wizard who discovered a small spellbook in her father’s library, and took great care in copying the mending, light, and shocking grasp cantrips into 4 her diary.

As the ghost children speak with the players, Thorn levitates one of his toys into the air, which falls and breaks. Rose swiftly uses her mending spell to repair it. If her use of magic is remarked upon, she shyly shares her diary’s location, which can be found hidden in the cobweb-covered pillowcase on her bed.

In addition to her cantrips, Rose’s aged and faded diary also contains entries regarding her studies, her friends, her younger brother, her nursemaid (“Miss Klara”), and arguments between her mother and father. (Rose doesn't know anything about the content of those fights.)

Rose knows the way down to the basement, but “isn’t supposed to go down there.” If the party convinces her to show them the way, she points them toward the dollhouse, revealing the secret entry. In exchange, she asks the players to take her and Thorn's bones with them when they escape, burying them in the garden outside.

The dollhouse contains small dolls that depict tiny, twisted molds of any characters and creatures currently visible in the house. The dolls are made of painted resin. Any character looking inside the dollhouse while in Rose and Thorn’s room can see the appropriately-placed dolls of all living creatures within the manor. The dollhouse only contains rooms within the house itself, and does not depict the dungeon levels below.

When the secret door is revealed, Thorn shyly asks the players if he and Rose can accompany them downstairs to aid them, and attempts to possess a friendly player if permitted. When Rose or Thorn attempts to possess a player, describe it as “a child’s tiny hand, desperately seeking the touch of another soul.”

A player possessed by Rose can cast the cantrips in her diary, while a player possessed by Thorn can gain the effects of the mage hand cantrip as an action, without the use of components. (The spectral hand is invisible.)

Storage Room

This room is largely as described in Storage Room (p. 215). When the players enter this room, read:

This dusty chamber is packed with lumpy, squat shapes draped in dusty white sheets. An old iron stove stands against the right-side wall, next to what looks to be a large trunk covered by a sheet.

The nursemaid’s specter does not appear in this room. Instead, a character who opens the trunk finds the nursemaid’s corpse, with wounds consistent with those seen on the spirit’s body in the Nursemaid’s Suite. A DC 14 Wisdom (Medicine) check reveals that the woman died of starvation.

A player inspecting the remains feels a cold breath on their shoulder and the unshakeable sense of being watched. Meanwhile, if another player has previously uncovered a nearby mirror from its sheet covering, that player can see an apparition of Elisabeth Durst within the mirror staring at the player near the chest. Once observed, the apparition swiftly vanishes.

Milestone. Descending into Death House's dungeon level completes a story milestone. When the party gains access to the secret stairs, award each player 200 XP.

Guest Bedroom

This room is as described in Spare Bedroom (p. 215).

Secret Stairs

This room is largely as described in Secret Stairs (p. 217). However, opening the secret door reveals only a stone slab on the opposite side, inset with a small bronze panel at approximately chest level. A small hollow niche identical to the one in the library lies at the panel's center, emanating a faint amber glow. When the niche is exposed, the amber shard from the Master Suite glimmers faintly and swings in the air toward it, as though held aloft by an unseen force.

To allow the stone slab to swing open and reveal the hidden stairs on the opposite side, the players must place the amber shard into the niche.

When the players enter this room, read:

This side-corridor branches again to the left and right. On either side, large standing stone slabs have been set aside to lean against the walls, opening the way to a pair of dark, quiet crypts. The slab to the right is etched with the name "Walter Durst"; the slab to the left is blank.

If the characters enter the Empty Crypt, read:

You peer past the leaning stone slab to see an empty earthen crypt.

If the characters enter Walter’s Crypt, read:

The secret door opens to reveal a narrow spiral staircase built of aged-looking wood within a tight shaft of mortared stone. Thick cobwebs fill the staircase as it descends into the darkness below.

Swollen, bloody cysts cover the walls of this crypt like tumors. From time to time, they pulsate and burst, streams of pus oozing down to collect on the floor. In the distance, you can hear an infant's quiet whimpers.

As the players descend the stairs, read:

The broken cobwebs around you sway like a gossamer wedding veil, beckoning you forward as the ancient stairs creak and groan underfoot. The gaping maw of the stairwell draws you deeper, swallowing you up as you descend further down its gullet. You descend one floor—two floors—three.

The walls of the stone shaft narrow around you, forcing you to hunch your shoulders and pull in your elbows to continue downward. In the darkness, you can only hear the shuffle of your feet, the choking groan of the stairs, and the pounding of your blood in your ears.

Finally, after what feels like hours, the descent levels out, and the spiral staircase ends at a darkened landing of packed earth. A narrow tunnel supported by aged timber braces stretches ahead of you, its stone walls seeming to bleed with deposits of streaked, red clay. Eight feet ahead, the tunnel splits, branching to the left and right.

As your eyes and ears adjust to the cold, subterranean corridor, you notice that the tunnel isn't as silent as the staircase above. An eerie, low-pitched sound echoes through the space—and you soon recognize it as a deep, incessant chanting.

A2f. The Basement

1. Family Crypts

These rooms are largely as described in Family Crypts (p. 217-18).

As the players approach the Empty Crypt and Walter’s Crypt, read:

As the players approach Gustav’s Crypt and Elisabeth’s Crypt, read:

This side corridor branches again to the left and right. Large standing stone slabs seal the entrance to the tunnels on either side, blocking the way forward. The slab to the left is etched with the name "Gustav Durst"; the slab to the right is etched with the name "Elisabeth Durst." The tunnel here is unnaturally quiet, and a thin mist clings to the floor.

If the characters enter Gustav’s Crypt, read:

The crypt beyond the slab contains a stone coffin lying atop a dusty stone bier. Silence hangs heavy over the lonely chamber.

If the characters enter Elisabeth’s Crypt, read:

A thick, acrid miasma hangs over the interior of this crypt, which holds a stone-carved coffin resting atop a stone bier. The floor before it is littered with the bodies of hundreds of dead termites. Many cling to the elongated, bloated body of a dead termite queen, while others appear to have died atop the scarred, mutilated bodies of four larger beetles not far away.

As the players approach Rose’s Crypt and Thorn’s Crypt, read:

This side-corridor branches again to the left and right. Large standing stone slabs seal the entrance to the tunnels on either side, blocking the way forward. The slab to the left is etched with the name "Rosavalda Durst"; the slab to the right is etched with the name "Thornboldt Durst." Each slab exudes the silence of a forgotten grave.

If the characters enter either crypt, read:

This small chamber contains a stone coffin resting on a stone bier. The air in this crypt hangs heavy with sorrow.

The players cannot help Rose or Thorn’s ghosts find peace by placing their remains in their coffins. Neither Rose nor Thorn

finds these crypts comforting. Both prefer to leave as quickly as possible.

2. Cult Initiates’ Quarters

This room is largely as described in Cult Initiates’ Quarters (p. 218).

As the characters move to descend to the Well and Cultist Quarters (p. 218), a sudden splashing sound can be heard— which then quickly subsides.

2. Well and Cultist Quarters

This room is largely as described in Well and Cultist Quarters (p. 218). When the players enter this room, read:

The ceiling of this dark, earthen chamber rises a foot higher than the cramped tunnel. It's supported by thick wooden posts and cross beams that have rotted with age and bear deep holes indicative of hungry insects.

Here, a lonely well stands at the center of the room, surrounded on three sides by several smaller, alcove-like chambers that have been carved into the walls. Old footprints criss-cross the floor, leading into the alcoves, around the well, up a staircase on the other end of the room, and back upstairs the way you came.

An old hempen rope attached to a rusted pulley descends past the mouth of the well, swaying gently in the stagnant air as if just abandoned by an unseen occupant.

The well comprises a 4-foot-diameter well shaft with a 3-foot high stone lip, and descends 30 feet to a water-filled cistern. A wooden bucket hangs from a rope-and-pulley mechanism bolted to the cross beams above the well. The interior of the shaft is covered with an ash-black species of fungi.

If the players toss an object down the well and then turn away, they hear loud splashing and tearing sounds coming from below. When they turn back, the object has been torn to pieces, with large parts missing.

Replace the silvered shortsword in footlocker 25E with a book bound in grimy black leather. This journal, which one of the cultists kept as a log of the cult’s victims, contains a list of names and physical descriptions associated with each name. Each entry includes gruesome details describing the victim’s sacrifice, such as “struggled profusely” or “no sedative 1 given,” and ends with the phrase, "Fed to Walter."

3. Hidden Spiked Pit

This room is largely as described in Hidden Spiked Pit (p. 218). If the characters enter this area from Well and Cultist Quarters, read:

The staircase leads to a quiet landing. To the front, the stairs continue upward and vanish around a bend. To the right, the landing continues straight into a lonely corridor. This tunnel hallway seems surprisingly clean and bereft of debris; at its far end, another earthen staircase descends into darkness.

The incessant chanting that has filled the air of this underground complex grows stronger toward the far end of this corridor. Its source seems to lie beyond the descending stairs.

If the characters enter this area from Dining Hall, read:

The staircase descends to a quiet landing. To the front, the stairs continue to descend, opening into a broader chamber. To the left, the landing continues straight into a lonely corridor. This tunnel hallway seems surprisingly clean and bereft of debris; at its far end, another earthen staircase descends into darkness.

The incessant chanting that has filled the air of this underground complex grows stronger toward the far end of this corridor.

If the characters enter this area from Ghoulish Encounter, read:

The staircase descends to a quiet landing. To the left, the stairs continue to descend, rounding a bend before vanishing into darkness. The incessant chanting that has filled the air of this underground complex appears to be echoing from below.

To the right, the landing continues straight into a lonely corridor. This tunnel hallway seems surprisingly clean and bereft of debris; at its far end, the corridor branches left and right.

4. Dining Hall

This room is largely as described in Dining Hall (p. 218). When the players enter this room, read:

This room contains a plain wooden table flanked by long benches. Moldy humanoid bones lie strewn on the dirt floor. A thick stench of rot and gore fills the chamber, so coppery with blood that you can taste it on your tongue.

A few dozen moldy bones have been piled into a grotesque and misshapen pyramid in a dark alcove to the south.

5. Larder

This area is largely as described in Larder (p. 218). The grick in this alcove—the warped remains of Gustav Durst’s flayed corpse—is coiled on the ceiling, and drops onto its victim when they enter. A DC 17 Wisdom (Perception) check allows a player to determine its presence before entering.

If the players disturb the grick, read:

A horrific creature—a long, flesh-like worm the breadth and length of a human man—drops from the ceiling. Its flayed muscles split open to reveal a flapping, gaping maw ringed by hundreds of tiny, humanlike teeth and a gnashing, bony beak.

It lets out a high-pitched, gurgling squeal as it hurls itself forward, writhing, tendon-like tentacles lashing toward your face.

6. Ghoulish Encounter

This area is largely as described in Ghoulish Encounter (p. 218). When the players first approach this area, read:

A deathly stench emanates from this corridor. The stone walls bear cracked, red stains, and a trail of old bones leads deeper down the tunnel.

When a player first enters one of the 5-foot squares at the entrance of the corridors (marked T on the map), three ghouls rise up out of the ground in the spaces marked G and attack.

As the ghouls attack, they mindlessly repeat any or all of the following phrases:

“Beautiful. We’re so beautiful.”

“We are perfect. We are immortal.”

“Help us live forever.”

If the players continue down the corridor, read:

The trail ends at the center of a quiet intersection. The incessant chanting you've heard since first entering the dungeon is noticeably louder down the northern branch of the intersection.

7. Stairs Down

This room is largely as described in Stairs Down (p. 218). When the players approach this area, read:

A dark set of chiseled stone steps descends into darkness. It's clear that the origin of the muffled chanting you've been hearing lies below.

8. Darklord’s Shrine

This room is largely as described in Darklord’s Shrine (p. 218). When the players enter this room, read:

This room is festooned with moldy skeletons that hang from rusty shackles against the walls, their mouths hanging open in silent screams.

A wide alcove in the south wall contains a painted wooden statue carved in the likeness of a gaunt, pale-faced man

wearing a voluminous black cloak, his pale left hand resting on the head of a wolf that stands beside him. The statue's right hand holds a smoky-gray crystal orb, and its painted gaze stares down toward you, a cold and cruel glint to its eye.

Five ashen shadows are burned into the walls, with soot marks stretching across the floor toward the statue.

The room has exits to the west and north. Chanting can be heard coming from the west.

A player that approaches the orb can hear many voices whispering the following phrases:

“His gaze burns upon us.”

“The Darklord’s eyes are always watching.”

Additionally, that player’s shadow begins to writhe and twist, its edges growing tattered and blurred as it lashes erratically across the floor. A player who touches the orb feels as though a “dark, ancient evil” has suddenly turned its eye upon them.

If the orb is removed from its position, the ashen shadows upon the walls begin to stir. Each round, up to two of the shadows “awaken,” swooping across the walls. As they awaken, they murmur and moan the following phrases:

“Begone from this place!”

“Look not upon us.”

“Return the Darklord’s offering!”

Once all shadows have awoken, they attack, with each shadow preferring to target a different player. If the orb is returned to its place on the statue, the shadows return to their original positions and become dormant once more.

If the players approach the door leading to Cult Leaders’ Den, read:

This old wooden door is covered in ancient red stains.

If the players have not already seen this door from the opposite side, add:

The half-eaten body of a rat lies at its base, its head torn off and half of the spine poking from its severed lower torso.

Any creature that touches the door becomes adhered to it, whereupon the mimic attacks. The mimic also attacks if its takes any damage.

When the mimic attacks, the victim's hand is sucked inside of it. The door then deforms, sprouting dozens of mouths and eyes, with the nearest mouth attempting to bite down on the now-stuck victim.

If the mimic is attacked at range by a wary or alerted PC, it flees, vanishing around the corner and reappearing as a door, chest, or longsword elsewhere in the dungeon.

9. Hidden Trapdoor

This room is largely as described in Hidden Trapdoor (p. 219). When the players find and enter this area, read:

The clay staircase ends at a cramped landing. Six feet above the ground, a half-rotted ceiling of close-fitting planks holds a closed wooden trapdoor leading to an upper floor. The trapdoor is bolted shut from this side.

10. Cult Leader’s Den

This room is largely as described in Cult Leaders’ Den (p. 219). When the players enter this room, read:

The wardrobe contains several old robes, a pair of iron candlesticks, and an open crate containing thirty torches and a leather sack with fifteen candles inside it. A rotting aroma also emanates from a pair of rotted organs—a half-eaten liver and a gnawed intestine—lying hidden beneath the hems of the robes.

Folded inside the foot locker, on top of its other contents, is a boneless (Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft, p. 228) made of the recognizable flayed skin of Gustav Durst. When the foot locker is opened, the boneless springs out to attack the nearest creature.

No ghasts attack if a player removes any items from the foot locker, and there are no hidden cavities behind the walls.

A2g. The Dungeon

1. Reliquary

This room is largely as described in Reliquary (p. 219). When the players enter this room, read:

The dusty stone steps descend past a landing and around a bend until they end at a cold, rectangular chamber. A thin, wafting mist clings to the ground, and the wooden cross beams that support the ceiling groan beneath the weight of the house and underground complex above.

The walls of this room are cut with small, chiseled alcoves, each holding a strange, ghastly trinket or relic. A corridor with a sagging ceiling exits the chamber and bends out of sight to the right. Past it, you can see a stone slope that descends into black, murky water. The ghostly chant you've heard since entering the basement is strongest here, and seems to be emanating from the other side of a rusted, closed portcullis. You can finally understand the words.

They say, over and over again, in a ceaseless refrain: "He is the Ancient." "He is the Land."

This quiet room contains a wooden table flanked by two high backed chairs and holding a clay jug and two flagons. Above the table is suspended an unlit cast-iron chandelier. Iron candlesticks stand in two corners of the chamber, their candles long since melted away. A short corridor at the north end of the room leads to a darkened chamber beyond.

See Darklord’s Shrine for more information on running the mimic here.

1.1. Cult Leader’s Quarters

This room is largely as described in Cult Leaders’ Quarters (p. 219). When the players enter this room, read:

This room contains a large wood-framed bed, the feather mattress rotted by years of disuse. An old wooden wardrobe carved with demonic faces stands against the wall to the left, and a faded wooden footlocker stands quietly at the foot of the bed.

2. Prison

This room is largely as described in Prison (p. 219). When the players enter this room, read:

The sound of clinking chains melds with a quiet, near imperceptible rustling as you round the bend into a long,
darkened dungeon. Rusted shackles hang patiently from the walls, as if waiting to bite into prisoners' flesh once more.

3. Portcullis

This area is largely as described in Portcullis (p. 219). When the players approach this area, read:

The room is suffused with a familiar stench of death—but far stronger, mixing with a noxious scent that fills your lungs with every breath.

The floor is submerged beneath two feet of dark, murky water that sloshes around your calves and boots. The tunnel forward is blocked by a rusty iron portcullis. Beyond its iron bars, you can make out the dark outline of a half-submerged chamber, a raised stone dais, and a thick cloud of rolling mist.

Flesh Mound, 1st Form Large undead, chaotic evil

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)

Hit Points 51 (6d10 + 18)

Speed 20 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 16 (+3) 8 (-1) 16 (+3) 3 (-4) 10 (+0) 5 (-3)

Condition Immunities blinded, deafened, exhaustion Senses blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 10 Languages —

Challenge 3, or 2 when its heavy sleeper feature is active.

Heavy Sleeper. If either of the mound’s forms has been unconscious within the past minute, it can’t use its multiattack.

Instinctual Defense. When the mound drops to 0 hit points, it expels each creature currently engulfed by it. (Those creatures appear prone in an empty space within 5 feet of the mound.) The mound’s statistics are then instantly replaced by the statistics of its second form. Its initiative count doesn’t change.

Actions

Multiattack. The flesh mound makes two Slam attacks. If it has a Medium or smaller creature grappled, the flesh mound then uses its Engulf on it.

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage. If the attack hits a Medium or smaller target, the target is grappled (escape DC 13).

Engulf. The flesh mound engulfs a Medium or smaller creature grappled by it. The engulfed target is blinded, restrained, and unable to breathe, and it must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw at the start of each of the mound’s turns or take 8 (2d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage. If the mound moves, the engulfed target moves with it. The mound can only have one creature engulfed at a time.

The wooden wheel that opens the portcullis remains on the western side of the gate (i.e., the side facing the Ritual Chamber). However, the chain-link mechanism to open the portcullis has broken, preventing the players from proceeding without repairing it (e.g., by using Rose’s mending cantrip) or lifting the portcullis by hand. (If the players lift the portcullis by hand and then release it, its weight causes it to shut once more unless propped open.)

4. Ritual Chamber

This room is largely as described in Ritual Chamber (p. 219). When the players enter this room, read:

The smooth masonry walls of this forty-foot-square room provide excellent acoustics. Featureless stone pillars support the ceiling, and murky water covers most of the floor. Stairs lead up to dry stone ledges that hug the walls. In the middle of the room, more stairs rise to form an octagonal dais that also rises above the water. Rusty chains with shackles dangle from the ceiling directly above a stone altar mounted on the dais. The altar is carved with hideous depictions of grasping ghouls and is stained with dry blood. A small, white bundle lies atop it, surrounded by pulsating, fleshy tendrils.

The tendrils run to a breach in the far wall that leads to a dark cave, their fleshy masses connecting to a dark, hulking shadow that lies within, its bloated mass rising and falling with a slow, shuddering rhythm.

As soon as you step foot into the chamber, the ghostly chanting you've heard suddenly falls silent.

A player that approaches the altar sees that the words "FEED HIM" are carved into its flat stone surface just below the white bundle, surrounded by several fleshy tendrils inset with human teeth. The tendrils belong to the flesh mound (see below), which awakens and attacks if the tendrils are damaged.

The bundle atop the altar is the size and shape of an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes. If unwrapped, the players instead find it to hold a rusted, serrated dagger stained red with ancient blood.

The dark shadow in the cave is a flesh mound containing 1 Walter’s spirit and remains. It is a swollen, bloated mound of bones, flesh, and gore that seems to breathe as its mass rises and falls. A player that observes it concludes that it appears to be sleeping.

The cultists' shadows described in “One Must Die!” (p. 220) do not appear when a player climbs the altar. Instead, the players have two choices: sacrifice a living creature on the altar, or attack the flesh mound.

If a creature is sacrificed on the altar, the flesh mound's tendrils accept its corpse and pull it to the mound's lair. There, the mound messily devours it before returning its tendrils to the altar once more. Feeding the mound does not free the players, because its hunger cannot be sated.

The flesh mound awakens if attacked. When it does, its subsequent screeching wail causes the earth to tremble, sending the Portcullis crashing to the ground if it's been opened and damaging the mechanism responsible for opening it.

In combat, the flesh mound begins in its first form. For one minute after it has awoken, the flesh mound’s heavy sleeper feature prevents it from using its multiattack actions in either form.

A creature engulfed by the mound’s first form can hear the faint sound of a baby crying at the center of its swollen bulk.

Elisabeth's Amber Shard

Remember that a player in possession of

Elisabeth's amber shard from the Master Suite can present the shard and speak the name "Walter" while within 30 feet of the flesh mound, forcing the mound to make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be dazed until the start of the player's next turn. (A dazed creature can move or take one action on its turn, not both. It also can’t take a bonus action or a reaction.)

A2h. Escape From Death House

When the flesh mound dies, the players can hear the sound of the house’s front door opening far overhead, and the distant thunderstorm beyond.

When the players next begin to move toward the exit, read:

Flesh Mound, 2nd Form Large undead, chaotic evil

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)

Hit Points 51 (6d10 + 18)

Speed 20 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 16 (+3) 8 (-1) 16 (+3) 3 (-4) 10 (+0) 5 (-3)

Condition Immunities blinded, deafened, exhaustion Senses blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 10 Languages —

Challenge 3, or 2 when its heavy sleeper feature is active.

A guttural moan ripples through the air—and a terrifying apparition manifests before you: the spirit of Elisabeth Durst, her once-beautiful features now grotesquely distorted. Her lustrous hair is a wild, disheveled mess, her skin a deathly pallor, and her lips peeling back to reveal sharp, yellowed teeth. An amber shard glows ominously on a cord around her spectral neck, a shadowed wisp swirling within its depths.

The spirit levitates high above the floor, sunken eyes blazing with malice and mouth twisted into a snarl. "You may have evaded my pet," it rasps, "but I will tear this house apart before I let you escape." It throws its head back and lets loose a blood-curdling scream that reverberates across the stone walls—and sets the very foundations of the house trembling.

Far above, the grandfather clock begins to chime, the sound mounting to a thunderous cacophony. Dust and debris rain down as the floor shakes beneath you, the wooden cross beams of the ceiling starting to splinter and crack. Elisabeth's spirit fixes you with a feral grin—and then dissipates into thin air, leaving only echoes of its spiteful laugher as the house rumbles, shifts, and groans.

Heavy Sleeper. If either of the mound’s forms has been unconscious within the past minute, it can’t use its multiattack.

Innocent Heart. The front of the mound contains a large, misshapen rib cage. Within the rib cage hovers the infant corpse of Walter Durst. Walter's corpse has AC 17, 20 hit points, and the same ability scores as the flesh mound. If Walter's corpse is reduced to 0 hit points, the flesh mound instantly dies.

Actions

Multiattack. The flesh mound makes two tentacle attacks and uses its gore spray.

Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d10 + 3) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

Gore Spray. The mound spews blood and gore in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, a

creature takes 7 (2d6) necrotic damage and is blinded until the end of the mound's next turn. On a success, a creature takes half as much damage and isn't blinded.

The players must flee from the ritual chamber to the Entrance of Death House before the entire structure collapses upon their heads. However, they don't need to roll initiative, and the architectural changes described in The Cult is Denied are not present.

Instead, as the players escape the crumbling Death House, they face two additional obstacles.

Gustav's Ghost. As the players move to exit the Reliquary, the ghost of Gustav Durst (use the statistics of a poltergeist, but without its invisibility feature) confronts them. Read:

An ethereal apparition appears before you, obstructing the stairs—the ghost of a man. He is a gaunt and pale figure, with sunken, haunted eyes and trembling hands, wearing once-fine clothing now tattered with age.

"Please," the spirit says, tears beading at the corners of his eyes. "You have to stay here and die. She won't accept anything else."

The spirit is recognizable as Gustav Durst. Gustav pleads with the players to give up, insisting that Elisabeth's spirit is simply too powerful—too fearsome—to disobey. A DC 10 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals that Gustav is terrified of Elisabeth—and ridden with guilt, doubt, and self-loathing.

If the players attempt to bypass or attack Gustav, a swarm of levitating debris and shrapnel arises around him. He pleads with the players again, insisting that he doesn't want to fight them, but that he doesn't know that he has any other choice.

The players can convince Gustav to step aside with a successful DC 20 Charisma (Intimidation) check. Alternatively, if the players reference Gustav's history with Elisabeth and Klara, they can convince him to stand aside with a DC 10 Charisma (Persuasion) check, succeeding automatically if they show him empathy or kindness.

If the players successfully persuade Gustav to stand aside, he warns them that "her other servants" are lying in wait ahead to block the players' escape. "Don't fear them," he says. "Their only power is fear." He then vanishes.

The Cult's Return When the players first reach the Family Crypts or (if they have previously found and opened the hidden trapdoor described in 32. Hidden Trapdoor, p. 219) the Darklord's Shrine, the spirits of the cult arise to stop them. Read:

The changing rises once more as thirteen dark apparitions appear around you, obstructing the way forward—as well as the way back. Each one resembles a black-robed figure holding a torch, but the torch's fire is black and seems to draw light into it. Where you'd expect to see faces are voids. "He is the Ancient!" they chant, over and over. "He is the Land!"

The apparitions are harmless and intangible figments that can't be damaged, turned, or dispelled. At the end of each round, each player that remains between the apparitions must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or take 2 (1d4) bludgeoning damage from falling debris.

A2i. Outside Death House

When the players exit Death House, the storm overhead has slowed to a mere drizzle, and the mists around the house have disappeared. Night has long since fallen, and the waning moon is high in the sky.

Most surprisingly, the players now find themselves in a dark forest clearing at the beginning of the Old Svalich Road (p. 33), rather than in the streets of Daggerford. The road travels west. To the east lie dark, endless woods filled with the Mists of Ravenloft (p. 23).

The house then collapses into the earth, leaving a dark and bottomless pit behind. If the players still have it, Elisabeth Durst's amber shard then crumbles into dust. The pit vanishes the first time the players depart the clearing.

If they’re still possessing the players, Rose and Thorn’s spirits end their possessions. The children remark that the woods look like their home—Barovia.

As the players explore their surroundings, they can quickly see the top of an old, ruined stone tower poking up through the treetops. The architecture of the tower is as described in Will-o'-Wisp (p. 33), but the interior is not desecrated ground, there is no wooden chest on the ground, and there are no zombies or will-o'-wisps inside or around the tower.

The players can easily surmise that this ruin appears to be a safe place to spend the night. Rose and Thorn offer to serve as sentries while the players rest, watching the woods and awakening the players should any threats emerge.

The night passes without issue. When the players awaken the following morning, Rose and Thorn ask the players if they can bury their remains before proceeding any further, so that they can finally rest. (The children's spirits will not proceed further into Barovia, instead pleading for the players to allow them to rest.) If the players bury their remains here, the children’s spirits thank them before vanishing.

The players can find the beginning of the Old Svalich Road a short ways through the woods away from the tower. Arc B: Welcome to Barovia then begins.

Milestone. Escaping Death House completes a story milestone. When the party begins their first long rest after escaping the house, award each player 400 XP. (This should allow the players to advance to 3rd level.)

Death House Design Notes

The Arrival. The illusory Rose and Thorn have been intentionally removed from this version of Death House in order to ensure that the players enter the house of their own volition and trust the real Durst children upon meeting them.

The countdown and poem have been added to provide the players with a clear sense of direction and purpose while exploring the house, and to prevent the players from taking a long rest (and therefore disrupting the balance of subsequent combat encounters) while doing so.

The First Floor. The feast in the dining room has been made intentionally harmless in order to encourage the players to trust the safety of Strahd's dinner invitation when they later receive it. Additional clues have been added to convey to the players the relationships within the Durst family, including Mr. Durst's affair.

The Second Floor. Clues have been added to ease the discovery of the library's secret room and to convey the depth of Mr. Durst's affair, as well as the nursemaid's pregnancy.

The dog Lancelot, a popular community character, has been intentionally cut from Death House to avoid providing the players with an easy sacrifice to make at the altar in the ritual chamber—a sacrifice that is no longer functional (because the cult no longer releases the players upon making a sacrifice) and which rings hollow when compared to the campaign that procedes it (because Strahd's "hunger" cannot be sated.)

The Third Floor. The nursemaid's specter now serves as a vital tool that allows the players to find the attic staircase without undue frustration or delay. Additional clues have been added to convey the fate of Walter, Mr. Durst, and the nursemaid.

The Attic. Clues have been added to convey the nursemaid's fate and the founding of Mrs. Durst's cult. The Dungeon. Several of the encounters in this area have been changed to reduce the probability of a TPK and to teach the players to act cautiously and make wise decisions. In the ritual chamber, the cult is no longer willing to accept the sacrifice of a beast (e.g., Lancelot), foreshadowing that Strahd will not be content with Ireena alone. The shambling mound has been replaced by a two-stage flesh mound, whose statistics have been calibrated to provide a challenging fight without risking a TPK.

Escape From Death House. The original "escape from Death House" sequence has been replaced with a pair of social encounters that reward the players for investigating the history of the house, and which serve to foreshadow the characterizations of Sergi von Zarovich, Lady Fiona Wachter, and Strahd's brides and servants in the adventure to come.

The frequent community addition of a skill challenge to escape the house has been removed to ensure a smooth and simple transition from the flesh mound's death to the players' exit from the house, to remove any friction with players who may struggle to learn the mechanics of a new system of gameplay in the heat of the moment, and to preserve the players' immersion in the narrative of the escape, rather than its gameplay.

This guide has intentionally foregone a popular community addition that places a bottle of wine—courtesy of Strahd—at or near the exit of the house. Strahd is not omniscient, and the players' efforts to avoid or foil his spies will prove a recurring aspect of gameplay through the adventure.

Moreover, Death House is too far from Barovia proper for Strahd to have obtained and delivered a fresh bottle of wine to its location. A villain is only as evocative as their limitations, and Strahd has many. Finally, it is an intentional design choice of this guide that the players do not encounter Strahd directly until their meeting at the River Ivlis

Crossroads, which ensures that their relationship with Strahd before then is built solely on rumor, second-hand knowledge, and superstition. Earlier direct exposure would wholly spoil this effect.