STATBLOCK:

ENCOUNTER BLOCK:

Description:

Tends the grounds and digs the graves at St Andrals Church in Vallaki
A brawny lad with a perpetually furrowed brow named Milivoj (see below) tends the grounds and digs graves

Character History:

Character Traits:

Ideals:
Bonds:
Flaws:

Knowledge:

DM Notes:

Milivoj (N male human commoner) is rarely seen without a shovel, which he wields like a club. Modify his statistics as follows:

• His Strength is 15 (+2).

• His melee weapon attack bonus is +4, and he deals 4 (ld4 + 2) bludgeoning damage when he hits with the blunt head of his shovel.

Bones of St. Andral

Until recently, the church was protected from Strahd's depredations by the bones of St. Andral, which were sealed in a crypt beneath the church's main altar. But now the church is at risk because someone broke into the crypt a few nights ago and stole the bones. Until recently, Father Lucian was the only person in Vallaki who knew about the bones, but he recalls mentioning them to Yeska over a month ago to put the fearful boy at ease. After the bones were stolen, Father Lucian asked Yeska if he told anyone else about the bones. The boy nodded but wouldn't divulge a name.

The culprit is Milivoj, whom Father Lucian correctly suspects. But the priest has been reluctant to confront Milivoj because the lad is so temperamental. Father Lucian has not reported the theft for fear of the distress that the news might cause, and he doesn't want to ruin the burgomaster's festival. If the party includes a good-aligned cleric or ·paladin, Father Lucian mentions the theft in the hope that the characters can provide assistance. St. Andral's crypt is a 10-foot-square, 5-foot high chamber beneath the chapel. To reach the crypt, Milivoj used his shovel to pry up the chapel floorboards. (The boards have since been replaced.) If one of the characters confronts Milivoj and succeeds on a DC 10 Charisma (Intimidation) check, he admits that Yeska told him about the bones. He also admits to passing along the information to Henrik van der Voort, the local coffin maker (area N6), and to stealing the bones for Henrik in return for money to help feed his younger sisters and brothers.

The theft of the bones has left the church vulnerable to attack by Strahd's minions (see "St. Andral's Feast" in the "Special Events" section at the end of this chapter). If the bones are returned to their resting place, St. Andral's church once again becomes hallowed ground, as though the building was protected by a hallow spell.

Found in:

• Curse of Strahd (page: 97)