Ancestries

Barovia was cut off from the rest of Orden centuries ago, and is a mostly-human setting, but people of all ancestries can be found in the valley. Humans are very common; high elves, polder, and hakaan are fairly common, though hakaan in Barovia tend not to live in human cities; devils, dwarves, wode elves, and orcs are rare; dragon knights, memonek, and time raiders are very rare, but not unheard of.

There is no fantasy racism in Draw Steel Against Strahd. However, the people of Barovia are, for obvious reasons, deeply afraid and mistrustful of the undead. If you (the Director) have a player at your table who wants to play a revenant hero, make sure to discuss with them if and how they'd like that choice to impact their adventure.

Classes

All classes are suitable for Draw Steel Against Strahd—this isn't a "you must have a conduit to survive" situation. However, there are a few where you (the Director) might want to think through the implications before your campaign begins:

• Void Elementalists: Nobody can teleport into or out of Barovia. Check in with your player to make sure that nerfing their third-level feature like this won't feel bad in real life!
• Stormwight Furies and Green Elementalists: How might ordinary Barovians (terrified of werewolves) react to seeing someone turn into a bear or a wolf? How might the Keepers of the Feather react to seeing someone turn into a crow or other bird? If a hero turns into a rat in a land where rats are known to be Strahd's spies, what consequences might that have?
• Beasthearts: Werewolf adjacent. What happens if your hero tries to bring a wolf into a tavern? What happens if they don't bring the wolf into the tavern, and the wolf is alone in town?
• Circle of Graves Summoners: Surely I don't need to explain this one.

Complications

Barovia is magically cut off from the rest of the world. Complications with purely narrative benefits or drawbacks that rely on active elements of a hero's backstory—Exile, for example, or Grifter—might be very difficult to work into the campaign. I advise checking in with your players about the complications they've chosen and the depth to which they want to explore those complications, or and the degree to which they're happy with reflavorings.

There are a few complications that I think are a poor fit for this particular adventure.

• Slight Case of Lycanthropy: There's a fairly high chance at least one hero will contract lycanthropy during this adventure. Don't allow this complication unless you're prepared to to answer questions like "wait, can I be a double werewolf?", "why does this lycanthropy work differently from the other lycanthropy?", and "can I just bite all my friends so we're all the cool kind of werewolf?".
• Vampire Sire: Obvious, I think. Don't allow this complication unless you're prepared to answer questions like "does my sire know Strahd?". Also, I think it's fun to give heroes this complication if they're knocked out (or even just taken below dying) by a vampire's bite.

There are a couple other complications I think might cause you a headache, like:

• Meddling Butler/Hawk Rider: Part of the fun of the adventure is being cut off from everything the heroes used to know, and I think that might be undercut a bit by having a walking, talking/squawking connection to a hero's past life following the party. Also, the heroes are likely to recruit at least two retainers during the adventure, so a third might be difficult to manage when balancing encounters and running combat.
• Famous Relative: Really begs the question of how, exactly, this famous relative is being summoned into a place nobody can get into or out of—not to mention that, since Barovia is removed from the world, it seems odd that the relative's fame would have any benefits there. This one could work okay with an extremely long-dead relative, maybe.

Then there are the complications that give treasures:

• The Shattered Legacy complication might not be terribly fun, depending on that player's choice of leveled item and all players' choices of Barovian relics (see #Motivations)—some of the transformed relics' benefits are taken from existing Draw Steel leveled items. The crumpled page, specifically, is basically Word Become Wonders at Next Breath with a bad false mustache.
• The Amnesia, Betrothed, and Strange Inheritance complications, and others that give the hero a trinket, might have similar problems; double-check your player's chosen trinket against the party's relics if you want to avoid overlap.
• The Artifact Bonded complication is always tough, but particularly so in this campaign given how few artifacts there are in Draw Steel. The Sunsword is basically the Blade of a Thousand Years with a hat on. Imagine having two of those in an encounter? Now there's something to keep you up at night. The Mortal Coil is similarly problematic, given its ability to perfectly perma-kill vampires (even Strahd!) and thus eliminate the need for the party to get the Sunsword at all. I can't recommend allowing this complication, but if you do, I think the Encepter is the least disruptive of the artifacts.

Careers and Perks

Some careers give heroes perks, and some of those perks may be troublesome. Specifically, But I Know Who Does and I've Read About This Place both rely on the hero plausibly having prior knowledge of the place or thing they're asking about, which may strain credibility given that Barovia has been cut off from the rest of the world for centuries. If you passionately want to allow these perks in your game, I suggest coming up with a supernatural reflavoring for how the knowledge is being conveyed to the hero—maybe the Mists whisper it to them (how? why? scary!), or maybe there's always a friendly ghost nearby ready to help out.

Flaws

Your players can choose one or more flaws from the table below to add a dash of darkness to their characters' stories. Encourage them to embrace their inner struggles and let these complex traits drive their arcs forward.

Bonds

Your players can choose one or more bonds from the table below to weave a tapestry of connections between their characters and the ghosts of their pasts. Encourage them to reexamine and grow beyond these memories as they venture through Barovia, informing their interactions with the NPCs and narratives they encounter.

Motivations

If you choose to use the Barovian Relics adventure hook for one or more heroes (see Chapter 3: Running the Game), have those players choose a core character motivation from the following table.

Once a player has chosen their hero's core motivation, use the relevant section below to aid that player in developing their character's history and goals.

Power—The Amber Shard

A hero seeking power begins the campaign with the amber shard, a small chunk of amber resin mounted on a chain-link cord. The shard is inset with complex, three-dimensional arcane runes which speak of a path that leads to untold power. The hero who possesses the amber shard should have strong, vivid reasons to want to find and claim the power that the shard promises.

Unbeknownst to the hero, the amber shard was formerly a part of a dark vestige's amber sarcophagus in the Amber Temple in Barovia.

Developments.

• In Arc A - Escape From Death House, when the amber shard senses the presence of Death House, it glows with amber light and tugs its cord in the direction of the house.
• In Arc A - Escape From Death House, the hero recognizes Elisabeth Durst's amber shard as similar in appearance to their own.
• In Arc G - The Strazni Siblings or Arc F - Lady Wachter's Wish, the hero recognizes Izek Strazni's amber shard in a similar way. When the party defeats Izek, the amber shard becomes awakened.
• In Arc R - Trials of the Mountain, Elder Burebis of Soldav can recognize the amber shard as a shard of evil taken from the Amber Temple, and the hero can recognize the amber shards kept by the shoosuva and bodaks as resembling their own.
• In Arc S - A Sword of Sunlight, upon entering the Amber Temple, the hero's amber shard glows and tugs in the same way that it did upon sensing Death House, guiding the hero toward a suitable amber sarcophagus (preferably Zantras's). If the hero accepts a deal with a dark vestige, the amber grows darker, and the amber shard becomes transformed. If the hero rejects a deal with a dark vestige, the amber seems to glow from within as if lit by sunlight, and the amber shard becomes transformed.

If the hero would die in Barovia while in possession of their amber shard, it behaves as described in Amber Shards, offering the hero an opportunity to forge a pact with a vestige of the Amber Temple: Zantras, the Kingmaker.

Redemption—The Firebird's Feather

A hero seeking redemption begins the campaign with the firebird's feather, a large, snow-white feather. When viewed beneath the light of the morning sun, the feather's barbs glimmer like golden flame. The hero who possesses the firebird's feather should have strong, vivid reasons to believe that the feather will one day lead them to redemption for the sins that they have committed.

Unbeknownst to the hero, the firebird's feather formerly belonged to Lugdana, a warrior-saint of the Lady of Morning. The Abbot, who dwells in the Abbey of Saint Markovia in Barovia, was once Lugdana, who was a reincarnation of Saint Markovia herself.

Developments.

• In Arc A - Escape From Death House, when it senses the presence of Death House, the feather is swept away by an unseen wind, its barbs glimmering with golden flame, before eventually landing on the house's threshold.
• When the heroes first arrive at the Abbey in Arc I - The Walls of Krezk or Arc K - The Fallen Abbey the firebird's feather glimmers and is swept away in the same way that it did upon sensing Death House, guiding the hero toward the Abbot. When the heroes meet the Abbot, the firebird's feather becomes awakened. (If asked, the Abbot recognizes the feather as their own, but dismisses its importance.)
• In Arc Q - A Shining Beacon, if the heroes redeem the Abbot, the firebird's feather catches fire, burning with golden flames that don't harm the bearer, and becomes transformed.

Family—The Hand-Knit Scarf

A hero seeking family begins the campaign with the hand-knit scarf, a scarf in complex stranded colorwork. The scarf is very soft, and long enough to be worn around the neck or over one's head. When bright sunlight, moonlight, or starlight is allowed to fall on it, the colorwork patterns seem to glow with the warmth of home. The hero who possesses the hand-knit scarf should have received the scarf from a beloved family member, and should have strong, vivid reasons to long for a sense of family and belonging.

Unbeknownst to the hero, the hand-knit scarf once belonged to Natalya Altynovna, mother to Marya Natalyevna and granddaughter to the warrior-saint Lugdana. The pattern was a gift from Natalya's wife Barsina in the early days of their relationship, and the scarf carries the memory of all the joys Natalya and Barsina experienced together. The scarf was lost on the night Natalya died and Marya's home village was destroyed.

Developments.

• In Arc A - Escape From Death House, when it senses the presence of Death House, the scarf is carried away by a strong, cold wind, its colors shifting and turning in the air, before eventually landing on the house's threshold.
• In Arc E - The Missing Girl, if the heroes successfully find Sitarey and bring news of her safety to her family, the scarf warms, as if it's been sitting in front of a cozy fire, and becomes awakened.
• When the heroes first encounter Marya in Arc K - The Fallen Abbey, the hand-knit scarf glows with firelight and is carried away in the same way that it did upon sensing Death House, landing at Marya's feet. Marya recognizes the scarf and, upon confirming how the hero came to inherit it, gives heartfelt thanks to the hero for bringing back a memento of her beloved mothers. (Fate, of course, has deemed that the hero must keep the scarf, but Marya is happy just for the memories.) If the scarf isn't already awakened, it becomes awakened.
• In Arc T - The Three Fanes, if the heroes successfully negotiate a reconciliation between Marya and Van Richten, the scarf's patterns come to life, glowing and twisting regardless of lighting; the scarf becomes transformed.

Legacy—The Dragon's Scale

A hero seeking legacy begins the campaign with the dragon's scale, a large silver scale that always feels cold to the touch. A hero who touches the scale feels a fleeting sense of safety, protection, and comfort. The hero who possesses the dragon's scale should have received the scale from a family member, and should have strong, vivid reasons to believe that the scale will one day unlock the secrets of their heritage.

Unbeknownst to the hero, the dragon's scale formerly belonged to Argynvost, the dragon who founded the Order of the Silver Dragon. The order's headquarters, the mansion of Argynvostholt, can be found in Barovia.

Developments.

• In Arc A - Escape From Death House, when it senses the presence of Death House, the scale burns with an icy cold, one end glowing with a bright, silver light in the direction of the house. While the scale glows in this way, a hero who touches it feels a deep sense of longing, loss, and hope.
• When the hero first encounters Argynvost's shadow in the foyer of Argynvostholt in Arc M - The Dragon's Manor, the scale briefly burns cold in the same way that it did upon sensing Death House. Each time the hero approaches a manifestation of Argynvost's spirit, the scale burns cold, glows with a bright, silver light in the direction of the manifestation, and becomes awakened.
• If the hero helps to retrieve Argynvost's skull and restore it to his crypt in Arc Q - A Shining Beacon, Argynvost's spirit greets the player warmly, naming them his heir to the legacy of the Order of the Silver Dragon before lighting the beacon of Argynvostholt. The scale becomes transformed.

Healing—The Wolf's Tooth

A hero seeking healing begins the campaign with a wolf's tooth coated with clear resin and mounted on a leather cord. The tooth seems to lengthen and sharpen on nights of the full moon, and calms its wearer's dreams when worn at night. The hero who possesses the wolf's tooth should have strong, vivid reasons to believe that the tooth is the key to curing a particular wound, malady, or curse that ails them.

Unbeknownst to the hero, the tooth once belonged to a wolfir—a werewolf that served the goddess known as the Hunter before her gift of lycanthropy was twisted into a curse. The Hunter's holy place, the Forest Fane, dwells amidst the woodlands of Barovia, silently waiting to be restored.

Alternatively, if your player is interested in a werewolf-related backstory, consider having the tooth belong to Kiril Stoyanovich, who has been known to slip in and out of the Mists to terrorize innocents.

Developments.

• In Arc A - Escape From Death House, when the tooth senses the presence of Death House, it lengthens, glowing with silver moonlight, and tugs its cord in the direction of the house.
• In Arc L - The Den of Wolves, when the heroes arrive at the werewolves' den, the tooth lengthens and glows with moonlight as it did upon sensing Death House, becoming awakened if it isn't already.
• If the hero shows the wolf's tooth to Kavan in Arc J - The Stolen Gem or to Elder Burebis in Arc R - Trials of the Mountain, the tooth is recognized as an artifact and symbol of the Hunter. If the tooth isn't already awakened, it becomes awakened.
• In Arc Q - A Shining Beacon, if the heroes defeat Kiril Stoyanovich, the tooth permanently glows with silver moonlight, becoming transformed.
• When the hero first approaches the circle of stones at the Forest Fane in Arc T - The Three Fanes, the tooth once again lengthens and tugs the hero toward the stones. When the heroes restore the Forest Fane, the tooth becomes transformed if it isn't already.

Freedom—The Raven's Feather

A hero seeking freedom begins the campaign with a raven's feather, a small, black feather with soft, downy barbs. When held aloft before a storm, the feather seems to gently tremble, exuding the scent of cold rain and damp earth. The hero who possesses the raven's feather should have strong, vivid reasons to believe that the feather will always guide them to those who need liberation.

Unbeknownst to the hero, the feather once belonged to the roc of Mount Ghakis, a servant of the goddess known as the Seeker, whose Mountain Fane rests in the shadow of Mount Ghakis in Barovia. The roc once enjoyed disguising itself as a common raven, and shed this feather on one such occasion.

Developments.

• In Arc A - Escape From Death House, when the feather senses the presence of Death House, it is swept away by an unseen and violent wind, the scent of rain and ozone filling the air, before eventually landing on the house's threshold.
• If the hero shows the raven's feather to Fravartiš in Arc C - Into the Valley, she inspects it reverently and returns it to the hero, claiming mysteriously that she once knew the bird that shed it.
• If the hero shows the feather to Urwin Martikov, Danika Nimirovna Dorakova, Muriel Vinshaw, or any other member of the Keepers of the Feather, that member grows warmer and friendlier toward that hero.
• In Arc J - The Stolen Gem, when the heroes break the Gulthias staff and restore the Wizard of Wines winery to the Martikovs, the feather becomes awakened.
• When the hero first enters the circle of standing stones at the Mountain Fane in Arc T - The Three Fanes, the feather trembles and the air around it briefly grows thick with the scent of rain and ozone as it did upon sensing Death House. If the hero shows the feather to the Roc of Mount Ghakis after consecrating the Mountain Fane in the same arc, the roc places the tip of its beak against the hero's forehead as a sign of gratitude and approval before departing; the feather becomes transformed.

Knowledge—The Crumpled Page

A hero seeking knowledge begins the campaign with the crumpled page, an old, yellowed page that was torn from its book long ago. The page is written in strange and cryptic arcane runes; those few runes that can be decoded speak of a path that leads to immortality. The hero who possesses the crumpled page should have strong, vivid reasons to want to unlock the secrets that the page possesses.

Unbeknownst to the hero, the page was taken from the library of Exethanter, a lich who dwells in the deepest sanctum of the Amber Temple in Barovia.

Developments.

• In Arc A - Escape From Death House, when it senses the presence of Death House, the ink on the page glows with amber light, the runes reshaping themselves into a map that leads to the house.
• When the heroes successfully enter Khazan's tower in Arc E - The Missing Girl, the page rustles and begins to move on its own, becoming awakened.
• When the hero first approaches Exethanter's library in Arc S - A Sword of Sunlight, the ink glows with amber light as it did upon sensing Death House, and the runes reshape themselves into a map of Exethanter's chambers and nearby access points.
• When the heroes restore Exethanter's memories, the runes glow again; the hero can now cause the runes to glow (or stop glowing) with a thought. The page becomes transformed.
• If the hero shows the page to Exethanter after restoring his memories in the same arc, Exethanter grows warmer and friendlier toward that hero.

Faith—The Sunrise Medallion

A hero seeking faith begins the campaign with the sunrise medallion, a bronze disc engraved with the image of a rising sun. The disc glitters like gold when exposed to the light of the sunrise, and a hero that touches it feels a fleeting sense of reverence, righteousness, and peace.

Unbeknownst to the hero, the medallion once belonged to Sergei von Zarovich, the brother of Strahd von Zarovich and an acolyte of the Lady of Morning who was once expected to become the high priest of her church in Barovia.

The hero who possesses the sunrise medallion should have strong, vivid reasons to believe that it will strengthen or guide them in faith, and that certain signs of the divine will lead them to those in need of salvation and deliverance.

Developments.

• In Arc A - Escape From Death House, when it senses the presence of Death House, the medallion shines with a warm, golden glow, the rays of sunlight emanating from the engraved sun pointing in the direction of the house.
• In Arc B - Welcome to Barovia, if the hero shows the sunrise medallion to Father Donavich, he recognizes it as a symbol of the Lady of Morning, and grows warmer and friendlier toward that hero.
• In Arc B - Welcome to Barovia, if the hero allows Doru to touch the sunrise medallion, his control increases by 1, to a maximum of 6.
• When the hero first approaches St. Andral's Church in Arc D - St. Andral's Feast, the sunrise medallion glows and shines in the direction of the church's doors. If the hero shows the sunrise medallion to Father Donavich, he recognizes it as a symbol of the Lady of Morning, and grows warmer and friendlier toward that hero.
• When the heroes restore St. Andral's bones to the church in Arc D - St. Andral's Feast, the sunrise medallion warms, as if it's been sitting in the sun, and becomes awakened.
• If the hero shows the medallion to the Abbot in Arc I - The Walls of Krezk or Arc K - The Fallen Abbey, he smiles gently at them and welcomes them as a fellow devotee of the Lady of Morning. A hard Intuition test reveals that the Abbot's gaze upon the medallion is oddly hungry, almost desperate.
• When the heroes redeem or destroy the Abbot in Arc Q - A Shining Beacon, the sunrise medallion glows again; the hero can now cause the medallion to glow (or stop glowing) with a thought. (The glow is only a reflection, not true sunlight, so doesn't affect vampires.) The medallion becomes transformed.

Harmony—The Stone Crest

A hero seeking harmony begins the campaign with the stone crest, a flat, round stone engraved with the image of a three-pointed star. On the nights of the new moon, the star seems to glimmer with emerald light.

Unbeknownst to the hero, the crest once belonged to a conduit of the Three, in a time before Strahd bound the land to himself; the engravings upon it depict the symbols of the Seeker, the Weaver, and the Hunter. The hero who possesses the stone crest should have strong, vivid reasons to believe that the symbols upon it represent a primal or divine power of harmony and nature, and that the crest can aid them in restoring the sanctity of wild places.

Developments.

• In Arc A - Escape From Death House, when it senses the presence of Death House, the crest emits a low hum and releases a scent of pine needles and earthy soil, which both grow stronger as the hero approaches the house.
• In Arc J - The Stolen Gem, if the hero shows the stone to Kavan, he recognizes it as a symbol of the Three.
• In Arc J - The Stolen Gem, when the heroes retrieve the Martikovs' stolen gem, the stone becomes awakened.
• When the heroes first approach the exterior of Soldav in Arc R - Trials of the Mountain, the stone crest hums and releases a scent of pine needles and earth soil as it did upon sensing Death House, both of which grow stronger as the hero approaches the Shrine of the Three in Soldav.
• In Arc R - Trials of the Mountain, if the hero shows the crest to Elder Burebis, he recognizes it as a symbol of the Three. When the heroes get Elder Burebis's blessing, the crest becomes transformed.

Justice—The Broken Blade

A hero seeking justice begins the campaign with the broken blade, the shattered tip of an elven longsword. The blade is engraved with the sigil of a strange creature like a many-antlered deer, and seems to be made of solid shadow.

Unbeknownst to the hero, the blade once belonged to Erevan Löwenhart, a shadow elf noble and talented swordsman who used the brush stalker as his personal sigil. However, Erevan refused to pay tribute to King Barov von Zarovich, a powerful warlord and the father of Strahd von Zarovich. Rahadin, Erevan's son, helped King Barov crush the shadow elf resistance. Rahadin then broke Erevan's blade and personally executed Erevan and his family as punishment for his defiance.

The hero who possesses the broken blade should have strong, vivid reasons to pursue justice for persecuted people, and to believe that the blade will one day deliver vengeance to the traitor who destroyed its original keeper.

Developments.

• In Arc A - Escape From Death House, when it senses the presence of Death House, the blade emits a high-pitched hum and begins to tremble violently, spinning like a compass needle in the direction of the house.
• In Arc B - Welcome to Barovia, when Rahadin, Strahd's chamberlain, arrives at the village of Barovia to deliver Strahd's proclamation, the blade emits a high-pitched hum and trembles violently, spinning like a compass needle in his direction just as it did upon sensing Death House.
• If the hero shows the broken blade to Rahadin, he at first claims to have no memory of it, noting dispassionately the thousands that he has slaughtered. However, in combat, Rahadin eventually comes to remember the blade's origins, dismissing it as "the shattered toy of a weak and worthless man."
• In Arc E - The Missing Girl, if the hero shows the blade to Kasimir Velikovche, they mournfully recall its history, ask the hero how they came to possess it, and wonder aloud if more shadow elves of Erevan's house might have survived Rahadin's slaughter outside of Barovia. Wisps of shadow rise from the blade like smoke, and the blade becomes awakened. If the hero is a shadow elf, Kasimir greets them as family.
• In Arc P - Ravenloft Heist or Arc T - The Three Fanes, when the heroes (permanently) defeat Rahadin, the blade becomes transformed.

Design Notes

Knowledge and Power. The knowledge and power relics have been swapped. Mostly, this is because the hero in my own campaign seeking knowledge is a revenant interested in the mysterious magic that kept him alive beyond death, and a page from a lich's library seemed more appropriate than an amber shard. But also, the amber shards encountered later in the adventure are all about exchanging power for your soul (literally or metaphorically), so I think this amber shard is better suited to someone searching for power.

Wealth. Wealth is gone! It's just not a very interesting motivation for a hero, in my opinion, and doesn't tie in with the themes of the adventure. Plus, wealth as a motivation is usually a stand-in for something more interesting, like safety, power, or legacy—better to encourage everyone to dig deep and find that second, juicier layer of motivation. Plus, every time I tried to come up with interesting wealth-related mechanics for the relic's awakened and transformed versions, I found myself bored. And, as the final nail in the coffin, d12s aren't used often (ever?) in Draw Steel; a d10 table just feels nicer.

Ambition. Similar thing here. Ambition for what? Power, knowledge, legacy...? Just "ambition" isn't much to go on, if you're looking to give a hero a satisfying character arc. Begone!

Duty and Freedom. One can be motivated by duty, but it's not really something one can achieve, is it? Like wealth, there's usually some other reason hero might be duty-focused—guilt, for instance, in which case they're better off with the redemption or healing relics, or obligation to family, in which case they're better off with the family or legacy relics. Or, alternatively, if the duty is unwanted, a burden rather than a voluntary service, the hero might actually be seeking freedom. Hence the new meaning to the raven's feather! Plus, the raven's feather naturally lends itself to flight-related rewards, which feel more like freedom than duty to me.