While many similarities exist between the A.D.& D. version of Dracula in the Ravenloft setting, Strahd Von Zarovich is unique in many ways as well. If you have net read the two FANTASTIC books about Strahd by P.N. Elrod, I HIGHLY recomend that you do so as soon as possible! They are "I, Strahd" and "I, Strahd: The War with Azalin".
Title: Lord of Barovia
Name: Strahd von Zarovich
Sire:?, (Death? The Domain of Dread?)
Generation: 8th
Nature: Competitor
Demeanor: Fanatic
Age: 389
Attributes:
Str. 5 /Dex. 4 /Sta. 4 /Cha. 4 /Man. 4 /App. 3 /Per. 3 /Int. 5 /Wit. 4
Abilities: Alertness 2, Athletics 3, Brawl 3, Dodge 2, Intimidation 4, Leadership 4, Subterfuge 4, Animal Ken 3, Etiquette 2, Melee 4, Stealth 2, Survival 3, Investigation 3, Law (Barovian) 2, Linguistics 3, Occult 4,Politics 3
Virtues: Conviction 4, Instinct 3, Courage 5
Backgrounds: Alternate Identity (Lord Vasseli von Holtz) 3, Fame 5, Influence 6, Military Force 5, Retainers 5, Resources 6
Disciplines: Animalism 3, Auspex 3, Dominate 4, Fortitude 4, Necromancy 3 (Bone Path), Obfuscate 4, Protean 5, Thaumaturgy 4 (Elemental Mastery 3, Green Path 5, Hearth path 3, Movement of the mind 2, Path of Counter Magic 4, Weather Control 4)
Willpower: 8
Path of Power: 7
Image: Strahd stands a bit over six feet tall, with a body that is lean and hardened from years of warfare. His face is gaunt, with strong features and dark, hypnotic eyes which reflect subtle hints of red light. His skin is normally pale but becomes flushed just after feeding. His ears are slightly pointed but he usually hides this by combing his hair over them. His fingers are slightly elongated, with long sharp nails. These he hides with soft, lambskin gloves. His clothing is of the common Barovian Noble style consisting of mostly black with accents of white and red. He wears a single piece of jewelry: a heavy gold chain, which supports the fabulous Von Zarovich ruby.
Role-playing Hints: Strahd is a ruthless, cold, calculating genius. Everything he does is toward some ultimate goal. Strahd never takes anything at face value and always has a contingency plan or two ready, just in case. He is infinitely patient, time means nothing to him, after all, and he chooses his words very carefully, never revealing that which he does not wish to reveal. He is extremely egotistical but does not let foolish pride endanger him. He will not hesitate to retreat from a fight if it is in his best interest. Having been powerful for so long, he tends to underestimate the power of mortals. He is obsessed with finding Tatyana or her reincarnation. Though he is nor foolish in his attempts to find and regain her, he is willing to take calculated risks for his one love.
Haven: Castle Ravenloft in Barovia as well as a few hidden crypts throughout the domain.
Influence: As the Lord of Barovia, Strahd is the ultimate power in the land.
Merits/Flaws: Innate Magic Ability: Open or close the main entrances to Castle Ravenloft at will, Innate Magic Ability: Sense any being that passes through the castle entrances, Cast no Reflection, Repelled by Holy Symbols, Talisman: Crystal Ball, Talisman: Amulet (Arcane 5), Talisman: Cloak (Fortitude +1), Talisman: Ring (3 dice of protection against fire), Talisman: Sword (causes aggravated wounds and is difficulty 5 to hit mystic creatures or those using any form of magic)
Notes:
Strahd von Zarovich was born in an unknown land. Virtually nothing is known of his early life, save that he was a great just warrior noble who conquered and united many lands. The years of death took their toll on him, however and, as he grew older, he began to brood about his own death. He finally settled in a land called Barovia, where he rebuilt a great castle that he named Ravenloft. From here he ruled his people with an increasingly harsh hand.
Strahd’s younger brother, Sergei, whom Strahd had not met until the young man came to live in Barovia, was a priest of a god of light. Sergei was a handsome young man who soon took to spending much time amongst the commoners. Eventually, Strahd learned that Sergei had fallen in love with a young woman named Tatyana. Unbeknownst to Sergei and Tatyana, however, Strahd also loved the beautiful young woman.
Consumed with desire, Strahd attempted to court the young woman but she loved Sergei and viewed Strahd only as her future brother. This infuriated Strahd and he began to search for a way to regain his youth, decreeing a standing order to his soldiers and agents to acquire any books concerning the mystic arts.
Despite his desperate search and his own limited mystic knowledge, limited as it was, Strahd could find no spell that would give him what he wanted. Finally, on the eve of his brothers wedding, Strahd found a possible solution.
In one of the books that his agents brought to him, Strahd found a spell to grant his hearts desire. The spell was complex, however, and Strahd could not decipher it! Agonized, Strahd poured over the spell, trying to focus his mind enough to learn what the spell required. Though he seemed to meet with some success, strange things began to occur, the candle blowing out, the fire dimming, as if some force was trying to prevent his translation of the spell.
Eventually, the light went out completely and a voice from the darkness spoke to Strahd, offering him his hearts desire. The voice spoke with a combination of the voices of Sergei, Tatyana, and many others whom Strahd knew. Soon, Strahd realized who the being actually was…Death itself!
Because Strahd had served death so well over the years, Death offered him his hearts desire: to age not one day more and to never die! Strahd agreed, despite the awful price: he had to murder his friend and his brother and drink their blood. Frantic to gain Tatyana’s love, Strahd agreed and the ghastly deeds were performed.
Tatyana was overcome by grief when she discovered Sergei’s death but Strahd’s accumulating, vampiric powers calmed her and she would have given in to his charm had he not mentioned Sergei’s name. Once again overcome with grief, Tatyana ran from Strahd and out into the thickening fog, all the while Strahd could hear his soldiers calling for him, warning him that murderers were about. Strahd pursued Tatyana right up to the battlements and barely missed catching her before she hurled herself over the edge and disappeared into the mist covered valley far below the castle…
Anguished about Tatyana’s suicide, Strahd didn’t notice the arrows that began to strike him until he had taken several solid hits. He fell to the ground and the attacker, one of Strahd’s own men, revealed himself. Having plotted to kill Strahd and assume the lordship of Barovia, the traitor did not expect Strahd’s vampiric powers. Strahd killed the treacherous soldiers, all but their leader, and freed the wedding guests and his loyal guards. From that point forward, Barovia, whose borders had been closed to travel by a mysterious mist, existed only in the Domain of Ravenloft.
Strahd now spends most of his time searching for his lost love, Tatyana. Every generation, he finds her or, more specifically, an amnesiac young woman who looks exactly like her. Each time he comes close to winning her but each time, the Dark powers that govern the Domain steal her life away from him. So, Strahd presses on, ruling his domain with an iron fist and ceaselessly searching for the lovely young woman whom he so desires.
