Strahd underestimates the Order of the Silver Dragon and is drawn into a trap. Though he manages to escape, he is grievously wounded. A group of Vistani people found and rescued Strahd, nursed him back to health, and returned him home. Strahd decreed that day that all Vistani have the right to come and go as they please from his realm by simply asking, a privilege that extends to the present day.
A History of Strahd & Barovia
A short collection of important events before and after Strahd's fall.
Arrival of Darkness
1 AD and beyond
The period of time after Strahd arrived, known as the "Coming of Darkness."
-
1 AD
22 Fivral
Strahd is injured
Diplomatic action -
1 AD
5 Mai
Assault on Argynvostholt
Military actionStrahd tracked the retreating knights back to Argynvostholt, leading to a final confrontation. Argynvost and all of his loyal knights were slain, and Strahd ordered the dragon butchered and kept the skull as a grisly trophy.
-
1 AD
12 Mai4 AD
13 Eyule
Castle Ravenloft Construction
Construction beginning/endAtop the ruins of an older fortress, Castle Ravenloft was built by artisans, wizards, and workers loyal to Strahd's family. Strahd rewarded the castle's genius architect, Artimus, with a crypt in the castle's catacombs. Artimus visited the Amber Temple the same year, where he built a scale model of the castle out of magically sculpted rock.
-
1 AD
16 Eyune
Strahd settles in the valley
Era beginning/endAfter years of war, Strahd settled the valley and named it Barovia in honor of his deceased father. He would later mark this moment as the beginning of his own era after he created the Barovian calendar.
-
3 AD
3 Mart
Vallaki founded
FoundingVallaki was founded not long after Strahd's armies conquered the valley by an ancestor of the town's current burgomaster, Baron Vargas Vallkovich.
Location
Vallaki -
4 AD
6 Sintyavr
Krezk founded
Founding -
4 AD
17 Sintyavr
Queen Ravenovia dies
Life, DeathQueen Ravenovia dies on the journey over to Castle Ravenloft. Her body is entombed within the depths of the castle.
-
5 AD
3 Avgust
Strahd becomes a Vampire
Life, SupernaturalOn the night Sergei and Tatyana are due to be wed, Strahd realized he had been a fool to allow the marriage. He murdered his brother and drank his blood, sealing his dark pact with Vampyr. He then chased Tatyana through the grounds of the castle to force her to accept him, leading to her demise as she threw herself from the top of the castle to escape him. The castle guards turned on Strahd, seizing the opportunity, but the Dark Powers honored their pact. Strahd arose as the new lord of Barovia, and the castle, the valley, and all of its people were locked into a demiplane and spirited away, surrounded on all sides by deadly fog.
-
54 AD
4 Octyavr
Berez flooded
Disaster / DestructionLord Strahd discovered another incarnation of Tatyana, Marina, in the town of Berez. He successfully convinced her to join him at Castle Ravenloft, but once the Burgomaster of Berez got wind of the vampire's meddling he ordered Marina stoned to death. In his rage, Strahd commanded the river to overwhelm the town, slaying all the townsfolk and washing it away forever.
-
87 AD
14 Mart
The Mad Mage arrives
MiscellaneousThe Mad Mage of Mount Baratok made his way to Barovia to free the people from Strahd's tyranny, but grossly underestimated Strahd's hold over the land and the creatures within.
-
87 AD
7 Eyule
Strahd defeats the Mad Mage
Life, Failure / MishapThe final confrontation between Strahd and the Mad Mage. The Mage was lost to the annals of history when Strahd drove him to the mountains and sent him hurtling over the Tser Falls.
-
150 AD
7 Eyune
The Abbott arrives in Barovia
MiscellaneousThe deva is sent from the upper planes to honor the legacy of Saint Markovia.
-
1376 AD
28 Yinvar
Van Richten arrives in Barovia
MiscellaneousLegendary monster hunter Rudolph van Richten isn't getting any younger. He decides to take on his greatest quarry yet, Lord Strahd von Zarovich, and manages to force his way into Barovia.
-
1496 AD
14 Neyavr
Izek is born in Vallaki
Life, BirthIzek is the firstborn son to his parents.
-
1500 AD
3 Eyune
Ireena born in Vallaki
Life, BirthIreena Kolyana is born to her birth parents, the second born child after her brother.
-
1504 AD
4 Apryl
Kolyan adopts Ireena
MiscellaneousThe Burgomaster of the town of Barovia, Kolyan Indirovich, adopts Ireena after finding her lost at the edge of the Svalich Woods. She seemed to have no memory of her past, and Kolyan loved her as his own daughter.
-
1528 AD
17 Neyavr
Exilus group arrives in Barovia
Disaster / DestructionTwo and Proteus arrive in Barovia for the first time to steal the Sunsword. They meet Snowball and assault Castle Ravenloft, managing to come out of it successful. Two and Proteus returned home with the Sunsword in tow, leaving Snowy and Ireena to sort out the rest.
Location
Castle Ravenloft
Before Darkness
... 1 AD
The period of time before Strahd came to the valley and conquered it.
-
-3921 BD
31 Octyavr
The Megaliths are built
Era beginning/endThe inhabitants of ancient Barovia built these stone monoliths to honor the Ladies Three.
-
-1306 BD
15 Dekavr
The Amber Temple is constructed
FoundingA group of wizards arrived in the valley and built the Amber Temple to store their collective knowledge. They would end up converting it into a prison to lock away the Dark Powers.
-
-1298 BD
18 Eyune
The wizards fall to evil
Metaphysical / Paranormal eventThe overwhelming evil of the Dark Powers becomes too much for the wizards to bear. All but one end up succumbing and killing each other off.
-
-41 BD
14 Eyune
Strahd is born
Life, BirthStrahd is the firstborn son to Queen Ravenovia and King Barov.
-
-29 BD
26 Eyule
Argynvostholt is completed
Construction beginning/endArgynvost finishes the construction of his mighty castle and founds the Order of the Silver Dragon
Location
Argynvostholt -
-27 BD
14 Fivral
The Lich assumes his role as guardian
MiscellaneousThe Lich becomes the full-time guardian of the Amber Temple.
-
-27 BD
3 Avgust
Wizards of Wines founded
FoundingThe Wizard of Wines began her winery, which persists to this day.
-
-1 BD
15 Yinvar
King Barov dies
Life, DeathKing Barov passes away, and Strahd waged long, bloody wars against his family's enemies. His body is entombed in the depths of Castle Ravenloft.
-
1 BD
22 Fivral
Strahd is injured
Diplomatic actionStrahd underestimates the Order of the Silver Dragon and is drawn into a trap. Though he manages to escape, he is grievously wounded. A group of Vistani people found and rescued Strahd, nursed him back to health, and returned him home. Strahd decreed that day that all Vistani have the right to come and go as they please from his realm by simply asking, a privilege that extends to the present day.
-
1 BD
5 Mai
Assault on Argynvostholt
Military actionStrahd tracked the retreating knights back to Argynvostholt, leading to a final confrontation. Argynvost and all of his loyal knights were slain, and Strahd ordered the dragon butchered and kept the skull as a grisly trophy.
-
1 BD
12 Mai4 BD
13 Eyule
Castle Ravenloft Construction
Construction beginning/endAtop the ruins of an older fortress, Castle Ravenloft was built by artisans, wizards, and workers loyal to Strahd's family. Strahd rewarded the castle's genius architect, Artimus, with a crypt in the castle's catacombs. Artimus visited the Amber Temple the same year, where he built a scale model of the castle out of magically sculpted rock.
-
1 BD
16 Eyune
Strahd settles in the valley
Era beginning/endAfter years of war, Strahd settled the valley and named it Barovia in honor of his deceased father. He would later mark this moment as the beginning of his own era after he created the Barovian calendar.