Beliefs and Superstitions
Strahd von Zarovich and vampires:
Strahd von Zarovich is a vampire, and he dwells in Castle Ravenloft. No one is welcome at the castle.
The devil Strahd is a curse placed on the land because of a forgotten sin of the Barovians' ancestors.
A vampire must rest in its coffin during the day. At night, it can summon wolves and vermin to do its bidding. A vampire can transform into a bat, a wolf, or a cloud of mist. In its humanoid form, it can dominate you with its powerful gaze.
A vampire can't enter a residence without an invitation from one of the occupants.
Running water burns a vampire like acid, and sunlight causes a vampire to burst into flame.
The Land of Barovia:
Anyone who attempts to leave the land of Barovia begins to choke on the fog. Those who don't turn back perish.
Many strangers have been drawn to Barovia over the years, but they all die or disappear before long.
The village of Shadowgrange sits at the east end of the valley. Its burgomaster is named Kolyan Indirovich.
The Morning Lord and Mother Night:
Two divine forces watch over the Barovian people. Before the curse of Strahd befell the land, the Morninglord watched over the Barovian people from sunrise until sundown. Now, the sun has not shone unobscured for centuries, and the Morninglord no longer answers their prayers.
The presence of Mother Night is felt most strongly between dusk and dawn, although nighttime prayers to her go unanswered. It is widely believed that she has forsaken the Barovian people and sent the devil Strahd to punish them for their ancestors' offenses.
Spirits:
Spirits drift along the Old Svalich Road toward Castle Ravenloft in the dead of night. These phantoms are all that remain of Strahd's enemies, and this damnable fate awaits anyone who opposes him.
Vistani:
The Vistani serve the devil Strahd. They alone are allowed to leave Barovia.
Redheads:
Redheads are Bad Luck
Redheads are not actually common in Barovia, so when one is born they don't go unnoticed. Barovians have slightly picked up on the unluckiness of redheaded women in the valley and now associate all people with red hair, man or woman, as generally unlucky.
"Those with heads touched with red, are fated to meet an untimely end."
Ireena has red hair. Though this is a generally accepted superstition, it isn't something that Barovians actively shun. More like, they purse their lips and crinkle their noses at redheads. Think of how people would react if a guy with a face tattoo walked into a store.
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