Argynvostholt
Argynvostholt, the famed "haunted house" southwest of Vallaki, was once the headquarters of the famed Order of the Silver Dragon. This mysterious order of knights, once led by Argynvost — who seems to have been a silver dragon himself, living as a human man — was one of the most notable forces of resistance against Strahd von Zarovich's invasion, occupation, and colonization of the land now known as Barovia. Now, the mansion sits in ruin, filled with revenants, phantom warriors, and... the occasional undead guard drake, dragon-ghost, giant spider, bat, and raven, apparently!
History
The party has pieced together the history of the Order of the Silver Dragon bit by bit, ever since their first run-in with the order in the form of a revenant who ran at Doru while they were first journeying from Barovia to Vallaki. Recruiting knights from "all over the land" — judging by some of the accents they've heard amongst the revenants and phantom warriors, this means well beyond the realm of what is currently Barovia — the order came to Barovia to fight back against Strahd. One by one, they fell to tragedy, with the last of the knights perishing, along with Argynvost, in 357. Argynvostholt, it seems, was the home Argynvost and his knights built in Barovia, and the headquarters from which they operated their campaign against Strahd. While perusing The Tome of Strahd, the party found themselves living out the final battle in which Sir Godfrey, Sir Vladimir, and Lord Argynvost fought, leading to the deaths of the first two at the hands of Strahd and Rahadin, and the flight of their leader back to Argynvostholt to regroup before a final attack in his dragon form.Appearance
It is easy to tell that once, Argynvostholt was a grand mansion, a beautiful and imposing building standing at one of the highest habitable points in Barovia. Though it has now fallen into ruin and darkness, its former grandeur can still be traced in its vast halls.Key Locations
First Floor
Entrance
The entrance to Argynvostholt has a statue of a dragon facing towards the front doors. When the party first set foot on the steps leading up to the front doors, they were hit by a blast of cold air from the dragon's mouth — presumably, this was once a dangerous trap, but the magic has since faded.Main Hall
This vast hall has balconies overlooking it, held aloft by stone pillars, with a tall, faded tapestry depicting a nobleman in silver armour above the staircase landing. Various busts and chandeliers decorate the space, and in the rubble of a broken bust, Bodaway found a pearl of power.Ballroom
Though this room was once grand, most of the roof and the walls have long since collapsed. When the party first encountered this space, they were accosted by nine giant spiders, and in the aftermath of the fight Bodaway found some magical giant spider barding, while Ri-An found a cloak of the bat.Dining Room
This room features a twenty-foot-long dining table, the backs of the chairs surrounding it carved to resemble folded dragon's wings. A large puddle on the floor is a testament to the centuries of water damage the mansion has sustained. Two life-sized statues depict knights with dragon-winged helms and shields in windowed alcoves.Chapel
Cracked wooden pillars support a wooden, U-shaped balcony that overhangs this stone-walled chapel. Narrow archways lead to spiral staircases that curl up to the balcony, and a door set into the north wall has a wooden beam barring it. At the east end of the chapel rests a stone altar flanked by iron candelabras. The altar is carved with a rising sun bas-relief over a background of stars. Tall, arching windows set with panels of stained glass decorate the walls behind the altar. One of the windows has been shattered, covering the chapel floor with shards of coloured glass and allowing thick fog to enter and fill the room. The party found some breastplates here, one of which was functional.Kitchen
This kitchen has been plundered, its tables overturned. The floor is littered with rusted utensils and smashed crockery. Narrow windows flanking a hearth look out over a cemetery. An open iron pot hangs from a hook inside the blackened fireplace. When Osrin and Chuckles first investigated this room, the pot was moving — from it flew a bat, which Chukles heroically saved Osrin from.Cemetery
Tucked behind the mansion is a fog-shrouded cemetery enclosed by a seven-foot-tall fence of wrought iron. In the northeast corner stands a mausoleum. Ri-An and Grghshnq investigated this space but found little of note.Mausoleum
Tarnished, silver-plated gargoyles shaped like dragon wyrmlings cling to the stone-tiled roof of this mausoleum. An eight-foot-tall, four-foot-wide white marble door set into the southwest wall is engraved with a name — written in the Common alphabet, rather than Barovian. ARGYNVOST. The interior of the mausoleum is dark and dusty. You see four empty alcoves with raised floors. Etched into the far wall is a verse written in a language Ri-An, at least, does not know, but they were able to memorize the symbols.Stables
The stables, to the south of Argynvostholt, have long since fallen into ruin.Second Floor
Balconies
Two stone balconies flank the main foyer. Balusters carved to resemble knights in shining armour support their elegantly carved stone railings. Weapons and shields festoon the walls along each of these walkways, while alabaster busts of handsome men flank hallways that lead north and south away from the foyer. At the west end of each balcony is an archway that leads to a spiral staircase going up. The balcony is 20' up from the main floor. The eyes of the busts seemed to follow the party as they moved.Bedrooms
The party has found three bedrooms on the second floor — in the southwest one, partially ruined, Sylvain found a ring of warmth.Knights' Rooms
The tower rooms from which the phantom warriors that nearly killed Osrin and Bodaway — and which successfully destroyed Chuckles — came flooding out. In the west room, Sylvain found four potions of invulnerability. In the east room, Ayduin briefly saw through time and space.Trapped Hallway
The famed TPK spot that nearly killed Ezmerelda d'Avenir. Its mechanisms remain unknown, as does whether or not it resets after a certain period of time.Bathroom
The room contains an iron tub and has wood paneling on the walls that rises to a height of three feet. Above the paneling, the walls are painted with a continuous, faded mural of a mountainscape. Inside the tub, an undead guard drake has made a nest.Storage Room
Water drips through cracks in the ceiling and flows into a half-frozen pool on the sagging wooden floor. The pool fills about half the room. Bare stone shelves line the walls.Alcoves
Though both these alcoves featured pedestals, only the south alcove had something on the pedestal under a black cloth. That something, as it turned out, was Osrin's severed head. Which was weird, seeing as she was alive at the time!Chapel Balcony
This wooden balcony overhangs the mansion’s chapel. An exquisitely carved wooden throne rests at the west end between two doors, and narrow archways lead to spiral staircases going up and down. Hanging from the high ceiling is an iron chandelier with candle holders shaped like tiny silver dragons. In this room, the party found a revenant who was solely interested in his prayers — when Ri-An tried to get information out of him, all he said was that the beacon had not been lit in a long time, and that Ri-An should speak to Vladimir if they want something from the knights.Third Floor
Study
This room is the first place the party spent a significant amount of time in on the third floor. This room is a haven for dust and cobwebs. Three narrow windows allow slivers of light to illuminate oak shelves — nearly bare, save a few slender volumes — along the walls and a torn, padded chair lying on its side near a cavernous hearth. A picture above the mantel has been slashed, its lower half hanging down below the frame like a torn piece of flesh. An iron door set in the south corner of the west wall hangs open on one hinge. In this room, our heroes learned much — they found three books on a bookshelf, saw a vision of a big fucking silver dragon, and learned a little more about Argynvost. Sylvain found a page seemingly written by Argynvost long ago, reading:My knights have fallen, and this land is lost. The armies of my enemy will not be stopped by sword or spell, claw or fang. Today I will die, not avenging those who have fallen, but defending that which I love—this valley, this home, and the ideals of the Order of the Silver Dragon.Shortly after this, Sylvain investigated the picture above the mantel, holding its torn edges together. The picture shows the mansion in better days, under clear winter skies with snow-capped mountains in the background. The top of the chapel tower glows like a silver beacon. When the pieces were brought together, the vision of Argynvost in dragon form — though perhaps, even as he filled the room entirely, not as large as his true form once was — appeared, and the beacon in the picture flared with brilliant silver light. Argynvost delivered a message to the party: "My skull lies in the ruins of my enemy’s wrath, guarded by his guardian. Return my skull to its rightful crypt, and my spirit will shine here forever, bringing hope to this dark land.”
The evil surrounds me. The time has come to throw off this guise and show these heathens my true fearsome form. Let it spark terror in their hearts! Let them tell their stories of dark triumph against the protector of the Balinok Mountains! Let Argynvost be remembered as a dragon of honour and valour. My one regret is that my remains will not lie in their rightful place, in the hallowed mausoleum of Argynvostholt. No doubt my bones will be scattered among my enemies like the coins of a plundered hoard, trophies of a hard-won victory.
I do not fear death. Though my body will die, my spirit will live on under the watchful eye of the Platinum Dragon. Let it serve as a beacon of light against the darkness. Let it bring hope to a land wrought with despair!
Now, to battle!
A
Tower Room
Rich drapes, faded and patchy, hide the windows of this otherwise empty room adjacent to the study.Looted Vault
This room, adjacent to the study, has long since been looted of anything of value, though its lead-lined walls once likely held great treasures.Bone Room
This room is vast and full of bones, with an elaborately carved throne set at its west end, facing away from the entrance. Whether any boning happens in here remains to be seen, but judging by how the ghost of Argynvost was gazing into it, there's a good chance you'll be boned if you walk in unprepared.Roof and Steeple
Roof
Though the roof has long since fallen into disrepair — some of the damage suggesting a great battle long past — most of it remains stable to cross, if you stick to the north side.Ballistae
What ballistae remain here have long since fallen into disrepair, with one of them having collapsed entirely. The northeast ballista is situated on a tower outlook where Bodaway's vision of one of Sir Godfrey's memories, featuring Vladimir, took place.Turrets
Two turrets on the west side of the roof provide some shelter from the elements.Steeple
The steeple tower — once guarded by two phantom warriors and perhaps soon to be guarded by them once again — was a series of small battles for our heroes, including one to avenge Grghshnq (the second construct to be destroyed in Argynvostholt). After discovering an unsteady patch of floor on the level above the roof, our heroes made their way to what seems to be the former site of the beacon — now home to many ravens. They managed a rest there, and Ayduin once again discovered the joys of trying to ask a raven for information.Notable Residents
Lord Argynvost (former)
Once the leader of the knights who made their home here, after perishing in battle against Strahd von Zarovich, Argynvost's ghost roamed the halls of this abandoned fortress, restless, seeking to free his knights from the corruption they'd sank into. When his bones were laid to rest, freeing the revenants, his ghost also found respite.Sir Godfrey Gwilym (former)
Once a paladin among the order, Sir Godfrey has travelled with the party since the beacon was lit, the only of Argynvostholt's revenants denied his final rest.Sir Vladimir Horngaard (former)
Once Argynvost's most trusted knight, Sir Vladimir swore vengeance on Strahd von Zarovich in his final battle against the vampire lord, the weight of his vow so powerful that it brought back not just him but the bulk of the Order in the form of revenants. Unlike normal revenants, Vladimir's vengeance and the unique powers of Barovia kept Vladimir and his knights animated in undeath for centuries. When the beacon at Argynvostholt was lit by the return of Argynvost's skull, centuries of hatred were cleared from Vladimir's spirit, allowing him and most of the knights he led to find what rest is available to the dead in Barovia.
The party has explored this location fully, and in lighting the beacon, have laid all the restless souls within to rest, save their lingering ally Sir Godfrey.
Related Report (Primary Locations)
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