Rudolph Van Richten

**Rudolph Van Richten** is a vampire hunter operating in Barovia and attempting to hunt down the vampire lord Strahd von Zarovich. Although Van Richten seems to be a human, he also sometimes appears as a tiefling named Liar or a half elf named Rictavio.

The vampire hunter Ezmerelda d'Avenir apprenticed under Van Richten. Ezmerelda says that she trained and worked with Van Richten for years before he told her that it was too dangerous for her to travel with him and that she should leave. Recently, Ezmerelda has been searching for Van Richten, trying to find him again. The most recent information she received, from Baba Lysaga, was that Van Richten had been seen in Argynvostholt.

Van Richten has a tower on the shores of Lake Zarovich in Barovia. Within that tower, the adventurers Lilluth, Fate, and Stellaluna discovered a hand-drawn map of Castle Ravenloft and a holy symbol of Reznoriak.

**STATS:**

**Armor Class: 17 (half plate of flowing sanctity)**

**Hit Points: 77 (14d8 +14)**

**Speed: 30 ft.**

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**Strength: 9 (-1)**

**Dexterity: 13 (+1)**

**Constitution: 13 (+1)**

**Intelligence: 17 (+3)**

**Wisdom: 18 (+4)**

**Charisma: 16 (+3)**

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**Saving Throws Con +5, Wis +8, Cha +7**

**Skills Arcana +7, Deception +7, Insight +12,**

**Investigation +7, Medicine +8, Perception +12**

**Condition Immunities charmed**

**Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 22**

**Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Draconic,**

**Dwarvish, Elvish, Infernal, Sylvan**

**Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)**

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***Special Equipment.* In addition to his +1 sword cane**

**and light crossbow, Van Richten wears a *hat of disguise*,**

***goggles of night*, and a *ring of mind shielding*, and he**

**carries a spell scroll of *raise dead*.**

**Half Plate of Flowing Sanctity +1 mithril half plate.**

**Once a day, a flask of water placed in the belt of armor**

**becomes holy water.**

***Spellcasting.* Van Richter is a 9th level Cleric of Helm,**

**1st level Wizard. His spellcasting ability is Wisdom**

**(save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). Van Richten**

**has the following Cleric and Wizard spells prepared:**

**Cantrips (at will): *light, mage hand*, *mending*, *minor***

***illusion*, *prestidigitation*, *sacred flame*, *thaumaturgy*,**

***toll the dead***

**1st level (4 slots): *alarm*, *bless*, *cure wounds*, *detect***

***evil and good*, *feather fall*, *find familiar*, *healing word*, *identify*, *protection from evil and good*, *shield*, *sleep***

**2nd level (3 slots): *augury*, *beacon of hope*, *lesser restoration*, *protection from poison*, *silence*, *spiritual weapon* *warding bond*, *zone of truth***

**3rd level (3 slots): *glyph of warding*, *magic circle*, *mass healing word*, *revivify*, *speak with dead*, *spirit guardians***

**4th level (3 slots): *death ward*, *freedom of movement***

**5th level (3 slots): *dawn*, *greater restoration*, *mass cure wounds*, *raise dead***

***Skulker.* Van Richten can hide when he is lightly obscured from the creature from which he is hiding. When he’s hidden from a creature and misses it with a ranged weapon attack, making the attack doesn’t reveal his position. Dim light doesn’t impose disadvantage on his Wisdom (Perception) checks relying on sight.**

***Undead Slayer.* When Van Richten hits an undead with a weapon attack, the undead takes an extra 10 (3d6) damage of weapon’s type.**

***Cunning Action.* Van Richten can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage or Hide action.**

***Sneak Attack.* When Van Richten surprises a target, has advantage on an attack roll, or an enemy is within 5 ft. of the target, Van Richten deals and extra 7 damage.**

***Assassin Proficiencies.* Van Richten is proficient with Disguise and Poisoner’s Kits.**

***Assassinate.* When Van Richten hits a surprised enemy, it’s automatically a critical hit. When he attacks an enemy that hasn’t yet had a turn, he gains advantage on the attack.**

**ACTIONS:**

***Channel Divinity.* *Turn Undead:* Undead within 30 ft. of Van Richten must make a Wisdom saving throw. If the creature fails its saving throw, they are turned for 1 minute or until they take damage. A turned creature must spend its turns trying to move as far away from him as it can, and it can’t willingly move to a space within 30 ft. of him. It also can’t take reactions. For its action, it can use only the Dash action or try to escape from an effect that prevents it from moving. If there’s nowhere to move, the creature can use the Dodge action. Undead with CR 1 or less are automatically destroyed on a failed save.**

***Preserve Life:* As an action, Van Richten can distribute 45 hit points. This feature can restore a creature to no more than half of its hit point maximum and has no effect on an undead or construct.**

***Multiattack.* Van Richten makes two attacks with his sword cane or light crossbow.**

***Sword Cane. Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 +2) bludgeon damage (wooden cane) or piercing damage (silvered sword).**

***Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 +2) piercing damage.**

***Healer.* As an action, Van Richten can spend one use of a Healer’s Kit to tend to a creature and restore 1d6 +4 hit points to it, plus additional hit points equal to the creature’s maximum number of Hit Dice. The creature can’t regain hit points from this feat again until it finishes a short or long rest.**

**REACTIONS:**

***Final Ward.* Van Richten has a permanent *glyph of warding* tattooed on his neck that activates when he’s bitten there and chooses to say “Erasmus, I’m coming home” in Celestial. All targets in a 20 ft. radius must make a Dexterity saving throw or take 5d8 +5 radiant damage on a failed save or half as much (rounded up) on a successful one. Van Richten automatically fails the save and is disintegrated along with all of the items on his person.**