Rahadin

> *"Just like old times." -- Rahadin to Strahd von Zarovich during battle, seconds before being decapitated by Zrazire Caluhazan.*
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**Rahadin** served as the Chamberlain for Count Strahd von Zarovich for centuries, as well as acting as a general for Strahd and his father before him. Rahadin was an honourary member of the von Zarovich family. He was decapitated by Zrazire Caluhazan during the Battle of Ravenloft.

He was a fairly high ranking member of the the dusk elves, who once spread across the entire Barovian valley.

Surrounding him was an aura of screams of the female members of the dusk elf tribe he slaughtered to prevent his people from siring any more children.

He was rumoured to secretly harbour romantic feelings for Ludmilla Vilisevic, and he once expressed contempt for his master's immortality, suggesting he had not wanted him to become a vampire in the first place.

## History

### Under King Barov

Long before Strahd von Zarovich was born, Rahadin was exiled by his own kin for refusing to bow down to Prince Pilliro, a dusk elf whom Rahadin considered weak and corrupt.

When the dusk elves declined to pay fealty to King Barov, Rahadin helped Barov conquer them. The Elf kingdom's royal line was obliterated, the dusk elves were hunted like rabbits. So pleased was King Barov with Rahadin that the king made the dusk elf an honourary member of his family. Since that dark day, the few dusk elves that did survive were either subjugated or forced to live amongst the Vistani.

### Strahd's Chamberlain

After King Barov died, Rahadin continued to fight as one of Strahd's generals, helping Strahd fight long bloody wars against his father's enemies.

Strahd, with help from Rahadin, scoured his conquered lands for wizards and artisans, brought them to the valley of Barovia, and commanded them to raise a castle to rival the magnificent fortresses of his ancestral homeland; Rahadin himself recruiting the Archwizard Khazan to design Castle Ravenloft.

When a dusk elf named Patrina Velikovna came knocking on Strahd's door, Rahadin could see that she intrigued Strahd, but Rahadin was suspicious of her motives. Patrina tried to seduce Strahd with the prospect of immortality - something Strahd desired above all. She told him of a vault of forbidden lore called the Amber Temple, where the secret of gaining immortality was hidden. Rahadin would later express his disgust at the prospect of his master becoming immortal as he would consider immortality a curse, so he sought to prevent it.

While Strahd was off searching for the Amber Temple, Rahadin was appointed Chamberlain and handled all of his master's affairs, but began searching for a woman who could tear Strahd away from Patrina Velikovna, and the prospect of immortality. With Strahd eyeing Tatyana, Rahadin had the pleasure of informing Patrina that her presence at the castle was no longer desired.

Patrina Velikovna and her people were living among the Vistani when they heard of Tatyana's death and Strahd's curse. The ageless Patrina returned to Ravenloft in the hope of winning Strahd's love. This time, it was clear that Patrina craved Strahd's power and that Strahd would never love her. To prevent Strahd from claiming his sister as his wife, Kasimir Velikov orchestrated the stoning of Patrina, with the help of the other dusk elves.

Strahd secured Patrina's corpse and entombed it in the catacombs of Castle Ravenloft, sending Rahadin to punish the dusk elves for this crime. Rahadin slew the entire female population of the dusk elves there and then, so that the males could no longer breed. He also sliced off the ears of Patrina's brother, Kasimir.

Kasimir, with the help of his great Vistani allies, inflicted a curse upon Rahadin, such that all of the screams of the female dusk elves that he slaughtered would forever haunt and isolate him.

Eager to put Tatyana out of his mind, Strahd lured more women to the castle, taking several of them as brides before draining their lives and turning them into vampire spawn. Rahadin would see to it that these women were lavished with jewels and fine clothes, and made comfortable during their stay in Ravenloft.

### Recent history

On his route from the Wizards of the Wine winery Sigismund encountered Rahadin who advised he was a member of the Order of the Silver Dragon and was searching for the Amber Temple. Sigismund travelled with him to Argynvostholt and helped him defeat a number of the spirits within the mansion - spirits of the very knights of the Order of the Silver Dragon. Kasimir confirmed that he had heard that Rahadin had tried this trick many times before, but was not aware of anything in Argynvostholt of value so was not sure of his aims.

After Strahd had asked Hallgrimm Mikkenson, Narid Ashplantt, and Eklyre Temere to investigate his brides for a traitor Rahadin refused to be drawn into speculation.

Days later he confronted the party on Mount Gakis, stating his intent to prevent them from reaching the Amber Temple and being afflicted by the Dark Powers like Strahd had been. However, after having being knocked from a bridge he told Eklyre in the ethereal plane that he was secretly with the party and that he had to keep up appearances as Strahd was always watching and listening.

He was killed during the Battle of Ravenloft fighting faithfully alongside his master.