Durst House

The **Durst House**, informally referred to as the "Murder House", was home of the Durst family, located in Barovia to the east of Barovia Village.

It was a four storey gothic home of wood and tile construction, and the interior was adorned with several paintings and images of windmills. The basement contained a wooden statue of Count Strahd von Zarovich beside a wolf.

According to Lady Wachter the house was burnt down 50 years ago. Madam Eva confirmed this but noted it rebuilds itself, and has burned down on more than one occasion.

## Recent history

The Durst House was the first place of interest in Barovia discovered by the party. As they were passing by they were greeted by the forms of two children, Rosevaldur and Thornbold. Rosevaldur told the party they were made to wait outside by their parents and that there was their baby brother Walter still inside, as well as a monster in the cellar.

Once inside the doors appeared to lock behind the party and whilst investigating the house the party were attacked by an animated armour. Upon playing music upstairs Hallgrimm saw a number of apparitions appear and begin to dance at the sound, expect for two figures that appeared to be the owners of the property. Hallgrimm found the small dog Lancelot, who was named "Ouf" by the party, cowering in this room and coaxed him into following them.

Within desk drawers an unsent letter written by Elizabeth Durst and addressed to Lady Petrovna was located, and Narid found a number of books within the library which he took with him before finding a book which opened a secret room behind the bookcase. Within the secret room was the corpse of a man who appeared to have died trying to open a booby-trapped chest. The chest contained a number of documents, including a letter addressed to Gustav Durst from Strahd von Zarovich.

On the upper floor the party encountered the friendly spirits of Rosevaldur and Thornbold who watched over Hallgrimm and Narid whilst they slept, but not Sigismund whose distrust of all spirits lead him to assume they were malevolent. The party found another corpse, this one appearing to be the form of a young woman that ha been ceremonially sacrificed.

Finally the party found the basement which contained several crypts for the Durst family members, and a number of hostile creatures including ghouls, spirits, shadows, and a grick. There was a statue of Strahd standing alongside a wolf. There was an additional bedroom in which the party found the hanging body of Gustav Durst alongside the foul ghost of Elizabeth Durst, which attacked and was defeated by the party.

Further within the basement the party passed through an odd corridor containing strange items around the walls, and heard a chant emanating from deeper down in the basement, echoing *"He is the ancient, he is the land"*. A group of cultist stood around the edge of the room on raised plinths, above the shallow water which covered the floor. In the centre of the room was a raised area out of the water, and across from the entrance was an apparent pile of rubbish which eventually rose to reveal a slimy monstrosity beneath it.

This beast fought the party and temporarily enveloped Hallgrimm in its form, however the rest of the party were able to free him and he escaped its form along with the lifeless form of a small baby, thought to be Walter Durst. After the monstrosity was defeated the building began to crumble around them. The doorways were blocked by swinging scythe blades and each fireplace began to spew poisonous smoke. The party made it to a balcony on the second floor and after Narid tied his rope off against one of the balcony railings we was able to lower himself down to the ground. The house gave the illusion of growing higher and higher whilst he descended but he managed to maintain his nerve; the rest of the party followed shortly after and made it away from the house before it collapsed in full.

As the party left the grounds they found a gift hamper containing a bottle of Champ de la Stomp left for them with a note from Strahd von Zarovich welcoming them to Barovia. Narid threw the bottle of wine at the rubble of the house in disgust.

## Notable items

* Animated armour
* Shield adorned with windmill insignia
* Jewellery
* Books (History of Barovia, Beyond the Moon, and Biography of Narid Ashplantt)
* Documents (Gustav and Elizabeth's will, Deed to the Durst House, Deed to a windmill)
* Strahd letter to Gustav Durst
* Elizabeth Durst unsent letter to Lady Petrovna
* Blinsky doll
* Silvered sword

## Strahd letter

> *My most pathetic servant,*
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> *I am not a messiah sent to you by the Dark Powers of this land. I have not come to lead you on a path to immortality. However many souls you have bled on your hidden altar, however many visitors you have tortured in your dungeon, know that you are not the ones who brought me to this beautiful land. You are but worms writhing in my earth.*
>
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> *You say that you are cursed, your fortunes spent. You abandoned love for madness, took solace in the bosom of another woman, and sired a stillborn son. Cursed by darkness? Of that I have no doubt. Save you from your wretchedness? I think not. I much prefer you as you are.*
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> *Your dread lord and master,*
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> *Strahd von Zarovich*
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## Elizabeth Durst letter

> *My Dear Mrs. Petrovna,*
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> *Your advice on dealing with the unwanted fiend in my home is very good advice indeed. Tonight's ceremony will proceed as planned when the moon is at its highest peak - without, of course, the attendance of Mr. Durst. I must agree with you that, yes, with such an innocent sacrifice our proceedings may have better results. Although, "innocent" is not quite the term I would use.*
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> *My Thanks,*
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> *Mrs. Elisabeth Durst*
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