There are many villains within the world of . There's Vecna, the lich who would become a god, and Xanathar, the paranoid beholder of Waterdeep, but even they pale in comparison to the vampiric lord of Barovia. Strahd von Zarovich.
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While not the strongest being within the Monster Manual, Strahd is terrifying in his own right. The horrors that the vampire has inflicted upon Barovia are well known, but the life he had prior is often forgotten. The story of the being who's often referred to as the first vampire is filled with tales of conquest, love, jealousy, despair, and anger. Here is the complete history of Strahd von Zarovich.
Life Before Undeath
Born to Barov and Ravenovia von Zarovich, Strahd lived a life of royalty, war, and bloodshed. While he was born a prince, much of Strahd's early life consisted of the youth participating in the various wars that plagued the land. He was revered as a fearsome warrior and respected by the armies he led. He fought against injustice and sought to preserve the livelihood of his people. However, this would not last.
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Years of war left its scar upon the young noble. By the time he had reached middle age, Strahd had begun to believe that he had squandered his youth. In an act that could only be described as a midlife crisis, Strahd conquered a large valley that would later be known as Barovia. There, he established himself as the lord of the region, taking up residence in a castle that he would name Ravenloft after his mother. There, he would retire from war and attempt to live his life the way he wished. Unfortunately, this would lead the noble down a dark path.
Descent Into Darkness
Despite retiring, the dark thoughts still haunted Strahd. Regrets over the youth he felt he never got to experience plagued the lord's mind. Amid his downward spiral, there existed a single light in Strahd's darkening mind. A young Barovian woman by the name of Tatyana whose beauty caught Strahd's eye. He quickly became infatuated with the woman and pursued her, showering her with gifts and wealth in hopes to gain her affection. However, his feelings were not shared.
Tatyana rebuffed Strahd's affections, instead falling in love with the lord's young brother, Sergei. Filled with jealousy, Strahd once more descended into despair, but this time there was nothing to keep him afloat. The anger he felt towards his brother for 'stealing' his love coupled with the feeling of wasting his life left the man seething and desperate. Desperate for a way to regain his youth and win Tatyana's love.
Sometime before the 11th century DR, in his quest for his youth, Strahd stumbled upon the Shadowfell. The exact details of what would occur next are unclear, but what is known is that Strahd made a pact of blood with a being from the Shadowfell. Strahd himself stated that it was Death that he made a pact with, but whoever or whatever it was granted Strahd his wish at a terrible price.
Strahd's Fall
With his youth restored, Strahd returned to Barovia, just as Sergei and Tatyana were to be wed. Enraged at the sight, Strahd murdered his brother and professed his love for Tatyana yet again. Horrified by the death of her betrothed, Tatyana fled in an attempt to escape the lord, prompting Strahd to chase her. In a final attempt to avoid Strahd's madness, Tatyana threw herself off a cliff, taking her own life.
Consumed by grief over his love's death, Strahd too attempted to take his own life, but failed. It was at that moment that Strahd realized the cost of his youth. The pact that he had formed with the Dark Powers of the Shadowfell had transformed Strahd into what many believe to be the first vampire. He became bound to Barovia, no longer able to leave its borders, even when the entire valley was swept into the Demiplane of Dread.
Thirst For Power
Despite what was essentially imprisonment, Strahd's lust for power and knowledge never faltered. He desperately sought a way to return his lost love, further diving into the Dark Arts. Through his study, he learned necromancy and created hordes of undead capable of regeneration as well as other vampires and werewolves to serve him. Additionally, he closed off the borders of Barovia by creating a poisonous miasma with the only antidote being held by the Vistani.
While most of Strahd's power came from self-study, there were a few who imparted their knowledge to the vampire. These unfortunate souls who wandered into Barovia would find themselves charmed by the undead noble, either through his natural charisma or through arcane means, and would often end up 'gifting' their knowledge or items to Strahd. Such individuals like Mordenkainen and Volothamp Geddarm have fallen to his charm in the past.
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Like many others before him, Mordenkainen fell for Strahd's charms and, as a result, lost his staff, spellbook, and eventually his mind to the vampire. Volothamp, or Volo as many know him, got off slightly easier. Strahd had tricked the traveller into dining with him, intent on learning the strange magic that Volo possessed. Thankfully, the human was able to escape with the help of the mage Elminster.
Vampiric Rivalry
Sometime around 1072 DR, Jander Sunstar, a gold elf vampire with hatred toward other vampires, encounters an aspect of Tatyana reborn within Waterdeep. She was cursed, much like Strahd, to never age all while never being able to escape her madness. She fell deathly ill, however, and Jander, who had fallen in love with her, wished to convert her into a vampire to save her. She refused, and died in the elven vampire's arms. Enraged over her death, Jander swore revenge on the one that had cursed his love in such a way, and something heard him.
In 1098 DR, the same Dark Powers that had granted Strahd his powers, transported Jander to Barovia. He then encountered Strahd who, through clever manipulation and charisma, convinced Jander that he was an ally. Believing the dark lord's words, Jander taught Strahd much of what he knew regarding his vampiric nature.
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Jander would eventually discover Strahd's true nature, and what he had done to Tatyana, and attempt to slay the dark lord. The two's clash was bloody and left Jander severely injured, but alive. Jander attempted to end his own life by exposing himself to the sun, but was transported to Forlorn before he could die. The elven vampire would then become a vampire hunter, vowing revenge on Strahd and others like him.
Unending Love
Throughout his undeath, Strahd never forgot Tatyana. Much of his study of necromancy was in hopes to revive his lost love, but each attempt ended in failure as Tatyana's soul was able to escape Barovia, leading to several reincarnations. In his madness, the vampire began seeing Tatyana in random villagers in Barovia. It's unclear if these were in fact reincarnations of the woman, but each time Strahd found and pursued one of these lookalikes, they would inevitably die.
Strahd also became incredibly possessive of everything he deemed related to Tatyana, including a locket with the ability to free people from Barovia. This particular item led to an altercation between Strahd and the Rashemaar warrior Minsc. The warrior and his compatriots barely survived their encounter with Strahd and the vampire's forces, having to resort to using the locket to transport themselves to Faerun.
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