Kasimir’s Tale

Even now, nearly five centuries past, the memories are sharp and clear in my mind, like shards of broken glass. I was a mere century old when my people lost their freedom—when the tyranny of the von Zarovich clan rose like a shadow across the land.

It was not Strahd that shattered the peace, but his father, King Barov von Zarovich II. In those days, our people dwelled in Othrondil, the Forest of Twilight. A council of princes ruled us, led by Erevan Löwenhart, my uncle and a master in the art of bladesong. When King Barov’s eyes fell upon our lands, he demanded our fealty—our tribute to the borders of old Zarovia, the kingdom his ancestors once ruled. Erevan, who practiced the style of the lion and bore the lion’s sigil, was never one to bow, however, and refused. His act of defiance ignited the fires of war.

Barov’s conquest was swift and brutal. His forces, joined by Rahadin, my cousin, and a traitor to our people, laid waste to our kingdom. I was a mage and scribe in Erevan’s court—I saw Rahadin shatter Erevan’s blade and execute his family, marking the end of the royal line. My people were subjugated; those that resisted were hunted like rabbits.

Barov ruled over us with an iron fist—and when he died and his son, Strahd, came to power, we rose in rebellion, leading the charge for freedom. But Strahd was even more cunning and cruel than his sire. He quashed our revolt in a matter of days, and slaughtered our people in a genocide that left less than a hundred alive. He left us, the survivors, to the mercies of the Vistani, who took us into their caravans and led us to sanctuary in this valley.

Strahd’s hunger for conquest, however, was endless. Within a year, the last of his enemies had fallen, and he had claimed the valley for his own, naming it “Barovia.” We found ourselves trapped, imprisoned in the heart of our conqueror’s new empire. By then, however, we had built a home here, and chose to remain—hoping, in our heart of hearts, that the Vistani’s kindness would keep us safe. And so here we have remained ever since.