Barovian Timeline: Unraveling the History of Barovia

Ancient Era / Barovian Era / Dark Era

Barovian Timeline

Ancient Era

There are no calendars of the Ancient Era. What is known of this time comes from oral tradition, ruins, and accounts provided by the fey and the Ursari peoples. Dates provided during this era are approximations.

Year	Event
10,000 years ago	The first humans (the Ursari a.k.a. mountain folk) arrive.
5,000 years ago	The Ursari create a druid order. Three fanes (stone circles) and the Temple of the Fey in Bârgău are constructed.
2,500 years ago	The dark vestiges arrive in the valley.
2,000 years ago	The Amber Temple is built. The dark vestiges are imprisoned. The druid-wizard Khazan is born.

Barovian Era

The Barovian Era began when the first kings arrived in Barovia and kept a written record of events in Barovia. It is the beginning of the Barovian Calendar.

Year	Event
1	King Dostron rules Barovia.
2	Construction on Castle Barovia begins.
10	The Morninglord religion is introduced to Barovia
12	Krezk Manor is constructed.
37	Prince Ariel du Plumette, heir to the throne, is born.
54	Castle Barovia is completed.
60	The Morninglord’s Pagan Warning makes paganism unpopular.
81	King Dostron dies, and General Endorovich rules Barovia. Prince Ariel dies before the coronation.
84	Krezk Manor is renamed to the Abbey of Brilliant Worship.
92	The Druid Exodus begins as the druids leave the valley and settle in Yester Hill.
113	Lord Druf is awarded the Barony of Barovia.
175	Lord Katsky is awarded the Barony of Barovia.
203	Baron Katsky becomes king of Barovia.
223	Prince Troitsky becomes king of Barovia.
274	Lord Argynvost arrives in Barovia and begins construction of Argynvostholt.
290	Lord Falkon von Hapsburg becomes baron of Barovia.
292	Artimus constructs the chapel in Castle Barovia.
295	Lord Falkon von Hapsburg marries Sister Tasha Petrovna.
300	Earl Vernon von Hapsburg is born.
306	Prince Strahd von Zarovich of the Cadia Kingdom is born.
308	Leo the Lion (Strahd’s bastard brother) is born.
309	Contessa Sera von Hapsburg is born.
310	Earl Julius von Hapsburg is born. Princess Katarina von Zarovich (Strahd’s sister) is born.
314	Prince Sergei von Zarovich (Strahd’s brother) is born.
320	The Great War, in which Terg forces invade Barovia, begins. † Earl Julius von Hapsburg dies—poisoned by Terg spies. † Lord Argynvost forms the Order of the Silver Dragon and pledges himself to Lord von Hapsburg.
321	The Tsolenka Gates are constructed through the patronage of Lord Argynvost.
322	Brother Andral begins construction of the Morninglord’s Church in Vallaki.
327	Wereravens form the Keepers of the Feather, a spy network during the war, reporting to Lord Argynvost.
335	A young orphan named Lyria joins the abbey and becomes Sister Markovia.
341	Lyria becomes Blessed Sister Markovia after magically healing knights and soldiers in the Great War.
342	King of Cadia Barov von Zarovich arrives in Barovia with his son Prince Strahd and his armies to fight the Tergs. The noble houses and people of Barovia pledge their loyalty to Lord von Hapsburg, who they see as their rightful lord and lord of Barovia.
343	The Battle of Barovian Lords occurs. The king of Cadia and Lord Hapsburg fight the Terg forces independently, but tensions rise over who will rule Barovia after the Great War ends and the Terg are defeated.
344	Vistani save Prince Strahd’s life after a battle. Strahd is indebted to the Vistani people.
345	The Battle of Bârgău occurs. Bârgău is destroyed, and its people flee.
346	The Dark Year occurs. † Earl Vernon von Hapsburg falls in the battle of the Tsolenka Gates. † Lord Falkon von Hapsburg falls in battle of Berez, and Lord Argynvost assumes command of Lord von Hapsburg’s forces. † King Barov is slain by Terg forces. Prince Strahd leads his father’s forces. † Princess Katarina and Queen Ravenovia are murdered. † Contessa Sera von Hapsburg secretly gives birth to Earl Julius Vernon von Hapsburg at the abbey, the last male heir of the Hapsburg family. † Countess Tasha von Hapsburg and her daughter Contessa Sera are murdered on the road near Krezk.
347	The Final Year of the Great War † The Amber Temple is breached by Strahd. † Prince Sergei is murdered. † Tatyana commits suicide. † Leo the Lion goes missing and is presumed dead. † Prince Strahd conquers Barovia and destroys the Terg forces, ending the Great War. † Strahd announces the Abbey Forbiddance, an edict by Strahd forbidding Barovians from seeking refuge in the abbey. † Baby Earl Julius Vernon von Hapsburg is smuggled out of Barovia.
348	Strahd von Zarovich becomes lord of Barovia. † Castle Barovia becomes Castle Ravenloft, named after Strahd’s mother, Queen Ravenovia. Artimus begins construction of the Ravenloft Spire. † Prince Strahd declares Lord Argynvost and those loyal to him traitors to the king of Cadia, his father. † Prince Strahd recognizes those loyal to House Zarovich; the Wachter family becomes a minor noble family of Vallaki and part of the Ravenloft Court. † Burgomasters sign a pledge of loyalty to the lord of Barovia, Strahd von Zarovich. † The Churches of the Morninglord in Vallaki and Barovia sign the Morninglord’s Patronage Edict to avoid being abolished. The church’s power and wealth decreases.
350	Castle Ravenloft is completed.

Dark Era

The Dark Era began during the reign of Dark Lord Strahd when Barovia became isolated by the mists.

Year	Event
351	Dark Mist envelopes Barovia. † Strahd seals his pact with a dark vestige and becomes a vampire. † Strahd releases the vampire dark vestige. † Strahd declares druids and pagans enemies of Barovia. Fanes are desecrated. † Strahd slays Lord Argynvost. † The Order of the Silver Dragon is dissolved. † Berez is destroyed by a flood and turned into a swamp. The villagers of Berez are cursed.
352	Blessed Sister Markovia leads a revolt against Strahd and dies with her allies in Castle Ravenloft. She is made a saint, and the abbey becomes the Abbey of Saint Markovia.
353	Strahd’s forces lay siege to the Abbey of Saint Markovia
355	The Abbey of Saint Markovia falls.
359	Father Andral passes away and is made a saint. The Church of the Morninglord is renamed St. Andral’s Church.
400	Ruins of the Abbey of Saint Markovia become a refuge for mongrelfolk (exact date unknown).
600	The abbot arrives at the ruins of the Abbey of Saint Markovia, begins repairs, and takes care of the Mongrelfolk (exact date unknown).
735	The PCs enter Barovia.

Eras