St. Andral’s Church

St. Andral’s Church

St. Andral’s church has been a pillar of Vallaki for centuries. Its foundation was laid by a monk named Andral, who dedicated his life to the Morninglord and constructed a small church in 322. Despite Strahd’s Patronage Edict in 348, which required tribute from the church to the lord of Barovia, Andral refused to comply and spoke out against Strahd’s blasphemous actions. When Strahd became a vampire in 351 and sought to enter the church, Andral resisted his charms and protected those seeking refuge in the church from the darkness of the dark lord.
Andral transformed the church and surrounding gardens into a sanctuary, and upon his passing, he was made a saint and buried in the garden. A new church was constructed above his crypt, and his bones are said to protect the church of the Morninglord from the undead, demons, vampires, and other darkness.
For generations, the priests of the Morninglord have safeguarded St. Andral’s bones, as they protect the church and hallow the grounds. If the bones are removed, the church becomes vulnerable to unspeakable evils. Strahd has long sought to destroy the church, but the bones of St. Andral remain a source of frustration for Strahd and a bastion of safety for the people of Vallaki.

The story of St. Andral is told in The Blessed Life of Saint Andral