Adventures in Borca

The Dilisnya family maintains a tradition of treachery. The land of Borca originates from the same world as Barovia's conquerors, the von Zaroviches, and Dilisnyas were present at Castle Ravenloft the night of Strahd von Zarovich's transformation. Ages later, the siblings Boris and Camille Dilisnya each plotted to steal the prestige of their cousins, the Boritsis. Camille manipulated her way into the Boritsi family while Boris prepared his son Ivan to be the new head of a united Boritsi-Dilisnya line. Despite abundant opportunities to excel, Ivan grew to embody childish vice and impulsiveness, with his family's wealth and doting servants exacerbating these whims. Frequent "accidents" transpired around Ivan, forcing his family to cover up the maimings and deaths of numerous pets and servants. Only Ivan's sister, Kristina, was exempt from his bullying and wicked tricks. Over time, Kristina proved precocious and eager to learn. Ivan, however, became stubbornly obsessed with childish toys and behaviors. He encouraged his sister to indulge his idealized visions of their childhood, going so far as to affect childlike behaviors and ways of speaking. Although his family members grew increasingly unsettled, they sheltered the future head of their house, reshaping their estate and investing in whimsical diversions for him. On the night Ivana Boritsi poisoned her family, Ivan learned of his parents' intention to send Kristina to a prestigious boarding school. Screams, cruel cackling, and clockwork screeching filled the Dilisnya estate that night. When it ended, Ivan was the last living member of the Dilisnya family, and the Mists closed in around Borca. IVA N ' S POWERS A N D D OM INION

Ivan isn't a physically o r magically powerful Darklord. He's an extremely old man, but supernaturally he remains as physically fit as he was in the prime of life and has the statistics of a human noble. His menace manifests in the form of psychological manipulation, making others doubt reality, and causing victims to overestimate his control.

Cursed Correspondence. Ivan loathes leaving his estate, but the Dark Powers have granted him the ability to have his letters delivered anywhere he pleases. See " Intrigue in Borca" later in this section for details on Ivan's letters.

Manipulative Actor. One of Ivan's favorite manipulations is using his letters and his high-pitched voice to pretend to be a lonely youngster. Ivan keeps out of sight from those he targets for deception so they don't realize the discordance between his childlike affectations and his appearance. If forced to reveal his aged form, he pretends to be confused and employs elaborate clockwork toys, disguises, and conveyances that further mask his true ability.

Toy Maker. The Dark Powers provide Ivan with any toy he desires. Creatures of many sorts serve Ivan, and any of them, from maids to monstrous guardians, could be clockwork devices or stuffed toys. This doesn't change the creatures' statistics and is revealed only in dramatic moments. Individuals the characters have known for years might eventually be revealed as Ivan's toys.

lVAN 0 1 L I S NYA IN H I S FAVO R I T E CLOCKWORK P R A M

Wicked Wonderland. The Dilisnya estate, Degravo, is a confusing tangle of topiary gardens, hedge mazes, and neglected petting zoos that abut sheer cliffs . The mansion lies at the heart of the estate, and is divided into multiple structures, including the Laughing House, a playhouse where lifesized toys enact brutal operas, and Ivan's Playroom, a wing dedicated to the master of the estate's clockwork tinkering and private decadences. Ivan tempts victims to his home, where they gradually realize they're trapped i n a fun house of childish grotesqueries. Those unable to escape are eventually forced to don the ludicrous livery of the Dilisnya household staff and become Ivan's new servants.

Closing the Borders. Ivan can close or open Borca's borders once per day. He closes them to prevent those he's obsessing over from escaping. When he closes Borca's borders, the Mists rise as detailed in "The Mists" section at the start of this chapter. Additionally, the fog is filled with Ivan's taunting voice and patrolled by grim clockwork toys. IVA N 'S TOR M E N T

Since t h e night t h e Mists took Borca, Ivan rarely leaves the Dilisnya estate. The following circumstances endlessly torment h i m : • Ivan is alone, and t h e solitude terrifies him. He was given everything, destroyed it all, and doesn't know how to live. He endlessly creates fawning, fake family from clockwork creations to distract him from his solitude. • Ivan resents Ivana Boritsi, his closest relative, for having the power he was groomed for, but he also views her as his only peer and as a potential replacement for his sister. Ivana, however, avoids him at all costs. • Ivan looks like a fantastically unkempt old man, a state he believes he has no control over and that grows more pronounced daily. He thinks Ivana keeps the secret of her eternal youth from him. ROLEPLAYI N G IVAN

Ivan demands to be the center of attention while remaining deeply suspicious of the world beyond Degravo. With his family gone, he coaxes guests to his home to indulge in a perverse mixture of fabulous decadence and his off-putting, childish whims. Ivan delights i n his guests' discomfort and in forcing them to entertain him.

Personality Trait. "The world exists only to bring me pleasure."

Ideal. "I never want to be bored or alone again."

Bond. "My possessions are mine to do with as I please. I decide their fate."

Flaw. "I break whatever bores me. At least a broken toy is unique." Borca provides opportunities fo r political intrigues, family power struggles, and callous betrayals set amid a backdrop of ludicrous wealth and perverse visions of refinement. Adventures set in Borca often involve characters participating in the machinations of the domain's nobles, whether as involuntary pawns or as part of schemes to see them indebted to amoral patrons. The domain's two Darklords also provide opportunities to explore different types of amoral arrogance and petty obsessions. Characters might become caught between Ivana Boritsi and Ivan Dilisnya's unique obsessions-but could also learn that the best way to undermine these villains is to play them against one another. The following sections detail the schemes of the domain's nobles and Darklords, while the Borca Adventures table suggests other adventures appropriate to the domain.

B O R C A A DV E N T U R ES d8 Adventure

A n o b l e a s ks the c h a racters to protect t h e i r s i b l i n g from a myster i o u s a s s a s s in . T h e k i l l e r i s N ostal i a

R o m a i n e , w h o s e b lood w a s replaced with poison by I v a n a B o ri t s i . 2 A s c h ol a r req u ests a i d in gai n i n g access to S c h o l o m a n ce . T h i s i n stitution i s Borca's e lite s c h o o l o f m a g i c a n d a l s o h o m e to the R a i n m a ke r Society, w h i c h is s a i d to control B o rc a n p o l itics. 3 A youn g n o b l e befrie n d s the c h a racters a n d i n trodu ces t h e m t o t h e fab u l o u s l y a m o ra l Levkarest c l u b scene. By the n ight's e n d , a c h a racter i s accused of m u rd e r. 4 H a l f t h e v i l lage of Leon i is a r rested by t h e e rinyesm asked J udge R a n z i s ka and m a rched before

Stur b e n ' s Faceless Court. The rem a i n i n g v i ll a gers beseech the p a rty to defe n d their fa m i li e s i n court. 5 T h e e l i g i b l e n o b l e V l a d i m i r N o b ri s kov hosts a contest for his a ffectio n s . P a rt i c i p a n t s turn u p m u rd e re d , victim s of N o b ri s kov's lycanthropic h u n ger. 6 A book-co llectin g n o b l e seeks the p a rty's h e l p i n fi n d i n g a rare text c a l l ed The Revelations of the Prince of Twilight, a tom e s a i d to teach the rea d e r t o t a p i nto the h i d d e n power o f t h e i r s hadow. 7 T h e Ocrotire fa m i l y offers a s i z a b l e bounty for a nyo n e w h o c a n c a pt u re t h e Lake B a l a u r Beast, w h i c h h a s escaped from the estate's ocea n a r i u m . 8 M em bers of the U l mist I n q u is i t i o n accuse t h e c h a racters of c r i m e s t h e y h aven't yet committed.

They rel e n t o n l y i f the c h a racters u n d e rtake a m i s s i o n a ga i n st the priests ofOsybus ( s e e c h a pter 5).

From t h e i r decadent manors and lofty business offices, twelve prominent noble families rule over Borcan politics, industry, art, entertainment, religion, and every other aspect of life in the domain. The following families are Borca's most prominent, though dozens of lesser branch families orbit each: Boritsi. The Boritsi name is a mark of quality and innovation, appearing across Borca on perfumes, tonics, and dozens of buildings and theaters. Countless families claim ties to the Boritsis. Dilisnya. The family defensively guards its prestige, as its wealth is based in agriculture-particularly rearing pigs. Treacherous branch families have warred among themselves since the loss of nearly the entire main family. Eris. The elderly Tolashara Eris claims to be the last of her line. She pours her family's wealth into supporting art in Levkarest and endlessly building her estate both taller and deeper. lvliskova. The Ivliskovas run dozens of orphanages and the elite Ivliskova Finishing School. This boarding school boasts a flawless graduation rate-for those students who don't disappear. Nobriskov. Pious and formal, the Nobriskovs claim descent from Borca's ancient clans and hide their family's lycanthropic curse. Nuikin. Every member of this competitive family is expected to become a genius in their respective field. Numerous libraries, museums, and theaters advertise Nuikin accomplishments. Ocrotire. The Ocrotires descend from respected admirals and seafaring explorers (despite Borca's lack of a coast). Their estate features a vast oceanarium featuring thousands of bizarre sea creatures and a complete megalodon skeleton. Olzanik. This family of metalworkers obsesses over war. To them, every success is a conquest, but no Olzanik has ever seen battle in national service. Piechota. The estate of Borca's best ranchers lies half ruined as the result of another family's treachery. Their wealth largely expended, the Piechotas open their home to travelers along the Ruby Road. Pretorius. The Pretorius estate is a raucous casino surrounded by the Ash Gardens, a region burned in a vast wildfire. Those who can't pay debts incurred at the casino are burned alive and their ashes scattered in the wastelands. Ritter. The shear-wielding Ritters define the cutting edge of fashion. Their coveted designs change seasonally, and any who create reproductions meet vicious ends. Tatenna. Bankers and landlords, the Tatennas track debts across the domain. They deal with every family except the Olzaniks, with whom they maintain a generations-old feud. Endless power games play out in Borca. Something as simple as having the right talent or piece of gear could cause a noble to take notice of a character and invite them to an outing or event that leads to further intrigues. These plots initially revolve around small, petty things, but culminate in disasters and true outrages. They often play out in familiar ways. READY ACC OM PLICE S

Characters readily win contacts among Borca's nobility, since the elite seem easily charmed by the adventuring life. Friendly nobles soon embroil new acquaintances in their schemes, asking characters for favors meant to prove friendship or trustworthiness. These requests typically play into characters' action-first inclinations and gradually add up, giving the noble knowledge they can later leverage however they please. IGNOBLE B O N D S

Between adventures, a noble contact might share their problems with a character or seek favors from a character. Roll or choose an option from the Ignoble Request table to determine what the contact wishes. These requests target a specific rival or member of another family, and lead to increasingly dramatic treacheries.

I G N O B L E R E Q U E S T d 6 Request

M a nufacture a b u si ness or s o c i a l o p portunity for the target's confidant, leaving the ta rget i s o l ated. 2 D e l iver a lavish gift to t h e target, s u c h as a l a rge scu l pt u re o r a steed, at an i n a p p ro p r i ate time. 3 M ake the target cry in p u b l ic . 4 P l a n t evide n ce of a c r i m e at t h e t a rget's h o m e . 5 Orchestrate a fal s e b u s iness d e a l , p o l it i c a l a l li ance, o r a rranged relation s h i p. 6 M ake the target m i s s t h e i r own s o c i a l event.

LETHAL LEVERAGE

Ever thinking of themself, the aforementioned noble contact seeks leverage over the characters. The Lethal Leverage table suggests things a noble contact might seek to use against adventurers. Once they have such leverage, the noble contact is no longer a friend, but rather the characters' debt holder or blackmailer. Most such treacherous individuals try to ensure that threats or magic can't easily compel them to relinquish their leverage, such as sending it to a third party or disseminating it within a group of allies.