ABCD
1
TimeDescriptionSourceNotes
2
The Ancient Era
3
4500 Years AgoAn ancient god gives up his divinity to preserve the world from destruction. His last divine breath produces the Whispering Wall near Yester Hill.Curse of Strahd, p. 200
4
4000 Years AgoA roc nests atop Mount Ghakis.Curse of Strahd p. 159
5
3000 Years AgoThe valley folk erect a ring of menhirs carved with animals at the foot of Mount Ghakis by the Luna River. Powerful gods bless it with druidic power.Curse of Strahd p. 165The indigenous population of Barovia can be divided into two groups: the "valley" folk who erected the standing stones at Berez and Old Bonegrinder, and the "mountain" tribe (including Kavan) that ruled the Balinok Mountains. Both groups are distinct from Dostron (see below), an ancient ruler who conquered the valley and erected a fortress on the Pillarstone of Ravenloft centuries before Strahd.
6
2500 Years AgoA secret society of good-aligned wizards captures vestiges of dead and hateful gods.Curse of Strahd p. 181
7
2450 Years AgoThe secret society of wizards builds the Amber Temple on Mount Ghakis.Curse of Strahd p. 181
8
2400 Years AgoEvil creatures discover the location of the Amber Temple.Curse of Strahd p. 181
9
2398 Years AgoThe secret society of wizards begins to guard the Amber Temple.Curse of Strahd p. 181
10
2396 Years AgoThe secret society of wizards builds the black stone wall at Tsolenka Pass, guarding it with two petrified vrocks and a curtain of green flame.Curse of Strahd p. 181, 157There are two groups that could have built the structures at Tsolenka Pass: the Amber Temple wizards and the Order of the Silver Dragon. The black stone, green flame, and bound demons seem more relevant to a society of wizards (who would be well-equipped to cast dispel magic or otherwise teleport directly to and from the temple). Strahd could also have done so, but likely lacked the engineering manpower with which to do it—compare the scale of the walls with Strahd's "defense" of six vampire spawn in moldy crates.
11
2350 Years AgoThe first generation of the secret society of wizards dies and is buried in the Amber Temple catacombs.Curse of Strahd p. 189
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2300 Years AgoThe vestiges in the Amber Temple corrupt the wizards that guard it.Curse of Strahd p. 181
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2290 Years AgoThe wizards of the Amber Temple summon and bind an arcanaloth named Neferon to help guard the temple.Curse of Strahd p. 181, 184Neferon's origins are unspecified in the original text. His closest equivalent in older lore is an arcanaloth who struck a deal with Strahd, providing military victories in exchange for Strahd's soul, but Neferon seems to have no ties to Strahd and is merely interested in guarding the temple. As such, he was likely either summoned by Exethanter or the secret society. Exethanter's efforts are explicitly discussed in the text (creating the flameskulls); as such, it is reasonable to infer that Neferon was summoned as one of the "wards" that Exethanter breached. (It is also possible, but unexplored, that Neferon found his way to Barovia naturally, as Morgantha did).
14
2275 Years AgoThe wizards of the Amber Temple loot the crypts of the catacombs.Curse of Strahd p. 189
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2265 Years AgoThe wizards of the Amber Temple turn against one another. The Dark Powers are born.Curse of Strahd p. 181The Dark Powers of 5th Edition are explicitly born in the Amber Temple, according to Exethanter. It is unknown when they are born, but it is known that, by the time of Exethanter's arrival, the "evils within the temple" are "growing in power." As such, the corruption and downfall of a secret society of Good wizards seems a natural birth point.
16
2200 Years AgoThe Vistani are forced from their home, a land of kings whose name is now forgotten, and begin to wander the lost roads.Curse of Strahd p. 20
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1800 Years AgoThe mountain folk construct burial mound cairns on Yester Hill.Curse of Strahd p. 197
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1600 Years AgoKavan, wielder of the first blood spear, rules the mountain folk of the Balinok Mountains as a ruthless chieftain.Curse of Strahd p. 200
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1580 Years AgoKavan dies and is buried in a cairn at Yester Hill alongside his blood spear.Curse of Strahd p. 200
20
1200 Years AgoKing Dostron conquers the valley and constructs a fort on the Pillarstone of Ravenloft. He claims descent from a duke of the Nine Hells and rules with a cruel and iron fist.Curse of Strahd p. 92
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1150 Years AgoKing Dostron dies and is buried in a golden sarcophagus. An imp is summoned and magically bound to guard Dostron's remains.Curse of Strahd p. 92
22
1000 Years AgoExethanter, an evil archmage, breaches the wards of the Amber Temple and becomes a lich. He takes control of the temple and turns the dead wizards into flameskulls under his command. The Dark Powers continue to grow in power.Curse of Strahd p. 181
23
950 Years AgoThe valley folk erect four ancient stones on a hill overlooking the valley, carving them with images of the Four Cities where the Morninglord, Mother Night, and other ancient gods first dwelled.Curse of Strahd p. 128It's worth noting that, unlike real life, gods in the Forgotten Realms are verifiably real—as such, it's not especially unrealistic that both Strahd's homeland and the indigenous folk of Barovia would worship the same Sun-based deity (the Morninglord), especially because Barovia is relatively close to Strahd's homeland.
24
900 Years AgoThieves break into the Amber Temple and loot one of the treasuries. Some thieves are slain by an amber golem and remain in the temple as poltergeists.Curse of Strahd p. 194The thieves' remains are "pulverized," which naturally suggests the involvement of a golem, especially considering we know that the surviving treasury hosts another amber golem, and there is a damaged amber golem wandering around elsewhere in the temple.
25
800 Years AgoEight wizards enter the Amber Temple and accept the dark gift of Drizlash, the Nine-Eyed Spider. A blizzard traps them in the temple, and they devour one of their own, becoming ghouls.Curse of Strahd p. 192Cannibalism is the traditional means of creating a ghoul in Forgotten Realms lore.
26
750 Years AgoFour wizards enter the Amber Temple seeking forbidden lore, and are transformed into nothics by a curse of Vecna.Curse of Strahd p. 193"Cursed secrets of Vecna" are the traditional means of creating a nothic; this possibility is strengthened by the fact that Vecna is heavily implied to be the "God of Secrets" overseeing the Amber Temple.
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The Old Era
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168 BCClerics of the Morninglord found a religious sect called the Church of Andral.Ravenloft Gazetteer Volume I, p. 34The Church of Andral is a relic of older editions, in which worship of the "Morninglord" was a cult that sprang up in Barovia after Strahd's fall and Andral was a moniker for another deity. I've tried to incorporate the two here: "Saint" Andral is the founder and spiritual leader of the Church of Andral (similar to Martin Luther for the Lutheran Church in Protestant Christianity), the chief faith of Strahd's ancestral homeland. (This is why Saint Andral's bones were brought to Barovia when Strahd conquered it—Barovia itself became the new seat of Strahd's kingdom, and therefore, due to intertwining of church and state, the center of the new faith).
29
245 BCRahadin refuses to bow to a dusk elf prince and is exiled.Curse of Strahd p. 236
30
255 BCRahadin begins serving the von Zarovich family.Curse of Strahd p. 236Strahd has lived for over four hundred years, but the text notes that Rahadin has served his family for over "five hundred" years. As such, Rahadin must have served Strahd's ancestors before Strahd himself.
31
280 BCKing Barov von Zarovich is born.Curse of Strahd p. 236
32
299 BCStrahd von Zarovich is born. Baba Lysaga, Strahd's nursemaid, casts protective spells on him and places the "spark of magic" in him.I, Strahd p. xx; Curse of Strahd p. 228
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300 BCQueen Ravenovia receives disturbing reports of Baba Lysaga's attachment to Strahd and banishes her.Curse of Strahd p. 228
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301 BCBaba Lysaga begins making sacrifices to Mother Night to pray for Queen Ravenovia's death.Curse of Strahd p. 228
35
302 BCKatarina, the daughter of King Barov and a Vistani woman, is born during one of Barov's crusades.Curse of Strahd p. 233
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306 BCStrahd joins his father's army at the age of seven.I, Strahd p. xx
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308 BCKing Barov and his knights are immortalized in a tapestry depicting the wolf-helmed king leading his knights with the Brightblade, a crystal sword that glows with sunlight.Curse of Strahd p. 85The Brightblade is a relic of older editions, but is generally agreed to be the name of the sword wielded by Sergei and (before him) Barov.
38
310 BCThe dusk elves decline to pay fealty to King Barov, who declares war.Curse of Strahd p. 236
39
311 BCRahadin helps Barov conquer the dusk elves, obliterating the elven royal line; most survivors are subjugated or live among the Vistani. Curse of Strahd p. 236
40
King Barov makes Rahadin an honorary member of his family.Curse of Strahd p. 236
41
317 BCStrahd is wounded in battle in the land of his enemies and rescued by the Vistani, who protect him from assassins and return him safely to his homeland.Curse of Strahd p. 20, 23
42
318 BCSaint Markovia becomes a priest of the Morninglord.Curse of Strahd p. 222-23
43
321 BCStrahd von Zarovich becomes a general in his father's army.Curse of Strahd p. 20; I, Strahd p. xx
44
324 BCSergei von Zarovich is born.Ravenloft: Realm of Terror, p. 127
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330 BCSaint Markovia begins construction of an abbey on a spur of Mount Baratok.Curse of Strahd p. 143, 222-23
46
332 BCThe Abbey of Saint Markovia finishes construction. Markovia blesses a sacred pool at the base of the mountain.Curse of Strahd p. 132, 222-23, 146
47
333 BCTatyana Federovna is born.Realm of Terror p.127A minor note: Tatyana's birthdate is taken entirely from old lore. This has the unfortunate side-effect of putting her at age eighteen when she marries a twenty-seven-year-old Sergei, and seventeen (!) years old when she meets a fifty-plus-year-old Strahd. To dial down the squick factor, I strongly suggest pushing Tatyana's birthdate back to 325 BC or earlier.
48
335 BCThe silver dragon Argynvost learns of the existence of the Amber Temple.Curse of Strahd p. 129
49
336 BCArgynvost arrives in the valley and begins construction of Argynvostholt, his lair and the future headquarters of the Order of the Silver Dragon.Curse of Strahd p. 129
50
337 BCArgynvostholt finishes construction. The chapel is dedicated to the Morninglord and the upstairs gallery honors Saint Andral and Saint Markovia.Curse of Strahd p. 129, 134, 138This gallery is key to decoding the history of early Barovia (as it indicates that Markovia's abbey existed before Argynvostholt was complete). It is somewhat odd that Saint Andral is honored here if he's a relic of Strahd's native faith, but that's explainable if one assumes that Saint Andral was a predominant faith in this region and Strahd's homeland just happened to host its holy city.
51
338 BCKnights of the Holy Empire of Valentia flock to join the Order of the Silver Dragon. Curse of Strahd p. 129, 140
52
A mage fashions three magic gems and uses them to grow grapes in the valley's rich soil, founding the Wizard of Wines. Deliveries begin to Argynvostholt and the Abbey of Saint Markovia.Curse of Strahd p. 173, 133, 143Argynvostholt received wine from the Wizard of Wines before Strahd's invasion, meaning the winery was established before Strahd's fall. While the winery could have been founded before Argynvostholt, the timeline of the only two other major structures in the region (the Abbey and Argynvostholt) suggests that the winery was founded to serve their needs.
53
339 BCThe young knight Vladimir Horngaard joins the Order of the Silver Dragon and earns Argynvost's friendship, then travels to distant lands to wage war against the forces of evil.Curse of Strahd p. 241
54
340 BCThe Order of the Silver Dragon constructs a white stone guard tower topped by golden statues of mighty warriors beyond the black stone wall at Tsolenka Pass.Curse of Strahd p. 157, 129This tower could have been built by two parties: the Amber Temple wizards or the Order of the Silver Dragon. Given that "gold statues of mighty warriors" are a sharp divergence from the known aesthetic of the wizards, and the fact that the design team intentionally chose to distinguish the "black stone" wall from the "white stone" tower, it seems reasonable that the tower was built later by the Order—corraborated by the fact that the stuffed dire wolf head in the tower is still in reasonably good condition.
55
341 BCSergei joins the priesthood of the Church of Saint Andral and receives the Brightblade.Vampire of the Mists, p. 1-3, 237; Curse of Strahd p. 223
56
Birth of Barovia
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February, 346 BCKing Barov dies, and Strahd inherits his father's crown, lands, and army.Curse of Strahd p. 9, Ravenloft: Realm of Terror, p. 127
58
The dusk elves stage a rebellion against Strahd von Zarovich.Curse of Strahd p. 233According to Rahadin's biography, King Barov went to war against the dusk elves. However, according to Kasimir's biography, Strahd went to war agains the dusk elves. As such, the most natural conclusion I could find is that King Barov invaded the dusk elf kingdom, stamped out the royal line and subjugated most of the survivors; decades later, these subjugated dusk elves (including Kasimir) took advantage of the change in leadership by staging a rebellion against Strahd's rule, which Strahd responded to by "nearly annihilating" the dusk elves as a people.
59
March, 346 BCStrahd declares war against his family's enemies. Curse of Strahd p. 9
60
The Order of the Silver Dragon wins an early victory against Strahd's forces and shelters his enemies.Curse of Strahd p. 129
61
April, 346 BCStrahd's armies nearly annihilate the dusk elves, who surrender. Strahd leaves the survivors to the mercy of the Vistani.Curse of Strahd p. 233Given the small number of dusk elves remaining after Barov's invasion, this was probably a quick victory.
62
May, 346 BCThe dusk elf Kasimir joins the clain of Velikov, a Vistani. The Vistani bear the dusk elves to the valley.Curse of Strahd p. 233
63
June, 346 BCThe Order of the Silver Dragon drives away malefactors searching for the Amber Temple.Curse of Strahd p. 129
64
August, 346 BCThe Order of the Silver Dragon wins a victory against Strahd's forces. Argynvost makes Vladimir Horngaard a field commander.Curse of Strahd p. 129, 241
65
September, 346 BCBaba Lysaga celebrates Strahd's military triumphs and kills a hill giant, forging its skull into an enchanted vehicle.Curse of Strahd p. 228, 163There are no hill giants in Barovia, suggesting that Lysaga forged her flying skull before following Strahd there.
66
November, 346 BCThe Order of the Silver Dragon realizes that Strahd cannot be stopped and leads hundreds of refugees to the valley,Curse of Strahd p. 241
67
January, 347 BCStrahd's forces track the Order of the Silver Dragon to the valley.Curse of Strahd p. 241
68
March, 347 BCStrahd's reinforcements arrive at the valley and slay hundreds at the Battle of the Luna River, including Sir Godfrey Gwilym, Vladimir Horngaard, and Argynvost. Curse of Strahd p. 241,129
69
Duchess Dorfniya Dilisnya's husband is killed in battle. Curse of Strahd p. 235Duke Dilisnya does not have a firm date of death in the module, but it seems reasonable that he might have been killed in the final and most climactic battle of Strahd's wars.
70
Strahd's soldiers loot Argynvostholt. Curse of Strahd p. 140
71
April, 347 BCStruck by the valley's beauty, envious of his mother's attention to Sergei, and eager to escape the shadow of his father's legacy, Strahd settles in the valley and names it Barovia.Curse of Strahd p. 9,23
72
May, 347 BCSaint Markovia condemns Strahd as a mad tyrant. Curse of Strahd p. 223
73
Patrina Velikovna, a dusk elf, discovers the Amber Temple and completes her studies of the black arts.Curse of Strahd p. 241, 89
74
June, 347 BCStrahd begins to repopulate Barovia with human subjects drawn from his other conquered lands.Curse of Strahd p. 24
75
Strahd bequeaths the Wizard of Wines to the Krezkov family as a reward for their loyalty.Curse of Strahd p. 173
76
August, 347 BCBoris Vallakovich, a man with royal blood who believes himself superior to the von Zarovich line, founds the town of Vallaki.Curse of Strahd p. 95, 119
77
September, 347 BCThe Krezkovs found Krezk at the foot of the Abbey of Saint Markovia and build the Shrine of the White Sun. Curse of Strahd p. 23, 146
78
Clerics of the Morninglord found a church dedicated to Saint Andral in Vallaki.Curse of Strahd p. 97
79
Restless and feeling like his best years are behind him, Strahd begins to study magic.Curse of Strahd p. 9
80
October, 347 BCStrahd gives notarized deeds to parcels of land to the Wachter family. Curse of Strahd p. 115
81
The Dursts, members of a wealthy family that practices the dark arts, fund a grain mill near Vallaki and settle in Barovia Village.Curse of Strahd p. 125, 214The Dursts owned the grain mill, but it's not explicit that they built it. However, given the short period of time between Strahd's conquest and the Dursts' fall (see below), it seems to be a reasonable conclusion.
82
November, 347 BCSir Klutz Tripalotsky falls on his own sword and dies. Curse of Strahd p. 91
83
Baba Lysaga moves to Barovia.Curse of Strahd p. 228
84
February, 348 BCPatrina visits Strahd and tells him of the Amber Temple, which holds the secret to immortality. Curse of Strahd p. 237
85
Exethanter welcomes Strahd to the Amber Temple. Strahd forges a pact with the vestiges of the temple and the Dark Powers. Curse of Strahd p. 181, 9Older Ravenloft lore clearly ties Strahd's pact to Tatyana's arrival. However, 5th Edition makes a clear decision to remove Tatyana from Strahd's initial decision to pursue immortality. This is corraborated by the fact that Artimus, Castle Ravenloft's architect, uses the Amber Temple as a staging ground to plan the castle before it's built—which, combined with the fact that Sergei only arrived after the castle was complete, suggests that Strahd had access to the temple for a meaningful length of time before Tatyana ever entered the picture.
86
Rahadin searches for a woman to distract Strahd from Patrina.Curse of Strahd p. 237
87
March, 348 BCStrahd, assisted by Rahadin, scours his conquered lands for wizards and artisans and commands them to raise a keep to rival the fortresses of his homeland. Curse of Strahd p. 9
88
Strahd names his new castle Castle Ravenloft, for his mother Ravenovia, and places it atop the ruins of an older fortress. Curse of Strahd p. 9, 49This older fortress was the keep of Dostron the Hellborn (see above).
89
The architect of Castle Ravenloft, a wizard named Artimus, builds a scale model of the castle in the Amber Temple from magically sculpted rock. Curse of Strahd p. 187
90
Khazan, an archwizard, joins the construction of Castle Ravenloft.Curse of Strahd p. 167
91
April, 348 BCThe Dursts use seduction and indoctrination expand their cult to include a small yet nefarious circle of friends. The cult tries to summon malevolent extraplanar entities and preys on visitors, sacrificing them in bizarre rituals and feasting on their corpses. Rosevalda and Thornboldt Durst are told stories of a monster in the basement.Curse of Strahd p. 211
92
July, 348 BCGustav Durst has an affair with the family's nursemaid. Curse of Strahd p. 214, 215
93
Construction begins on Castle Ravenloft.Curse of Strahd p. 49, 9
94
August, 348 BCResidents of Barovia Village hear of the Dursts' cult and turn a blind eye to the house and its nightly debaucheries.Curse of Strahd p. 211
95
November, 348 BCThe Durst nursemaid gives birth to a stillborn child named Walter and is slain by the cult.Curse of Strahd p. 215
96
April, 349 BCLord Endorovich falls in love with a woman named Marya.Curse of Strahd p. 87Lord Endorovich's timeline is largely arbitrary; however, it's clear that Marya must have died at some point after Barovia was conquered.
97
May, 349 BCEndorovich puts poison in the wineglass of Marya's lover, but Marya drinks the poison and dies. Marya's lover is hanged for murder and buried at the Ivlis River Crossroad.Curse of Strahd p. 87
98
September, 349 BCThe Durst cult begins to lose members when their ritualized murders fail to bear fruit.Curse of Strahd p. 211
99
November, 349 BCCastle Ravenloft finishes construction and Rahadin is appointed castle chamberlain. Curse of Strahd p. 26, 236
100
February, 350 BCStrahd summons Sergei and Queen Ravenovia to Barovia. Queen Ravenovia dies in transit.Curse of Strahd p. 9