Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft
You relentlessly seek the truth. Perhaps you're motivated by belief in the law and a sense of universal justice, or maybe that very law has failed you and you seek to make things right. You could have witnessed something remarkable or terrible, and now you must know more about this hidden truth. Or maybe you're a detective for hire, uncovering secrets for well-paying clients. Whether the mysteries you're embroiled in are local crimes or realm-spanning conspiracies, you're driven by a personal need to hunt down even the most elusive clues and reveal what others would keep hidden in the shadows.
Your first case influenced the types of mysteries you're interested in. Why was this case so impactful, personal, or traumatic? Whom did it affect besides you? Why and how did you get involved? Was it solved? How did it set you on the path to investigating other mysteries? Roll on or choose details from the First Case table below to develop the mystery that started your career as an investigator.
First Case
| d8 | Case |
| 1 | A friend was wrongfully accused of murder. You tracked down the actual killer, proving your friend's innocence and starting your career as a detective. |
| 2 | You're told you went missing for weeks. When you were found, you had no memory of being gone. Now you search to discover what happened to you. |
| 3 | You helped a spirit find peace by finding its missing corpse. Ever since, other spectral clients have sought you out to help them find rest. |
| 4 | You revealed that the monsters terrorizing your home were illusions created by a cruel mage. The magic-user escaped, but you've continued to uncover magical hoaxes. |
| 5 | You were wrongfully accused and convicted of a crime. You managed to escape and seek to help others avoid the experience you suffered, even while still being pursued by the law. |
| 6 | You survived the destructive use of a magic device that wiped out your home. Members of a secret organization found you. You now work with them, tracking down dangerous supernatural phenomena and preventing them from doing harm. |
| 7 | You found evidence of a conspiracy underpinning society. You tried to expose this mysterious cabal, but no one believed you. You're still trying to prove what you know is true. |
| 8 | You got a job with an agency that investigates crimes that local law enforcement can't solve. You often wonder which you value more, the truth or your pay. |
Skill Proficiencies: Choose two from among Insight, Investigation, or Perception
Tool Proficiencies: Disguise kit, thieves' tools
Languages: None
Equipment: A magnifying glass, evidence from a past case (choose one or roll for a trinket from the Horror Trinkets table) a set of common clothes, and 10gp.
You're experienced at gaining access to people and places to get the information you need. Through a combination of fast-talking, determination, and official-looking documentation, you can gain access to a place or an individual related to a crime you're investigating. Those who aren't involved in your investigation avoid impeding you or pass along your requests. Additionally, local law enforcement has firm opinions about you, viewing you as either a nuisance or one of their own.
As an investigator, you do things that others wouldn’t do and know things that others wouldn’t think to consider. There are many traits that may exemplify an investigator, but normal would not be prominent among them.
Personality Traits
| d8 | Personality Trait |
| 1 | I can’t stop asking questions! |
| 2 | I have amazing powers of deduction, and I leave no clue uninspected. |
| 3 | I require silence to do my work. I detest noise. |
| 4 | My art is as important as my investigation, and I often paint what I find. |
| 5 | The truth does not come to those who wait. I must seek it regardless of the cost. |
| 6 | The darkness is my friend, and I feel lonely without it. |
| 7 | I am only at ease when investigating. Sitting still for too long is unsettling. |
| 8 | Investigation comes easy to me, and it bores me, but I am too good at it to stop. |
Ideals
| d6 | Ideal |
| 1 | Duty. The work of investigation is too important to abandon. (Lawful) |
| 2 | Revenge. Information is power, and it can bring enemies to their knees.(Any) |
| 3 | Charity. The truth is beautiful. The darkness can only be dispelled with light. (Good) |
| 4 | Anarchy. Oppressive forces cannot keep the truth from surfacing. (Chaotic) |
| 5 | Creativity. The compulsion to learn about the world is strong, and I cannot resist its call. (Chaotic) |
| 6 | Tradition. Obligation supersedes many things, including fear of the unknown. (Lawful) |
Bonds
| d6 | Bond |
| 1 | I owe my life to a mentor who has shown me how to combat the dark. |
| 2 | I search for a cure for my sister’s disease, brought about by evil forces. |
| 3 | My duty is to the helpless innocents. |
| 4 | The darkness has taken something from me, and I plan to carve a repayment. |
| 5 | The encroaching darkness has taken from me a special person that I wish to honor. |
| 6 | I hope to inspire others to fight. The darkness cannot be combated alone. |
Flaws
| d6 | Flaw |
| 1 | My social skills are lacking. |
| 2 | I suspect treachery everywhere. |
| 3 | I can speak endlessly about monster lore, much to everyone else's dismay. |
| 4 | I have no need for coin or companionship unless it can help me fight evil. |
| 5 | I’d rather kill monsters than help the wounded or needy. |
| 6 | I am as remorseless as the things I hunt. |