Keepers of the Feather

When asked about the origins of their society, the members of the Keepers of the Feather speak of their traditions originating long ago and beyond @The Mists. This is true, but most who repeat that story are only trying to layer a mystical facade over their dilettante spiritualism.

Only the group's highest-ranking members know that the Keepers of the Feather began in @Barovia as a small sect of @Wereravens dedicated to opposing the evils of @Strahd von Zarovich. Though their numbers were not enough to oppose the Darklord directly, they sought useful lore and aided brave souls from the shadows, manipulating fortune to confound some of @Strahd von Zarovich's more diabolical plots. Over generations, the @Wereravens' hidden resistance to @Strahd von Zarovich continued in @Barovia, but some among them learned of other lands suffering beyond @The Mists. Unwilling to let the innocents of those lands fend for themselves, some of the Keepers of the Feather ventured forth, hoping to share their wisdom and their subtle resistance to evil with those who needed it most.

However, @The Mists find a way to twist even the best of intentions. In the cities of urbane domains like Borca, Darkon, and Dementlieu, the mystical writings and talismans the @Wereravens carried from @Barovia came to the attention of the bored elite. Fascinated, these socialites became obsessed with the occult, seeking out esoteric works, hiring doubtful fortune-tellers, and hosting parlor séances. In most cases, the results were passing fads. In some, they were catastrophic—the unprepared successfully summoned @Fiends and angry spirits into their salons. But a few earnest amateur spiritualists genuinely sought to learn more about the secrets beyond their homes, their lives, and @The Mists. In these would-be occultists, the @Wereravens saw potential.

Keeper Characters

Characters playing members of the Keepers of the Feather have access to contacts with interest in spiritualism and the occult, including hapless dilettantes, reclusive scholars, correspondents from other domains, and hucksters. At any time, members of the organization might call upon their contacts to uncover some esoteric secret, engage in a supernatural investigation, or even explore another domain.

When creating Keeper of the Feather characters, ask the following questions.

What sparked their interest in the occult? Did they encounter a mysterious being that they want to understand? Is membership a family tradition? Are they trying to contact someone beyond the grave? Do they seek some other knowledge?

What esoteric knowledge most interests them? Are they curious about archeology, astrology, divination, cryptozoology, electricity, or spiritualism? How has this gotten them into trouble?

Who aids their investigations? Is another Keeper their mentor? Do they and other Keepers meet regularly? Do they correspond with a Keeper in another domain? Did this person give them their Mark of the Raven talisman?

A character afflicted by @Wereraven lycanthropy follows the rules as described in the Wereraven section of the Describing Horror & Lycanthropies of Ravenloft lore article.

Keeper Societies

Beyond @Barovia, where the eldest @Wereraven members of the Keepers of the Feather keep a low profile, Keepers organize into small social clubs with shared interests in occultism. Some members are actual invested scholars, while others are simply bored rich folk. But all have a strong interest in séances, fortune-telling, secrets of the afterlife, sightings of mysterious creatures, metaphysical theories, and tales of the macabre. Among their misinterpretations and outright flimflam—like round planet theory and dikesha dice—Keepers also possess hints of truth and the tools @Wereravens have long used to combat evil. Among these are @Spirit Boards, @Tarokka Decks, Mist Talismans, and piecemeal occult writings from various domains. Some among the Keepers don't know the true power of these tools, but this doesn't dull their enthusiasm.

Knowing the threats that Darklords and other evils pose, @Wereravens of the Keepers typically don't reveal themselves to those not of their kind. Rather, they infiltrate Keeper societies as reclusive members, traveling experts, or foreign scholars. Some Keepers also tell of sightings or visitations involving giant @Raven-like beings that appear, speak some prophecy or deliver some message, then vanish, often presaging either wonder or disaster. The @Wereravens take little issue with these exaggerated tales from those who've witnessed their hybrid forms, and they willingly play into the tales of the Keepers if it means spurring them to action.

The Keepers of the Feather are a loose organization, incorporating members who operate alone or in small groups, as well as elite social clubs or secretive societies. In all cases, Keepers identify each other by the Mark of the Raven, a sunburst emblem worn as a pin or amulet. Drawn from esoteric writings, this mark is a recreation of the @Holy Symbol of Ravenkind (Good Cleric/Paladin), a storied religious artifact from @Barovia. Though these reproductions carry no magical properties and most non-@Wereraven Keepers don't know the symbol's origin, many foul forces instinctively recognize the symbol as an emblem of good.

Keeper Rookeries

Keeper cells strive to correspond and share discoveries between communities and domains. To facilitate this, the @Wereravens have taught some Keepers how to raise messenger @Ravens capable of delivering letters through @The Mists. Most non-Keepers who learn of this consider it a trick, or fear what it means to receive messages from beyond @The Mists, encouraging the Keepers to offer this rare service only to group members and their allies. Keeper @Ravens as a means of correspondence is detailed in the Life in the Domains of Dread Lore article.

Keeper Adventures

The Keeper Adventures table offers ideas for strange events that can touch off stories involving the Keepers of the Feather, but the DM should also create their own ideas.

Keeper Adventures
d6 - Adventure Hook

1 - Keepers invite the characters to a social gathering where fortunes are told and attendees sample rare imported mumia—powdered @Mummy.

2 - A Keeper delivers a letter to the characters that arrived by @Raven. The message has no sender.

3 - Orphir Brindletop, a Kalakeri @Gnome occultist, is surprised to meet one of the characters, as he received a message for them in a séance long ago.

4 - The characters are invited to help a Keeper stake out a graveyard in hopes of spotting a legendary creature said to dwell there.

5 - The party is hired to collect a parcel from the @Blue Water Inn in the @Barovian @Town of Vallaki, which is secretly run by @Wereravens. They must not open the package and must get it out of @Barovia swiftly.

6 - A character glimpses a @Raven-like figure. When they investigate, they find only the mysterious talisman that it left behind.