![[TheAbbotPathfinder-v1.webp]] # The Abbot _Corrupted Deva of the Morning Lord | [[Abbey of Saint Markovia]]_ ## Summary An angel of the Morning Lord who came to Barovia decades ago believing he could redeem the land — and was corrupted by it. He concluded the way to save Barovia was to mend [[Strahd von Zarovich]]'s broken heart, and built [[Vasilka]], a flesh-golem bride, to give him. The party tried and failed to talk him out of it. When his redemption of Strahd collapsed, he loosed his mongrelfolk and golems on [[Krezk]], and was killed there. %% ## Now _Concluded._ Killed at [[Krezk]] by Willem's hand during the assault the Abbot launched on the village. ## Appearance Presents as a serene, ageless holy man; his true form is a radiant deva. As his faith cracked, his body mutated horribly, the holy aura twisting into something wrong. ## Personality Gentle, certain, and utterly deluded. He speaks the language of salvation while doing monstrous work — stitching mongrelfolk from living creatures, building a corpse-bride — and cannot see the corruption in himself. He believes he still serves the Morning Lord. He bargains sincerely: he offered to resurrect a dead PC in exchange for a wedding dress, and meant it as a fair trade. ## Quote _"The way to save Barovia is to mend Strahd's broken heart. I have made him the perfect bride."_ ## Connections **[[Vasilka]]** — the flesh-golem bride he built for Strahd. **[[Strahd von Zarovich]]** — the darklord he believed he could redeem. ## Background **The mission.** A deva of the [[Lathander|Morning Lord]], he came to Barovia decades ago to redeem the land and does not age. Over time he decided the key was to heal [[Strahd von Zarovich]]'s heart, and set about building [[Vasilka]] — a "perfect" bride assembled from corpse parts. **The creatures.** At the [[Abbey of Saint Markovia]] above [[Krezk]] he made mongrelfolk, grotesque beings stitched from mismatched living parts — among them Otto and Zygfrek Belview, who greeted the party cheerfully. **Crisis of faith.** The party confronted him. Meera argued the voice guiding him was not the Morning Lord but Strahd, and a well-placed plea threw him into doubt so deep his body began to mutate. He resurrected the party's fallen Icarus and asked to be left alone to reconsider. **The fall.** His attempt to redeem Strahd failed. Corrupted past return, he hovered over [[Krezk]] with two flesh golems, including [[Vasilka]], and loosed his mongrelfolk on the village. The party fought him through the streets, and Willem struck the killing blow — moments before Strahd descended on the Nightmare. ## Stats **Base:** Deva (Monster Manual), corrupted variant. CR 10. Fought over [[Krezk]] alongside mongrelfolk and two flesh golems including [[Vasilka]]. %%