As the mists swarm around the little village of Barovia, you and your companions find yourself lodge in Blood on the Vine Tavern for the night trying to gather your bearings in this new land you find yourselves in. There is an old man in the corner of the room that makes his way towards you with sunken eyes and stretched leathery skin covered with a wild white beard. He speaks saying that you are new here and for a small price of 2 gold pieces a detailed map of the surrounding lands. He pulls the map out of a protected tube hanging off his belt and lays it out for you with your eyes immediately being drawn to the Castle Ravenloft. As you scan the map you see the other settlements beyond the Castle and Barovia of Vallaki, and Krezk. You see prominent geographical locations such as Mount Ghakis as it overlooks the entire valley, Yester and Lysaga hill known to strange ruins capping their tops, you see the winding Ivlis and Luna Rivers as they divide the valley and all the roads and trails that lead to all of these places. The old man says it's a steal at this price and you will not find a finer map to help guide around Barovia, or to help you evade the eyes of the Devil of Ravenloft.
In this small supplemental adventure to the Curse of Strahd, it allows you to explore a concept introduced in the 3.5 Expedition to Castle Ravenloft known as the Fanes of Barovia. These ancient structures grant Strahd extra powers that players can steal from him. This is my take on that concept for a 5th edition setting along with a hand-drawn map of Barovia to give to your players.
- from the publisher's blurb