# Castle Ravenloft, the Gates

> From the Curse of Strahd game wiki (it covers the whole game, spoilers included): https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/castle-ravenloft-the-gates.html. Unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy, not approved or endorsed by Wizards of the Coast.

> [!infobox]
> ![loc castle ravenloft gates 1](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/img/shots/loc-castle-ravenloft-gates-1.webp)
> **Region:** [Castle Ravenloft](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/regions/castle-ravenloft.md) · level 10
> **Resting:** Risky
> **Light:** dim, outdoors
> **Getting here:** the travel map (Castle Ravenloft)

## Overview

The road's end below Castle Ravenloft: a drawbridge over a black chasm, the gatehouse and its portcullis, the front courtyard before the keep's great doors, the servants' courtyard and the carriage house, and the walk along the wall to the overlook.

A chasm with no bottom you can see, a drawbridge already lowered, a gatehouse with its portcullis up. Beyond it a courtyard of cracked stone and weeds, and the keep rising over it with one window lit.

**Resting:** Risky: a rest here can be interrupted.

![loc castle ravenloft gates overview](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/img/shots/loc-castle-ravenloft-gates-overview.webp)
*The whole place from above.*

## Getting here

### Ways in

- **The travel map:** Castle Ravenloft, in Castle Ravenloft.

### Ways out

| # | Exit | Leads to | Only when |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The castle road, down through the dead pines | the travel map |  |
| 2 | The castle road, down through the dead pines | the travel map |  |
| 3 | The keep's great doors | [Castle Ravenloft, the Main Floor](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/castle-ravenloft-the-main-floor.md) |  |
| 4 | The keep's great doors | [Castle Ravenloft, the Main Floor](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/castle-ravenloft-the-main-floor.md) |  |
| 5 | Along the wall to the overlook | [Castle Ravenloft, the Overlook](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/castle-ravenloft-the-overlook.md) |  |
| 6 | Along the wall to the overlook | [Castle Ravenloft, the Overlook](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/castle-ravenloft-the-overlook.md) |  |

## Map

![castle ravenloft gates](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/img/maps/castle-ravenloft-gates.svg)

**Key:** gold, people; red, containers; purple, hidden finds; teal, skill checks; white, exits; orange, traps. The numbers match the lists on this page.

### Close up

![loc castle ravenloft gates spot1](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/img/shots/loc-castle-ravenloft-gates-spot1.webp)
*the carriage's driver box*

![loc castle ravenloft gates spot2](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/img/shots/loc-castle-ravenloft-gates-spot2.webp)
*a gate guard's locker*

![loc castle ravenloft gates spot3](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/img/shots/loc-castle-ravenloft-gates-spot3.webp)
*a carved crest over the doors*

## What to find

| # | Where | What | How |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | the carriage's driver box | [Blanket](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/equipment.md#blanket), [Hooded Lantern](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/equipment.md#hooded-lantern), [Oil](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/equipment.md#oil) | open it |
| 8 | a gate guard's locker | [Crossbow Bolt](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/equipment.md#crossbow-bolt) ×20, [Rope](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/equipment.md#rope), 12 gp | lock DC 14 |
| 11 | something tangled at the bottom of the dry well (hidden) | [Rope of Entanglement](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/magic-items.md#rope-of-entanglement) | Search: Perception DC 15 |
| 12 | something wedged between the flagstones (hidden) | [Mirror](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/equipment.md#mirror) | Search: Perception DC 13 |

The containers here also get random magic items and potions, rolled for a party of level 10 the first time you come ([Random Treasure](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/random-treasure.md)). Hidden finds need a Search (F) nearby; the party's best roll counts.

### Skill checks

| # | Where | Check | Try | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | a carved crest over the doors | History 15 | Read the crest over the doors | lore: The arms of the house |
| 10 | a dry well | Athletics 15 | Climb down the dry well | finds Rope of Entanglement; on a failure: 2d6 bludgeoning damage |

## Fights

- *Stone creaks overhead. The gargoyles on the gatehouse unfold, stretch like cats, and drop into the courtyard.*, in [Castle Ravenloft, the Gates](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/castle-ravenloft-the-gates.md): [Gargoyle](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/gargoyle.md). Scales with your level.
> [!example]- By party level (the first line your party fits is the fight you get)
> - **[Castle Ravenloft, the Gates](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/castle-ravenloft-the-gates.md)**, when night and strahd invitation isn't “accepted” and level ≥ 10: 6 × [Gargoyle](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/gargoyle.md) (2700 XP)
> - **[Castle Ravenloft, the Gates](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/castle-ravenloft-the-gates.md)**, when night and strahd invitation isn't “accepted”: 4 × [Gargoyle](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/gargoyle.md) (1800 XP)