# The Tsolenka Pass

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

> [!infobox]
> ![loc tsolenka pass 1](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/img/shots/loc-tsolenka-pass-1.webp)
> **Region:** [The Tsolenka Pass](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/regions/the-tsolenka-pass.md) · level 9
> **Resting:** Risky
> **Light:** dim, outdoors
> **Getting here:** the travel map (The Tsolenka Pass)
> **Quests:** [The Frozen Pilgrims](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/quests/the-frozen-pilgrims.md), [The Last Egg](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/quests/the-last-egg.md), [The Mountain's Heart](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/quests/the-mountains-heart.md), [The Tsolenka Gate](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/quests/the-tsolenka-gate.md)

## Overview

The high road over the mountains to the Amber Temple: a cliff road, a stone bridge over a gorge where the roc of Mount Ghakis hunts, and a guard tower whose portcullis has been down for centuries.

The road climbs from the south along the cliff, crosses the gorge on a narrow bridge to the roc's shelf, then turns north up to the tower. The road goes on through the tower's gate passage and up into cloud.

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

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

## Getting here

### Ways in

- **The travel map:** The Tsolenka Pass, in Berez, Mount Baratok and the Tsolenka Pass.

### Ways out

| # | Exit | Leads to | Only when |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The road down to the valley | the travel map |  |
| 2 | The road down to the valley | the travel map |  |
| 3 | The guard tower's door | [The Tsolenka Guard Tower](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/the-tsolenka-guard-tower.md) |  |
| 4 | The road up to the Amber Temple | the travel map | tsolenka gate open |
| 5 | The road up to the Amber Temple | the travel map | tsolenka gate open |

## Map

![tsolenka pass](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/img/maps/tsolenka-pass.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 tsolenka pass spot1](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/img/shots/loc-tsolenka-pass-spot1.webp)
*the roc's nest*

![loc tsolenka pass spot2](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/img/shots/loc-tsolenka-pass-spot2.webp)
*a wayside shrine*

![loc tsolenka pass spot3](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/img/shots/loc-tsolenka-pass-spot3.webp)
*the gorge*

## People

> [!note]- Who turns up at points in the story (1)
> - **[Tibor](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/people/tibor.md)**, The landing (#6): when level ≥ 9 and quest.the last egg isn't done and quest.the last egg isn't sold

## What to find

| # | Where | What | How |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | the roc's nest | [Chain Shirt](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/equipment.md#chain-shirt), [Longsword](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/equipment.md#longsword), [Potion of Healing](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/equipment.md#potion-of-healing), [+2 Greatsword](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/magic-items.md#weapon-2), 140 gp | open it |
| 12 | a traveller the roc dropped (hidden) | [Wings of Flying](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/magic-items.md#wings-of-flying) | Search: Perception DC 15 |
| 13 | a feather as long as a man, caught on the rocks (hidden) | [Feather Token (Bird)](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/magic-items.md#feather-token-bird) | Search: Perception DC 12 |
| 14 | something in the frozen traveller's pack (hidden) | [Rope of Climbing](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/magic-items.md#rope-of-climbing) | Search: Perception DC 12 |

The containers here also get random magic items and potions, rolled for a party of level 9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | a wayside shrine | Religion 14 | Pray at the wayside shrine | Heroic Inspiration |
| 9 | the gorge | Acrobatics 14 | Edge out along the rocks over the gorge | finds Feather Token (Bird); on a failure: 2d6 bludgeoning damage |
| 10 | Bones on the shelf | Medicine 15 | Examine the roc's leavings | finds Wings of Flying |
| 11 | Carved faces | History 15 | Read the carved faces | lore: The watch at Tsolenka |

## Fights

- *A shadow the size of a barn roof slides across the bridge. Then the wind comes, and the scream, and the…*, in [The Tsolenka Pass](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/the-tsolenka-pass.md): [Roc](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/roc.md). Scales with your level.
> [!example]- By party level (the first line your party fits is the fight you get)
> - **[The Tsolenka Pass](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/the-tsolenka-pass.md)**, when day and not roc driven off and level ≥ 9: The Roc of Mount Ghakis ([Roc](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/roc.md)) (7200 XP)
> - **[The Tsolenka Pass](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/the-tsolenka-pass.md)**, when day and not roc driven off and level ≥ 8: The Roc of Mount Ghakis ([Roc](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/roc.md)) (7200 XP)
> - **[The Tsolenka Pass](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/the-tsolenka-pass.md)**, when day and not roc driven off: The Roc of Mount Ghakis ([Roc](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/roc.md)) (7200 XP)

- *The Penitent stands up out of the gorge wall, nine pilgrims fused in grey ice, and turns all its heads toward…*, in [The Tsolenka Pass](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/the-tsolenka-pass.md): [The Penitent](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/the-penitent.md), [Ghast](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/ghast.md). Scales with your level.
> [!example]- By party level (the first line your party fits is the fight you get)
> - **[The Tsolenka Pass](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/the-tsolenka-pass.md)**, when level ≥ 11: [The Penitent](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/the-penitent.md), 8 × A Pilgrim's Shadow ([Ghast](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/ghast.md)) (10800 XP)
> - **[The Tsolenka Pass](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/the-tsolenka-pass.md)**, when level ≥ 10: [The Penitent](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/the-penitent.md), 5 × A Pilgrim's Shadow ([Ghast](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/ghast.md)) (9450 XP)
> - **[The Tsolenka Pass](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/the-tsolenka-pass.md)**, when level ≥ 9: [The Penitent](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/the-penitent.md), 4 × A Pilgrim's Shadow ([Ghast](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/ghast.md)) (9000 XP)
> - **[The Tsolenka Pass](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/the-tsolenka-pass.md)**: [The Penitent](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/the-penitent.md), 3 × A Pilgrim's Shadow ([Ghast](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/ghast.md)) (8550 XP)

- *The stone birds come down on the shelf with a sound like a quarry falling, and the falconer lands among them,…*, in [The Tsolenka Pass](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/the-tsolenka-pass.md): [Vampire Spawn](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/vampire-spawn.md), [Gargoyle](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/gargoyle.md). Part of [The Last Egg](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/quests/the-last-egg.md).

## Quests and lore

- [The Frozen Pilgrims](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/quests/the-frozen-pilgrims.md): Nine pilgrims from Vallaki went up the Tsolenka Pass forty years ago to ask the Amber Temple never to be cold again. Their lamp came back…
- [The Last Egg](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/quests/the-last-egg.md): Tibor the egg-hunter, camped at the Tsolenka landing, says the roc of Mount Ghakis lays once in eleven years, and this is the year. He has…
- [The Mountain's Heart](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/quests/the-mountains-heart.md): The mountain folk say Grandfather Stone, asleep in Mount Ghakis, is walking, since the count's men cut a quarry in the mountain's south…
- [The Tsolenka Gate](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/quests/the-tsolenka-gate.md): The road to the Amber Temple crosses the Tsolenka Pass, through a guard tower whose portcullis has been down for centuries.