# [[Abbey of Saint Markovia]] The [[Abbey of Saint Markovia]] is a religious complex overlooking [[Kresk]] from a hill above the village. As of [[015_20260911 Session 15|Session 15]], [[Gideon]] is serving as the abbey's abbot and using it as a base for his efforts against [[Strahd von Zarovich|Strahd]]. ## Location - The abbey stands on a hill overlooking the fortified village of [[Kresk]]. - A cemetery lies beside it. - [[Wizard of Wines Winery|Wizard of Wines]] lies not far beyond [[Kresk]], across the river. ## Session 15 The Gang first saw the abbey through the shared dream created by [[Esmeralda the Conjurer]]. [[Zar]] was pulled into a vision of the abbey's cemetery and an adjoining laboratory, where he encountered [[Gideon]]. Gideon revealed that: - he has been based at the abbey for several months; - he is currently its abbot; - he has been encouraging the people of [[Kresk]] to prepare for rebellion against Strahd; - Kresk has fortified itself heavily, although its people presently seem more interested in defending the village than attacking [[Castle Ravenloft]]. ## Gideon's Laboratory A laboratory beside the cemetery is being used by [[Gideon]] for necromantic and artificer work. The Gang saw: - corpses being exhumed from the cemetery; - body parts being transported into the laboratory; - a surgery table covered with pieces of corpses; - Gideon stitching those remains together into a humanoid body. Gideon's goal is to create a false bride resembling [[Tatyana Ravenov|Tatyana]] closely enough to infiltrate Castle Ravenloft and betray Strahd from within. He believes he may need the remains of one of Tatyana's previous incarnations to complete the creation. ## Current Role The abbey currently serves as: - [[Gideon]]'s base of operations; - a center of his experiments against [[Strahd von Zarovich|Strahd]]; - a vantage point over [[Kresk]]; - part of the developing resistance centered around the fortified village.