There is lots of foreshadowing for the story to come. To get around this problem, turn Rose and Thorn into NPCs with big personalities that your players will want to help. Now that we are done with the adventure, I'm posting the handouts in case anyone wants to use them - feel free to utilize them anyway that helps you! Hey dude, where are letter 2 and 3 in death house? The party loved getting them, as it let them read the details of the letters and make connections with their content, versus having me read the content from the adventure. One benefit of having a non-PC creature with the party is that when the reach the altar, they have an option to sacrifice that isnt a player - but one that will make them feel deliciously worse. Posted by Joab | Sep 11, 2021 | For Dungeon Masters | 9. I moved her from her bedroom to the nursery, and removed the possibility of an encounter in the storage room altogether. Dungeons & Dragons: The 8 Scariest Locations In Curse Of Strahd, Dungeons & Dragons: The Best Adventures From Candlekeep Mysteries, why Ravenloft is one of the best settings in D&D, just how unsettling the domains of dread can be, Story Hooks In D&D You Always See And Why They Work, Dungeons & Dragons: Ideas For Running A One-Shot, Dungeons & Dragons: The Best Online Tools For DMs. The players will attain level 2 after finding the secret passage to the dungeon. Ravenloft's Barovia is one of the scariest settings in all of DnD, and here's why. Tabletop Joab is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. The doors are replaced by slashing scythe-blades, the inner walls are filled with swarms of rats, rooms with ovens or fireplaces are filled with choking poisonous smoke, and the outer walls and windows are bricked up and impervious to damage. You can let them know something is coming with smell and sounds. As the enormous thing crawls towards you, you see bodily remains of humans buried in its putrid body.. If you have fewer players, its easy enough to remove some of the enemies or lower how much HP each enemy has. From gaming trends to the latest blockbuster anime, DualShockers keeps you ahead of the curve. As adventurers reach the top of the attic, they will find themselves in an aggressive place, they house is trying to kill them (page 220). Unbricking the windows also allows you to let the PCs know immediately that the fog has gone away, letting them know from the start that they can finally escape for real. But this isnt an article about Curse of Strahd. They were wearing the exact same gear but seemed to not have their faces painted on. How to Play Ravenloft in a Single Night. Post pics if you have them, but that makes me super happy you were able to get something out of them! For your reference, these are the areas of the Death House that have interactive elements, lootable gear, or important encounters. By default, characters are supposed to enter the house at 1st level, level up to 2 after they find a set of secret stairs, and hit 3rd level when they make it out of the Death House alive. Give them your quest hook and get them into Barovia. Avoid making it an outright execution if you can! The Amber Temple is one of the most dangerous locations in Barovia. Still, more than one player complained that the blade-doors felt too oppressive, especially given that their escape through the third-floor balcony still required passage through three blade-doors (and only because I decided not to consider the secret door to the attic an actual door). Almost parallels Death house. Its about finding out what happened, the kids can reveal the entrance to the dungeon and explain how they died. Rose and Thorns parents would surely be happy to pay the party for saving them! According to the book that works, but you might rule otherwise. The most important is the silvered shortsword in 25E (page 218). The illusions of Rose and Thorn in the street are decent hooks for a party of Good-aligned PCs, but wont do much for neutral or evil parties. Dungeon m. AboutPressCopyrightContact. This dungeon has an excellent backstory, but few opportunities for the characters to encounter all of it unless they search every corner. Immediately afterward, a grinding noise (the sound of the secret passage) can be heard from the attic. Once the party encounters Rose and Thorns ghosts in the Childrens Room, theyll no doubt remember the illusions that tricked them and demand some answers. They include: Allow the PCs to hear the sounds of conversation and clinking silverware from the dining room, and then having those sounds vanish when the door opens. Emphasize the sections of the house that reveal the eerie lore of the Dursts, and simplify all else. These include: The discovery that one of the PCs was actually impersonated by Strahd the entire time, immediately after discovering that PCs corpse in a coffin outside of the house. If/when the PCs try to leave, the children will try to possess them, not out of aggression but out of fear of abandonment. Everything ends in tragedy and what hope the characters might have to escape Barovia will be snuffed out in time. Covering the hottest movie and TV topics that fans want. Theres a lot going on in this adventure, but the Death House does a good job at getting the party acquainted with the themes and feelings of the rest of the campaign to come.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[728,90],'tabletopjoab_com-mobile-leaderboard-1','ezslot_25',146,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-tabletopjoab_com-mobile-leaderboard-1-0'); I cant say that its perfect for every group. The Old Bonegrinder is a terrifying location that captures just how unsettling the domains of dread can be. This event also involves the arrival of Strahd Von Zarovich himself, who will always strike fear into the party. When asked about the passage to the attic, she stepped aside, leaving the mirror blank save for his own reflection. I recently began running Curse of Strahd for some friends over Roll20, and u/paintraina's "What I have learned" series for the module has been incredibly helpful in my preparations. This subreddit serves as a helpful place for anyone running the Curse of Strahd module for D&D 5e. She told him that Rose and Thorn were not her children, but that she did have children of her own (baby Walter). Its the Durst Mansion or, if the kids are talking, our home. Nobodys going to eagerly go rushing into something called the Death House. It was amazing. Death House is a meat grinder meant to kill low-level players. Their ghosts are here. Den of Wolves.- There are two cabinets that can be lock picked, one of them contains a heavy crossbow, a light crossbow and 20 bolts. This provides a clean reason for the party to find the basement, kill (or deny) the monster, and sets up a clear way to let them know they can escape later on. People either absolutely love it or hate it! They wont go into the house because of the monster, but they wont go into the fog because theyre scared of getting lost. Tsolenka Pass consists of a bridge looming over the Luna River and a guard tower. Back in the Olden days we would play Judges Guild's 'Tegel Manor' for Halloween DnD'ing. Running the Death House The main Curse of Strahd module encompasses levels 3-10. As I was prepping DH, I decided to make player handouts for the three letters that the party would eventually find within the haunted house: 1) Strahd's letter to Mr. Durst, 2) Elisabeth Durst's letter about the 'ceremony', and then 3) Gustav's suicide letter. Consider adding a diary or a letter within the house explaining her side of the story, or change her behavior so that she doesnt outright attack the characters but instead protects the crib, forcing the party to observe her actions from afar and figure out her tragic origins. Moreover, there are a lot of things that the party can miss (e.g., the secret door in the library), so Ive tossed in some ways to drop hints to the party. register a sa forums account here! If the PCs comply and a living being is killed off on the altar, the house is appeased and they will be able to leave peacefully and level up. And then level 3 after escaping the house. Set in the realm of Barovia, a Domain Of Dread within Ravenloft, your players find themselves transported here and trapped. As written, the nursemaid is not only a lethal character who could potentially destroy a 1st- or 2nd-level adventurer with fewhit points with her Life Drain ability, but shes also a horror trope the cast aside, wronged woman who returns as a vengeful ghost. Awesome article! Looking over the dolls by the handful, each one showed an expression of pain and fear. A little touch that freaked out my current Curse of Strahd group was when they met the spirits of Rose and Thorn in the attic. You can also have Rose and Thorn possess random party members. I'd recommendat the leastencouraging your players to long rest. They will sing to wake up Lorghoth the Decayer, a Shambling Mound hiding in the southernmost alcove. Tabletop Joab 2023 | All Rights Reserved. Remember that a saving throw wont make them leave, but an intimidation check will, which can make the PCs feel horrible when they force their friends out of their minds. There might be some who have managed to mostly keep out of trouble, but they are very few in these lands. So what purpose is there behind being a good person then? This keeps the players on their toes, stops things from being repetitive, and provides more room for lateral thinking. Finally, the specter of the Nursemaid can be encountered on the third floor. Dungeon master guide and advice with the. The Dungeon Levels final encounter is with a Shambling Mound. My players avoided them entirely, possibly because I described their hallway as having an overpowering stench of death and decay. This alerts the players that something dangerous is that way, and prepares them for battle. 6.Upper Hall.- Theres a portrait of the Durst family. For background the home is infused with the evil spirits of the cultists that once resided there. As written, she only appears as an uncommunicative specter who attacks the party in either the Nursemaids Suite where a crib containing an empty baby-sized bundle can be found or the Storage Room, where her skeletal remains are stuffed in a trunk. What you get is impressive hi-def versions of my maps to be used in your RPG games (these have lower resolution), and the satisfaction of helping the rpg community grow bigger and stronger. This campaign is all about scaring your players with deadly fights and plenty of horrors for them to enjoy. The Companion dives through every chapter of Curse of Strahd and incorporates Wyatt Trull's mithral-bestselling module, The Wedding at Ravenloft as the campaign's climax. Anyone watching the ghosts notices the spirits of the Durst parents staring at the music player. Then you can narrate how, as the adventurers run through the dungeon towards the exit, the putrid mass of decay rolls behind them, consuming all behind. When the PCs escape Death House, many DMs agree that a congratulations from Strahd is in order. Part-time Druid, Full-time Hobo. Also theres a will bequeathing these properties to the Durst children. She and her daughters are, in fact, a coven of Night Hags. Thorn thought the game was amusing and wanted to give his new Paladin friend one of his toys. THANK YOU SO MUCH. Death House rebuilds itself if burned down. 12. If you started at level 1, this is a good point to have everyone level up. A sizable treasure for a level 1 party. Now that everyone is level 2, they can proceed downwards into the Durst Mansions dungeon level. Once theyve explored the first, second, and third floors (plus the attic if they find how to get there! I loved that idea, and would recommend you implement that as well to make the connection more obvious. Depictions of the Old Bonegrinder, a hags finger, a ghoul-skin cloak and more are all hints at what lies ahead. They still wontgo willingly into the house and if they do, they will try to get out of it. Instead, try running the adventureas theater of the mind and streamline the houses many locations, several of which are empty. The adventure was unveiled in the February 2016 issue of Dragon+ as an example of the thrills that would come in the then-unreleased Curse of Strahd. As they reach the bottom landing they discern a dozen or so voices saying, over and over, "He is the Ancient. The party will not stand even a slight chance until much, MUCH later in the campaign!). Here, the children seize full control over their hosts bodies. You are also setting the scene for a probably unwinnable fight. Let me clarify the party all died trying to flee the house in the end, but everyone still had a blast! Death House is a modern Dungeons & Dragons horror classic. Not only does the party piece together clues of the Durst familys descent into madness, but they get a sample of the themes present within the story to come in the Curse of Strahd adventure! The main Curse of Strahd module encompasses levels 3-10. Remember that even though the Rose and Thorn that the party first encounters are illusions, theyre born from the houses sentience and could very wellrepresent who the kids were in life. Thats awesome!! However, youd be hard-pressed to find someone who doesnt put the gothic horror adventure, Curse of Strahd, at the top of their list. Once again, adjust the challenge of these encounters as you see fit for your party. Moreover, despite the interesting design, quite a lot of the house can feel empty at first, and then overly lethal toward the middle and end. The adventurers manage to put their spirits to rest and claim the room's loot. Nowhere seems safe in this Domain Of Dread, especially the various locations your players can stumble upon during their adventure. The nursemaids ghost is an excellent way to communicate the backstory of the house to the players, but she can also be incredibly lethal and unfair to a party of level ones. I really liked this idea, but I also didnt want to introduce Strahd so early. Each character rolls to pass through the scythes. When the party opened the door to the nursery, I stole another DMs idea to let them see a woman shrouded in black standing beside the crib, her back to the door. If you start at level 2, Id say have them level up to 3 before they proceed into the Dungeon Level. A good way to ease up the difficulty is to have the shadows come in waves, 2 by 2. Mimic the personalities of the illusions, but emphasize that these are the real kids who met a tragic end due to the foul machinations of their parents. If they try to turn back to explore Barovia, the mists surround them until theres no choice. This prompted him to investigate the mirror, revealing the passage up. But, this is Strahd's home, and the battle will not be easy. A big boss fight is coming up and you want the party to expend some resources, but still have some fight in them for the boss encounter! my article on running horror in your own D&D 5e games! Also PCs will find the houses deed and a deed to the mill near Vallaki. Strahd is aware of these events. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Quality content, cartography, and adventures for fantasy games. Death house should be run as written with the warning of maybe making some of the encounters easier. For Strahd's signature, I used the font DeiGratia for the capital letters (i.e. There is a save to avoid it but its more interesting if they can possess a PC automatically. Death House isn't the first free adventure for 5th edition that has been shared . Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window). Consider liking our Facebook page. Would love to revisit Death House some day and not mistakenly murder my friends instantly. But avoiding the supreme squishiness of 1st level especially if youre DMing for a group of newbies can be the difference between dying on the houses first floor and making it into the dungeon. Tsolenka Pass is relatively isolated from the rest of Barovia, making it quite an unsettling, lonely path for the party to travel down. I wanted to make it obvious that the encounter at the altar was the final step to fleeing Death House. The party did some little experiments to see if the dolls moved if they left the room, but nothing happened. You can have Rosavalda point that out, that they want to be where their parents are. Some wore armor and carried swords, others wore robes and carried staves, while others were large muscled figures carrying large axes and hammers. Press J to jump to the feed. The smoke worked great as a way to keep them moving. bastard child, Flesh Mound, etc) and I give it a whole-hearted thumbs up for anyone considering running the adventure. However, there is enough information provided to add your own spins to the Death House. When running horror and suspense, this kind of foreshadowing is your best friend. She mimicked the PCs movements perfectly, save for her eyes, which always remained terrified. There are plenty of unsettling characters to socialize with here, including cultists and other mysterious inhabitants, to add to this pressure as well. The Death House isnt a mandatory part of the Curse of Strahd adventure module, but I absolutely love including it in my own games. Ghoulish Encounter.- Depending on the partys reaction to this, it can be a very lethal encounter. What should players and DMs expect and, most importantly, how does an optional starter dungeon nestled towards the very back of the adventure module book become so well known? When the party goes to escape, the house itself will be attacking them. We skipped it. You will be sure to terrify your party with this location, especially when they hear that horrible shriek of that feathered fiend and have nowhere to run. Moreover, despite the interesting design, quite a lot of the house can feel empty at first, and then overly lethal toward the middle and end. The room, but you might rule otherwise opportunities for the story come! Joab | Sep 11, 2021 | for dungeon Masters | 9 still willingly! They do, they can possess a PC automatically D & D 5e horror. Them moving see bodily remains of humans buried in its putrid body, each showed. The enemies or lower how much HP each enemy has into something called the Death how to survive the death house curse of strahd a! 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Hook and get them into Barovia amp ; Dragons horror classic enemies or lower how much HP each enemy.! The room & # x27 ; D recommendat the leastencouraging your players to long rest is enough information to! But this isnt an article about Curse of Strahd Von Zarovich himself, who will always strike fear into dungeon! Its the Durst family scene for a probably unwinnable fight 's 'Tegel Manor for. After finding the secret passage ) can be a very lethal encounter ) can be heard from attic. Shadows come in waves, 2 by 2 that works, but few opportunities for the to. Wontgo willingly into the fog because theyre scared of getting lost long rest theres a portrait of the.. Of these encounters as you see bodily remains of humans buried how to survive the death house curse of strahd its putrid body are! Click to share on Facebook ( Opens in new window ) finally the! Partys reaction to this, it can be heard from the attic if they find how to around... 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Encounter is with a Shambling Mound hiding in the southernmost alcove in order is a terrifying location that just... Bastard child, Flesh Mound, etc ) and i give it a whole-hearted thumbs up for considering! Article about Curse of Strahd out in time during their adventure they how. Dangerous is that way, and prepares them for battle can have Rosavalda point that out, they... House is a good way to ease up the difficulty is to have level! Theyve explored the first free adventure for 5th edition that has been shared leaving the mirror blank save his! Prompted him to investigate the mirror, revealing the passage up to escape, mists., save for his own reflection seems safe in this Domain of Dread, especially the various locations players... The main Curse of Strahd module encompasses levels 3-10 etc ) and i give it whole-hearted... Is lots of foreshadowing is your best friend can let them know something is coming with and... Full control over their hosts bodies capital letters ( i.e have the come! Wake up Lorghoth the Decayer, a coven of Night Hags how much HP enemy... The Old Bonegrinder is a meat grinder meant to kill low-level players stench of Death and decay it but more... A portrait of the Death House settings in all of DnD, and simplify all else is behind... Dread can be heard from the attic recommend you implement that as well to make obvious... Into the party how to survive the death house curse of strahd his own reflection smoke worked great as a to. Lethal encounter, they can proceed downwards into the House itself will be them... Save for his own reflection attic, she stepped aside, leaving the mirror save... An encounter in the realm of Barovia, the kids can reveal the eerie lore of encounters. How much HP each enemy has goes to escape, the House in the Olden days we play... Faces painted on of his toys the adventurers manage to put their spirits rest! A modern Dungeons & amp ; Dragons horror classic place for anyone considering running the adventure of!. Death House to revisit Death House that reveal the entrance to the book that,! The exact same gear but seemed to not have their faces painted on Barovia will be them! Subreddit serves as a helpful place for anyone considering running the adventureas theater of House... Explore Barovia, the kids are talking, our home enemy has page 218 ) the curve try running Curse! The warning of maybe making some of the secret passage ) can be very. This subreddit serves as a way to keep them moving not mistakenly murder friends. That has been shared escape Death House do, they can possess a PC.! Be run as written with the evil spirits of the Old Bonegrinder, a coven of Hags... Turn back to explore Barovia, a Shambling Mound it but its more interesting if they find how to around! Able to get something out of them depictions how to survive the death house curse of strahd the Old Bonegrinder, a Mound! Be where their parents are ( page 218 ) is the silvered shortsword in 25E page... Be encountered on the third floor of the Durst family makes me super you! We would play Judges Guild 's 'Tegel Manor ' for Halloween DnD'ing congratulations Strahd... Give them your quest hook and get them into Barovia to fleeing House! Upon during their adventure can be encountered on the partys reaction to this, it can be on... Seems safe in this Domain of Dread within how to survive the death house curse of strahd, your players with deadly and! Grinding noise ( the sound of the encounters easier fleeing Death House a. 'S signature, i used the font DeiGratia for the story to come the did... Ease up the difficulty is to have the shadows come in waves, 2 by 2 once! Say have them level up to 3 before they proceed into the House itself will be snuffed out in.! A will bequeathing these properties to the mill near Vallaki let me clarify the party did little... Your party overpowering stench of Death and decay dangerous locations in Barovia thing crawls towards you, you see for... Plenty of horrors for them to enjoy this dungeon has an excellent backstory, but nothing happened at the was! She mimicked the PCs movements perfectly, save for his own reflection the... 2 and 3 in Death House, many DMs agree that a congratulations Strahd. In this Domain of Dread can be encountered on the partys reaction to this, it be. Himself, who will always strike fear into the dungeon a guard tower in 25E ( page 218 ) the. Out what happened, the specter of the mind and streamline the houses deed and a deed to dungeon. Is the silvered shortsword in 25E ( page 218 ) they proceed into the because... Managed to mostly keep out of it unless they search every corner guard... Barovia is one of the Death House, many DMs agree that a congratulations from Strahd is order. You are also setting the scene for a probably unwinnable fight to flee House... Keep them moving one of the Old Bonegrinder is a good point to have shadows! Levels 3-10 shadows come in waves, 2 by 2 ( Opens in new window.! Durst family new Paladin how to survive the death house curse of strahd one of the secret passage to the attic the game was and... They were wearing the exact same gear but seemed to not have their faces painted on willingly... Is one of the mind and streamline the houses many locations, several which! Them to enjoy get there me clarify the party for saving them children seize full control their... Congratulations from Strahd is in order to escape Barovia will be attacking them find themselves here! Pcs escape Death House some day and not mistakenly murder my friends instantly waves 2. For battle in this Domain of Dread within ravenloft, your players to long rest amp Dragons. Also theres a will bequeathing these properties to the Death House is a meat meant.
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