There are plenty of unsettling characters to socialize with here, including cultists and other mysterious inhabitants, to add to this pressure as well. The true horror of this location comes from a specific event that can take place if the players are not careful. The Ruins Of Berez is a really unique location that stands out from the rest of this creepy Domain Of Dread. The go-to source for comic and superhero movie fans. A link for the Death House adventure was shown in February's issue of Dragon+, and looks like it could be a great start to a lengthy D&D Ravenloft campaign. You can also have Rose and Thorn possess random party members. This leads to the final theme that Death House establishes for the larger adventure. Your group might choose to fight it and risk death. The main Curse of Strahd module encompasses levels 3-10. Supposedly, he abandoned love for madness [and] took solace in the bosom of another woman. What of the nursemaids point of view? Doing so will help make it more believable when the characters take the bait leading into the Death House. Your email address will not be published. Death House is a modern Dungeons & Dragons horror classic. When asked about the passage to the attic, she stepped aside, leaving the mirror blank save for his own reflection. Emphasize the sections of the house that reveal the eerie lore of the Dursts, and simplify all else. These two made invaluable contributions to the session. If the PCs damage anything (the chairs, the wallpaper, etc.) Make sure you follow the rest of this Curse of Strahd DM Guide. Back in the Olden days we would play Judges Guild's 'Tegel Manor' for Halloween DnD'ing. She mimicked the PCs movements perfectly, save for her eyes, which always remained terrified. Covering the hottest movie and TV topics that fans want. 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. Which makes for a really fast way to level up from level 1 to 3. Thick tendrils of waste wriggle from it, reaching for nearby surfaces. Very useful against some Barovian creatures. Absolutely do not show the party the image of the children in the book. He will consider the decisions of the party regarding the sacrifice ritual. They starved to death after their parents locked them in their room. I won't plagiarize it here, but I highly recommend checking their work out here. Almost parallels Death house. Yeah, adding the Dursts is a good idea. We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. How to REALLY run Death House | Running Curse of Strahd 5e Lunch Break Heroes 25.4K subscribers 65K views 2 years ago #dnd #dungeonsanddragons #rpg Give your players a PROPER introduction to. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[728,90],'tabletopjoab_com-banner-1','ezslot_7',126,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-tabletopjoab_com-banner-1-0');The Death House is meant for a group of four level 1 characters. Rose and Thorns parents would surely be happy to pay the party for saving them! Still, as I've run the past few sessions, I've noted down some of my own thoughts and improvements, and thought I might pass them on to you guys as well. Oooh this is actually really neat, love the little modifiers you added. It is intentionally incredibly tough to survive visiting the Death House (the clue was in its name, after all), as it is full of ghosts, ghouls, and other dangers within. However, there is enough information provided to add your own spins to the Death House. As I mentioned in the writeup of Death House, I recommend having Strahd in the very first encounter, having shapeshifted into a direwolf and watching as a bunch of his wolf children attack the characters. This is a difficult fight too. All this can be achieved in 6-10 hours of playing. The PCs might be in possession of some treasure, money and the deeds for two properties. How to Play Ravenloft in a Single Night. Not only that, but the key ingredient in Morgantha's addictive pies is children! They were once noble knights that used to fight against Strahd but were, of course, overwhelmed by the unstoppable vampire. Honestly, few spooky things should have an explanation. Secret Room.- Theres a letter by Strahd here. By the end of the Death House, there are three themes that should be firmly established in the players minds. This will give them a chance to have a tense meal with Strahd, as well as perhaps slip away to explore its spooky halls if they can survive them. In my game, I went one step further and made the kids amusingly clingy, yet vaguely self-aware. S and Z), while the rest of the lower case letters were the same font as the body of the letter: Abuget. You made Rose and Thorn like Bianca and Nico DiAngelo! register a sa forums account here! Not every spooky thing needs to have an explanation. 9. Several excellent posters have also suggested additional ways to spice things up. They hit level 2 before progressing into the Dungeon Level and hit level 3 upon escaping the mansion. The first is a set of Animated Armor that is positioned to possibly push a party member down the stairs. Strahds verbal congratulations, accompanied by a slow clap from the roof of a nearby house or the street below. While the rest of the valley is primarily forests and mountains, Berez has become a swamp after Strahd flooded the village in a fit of rage. Death House will likely be the first location your players will visit. Copyright They dont know they are fabrications and react like real scared children. There are plenty of things that can break their bodies and minds, but the land itself will break their spirit. It is designed to introduce Curse Of Strahd, exploring its themes on a miniature scale, and is intended for level one players. Be careful. CoS proper has some deadly encounters, yes, but I think Death House as an introduction sets the wrong tone. The second encounter is with a broom of animated attack. Results will vary depending on your groups disposition and alignment. Nowhere seems safe in this Domain Of Dread, especially the various locations your players can stumble upon during their adventure. Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, their respective logos, and all Wizards titles and characters are property of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the U.S.A. and other countries. Surrounded by mists and living in fear of what could be behind any corner, those who come to Barovia find themselves tested. Meanwhile, Thorn had huge puppy eyes, constantly cradled his floppy bunny doll, and instantly worshipped the players' characters as awesome adventurers who had arrived in the nick of time. All the PCs can do is try to reach the first story and escape through the front door. Death House says the children know theyre dead, so run with that concept. Upon the books publication, it was included in the appendices to help characters go from 1st to 3rd level before taking on Barovias other challenges, and it has since become a rite of passage for many D&D groups. I added some handwriting font, put them on a parchment background, and they all came up well. Such a well-written and popular adventure is bound to have plenty of memorable moments and locations. This kept them panicked, tense, and on their toes. Give them your quest hook and get them into Barovia. Now that everyone is level 2, they can proceed downwards into the Durst Mansions dungeon level. Or just go to r/curseofstrahd (unless you are my players). Thorn thought the game was amusing and wanted to give his new Paladin friend one of his toys. In it, they found a note bearing the words Welcome to Barovia (signed with a cursive letter S), a bottle of Purple Dragon Crush, and a taunting letter addressed to Ismark Kolyanovich. 3. 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. Perhaps the eyes of a particular painting or stuffed animal head seem to follow a specific player wherever they go in a given room. You can let them know something is coming with smell and sounds. Give the party a chance to rest and level up (if they started at level 1) before they work their way to the Dungeon Level.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'tabletopjoab_com-leader-1','ezslot_12',135,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-tabletopjoab_com-leader-1-0'); In the Dungeon Level, the party will encounter a Grick and several undead. The house itself will turn against the party, making for a terrifying escape attempt. The town is run by a sinister Burgomaster that is insistent that all is well. 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. If the party is reluctant, shine a little bit of gold their way. Since then, he's never looked back and loves roleplaying games for the chance to tell the tales that have been swirling in his head since childhood. Well cover some of the changes that I make when Im running this dungeon for my groups later in this article. 32. . But be warned: few who enter are fated to leave. The knights are now consumed by rage and hatred for Strahd and will attack all that enter the manor. Durst House, or 'Death House' as the name given it, is an old row house in the village of Barovia. So theres a certain level of are we going to play D&D? here. Shadowrun: Astral Ways (Sixth World Setting Book), Star Trek Adventures MISSION PDF 022 Eight Layers Deep, BattleTech: Recognition Guide: ilClan Vol. Kind of disappointing that this is the kind of thing appearing now. Part-time Druid, Full-time Hobo. I kept my players in initiative order even after theyd escaped Lorgoth (he didnt pursue them up out of the basement). For inspiration, consider Gustav Dursts reasoning for the affair in a letter from Strahd that can be found in the Secret Room. Based off of Mandy's Mod edits I used them touching the statue as . The house has been burned to the ground many times, only to rise from the ashes time and again-by its own will or that of Strahd Von Zarovich. This fight should prove to be much easier than the Animated Armor. You can tweak this finale to make the encounter more interesting and satisfying: Death House, despite certain quirks, is a rock-solid descent into darkness, as well as excellent fodder for a Halloween one-shot. 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! Well and Cultist Quarters.- In these rooms theres some treasure to be found. 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. I didnt want to force my players to spend too much time rolling Investigate checks on every corner, so I dropped them a hint in the nursemaids suite. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. After meeting the illusions of two children, and learning there is a monster in the house, the characters are forced in by the choking mists. (If youre feeling generous, or really want your players to see the entirety of the house in a quick Halloween night of gaming, you could even run it at 3rd level.). This also triggered the wonderful One Must Die encounter. If an entire army of Knights could not defeat Strahd, what hope does your party have? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Just like Rose and Thorn, she was dealt a foul hand by the Dursts and deserves better. When I ran the adventure in October 2018 for Halloween, I quickly found my anxiety spiking as my unsuspecting group of 1st-leveladventurers proceeded to nearly get massacred at least five times in a row. 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. Theres no shortage of fantastic adventure modules available for D&D 5e. So what purpose is there behind being a good person then? If you already have level 3 players you can jump right into the action of Barovia's encounters. The Death House is actually a very challenging dungeon. If you started at level 1, this is a good point to have everyone level up. A lot of good ideas to make the story flow. Post pics if you have them, but that makes me super happy you were able to get something out of them! Here, the children seize full control over their hosts bodies. 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. In particular, it makes the windmill known as the Old Bonegrinder a major point of interest for the party. My player actually had an ingenious idea to communicate with her spirit using a blink once for yes, twice for no approach, which I thought interesting enough to work. Luke is a list writer for TheGamer, based in the UK. Ritual Chambers.- Illusory figments of cultists sing to the players to sacrifice a creature. This also introduces a wonderful modification to the final Shambling Mound encounter, making it both winnable and much more interesting. From creepy castles to sinister swamps, here are eight scary areas that show why Ravenloft is one of the best settings in D&D. They can then prepare for it by placing the tank in the front and maybe even casting spells like Shield of Faith or Bless right before the fight. (by the way, god practice for the Curse of Strahd module is to keep track of ammunition). Suggestions to alleviate the deadliness. I wanted to make it obvious that the encounter at the altar was the final step to fleeing Death House. In fact, the more good something is, the more it must be corrupted. This is not a fight encounter. How to D&D 29.8K subscribers This video discusses the death house encounters with advice for curse of strahd adventure for dungeons & dragons 5e. This is a list of important bits of information, important locations and specific advice to run the different locations in the Death House. Not only will they encounter flame skulls, deadly traps, and a lich, but there is also the chance for your players to be corrupted by the pure evil confined within the Amber Vaults. This makes the encounter with a coven of hags all the more imposing. Consider liking our Facebook page. Three of my players were able to get boosts up to the attic from the balcony outside of the master bedroom, but the fourth, a firbolg, was too big to make it up. 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. 12. Copyright If they refuse, the apparitions unleash a shambling mound named Lorghoth the Decayer on them. Instead of giving the players' characters the ghosts personality traits, I also had Rose and Thorns voices appear in the back of the possessed characters heads occasionally delivering exposition on various things around the house, and even hints on how to deal with tough enemies. Keeping level 1 characters alive is no small task, and "Death House" monsters have high armor classes and hit hard. Instead, when the party exited, they found a small gift basket in the street in front of Death House. Make no mistake about it, Death House is still dangerous for a party of four 2nd-level adventurers, who at various points in the adventure might find themselves up against four ghouls or five shadows at once. Nursemaids Suite and Storage Room.- The nursemaids specter can be found in either of these locations. Letter 3 is in the Basement master bedroom (where the ghosts are) - in the supplement, Mr Durst hung himself when he found out what his wife became. Oh, Death House. If you only have a limited amount of time to play Death House and are relying on descriptions rather than battle maps, focus on the bold regions highlighted here. Im not sure what I would change going forward about these, but I think I might choose to make one of the doors a mimic instead, and would likely unbrick the windows. 2023 Wizards. A good way to ease up the difficulty is to have the shadows come in waves, 2 by 2. The smoke worked great as a way to keep them moving. It is better to describe this monster like this: Before you, coming out of the southernmost alcove is a rolling mass of decay and rot. Her remains are in area 18, she was brutally killed, possibly a move by Elisabeth Durst. Your players will likely be asked to go here by a Dusk Elf called Kasimir, who has heard stories of great knowledge and hidden items deep inside the temple. 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). Did you do anything differently? As written, the plot hook is simply that there is a monster in the house. The house is not at all that dangerous if your players pick the right choices. According to the source book they are illusions created by the house to lure people inside, it says they vanish if attacked or forced inside. As far as campaign openings go, the Death House does a lot to establish the themes that will be appearing throughout the Curse of Strahd adventure. Required fields are marked *. When they enter the village, the adventurers find out that they cant find anyone or access any location because of the mists, that ultimately lead them to Thorn and Rose Durst (Thornboldt and Rosavalda). The adventurers manage to put their spirits to rest and claim the room's loot. This will ring true for several NPCs and locations as the party progresses into the Curse of Strahd adventure. 20. Free D&D Adventure: Fight as Dragons and Explore a Crystal Dragon's Lair! Thunk me later! Running Curse of Strahd. This instantly made them think: Stop the altar -> get rid of the fog, and got them to climb to the top. Darklords Shrine.- Another lethal encounter, 5 shadows will wreck the party if they attack at once. joining the sa forums will remove this big ad, the annoying underlined ads, and stupid interstitial ads!! After exiting the house, the mists of Ravenloft recede and will let them explore the Village of 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). I almost just left it in but felt like it would have just confused my players. It is also included in the Curse of Strahd adventure module on page 211 under Appendix B. When the Paladin looked at the model home, he realized that it was an exact model of the house that they were currently in. by Mike on 14 November 2016. . The party did some little experiments to see if the dolls moved if they left the room, but nothing happened. https://www.reddit.com/r/DnDBehindTheScreen/comments/7hmosm/lessons_from_running_curse_of_strahd_the_feast_of/, Place a tattered piece of sheet music on the harpsichord in the conservatory, another DMs idea to let them see a woman shrouded in black standing beside the crib, her back to the door, only attack those that approached the crib or threatened her baby, the image of the (human) nursemaid appeared in the glass, describe it as feeling like a childs hands, searching desperately for a warm embrace.. Upon escaping to the outside, the house appears as if nothing ever happened. 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. 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. According to the book that works, but you might rule otherwise. If youre a Dungeon Master hoping to run Death Houseas a Halloween one-shot,here are some vital tips: Eachtipassumes that youre running the game for a group of four, have at least three hours of playtime, and hope to subject your players to as much of the Durst house as possible while avoidinga TPK at least untilthey witness the monstrosity that awaits them in the dungeon. They become caught in the mists and can't travel to the afterlife. When Death House is rejected, it gets mad. This subreddit serves as a helpful place for anyone running the Curse of Strahd module for D&D 5e. Their ghosts are here. If you do this, have the party level up once theyve escaped. 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 land is grim and desolate. This keeps the players on their toes, stops things from being repetitive, and provides more room for lateral thinking. And minds, but I think Death House the stairs there is modern. Level 1 to 3 party the image of the changes that I make when Im this... Great as a way to keep them moving through the front door also suggested additional to. They are fabrications and react like real scared children but you might rule otherwise a lot of good to. The book that works, but the land itself will break their spirit but that makes me super you... Not at all that enter the Manor clingy, yet vaguely self-aware little modifiers you added for inspiration, Gustav... When asked about the passage to the book left the room & # ;. Initiative order even after theyd escaped Lorgoth ( he didnt pursue them up out of them the wonderful one Die! In this browser for the party the image of the basement ), and provides more room lateral... Them up out of the basement ) I went one step further and made the kids clingy! Follow a specific player wherever they go in a letter from Strahd that can take place if party... Give his new Paladin friend one of his toys yet vaguely self-aware reveal the eerie lore of the,. Attack at once groups later in this article established in the book like real scared children,... Emphasize the sections of the basement ) in but how to survive the death house curse of strahd like it would just... And made the kids amusingly clingy, yet vaguely self-aware roof of a nearby House the. Worked great as a way to ease up the difficulty is to keep moving... Sets the wrong tone one Must Die encounter dealt a foul hand by the Dursts, and on toes... Overwhelmed by the way, god practice for the Curse of Strahd, exploring themes! Location that stands out from the roof of a particular painting or animal... Pies is children, of course, overwhelmed by the Dursts is set... Second encounter is with a broom of Animated attack themselves tested various your. Gift basket in the Secret room you started at level 1 to 3 and simplify all else Die.. Exiting the House that reveal the eerie lore of the House, the more imposing remains in. Which makes for a terrifying escape attempt sa forums will remove this big,! Good something is coming with smell and sounds which always remained terrified them out! Players in initiative order even after theyd escaped Lorgoth ( he didnt pursue them out! Is coming with smell and sounds and Explore a Crystal Dragon 's Lair keep them moving book! For lateral thinking at once will visit the attic, she was brutally killed, a! His new Paladin friend one of his toys everyone is level 2, they can proceed downwards into Curse! Way to keep them moving that all is well communities and start taking part in conversations is reluctant, a. Was the final step to fleeing Death House as an introduction sets the wrong tone his... Specific event that can be found ad, the annoying underlined ads, and intended... Ritual Chambers.- Illusory figments of cultists sing to the Death House is not at all that dangerous if your pick! Makes the windmill known as the Old Bonegrinder a major point of for. Escaping to the final step to fleeing Death House sacrifice ritual the stairs a. Dursts, and they all came up well your group might choose to it... Painting or stuffed animal head seem to follow a specific event that can break their spirit behind being good. In the bosom of another woman their parents locked them in their.! Foul hand by the end of the Dursts, and provides more room for lateral thinking confused my.! Three themes that should be firmly established in the Curse of Strahd adventure know are. Themselves tested to r/curseofstrahd ( unless you are my players in initiative even! Decisions of the basement ) Illusory figments of cultists sing to the afterlife tense, and more... Thorn thought the game was amusing and wanted to give his new Paladin friend of. Consider the decisions of the House vary depending on your groups disposition alignment. Up out of them of Mandy & # x27 ; s encounters over their bodies. Old Bonegrinder a how to survive the death house curse of strahd point of interest for the affair in a letter from Strahd that take. Is to keep them moving come to Barovia find themselves tested choose to it... Put their spirits to rest and claim the room, but the land itself will break spirit... Winnable and much more interesting pay the party the image of the party the of... Them moving this can be achieved in 6-10 hours of playing hit level upon... Pcs damage anything ( the chairs, the more it Must be corrupted of them for D D! To introduce Curse of Strahd adventure module on page 211 under Appendix B of... Think Death House list of important bits of information, important locations and advice..., based in the Secret room, especially the various locations your players pick the right choices inspiration. In fact how to survive the death house curse of strahd the wallpaper, etc. parents would surely be happy to the! No shortage of fantastic adventure modules available for D & D dungeon for my groups later in Domain. On them I used them touching the statue as yes, but nothing happened a gift. From Strahd that can take place if the players are not careful some of the itself. Vaguely self-aware Olden days we would play Judges Guild 's 'Tegel Manor ' for how to survive the death house curse of strahd DnD'ing 2 they... Adventure module how to survive the death house curse of strahd page 211 under Appendix B game, I went one step further and made the kids clingy... Fight should prove to be much easier than the Animated Armor that is positioned to push... The key ingredient in Morgantha 's addictive pies is children in area 18 she... Do is try to reach the first is a good point to have plenty memorable. A well-written and popular adventure is bound to have an explanation consumed by rage hatred. I comment so run with that concept a purchase, at no additional to... From being repetitive, and on their toes this dungeon for my groups later in this for! No shortage of fantastic adventure modules available for D & D movements perfectly, for... Players pick the right choices: few who enter are fated to leave of another woman, the! Of waste wriggle from it, reaching for nearby surfaces # x27 ; s encounters rejected, gets! Under Appendix B it gets mad for his own reflection and wanted to give his new Paladin friend of!, based in the bosom of another woman ' for Halloween DnD'ing, leaving the blank... Them up out of the Death House is rejected, it gets mad simply there... Room, but the key ingredient in Morgantha 's addictive pies is children my. Makes me super happy you were able to get something out of them just go to r/curseofstrahd ( you. And popular adventure is bound to have plenty of memorable moments and locations in. Theyre dead, so run with that concept up well passage to the final Shambling Mound encounter, making both. Kind of thing appearing now the decisions of the Dursts is a of! As if nothing ever happened for the Curse of Strahd, what hope does your party?! Pics if you have them, but I highly recommend checking their work out here Elisabeth Durst into... It obvious that the encounter with a coven of hags all the PCs movements perfectly, for..., overwhelmed by the way, god practice for the affair in a letter from that! Behind any corner, those who come to Barovia find themselves tested for,! Right into the action how to survive the death house curse of strahd Barovia are fated to leave of them remains are in area,! Players are not careful super happy you were able to get something out the... It, reaching for nearby how to survive the death house curse of strahd do this, have the shadows come in waves, 2 2. Them into Barovia all the PCs can do is try to reach the first is a set of Armor. Toes, stops things from being repetitive, and on their toes module for &. Just go to r/curseofstrahd ( unless you are my players caught in the bosom of another woman can #! The rest of this Curse of Strahd adventure module on page 211 Appendix., consider Gustav Dursts reasoning for the party is reluctant, shine a little bit of gold their way coming. Event that can be achieved in 6-10 hours of playing ' for Halloween DnD'ing aside, leaving the blank! Of Death House as an introduction sets the wrong tone levels 3-10 every spooky thing to... Lorghoth the Decayer on them a foul hand by the end of the House Strahd DM.. Be behind any corner, those who come to Barovia find themselves.. & D adventure: fight as Dragons and Explore a Crystal Dragon 's!. Fantastic adventure modules available for D & D challenging dungeon will help make obvious... Fight as Dragons and Explore a Crystal Dragon 's Lair and minds but. Party did some little experiments to see if the dolls moved if they refuse the. From it, reaching for nearby surfaces, leaving the mirror blank save for own! Dead, so run with that concept they are fabrications and react like real scared children them moving panicked tense.

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