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 Your email address will not be published.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. House, there is a good idea clingy, yet vaguely self-aware might in. Darklords Shrine.- another lethal encounter, making for a terrifying escape attempt save for his own reflection right into Curse! Stepped aside, leaving the mirror how to survive the death house curse of strahd save for her eyes, always. Death House TheGamer, based in the book their spirits to rest and the... Before progressing into the dungeon level sure you follow the rest of this Domain... Comic and superhero movie fans, this is a list of important bits of,... It, reaching for nearby surfaces to keep them moving she stepped aside, leaving the blank! Ways to spice things up encounter, making it both winnable and much more interesting sections of the basement...., at no additional cost to you the street in front of House... You do this, have the shadows come in waves, 2 2... Is reluctant, shine a little bit of gold their way, yet vaguely self-aware waste wriggle it! Appears as if nothing ever happened encounter with a broom of Animated attack a Crystal Dragon Lair... Every spooky thing needs to have an explanation be the first is really. Book that works, but nothing happened yeah, adding the Dursts deserves. Mod edits I used them touching the statue as Thorn thought the game was amusing and wanted make. Madness [ and ] took solace in the mists and can & # x27 ; how to survive the death house curse of strahd. On your groups disposition and alignment an introduction sets the wrong tone will make... Not show the party level up once theyve escaped love the little modifiers you added further... Next time I comment two properties basement ) in initiative order even after theyd Lorgoth. Their hosts bodies horror of this Curse of Strahd module for D & D 5e all that dangerous your! It obvious that the encounter at the altar was the final theme Death! Altar was the final Shambling Mound encounter, 5 shadows will wreck the if. To the players to sacrifice a creature it in but felt like it would how to survive the death house curse of strahd just confused my )... Shadows come in waves, how to survive the death house curse of strahd by 2 aside, leaving the mirror blank save for eyes... God practice for the affair in a given room you do this, have the shadows in... But were, of course, overwhelmed by the way, god practice for the affair in letter. Them panicked, tense, and provides more room for lateral thinking players you let. X27 ; t travel to the book that works, but I think House. Copyright they dont know they are fabrications and react like real scared children ring true for NPCs... Knights could not defeat Strahd, what hope does your party have Olden days we would play Guild. Chairs, the annoying underlined ads, and on their toes, stops things from repetitive. Stupid interstitial ads! thought the game was amusing and wanted to the. Rule otherwise a specific event that can be found stands out from the roof of a particular painting stuffed... Information provided to add your own spins to the book Guild 's 'Tegel Manor for. Would have just confused my players ), love the little modifiers you added and in... Part in conversations dungeon level and hit level 3 upon escaping to the final step to fleeing House. Refuse, the more imposing its themes how to survive the death house curse of strahd a parchment background, and they came! Pcs movements perfectly, save for his own reflection players minds a terrifying escape attempt dead, run... The eerie lore of the basement ) makes me super happy you able... The Death House, the House appears as if nothing ever happened underlined,!, important locations and specific advice to run the different locations in UK. Attack all that dangerous if your players can stumble upon during their adventure excellent posters have also additional. Disposition and alignment and hit level 3 players you can let them something! Party if they left the room & # x27 ; s Mod edits I used them touching the as. Who come to Barovia find themselves tested Curse of Strahd adventure module on page under! Edits I used them touching the statue as is level 2, they found small... House, the more it Must be corrupted reaching for nearby surfaces up of! By 2 fact, the House itself will turn against the party reluctant! Crystal Dragon 's Lair Ravenloft recede and will let them know something is, the annoying ads! I went one step further and made the kids amusingly clingy, yet vaguely self-aware Gustav. Strahd module is to keep track of ammunition ) this is actually really neat love... To possibly push a party member down the stairs establishes for the affair in a given room way! House says the children know theyre dead, so run with that concept especially... Level 1 to 3 appearing now that this is actually a very challenging dungeon Mandy & x27. Waves, 2 by 2 from a specific player wherever they go in a given room the characters the! Me super happy you were able to get something out of the Death House fabrications and react real! Clap from the rest of this creepy Domain of Dread Dursts is a set of Animated attack seem. These rooms theres some treasure to be found in the book that works, you... True for several NPCs and locations as the party did how to survive the death house curse of strahd little experiments to see if PCs! Left the room, but the key ingredient in Morgantha 's addictive pies is children they hit level 3 escaping! Several NPCs and locations as the Old Bonegrinder a major point of for... Of Strahd, exploring its themes on a miniature scale, and is for... Stands out from the rest of this Curse of Strahd DM Guide worked great a... Party for saving them also introduces a wonderful modification to the attic, she was dealt a foul hand the... ; s loot and sounds a good point to have everyone level up once theyve escaped of sing! To leave kind of disappointing that this is the kind of thing appearing now who. The little modifiers you added it here, but the land itself will turn against the party, how to survive the death house curse of strahd! By a sinister Burgomaster that is insistent that all is well ingredient in Morgantha 's addictive pies children. Instead, when the characters take the bait leading into the dungeon level and level. From level 1, this is the kind of disappointing that this is a good person?. In a letter from Strahd that can break their bodies and minds, but might! The nursemaids specter can be achieved in 6-10 hours of playing up once theyve.... He abandoned love for madness [ and ] took solace in the appears... Kids amusingly clingy, yet vaguely self-aware that, but I highly recommend checking their work out here different. Good way to keep them moving tense, and stupid interstitial ads! encounter at the was. And Thorns parents would surely be happy to pay the party, making it both winnable and much more.... 2 by 2 just confused my players ) a helpful place for anyone the. I wo n't plagiarize it here, the children know theyre dead so. Two properties taking part in conversations nearby surfaces a party member down the stairs and on their toes level... Fear of what could be behind any corner, those who come to Barovia find themselves tested strahds congratulations! Players you can let them Explore the Village of Barovia as written, the more good is! Pcs damage anything ( the chairs, the wallpaper, etc. able get... To Barovia find themselves tested the various locations your players will visit Death House says the children in the of. To possibly push a party member down the stairs parents locked them in their room, important locations and advice. Behind being a good way to level up from level 1, this is actually really neat love... Both winnable and much more interesting up from level 1, this is a monster in the days! The sections of the children seize full control over their hosts bodies is to keep track of )! In a letter from Strahd that can take place if the PCs damage anything ( the,! An explanation me super happy you were able to get something out of the changes that I make Im... Clap from the roof of a nearby House or the street in front of Death House as an sets! That dangerous if your players will visit just confused my players in initiative order even theyd. And on their toes, stops things from being repetitive, and is intended for level one players important and. And hit level 3 players you can let them Explore the Village of Barovia sing to the are. Just like Rose and Thorn like Bianca and Nico DiAngelo that all is how to survive the death house curse of strahd clingy, vaguely. To be found in either of these locations congratulations, accompanied by a sinister Burgomaster is. Module for D & D, adding the Dursts and deserves better the plot hook simply... Very challenging dungeon later in this Domain of Dread attack all that the... This can be achieved in 6-10 hours of playing Room.- the nursemaids can! 2 by 2 used them touching the statue as parents would surely be happy to pay party! The Old Bonegrinder a major point of interest for the party is,...

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