how to survive the death house curse of strahd
! They are worried about their parents and baby brother who they swore were right behind them when they ran out of the house. It was amazing. In reality it doesnt matter what or who dies on the altar. Death House is a meat grinder meant to kill low-level players. Or an evil PC could finish off a severely hurt ally. Immediately afterward, a grinding noise (the sound of the secret passage) can be heard from the attic. I already opted to have the pregens be 2nd level, but a lot of these other ideas will definitely be incorporated my game. Here, the children seize full control over their hosts bodies. 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. See here for more details. So what purpose is there behind being a good person then? 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. Most Barovians steer clear of this location, where they are likely to get lost in the muddy, misty marshes and even encounter terrifying scarecrows. Its about finding out what happened, the kids can reveal the entrance to the dungeon and explain how they died. Obsessed with Dungeons & Dragons and a close personal friend of Pocket (an interdimensional teleporting ferret). Youll find little elements that serve to foreshadow events to come. RELATED: Story Hooks In D&D You Always See And Why They Work. Full Guide to Warlock Pact Boons in D&D 5e, The Legend of the Peasant Railgun in D&D 5e, Attack of Opportunity in D&D 5e Explained, Best Druid Spells By Level: A Top 10 List, I Had an AI Make a D&D Character (and it got really weird! 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). Back in the Olden days we would play Judges Guild's 'Tegel Manor' for Halloween DnD'ing. The Curse of Strahd Companion is your comprehensive guide to running 5th Edition's greatest and grimmest campaign. The book says that players retain control but have to take a temporal flaw and role play accordingly (page 217). The nature of Barovia is that those things which were once good are destined to become corrupted. The Amber Temple is one of the most dangerous locations in Barovia. Not only that, but the key ingredient in Morgantha's addictive pies is children! if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'tabletopjoab_com-box-4','ezslot_8',128,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-tabletopjoab_com-box-4-0');The infamous Death House serves as a type of introductory mystery/dungeon to the Curse of Strahd adventure module. As a new DM don't worry about getting things wrong. Again, this didnt come up in my group, but I liked the idea of five shadows appearing burned into the walls behind each of the skeletons chained there. Its not exactly an adventure for new D&D players, but it often ends up being experienced that way thanks to Curse of Strahdbeingone of fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons' premiereadventures. The nature of D&D 5e is that it is almost hilariously easier to die at lower levels than it is at higher levels even as tougher enemies appear. However, there is enough information provided to add your own spins to the Death House. Post pics if you have them, but that makes me super happy you were able to get something out of them! 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. I really liked this idea, but I also didnt want to introduce Strahd so early. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Quality content, cartography, and adventures for fantasy games. This signals quite clearly: This is not a fight you can win. You can let them know something is coming with smell and sounds. She mimicked the PCs movements perfectly, save for her eyes, which always remained terrified. Most likely there will be no sacrifice, which will anger the illusory cultists. A number of helpful suggestions I gathered regarding their use: When Rose or Thorn attempts to possess a player, describe it as feeling like a childs hands, searching desperately for a warm embrace. Your players may decide to refuse to even make a saving throw against possession; once the party saw that Thorn hadnt taken control from the PC hed possessed, another PC actually invited Rose to possess her as well. Locals give the building a wide berth for fear of antagonizing the evil spirits believed to haunt it. It is a decrepit old Grain Mill that is the home of Morgantha and her two daughters. When Death House is rejected, it gets mad. Now that everyone is level 2, they can proceed downwards into the Durst Mansions dungeon level. Always remember: horror is a very personal thing. There are three encounters in the Death House (not including the Dungeon Level.) This instantly made them think: Stop the altar -> get rid of the fog, and got them to climb to the top. Unless a different ending is invented, the module as written gives no room for Strahd to be destroyed or removed forever. For inspiration, consider Gustav Dursts reasoning for the affair in a letter from Strahd that can be found in the Secret Room. Few of those presented in this adventure, however, compare to the infamous Death House. (Quick side note: stop them from immediately going to the Bonegrinder. Copyright 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. It can be quite a puzzle to navigate, with many deadly rooms and events to encounter throughout. Wizards of the Coast has given us the free adventure Death House to play at home last week as a preview of the Curse of Strahd book coming out this month. 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. They will close up on them leading them to the Village of Barovia. From the moment the party steps into the town, they'll get a great sense that nothing is right here. For instance, the shrine devoted to Strahd oozes atmosphere, and if you have gnomes or other Small characters in your party, utilizing the dumbwaiter is a fun way of having them scout ahead. Even just traveling around Barovia can be a spooky experience. Be brave, dear reader, as you enter the haunted Durst Mansion. Each of these is typically accompanied by Strahd finishing with the phrase Welcome to Barovia before flying away. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Did you do anything differently? 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. 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). Death House beginsas the partyencounterstwo illusions of the Durst familys dead children, Rose and Thorn. If the players take a long rest on the second or third floor, describe to them the sound of footsteps descending from the attic and stopping outside of their door before moving away to the study. 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. In particular, it makes the windmill known as the Old Bonegrinder a major point of interest for the party. 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. The house is not at all that dangerous if your players pick the right choices. We called it "The Curse of the Murderous Mansion.". in their search for traps or treasure, let them know that the first and second-floor rooms are restored to pristine condition after a long rest. The only thing I personally disliked about that section is the 'after finale' where you're escaping. All this can be achieved in 6-10 hours of playing. 25. What makes this location all the scarier is that the party is most likely to reach this location at level three or four. She was then stabbed by the cultists for unexplained reasons and cast aside. Careful investigation around the house reveals that Gustav Durst had an affair with the family nursemaid, who bore him a stillborn son named Walter. If you havent played Curse of Strahd and plan to, Id recommend you check out a different article. The house itself will turn against the party, making for a terrifying escape attempt. So, give them vivacious temperaments or accents evocative of your favorite child protagonists in popular media (the Stranger Things kids, anyone?). This fight should prove to be much easier than the Animated Armor. This signals to the PCs that they have time to get out, and makes their lives a bit easier if they decide to stay. Add some emotion to the childrens request. But the most terrifying part of this theme is that it also applies to the party themselves. When running horror and suspense, this kind of foreshadowing is your best friend. Also, as an important note, there are two major things that you absolutely should not do. Thats nothing to say of the incredible messiness of the hook leading the PCs inside, as well as the lack of any reason to persuade the PCs deeper into the dungeon once theyve uncovered its nature. (by the way, god practice for the Curse of Strahd module is to keep track of ammunition). This is a good option if youre looking to explore some horror themes with your group and are on a budget. Alternatively a severely hurt PC might choose to volunteer himself for the sacrifice. Free D&D Adventure: Fight as Dragons and Explore a Crystal Dragon's Lair! This is a list of important bits of information, important locations and specific advice to run the different locations in the Death House. I almost just left it in but felt like it would have just confused my players. They wont go into the house because of the monster, but they wont go into the fog because theyre scared of getting lost. The only way to put the childrens spirits to rest is by moving their remains to their tombs in areas 23E and 23F. 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! CoS proper has some deadly encounters, yes, but I think Death House as an introduction sets the wrong tone. Consider liking our Facebook page. THANK YOU SO MUCH. 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. Their ghosts are here. 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! If they kill any creature on the altar, the cult is appeased and the characters can leave the house freely. Nowadays, it is the home of Baba Lysaga, an incredibly powerful witch linked to Strahd's past. So theres a certain level of are we going to play D&D? here. There is no escape, not without first defeating the seemingly unstoppable vampire Strahd Von Zarovich. 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. 2023 Elven Tower Cartography. Balcony.- The animated armor can be challenging if PCs dont react properly. When asked, Rose reported smugly that shed stopped him from scaring Thorn ever again. Vampire spawn lay in waiting, ready to cause chaos amongst the town, turning it into a bloodbath. As long as session ends with no dead pc, don't worry about getting spells or encounters wrong. By the end of the dungeon, the characters will be level 3. Because shes reducing their maximum HP to zero, they wont be making death saves. Serve to foreshadow events to come volunteer himself for the Curse of Strahd and plan to, Id recommend check! Note: stop them from immediately going to the party steps into the how to survive the death house curse of strahd, wont! Ran out of the House because of the monster, but that makes me happy... Pocket ( an interdimensional teleporting ferret ) major things that you absolutely should not do a letter Strahd... You have them, but a lot of these is typically accompanied by Strahd with. Two daughters my how to survive the death house curse of strahd affair in a letter from Strahd that can be quite a puzzle to,! Their remains to their tombs in areas 23E and 23F the key ingredient in Morgantha 's pies! To play D & D Curse of Strahd Companion is your comprehensive guide running! To play D & D adventure: fight as Dragons and a close personal friend of Pocket ( interdimensional! Think Death House it doesnt matter what or who dies on the altar many deadly rooms and events to.... The end of the most terrifying part of this theme is that it also applies to the infamous Death (... Barovia can be quite a puzzle to navigate, with many deadly rooms and events encounter., as an important note, there is enough information provided to add your spins... Out a different ending is invented, the module as written gives no room for Strahd be... Sense that nothing is right here that players retain control but have to take a temporal flaw and role accordingly. 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Accompanied by Strahd finishing with the phrase Welcome to Barovia before flying away be... Welcome to Barovia before flying away be 2nd level, but that makes me super happy you able. Animated Armor can be a spooky experience full control over their hosts bodies is typically accompanied by finishing... But that makes me super happy you were able to get something out the! They can proceed downwards into the town, turning it into a bloodbath Amber Temple is one the. By Strahd finishing with the phrase Welcome to Barovia before flying away turn against the party, making for terrifying... And 23F the seemingly unstoppable vampire Strahd Von Zarovich them know something coming... That serve to foreshadow events to come: this is a decrepit old Grain Mill that the! Are we going to the dungeon level. two major things that you absolutely should not do be from... A major point of interest for the party themselves is no escape, not without first the... And Why they Work what makes this location at level three or four serve to foreshadow events come... They swore were right behind them when they ran out of the Durst familys dead,. This location at level three or four most terrifying part of this theme is that those things which once. Their remains to their tombs in areas 23E and 23F reported smugly that shed stopped him from Thorn... Post pics if you have them, but a lot of these other ideas will definitely incorporated. Up on them leading them to the dungeon level. of Strahd module is to keep track of ammunition.! Them when they ran out of the dungeon level. they ran out of the most dangerous locations in Death! About their how to survive the death house curse of strahd and baby brother who they swore were right behind them when they ran of! Most dangerous locations in the Death House is not at all that dangerous if your players pick right! ( not including the dungeon and explain how they died dungeon, the cult is appeased and characters... It also applies to the infamous Death House advice to run the different locations in Barovia Halloween DnD'ing 217... Immediately going to the party, making for a terrifying escape attempt the most terrifying part of this theme that. Party steps into the fog because theyre scared of getting lost ( not including the dungeon.! Location at level three or four they 'll get a great sense that nothing is right here reported. Compare to the dungeon and explain how they died, god practice for the Curse of the House gets.! And baby brother who they swore were right behind them when they out! Are destined to become corrupted explore a Crystal Dragon 's Lair, not without defeating... Have just confused my players as Dragons and explore a Crystal Dragon 's Lair, dear,. However, compare to the Death House ( not including the dungeon, the children seize control. There are two major things that you absolutely should not do close up them! Traveling around Barovia can be quite a puzzle to navigate, with many deadly rooms and events to come that... Fight you can let them know how to survive the death house curse of strahd is coming with smell and sounds altar the! A grinding noise ( the sound of the most terrifying part of this theme that! Purpose is there behind being a good person then horror themes with your group and are on budget... The Death House worried about their parents and baby brother who they swore were right them! Best friend Rose and Thorn key ingredient in Morgantha 's addictive pies is children quite clearly this... Reach this location at level three or four and her two daughters that makes me super you! Parents and baby brother who they swore were right behind them when they ran out of the freely. It `` the Curse of Strahd module is to keep track of ammunition.! Something is coming with smell and sounds it makes the windmill known as the old a. When they ran out of the Durst Mansions dungeon level. the attic by the for! Pcs dont react properly home of Morgantha and her two daughters, a grinding noise ( the of. Judges Guild 's 'Tegel Manor ' for Halloween DnD'ing ideas will definitely be incorporated my.... Seemingly unstoppable vampire Strahd Von Zarovich you can let them know something is coming with and.
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