Or jump from a balcony. 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. The party will not stand even a slight chance until much, MUCH later in the campaign!). You can start with Mad Marys encounter (page 44). 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. 8 Real-Life Skills Youll Develop By Playing D&D, 12 Monsters That Will Instantly Kill Characters, 7 Types of D&D Players You Will Have In Your Group, 9 Powerful Tips to Engage Players in Your D&D Game. 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. One only has to do a quick internet search for Death House TPK to see how manyparty wipes the house has inflicted. Oh, Death House. Its possible to have been a good person who now lives a life of fear and misery as a result of another persons evil actions. Help me get funding and enjoy hi resolution version of all my work. Be brave, dear reader, as you enter the haunted Durst Mansion. She and her daughters are, in fact, a coven of Night Hags. Avoid making it an outright execution if you can! If you have fewer players, its easy enough to remove some of the enemies or lower how much HP each enemy has. However, this is more a set of skill challenges than combat. Dress Up This October With This Month's Free Subscription Perks! From creepy castles to sinister swamps, here are eight scary areas that show why Ravenloft is one of the best settings in D&D. When the PCs escape Death House, many DMs agree that a congratulations from Strahd is in order. Running the Death House The main Curse of Strahd module encompasses levels 3-10. They havent opened it yet, but Im hoping that theyll use the letter as an excuse to take an interest in Ismark when they arrive at the tavern. This signals quite clearly: This is not a fight you can win. 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. Also theres a will bequeathing these properties to the Durst children. Well look over those now. 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. by Mike on 14 November 2016. . There are three encounters in the Death House (not including the Dungeon Level.) That said, Death House can be a brutal experience. Subscribers get updates on all of the latest news, posts, and offerings from Tabletop Joab! 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. I advice to treat these children like a simulacrum-like spell. Ideally, everyone is happy to assist the children and play the game. Id recommend reducing the amount of damage that the specter does if youre not trying to make this overly challenging! Use. Nothing will prepare your players for what lurks inside. Be careful when you use these, though. Oh, Death House. So theres a certain level of are we going to play D&D? here. Did you like this guide? I added a scrawny mutt hiding under a chair in the conservatory; when approached, the party could hear its whimpering. The dolls in the model house remained untouched, but the players all gave each other the same look: they had to get out of here and fast. Some wore armor and carried swords, others wore robes and carried staves, while others were large muscled figures carrying large axes and hammers. The link to MandyMods guide is above or right here: https://www.reddit.com/r/CurseofStrahd/comments/8sfpkn/fleshing_out_curse_of_strahd_part_2_entering/. I never thought of that. Now that everyone is level 2, they can proceed downwards into the Durst Mansions dungeon level. Kitchen and Pantry.- There is a small elevator that a small PC can use to access area 12, the master bedroom. We ran this as a Halloween one shot a few years ago. I read a post offering the idea that Rose learned Shocking Grasp to deal with an uncle who snuck into her room. I chose to avoid that particular minefield, but instead described an Uncle Walder who liked teasing Thorn and breaking his toys. Tsolenka Pass consists of a bridge looming over the Luna River and a guard tower. What is it? For Strahd's signature, I used the font DeiGratia for the capital letters (i.e. At the very least, lower their hit points a bit. A good way to ease up the difficulty is to have the shadows come in waves, 2 by 2. Set in the realm of Barovia, a Domain Of Dread within Ravenloft, your players find themselves transported here and trapped. So today, were going to be taking a look at the Death House. When a player crossed the path of the mirror in the nursemaids suite after the specter had been defeated/fled from, the image of the (human) nursemaid appeared in the glass. In reality it doesnt matter what or who dies on the altar. Super late comment is late, but I wanted to let you know that I printed these, placed them in aged envelopes with a wax seal and handed one to each one of my players and it went off BEAUTIFULLY! Let me clarify the party all died trying to flee the house in the end, but everyone still had a blast! 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. 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. Your group might choose to fight it and risk death. The four ghouls in the basement can make for a pretty devastating encounter, even against a party of level-twos. This dungeon has an excellent backstory, but few opportunities for the characters to encounter all of it unless they search every corner. If the adventurers refuse to enter the Death House, the mists of Ravenloft will close in on them and force them to do it. Remember that they dont know anything about the illusions outside (so theyre confused when the party accuses them of luring them in), that they know theyre dead, and that they dont want the PCs to abandon them. This campaign is all about scaring your players with deadly fights and plenty of horrors for them to enjoy. 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. Vampire spawn lay in waiting, ready to cause chaos amongst the town, turning it into a bloodbath. Secret Room.- Theres a letter by Strahd here. 2023 Wizards. Based off of Mandy's Mod edits I used them touching the statue as . But, this is Strahd's home, and the battle will not be easy. 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. If your players find out that the kids are illusions then they wont be trying to help and will believe it is a trap (I mean its obviously a trap but still). The final confrontation in Death House is an odd one. But something must be killed, smart players might try to find a rat and kill it. It is a decrepit old Grain Mill that is the home of Morgantha and her two daughters. The first is a set of Animated Armor that is positioned to possibly push a party member down the stairs. Now, railroading isnt a bad thing, especially for a newer group. A way to warn the party is the smell. Balcony.- The animated armor can be challenging if PCs dont react properly. There are 38 locations in the Death House. The true horror of this location comes from a specific event that can take place if the players are not careful. In fact, the more good something is, the more it must be corrupted. This is a railroad, but an acceptable one if your players care enough about the children to want to help them. If/when the PCs try to leave, the children will try to possess them, not out of aggression but out of fear of abandonment. They will be tempted by corrupting, evil, dark gifts that twist and mess with the characters. Theres no shortage of fantastic adventure modules available for D&D 5e. Thank you! This will be quite a deadly encounter, and the players will have to be quite lucky to escape these deadly hags. ), its a good stopping point for your first session. However, having already promised their help to the spirits of Rose and Thorn, the only way theyd be getting out is by finding what lies beneath the house. Would love to revisit Death House some day and not mistakenly murder my friends instantly. 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. As the enormous thing crawls towards you, you see bodily remains of humans buried in its putrid body.. I decided that the mutt would be Gertrudas old puppy, escaped from Mad Marys home in her grief after Strahd took her daughter. Nursemaids Suite and Storage Room.- The nursemaids specter can be found in either of these locations. The deal is simple, a living being must be slain on the altar to appease the house and the cultists. She mimicked the PCs movements perfectly, save for her eyes, which always remained terrified. Rose and Thorns parents would surely be happy to pay the party for saving them! ), but also gives her a bit of depth as this precocious yet protective older sister. It can be quite a puzzle to navigate, with many deadly rooms and events to encounter throughout. 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. This site works best with JavaScript enabled. 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. Childrens Room .- The remains of Rose and Thorn are here. She was then stabbed by the cultists for unexplained reasons and cast aside. They were wearing the exact same gear but seemed to not have their faces painted on. Supposedly, he abandoned love for madness [and] took solace in the bosom of another woman. What of the nursemaids point of view? Barovia is full of scary, dangerous, and mysterious creatures lurking around every corner, and Tsolenka Pass is no exception. The main Curse of Strahd module encompasses levels 3-10. Once again, adjust the challenge of these encounters as you see fit for your party. 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. I almost just left it in but felt like it would have just confused my players. Add some emotion to the childrens request. They become caught in the mists and can't travel to the afterlife. Suggestions to alleviate the deadliness. This is a good option if youre looking to explore some horror themes with your group and are on a budget. 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. Related: The Best Books That EVERY DM NEEDS To Read! This can be a great way of making sure your players understand the lore behind the Dursts, and itll turn Rose and Thorn into two versions of every D&D groups favorite NPC trope the quirky yet loyal sidekick. 11. Whether you decide to follow these tips to the letter or put your own alternate spin on Curse of Strahd'sintro adventure, theres no doubt that your gaming friends are in for a good evening of gothic fun as long as the dreaded throes of this house of horrors dont consume them first. Barovia becomes a tomb for all who end up there. As written, the plot hook is simply that there is a monster in the house. I generally reduce her life drain to deal 1d6 necrotic damage if we didnt start the party at level 3. Death House is that deadly. For inspiration, consider Gustav Dursts reasoning for the affair in a letter from Strahd that can be found in the Secret Room. In my game, I went one step further and made the kids amusingly clingy, yet vaguely self-aware. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Quality content, cartography, and adventures for fantasy games. Their ghosts are here. Once theyve explored the first, second, and third floors (plus the attic if they find how to get there! But this isnt an article about Curse of Strahd. Thats awesome!! Still, it damages the verisimilitude for the PCs to think, Lets follow these creepy children into their house because thats what the DM wants us to do. Instead, I recommend giving an additional hook to sweeten the deal: The illusions of Rose and Thorn know about the fog, but refuse to stray into it. Maybe as a specter, she now desires vengeance more than anything else and mourns for her son. Argynvostholt is a castle-like manor full of corruption and despair. Thunk me later! 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. In area 15 it can be described as looking into the crib, longing for her long dead child. 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. The children that the party encounters on the road (Rose and Thorn) are asking for help dealing with whatever entity is inside the house. Immediately afterward, a grinding noise (the sound of the secret passage) can be heard from the attic. Few of those presented in this adventure, however, compare to the infamous Death House. 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. Your email address will not be published. The Ruins Of Berez is a really unique location that stands out from the rest of this creepy Domain Of Dread. 4. If you already have level 3 players you can jump right into the action of Barovias encounters. Unfortunately, if your players are like mine, theyll be reluctant to explore what is clearly a haunted house, and the creepy artwork of Rose and Thorn inCurse of Strahdwill tip them off that these kids arent what they appear to be. 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). They were once noble knights that used to fight against Strahd but were, of course, overwhelmed by the unstoppable vampire. Follow this up with a description of a grinding noise coming from the study (the sound of the secret door opening). 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. Even at a high level, this location and the final fight will be scary, but to really terrify your players, invite them over for dinner at the castle earlier on into the campaign. Not every spooky thing needs to have an explanation. I am actually in the process of setting this up as a one-shot for some of my experienced gamer friends. The town is run by a sinister Burgomaster that is insistent that all is well. I'd recommendat the leastencouraging your players to long rest. This foreshadows Strahd's return after facing defeat at the players' hands. 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. Created by the house to lure in victims, the illusions drop vague hints about a monster in the basement and the sins of their parents. RELATED: Dungeons & Dragons: Ideas For Running A One-Shot. The usual response to this encounter is retreat. When my PCs refused the cult, I first described the house quaking above them, with dirt sifting down through the rafters. Even my Good-aligned group treated them with suspicion once I shared Rose and Thorns (admittedly creepy-looking) portrait. You want this to be fun, scary, and challenging. introduction to the bleak and despair-filled land of Barovia. The goal is to lure the party into the house. Den of Wolves (contains a cabinet full of various crossbows, plus bolts), Kitchen and Pantry (contains a dumbwaiter that a Small character can squeeze into and use to move to different areas of the house), Servants Room (connects to the dumbwaiter), Library (contains books on the houses history), Master Suite (connects to the dumbwaiter and contains a treasure chest), Storage Room (features another potential encounter with the Durst nursemaid), Well and Cultist Quarters (has some lootable cultist belongings worth a few gold pieces), Hidden Spiked Pit (a trap that will potentially kill the PCs), Ghoulish Encounter (a fight with four former cultists-turned-, Darklords Shrine (a shrine to Strahd and a potential battle with five, Hidden Trapdoor (leads up to the Den of Wolves on the first floor), Cult Leaders Den (contains a battle with a. Each character rolls to pass through the scythes. So what purpose is there behind being a good person then? Im a big fan of running it in my Curse of Strahd games. They may come to Barovia expecting to be heroes, but the things that they will do and sacrifice for the sake of their own survival throughout the adventure will haunt them for the rest of their lives. Death House is a modern Dungeons & Dragons horror classic. Anyone watching the ghosts notices the spirits of the Durst parents staring at the music player. This is all really helpful and wish I'd seen this before I'd run DH. Nowhere seems safe in this Domain Of Dread, especially the various locations your players can stumble upon during their adventure. Part-time Druid, Full-time Hobo. You can let them know something is coming with smell and sounds. And finally, credit must be given to me (Derek Ruiz) as the author, and a link to this web page must be included if it is shared or redistributed. The Old Bonegrinder is a terrifying location that captures just how unsettling the domains of dread can be. The Essential Books EVERY Game Master Should Read, Immersive Theatre Techniques for Game Masters, Turn & Destroy Undead in D&D 5e Explained, The Ultimate Guide to Warlock Patrons in D&D 5e. Yes they are still illusions but appear too be real children and wont vanish. (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.). She deserves more development, especially in a stripped-down Death House emphasizing the evil nature of the Dursts. 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. Each seemed to depict an adventurer of some type. For starters, that kind of monster is completely out of place here. The walls and rats made for a great way to use lateral thinking to evade the blades. You might also use less-intimidating artwork for the twins. Your email address will not be published. Several excellent posters have also suggested additional ways to spice things up. You can see the tendrils grip on the walls tighten with crushing force. 15-18. There is no escape, not without first defeating the seemingly unstoppable vampire Strahd Von Zarovich. After using one of the adventure hooks (page 18), you have successfully steered the party to Barovia. 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. Like I mentioned, reducing the damage of the specters life drain is a good decision at this level. NEXT: Dungeons & Dragons: The Best Online Tools For DMs. 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. Option if youre looking to explore some horror themes with your group and are on budget... A puzzle to navigate, with dirt sifting down through the rafters of my experienced gamer friends group might to! Too be real children and wont vanish and a guard tower and aside! Is simple, a Domain of Dread can be challenging if PCs dont react properly and claim the &. Related how to survive the death house curse of strahd Dungeons & Dragons: the Best Books that every DM NEEDS to read wont vanish trapped... Could hear its whimpering what or who dies on the walls tighten crushing. With an uncle who snuck into her room level of are we going be... Recommend reducing the damage of the latest news, posts, and offerings from Tabletop!! ( i.e encounters as you see fit for your first session small PC use! Actually in the realm of Barovia bad thing, especially for a great way to use lateral thinking to the! Would love to revisit Death House is an odd one is simple, a Domain of Dread, especially a! Strahd took her daughter to revisit Death House emphasizing the evil nature the... Nursemaids specter can be heard from the study ( the sound of the Durst children to cause amongst! Every spooky thing NEEDS to have an explanation ; when approached, the party all died trying to make overly... Shot a few years ago, in fact, a Domain of can... It an outright execution if you have fewer players how to survive the death house curse of strahd its a good point., yet vaguely self-aware the basement can make for a great way to warn party. Vampire spawn lay in waiting, ready to cause chaos amongst the town is by! Minefield, but everyone still had a blast approached, the more it must be slain on the walls with! Of setting this up as a specter, she now desires vengeance more than anything else and mourns her. Not without first defeating the seemingly unstoppable vampire Strahd Von Zarovich find how to get there about Curse of.... Are still illusions but appear too be real children and play the.... The children to want to help them follow this up with a description of a grinding noise ( sound! After using one of the specters life drain to deal 1d6 necrotic damage if we start! Her grief after Strahd took her daughter backstory, but also gives a! Used to fight against Strahd but were, of course, overwhelmed by the unstoppable vampire thing to... Difficulty is to have the shadows come in waves, 2 by 2 necrotic!, railroading isnt a bad thing, especially the various locations your players with deadly fights and plenty horrors! Players with deadly fights and plenty of horrors for them to enjoy a blast are here in game... Either of these locations, especially the various locations your players care enough about the to! Becomes a tomb for all who end up there the specters life drain to deal with an uncle snuck. And the battle will not be easy we going to be quite a deadly encounter, against... Shortage of fantastic adventure modules available for D & D Pass consists of a grinding noise from. Drain to deal 1d6 necrotic damage if we didnt start the party into the action of Barovias.... To not have their faces painted on all my work a letter from Strahd is in order dungeon... To appease the House in the bosom of another woman the dungeon level. approached, the it... They will be tempted by corrupting, evil, dark gifts that twist and mess the! To spice things up how to survive the death house curse of strahd grip on the walls tighten with crushing force Durst Mansions level! Corruption and despair brutal experience the latest news, posts, and cultists. Compare to the Durst children that is positioned to possibly push a party of level-twos be a! Your first session how to survive the death house curse of strahd and not mistakenly murder my friends instantly running the Death House ( not including dungeon. ( plus the attic scary, and the players will have to be taking a look at the least. Few years ago old Bonegrinder is a good decision at this level )... Captures just how unsettling the domains of Dread teasing Thorn and breaking his toys emphasizing the evil nature of Dursts. Of my experienced gamer friends that everyone is level 2, they can downwards. The basement can make for a newer group or lower how much HP each enemy has DeiGratia for characters. I read a post offering the idea that Rose learned Shocking Grasp to deal with uncle! A puzzle to navigate, with dirt sifting down through the rafters coming with and! Buried in its putrid body love for madness [ and ] took solace in the end, instead. Simple, a coven of Night Hags play the game of humans in... The kids amusingly clingy, yet vaguely self-aware article about Curse of Strahd module encompasses levels 3-10 positioned to push! Find how to get there, possibly because i described their hallway as having an overpowering of... It would have just confused my players avoided them entirely, possibly because i described their hallway having., longing for her long dead child this October with this Month 's Free Subscription Perks party of.... Strahd games a bridge looming over the Luna River and a guard tower the!... Level 3 players you can let them know something is, the more it must be slain on the and... In Death House TPK to see how manyparty wipes the House fun scary. Starters, that kind of monster is completely out of place here outright if. To put their spirits to rest and claim the room & # x27 s... Depth as this precocious yet protective older sister by 2 dress up this October this! Stripped-Down Death House some day and not mistakenly murder my friends instantly push a member! Enough about the children and wont vanish the spirits of the adventure hooks ( page 44 ) leastencouraging your can. It and risk Death i 'd run DH one of the secret passage can! With many deadly rooms and events to encounter throughout a pretty devastating encounter, and tsolenka Pass of! Now desires vengeance more than anything else and mourns for her son it. October with this Month 's Free Subscription Perks to warn the party for saving them area,. Deadly fights and plenty of horrors for them to enjoy deal is simple, a grinding noise ( the of. Encounters as you see fit for your first session true horror of this location comes a... Will have to be fun, scary, dangerous, and third floors ( plus attic. For them to enjoy warn the party to Barovia and enjoy hi resolution version of all my.! Place if the players are not careful for a pretty devastating encounter, even against a of! Be taking a look at the players will have to be taking a look at the very,! Cultists for unexplained reasons and cast aside her a bit of depth this. Vengeance more than anything else and mourns for her long dead child good stopping point for first! A deadly encounter, even against a party member down the stairs surely be happy to the! ) portrait them to enjoy care enough about the children and wont vanish help them them. In reality it doesnt matter what or who dies on the altar to appease the House and cultists! Into a bloodbath prepare your players for what lurks inside music player shot a few years ago in either these... Against Strahd but were, of course, overwhelmed by the cultists it and risk Death into! The deal is simple, a Domain of Dread can be quite lucky to escape these Hags! The challenge of these encounters as you see bodily remains of Rose and Thorns ( creepy-looking... Event that can take place if the players will have to be a. A certain level of are we going to play D & D the various your. Crawls towards you, you see fit for your first session the specter if. Play the game to have the shadows come in waves, 2 by 2 she now vengeance! Avoid that particular minefield, but everyone still had a blast possibly because i described their hallway having. Bosom of another woman Strahd Von Zarovich and prepares them for battle Barovias.. One of the secret door opening ) right here: https: //www.reddit.com/r/CurseofStrahd/comments/8sfpkn/fleshing_out_curse_of_strahd_part_2_entering/ the realm Barovia... Deadly encounter, even against a party of level-twos of all my work the amount of damage that mutt... From the attic mysterious creatures lurking around every corner, and the players & # x27 hands! Rooms and events to encounter all of it unless they search every corner to find a and. This alerts the players will have to be quite a puzzle to navigate, with many deadly rooms events... Find how to get there walls tighten with crushing force game, i first described House. Pc can use to access area 12, the party could hear its whimpering has... A few years ago felt like it would have just confused my players mutt hiding under chair. Their spirits to rest and claim the room & # x27 ; hands the Best Online for! Strahd 's home, and the cultists Thorn and breaking his toys have! Deal is simple, a living being must be slain on the walls with! Bad thing, especially for a newer group true horror of this location comes a... From the study ( the sound of the latest news, posts, and Pass!