The surprise mostly stems from how much theyre expanding on it.Curse of Strahd begins with characters being pulled into a land called Barovia by creeping mists, but this is only one of many Domains of Dread scattered throughout the horror-themed Ravenloft setting.Van Richtens Guide to Ravenloft adds more than thirty other Domains to explore, each with its own Darklord, detailed descriptions, ready-to-play adventure, and new monsters, lineages, and sub-classes.The fresh additions range from gothic horror to macabre fairytales, slasher horror, and zombie apocalypse, so you can play through just about any kind of horror story you can think of.
Working with exciting new voices in horror and visual artists like DD concept artist Shawn Wood was essential to make sure were updating the aesthetic for todays fans while staying true to the roots of Ravenloft. Van Richtens Guide also includes rules and advice for DMs to create custom domains and Darklords by portraying established horror tropes or whatever special new blend of terror they can imagine. Because in spite of the realms being designed as only vaguely defined areas that all are bordered by mists, the realms are all surprisingly detailedoftentimes the adventures that take place in them will span multiple locations, sometimes even crossing planar boundaries. Where an ancient count rules and every shadow hides something sinister. Originally appearing in the titular module I6: Ravenloft, the setting is known for its darker take on DD. With its shades of Gothic horror and monstrous villains, its easy to see why it had universal appeal. And much like the Twilight Zone, Ravenloft can be wildly different from encounter to encounter. Characters that step through the mists might find themselves wandering through a sleepy town with horrors lurking beneath, or they might be facing the deadly curse of an ancient mummy. Names like Vecna and Soth are whispered here and have left their mark on the world. Before even getting to the adventure, the DM is greeted with the following. When Strahd is dead, the adventure is over (though that will take some work), so DMs are advised to have him retreat and try to isolate weaker party members. There are no less than four warnings about playing Strahd as intelligently as you would a normal PC in as many pages at the games outset. The rest of the module reinforces the idea that Strahd is his own monster, and that the adventurers arent in Kansas anymore. Best Ravenloft Adventures Full Of WerewolvesIn addition to the gypsy fortune teller, players can encounter a dark forest full of werewolves, a burgomaster trying to protect his daughter, and of course the grand castle up on the craggy hill, Castle Ravenloft. Theres a thick fog that lurks at the edges of the land of Barovia, the NPCs all have their own reasons for fearing Strahd. Even should players find the legendary sun sword of the module, they might be reluctant to strike down the villain. Even if you play an extended campaign like the Curse of Strahd, your encounter with Ravenloft is never meant to be permanent. Ravenloft isnt a place, so much as it is an idea: a moment of dread that lingers a moment longer than it should. Though they may claim your soul, adventures in Ravenloft are meant to end. Stories in the gothic horror tradition arent about finding and killing a monstertheyre often about taking a look at why the monster is the way he is (and perhaps culminating in a number of, were not so different you and I speeches), or looking at the corrupting effects of what the monster represents. With Strahd, for instance, the theme of wanting to force someone to love you plays heavily. Presumably getting drawn into the Mists was all a part of Vecnas plan anyway. But each of these figures casts a shadow over their respective domainrealms within Ravenloft are unique in that they exist as fuel for adventure. They are full of people who toil under the often oppressive regime of the darklord and who require the players aid. Or will not. Theyre often counted on to be agents of changein 3rd edition, Ravenloft was referred to as the Crucible of Virtue for this reason. The idea was that the players were being tested any time they were drawn in by the Mists.
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