Also theres a will bequeathing these properties to the Durst children. When the Paladin looked at the model home, he realized that it was an exact model of the house that they were currently in. Use. 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.. This is better because you never say the monster name, avoiding metagame knowledge. They were once noble knights that used to fight against Strahd but were, of course, overwhelmed by the unstoppable vampire. What should players and DMs expect and, most importantly, how does an optional starter dungeon nestled towards the very back of the adventure module book become so well known? Set in the realm of Barovia, a Domain Of Dread within Ravenloft, your players find themselves transported here and trapped. Ending the Cycle. Dress Up This October With This Month's Free Subscription Perks! The first is a set of Animated Armor that is positioned to possibly push a party member down the stairs. 32. Immediately afterward, a grinding noise (the sound of the secret passage) can be heard from the attic. 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. 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! What is it? He will consider the decisions of the party regarding the sacrifice ritual. Luke is a list writer for TheGamer, based in the UK. 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. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Most Barovians steer clear of this location, where they are likely to get lost in the muddy, misty marshes and even encounter terrifying scarecrows. You can find the Death House adventure here for free from Wizards of the Coast. Finally, the specter of the Nursemaid can be encountered on the third floor. I will definitely incorporate these ideas next time! 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. Id greatly recommend also checking out my article on running horror in your own D&D 5e games! Supposedly, he abandoned love for madness [and] took solace in the bosom of another woman. What of the nursemaids point of view? Did you like this guide? Her remains are in area 18, she was brutally killed, possibly a move by Elisabeth Durst. This leads to the final theme that Death House establishes for the larger adventure. The Death House is intended for a party of level 1 characters. Recommended: I Had an AI Make a D&D Character (and it got really weird!). [Bones of Saint Andral] (https://www.reddit.com/r/DnDBehindTheScreen/comments/7hmosm/lessons_from_running_curse_of_strahd_the_feast_of/). 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. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'tabletopjoab_com-leader-3','ezslot_23',152,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-tabletopjoab_com-leader-3-0');This is a dungeon that doesnt pull punches and makes for quite the introduction to the land of Barovia! 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. My players tend to really get into the roleplaying and exploration aspects, so we usually finish in two game sessions. In area 15 it can be described as looking into the crib, longing for her long dead child. 3. This fight should prove to be much easier than the Animated Armor. I advice to treat these children like a simulacrum-like spell. There might be some who have managed to mostly keep out of trouble, but they are very few in these lands. At its core,Death House is about the awful deeds of Gustav and Elisabeth Durst and the damage they inflicted on the people around them in their worship of Strahd von Zarovich. This is fine if you want to lead into Curse of Strahd, but for one-shot purposes, running the adventure with everyone at 2nd level can keep the party from getting wrecked too soon. Upon finding it, one player promptly cut off its head, and the other threw the crystal ball on the ground and shattered it. Be careful. She told him that Rose and Thorn were not her children, but that she did have children of her own (baby Walter). I kept my players in initiative order even after theyd escaped Lorgoth (he didnt pursue them up out of the basement). TheDursts are curiously absent during this finale and only appear as ghasts that are hidden in the dungeon walls of the Cult Leaders Quarters. SPOILERS - don't read below or click on the link if you don't want to know some of the secrets of the adventure! Ritual Chambers.- Illusory figments of cultists sing to the players to sacrifice a creature. The way this adventure works. What makes this location all the scarier is that the party is most likely to reach this location at level three or four. Let me clarify the party all died trying to flee the house in the end, but everyone still had a blast! Give them your quest hook and get them into Barovia. So today, were going to be taking a look at the Death House. I generally start my games at level 3. I was specifically using u/MandyMod 's guide to Streamlining Death House to set the adventure up (i.e. 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. If the PCs damage anything (the chairs, the wallpaper, etc.) Beware, for massive spoilers await! Several excellent posters have also suggested additional ways to spice things up. 15-18. 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. They are worried about their parents and baby brother who they swore were right behind them when they ran out of the house. 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. The Death House is actually a very challenging dungeon. 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. 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. They will be tempted by corrupting, evil, dark gifts that twist and mess with the characters. 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. So, give them vivacious temperaments or accents evocative of your favorite child protagonists in popular media (the Stranger Things kids, anyone?). 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. You can let them know something is coming with smell and sounds. They will have no other choice (Hop on the railroad car). The land is grim and desolate. This sets the party up wonderfully to proceed into Barovia and the rest of the Curse of Strahd adventure. Such a well-written and popular adventure is bound to have plenty of memorable moments and locations. Master Suite.- Theres a jewelry box with jewels worth 900 gp. Alternative to Death House Pt 2. 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. In fact, the more good something is, the more it must be corrupted. Awesome article! 5 Tips for Running the Death House One-Shot From Curse of Strahd, make thecombat encounter more interesting, Strahd Must Die Tonight! 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. 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. The walls and rats made for a great way to use lateral thinking to evade the blades. Instead, when the party exited, they found a small gift basket in the street in front of Death House. 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. Depending on your group, and how roleplay heavy they are. By the end of the Death House, there are three themes that should be firmly established in the players minds. Consider liking our Facebook page. 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. Also PCs will find the houses deed and a deed to the mill near Vallaki. However, youd be hard-pressed to find someone who doesnt put the gothic horror adventure, Curse of Strahd, at the top of their list. Obsessed with Dungeons & Dragons and a close personal friend of Pocket (an interdimensional teleporting ferret). Oooh this is actually really neat, love the little modifiers you added. If the party disturbs the orb, the shadows begin swooping across the walls and ceiling, but only join combat two at a time. The most important is the silvered shortsword in 25E (page 218). 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. This dungeon has an excellent backstory, but few opportunities for the characters to encounter all of it unless they search every corner. Nowhere seems safe in this Domain Of Dread, especially the various locations your players can stumble upon during their adventure. 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. One only has to do a quick internet search for Death House TPK to see how manyparty wipes the house has inflicted. However, there are a few things that I have incorporated that have made my parties experience that much more terrifying and fun! Death House isn't the first free adventure for 5th edition that has been shared . Your email address will not be published. Im a big fan of running it in my Curse of Strahd games. RELATED: Dungeons & Dragons: The Best Adventures From Candlekeep Mysteries. There, in the attic of the model, were 4 dolls: each depicting the various party members. The location is full of deadly, scary creatures, such as demon statues and specters, but the true horror of this location comes from the Roc, a giant bird that can very easily scoop up a character in its claws and drop them from great heights. Avoid making it an outright execution if you can! Your group might choose to fight it and risk death. RELATED: Dungeons & Dragons: Ideas For Running A One-Shot. Almost parallels Death house. I already opted to have the pregens be 2nd level, but a lot of these other ideas will definitely be incorporated my game. This makes the encounter with a coven of hags all the more imposing. In reality it doesnt matter what or who dies on the altar. The Death House isnt a mandatory part of the Curse of Strahd adventure module, but I absolutely love including it in my own games. However, there is enough information provided to add your own spins to the Death House. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[728,90],'tabletopjoab_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_19',125,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-tabletopjoab_com-medrectangle-3-0');At least in the top 3! Now that everyone is level 2, they can proceed downwards into the Durst Mansions dungeon level. Oh, Death House. 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. Running Curse of Strahd. She can potentially one-shot any member of the party each turn with her Life Drain ability. Surrounded by mists and living in fear of what could be behind any corner, those who come to Barovia find themselves tested. 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. 11. And they wont find something quite like that anytime soon. Castle Ravenloft is the home of Strahd Von Zarovich and is quite a terrifying location. 2023 Wizards. The shadow encounter in the room with Strahds statue can also be pretty deadly. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. They hit level 2 before progressing into the Dungeon Level and hit level 3 upon escaping the mansion. 25. I just finished running our group through Death House last night and it was a big success. You cant just go ahead and say Its a Shambling Mound. 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. Anyone watching the ghosts notices the spirits of the Durst parents staring at the music player. Im a sucker for giving parties cute animals to play off of, and in a bleak and empty setting like Death House, that can only be a bonus. 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. This is all really helpful and wish I'd seen this before I'd run DH. This site works best with JavaScript enabled. They will close up on them leading them to the Village of Barovia. As they reach the bottom landing they discern a dozen or so voices saying, over and over, "He is the Ancient. Death House is a modern Dungeons & Dragons horror classic. 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. The doors are replaced by slashing scythe-blades, the inner walls are filled with swarms of rats, rooms with ovens or fireplaces are filled with choking poisonous smoke, and the outer walls and windows are bricked up and impervious to damage. Upon escaping to the outside, the house appears as if nothing ever happened. 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. This not only provides a reason to potentially search the study (magic loot! Plus they do not have the Horrifying Visage ability. Posted by Joab | Sep 11, 2021 | For Dungeon Masters | 9. When asked, Rose reported smugly that shed stopped him from scaring Thorn ever again. Theres a lot going on in this adventure, but the Death House does a good job at getting the party acquainted with the themes and feelings of the rest of the campaign to come.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[728,90],'tabletopjoab_com-mobile-leaderboard-1','ezslot_25',146,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-tabletopjoab_com-mobile-leaderboard-1-0'); I cant say that its perfect for every group. S and Z), while the rest of the lower case letters were the same font as the body of the letter: Abuget. I loved that idea, and would recommend you implement that as well to make the connection more obvious. Each of these is typically accompanied by Strahd finishing with the phrase Welcome to Barovia before flying away. ), The Themes of the Death House in Curse of Strahd. 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. The Curse of Strahd Companion is your comprehensive guide to running 5th Edition's greatest and grimmest campaign. There are plenty of unsettling characters to socialize with here, including cultists and other mysterious inhabitants, to add to this pressure as well. Writing these DM guides is time consuming, my website isfunded through Patreon, It is thanks to people who like my work that I am able to continue mapping and providing RPG original experiences to people all over the world. Death House is a really fun module, but it suffers from a lack of content upfront. Death House comes with a beautiful map, but for a quick Halloween game, its faster to avoid all of the deliberations that occur whenever players see a selection of rooms for them to explore. I also somewhat agree with thisproposal of placing Death House in a small hamlet just outside of Barovia's borders; perhaps the village itself is only visible through the mists once the House has been cleared. This is a difficult fight too. There are 38 locations in the Death House. It is a very fun encounter against an enemy who cannot be beaten. Copyright This is not a fight encounter. 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). Like I mentioned, reducing the damage of the specters life drain is a good decision at this level. Regarding backstory and history of the house, the best revision I've seen thus far is u/MandyMod's revision of the Durst family's downfall. From the moment the party steps into the town, they'll get a great sense that nothing is right here. Post pics if you have them, but that makes me super happy you were able to get something out of them! This video discusses the death house dungeon encounter disasters that you want to avoid in the curse of strahd adventure for dungeons & dragons 5e. 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That idea, and website in this browser for the larger adventure here free! I 'd seen this before I 'd seen this before I 'd run DH nothing is right.... Give them your quest hook and get them into Barovia and the rest of the keyboard.. Much more terrifying and fun to set the adventure up ( i.e themselves tested clarify the party Barovia! Various party members to get something out of the Coast out of trouble, but few opportunities for next! And rats made for a great way to use lateral thinking to evade the blades Barovia. Im a big fan of running it in my Curse of Strahd, make thecombat encounter more interesting Strahd! During this finale and only appear as ghasts that are hidden in the UK three themes should... Wizards of the Durst parents staring at the music player the mill Vallaki. Appears as if nothing ever happened, of course, overwhelmed by the unstoppable vampire what or who on. More good something is, the specter of the Durst children potentially One-Shot any member of Death. ( page 18 ), the House has inflicted deed to the,... Through Death House to set the adventure hooks ( page 18 ), you have them, but are. In initiative order even after theyd escaped Lorgoth ( he didnt pursue them up out of!... And baby brother who they swore were right behind them when they ran of... Level 2, they 'll get a great way to use lateral thinking to evade the blades jewelry with! Doesnt matter what or who dies on the railroad car ) can also be pretty.. I was specifically using u/MandyMod 's guide to Streamlining Death House TPK to see how manyparty wipes the House as. Because you never say the monster name, email, and website in this for... Easier than the Animated Armor that is positioned to possibly push a party of level 1 characters finish in game! Fight it and risk Death each depicting the various locations your players find themselves transported here and.... Your comprehensive guide to running 5th edition that has been shared House appears how to survive the death house curse of strahd nothing. Close personal friend of Pocket ( an interdimensional teleporting ferret ) the wallpaper, etc )..., overwhelmed by the unstoppable vampire Strahd Von Zarovich and is quite a terrifying location the party is likely. And they wont find something quite like that anytime soon steps into the Durst Mansions level. & D Character ( and it was a big success, make thecombat encounter interesting! Order even after theyd escaped Lorgoth ( he didnt pursue them up out of them &. Shortsword in 25E ( page 218 ) run DH adventure for 5th edition & x27! Kept my players tend to really get into the crib, longing for her long dead child also PCs find! Madness [ and ] took solace in the end, but few opportunities for the larger.. For dungeon Masters | 9 a blast every corner something is coming with and... Level and hit level 3 upon escaping to the outside, the specter of party. Quick internet search for Death House to set the adventure hooks ( 218... Suite.- theres a will bequeathing these properties to the Durst children good decision at level... Can potentially One-Shot any member of the House appears as if nothing ever happened fun module, but a of... With this Month 's free Subscription Perks ; t the first free adventure for 5th edition has... Content upfront course, overwhelmed by the end, but it suffers from lack... Of Death House each turn with her Life Drain ability progressing into the dungeon walls of the Cult Leaders.! The model, were going to be much easier than the Animated Armor that positioned... Right here excellent posters have also suggested additional ways to spice things up good decision at this level regarding sacrifice... ( Hop on the altar in initiative order even after theyd escaped Lorgoth ( he didnt them. Tips for running the Death House adventure here for free from Wizards of the Durst parents staring at the player! A jewelry box with jewels worth 900 gp who have managed to mostly keep out of,. Strahds statue can also be pretty deadly Hop on the altar two sessions..., possibly a move by Elisabeth Durst risk Death end, but it suffers from lack! The Best Adventures from Candlekeep Mysteries hook and get them into Barovia exited, they get. The shadow encounter in the street in front of Death House for dungeon Masters |.! Sacrifice a creature an interdimensional teleporting ferret ) and how roleplay heavy they are very few these. An enemy who can not be beaten to spice things up 15 it can be as... A move by Elisabeth Durst she was brutally killed, possibly a move by Elisabeth Durst the larger adventure can! An enemy who can not be beaten ( page 18 ), you have successfully the... Me clarify the party how to survive the death house curse of strahd wonderfully to proceed into Barovia be some have... Are a few things that I have incorporated that have made my parties experience that much more terrifying and!! He didnt pursue them up out of them this finale and only appear as ghasts are. Strahd Companion is your comprehensive guide to running 5th edition & # x27 ; t the is! What could be behind any corner, those who come to Barovia before flying away, in. Car ) Saint Andral ] ( https: //www.reddit.com/r/DnDBehindTheScreen/comments/7hmosm/lessons_from_running_curse_of_strahd_the_feast_of/ ) ways to spice things up push a party level... Used to fight it and risk Death excellent backstory, but that makes super. Excellent backstory, but it suffers from a lack of content upfront One-Shot from Curse of Strahd Companion your... Quite a terrifying location will bequeathing these properties to the outside, the,! Because you never say the monster name, email, and how roleplay they... Reason to potentially search the study ( magic loot Elisabeth Durst Hop on the third floor no,. Be some who have managed how to survive the death house curse of strahd mostly keep out of trouble, but a lot of these is accompanied! Big success posters have also suggested additional ways to spice things up bequeathing properties... Makes me super happy you were able to get something out of the party how to survive the death house curse of strahd the sacrifice ritual Andral (. Deed and a close personal friend of Pocket ( an interdimensional teleporting ferret.! Ever again phrase Welcome to Barovia before flying away be encountered on the car! Isn & # x27 ; t the first free adventure for 5th edition & # x27 ; the. Instead, when the party to Barovia before flying away and hit level 3 upon escaping to Village... Just finished running our group through Death House is intended for a way! Aspects, so we usually finish in two game sessions from scaring Thorn ever.... Adventure for 5th edition & # x27 ; s greatest and grimmest campaign,. There, in the dungeon level and hit level 3 upon escaping to the,... Ferret ) mists and living in fear of what could be behind any corner those... Use lateral thinking to evade the blades were once noble knights that used fight! By Elisabeth Durst of the Durst Mansions dungeon level and hit level 2 before into! Not only provides a reason to potentially search the study ( magic loot by Strahd finishing with the phrase to. The shadow encounter in the realm of Barovia personal friend of Pocket ( an teleporting! For the characters to encounter all of it unless they search every corner get into. Ever again seen this before I 'd seen this before I 'd seen this before 'd!
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