Tour de Barovia

[Le Noir Faineant]

Hello,

For a long time, I've been dreaming about realizing an epic campaign climaxing in the original Ravenloft module. (In my case, the 2e remake "House of Strahd", since I don't own the original.)

Since the module doesn't seem to fit as a "weekend-in-hell" scenario into any of my current campaigns, I want to set up a whole campaign in Barovia, which is supposed to lead to that module.

All my players are supposed to be new to RL, and I want to let them play characters from a prime material world.

It seems that I'll most likely use the 3.5e ruleset, and thus I count that characters will be at about 5th level when they cross the mists to Barovia village.

Now my questions are, what kind of modules would you recommend me as preludes to the *great showdown*?
Which elements do you think I should include?

------------------------------------------------

I've made up an overall concept already, on which I welcome all comments:

Those are the locations I'd want to include:
- Zeidenburg
- Immol
- The Balinoks
- The Village of Barovia, of course!

As to NPCs, I think I'll let an Hazlani fight on the side of the PCs, as well as a Tepestani and maybe a Kartakan wolfwere.
--------------------------------------------------

Any comments/ideas?

-It's not like I would start this campaign next week, but I really want to play out that concept some time in the future.

Thank you,

Rafael

[Fido]

The second adventure that was in Dark Tales and Disturbing Legends. "The curse of Ashington Mannor"

It's very Barovian imho and I'm going to play it IMC, which is also in Barovia, soon.

[Glim]

Jezra?

[Le Noir Faineant]

The second adventure that was in Dark Tales and Disturbing Legends. "The curse of Ashington Mannor"

It's very Barovian imho and I'm going to play it IMC, which is also in Barovia, soon.

Haven't got the book so far, but really, before I start a new campaign, shouldn't I invert in some more campaign books? - Yes, yes, I NEED them, surely. surely...

- Really, thank you. I had dismissed that book as fairly useless for my games, now, if that story is for use in such a game, I might really get it somehow. - RL stuff goes fairly cheap these days...

Jezra?

I downloaded a write-up from Brandi some time ago, and I would want to use what I found in *Chilling Encounters*, but can't remember any official source about that lovely lady. Can you tell me where I can find something about her, please?

[MatthiasStormcrow]

Jezra's original write-up is in the 2e Ravenloft Monstrous Compendium Appendix II, Des.

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

How about the Lyssa Von Zarovich/Emil Bollenbach adventure from CotN:V? I set Undying Justice from Chilling Tales in Vallaki and it worked well, but doesn't really tie in with Strahd's story.

What does tie in... let's see:
Lyssa, the Vistani, Leo Dilisnya, the Gundarakites (ooh! Effigy of Ivan Szmin! [from one of the BoS]), Jander Sunstar, Tara/Tatyana. The Keepers of the Black Feather, Inajira, Soth? (The Sheriff! )


Maybe find a way to work in a side trip to Darkon. Azalin's a big part of Strahd's story. If you can work in the "wedding flashback" part of From the Shadows (with or without using the rest of the module), House of Strahd will have a much bigger impact.

[Joël of the FoS]

Another vote for Ivan Szimin - cool and creepy.

Do not forget the lovely Miss Montarri!

Haunted Sites netbook had 2 interesting locations in Barovia: Gates of Dusk and Haunted of Valcon Forest

Joël

[Undead Cabbage]

I know he doesn't mean a lot to Strahd, but Harkon Lukas is a must. Even if its just for one session or so, he's just too cool, and he's right there. Maybe he could gives some clues towards Strahd's nature, or just dick with the players for the hell of it.

Don't forget Madame Eva as well.

Some elements to be included:

When the players enter, they see Strahd as a friend (just leader, useful ally, etc.). Starting out with Strahd as a bad guy will either get the players killed (since they're new to RL they'll think they can take him), or will get tedious after a while and he'll lose his affect as a villian. Perhaps show some of Strahd's...for lack of a better word 'good' qualities and get the players on his side. Towards the end, they come to realize what has been occuring at the core (no pun intended). Since its pretty hard to be in Barovia and never hear of Strahd, they can't automatically see him as 'the final boss', since that would just ruin the mystery of everything.

The raiments of clarity. Pick one character who will be tested for corruptability. Maybe in the end the players might have to end up facing an ex-ally.

Idea: Are there stats for a Vistani strain of vampirism? If not, then you could make something REALLY nasty...imagine the gaze attacks...

Give the players something to work with. Since they're new they'll try the old 'bash'n'grab' tactics they're used to. Players often need an NPC or two to guide them down the right path to becoming seasoned monster hunters.

[Le Noir Faineant]

Thank you so much!

There are so many ideas I now have to use - I had read about most of them, but already forgotten again...

The wedding scene form FtS, the Gundarakites, "lovely Miss Montarri", the sites described in Haunted Sites, Jezra... (Thank you for the reference, Matthias.)

Really, Barovia holds so many secrets that one ideed could need more than one campaign to explore it all...

I like also the idea of using Strahd all around Barovia, and not limit him to Castle RL... After all, since he can rest everywhere, wouldn't it be nice to find a strange wanderer somewhere on the way at night...

Thank you all! I've got infested with the Ravenloft fever once again!

[Fido]

Haven't got the book so far, but really, before I start a new campaign, shouldn't I invert in some more campaign books? - Yes, yes, I NEED them, surely. surely...

- Really, thank you. I had dismissed that book as fairly useless for my games, now, if that story is for use in such a game, I might really get it somehow. - RL stuff goes fairly cheap these days...

Oh, you must get it. There are some awesomely awesome things in there.

[Le Noir Faineant]

I am watching it on ebay right now - if it stays cheap enough, I'll get it. - Peoblem is indeed, I am also bidding for Domains of Dread, and I believe I won't be able to afford both of them... But let's see how much I have to spend in the end...

[Ail]

I'm precisely going through Barovia right now in my campaign. When I designed this part of it (If I'm not mistaken, it has taken almost 20 sessions now in Barovia), I made a list of things I wanted to have. I don't have it with me here, but it included things like
- an abduction (presumably by Strahd, but people don't say this)
- a burgomaster killed
- a Ba'al Verzi dagger showing up
- the abducted girl returning to village (Barovia) and being almost burnt (the PCs saved her)
- Jacqueline Montarri (they have seen her harvesting heads already, and she's been hired to find teh Ba'al Verzi dagger that the PCs had and lost already)
- the Gundarakite Rebellion
- a meeting with Strahd in the Castle

I managed to have all of these in. I pondered on having, maybe, the Keepers of the Black Feather, and the Effigy of Ivan Szimin was a late addition. The PCs have tried to study the Golem in the last session. For me, it was a rather insufficient research, but they are ready to mount a trap to it in the next session. I think it may go badly, so I may bring the Keepers in just to distract them. In the end, I plan on having them battling the Golem with Ardonk. Since the PCs actually didn't do what Strahd commissioned them to do, and having given them money and weapons, he may profit to spy on them and appear just after they kill the Golem, taking Ardonk out easily.

As for Jezra Wagner, they did pass near the Baratak, but they didn't go up to her. Nevertheless, I had the encounter prepared and I made a 3E version of her, with some changes to make Jezra more accessible to my PCs, lowering her CR.

I also devised a Frost +1 Weapon and set it in the Baratak (that's how Jezra could appear), but haven't made floor plans that lead to it. In alternative, I've set a dungeons crawl (with complete floor plans made) in the mountains near Zeidenburg and Teufeldord for them to find some equipment and a ring +1 to aid against the Golem. I plan to take them there in 1 or 2 sessions. The idea is described in another thread, although I have complemented the story and detailed the background of the ring.

Also, I plan to have them leaving and returning to Barovia later, and finding Tara Kolyana along the way. Jacqueline will be looking for her then, as Strahd finally understands that since he hasn't found her yet, and she's 'late', she must have fled Barovia somehow. He sets the RVT after her, since they can find anything. Thus, Jacqueline finds them, with a different head than the one they saw before, but there's a fair possibility they'll recognize her because of her name and the red cord. I don't know how that will play out, and is still in the distant future, I'm waiting for the PCs reaction and the interest they will take, or not, in the NPC.

If you like some of these ideas, write me and I can give more detail.
The logs respecting this part of my campaign are still not on The Varanda, but they're already written. I just haven't written DM's comments yet, so I haven't sent them to Joël. (but they're online at http://irvanika.blogspot.com, starting in Session 22).

Hope that can help

Ail

[Korath]

This is a very good thread Desdichado. I was going to start my own, for I am also starting a Barovia campaign with lvl 3-5 player characters. They have no experience in RL. So I've been following this thread and will be using much of the suggestions listed.

[Le Noir Faineant]

I know he doesn't mean a lot to Strahd, but Harkon Lukas is a must.

Yeah! I don't know if he'll make it into the game himself, but a very similar character might accompany the party for a time...

In alternative, I've set a dungeons crawl (with complete floor plans made) in the mountains near Zeidenburg and Teufeldord for them to find some equipment.../quote]

I had a similar idea - but in my version, I just had some Vampire thralls guide Sergej's wedding ring... (Funny how our ideas match, isn't it?)

If you like some of these ideas, write me and I can give more detail.
The logs respecting this part of my campaign are still not on The Varanda, but they're already written. I just haven't written DM's comments yet, so I haven't sent them to Joël. (but they're online at http://irvanika.blogspot.com, starting in Session 22).

Thank you for the link!

I'll read it through ASAP.

[Le Noir Faineant]

Link broken...