New DRAGON+ Delves Into Ravenloft; Includes CURSE OF STRAHD Preview Adventure

The brand new issue of DRAGON+, WotC's D&D news app, is out - and it's full of Ravenloft goodness. This issue contains an interview with Jum Zub (writer of the upcoming Minsc in Barovia story in the D&D comic), a talk with Tracy and Laura Hickman, who created the original Ravenloft module, a 'travel piece' on Barovia, some video game content (top six warlock features in Sword Coast Legends), a copy of the recent Unearthed Arcana Mystic class, a look at D&D board games, and interview with Acquisition Inc's Patrick Rothfuss, an article on disabled characters in D&D, and some recent Sage Advice from Jeremy Crawford.

You can get Dragon+ from the iOS and Android app stores, or view it on your desktop. The issue also includes a preview adventure for Curse of Strahd called Death House. It's a 12-page PDF is a min-adventure designed to get characters to 3rd level as they explore a haunted townhouse, while introducing characters to the land of Barovia. "This preview introduces characters to the land of Barovia. The Curse of Strahd book includes the original adventure, as well as expanded material developed in consultation with Tracy and Laura Hickman. It expands what we know about the lands around Castle Ravenloft and sheds new light on the dark past of the castle’s lord. The lands of Barovia are from a forgotten world in the D&D multiverse, and this adventure gives glimpses into that world. In time, cursed Barovia was torn from its home world by the Dark Powers and bound in mist as one of the Domains of Dread in the Shadowfell."

 

[Savage Wombat]

I'm a little concerned about some of the threat levels in this adventure. I'd explain, but I'm not sure I shouldn't do that in a different thread.

 

[Lidgar]

I'm a little concerned about some of the threat levels in this adventure. I'd explain, but I'm not sure I shouldn't do that in a different thread.

It's Ravenloft. You are supposed to run away - quite often.

 

[MrHotter]

I'm a little concerned about some of the threat levels in this adventure. I'd explain, but I'm not sure I shouldn't do that in a different thread.

Possible spoilers for future players







Remember that the characters get level 2 before they go into the basement. Still, I see what you mean. One of the traps could kill a level 2 rogue and there is not much telegraphing on it being there.

I also think the last room fight is meant to be one you can avoid or run from.

An opportunity I think they missed is for the house to have more of a haunted house feel. The kids at the beginning mention crying babies and screams, so I know where I want to add them into the game for the 'creepy' feeling. That and little things like candles lighting and having the house tidy itself up if the players mess anything up could freak them out.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

v*This!*v I made a similar observation when "Rage" came out & we were looking at it. It's bordering on ridiculous.

There was no cult in Rage of Demons.

Also there is not really a cult here in Curse of Strahd as Strahd already wiped out the Cult. Some undead and an evil house are all that is left of them.

 

[GregB_WotC]

For those who want to skip straight to the adventure, the direct link is http://media.wizards.com/2016/downloads/DND/Curse of Strahd Introductory Adventure.pdf - It's a regular page sized PDF, not requiring a tablet or the Dragon+ web viewer to read.

It seems to be missing some information it directly refers to. In addition to not including any of the monster statistics (there appears to be at least one custom monster), it refers to various ways to get the PCs into Barovia (but only mentions 1), and refers to an additional player background (but doesn't include it). It's not as printer-friendly as it could be either.

We'll try to get the missing monster statistics posted up early next week.

 

[dave2008]

The link you provided works for me. The issue is that it's a completely dead page. I can scroll the various scrolly bits, but I can't actually get any content to update or click-through to any stories.

I appears to be a Chrome issue. I finally opened up Edge, and it all works there. I'll just assume it's a cookie or ad blocking setting I have and forgot about. Pity. I'd love to read more of the articles, and will probably end up looking at them on my phone. I just have an exceedingly low tolerance to convoluted media schemes.

I am using chrome and it worked fine for me, so it might have been something else or something more than just chrome. Just an FYI, in case there is something more going on.

 

[TerraDave]

Barovia was torn from its home world by the Dark Powers and bound in mist as one of the Domains of Dread in the Shadowfell.

As expected, and so, so planar. (and customizable)

The Volo article was a worthy read.

Been a long time since I read that much Greenwood. It was pretty good.

 

[Uder]

Hmm. Sage Advice has some fairly major clarifications to how AC is calculated.

 

[JeffB]

I'm a sucker for Haunted House adventures...need to run this

 

[THEMNGMNT]

I read Death House last night. It's a really good adventure, both as a transition/introduction to Ravenloft and a 1st level adventure in its own right. There are a handful of things I would change, but solely as a matter of personal preference. Masterful work by Perkins. If the rest of the book is this good, we're in for a real treat.