Running a Ravenloft game

[bennyhobo]

I'd like to start a Ravenloft campaign in 4E, but there's no official WotC setting for that. I know the following:

The Domains of Dread in the Shadowfell are sort of a version of Ravenloft, but aren't detailed (in the Manual of the Planes, at least). So I can pretty much adjust that as I see fit.

I have the old AD&D Ravenloft: Realm of Terror box set, so I have plenty of background and story info from there, including all the old fold-out maps. So I'm in really good shape for running an authentic Ravenloft game (I think?).

My questions are:

1. Should I go pick up the Shadowfell: Gloomwrought and Beyond set? Is there anything in there that will help me? I've read about the deck of cards in there that give the PCs various penalties and boons, and it sounds cool, but is it worth it in the game? I don't think I'd use any of the Glooomwrought stuff in this campaign.

2. I never played 3.0 or 3.5, but I've been told in that version there was a point system where doing evil deeds could turn your alignment, or something to that effect? I can't find any info about that online, so maybe it was just someone's houserules?

3. The setting is gothic horror, but I thought it might be fun to occasionally flavor the game with moments or scenes of more modern-style horror. That would mean utilizing some kind of Sanity mechanic like in Call of Cthulhu. So my first thought was to have the players make Endurance checks. But Endurance is more of a physical thing, not an emotional one. So does anyone have any suggestions on how else I could handle that? And what kind of consequences could there be?


I'm also interested in hearing if anyone else has tried to run a Ravenloft game in 4E, and any suggestions you might have.

One last thing: The old Realm of Terror book talks about curses. I can't wait to curse my players and let them decide if they want to live with the curse, or make it a goal to lift that curse. Super excited about that.

Thanks!

Benny

 

[Stormonu]

1. Should I go pick up the Shadowfell: Gloomwrought and Beyond set? Is there anything in there that will help me? I've read about the deck of cards in there that give the PCs various penalties and boons, and it sounds cool, but is it worth it in the game? I don't think I'd use any of the Glooomwrought stuff in this campaign.

I'm afraid I can't help on getting Gloomwrought. I'd probably steer clear of the boon/bane decks, from what I've heard of them, they would backfire in taking away from the Gothic feel.

2. I never played 3.0 or 3.5, but I've been told in that version there was a point system where doing evil deeds could turn your alignment, or something to that effect? I can't find any info about that online, so maybe it was just someone's houserules?

Dark power checks, I believe. You might be able to use the rules in the Realm of Terror boxed set with some tweaks.

3. The setting is gothic horror, but I thought it might be fun to occasionally flavor the game with moments or scenes of more modern-style horror. That would mean utilizing some kind of Sanity mechanic like in Call of Cthulhu. So my first thought was to have the players make Endurance checks. But Endurance is more of a physical thing, not an emotional one. So does anyone have any suggestions on how else I could handle that? And what kind of consequences could there be?

Sounds like a form of attack against Willpower to me. You might want to give characters a number of sanity points equal to the number of hp surges the character has. Certain monsters would gain either an aura or special minor action attack vs. Willpower that deal Sanity damage - probably one point per tier.

Of course, you could give them large Sanity pools up to equal to their hp value and have attacks that simply deal damage to Sanity.

Or, you could just invent a new damage type - "Sanity" and dispense with tracking a separate score.

As for what happens, that's mostly up to you but I'd suggest using the Death Saving throw mechanic.

0) Lose half or more of your sanity and you gain a phobia. Basically a -1 to checks and/or dazed (save ends). Perhaps you can end it early by blowing a healing surge.

1) Lose all your sanity, you have to make Sanity saves. Blow the first, you're temporarily insane and effectively are out of action (treat as unconscious?). Rest and the calming presence of your friends should be able to shake you out of your fugue.

2) Fail the second and you've gone plum barmy - some time in a mental ward will shake your insanity, but you're out of adventuring until you're sorted out. If you want to be mean, perhaps going this far (each time) permanently reduces your maximum sanity.

3) Don't make the third and you're character has gone off the deep end - joined Cthulhu, magic missile to the head, become a stark raving nut or whatever - you might as well roll up a new character or have a powerful ritual on the level with Raise Dead to get your right mind back.

Of course, if you're going to have ways sanity can be lost, it'd be a good idea to have ways to get sanity back. Meditation, good deeds, magic, powers or the like might be good motivation.

One last thing: The old Realm of Terror book talks about curses. I can't wait to curse my players and let them decide if they want to live with the curse, or make it a goal to lift that curse. Super excited about that.

Thanks!

Benny

I think for curses you'll find the Disease track to be your friend. Up it to 5 levels instead of 3 and you have your "descent into darkness" Dark Power checks.

 

[bennyhobo]

With the Sanity idea, I don't want it to force the players into losing their character. I'd rather it drive changes in their role playing. The campaign isn't going to be super combat heavy anyway. So I'm not sure I'd go for the death save structure. But you mentioned gaining a phobia. That I like.

I could make a list of 20 phobias, and let them roll to see which one they are afflicted with. Their sanity is equal to half their hit points. Each time they lose 10% of that, they gain a phobia and roll for the list. As they go along they can regain their sanity by resting or doing good deeds, but to actually lose a phobia they need to accomplish some kind of milestone in the game or story, to be determined by role playing. Until then, they have to play the character as if he or she is truly phobic. And they can gain multiple phobias that pile on top of each other. So you can never go so completely crazy that the character has to be scrapped. But the player may want to if they're horribly afflicted.

Then there won't be sanity attacks in combat. It would be based on things that they see and do. But rolling it as an attack versus Will makes sense. I don't think there's any reason to make it more complicated than that.

As for the curses, again I don't want them to be tied to combat. For example, one of the characters used to serve an evil lord. But he rebelled and helped destroy that lord. With his dying breath, the lord curses him: "May all the living beings on this plane and the next see you as the weak traitorous dog that you are!" So the player might be a lvl 10 Human Wizard, but everyone around him sees him as a lvl 1 Gnoll Fighter. Then he'd get bonuses or penalties to his various skill checks based on how certain NPCs feel about Gnolls, or however it fits the scenes. But since it's basically an illusion, he can still act the same in combat. The player might decide he's ok with people thinking he's a Gnoll, or he might want to find some way to life the curse.

Whenever I add or change the mechanics, I want to make sure it's going to make the role playing more interesting.

 

[The Little Raven]

The deck I think you're talking about is the Fortune Card deck, which grants only bonuses. Players and DMs can both use it, so it can be for/against the players. It just adds another variable element, and another thing to track. Won't go for or against the feel, in my opinion.

The Gloomwrought boxed set is pretty cool. I recommend it, particularly the Despair deck which would work well in Ravenloft.

I'd also recommend checking out this: Cafe de Nuit - View topic - Jester's 4e Ravenloft Pamphlet

 

[Wednesday Boy]

I haven't had a chance to read through Gloomwrought carefully but I think the Despair Deck would be a fun addition to a Ravenloft game especially if your players get into roleplaying the effects of the card and you get into storytelling how they overcome the effects. So if the card says your character is reckless it would be more interesting if your player roleplays becoming more reckless instead of only taking the mechanical penalty listed on the card.

There are a number of Domain of Dread adventures in Dragon and I've found them to be the most interesting adventures that WotC has published. They always have great flavor and pit the players in interesting challenges to escape the domain.

 

[bennyhobo]

Yeah, the Despair Deck is what I'm interested in. I actually read some more online that said they based the deck off old 2E Horror/Apathy rules created for Ravenloft. So I'm probably going to have to pick it up.

I didn't know about the Domains of Dread adventures in Dragon. I'll have to look for those. I like to try and reuse their maps and artwork and story hooks whenever possible, though I've never actually run a straight adventure out of the magazine.

 

[bennyhobo]

Anyone out there have any more thoughts on cursing a player? I've decided that making the players look like Gnolls is a little stronger than I'd like for the world I'm putting together. My next thought is that they're cursed to reek of death and decay. So a smelly curse. But maybe that's too silly? Other ideas? I need something that'll be really irritating and get in the way, but not so intrusive as to force them to address it immediately. I like the idea of them just trying to deal with it for a while.