D&D 5E A Hermit in Barovia

[pukunui]

Hi all,

I'm going to start running Curse of Strahd soon. One of my players has picked the hermit background for his firbolg druid PC, and I could use some help figuring out how to tie his Discovery background feature into the campaign.

Anyone got any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

Regards,
Jonathan

 

[iserith]

"Dream pastries... are people!"

 

[gweinel]

Why don't you explore something from the greater Ravenloft setting story?

*Some Spoilers*
"A great mage is the arch-enemy of Strahd and the one who despise most. He tried to invade Barovia from the north in the past when the mists have opened for a period (Azalin)." This can come together with Mordenkainen story (the pcs to believe that he is the invading mage). You can have also a group of Azalins soldiers to have trapped and are hiding in Barovia. They can be possible allies/enemies for the PCs.

 

[Mad_Jack]

Just throwing out some thoughts...
(haven't read anything about 5th Ed. Ravenloft, some may be obsolete)

- The Mists aren't nearly as random as they seem - there's intent behind who they choose to pull in or not... (Who or what controls them, and to what end?)
- He's uncovered a method for intentionally pulling someone into Ravenloft... This may be a simple spell, a ritual, artifact, etc.
- He's found a somewhat reliable/recurring way of escaping - a permanent weak spot that can be pushed through to the other side with a spell or item, or a window through the mists that occurs on a regular schedule...
- He's discovered a method for cursing someone in the same manner as Strahd, Lord Soth, etc. - which sets them up as the ruler of their own new little nightmare kingdom... It's entirely possible that some demented evil knucklehead may actually want to become one for some twisted reason, or get rid of an enemy by cursing them to an eternity in a place they can't leave...

 

[pukunui]

To be honest, I really don't like the Discovery feature. It's too vague and doesn't seem like it has any direct use, like the other background features do. I really don't know what I'm supposed to do with it.

 

[iserith]

To be honest, I really don't like the Discovery feature. It's too vague and doesn't seem like it has any direct use, like the other background features do. I really don't know what I'm supposed to do with it.

You could just work with the player to have him or her declare what the Discovery is during play when it makes the most sense, which will likely be when they need a solution to some problem that is eluding them. Then, BAM, the player says "I discovered the answer to this years ago when I lived in seclusion!" Then the DM says "Yes, and...", taking it from there.

 

[flametitan]

Perhaps some insight into that nature of one of the major characters, trying to find background details that might not normally come up in play but potentially foreshadow some of the revelations? (Such as how souls in Barovia work, constantly being recycled while others exist without souls, which has the potential to foreshadow Ireena's plot)

 

[pukunui]

I think part of the struggle is to find a way for the discovery to make sense. After all, the character isn't expecting to get sucked into another world, even if the player knows that's what's going to happen. Now, this character is something of a hippie. His name is "Hempwyn", and he smokes a pipe. It's entirely possible he could've made his discovery through drug-induced visions. The trick is just to phrase it in a way that isn't just "You've seen visions of Barovia and you know that not everyone there has a soul" or whatever.

Is there a way I could phrase it so the player has to think about it a little bit? So it's not so meta?

 

[flametitan]

Be subtle. Perhaps start off with something small, like he's discovered how to tell if somebody has a real soul or not, something that can start the dominoes without being intrinsically linked to the Demiplane of Dread.

 

[fuindordm]

There are lots of vestiges in the Amber Temple that could be spun into a hermit's background. Maybe the "secret" they uncovered is really a message from one of them, or an insight into their nature.

Especially if that hermit is a warlock... just sayin! <evil grin>
"The voice of your patron has been louder, more insistent since you entered Barovia. It invades your dreams..."