Check out the Season 4 Sneak Previews!

[Z. H. Darkstar]

Ah, you're right -- the T1 and T2 adventures in Season 4 aren't two parallel tracks that end at the same station. In that case, your idea makes perfect sense, as the bridge to T2 would be exactly the point where some folks might want to 'jump off' to be able to play other mods at local conventions or the like. This might cause some weirdness with people who otherwise have gotten used to using the 'catching up' rule to skip over 4th level, but I don't think that's a huge concern.

--
Pauper

I still foresee some people using the catching up rule to make the jump from 4-5 to 4-7, in situations where they missed 4-6 and wished to stay in Barovia anyways.

 

[Eltab]

While I understand the reasoning behind this post - I vehemently disagree (personal opinion). As an avid Ravenloft and gothic horror fan, I can say for the record that knowing how to escape (or where) hugely deflates the tension, uncertainty, and anxiety that the player should be experiencing when playing these adventures. The DM is strongly encouraged to make the player feel aversion, shock, tension, etc - rather than simply say "your character experiences X".... Ravenloft is supposed to evoke a visceral emotional and psychological response from the players.

Knowing where to exit, will only deflate the sense of dramatic tension and visceral fear for their characters that the players should be experiencing. As a DM, you want your players jumping at every shadow, and fearing for their characters lives when even a simple zombie crawls out of its tomb.... That is done through visceral imagery and keeping everything cloaked in metaphoric darkness. In Ravenloft, the unknown can hurt you, and has nasty big pointy teeth.

In a different thread, I noted that if a Ravenloft adventure ever lets you meet with a rare soul who uses his knowledge of the powers of darkness to protect the weak and the Innocent, you (and your PC) should treasure him and protect him; he will give you the information you need to complete your quest ... usually at a moment you least expect.

I had Von Richten* in mind.

It would be perfectly reasonable during the AL adventure arc for the PCs to run into him or a similar persona, who joins them during the Exit module. He observed the PCs earlier, and knows they are Outlanders. HE can steer them into doing the things that must be done. HE can point out the Exit.
Nowhere have I suggested that the CHARACTERS be told beforehand where the Exit is; only which Module the PLAYERS can find it "in there somewhere".

If I was operating a local AL program and facing the possibility of 'characters trapped in a storyline', I would want to reassure my customers that (1) there IS a way for you to bring your character out; (2) our program WILL offer the opportunity to play through it; (3) we will work with you - advance warning, scheduled date for THAT module, multiple replays, &c - so you can make it happen for your character.

Go ahead and scare me silly (if you can - people say I remind them of Spock) during the adventures; place the Exit right behind BBEG's personal throne so we have to go through him to reach it; hide it so well that only Expertise (Perception AND Investigate) rolling 2 x 20s can even hope to find it; evoke the atmosphere so vividly that I have nightmares / dreams of playing through that Final Adventure for a week - But DO NOT punish my Character by doing something to it, which I as a Player have no way to prevent / control / influence.

P.S. I intend to create a new character, immersed in local culture, once Stradh is released - just to play this adventure arc through. I will do the same when Athas and Eberron come out.
Specifically because my main AL character plays primarily at conventions, and I don't want him legally incapacitated (or 'non-portable') if the next convention happens to be doing something else.

* I hope that's the right name; I had to return my borrowed copy of 3e Ravenloft to the Public Library.

 

[Eltab]

It also might assume that the admins get enough feedback on the Ravenloft mods to determine that Strahd's plan was foiled -- in that sense, it might be interesting to see what happens if Strahd actually succeeds in the plan being detailed in the AL modules...

I can only hope that whatever happens, does so because of meaningful player agency - the people around the tables had enough information to make intelligent decisions before doing something significant. They can predict the likely consequences of several courses of action, and pick one.
I played "Reclaiming Phlan" at Winter Fantasy, and apparently my table / I personally released a vampire - immediately after I asked to Take 10 on a Perception and Investigation check, to study a wall-full of decorations, looking for something else. The moderator playing the vampire did not show up at our table until we were ready to start the next scenario, so there was no cause-and-effect linkage. As Skerrit said on a post in another thread regarding AL and the Phlan adventure arc, "You did that." Yes I did, but I didn't / don't see how. The event came out of the blue without warning or foreshadowing.

 

[KahlessNestor]

I'm seeing another issue: that of replayability. Is this season essentially a once and done situation, never to see the light of play again? Because then you risk trapping even more characters with even less of a way out of Ravenloft.

 

[kalani]

All adventures can be replayed (with different characters). It is up to the DM, store, or organizer whether any given module is replayed at a specific venue however. I expect that a lot of the Season 4 modules will see replay on Roll20 and/or Fantasy Grounds well into season 5 if not beyond.

 

[Pauper]

I also suspect replay in Season 4 is going to involve much of the full season rather than cherry-picking individual modules, specifically because of the 'escape mechanic' (though I suppose the specific escape mods could see independent play, if they're otherwise good).

--
Pauper

 

[Scorpienne]

I'm seeing another issue: that of replayability. Is this season essentially a once and done situation, never to see the light of play again? Because then you risk trapping even more characters with even less of a way out of Ravenloft.

All adventures can be replayed (with different characters). It is up to the DM, store, or organizer whether any given module is replayed at a specific venue however. I expect that a lot of the Season 4 modules will see replay on Roll20 and/or Fantasy Grounds well into season 5 if not beyond.

I also suspect replay in Season 4 is going to involve much of the full season rather than cherry-picking individual modules, specifically because of the 'escape mechanic' (though I suppose the specific escape mods could see independent play, if they're otherwise good).

^ This. Although we're in the VERY EARLY planning stages for Dragon*Con, we're kicking around the idea of doing a four day, ten slot runthrough of ALL of the Curse of Strahd modules as a single track. I think it'd be a very compelling experience.

Paige

 

[Pauper]

Although we're in the VERY EARLY planning stages for Dragon*Con, we're kicking around the idea of doing a four day, ten slot runthrough of ALL of the Curse of Strahd modules as a single track. I think it'd be a very compelling experience.

Dang, I agree. Almost makes me wish I was doing Dragon*Con instead of GenCon this year.

--
Pauper

 

[skerritthegreen]

Origins... Origins is where all sorts of cool surprises are planned...

 

[Pauper]

I went to Origins in 1998, played in a National Magic the Gathering qualifier as a lark and qualified. Ended up spending almost the entire con playing Magic.

I should really go back someday and figure out what other stuff goes on there.

--
Pauper