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<blockquote data-quote="DEFCON 1" data-source="post: 7106550" data-attributes="member: 7006">If you really want to freak the players out... cheat.&nbsp; <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink&nbsp; &nbsp; ;)"&nbsp; data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />Now, you're not really cheating because you are the DM, granted... but when I say &quot;cheat&quot;, I mean have a bit of fun with the setting that isn't &quot;by the book&quot; and see what they choose to do with it.&nbsp; If it were me... I might have some fun with them by letting them spend the night at the Tser Pool encampment with the Vistani and let them try and take a rest.&nbsp; But then during the night... the mists approach.&nbsp; Yep... I'd have the wall of mist start moving in and around them... maybe coming up from the Ivlis Marsh and/over the Village of Barovia.&nbsp; Then... as I presume there will be someone in the party on watch, they'll try and get everybody up and then try and hightail it out of there.&nbsp; The Vistani of course can just sit there and enjoy the party's panic, as the Vistani can survive in it no problem.&nbsp; At this point, your group will probably either to bargain with the Vistani to protect them as the mist envelops them... or they try and make a run for it.&nbsp; Of course... since the mist is coming from the south the only way for them to run is north along the river, until eventually they reach a dead end right at the Tser Falls right underneath the bridge.&nbsp; At that point, you have them get sucked into the mist.At this point... start having the party make CON saves as the mist begins choking them out.&nbsp; I'm sure they'll run around looking for some way to escape... but don't let them find one.&nbsp; Give them three or four rounds of failing saves and taking damage, and then just as they think they are goners... they hear the sound of horse clops and carriage wheels.&nbsp; And then from within the mist a carriage arrives with a large Z on the door, which reaches the group and the door opens silently.&nbsp; At that point, they have a choice, either remain in the mist (and basically killing themselves)... or they get into the carriage and inside they find they can breath again.&nbsp; But of course the door is now locked on them and they can't get out... but the carriage does find its way out of the mist and forceably take the party up to the Castle.&nbsp; And when they arrive, they find Big Z. standing at the front door, and he says quite calmly (but darkly)... &quot;It's not polite to ignore an invitation for dinner.&nbsp; Now let's go inside and have a nice meal, shall we?&quot;&nbsp; <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink&nbsp; &nbsp; ;)"&nbsp; data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />Are people gonna yell &quot;Railroad!&quot;?&nbsp; Sure.&nbsp; But occasionally a railroad is good for the benefit of pushing the story forward, especially when you've given the party multiple times to do whatever they wanted.&nbsp; And besides... this is Strahd's f-ing land... if he wants to railroad his people, he's allowed to.&nbsp; It's why He is the Land after all.&nbsp; LOL!</blockquote>

[QUOTE="DEFCON 1, post: 7106550, member: 7006"] If you really want to freak the players out... cheat. ;) Now, you're not really cheating because you are the DM, granted... but when I say "cheat", I mean have a bit of fun with the setting that isn't "by the book" and see what they choose to do with it. If it were me... I might have some fun with them by letting them spend the night at the Tser Pool encampment with the Vistani and let them try and take a rest. But then during the night... the mists approach. Yep... I'd have the wall of mist start moving in and around them... maybe coming up from the Ivlis Marsh and/over the Village of Barovia. Then... as I presume there will be someone in the party on watch, they'll try and get everybody up and then try and hightail it out of there. The Vistani of course can just sit there and enjoy the party's panic, as the Vistani can survive in it no problem. At this point, your group will probably either to bargain with the Vistani to protect them as the mist envelops them... or they try and make a run for it. Of course... since the mist is coming from the south the only way for them to run is north along the river, until eventually they reach a dead end right at the Tser Falls right underneath the bridge. At that point, you have them get sucked into the mist. At this point... start having the party make CON saves as the mist begins choking them out. I'm sure they'll run around looking for some way to escape... but don't let them find one. Give them three or four rounds of failing saves and taking damage, and then just as they think they are goners... they hear the sound of horse clops and carriage wheels. And then from within the mist a carriage arrives with a large Z on the door, which reaches the group and the door opens silently. At that point, they have a choice, either remain in the mist (and basically killing themselves)... or they get into the carriage and inside they find they can breath again. But of course the door is now locked on them and they can't get out... but the carriage does find its way out of the mist and forceably take the party up to the Castle. And when they arrive, they find Big Z. standing at the front door, and he says quite calmly (but darkly)... "It's not polite to ignore an invitation for dinner. Now let's go inside and have a nice meal, shall we?" ;) Are people gonna yell "Railroad!"? Sure. But occasionally a railroad is good for the benefit of pushing the story forward, especially when you've given the party multiple times to do whatever they wanted. And besides... this is Strahd's f-ing land... if he wants to railroad his people, he's allowed to. It's why He is the Land after all. LOL! [/QUOTE]

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