CURSE OF STRAHD: Here's The Official Announcement & Cover Image!

WotC just officially announced Curse of Strahd, and unveiled the cover art. In this post, I'll cover whatever coverage appears around the web (such as the art items sent to some sites) so you have it all in one place. Curse of Strahd is "... a new Dungeons & Dragons adventure set in Castle Ravenloft and the surrounding land of Barovia. Written in collaboration with Tracy and Laura Hickman, the authors of the original Ravenloft adventure published in 1983, Curse of Strahd pits players against the vampire Strahd von Zarovich. Curse of Strahd will be available to everyone on March 15, 2016." The adventure is for character levels 1-10 (including a "starter adventure" from 1-3) and was written by Chris Perkins, and original Ravenloft authors Tracy Hickman and Laura Hickman. WotC's Jeremy Crawford says "Curse of Strahd focuses on the lands of Barovia, a D&D mini-setting filled with gothic towns, NPCs, and tales."

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Continued coverage - check back to this page for links to coverage around the web. I'll keep updating this as Strahd Coverage Central.

• Art previews sent to Geek & Sundry and The Escapist.
• Title and other details scooped.
• The official announcement from WotC.
• Geek & Sundry's interview. "What we’ve done in Curse of Strahd is given you a bigger sandbox. The land of Barovia is more detailed than it has been previously, and there are more cool places to go and more cool people to meet, and a mechanism to guide you." - Chris Perkins.
• Polygon interview. "This new version of the story will be more than 250 pages long, and include everything Dungeon Masters will need to get their players situated in the kingdom of Barovia. The centerpiece will be Strahd's castle, Ravenloft, but Perkins says the entire play area is roughly the size of half of Rhode Island and contains many new locations and characters."
• Collecting the Tarokka cards. As they're revealed, they'll be posted in this thread.
• iO9's coverage. Includes a new art piece.
• Chris Perkins mentions that "Curse of Strahd is 256 pages. Same size as OOTA and POTA."
• You can already pre-order it on Amazon.
• Pre-order Tarokka card deck (54 cards) from Gale Force 9 soon.
• Mike Schley has worked on the maps, like he did for previous adventures.
• Here's what Curse of Strahd means for s4 of the D&D Adventurer's League. "As befits a gothic storyline, for season 4 we are releasing fourteen adventures (in addition to new DDAO and DDEP adventures and some other surprises), but unlike previous D&D Adventurers League seasons, where adventures were somewhat more episodic while adding to an overall meta-plot, this season is a tight, continuous story. For maximum enjoyment of this season the intent is that you start 4-1 Suits of the Mist with a 1st-level character, then play 4-2, the 4-3, and so on following in order until your character is 8th-level at the end of the fourteen part series."

Click on the image to see the full set of 54 Tarokka cards, which will be available from GF9


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A classic Dungeons & Dragons villain rises from the grave in the new storyline, Curse of Strahd.

Today, Wizards of the Coast announced Curse of Strahd, a new Dungeons & Dragons adventure set in Castle Ravenloft and the surrounding land of Barovia. Written in collaboration with Tracy and Laura Hickman, the authors of the original Ravenloft adventure published in 1983, Curse of Strahd pits players against the vampire Strahd von Zarovich. Curse of Strahd will be available to everyone on March 15, 2016.

“Revisiting the land of Barovia with the creators of the original Ravenloft adventure has been a highlight of my professional career,” said Chris Perkins, principal story designer at Wizards of the Coast. “Tracy and Laura Hickman created a timeless villain whose faults reflect the darkest traits of humanity. I can't begin to describe what it's like to walk through the halls of Castle Ravenloft with its creators as your guides.”

Heroes from the Forgotten Realms and other D&D worlds can easily be drawn into Strahd’s cursed land. Once there, they must contend with the horrors of Barovia. Its people are melancholy, misshapen and grotesque, living in fear of the wolves and other creatures that serve Strahd’s evil will. The only hope for the trapped adventurers is to heed the warnings of a mysterious fortune-teller named Madam Eva. Drawing random cards from her tarroka deck, she directs adventurers to search Strahd’s domain for artifacts and allies to help the master of Castle Ravenloft. That is, before he orchestrates your demise for his amusement and feasts on your terror.

Unravel the mysteries of Ravenloft® in this dread adventure for the world’s greatest roleplaying game

Under raging storm clouds, the vampire Count Strahd von Zarovich stands silhouetted against the ancient walls of Castle Ravenloft. Rumbling thunder pounds the castle spires. The wind’s howling increases as he turns his gaze down toward the village of Barovia. Far below, yet not beyond his keen eyesight, a party of adventurers has just entered his domain. Strahd’s face forms the barest hint of a smile as his dark plan unfolds. He knew they were coming, and he knows why they came — all according to his plan. A lightning flash rips through the darkness, but Strahd is gone. Only the howling of the wind fills the midnight air. The master of Castle Ravenloft is having guests for dinner. And you are invited.

• A fantasy-horror adventure for characters levels 1 – 10, Curse of Strahd™ provides everything a Dungeon Master needs to create an exciting and memorable play experience.
• Fans of the Dungeons & Dragons® Roleplaying Game can have additional adventures in Ravenloft by participating in the D&D Adventurers League™ organized play program.

Curse of Strahd is produced by Wizards of the Coast. It was written by Chris Perkins, Tracy Hickman, and Laura Hickman, edited by Kim Mohan and Jeremy Crawford, and art directed by Kate Irwin. The adventure incorporates material from the original Ravenloft adventure as well as new story content created by Tracy and Laura Hickman, Chris Perkins, Adam Lee, Richard Whitters, and Jeremy Crawford.

[h=3]ITEM DETAILS[/h]Price: $49.95
Release Date: 15 March, 2016
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780786965984
Pagecount: 256 pages
Pre-order on Amazon

Heroes from the Forgotten Realms and other D&D worlds can easily be drawn into Strahd’s cursed land. Once there, they must contend with the horrors of Barovia. Its people are melancholy, misshapen and grotesque, living in fear of the wolves and other creatures that serve Strahd’s evil will. The only hope for the trapped adventurers is to heed the warnings of a mysterious fortune-teller named Madam Eva. Drawing random cards from her tarroka deck, she directs adventurers to search Strahd’s domain for artifacts and allies to help the master of Castle Ravenloft.

While waiting for the adventure, experience the power of Madam Eva for yourself each day. Head to Twitter and retweet the official @Wizards_DnD Twitter account using the hashtag #DNDFortune. Madam Eva’s fortunes are based on which random card she draws from her tarokka deck and displays for each reading. Check back each day with Madam Eva to see what your #DNDFortune will foretell.

Players will also love to get their hands on a physical tarroka deck of cards produced by Gale Force 9 and available with the release of the adventure. The tarokka deck is a powerful tool for both Madam Eva and for Dungeon Masters running Curse of Strahd. By using the tarokka deck to randomize locations within the adventure, Dungeon Masters can customize each party’s exploration of Barovia, allowing Curse of Strahd to be replayed for years to come.

Strahd is waiting for you … What are you afraid of?

 

[Kramodlog]

To a large extent, it was actually I6 that saw the start of the move towards more plot-driven adventures.

Oh, I agree that it was an important module that did change the game for the better. It is a classic. As it aged well? That is less certain.

Funnily enough, one of those "better story telling techniques" you mentioned up-thread would be the scene-framing advice to arrive late and leave early - getting the PCs to the start of the adventure is something that shouldn't be allowed to take any more time than it absolutely needs. Hell, they should treat it as backstory if they can get away with it.

Your approach is a matter of taste. What they've actually did is another matter.

It might.

Yup. I wouldn't be surprised if a few pages have been dedicated to having the PCs investigate or chasse after something that leads to Madame Eva. If only to avoid the intro to be too railroadie some found OotA to be. Enough pages to get the PCs pass level 1 while still in the FR? Very unlikely, but possible.

 

[Kramodlog]

A strawman? You were stating that designers now are people who actually play the game. This implies that it wasn't the case in the past and I disagree with this statement.

Then you are wrong. There was a period of time when TSR hired some people who were able to produce 30 pages of text within a set deadline, but didn't really play the game. It lead to some classic bad modules. It doesn't all writers did that, but some.

D&D has a fascinating history. Check it out.

 

[delericho]

Are you actually arguing that people like Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson, Frank Mentzer, Dave Cook, etc. didn't play extensively back then?

Those guys did, but there were quite a lot of designers in the 2nd Ed era who didn't. Indeed, I've heard reports that for some of the designers it was actually a point of pride that they didn't play the game. Which sounds unbelievable, but there it is.

 

[delericho]

Oh, I agree that it was an important module that did change the game for the better. It is a classic. As it aged well? That is less certain.

I ran through it a few years ago, and it seems to have aged reasonably well. It could have done so better, of course, but on the other hand I'm yet to see a better take on the material.

Your approach is a matter of taste.

"Arrive late and leave early" actually isn't one of mine, though it is something I try to at least keep in mind.

 

[Nikosandros]

Then you are wrong. There was a period of time when TSR hired some people who were able to produce 30 pages of text within a set deadline, but didn't really play the game. It lead to some classic bad modules. It doesn't all writers did that, but some.

D&D has a fascinating history. Check it out.

That's not at all what happened during the classic 1e era. I've heard of things like that during 2e, but that's when plot was already considered important in modules and that's why I thought you were referring to the earlier period.

 

[jokersmile72]

This will be great, getting to catch up with Strahd and having a more fleshed out region to explore. Everyone has been clamoring for some Ravenloft, here you go, and with Hickman in the background.

 

[Kramodlog]

That's not at all what happened during the classic 1e era.

Indeed. That was the time when they also worshipped You Know Who.

 

[Kramodlog]

I ran through it a few years ago, and it seems to have aged reasonably well. It could have done so better, of course, but on the other hand I'm yet to see a better take on the material.

Well, Ravenloft, House of Strahd and Expedition to Castle Ravenloft, are rather the same material. Compering them to other material is another matter.

"Arrive late and leave early" actually isn't one of mine, though it is something I try to at least keep in mind.

Being rude is something I should keep in mind? How odd.

 

[dead]

Whatever they want it to be. Time doesn't necessarily pass the same way in all settings or on all planes. And it would be entirely appropriate for Ravenloft to be in a weird stasis where things don't really change, where time doesn't really pass, and so where a century on the Sword Coast is a day in Barovia.

The Ravenloft setting has had a metaplot like all the other campaign settings. The Grand Conjunction, the Grim Harvest, the imminent Time of Unparalleled Darkness. It would be nice to at least give a nod to all of that even if they want to return the setting to how it was (like they did with FR).

I found an excellent fan-made Ravenloft timeline online and they've put the dates as 1370 DR = 751 BC based on the Castle Spulzeer and Forgotten Terror cross-over adventures. That would make the Barovian year 870 BC if it is now 1489 DR in the Realms.

I wonder if the Time of Unparalleled Darkness has occurred (it was prophesied to take place on 775 BC). Maybe this event is RL's Spellplague/Sundering. There is upheaval and then all returns to how it was in the beginning…

 

[Remathilis]

The Ravenloft setting has had a metaplot like all the other campaign settings. The Grand Conjunction, the Grim Harvest, the imminent Time of Unparalleled Darkness. It would be nice to at least give a nod to all of that even if they want to return the setting to how it was (like they did with FR).

I found an excellent fan-made Ravenloft timeline online and they've put the dates as 1370 DR = 751 BC based on the Castle Spulzeer and Forgotten Terror cross-over adventures. That would make the Barovian year 870 BC if it is now 1489 DR in the Realms.

I wonder if the Time of Unparalleled Darkness has occurred (it was prophesied to take place on 775 BC). Maybe this event is RL's Spellplague/Sundering. There is upheaval and then all returns to how it was in the beginning…

My point is that I don't think WotC is interested in the larger setting of RL, so I'm 90% sure they aren't going to address any of that. I'll be shocked if anything else besides Barovia is mentioned, aside from an easter egg or two.