Expedition to Castle Ravenloft

[Razz]

I don't see how Ravenloft took away horror games from other D&D settings. I always thought it was considered a place that was the BEST at running a gothic horror-fantasy campaign, but certainly gave no one any reason not to incorporate it into a general D&D campaign. Especially, as stated before, thanks to Heroes of Horror.

But in any case, my friends and I remember the good 2E days when Ravenloft was a campaign setting we'd play in and was actively supported. Having moved on to 3.5E, I really don't think they'd be too happy to learn of a return of the original Ravenloft adventure updated to 3.5

Not that they wouldn't be happy with me running it for them, but because it'd only make them really angry if they find out WotC wasn't planning on returning the setting to 3E. (and they didn't care much for Arthaus products, they wanted Ravenloft to return to being part of the core cosmology again and run by WotC officially).

It would be like dangling a worm before a starving bird before my players if I were to use this book. So it will be on the "on hold" list until high hopes come true (that being, Ravenloft makes a stunning comeback to 3E)

 

[Crust]

I'm definitely buying it, and I'm definitely going to work it into my Age of Worms campaign somehow, perhaps as some noble's castle in Waterdeep (or perhaps the humanoid abode of Lashonna).

I ran House of Strahd back during the 2E days, and it was fantastic. I've loved the castle since Ravenloft 16, and I think it's awesome that an update is coming. It'll be great to relive that module with another group.

 

[Cam Banks]

From the look of it, the designers of this new edition of the classic adventure have hit the nail on the head. I can't see anything I would have done differently; like some others, I really prefer this as a standalone and not as part of a larger campaign setting. Despite running a Ravenloft campaign in 2nd edition for 3 years, my heart lies with I6 and I10 (the latter of which I would love to see re-released similarly).

Cheers,
Cam

 

[TerraDave]

I am also excited because

1) Ravenloft had such a huge impact on my own gaming...why, the charecters are in Barovia right now for a PbP I am running

2) It is a stand alone minicampaign. From the TOC it looks perfect. Of course that is just the TOC

I am curious about the "tactical encounter format". Is that the thing from "design and development" (or whatever it is called) a while back.

And am wondering, if you have the same players playing charecters in the same world, how/can you go back to Raveloft? Thats the real question.

 

[Stormborn]

Looking at the Table of Contents, it seems to be part adventure, part sourcebook and part adventure toolbox (even moreso than the original adventure).

Which I can't seem to get to Download this morning. I am interested in this, but as I am running Ptolus at the moment I doubt it will be for the current campaign. At one point I heard rumors that 1) there might be suggestions for running a d20M version and 2) that there was a way to run an abreviated 5th level version. Someone who has the ToC able to confirm or deny?

 

[spectre72]

One of the members of my group is very excited about running this, and I am very excited about playing in it.

I have probably ran this module more times than any other adventure I own, and have done so under all versions of the game.

I am hoping that it is stand alone like the original, but the person who wants to run it hopes it is more like the 2e Ravenloft campaign world.

We will see who is right.

I am working on creating a character for the game and am building a self buffing monk (ranger 1/ monk 1/ sorcerer 4 with the ascetic hunter and ascetic mage feats) with skill points spent in rogue type skills (hide, move silently, balance, tumble, etc...) that is being primed to become a thief/acrobat. Now that I have the ascetic mage feat I can now raise my monk and ranger levels depending upon my needs. The first level of ranger was taken to give me many skill points, favored enemy (undead), martial weapon skills, and proficiency in light armor if I want to wear it all at first level.

Not a powerhouse, but someone that should be fun to play.

I am so looking forward to this.

 

[Pinotage]

Does anybody know if this is aimed at the Ravenloft setting, or whether this is aimed at general D&D, i.e. is it going to be a Ravenloft setting or generic setting?

Pinotage

 

[Klaus]

Here´s the Table of Contents. Notice that the Holy Sumbol of Ravenkind and the Sunsword are now Legacy Items, there's a Prestige Class for Knights of the Raven and Lightbringers, and there are options to run EtCR as a Mini-Campaign, a Long Adventure, a Short Adventure (4 sessions) and a One-Shot (!!!). This just went from Must Buy to OMGIGottaHaveThisNow!!!!!!!


Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
What Is Expedition to Castle Ravenloft? . . . .4
1: Adventures in Ravenloft . . . . . . . . 5
Adventure Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Preparation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Tactical Encounter Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Count Strahd von Zarovich . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Special Strengths and Weaknesses . . . . . . .7
Ireena . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Servants of the Master . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Vistani . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Worgs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Varikov the Trapper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Kavan the Grim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Scrying Spell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Dire Wolves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Bat Swarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Dire Bats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Ghasts and Ghouls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Vampire Spawn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Wraith and Wights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Spectres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Sasha Ivliskova . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Strahd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Strahd’s Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Brook No Rival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Descent into Madness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Strahd’s Dynasty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Undead Legions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Untamed Allies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Adventure Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
MiniCampaign. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Prologue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Act I: Inauspicious Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Act II: Ill Fortunes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Act III: The Face of Evil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Long Adventure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Short Adventure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Session 1: Welcome to Barovia . . . . . . . . . .18
Session 2: Getting at the Root . . . . . . . . . . .18
Session 3: Entering the Castle . . . . . . . . . . .18
Session 4: Defeating Strahd . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
One-Night Session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Introduction: The Village of Barovia . . . .19
Adventure: Castle Ravenloft . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Adventure Hooks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Smugglers’ Den . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Grief’s Plea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Search for the Sunsword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Call of the Lightbringers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Race to the Tome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Relics of the Morninglord . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Nexus of Shadow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Letter from Barovia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Barovia and Castle Ravenloft . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
A. Old Svalich Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
B. Gates of Barovia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
The Tome of Strahd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
2: Village of Barovia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Zombie Incursion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
E. Streets of Barovia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Tactical Encounters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Zombie Street Ambush . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Zombie Street Encounter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Zombies in Town Square . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Ghoul Foray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
Church Understory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
Ghoul Grave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Zombie-Infested Building . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
3: Lands of Barovia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Using This Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
The Three Hags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
The Mists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
C. The Svalich Woods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
D. Ivlis Marsh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
F. The Crossroads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52
G. Tser Pool Encampment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52
Interaction Encounter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
Madam Eva’s Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
Madam Eva . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
The Fortunes of Ravenloft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
The Fortune Deck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
The Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Strahd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Sunsword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Holy Symbol of Ravenkind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
Tome of Strahd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Zombies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
H. Tser Falls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
I. Lysaga Hill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
Tactical Encounters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
Elf Ambush . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
Werewolf Attack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
Nymph Hideaway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
Bloodmotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
The Swamp Fane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
The Crossroads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
Tser Pool Encampment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
The Forest Fane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
Tser Falls Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80
Varikov’s Cave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82
The Ecaterine Husk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84
The Mountain Fane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86
The Summoning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88
4: Castle Ravenloft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Castle Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90
J. Gates of Ravenloft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91
K. The Castle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92
Main Floor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
Court of the Count . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97
Rooms of Weeping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99
Spires of Ravenloft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102
Larders of Ill Omen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Dungeon and Catacombs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
Tactical Encounters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
The Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Strahd in the Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Dining Room . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132
Chapel of Ravenloft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Audience Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Hall of Madness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Steward’s Offi ce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140
Rooms of Weeping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142
Treasury . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Hall of Heroes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146
The Landing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148
Guest Room . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Familiars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Warlock Alchemy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Devil’s Garden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Dayheart Landing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Northtower Peak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Hallway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .162
Wine Cellar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Kitchen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166
Guard Quarters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168
Kingsmen Quarters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Offi ce of Vengeance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Dungeon Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .174
Torture Room . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .176
Necromancer’s Sanctum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .178
Prince Aurel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Saint Markovia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .182
Endorovich . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
King Tomescu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Shuhul Ishai-Bal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Sasha Ivliskova . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Tomb of Strahd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Subcatacombs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Feats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Enduring Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Lasting Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Knight of the Raven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
The Lightbringers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
New Alchemical Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
New Spell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .210
Damning Darkness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .210
New Magic Armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .210
Vampire Hide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .210
New Magic Weapon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .210
Sunsword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .210
New Rings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .211
Band of Spell Enhancement . . . . . . . . . . .211
Moonfriend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .211
Ring of Parting Prevented . . . . . . . . . . . . .211
Ring of the Righteous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
New Wondrous Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Codex Advocare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Dayheart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Fang of Inhabitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Ghost Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Heart Talisman of the Red Dragon . . . . 213
Hellheart Locket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Holy Symbol of Ravenkind . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Icon of Ravenloft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .214
Liber Blaspheme Fragment . . . . . . . . . . . .214
Oathstone (Nicoramus) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Pendant of Good Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Portal Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Prefect’s Vestments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Saint Ecaterina’s Burial Shroud . . . . . . . 215
Saint Markovia’s Thighbone . . . . . . . . . . .216
Saint Bogdan’s Fingerbone . . . . . . . . . . . . .216
Stifl ed Skull . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216
Legacy Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Holy Symbol of Ravenkind . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Sunsword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .218
Slab of Sacrifi ce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Player Handouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220

 

[billd91]

I am definitely interested in checking it out at least though I don't really anticipate running it. I just started my 3rd running of the original module (updated for 3rd edition and scaled for 10th level PCs) last night. I doubt I'd be able to get EtCR, absorb parts of it, and prep it in time to be relevant to the game I'm running now.

I've run Ravenloft in 1st edition, 2nd edition, and am now using 3rd edition. I'm hoping to harass the bejeezus out of the PCs and put the fear of undead horror in them. The deserve it, quite frankly, since one of the players is getting downright cocky. He's playing a cleric who lacks the power to turn undead! So I think I can scare him a bit.

 

[eris404]

I am going to try to a run a shortened version (one session or maybe two if the other DMs in my group can slot it in) for Halloween. I hadn't planned on buying it, then changed my mind on a whim. I can't wait to see it.