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ShortQuests -- Pocket Sized Adventures! An all-new collection of digest-sized D&D adventures designed for 1-2 game sessions.

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Treebore" data-source="post: 1031760" data-attributes="member: 10177">In 3e the Darklords are not invulnerable or impossible to kill. The pernanancy of it is an issue, though. i have had my group just kill the Darklord of Richemeleiu (sp?) The mantle passed on to another BBEG who has nothing to do with the Reneir family or the politics of the region. So it changes the whole dynamics of the situation, to where the party has made a very measureable difference in the "atmosphere" of this "kingdom". IE they feel that they accomplished something significant. And they have. It will take the Darkpower a while to re-align everything to its liking, so it will be a good bit of time before the atmosphere of oppression re-settles. Also, the Darklord is making a potentially lethal mistake, she has sent assassins after the party. this has drawn them back to Port-a-Masseau(sp?). If they find her before she consolidates her power base they will be able to take her out as well, comparatively easy too.Plus, the party is starting to realize that the best way for them to keep an area "free" will require continued diligence on their part. In other words they will never be able to leave an area for long if they want to keep it "clean".I have also found it helpful not to bog them down with the horror/fear/insanity checks. However I do use the curse checks whenever they do anythnig that qualifies. 3 of the characters have taken at least one step down the road to becoming a creature of Ravenloft, maybe even a Darklord. This elevates their curiosity at teh same time it elevate their anxiety. One character wonders why his left foot has become dead and zombie like but he has become more charismatic, another wonders why they have a "devil" tail but are more dextrous, and the 3rd wonders why his character craves blood and is more charismatic.My opinion is that running a Ravenloft campaign, long term, requires an exceptionally skilled and experienced DM. One who is good at interweaving various story plots, setting a mood/atmosphere, and interspersing humor, as well as using common sense and intuition to direct the players and events of the campaign. This setting is not for a beginner DM or for a Dm who cannot run a complex storyline. This would definitely require a skilled DM of many talents, or someone who is just very talented at running such a game.Running a Greyhawk or FR campaign is easy. Ravenloft requires more of the DM and the players, but it is worth doing. I would also recommend running two campaigns concurrently on alternating game days. One standard and light campaign and the other be Ravenloft. That helps prevent the pervasive build up of depression and frustration more than anything else. Because that is the ultimate downfall of a Ravenloft campaign. If ran properly it will wear you and your players down. You need to have a release mechanism. An alternate campaign, preferably ran by another DM, is probably the best way to go.</blockquote>

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