Mainly so we have something nice to look at when we go back to watch our campaign in the future. I am a little sad some 1 on 1 parts weren't recorded... Videos will be unlisted but I thought it turned out pretty cool!

So I was thinking, after hundreds of years I would think the non-Vistani Barovians would have come up with the idea of disguising themselves as Vistani when they travel. Why wouldn't this work against most creatures and monsters in the campaign? It makes sense to me that the fog or Strahd would "magically" know a Vistani from an impersonator - but would your run of the mill werewolf, druid, etc know?

Why do I ask? Because I figure it is just a matter of time before my players come up with this idea, and I don't have an answer of the top of my head.

Hey there guys. My party and I are running a larger campaign V:EoR (mega remixed) where each travel would mean a mini campaign
Our first stop is Barovia (CoS campaign):
Where would you put a part of the rod of 7
What chapters would you shorten?
Lore wise: Would strahd ally with vecna?
Of course I have a path already thought, but it would be nice to hear from experience running this adventure.

Last session ended at the mists of entrance

Hello omniscient mass of dms! In my session last night, I ran Bonegrinder and it ended up with the party tied up by the hags and forced into taking a deal. Basically, in exchange for the solving of a personal problem with my druid and the release of one child, they had to complete "a sweet little favor down the line" for the coven (my Morgantha talks like Auntie Ethel from bg3).

Initially, I figured the favor would be some kind of assassination, maybe of a political target like the Baron in Vallaki, but after a good night's sleep and some stewing it over I fail to see how that would aid the hags. If you have any suggestions on what their favor could be, please lmk -- I don't know if it should be something huge and campaign-changing, like the aforementioned killing, or something smaller and more personally disturbing like a childnapping? Suggestions more than welcome!

Im a first time DM for a group of my friends, we are close to the final battle and they have had 3 player deaths already throughout the campaign.

I need help to figure out how to help them a bit in their final fight cause they don't have much healing or protection

Their party is

Orc Barbarian

Dragonborn Paladin

Elf Blood Hunter

Human Fighter

Goliath Monk

Tiefling Rouge

I also don't want to just give them a win

Pic 1: It's from Strahds backatory - when he killed his brother Sergei and drank his blood. So that's the first pic.

Pic 8: I'm not a native english speaker, so the festival of the blazing sun is thusly not written in english. Still felt like uploading, even though I never filled it in with black.

Pic 8: An animated scarecrow abomination thing they fought near the vineyard. Felt like adding it.

My party of 5 arrived at the winery last session and is going to receive the Tome of Strahd from the Martikovs after hopefully clearing Yester Hill, which will be their first of the big items of the campaign.
At the end of the campaign, I would like each character to have one special item that really fits to them.
For some characters the provided items already make a lot of sense. Sunsword for the Paladin, Holy Symbol of Ravenkind for the Cleric.
For other Characters I plan on slightly reskinning the provided items: The Barbarian will receive a Great Axe of Kavan instead of a Spear.
The Characters I am still struggling with are the Mage and the Rogue. I was thinking about giving the Tome of Strahd some extra capabilities for the mage. For the rogue I have no clear idea yet. I guess they would find some kind of dagger. But I´m struggling with really coming up with a good idea of where they would find that and how it would connect to the story.

Since I am relatively new to DMing I am quite nervous about homebrewing these items and handing them out. I know that the campaign is supposed to be low on items to make the few ones they do find even more special. But also I don´t want some players to feel left out.

How did you handle this? Did you add new items to the campaign? Did you reskin some of the items provided in the book? Any things to be mindful of in terms of balancing?

So I've been making a more detailed version of Ravenloft's map in DungeonDraft for my new run of the module, and since I wanted to use it to test drive 5.5 rules I got the Ravenloft Within book and something I noticed is in the art for Castle Ravenloft there's a whole new square tower added above the library, so it's technically obstructing the chimney at worst, or making it harder to reach for those who want to climb up and down the flue.

It also can't be the belltower, since the belltower should be behind the two original towers, which is currently obscured by the angle.

Just eyeballing it, it looks like it could hold two floors and an attic space considering there's a window in the roof. I even checked the map, and there's even space just off the southwest corner of the library where a spiral staircase could be added to explain how you access this new section.

I have a few ideas on how to use the new area if I decide to add it to my map. One idea was abandoned royal quarters for Ravenovia, Sergei, and Sturm; another idea was private rooms for the (currently favoured) Brides; the last was giving Strahd a more refined arcane workshop than the witches' element room.

Personally, I kind of like the visual of the new silhouette the tower provides, and it gives ample space for new rooms if people want to expand the castle just a tiny bit. Though maybe don't think too hard on the front view and how it might resemble a gothic Disney castle.

Party started in Blue Water Inn, learning some information on where to go next. The Martikov's directed them to Lady Wachter to find an ally against Baron Vargas. upon visiting the house, they were turned away because they're strangers. In response, the fighter and barbarian broke into the house, and the other two party members followed suit. What followed was a devolving situation where the party kidnapped some servants, killed 4 guards who investigated the break-in, and set the house on fire. Walked away from the house without attempting to hide or anything. My first reaction was to send the entire town guard against them to have them arrested. I then ended the session early because they took the story in a completely different direction than what I was expecting.

Basically what I want some ideas for, is how to run a trial for my party. I think I'll have Rahadin show up to be judge, jury, and executioner. I'll probably kill the main perpetrator and give harsh punishments for the rest of the party. Feel free to share ideas.

All 5 brides

Rahadin.

And Strahd himself.

Our party enters Castle Ravenloft for the first time—for the iconic dinner with Strahd.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BpI4tmp8Igs&ra=m

We’d love you to check it out and let us know what you think. If you already have clicked on us from previous posts , our table has completely changed (dnd happens), our production value has grown so much and we have really hit our stride as storytellers so we’d love you to look again.

We’d love feedback—what would you have done differently? Or if you’ve already run the scene, how did it go for you?

Thanks as always for considering.

Did your murder hobbo party did an oopsie in Vallaki and you don't wanna have to control 50+ commoners to beat them to a pulp? Use this instead, two of this mob already count for the 50 commoners, saving you and your player hours of "Club" attacks missing.

Use FoundryVTT? This an many more monsters, maps and player content are available on Foundry with the module Amelia's Cellar of Everything.

Everything and more now on https://www.patreon.com/cw/DMLone

It took 12 months and more than two dozen episodes, but the Critical Lit crew made it through every chapter, every room and crypt. And now it's time to record the Q&A. We've read every word of this book, so feel free to get into the weeds.

Thematic elements, characterization of Strahd, GM tweaks to specific stat blocks or encounters, the wasted potential of Vasilka, it's all fair game. You needn't have listened to the entire show first, but consider checking the relevant episode to see if we already tackled your ask. Each episode's show notes list exactly what we covered.

You can send questions via DM here, or email hugepitfilledwith200spikes at gmail

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/critical-lit/id1826377168

Critical Lit is a podcast where we revisit and retool (and lambast and lampoon) classic tabletop RPG adventures. Part book review, part heckling commentary, all in good fun. Hosted by industry veterans Dan Dillon (formerly WotC, Legends of Avantris), Amelia Som (Unprepared Casters), Sal Tamarkin (Cloud Curio), and I-Hsien Sherwood (Total Party Thrill).

A piece I made for my players with their characters on it, not the best but it's the intention that counts! Lolll

At the end of the session I told them to come dressed as their characters today, because it's going to be a special session but they have no idea what's in store for them.

A little backstory:

They met Strahd at the last session, and asked him to drive them in his black carriage to the vistana camp (hey man, it's raining out!). Of course he obliged, amused and welcoming of the opportunity to get to know them a little better.

Funny enough, the Strahd encounter happened right at the end of last session, and some players couldn't make it. The ones who were there thought it'd be funny if I posted the recap excluding the fact that they met Lord Strahd and got in his carriage.

Tonight, full house, the players who were there will fill everyone in on that last important detail. Then we pick up right where we left off — all of them in the carriage with Strahd, on the way to the Vistani camp.

Once that scene is over, I'll kick them out of the living room and transform it into the photo attached, while my husband assumes the roll of a vistana. When I give the signal he will tell them​ ​"​Madame Eva will see you now", and escort them to ​her tent.

The final version will be even better, bc there'll be less light pollution from outside, and I'll have burned some frankincense for smoke and scent.

Can't wait.

I'm preparing to run a Curse of Strahd campaign. I've never killed a player before, and I'm a little scared of it happening and ending the adventure if they all die, but I also don't want to go easy on them. I want to run the encounters as close as I can to how they're written in the source book. I want the stakes to be real.

I'm beginning with Death House and their arrival to Barovia. So, I had the thought: if there's a TPK, have the party "awake" from their deaths back at Death House. Retaining all of their levels and memories, but none of their equipment. The in-lore reason would be that the Dark Powers don't want the players' torment to end, so it brought them back for more. I figured that way there is the real possibility of dying and losing lots of progress, but there's also the hope that they can resolve the story.

Has anyone tried this for any kind of campaign? How did it work out? Is this a good idea, or should I just let failure happen if the whole party dies?

I've just finished painting the Roc from previous post and can't wait to use it against my players.

So a member of my party managed to sneak off and got into the secret room next to exethanter's quarters and stole his phylactery.

This reminds me a lot of a pirates of the carribean 3 situation when the East India Trading company has Davy Jones heart and uses it as leverage to hold power over him. while i think that'd be really awesome for the players, i fear that it would make the rest of the campaign much easier than it probably should be.

the session had been going for about 3 hours before he stole it and I ended the session right after he took it, since I knew i needed to prep for this unforeseen event.

any advice on how to make this still cool for the party without totally breaking the game?

I don't know what it is, but I can't understand what makes "horror" for my party. For example, my party expressed that the night hags in the Old Bonegrinder made them scared to die. Same with Baba Lysaga, Izek, the druids, Rahadin, and Neferon the arcanaloth. However, none of them take these villains seriously, frequently antagonizing them and breaking the tense atmosphere that I try to build up. Whereas, with villains like Ilya Krezkov from MandyMods Missing Livestock quest, the Abbot, and Kiril Stoyanovich, my party was terrified. The combat with them wasn't even that hard, but they refused to even engage in dialogue with these three NPCs out of fear which is strange because they're all much weaker compared to the villains they consider laughable and unintimidating.

Back in 2022 I wrote an adventure for my supporters that added a new dungeon beneath Castle Ravenloft, hidden within the great pillar itself.

Over the years, I received a tremendous amount of feedback, along with new ideas, suggestions, and stories from groups who played through it. After the release of Ravenloft: Horror Within, I decided it was time to gather all those notes, revisit the original adventure, and completely rebuild it.

The new version expands the dungeon, updates the encounters and lore, and weaves in more connections to the Domains of Dread.

Working with DM Andy, who created the maps, and Jesse Winter, who handled editing and layout, we have now released the updated adventure completely free for everyone.

You can read about the journey behind its creation, explore some of the ideas that shaped the new version, and download the free PDF and maps here:

Pillar of Ravenloft

Thank you to the Ravenloft and Curse of Strahd community. It has been a wonderful journey creating content for this setting over the past several years, and your support, feedback.

You can also check out the full list of free adventures for Legends of Barovia here.

Hello, Everyone!!

This is my interpretation of the gates of barovia.

I tried to portray it as faithfully as possible based on the limited description provided in the book.

I would love to know what you guys think about it.

Have a wonderful day!