The party will attack them. It's all important, because it also teaches the players to pay attention to the environment. It is a very fun encounter against an enemy who cannot be beaten. For starters, that kind of monster is completely out of place here. Or just go to r/curseofstrahd (unless you are my players). At the very least, lower their hit points a bit. my article on running horror in your own D&D 5e games! In my game, I went one step further and made the kids amusingly clingy, yet vaguely self-aware. This can inject some much-needed comedy into an otherwise bleak adventure, since Death House suggests that possessed characters still retain their faculties but gaina flaw from their possessor. Tabletop Joab is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Keeping level 1 characters alive is no small task, and "Death House" monsters have high armor classes and hit hard. Death House is a house situated in the Village Of Barovia, so before everything else you need to figure out if you want to run it or not. They become caught in the mists and can't travel to the afterlife. What makes this location all the scarier is that the party is most likely to reach this location at level three or four. Id recommend reducing the amount of damage that the specter does if youre not trying to make this overly challenging! Alternative to Death House Pt 2. If the PCs comply and a living being is killed off on the altar, the house is appeased and they will be able to leave peacefully and level up. Ghoulish Encounter.- Depending on the partys reaction to this, it can be a very lethal encounter. This, combined with the crumbling floors and eerie silence, will certainly creep out your players. The Dungeon Levels final encounter is with a Shambling Mound. Honestly, even if the party is level 3, this can be a very tough fight! 4. I never thought of that. If you already have level 3 players you can jump right into the action of Barovias encounters. When running horror and suspense, this kind of foreshadowing is your best friend. Luke also has a board game obsession, plays a bunch of D&D, and makes silly videos on YouTube. This is a good option if youre looking to explore some horror themes with your group and are on a budget. Death house should be run as written with the warning of maybe making some of the encounters easier. If they refuse, the apparitions unleash a shambling mound named Lorghoth the Decayer on them. If the party is reluctant, shine a little bit of gold their way. Death House is that deadly. Running Curse of Strahd. Well, not entirely anyway. Oh, Death House. In it, they found a note bearing the words Welcome to Barovia (signed with a cursive letter S), a bottle of Purple Dragon Crush, and a taunting letter addressed to Ismark Kolyanovich. Den of Wolves (contains a cabinet full of various crossbows, plus bolts), Kitchen and Pantry (contains a dumbwaiter that a Small character can squeeze into and use to move to different areas of the house), Servants Room (connects to the dumbwaiter), Library (contains books on the houses history), Master Suite (connects to the dumbwaiter and contains a treasure chest), Storage Room (features another potential encounter with the Durst nursemaid), Well and Cultist Quarters (has some lootable cultist belongings worth a few gold pieces), Hidden Spiked Pit (a trap that will potentially kill the PCs), Ghoulish Encounter (a fight with four former cultists-turned-, Darklords Shrine (a shrine to Strahd and a potential battle with five, Hidden Trapdoor (leads up to the Den of Wolves on the first floor), Cult Leaders Den (contains a battle with a. Argynvostholt is a castle-like manor full of corruption and despair. Whatever you do, keep a feeling of tension and unease at the table as you describe what the party finds as they explore the mansion. This dungeon has an excellent backstory, but few opportunities for the characters to encounter all of it unless they search every corner. I provided their flaws through PM, and both had a blast roleplaying it. You can let them know something is coming with smell and sounds. 6.Upper Hall.- Theres a portrait of the Durst family. Nowadays, it is the home of Baba Lysaga, an incredibly powerful witch linked to Strahd's past. Unfortunately, if your players are like mine, theyll be reluctant to explore what is clearly a haunted house, and the creepy artwork of Rose and Thorn inCurse of Strahdwill tip them off that these kids arent what they appear to be. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. register a sa forums account here! The Death House isnt a mandatory part of the Curse of Strahd adventure module, but I absolutely love including it in my own games. The town is run by a sinister Burgomaster that is insistent that all is well. The usual response to this encounter is retreat. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'tabletopjoab_com-leader-4','ezslot_24',145,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-tabletopjoab_com-leader-4-0');Opening the large toy chest, the Paladin saw seemingly hundreds of small wooden figures just like the ones currently in the model home. However, what about those who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time?if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'tabletopjoab_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_20',139,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-tabletopjoab_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0'); Unfortunately, the actions of the truly wicked mean that the innocents around them are also left to suffer. Please enable JavaScript to get the best experience from this site. Avoid making it an outright execution if you can! Death House is a classic haunted house tale, starting with two ghostly children pleading for help outside. Strahd is aware of these events. Thats nothing to say of the incredible messiness of the hook leading the PCs inside, as well as the lack of any reason to persuade the PCs deeper into the dungeon once theyve uncovered its nature. 11. Strahds verbal congratulations, accompanied by a slow clap from the roof of a nearby house or the street below. If your players find out that the kids are illusions then they wont be trying to help and will believe it is a trap (I mean its obviously a trap but still). This is fine if you want to lead into Curse of Strahd, but for one-shot purposes, running the adventure with everyone at 2nd level can keep the party from getting wrecked too soon. Death House rebuilds itself if burned down. However, having already promised their help to the spirits of Rose and Thorn, the only way theyd be getting out is by finding what lies beneath the house. Chef Feat in D&D 5e Explained | Useful or Pie in the Sky? 9. I am actually in the process of setting this up as a one-shot for some of my experienced gamer friends. 38. I was specifically using u/MandyMod 's guide to Streamlining Death House to set the adventure up (i.e. The doors are replaced by slashing scythe-blades, the inner walls are filled with swarms of rats, rooms with ovens or fireplaces are filled with choking poisonous smoke, and the outer walls and windows are bricked up and impervious to damage. Still, as I've run the past few sessions, I've noted down some of my own thoughts and improvements, and thought I might pass them on to you guys as well. As adventurers reach the top of the attic, they will find themselves in an aggressive place, they house is trying to kill them (page 220). Hey dude, where are letter 2 and 3 in death house? So what purpose is there behind being a good person then? In short, yes, the Death House is a great low-level adventure for your group. Your email address will not be published. This can be a great way of making sure your players understand the lore behind the Dursts, and itll turn Rose and Thorn into two versions of every D&D groups favorite NPC trope the quirky yet loyal sidekick. This is not a fight encounter. Three of my players were able to get boosts up to the attic from the balcony outside of the master bedroom, but the fourth, a firbolg, was too big to make it up. So, give them vivacious temperaments or accents evocative of your favorite child protagonists in popular media (the Stranger Things kids, anyone?). Would love your thoughts, please comment. Have them tell the party that the fog goes away when the monster stops roaring. The PCs could hear her making gentle cooing sounds, and see her rocking the crib gently. Third. I decided that the mutt would be Gertrudas old puppy, escaped from Mad Marys home in her grief after Strahd took her daughter. You want this to be fun, scary, and challenging. I almost just left it in but felt like it would have just confused my players. Also theres a will bequeathing these properties to the Durst children. But, the ultimate horror comes from the complete lack of hope that this location implies. Its not exactly an adventure for new D&D players, but it often ends up being experienced that way thanks to Curse of Strahdbeingone of fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons' premiereadventures. [Bones of Saint Andral] (https://www.reddit.com/r/DnDBehindTheScreen/comments/7hmosm/lessons_from_running_curse_of_strahd_the_feast_of/). (Quick side note: stop them from immediately going to the Bonegrinder. One of my PCs assumed that shed accidentally killed him with Shocking Grasp, but thankfully didnt bring it up. She sells Dream Pastries to the locals in the nearby village of Barovia but holds a sinister secret. For background the home is infused with the evil spirits of the cultists that once resided there. Thunk me later! Death House comes with a beautiful map, but for a quick Halloween game, its faster to avoid all of the deliberations that occur whenever players see a selection of rooms for them to explore. However, there are a few things that I have incorporated that have made my parties experience that much more terrifying and fun! This site works best with JavaScript enabled. Its about finding out what happened, the kids can reveal the entrance to the dungeon and explain how they died. There's a disappointing truth to Death Housethe prologue to Curse of Strahdand it's that it's alternative ending "The Cult is Denied" is just a dull series of rolls.Each character rolls against poisonous smoke. Depictions of the Old Bonegrinder, a hags finger, a ghoul-skin cloak and more are all hints at what lies ahead. Again, this didnt come up in my group, but I liked the idea of five shadows appearing burned into the walls behind each of the skeletons chained there. What has been your experience with the Death House? Did you like this guide? From the moment the party steps into the town, they'll get a great sense that nothing is right here. It helped pull the player into the story a lot more. 3. They may come to Barovia expecting to be heroes, but the things that they will do and sacrifice for the sake of their own survival throughout the adventure will haunt them for the rest of their lives. Would love to revisit Death House some day and not mistakenly murder my friends instantly. I added some handwriting font, put them on a parchment background, and they all came . This kept them panicked, tense, and on their toes. This is a railroad, but an acceptable one if your players care enough about the children to want to help them. This is better because you never say the monster name, avoiding metagame knowledge. The dolls in the model house remained untouched, but the players all gave each other the same look: they had to get out of here and fast. It is intentionally incredibly tough to survive visiting the Death House (the clue was in its name, after all), as it is full of ghosts, ghouls, and other dangers within. After meeting the illusions of two children, and learning there is a monster in the house, the characters are forced in by the choking mists. Shadowrun: Astral Ways (Sixth World Setting Book), Star Trek Adventures MISSION PDF 022 Eight Layers Deep, BattleTech: Recognition Guide: ilClan Vol. 2023 Wizards. The way this adventure works. Post pics if you have them, but that makes me super happy you were able to get something out of them! Dungeon master guide and advice with the. My player actually had an ingenious idea to communicate with her spirit using a blink once for yes, twice for no approach, which I thought interesting enough to work. The most vital regions are bolded. There is no escape, not without first defeating the seemingly unstoppable vampire Strahd Von Zarovich. I generally start my games at level 3. Moreover, there are a lot of things that the party can miss (e.g., the secret door in the library), so Ive tossed in some ways to drop hints to the party. Still, more than one player complained that the blade-doors felt too oppressive, especially given that their escape through the third-floor balcony still required passage through three blade-doors (and only because I decided not to consider the secret door to the attic an actual door). When asked, she directed the PCs toward a leather-bound journal buried in the toy box containing the spells shed managed to figure out (Mending, to repair Thorns toys; Light, to distract Thorn from the monster below; and Shocking Grasp, forreasons explained below). Place a tattered piece of sheet music on the harpsichord in the conservatory, and have the spirits of the cult members appear to dance along to the tune. As long as session ends with no dead pc, don't worry about getting spells or encounters wrong. Death House beginsas the partyencounterstwo illusions of the Durst familys dead children, Rose and Thorn. Add some emotion to the childrens request. Their ghosts are here. A big boss fight is coming up and you want the party to expend some resources, but still have some fight in them for the boss encounter! 5 Tips for Running the Death House One-Shot From Curse of Strahd, make thecombat encounter more interesting, Strahd Must Die Tonight! 29. Press J to jump to the feed. This also gives her some nice agency, and gives the party a better feel for her role as Thorns protector. Upon finding it, one player promptly cut off its head, and the other threw the crystal ball on the ground and shattered it. Be brave, dear reader, as you enter the haunted Durst Mansion. A level 2party which has had no long rests and several tough fights will not win this fight without losing some PCs. We called it "The Curse of the Murderous Mansion.". This video discusses the death house dungeon encounter disasters that you want to avoid in the curse of strahd adventure for dungeons & dragons 5e. They cannot be used commercially. Almost parallels Death house. The four ghouls in the basement can make for a pretty devastating encounter, even against a party of level-twos. Even (especially) the most ambitious of travelers have been crushed into dust by the horrors of this land. Castle Ravenloft is the home of Strahd Von Zarovich and is quite a terrifying location. Its the Durst Mansion or, if the kids are talking, our home. Nobodys going to eagerly go rushing into something called the Death House. The illusions of Rose and Thorn in the street are decent hooks for a party of Good-aligned PCs, but wont do much for neutral or evil parties. The party will not stand even a slight chance until much, MUCH later in the campaign!). Far from the villages and towns of the valley, there is not much safety around this location. They will be tempted by corrupting, evil, dark gifts that twist and mess with the characters. Dunno.the Death House is pretty much the perfect setup for CoS. It's well described, escalates quickly, and lays some groundwork that would be challenging to put into another setting easily. Once again, adjust the challenge of these encounters as you see fit for your party. What you get is impressive hi-def versions of my maps to be used in your RPG games (these have lower resolution), and the satisfaction of helping the rpg community grow bigger and stronger. Luke is a list writer for TheGamer, based in the UK. Looking over the dolls by the handful, each one showed an expression of pain and fear. Dungeons & Dragons: The 8 Scariest Locations In Curse Of Strahd, Dungeons & Dragons: The Best Adventures From Candlekeep Mysteries, why Ravenloft is one of the best settings in D&D, just how unsettling the domains of dread can be, Story Hooks In D&D You Always See And Why They Work, Dungeons & Dragons: Ideas For Running A One-Shot, Dungeons & Dragons: The Best Online Tools For DMs. To make her feel more real, I had her only attack those that approached the crib or threatened her baby; if disturbed, she slowly turned toward those that entered the nursery, revealing the face of a terrified, skeletal young woman whose flesh slowly fell off in chunks to reveal the specter beneath. Now that everyone is level 2, they can proceed downwards into the Durst Mansions dungeon level. People either absolutely love it or hate it! You can really play on this unease to build up tension within the party, building it up until they are constantly on edge. Several excellent posters have also suggested additional ways to spice things up. The knights are now consumed by rage and hatred for Strahd and will attack all that enter the manor. It is also included in the Curse of Strahd adventure module on page 211 under Appendix B. If you start at level 2, Id say have them level up to 3 before they proceed into the Dungeon Level. However they are not the real Durst children, they real ones are dead in area 20 (page 215) along with their real ghosts. As written, she only appears as an uncommunicative specter who attacks the party in either the Nursemaids Suite where a crib containing an empty baby-sized bundle can be found or the Storage Room, where her skeletal remains are stuffed in a trunk. You might also use less-intimidating artwork for the twins. We also replace the shambling mound with a Blood Hulk! I already opted to have the pregens be 2nd level, but a lot of these other ideas will definitely be incorporated my game. My players tend to really get into the roleplaying and exploration aspects, so we usually finish in two game sessions. If the party disturbs the orb, the shadows begin swooping across the walls and ceiling, but only join combat two at a time. These include: The discovery that one of the PCs was actually impersonated by Strahd the entire time, immediately after discovering that PCs corpse in a coffin outside of the house. See here for more details. Use. Childrens Room .- The remains of Rose and Thorn are here. Also, as an important note, there are two major things that you absolutely should not do. Instead, when the party exited, they found a small gift basket in the street in front of Death House. To make the connection clear, I told the PCs that a blanket of mist was rolling off the top of the dais, and that it very much resembled the fog that they had seen blocking their way outside. This is better because you never say the monster stops roaring as a one-shot for some my! 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