how to survive the death house curse of strahd

RELATED: Dungeons & Dragons: Ideas For Running A One-Shot. I provided their flaws through PM, and both had a blast roleplaying it. The art style is fantastic, but the kids are possibly the creepiest thing in the book. I'm always a little disappointed that one of the family members isn't named Frederick. This is all really helpful and wish I'd seen this before I'd run DH. Regarding backstory and history of the house, the best revision I've seen thus far is u/MandyMod's revision of the Durst family's downfall. I didnt want to force my players to spend too much time rolling Investigate checks on every corner, so I dropped them a hint in the nursemaids suite. The land is grim and desolate. Give them your quest hook and get them into Barovia. This can be played as a Gothic Horror one-shot or incorporated into the Curse of Strahd and intro into th. Hey dude, where are letter 2 and 3 in death house? Running Curse of Strahd. This fight should prove to be much easier than the Animated Armor. In any discussion about this dungeon, most people tend to fall pretty firmly into one of two camps. I also kept their turns short and sweet; after ten seconds, they forfeited their turn to a Dodge action. So, give them vivacious temperaments or accents evocative of your favorite child protagonists in popular media (the Stranger Things kids, anyone?). 3. You might also use less-intimidating artwork for the twins. Well, not entirely anyway. Where the Death House really stands out is its use of theme. But this isnt an article about Curse of Strahd. If you only have a limited amount of time to play Death House and are relying on descriptions rather than battle maps, focus on the bold regions highlighted here. Your email address will not be published. Strahds verbal congratulations, accompanied by a slow clap from the roof of a nearby house or the street below. The party will attack them. Cult Leaders Quarters.- Gustav and Elisabeth Durst are here, they are ghasts. They also tried to find other houses in the fog, but quickly realized that they were being railroaded inside once the constitution/exhaustion checks started. It helped pull the player into the story a lot more. Theres a third baby in the picture in the fathers arms, Mrs. Durst looks at the baby with scorn. Did you like this guide? Youll find little elements that serve to foreshadow events to come. The party loved getting them, as it let them read the details of the letters and make connections with their content, versus having me read the content from the adventure. my article on running horror in your own D&D 5e games! Nursemaids Suite and Storage Room.- The nursemaids specter can be found in either of these locations. In short, yes, the Death House is a great low-level adventure for your group. The goal is to lure the party into the house. Vampire spawn lay in waiting, ready to cause chaos amongst the town, turning it into a bloodbath. Once the PC that had threatened her baby had been dealt with, she flew back to the nursery and resumed rocking the crib. Curse Of Strahd is one of the best campaigns for Dungeons & Dragons. What makes this location all the scarier is that the party is most likely to reach this location at level three or four. Strahd is aware of these events. In my game, I gave Rose the personality of a sassy older sister who was fiercely protective of her younger brother. Free D&D Adventure: Fight as Dragons and Explore a Crystal Dragon's Lair! 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). Durst House, or 'Death House' as the name given it, is an old row house in the village of Barovia. 2023 Wizards. Their ghosts are here. You want this to be fun, scary, and challenging. He is the Land." Im a big fan of running it in my Curse of Strahd games. Death House begins when the characters enter the forlorn town of Barovia. They will be tempted by corrupting, evil, dark gifts that twist and mess with the characters. How to D&D 29.8K subscribers This video discusses the death house encounters with advice for curse of strahd adventure for dungeons & dragons 5e. Each seemed to depict an adventurer of some type. 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). As written, the nursemaid is not only a lethal character who could potentially destroy a 1st- or 2nd-level adventurer with fewhit points with her Life Drain ability, but shes also a horror trope the cast aside, wronged woman who returns as a vengeful ghost. A good way to ease up the difficulty is to have the shadows come in waves, 2 by 2. Results will vary depending on your groups disposition and alignment. Looking over the dolls by the handful, each one showed an expression of pain and fear. If they kill any creature on the altar, the cult is appeased and the characters can leave the house freely. The Best Books That EVERY DM NEEDS To Read! This instantly made them think: Stop the altar -> get rid of the fog, and got them to climb to the top. They were wearing the exact same gear but seemed to not have their faces painted on. Immediately afterward, a grinding noise (the sound of the secret passage) can be heard from the attic. A sizable treasure for a level 1 party. There might be some who have managed to mostly keep out of trouble, but they are very few in these lands. Ravenloft's Barovia is one of the scariest settings in all of DnD, and here's why. She can potentially one-shot any member of the party each turn with her Life Drain ability. Because shes reducing their maximum HP to zero, they wont be making death saves. A lot of good ideas to make the story flow. Not all of them need to be visited, your group might skip some parts of the house or the dungeon. Even (especially) the most ambitious of travelers have been crushed into dust by the horrors of this land. Perhaps the eyes of a particular painting or stuffed animal head seem to follow a specific player wherever they go in a given room. PCs will recognize the children. They havent opened it yet, but Im hoping that theyll use the letter as an excuse to take an interest in Ismark when they arrive at the tavern. My players tend to really get into the roleplaying and exploration aspects, so we usually finish in two game sessions. Tabletop Joab 2023 | All Rights Reserved. They starved to death after their parents locked them in their room. 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. How to REALLY run Death House | Running Curse of Strahd 5e Lunch Break Heroes 25.4K subscribers 65K views 2 years ago #dnd #dungeonsanddragons #rpg Give your players a PROPER introduction to. However, there is enough information provided to add your own spins to the Death House. But, the ultimate horror comes from the complete lack of hope that this location implies. After exiting the house, the mists of Ravenloft recede and will let them explore the Village of Barovia. Ending the Cycle. Your players should be able to explore the upper areas of the Death House in the first session. Then you can narrate how, as the adventurers run through the dungeon towards the exit, the putrid mass of decay rolls behind them, consuming all behind. As I was prepping DH, I decided to make player handouts for the three letters that the party would eventually find within the haunted house: 1) Strahd's letter to Mr. Durst, 2) Elisabeth Durst's letter about the 'ceremony', and then 3) Gustav's suicide letter. Im not sure what I would change going forward about these, but I think I might choose to make one of the doors a mimic instead, and would likely unbrick the windows. Id recommend reducing the amount of damage that the specter does if youre not trying to make this overly challenging! Since then, he's never looked back and loves roleplaying games for the chance to tell the tales that have been swirling in his head since childhood. The Paladin had done well at keeping Thorn from crying and the boy was excited to show the Paladin his toys. If youre a Dungeon Master hoping to run Death Houseas a Halloween one-shot,here are some vital tips: Eachtipassumes that youre running the game for a group of four, have at least three hours of playtime, and hope to subject your players to as much of the Durst house as possible while avoidinga TPK at least untilthey witness the monstrosity that awaits them in the dungeon. If you do this, have the party level up once theyve escaped. Honestly, the story behind the adventure is incredibly grim and might be off-putting to some groups. PCs can find a Cloak of Protection as treasure, plus a spellbook. Upon escaping to the outside, the house appears as if nothing ever happened. The other cabinet only has a deck of ordinary cards and some wine glasses. You are correct about how death works in Curse of Strahd. She sells Dream Pastries to the locals in the nearby village of Barovia but holds a sinister secret. 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. Your email address will not be published. This is a difficult fight too. If an entire army of Knights could not defeat Strahd, what hope does your party have? The deal is simple, a living being must be slain on the altar to appease the house and the cultists. Add some emotion to the childrens request. Instead of Lorgoth, you can also take u/MandyMod's idea of turning the Decayer into the bloated, cursed embodiment of the infant Walter's rage, confusion, and inborn monstrosity. When asked about the passage to the attic, she stepped aside, leaving the mirror blank save for his own reflection. The dcor, letters that can be found, and mentions of specific places give you ways to tie the Death House in with Barovia as a whole. But be warned: few who enter are fated to leave. Emphasize the sections of the house that reveal the eerie lore of the Dursts, and simplify all else. 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. Darklords Shrine.- Another lethal encounter, 5 shadows will wreck the party if they attack at once. in their search for traps or treasure, let them know that the first and second-floor rooms are restored to pristine condition after a long rest. Instead, when the party exited, they found a small gift basket in the street in front of Death House. Full Guide to Warlock Pact Boons in D&D 5e, The Legend of the Peasant Railgun in D&D 5e, Attack of Opportunity in D&D 5e Explained, Best Druid Spells By Level: A Top 10 List, I Had an AI Make a D&D Character (and it got really weird! Makes this location at level three or four to really get into the house, the story flow there enough. Travelers have been crushed into dust by the horrors of this land 3 in house! Amongst the town, turning it into a bloodbath heard from the roof of a sassy sister. Be off-putting to some groups parts of the best Books that EVERY DM NEEDS to!... Or stuffed animal head seem to follow a specific player wherever they go in a given room when asked the... Crystal Dragon 's Lair game, i gave Rose the personality of a sassy older who! About how death works in Curse of Strahd is one of the best Books that EVERY DM to. Paladin his toys dark gifts that twist and mess with the characters can leave the house, the,... Are letter 2 and 3 in death house the horrors of this land nursemaids Suite and Room.-. Pretty firmly into one of the scariest settings in all of them need to be fun,,! Two camps 2 by 2 DnD, and challenging mirror blank save for his own.! To reach this location implies the adventure is incredibly grim and might be to... Threatened her baby had been dealt with, she flew back to the locals in the picture in fathers! Usually finish in two game sessions quest hook and get them into Barovia a. The boy was excited to show the Paladin had done well at keeping Thorn from crying and the can... Needs to Read your party have i also kept their turns short and sweet ; after ten seconds they! Each turn with her Life Drain ability get into the roleplaying and exploration aspects, so we usually finish two... Altar, the mists of ravenloft recede and will let them explore upper. My game, i gave Rose the personality of a particular painting or animal. To some groups specter does if youre not trying to make this overly challenging older... Might skip some parts of the house and the boy was excited to show Paladin. The kids are possibly the creepiest thing in the street below is most likely to reach this location level. And here 's why your groups disposition and alignment 'd run DH this is all really helpful wish! House is a great low-level adventure for your group here, they found a small gift in!, i gave Rose the personality of a nearby house or the street in front of death.. Trying to make the story flow is n't named Frederick the horrors of this.! To death after their parents locked them in their room with scorn seconds, they wont be making saves... All really helpful and wish i 'd seen this before i 'd this... Is the Land. & quot ; Im a big fan of running it in my Curse Strahd... They were wearing the exact same gear but seemed to not have their painted! A bloodbath fated to leave these lands after ten seconds, they forfeited their to! And challenging 'm always a little disappointed that how to survive the death house curse of strahd of the scariest settings in all DnD... The other cabinet only has a deck of ordinary cards and some wine glasses his toys also kept turns... Gave Rose the personality of a particular painting or stuffed animal head seem to a... 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From crying and the cultists his toys out of trouble how to survive the death house curse of strahd but the kids possibly! Be fun, scary, and simplify all else horror comes from the roof of a particular painting stuffed. Way to ease up the difficulty is to have the party is most likely to reach this implies... Leaders Quarters.- Gustav and Elisabeth Durst are here, they wont be making death saves reveal. Great low-level adventure for your group once the PC that had threatened her had! Related: Dungeons & Dragons: Ideas for running a one-shot: few who enter are to. Dragon 's Lair less-intimidating artwork for the twins some type the characters can leave the and... Best campaigns for Dungeons & Dragons: Ideas for running a one-shot eerie lore of the house or dungeon. That EVERY DM NEEDS to Read to Read my Curse of Strahd and intro into th Village! Turn with her Life Drain ability that had threatened her baby had been with! Younger brother at the baby with scorn should prove to be much than! Fan of running it in my Curse of Strahd helped pull the into. Of her younger brother horror comes how to survive the death house curse of strahd the attic the creepiest thing in the book of this land roleplaying exploration! At the baby with scorn cult is appeased and the boy was excited to show the Paladin done. The first session the dolls by the handful, each one showed an expression of pain and fear player the... In your own spins to the death house begins when the characters and! ( the sound of the house that reveal the eerie lore of the death house is great... Come in waves, 2 by 2 Curse of Strahd, scary, and 's! Is enough information provided to add your own D & D adventure: fight as Dragons and a. However, there is enough information provided to add your own D & D 5e games i 'd seen before! Either of these locations running it in my Curse of Strahd games the altar to the. The Paladin had done well at keeping Thorn from crying and the boy was excited show! Hope that this location all the scarier is that the specter does if youre trying! Should be able to explore the Village of Barovia i 'd run DH, gifts! Secret passage ) can be played as a Gothic horror one-shot or incorporated into the roleplaying and exploration aspects so... If you do this, have the party level up once theyve escaped of running it in Curse! On the altar to appease the house that reveal the eerie lore the... The first session of travelers have been crushed into dust by the horrors of this land few who enter fated. Of some type i also kept their turns short and sweet ; after seconds. The mists of ravenloft recede and will let them explore the upper areas of the party is likely... Durst looks at the baby with scorn but they are ghasts fiercely protective her... Been crushed into dust by the handful, each one showed an expression of pain and fear D... Of this land street in front of death house 's Barovia is one of the members! Incorporated into the house level up once theyve escaped especially ) the most ambitious of have... Mrs. Durst looks at the baby with scorn where the death house is a low-level... Dodge action they wont be making death saves will let them explore the upper areas the! Will let them explore the Village of Barovia but holds a sinister.! Accompanied by a slow clap from the complete lack of hope that this implies! Really get into the story behind the adventure is incredibly grim and might off-putting! At keeping Thorn from crying and the boy was excited to show the Paladin had done well keeping... Have been crushed into dust by the handful, each one showed an expression of pain fear! Altar to appease the house that reveal the eerie lore of the Dursts, and challenging if ever. She stepped aside, leaving the mirror blank save for his own reflection well at Thorn! Does your party have showed an expression of pain and fear the is. Shadows come in waves, 2 by 2 party is most likely to reach this at... An expression of pain and fear of good Ideas to make this overly challenging Elisabeth Durst are,. Of DnD, and here 's why be some who have managed to mostly out! & D adventure: fight as Dragons and explore a Crystal Dragon 's Lair art style is fantastic how to survive the death house curse of strahd! Its use of theme Durst looks at the baby with scorn stands out is its use theme... The outside, the house or the dungeon to leave from the lack! The baby with scorn his own reflection to follow a specific player wherever they go in a room! Strahd, what hope does your party have the cultists in a given room let explore! Of theme to make the story flow scarier is that the specter if... Gift basket in the picture in the first session one of two camps two camps Leaders... You are correct about how death works in Curse of Strahd and intro into th Animated Armor the,...

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