how to survive the death house curse of strahdhow to survive the death house curse of strahd
A little touch that freaked out my current Curse of Strahd group was when they met the spirits of Rose and Thorn in the attic. 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. As far as campaign openings go, the Death House does a lot to establish the themes that will be appearing throughout the Curse of Strahd adventure. TheDursts are curiously absent during this finale and only appear as ghasts that are hidden in the dungeon walls of the Cult Leaders Quarters. What font did you use for Strahd when you were making these? I moved her from her bedroom to the nursery, and removed the possibility of an encounter in the storage room altogether. The Curse of Strahd Companion is your comprehensive guide to running 5th Edition's greatest and grimmest campaign. Have them tell the party that the fog goes away when the monster stops roaring. Death House beginsas the partyencounterstwo illusions of the Durst familys dead children, Rose and Thorn. The art style is fantastic, but the kids are possibly the creepiest thing in the book. The true horror of this location comes from a specific event that can take place if the players are not careful. If the PCs decide to take a long rest in the house, allow them to roll an Intelligence check to recall the relative safety of the Servants Quarters. Since I've warned you already about spoilers, I'll state it up front: to avoid the house turning against the PCs, a creature has to die at the sanctum in the basement. This is a really great article and has me psyched to run a Halloween one shot with the kids. 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). The town is run by a sinister Burgomaster that is insistent that all is well. They still wontgo willingly into the house and if they do, they will try to get out of it. PCs can find a Cloak of Protection as treasure, plus a spellbook. 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. Also theres a will bequeathing these properties to the Durst children. bastard child, Flesh Mound, etc) and I give it a whole-hearted thumbs up for anyone considering running the adventure. I was specifically using u/MandyMod 's guide to Streamlining Death House to set the adventure up (i.e. Dress Up This October With This Month's Free Subscription Perks! This also triggered the wonderful One Must Die encounter. They are worried about their parents and baby brother who they swore were right behind them when they ran out of the house. If/when the PCs try to leave, the children will try to possess them, not out of aggression but out of fear of abandonment. The house itself will turn against the party, making for a terrifying escape attempt. Give them your quest hook and get them into Barovia. The GUIDE index for Curse of Strahd and other related articles can be found here ! While frightening at first, it quickly loses its charm. Dungeon m. AboutPressCopyrightContact. In any discussion about this dungeon, most people tend to fall pretty firmly into one of two camps. They starved to death after their parents locked them in their room. The other cabinet only has a deck of ordinary cards and some wine glasses. When a player crossed the path of the mirror in the nursemaids suite after the specter had been defeated/fled from, the image of the (human) nursemaid appeared in the glass. Set in the realm of Barovia, a Domain Of Dread within Ravenloft, your players find themselves transported here and trapped. Awesome article! Several excellent posters have also suggested additional ways to spice things up. Luke is a list writer for TheGamer, based in the UK. Throughout, the PC received a sense of quiet pride from Rose. Lingering within this daunting abode is the remains of the Order Of The Silver Dragon. There is lots of foreshadowing for the story to come. 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. Each character rolls to pass through the scythes. The fight with her is also a very tense encounter, especially when her creeping hut comes to life to surprise your party. What this means is that anyone can use them, share them or modify them. As written, its a fun and challenging (almost too challenging!) 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. When the party opened the door to the nursery, I stole another DMs idea to let them see a woman shrouded in black standing beside the crib, her back to the door. 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. The nature of Barovia is that those things which were once good are destined to become corrupted. They will sing to wake up Lorghoth the Decayer, a Shambling Mound hiding in the southernmost alcove. 5 Tips for Running the Death House One-Shot From Curse of Strahd, make thecombat encounter more interesting, Strahd Must Die Tonight! 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. Thunk me later! THANK YOU SO MUCH. There, in the attic of the model, were 4 dolls: each depicting the various party members. Honestly, the story behind the adventure is incredibly grim and might be off-putting to some groups. I recently began running Curse of Strahd for some friends over Roll20, and u/paintraina's "What I have learned" series for the module has been incredibly helpful in my preparations. 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. We also replace the shambling mound with a Blood Hulk! According to the book that works, but you might rule otherwise. The goal is to lure the party into the house. Even just traveling around Barovia can be a spooky experience. But the most terrifying part of this theme is that it also applies to the party themselves. Few of those presented in this adventure, however, compare to the infamous Death House. Death House is a modern Dungeons & Dragons horror classic. So theres a certain level of are we going to play D&D? here. This not only provides a reason to potentially search the study (magic loot! When asked, Rose reported smugly that shed stopped him from scaring Thorn ever again. Consider liking our Facebook page. Death house should be run as written with the warning of maybe making some of the encounters easier. Death House rebuilds itself if burned down. Shadowrun: Astral Ways (Sixth World Setting Book), Star Trek Adventures MISSION PDF 022 Eight Layers Deep, BattleTech: Recognition Guide: ilClan Vol. Thank you! This site works best with JavaScript enabled. This probably explains why he loves story-driven games so much. I added a scrawny mutt hiding under a chair in the conservatory; when approached, the party could hear its whimpering. The players will attain level 2 after finding the secret passage to the dungeon. Remember that even though the Rose and Thorn that the party first encounters are illusions, theyre born from the houses sentience and could very wellrepresent who the kids were in life. The final confrontation in Death House is an odd one. She can potentially one-shot any member of the party each turn with her Life Drain ability. Or jump from a balcony. He is the Land." 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. Mimic the personalities of the illusions, but emphasize that these are the real kids who met a tragic end due to the foul machinations of their parents. This instantly made them think: Stop the altar -> get rid of the fog, and got them to climb to the top. 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 land is grim and desolate. The first is a set of Animated Armor that is positioned to possibly push a party member down the stairs. See here for more details. Almost parallels Death house. The party did some little experiments to see if the dolls moved if they left the room, but nothing happened. Not only will they encounter flame skulls, deadly traps, and a lich, but there is also the chance for your players to be corrupted by the pure evil confined within the Amber Vaults. Death House is a modern Dungeons & Dragons horror classic. I generally reduce her life drain to deal 1d6 necrotic damage if we didnt start the party at level 3. Be careful when you use these, though. The smoke worked great as a way to keep them moving. I almost just left it in but felt like it would have just confused my players. Let me clarify the party all died trying to flee the house in the end, but everyone still had a blast! It was amazing. If they try to turn back to explore Barovia, the mists surround them until theres no choice. I provided their flaws through PM, and both had a blast roleplaying it. Id greatly recommend also checking out my article on running horror in your own D&D 5e games! She was then stabbed by the cultists for unexplained reasons and cast aside. Nursemaids Suite and Storage Room.- The nursemaids specter can be found in either of these locations. I doubt that most non-murderhobo groups will actually sacrifice someone here. Running the Death House The main Curse of Strahd module encompasses levels 3-10. Like I mentioned, reducing the damage of the specters life drain is a good decision at this level. One only has to do a quick internet search for Death House TPK to see how manyparty wipes the house has inflicted. When they enter the village, the adventurers find out that they cant find anyone or access any location because of the mists, that ultimately lead them to Thorn and Rose Durst (Thornboldt and Rosavalda). Argynvostholt is a castle-like manor full of corruption and despair. You can really play on this unease to build up tension within the party, building it up until they are constantly on edge. Tsolenka Pass is relatively isolated from the rest of Barovia, making it quite an unsettling, lonely path for the party to travel down. 6.Upper Hall.- Theres a portrait of the Durst family. But, the locals of Barovia know little about the temple itself and its dark, twisted past. Consider adding a diary or a letter within the house explaining her side of the story, or change her behavior so that she doesnt outright attack the characters but instead protects the crib, forcing the party to observe her actions from afar and figure out her tragic origins. This prompted him to investigate the mirror, revealing the passage up. If you have fewer players, its easy enough to remove some of the enemies or lower how much HP each enemy has. Once this is noted, or the ghosts are interacted with, all of the dancers stop and stare at the PCs before vanishing. 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. She and her daughters are, in fact, a coven of Night Hags. RELATED: Dungeons & Dragons: The Best Adventures From Candlekeep Mysteries. 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. Did you do anything differently? Nowadays, it is the home of Baba Lysaga, an incredibly powerful witch linked to Strahd's past. Once theyve explored the first, second, and third floors (plus the attic if they find how to get there! Theres a lot going on in this adventure, but the Death House does a good job at getting the party acquainted with the themes and feelings of the rest of the campaign to come.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[728,90],'tabletopjoab_com-mobile-leaderboard-1','ezslot_25',146,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-tabletopjoab_com-mobile-leaderboard-1-0'); I cant say that its perfect for every group. Your group might choose to fight it and risk death. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Its the Durst Mansion or, if the kids are talking, our home. Nobodys going to eagerly go rushing into something called the Death House. Dungeon master guide and advice with the. Curse Of Strahd is one of the best campaigns for Dungeons & Dragons. 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. introduction to the bleak and despair-filled land of Barovia. 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 foreshadows Strahd's return after facing defeat at the players' hands. The second encounter is with a broom of animated attack. For your reference, these are the areas of the Death House that have interactive elements, lootable gear, or important encounters. If they refuse, the apparitions unleash a shambling mound named Lorghoth the Decayer on them. The Death House has become something of a modern classic for 5e players. A way to warn the party is the smell. Depictions of the Old Bonegrinder, a hags finger, a ghoul-skin cloak and more are all hints at what lies ahead. A level 2party which has had no long rests and several tough fights will not win this fight without losing some PCs. Im really loving the halloween content this year! There are 38 locations in the Death House. Letter two is in the 3rd Floor master suite, in MrsDursts jewelry box. Not all of them need to be visited, your group might skip some parts of the house or the dungeon. Its important to note that after exiting this place, its unlikely that the adventurers will visit it ever again. Avoid making it an outright execution if you can! This will be quite a deadly encounter, and the players will have to be quite lucky to escape these deadly hags. Well cover some of the changes that I make when Im running this dungeon for my groups later in this article. Remember that they dont know anything about the illusions outside (so theyre confused when the party accuses them of luring them in), that they know theyre dead, and that they dont want the PCs to abandon them. I won't plagiarize it here, but I highly recommend checking their work out here. Id recommend reducing the amount of damage that the specter does if youre not trying to make this overly challenging! Back in the Olden days we would play Judges Guild's 'Tegel Manor' for Halloween DnD'ing. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[728,90],'tabletopjoab_com-banner-1','ezslot_7',126,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-tabletopjoab_com-banner-1-0');The Death House is meant for a group of four level 1 characters. It's all important, because it also teaches the players to pay attention to the environment. You can let them know something is coming with smell and sounds. The tension of sneaking up to her hut and witnessing what she does within it will really mess with your players. But be warned: few who enter are fated to leave. Which makes for a really fast way to level up from level 1 to 3. One option you have is to just jump into it, with fresh characters, starting at Level 3. However, youd be hard-pressed to find someone who doesnt put the gothic horror adventure, Curse of Strahd, at the top of their list. Emphasize the sections of the house that reveal the eerie lore of the Dursts, and simplify all else. The walls and rats made for a great way to use lateral thinking to evade the blades. Please enable JavaScript to get the best experience from this site. Consider also reducing the number of ghouls and/or shadows in the Dungeon Level. Another poster provided the idea that Rose was a budding young wizard, having pieced together some scraps of knowledge from her fathers study downstairs. By the end of the Death House, there are three themes that should be firmly established in the players minds. The Paladin had done well at keeping Thorn from crying and the boy was excited to show the Paladin his toys. A link for the Death House adventure was shown in February's issue of Dragon+, and looks like it could be a great start to a lengthy D&D Ravenloft campaign. They can then prepare for it by placing the tank in the front and maybe even casting spells like Shield of Faith or Bless right before the fight. It is, of course, the finale of the entire campaign, as your players must venture inside to take on the formidable antagonist one last time. They dont know they are fabrications and react like real scared children. Alternative to Death House Pt 2. It is designed like this. The go-to source for comic and superhero movie fans. I loved that idea, and would recommend you implement that as well to make the connection more obvious. In short, yes, the Death House is a great low-level adventure for your group. 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. 4. Don't just drop the players in front of the children, make them go trough the initial adventure hook and trough the Gates Of Barovia. Set in the realm of Barovia, a Domain Of Dread within Ravenloft, your players find themselves transported here and trapped. You want this to be fun, scary, and challenging. Wizards of the Coast has given us the free adventure Death House to play at home last week as a preview of the Curse of Strahd book coming out this month. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'tabletopjoab_com-leader-3','ezslot_23',152,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-tabletopjoab_com-leader-3-0');This is a dungeon that doesnt pull punches and makes for quite the introduction to the land of Barovia! The only way to put the childrens spirits to rest is by moving their remains to their tombs in areas 23E and 23F. Careful investigation around the house reveals that Gustav Durst had an affair with the family nursemaid, who bore him a stillborn son named Walter. 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. If the players take a long rest on the second or third floor, describe to them the sound of footsteps descending from the attic and stopping outside of their door before moving away to the study. Covering the hottest movie and TV topics that fans want. For starters, that kind of monster is completely out of place here. By default, characters are supposed to enter the house at 1st level, level up to 2 after they find a set of secret stairs, and hit 3rd level when they make it out of the Death House alive. In particular, it makes the windmill known as the Old Bonegrinder a major point of interest for the party. Characters are especially squishy at 1st level, and Death House is a grindhouse horror experience complete with an overwhelmingly powerful final foe. Maybe as a specter, she now desires vengeance more than anything else and mourns for her son. It is a very fun encounter against an enemy who cannot be beaten. In reality it doesnt matter what or who dies on the altar. 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). (by the way, god practice for the Curse of Strahd module is to keep track of ammunition). Even (especially) the most ambitious of travelers have been crushed into dust by the horrors of this land. The Companion dives through every chapter of Curse of Strahd and incorporates Wyatt Trull's mithral-bestselling module, The Wedding at Ravenloft as the campaign's climax. They will have no other choice (Hop on the railroad car). I kept my players in initiative order even after theyd escaped Lorgoth (he didnt pursue them up out of the basement). For background the home is infused with the evil spirits of the cultists that once resided there. Copyright Finally, the specter of the Nursemaid can be encountered on the third floor. 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. They will be tempted by corrupting, evil, dark gifts that twist and mess with the characters. It helped pull the player into the story a lot more. If they kill any creature on the altar, the cult is appeased and the characters can leave the house freely. Secret Room.- Theres a letter by Strahd here. If an entire army of Knights could not defeat Strahd, what hope does your party have? I generally start my games at level 3. This sets the party up wonderfully to proceed into Barovia and the rest of the Curse of Strahd adventure. NEXT: Dungeons & Dragons: The Best Online Tools For DMs. Im a big fan of running it in my Curse of Strahd games. A lot of good ideas to make the story flow. Letter 3 is in the Basement master bedroom (where the ghosts are) - in the supplement, Mr Durst hung himself when he found out what his wife became. Also, as an important note, there are two major things that you absolutely should not do. So what purpose is there behind being a good person then? However, this is more a set of skill challenges than combat. The PCs have the hallways width to their favor, as its a natural funnel. 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. This is a good option if youre looking to explore some horror themes with your group and are on a budget. Well and Cultist Quarters.- In these rooms theres some treasure to be found. The main Curse of Strahd module encompasses levels 3-10. Depending on your group, the Death House can be completed in one or two 4-hour game sessions. 3. Alternatively a severely hurt PC might choose to volunteer himself for the sacrifice. Did you like this guide? The shadow encounter in the room with Strahds statue can also be pretty deadly. He will consider the decisions of the party regarding the sacrifice ritual. What makes this location all the scarier is that the party is most likely to reach this location at level three or four. Castle Ravenloft is the home of Strahd Von Zarovich and is quite a terrifying location. The characters must first survive a grueling series of battles in the dungeon before emerging into a ritual chamber where the spirits of deceased cultists appear and urge them to make a sacrifice. Its natural to expect that villains are prone to suffering and getting their just desserts when its all said and done. Be careful. At the very least, lower their hit points a bit. I really liked this idea, but I also didnt want to introduce Strahd so early. 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. Darklords Shrine.- Another lethal encounter, 5 shadows will wreck the party if they attack at once. Players destroyed the statue of Strahd at Death House. The most vital regions are bolded. Doing so will help make it more believable when the characters take the bait leading into the Death House. 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. Barovia becomes a tomb for all who end up there. I'm hosting my second ever session tonight and my party will be heading into the dungeonhave I missed something? There might be some who have managed to mostly keep out of trouble, but they are very few in these lands. This makes the encounter with a coven of hags all the more imposing. Results will vary depending on your groups disposition and alignment. I decided that the mutt would be Gertrudas old puppy, escaped from Mad Marys home in her grief after Strahd took her daughter. How did your sessions in Death House go? You can sprinkle in other encounters as necessary if the players are making good progress. Incredibly powerful witch linked to Strahd 's past some groups or important encounters some themes! All is well home of Strahd at Death House against the party is the remains how to survive the death house curse of strahd! Other related articles can be found here depending on your group of Animated attack number of ghouls shadows. Groups disposition and alignment pretty firmly into one of two camps this fight without losing PCs! 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