Curse of Strahd Setting Notes
| D&D: The Curse of Strahd | |
|---|---|
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| GM | |
| Mark | |
| Milestones | |
| Level 1 | |
| Characters | |
| TBD | |
| Campaign Rules | |
| House Rules · Setting Notes |
Barovia one of multiple domains, a realm of darkness and mists deeply shrounded in mystery. The greater area is known as Ravenloft, or the Domains of Dread. Your characters know nothing about realm as those that Ravenloft swallows almost never return. There is one major exception, which the characters will eventually learn.
Although ostensibly alike the Material Plane, characters will discover that many things work differently and assumptions on how the world works can be problematic at best, or fatal at worst.
The Land is Bleak
By the will of the Dark Powers, the sun never fully shines in the lands of Barovia. Even during the day, the sky is dimmed by fog or storm clouds, or the light is strangely muted. Barovian daylight is bright light, yet it isn’t considered sunlight for the purpose of effects and vulnerabilities such as a vampire's penalties, or a dark elf's sensitivity.
A dark sentience infuses the very soil, twisting and contorting everything within. In places where you would normally expect wildlife such as deer, rabbits, or squirrels, you instead find wolves, rats, and mangy dogs. Vegetation is rotted and dead, and forests are filled mostly with gnarled, thick trees with bare branches. Colorful, vivacious things simply do not exist.
Changes to Magic
The Dark Powers have altered the rules of magic in Ravenloft, a demiplane on its own.
- No spell, not even wish, will allow escape from Barovia. This includes such spells as astral projection, teleport, plane shift and other similar spells. Spells that banish a creature to another plane of existence simply do not work. This applies to all magical items or artifacts that may allow casting of such spells or have effects similar to such spells.
- Magic that touches the Border Ethereal, such as etherealness still work as does the Etherealness power of undead. However, on leaving this plane, they are pulled back into Ravenloft.
- For spells that cross or are blocked by planar boundaries, such as sending, may have altered effects which characters may discover on casting.
- Magic that summons creatures from other planes functions normally, as does any magic involving extradimensional space (such as Mordenkianen's Magnificient Mansion)
- Powers that come from deities or other powers still function normally in Ravenloft.
- Spells that contact beings from other planes still work -- although possibly not as expected, as characters may discover.
- Numerous spells with a visual component are likely to be altered to reflect the gothic dread of the setting. Mage Hand will be skeletal, Gust of Wind may be accompanied by a ghastly moan, or Spirit Guardians manifests as skeletal warriors. Healing spells will feel uncomfortable and leave the recipient feeling dirty, or spiritually soiled.
A Land of Privation
Unlike Faerûn, many things that adventurers often take for granted - equipment restock, easy access to temples for healing, raising from the dead, or removal of curses - are not readily available in Ravenloft. These things, when found, will come with a steep price. Characters who are more self-sufficient and trained in tools may find it easier to find the raw materials and then craft their own equipment.