Expedition to Castle Ravenloft (In Eberron) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Expedition to Castle Ravenloft (In Eberron) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Dawn_of_an_Age
09-11-06, 01:10 PM Found this tidbit on the main page for up and coming new releases. Have any of you read or played the 1st Edition original, and if so, how well do you think it will fit into Eberron, particularly the Mournland?

Here's the excerpt.

Anyone that has been around for a while (particularly if you were adventuring back in '83) has surely heard of Ravenloft. This 224-page hardcover adventure updates and expands one of the most popular, memorable, and infamous adventures ever released for the game -- the 1st-Edition AD&D adventure Module I6: Ravenloft.

Since this one is an adventure, I don't want to go into much detail about it, but I will go so far as to suggest that characters might want to toss a few extra garlic cloves and wooden stakes into their backpacks. That helpful tidbit aside, the most useful thing I can offer is a look at the back cover copy:

A dark shape emerges from the shadow of Castle Ravenloft. A flash of lightning reveals the sneering countenance of Count Strahd von Zarovich. His eyes burn with eternal hunger and contempt for life. From a narrow balcony, he peers out into the drizzling twilight at the few sad lights of the village below and mutters a single name:

"Ireena . . ."

Expedition to Castle Ravenloft is a Dungeons & Dragons deluxe adventure that updates the original 1st Edition Ravenloft module, retaining the Gothic flavor and familiar elements while expanding and reimagining some of the locations to create a deeper, richer adventure experience.

This campaign arc adventure is designed for characters of levels 6-10 and features a new, easy-to-use combat encounter format. This book also presents new magic items, feats, and prestige classes for player characters.
DarkPawn
09-11-06, 01:18 PM Found this tidbit on the main page for up and coming new releases. Have any of you read or played the 1st Edition original, and if so, how well do you think it will fit into Eberron, particularly the Mournland.

Here's the excerpt.

Anyone that has been around for a while (particularly if you were adventuring back in '83) has surely heard of Ravenloft. This 224-page hardcover adventure updates and expands one of the most popular, memorable, and infamous adventures ever released for the game -- the 1st-Edition AD&D adventure Module I6: Ravenloft.

Since this one is an adventure, I don't want to go into much detail about it, but I will go so far as to suggest that characters might want to toss a few extra garlic cloves and wooden stakes into their backpacks. That helpful tidbit aside, the most useful thing I can offer is a look at the back cover copy:

A dark shape emerges from the shadow of Castle Ravenloft. A flash of lightning reveals the sneering countenance of Count Strahd von Zarovich. His eyes burn with eternal hunger and contempt for life. From a narrow balcony, he peers out into the drizzling twilight at the few sad lights of the village below and mutters a single name:

"Ireena . . ."

Expedition to Castle Ravenloft is a Dungeons & Dragons deluxe adventure that updates the original 1st Edition Ravenloft module, retaining the Gothic flavor and familiar elements while expanding and reimagining some of the locations to create a deeper, richer adventure experience.

This campaign arc adventure is designed for characters of levels 6-10 and features a new, easy-to-use combat encounter format. This book also presents new magic items, feats, and prestige classes for player characters.

I faintly remember playing the original campaign setting at GenCon in Milwaukee, WI. This was many moons ago. I remember enjoying it and being scared out of my paints when playing it. Other then that I don't have exact details.

I always pictured Karnnath and Kaius as being very similar to Barovia and Strahd. It wouldn't be difficult to interchange the two if you were using a Ravenloft (Strahd or Barovia) module.
WeZil
09-11-06, 01:24 PM I wouldn't be so sure, given that there's many features about the Ravenloft Campaign Setting that are very-much-so not present in Eberron, 'cept maybe in the Mournland.

Or you could just cop out and use the Ravenloft Campaign Setting and say your Eberron characters were unfortunate enough to be picked up by the Roaving Mists of the Demiplane of Dread.
Ellorin
09-11-06, 02:27 PM It might have worked in Aerenal before the war that destroyed the line of Vol. Ravenloft should become a remote, Vol-occupied area. Naturally, Strahd andthe others would be elves now (forget about the von Zarovich).Perhaps if you found a way to send the players back in time...On the other hand,who knows? Castle Ravenloft might still be deep in the Madwood...
Kreistor1
09-12-06, 10:34 AM A setting like this that does not consider the anti-healing effect of the Mournland would be a very short campaign.

I'd go with Karrnathi. Obvious, but it includes the least amount of work for the DM to shoehorn the place in.
Mort_Q
09-17-06, 01:35 PM A setting like this that does not consider the anti-healing effect of the Mournland would be a very short campaign.

I'd go with Karrnathi. Obvious, but it includes the least amount of work for the DM to shoehorn the place in.

Or, you could say the castle sits within a convenient Irian manifest zone... so fleeing the castle may me more dangerous than staying.
AkumaDaimyo
09-18-06, 08:21 AM Well offically Eberron is NOT part of the same cosmology as Ravenloft. Characters from Eberron cannot go to Krynn, Faerun, Toril, Darksun, Kara-Tur, Planescape, or Ravenloft. However it's your own game you can do what you want but keep in mind Eberron chars aren't a part of those 2cd ed worlds.
Frederyck
09-18-06, 09:03 AM Well offically Eberron is NOT part of the same cosmology as Ravenloft. Characters from Eberron cannot go to Krynn, Faerun, Toril, Darksun, Kara-Tur, Planescape, or Ravenloft. However it's your own game you can do what you want but keep in mind Eberron chars aren't a part of those 2cd ed worlds.

The original 1st ed. Ravenloft "I6" wasn't a specific setting, just an enclosed (and hard to escape from) adventure-site you could plop into any existing campaign. It seems from the blurb that this product derives more from that adventure than from the 2nd ed. setting. And to that I say: Yay!
Horus
09-19-06, 05:44 AM Barovia, a remote duchy of Cyre. Once famed for it's healing springs and it's connection to Irian it was home to a great House Jorasco retreat, even during the heights of the last war it was spared the worst of atrocities.

When the Day of Mourning occured the plane of Irian (manifest in the area surrounding Castle Ravenloft) itself responded and created a bubble against which the mists swirl eternally and hungrily, along the lands forlorn border.

The healing properties of Irian are now muted but amazingly still allow spells of the healing subschool to work.

Ok it's a bit cack but I am meant to actually be working at the mo, the point is I think that the Mournlands are the perfect choice for a supposedly isolated location. The other idea that popped to mind is a remote island just off of the Lhazaar principalities.

Anyway, just sharing some thoughts.:)
Seth of the First Brigade
09-20-06, 12:10 AM Barovia, a remote duchy of Cyre. Once famed for it's healing springs and it's connection to Irian it was home to a great House Jorasco retreat, even during the heights of the last war it was spared the worst of atrocities.

When the Day of Mourning occured the plane of Irian (manifest in the area surrounding Castle Ravenloft) itself responded and created a bubble against which the mists swirl eternally and hungrily, along the lands forlorn border.

The healing properties of Irian are now muted but amazingly still allow spells of the healing subschool to work.

Ok it's a bit cack but I am meant to actually be working at the mo, the point is I think that the Mournlands are the perfect choice for a supposedly isolated location. The other idea that popped to mind is a remote island just off of the Lhazaar principalities.

Anyway, just sharing some thoughts.:)

Indeed...and a pretty cool idea at that I might add...Thanks!:D
Charles Phipps
09-20-06, 01:48 AM What Makes Ravenloft into Eberron is POLITICS my friends!

Here's my version:

King Kaius' pact with Erandis D'Vol has caused significant problems for him, not the least of which is the loss of one of his territories. The Valley of Barovia was deed to Count Strahd Von Zharovich with all of its properties for his service in the Last War. Now, they are utterly out of his control.

After the "victory" of the Last War, Count Strahd took up residence in the region as a reward and summoned his family to hold at his new properties. Unfortunately, the last three years were not particularly kind to Strahd as he had grown up as a ruthless military dictator and he was not well disposed to civil administration. The people hated him and loved his effeminate half-breed (his mother being a Lyrander half-elf) brother Sergei that had shamed the family with bardcraft as his chosen profession.

Count Strahd was furthermore insulted when his son was offered an elven bride from the House of Valenar in hopes of strengthening the ties between the border region while neatly sidestepping Strahd's undead host that was repulsive to them. The beautiful Tatyana was a warrior woman of significant skill and soon fell in love with him for more than politics.

Strahd was approached by King Kaius in private as Kaius decided that the best way to secure Strahd's loyalty was to reveal his true nature and offer the seasoned general immortality. In exchange for this and allowing Strahd to claim his brother's bride as his own, Strahd would proceed to use his skill as a general to hunt down and eliminate the Emerald Claw in the surrounding regions with all the savagery of before.

Well, we all know how it turned out. Strahd killed his brother and proceeded to go after Tatyana to be rejected only to then go berserk and slaughter the wedding party. This disaster also resulted in Strahd feeling cheated by Kaius as he then promptly shut the borders of his land with his zombie host and has invited the the Emerald Claw to take up roost in his land (they sending some very generous attractive members to help soothe Strahd's ego)

Valenar is of course, incised and intend to tear Strahd out of that castle by force with this as the perfect excuse for war. King Kaius intends to deliver the head of the man to them as payment but he knows that an open war will play right into Strahd's hands. He also knows Strahd will blab the truth of his nature to the entire countryside. Kaius thus intercepts the Burgomeister's plea to to King Kaius to leave them alone since war would only destroy the land and rewrite it as a plea to the PCs to come rescue them.

Also, unbeknownst to Kaius, Tatyana is still alive. She had a Token of Feather Fall and while gravely injured, she's been recouperating at a local Burgomeister's home. Strahd is royally BRASSED off about this and intends to claim her anyway he can.

A group of Kalashatar have also set up shop in front of the castle with the old Witch Evarra being more neutral than most of her kind and willing to deal with the undead in exchange for protection from the Inspired in the area.
Glupinickname
09-20-06, 08:24 AM W00+!!!!! Where's that adventure?! I want to play it!!!!
shadowpavement
09-20-06, 10:13 AM WOOT!!! Indeed

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Dawn_of_an_Age 09-11-06, 01:10 PM	Found this tidbit on the main page for up and coming new releases. Have any of you read or played the 1st Edition original, and if so, how well do you think it will fit into Eberron, particularly the Mournland? Here's the excerpt. Anyone that has been around for a while (particularly if you were adventuring back in '83) has surely heard of Ravenloft. This 224-page hardcover adventure updates and expands one of the most popular, memorable, and infamous adventures ever released for the game -- the 1st-Edition AD&D adventure Module I6: Ravenloft. Since this one is an adventure, I don't want to go into much detail about it, but I will go so far as to suggest that characters might want to toss a few extra garlic cloves and wooden stakes into their backpacks. That helpful tidbit aside, the most useful thing I can offer is a look at the back cover copy: A dark shape emerges from the shadow of Castle Ravenloft. A flash of lightning reveals the sneering countenance of Count Strahd von Zarovich. His eyes burn with eternal hunger and contempt for life. From a narrow balcony, he peers out into the drizzling twilight at the few sad lights of the village below and mutters a single name: "Ireena . . ." Expedition to Castle Ravenloft is a Dungeons & Dragons deluxe adventure that updates the original 1st Edition Ravenloft module, retaining the Gothic flavor and familiar elements while expanding and reimagining some of the locations to create a deeper, richer adventure experience. This campaign arc adventure is designed for characters of levels 6-10 and features a new, easy-to-use combat encounter format. This book also presents new magic items, feats, and prestige classes for player characters.
DarkPawn 09-11-06, 01:18 PM	Found this tidbit on the main page for up and coming new releases. Have any of you read or played the 1st Edition original, and if so, how well do you think it will fit into Eberron, particularly the Mournland. Here's the excerpt. Anyone that has been around for a while (particularly if you were adventuring back in '83) has surely heard of Ravenloft. This 224-page hardcover adventure updates and expands one of the most popular, memorable, and infamous adventures ever released for the game -- the 1st-Edition AD&D adventure Module I6: Ravenloft. Since this one is an adventure, I don't want to go into much detail about it, but I will go so far as to suggest that characters might want to toss a few extra garlic cloves and wooden stakes into their backpacks. That helpful tidbit aside, the most useful thing I can offer is a look at the back cover copy: A dark shape emerges from the shadow of Castle Ravenloft. A flash of lightning reveals the sneering countenance of Count Strahd von Zarovich. His eyes burn with eternal hunger and contempt for life. From a narrow balcony, he peers out into the drizzling twilight at the few sad lights of the village below and mutters a single name: "Ireena . . ." Expedition to Castle Ravenloft is a Dungeons & Dragons deluxe adventure that updates the original 1st Edition Ravenloft module, retaining the Gothic flavor and familiar elements while expanding and reimagining some of the locations to create a deeper, richer adventure experience. This campaign arc adventure is designed for characters of levels 6-10 and features a new, easy-to-use combat encounter format. This book also presents new magic items, feats, and prestige classes for player characters. I faintly remember playing the original campaign setting at GenCon in Milwaukee, WI. This was many moons ago. I remember enjoying it and being scared out of my paints when playing it. Other then that I don't have exact details. I always pictured Karnnath and Kaius as being very similar to Barovia and Strahd. It wouldn't be difficult to interchange the two if you were using a Ravenloft (Strahd or Barovia) module.
WeZil 09-11-06, 01:24 PM	I wouldn't be so sure, given that there's many features about the Ravenloft Campaign Setting that are very-much-so not present in Eberron, 'cept maybe in the Mournland. Or you could just cop out and use the Ravenloft Campaign Setting and say your Eberron characters were unfortunate enough to be picked up by the Roaving Mists of the Demiplane of Dread.
Ellorin 09-11-06, 02:27 PM	It might have worked in Aerenal before the war that destroyed the line of Vol. Ravenloft should become a remote, Vol-occupied area. Naturally, Strahd andthe others would be elves now (forget about the von Zarovich).Perhaps if you found a way to send the players back in time...On the other hand,who knows? Castle Ravenloft might still be deep in the Madwood...
Kreistor1 09-12-06, 10:34 AM	A setting like this that does not consider the anti-healing effect of the Mournland would be a very short campaign. I'd go with Karrnathi. Obvious, but it includes the least amount of work for the DM to shoehorn the place in.
Mort_Q 09-17-06, 01:35 PM	A setting like this that does not consider the anti-healing effect of the Mournland would be a very short campaign. I'd go with Karrnathi. Obvious, but it includes the least amount of work for the DM to shoehorn the place in. Or, you could say the castle sits within a convenient Irian manifest zone... so fleeing the castle may me more dangerous than staying.
AkumaDaimyo 09-18-06, 08:21 AM	Well offically Eberron is NOT part of the same cosmology as Ravenloft. Characters from Eberron cannot go to Krynn, Faerun, Toril, Darksun, Kara-Tur, Planescape, or Ravenloft. However it's your own game you can do what you want but keep in mind Eberron chars aren't a part of those 2cd ed worlds.
Frederyck 09-18-06, 09:03 AM	Well offically Eberron is NOT part of the same cosmology as Ravenloft. Characters from Eberron cannot go to Krynn, Faerun, Toril, Darksun, Kara-Tur, Planescape, or Ravenloft. However it's your own game you can do what you want but keep in mind Eberron chars aren't a part of those 2cd ed worlds. The original 1st ed. Ravenloft "I6" wasn't a specific setting, just an enclosed (and hard to escape from) adventure-site you could plop into any existing campaign. It seems from the blurb that this product derives more from that adventure than from the 2nd ed. setting. And to that I say: Yay!
Horus 09-19-06, 05:44 AM	Barovia, a remote duchy of Cyre. Once famed for it's healing springs and it's connection to Irian it was home to a great House Jorasco retreat, even during the heights of the last war it was spared the worst of atrocities. When the Day of Mourning occured the plane of Irian (manifest in the area surrounding Castle Ravenloft) itself responded and created a bubble against which the mists swirl eternally and hungrily, along the lands forlorn border. The healing properties of Irian are now muted but amazingly still allow spells of the healing subschool to work. Ok it's a bit cack but I am meant to actually be working at the mo, the point is I think that the Mournlands are the perfect choice for a supposedly isolated location. The other idea that popped to mind is a remote island just off of the Lhazaar principalities. Anyway, just sharing some thoughts.:)
Seth of the First Brigade 09-20-06, 12:10 AM	Barovia, a remote duchy of Cyre. Once famed for it's healing springs and it's connection to Irian it was home to a great House Jorasco retreat, even during the heights of the last war it was spared the worst of atrocities. When the Day of Mourning occured the plane of Irian (manifest in the area surrounding Castle Ravenloft) itself responded and created a bubble against which the mists swirl eternally and hungrily, along the lands forlorn border. The healing properties of Irian are now muted but amazingly still allow spells of the healing subschool to work. Ok it's a bit cack but I am meant to actually be working at the mo, the point is I think that the Mournlands are the perfect choice for a supposedly isolated location. The other idea that popped to mind is a remote island just off of the Lhazaar principalities. Anyway, just sharing some thoughts.:) Indeed...and a pretty cool idea at that I might add...Thanks!:D
Charles Phipps 09-20-06, 01:48 AM	What Makes Ravenloft into Eberron is POLITICS my friends! Here's my version: King Kaius' pact with Erandis D'Vol has caused significant problems for him, not the least of which is the loss of one of his territories. The Valley of Barovia was deed to Count Strahd Von Zharovich with all of its properties for his service in the Last War. Now, they are utterly out of his control. After the "victory" of the Last War, Count Strahd took up residence in the region as a reward and summoned his family to hold at his new properties. Unfortunately, the last three years were not particularly kind to Strahd as he had grown up as a ruthless military dictator and he was not well disposed to civil administration. The people hated him and loved his effeminate half-breed (his mother being a Lyrander half-elf) brother Sergei that had shamed the family with bardcraft as his chosen profession. Count Strahd was furthermore insulted when his son was offered an elven bride from the House of Valenar in hopes of strengthening the ties between the border region while neatly sidestepping Strahd's undead host that was repulsive to them. The beautiful Tatyana was a warrior woman of significant skill and soon fell in love with him for more than politics. Strahd was approached by King Kaius in private as Kaius decided that the best way to secure Strahd's loyalty was to reveal his true nature and offer the seasoned general immortality. In exchange for this and allowing Strahd to claim his brother's bride as his own, Strahd would proceed to use his skill as a general to hunt down and eliminate the Emerald Claw in the surrounding regions with all the savagery of before. Well, we all know how it turned out. Strahd killed his brother and proceeded to go after Tatyana to be rejected only to then go berserk and slaughter the wedding party. This disaster also resulted in Strahd feeling cheated by Kaius as he then promptly shut the borders of his land with his zombie host and has invited the the Emerald Claw to take up roost in his land (they sending some very generous attractive members to help soothe Strahd's ego) Valenar is of course, incised and intend to tear Strahd out of that castle by force with this as the perfect excuse for war. King Kaius intends to deliver the head of the man to them as payment but he knows that an open war will play right into Strahd's hands. He also knows Strahd will blab the truth of his nature to the entire countryside. Kaius thus intercepts the Burgomeister's plea to to King Kaius to leave them alone since war would only destroy the land and rewrite it as a plea to the PCs to come rescue them. Also, unbeknownst to Kaius, Tatyana is still alive. She had a Token of Feather Fall and while gravely injured, she's been recouperating at a local Burgomeister's home. Strahd is royally BRASSED off about this and intends to claim her anyway he can. A group of Kalashatar have also set up shop in front of the castle with the old Witch Evarra being more neutral than most of her kind and willing to deal with the undead in exchange for protection from the Inspired in the area.
Glupinickname 09-20-06, 08:24 AM	W00+!!!!! Where's that adventure?! I want to play it!!!!
shadowpavement 09-20-06, 10:13 AM	WOOT!!! Indeed