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In a rain-soaked graveyard, a small group of men stands round a coffin bound with heavy chains. “We are here to mourn the passing of Jean de Cardeau,” intones the village priest. “Let us pray that his rest is eternal, and that he never returns.”
As the pallbearers lift the coffin, something scrapes on the wood from inside. Quickly and without emotion, the attendants slide the casket into a crypt. Then they seal the door and flee. Behind them, unheard, a dull thudding begins, growing louder with the onset of twilight.
There can be no peace for those who linger in the earthly realm after death. And there can be no sanctuary on the Night of the Walking Dead!
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You’re a group of novice adventurers, traveling through a swamp in the Forgotten Realms on a raft, trying to reach a destination with a promise of adventure and great treasure.
“Night begins to settle over the swamp, cloaking the dense undergrowth in darkness and turning the water's surface to black. With it comes a clinging, creeping fog, rising from the water like spectral steam. The fog surrounds you, its dampness caressing you like cold, dead hands. The swamp seems to retreat from the mists, its sights and sounds disappearing into some unseen distance. All that remains visible is the cold, choking fog. Even your companions seem far away. For a moment, everything is quiet. What few sounds you can hear are amplified by the surrounding mists: your own breathing, your beating heart. Then the fog begins to dissipate, fading away as quickly as it appeared, leaving you and your companions alone in the dismal swamp.”
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The Details
This is a D&D 5th Edition conversion of the classic, 2nd Edition horror-themed adventure set in the Ravenloft campaign. It’s an introductory adventure featuring zombies, swamps and other creepy and deadly things.
This is a fairly short adventure. I'm running it as a nice counterbalance to a longer campaign I just kicked off a couple weeks ago.
Character Creation
- - 4-6 Players, either experienced with 5e or just 5e-curious.
- Characters start at Level 1, max HP + CON, standard starting equipment by class/background
- Standard Array or 27 point buy for base stats. Here’s an online Point-Buy calculator with race adjustments.
- If you're feeling lucky, you may instead roll 4d6 six times in the thread below, dropping the lowest from each roll, and arrange as you wish.
- The following WoTC sources are allowed: PHB; SCAG; EE (spells only); UA (Revised Ranger, Gothic Characters, Feats, Non-Divine Faithful); CoS Character Options *
- Optional rules allowed: Variant Human, Feats, optional sub-race rules from SCAG (except winged Tieflings)
- No winged/flying races allowed.
- You may use any method for character sheets, but all stats and abilities must be posted in your profile. This BBCode 5E character sheet may be useful.
- Any alignment is allowed, but remember that player cooperation is essential to survival.
- I will award Inspiration for exceptional RP.
Disclaimer and Content Warning
This is a horror adventure, as are most that are set in the Ravenloft world. It contains a mix of gothic and body horror. As it involves zombies, things can get a little intense and gross, with lots of dead and undead things. If that's not at all your cup of tea, you may wish to pass on this adventure.
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Recruiting will be open through Friday, October 22nd. Player selection and Gameplay will begin by October 26th. Expected posting frequency is around once per weekday.
Glossary for those unfamiliar with 5e:
WotC - Wizards of the Coast, publisher of D&D 5e.
PHB - Player's Handbook
SCAG - Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide
EE - Elemental Evil Player's Companion
UA - Unearthed Arcana
CoS - Curse of Strahd
Wow, super interested in this. Are you willing to try out homebrew stuff? I'd love a shot to try out The Hunter
@Johnnycat93
It's interesting. I'm not familiar with the game that inspired it. I need to think it over. I'm kind of feeling inclined to stick to the core 5E classes for this game. I do like the horror theme though.
Do you have a link to a PDF version of the class details, by chance? I'd like to add it to my homebrew collection. Or do you know if it's up on DMs Guild or anything?
No idea, sorry. I just saved the image files onto my computer. You could probably find an online converter to merge the image files into a pdf.
Here and Here are links to some content for the game if you're interested. I think it'd fit very well into a Ravenloft game. If there's anything I can do to help influence a decision, let me know.
I am 5e curious. Only ever done very tiny modules (as in, 1 hour one offs. Probably have 3 hours total playing it.)
While I like Pathfinder's INSANE variety, 5e is where my two IRL groups are looking next, so I should probably learn it :P
If you're familiar with Pathfinder, 5E is pretty easy to pick up. There are fewer options, and the rules are simpler. Character generation in 5E is much, much faster, mostly because 5E is a younger system and WotC is taking their time with releasing supplements this time.
Personally, while I like a lot of the fluff of Pathfinder, I'm not as fond of the heavy crunch, nor having to dig through multiple sources. On the other hand, the online SRD for Pathfinder is much better, as is having access to PDF editions of the books.
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Definitely interested. Will have to do the crunchy stuff over the weekend.
Considering some kind of a demon hunter/undead stalker kind of feel. Not sure if Ranger or Cleric/Paladin would have a better fit/feel for the vehicle for that fantasy just yet, will have to do some more reading. The other option I'm mulling is a rogue set to go either arcane trickster or assassin. Will post up later when I'm a bit more concrete on a character concept.
You might want to look at the Monster Hunter fighter archetype in the Gothic Heroes Unearthed Arcana article.
Likewise you can choose the undead as a favored enemy for a Ranger. I haven't played it yet, but everything I've read suggests the UA Revised Ranger class is a significant improvement over the original from the PHB.
I love this adventure! I have run it 3 times over the years and it's one of my favorite modules so no submission from me. Good luck to all players selected :-)
I believe I'm not playing in another game that's actually running this? In some similar ones, including one with Storyteller Shadow. But I love 5E, I dig Ravenloft and that theme of adventures, and so I'll throw my hat in here.
=11
=12
=16
=10
=9
16, 15, 12, 11, 10, 9. Very interesting... Now just the question of what to play. I love the idea of the revenant subrace, although I'd want to make sure the relentless nature goal is fitting and lengthy enough. Maybe a straight fighter, I haven't done one yet and they actually seem very good...
And by the by, while I'm doing shout-outs, hello, Atlas! Another War Cleric, I see! Also hello to Johnnycat--although I'm guessing no scarecrow this time around.
Hi there! Submission from Bimpnottin Daergel.
Should have everything in there
Regarding the lucky feat, what my alter-ego DM Critic said. =)
(We meet again, Atlas2112!)
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O.O
*goes and crawls into a corner and dies of embarrassment*
Oh, um, Hi TPJ! Oh, yeah, I totally knew it was you all along! Hah! And here you probably took me seriously when I said I was submitting a warcleric, thus giving you full saturation of me playing 1-dimensional hegemonic masculine space marines! Haha! Ha ha! ha! ....hah.
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Um, here's the REAL character submission from Atlas2112!
He's a Warlock, and has lots of charisma and is totally NOT all about crushing things and driving them before them for the greater glory of Torm.
(Whether he's all about crushing things for the greater glory of Shub-Niggurath is yet to be seen. ^_^)
I believe I'm not playing in another game that's actually running this? In some similar ones, including one with Storyteller Shadow. But I love 5E, I dig Ravenloft and that theme of adventures, and so I'll throw my hat in here.
Fear not Loup Blanc, I have no plans to run this one in our ongoing Ravenloft Campaign :-0
GM Lofty--Any particular setting we're coming from before Ravenloft, or does it matter? Just wondering in terms of backstory and all for characters, and whether we'd have clearance to come up with anything on our own. I'm assuming it likely won't matter much beyond background, since Ravenloft is separate from other planes and locations, but I wanted to ask.
At this point I'm pretty sure I'm gonna go with a Human Revenant Fighter.
GM Lofty--Any particular setting we're coming from before Ravenloft, or does it matter? Just wondering in terms of backstory and all for characters, and whether we'd have clearance to come up with anything on our own. I'm assuming it likely won't matter much beyond background, since Ravenloft is separate from other planes and locations, but I wanted to ask.
At this point I'm pretty sure I'm gonna go with a Human Revenant Fighter.
I had assumed the Forgotten Realms, but I'm not married to it.
I'm interested. I'll see what I can come up with, but I'll probably play a barbarian, monk, or bard.
O.O
*goes and crawls into a corner and dies of embarrassment*
Oh, um, Hi TPJ! Oh, yeah, I totally knew it was you all along! Hah! And here you probably took me seriously when I said I was submitting a warcleric, thus giving you full saturation of me playing 1-dimensional hegemonic masculine space marines! Haha! Ha ha! ha! ....hah.
If you want to play another War Cleric don't let me stop you. I honestly don't care if it's an entire party of gnome barbarians (that's just an example -- please don't all play gnome barbarians). You're the one whose character has to survive.
Unlike the other 5E adventure my alter-ego is running, this one is a little more relaxed. I'm not going to be as down on munchkins. Just have fun. :)
Rolling some background elements. Haunted One, I picked Harrowing Event and Trinket but I'll roll the rest.
Alright, I have the basic mechanics of the character done at this point, so I'm posting them in a spoiler, but I have a few questions for the GM as well.
Neutral Good Human Revenant Fighter 1
Initiative: +0
- - - - -
Hit Points: /13
Armor Class: 16
Saving Throw Proficiencies: Strength, Constitution
- - - - -
Speed 30 feet
Melee Wolf's Greatsword +5 (2d6+3)
Ranged Handaxe +5 (1d6+3)
Attack Options Great Weapon Fighting Style
- - - - -
Str 16, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 10
Proficiency Bonus: +2
Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, History, Perception, Survival
Tool Proficiencies: Pan flute
Languages: Common, Draconic, Undercommon
- - - - -
Class and Race Features
Fighting Style: The Old Wolf practices the Great Weapon Fighting Style. When he rolls a 1 or a 2 on a damage die for an attakc he makes with a melee weapon that he's wielding in two hands, he can reroll the die and take the new result, even if it is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property to benefit from this style.
Relentless Nature: As a revenant, the Old Wolf is nigh unstoppable until he completes his undying goal: [TBD]. Until he completes this goal, he gains the following benefits: If he is below half his hit point maximum at the start of his turn, he regains 1 hit point; if he dies, he returns to life 24 hours after death--if his body was destroyed, he reforms within 1 mile of the place of his death at a spot determined by the DM, although if his equipment was also destroyed, he does not regain it; and he knows the distance and direction between himself and any creature involved in his goal, although this awareness fails if the creature is on another plane of existence. When the Old Wolf's goal is complete, he finally finds rest: he dies and cannot be restored to life.
Second Wind: On his turn, the Old Wolf can use a bonus action to regain 1d10+1 hit points. Once he uses this feature, he must finish a short or long rest before he can use it again.
- - - - -
Background: Inheritor
Skill Proficiencies: History, Survival
Tool Proficiencies: Pan flute
Language: Undercommon
Feature--Inheritance: [TBD]
Personality Trait: When I set my mind to something, I follow through no matter what gets in my way. I don't run from evil. Evil runs from me.
Ideal: I kill monsters to make the world a safer place, and to exorcise my own demons.
Bond: I protect those who cannot protect themselves. I would sacrifice my life and soul to protect the innocent.
Flaw: I feel no compassion for the dead. They're the lucky ones.
2. Are you okay with helping come up with a lot of fluff for this character? You wouldn't necessarily need to do it all right away. Obviously as a revenant we'd need to come up with a goal, and as an Inheritor you'd work out the significance of his inheritance, but would you be okay with perhaps even more? I like the idea that he woke up with very little if any memory of his life before he became a revenant, and he's been aimlessly wandering since then--since his relentless nature wasn't pinging, since he wasn't in the right plane of existence. If you'd rather I not do that, that's fine, I just figured I'd ask.
Alright, I have the basic mechanics of the character done at this point, so I'm posting them in a spoiler, but I have a few questions for the GM as well.
** spoiler omitted **...
2. I can assist with coming up with stuff for the character. If you have anything in mind already, or anything you absolutely don't want, just PM me.
Here is the submission for Johnnycat. Any feedback, commentary, or criticism is welcome and appreciated.
Got the info in a profile along with some appearance and personality, and I'll be shooting a PM to you soon, GM Lofty.
The downside to announcing a Ravenloft game is that it discloses it to the characters ahead of time. It's much more fun to watch when players enter from another location.
Submissions thus far:
Erial Moonflower - Wood Elf Ranger (Bimpnottin Daergel)
Old Hunter Antonius- V Human Hunter (Johnnycat93)
Warrior of the White Wolf - Revenant Fighter (Loup Blanc)
Lord Borak the Despoiler - V Human Warlock, Great Old One (Atlas2112)
For anyone else who's considering a submission, the deadline is tomorrow.
If you get at least a basic concept (race, class, background) posted, I can give you a couple extra days to finish the crunch.
If you're not sure what to play, the group so far looks like it could really use a Cleric, and maybe a Rogue.
If it helps group cohesion and matters at all, I'd be willing to switch my character to a Paladin build to help with healing and divine such. Could still very easily fit him.
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f it helps group cohesion and matters at all, I'd be willing to switch my character to a Paladin build to help with healing and divine such. Could still very easily fit him.
Actually, if you could do that, that would be very, very great. Because....
Just have fun. :)
Really?
Really really?
Really really really?
Well, um, ok. I...I haven't whipped this out for quite some time but, but I think now might be a good time. I don't think I've ever played a PFS Sorc, and I've never played 5E sorc, so, I guess, now seems a good time for...
...the Big Reveal of...
@Loup Blanc, I'll leave group cohesion up to the players. My job is just to throw story and monsters at you. :)
@Atlas2112 Well, at least she's not a gnome barbarian. Or a war cleric. Or a snarky gnome rogue/wizard. =)
Submissions thus far:
Erial Moonflower - Wood Elf Ranger (Bimpnottin Daergel)
Old Hunter Antonius- V Human Hunter (Johnnycat93)
Warrior of the White Wolf - Revenant Fighter or Paladin (Loup Blanc)
Kara the Silvertongue - Halfling Sorceress (Atlas2112)
Since nobody else is really breaking the doors down trying to get in on this, probably because everyone's jumping on the Lost Mine of Phandelver (myself included), I'll leave recruitment open for a couple more days to see if we get any latecomers.
For those of you who have posted so far, go ahead and finish your builds if there's anything needed. I'll review them more in-depth in the next couple days.
The discussion thread is open so please check in when you have a chance. I'm looking to start gameplay around Wednesday. I'll contact you via PM if there's any glaring issues with your builds, or if I owe you any backstory material.
Hey TPJ! I just noticed this recruitment. I'd be very interested in playing in another 5e game.
@WarTortoise It looks good. Please get it set up into a standard profile when you have a chance.
@GM Niles, Welcome! I've got room for one more if you can get a character up rather quickly. I'm planning to post the introductory gameplay thread tomorrow. The party looks like they could use a cleric if you're looking for ideas, but I leave it up to you. :)
Here is GM Niles' Druid.
Alright, final roll call then:
Erial Moonflower - Wood Elf Ranger (Bimpnottin Daergel)
Old Hunter Antonius- V Human Hunter (Johnnycat93)
Warrior of the White Wolf - Revenant Fighter or Paladin (Loup Blanc)
Kara the Silvertongue - Halfling Sorceress/War Cleric (Atlas2112)
Otto Harvest-Moon - Half-Orc Sailor/Monk (WarTortoise)
Ausk the Heathenbane - Half-Orc Druid (GM Niles)
It's never really a party till the Half-Orcs show up. :)
This should be fun. I'll go over everyone's sheets one more time tonight and see if there's any glaring issues. I'll open the gameplay thread tomorrow and we'll dive right in.
Anyone who hasn't checked into the discussion thread please do so.
GM, I'm not sure how to set it up in a standard profile.
Otto, there's a bunch of ways that folks have done it. Once I create a profile for my alias, I go one of two ways:
Way 1: Create spoilers in the "About [InsertNameHere]" area for every section of your character sheet ([.spoiler={Spoiler Name Here}]Insert text inside of spoiler here[/.spoiler] just remove the periods inside the brackets, and don't have the curly braces around the name.
Way 2: Create one big spoiler and type/copy in your entire set of character sheet details. This is the method that I used for Erial's character sheet if you navigate to mine to take a look.
If you look in my first post on this thread, I have a link to a Google Doc for a BBCode 5E character sheet.
You can fill that out and copy/paste the contents into the About box on your profile page.
The other parts are optional, but most folks will put relevant stats in either the Race or Class field, as that'll show up under your name in posts. Usually stuff like HP, AC, Saves, etc. Here's a sample one from one of my other aliases:
Human Warlock 3 | AC 14 | Init +2 | HP 28/28 | Saves: STR+0 DEX +2 CON +4 INT +1 WIS +2 CHA +5 | Passive Perception 12
Thanks, I'm going to play around with it a bit.