Hey all, as a huge Ravenloft fan for many many years (way back in 2nd and 3rd edition D&D) I am really excited about potentially running this campaign (and have been for a long time). UNFORTUNATELY, about 4 years back I played in this game, but we only made it to the end of Book 2. One of the other players at the time is going to be one of my CURRENT players. He and I have talked about it, and because we both know Harrowstone so well, I was looking to change things up pretty majorly for books 1 & 2, and also bring a lot of Ravenloft's elements and characters into the story. This post is going to deal entirely (for now) with book 1.
**SPOILERS AHEAD**
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
So, for started, I plan to keep the concept of the small village where the good professor lived. Professor Lorimor very much reminds me of Rudolf Von Richten of Ravenloft, and Ravengro could easily pass as a small, backwater version of Mordentshire. Perhaps it was once a town where the nobility used to vacation before the capital of Ustalav was relocated, and since the relocation the noble visits have dwindled. While the town is run by a council, it still maintains the old aristocratic leader, more as a figurehead than anyone with real power: Lord Jules Weathermay. SO, to take up the place of Lorimor/VonRichten's "daughter" is the closest thing Von Richten had during his monster-hunting days: the Foxglvoe-Weathermay twins Gennifer and Laurie.
A GHOST STORY & THE HAUNTED HOUSE
Instead of the Harrowstone prison, but still keeping with the ghostly feel, I was going to change it to the House on Gryffon Hill, home of the wicked ghost Lord Willian Godefroy. In this, perhaps the aforementioned ghosts from Harrowstone were brought to Godefroy prior to his death 200 years ago, either to be judged or to serve their punishment, and in death have become more akin to his lieutenants. In this scenario, Godefroy and the various spirits of Gryffon Hill have been silent for many years, thanks in no small part to the earlier work of the good Doctor Rudolf VonRichten. With his death, Godefroy is awakening, and his minions are active.
THE RESTLANDS AND OTHER TROUBLES
One of the other things I truly loved about Mordent (Ravenloft) was the Mournsworth Cemetery, a concept of this sprawling cemetery ground not unlike the Restlands. Given the Whispering Way has been active in the area, I was thinking it might make sense to have a few minions still lurking about. With such a small town where everyone knows everyone, it would be hard to hide. But a good majority of the Whispering Way are undead already, right? What's to say the Way's agents haven't set up their hideout somewhere in the vast graveyard outside of town? So, maybe to change up and avoid the obvious replay of the Splatterman (as AWESOME as he is)... what if people start going missing? Some of it could be the result of the Whispering Way ghouls, and some of it could be Godefroy adding to his collection of "servants" with the help of his lieutenants - lure some kids into the house and cause an accident that kills them, etc.
So the adventure gets split into 2 parts: 1 the Gryffon Hill Manor, and 1 the ghoul den under the Restlands. The estate would be significantly smaller than Harrowstone to make up for this added region.
WHY IS ALL THIS HAPPENING?
Lastly, the thought occurs to me that maybe it wasn't something at Gryffon Hill they Whispering Way wanted, but some artifact VonRichten had been keeping locked away and out of its hands. What is happening at Harrowstone/Gryffon Hill is not the DIRECT goal of the Whispering Way, but rather a side effect of their ransacking VonRichten's house and stealin/breaking potentially powerful tools he has used in his career. Perhaps they even realized it, and are using it as a trap to further their goals and keep VonRichten's "associates" from getting involved, as they likely are to do so. Thus, the Reading of the Will is not done at VonRichten's house, but rather the magistrate's. As part of the will, they are given the key to VonRichten's house, where they (and the twins, having recently returned from their own hunting trip or perhaps family business in Caliphas) find the house torn apart. Most of VonRichten's notes are either gone or scattered horribly. It is within these scattered remnants the group will find the various books and journals related to the adventure, as well as a secret cache VonRichten secured where he hid the most dangerous books - and a cyphered journal/letter in case of his untimely demise.
Within this cypher VonRichten reveals he was aware of the cult's activities in town, and knew they were sniffing around Gryffon Hill (this was actually a ruse to lure him out). He fears (right result, wrong reason) that the Way is seeking to release Godefroy, and so within his cyphered notes are the means to deal with the evil spirit, tools he used before which now are either in the possession of the Ghouls, or must be recreated from scratch (since they were taken by the Whispering Way).
THE FUNERAL & THE BIG BAD
One thing I really dislike in a lot of the APs is the BBEG coming out of left field (looking at you, Kingmaker), or just coming in late to the game. I'm thinking of having Andivison in some manner attend the funeral as a member of the monster-fighting VonRichten society. Of course, he is really just there to keep tabs on his enemies now, before they become too powerful, and will leave shortly after the funeral. He may, for his own reasons/amusement/(hope he kills more VonRichten Society members) be the first to suggest the good doctor's death was no accident. In truth, VonRichten knew he had a mile within the society, and was dangerously close to uncovering who.
END RESULT
So with all of this in mind... I could really use some thoughts just on this book 1 premise. Are there some glaring plot holes I might want to focus on filling in? Suggestions on other material I might look into? (Thinking of using a boosted up Gallows of Madness for part of Book 2). Any comments/suggestions/questions/concerns are appreciated.
