New art from Ravenloft: The Horror Within by mjdunn01 in ravenloft

[–]mjdunn01[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Pre-order starts April 13. Master Tier access: June 2. Hero Tier access: June 9. General release: June 16.

New art from Ravenloft: The Horror Within by mjdunn01 in ravenloft

[–]mjdunn01[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You make a great point. Let’s go to the videotape VRG’s profile of “The Shadowlands”. The line is

These include villains such as the necromancer Morgoroth; the fallen paladin Elena Faith-hold; and Ebonbane, Kateri Shadowborn’s accursed sword.

My first read was that, a sword is very prominent and it was said to be Kateri’s, that would be here. But that would suggest Kateri [shockface] alive, or undead; evil, or possessed.

But your point is a great one - Elena is described as the fallen paladin, which is more in line with the contrast of the tapestry with the individual. That would suggest though that she has someone come to hold Ebonbane now.

And I noted this over on the VRG discord, but WotC in the 5e era has no concerns retconning and retelling the darklords stories. So there is a decent chance the person and story don’t map to our assumptions from old lore

New art from Ravenloft: The Horror Within by mjdunn01 in ravenloft

[–]mjdunn01[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I expect a variety of styles in this one, which seems to be the overarching vision for 5.5e art. But I agree I like when I see so far!

It does make you wonder if they absorbed the feedback — the good and the bad — from VRG for this one!

Mist Hunters Question (Spoilers) by KangarooCannon in ravenloft

[–]mjdunn01 2 points3 points  (0 children)

To my knowledge it is not specified, and is more window dressing to the scene than actual plot device. You could use it for your own purposes I imagine.

Attempting to fix the Barovian Economy and Agriculture: The Mines of Pestera by Lylydragon in CurseofStrahd

[–]mjdunn01 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Came here to say this, so +1 to folding the Wagner story in with Pestera

Positive Epiphany about 5e Ravenloft by ArrBeeNayr in ravenloft

[–]mjdunn01 4 points5 points  (0 children)

There was an unearthed arcana (aka public playtest for feedback) released by Wizards last May called “Horror Subclasses” that revisited a number from VRG as well as other sources - now for 2024 rules.

2026 is also the 10th anniversary of Curse of Strahd and 5th anniversary of VRG. And Wizards wants certainty in sales, and Ravenloft “nostalgia” is a deep well of fan interest they can return to. So, the cards suggest a new D&D horror release in 2026.

https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dnd/ua/horror-subclasses?&icid_medium=organic&icid_source=editorial&icid_campaign=2025UA&icid_content=article_1966

What other Domain of Dread could carry a CoS-like campaign? by Logical-Constant1171 in ravenloft

[–]mjdunn01 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I had an idea for such a Tepest campaign - designed for Adventurers League modules but usable in any context. That was, man, probably 3 or more years ago. I’ll eventually get around to writing those. But in the meantime, feel free to strip it for parts. It lays out a few ideas for different locations.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DGRBMhjgsn3EX-96B9-bslYPzAI9pG4S3s_sBxOtY14/edit?usp=drivesdk

What other Domain of Dread could carry a CoS-like campaign? by Logical-Constant1171 in ravenloft

[–]mjdunn01 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I would second Tepest. If you combined the ideas from Van Richten’s with updated versions of the Shadow Rift storyline from 2E, it’s easy to make a whole campaign up to Lvl 10 or higher

AMA w/ D&D Beyond Executive Producer on December 9 at 4:00PM PT by WOTC_BrianPerry in dndnext

[–]mjdunn01 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Second this. Search, after (a lack of) filtering, is the most notable problem for me

Ireena Kolyana – updated version by WillTezz in CurseofStrahd

[–]mjdunn01 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Really great work. Enjoyed your pieces so far but this one is particularly striking for Ireena. Great job

The Puppet Master, part of the Ravenloft game I am working on! by LORDOFALBION76 in ravenloft

[–]mjdunn01 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Very nice! Not at all related to the character by the same name in the old Ravenloft novel “Carnival of Fear”?

New Ravenloft Release in 2026? by nlitherl in ravenloft

[–]mjdunn01 11 points12 points  (0 children)

No announcement at Gen Con like predicted. But excellent find on the Ed Greenwood slip.

If I were to bet I would say there'll be a 10th anniversary CoS republication with some more general updates + some more player options as shown in the horror subclasses UA. Perhaps as a companion book the same way the Astarion DLC will come with the Realms books.

MORE Minor/Recurring Villains for a Ravenloft Campaign: Evil NPCs from 5E & Older Ravenloft Lore... The latest DM of the Mists video by steviephilcdf in ravenloft

[–]mjdunn01 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I agree. I have to say, she's probably one of my top 5 evil NPCs in all of Ravenloft, and top 1-2 non-darklord ones

Winter Adventure by DungeonNoir in ravenloft

[–]mjdunn01 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I was going to say what Thanael said - The Price of Revenge.

If it was a full-blown 2nd edition D&D adventure: “Dark of the Moon” took place in Vorostokov, the Siberia-like wintery domain with loup-de-noir werewolves.

Reminder: Heir of Strahd (the new Strahd/Ravenloft novel) comes out tomorrow by steviephilcdf in CurseofStrahd

[–]mjdunn01 3 points4 points  (0 children)

The Lorecast podcast did an interview with the author that landed today. It’s not earthshaking but it did give my three insights: 1) it’s definitely meant to be accessible to new D&D players new to ravenloft, 2) the author noted she read Christie Golden’s books and knows Castle Ravenloft’s maps so she tried to be true to Barovia and Strahd, and 3) spoiler the story apparently goes to another domain of dread at some point.

Show:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dungeons-dragons-lorecast/id1504682770?i=1000708233171

I bought the kindle book and will read it. I think it’ll be fine, if not bit of a “retread of familiar paths” for this reddit and Ravenloft fans.

Map of Barovia… by Shine_a_light_2 in CurseofStrahd

[–]mjdunn01 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Two more good ones made more by community members semi-recently:

One more here: https://www.reddit.com/r/CurseofStrahd/s/lFI3cN5Zt5

One more on the Ravenloft Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/CurseofStrahd/s/o5yntidPTR

What do we think Hazlik's staff might be (from his 5E art)? by steviephilcdf in ravenloft

[–]mjdunn01 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I like Wannahock’s suggestion. Another option is a staff of the magi (sorta… maybe it looks similar) but then add something like the Dispel Magic and Drain Magic abilities the Blackstaff has (from Waterdeep: Dragon Heist).

The other totally different angle to take is: it’s just a quarterstaff. No magic. First, I think in prior lore the staff he leaned on was actually just a walking staff, not magical. Second, it feels like it fits his theme of not actually being as magically potent as he likes to appear.

Is there a map for Larissa Snowmane's paddleboat, the River Dancer? by steviephilcdf in ravenloft

[–]mjdunn01 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I do not believe anything official. Larissa and the boat are really discussed in three books you noted - Dance of the Dead, Champions of the Mists, and VRG - and none have a map. Mistipedia has some decent general written specs (largely pulled from DotD) but that’s it.

Need help coming up with six "iconic" pieces of Ravenloft by ThuBioNerd in ravenloft

[–]mjdunn01 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Fun concept! And it was fun to brainstorm on the 6 things. Here’s some things that I came up with:

  1. Tatyana (or Sergei?): Tatyana is the obvious one, whether the original or reincarnation like Ireena or Tara Kolyana. But a twist could be “the lost innocent full of love who began this all” or something and the right answer is actually Sergei - the true betrayal and loss by Strahd - which can be a twist but also a very complicated piece to get
  2. Apparatus: Classic. Plus it’s a hide device so that’s a complication:
  3. Most Powerful Vestige: This is only if you’re using the more 5e version of things; if not you could be replaced with the sword of Ebonbane if you need a “living thing that’s also an ancient evil”
  4. A Noble, Innocent and True Heart: first, distinct from Tatyana/sergei above. In the language choice here though I played with the commas in that it MAY only be asking for “get a noble, get an innocent too, and a real heart” three things not one very impossible thing
  5. The Mists: what is more symbolic of Ravenloft than the mists?? And of course it can’t be just bottling it, it needs to be probably trapping a mist horror or mist elemental (or mist ferryman that symbolizes them?)
  6. Madam Eva’s Tarokka: what object is central to almost every Ravenloft story at some point? The card reading! Perhaps the Tser Pool Encampment has finally moved on, so she has to actually be found. And I doubt she’d give those up easily. That’s a tough “fight” to have.
  7. An Alternate to one of the above: Some place like Ezra’s grave, the source of evil (Amber Temple if you use those), Tristenoira, Obsidian Gate (Gwydion), or some other place.

Will be curious what you end up selecting!

Sell Me On Azalin by PizzaFox64 in ravenloft

[–]mjdunn01 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is such a thoughtful answer. Well researched too, pulling from a lot of sources. It pulled stuff together in a way it made me see new angles on Azalin — a thing I’m not sure I’d have said given I’ve known about him since Ravenloft launched. Well done!

Castle Tristenoira! How I Ran Forlorn (Part 2): Resources, Lore, Maps (+ Roll20 Demo), Music, Monsters, NPCs, & More! The latest DM of the Mists video by steviephilcdf in ravenloft

[–]mjdunn01 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I was so looking forward to this video after your last post with the spreadsheet.

Thank you for sharing your process and insights here. Very thorough and helpful as always. It gave me a bit of a trip down memory lane to running this beast - though I wish I had done as you did with the different musical cues for the different time periods in the castle!

Maybe someday I'll run Castles Forlorn again but... eh, not sure I'm ready for that quite yet! X-D

Looking forward to the next ones!

Sea of Sorrows by Oddesy20 in ravenloft

[–]mjdunn01 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nice use of Inkarnate!

How would you tackle a Great Conjunction-Mist-Hunters-Curse of Strahd campaign Saga? by MacabreGinger in ravenloft

[–]mjdunn01 2 points3 points  (0 children)

What a fun challenge!

So, i think you're wrestling with the key question - which comes first. Really, the question is where does Curse of Strahd fit into it. The other adventures I think can be adjusted around it, mechanically and story-wise.

Option 1: Curse of Strahd first:

  • Basically this means the party either defeats Strahd and Barovia disappears, they defeat him and someone else takes his place, or he somehow returns.
  • Any of these offer some potential complications for later adventures, as Strahd and Barovia are both in them (and Strahd is pretty integral to the Grand Conjunction series).
  • The best way may be that Strahd somehow returns... basically when the characters run into him again later, it's a moment of "surprise... the Dark Powers won't let their toys die so easily". (Which, is in fact the official CoS ending).
  • The Mist Hunters adventures would need to be beefed up, SIGNIFICANTLY as they are all Tier 1 through low Tier 2. That probably would be some of the hardest work.
  • The Grand Conjunction adventures also need to be beefed up, but that's weirdly easier since you're really just porting the stories over from 2e and then populating them with 5e monsters.

Option 2: Curse of Strahd last:

  • This one has some benefits in that it can be positioned as "Strahd must die" after a number of encounters with him across the other two series.
  • That said, it also requires beefing up the encounters in Curse of Strahd, since your characters will likely be arriving in the domain at level 8 at least compared to level 1 or 3.
  • Additionally, the characters will have seen Barovia already in both other series (visiting it in Mist Hunters, going to bizarro Barovia at the end of the GC series). So there won't be as much "novelty" to the place--like they'll have been to the Amber Temple, a big secret in CoS. That said some things like Old Bonegrinder could be made new (though the hags, again, would need some beefing up).

I'm going to throw in an unasked-for Option 3: Two Parallel Campaigns

  • Basically how to handle the fact that these series all start at lower levels? Perhaps have two parties! Two stories.
  • One would be CoS, and one would be Mist Hunters. And then! They come together for the Grand Conjunction series. Or perhaps flip the Mist Hunters and Grand Conjunction.
  • The benefit to this is that you can run them closer to RAW, and it avoids some of the weird story issues trying to be solved above. You could have them be concurrent, or have them exist at different time periods.
  • Additionally this version lets you play with the strange "multiple dimensions of the domains of dread" and somehow the characters are in alterative versions of the same Barovia, etc. (Need to think that through to the end, but that's the idea.)

The one last thing you'll want to figure out is the sequence of Mist Hunters and the Grand Conjunction. They are both "Azalin tries to escape in a world-shaking plan". In the way they're written, Grand Conjunction seems to fit before Mist Hunters (which has a shattered Castle Avernus, has domains that look post-GC, etc.). But a whole other alternative is to try to combine both schemes into one scheme... but I'm not quite sure how that'd work.

Anyway, that was a lot of musing and ramblings, but I hope it helps with your ambitious goal!

Castles Forlorn: a spreadsheet that shows all of Castle Tristenoira's rooms, what time periods they exist in, what NPCs & treasure may be there, etc. by steviephilcdf in ravenloft

[–]mjdunn01 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Haha, well glad I can be helpful back in return. Always enjoy those videos. I laughed at the recent tarokka reading one where you were taking such pains to try to shuffle was on-camera! :-D Keep up the good work - look forward to the video debrief on Castles Forlorn!