Search Results
All Results
Characters
Compendium
Spells
Items
Monsters
Vehicles
Forums
Returning 35 results for 'adventure darklord interactions'.
Other Suggestions:
adventurers darklord interaction
adventure darklord interacting
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
Connections table provides examples of such connections. Interactions with the Darklord. Imagine situations that allow the players’ characters and the Darklord to socialize without the encounter
immediately spiraling into violence. For inspiration, consider the circumstances on the Darklord Interactions table. Darklord Connections d8 Connection
1 An adventurer reminds the Darklord of their
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ravenloft: The Horrors Within
create a short list of characteristics you want to convey to the players over encounters with the Darklord. Darklord Goals In the adventure Curse of Strahd, the Darklord’s goals are stated as follows
engage with villains only a limited number of times—likely with significant amounts of time between interactions. Choose one to three objectives for a Darklord that you can reinforce during character
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
, you create a feeling that the characters are trapped inside a collective nightmare. Through their interactions with a Darklord who mirrors them, characters discover how easily they could become the villains they face.
your own Darklord, consider the relationship that will define their evil in your adventures: their conflict with your players’ characters. Just as a Darklord is the inspiration for a domain, players
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Infernal Machine Rebuild
the adventure, that’s fine. But plot hooks and NPC interactions at each location give you lots of opportunity to inspire or compel the characters to travel to the second location, either after or in conjunction with exploring the first location.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
tarokka fortune-telling deck—detailed in chapter 4 and featured in the adventure Curse of Strahd—consider using the power of fate to shape the Darklord you’re creating. As you proceed through the
Past Life Darklords aren’t mindless killing machines; they are full but monstrous individuals. In a few sentences, describe who the Darklord was before they chose to become irredeemable. For
Backgrounds
Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide
along my way. (Good)
2
Reserved. As someone new to these strange lands, I am cautious and respectful in my dealings. (Lawful)
3
Adventure. I’m far from home, and everything is strange
foreign land.
2
I pretend not to understand the local language in order to avoid interactions I would rather not have.
3
I have a weakness for the new intoxicants and other pleasures of this
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player’s Handbook
, mysteries, and more arise during these explorations. Adventures vary in length and complexity. A short adventure might present only a few challenges and take only one session to complete. A long adventure might involve many combats, interactions, and other challenges and take dozens of sessions.
Adventures An adventure might be created by the Dungeon Master or purchased (the examples of play in this chapter are inspired by a published adventure, Curse of Strahd). In either case, an adventure
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->D&D Beyond Basic Rules
short adventure might present only a few challenges and take only one session to complete. A long adventure might involve many combats, interactions, and other challenges and take dozens of sessions.
Adventures An adventure might be created by the Dungeon Master or purchased. In either case, an adventure features a fantastic setting, such as an underground dungeon, a wondrous wilderness, or a
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ravenloft: The Horrors Within
Lamordia Domain of Snow and Stitched Flesh
Darklord: Viktra Mordenheim
Adventure Genres: Body horror and gothic horror
Hallmarks: Amoral science, bizarre constructs, frigid wilderness
ambitions, the depraved reshape life and unleash abominations. And no aspirations have unleashed greater evils than those of the domain’s Darklord, Dr. Viktra Mordenheim.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ravenloft: The Horrors Within
Building a Domain Similar to building a Darklord, you can choose or randomly generate prompts from the tables below to flesh out the domain’s details. To build a Domain of Dread, follow these steps
: Step 1: Choose Genres. Most Domains of Dread are inspired by the same horror genres that shape their imprisoned Darklord, but feel free to mix in new genre elements. Step 2: Develop Details. What are
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ravenloft: The Horrors Within
Escaping Ravenloft The Domains of Dread are as escapable as you please. The Mists might claim characters for a single adventure, then return them home. The characters might be residents of the Lands
? Must characters win these mysterious entities’ favor or find ways to defy them? Roll on or choose a result from Escape Adventure Seeds table to inspire adventure or campaign plots involving escape
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ravenloft: The Horrors Within
Adventures by Level Level Adventure 2 The Tithe 3 The Ghost Hunter’s Haunting 4 The Grand Masquerade 5 Isles of Agony 5 Lethal Lavender 6 Blood o’ the Vine 7 Hungry for More 8 Trial of Hearts 9
Siege of Lekar 9 Treacherous Blood 10 Eyes of the Darklord 10 The Shadowborn Sword 11 Tower of Traitors 11 Vault of the Elder 12 Scrolls of the Dead 14 Shadow of the Black Rose 16 Secrets of Avernus
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ravenloft: The Horrors Within
Kalakeri Domain of Betrayal and Revenge
Darklord: Ramya Vasavadan
Adventure Genres: Gothic horror and dark fantasy
Hallmarks: Monstrous leaders, family intrigue, war-torn nation
Mist
transformed into monsters by their depravity and hatred—trap the land in an endless cycle of war. The people of Kalakeri live in fear of Maharani Ramya Vasavadan, the domain’s Darklord, as well as her
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ravenloft: The Horrors Within
Mordent Domain of the Haunted
Darklord: Wilfred Godefroy
Adventure Genre: Ghost stories
Hallmarks: Ancestral curses, haunted mansions, mist-shrouded moors, vengeful spirits
Mist Talismans
mere impressions of their past selves, others greedily cling to their former possessions and ambitions. Some pernicious spirits become infamous hauntings, while others—such as the domain’s Darklord, the ghostly Lord Wilfred Godefroy—seek to dominate the living and dead.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
the course of a campaign. For example, characters on their very first adventure might face a villain who uses the stat block of a Mage Apprentice, only to have that villain escape and return many
adventures later to haunt them as a Mage. Still later, the same villain might reappear as an Archmage. Of course, the trick here is making sure that the villain survives from one adventure to the next, or
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
Adventure Examples This section contains example adventures that demonstrate the principles described throughout the chapter. Each provides enough information for you to run a one-session adventure
, with the help of the maps in Appendix B and the monster stat blocks in the Monster Manual. Each adventure in this section includes the following information: Title. An adventure title can help you
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)
present only a few challenges, and it might take no more than a single game session to complete. A long adventure can involve hundreds of combats, interactions, and other challenges, and take dozens of
Adventures The Dungeons & Dragons game consists of a group of characters embarking on an adventure that the Dungeon Master presents to them. Each character brings particular capabilities to the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Shadows of Sithicus
track of time, manages intertable interactions, and records each table’s successes and failures, noting how they change elements of the event. Appendix A of this adventure is a guide for the Event
D&D Celebration Event Overview This adventure is part of a multigroup event meant to be played by up to four groups at the same time, with five players and one DM per group. The event can be played
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Journeys through the Radiant Citadel
Setting the Adventure Enchanted farmers attack Aunt Dellie on the streets of Promise Use the following suggestions to help contextualize Godsbreath in a wider world: Through the Radiant Citadel
distinctive agricultural bent to this rural dale. Ravenloft. All of Godsbreath could be a Domain of Dread. The Darklord of this domain might be a member of the family lost at Cradlelace Lake or the vengeful spirit of Culley.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
designed for a higher-level party; the encounters there will be more dangerous and taxing, but characters can retreat if things get too rough. Characters can also leave Undermountain, adventure elsewhere
award XP for overcoming traps and for exceptional roleplaying with key NPCs. The Bonus XP Awards table provides recommended XP awards for such interactions. Bonus XP Awards Character Level
XP Award
1st–4th
50
5th–10th
250
11th–16th
1,000
17th–20th
2,500
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
the pulse-pounding action of a pulp adventure, noir typically relies on intrigue — in every sense of the word — to keep the protagonists engaged as they move deeper into the story. Setting the Stage
Putting a mystery in front of the characters at the very start of the adventure sets the tone for what’s ahead and draws them in to the story. The Story Opening table offers some ways to draw the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd
Fortunes of Ravenloft The events of this adventure are part of dark twists of fate that a fortuneteller can discern with the cards of a tarokka deck. Before you run this adventure, you must draw
cards from a deck to determine the following elements of the adventure: Strahd’s location inside Castle Ravenloft The placement of three important treasures that can be used against Strahd—the Tome of
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ravenloft: The Horrors Within
Mists … Darklord Reflections Every domain can be viewed through the lens of its Darklord, with every part of the domain reflecting some facet of the Darklord’s personality, ambition, or torment. You might
domain’s Darklord, Strahd von Zarovich. While the village of Vallaki leans toward themes of deception, the village of Barovia, in the shadow of Castle Ravenloft, is steeped in oppression. The domain’s
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ravenloft: The Horrors Within
Tepest Domain of Nature’s Cruel Secrets
Darklord: Mother Lorinda
Adventure Genre: Folk horror
Hallmarks: Fey bargains, rural cults, secret sacrifices, sinister festivals
Mist Talismans
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Shadows of Sithicus
Adventure Background Borca is a Dread Domain of intrigue and treachery. Noble families make temporary truces to gain power, then betray their allies for the slightest chance of more. The Nobriskov
provided wondrous machines often twisted to terrible ends. Their most reliable client is General Vladeska Drakov, Falkovnia’s darklord, who uses the Olzanik creations against the zombie hordes he is besieged by as well as to pacify his own people.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Book of Many Things
Adventure Hooks Below are several adventure hooks you can use to draw characters to Cair Ophidian: Deck Heist. The characters are approached by mysterious individuals who want to hire them to steal
campaign. For example, perhaps the traveler is an astral elf, and the characters must secure a spelljamming vessel to learn more. Or the wayward guest might be a refugee from Ravenloft— perhaps even a Darklord in disguise!
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ravenloft: The Horrors Within
welcomed in Viktal and encouraged to take part in the Tithe (see the adventure below). At the rite’s conclusion, the villagers try to sacrifice one or more characters to one of Mother’s children. The
into chaos as fey from Mount Arak run wild. The characters might become involved in a power struggle between the good and evil fey of Arak. Lorinda’s return might drive the fey back—but the Darklord will help only if someone becomes her new child.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ravenloft: The Horrors Within
Kartakass Domain of Tarnished Dreams
Darklord: Harkon Lukas
Adventure Genres: Dark fantasy and gothic horror
Hallmarks: Hidden identities, dangerous performances, exploitative ambitions
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Heroes’ Feast: Saving the Children’s Menu
interactions with the characters. Use the commoner stat block for them, if necessary. Change their creature type to Giant and increase their Strength to 14 (+2). They’re too young to speak fluently, but they know a few words of Giant (see the “Fire Giant Baby Talk” sidebar later in the adventure).
then awakened, Ignis can again be reasoned with. Ignis’s Children Ignis’s children, Flauma and Calor, are noncombatants. Where the children appear later in the adventure, you’ll find guidance for their
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Quests from the Infinite Staircase
supercomputer scanned the stars for a new world to inhabit, it also observed the passengers and their interactions and misjudged their hope for callousness. Aphelion blamed them for the demise of the
any of the spaceship’s drop tubes (see the “Spaceship Features” section later in this adventure).
Communications. Aphelion can converse with creatures in any room of the spaceship via its intercom
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss
, in which case the other prisoners are initially indifferent toward the characters. Handle the interactions using roleplaying, Charisma checks, or a balance of the two as best suits your group and the
way the adventure unfolds. The characters can learn the following things from talking with their fellow prisoners, some of who have been captives of the drow for a tenday or two: There are nineteen
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ravenloft: The Horrors Within
Darklord senses when someone in their domain casts such a spell. The Darklord can make themself the spell’s target so that they become the one who is contacted and answer as they please. Planar Boundaries
caster to their destination. Describe such effects in whatever way reinforces a horrific atmosphere, drawing inspiration from the domain where your adventure takes place.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ravenloft: The Horrors Within
of lost times and fallen heroes lie throughout the count’s home, some of which might hold the key to his undoing. The adventure Curse of Strahd details Castle Ravenloft. Von Zarovich Sanctuaries
from using these symbols of his authority. Servants’ Space. Alcoves carved in the walls provide space for the coffins or bunks of Strahd’s living or dead servants. Sometimes, the Darklord uses these spaces for arcane experiments or as makeshift prisons.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos
from this table to determine the characters’ interactions. Reception Activities d6 Activity 1 Catching Up. The student wants to talk about their recent break, which they spent reading everything by
later in this adventure. Third-Year Rumor Mill d6 Rumor Accuracy 1 Some professors seek to change Mage Tower for the sake of student safety. Many students oppose this. False 2 There’s a ailment
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide
) 2 Reserved. As someone new to these strange lands, I am cautious and respectful in my dealings. (Lawful) 3 Adventure. I’m far from home, and everything is strange and wonderful! (Chaotic) 4 Cunning
so secretly) convinced of the superiority of my own culture over that of this foreign land. 2 I pretend not to understand the local language in order to avoid interactions I would rather not have. 3 I