Mists of Barovia
Supporting Cast
-
Strahd Von Zarovich
Scheduled Sessions
Session Zero
Session Zero The Gods Paladine and Clerics need a god to draw divine power from if you do things your god will look unfavorably on you may be cut off, until you can regain thier favor. Party Composition / Alingnments 1. Everyone must agree on party composition, if one class causes issues it will not be used 2. Your reputation is based on your deeds, if you roll into town and raise a bunch of zombies or bring them with you expect pitch forks and torches. 3. Everyone must have compatible alignments – No Evil Characters The "Lando" Rule 1. When facing a difficult problem, a character can declare "I know a guy..." and invent a helpful NPC which the characters can visit for aid in their current situation. You must work with the DM to provide a quick summary of their history and relationship. 2. When the characters try to interact with this NPC, the player who created that NPC makes a Charisma check to see how the NPC reacts, either positively or negatively. 3. A character may use this once per campaign, rogues twice. Spells / Spell services 1. Will be availbale in towns with suitable populations at the Churchs or Magical academies costs will be determined by the parties reputation. 2. Something like disintegration may cause the loss of an arm or leg crippling you temporarily until you can be restored so you may have to improvise a wooden leg or a claw arm or receive a restoration spell to regenerate the lost parts Lycanthrops / Zombies 1. Will be more like the contemporary ones fast zombies, werewolves running on walls /ceilings 2. If werewolf bites you, you will become feral on the first full moon and attack your party, can be cured in the normal ways but if left un-checked you may flee from the party. Over time you may learn to control it so you can change at will. 3. if zombie bites you, you will suffer a disease that in 1d4 days will turn you, this can be healed with paladin abilities or restoration type spells but if left unchecked you will turn. Multi Classing 1. Multiclassing is allowed, but must be roleplay driven. A character cannot multiclass until a roleplay moment has occurred with the character. The DM has the final call on whether a multiclass can be taken. 2. If you multiclass you can only have 2 classes and it must be for a reason, you must commit to the new class no quick dips. ie. a fighter see’s the light and chooses to become a holy warrior Paladin or cleric, or ranger becomes rogue out of necessity to get buy in villages and cities. Crits Same as before max all damage then roll damage and add any additional damage from certain effects. Inspiration Coins Inspiration as written in the standard 5e rules is boring and lackluster. Instead the following rule will be applied for inspiration awarded by the DM. , they will be awarded for Roleplay, good deeds, completing quests and heroism. DM will roll d10 1. Legendary Save – Silver Dragon Diamond 2. Auto Death Save – Dwarven Gold 3. Auto Crit – Dwarven Silver 4. Action Surge – WaterDeep Cresent 5. Elven Acuracy – Waterdeep Dragon 6. Inspiration Roll – Copper Stag 7. Bardic Inspiration D8 to any roll – Krakken 8. Skill Proficency – Chinese Shen-fung 9. Alert – Dragon coin 10. 10 Temp HP – Square Electrum Backstories 1. Keep them realistic no delusions of grandure not direct ties to Gods or or Kings. 2. You can use the heroic chronicle, 3. Your back story should have details of how you got into your chosen class and who mentored you. If you multiclass you must find a mentor to teach you first ( I will make this avail but again you must have a real reason that makes sense to multi class) I.e. while in Valaki you meet a Halfling rogue who is willing to teach you the basics of the trade from there you can take this knowledge and grow) It would be good too if some of you knew each other from some previous adventure you can work this out before session 1 Feats All races start with one feat except Human because they get ASI to all, so all races will be like the variant human. The chosen feat should be a flavor feat not a power feat. Modification to feats Alert Always on the lookout for danger, you gain the following benefits: You gain a +5 bonus to initiative. Other creatures don't gain advantage on attack rolls against you as a result of being unseen by you. Eleven Accuracy The accuracy of elves is legendary, especially that of elf archers and spellcasters. You have uncanny aim with attacks that rely on precision rather than brute force. You gain the following benefits: Increase your Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma by 1, to a maximum of 20. Whenever you have advantage on an attack roll using Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma, you can reroll one of the dice once. If you have more than one attack this applies to only the first attack Great Weapon Master (Available at 10th level) You've learned to put the weight of a weapon to your advantage, letting its momentum empower your strikes. You gain the following benefits: On your turn, when you score a critical hit with a melee weapon or reduce a creature to 0 hit points with one, you can make one melee weapon attack as a bonus action. Before you make a melee attack with a heavy weapon that you are proficient with, you can choose to take a -5 penalty to the attack roll. If the attack hits, you add +10 to the attack's damage. If you have more than one attack this applies to only one attack Mobile You are exceptionally speedy and agile. You gain the following benefits: Your speed increases by 10 feet. When you use the Dash action, difficult terrain doesn't cost you extra movement on that turn. Mounted Combatant You are a dangerous foe to face while mounted. While you are mounted and aren't incapacitated, you gain the following benefits: You have advantage on melee attack rolls against any unmounted creature that is smaller than your mount. You can force an attack targeted at your mount to target you instead. Poleaem Master(Available at 10th level) You can keep your enemies at bay with reach weapons. You gain the following benefits: When you take the Attack action and attack with only a glaive, halberd, quarterstaff, or spear, you can use a bonus action to make a melee attack with the opposite end of the weapon; this attack uses the same ability modifier as the primary attack. The weapon's damage die for this attack is a d4, and the attack deals bludgeoning damage. As a reaction, While you are wielding a glaive, halberd, pike, quarterstaff, or spear, other creatures provoke an opportunity attack from you when they enter your reach. Sentnel You have mastered techniques to take advantage of every drop in any enemy's guard, gaining the following benefits: When you hit a large creature or smaller with an opportunity attack, the creature's speed becomes 0 for the rest of the turn. As a reaction Creatures provoke opportunity attacks from you even if they take the Disengage action before leaving your reach. When a creature within 5 feet of you makes an attack against a target other than you (and that target doesn't have this feat), you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against the attacking creature. Sharpshooter(Available at 10th level) You have mastered ranged weapons and can make shots that others find impossible. You gain the following benefits: Attacking at long range doesn't impose disadvantage on your ranged weapon attack rolls. Your ranged weapon attacks ignore half cover and three-quarters cover. Before you make an attack with a ranged weapon that you are proficient with, you can choose to take a -5 penalty to the attack roll. If the attack hits, you add +10 to the attack's damage. If you have more than one attack this applies to only the first attack Mounts and Hirelings 1. mounts can be rented or purchased from towns and farms prices may vary depending on party reputation. 2. Hirelings can be put on retainer per job or you can negotiate a % of treasure for full time help hauling loot. Race restrictions In Barovia many races are mistrusted and you may face racism based on your choices. Even Gnomes, Drwaves, Elves and Halfings native to Barovia face discrimination and possible violence if they go to certain areas. Let’s be real if you’re a gnome you ain’t swinging a great sword keep weapons race appropriate little folk use short bows etc. Other than that all are open within reason. Races have advatages and disadvantages due to their evolution. No Tasha's homogenious stats Humans should be stronger than Gnomes and Elves should be more dexterious than Humans. Long Rest Long rest will be difficult, outside of a well defended camp or town. Expect to be nevous while sleeping on the trail, or in dungeons. The Hill have eye's. To benifit from long rests you must Doff your armor if it is medium or heavy The time it takes to don or doff armor depends on the armor’s category. Don: This is the time it takes to put on armor. You benefit from the armor’s AC only if you take the full time to don the suit of armor. If you have help, reduce this time by half. Doff: This is the time it takes to take off armor. If you have help, reduce this time by half. Donning and Doffing Armor Light Armor Don-1 min Doff-1 min Medium Armor Don-5 min Doff -1 min Heavy Armor Don - 10 min Doff - 5 min Eleven trances are 4 hours but the remaining 4 hours must be spent doing light activities to benifit from a long rest. Light activites would include standing watch or camp routine like tending the fire, cooking and personal hygiene. Movement/ Traveling While moving from town to town travelling long distance over a day will cause exhaustion unless using a mount or wagon. Travel while mounted / riding is faster than walking over long distance due to the mount's endurance. While traveling at a slow pace half normal speed, the characters can move stealthily. As long as they’re not in the open, they can try to surprise or sneak by other creatures they encounter. Dashing is for short term use such as in combat, not for continuous movement while traveling Potions Are a bonus action to consume and full action to give to unconcious PC / NPC healing potions will range in value depending on the murchants dispostion to the party. Healing 50gp Greater 200-250g Superior 2000-2500gp Supreme 20000-25000gp Help Action Inorder to provide help you must be proficient in the skill or be bardically inspired otherwise you are a hinderance. Lock Picking must be proficient with thieves tools or be bardically inspired otherwise checks are at disadvantage Finding traps must be proficient at perception or be bardically inspired otherwise checks will be at disadvantage Using the wilderness The wilderness is a source of amazing resources. Characters can gather these resources to either sell when they are back in civilization or create their own items with them. Hunting, Foraging & Other Activities In order to increase rations, characters can choose to make a Nature check to spend extra time on hunting and foraging. Any creatures found or killed while hunting can be harvested for parts according to the rules in the Wilderness Survival Guide(pg. 3). Characters can also spend extra time to collect resources. They can decide to extend their journey or extend their long rest to do this. For inspiration see the rules in The Wilderness Survival Guide. Harvesting Items A list of items that can be harvested and what they can be used for is in the Hamonds Guides to harvesting Vol 1-3. Creating items Players can create their own items! Read The Wilderness Survival Guide for inspiration: Bombs, poisons & potions (WSG pg. 7) Additional alchemical recipes (Alchemist Supplies) Armor & weapons (WSG pg. 10) leveling up will not happen mid dungeon, you will level up when you return to your HQ or a town for a rest etc where you can study some new techniques or practice some new moves etc. In some cases you may level more than one level. XP I will try to use XP instead of milestone my encounters+ app tells me what each combat is worth which will be divided amongst the party equally. I will also award XP for other things your characters do big heroic deeds, solving some puzzle etc. Notes take notes I will not go back to the book 50 times like for the torroka reading and yes I will strive to take better notes myself.
Daggerford and Beyond
This is where the party is called to Cauldwell castle to meed with Duchess Morowen for dinner. the Dutchess will introduce herself and ask that the party does the same. after introductions are complete she will tell them of her problems
Useful Links
Find your way!
Resources
WHO WE ARE
LEGAL
Get the news
Listen to our Podcast
Our Allies
