How to start Curse of Strahd in Krezk
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 ก.ค. 2024
- Running Curse of Strahd for a second time or more? Got veteran players at your table and want to shake things up? This guide will show you how to start our favorite module on the other side of the map and make it all work!
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A lot of Dungeon Masters try to start Curse of Strahd in Krezk, but don't put enough thought into the parts of the adventure that need to be changed. There's a lot of assumptions in the adventure that hinge on the adventurers starting in the Village of Barovia. Here in this guide, we talk about how to get your party to level three, how to get into Krezk, how to adjust the winery, how to give the party the information they need, and how to get them to Ireena.
#rpg #dnd #dungeonsanddragons - เกม
So I’m currently DMing this adventure and took this alternative start per suggestion from XP’s video. So far it’s a really good intro to the adventure. Just started my party at level 3 when they entered Barovia. Gonna let the Death house remain in Barovia village. Moved Madam Eva to the West and in general moved the Tser pool near the cross roads. Let the Vastani info dump about Strahd and Barovia. They got the Tome of Strahd in Van richton’s tower using your guide! They loved Buster! Freed the Wizard of Wines! But are now going to Yester Hill at level 4! Kinda low.. scared of a TPK. Might direct them Kresk and deliver the wine to speak to the Burgomaster and the Abbot first! Great guide!
I was also considering what XP to Lv. 3 had said but he didn’t touch upon how to execute it. This video definitely helped in that regard.
I've been looking forward to a video like this for a while! Ever since XP to level 3 suggested starting in Krezk, I've been intrigued to see how it could play out/alter the campaign! Also love your videos - they have really helped with the worldbuilding of my game - especially the NPCs! (The party loves Buster and want to get him a body!)
I'm glad I could help, and especially glad that Buster is a hit! He's probably the favorite addition I've made.
I started this module in Krezk following XP to Level 3 suggestions. As you mentioned I had to balance the winery encounters and when the players returned to Krezk, the burgomaestre took them to his house to have some food. His son was already dead, so during the night, the Abad knock on the door, waking the players. They saw this long figure with an inexpressive metal mask taking with their host. The Abad brought back to life the son, the players where looking all these kind of hidden, so when the Abad was leaving the place, he noticed the party, so he looked to them but not just with the head, he turned slowly all his body towards them. My players got so freaked out with this strange figure.
Got your East and West a little mixed in the intro.
Not from my perspective!
Honestly, I just forgot to reverse it for the viewers sake. It’s hard to do that when you’re concentrating on delivering your lines!
@@LunchBreakHeroes "One in the West, where most games start. And one in the East, just outside of Krezk". :)
Got very excited when I saw this vid popup.
I really like the idea of PC's feeling like they aren't the only adventurers/outsiders in Barovia. In addition to Ezmerelda, I have considered having another group show up AFTER the PC's have been in Barovia a little while. They can serve as surprise ally's, help save the PCs last minute, or be introduced and then later found dead in the Werewolf Den or Amber Temple. Maybe the Dark Powers resurrects them as revenants to fight the PC's as a test...
You've thrown me off with your East and West references. Pretty sure you've mixed them a few times.
Doing it backwards for the camera is hard.
I actually started my party in Krezk. To be fair though, they were already level 5 lol.
I just got CoS last night!!
Totally starting it like this.
I'm sooo excited!!!
i would like to know how i can replace the death house with the house of lament as beginning , Keep up the good work
What i did with the wizards of wines is i turned it from a big fight encounter into a stealth encounter with the objective being destroying the staff to kill all the blights and then killing the remaining druids. By adding stray barrels and broken boxes that could serve as cover with the blights patrolling. Before on the road to the winery they encountered a suspicious raven and a group of 5 blights and 1 druid. That raven being a strahd messenger and strahd in mist form (unknowing tot the party) showing up to observe these strange visitors to his land. seeing as i started my party off at lvl 3 this seemed more fitting
Love your videos man! As a handicap DM I have a lot of tables (the only resources I have is time), and I really don't like to run modules as written, just as an inspiration and where to steal maps, npcs, etc. So your work is perfectly suited for my "dm style". Thanks, and greetings from South America ♿🙇🏻♂️
More curse of Strahd contents please!!
I also started my game in Krezk, sort of, in fact I started it in Orlane, which is from the old module "Against the Cult of the Reptile God" but I swapped out the Temple of Merrika with the Durst House and the Reptile Cult with the blood cult under the house. The two games merged very neatly into one and if you play the kidnap game from ACofRG they party could even wake up in the catacombs ready for sacrifice. Any way they left there and then headed deeper into the mist and found Kreysk, mainly because the maps line up better that way, but the guards wouldn't let them in without payment, instead of heading to the Winery, they decided to continue eastwards, so in fact we really started the campaign proper in Vallaki.
Interestingly they didn't get to Barovia until the end part, by that time it became a place of horror and mystery by all te stories they were told and Ireena was somewhat of a "Holy Grail", this led directly to the dinner and that in turn kicked off the final stages as we went into a multi session final battle
Just planning on running my game to start in the west, this came at exactly the right time! Thanks so much.
am making Visslkia the golem as the Tatyana incertantion I plan on changing her somewhat
Definitely going to be using this! Thank you!
You’re welcome!
Started our first run in CoS from the Krezk side of the map. This week is session 14 and the players likely first glimpse of Castle Ravenloft in the distance as they venture past Old Bone Grinder. We started at Level 3 and it’s been a great experience so far although we know no different than if we started from the east.
Starting in the east is still fine, but it immediately shows how terrible strahd can be and the players dont need to see his castle looming in the distance just yet.
Starting in the east let's you build up to that rather than instantly revealing strahd to be terrible. It also shows how strahd has made people untrusting of new comers by having them do a side quest before they can enter. Both work, I just think west works better.
I'll be starting my game in Krezk. This was a ton of help! Thanks!!! :D
If you look at the map of Barovia, you'll see a road go off the south end of the map over the top of Mount Ghakis. I'd love to see someone start a game down there.
This is perfect timing. I watched XP to Level 3’s video and started in the west with Death House being the first place they see just like in this guide. They just got to Level 3 and I had no idea what to do after Tarroka reading because I moved Tser Pool to south of the crossroads.
I’ve started my game in krezk, but now I’m unsure what to do with barovia when the party makes it there to make it more worthy of a later game area
Very high level party (6 level 8s!) starting on the western edge of Barovia, so I will use almost everything in this video except nerfing the blights, and skipping the Death House all together, saving it for a later one-shot. Loved how you integrated everything, and for darn sure I'm sold on the whole series!
I started the campaign on Krezk the first time I ran it. The "introductory" adventure I pieced together consisted of the party taking a ship in Marsember that got swallowed up by Barovia's Mists, which resulted in them getting shipwrecked on the lake near Mount Baratok. The party stumbled from the shipwreck, fought some zombies and got to Krezk, where they saw a man about to be burned at the stake because the townsfolk thought he was a werewolf who killed the town's blacksmith, who actually went missing.
The next session the group intervened and said they would find the blacksmith, who had been captured by a small tribe of goblins who wandered into Barovia and got stuck. Once they find their hideout they freed the blacksmith and returned him to Krezk, and the boyar allowed the party to use an old warehouse as their base of operations. All of this got them to level 3 so they had a much better chance of not getting destroyed by future quests.
Subtitles in portuguese! thank you for that, at times it was difficult to understand certain things with my intermediary english. :P
See I like the idea of the Taroka fortune reading being the first thing and it pulling the party into the mists. Like that scene from monty python quest for the holy grail
I used the adventure tied to the vistani in candlekeep mysteries instead of death house.
light hearted event? a baby is born without a soul, sir.
So give it a soul.
I started from other gate.... characters never met ireena lol and killed strahd after dinner
My players are level 3, but I have 5 players do you think I have to nerf the encounter at the winery as bad?
Not quite. Play it by ear and throw extra mobs at them if you feel the need!
Video on your recommendations for level progression or curse of strahd?
Please do some vídeos about Dragon of Icespire Peak
Hello! Wondering if you have some Out of the Abyss content on your website?
We do not, sorry!
@@LunchBreakHeroes Thanks for the quick reply!
What about starting the module in Krezk at Lv 5?
We have about 3 games left, but I might retcon a thing a or two...
Would appreciate so advice from the community here. I have been DMing CoS for around 9 sessions now and the party are very much into the heart of the story but because of certain issues two members have had to drop out. Now we are down to a 3 person party think I should continue with just them or find a way to bring in some "fresh blood"?
Three is a great number for this adventure
Well, my playthrough of CoS is nearing completion. Ireena has been captured by Strahd. He plans to wed her on the 1st of Flamerule of our FR Calendars. They left the Amber Temple. Got waylaid by the Roc. One member almost got thrown over the pass but they bombarded it heavily as it crashed near the tower of Tolenka Pass and saved their companion. They agreed to have Kasamir - who was asked by the Vistani leader Luvash to find the party and ask if they would save his Daughter Arabelle once more - escort their mounts with the help of the Gladiator companion from the Kavani - who follows the wielder of Kavan's spear and Hide of Sangzor - as well as the Shield Guardian from within the Amber Temple. The Companions with all the mounts and treasure separate and are ordered to meet the party ALL way at the old road to Berez. (Hopefully) They stayed overnight at Tsolenka pass on the 27th of Kythorn enjoying Roc meat and Sangzor steaks... The next day on the 28th of Kythorn, The party feather fell into the ravine below Tsolenka Pass and with the newfound robe of many things from the Arcanoloth in Amber Temple, have now used the rowboat patch and rowed their way into the back door of Berez. After this, they intend on heading north along the road to the old road of Berez to meet with Kasamir and the others. And before returning to Vallaki use a flight spell to help everyone get up to Argynvostholt and see if the Tarroka card reads the truth about an ally within its broken halls. They hope to reach Vallaki by the 29th of Kythorn. After that in Vallaki, they have some loose ends to tie up. Namely the second appearance of the Death House (which I like to move around Barovia randomly.) A demon who was left to its own devices to run amok around town after the incident with the possession Milivoj. What they don't know is it's the same demon who capture Arabelle and now holds her hostage in the death house willing to start the ritual of sacrifice with the help of some local cultists. After this, they go for Ravenloft for what might be the last encounter. The party is considering a possible rescue of Ireena rather than a final showdown but I suppose we have to wait and see... But they haven't figured out what to do with Ireena if they do this. Thank you for all your help and all your inspiration!
This campaign is so dense.
I started my group in the west but did it quite differently so I’ll share some changes in case anyone wants to see another way of doing it!
My party started as a lvl 3 party on a quest in Faerun. They meet some vistani and later get lost in a heavy fog. They find themselves in the Barovian wilderness north of the western gate, not knowing they’ve left Faerun and not learning until they rescue some nervous Krezkian guards who were on their way to the winery and got waylaid by some dire wolves. The guards lead them back to Krezk and are their ticket in. On the way, they meet the same vistani and they advise the party to seek out Madam Eva in Tser Pool. The guards let them into Krezk and they’ve found someplace safe to gather their thoughts and plan.
I like the hike from Krezk to Barovia because the group gets to see much of the valley. They meet Ismark in Vallaki, as further incentive for going to Madam Eva and the village. Major events are delayed until they rescue Ireena… and that’s pretty much it. It pads the adventure just a bit, making the ramp into action a little slower and giving the party better footing in the land. I’d go into more detail but I’m at work lol
Oh, and I used Mandymods chances to Krezk. If they heal the burgomasters son or kill him, nothing happens. If they fail to do anything, the next time they visit Krezk, it’s a ghost town with a monster lurking inside >:)
Hello sir again!
Can i ask if possible, where to hide the symbol of ravenkind?
And if you can place the icon of ravenloft where do you put it (except the castle chapel)?
Sorry, im DMing for my game of CoS. And your vids are really helping me😎👌👌👌
If I have a party of 6 level 3 experienced players, should I still modify the monster encounters?
0:04 "one in the west where most games start" u mean east lol
Left and right are hard, especially when trying be to do it backwards for the camera!
I started my Genderbent version of Curse of Strahd by following this guide and so far the party is enjoying it and is also enjoying the randomness that this start is giving them
Isn't the opening line the exact opposite of what it actually is? Krezk is on the west side.
Keeping my East and west reversed for the camera proved much harder than expected!
@@LunchBreakHeroes The next line corrected it. I felt like I was being gaslit. I've really appreciated the work you put into these videos, thanks!
Someone doesn’t know his East from his West.
I know it's a year ago, but...Start in Krezk?! It's recommended the party be level 5 entering into Krezk. What you would need to change is the entire CR mechanics of Krezk, and the payoff (IMO) isn't worth the aggravation to do that. Start wherever you want, but here's an excellent guide, (By map location and PC Level) for running CoS.
LEVELS 0-3 (Chosen Plot hook(s) to get the players to Barovia.)
A. OLD SVALICH ROAD:
B. GATES OF BAROVIA:
C. THE SVALICH WOODS: Madam Eva card reading.
D. RIVER IVLIS (Random/optional Will-O'-Wisps encounter)
E. THE VILLIAGE OF BAROVIA: E1 - E7, DEATH HOUSE (Durst Manor: Lv 1-3), & DREAM PASTRIES
I. & K. BLACK CARRIAGE/CASTLE RAVENLOFT: (First time/Dinner party)
CHAPTER 5 & 6 Level 4:
O. OLD BONEGRINDER: On the way to Vallaki.
N. TOWN OF VALLAKI:
CHAPTERS 8 & 12 Level 5
S. Village of Krezk
W. THE WIZARD OF WINES:
CHAPTERS 11 &14 Level 6
V. VAN RICHTEN’S TOWER:
Y. YESTER HILL:
CHAPTERS 7 &15 Level 7
Q. ARGYNVOSTHOLT:
Z. WEREWOLF DEN:
CHAPTERS 9 &10 Level 8
T. TSOLENKA PASS:
U. RUINS OF BEREZ:
CHAPTERS 4 & 13 Level 9
X. THE AMBER TEMPLE:
K. CASTLE RAVENLOFT (Final)
EPILOGUE/ENDING
TO FIT IN APPROPRIATELY (As side quests?) But optional, not integral to the main plot.
STRAHD: Various random encounters with the party.
F. RIVER IVLIS CROSSROADS: (Roll for Random encounter) “The river flows as clear as a blue winter sky through the Barovia valley.” (All other times/Random encounter info): “The river is roughly 40’-50' feet across, with a depth ranging from only 2-5', with a steady, slow current flowing westward. Bridges span its crossing at 2 points, one near map area D on the western edge of the village of Barovia, and the other, near Tser Falls at area H. (Use multiple times with Will-o' Wisps) THE HANGED ONE is good here too.
G. TSER POOL ENCAMPMENT: “The Vistani are here. So is Madam Eva. She’s is at every encampment the players are.
H. TSER FALLS:
J. GATES OF RAVENLOFT: After (After dinner invitation?)
L. LAKE ZAROVICH: (Mid to later with *M)
*M. MAD MAGE OF MOUNT BARATOK:
P. LUNA RIVER CROSSROADS:
R. RAVEN RIVER CROSSROADS:
The players also jump around too, but just a suggestion, do whatever you want everybody.
Here's the best solution:
Don't