Author Topic: Expedition to Castle Ravenloft, set in Eberron - How tight is the Mist's hold?  (Read 3164 times)

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ksbsnowowl

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I'm running a higher-level version of Expedition to Castle Ravenloft (characters currently 12th level), and I'm faced with how to deal with PC's trying to teleport out of Barovia for the first time.  The campaign started in Eberron, and I've placed Barovia in a backwater corner of Karrnath's Ironroot Mountains.  Should the Mists hinder or prevent the PC's from teleporting out of the realm?

My initial thought was to have each PC make the Will save vs Mind Fog, and then the save to leave the mists, as detailed at the start of the "Lands of Barovia" chapter of the module, despite them not physically walking through the mists; those that fail would be deposited in the town or the Vistani camp.

I've decided that the way I'll end the module will show that Barovia in its current state is not a normal part of Eberron, thus introducing a bit of the Demiplanes of Dread, but I'm unsure to what extent I should have this effect the ability of the PC's to teleport out of Barovia.  Specifically, once the PC's do "kill" Strahd, Barovia will depart Eberron in an earthquake effect, as the entire mist-shrouded realm is ripped from Eberron's surface and disappears into the clouds overhead. (Will the PC's make it out of the realm before it leaves Eberron...?!?!)

Another potential option would be that an attempt to teleport beyond the Mists of Barovia would only allow the PC's to teleport to Eberron's other mist-shrouded realm (the Mournland).  If you were running it in this set-up, how mundane or powerful would you make the Mists?
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ksbsnowowl

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AfterCrescent

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I'd keep it in Barovia, and from what you've detailed, it sounds like you have it set out pretty well.
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ksbsnowowl

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I'd keep it in Barovia, and from what you've detailed, it sounds like you have it set out pretty well.
Can you clarify this a bit?  By "keep it in Barovia" do you mean they should not be able to teleport out?
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AfterCrescent

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Yes. I wouldn't let them teleport to the Mournland, as that can get crazy pretty bad. I'd go with your initial thought:

My initial thought was to have each PC make the Will save vs Mind Fog, and then the save to leave the mists, as detailed at the start of the "Lands of Barovia" chapter of the module, despite them not physically walking through the mists; those that fail would be deposited in the town or the Vistani camp.
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And to ensure that they can't get out set very high DCs-- Afterall, you don't want them to leave right?
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ksbsnowowl

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And to ensure that they can't get out set very high DCs-- Afterall, you don't want them to leave right?
Well, the module has DC's set (DC 20 vs Mind Fog and DC 18 [potentially after the mind fog] to leave), but I'll probably boost them somewhat, as the module was designed for characters of levels 6-9, and mine are 12th.  Also, I know for a fact the Cleric's Will save mod is +17 or better.  Upping each save DC by around 3 or 4 will make it somewhat difficult for many to leave, and almost impossible for one of the PC's.  (I've got a cleric and a druid, which will almost assuredly make the Will saves, a Rogue/Warlock, and a straight Fighter 12 with a Wisdom of 9...)
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AfterCrescent

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So are you okay with them teleporting out of the area? Or would you like to prevent that?
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ksbsnowowl

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I would like to make it difficult, with at least some of them probably being left behind.

That's sort of where I'm seeking advice... should I find a way to essentially negate their ability to teleport out, thus keeping the locked-in sense of dread that would make itself more apparent to a lower-level party? (And in my opinion would be appropriate for Ravenloft.)  Or should I make the mists a minor inconvenience, that will probably keep one or two of the PC's trapped, but not often hinder the Cleric and Druid, thus allowing them to go out and "stock up" on stuff, and then return in full force to continue bringing the fight?

That's where the Mournland tie entered my mind.  It allows them to leave, but not to go anywhere very desirable, where they could just go to a local magic shop, etc.  Of course, they could then just teleport out of the Mournland, unless I made the mists of it similar to what I've described, and tied any t-porting from there back into Barovia.
« Last Edit: June 24, 2009, 12:41:18 PM by ksbsnowowl »
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PaladinRevenant

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I'll admit to not having much knowledge about the Expedition to Castle Ravenloft published adventure (Nothing dealing that closely with Strahd should even be attemptable at the published levels).  But I was recently in a 3-year running campaign set in the Ravenloft demiplane and read a lot about that particular setting.

The way it is run in that setting is that teleportation works within a specific realm like Barovia without hindrance.  The Darklords of the particular realm have the ability to close the borders to their realm at will and a closed border can not be crossed by anyone but the Vistani without the intervention of the Dark Powers (good luck).  So if someone wants to teleport out of a realm where the borders have been closed, or into such a realm, the spell or ability fails and the character simply stays put.  Otherwise it works fine.

Given that you've got Barovia in the backwoods of Ebberon (another setting that I'm not terribly familiar with) I don't know how the two worlds would interact.  I think, though, that if Strahd knows that the party is there and closes the borders to prevent escape, or if he has the borders closed for some other reason, that the spell should simply fail.

In Ravenloft, the Mists are a machination of the Dark Powers.  If you are running this extension of Barovia into Ebberon as a part of Ravenloft that is connected to the whole, as in a Masque, then the Dark Powers have almost absolute control over who can leave Ravenloft.  Theoretically, in that case you could allow the characters to teleport to any realm of Ravenloft where the borders were open, but limiting it to the Mournland is likely the route with the least headaches.

Since you want there to be a possibility of the characters making it out of Barovia and back to the mainland of Ebberon at the end, then the Dark Powers should obviously not have final say over whether the party gets to leave or not.  I like the idea of allowing the party to teleport to the Mournland, perhaps even with no or very little difficulty.  But I would make teleporting out of the Ravenloft controlled areas very difficult.  If you make teleportation too easy, then there is no threat of being stuck when the land departs.

That was probably way too verbose, but that's my thoughts on the subject.

veekie

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Maybe if you made teleport work just fine if they can see the other side, and just shunt them around randomly otherwise?
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My Eberron-fu isn't as strong as I would like, but I seem to recall the Lord of Blades being in the Mournland, no? If so in your world, I'd avoid tying them as that would scream that the two should have connected at some point.

And since the goal of the module is that feeling of dread, I wouldn't make it possible. If teleportation is a big worry, a dimensional anchor effect on Barovia would make the most sense, especially since it'll be lifted when Strahd dies and the land will shift into the demiplanes...  If that's already been rendered null or you'd like to avoid that route, I would just have teleportation effects function on a small scale, but on a large scale, they falter and deposit you somewhere in town. That makes the most sense to me.
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ksbsnowowl

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I'll admit to not having much knowledge about the Expedition to Castle Ravenloft published adventure (Nothing dealing that closely with Strahd should even be attemptable at the published levels).
Keep in mind that the Expedition to Castle Ravenloft adventure is based upon the 1st edition Ravenloft module, before any of the Demiplanes of Dread mythos came into being.  In the original adventure Strahd was a Vampire Magic-user 10 (the equivalent of a 10th level Wizard vampire... which is what he is in EtCR), and the module was designed for characters of levels 5-7 (IIRC).  Expedition to Castle Ravenloft follows that module design, being built for characters of levels 6-9.  I bumped it somewhat, because my players started the adventure at 9th level (Strahd has the Vampire Lord template, and has 3 added levels of Master Vampire, making him CR 18, at least in theory).  Given the goals of the module (to mirror the original Ravenloft adventure), I think they did a good job.  I just have to fiddle with it because my PC's came in at a higher level.

That said, all your info on the Demiplanes of Dread has been quite helpful.  I think I will make it impossible to leave Barovia, via teleportation or walking, unless you succeed on a DC 50 Will save (basically, you must roll a Natural 20, attempted once per day max).  Then, when Strahd has been killed, the DC's will drop to a level-modified version of that found within the module (DC's of 23 and 21, or something like that).

The dimensional anchor idea doesn't work too well because it interferes too much with the creatures in the module (several demons who teleport, and Strahd Dimension Dooring around), and the PC's have teleported around some within Barovia already (between town and a tactical location in the castle, etc.)  Not a bad idea; it just doesn't fit in this case.

Thanks for all the help, everybody!
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