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Ravenloft(module)

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"Castle Ravenloft" redirects here. For other uses, seeCastle Ravenloft (disambiguation).
Ravenloft
A dusky-skinned vampire looks out from a castle's stone balcony amid gargoyles, fog, and bats.
The cover of the originalRavenloftmodule, with art byClyde Caldwell.The artwork depicts villainStrahd von Zarovichatop Castle Ravenloft.
CodeI6
TSR product code9075
Rules requiredAdvanced Dungeons & Dragons1st edition
Character levels5–7
Campaign settingGenericAdvanced Dungeons & Dragons
AuthorsTracy&Laura Hickman
First published1983
Linked modules
I1,I2,I3,I4,I5,I6,I7,I8,I9,I10,I11,I12,I13,I14

Ravenloftis anadventure modulefor theDungeons & Dragons(D&D) fantasyrole-playing game.The American game publishing companyTSR, Inc.released it as a standalone adventure booklet in 1983 for use with thefirst editionAdvanced Dungeons & Dragonsgame. It was written byTracyandLaura Hickman,and includes art byClyde Caldwellwith maps byDavid Sutherland III.[2]The plot ofRavenloftfocuses on the villainStrahd von Zarovich,avampirewho pines for his lost love. Various story elements, including Strahd's motivation and the locations ofmagical weapons,are randomly determined by drawing cards. Theplayer charactersattempt to defeat Strahd and, if successful, the adventure ends.

The Hickmans began work onRavenloftin the late 1970s, intent on creating a frightening portrait of a vampire in a setting that combinedGothic horrorwith theD&Dgame system. They play-tested the adventure with a group of players each Halloween for five years before it was published. Strahd has since appeared in a number ofD&Daccessories and novels. The module has inspired numerous revisions and adaptations, including acampaign settingofthe same nameand a sequel. In 1999, on the 25th anniversary ofDungeons & Dragons,two commemorative versions ofRavenloftwere released.

Ravenlofthas won one award, been included on two "best of" lists, and was generally well received by critics of its era. In 1984, it won the Strategists' Club Award for Outstanding Play Aid, and it appeared second inDungeonmagazine's list of the top 30D&Dadventures. Several reviewers liked the included maps, andWhite Dwarfmagazine gave it 8 out of 10 overall. ADragonmagazine review praised the module, but felt that theD&Delements detracted from the Gothic horror atmosphere. In 2016, Wizards of the Coast publishedCurse of Strahd,an adaptation of the originalRavenloftmodule for the 5th edition ofDungeons & Dragons.

Plot

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The story involves apartyofplayer characters(PCs) who travel to the land ofBarovia,a small nation surrounded by a deadly magical fog. The master of nearbyCastleRavenloft, CountStrahd von Zarovich,tyrannically rules the country, and a prologue explains that the residents must barricade their doors each night to avoid attacks by Strahd and his minions. TheBurgomaster's mansion is the focus of these attacks, and, for reasons that are not initially explained, Strahd is after the Burgomaster's adopted daughter, Ireena Kolyana.

Before play begins, theDungeon Master(or DM, the player who organizes and directs the game play)[3]randomly draws five cards from a deck of six. Two of these cards determine the locations of twomagical weaponsuseful in defeating Strahd: the Holy Symbol and the Sunsword. The next two cards determine the locations of Strahd and theTome of Strahd,a book that details Strahd's long-agounrequited love.In this work, it is revealed that Strahd had fallen in love with a young girl, who in turn loved his younger brother. Strahd blamed his age for the rejection, and made a pact with evil powers to live forever. He then slew his brother, but the young girl killed herself in response, and Strahd found that he had become a vampire.[4]All possible locations are inside Castle Ravenloft.

The fifth and final card selected determines Strahd's motivation. There are four possible motivations for Strahd. He may want to replace one of the PCs and attempt to turn the character into a vampire and take on that character's form. He may desire the love of Ireena, whose appearance matches that of his lost love, Tatyana. Usingmind control,Strahd will try to force a PC to attack Ireena and gain her love by "saving" her from the situation he created. Strahd may also want to create an evil magic item, or destroy the Sunsword. If, during play, the party's fortune is told at thegypsycamp in Barovia, the random elements are altered to match the cards drawn by the gypsy.

As the party journeys through Barovia and the castle, the game play is guided using 12 maps with corresponding sections in the book's body guide. Example maps and sections include the Lands of Barovia, the Court of the Count, five entries for each level of theSpiresof Ravenloft, and the Dungeons and Catacombs. Each location contains treasure and adversaries, includingzombies,wolves,ghouls,ghosts,and other creatures. The main objective of the game is to destroy Count Strahd. The DM is instructed to play the vampire intelligently, and to keep him alive as long as possible, making him flee when necessary. In an optional epilogue, Ireena is reunited with her lover. They leave the "mortal world" as Ireena says, "Through these many centuries we have played out the tragedy of our lives."[5]

Publication background

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Half-length view of a Caucasian man in a striped shirt.
Half-length view of a blond Caucasian woman in a purple dress.
Tracy and Laura Hickman, designers ofRavenloft

Tracy Hickman and Laura Curtis married in 1977. Soon after, while living inProvo, Utah,they wrote the adventuresPharaohandRavenloft.[6]When they began work onRavenloft,they felt the vampire archetype had become overused, trite, and mundane, and decided to create a frightening version of the creature for the module.[7]Ravenloftwas inspired by Bram Stoker'sDraculaand advertised as "a classic gothic story."[8][9]They play-tested it with a group of players everyHalloweenfor five years before it was published in 1983 by TSR.[10]The plot combined elements of thehorrorgenre withDungeons & Dragonsconventions for the first time.[11]At the time ofRavenloft's release, eachDungeons & Dragonsmodule was marked with anAlpha numericcode indicating the series to which it belonged.[12]Ravenloftwas labeled I6: the sixth in aseries of intermediate-level modulesfor thefirst editionofAdvanced Dungeons & Dragons(AD&D).[13]It consisted of a 32-page book, with separate maps that detailed locations in the adventure scenario.[5]

Tracy Hickman once ran the adventure as a Dungeon Master. According to him, the experience was like an oldscary movie,with "the obligatory castle high on the craggy cliff with the wolves howling in the woods. Sure enough, the vampire was up there in the castle. To most of the players it seemed like a straight forward task: find the vampire and kill him."[4]One player discovered Strahd's backstory and was so affected by it that when it came time to kill the vampire at the end of the adventure, despite having a sword capable of dispatching Strahd, he refused, and his companions were forced to complete the task. Afterwards, Hickman asked him why. "He deserved to die better than that," his friend said, to which Hickman replied "Yes [...] But that is how it is with people who fall from greatness. He chose his end when he first chose to kill his brother. How could it be any different?".[4]

According to a Wizards of the Coast article, Strahd has become one of the most infamous and well-known villains in theDungeons & Dragonsgame,[14]and he has appeared in a number of novels and rulebooks since his debut inRavenloft.[15]In an introduction to an online edition ofRavenloft II,authorJohn D. Rateliffdescribed Strahd as a then-unusual fusion of a monster with the abilities of a playercharacter class;that is, avampiremagic-user.[11]This design enables him to combine his own powers with the surrounding environment, making him a difficult opponent to defeat.[7]

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of theDungeons & Dragonsgame in 1999, two additional versions of theRavenloftmodule were released. The first was a reprinting of the original adventure made available in theDungeons & Dragons Silver Anniversary Collector's Editionboxed set,with slight modifications to make it distinguishable from the original (for collecting purposes).[16]The second was the silver anniversary edition ofRavenloftthat was adapted for use with the second editionAdvanced Dungeons & Dragons(Wizards of the Coast periodically alters the rules of Dungeons & Dragons and releases a new version).[17][18]

Ravenloft II: The House on Gryphon Hill

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Main article:Ravenloft II: The House on Gryphon Hill

Ravenloft'ssuccess led to a sequel in 1986 titledRavenloft II: The House on Gryphon Hill.Although Tracy Hickman was credited inRavenloft II,he had left TSR before the module was completed. The writing was done byDavid "Zeb" Cook,Jeff Grubb,Harold Johnson,andDouglas Niles,following the Hickmans' outline. Each writer pursued a different section of the module in order to meet the deadline.[11]Clyde Caldwell,who had done all of the art for the originalRavenloftmodule, provided the cover, but interior art was done byJeff Easley.The adventure is designed for first editionAdvanced Dungeons & Dragonscharacters of levels 8–10.[19]The adventure was 48 pages, and included a large color map and an outer folder.[20]It shared structural elements with the original, including variable NPC goals and variable locations for key objects, so thatGryphon Hillplays differently each time.[21]The module's plot features anartifactknown asThe Apparatusthat switches a monster's personality with that of an ordinary townsperson; player characters, therefore, are uncertain about the true identity of the people they meet. The module also introduces Azalin thelich,who later became a major character in the Ravenloft campaign setting.[11]This module is playable alone, or as a sequel to the originalRavenloft.[21]The module describes the town of Mordentshire, as well as some haunted moors, and a manor house, all of which are mapped in perspective like the original module.[20]

Adaptations

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In 1986,Ravenloftwas adapted into thegamebookMaster of Ravenloft,#6 in theAdvanced Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Gamebooksseries. In the book, the reader plays the role of Jeren Sureblade, apaladin,who must defeat Count Strahd von Zarovich to save a young girl from becoming one of the undead. The gamebook was written byJean Blashfield,with cover art byClyde Caldwelland interior art by Gary Williams.[22]

Ravenloftinspired acampaign settingofthe same name,[3]published in 1990.[23]TheRavenloft: Realm of Terrorboxed set was published as part of thesecond editionofAdvanced Dungeons & Dragonsand, according to its back cover, it is "rooted in the Gothic tradition" and contains "tips for adding fear to your games".[24]The setting of the module was expanded; Ravenloft is now ademiplane(analternate dimension). The boxed set's version of Strahd is similar to character in the original adventure, but his abilities were increased and his background explained in more detail.[15]The campaign setting has produced a number of spin-offs,[25]and this new version of Strahd was used as a major character in a number of novels.[15]

The originalRavenloftmodule has been revised and expanded multiple times. In 1993, TSR publishedHouse of Strahd(module code RM4). It was updated to include rules from the second edition ofAdvanced Dungeons & Dragons.The module credits the original work by the Hickmans,[1]but was revised byBruce Nesmith,who along withAndria Haydaycreated theRavenloftcampaign setting.[11]Nesmith introduced new monsters, made further developments on Strahd's tactics, and added a Time-Track Table to help theDungeon Masterplan for the sunset.[26]In October 2006,Wizards of the Coastreleased an updated and expanded version of the original module forDungeons & Dragonsversion 3.5as a 226-page hardcover book entitledExpedition to Castle Ravenloft.[27]It was based on the original module, and not theRavenloftmaterial made in the intervening years.[28]Expedition to Castle Ravenloftis designed to be played as a mini-campaign lasting about 20 game sessions, much longer than the original module, although it contains options for running long 8-session or short 4-session adventures. The book also includes suggestions for incorporating the adventure into an existing generic setting,Forgotten Realms,Eberronord20 Moderncampaign.[29]Wizards of the Coast released the board gameCastle Ravenloftin 2010 as part of the "Adventure System" series of board games using a simplified 4th edition rule set.[30]In 2016, Wizards of the Coast publishedCurse of Strahd,[31]an adaptation of the original Ravenloft module for the 5th edition ofDungeons & Dragons,which was generally well received, earning the 2016 ENnie Awards for Best Adventure and Best Art/Cover and runner up for Product of the Year.[32]

Reception

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Ravenloftwon one award, and was included on two "best of" lists. In 1984, it won the Strategists' Club Award for Outstanding Play Aid.[20]The bookDungeon Master For Dummieschose the module as one of the ten best classic adventures, saying it is "perhaps our favoriteD&Dadventure of all time ",Ravenloft"takes the Dracula legend and gives it aD&Dspin ", and praised the detailed yet concise plot andisometric maps.The book also claims that Ravenloft "inspired game designers and Dungeon Masters to take the art of adventure to the next level."[3]

In 2004, on the 30th anniversary of theDungeons & Dragonsgame,Dungeonmagazine ranked the module as the second greatestDungeons & Dragonsadventure of all time—behindQueen of the Spiders.[33]The editor ofDungeonpraised the placement of treasure, and Strahd's motivation was described as "a brilliant way to let fate drive the plot and evoke the mystery and mystique of Barovia".Bill Slavicsek,director of Wizards of the Coast's RPGs and Miniatures department, noted that it was the first adventure to "mix tone, story, and dungeon crawl" in a module, and game designerAndy Collinsagreed.Clark Peterson,president ofNecromancer Games,singled out the maps and Strahd for praise, saying the vampire is "perhaps one of the best villains of all time".[33]AuthorJohn Rateliffalso applauded the maps and the randomization, as well as Strahd's duality as a vampire/magic-user. The catacombs, where player characters were teleported away and replaced with undeadwights,was singled out at as the adventure's "defining moment" by the magazine's editors.[33]

Reviews forRavenloftwere generally positive.Rick Swanreviewed the adventure inThe Space GamerNo. 72. He commented that there was "so much gothic atmosphere inRavenloftthat if it had any more, it'd flap its pages and fly away ", and stated that the bulk of the adventure involving a search of Castle Ravenloft was" not too interesting "with encounters few and far between, and that the mechanic of using a regular deck of cards to simulate a gypsy fortune teller was" silly and the results are too arbitrary "but concluded that"Ravenloftis such a refreshing change that even with its problems, it's recommended. "[34]In the July 1984 issue ofWhite Dwarfmagazine, the module was given 8 out of 10 overall, with the reviewer mentioning its presentation as a positive, and its complexity as a negative. It was likened to aHammer horror productionand praised as enjoyable, although the reviewer said the game's puns were tedious and detracted from the spooky atmosphere.[35]White DwarfreviewerDave Morrissaid it "should be a lot of fun – 'light, relief' of a nerve-wracking and deadly sort" and concluded thatRavenloftis "full of clever touches", and "features some first-class illustration and graphics".[35]In a review for the January 1984 issue ofDragonmagazine (published by a subsidiary of TSR), game designerKen Rolstonargued that, despite its design innovations,Ravenloftwas still in essence adungeon-style adventure.Rolston praised the randomization, the maps, and the player text (which is read aloud to the players by the DM). He said the player text "consistently develops an atmosphere of darkness and decay." Despite this, Rolston felt that the adventure has trouble in developing a frightening tone. He singles out its use of common monsters inD&D,an abundance of traps, and frequent combat interludes as elements that detract from the adventure's spookiness by interrupting the module's flow. Ultimately, he felt that in "AD&D terms it is a masterpiece", but not a work of "Gothic horror".[36]In a Polygon article from 2021, Charlie Hall wrote that the originalRavenloft"has been criticized as derivative–and for reinforcing harmful stereotypes," but that it had an interesting conflicted villain.[37]Tracy Hickman stated in 1998, "I still believe the original Ravenloft modules were perhaps the best that ever had my name on them."[10]

Scott Taylor forBlack Gatein 2014 listedRavnloftbyClyde Caldwellas #7 in The Top 10 TSR Cover Paintings of All Time.[38]

References

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  1. ^abHickman, Tracy;Hickman, Laura(1993).House of Strahd.Bruce Nesmith.TSR.ISBN1-56076-671-9.
  2. ^While the module does not mention him, David Sutherland III's signature appears in the bottom left corner of each map in the originalRavenloftmodule. Sutherland is also listed as the cartographer in 1993'sHouse of Strahd.[1]
  3. ^abcSlavicsek, Bill;Baker, Rich;Grubb, Jeff(2006).Dungeon Master For Dummies.For Dummies. pp. 10, 320.ISBN978-0-471-78330-5.RetrievedFebruary 12,2009.
  4. ^abcHickman, Tracy (1989)."Ethics in Fantasy: Morality and D&D Part 3: The Moral Imperative of Fantasy".TRHickman. Archived fromthe originalon 2011-07-22.RetrievedAugust 13,2009.
  5. ^abHickman, Tracy;Hickman, Laura(1983).Ravenloft.TSR.p. 30.ISBN0-88038-042-X.
  6. ^Hickman, Tracy."Tracy Hickman's Works with Laura Curtis".TRHickman. Archived fromthe originalon July 26, 2009.RetrievedAugust 12,2009.
  7. ^abWinter, Steve;et al. (2004). "Ravenloft".30 Years of Adventure: A Celebration of Dungeons & Dragons.Wizards of the Coast.p. 114.ISBN0-7869-3498-0.
  8. ^Hall, Charlie (18 January 2016)."D&D's Ravenloft returns with the help of its original creators".Polygon.
  9. ^Jones, David Annwn (2018). "9.1 New media: The art of Gothic gaming and horror apps".Gothic Effigy.Manchester University Press. p. 228.ISBN978-1-5261-0122-8.
  10. ^abVarney, Allen(August 1998). "Profiles: Tracy Hickman".Dragon(250). Wizards of the Coast: 120.
  11. ^abcdeRateliff, John D(2004)."Introduction to Ravenloft II: The House on Gryphon Hill".Wizards of the Coast.Archived fromthe originalon June 3, 2009.RetrievedMarch 6,2007.
  12. ^"Dungeons & Dragons FAQ".Wizards of the Coast.2003. Archived fromthe originalon August 18, 2000.RetrievedFebruary 9,2009.
  13. ^Rateliff, John D."L2. The Assassin's Knot".Wizards of the Coast. Archived fromthe originalon June 17, 2001.RetrievedAugust 13,2009.
  14. ^Cordell, Bruce R.;Wyatt, James(2006).Expedition to Castle Ravenloft excerpts: Introduction.Wizards of the Coast.Retrieved onMarch 9,2007.
  15. ^abcCarter, Margaret (1997). "Chapter 10: I, Strahd: Narrative Voice and Variations on a Non-Player Character in TSR's" Ravenloft "Universe". In James Craig Holte (ed.).The Fantastic Vampire: Studies in the Children of the Night.Greenwood Publishing Group.pp. 89–102.ISBN0-313-30933-7.
  16. ^"Silver Anniversary Collector's Edition Boxed Set".Wizards of the Coast. 2003. Archived fromthe originalon November 28, 1999.RetrievedAugust 14,2009.
  17. ^Pesca, Mike (June 12, 2008)."Is Dungeon & Dragons Too Popular for its Fans?".National Public Radio.RetrievedAugust 3,2009.
  18. ^Hickman, Tracy;Hickman, Laura(21 January 1999).Ravenloft: 25th Anniversary.TSR.ISBN978-0-7869-1505-7.
  19. ^Rateliff, John D (2004)."Ravenloft II: The House on Gryphon Hill".Wizards of the Coast.Archived fromthe originalon June 8, 2003.RetrievedFebruary 11,2009.
  20. ^abcSchick, Lawrence(1991).Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role-Playing Games.Prometheus Books. p. 102.ISBN0-87975-653-5.
  21. ^abSargent, Carl(March 1987). "Open Box:AD&DAdventures ".White Dwarf(87).Games Workshop:2–3.
  22. ^Blashfield, Jean(1986).Master of Ravenloft.TSR.ISBN0-88038-261-9.
  23. ^"The History of TSR".Wizards of the Coast.Archived fromthe originalon 2008-09-24.RetrievedAugust 20,2005.
  24. ^Nesmith, Bruce;Hayday, Adriana(1990).Realm of Terror.TSR.ISBN978-0-88038-853-5.
  25. ^Melton, Gordon(1994).The Vampire Book: The Encyclopedia of the Undead(1st ed.). Detroit, MI: Visible Ink Press. p. 852.ISBN0-8103-2295-1.
  26. ^Swan, Rick(May 1994). "Role-Playing Reviews".Dragon(205). TSR: 98–102.
  27. ^"Expedition to Castle Ravenloft".Wizards of the Coast.2006. Archived fromthe originalon August 13, 2006.RetrievedFebruary 11,2009.
  28. ^Carroll, Bart (June 10, 2006)."Expedition to Castle Ravenloft Designer Interview".Wizards of the Coast.Archived fromthe originalon April 29, 2007.RetrievedMarch 5,2007.
  29. ^Cordell, Bruce;Wyatt, James(2006)."Expedition to Castle Ravenloft excerpts: Adventure Hooks".Wizards of the Coast. Archived fromthe originalon June 3, 2009.RetrievedAugust 22,2009.
  30. ^Castle Ravenloft Board Game,Wizards of the Coast website
  31. ^"Curse of Strahd".Wizards of the Coast.
  32. ^"2016 ENnie Award Winners".Archived fromthe originalon January 19, 2017.RetrievedFebruary 28,2017.
  33. ^abcMona, Erik;Jacobs, James;the "Dungeon Design Panel" (November 2004). "The 30 GreatestD&DAdventures of All Time ".Dungeon(116).Paizo Publishing:79.
  34. ^Swan, Rick(January–February 1985). "Capsule Reviews".The Space Gamer(72).Steve Jackson Games:43–45.
  35. ^abMorris, Dave(July 1984). "Open Box: Dungeon Modules".White Dwarf(55).Games Workshop:18–19.ISSN0265-8712.
  36. ^Rolston, Ken(January 1984). "Gaming without heroes".Dragon(81). TSR: 76–78.
  37. ^Hall, Charlie (3 May 2021)."D&D's new Ravenloft book swaps outdated tropes for a high-fantasy approach".Polygon.
  38. ^"Art of the Genre: The Top 10 TSR Cover Paintings of All Time – Black Gate".17 September 2014.
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