D&D returns to Ravenloft with ‘Curse of Strahd’
|We’re going back to Ravenloft!
Today, Dungeons & Dragons and Wizards of the Coast announced Curse of Strahd, an adventure and storyline that will return to Castle Ravenloft and the surrounding land of Barovia.
It will be available March 15, and the adventure will be co-written by original Ravenloft authors Tracy and Laura Hickman. Players will face off against the legendary County Strahd von Zarovich.
Count us interested.
“Revisiting the land of Barovia with the creators of the original Ravenloft adventure has been a highlight of my professional career,” Chris Perkins said in a press release.
The adventure will bring players from level 1 to 10, and it will retail for $49.95. (That seems pricey, but it is a pretty thick adventure. I’ve spent $20+ on something that covers three levels.)
Pre-order it now on Amazon.com.
What’s unclear is how Ravenloft (historically its own setting) will be incorporated into the Forgotten Realms, where all previous 5th edition content has been set.
“Heroes from the Forgotten Realms and other D&D worlds can easily be drawn into Strahd’s cursed land. Once there, they must contend with the horrors of Barovia,” the press release said.
So maybe Strahd spirits them away with his vampire magic. Or something.
We don’t really care how it works. We just want to play this adventure!
According to the release, the adventure will see the trapped players speak to the mysterious fortune-teller, Madam Eva. While drawing cards from a mysterious tarroka deck, she directs the adventurers to scour Barovia for artifacts that will help them defeat Strahd.
In addition to the adventure, Wizards and Gale Force 9 will release a physical tarroka deck that allows DMs to draw cards for the players and randomize the adventure.
I don’t understand your comments about Ravenloft being “folded in” to the Realms. It sounds like they are building on the details of the 2e setting: the Mists will transport characters from the Realms to Barovia.
They’ve been so committed to FR in 5e, I wondered if Ravenloft would be added to the Forgotten Realms somehow or remain its own thing. Apparently, it will be its own thing.