One Night in Raveloft
Greetings, adventurers!
You are cordially invited to spend a brisk autumn evening with Count Strahd von Zarovich in his mountaintop abode, Castle Ravenloft…
On Sunday, October 27, 2024, I plan on running the 2nd annual session of One Night in Ravenloft, the terrifying one-shot version of the classic horror adventure, Ravenloft, and I’m looking for interested players.
This is the same game that I ran last year, but with randomized changes and “win conditions” to make each run through a little different (plus some encounter re-balancing, following last year’s cakewalk). The game promises action, horror, comedy, and several terrifying new surprises.
For those who don’t know (or don’t remember), Ravenloft is the first official gothic-horror module for D&D (published for 1st Edition AD&D in 1983). The one-shot version omits most of the prologue and surrounding area, and sees the PCs begin by storming Castle Ravenloft itself with the great vampire hunter, Dr. Rudolph Van Richten, as they try to bring down the evil vampire lord, Count Strahd von Zarovich, and free the good people of Barovia from the dark powers of the mists.
As with last year, we’ll be using the HOSR system (Heroic Old-School Roleplaying), a set of (relatively short) rules based on the classic Basic / Expert D&D, but with some fun things like Critical and Fumble dice, useful thieves, extra classes and races, and a lower mortality rate. It’s the same rules I currently run for our Isle of Dread campaign (and ran for my astral campaign), and can be found at https://www.planarvagabond.com/rules/index.html.
And now, the fiddly bits:
- As with last year, I don’t want to set a specific time (so as to be maximally flexible for those in time zones outside of the Eastern one), but this year, I’m aiming for 4.5 hours start-to-finish (with hopes to be completely done by the 5 hour mark).
- I’ve also come to realize that it’s very difficult to run a remote, voice-based game with more than 4 players, especially when that game has very specific time constraints (as with a one-shot). So, I’m looking for up to 4 players to play, and if I can get to 6 players (or more), I’ll split the group and run the one-shot twice.
- As with last year, PCs can be any race or class in OSE, BX, or from the Planar Vagabond site (although I’m always willing to entertain a custom race or class, if that’s your thing). See Character creation rules for more info.
So, once again I ask: Do you have the courage to face the ancient evil that slumbers in Castle Ravenloft, and free the land from the curse of the mists by destroying the vile corruption once and for all? Will you join the likes of Jerakeen, Yogi the Bugbear, Charlie Knight, Maester Llewyn, and Gus the Party Bus in the hallowed halls of history? Or are you destined to become just another in a long line of fallen heroes, doomed by their overconfidence to serve as Strahd’s undead minions until the end of time?