Month: November 2024

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Adventure Ideas

D&D Spin-Off Adventure: “Franchise of the Damned”

Adventure Overview:

Welcome to Barovia: the land of mists, despair… and untapped business opportunities. Strahd von Zarovich may rule Barovia with an iron grip, but his dominance has left a vacuum in one crucial sector—corporate competition. Enter the players, representatives of an Acquisitions Incorporated franchise, tasked with setting up shop and expanding the AI brand in the land of perpetual dread.

Of course, Barovia is no ordinary business environment. Between Strahd’s tyranny, the ever-present undead, and the stubborn, fearful locals, the players must navigate deadly challenges as they build their business, turning a cursed land into a somewhat profitable one. However, their efforts inadvertently awaken an ancient, eldritch force that slumbers beneath the land, one that seeks to become the true CEO of Barovia.

Adventure Hooks:

  1. Corporate Directive: Omin Dran himself (or his proxy) tasks the franchise with expanding Acquisitions Incorporated into Barovia, explaining that the land’s isolation has resulted in a lack of magical item procurement, adventurer-related services, and fine franchising opportunities. “Nobody’s cracked this market,” Omin says, ominously, “because it’s cursed. That’s where you come in.”
  2. Mysterious Client: A “potential client” (in reality, one of Strahd’s spies) contacts the party, offering them a chance to enter Barovia under the pretense of acquiring a rare artifact. In truth, Strahd allows the party in because he is intrigued by the concept of a “corporation” and wishes to see how it operates.
  3. The Artifact: The franchise’s Head Office learns of a unique Barovian artifact, The Ledger of Eternal Contracts, said to grant its owner the ability to create unbreakable deals—even with extraplanar entities. Omin Dran insists on recovering this item to increase AI’s negotiating power. Unfortunately, the artifact is bound to an ancient force locked beneath Barovia, and freeing it could threaten the entire land.

Setting: Corporate Expansion in Barovia

The players will explore Barovia as would-be entrepreneurs trying to establish an Acquisitions Incorporated franchise in a world devoid of hope, happiness, or customer satisfaction. The adventure focuses on both traditional exploration and Acquisitions Incorporated-style corporate antics, as the party tries to gain allies, procure resources, and avoid angering Strahd too much.

Key Locations:

  • Village of Barovia: The players can set up their corporate headquarters here, perhaps transforming an abandoned tavern into a Field Office of Franchising. The locals, however, are less than thrilled by their arrival.
  • The Vistani Encampment: The Vistani are curious about the players’ corporate mission and may offer to “help” them expand in exchange for a cut of their profits.
  • Castle Ravenloft: Strahd, ever the enigmatic host, watches the party’s progress with bemused interest. He may even invite them to a “corporate summit” in the castle to discuss “business synergy.” (Translation: he’s deciding whether to let them live or turn them into undead middle management.)
  • The Shadow Vault: A newly revealed location in Barovia, hidden deep within the mists, where the artifact—the Ledger of Eternal Contracts—is kept. It is guarded by an ancient entity with its own ambitions.

Key NPCs:

  • Strahd von Zarovich: The vampire lord is fascinated by the concept of a corporate hierarchy. He may feign interest in the party’s franchise, testing their worthiness by sending them on increasingly dangerous “business challenges.”
  • Madam Eva: The Vistani seer sees the players as fools meddling in forces they don’t understand. She offers cryptic advice about the Ledger of Eternal Contracts, warning them that “even the Devil Strahd is but a pawn to what you seek.”
  • Seraphine Dran: A Head Office executive (and distant Dran relative) tasked with “evaluating” the franchise’s success. She appears in astral form to issue demands, berate the party, and threaten to revoke their charter if profits don’t meet projections.
  • The Auditor: A mysterious, shadowy figure sent by Strahd to monitor the franchise’s progress. The players initially believe he is a local ally but later discover he is Strahd’s spy—or worse, a servant of the ancient force beneath Barovia.

Act 1: Setting Up Shop

The adventure begins with the party arriving in Barovia through the mists, either via Vistani wagon or magical means. After a brief introduction to the oppressive land, they set up their franchise headquarters in the Village of Barovia. The players must:

  1. Convince the Locals: The villagers are terrified of Strahd and hesitant to support any new venture. The players must use charm, intimidation, or creative solutions to gain their trust—or at least their business.
  2. Secure Resources: Establishing a business in Barovia isn’t easy. The players must procure materials (likely requiring trips to dangerous locations), hire staff (probably undead or desperate peasants), and deal with competitors (a local necromancer running an “adventurer-for-hire” scam).
  3. Avoid Strahd’s Wrath: As the party expands its influence, they draw the attention of Strahd. He may send agents to test their strength, sabotage their efforts, or simply invite them to Castle Ravenloft to “discuss terms.”

Act 2: The Ledger of Eternal Contracts

As the party’s franchise grows, they uncover clues about the Ledger of Eternal Contracts—an artifact with the power to bind even the most powerful entities to its wielder’s will. Madam Eva warns them that while the Ledger could be a powerful asset for Acquisitions Incorporated, it is cursed and tied to an ancient force that Strahd himself fears.

Key Events:

  • The Vistani’s Warning: The players must navigate tense negotiations with the Vistani, who hold vital information about the Ledger’s location but demand a steep price for their assistance.
  • Strahd’s Games: Strahd offers to “partner” with the franchise, promising safety in exchange for access to the Ledger. However, his motives are far from altruistic, and any deal with him is fraught with peril.
  • The Shadow Vault: The players discover the entrance to the Shadow Vault, a hidden dungeon filled with traps, puzzles, and shadowy creatures. At its heart lies the Ledger—and its guardian, an ancient, eldritch entity known as The Profiteer.

Act 3: The Profiteer Awakens

The Profiteer, an ancient entity of greed and domination, was sealed away centuries ago by Strahd’s ancestors. It represents unchecked ambition, a dark reflection of Acquisitions Incorporated’s own corporate ethos. When the players take the Ledger, the Profiteer awakens, threatening to consume Barovia and the players’ franchise unless they can stop it.

Final Encounter:

  • The Profiteer: A massive, shadowy figure with the ability to manifest corporate metaphors as physical attacks (e.g., “hostile takeover” grapples, “downsizing” necrotic blasts). The players must use both combat and clever tactics to bind the Profiteer back into the Ledger.
  • Strahd’s Role: Strahd may intervene, either as an uneasy ally or an opportunistic foe, depending on how the players handled their earlier interactions with him.

Conclusion:

  • Success: The Profiteer is sealed, and the players return to their franchise with the Ledger. Acquisitions Incorporated praises their efforts, though Omin Dran warns them never to use the artifact without strict oversight.
  • Failure: The Profiteer escapes, consuming the players, their franchise, and potentially Barovia itself. Strahd watches from afar, bemused but strangely impressed by the players’ audacity.

This adventure blends the dark, gothic horror of Curse of Strahd with the absurd, corporate humor of Acquisitions Incorporated, offering players a unique mix of high stakes and comedic roleplay.

Categories
Adventure Ideas

D&D Spin-Off Adventure: “The Curse Beneath Castle Ravenloft”

Adventure Overview:

This spin-off adventure takes place parallel to the events of Curse of Strahd. While the legendary vampire lord looms over Barovia, another sinister force stirs beneath Castle Ravenloft itself: an ancient, forgotten being buried deep in the dungeons below. As Strahd’s attention is drawn elsewhere—perhaps toward another party of adventurers (or the original Curse of Strahd campaign characters)—the players are tasked with uncovering and confronting this hidden threat before it rises to claim Barovia for itself.

This adventure can be run as a standalone side quest or as an epilogue for characters who narrowly escaped Strahd’s wrath but have unfinished business in Barovia.

Premise:

Centuries before Strahd became the dark lord of Barovia, the land was plagued by another terror: The Shadowheart Wyrm, a dragon-shaped entity of pure void and nightmare. Strahd himself sealed the creature beneath Castle Ravenloft, fearing it could rival his dominion. However, the creature’s essence was not destroyed—only suppressed. Now, after years of feeding on the residual despair and misery of Barovia, the Shadowheart Wyrm begins to awaken, threatening to devour the land entirely.

The players are drawn into the adventure by a cryptic vision from Madam Eva, the Vistani seer, or through a desperate plea from one of the castle’s few remaining human servants. Strahd’s oppressive rule may be terrible, but the Wyrm would be far worse—and not even Strahd has the power to stop it this time.

Adventure Hooks:

  1. A Cryptic Prophecy: Madam Eva summons the adventurers to her camp, warning them of a great shadow stirring beneath Ravenloft. She says, “Should the shadow rise, even the devil Strahd will fall—and Barovia will become an endless void.”
  2. The Runaway Servant: A terrified servant of Castle Ravenloft flees to the village of Barovia, claiming to have witnessed a forbidden ritual performed deep beneath the castle. He begs the party to investigate before Strahd notices his betrayal.
  3. A Rift in the Land: Strange earthquakes and black mist emerge from Castle Ravenloft, warping the landscape and drawing forth shadowy monstrosities. The land itself seems to cry out in pain.

Setting: The Forgotten Depths of Castle Ravenloft

While much of Castle Ravenloft is detailed in the original Curse of Strahd sourcebook, this spin-off introduces new, uncharted depths beneath the castle. These include:

  1. The Abyssal Staircase: A hidden passageway behind the crypts leads down into the castle’s deepest levels. The staircase seems endless, and the shadows cling unnaturally to the walls.
  2. The Hall of Black Mirrors: A massive hall filled with shattered, obsidian-like mirrors. Each fragment reflects distorted versions of the adventurers, whispering their darkest fears and regrets. Crossing this hall requires a test of will or clever thinking to avoid becoming trapped in an illusory nightmare.
  3. The Shadowheart Vault: A vast, domed chamber where the Shadowheart Wyrm lies dormant, its coiled form sealed in chains of glowing, ancient runes. The walls are covered with murals depicting a forgotten Barovian hero who once defeated the Wyrm—a hero who might hold the key to stopping it again.

Key Encounters:

1. The Keeper of Chains

Before reaching the Shadowheart Vault, the party encounters The Keeper of Chains, a hulking undead jailer bound to guard the Wyrm’s prison. It wields massive chains as weapons, which lash out with necrotic energy. The Keeper warns the party: “The seal is breaking. If you proceed, there is no turning back.”

  • Combat Challenge: The Keeper fights to delay the party long enough for the Wyrm to stir fully.
  • Clue to Victory: A glyph on the Keeper’s chest matches the runes on the Wyrm’s chains, hinting that the runes must be reactivated to bind the creature again.

2. Strahd’s Distraction

As the party progresses, they encounter Strahd himself—or a projection of him—walking the dark halls of Ravenloft, furious and distracted. He is focused on his own battle against the adventurers in the Curse of Strahd campaign or against unseen forces. He notices the party but dismisses them with a chilling warning: “Whatever you seek below, know that you tread on my domain. If you survive, pray I do not find you.”

  • Optional Roleplay: If approached, Strahd may reluctantly give cryptic advice on stopping the Wyrm, as even he does not wish to see Barovia consumed by something worse than himself.

3. The Shadowheart Cult

Deep in the castle’s forgotten depths, the party encounters a cult of twisted beings who worship the Shadowheart Wyrm. These cultists are remnants of Barovia’s forgotten past, their bodies warped by exposure to the Wyrm’s essence. They chant incessantly, their voices creating psychic vibrations that weaken the players’ resolve.

  • Combat and Puzzle Hybrid: The players must defeat the cultists while deciphering how to disrupt their ritual, which is hastening the Wyrm’s awakening.

4. The Shadowheart Wyrm

The final encounter is with the Shadowheart Wyrm itself, a towering dragon-like entity made of swirling darkness and void energy. It is partially unbound, thrashing against the last remnants of its ancient chains.

  • Combat Mechanics:
    • The Wyrm’s body is intangible at times, requiring the players to reactivate the runes on its chains to solidify it for attacks.
    • Its breath weapon is a cone of shadowy energy that saps the players’ strength and corrupts their minds.
    • The arena itself shifts, with shadowy tendrils rising from the floor to attack or separate party members.
  • Victory Condition: To truly defeat the Wyrm, the players must re-seal it using the runes and ancient relics found in the vault. Destroying it outright is impossible; only the seal can hold it back.

Aftermath:

If the players succeed, the Shadowheart Wyrm is bound once more, its slumber ensured for centuries to come. The final moments of the adventure may show the faint, mocking laughter of Strahd as he watches from the shadows, reminding the party that while they may have saved Barovia from the Wyrm, the land is still trapped under his eternal rule.

If the players fail, the Wyrm fully awakens, consuming Castle Ravenloft and spreading across Barovia. The land collapses into an endless void, and Strahd’s reign ends—not with resistance, but with total annihilation.

Themes:

  • Morality: This adventure forces the party to choose between lesser evils. Even if they succeed, Strahd remains the ruler of Barovia.
  • Madness and Fear: The deeper the players delve, the more the Wyrm’s influence weighs on their minds, forcing Wisdom saving throws or roleplay-based decisions to maintain their resolve.
  • Hope in Darkness: While Barovia is a cursed land, the players’ efforts prove that even in the darkest places, there are those willing to fight for the light.

This spin-off expands on the world of Curse of Strahd while offering a fresh and unique challenge. The Shadowheart Wyrm provides a threat so catastrophic that it forces the players to act quickly and think creatively, even as the oppressive dread of Barovia looms overhead.