AD&D Review: Ravenloft

Review and Dungeon Master tips for the classic D&D adventure "Ravenloft". Originally published in 1983, it's spawned numerous sequels and expansions, most recently with 5th Edition's "Curse of Strahd".
You can find it here: www.drivethrurpg.com/product/1...
My own fiction can be found here: amzn.to/2zLTxAb
Guest Starring Jack the NPC.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Magic candle in a lamp to light their way through the fog. Brilliant, sir. Brilliant.

[@RPGmodsFan]

I agree. It is better than the Potion of Fog Lifting that is in the module.

[@saintjst7]

You guys need to collaborate.

[@emielpeper9248]

That magic candle could set up a thread with the players trying to steal a candle of fogwalking, maybe use it to guide villagers out in an exodus from Barovia

[@GonzoTehGreat]

How about a magic Genie inside the magic lamp who navigates them through the magic fog? 😁

[@bighara]

It's a Silmaril! :-p

[@jayoungr]

"Vampyr with a y, which means we're not going to be able to kick its ass that easy..." LOL!

[@tommageddon2012]

Just realized that in the modern Curse of Strahd module, the floor plan for Castle Ravenloft is exactly the same as the original, and I seriously appreciate that.

[@Baalek1]

I'm running the original Ravenloft for the first time and I was all set to look for an original castle map online when I found that out, so I just got the 5e map instead!

[@grymhild]

Maybe the church-bell hadn't been rung in years is because it causes Stradh pain... and last time it was rung there were _consequences_

[@TheHeartlessAlchemist]

Oh! I got that reference!

[@jesternario]

Oh you mean like the same type that would most likely happen if they were to be dumb enough to build a wall, which would make him probably kill what? 60-70% of them?

[@Unahim]

@@jesternario Plus, he can't gain sustenance from soulless barovians anyway, so many of them need not strictly speaking fear his depredations.

[@jesternario]

@@Unahim Right, so he kills 60-70% of them , ensuring the majority of them are soulless, and there you go. All Barovians fear him. Also, this is a minor point, but if you're playing the original adventure, or the 2nd edition campaign setting, the soulless thing wasn't a part of the setting.

[@Eron_the_Relentless]

I came to the comment section to say no villager would dare cross strahd with any of the countermeasures presented in the video. They know better.

[@railbaron1]

I've heard of Strahd Von Zarovich being run as a "The Trains Run to Time" Villain, Strahd doesn't directly harm the People of Barovia because it doesn't suit his interests. I've heard of a Paladin finding himself work _for_ Strahd. I heard of a party getting there hands On a _Scroll of True Resurrection_ and in an attempt to reverse the Curse tried to resurrect Sergei Von Zarovich, the man who's death had sealed it, and having to cut a deal with Grandmother Night _Herself_ to make it work.

[@plagueofjoe]

The second time I ran CoS Strahd was able to convince our Paladin that he was being blamed for more than he deserved and she became very sympathetic to him.

[@russellharrell2747]

Vampyre with a ‘Y’? Yeah, I’d bug out too. Adding a Y to any monster makes it instantly OP. Also you forgot to spit when you said ‘the devil strahd’ *petew*

[@Andonios88]

My dad and I played this module when I was a kid, I'm pretty sure he bent the rules some just to scare the hell out of me and my friends. Great memories.

[@Rezkeshdadesh]

This is one of the best Tabletop/D&D Channels I've found in a while.

[@zeromancer-x]

Don't forget buying a fog machine to run during the session. :P

[@elreyabeja4539]

I did this for my crew when we played Strahd!

[@geekydiy5323]

Along with some gothic candles along with the soundtrack of castlevania sympathy of the night

[@EpsilDelta197]

@@geekydiy5323 I wouldn't be able to concentrate because the SotN soundtrack is too good

[@brianjacob8728]

dry ice is all you need.

[@Anderson_101]

Neat idea, That would be useful in all of the Ravenloft setting modules!

[@GM_Darius]

I'd highly agree about changing the poison fog to a magical, teleporting one. That would be far cooler and provide more of a "No Escape" scenario.

[@originaluddite]

Or even just a space-bending effect that turns really walking in a straight line into turning back. I also assume that the land so constrained is still large enough to provide basic food for the village, even without the gypsies supplementing it with a smattering of delicacies.

[@JamieDNGN]

Yeah 5e changes that to teleportation+exhaustion imposing. The characters slowly become exhausted if they don't leave the fog quickly, which can lead to their deaths, but it also teleports them to where they started.

[@klaykid117]

I think that's how it is in more modern versions because if it's just poisonous then you'll have a lot of players trying to come up with race and spell combos to try and get through the fog

[@Quandry1]

Teleporting, reality bending fog is closer to how it worked when it was turned more into a full setting with multiple domains with multiple lords rather than just a couple of adventures. So this is a detail that is actually consistent with how a number of players would remember Ravenloft Adventures/campaigns.

[@ClutchSituation]

I count on you for intelligent commentary of scenarios. There are many, many role-players that treat scenarios as if they are sacred and "should be" run "as is." What hogwash. You consistently have great ideas for improvement. Even if I never intend to run a specific game, just watching you suggest alterations is a huge benefit.

[@TheBayzent]

Furthermore, you have to adapt the adventure to your group, and with these scenarios, your *really* need to add stuff always. They are very barebones.

[@MaleusMaleficarum]

This idea of "sacred" scenarios... feels very new. None of the players or DMs i met in the 90s ever did anything "by the book." House rules were everywhere.. and every table ran things differently.

[@ayaanalberto7712]

you all prolly dont care at all but does any of you know of a trick to log back into an instagram account?? I was stupid forgot the login password. I love any help you can give me

[@malachibraydon5360]

@Ayaan Alberto instablaster =)

[@ayaanalberto7712]

@Malachi Braydon I really appreciate your reply. I got to the site through google and Im trying it out now. Looks like it's gonna take a while so I will get back to you later with my results.

[@EntropicUsername]

My favorite visit to Ravenloft was Black Rose. A fan project to use the Blue Rose system in Ravenloft, where the romantic fantasy lens and some of the early story game elements complimented Ravenloft really well.

[@drsatanrx]

Never heard od that before. I think ill look into it though. Thanks fkr the tip!

[@mrbroeders]

Anyone else wave back to Seth when he says 'Hello Internets?" Just me?

[@SSkorkowsky]

I always wave when he says it.

[@MysticVRB]

Ravenloft was, is, and will always be my favorite module in D&D. It was the first module (and adventure for that matter) that I was ran through as a player. I have collected every Ravenloft module, adventure, everything since it has been printed up to now with the 5E version and I have loved each one.

[@tommageddon2012]

That one bit killed me. "It's like the guy that went to the Cheesecake factory and left a one star review because they offered him a freakin' cheesecake." I'm dead. lol

[@dixieflatline9772]

The angry mob out of nowhere is a hilarious touch. They only attract more random encounters.

[@Sonnenbringer]

I ran this module back in the eighties. It was kind of a revolution for the game. Everyone loved the dark melancholie and the wonderful athmosphere. The castle map is the best Iever saw. And I also loved the optional ending... I wished there were more such jewels like Ravenloft!

[@christianthatcher9644]

Love your Ad&D and Cthulhu commentaries. It really is a great service for DM's especially the tips and heads up on problems/solutions in these published adventures. Great work.

[@heroesdelve]

You are correct... Cheesecake and Big Trouble In Little China sounds Great! Thanks for another great review video!

[@shapeshiftybee5542]

Thank you so much for your advice! I actually changed the village of Barovia like you said, and it really helped convey how scared the villagers were of Strahd and what he controls.

[@ronbrown6841]

Changing the potion to a candle/lamp is an excellent idea. Gonna use that. Thanks Seth!

[@wanderinghistorian]

1. This was a great review of a classic product. Can you do more of these please? 2. I had a friend who ran 1 session of this last year, but then gave up and quit. I was so disappointed. I hope I get a chance to play it through some day. 3. The best part of this video was the desert rant. :)

[@SSkorkowsky]

Thanks. I have a few more classic AD&D and a lot more classic Call of Cthulhu module reviews that I have planned.

[@subzero9113]

Man this takes Me back to when I bought Ravenloft when It first came out . Then My Party getting ecstatic about the sequel! Strahd is one of the best villains made for D@D! I used to have every Ravenloft supplement that came out after the original!

[@jpfernweh7771]

Great review! I really appreciate the added commentary on suggested changes to improve or smooth out certain parts. They gypsy's potion -> lantern change was particularly cool.

[@FordPrefict42]

My first encounter with Ravenloft was playing a Dragonlance campaign. The Devil Fog crept in and transported us there. It got even more interesting when, during a later game session, a lawful good paladin joined our group. At first, it made me nervous, because I was playing a neutral evil Silvanesti Elf mage. My heart about sank into my throat when he cast Detect Evil. An evil smile overtook my actual face when our DM announced that EVERYTHING was glowing blue to the paladin. Good times!

[@silverbane8065]

You know, the same time the box set came out, there was an additional box called "forbidden lore" which had a set of the taroka cards, and some dikeshi dice as well, along with lots of additional extra information. Most of it via the Vistani gypsy's lore and back story's. Its probably hard to get hold of now tho. I'm glad they brought ravenloft back from the dead as it was one of the first sets I got back in the 1990's.

[@MrOurai]

A: You kill the golems with the rust monsters :D

[@Fyrmer]

Poison fog just sounds like something most D&D parties would try to get past with poison resistance/immunity effects. Or just a high constitution and a supply of healing spells/potions.

[@raphaelperry8159]

Ah good old Ravenloft. It's about as Legendary as good old B2 Keep on the Borderlands.

[@thegameoverclub]

Outstanding review Seth! :) Every time a new vid of yours pops up I can't click fast enough! Also your CoC reviews are the best on KZbin!

[@m.a.packer5450]

I like Icewind Dale's cold wights: instead of level drain, they deal extra frost damage

[@Leocmatias]

Great video. Subscribed. This level of review with personal perspective is really unique as far as I know.

[@FantasticDimensions]

Great review, Seth! I've been a fan of your Call of Cthulhu stuff for a bit now, but I am planning to run I6 via the Lamentations of the Flame Princess ruleset in a couple months and I really appreciate your tips here. I'm so glad you only review the adventures you have actually run/played, as it annoys me to no end when people make reviews of a product without actually having any experience beyond reading a few pages or chapters. Yes, the worst are the ones who don't even read the whole thing cover to cover before gracing us with their opinion on it. Charlatans! Keep making great and entertaining reviews. We need more quality and less quantity!

[@lunatic0verlord10]

6:53 Or some Castlevania music. It fits well if the weapon the players get is a whip.

[@krispalermo8133]

Spike chain with light horseman's mace attach to one end of it. Strahd's castle has been attack by so many adventures over the years, he now his a ticket both outside of the castle gates to charge entrance fees.

[@jasonnewell7036]

Cheesecake and "Big Trouble in Little China" is always a great idea.

[@zephyrstrife4668]

I think having the option for the PC's to lure the rust monsters through the castle to defeat things like the iron golems would be hilarious

[@65GTO400]

Thanks for the review. Been through this module a few times. This review is very timely as I plan to run it in a couple weeks. Will definitely watch again to incorporate some of your ideas. Always enjoy your videos. Thanks for all your work!

[@docartemis2878]

When I ran Curse of Strahd, I had the village of Barovia play out as a town that had given up, over the centuries they’d finally lost hope and just tried to fly under the radar, hoping that Strahd would ignore individuals if they didn’t actively resist.

[@krispalermo8133]

I had a DM that ran Barovia as a bunch of stone cold killers with a lively night life. Where the locals offer up a pint of blood into a pitcher for Their Lord before going to bed. Along with five to eight werewolf packs/ families fighting for control over herd grazing rights. Random vampires and other outsider monster getting drop off by The Mist. Where Castle Ravenloft was regarded as a five star high class hotel tourist trap for the rich.

[@armata_strigoi_0]

​@@krispalermo8133 That's a very unique take lol, sounds like it was fun to play through.

[@krispalermo8133]

@@armata_strigoi_0 My last gaming shop from close to 15 to 20 years ago played Whitewolf/World of Darkness(WoD): Vampire, werewolf, mage, and changeling. So playing vampire city politics with blood bond human servants was an old hat for us. Thanks for checking out the old videos and hope you had a good weekend.

[@armata_strigoi_0]

@@krispalermo8133 Ah, I see, haven't gotten around to running anything in WoD yet but it's always intrigued me. Cheers, likewise.

[@AxiomofDiscord]

My homebrew world is based heavily on Ravenloft I love the land and all its kingdoms. I am also taking some planescape and dark sun influences into my world as well, but mostly Ravenloft.

[@euansmith3699]

I love the idea of the Circus that came to the village decades ago.

[@Incrediblefatslug]

I love your reviews. always bringing the fire.

[@gabebernal]

I love this review. As a DM, I love the little touches you suggest adding for mood. What you said about adding to the Village of Barovia is fantastic!

[@stonerocks0]

The detailed execution tips are fantastically helpful for a new DM - thanks!

[@BurtonJohnson]

The letters from Kolyan Indrovich, Burgomaster seem prescient of modern-day Nigerian scammers.

[@SSkorkowsky]

Greeting Brave Hero, my name is Kolyan a prince of the Nigerian province of Barovia. I am electronic mailing you today to plea for your help. I am willing to pay you 1 million gold, for your service, but you must first transfer me 1,000 gold in order to free the royal accounts. Please act now, as you are our family's only hope. Thank you for your assistance.

[@rpeterson9182]

Seth Skorkowsky Genius funny!

[@KuyVonBraun]

Is no fun is no Blinsky! I'd love to see a companion review of Curse of Stradh if you have an inclination. Ravenloft was the first adventure I played in its entirety over several sessions (as a player). Great memories. You touch on this in your review but I think Ravenloft was the first adventure that wasn't simply a dungeon crawl & actually had a story! Hard to imagine that was pretty innovative in the 80s.

[@xinth23]

Ravenloft is one of my all-time favorite modules. Great review!

[@captainnegativity9269]

Never trust a Miskatonic U grad. ESPECIALLY if they're talking about old books. I'M ON TO YOU!!

[@dirk_gently]

This showed up recently (second edition box set) at my local half price books. Still kicking myself for not picking it up for 20 bucks.

[@fastsniperfox6250]

Hi Seth, your channel is really inspiring. You have hands down the best Cthulhu content on KZbin. Do you have any plans on making a video about how to make good NPC's? It's one of my biggest weaknesses and would love to hear your opinions on it.

[@glowingturtle9673]

Great review! Bonus points for referencing Big Trouble in Little China!

[@magua9563]

Easily my favorite campaign and D&D setting. I absolutely love the gothic horror setting, the looming threat of Strahd or any of the other dark lords is dreading and a great build up for the fight. I do have to say out of the core domains I honestly prefer some other areas like Sithicus or the wastes with Har'ikir.

[@RPGmodsFan]

Great review on the I6 Ravenloft D&D Module. Ravenloft is my favorite D&D Module. Great villain, great setting.

[@samsampier7147]

Love your videos. This one ties with your Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh video as my favorite AD&D module review.

[@serwombles8816]

most helpful and useful vid i have seen on the Ravenloft module. Thanks Seth

[@genewirchenko347]

A very nicely done review. The switching between the presenter and the armoured adventurer was a good touch.

[@EpicSolo]

Not just a great review, but an amazing guide with some brilliant ideas for any GM that is thinking about running this classic module.

[@MaxWriter]

I've owned this module for years and always thought it spectacularly done. So much so that I collected all of the 2nd and most of the 3rd edition stuff put out for the game setting. I thought all of it was brilliantly done. I only ran a little bit of it when some of my Greyhawk players ended up in the demiplane of dread when they entered a cave that led to an isle of terror of my own making. They soon found themselves in the main part of the world with Feast of Goblyns. I often used the Tarokka deck from the 2nd edition for fortune telling for my pcs. Nicely done. I didn't realize reviewers hated the optional ending so much. Jack's right. Now I want to watch Big Trouble in Little China again.

[@LordSephleon]

+MaxWriter Heh. MaxWriter, I knew I subbed to your channel years ago for a good reason. ;) Although I've been into Ravenloft since acquiring the original boxed set in 2E from my very first DM (along with Dark Sun), I didn't actually own a copy of the original I6 until my mother got me the 25th Silver Anniversary Collector's box that included it and some other well-known modules. Over the years, I managed to collect the vast majority of the 2nd and 3rd Ed Ravenloft material (missing only a few hard copy 2E modules), including the beautiful Sword & Sorcery Tarokka deck (back when it first came out, though sadly I have no idea where it ended up over years of moving). The 2E Van Richten's Guides and the 3E Edition Gazetteers are among my favorite sourcebooks of all time, even to this day. And note: I actually have not liked 3E since suffering some major burnout with it and getting an epiphany that it - along with what are considered more "modern" systems - has subtly changed how many people play, focusing on miniatures, tactics, and combat instead of letting players trust their DM with adjudicating relatively looser rulesets... Well, okay, some DMs can't be trusted. Sorry. Tangent. I'll end that there. :)

[@MaxWriter]

Hello LordSephleon. It's a great setting and I've always liked it. I, too, sickened of the more tactical systems, which is why Call of Cthulhu and the BRP is my goto game now. Great tangent btw!

[@scimerio1117]

"oh, holy crap! This is gonna be bad..." huahuahauahau xD

[@CitanulsPumpkin]

The town bell being silent and there not being a wall makes sense for the tone of the setting. The town has had its will broken by the Devil Strahd. They don't ring the bell because everyone knows to be indoors long before nightfall and ringing the bell would be seen as an act of defiance against Strahd. They don't have a wall because Strahd ate all the masons willful enough to try rebuilding it. Strahd is in complete control in Barovia. The townspeople don't like it but not one of them will stand up to him by lining their roofs with holy symbols, ringing a church bell, or putting up a wall. The townsfolk aren't PC's, they're Strahd's cattle.

[@franohmsford7548]

A wall makes zero sense against a powerful vampire that can turn into mist anyway!!!

[@CitanulsPumpkin]

For the main vamp yes, but he might have meant a wall would hold out the lower tier monsters and varmints that plague the woods around the town. In any case Strahd isn't going to let his livestock have any nice things.

[@Bluecho4]

Well, sure, the Devil Strahd **Spit** owns the people of Barovia, but by that same token he would want to keep them from being casually slaughtered by monsters. Even a cattle rancher defends his herds from wolves or poachers. The Devil Strahd **Spit** may consider the people as food or possessions, but that in turn implies that he'd _allow_ them to build wall. Like Francis Wright said above, he is in no way hindered by walls. Unless he's massively insecure about his control of the country, the Devil Strahd **Spit** probably wouldn't care about exactly what the people do, so long as they don't fight back against him directly.

[@CitanulsPumpkin]

That assumes the smaller tier monsters feeding on the townspeople are not beholden to The Devil Strahd *Spit*, which they definitely are. The level of control he has over the town and the surrounding woods of Barovia heavily implies that anything feeding on the townspeople ties back to the Top Vamp in some way. Why let the cattle build a fence when they are already fenced in by the fog covered pocket dimension you've trapped them in? Why let the pigs in your sty wall themselves off from the ranch hands you hired to keep them in line?

[@DetectiveBarricade]

It would be impossible to keep Strahd out anyway. He's the lord of Barovia, and therefor owns all the houses and buildings within its fog-enshrouded borders. He doesn't need the townspeople's permission to enter their homes whenever the mood strikes him.

[@jamesc.7988]

Hey Seth, I just found your channel and have really enjoyed a number of your videos. Scott Brown and the Bone Saw will both be making appearances in my campaign. I have been a DM/GM/Judge/Narrator/Storyteller for about 30 years and I am still finding some of your GM Toolbox advice helpful. Keep it up! Now while on the subject of Ravenloft, I want to first say that I loved the setting. I had the 2nd Edtion boxed set and ran it with a gleam in my eye. My players on the other hand, hated it. Or at least one player, who seemed very vocal at the time, really, REALLY hated it. But fast forward 30 years and that same player is still a member of my group so I must have got something right. While running Ravenloft, I found a module that contained about 10 separate adventures that were each connected somehow. Each adventure was just a little more difficult than the one before it and the module was designed to take characters from level 1 on up to level 10 or so to face Strahd. I remember that one of the passages meant to be read aloud was a description of dead crabs along a beach. I think this was the entry into the Ravenloft and the first adventure in the module but I'm not sure. I have searched all over the internet trying to find this book so that I can update and run it in my new campaign but I haven't had any luck. Is there any chance you (or one of your followers) can tell me what book it is that I am thinking about?

[@SSkorkowsky]

Hmm. I've never read this collection. Sorry. Here's what my Google-Fu has found. Maybe it's one of these: Chilling Tales - 7 adventures index.rpg.net/display-entry.phtml?mainid=11419 Book of Crypts - 9 adventures index.rpg.net/display-entry.phtml?mainid=8494 Here's the full list of Ravenloft material from RPG.net index.rpg.net/display-search.phtml?key=background&value=Ravenloft&sort=system

[@rickeymariu1]

More D&D reviews. I want all of the moduels to be reviewed by you. I love the vids!

[@RPGmodsFan]

Rick, If you are interested in D&D Mod Reviews by various KZbinrs (including Seth), I put together a Playlist of such Reviews (in alphabetical order of their Mod Codes :-) kzbin.info/aero/PLzsw3tqRJUVzzpCp3u7eIK2MkgC0DQsM-

[@darrellnewman4844]

Hugh fan of Ravenloft going all he way back to 1990, I have run most of the Ravenloft modules including this one. I loved the video, gave me some new things to think about as I prepare to run it again for a new and unsuspecting generation!

[@mackbonham1]

I love your observation about "shared war stories". I'm in my 50's and my D&D experience goes back to the very earliest products (back when "elf" was a class, for example!) but there remains that handful of mods that I can talk about with people younger than half my age. It's a wonderful feature of having a game system that's been around in one form or another for over four decades.

[@francescospuntarelli7369]

I was a dwarf 25 years ago but we were retro playing first edition at that time and i didn't understand the why I was a class less dwarf at the time.... God bless 3rd edition over all for skills and feats and pathfinder for character customization

[@raymondlugo9960]

@@francescospuntarelli7369Dwarf as a class was a Basic thing. In OD&D and AD&D, dwarf was a race and could choose from multiple classes.

[@DungeonMusings]

Really great and entertaining review. Thanks, Seth!

[@menemenetekelperes4297]

Loved the soundtracks you recommend..perfect for what we are playing

[@mythzerous]

Great Video! Insightful as always.

[@carfaxabbycemeterygoth7937]

Really enjoyed this review brings back fond memories. I really found the tips for strahd helpful

[@joshuacaulfield]

Holy smokes, I am totally going to run this adventure as Big Trouble in Little China! Now the puns fit. The midnight procession is the gang fight. What a wonderful twist. Thank you.

[@ardon68]

i played the original way back in 1986 with a couple friends

[@Eradose]

This review is the main reason I picked this up during Drive Thru RPG's Black Friday sale. I also picked up the sequel too, and definitely look forward to if you review that too.

[@snjvxscape]

I love the circus idea.

[@michaelvargha7302]

"I say we gain a few levels, come back with a keg of holy water and about 17 more clerics..." - Jake the NPC LMAO

[@twilight_phantom2969]

Me and my friends played some of curse of strahd, but our playthrough was cut short when half our party (led by a chaotic neutral rogue) split off and went to work for Strahd. We also didn't have a cleric, and I was the only one with a silver weapon.

[@jamesschmidtke5183]

Seth I wish you’d do a review if every DND module. You’re the best!

[@jesternario]

I actually have the second edition TSR silver anniversary version of this module, which is a faithful recreation of the original module converted to second edition rules. It is pretty good, and the full color map of Barovia was nice (I used my color printer with scanner function To make a two-page copy of it so I could keep it from getting messed up).

[@damienblauwald]

A fine review with some interesting ideas. Also, great T-shirt.

[@johnkyff2877]

I know this module thru and thru! I bought it in 1979! I could talk about this module for years of the cuff!

[@disfiguringthegoddess1102]

About to take my players through this, thankyou for your insight/changes

[@WayneBraack]

The second boxed set from 2nd edition also has a gypsy deck, also it has d6's with symbols instead of numbers, bone dice which if used lend an individual fortune telling aspect allowing you to blend a more personal aspect to the game. I LOVE this adventure and the entire idea of Ravenloft as a reacuring bad dream that haunts the players when it wants to. Straads revenge, toying with your players from time to time.

[@DTDdeathmas]

Really great video. I have a question though, are the different editions significantly different?

[@Kain5th]

I'd like to see you review the planescape campaign setting

[@Rezkeshdadesh]

I should try running this sometime. I've been with my D&D group for almost 10 years, but we've never run it.

[@raphaelperry8159]

The Tarokka deck also came in one of the 2nd edition boxed sets as well didn't it? Not the core Ravenloft setting box but the first big expansion box. I can't remember the title off the top of my head.

[@kontrarien5721]

That was the Forbidden Lore box set. Still have it in the basement.

[@markosf09]

I ran an epic Ravenloft campaign back around 1990. I don't think we even got to Strahd. I wrote up an introduction to the setting, played with some of mechanics, and the gaming group kind of went off in it's own direction. I don't remember all the details, and I don't remember how much was original material I designed and how much was put forward in the module/campaign setting. I do remember that alot of the players were having nightmares, and it was an intense, captivated, and finally exhausting several months of gameplay. At least one player quit. When the party finally figured out how to get out of the Ravenloft setting, and back to our original setting, they couldn't have been happier. Though the consequences of their Ravenloft experience never fully went away.

[@ReustersPlace]

Really great advice on a great module

[@Avankiri]

I love that some versions of the Ravenloft title font look like old-school Castlevania. I think Castlevania came out a few years after, but older versions of Ravenloft don't have that distinctive don't, so I'm not sure who inspired who.

[@krispalermo8133]

Years ago my game shop drop " X-Files lead characters Fox Mulder & Dana Scully into Water Deep Forgotten Realms setting with their firearms. We even drop them into Ravenloft, along with the X-Men and the Justice League. So it will be cool to see NPC Jack spoof on how did he go from Call of Cthulhu now trying to figure out where he is at now at the moment. Hope you had a good weekend, and God bless.

[@Parallelepiped2]

Great to hear your thoughts on this!

[@imperialtutor8687]

Bonus points if you play Simons theme from Super Castlevania when facing off Strahd.

[@PatriceBoivin]

What appealed to me about I6 at first glance was the isometric map, had never seen that in a TSR module before. The vampire theme was cool too. The novels based on the Ravenloft world sometimes were good, though the Knight of the Rose was a bit plodding... like the main character who was after all a Death Knight. Ravenloft became a campaign setting because it gave people a chance to play a gothic themed RPG. Tales of the Supernatural existed but it wasn't as well known and it wasn't the same.

[@cowboycowboy9592]

The candle in fog is nice touch.

[@jasondarbe80]

Good Review I enjoyed it, and I've played this and run it over the years. If your taking requests I would love to see a review of the old Desert of Desolation Trilogy of Modules I3-I5

[@terrybeal2252]

I love the Big Trouble in Little China reference. 😊

[@NoActuallyGo-KCUF-Yourself]

Firstly, wonderful BTILC analogy. Second, thanks for the nostalgia trip: . . . 1994, high level party from Forgotten Realms, finds a spelljammer ship . . . Ooops, the phlogiston ported you into Ravenloft. Glorious, '90s era vampire tropes everywhere.

[@w.qualls7930]

Jack: Ooooo poison fog! 🙄 Strahd: Listen here you little sh--

[@nerdzhul]

Hi Seth, great video! I just discovered your channel and am liking it a lot, lot of great advises on running games! Do you think that the Ravenloft module can be applied (or can be an inspiration) for a Call of Cthulhu adventure, in the gaslight era (a la Dracula / Van Helsing) or even in the Dark Ages era? Any thoughts on that?

[@SSkorkowsky]

The setup and overall plot would be very easy to convert and I think a Gaslight version sounds awesome. However the castle traps and combats within would need a serious amount of changing. It'd be too combat-heavy for CoC. But just about everything up until the castle could translate with little effort. Stats for vampires, werewolves, and zombies are already in the Keeper's Guide, so converting those monsters is pretty straightforward. I like the idea that the PCs get trapped there in a Gaslight game and find themselves melting down their silver coins and jewelry to mold bullets or load as buckshot. Then emphasize the research of Strahd and his brother's history to bring in more of that investigation aspect. Maybe have the Sunsword piece that the PCs are carrying be in the handle of a walking stick (or the rapier blade in a sword cane) or a piece of jewelry. Of course you could also have one of the PCs have bought an antique sword at auction or it could be an heirloom, but unless the PC normally walks around with a sword on their hip, you'd have to have the invitation letter specifically request them to bring it and that could tip the PCs off.

[@nerdzhul]

Thanks a lot, that really helped! Cheers! :)

[@waltwhitmanleaves]

Great review ! Do you run games on Roll20

[@TheVileintent]

My favorite module and setting. I have the original I6 and the sequel. The greatest module ever written IMHO.

[@golvic1436]

I remember my friend's brother ran us through this module in the mid 90's. It did not end well for us.

[@raptorjesues1445]

This was great as always. Could you review Beyond the Mountains of Madness anytime soon? I would really like some sort of multi part video about it but if it is too mutch of a strain i totally understand, that thing is titanic

[@SSkorkowsky]

Problem is that i haven't run it and I only want to review scenarios I have play-experience with. I get annoyed with reviewers that only read a module and review it without running it through the gauntlet to see how it actually plays.

[@KuyVonBraun]

Hey Mountains would only take a year or so to play through! Get on it Seth :-P