Plot: World Introduction

Under raging storm clouds, a lone figure stands silhouetted against the ancient walls of Castle Ravenloft. Count Strahd von Zarovich stares down a sheer cliff at the village below. A cold, bitter wind spins dead leaves about him, billowing his cape in the darkness.
Lightning splits the clouds overhead, casting stark white light across him. Strahd turns to the sky, revealing the angular muscles of his face and hands. He has a look of power-and of madness. His once handsome face is contorted by a tragedy darker than the night itself.
Rumbling thunder pounds the castle spires. The wind's howling increases as Strahd turns his gaze back to the village. Far below, yet not beyond his ken, a party of adventurers has just entered his domain. Strahd's face forms a twisted smile as his dark plan unfolds. He knew they were coming, and he knows why they have come - all according to his plan. He, the master of Ravenloft, will attend to them.
Another lightning flash rips through the darkness, its thunder echoing through the castle's towers. But Strahd is gone. Only the howling of the wind-or perhaps a lone wolf-fills the midnight air. The master of Raven loft is having guests for dinner. And you are invited.

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This article describes the information to be provided to the players before starting the Curse of Strahd campaign.

Themes

Open World Campaign

Be prepared for the fact that the adventure is exceedingly open-ended. The adventurers' choices can lead them all over the map, and a party can easily wander into an area well beyond their power.

Experience Gains

Much of the adventure involves social interaction and exploration, rather than combat. As such a mixture of milestone and xp rewards will be utilized. This ensures characters develop at an appropriate pace, and that lower level characters have the opportunity to catch-up to the higher level party members.

Death

Character death is an ever present danger, however death of a character need not be the end. With spells such as Revivify, Raise Dead and Resurrection (see below) a character need never be lost. There are consequences to death, and it may not be a trivial matter to return, but the option will always be there for a loved character.
Steps are taken by the DM to ensure the player still has an engaging experience while their character is dead, both in and out of combat.

SRD

Revivify

3-level Necromancy

Casting Time 1 action

Range Touch

Duration Instantaneous

Components V, S, M

Materials A diamond worth at least 300 gp, which the spell consumes.

You touch a creature that has died within the last minute. That creature returns to life with 1 hit point. This spell can't return to life a creature that has died of old age, nor can it restore any missing body parts.

Class(es): Cleric, Paladin

SRD

Raise Dead

5-level Necromancy

Casting Time 1 hour

Range Touch

Duration Instantaneous

Components V, S, M

Materials A diamond worth at least 500 gp, which the spell consumes

You return a dead creature you touch to life, provided that it has been dead no longer than 10 days. If the creature's soul is both willing and at liberty to rejoin the body, the creature returns to life with 1 hit point.

This spell also neutralizes any poison and cures nonmagical diseases that affected the creature at the time it died. This spell doesn't, however, remove magical diseases, curses, or similar effects, if these aren't first removed prior to casting the spell, they take effect when the creature returns to life. The spell can't return an undead creature to life.

This spell closes all mortal wounds, but it doesn't restore missing body parts. If the creature is lacking body parts or organs integral for its survival—its head, for instance—the spell automatically fails.

Coming back from the dead is an ordeal. The target takes a -4 penalty to all attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks. Every time the target finishes a long rest, the penalty is reduced by 1 until it disappears.

Class(es): Bard, Cleric, Paladin

SRD

Resurrection

7-level Necromancy

Casting Time 1 hour

Range Touch

Duration Instantaneous

Components V, S, M

Materials A diamond worth at least 1,000gp, which the spell consumes

You touch a dead creature that has been dead for no more than a century, that didn't die of old age, and that isn't undead. If its soul is free and willing, the target returns to life with all its hit points.

This spell neutralizes any poisons and cures normal diseases afflicting the creature when it died. It doesn't, however, remove magical diseases, curses, and the like, if such affects aren't removed prior to casting the spell, they afflict the target on its return to life.

This spell closes all mortal wounds and restores any missing body parts.

Coming back from the dead is an ordeal. The target takes a -4 penalty to all attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks. Every time the target finishes a long rest, the penalty is reduced by 1 until it disappears.

Casting this spell to restore life to a creature that has been dead for one year or longer taxes you greatly. Until you finish a long rest, you can't cast spells again, and you have disadvantage on all attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws.

Class(es): Bard, Cleric

Multiclassing, Feats & Variant Rules

Multiclassing and Feats allowed.
Variant Initiative rules allowing whole team to act together, this combines with the flanking rule mentioned below.
Flanking is included and can be described during the characters combat turns.
Happy for some spells to cast magic of a different element. Speak to me for more info if a caster.

Characters

Character introductions and modifications for the world

Plot type

Session 0: World Introduction