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Ravenloft (module)

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This article is about the adventure module. For the campaign setting, see Ravenloft.
Ravenloft
The original Ravenloft module
CodeI6
Rules requiredAdvanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition
Character levels5–7[1]
Campaign settingGeneric Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
AuthorsTracy & Laura Hickman
First published1983
Linked modules
I1, I2, I3, I4, I5, I6, I7, I8, I9, I10, I11, I12, I13, I14

Ravenloft is an adventure module for the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) fantasy role-playing game. TSR published the module, a pre-packaged adventure booklet, in 1983 for use with the first edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game. Tracy and Laura Hickman wrote the module, which includes art by Clyde Caldwell and maps by David Sutherland III.[note 1] The plot of Ravenloft revolves around the villain Strahd von Zarovich, a vampire who draws power from the isolated land he rules.

The module was generally well-received, and was 2nd in a list of the top 30 D&D adventures ever published. It also inspired a sequel, a gamebook adaptation, and an entire campaign setting of the same name, which inspired additional spin-offs,[2]: 852  including a module for the Neverwinter Nights computer role-playing game.[3] In addition, the original Ravenloft module has been revised and republished several times, with the most recent printing in 2006.[4]

Original edition

At the time of Ravenloft's release in 1983, each Dungeons & Dragons adventure had an alphanumeric designation to indicate which series of modules they were a part of. Ravenloft was labeled module I6, denoting it as the sixth in a series of intermediate-level modules for the first edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. The original Ravenloft module came packaged as a 32-page book with maps of Barovia and Castle Ravenloft.[5]

Tracy and Laura Hickman felt the vampire character had become overused, trite, and mundane, and sought to recreate a frightening image of the creature in the Ravenloft module,[6]: 114  which was then called Vampyr.[7] The adventure was play tested every Halloween for five years under this name[8]: 120  before being sold to TSR and retitled.[7] In the module, a group of adventurers is called to Barovia, a small country surrounded by magical fog which kills anyone who attempts to leave. This fog traps all of Barovia's inhabitants, except for a few gypsies who have a potion that cancels the fog's effects.[5]: 6  Strahd, the master of nearby Castle Ravenloft, tyrannically rules the townspeople of Barovia, and holds the only key by which the player characters can escape. In the module, the adventurers encounter zombies, wolves, ghouls, ghosts, and the other dangerous occupants of the castle.

The adventure's chief antagonist, Count Strahd von Zarovich, has become one of the most infamous and well-known villains in the Dungeons & Dragons game,[9] and has appeared in at least three other novels and several subsequent Dungeons & Dragons rulebooks since his debut in Ravenloft.[10]: 90  Strahd's character revolutionized Dungeons & Dragons by introducing a combination monster-character, equipped with the abilities of both vampires and magic-users, an innovation at the time.[11] This design also enables him to use his own powers and the surrounding environment together, making him a difficult opponent to defeat.[6]: 114  The module also introduced replayability through an in-game gypsy fortune-telling session, which randomly determined certain plot elements,[9] so that factors such as Strahd's motivations could change between games.[5]: 4 

Critical reception

Tracy Hickman stated in 1998, "I still believe the original Ravenloft modules were perhaps the best that ever had my name on them."[8]: 120  Ravenloft won the 1984 Strategists' Club Award for "Outstanding Play Aid",[12]: 102  and the module was popular among players and Dungeon Masters (the player who describes and controls most aspects of the game). The classic Gothic fiction setting of the plot combined elements of the horror genre with Dungeons & Dragons conventions for the first time,[11] and the orthogonal maps of Castle Ravenloft garnered fan admiration.[9]

In a critical review for Dragon magazine, game designer Ken Rolston argued that, despite its design innovations, Ravenloft was still in essence a dungeon-style adventure, merely borrowing atmospheric trappings from the horror genre to add texture and novelty.[13]: 76–78  In White Dwarf magazine #55, the module received a fairly positive review of 8 out of 10. It was likened to a Hammer horror production and praised as enjoyable, although the module's puns were seen as tedious and detracting from the atmosphere.[14]: 18–19  Dungeon Master For Dummies lists the module as one of the ten best classic adventures, stating that Ravenloft "takes the Dracula legend and gives it a D&D spin".[1] On the 30th anniversary of the Dungeons & Dragons game, Dungeon magazine ranked the module as the second greatest Dungeons & Dragons adventure of all time—behind only Queen of the Spiders.[15]: 68–81 

Reprints and new versions

Master of Ravenloft

In 1986, Ravenloft was adapted into the gamebook Master of Ravenloft, #6 in the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Gamebooks series. In the book, the reader plays the role of Jeren Sureblade, a paladin, who must defeat the evil Count Strahd von Zarovich in in the vampire's castle to save a young girl from becoming one of the undead. The gamebook was written by Jean Blashfield, with cover art by Clyde Caldwell and interior art by Gary Williams.[16]

House of Strahd

In 1993, TSR published the module House of Strahd (coded RM4), a revision and expansion of the original Ravenloft module, updated to include rules from the second edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons and the Ravenloft, Realm of Terror campaign setting. While the module still credits the Hickmans and their original work, Bruce Nesmith designed the new module without their help. The revised version of the module contained a 64-page book with a fold-out map. While the layout was mostly redone, Nesmith reused much of the original text and artwork, but with additional art by James Crabtree and a new cover by Dana M. Knutson. The module is recommended for character levels 6–13, with the main revised version for character levels 11–13.[17]

David Gibson criticized the module, claiming that, as it was printed as a part of the Ravenloft campaign setting, many pertinent details from the box set are not provided, making it difficult to run House of Strahd as a stand-alone adventure.[18]

Silver Anniversary editions

In 1999, for the 25th anniversary of the Dungeons & Dragons game, two additional versions of the Ravenloft module were released. The first was a simple reprinting of the original module made available in the Dungeons & Dragons Silver Anniversary Collector's Edition boxed set. This release only differed through slightly altered map coloring and a silver anniversary TSR logo on the bottom left of the cover.

The second version, the silver anniversary edition of Ravenloft, was released in 1999. This version, intended for use with the second edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, took the form of a 48-page book.[19] It used part of the original module's cover artwork, but with a large distinctive silver border and prominent central placing of the silver anniversary logo.[19]

Expedition to Castle Ravenloft

Expedition to Castle Ravenloft
Rules requiredDungeons & Dragons version 3.5
Character levels6–9
Campaign settingGeneric Dungeons & Dragons
AuthorsBruce Cordell and James Wyatt
First published2006
Linked modules
Expedition to Castle Ravenloft,
Expedition to the Demonweb Pits,
Expedition to Undermountain,
Expedition to the Ruins of Greyhawk

In October 2006, Wizards of the Coast released an updated and expanded version of the original module for Dungeons & Dragons version 3.5 as a 226-page hardcover book entitled Expedition to Castle Ravenloft.[4] The adventure is intended to complement the original through additional and expanded designs.[20] Written by Bruce Cordell and James Wyatt with cover art by Kev Walker, the book returns to the original Ravenloft module's plot and conventions, removing the demiplane setting used in the Ravenloft campaign setting.[21] Expedition to Castle Ravenloft is designed to run as a mini-campaign lasting about 20 game sessions, much longer than the original module, though it contains options for running long (8 session) or short (4 session) adventures.[22] The book includes suggestions for incorporating the adventure into an existing generic setting, Forgotten Realms, Eberron or d20 Modern campaign,[22] but makes no mention of how to use it in the Ravenloft campaign setting. The maps for Castle Ravenloft were rendered in 3-D orthogonal effect, similar to the maps in the original Ravenloft adventure.[23]

Expedition to Castle Ravenloft is the first 3rd edition Dungeons & Dragons adventure which provides Dungeon Masters with a new format for combat scenarios and encounters; each encounter has a two-page spread on which all pertinent statistics for monsters, terrain, and traps can be found.[9][23] This format has been criticized because of how much information must be repeated from one spread to another, and how much unnecessary material seems to be used to fill two pages in many cases.[23] John Cooper criticized the adventure's artwork, noting that some pieces were used more than once in the book, and that several pieces were reused from previous Dungeons & Dragons books. Cooper also criticized the artwork's departure from that of the original work, citing how it alternately depicts Strahd as a feeble old man and then as a young man with long hair and elven ears.[23]

Sequels

Ravenloft II: The House on Gryphon Hill

Ravenloft II: The House on Gryphon Hill
CodeI10
Rules requiredAdvanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition
Character levels8–10
Campaign settingGeneric Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
AuthorsTracy & Laura Hickman
First published1986
Linked modules
I1, I2, I3, I4, I5, I6, I7, I8, I9, I10, I11, I12, I13, I14

Ravenloft's success eventually led to a sequel in 1986: Ravenloft II: The House on Gryphon Hill. Though Ravenloft II is credited to the Hickmans, Tracy Hickman left TSR before the module was complete.[11] David "Zeb" Cook, Jeff Grubb, Harold Johnson and Douglas Niles wrote most of the adventure's material by following the Hickmans' outline, each working on their own section in an effort to meet the deadline.[11] Clyde Caldwell, who had done all of the art for the original Ravenloft module, again provided the cover, but this time Jeff Easley designed the interior art. The adventure is designed for first edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons characters of levels 8–10.[24]

In the module, an artifact known as The Apparatus can place a monster's personality in the body of an ordinary townsperson and vice versa, leaving player characters not knowing who is really whom. The module also features the first appearance of Azalin the lich, who would later become a major character in the Ravenloft campaign setting.[11]

The module was reviewed by Carl Sargent in issue #87 of White Dwarf magazine, where he stated that the module was a "strong sequel to I6 Ravenloft" and recommended it highly.[25]: 2–3  There were many structural elements in common with the original—such as variable goals and locations for key objects. Sargent criticized the sequel for having over-the-top minor encounters, and warned that the complexity of the plot would require careful preparation. Despite these complaints, he concluded with "Lots of monsters, plenty of roleplaying, lots of offstage action, items and crucial information to be gathered, and topped off with an excellent ending. What more could you ask? Excellent, highly recommended."[25]: 2–3 

Ravenloft campaign setting

Main article: Ravenloft

In 1990, TSR based an entire horror-themed second edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting on the module. The setting, named Ravenloft, was actually titled Realm of Terror on the first version of the campaign setting boxed set. The setting has been published in several editions and has inspired various module, supplement, novel, and video game adaptations. The campaign setting moves Barovia from an unnamed location to a demiplane, an alternate dimension called variously "Ravenloft" or "the Demiplane of Dread". Barovia is the central and, chronologically, the first of many cursed lands to have been moved from their original location to this demiplane.[26]: 8  Despite this, the descriptions of Barovia and Strahd generally match that given in the original module.[26]: 63 

See also

Template:D&D portal

Notes

  1. ^ While the module text gives him no credit, David Sutherland III's signature can be seen affixed to the bottom left corner of each map in the original Ravenloft module on inside cover. Sutherland is also acknowledged as the designer of the original castle maps in House of Strahd (page 2).

References

  1. ^ a b Slavicsek, Bill (2006). Dungeon Master For Dummies. For Dummies. p. 320. Retrieved 2009-2-12. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ Melton, Gordon (1994). The Vampire Book: The Encyclopedia of the Undead (1st ed.). Detroit, MI: Visible Ink Press. ISBN 0-8103-2295-1.
  3. ^ Watamaniuk, Jay (2002-08-09). "Neverwinter Nights: Module Profile — The Spires of Ravenloft". Bioware. Retrieved 2007-03-09.
  4. ^ a b "Expedition to Castle Ravenloft". Wizards of the Coast. 2006. Retrieved 11 February 2009.
  5. ^ a b c Hickman, Tracy (1983). Ravenloft. TSR. ISBN 0-88038-042-X. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ a b Winter, Steve (2004). "Ravenloft". 30 Years of Adventure: A Celebration of Dungeons & Dragons. Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 0-7869-3498-0. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ a b "Daystar West". Interactive Features. Dragonlance Nexus. Retrieved 23 December 2008.
  8. ^ a b Varney, Allen (1998-08). "Profiles: Tracy Hickman". Dragon #250. Vol. XIII (No. 3). {{cite journal}}: |issue= has extra text (help); |volume= has extra text (help); Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ^ a b c d Cordell, Bruce R.; Wyatt, James (2006). Expedition to Castle Ravenloft excerpts: Introduction. Wizards of the Coast. Retrieved on March 9, 2007.
  10. ^ Holte, James Craig (1997). "Chapter 10: I, Strahd: Narrative Voice and Variations on a Non-Player Character in TSR's "Ravenloft" Universe". The Fantastic Vampire: Studies in the Children of the Night. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 0-313-30933-7. {{cite book}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  11. ^ a b c d e Rateliff, John D. (2004). "Introduction to Ravenloft II: The House on Gryphon Hill". Wizards of the Coast. Retrieved 2007-03-06.
  12. ^ Schick, Lawrence (1991). Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role-Playing Games. Prometheus Books. ISBN 0-87975-653-5.
  13. ^ Rolston, Kevin (1984). "Gaming without heroes". Dragon (#81). {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  14. ^ Morris, Dave (1984). "Open Box: Dungeon Modules". White Dwarf (Issue 55). Games Workshop. ISSN 0265-8712. {{cite journal}}: |format= requires |url= (help); |issue= has extra text (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  15. ^ Mona, Erik (2004). "The 30 Greatest D&D Adventures of All Time". Dungeon. 116. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  16. ^ Blashfield, Jean (1986). Master of Ravenloft. TSR. ISBN 0-8803-8261-9.
  17. ^ Hickman, Tracy; Laura Hickman [1983] (1993). Ravenloft revised by Bruce Nesmith retitled as House of Strahd. TSR. ISBN 1-56076-671-9.
  18. ^ Gibson, David (2006). "Review of House of Strahd". The Fraternity of Shadows. Retrieved 2007-03-05.
  19. ^ a b "Ravenloft (Silver Anniversary)". TSR Archive. Retrieved 2007-03-05.
  20. ^ Carroll, Bart (2006-06-10). "Expedition to Castle Ravenloft Designer Interview". Wizards of the Coast. Retrieved 2007-03-05. {{cite web}}: External link in |coauthors= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  21. ^ Wiese, Robert (2007-04-13). "Expedition to Castle Ravenloft: Diseased!". Web Enhancements. Wizards of the Coast. Retrieved 2007-04-15.
  22. ^ a b Cordell, Bruce R.; Wyatt, James Expedition to Castle Ravenloft excerpts: Adventure Hooks. (Wizards of the Coast, 2006). Retrieved on March 9, 2007.
  23. ^ a b c d Cooper, John (2006). "Review of Expedition to Castle Ravenloft". EN World. Retrieved 2008-11-29.
  24. ^ Rateliff, John D (2004). "Ravenloft II: The House on Gryphon Hill". Wizards of the Coast. Retrieved 11 February 2009.
  25. ^ a b Sargent, Carl (1987). "Open Box: AD&D Adventures". White Dwarf (Issue 87). Games Workshop. ISSN 0265-8712. {{cite journal}}: |format= requires |url= (help); |issue= has extra text (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  26. ^ a b Nesmith, Bruce (1990). Realm of Terror. TSR. ISBN 0-88038-835-6. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: checksum (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
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