```metadata title: A Player's Guide to 5E Ravenloft description: >- A rundown of all the stuff in Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft that would be useful to players for character creation, but which is hidden in places full of information intended for the DM. Create characters who are native to the domains in 5E's Ravenloft setting with as few spoilers as is possible! tags: - Ravenloft - Character Creation systems: - 5e renderer: V3 theme: 5ePHB ``` # A Player's Guide to 5E Ravenloft Dungeons and Dragons, 5th Edition, only has one book for its Ravenloft setting, the home of gothic horror and general spooks. While this can be acceptable for any Dungeon Masters who are looking to expand their campaigns into horror settings, it makes life harder for players who don't want to wholesale spoil themselves on information that they would not have diegetically but who still want to create a character who is a native of the world. A great deal of the information that may be useful to players during character creation is buried in information that the players have no business having. This guide looks to fix that. The information here is presented in as spoiler free a manner as is possible, in the service of players who want to create a character who hails from one of the Ravenloft domains but don't want information they don't need. Additionally, for players who wish to remain blind to the greater world of Ravenloft domains but still wish to have a character hail from one, a short blurb of the general vibes of each domain will be provided first so that players can decide if they want to proceed further with as little information as is possible to get some idea of what they are getting into. This information will be listed before even the name. Those who wish to proceed will be able to access a more in depth look at the domain in question, with enough information to facilitate character creation. Some information is common when it comes to Ravenloft, and this will be presented after the "domain vibes" list. None of the options present in Chapter One of *Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft* (VGR) will be repeated here. This guide is meant to work *with* the book, not provide a full alternative. Some of this text has been lifted directly from VGR, some has been abridged or otherwise edited to pass along only needed information. ## The Domains This list is meant to provide a general feel for what the domain in question might be like, without being strictly representational. Further information for any domain that seems intriguing, including its name, can be found linked to each heading. ### [1](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/rpZB6Q48BMeZ) * Slavic vibes * Isolated mountains and forests and valleys * Towns and villages but no large cities * Monsters in the night ### [2](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/Tt3BS82mp1_m) * Alien Abductions \column ### [3](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/2SVk53tkLtTm) * Slavic, German, and Italian vibes * Large cities and country estates where landlords rule over the populace * *Extremely* distinct class divide * Extreme political intrigue. Blackmail is a way of life. Everybody has an angle. ### [4](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/CfBr7e-5EH_j) * Traveling Carnival ### [5](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/RvFnWGi3Rt33) * The Neverending Story, bad end * Scattered cities and settlements * A land of magic and wonder where the monsters are very real and the world is dissolving around you. The end is closing in. ### [6](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/q1eYFR91Cmz-) * Barely pre-Revolutionary France vibes * A single city * Fairytales, darkly * Everyone is lying, all the time. Everyone knows. No one can let it be known. ### [7](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/CmKLMYvNC0lN) * German vibes * Ruined cities and settlements * Forced conscription and endless war * Totalitarianism/facism and nationalism * Military state ### [8](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/h_lxy5R9I7II) * Ancient Egyptian vibes * Mazelike tombs and traps * Sheltered cities and desert storms ### [9](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/ndOOXCnEoXIl) * An Evil Wizard Did It * Magical vs non magical class divides * Knowledge for its own sake, no matter what the cost * We do what we must because we can * Struggling towns and settlements, and towers and palaces ### [10](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/bGPfkiaRHYA2) * Chinese vibes * Single walled city * Loss of reality * Are you awake? Are you asleep? Does it even matter? {{pageNumber 1}} {{footnote PART 1 | THE DOMAINS}} \page {{imageMaskEdge3,--offset:8%,--rotation:270 ![](https://images.plurk.com/5QJeCSK4EfsDE2gDIUIQUb.png){height:100%} }} ### [11](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/VMrdi4WAa6rv) * Indian vibes * Multiple cities and settlements * Caste society * War, betrayal, and treachery * Be careful who you support. Be careful who you don't support. Be careful what you let be known. ### [12](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/Dybw4I6PRgBG) * Mountains, forests, and idyllic towns * Multiple cities and settlements * Art is everything. Performance is everything. Renoun is everything. * Hidden predators ### [13](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/5ne9yQ8SCtgj) * Scandinavian and German vibes * Multiple cities and settlements * A frozen land * Industrial Revolution * Secret experimentation and amoral science ### [14](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/E0TiAO5wxAvB) * Victorian/Edwardian England vibes * Multiple cities and settlements * The Hound of the Baskervilles * The dead do not rest peacefully. The past does not let go. * Tradition is paramount ### [15](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/1-VASnvObWaj) * French and generally European vibes * Multiple cities and settlements * Martial law * The Black Death * A society on the brink of collapse ### [16](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/WV5aWnv5bufw) * Vaguely Scandinavian vibes * Singular community * Peaceful rural life in a land of plenty * Folk rituals and traditions ### [17](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/TLP17N-a39yR) * Mesoamerican vibes * The Most Dangerous Game * Multiple settlements * Jumanji (the jungle, not the board game) {{pageNumber 2}} {{footnote PART 1 | THE DOMAINS}} \page ## Additional Options The following are options for characters not specifically connected to a particular domain, but a character type that one might find in many of them. ### Keepers of the Feather The Keepers of the Feather are a loose organization, incorporating members who operate alone or in small groups as well as elite social clubs or secret societies. In all cases, Keepers identify each other by the Mark of the Raven, a sunburst emblem often worn as a pin or amulet. These symbols carry no magical properties, though many foul forces do instinctively recognize the symbol as an emblem for good. Members of the Keepers of the Feather may speak of their traditions originating long ago and beyond the Mists, if asked about their society. The truth is that most who repeat the story are only trying to layer a mystical facade over their dilettante spiritualism. Although the Keepers began as a secret group who sought to subtly oppose evil by seeking out useful lore and providing aid from the shadows to brave souls, this mission has been diluted by time. Mystical writings and talismans carried by early members came to the attention of bored elite in urbane domains and, fascinated, an obsession with the occult sprang up. These socialites sought out esoteric works, hired doubtful fortune-tellers, and hosted parlor séances. For some, the fad faded soon enough, but a few amateur spiritualists genuinely sought to learn more about the secrets beyond their homes, their lives, and the Mists. Keepers now are generally organized into small social clubs with shared interests in occultism. Some members are actual scholars, while others are simply bored rich folk. Regardless, all have a strong interest in séances, fortune-telling, secrets of the afterlife, sightings of mysterious creatures, metaphysical theories, and tales of the macabre. They hold a mixture of theories and tools, some of which hold grains of truth and some of which are patently false, but although not all know the true power of the tools they have access to (such as spirit boards or tarokka cards), this does nothing to dim their enthusiasm. Some Keepers tell of sightings or visitations involving giant raven-like beings that appear, speak some prophecy or deliver some message, then vanish, often presaging either wonder or disaster, but (perhaps thankfully) they are rarely seen. #### Keeper Rookeries Keeper cells strive to correspond and share discoveries between communities and domains. To facilitate this, some Keepers have learned how to raise messenger ravens capable of delivering letters through the Mists. Most non-Keepers who learn of this consider it a trick, or fear what it means to receive messages from beyond {{note ##### Keeper Characters Characters who are members of the Keepers of the Feather have access to contacts with interest in spiritualism and the occult, including hapless dilettantes, reclusive scholars, correspondents from other domains, and hucksters. At any time, members of the organization might call upon their contacts to uncover some esoteric secret, engage in a supernatural investigation, or even explore another domain. Some questions to consider while creating a Keeper of the Feather: **What sparked your interest in the occult?** Did you encounter a mysterious being that you want to understand? Is membership a family tradition? Are you trying to contact someone beyond the grave? Do you seek some other knowledge? **What esoteric knowledge most interests you?** Are you curious about archeology, astrology, divination, cryptozoology, electricity, or spiritualism? How has this gotten you into trouble? **Who aids your investigations?** Is another Keeper your mentor? Do you and other Keepers meet regularly? Do you correspond with a Keeper in another domain? Did this person give you your Mark of the Raven talisman? }} the Mists, encouraging the Keepers to offer this rare service only to group members and their allies. :: ### Vistani Known throughout the Land of the Mists, Vistani (singular: Vistana) are a people with a unique understanding of the Domains of Dread and the hidden paths between them. Following itinerant traditions, many Vistani travel between domains, learning much of hidden lands, the many faces of evil, and the strange wonders of the Mists. A people unto themselves, Vistani refuse to be captives of a single domain, the Mists, or any terror. #### Vistani Culture Unlike the denizens of individual domains, Vistani are inhabitants of the Land of the Mists as a whole. Looking towards the future, they learn from their history and traditions and from one another that they might better face whatever lies ahead. Vistani bands consist primarily of one or more extended human families who can trace their heritage back to age-old Vistani clans. Over generations of exploring the Mists, though, individuals of other ancestries have been accepted into some clans and are now full-fledged members of Vistani culture. As they travel, members of a Vistani band walk, ride on horseback, and drive ledge wagons, stopping at night to set up camp. Vistani bands occasionally camp near welcoming communities to trade and resupply, but rarely stay more than a week--though this can be complicated if the ways are closed behind them. Most bands make their living primarily through craftwork {{pageNumber 3}} {{footnote PART 2 | ADDITIONAL OPTIONS}} \page {{note ##### Vistani Characters Being a Vistana makes a character part of a larger family and cultural tradition. Most Vistani are human, but many bands incorporate other peoples, particularly halflings, wood elves, orcs, and tieflings. Vistani have a range of skin, eye, and hair colors. When you create a Vistani character, consider the following questions: **Did you leave your clan's caravan?** If so, are you seeking to right a wrong done to them, or to spare them from harm? If not, how do you balance your adventures with your family's travels? Are there ways you and your family keep tabs on one another? **How much do you know about navigating the Mists?** Do you know how to travel between domains? Do you use divination magic to guide your fate? Or do you know little about it, having left navigation to others? **How do you feel about being away from your people?** Do you enjoy socializing with a variety of people? Did you seek a settled life? Do you want to finish your tasks quickly and return to your family? }} (especially delicate silversmithing), horse rearing, and trading wares carried between domains. #### Vistani Magic and the Mists Vistani pass their varied teachings through their families as stories and songs, detailing lessons learned from generations of travelers, warnings specific to visited domains, and traditional magic. Spellcasters aren't uncommon among Vistani bands, with many favoring divination magic for the practical help it provides in avoiding danger. Spellcasters often incorporate their people's traditional divination tools into their spellcasting, including the fortune-telling cards called tarokka decks. \column With their experience navigating the Mists, many Vistani understand how to employ Mist talismans (detailed below) to reach specific domains, or possess the Mist Walker Dark Gift (VGR), allowing them to make their way between domains. Vistani don't enter the Mists lightly, though, knowing that each such passage holds inherent danger. Caravan leaders ensure that every family member is accounted for before moving on, ensuring no one gets lost in the Mists. #### Vistani Knowledge Vistani travelers have a holistic perspective on the Domains of Dread and know the following secrets: * The Mists are more than weather and are manipulated by forces that seem fickle and often cruel. * The Mists can carry travelers between lands and can be coerced but never controlled. * Evil is real and embodied by individuals of terrible power. * Time, reality, and memory don't always move in reliable ways, particularly between domains. * One might glimpse their fortune, but such things endlessly shift. Each soul makes their own fate. #### Views of Vistani Their travels across domains bring many Vistani into contact with a wide range of people. As the only outsiders that some remote communities see in the course of a year, the news and goods Vistani bring ensures a genuine welcome and renewal of longstanding trade relationships. Some more dismal communities view Vistani with suspicion, though, {{imageMaskEdge7,--offset:15%,--rotation:0 ![](https://i0.wp.com/nerdarchy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/5e-DD-van-richtens-guide-to-ravenloft-travelers-in-the-mists.png?fit=1200%2C776&ssl=1){height:50%} }} {{pageNumber 4}} {{footnote PART 2 | ADDITIONAL OPTIONS}} \page being wary of anyone who emerges from the Mists. But even these communities often find the lure of news and trade too tempting to forgo entirely. Most people who live among the Domains of Dread know the following things about Vistani: * They don't fear the Mists and can travel safely through the Mists to other lands. * They carry goods and stories from far-off lands. * They're protective of their families, which includes members of other caravans. * Most don't discuss their culture or beliefs with outsiders. * Their travel routes are unpredictable, and a community might go years without seeing a Vistani caravan. #### Traveling with Vistani Members of Vistani bands understand the disorientating, dangerous nature of the Mists better than anyone. Vistani caravans sometimes take pity on those who ask them for help, especially strangers from unfamiliar lands hopelessly searching for home, allowing such wayfarers to travel with them as far as the next settlement. In rare cases, a clan might even adopt a gracious, helpful traveler. Characters who befriend or do right by members of a Vistani band might be allowed to take shelter or travel with a caravan for a time. But Vistani travelers quickly share tales of danger and of those who've wronged them with other caravans, and those who slight one Vistana often meet others who share a grudge against them. : ## General Information ### The Mists At the border of every domain can be found a dense bank of Mist. Such banks may rise and fall but are never absent. At times they may have obvious supernatural disturbances in them, such as menacing silhouettes, threatening sounds, etc, but are generally avoided even when apparently mundane. It is easy to become lost in them and difficult to find your way. Occasionally the Mists will encroach beyond the borders. They cannot be controlled. In some domains, residents may be aware that there are other realms that exist beyond the Mists, but most have little interest in them. The Mists are both foreign and dangerous, and as a rule are avoided. #### Mist Talismans A Mist talisman is a non magical object, akin to a dowsing rod or lodestone, that resonates with the unique nature of the domain where it originates and allows the creature holding it to find a path through the Mists to that domain. Few who dwell in the Domains of Dread know how to use Mist talismans or have interest in traveling to other domains, but even if such information is rare, it is not unknown to all. : ### Day to Day Living #### This is Normal Some, especially outsiders, may say the river of blood is only crimson due to natural clay deposits, or that the devilish lights that shine at night in the swamp are only swamp gas, or that the current reclusive count is the descendant of the region's original reclusive count. For many locals, however, the domain is everything they know, and anyone who claims it is different somewhere else is a liar. Nothing ever changes, so nothing could be better than it is right now, even if there is always a constant threat that it could be worse. #### Rare Bright Souls Most of those in the Land of Mist live unremarkable lives that reinforce the status quo and culture of their home domain. Rare individuals have more of a spark to them--they are vibrant, imaginative, and ambitious. Every player character is one of these rare individuals. They often find themselves stifled by the dour individuals who outnumber them, and may seek better lives or to answer the mysteries of their home domain. #### Culture and Technology Each domain has its own culture and technological level, and these often do not match up. It is perfectly possible that one domain might exhibit advancements that are unheard of in another. This knowledge very rarely spreads. Even if something more advanced makes its way from one domain to another, the inherent suspicion of the new domain's inhabitants prevents it from gaining mainstream acceptance. #### Currency Many domains mint their own gold, silver, and copper coins, but although they bear different markings, merchants aren't particular about the realm of origin. A coin spends as well in one domain as another. Electrum and Platinum pieces are rarely in circulation, but appear often enough that no trader questions their value. #### Language Conveniently, every domain generally shares a single language: Common. This functions as a shared tongue throughout the Land of the Mists. Other languages may be found, depending on the domain and the inhabitants, and speakers from different domains might have distinct accents, but they are able to be understood by one another. ***Exception:*** Your DM may wish to use language to highlight differences between domains, and have the inhabitants of each domain speak their own language. {{pageNumber 5}} {{footnote PART 3 | GENERAL INFORMATION}} \page {{note ##### Ezra, God of the Mists Many of the domains worship an aloof god known as Ezra. Depicted as a vague, vaporous figure, the god is known for her dark, billowing hair and for her ability to manipulate the Mists. Her holy symbol is a sprig of belladonna atop a silver kite shield. Beyond that, her disparate sects of worshipers view her differently--and contradictorily. For some Ezra is a goodly guardian, while others perceive her as a soul-stealing embodiment of the Mists. Ultimately her true nature is a mystery. Ezra's followers, traditions, alignment, and the domains she grants her clerics vary wildly. Feel free to ask your DM to collaborate with you to define Ezra's role in your domain of origin if you wish to create a character who follows her. }} Discuss the languages your character can speak and understand with your DM during character creation. #### Religion As many (or more) faiths as might be found in any other setting might also be found in the Domains of Dread, though many take a dark turn. The gods often seem chilly and distant, blessing rare clergy with scant supernatural power as zealots form cruel cults. One noteworthy exception to this is the god Ezra, which has her origin in the Mists, and who is worshiped in many of the domains. : **Ulmist Inquisition.** Although not as widespread as the worship of Ezra, cells of the Ulmist Inquisition might be found within any domain and do often ally with the Church of Ezra, while opposing the priests of Osybus. These inquisitors employ varied psionic powers to stamp out evil, but their zeal and willingness to peer into others' minds mean that many fear them just as much as the villains they oppose. There are three branches within the Ulmist Inquisitors. The Order of Cosima focus their power on reading thoughts, reshaping memories, and dominating the recalcitrant. The Order of Ansel focused on empowering themselves physically, and have become the martial arm of the inquisition. The Order of Tristan attempt to use intellect to alter the environment through telekinetic force, and are the scholars of the inquisition. : **Priests of Osybus.** The priests of Osybus exist in shadowy cults that spread throughout the underbellies of many domains. Necromancers of deep evil, they form pacts with dark powers and steal the souls of others to fuel their malevolent magic, seeking to cheat death and gain immortality. Their symbol is a skeletal ouroboros wrapped around a skull. : #### Time and Date The Domains of Dread don't share a unified calendar. However, in most domains time is measured by "moons" rather than months. As a measurement of time, each moon begins on the first night of a full moon and lasts a full lunar cycle. A year consists of twelve moons, or twelve lunar cycles. While all domains don't ascribe to a shared history, the populace of all domains inexplicably accept the current year as 735. Some local histories cleave to anomalous dates and methods of tracking years, but these are considered obsolete. #### Travel and Correspondence Residents may be aware that realms exist beyond the Mists, but most have little interest in lands beyond their own. They have their own concerns, and this, combined with the lack of shared borders or reliable travel, means that mercantile ventures and military conquests between domains are essentially impossible. Rare individuals do travel between the domains, others might wander into the Mists hoping to be carried elsewhere, and those who know about Mist Talismans may attempt to seek one out to guide them. Due to the danger and unreliability of traveling the Mists, those few with interests beyond their home domain make letter writing their preferred method of communication. The Keepers of the Feather oversee a private network of carrier ravens that possess an uncanny ability to navigate the Mists. These ravens deliver envelopes and tiny parcels between private rookeries maintained by the Keepers. Individuals and businesses friendly with the Keepers--such as a village notary or inn--might surreptitiously contract their services, allowing customers to send a letter for 1 gp. These letters must include a destination where another Keeper can receive them, then either hold or deliver the correspondence. Delivery costs an additional 1 gp. Letters take at least one day to deliver. The Keepers of the Feather make no assurances about the safe delivery of letters in their charge, but their services prove relatively reliable. Some rumors point to more expensive services that the Keepers provide to select clients, such as delivery to individuals whose whereabouts are unknown or verbal messages relayed by talking ravens. #### Urban Legends and Folktales As with any place, fearful stories can spread among the denizens of the Land of the Mists. Whether these tales are true or false, they are known by many who make their homes in one of the domains. : **The Caller.** The legends of the Caller often seem too specific to be nothing more than fiction. One of the most notorious supernatural figures in the Land of the Mists, doom inevitably follows where it walks. The Caller can take any appearance, though stories say that it always appears in some disarming form to gain the trust of some specific individual. Whether as friend, paramour, mentor, or rival, the Caller isolates its victim, leading them to depend on it emotionally or materially. Over time, the Caller coerces them to acts of deepening selfishness and immorality. Then, when they reach a peak of depravity or despair, the Caller {{pageNumber 6}} {{footnote PART 3 | GENERAL INFORMATION}} \page abandons them and leaves them to face the consequences. The suffering that the Caller causes is said to never be isolated. It may trigger a tragic chain of events that can throw a family, a community, or perhaps even a whole domain into anguish. : **The Bagman.** The Bagman is an urban legend about an adventurer who sought to escape doom by abandoning his party and hiding inside a *bag of holding*. When he tried to leave, though, he became lost amid a constantly increasing number of extradimensional storage spaces. Over time, the strange forces of this magical in-between place transformed the adventurer into a monstrous creature. Now, every night, the Bagman slips out from a random *bag of holding*. If he doesn't find his home, he drags someone back into the bag with him and leaves behind some trinket from his hidden kingdom of lost junk. Some say that if you speak too loudly over an open *bag of holding* or whisper "follow my voice" into a magical storage space three times, the Bagman will come for you. : ### Magic and the Planes How prevalent magic is varies between domains. In some, it is an everyday part of life, in others it is rare, feared, or even outlawed. In general, spells work inside the domains just as they would outside the domains, with a few notable exceptions. Each domain is its own demiplane, isolated from all other planes including the Material Plane. No spell allows escape from the Domains of Dread. Spells such as *astral projection, plane shift, teleport,* or even *wish* cast for the purpose of escaping a domain simply fail. Similar restrictions apply to spells, magic items, and artifacts that transport or banish creatures to other planes. Spells that allow transit to the Border Ethereal, such as *etherealness* or the feature of ghosts function as normal, but traveling to another plane through the Ethereal Plane is similarly impossible. Each domain is considered its own plane for the purpose of spells whose effects change across or are blocked by planar boundaries (such as *sending*). Magic that summons creatures or objects from other planes functions normally, as does magic that involves an extradimensional space. Spells cast within an extradimensional space (such as that created by *Mordenkainen's magnificent mansion*) are subject to the same restrictions as magic cast within a domain. Spells from deities or otherworldly patrons continue to function, as do spells that allow contact with beings from other planes, though such spells sometimes will contact someone other than the sender intended. #### Tarokka Deck A tarokka deck contains fifty-four tarot-like fortune-telling cards, each one bearing one of the following symbols: **Crowns.** The portentous cards of the high deck are marked with crowns but are not themselves a suit. The figures on these fourteen cards represent distinct forces of fate, change, and despair. **Coins.** The ten cards of this suit symbolize avarice and the desire for personal gain. **Glyph.** The ten cards of this suit symbolize faith, spirituality, and inner strength. **Stars.** The ten cards of this suit symbolize the desire for personal power and control over mysterious forces. **Swords.** The ten cards of this suit symbolize aggression and violence. #### Spirit Board Spirit boards are tools to contact and divine the will of spirits or other mysterious forces. Upon placing their fingertips on a planchette set atop the board, assembled users feel forces move the planchette towards letters and symbols, gradually revealing a cryptic message. The spirit boards common in the Land of the Mists were first created by members of the Keepers of the Feather and feature half-understood images from their occult studies. These markings include symbols from the tarokka deck, which carry the same meaning as they do upon those cards. All manner of mysterious beings consider a spirit board's use an invitation to communicate with the living, resulting in messages shared from beyond the grave and frightful revelations. : ### Haunted Traps Knowledge of haunted traps may not be as common as some other things listed here, but monster hunters, adventurers, and religious figures, or any who spend a great deal of time in areas where dreadful things have happened, may have encountered these and know more about them. Haunted traps originate in an area spontaneously, often resulting from overwhelming negative emotions, tragedy, or evil. Just as some terrible fates might cause a tormented individual to rise as an undead creature, so might supernatural evil and violent emotions manifest more generally as a haunted trap. #### Detecting Haunted Traps Every haunted trap has an emanation, which might be as subtle as a drop in temperature, or as overt as an object moving of its own accord. A haunted trap's emanation occurs before the trap takes effect. A character who notices the haunted trap has until the start of their next turn to react, which might include fleeing to avoid the trap or attempting to disarm it. Class features and spells, such as Divine Sense and *detect evil and good* that discern desecration also detect haunted traps. {{pageNumber 7}} {{footnote PART 3 | GENERAL INFORMATION}} \page #### Disarming Haunted Traps Characters who notice a haunted trap before it activates can attempt to disarm it. Typical methods of disarming traps, such as thieves' tools and *dispel magic* don't affect haunted traps. However, the Channel Divinity class feature and the *remove curse* spell can disarm a haunted trap. To use Channel Divinity to disarm a haunted trap, a character uses an action to present their holy symbol and speak a prayer. To use *remove curse* instead, a character must cast the spell and touch an object that is part of the trap. These attempts may fail, may disarm the haunted trap for 24 hours, or may disarm it permanently. Depending on the haunted trap's origins, certain spells might also affect the trap. For example, a haunted trap with a fiendish origin might be permanently disarmed by the spell *dispel evil and good*. Some haunted traps might also be disarmed in nonmagical way related to the history of the area. Such methods might be as simple as wearing the clothes of a haunted house's former owner or singing a lullaby that soothes a restless spirit. Haunted traps disarmed in such ways typically remain disarmed for 24 hours. ## Fear and Stress Terror takes a toll. The ramifications of frightful experiences might be an instant of instinct-triggering shock or a lasting, traumatic echo. These optional rules provide guidance for exploring this in your game. The options for exploring fear provide opportunities for a character to react to frightening moments outside of spells or monster abilities, while rules for stress model the lingering toll such events can take. Ask your DM if these systems will be used in your game, feel free to disregard this section if they will not be. ### Seeds of Fear Aside from supernatural sources of dread and monsters who strike terror in their victims, fear is subjective and often quite personal. A battle-hardened warrior and a reclusive scholar might not deal with frightful circumstances in the same way, or even find the same circumstances to be frightful. During character creation, a player can choose up to two Seeds of Fear to represent things their character finds truly frightening. The Seeds of Fear table offers some examples of potential Seeds of Fear. These can change over time as characters grow, overcome old fears, and discover new uncertainties. Work with your DM to determine when your character's Seeds of Fear might change. A character never has more than three Seeds of Fear; if you gain a new seed and already have three, choose which of your old fears is replaced by the new one. \column ##### Seeds of Fear | 1d12 | Seed || |:----:|:--:|:---------------------------------------------------------------| | 1 || "I can't stand dark places." | | 2 || "I'm terrified of a particular kind of animal." | | 3 || "Deep water will be the death of me." | | 4 || "I can't stand heights." | | 5 || "I hate being stuck in tight spaces." | | 6 || "Being around crowds unnerves me, for I always feel judged." | | 7 || "I hate feeling isolated or being alone." | | 8 || "Storms and extreme weather rattle me." | | 9 || "Being followed chills my blood." | | 10 || "Sudden noises or appearances fray my nerves." | | 11 || "I can't be comfortable around creatures larger than I am." | | 12 || "Reflections always seem like they're looking straight through me."| ### Stress Charging headlong into terrifying situations is the stock in trade for adventurers. Among the Domains of Dread, though, periods of respite between harrowing experiences can be rare. Even the hardiest adventurers find themselves worn down over time, with their performance suffering as they struggle to cope with the dread and despair. Various circumstances might cause a character stress. Stress can be tracked numerically as a Stress Score, increasing in trying situations and decreasing with care. When a character makes an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw, they must apply their current Stress Score as a penalty to the roll. #### Reducing Stress A character who spends an entire day relaxing or in otherwise calm circumstances reduces their Stress Score by 1 when they finish their next long rest. The *calm emotions* spell effect used to suppress the charmed and frightened conditions also suppresses the effects of one's Stress Score for the spell's duration. A *lesser restoration* spell reduces the target's Stress Score by 1, and a *greater restoration* spell reduces a character's Stress Score to 0. {{pageNumber 8}} {{footnote PART 4 | FEAR AND STRESS}}