```metadata
title: Into the Mists
description: ''
tags: ''
systems: []
renderer: legacy
theme: 5ePHB

```

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# Curse of Strahd

M**any spread rumors as to what may** befall travellers as they camp in the wilds. "If you go too far within the trees," they say, "You may never return..." 
<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;There are countless stories of people who never returned from the forests that surround civilization. Some blame the denizens of the forest, from wild beasts to tribes of elves or orcs. But then, why are their bodies never found? 

Others tell tall tales of colorful wagons whisking people away, ancient cities swallowed by mists, devilish creatures who hunt for blood... 

But  tales is all they are, of course. Stories to frighten children from going into the woods at night. None of it can possibly be true. 

<br />

***You***, adventurer, have heard some of these rumors before. Perhaps overly superstitous parents or neighbors warned you of them, or maybe you sought out as much information as you could find about what lies beyond the borders of civilization. Whether you believed the stories or not, for some, the mists are inevitable. 

## The Adventure

We will be playing *Curse of Strahd*. It is well known as one of the best adventure modules for *Dungeons and Dragons 5E*. CoS is structured around gothic and survival horror themes and based on famous horror stories such as *Dracula*. Expect a darker, more serious tone. We will try to stay loyal to this, but not to the extent where we can't have fun with it. Don't be afraid to be goofy to lighten the heavy tone. 

As this is a prewritten module, you are being trusted to not look up spoilers/guides/etc. for *Curse of Strahd* until we are done. It is mostly for your own enjoyment, as what fun would there be in playing if you already know all the twists and turns the plot will take? Also, don't expect all of the things you read, both about the adventure and about general tropes, to be true in *our* campaign. 

## Setting

The player characters will be from the land of Saeterra, but they will not remain there long. There are tales of a lost land called **Barovia**. Stories of conquest, bloodthirsty warlords, dark pacts, all lost to a sea of mist and time. While some write off Barovia as a fictional place, some historians claim to have proof of the opposite. 

As a player, be warned that the beginning of the adventure is criticized for being a bit railroad-y. By agreeing to run this campaign, be prepared for this. Note that, upon reaching Barovia, the world will greatly open up. 

## Creating a Character

To get the most fun out of *Curse of Strahd*, be sure to work with the DM and other players to ensure that your character aligns well with the themes and setting of the game. This campaign can be pretty difficult, so party balance is key. Your character will start at **Level 3**.

The following is a guide full of tips and info that you should consider when making your character: 

### Class

All classes and subclasses from the D&D 5E ***Player's Handbook*** and ***Xanathar's Guide to Everything*** are allowed. The ***Unearthed Arcana***'s *Revised Ranger* and *The Artificer Returns* are also allowed. Other UA subclasses can be requested, but not guranteed.  

If you wish to play a Ranger, the UA *Revised Ranger* and XGtE subclasses are highly recommended over the PHB Ranger. If you wish to play as an Artificer, your character will be allowed to use firearms as described in the DMG. 

Use [this guide](https://i.imgur.com/RHRzUj6.png) to understand the deities that you can chose to worship or even dedicate yourself to. Note that, due to the stucture of the adventure/setting, deities and other creatures, such as warlock patrons, might not behave as they normally would, story-wise. Mechanically they will be the same. 

***Recommended Classes:*** Cleric (Light/Life/Grave), Paladin

\page

### Race

Your characters originate from the world of Saeterra, but the majority of the plot will be in  a land called Barovia. Meaning, that even if a race is normal in Saeterra, it may be perceived differently during the game. 

##### In Saeterra

Saeterra is a diverse world, meaning that a large variety of races are available to play. Following is a list of races, based on how common they are. 

***Common:*** Dwarf, Elf, Halfling, Human

***Uncommon:*** Dragonborn, Gnome, Half-elf, Half-Orc

***Rare:*** Aasimar, Tieflings

***Exotic:*** Changeling, Kalashtar, Shifter, Yuan-Ti Pureblood

&nbsp; &nbsp; **Note:** Exotic races are extraordinarily rare. Please get 

&nbsp; &nbsp; special permission to play one. 

##### In Barovia

Barovia is a majority-human civilization, with little contact with nonhumans. Meaning, that one should be prepared to face opposition based on how accepted your race is. 

***Common:*** The only 'common' race in Barovia is human. A majority of the citizens are human, and are more likely to trust other humans. **Human** PCs have a distinct advantage at 'fitting in' in Barovia. **Aasimar** and **Kalashtar** are arguably also accepted, but only because the populus will not be able to tell they are not human. **Changelings** in disguise as a human will also get a pass. 

***Uncommon:*** Almost all nonhuman races are not trusted and in Barovia. However, they are not completely ostracized by society. **Elves** and **Half-elves** exist in Barovia, so while treated as outsiders, they won't be that out of place. While Barovians may be familiar with **dwarves**, **halflings**, and **gnomes**, they don't exist normally in Barovia, and would be treated with great suspicion. 

***Outcasts:*** Certain races will be met with fear or hatred. **Tieflings** in particular will be thought of as devils, and  get the most extreme negative reactions. **Dragonborn** and **half-orcs** will be likened to monsters more than people. **Shifters** will be associated with shapeshifting monsters, and greatly feared. While human-shaped, **yuan-ti purebloods** will likely be thought of as cursed humans. 

### Alignment

Generally, the best alignment for completing this adventure would be **Good**, as good PCs would have the clearest motivations. **Neutral** PCs are allowed, but be sure that a neutral PC has a clear motivation. Evil-aligned PCs are  banned. Any range of lawful to chaotic is fine. 

### Background

Be warned. Due to the structure of *Curse of Strahd*, there is not much room for direct tie-ins with specific backstories. While, if possible, there will be connections to your background, do not expect it too much. Try to create a character that is interesting to roleplay, instead of making an elaborate background that doesn't change much about the character themselves. 

Consider the following for inspiration if you want character hooks that easily tie-in to *Curse of Strahd*.


##### Character Motivation Tie-Ins
| d8 | Theme | Example Backstory |
|:--:|:------|:-----------|
| 1 | **Vengeance** | When I was young, a pack of feral werewolves laid waste to my village, then disappeared into a thick fog, never to be seen again. I seek justice against the beasts that destroyed my home. |
| 2 | **Family** | As a child, one of my family members disappeared without a trace. The last person to see them said that they were with a group of colorfully dressed travellers. I seek them so that I may bring them home. |
| 3 | **Inheritance** | I have a legendary ancestor that left cryptic notes of a lost land named Barovia in their journal before disappearing forever. I hope to retrieve an heirlom of theirs and discover what happened to them. |
| 4 | **Help** | My homeland is tormented by a dark and terrible vampire lord. I seek the aid of a legendary vampire hunter, Rudolph van Richten, who it is said disappeared when researching a place called "Barovia." |
| 5 | **Magic** | Books and scrolls tell of a great temple of amber atop a mountain in an ancient, lost land that holds secrets of magic long-thought gone. I seek this temple and hope to discover the arcane power within. |
| 6 | **History** | Long ago, a holy order of knights vanished from Saeterra. I have followed their history and found they were last recorded to be tracking down the mythical land of Barovia. I seek to uncover their ancient relics to study the rich lore they must hold. | 
| 7 | **Wealth** | I have heard stories of a fearsome lord of legend, a conqueror whose castle vaults groan with massive wealth. Surely only the greatest thief in the land could steal from such a man and walk away to a life of untold riches. |
| 8 | **Heritage** | It is a story passed down in my family that my ancestors fled as refugees from a place called Barovia when it was being conquered by a cruel warlord. I hope to return to the land of my ancestors and free it from that warlord's dark dynasty. |

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