Sorry for the technical difficulties on the back half of the episode folks! We aren't sure what caused the unsyncing of the audio and video, but we will take steps to make sure we don't have this issue in the future.
Most of the things you ask as to why Strahd drank his brother blood and why the Vistani come to Barovia and not help and much more can be found in the Novel I, Strahd.
@@Thedungeoncast seriously there's a LOT of great Ravenloft lore you guys totally missed. The module is a severely abridged, dumbed down take on a great campaign setting.
I’m really surprised you guys didn’t mention the novel Vampire of the Mists by Christie Golden, which tells the story of Strahd and a golden elf vampire named Jander Sunstar that was captured by the mists from Faerun and transported to Barovia. One of my all time favorite D D novels!
Jander appeared in my groups campaign briefly as an ally but he didn’t play a major role other than giving us information we needed. Although he was the father of one of the PC’s and a close friend to the a Alagondar royal family, which my character is currently the last heir of the Alagondar family of Neverwinter.
@@jillianh7565 thats awesome....i read that book as a teenager and felt so sad for jander and how perpetually depressed he was being cut off from the sunlight and nature that he loved so much....i wish christie had written a sequel
I would do something similar with my players where I would have them save a copy of their character sheets at each level, and sometimes we would do "flashback" adventures.
I'm running my guys through Ravenloft starting next weekend. Not just Barovia, all of Ravenloft. Going to use a ton of the source material do mess with them. Stoked!
For my new players, I recommend checking out you, Matt, Web DM, how to D&D, Don't Stop Thinking, and Nerdarchy. Each of you have a different way of passing information to players and DMs alike, and your ways are very complimentary. I'm sure other viewers have their own favorite channels to recommend, but you guys are all great.
When you mentioned the soulless people it made me think of characters from Gail Carriger’s books. Werewolves and Vampires are created from people with excess soul. Those without excess soul die when they attempt to be turned, and Soulless people cancel out Werewolves and Vampires while they touch, the Supernaturals become regular mortals while in physical contact with Soulless. Once physical contact is broken they return to Supernatural form. This could be a good thing to add to the campaign.
I think it would be cool if someone made a movie about the origin story of Strahd von Zarovich. The tyrant prince who becomes a bloodthirsty vampire and ruled Barovia with armies of monsters and undead.
I wonder, now that we know that we are going to get a more expansive knowledge of the Domains of Dread later this year from a new book. Would you guys go over the topic more once it comes out?
19:00 I want my version of Ravenloft to resemble a Flat Earth Model, so that a small sun does revolve around Ravenloft, followed every night by a very small moon, for the werewolves. Otherwise, all the plants will die without real sunlight. I'm going to push the Mists out to a farther limit straight up, so that it looks more like a cylinder, rather that a sphere. Plus, there doesn't seem to be a problem with tunneling down, so I can bring in Drow or Dwarves, Umber Hulks, Bullettes, maybe the whole Underdark ?
Late to the party but I have an unpopular opinion. Strahd should be warlock, not a wizard. And I cited his pact with death, the ritual demise of his brother as proof.
Strahd was a wizard in life, a 5th Level Necromancer, if memory serves, which might explain his pact with an avatar of Death, or a Death God. Still wizardly. But the Dark Powers might have the ability to swap out Wizard Levels for Warlock Levels, but that would mean you would have to re-write his powers and spells if you want to run this campaign setting. Back in the 80's, we didn't have the Warlock class option, but it might be worth the effort now to re-write, and as I think of it, I want to run this for my group. If I make him a Warlock, I won't need to worry about his many Wizard spells, I can concentrate on the fewer spells of a Warlock. Less work for a DM. It could be fun.
@@paulcoy9060 your memory is good! He was a fighter and maybe that was 5 level, but when he became a vampire, they gave him necromancer and a whole bunch more levels. In 3rd edition they kept the necromancer.
I'm not really fond of the Vistani, either! It all seems so...racist. Like they are clearly a 1:1 Romani analogue and are not portrayed in a good light by any means. I'd love to know how they can travel in and out of Barovia when even Strahd can't! I've wanted to steal the idea of a vampire trapped in his home, but I wanted his spawn minions to be free to move around. :/
Usually I like this show but y'all should have done a LOT more research if you were going to do Ravenloft. What you said about domains besides barovia is just not accurate.
FFS you didn't even get the basics right! Strahd didn't build castle Ravenloft he conquered it from the Turgs, who had conquered his families ancestoral land before he was born . He did add on to it but it was already there. Also not only did Sergei "not hate Strahd," he actively Looked up to him! He was also a priest which you totally skipped. Just like you skipped the assassin's attacking which motivated him to drink his brothers blood after he was gravely wounded.. Maybe this is some retconned bs from the module but it's NOT RAVENLOFT!!
Great show. Good, tight drive time radio feel. But two small critiques-do you really need to curse so much. I can tolerate an ‘f’ bomb, one or two. But it gets harder to listen to. Also, it sometimes sounds almost like you really can’t wait to get this explanation over with. A little more enthusiasm with a little less cynicism? Other than that, great show. I’ll continue to listen regardless because it is entertaining and very informative. Overall great job, guys.
Pretty sure Gypsy is a slur because the Romani people developed a bad reputation of gypping people. I hadn't ever heard of people thinking they were from Egypt...
Sorry for the technical difficulties on the back half of the episode folks! We aren't sure what caused the unsyncing of the audio and video, but we will take steps to make sure we don't have this issue in the future.
You better
Most of the things you ask as to why Strahd drank his brother blood and why the Vistani come to Barovia and not help and much more can be found in the Novel I, Strahd.
This is great info! Thanks!
@@Thedungeoncast seriously there's a LOT of great Ravenloft lore you guys totally missed.
The module is a severely abridged, dumbed down take on a great campaign setting.
Barovia: The Land of Seasonal Affective Disorder
Lord soth vs strahd in knight of the black rose was pretty cool
I’m really surprised you guys didn’t mention the novel Vampire of the Mists by Christie Golden, which tells the story of Strahd and a golden elf vampire named Jander Sunstar that was captured by the mists from Faerun and transported to Barovia.
One of my all time favorite D D novels!
I agree! Jander is a rich character.
They don't seem to know much honestly
Jander appeared in my groups campaign briefly as an ally but he didn’t play a major role other than giving us information we needed. Although he was the father of one of the PC’s and a close friend to the a Alagondar royal family, which my character is currently the last heir of the Alagondar family of Neverwinter.
@@jillianh7565 thats awesome....i read that book as a teenager and felt so sad for jander and how perpetually depressed he was being cut off from the sunlight and nature that he loved so much....i wish christie had written a sequel
I really like your take on the Vistani. I agree, it's way cooler.
Thank you!
Yo, I am looking to run a Dark Sun game. It would be sweet to hear your guys take on that setting.
Cheers,
P
I would do something similar with my players where I would have them save a copy of their character sheets at each level, and sometimes we would do "flashback" adventures.
I'm running my guys through Ravenloft starting next weekend. Not just Barovia, all of Ravenloft. Going to use a ton of the source material do mess with them. Stoked!
Um... how did it go? I know it's 2 years late.
This was really cool to listen to and it's given me some ideas! Happy Halloween!
I love this channel so much.. You guys produce content on the same level as Matt Colville and the Web DM guys. So freaking under rated.
Thank you so much for the compliment! Those are some big names to be grouped with :)
For my new players, I recommend checking out you, Matt, Web DM, how to D&D, Don't Stop Thinking, and Nerdarchy. Each of you have a different way of passing information to players and DMs alike, and your ways are very complimentary. I'm sure other viewers have their own favorite channels to recommend, but you guys are all great.
When you mentioned the soulless people it made me think of characters from Gail Carriger’s books. Werewolves and Vampires are created from people with excess soul. Those without excess soul die when they attempt to be turned, and Soulless people cancel out Werewolves and Vampires while they touch, the Supernaturals become regular mortals while in physical contact with Soulless. Once physical contact is broken they return to Supernatural form. This could be a good thing to add to the campaign.
I think it would be cool if someone made a movie about the origin story of Strahd von Zarovich. The tyrant prince who becomes a bloodthirsty vampire and ruled Barovia with armies of monsters and undead.
Another great one guys, I love Atlas Exterus!! Sorry I'm a bit late to see this one, I was on vacation. I just got engaged!
+Justin Thompson wow congratulations! More atlas exterus to come!
Couple points a bit off, Tatyana was poor, its SERGEI not sergee lol sends a shiver down my spine
If you were running a campaign and a Ed GreenWood and Elminster show up...what do you?
"Covered"? Seems i have more questions then before the podcast ;))
I wonder, now that we know that we are going to get a more expansive knowledge of the Domains of Dread later this year from a new book. Would you guys go over the topic more once it comes out?
I would definitely like too.
@@Thedungeoncast that would be awesome and just from what I know the new book is gonna be cool. One of the few I think I’m gonna preorder
Strahmbies! Lol!
It sounds like how the entity works in dead by day light. Could they be connected?
So you should absolutely talk about death knights
19:00 I want my version of Ravenloft to resemble a Flat Earth Model, so that a small sun does revolve around Ravenloft, followed every night by a very small moon, for the werewolves. Otherwise, all the plants will die without real sunlight. I'm going to push the Mists out to a farther limit straight up, so that it looks more like a cylinder, rather that a sphere. Plus, there doesn't seem to be a problem with tunneling down, so I can bring in Drow or Dwarves, Umber Hulks, Bullettes, maybe the whole Underdark ?
You have made your own setting now.
So would it be fair to say Barrovia is like the size of Skyrim..? Helps me visualize it.
I would say it is more along the size of one or maybe two of the holds in Skyrim.
Late to the party but I have an unpopular opinion. Strahd should be warlock, not a wizard.
And I cited his pact with death, the ritual demise of his brother as proof.
Strahd was a wizard in life, a 5th Level Necromancer, if memory serves, which might explain his pact with an avatar of Death, or a Death God. Still wizardly.
But the Dark Powers might have the ability to swap out Wizard Levels for Warlock Levels, but that would mean you would have to re-write his powers and spells if you want to run this campaign setting.
Back in the 80's, we didn't have the Warlock class option, but it might be worth the effort now to re-write, and as I think of it, I want to run this for my group. If I make him a Warlock, I won't need to worry about his many Wizard spells, I can concentrate on the fewer spells of a Warlock. Less work for a DM. It could be fun.
@@paulcoy9060 your memory is good! He was a fighter and maybe that was 5 level, but when he became a vampire, they gave him necromancer and a whole bunch more levels. In 3rd edition they kept the necromancer.
I'm not really fond of the Vistani, either! It all seems so...racist. Like they are clearly a 1:1 Romani analogue and are not portrayed in a good light by any means.
I'd love to know how they can travel in and out of Barovia when even Strahd can't! I've wanted to steal the idea of a vampire trapped in his home, but I wanted his spawn minions to be free to move around. :/
It's pronounced "Ser-gay"...
But, it's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
Usually I like this show but y'all should have done a LOT more research if you were going to do Ravenloft.
What you said about domains besides barovia is just not accurate.
FFS you didn't even get the basics right!
Strahd didn't build castle Ravenloft he conquered it from the Turgs, who had conquered his families ancestoral land before he was born . He did add on to it but it was already there.
Also not only did Sergei "not hate Strahd," he actively Looked up to him!
He was also a priest which you totally skipped.
Just like you skipped the assassin's attacking which motivated him to drink his brothers blood after he was gravely wounded..
Maybe this is some retconned bs from the module but it's NOT RAVENLOFT!!
Why is he not allowed to call the vistani gipsy? Gosh this PC everywhere.
#strahddidnothingwrong
Great show. Good, tight drive time radio feel. But two small critiques-do you really need to curse so much. I can tolerate an ‘f’ bomb, one or two. But it gets harder to listen to.
Also, it sometimes sounds almost like you really can’t wait to get this explanation over with. A little more enthusiasm with a little less cynicism?
Other than that, great show. I’ll continue to listen regardless because it is entertaining and very informative. Overall great job, guys.
Will is slow motion half way through the video
Thanks for letting us know!
Josh Freeland sounds like a name somebody made up...
Pretty sure Gypsy is a slur because the Romani people developed a bad reputation of gypping people. I hadn't ever heard of people thinking they were from Egypt...
"We're not gonna get super in depth with it, buy the module" isn't the whole point of having the podcast so you DO go in depth into all this crap
it is pronounced SIR-GAY, not sir-gee.