Ravenloft
Based on the Ravenloft game/map/setting.
Setting:
From the ledge of his overlook, on the precipice of the chasm which yawns just below, Count Strahd Von Zarovich looks south and westward to the small village of Barovia. The Count's face displays a ruefull smile, for he has spied a small group of adventurers entering from beyond the mists. The group travels westward along the Old Svalich Road and proceeds through the gate, the imposing Svalich woods seeming to compress inwards on both sides. You, the player, have been invited to the castle for dinner. Will you accept?
Goal:
Many magic items are distributed throughout the realm. Some of the most powerful are within the confines of Castle Ravenloft, but only the truly courageous will brave that grim location. Grab these items and add to your persona to best utilize them to win the game. Note - magic items and persona must be matched in order to get any usefulness out of either. One without the other is useless.
Personas are as follows and each magic item generates a factory bonus, bonuses calculated based on the persona acquired by the player, at the start of their turn. Unlike all other scenarios, this version only allows the usage of one persona at a given time. A player may switch personas multiple times during the turn. Bonuses will generate based on which persona the player has chosen by turn's end.
Rogue (little impact from magic items, but has ability to view several guardians and important locations.)Ranger - one of the heroic personasFighter - one of the heroic personasWizard - one of the heroic personasCleric - one of the heroic personasVampire - the lone 'evil' personaPaladin (see below for all the special abilities)
Magic items generate positive or negative bonuses (based on persona) to life force and/or persona. There are 9 magic items with a variety of bonuses based on persona. The magic item matrix is on the center of the map for ease of reference. Unit placement is on for magic items and these locations can also fortify back to the life bonus. The items are spread about - 3 in the village, 3 in the countryside and 3 in the castle.
Gameplay special notes:
Magic Items are outlined on the map in blue.Default bonuses are +3 life force per turn.15 attacks maximum per turn.Unlimited fortifies. Fortifies are across any connected territories.Units are placeable on the life flask as well as magic items and some rare locations.
The Village of Barovia, places of interest
The Town Square is where each adventure begins and will be a busy place throughout the game, especially the early gameplay. Each player can begin their turn by attacking from their life force into one of the town square spots.Owning the Church (all spots) adds a +1 life bonus. Owning the church & graveyard yields a +1 bonus, placeable. The Church houses one of the magic items, the Pendant of Good Health, most useful to the Ranger.Owning the Burgomaster's Mansion yields a +1 life bonus, placeable. The mansion houses one of the magic items, the Holy Symbol of Ravenkind, most useful to the Cleric.Mad Mary's houses a magic item, the Ring or Parting Prevented, which the ranger can best utilize.The Blood on the Vine Tavern allows the players to converse with the local inhabitants, unearthing information and rumors, allowing the ability to spy on your opponent's persona usage.Bildrath's Mercantile - features a smithy for each player whereby the player can craft a weapon to add +1 life. Each location will be a max unit count 1. The weapon will generate a placeable unit each turn as long as it is used - but beware, your opponents may steal it from you to keep you from using it.Vadrugal's Coach Company - a player can take a ride to one of 2 spots (attack-only borders) up the road. Note, however, that the coach is limited to 2 units at a time, so usage must be timely.There are two Haunted Houses in Barovia. These are attuned to vampires, but hurt the cleric. Each yields a -1 life bonus if the player has the cleric persona and a +1 life bonus if the player has the vampire persona. Unit caps for these are 3.There are a number of empty houses and a warehouse. There are no bonuses for populating these spots, and they vary in max unit caps (3 for vacant houses, 10 for the warehouse), but placement is enabled on them and they may act as staging grounds for future operations. The warehouse has one-way exits in the rear of the building which allow for speedy starts on the road.
The Countryside, places of interest
Van Richten's Tower, east of Barovia, and once home of the legendary vampire hunter Rudolph Van Richten, houses one of the magic items, the Codex Advocare which is prized by the wizard. But beware! The villagers believe the tower to be haunted. The tower has steps leading up to - the higher steps defend with +1 advantage.The magic fountain has a locations which generate a +1 placeable bonus.The Gingerbread House has 3 locations which generate a +1 to life, sprinkled with candy by the Annis Hag Pretty Kolchya.The Sea Hag has a small dock and boat just outside her lair in the marshes from which she occasionally travels to see her sister, with a beach landing near the Gingerbread House. She has developed a beachfront resembling a snake to guide her way. The Sea Hag guards one of the magic items, the Stifled (screaming) Skull. This item favors the vampire.Strahd's Stagecoach affords a quick travel to Castle Ravenloft, provided you defeat the guardian. The stagecoach slowly resets to neutral 4 after delivering it's occupants.North of the stagecoach is a smaller shortcut thru the woods, but beware the wolf ambush in this area.In the far northwest is the Carnival of Tears. This carnival offers up many bonuses if a player can take and retain all 3 locations. Bonuses are +2 placement units and +2 to life flask. Max unit count is 1 per location. The carnival is guarded by the carnival barker. The carnival barker respawns up to neutral 2.Varikov the dwarven werewolf trapper has an abode in the north. Defeating him allows the player to loot a special silvered weapons cache, +1 placeable unit per turn. Placement is enabled here.
The Vistani Camp, places of interest
Madam Eva, the leader and seer of the Vistani (a nomadic gypsy-like folk), guards one of the magic items, the Moonfriend Stone. This item is a boon to the cleric.Madama Eva's crystal ball - stop in for a peak to see the ownership of the magical items or keep a unit to retain that vision turn to turn at the cost of 1 life per turn. Eva's crystal ball cannot scry the items within the castle, however, as the castle wards are too powerful.Rafael's Barge affords a small shortcut to Castle Ravenloft, provided you pay the fee. The barge slowly resets to neutral 2 after delivering it's occupants.
Castle Ravenloft, areas of interest
The Castle is populated with several creatures, some basic and some monstrous and contains 3 of the magic items, each very powerful.
The castle Library houses the Tome of Strahd, which is most useful to the ranger, cleric and vampire personas.The Dayheart Tower houses the Dayheart Amulet, coveted by the Vampire.The Crypts house the powerful Sunsword, prized by all, especially the Cleric and Ranger and feared by the vampire. If a player has the cleric persona and acquires the sunsword, his cleric persona transforms into the Paladin; see the Paladin special abilities below. In the Dining Hall at Castle Ravenloft is an image of Strahd. Defeating this image (which defends at +2) allows a fortify border from your life force into the Castle.The Castle's Chapel has two locations which generate a +1 life bonus.The Castle Overlook affords a view of several locations in the town of Barovia.The Castle forward Turrets allow visibility to anyone approaching the castle.
Special personas:
Immediately after acquiring it, 4 units are placed on the Paladin. The Paladin has a few abilties. He generates a factory +4 units each turn on himself. He has placement enabled. He can attack other artifacts and creatures within the castle with advantage (except the image of Stradh, which he knows to be a fake). He can attack Strahd's real visage in the Audience Hall (defeating Strahd adds +2 placeable bonus to the player). Among other things, the Paladin can see all the happenings within the castle. (also see Sunsword above for acquiring the Paladin)
How to win:
Each player's life force is his/her capital. The way to win the game is to obtain a portal key (by acquiring a sufficient amount of magic items on the board), which unlocks a factory portal. On the player's next turn (as long as they retain the key until then), the portal fills with 20 units and can attack opposing player's life force at D6 vs D5.
This version requires securing 5 items to obtain the portal key.
