DragnaCarta posts
Posts: 243
Files: 80
Dragna's Blog: External & Internal Arcs (Internal Arcs Pt. I)
Note: Apologies for the recent shortage of devblogs - I was sick for the first half of December, and was preoccupied with the holidays for most of the rest. I should be able to return to a more consistent schedule now, though.Note that today's blog is less about Reloaded in particular, and more about an aspect of narrative design I've been turning over in my head for the past several months - internal character arcs. This week's post will focus on internal arcs generally, next week&#...
Curse of Strahd: Reloaded’s guide to Tsolenka Pass is now available!
I’m excited to share the tenth public installment of my revised Curse of Strahd guide, Curse of Strahd: Reloaded. This new release contains Arc R: Trials of the Mountain, which includes:Ascending Mt. Ghakis. The players’ ascent through the treacherous Tsolenka Pass, including dangers from monsters, vengeful foes, and the mountain itself.The Tyrant’s Trials. Nightly visits by Strahd, who seeks to torment the players with cruel and painful “games.”Into Soldav. The players’ discovery of...
Curse of Strahd Reloaded Update: Survey Follow-Up & Arc R Complete
Before I get into this week's Reloadedprogress update, I want to thank everyone who voted and shared their thoughts and feedback in response to last week's blog post. While there were too many comments for me to respond to, know that I read every single one, and that I deeply appreciate everyone who took the time to respond to the survey or share their experience with Reloaded; you guys are why I write this thing, and I'm honored that my work can form a part of your campaigns. (To th...
Dragna's Blog: Completing the Fanes (Fanes Pt. IV)
Fanes of Barovia SeriesPart I: The History of the FanesPart II: Why Bring Back the Fanes?Part III: Reinventing the FanesPart IV: Completing the FanesIn this series so far, we've discussed the publication history of the Fanes of Barovia, our motivations for bringing the Fanes into Reloaded, and the ways I've previously attempted to do so. Today, in this last installment of the Fanes of Baroviaseries, we'll discuss my efforts to update the reconsecration of the Fanes for Re-Reloaded—...
Dragna's Blog & Survey: Serendipity, Reloaded's Mistakes & My Publishing Priorities
This post is adapted from a longer, more self-indulgent blog post I posted in my Patreon Discord server last week. If you’re interested in reading it, you can find it here.The most common complaint I hear about D&D modules is that they're too hard to run—and Curse of Strahd is no exception. With a sprawling, open-world concept, but little narrative structure or game balance, Curse of Strahdis a campaign that requires exceptional effort by a DM to run—and one which has often lured an un...
Curse of Strahd Reloaded Update: Soldav
I. Reloaded UpdateSince mid-November's update, I've added an additional 11.4k words to Arc R: Trials of the Mountain, bringing the arc's running total to 44.8k words and (!) 106 Google Doc pages. (For reference, the longest publishedarc thus far is Arc P: Ravenloft Heist, clocking in at 38.2k words and 91 Google Doc pages—and Trials of the Mountainis still "only" around 93% done.)Specifically, I've completed the following work regarding the players' progress past th...
New DMG Reloaded Handout: Methods
The newest installation of the DMG Reloaded, my prototype textbook on TTRPG game and narrative design theory, is now available via the Bronze Masterpost.This chapter, titled Methods, discusses how verbs allow players to impact the game state, how the evolution of the game state ties into the players' goals, how the goal-strategy-tactic-verb framework fosters agency and gameplay, and how to maximize player agency and depth of gameplay.Thank you for your patience as I've worked to develop ...
Dragna's Blog: Reinventing the Fanes (Fanes Part III)
Fanes of Barovia SeriesPart I: The History of the FanesPart II: Why Bring Back the Fanes?Part III: Reinventing the FanesTwo weeks ago, we discussed the real-life history of the Fanes of Barovia—their origin in Expedition to Castle Ravenloftand their potential connections in Curse of Strahd. In last week's devblog, we discussed why we might bring the Fanes into Reloaded—both to explain the history of Barovia's druids (and the Dark Powers' command over Barovian souls) and to provid...
Curse of Strahd Reloaded Update: The Ice Caves
I. Reloaded UpdateSince last Saturday's update, I've added an additional 3.4k words to Arc R: Trials of the Mountain—less than I'd like, but a decent amount nonetheless. Specifically, I've completed the following work regarding the players' post-avalanche foray through the frozen caverns of Mt. Ghakis:added the Frozen Vault, which holds a disguised (and cursed) amber shard of the Vampyradded the Cave of Daggers, an icefall cave, including mechanics for icicle cascades and a...
Dragna's Blog: Why Bring Back the Fanes? (Fanes Part II)
This is Part II of a multi-part series. You can read the other parts of this series below:Part I: The History of the FanesPart II: Why Bring Back the Fanes?Part III: Reinventing the FanesWhy Bring Back the Fanes?In last week's devblog, we discussed the history of the Fanes through Ravenlofthistory, from Expedition to Castle Ravenloftto today. We also discussed the two sets of standing stones in 5th Edition's Curse of Strahd, and the unresolved mysteries that haunt them—including the un...
Dragna's Blog: The History of the Fanes (Fanes Part I)
Note: As I discuss at the end of this devblog, I'm trying out an experiment: rather than posting big devblogs infrequently, I'm trying to see whether I can put out more, higher-quality content by posting shorter devblogs more regularly - as frequently as once a week, if my schedule allows. (I'd love to hear your feedback on this approach, especially if I'm able to keep to a reasonable schedule moving forward.)This particular blog is Part One of a multi-part series breaking down h...
Curse of Strahd Reloaded Update: Ascending Mount Ghakis
Apologies for the delay in updates! I sadly don't have Arc R: Trials of the Mountain fully finished yet—at 30,000 words in length and 85% of the way to completion, it's looking to be one of my longest arcs yet. Even so, I've made a good amount of progress since my last update, which you can find below!I. Reloaded UpdateSince my last update, I've added an additional 11k words and made it within spitting distance of the arc's end. Specifically, I've completed the followin...
I'm now offering DM skills mentoring sessions!
(this is not a curse of strahd: reloaded-related email; i apologize deeply to anyone who subscribed only for reloaded updates and doesn't want to see random marketing schlock in their inbox. i will try to keep it to a minimum. ty for your patience 🙏)Since a number of people seemed to be interested in it, I've launched an exploratory Patreon shop where people can buy individual mentoring sessions on particular topics they're interested in. Right now, the three available options are...
Curse of Strahd Reloaded Update: Into Tsolenka Pass
I'm trying to keep to a reasonably regular schedule for these; let's see how long I can keep it up!But first—for those who aren't aware: Kaiya, the voice of Lilissen on Curse of Strahd: Twice Bitten, a brilliant storyteller,and a dear friend, has launched a Kickstarter for her new Worldbuilder's Almanac, a supplement that aims to help DMs build out their worlds with weekly prompts, historical inspiration, and hundreds of quest hooks. It's looking to be a beautiful, professi...
Dragna's Blog: Tsolenka Pass, Travel Encounters, and the Reference Frames of Chult
As you may (or may not) already know, I’m in the process of planning a Tomb of Annihilation-inspired campaign for my players. The players of my first-ever Curse of Strahdcampaign gave me the module as a gift when we finished it, and I’ve been in love with Chult as a setting ever since. There’s just one problem with it.I hate the Tomb, and I hate the Annihilation.Tomb of AnnihilationFor those who aren’t familiar with it, Tomb of Annihilation is a level 1-11 adventure campaign divided into...
Curse of Strahd Reloaded Update: Trials of the Mountain Begins
It’s been eighty-four years since my last Reloaded update newsletter—or at least a solid month—so please accept my sincerest apologies for the radio silence! Have an update.I. Reloaded UpdateI’ve officially broken ground on Arc R: Trials of the Mountain, which combines the players’ ascent up Tsolenka Pass and Strahd’s tyrannical tests of their will and fortitude. It’s seven thousand words long so far and still going strong, growing by another five to seven thousand words per week (...
New Reloaded Working Document + Full Campaign Outline
I've officially begun work on Arc R: Trials of the Mountain!You can follow my work in the new Working Document (linked in the Bronze Masterpost), or by following my updates on the @Reloaded Drafts ping in the Patreon Discord.More excitingly, I've also finished a full diagrammed outline of every scene and arc in Reloaded that I haven't yet written! You can similarly download the outline in the Bronze Masterpost. Note that you'll need to open it in Obsidianto view it.I expect to po...
New DMG Reloaded Handout: Verbs
I'm excited to release the next handout in the Dungeon Master's Guide: Reloaded series on game and narrative design: Verbs! This handoutis easily the most theoretical/academic/pseudo-mathematical one I've released yet, and hella dense. It's also, however, the most fundamental, because it seeks to explain the atomic elements of gameplay in D&D, and how they combine to produce different gameplay experiences.In this handout, you'll find:An introduction to verbs and verb sequence...
Dragna's Blog: Method Dungeons
In my home game, I’m currently running my players through (a heavily remixed version of) A Deep & Creeping Darknessfrom Candlekeep Mysteries. For those who haven’t read it, the adventure is about investigating an abandoned mine and eliminating the nest of meenlocks that still haunts it.As I prepared for an upcoming session, I took note that my players had reached the mine and were about to enter it. The question became: What should this dungeon look like?I didn’t mean this question literal...
HIRING: Curse of Strahd: Reloaded Editor
UPDATE: I am no longer accepting new applications. Thank you to all who applied!Every new Reloaded release includes two parts: (1) a new arc; and (2) updates and fixes to old arcs. While #1 is usually what most people are waiting for, #2 is important for the host of newer campaigns steadily working their way through the guide. Unfortunately, while #2 is generally pretty straightforward to do, there are enough edits with each release that it near-doubles my release timeline. This has led to addit...
Curse of Strahd: Reloaded’s guide to lighting Argynvost’s beacon, redeeming the Abbot, and defeating Kiril is now available!
I’m excited to share the ninth public installment of my revised Curse of Strahd guide, Curse of Strahd: Reloaded. This new release contains Arc Q: A Shining Beacon, which includes:Redeeming the Abbot. The players’ climactic confrontation with the Abbot, and a chance to ally with St. Markovia to redeem his tainted soul.Vanquishing Kiril. A showdown with the werewolf packleader Kiril Stoyanovich.Lighting the Beacon. A race to Argynvost’s mausoleum against the revenants of Argynvostholt and C...
Dragna's Blog: Inverting the Polarity (of the Dramatic Question)
Recently, I played Call of Cthulhufor the first time.The first session, aside from an assortment of introductions to NPCs and other PCs, largely consisted of exploring rooms in a mostly empty mansion, trying to uncover secrets and identify any clues that might trigger further developments in the (only somewhat unfolded) narrative.Even though there wasn't really a clear dramatic question yet (something Bad had happened, or at least appeared to, but posed no immediate threat to us), there was ...
Curse of Strahd Reloaded Update: Arc Q is Imminent
Good news: We're officially on-track to finish this thing - hopefully by Halloween. I've written nearly twelve thousand words since I started work on v2.0.9 on July 26, and Arc Q: A Shining Beaconis pretty much complete, including (1) the players' return from the heist, (2) the players' confrontation with and redemption of the Abbot, (3) the players' fight with Kiril, and (4) the lighting of the beacon of Argynvostholt.As of last night, I've also finished the two-phase st...
Poll: Would you back a trio of horror one-shots?
I'm currently pondering teaming up with two other writers to publish three one-shot horror adventures; they would write two, while I would write the third and edit/lead development on all three. The goal would be to create modules that, like Reloaded, are zero-prep, ready-to-run, and chock-full of good narrative and game design, including custom monster statblocks, cathartic storylines, and resonant characters.To fund it, we'd likely run a small Kickstarter to ensure that the other write...
Dragna's Blog: The Madam Eva Problem
In my previous developer blog, I discussed my proposed replacement for Reloaded's then-current plot hook to Tser Pool (and the Tarokka reading). The previous hook went as follows: On the players' first night in Barovia, Madam Eva appears to them in a dream, warns them that they're in grave danger, and tells them to come to her camp, where she can read her fortunes. This was problematic because, as a subsequent Discord server poll confirmed, more than half of parties don't really ...
DMG Reloaded: Chapter 6 (Gameplay) Now Available
I've published Chapter 5: Gameplayof the Dungeon Master's Guide: Reloadedon the Bronze Masterpost! This chapter discusses goal-oriented design, the process of creating meaningful gameplay for your players, and the fundamental game engine of D&D.I hope you enjoy! Feel free to leave any thoughts, questions, or feedback in the comments below or on the Patreon Discord.Cheers,Dragna
Curse of Strahd Reloaded Update: Arc P: Ravenloft Heist is now available
I'm excited to share the eighth public installment of my revised Curse of Strahd guide, Curse of Strahd: Reloaded. This new release contains Arc P: Ravenloft Heist, which includes:Preparations for the Heist. New allies and intelligence the players can obtain before making the journey to Ravenloft, including rewards for players who spared Doru in Arc B: Welcome to Barovia.Keep Infiltration. A comprehensive guide to the multiple routes the players might take when entering and traversing the ca...
Meet Challenge Rated: A Balanced Encounter-Building Calculator
Challenge Ratedis the webtool version (built by open-source contributors) of my Challenge Ratings 2.0 encounter-building system. It uses a custom algorithm, using benchmarked monster and player statistics, to estimate the amount of hit points and resources the players will need to spend in a given encounter—thereby allowing DMs to build balanced, curated encounters and adventuring days to meaningfully challenge their players without risking a TPK.It does so by mathematically solving the “act...
Curse of Strahd Reloaded Update: Oops, I Rewrote Arc B
Good news: Arc P: Ravenloft Heistis complete!Bad news: To fix an issue with the Tarokka reading, I wound up rewriting almost the entirety of Arc B: Welcome to Barovia. (Yes, I know the Tarokka reading is in Arc C. TL;DR: In order to provide a clear inciting incident and impetus for the players to seek out Eva's foretelling, I now have the players arrive on the last night of the siege—and the first night that Ireena is bitten—which should hopefully create a much stronger motivation to see...
Dragna's Blog: Meenlocks, Sergei & Goal-Oriented Design
A Deep and Creeping Darknessis a short 5th Edition adventure for 4th-level characters by Michele Carter and Sarah Madsen from the Candlekeep Mysteriesanthology. In it, the players are tasked by a mining company with investigating the abandoned mining town of Vermeillon and the nearby platinum mine in order to determine what caused the villagers to abandon it and determine whether it can be reopened safely. Along the way, the players can travel to Candlekeep to obtain the titular book (a literary...
