View source for Ruins of Berez

== Ambient audio ==

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MsH9vN1aFQ Ruins of Berez audio] by Sword Coast Audio

[[Category:Places]]
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== Berez in the Mist ==

This location is kind of unique for two big reasons - The map scale is massive. Make note of that. The other reason is that the mist gives you a hard limit on how far the characters can see when exploring Berez. I think this was done intentionally. When my PCs started to investigate Berez, I drew a big foggy blob on their map and asked them where they wanted to start. They got some ideas of what was where from Muriel Vineshaw, but still very rough. Then I had the whole party represented by one token/model on one square of the map. They can only see the squares immediately adjacent to them due to the mist. This was a blast watching them map their way through Berez creeping carefully and avoiding the scarecrows. I would draw only the stuff they saw in the squares in adjacent squares. If they were near a scarecrow I had them make a perception check DC 15 to see it before it had a chance to see them. If they didn't make that, I let them make a stealth check to avoid being seen (one check for the party, made by whoever has the highest stealth) and compared it to the scarecrow's passive perception. Then if they made an effort to go around the scarecrow, they wouldn't get the alarm raised on them. If you get nothing else from this post, run Berez this way. The players were literally holding their breaths at times. ([https://www.reddit.com/r/DnDBehindTheScreen/comments/5ty0nb/what_i_have_learned_from_running_curse_of_strahd/ reddit])

== Scarecrow attack ==

Ok, let's just say the party goofed and they got detected by the Scarecrows - what now? Well this is what I WOULD have done: The scarecrows sound the alarm. I don't know what that would sound like, maybe dead ravens gurgling? Anyway first the detecting scarecrow attacks...then 2 rounds later the other 6 scarecrows show up to attack. After they kill those scarecrows, they will hear the massive footfalls of the hut under Lysagas command as she flies around in her skull. This fight is hard enough. I don't want them fighting the hut, Lysaga, and the scarecrows all at the same time. ([https://www.reddit.com/r/DnDBehindTheScreen/comments/5ty0nb/what_i_have_learned_from_running_curse_of_strahd/ reddit])

== The Ghost in the Mansion ==

This encounter is pretty weak unless you have the Tarokka card reading that makes it important. Don't worry much about it if you don't need to. I ran it the way it was in the book but honestly I don't think cutting the whole encounter out would have been bad. I guess it's kinda fun and it lets you give the party a little more info about what Lysaga does with the goats, so do what you want with this one. ([https://www.reddit.com/r/DnDBehindTheScreen/comments/5ty0nb/what_i_have_learned_from_running_curse_of_strahd/ reddit])

== Goat Pen ==

This is actually a pretty cool encounter because your PCs will probably have a method to talk to animals. Mine talked to the goats and learned that the skulls are a warning system which will draw Lysaga to them. It's a great opportunity to talk like a goat and do some fun role-playing. ([https://www.reddit.com/r/DnDBehindTheScreen/comments/5ty0nb/what_i_have_learned_from_running_curse_of_strahd/ reddit])

== Lysaga Fight ==

This meeting will most likely end in a battle. The PCs will have a lot of reasons to kill her, but no real reasons to leave her alone. This is a really tough fight if Lysaga fights it on her own terms - in the giants skull with the hut fighting as well. If the PCs let Lysaga get more than 3 rounds of action, they are probably going to all die. Luckily they will probably be at least level 7 at this point. If they can get the jump on her (and that should be eminently possible as discussed above) they should be able to put a lot of damage on her before she hops in the giant skull. ([https://www.reddit.com/r/DnDBehindTheScreen/comments/5ty0nb/what_i_have_learned_from_running_curse_of_strahd/ reddit])

Keys to the fight: Don't have her attack the PCs on sight. Don't have the hut activate or know the PCs are there prior to a fight breaking out. Have a few catchphrases for her to say during her turn in the fight; I always forget to do this but I need to start. Don't be afraid to kill one of the PCs - They will probably have access to Raise Dead from the Abbot at this point. Make it pretty easy for the PCs to get into the hut by climbing the limbs. There aren't rules in this in combat, so just use your judgement. I let them climb up a leg to the entrance of the hut with a pretty easy atheletics check. I allowed the hut to use it's action to tip forward and dump people out causing an acrobatics check or get dumped on the ground - this works well and is a fun visual. ([https://www.reddit.com/r/DnDBehindTheScreen/comments/5ty0nb/what_i_have_learned_from_running_curse_of_strahd/ reddit])