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The Beast of Graenseskov: An Introductory Ravenloft Adventure

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A simple hunt for a werewolf, or so we thought. Find its lair and slay the beast. No use for wolfsbane or other superstitions. Silver and magic would win the day. A worthy challenge, but nothing horrific, surely. Yet we never expected what we found in the Graenseskov, and our hubris cost us dearly...

The Beast of Graenseskov is an 80-page bookmarked Ravenloft® adventure for characters of 1st-4th levels focused on mystery and exploration. It can be used in conjunction with Curse of Strahd, either as an introduction to Barovia or adapted as a side quest, as part of the original expanded Ravenloft setting, or it can be used as a stand-alone horror adventure-setting. The adventure holds approximately 16 to 24 hours of gaming within its pages, and potentially much more for groups embracing an investigative style of play.

In the mists at the edge of Count Strahd von Zarovich’s realm lies the Graenseskov, a land of deep woods and bleak hills overrun with wolves. A Beast haunts these misty lands, leaving bloody corpses and terror in its wake, the product of a hag’s curse placed upon the boyar’s manor. But the Beast is no arbitrary killer. The PCs find themselves drawn into the mystery of uncovering the Beast’s identity and breaking the hag’s curse before the Beast’s final victim gurgles their last breath and the Beast is beyond any hope of redemption.

Requires the Dungeon Master's Guide and the Monster Manual.

This is a 63 Mb ZIP file containing a watermarked PDF of the updated adventure, a PDF with handouts, a PDF DM's cheat sheet, and PNG files of the Graenseskov region map for the DM and players.

Features:

The DM (or the Tarokka) determines the guilty suspect and their motives, offering a different experience for each group’s play-through.

• A vivid cast of characters with a NPC index.

Escalating random encounters, special events, and techniques for DMing a mystery.

New monsters: black annis hag & loup du noir.

All units given in SI & metric.

Handouts and maps for DMs and players.

• DM's cheat sheet with quick prep notes, clue checklist, handy Tarokka tables, tips on running the Beast, and a decision point flowchart.

The Tome Show May 16, 2016 DM's Guild Pick of the Episode! Thanks James! http://www.thetomeshow.com/e/round-table-119-giants-and-the-talented-bestiary/

CHANGE LOG

July 2, 2016 Update: The big update! Fixed several editing and grammar errors, including an error in Appendix D, and the repeated paragraph on page 12 (page 13 in new document). Added a new special event - Hanging the Vistani - to Chapter 1 which ties together several dangling plot threads. Clarified "Adjusting the Adventure" & added Werewolves in the Mist to the "Adventure Hooks" in the Introduction. Added two pieces of thematic filler art.

April 18, 2016 Update: Added a DM's cheat sheet PDF to the zip file.

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Reviews (13)
Discussions (21)
Customer avatar
Jacqui T August 30, 2022 6:35 pm UTC
PURCHASER
After doing some mild adjustments this adventure actually makes Ravenloft village have more depth and substance rather than just an empty space since they are in such close proximity to each other according to the old Barovia map from previous editions and also what is provided in the module. This is 100,000,000 times better than Death House for your 1-4 levels. It is written in a way that DMs can customize it to their Curse of Strahd game without having to do too much work. Once my friend and I play test it I will write out a more in-depth review of the module from a player's perspective.
Customer avatar
Alan C June 15, 2022 2:07 pm UTC
PURCHASER
The location of Graenseskov is somewhere in the default Barovian Map in CoS module? Or is before the Gates of Barovia?
Reply
Customer avatar
Aaron I July 10, 2022 3:30 pm UTC
CREATOR
Graenseskov does not appear on the Curse of Strahd map. It is a location from older editions. It can be found due east of the Curse of Strahd map, going off the map.
Customer avatar
Gustavo P June 01, 2021 3:15 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Does the autor have other adventures? I liked this one so much I want more!
Reply
Customer avatar
Aaron I June 09, 2021 5:04 pm UTC
CREATOR
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it! I've penned one other adventure for 5e – the Haunting of Calrow Ruins (EN Publishing) – which was a commissioned project that later was converted to the W.O.I.N. system: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/194700/The-Haunting-of-Calrow-Ruins-5E Hopefully will have more adventures coming in the future!
Customer avatar
Gustavo P June 01, 2021 3:13 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Is there a way to save the man in the oven?
Reply
Customer avatar
Aaron I June 09, 2021 5:01 pm UTC
CREATOR
Hi Gustavo, so the man in the oven is a plot hook that I left open deliberately. You can run it as a bit of humor and/or way to pass along a clue you want the party to have, you could make him try to trick the PCs into releasing but with obvious overtones of "he's receiving his just punishment", you could use it as an avenue to introduce a new player into your group, or even introduce a sidekick for a smaller group using the rules in Tasha's. Most of the material ties back into each other, which makes for a rich adventure experience, but there are just a few dashes – the man in the oven is one – where I wanted the DM to have an easily accessible point to introduce stuff into the adventure.
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Customer avatar
Gustavo P June 14, 2021 9:38 pm UTC
PURCHASER
That's great! I chose to make him to be Iulian.
But I don't know how he can be rescued. Did I missed something?
Customer avatar
Gustavo P April 20, 2021 1:12 am UTC
PURCHASER
One of my players was convinced by the beast to be transformed into a loup du noir. Let's see where it goes!
Customer avatar
Mateo P February 26, 2021 5:24 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Hi! I got this adventure ahead of a Ravenloft campaing my group will start in April and I must say congratulations to the author. It's very well written and clearly a lot of care and love has been put into it. It has been a joy to read. I am a bit concerned the mystery a bit complex, given the number of NPCs, babies switched at birth and people lying to cover up things, but I am an experienced GM and already have a pretty good idea how to run it, so will see. I do think the adventure can be challenging to new GMs. I hope I can report once we play it in a review. I absolutely loved the dramatis personae in the end, I think it's very useful here. I also greatly appreciate that the few magic items that are around are meaningful and evocative. Overall, there is a great romantic tone to the whole thing that is absolutely on brand with the Ravenloft setting. Cannot wait to play it!
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Customer avatar
Aaron I March 11, 2021 10:09 pm UTC
CREATOR
Hope you have a good run with the adventure and with your Ravenloft campaign! I try to check here for comments bimonthly, but sometimes I fall behind. With Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft coming out in May, I am returning to my notes about ways I can improve "The Beast of Graenseskov." Looking forward to your review about how it runs for you!
Customer avatar
Gustavo P September 17, 2020 12:41 am UTC
PURCHASER
Divine Sense or Detect Evil or Good can detect the cursed wolfskin?
Reply
Customer avatar
Aaron I September 22, 2020 4:38 pm UTC
CREATOR
Your question is whether the wolfskin counts as "desecrated object." It's really a matter of DM ruling. My personal ruling would be no. Because I think allowing Detect Evil and Good or Divine Sense to detect cursed objects would be too broad an application of the term "desecrated." Additionally, it could (depending how you DM it) give the players a one-button solution to the mystery, depriving them the satisfaction of engaging, struggling, and reaching a solution themselves. There are no official rules – beyond what's in the Hallow spell – what constitutes a consecrated or desecrated place/object. Thus, I'd go back to the natural English definition of "desecrated"... "treat (a sacred place or thing) with violent disrespect." The key part, in my mind, is that the place or object was ONCE sacred, and due to some evil now no longer is. If it was never sacred before – such as the case with the NPC's wolf skins in my adventure – then it cannot be made un-sacred (i.e....See more
Customer avatar
Gustavo P July 15, 2020 9:57 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Question:
Where is located the Pavlovics' farm?
Reply
Customer avatar
Aaron I August 27, 2020 3:34 am UTC
CREATOR
The Pavlovics' farm is supposed to be within a 1/4 mile of Volchykrov Manor (e.g. one of the hexes to the east). To avoid cluttering the map, I had to balance narrative weight of locations vs. readability of the map. However, you can place the farm anywhere you need for your own adaptation of the adventure.
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Customer avatar
Gustavo P September 20, 2020 10:35 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Thanks!
Customer avatar
Gustavo P June 11, 2020 1:22 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Another question:
Graenseskov is at east of the Gates of Barovia?
Reply
Customer avatar
Aaron I June 17, 2020 10:30 pm UTC
CREATOR
Yes, the Graenseskov region lies east of Barovia along Old Svalich Road.
Customer avatar
Gustavo P June 10, 2020 4:34 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Question:
From which tribe are the vistani from that adventure?
Reply
Customer avatar
Aaron I June 17, 2020 10:32 pm UTC
CREATOR
The Vistani tribe that appears in the adventure are the Latrova, horse traders and craftspeople who travel not only by vardo (wagon) but also by horse-drawn sleigh.
Customer avatar
Anthony Lester D February 28, 2020 1:07 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Just purchased this adventure and currently reading through it in preparation for starting Curse of Strahd next month. Loving it so far but wanted to ask, as a first time DM it seems rather daunting, are there any tips for how to slim the adventure down?
Reply
Customer avatar
Aaron I March 11, 2020 6:51 am UTC
CREATOR
Hi Anthony, yes definitely that's possible. The core of the adventure is the investigation (chapter 2), the hag's hut and the werewolf's den. Half of the investigation – the Knight's Murder & the XXX Victim – can take place around Volchykrov Manor. Most of the other locations in chapter 1 are essentially a sandbox – they may have supplementary info that is useful, but not necessary to the PCs' investigation. Hope that helps! Congrats on stepping up to DM and best of luck with your run of The Beast of Graenseskov and Curse of Strahd!
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Customer avatar
Anthony Lester D March 17, 2020 8:18 am UTC
PURCHASER
Ah thank you so much for the reply. I ran Death House over the weekend and they all loved it! My party are currently on a barge heading towards the Graenseskov, which has so much tie in for my party I can't wait.

Could I just check, when you refer to the werewolf den, do you mean the wolf's den or the werewolf hovel? And is the gingerbread house the hags hut? Either way thank you for the advice, I'm hoping to combine the caverns and the tombs as one location also, but it's all coming together for a great narrative.
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Customer avatar
Aaron I March 20, 2020 10:07 pm UTC
CREATOR
Sounds like you're off to a great start! Sorry, I'm so used to talking about the adventure in shorthand these days. By "hag's hut" I meant the Gingerbread House & by "werewolf's den" I meant The Beast's Lair (both in Chapter 3). Hope that helps.
Reply
Customer avatar
Anthony Lester D March 25, 2020 8:41 am UTC
PURCHASER
Once again, thank you for the reply, super helpful! Looks like my campaign will be moving online due to the state of things but i'm now shifting into full prep for next session
Customer avatar
Gustavo P November 18, 2019 1:20 am UTC
PURCHASER
I'm reading the adventure and i'm loving it!
Now a question for whom it may concern: who do you think is the best character to choose as the Beast?
Customer avatar
Ross B June 17, 2019 9:58 am UTC
PURCHASER
Hey, Just purchased the adventure and was wondering if you had a players version of the Lair of the Beast without the numbers.
Reply
Customer avatar
Aaron I June 18, 2019 5:32 am UTC
CREATOR
Hi Ross, thanks for checking out the adventure. I looked through my files for the adventure, and I deleted the old Photoshop file for the Lair of the Beast during my last drive cleaning. Unfortunately, I don't have a player map without the numbers.
Customer avatar
Mark W February 20, 2017 4:38 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Spoiler free: I like this adventure and my PCs are having fun with it, which is the best measure of success. The Beast of Graenseskov at 82 pages is a massive undertaking. It's more akin to a minicampaign than an adventure that can be dropped into the middle of Curse of Strahd for an evening's diversion. I'm at least 20 hours into this adventure, and have probably 8-10 hours remaining. My pdf of this adventure has highlighting and inserted comments all over it in order to keep everything somewhat straight. Don't plan to run this adventure after a single quick read-through, though. It rewards a careful examination of the adventure and an organized approach to running it.

This is a complicated story with events related to the main quest occurring some 40 years prior. Having written mystery RPG adventures myself, I know how hard it is to pull together a coherent adventure that isn't entirely about "go here, talk to this person. Go there, talk to that person. Lather, rinse, repeat."...See more
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Customer avatar
Aaron I February 22, 2017 11:41 pm UTC
CREATOR
Hi Mark! I'm really glad to hear the adventure has been a lot of fun for you and your group. Thanks for your comments; I found them very insightful. I agree mystery adventure writing is a balance between depth & ease-of-use. Earlier, someone suggested a DM cheat sheet for the adventure and I added that to the bundle. So I'm curious about your suggested "player handout." My thinking was that each DM would want to tweak the adventure to make it his or her own, so that what needed to take centerstage in any "player handout" would depend on the DM, but maybe that was an oversight on my part?

I realize your group is already well into the adventure, but if you'd like to take a moment to explain what you'd wish to see in a "player handout" for Beast of Graenseskov, I'd be happy to work on it and add it to the adventure bundle. Cheers, and happy gaming!
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Customer avatar
Mark W February 23, 2017 2:29 am UTC
PURCHASER
Hi Aaron, and thanks for pulling together a really nice adventure. I think a "player's guide" would be very helpful to make the most of this adventure. You have a ton of background material on the Borderwoods, on the Latrova Vistani, on the past and present of the Volchykrov family, fables, wolves and lycanthropy, and so forth. Most of it, frankly, will go unused in my run-through of this adventure because I simply don't have the energy to impart it all. And, that's a shame because it adds a very cool dimension to Curse of Strahd that is given somewhat short shrift in the campaign. I think a player's guide that lays out all the background material, and tells some of the fables would be a very welcome addition. I think it can be done in such a way that it provides background that the DM can just refer to, without having to explain it all. I did have a question about the loup's magic resistance. The text of the ability includes the words "...spells and other magical effects." What other...See more
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Customer avatar
Aaron I February 23, 2017 10:07 am UTC
CREATOR
Yes, there's a lot of background information that can be pulled into play if a group is so inclined. I'd hate to introduce a multi-page "player's guide" and leave players with the expectation that they need to know all this stuff up front. Because that really isn't the case. Like I mention in the adventure, one of the keys to presenting a meaty mystery is pacing – enough information for the players to remain hooked, but not too much at once to overwhelm them.

I'll take some of your pointers and see if I can come up with a succinct "player's guide."

The language on the loup's Magic Resistance is the same as any other monster in the Monster Manual that has Magic Resistance (e.g. golems, night hags, mind flayers).

Ah, so one of your players has tried to wear the wolfskin? Sounds like wicked fun!

I deliberately didn't include a way to remove the magic wolfskin from someone cursed with it. After all, the only way a creature gains the wolfskin's...See more
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Customer avatar
Mark W February 24, 2017 2:32 pm UTC
PURCHASER
My idea about a player's guide is similar to Pathfinder's player's guides that they put out at the start of a new Adventure Path, or that Wizards uses to introduce a new season's book. They provide lore that deepens the players' connection with the world and provides useful background information. You have written so much of that into the adventure that I simply won't get to, and I thought it was a shame, given how much thought went into it. The player's guide idea was simply my suggestion as a way to use more of the content that you've already written.

No, nobody's found the wolfskin but they've run into the beast and know about the "magic wolfskin" because they've identified the type of beast from Iliev's journal. During their first run-in with the Beast, they seemed to want to find a way to remove it. I didn't think there was a way to remove it, but wanted to be sure that I hadn't missed it. Given the length of time that the cursed person has been wearing it, it seems unlikely that...See more
Customer avatar
JEREMY G July 12, 2016 8:56 pm UTC
Thank you for providing a detailed list of art credits. I wish more DMs Guild authors did this.
Customer avatar
Wessly P May 26, 2016 12:06 pm UTC
PURCHASER
I haven't run this adventure yet with my party, but after reading over it, I can say that there is so much detail and information that this story could fit anywhere into your Ravenloft campaign. A lot of care and time was spent on this module and I cant wait to run it with my group.
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Customer avatar
Aaron I June 11, 2016 11:47 pm UTC
CREATOR
Thanks for your kind words :) I look forward to hearing how peoples' runs of the adventure go. One DM has started a blog covering his Curse of Strahd campaign, and they'll be incorporating some of The Beast of Graenseskov into it:

https://fearandloathinginravenloft.wordpress.com/
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File Last Updated:
July 02, 2016
This title was added to our catalog on April 13, 2016.