The Gates
The gates of Barovia are the campaign’s threshold moment — the point of no return. How you describe them sets the tone for everything that follows.
Read-Aloud Text
The module’s read-aloud text is decent but can be enhanced. Consider something like:
The road narrows between ancient trees whose branches intertwine overhead like skeletal fingers. The mist thickens around your ankles. Ahead, two massive stone pillars rise from the undergrowth, connected by a rusted iron gate that hangs open — not welcoming, but waiting. Beyond the gate, the forest is darker, and the air carries a chill that has nothing to do with the weather.
Sensory Details
Layer multiple senses to make the transition feel real:
- Sound: The birdsong from the previous forest stops abruptly at the gates
- Temperature: A noticeable drop — breath becomes visible
- Smell: Pine and earth are replaced by damp stone and something faintly sweet
- Light: Even if it was sunny before, the sky beyond the gates is overcast
- Feel: A pressure in the ears, like descending altitude
The Point of No Return
After the party passes through, the gates close behind them. The mists fill the road. If anyone tries to walk back, they find only endless fog that loops them back to where they started.
Making This Moment Land
- Pause before describing it — let the table fall silent
- Ask a player what their character does at the gate before they step through
- Don’t rush the mist closing in — describe it slowly and inevitably
- A Perception check (DC 15) reveals the sound of wolves beginning to howl in the distance, as if announcing the party’s arrival
Connecting to What’s Next
From the gates, the road leads through the Svalich Woods toward the Village of Barovia. Along the way, the party encounters:
- A dead adventurer clutching a letter (the burgomaster’s plea)
- The sound of a horse-drawn carriage that vanishes when investigated
- A hanging body in a tree — or is it just a bundle of rags?
Each of these breadcrumbs pulls the party deeper into Barovia with no way back.