D&D 5E Curse of Strahd: Krezk

[jayoungr]

Does anyone know of anything interesting for the PCs to do in the village of Krezk (as opposed to the abbey)? My players are about to head there next session, and I'm worried that it's going to fall flat. They will be bringing some wine from the Wizard of Wines, and they do want to consult the abbott, but that's all I've got for them.

I believe it's an alternate location where Ezmerelda can show up, but I'm not even sure why she'd be there.

 

[Retreater]

Well, the abbot is a crazy deva and there is an evil cult of mongrelfolk around him that has corrupted the once sanctified Abbey into a den of evil. So perhaps your party would be interested in freeing the villagers from this evil influence and eventually restoring a place of goodness to Barovia? I think there is a lot to do there.

 

[pukunui]

Has your party still got Irena with them? If so, there's that whole thing with the pool in the upper west corner of the village. My players had that happen.

 

[jayoungr]

Well, the abbot is a crazy deva and there is an evil cult of mongrelfolk around him....

I know. I'm just wondering if there's anything to do that doesn't directly involve the abbey.

Has your party still got Irena with them?

Yes, but she's being played as a PC, so no way she'll take Sergei's offer. And it could still be a cool scene, but it kind of depends on them deciding to visit this pool, which I don't consider a given.

 

[pukunui]

Yes, but she's being played as a PC, so no way she'll take Sergei's offer. And it could still be a cool scene, but it kind of depends on them deciding to visit this pool, which I don't consider a given.

That's right. You could always give them a reason to visit the pool. Maybe a tiny shaft of sunlight breaks through the clouds and sparkles on the waters or something.

Are there any connections in Krezk to the werewolf clan up in the mountains north of them? I can't remember.

 

[jayoungr]

Are there any connections in Krezk to the werewolf clan up in the mountains north of them? I can't remember.

No--there's a supplement that suggests having the burgomaster set killing the werewolf chief as the conditions to enter the town, but I already missed my chance for that.

 

[Merifluous]

When the PCs first got there I had them interact with the mayor, and make sure they know about his recently lost son. I think I also had them do the event with the birth there that is supposed to explain that many people in Barovia dont have the real spark of life. After the PCs gave the deva the wedding dress, I had the deva raise the burgomeister's son, He came back as a murderer though so the next time they came back to Krezk, then they had to solve the murder (not too hard since he started sniping the PCs eventually).

 

[Savage Wombat]

My old man memory is foggy, but I remember I had the abbot's "daughter" capture somebody - maybe Ireena's brother? - and the party had to follow her to a barn and try to talk her down before everyone got attacked by mongrelfolk for harming her.

There was a good bit of natural tension because the party had decided to take a forced march to make it to town by nightfall, and so the characters were all making their Persuasion checks at disadvantage.

 

[Guest 6948803]

By now, I don't remember if I made it up of just read on the web but:

• Burgomaster just lost his last child named Ilya. He already begged Abbot to cure him, but Abbot declined, so now, burgomaster desperately wants Abbot to raise his son from the dead and is willing to give players anything they want if they only promise to help him.
• Abbot doesn't want to help Burgomaster, because he thinks people are better off dead than living in this land.
• Abbot won't hurt people of Krezk BUT if they will make him angry, he will force mongrelmen to brutally punish themselves instead.
• If players leave very good impression on the Abbot, he will raise Ilya, of course bringing anything but joy, because Ravenloft.

Between that, Ireena big revelation and some less important developments belonging to our campaign, we had great session in Krezk.

Just for the mood, I made graves in Krezk protected by metal cages (anti-graverobbing measure) because of mongrelfolk digging up the bodies.

 

[Helldritch]

The werewolf part can be brought this way.
Have the werewolves attack the PCs in the middle of the night. Make them steal something from the PCs and capture a few children. This should set the PCs on the werewolves in no time.