D&D 5E Curse of Strahd spoiler-filled general discussion

[ZzarkLinux]

I took out the grick and replaced it with a rug of smothering (same CR), which I put in the master bedroom (the tiger rug). That killed one of the PCs, although that was partly because a) we accidentally skipped the smothered PC's one and only turn while in the rug and b) the other players didn't realize that if they stabbed the rug, it would only take half damage and the trapped PC would take the other half.

Ha!

If things were going south at that point, maybe you should have just animated the rest of the furniture and rebooted the adventure

DM: Well, this is going south. So...
DM: The cabinet animates as a "mimic" and eats the cleric.
DM: The bed is actually a "bed of eternal rest" so it rolls and eats the wizard.
DM: Rogue, your turn.
Rogue: I flee the death house.
DM: The gazebo outside animates and eats the rogue. Roll new characters.

 

[pukunui]

If things were going south at that point, maybe you should have just animated the rest of the furniture and rebooted the adventure

Nah. That would've been too much trouble. They had PCs to spare (two of my players hadn't been able to make it, so there were some extra pregens), so it wasn't that big a deal.

 

[Patrick McGill]

I nixed the dream pastry scene. We're right before the tarokka reading, and if the windmill is a location, Madam Eva is going to straight up tell the characters that it is a place of nightmare and death, best avoided until you are prepared. That encounter is insane unless you intentionally ignore half of their abilities.

 

[Savage Wombat]

I nixed the dream pastry scene. We're right before the tarokka reading, and if the windmill is a location, Madam Eva is going to straight up tell the characters that it is a place of nightmare and death, best avoided until you are prepared. That encounter is insane unless you intentionally ignore half of their abilities.

Not to disagree, but where in Barovia isn't there a place of nightmare and death?

 

[evilbob]

I think this has come up in this thread before, but:

Seriously, Madam Eva is Strahd's sister and Ireena is Izek's sister? Really? They felt the need do to that? Soooooo unnecessary...

 

[Agamon]

I think this has come up in this thread before, but:

Seriously, Madam Eva is Strahd's sister and Ireena is Izek's sister? Really? They felt the need do to that? Soooooo unnecessary...

Just fluff, easy to ignore if you like. Or you can keep it and up the angst level.

 

[evilbob]

Here's a potential explanation for the third wine gem: the late burgomaster of Barovia actually stole the 3rd wine gem 10 years ago when he went to visit the other towns (maybe he was invited to a "festival" at Vallaki...). Although he's since used it to nourish a small garden, he originally took it because the third type of wine (champagne du le stomp) was TOO good, and quite addictive - the people of Barovia were using it to dull their senses, which the Vistani at the inn (and others) were taking advantage of to rob them. Both to deal a blow to the evil Vistani and to help keep his citizens focused on the evil at hand, he took the gem and buried it near his house. (Unfortunately this led to an uptick in interest in a certain pastry shop...)

You could even add a small greenhouse in the description of the burgomaster mansion (E4), which could be the thing on the map 80' east of the house (and not an outhouse, which is was likely supposed to be). There's an overly-huge tree outside, and maybe Ireena used to tend to the garden with her father, giving the extra food away to the villagers... etc., etc.

 

[Savage Wombat]

I'm ignoring the "Strahd's sister" bit. While the Izek thing seems contrived, the idea of Ireena having a creepy stalker other than Strahd seems appropriate for the tone. Of course, this could be all wasted if the players never notice.

 

[Jer]

I'm ignoring the "Strahd's sister" bit.

I honestly cannot figure out why they would have put that in there. Admittedly I haven't read through all of the campaign yet, but so far I can't see how it adds anything to the adventure or even how it would impact it at all. It seems like a weird thing to put in there when it doesn't have a payoff - almost just a twist for the sake of having a twist. Except that this is a twist that would pay off only for the GMs in a lot of cases because I don't see how it comes up in play in a way that the PCs figure it out.

While the Izek thing seems contrived, the idea of Ireena having a creepy stalker other than Strahd seems appropriate for the tone. Of course, this could be all wasted if the players never notice.

I agree with this. I didn't even think that the Izek/Ireena thing was all that contrived personally.

 

[Koren]

I agree with this. I didn't even think that the Izek/Ireena thing was all that contrived personally.

The Izek/Irena thing also talks about Izek "coveting her in an unwholesome way" which is a pretty standard trope in modern horror movies and stories, from Dean Koontz novels to Halloween (though Michael, just wanted to kill Laurie it's still dark urges toward a sibling).

Compare "Prevent creepy and psychopathic fiendish brother from abducting sister to quench unholy and unnatural urges" to "Prevent ancient undead monster snatching reincarnation of centuries old object of obsession to make his undead bride", and you've got a microcosmic reinforcement of one of the key adventure themes. That both happen to be focused on the same victim may put too much spotlight on Ireena, but could also make for some great roleplay opportunities if Izek's got the Burgomaster and town guards as allies. The players may need to make a deal with Strahd or his allies in order to protect her.

I'm planning on offering opportunities to embroil my players' group in the Vallaki subplots as early as possible. However, I think the strongest of the Vallaki story arcs is the plot by Lady Wachter to overthrow the Burgomaster. This can almost force them t o choose sides in this one, but good luck finding the "good guys". That there likely isn't one means the group themselves could become one, or go the US in Iraq route, cutting off both heads, and leave the town without a direct ruling faction so that Strahd steps in personally. Sometimes, "freedom from oppression" leads to worse oppression by someone else. (Strahd, or Lady Wachter's infernal cult, should they gain power)

Heck, that might be exactly what Strahd wants. First, to see if any of the characters are capable of stepping up and filling a leader's role in this land (the whole "worthy successor" thing), or simply to remove any opposition to his preferred method of governance. Once all the guards and cultists are done killing each other off, wolves and dire wolves start roaming the streets of the village, and nightly attacks by intelligent undead become the norm. Vallaki would resemble Barovia village over time with no one going outside, ever. Characters with good intentions would see clear evidence that their interference made life for these people worse, another stepping-stone toward despair, yet another kind of horror.