D&D 5E Curse of Strahd Tarokka treasure locations (minor spoilers)

[GlassJaw]

I'm currently Lost Mines of Phandelver and I'm considering leading into CoS once that's done. I've been reading the book quite a bit and one thing I don't really understand is why you would want any of the three treasures the players must find to be located in Castle Ravenloft.

To me it seems that one of the big advantages of not placing the treasures in the castle is to the players will have the opportunity to explore more of Barovia.

The way I'm reading the module is that the players only enter the castle at the apex of the campaign, essentially when they are able to defeat Strahd. If they determine that one of the treasures is in the castle, they may be inclined to head there before they are ready. That aside, it also means that they won't have use of one or more of the items until the end of the campaign. The items are cool enough that I'd want the players to have access to them for some period time during the campaign so they can use them.

Also seems that the discovery of the items are good queues for Strahd to visit the players. Strahd may be amused by the players initially but as they discover the items, he becomes more fearful.

For those that have run the campaign, have you placed any items in the castle? How did it turn out?

 

[Rils]

For one, there's nothing that says the players CAN'T enter the castle multiple times. In fact, there are several places throughout the adventure where completing quests requires the players to fetch something from the castle - for instance, returning the dragon skull to Argynvostholt, or using an item from the crypts to get a secret treasure from the graveyard at the Abbey of St Markovia. It's totally viable to have them visit the castle before the Final Showdown.

For ideas on ways to use it, see the "Enhancing Curse of Strahd" thread. Maybe Strahd invites the players there when they enter Barovia, and uses it to set the scene of "this is my land, don't mess with it". Or maybe Strahd even acts as the patron of the players - "Something strange is happening in Vallaki, you'll be well rewarded if you can sort it out", etc. It's a bit of a twist - Strahd acts like a good guy and asks the PCs to help him out, and it's only after a few of these that they realize they might be being taken for a ride. Of course, with something like this they'll be coming and going from the castle regularly. Even if you don't go the patron route, rescuing Gertruda, or the dragon skull, or etc are quests that are picked up elsewhere that can easily lead to visiting the castle at earlier levels. It's realistic that they'll spend some of that time poking around the castle, and find the artifact in question. Just because they're at the castle doesn't mean they have to fight Strahd...

Food for thought.

 

[SwivSnapshot]

Remember that COS is a sandbox and no area is off limits to PC's dumb enough..., er, I mean brave enough...to venture into. I've been trying to con my players into visiting Ravenloft and the Amber Temple since they arrived in Barovia. Strahd has even invited them to "dinner" twice.

The text in the entry/grand entry is a little confusing though. I am only planning to play as written if the PC's have angered Strahd before the arrive or while they are in the castle. Currently they have Strahd's favor for having unknowingly eliminated his opposition in Vallaki and the Abbey, and he finds them spectacularly chaotic and amusing.