Dungeons & Dragons: Ravenloft: Heir of Strahd Review

Like many Ravenloft tabletop adventures, five adventurers are plucked from the realms by the mists to find themselves in Barovia. As usual, Strahd sends one of his minions to invite the newcomers to his castle to enjoy his hospitality, a.k.a. for Strahd to mess with their minds and tempt them.

The characters are:

• Rotrog: An arrogant Orc wizard apprentice
• Kah: A shy Kenku cleric from Waterdeep
• Fielle: A cheerful human artificer from Baldur’s Gate
• Alishai: A moody, hot-tempered Tiefling paladin to Selune
• Chivarion: A good-natured Drow barbarian with a hairless tressym named “Murder” as his pet.

Over the course of the novel, you discover that each one was taken when they were faced with a terrible choice or were poised to take an awful action. That sets the stage for the crux of the novel—which character(s) will succumb to either Strahd’s temptations and/or the malevolent energy of Barovia, embracing their darkest impulses.

Should You Buy It?​

I found Heir to Strahd interesting because while it presented elements of Barovia that Ravenloft players and DMs will be very familiar with, not everything was what I had expected, even though I’ve GM’d Ravenloft adventures. The spirit of Tatyana most notably was presented in a way I did not expect based on the prior information I had read.

I don’t want to explain too much about Tatyana, and how she factors into the plot because it could ruin the mystery of who falls prey to the darkness to become the titular character. I will say that I suspected the doomed character at first, then talked myself out of it, assuming it was a feint to distract from another option. A later character reveal reinforced my original suspicion, but I still thought there might be a twist to go in the another direction. There wasn’t but instead of being unsatisfying, the ending makes me eager for a sequel.

Regardless of how one feels about the mystery and certain aspects of the ending, this Ravenloft novel can be very useful for anyone thinking of DMing an adventure set in Barovia. Dawson, the author of a few Star Wars novels and several fantasy novels, not only sets the tone very well for Barovia but also shows how Strahd could be played by a DM. The audiobook in particular showcased how even a simple conversation with Strahd can be equal parts charming and sinister.

For those who like or prefer audiobooks, the narration by Ellie Gossage was very good. It’s also available in hardcover and ebook editions.

Dungeons & Dragons: Ravenloft: Heir of Strahd: B+.

 

[QuentinGeorge]

So it can only happen in the STORY at hands of IMPORTANT NAMED NPCS who serve THE METAPLOT, not those pesky player characters, their job is to sit on sidelines and watch?

In Felkovic's Cat the PCs are the ones who eliminate the darklord of Valachan.

 

[QuentinGeorge]

Hence why it is literally stated he will never find an heir because he cannot find anyone worthy. I thought I made it very clear.

You still don't understand the issue. It's not about Strahd finding people worthy. The point is he's not in control of his curse. Strahd is as much a prisoner of the Mists as any of his subjects. He can't find an heir any more than Satan can free himself from the pit. The only way he can be free of his curse is to give up on the very aspects of himself that led to it in the first place, which he won't do because he doesn't think he made a mistake. He can't "pass on the mantle" because there is no mantle!

And everything else was still meaningless because each place was at mercy of Darklord whims and Darklords could not be removed either because if killed they'd just come back.

That's not true at all.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

Now the phylosophy in Ravenloft 5e is the players should can live adventures in all domains without direct contact with the dark lords.

The metaplot was an important part in some TTRPGs in the past but that ended, among other reasons because today that stuff is too easy to be spoilered thanks internet. WotC is more focused into to sell crunch. Maybe there are some pieces of metaplot in 5e but this advances very slowly.

Today WotC is happy earning money thanks Ravenloft content by 3PPs in DMGuild.

Now they are some Hollywood productions or Gothic horror but this is a relatively lower number, for example Crimson Peak(2015) or the invitation (2022). Abigail(2022) is not "old-school" gothic horror but that kind of story could be possible in Ravenloft. Tarot(2024) is other example. The teleserie "From" has got the same "vibes". Other titles are more "action-horror" style "Buffy vampire slayer" or "Supernatural" where there is some space for the comedy.

My opinion is only Tristen Hiregaard has got true posibilities of redemption because his curse wasn't caused because his own past sins but other's actions. He is not the true dark lord of Nova Vaasa but this is Malken. Maybe Tristen Hiregaard will die but his soul will find the peace and Malken will exist like a separate entity.

We can't forget Vecna still wants revengue against the Dark Powers and maybe he was responsible of the "shatering" of the core, colaborating with Azalin.

The possible weak point of Ravenloft is the dark domains are "small spaces" for supernatural conspirancies and confrontations between factions (like vampire clans). Here I miss some domains based in Innistrad, New Capena and Duskmourn.

 

[Dire Bare]

While I can sympathise and generally agree with that position, I dont think my issue with this books is an audience issue but rather an issue of Authorial choice. As the example of Frankenstein above and the recent Nosferatu remake show there is an audience for Hammer style Gothic horror-action. The Curse of Stradh in particular is a core Gothic romance and the crowning jewel of the Ravenloft setting.

This author has chosen to ignore the gothic sensibilities that built the product and insert a new voice, that might well be based on what new players like, but does it have to? Why not create a new setting to showcase the new sensibilities?

Why not leave Curse of Stradh as a gothic romance in a humanocentric setting and write it as such

The Ravenloft setting, starting with the original Ravenloft module was never gothic horror. It was from the beginning, a blend of gothic horror and D&D, two seemingly incongruous genres that shouldn't work together, but do. Not always smoothly, certainly, but wonderfully. But claiming the author is ignoring "gothic sensibilities" and should have just created a new setting . . . whatever, dude.

The original review in OP was a good one, and now we're just drifting into toxic fandom. I'm out.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I believe they did say modern writing, although I'll give you that the hero is often a straight white person too.

I was assuming they were referring to visual media, not the written word, where the skin colour of characters is often left unspecified.

But when it comes to movie villains, they aren't just white, they are usually British too, with an American hero. Is this perceived as anti-British? No, because villain parts are great. There are lots of non-white actors who would love a crack at a good villain part. As for sexuality, it rarely comes up. Is Tarkin straight? Who knows, it was never relevant.

And nothing has changed (apart from an increase in racist rhetoric). The most recent movies I have seen are Fountain of Youth - all major characters white, with American heroes and an Irish villain; The Gorge: exactly one non-white character, who exists only to be killed off early on.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

You still don't understand the issue. It's not about Strahd finding people worthy. The point is he's not in control of his curse. Strahd is as much a prisoner of the Mists as any of his subjects.

He knows he is a prisoner, and that is why he wants to escape. Indeed, one of the ways he is tormented by the possibility of escape that it is just beyond his reach. But it is not impossible for a dark lord to escape: Vecna, Azalin, Soth have all escaped one way or another.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

As for sexuality, it rarely comes up. Is Tarkin straight? Who knows, it was never relevant.

You clearly haven't read my fanfic.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Mod Note:
@wizard71

Quoting someone to reply to them is fine. Altering what you’re quoting is generally considered bad form.

Don’t do it again.

 

[Not a Decepticon]

I always made my own adventures. To me, that's what D&D, in any setting, is for.

You absolutely could, yes. That doesn't mean it's the same place as it was (and Planescape is the one that can most easily work the way you say in any case).

I think you're confusing Ravenloft with other settings. Ravenloft was never tied to "sales of books" since the Ravenloft fiction line was virtually a non-entity, and half of the time didn't seem to even get referenced by the RPG writers. And almost every Ravenloft adventure affected the setting, the first run was the Grand Conjuction which changed the layout of the Core and eliminated several domains and darklords. The Grim Harvest series of adventures radically changed Darkon and (temporarily) removed Azalin, and then the Evil Eye adventure introduced Malocchio Aderre and radically changed Invidia.

The setting and adventures books are still books. And listing examples of modules infamous for the fact PCs were passive observers of BIG EVENTS where IMPORTANT NPCS change status quo is only further proving my point - there were set changes decided by the editorial and everyone had to conform to them, to player agency was nuliffied and any DM who strayed from established status quo was left with no choice but to undo their changes or waste money on the module they bought. If anything, these modules should be

In Felkovic's Cat the PCs are the ones who eliminate the darklord of Valachan.

Last time I checked it didn't stick because after his supposed death Von Khrakov was able to murder the guy he hated his whole life and was called back into the Mists for it.

You still don't understand the issue. It's not about Strahd finding people worthy. The point is he's not in control of his curse. Strahd is as much a prisoner of the Mists as any of his subjects. He can't find an heir any more than Satan can free himself from the pit. The only way he can be free of his curse is to give up on the very aspects of himself that led to it in the first place, which he won't do because he doesn't think he made a mistake. He can't "pass on the mantle" because there is no mantle!

You still don't understand that it is spelled out his plot for an heir is impossible. Not to mention he is supposed to be condoning it alongside his new attempt at escaping the Mists by marrying reincarnation of Tatyana. With all due respect, you are sticking to details without knowing full context, or ignoring it, and the longer you do, the more it looks like an attempt to distort the truth to have something to be mad about. And we have enough things to be mad about in the world, imo.