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Message: <blockquote data-quote="TheSwartz" data-source="post: 6955574" data-attributes="member: 6705091">I'm trying to develop something and hoping to get some ideas.I am running Curse of Strahd and the party has played to level 8. I am starting to guide the group to an ending and I threw out a path the party could take that wasn't the predictable "get high enough level then just go to Castle Ravenloft and fight Strahd" sort of ending. Although, that's totally fine with me if they eventually do that.I had the party "invited to dinner" at Castle Ravenloft. I made it obvious that fighting him at that time would NOT be a good idea. I then had Strahd explain to the party that they were starting to cause a lot of problems in his domain, they've been burning down everything they see, killing off his allies, etc. So, he wanted to make an offer to the party, and if they accepted to help him with something, then he'd see to it that the Vistani would just guide them out of Barovia back to their homeland (and get them out of his hair).Option 1 was to give over Ireena - the party declinedOption 2 was to destroy some enemies of Strahd at Argynvostholdt (which I would have then tried to make that a morally challenging predicament when they got there) - the party declinedOption 3 was to go to the Amber Temple and "retrieve something I dearly want" - which the party accepted.So, the party is off to the Amber Temple, and I only told them that what Strahd wants "is a key", "a powerful object" and that "you'll know it when you see it". The party didn't really ask why he wanted this, etc.You see... I came up with these ideas on the fly and didn't think they'd go for option 3... so I'm now trying to flesh out details for themThe primary thing I want, is that whatever they find, it's NOT something that a good inclined party would want Strahd to have, if they fully understood the consequences of such.Here is my general idea that I had at the time: Strahd is searching for some artifact that would break his curse from the Dark Powers that bind Strahd to the Demiplane of dread. And, I'd think it's highly unlikely that this group would know what that meant since they have chosen not to investigate his backstory much at all. So, if they found such a thing, and gave it to him, then the proverbial sh*t would hit the proverbial fan as Strahd is unleashed. Maybe have something where Barovia merges with whatever D&D setting I want to take the group to next, and they have to deal with the consequences of Strahd now ruling a domain with free access to all the blood he could ever want to drink!Anyway; I'm having some difficulty putting those general ideas into some details. Or, coming up with any other ideas. Anyone want to offer anything?Thanks!</blockquote>

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