I am going to be running CoS for the first time and I was wondering if it is best to limit my players to PHB classes/races or will the adventure stand up to all the newer and much more powerful choices you can make today? I don't want to ruin the adventure by making it too easy but at the same time I do like my players to have as much agency and choice as possible.
I did try to search this first I hope I didn't miss an existing thread.
You'll be fine running it using any classes. If the players run the newer classes they might even stand a chance in some of the horribly unbalanced encounters that populate the entirety of the bafflingly designed module that is Curse of Strahd.
Curse is a module that will always TPK a party unless the DM fudges things somehow, like having the monsters behave in strange ways. Baba Lysaga and her hut when the PCs will be at most level 7, the night hag coven in Old Bonegrinder, the Mad Archmage, the two Iron Golems in Castle Ravenloft, and the TPK machine that is the Amber Temple, the large number of berserkers and druids on the hill... yeah. Unless you make changes, RAW this is a module that's essentially impossible for the PCs to survive.
Weirdly, Strahd himself is something of a pushover.
Thank you for the response and including the links they were very helpful. Looking through the adventure that seemed to be the case to me as well. There is even a deadly encounter to start things off.
I don't think there are any issues using classes and options published in Xanathar's or Tasha's. I would be wary of UA or homebrew.
Also, CoS as a sandbox has some very dangerous areas if the characters aren't sufficiently powerful yet. As a result, it can be a good idea for the DM to drop some hints in terms of the information learned from various NPCs that might deter them from visiting certain areas or at least make them cautious enough to run away if things go poorly.
However, that said, there are enough milestones (solving each area and finding each of the foretold items - can grant a level each) to easily get to level 11 or 12 or more, assuming the characters are level 3 after the death house or when entering Barovia. (I think my group was level 9 or so when encountering Baba Lysaga - and some still almost died)
From Cos:
"You can award experience points for the defeat of foes, use milestone awards, or a mixture of both. Given the fact that much of the adventure involves social interaction and exploration, rather than combat, your work will probably be easier if you use milestone awards. Appropriate milestone awards include the following: Finding Artifacts. The characters gain a level when they obtain the Tome of Strahd, the Sunsword, or the Holy Symbol of Ravenkind. Defeating Villains. The characters gain a level when they defeat the featured antagonist(s) in a location, such as the hags in Old Bonegrinder (chapter 6). Accomplishing Story Goals. The characters gain a level when they accomplish something significant, such lighting the beacon of Argynvostholt (chapter 7), thwarting the druids' ritual atop Yester Hill (chapter 14), or forging an alliance with Ezmerelda d'Avenir (appendix D)."
Finding Artifacts: 3 levels
Defeating Villains: Abbot in Krezk, Baba Lysaga, Leader of the Werewolf pack, Mayor and his sidekick in Vallaki (+social interactions +the priest's quest etc - at least 1 level from Vallaki activities), Hags in Old Bonegrinder (at least 5 levels possible - maybe more)
Story Goals: Argynvostholt, Yester Hill, Alliance with Esmeralda etc (at least 3 levels)
That is at least 11 levels on top of the 3 for the death house - so the characters could be as high as level 14 at the end. Even just using the specifically listed examples in the text, it is at least 9 extra levels.
Basically each area on the map provides an opportunity to level by dealing with the bad guy or achieving a story goal and the artifacts are on top of those.
One thing to keep in mind is that not every situation involves combat and some of the areas may not have enough XP to level them up (i.e. if you use XP leveling for monsters killed the characters might be far lower level at the end but then they aren't being awarded for all the other situations that they encounter - i.e. how much XP do you award for recovering an artifact? - so the module is not designed to only use XP from killing things to level up the characters).
As a result, don't scrimp on letting them level up as they achieve their goals. However, there are a number of artifacts that the characters can find, not just the three in the prophecy and almost all of them are very effective against vampires. This is so much the case that by the time the party is level 11 and equipped with these items then Strahd may be too easy for them to deal with (however, keep in mind that magic weapons are exceptionally scarce in the module as written - so unless the DM specifically puts them in, the character's will likely not have magical versions of their favorite weapons - I don't think there is a single magical bow or ranged weapon (except a spear - and that is limited to certain classes to get full use of it) for example. Similarly, there is a +2 great sword but not a lot else. Gear is also extremely scarce and ridiculously expensive. It is quite likely that most characters will be wearing whatever armor they start the adventure in when it comes to an end (except maybe one late game exception).
In addition, a lot of magic items are found in Strahd's castle, especially the tombs. There is one specific location in the castle where the prophecy indicates that the party will encounter Strahd. If the party avoids that area intentionally or by accident then there will be no final encounter with Strahd until they do find that area, meanwhile the players explore the castle though they can be harassed by Strahd and his minions.
One last comment, depending on your players, you should be wary of some of the content. The Vistani are a thinly veiled reference to an existing cultural group. There are examples of cannibalism (of children no less - a la Grimm's fairy tales), insanity/madness, children being forced to fight to the death, dead children's ghosts whose parents left them to starve, and other horror elements (not surprising since it IS horror) that could be triggering for some folks.
Thanks for the info. I did notice that the players could bite off more than they could chew possibly if they aren't careful so I plan to address retreat as an option in session 0. As to the spoiler all these folks have already been exposed to much the same in previous games with another DM we used to play with. But it is always good to keep in mind.
Curse is a module that will always TPK a party unless the DM fudges things somehow, like having the monsters behave in strange ways. Baba Lysaga and her hut when the PCs will be at most level 7, the night hag coven in Old Bonegrinder, the Mad Archmage, the two Iron Golems in Castle Ravenloft, and the TPK machine that is the Amber Temple, the large number of berserkers and druids on the hill... yeah. Unless you make changes, RAW this is a module that's essentially impossible for the PCs to survive.
Weirdly, Strahd himself is something of a pushover.
The hill actually isn't that hard, because that's actually an enormous map and they're buried over a really large area and have really bad ranged attacks. The mad archmage has a kinda bad spell list for killing the party. On the other hand, 'you walk through the door and eat three fireballs and a chain lightning' is a wtf encounter, not to mention the chance of running into 6xVampire Spawn at level 4.
One of the key issues with running Curse of Strahd is a lot of people view it as a sandbox. And while to a certain degree it can be, there's even a warning about players venturing off to areas before they're ostensibly ready for them, it's not intended to be a sandbox. It's actually pretty well structured. That structure comes from the Tarokka deck and how it lays out where everything is to be found. With it, you know where things are found and in what order the party is likely to encounter them. Knowing this, it's possible to pace a number of otherwise Deadly encounters out to where the PCs can survive them. It's also perfectly okay to run away and bargain, but they must be willing to do that.
Another is that the adventure isn't actually made for the players to be the stars. I know that sounds crazy, but it's true. Barring one notable adventure hook (Werewolves in the Mist), the players are supposed to meet Ismark and get roped into his personal crusade to kill Strahd so he can save his sister. The Fortunes of Ravenloft are for him and his goal, and not necessarily for the players.
One of the key issues with running Curse of Strahd is a lot of people view it as a sandbox. And while to a certain degree it can be, there's even a warning about players venturing off to areas before they're ostensibly ready for them, it's not intended to be a sandbox. It's actually pretty well structured. That structure comes from the Tarokka deck and how it lays out where everything is to be found.
Okay, the Tome is wherever, the Holy Symbol is the Amber Temple, the Sun Sword is in the Crypts, and Strahd's Enemy is Arabelle.
That's not very helpful. Where is the book? Where can Strahd always be found? These elements can weave together a narrative structure. I feel like this is a "gotcha" and you just want to prove me wrong.
That's not very helpful. Where is the book? Where can Strahd always be found? These elements can weave together a narrative structure. I feel like this is a "gotcha" and you just want to prove me wrong.
Yes, my point was that you're wrong. CoS does not have a coherent built-in narrative structure other than "You're trapped in this horrible realm and want to get out", it has a couple of linked story lines that will possibly bounce you around the realm until you gain enough experience to actually be able to survive the castle.
That's not very helpful. Where is the book? Where can Strahd always be found? These elements can weave together a narrative structure. I feel like this is a "gotcha" and you just want to prove me wrong.
Yes, my point was that you're wrong. CoS does not have a coherent built-in narrative structure other than "You're trapped in this horrible realm and want to get out", it has a couple of linked story lines that will possibly bounce you around the realm until you gain enough experience to actually be able to survive the castle.
I agree. In the play through I ran the Tarokka deck descriptions were cryptic enough that the players didn't recognize any of the locations until after they had found the item. The descriptions were not explicit enough to drive the plot or player decisions since they weren't enough to figure out where to go.
However, the locations are narratively linked in most cases which does provide some structure if the players choose to follow it.
Death house -> Village of Barovia -> Ireena and the priest
Ireena -> Vallaki or Krezk by way of the Vistani camp
Road goes by Old Bonegrinder then -> Vallaki
Vallaki Inn -> Wizards of Wine -> Yester Hill -> Berez (however, the DM would be advised to encourage some side quests since this could run into a TPK in Berez for a group of Level 5 at the winery -> 6 at Yester hill -> 7 in Berez - 5 -> 7 -> 9 might make a better progression depending on the party.)
Vallaki priest -> Krezk (Ireena - this can also lead to Ireena/Tatiana escaping the plane of dread through the pool in Krezk) -> Abbey (which is not a place the characters should choose to leave Ireena anyway)
Several events can trigger an invitation from Strahd to the players to visit Ravenloft
Argynvostholt, the werewolf camp, the vampire hunters tower, the mad mage and a number of other side quests and interactions in Vallaki are among the other things to do but may not have as much direct connections.
One tip - in my run through, I moved the dragon skull from the crypts under Ravenloft and had it looted during the brief insurrection the previous year - I had it hidden in the basement at the Wizard of Wines winery and kept secret. I also moved the holy symbol of "Petrova"? ... can't recall the name exactly.In both these cases, the items are used for side quests or interesting encounters that were fun to play but it is unlikely that the players will ever do them if they can't find the items they need until they are in the crypts of Ravenloft. Exiting Ravenloft (even if possible) to do something with these items doesn't really make much sense until after dealing with Strahd - at which point the adventure is more or less complete so these other activities lose meaning. Moving the items made it possible for the players to find them (or receive them as a reward even if they didn't know what to do with them when they first found them) and made the associated item and quest more interesting.
That's not very helpful. Where is the book? Where can Strahd always be found? These elements can weave together a narrative structure. I feel like this is a "gotcha" and you just want to prove me wrong.
Yes, my point was that you're wrong. CoS does not have a coherent built-in narrative structure other than "You're trapped in this horrible realm and want to get out", it has a couple of linked story lines that will possibly bounce you around the realm until you gain enough experience to actually be able to survive the castle.
And I think if you're going to try to call me out for spouting nonsense, you should at least make an honest effort of it. The tools are there to craft a narrative and lay out plot points. The players should not be left to wander ad infinitum. That unnecessarily pads the adventure, dragging the campaign on to the point where playing it becomes disinteresting. The intended design is for swift play. The cards are to randomize the experience so no two playthroughs are identical. Which isn't hard, if you want to get down to it. There are 59,462 possible combinations. Don't be lazy and claim victory.
Arabelle is Strahd's enemy? She's his grandniece─many many times removed. That makes her a legitimate claimant to the throne. This brings the central conflict to be about his position as ruler. To borrow from Lady Wachter, Strahd is a negligent landlord. Barovia has suffered long enough and deserves better. She's getting rescued first just because they're told its urgent, but here's the rub: why not Vasilka? They use the same card, and Strahd's location in the castle matters in this context. His throne room plays very differently from the chapel. This is why I actually got mad at you for not giving me a full reading. You're not taking this seriously because you already made up your mind.
They have to visit the Amber Temple? There are three cards for three different locations inside, but that's splitting hairs. The average Barovian citizen doesn't know about it. You know who does? Kasimir Velikov and the Knights of the Silver Dragon. Vladimir Horngraad isn't likely to share the info, but Sir Godfrey might. That gives the DM two possible avenues to point them in that direction: the vistani camp and Argynvostholt. Since they can't bring Arabelle back to the camp, that leaves Argynvostholt.
So level 4 is Vallaki and rescuing Arabelle. Levels 5 and 6 can be saving the vineyard, clearing out Yester Hill, and delivering a shipment of wine to the Blue Water Inn. The Tome can be littered anywhere in there. Stories of Argynvostholt will point them there for possible clues, which is 7th level. And levels 8 and 9 are the mountain pass and Amber Temple. If they want to pursue the second magic stone in Berez they can, but it's an optional sidequest the DM doesn't need to give them. And I don't like sticking treasures in the temple, but whatever. They'll probably be 10th level, at least, for the final showdown. Oh, and they need a letter to be invited, so don't have the bones go missing until now so they're strong enough to make mince meat of the vampire spawn and get a congratulations from Strahd. As for the actual Ravenloft crypts, there are six (I think) possible locations; not including the family tombs. The big thing there is needing an hour to attune. That's...six random encounter checks? And, hopefully, that's not near Strahd's guaranteed location. We want them running through the castle gauntlet.
And if they win, they get the "good ending" with Ireena/Tatyana and Sergei reuniting atop the castle and disappearing.
Easy peasy lemon squeezy.
Now, was that so hard? No. You just have to think about it for a few minutes. Everything that's not in service of getting the players to the treasures, Strahd's enemy, and Strahd himself is superfluous. Give me a real reading next time.
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Hello and thank you for your input.
I am going to be running CoS for the first time and I was wondering if it is best to limit my players to PHB classes/races or will the adventure stand up to all the newer and much more powerful choices you can make today? I don't want to ruin the adventure by making it too easy but at the same time I do like my players to have as much agency and choice as possible.
I did try to search this first I hope I didn't miss an existing thread.
Thank you again for any advice you may offer.
You'll be fine running it using any classes. If the players run the newer classes they might even stand a chance in some of the horribly unbalanced encounters that populate the entirety of the bafflingly designed module that is Curse of Strahd.
Curse is a module that will always TPK a party unless the DM fudges things somehow, like having the monsters behave in strange ways. Baba Lysaga and her hut when the PCs will be at most level 7, the night hag coven in Old Bonegrinder, the Mad Archmage, the two Iron Golems in Castle Ravenloft, and the TPK machine that is the Amber Temple, the large number of berserkers and druids on the hill... yeah. Unless you make changes, RAW this is a module that's essentially impossible for the PCs to survive.
Weirdly, Strahd himself is something of a pushover.
Thank you for the response and including the links they were very helpful. Looking through the adventure that seemed to be the case to me as well. There is even a deadly encounter to start things off.
I don't think there are any issues using classes and options published in Xanathar's or Tasha's. I would be wary of UA or homebrew.
Also, CoS as a sandbox has some very dangerous areas if the characters aren't sufficiently powerful yet. As a result, it can be a good idea for the DM to drop some hints in terms of the information learned from various NPCs that might deter them from visiting certain areas or at least make them cautious enough to run away if things go poorly.
However, that said, there are enough milestones (solving each area and finding each of the foretold items - can grant a level each) to easily get to level 11 or 12 or more, assuming the characters are level 3 after the death house or when entering Barovia. (I think my group was level 9 or so when encountering Baba Lysaga - and some still almost died)
From Cos:
"You can award experience points for the defeat of foes, use milestone awards, or a mixture of both. Given the fact that much of the adventure involves social interaction and exploration, rather than combat, your work will probably be easier if you use milestone awards. Appropriate milestone awards include the following:
Finding Artifacts. The characters gain a level when they obtain the Tome of Strahd, the Sunsword, or the Holy Symbol of Ravenkind.
Defeating Villains. The characters gain a level when they defeat the featured antagonist(s) in a location, such as the hags in Old Bonegrinder (chapter 6).
Accomplishing Story Goals. The characters gain a level when they accomplish something significant, such lighting the beacon of Argynvostholt (chapter 7), thwarting the druids' ritual atop Yester Hill (chapter 14), or forging an alliance with Ezmerelda d'Avenir (appendix D)."
Finding Artifacts: 3 levels
Defeating Villains: Abbot in Krezk, Baba Lysaga, Leader of the Werewolf pack, Mayor and his sidekick in Vallaki (+social interactions +the priest's quest etc - at least 1 level from Vallaki activities), Hags in Old Bonegrinder (at least 5 levels possible - maybe more)
Story Goals: Argynvostholt, Yester Hill, Alliance with Esmeralda etc (at least 3 levels)
That is at least 11 levels on top of the 3 for the death house - so the characters could be as high as level 14 at the end. Even just using the specifically listed examples in the text, it is at least 9 extra levels.
Basically each area on the map provides an opportunity to level by dealing with the bad guy or achieving a story goal and the artifacts are on top of those.
One thing to keep in mind is that not every situation involves combat and some of the areas may not have enough XP to level them up (i.e. if you use XP leveling for monsters killed the characters might be far lower level at the end but then they aren't being awarded for all the other situations that they encounter - i.e. how much XP do you award for recovering an artifact? - so the module is not designed to only use XP from killing things to level up the characters).
As a result, don't scrimp on letting them level up as they achieve their goals. However, there are a number of artifacts that the characters can find, not just the three in the prophecy and almost all of them are very effective against vampires. This is so much the case that by the time the party is level 11 and equipped with these items then Strahd may be too easy for them to deal with (however, keep in mind that magic weapons are exceptionally scarce in the module as written - so unless the DM specifically puts them in, the character's will likely not have magical versions of their favorite weapons - I don't think there is a single magical bow or ranged weapon (except a spear - and that is limited to certain classes to get full use of it) for example. Similarly, there is a +2 great sword but not a lot else. Gear is also extremely scarce and ridiculously expensive. It is quite likely that most characters will be wearing whatever armor they start the adventure in when it comes to an end (except maybe one late game exception).
In addition, a lot of magic items are found in Strahd's castle, especially the tombs. There is one specific location in the castle where the prophecy indicates that the party will encounter Strahd. If the party avoids that area intentionally or by accident then there will be no final encounter with Strahd until they do find that area, meanwhile the players explore the castle though they can be harassed by Strahd and his minions.
One last comment, depending on your players, you should be wary of some of the content. The Vistani are a thinly veiled reference to an existing cultural group. There are examples of cannibalism (of children no less - a la Grimm's fairy tales), insanity/madness, children being forced to fight to the death, dead children's ghosts whose parents left them to starve, and other horror elements (not surprising since it IS horror) that could be triggering for some folks.
Thanks for the info. I did notice that the players could bite off more than they could chew possibly if they aren't careful so I plan to address retreat as an option in session 0. As to the spoiler all these folks have already been exposed to much the same in previous games with another DM we used to play with. But it is always good to keep in mind.
The hill actually isn't that hard, because that's actually an enormous map and they're buried over a really large area and have really bad ranged attacks. The mad archmage has a kinda bad spell list for killing the party. On the other hand, 'you walk through the door and eat three fireballs and a chain lightning' is a wtf encounter, not to mention the chance of running into 6xVampire Spawn at level 4.
One of the key issues with running Curse of Strahd is a lot of people view it as a sandbox. And while to a certain degree it can be, there's even a warning about players venturing off to areas before they're ostensibly ready for them, it's not intended to be a sandbox. It's actually pretty well structured. That structure comes from the Tarokka deck and how it lays out where everything is to be found. With it, you know where things are found and in what order the party is likely to encounter them. Knowing this, it's possible to pace a number of otherwise Deadly encounters out to where the PCs can survive them. It's also perfectly okay to run away and bargain, but they must be willing to do that.
Another is that the adventure isn't actually made for the players to be the stars. I know that sounds crazy, but it's true. Barring one notable adventure hook (Werewolves in the Mist), the players are supposed to meet Ismark and get roped into his personal crusade to kill Strahd so he can save his sister. The Fortunes of Ravenloft are for him and his goal, and not necessarily for the players.
Okay, the Tome is wherever, the Holy Symbol is the Amber Temple, the Sun Sword is in the Crypts, and Strahd's Enemy is Arabelle.
That's not very helpful. Where is the book? Where can Strahd always be found? These elements can weave together a narrative structure. I feel like this is a "gotcha" and you just want to prove me wrong.
Yes, my point was that you're wrong. CoS does not have a coherent built-in narrative structure other than "You're trapped in this horrible realm and want to get out", it has a couple of linked story lines that will possibly bounce you around the realm until you gain enough experience to actually be able to survive the castle.
I agree. In the play through I ran the Tarokka deck descriptions were cryptic enough that the players didn't recognize any of the locations until after they had found the item. The descriptions were not explicit enough to drive the plot or player decisions since they weren't enough to figure out where to go.
However, the locations are narratively linked in most cases which does provide some structure if the players choose to follow it.
Death house -> Village of Barovia -> Ireena and the priest
Ireena -> Vallaki or Krezk by way of the Vistani camp
Road goes by Old Bonegrinder then -> Vallaki
Vallaki Inn -> Wizards of Wine -> Yester Hill -> Berez (however, the DM would be advised to encourage some side quests since this could run into a TPK in Berez for a group of Level 5 at the winery -> 6 at Yester hill -> 7 in Berez - 5 -> 7 -> 9 might make a better progression depending on the party.)
Vallaki priest -> Krezk (Ireena - this can also lead to Ireena/Tatiana escaping the plane of dread through the pool in Krezk) -> Abbey (which is not a place the characters should choose to leave Ireena anyway)
Vallaki Vistani Camp (dusk elf leader) [alternatively the Tarokka deck] -> Amber Temple -> Ravenloft
Several events can trigger an invitation from Strahd to the players to visit Ravenloft
Argynvostholt, the werewolf camp, the vampire hunters tower, the mad mage and a number of other side quests and interactions in Vallaki are among the other things to do but may not have as much direct connections.
One tip - in my run through, I moved the dragon skull from the crypts under Ravenloft and had it looted during the brief insurrection the previous year - I had it hidden in the basement at the Wizard of Wines winery and kept secret. I also moved the holy symbol of "Petrova"? ... can't recall the name exactly.In both these cases, the items are used for side quests or interesting encounters that were fun to play but it is unlikely that the players will ever do them if they can't find the items they need until they are in the crypts of Ravenloft. Exiting Ravenloft (even if possible) to do something with these items doesn't really make much sense until after dealing with Strahd - at which point the adventure is more or less complete so these other activities lose meaning. Moving the items made it possible for the players to find them (or receive them as a reward even if they didn't know what to do with them when they first found them) and made the associated item and quest more interesting.
And I think if you're going to try to call me out for spouting nonsense, you should at least make an honest effort of it. The tools are there to craft a narrative and lay out plot points. The players should not be left to wander ad infinitum. That unnecessarily pads the adventure, dragging the campaign on to the point where playing it becomes disinteresting. The intended design is for swift play. The cards are to randomize the experience so no two playthroughs are identical. Which isn't hard, if you want to get down to it. There are 59,462 possible combinations. Don't be lazy and claim victory.
Arabelle is Strahd's enemy? She's his grandniece─many many times removed. That makes her a legitimate claimant to the throne. This brings the central conflict to be about his position as ruler. To borrow from Lady Wachter, Strahd is a negligent landlord. Barovia has suffered long enough and deserves better. She's getting rescued first just because they're told its urgent, but here's the rub: why not Vasilka? They use the same card, and Strahd's location in the castle matters in this context. His throne room plays very differently from the chapel. This is why I actually got mad at you for not giving me a full reading. You're not taking this seriously because you already made up your mind.
They have to visit the Amber Temple? There are three cards for three different locations inside, but that's splitting hairs. The average Barovian citizen doesn't know about it. You know who does? Kasimir Velikov and the Knights of the Silver Dragon. Vladimir Horngraad isn't likely to share the info, but Sir Godfrey might. That gives the DM two possible avenues to point them in that direction: the vistani camp and Argynvostholt. Since they can't bring Arabelle back to the camp, that leaves Argynvostholt.
So level 4 is Vallaki and rescuing Arabelle. Levels 5 and 6 can be saving the vineyard, clearing out Yester Hill, and delivering a shipment of wine to the Blue Water Inn. The Tome can be littered anywhere in there. Stories of Argynvostholt will point them there for possible clues, which is 7th level. And levels 8 and 9 are the mountain pass and Amber Temple. If they want to pursue the second magic stone in Berez they can, but it's an optional sidequest the DM doesn't need to give them. And I don't like sticking treasures in the temple, but whatever. They'll probably be 10th level, at least, for the final showdown. Oh, and they need a letter to be invited, so don't have the bones go missing until now so they're strong enough to make mince meat of the vampire spawn and get a congratulations from Strahd. As for the actual Ravenloft crypts, there are six (I think) possible locations; not including the family tombs. The big thing there is needing an hour to attune. That's...six random encounter checks? And, hopefully, that's not near Strahd's guaranteed location. We want them running through the castle gauntlet.
And if they win, they get the "good ending" with Ireena/Tatyana and Sergei reuniting atop the castle and disappearing.
Easy peasy lemon squeezy.
Now, was that so hard? No. You just have to think about it for a few minutes. Everything that's not in service of getting the players to the treasures, Strahd's enemy, and Strahd himself is superfluous. Give me a real reading next time.