I actually think that the story elements are fine, although I do think that "But history repeats itself and Strahd just comes back sometime later" is more the author just not wanting their creation to be defeated by some measly PCs than it really is there for the party. I guess it fulfils a classic horror trope ("you can't actually win") as well. Most parties will leave the mists and never hear of Barovia again as they go on to other, more pressing challenges. After all, if they did go back (probably to ransack the library at the Amber Temple) then they'll be a few levels higher and can just walk into Castle Ravenloft and whack Strahd again.
The difference here is that Strahd's goal isn't to defeat the party. (unless they do something silly, like reunite Sergei and Tatyana) He's looking for someone interesting enough to either take his place or join him. The dragon skull quest won't be completed by 90% of parties, but a few will find themselves invited into the castle for dinner and might happen to find it. The stairs immediately opposite the dining hall entrance go down to the level with the skull and the room containing it is the central room of that level.
But unfortunately, Castle Argonvostok is a major feature, and restoring the skull feels like it should be a major part of the game. Sticking the skull somewhere it's unlikely to be found (and even less likely to be stolen- it's big) seems to deprive that 90% of players of one of the cooler bits of the game. I'd rather see printed modules enabling the heroes to accomplish their tasks. The same goes for my issues with Mordenkainen, who we hear about a bunch but if any group of PCs has ever managed to cure him in the way the module requires without one of the players having already ready the module, I'd be astonished.
I actually think that the story elements are fine, although I do think that "But history repeats itself and Strahd just comes back sometime later" is more the author just not wanting their creation to be defeated by some measly PCs than it really is there for the party. I guess it fulfils a classic horror trope ("you can't actually win") as well. Most parties will leave the mists and never hear of Barovia again as they go on to other, more pressing challenges. After all, if they did go back (probably to ransack the library at the Amber Temple) then they'll be a few levels higher and can just walk into Castle Ravenloft and whack Strahd again.
The difference here is that Strahd's goal isn't to defeat the party. (unless they do something silly, like reunite Sergei and Tatyana) He's looking for someone interesting enough to either take his place or join him. The dragon skull quest won't be completed by 90% of parties, but a few will find themselves invited into the castle for dinner and might happen to find it. The stairs immediately opposite the dining hall entrance go down to the level with the skull and the room containing it is the central room of that level.
But unfortunately, Castle Argonvostok is a major feature, and restoring the skull feels like it should be a major part of the game. Sticking the skull somewhere it's unlikely to be found (and even less likely to be stolen- it's big) seems to deprive that 90% of players of one of the cooler bits of the game. I'd rather see printed modules enabling the heroes to accomplish their tasks. The same goes for my issues with Mordenkainen, who we hear about a bunch but if any group of PCs has ever managed to cure him in the way the module requires without one of the players having already ready the module, I'd be astonished.
A large portion of the content in CoS is like that though. Even the three items from the tarot reading are optional. If you go by the milestone leveling guide and confront Strahd at level 10, that means you did 7 major things while in Borovia, up to 3 of which were just finding the items that the tarot reading told you about.
As much as I understand that not all endings can be happy ones, I still feel that the ending, as designed, is a bad one. Unless someone already wants a new character or is already planning on leaving the game, the options are to leave someone behind and they now need a new character, or the whole party leaves and Strahd returns to inflict more misery.
You can just not tell them. The obvious way to handle that detail is to reveal it at the start of a new adventure. If you were writing a book or a TV series or whatever you wouldn't tell the audience "BY THE WAY, THIS GUY COMES BACK LATER" right after supposedly killing off a major antagonist.
Obviously, none of the NPCs that are already there are suited to the task or they would already have maneuvered for them to take over.
There is literally already an NPC that's actively working towards that. Look up Kasimir Velikov's backstory. Even if that weren't the case, killing Strahd obviously changes the status quo. Just because no one would openly defy Strahd while he's the near-omniscient ruler of Barovia, that doesn't mean no one would try to seize power with him gone.
CoS is a framework. I have been running it going into our third year (added a thread about the fanes and death house optional adventure). We play a 4-5 hour session every Sunday. As written there could be problems but it is a framework and an experienced GM could easily adjust. my group knew it was a sandbox adventure and there were NPCs to give information an warnings from time to time but I let them do what they wanted. They met Baba and were pwned early on, losing the sunsword in the process. She had a job for them though and merely stripped them naked and sent them off to acquire something for them. They talked about it for a year and finally got enough experience to barely defeat her (sunsword still lost though). I jacked Strahd to a level 20 character as well as Rahadin and let them learn lore about them from libraries, Strahd’s Tome and others. Sadly they accidentally outed Van Richten to Strahd and he hunted him down and made spawn of him…oh well.
Point being, lots of adjustments and improv are making the campaign memorable (they just got humiliated by Strahd after breaking into his treasure vault but, since he is marrying Ireena in front of every notable NPC in Barovia tomorrow, he let them go…he will probably hunt them as a wedding gift to himself). If you just run it “as is” without making any changes the risk of accidental TPK is raised considerably. Plus the story will still be missing its connective tissue. But THAT is when the GM steps in and ties all the threads together, making it their own and something for their players to remember. You can buy a decent suit off the rack and it will be OK but it will rarely be the exquisite fit that a custom tailored suit will be.
Curse of Strahd is a different experience as a DM than it is when you are a player. Try running it some time. Being the one who has to fix all the inconsistencies enjoins you to find solutions rather than complaints.
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I actually think that the story elements are fine, although I do think that "But history repeats itself and Strahd just comes back sometime later" is more the author just not wanting their creation to be defeated by some measly PCs than it really is there for the party. I guess it fulfils a classic horror trope ("you can't actually win") as well. Most parties will leave the mists and never hear of Barovia again as they go on to other, more pressing challenges. After all, if they did go back (probably to ransack the library at the Amber Temple) then they'll be a few levels higher and can just walk into Castle Ravenloft and whack Strahd again.
But unfortunately, Castle Argonvostok is a major feature, and restoring the skull feels like it should be a major part of the game. Sticking the skull somewhere it's unlikely to be found (and even less likely to be stolen- it's big) seems to deprive that 90% of players of one of the cooler bits of the game. I'd rather see printed modules enabling the heroes to accomplish their tasks. The same goes for my issues with Mordenkainen, who we hear about a bunch but if any group of PCs has ever managed to cure him in the way the module requires without one of the players having already ready the module, I'd be astonished.
A large portion of the content in CoS is like that though. Even the three items from the tarot reading are optional. If you go by the milestone leveling guide and confront Strahd at level 10, that means you did 7 major things while in Borovia, up to 3 of which were just finding the items that the tarot reading told you about.
You can just not tell them. The obvious way to handle that detail is to reveal it at the start of a new adventure. If you were writing a book or a TV series or whatever you wouldn't tell the audience "BY THE WAY, THIS GUY COMES BACK LATER" right after supposedly killing off a major antagonist.
There is literally already an NPC that's actively working towards that. Look up Kasimir Velikov's backstory. Even if that weren't the case, killing Strahd obviously changes the status quo. Just because no one would openly defy Strahd while he's the near-omniscient ruler of Barovia, that doesn't mean no one would try to seize power with him gone.
The Forum Infestation (TM)
CoS is a framework. I have been running it going into our third year (added a thread about the fanes and death house optional adventure). We play a 4-5 hour session every Sunday. As written there could be problems but it is a framework and an experienced GM could easily adjust. my group knew it was a sandbox adventure and there were NPCs to give information an warnings from time to time but I let them do what they wanted. They met Baba and were pwned early on, losing the sunsword in the process. She had a job for them though and merely stripped them naked and sent them off to acquire something for them. They talked about it for a year and finally got enough experience to barely defeat her (sunsword still lost though). I jacked Strahd to a level 20 character as well as Rahadin and let them learn lore about them from libraries, Strahd’s Tome and others. Sadly they accidentally outed Van Richten to Strahd and he hunted him down and made spawn of him…oh well.
Point being, lots of adjustments and improv are making the campaign memorable (they just got humiliated by Strahd after breaking into his treasure vault but, since he is marrying Ireena in front of every notable NPC in Barovia tomorrow, he let them go…he will probably hunt them as a wedding gift to himself). If you just run it “as is” without making any changes the risk of accidental TPK is raised considerably. Plus the story will still be missing its connective tissue. But THAT is when the GM steps in and ties all the threads together, making it their own and something for their players to remember. You can buy a decent suit off the rack and it will be OK but it will rarely be the exquisite fit that a custom tailored suit will be.
Curse of Strahd is a different experience as a DM than it is when you are a player. Try running it some time. Being the one who has to fix all the inconsistencies enjoins you to find solutions rather than complaints.