I'm a big fan of the Ravenloft setting, and I can't wait to DM Curse of Strahd, however, there is one major part of the module I strongly dislike.
The Amber Temple
Not the dungeon itself, mind you. It's cool, intriguing, and the Dark Gifts can be interesting plot points, but I really don't like some of the things it does to the adventure.
The Gift of the Vampyr completely removes the Dark Powers, and, by extension the rest of Ravenloft.
For those not aware, in the Ravenloft setting, Barovia is one of many domains within the mists, each ruled by a Darklord akin to Strahd. These were evil individuals taken from many worlds by the mystical Dark Powers, which controlled the mist and held them prisoners with their own flavor of poetic justice (a lich can't learn new spells, a conqueror is placed between other domains which are too powerful to conquer, a sadist heals anyone he touches, etc.). Curse of Strahd, on the other hand, gives the Vestige of the Vampyr as an explanation. Not only does this feel like a huge letdown, but it feels like it devalues the existence of the Dark Powers. Either the dark vestiges are the dark powers, in which case they are almost powerless, and all the mystery disappears, or they are separate, in which case the existence of the Dark Powers just feels kinda redundant.
The Dark Gifts are really only powerups
The idea of Dark Vestiges giving the players' part of their power is fun, and I could imagine a lot of fun plot points stemming from it... If the circumstances were different. Not only are the Dark Vestiges trapped in sarcophaguses, so there isn't really much manipulating or scheming to be done (even if there was, it would take focus away from what's important; Strahd), but there are so damn many of them that I feel like the players will get power-fatigue. "Oh, another dark power stemming from things man was not meant to know. Throw it on the pile". And that's not even getting into the whole "save or turn evil" thing, which I hate.
So does anyone have any ideas on how I could change the Amber Temple around to make it better fit into the wider Ravenloft setting?
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"What do you mean I get disadvantage on persuasion?"
I don't know, Sneet, maybe because your argument is "Submit and become our pet"?
When my group got to the Amber Temple, I decided that each player could only get 1 vestige each. Due to the 3 treasures already available to them, I didn't want to stack it TOO much in their favor. They do have to be scared of this final fight. Even still, the temple was so deadly for them at level 9 that they only checked out like 9 of the sarcophagi and only 2 players ended up taking one.
Run the Dark Powers are a trapped entity that needs a willing party to escape. Don't tell them exactly what the power does, give them vague descriptions. The bard got the Mind Blank one, and while I was explaining his new buffs, I explained that his eyes began to liquefy and melt out of his face. That in and of itself is a horrifying image, and definitely fits within the setting. With anything horror, it depends on how you describe these things.
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I'm a big fan of the Ravenloft setting, and I can't wait to DM Curse of Strahd, however, there is one major part of the module I strongly dislike.
The Amber Temple
Not the dungeon itself, mind you. It's cool, intriguing, and the Dark Gifts can be interesting plot points, but I really don't like some of the things it does to the adventure.
The Gift of the Vampyr completely removes the Dark Powers, and, by extension the rest of Ravenloft.
For those not aware, in the Ravenloft setting, Barovia is one of many domains within the mists, each ruled by a Darklord akin to Strahd. These were evil individuals taken from many worlds by the mystical Dark Powers, which controlled the mist and held them prisoners with their own flavor of poetic justice (a lich can't learn new spells, a conqueror is placed between other domains which are too powerful to conquer, a sadist heals anyone he touches, etc.). Curse of Strahd, on the other hand, gives the Vestige of the Vampyr as an explanation. Not only does this feel like a huge letdown, but it feels like it devalues the existence of the Dark Powers. Either the dark vestiges are the dark powers, in which case they are almost powerless, and all the mystery disappears, or they are separate, in which case the existence of the Dark Powers just feels kinda redundant.
The Dark Gifts are really only powerups
The idea of Dark Vestiges giving the players' part of their power is fun, and I could imagine a lot of fun plot points stemming from it... If the circumstances were different. Not only are the Dark Vestiges trapped in sarcophaguses, so there isn't really much manipulating or scheming to be done (even if there was, it would take focus away from what's important; Strahd), but there are so damn many of them that I feel like the players will get power-fatigue. "Oh, another dark power stemming from things man was not meant to know. Throw it on the pile". And that's not even getting into the whole "save or turn evil" thing, which I hate.
So does anyone have any ideas on how I could change the Amber Temple around to make it better fit into the wider Ravenloft setting?
"What do you mean I get disadvantage on persuasion?"
I don't know, Sneet, maybe because your argument is "Submit and become our pet"?
-Actual conversation in a game.
When my group got to the Amber Temple, I decided that each player could only get 1 vestige each. Due to the 3 treasures already available to them, I didn't want to stack it TOO much in their favor. They do have to be scared of this final fight. Even still, the temple was so deadly for them at level 9 that they only checked out like 9 of the sarcophagi and only 2 players ended up taking one.
Run the Dark Powers are a trapped entity that needs a willing party to escape. Don't tell them exactly what the power does, give them vague descriptions. The bard got the Mind Blank one, and while I was explaining his new buffs, I explained that his eyes began to liquefy and melt out of his face. That in and of itself is a horrifying image, and definitely fits within the setting. With anything horror, it depends on how you describe these things.