Hello everyone! First post on the forum and am looking for ideas and advice concerning running the classic module, The Curse Of Strahd.
I recently received my copy of the Beadle & Grimm version and am currently planning how to run this awesome adventure using the various maps and props.
Included in the box are a set of adorable, if not slightly creepy, finger puppets. The puppets are: A jester, a werewolf, a faceless bride, a priest who looks to be undead, and a vampire.
I want to incorporate the finger puppets into the first session of my game. The idea being that my players are traveling through Daggerford and there happens to be a festival going on to celebrate the harvest and fall season. Many people will be in attendance. Locals and outsiders from all around. But a bit of foreshadowing can occur when the players pass by a colorful cart set up to be a makeshift stage. Small children and parents are gathered round to watch a puppet show featuring these odd creations. The man putting on the show is none other than Gadof Blinsky, who for the purposes of my adventure is a Vistani who can cross over from Barovia to this festival to entertain children and sell his toys.
I would like to use the jester puppet as a narrator or main character for Blinsky's puppet show. It's just a matter of using the other puppets and how to string together a short tale.
You may have to contemplate how Blinsky was able to leave Ravenloft given that there are only a select few (pro-Strahd) that can traverse between realms.
The thing story that would instantly jump out at me to tell would be the tragedy that is Tatyana and Sergei's scheduled wedding day; Sergei's death at Strahd's hands and Tatyana flinging herself off of Castle Ravenloft.
As for which puppets to use;
Faceless Bride - Tatyana; just as well it be faceless, so as to not prematurely have the party make a Tatyana / Ireena connection
Vampire - Strahd
Jester - Sergei
Priest - self explanatory
Werewolf - Unsure, could be used to represent the Dark Powers? Or Lord Leo Dilisnya?
There could however be a couple of issues relating to this idea that would need to be explained;
How does Blinsky know about Strahd's history? Especially if you were to include the Dark Powers
Strahd would very much be set up as a villain.
You may not want your PCs to be that knowledgeable about Ravenloft, though it would be easier to introduce the Amber Temple later in the campaign
Either way, the story of Sergei and Tatyana is definitely worth telling and adds a lot more depth to CoS / Strahd's motivations.
Love these ideas so far! One suggestion was the the Tale of the Unlucky Bride.
All narrated by the Jester, it explains the woeful story of a lovely bride going to the church to marry her true love. Along the way, she encounters a wolf wandering near the road.
"Oh nimble wolf! Won't you bless me on this most important of days to help me get to the church sooner?"
The wolf raises upright to reveal the scary teeth, the children watching gasp!
"My my, to get there in haste you would have outrun me to avoid being dinner... Rawr!!!"
A humorous chase happens as both bride and werewolf bop around the stage. The jester aids the bride by waving at the werewolf and pointing the opposite direction of where she's running.
The bride fled all the way to the church. Certainly now she can relax and enjoy the rest of the day. Right?
"Oh priest! I'm so glad to see you. I've had quite the adventure getting here. Has my love arrived yet? Come to think of it.... Where are the other guests?"
The priest turns to face the bride and reveals his zombie face.
"Eeeeek!"
The priest shambles toward the bride, who cowers in fear. The friendly jester hops up to offer the bride a small club. The bride starts whacking the undead priest several times until it stays down for good.
"Ugh.... This day has been horrible! Truly it can't get any worse... Oh, it is my love! At long last, we can finally run away together and live happily ever after!"
The final puppet turns to reveal itself. A vampire! The bride yells out:
"Wait! You aren't my love! You're his brother! Are you the one responsible for all of this happening to me?!"
"Now now, I know you must be upset. Why don't we discuss this over a drink?"
"But I don't drink wine!"
"Neither do I... Mwahaha!"
The bride turns to the jester.
"Um, a little help here?!"
This time the jester shivers and drops down.
"Hey, come back here you coward! Oh nooooo!"
The vampire pounces on the bride and both disappear below the stage, with sounds of the vampire slurping and laughing.
The jester puppet springs back up.
"And that was the Tale of the Unlucky Bride. May luck be on her side in a different life."
The vampire raises up suddenly and stares at the jester.
"Wait! The story is over! You can't be hungry anymore! Ahhhh!"
The vampire jumps on the jester and both vanish to the jester's cries for help. After a few beats, all puppets rise and do a funny bow.
Blinsky himself then emerges from the puppet stage and after a bow thanks everyone for watching the show. And if the kiddies want some goodies to take home, be sure to come to the other side of his wagon to see his wonderful toys. Remember kids, he announces in his thick Barovian accent....
"Is no fun? Is no Blinsky!"
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Hello everyone! First post on the forum and am looking for ideas and advice concerning running the classic module, The Curse Of Strahd.
I recently received my copy of the Beadle & Grimm version and am currently planning how to run this awesome adventure using the various maps and props.
Included in the box are a set of adorable, if not slightly creepy, finger puppets. The puppets are: A jester, a werewolf, a faceless bride, a priest who looks to be undead, and a vampire.
I want to incorporate the finger puppets into the first session of my game. The idea being that my players are traveling through Daggerford and there happens to be a festival going on to celebrate the harvest and fall season. Many people will be in attendance. Locals and outsiders from all around. But a bit of foreshadowing can occur when the players pass by a colorful cart set up to be a makeshift stage. Small children and parents are gathered round to watch a puppet show featuring these odd creations. The man putting on the show is none other than Gadof Blinsky, who for the purposes of my adventure is a Vistani who can cross over from Barovia to this festival to entertain children and sell his toys.
I would like to use the jester puppet as a narrator or main character for Blinsky's puppet show. It's just a matter of using the other puppets and how to string together a short tale.
Any ideas or suggestions would be a huge help!
Not sure how to post images here but photos of the puppets are easy to look up
You may have to contemplate how Blinsky was able to leave Ravenloft given that there are only a select few (pro-Strahd) that can traverse between realms.
The thing story that would instantly jump out at me to tell would be the tragedy that is Tatyana and Sergei's scheduled wedding day; Sergei's death at Strahd's hands and Tatyana flinging herself off of Castle Ravenloft.
As for which puppets to use;
There could however be a couple of issues relating to this idea that would need to be explained;
Either way, the story of Sergei and Tatyana is definitely worth telling and adds a lot more depth to CoS / Strahd's motivations.
DM - The Call of Strahd (CoS); Feyrealm Campaign, Chapter 0 - Bleak Prospect (BP), Chapter 1 - Destination Unknown (DU)
Love these ideas so far! One suggestion was the the Tale of the Unlucky Bride.
All narrated by the Jester, it explains the woeful story of a lovely bride going to the church to marry her true love. Along the way, she encounters a wolf wandering near the road.
"Oh nimble wolf! Won't you bless me on this most important of days to help me get to the church sooner?"
The wolf raises upright to reveal the scary teeth, the children watching gasp!
"My my, to get there in haste you would have outrun me to avoid being dinner... Rawr!!!"
A humorous chase happens as both bride and werewolf bop around the stage. The jester aids the bride by waving at the werewolf and pointing the opposite direction of where she's running.
The bride fled all the way to the church. Certainly now she can relax and enjoy the rest of the day. Right?
"Oh priest! I'm so glad to see you. I've had quite the adventure getting here. Has my love arrived yet? Come to think of it.... Where are the other guests?"
The priest turns to face the bride and reveals his zombie face.
"Eeeeek!"
The priest shambles toward the bride, who cowers in fear. The friendly jester hops up to offer the bride a small club. The bride starts whacking the undead priest several times until it stays down for good.
"Ugh.... This day has been horrible! Truly it can't get any worse... Oh, it is my love! At long last, we can finally run away together and live happily ever after!"
The final puppet turns to reveal itself. A vampire! The bride yells out:
"Wait! You aren't my love! You're his brother! Are you the one responsible for all of this happening to me?!"
"Now now, I know you must be upset. Why don't we discuss this over a drink?"
"But I don't drink wine!"
"Neither do I... Mwahaha!"
The bride turns to the jester.
"Um, a little help here?!"
This time the jester shivers and drops down.
"Hey, come back here you coward! Oh nooooo!"
The vampire pounces on the bride and both disappear below the stage, with sounds of the vampire slurping and laughing.
The jester puppet springs back up.
"And that was the Tale of the Unlucky Bride. May luck be on her side in a different life."
The vampire raises up suddenly and stares at the jester.
"Wait! The story is over! You can't be hungry anymore! Ahhhh!"
The vampire jumps on the jester and both vanish to the jester's cries for help. After a few beats, all puppets rise and do a funny bow.
Blinsky himself then emerges from the puppet stage and after a bow thanks everyone for watching the show. And if the kiddies want some goodies to take home, be sure to come to the other side of his wagon to see his wonderful toys. Remember kids, he announces in his thick Barovian accent....
"Is no fun? Is no Blinsky!"