Curse of Strahd ending

[Smoothjedi]

I've been running a CoS game for a while now, and while in the Amber Temple, one of the characters gained the flaw while picking up the Staff of Frost: "I crave power above all else, and will do anything to obtain more of it." This became pretty fun as normally he would never would have accepted dark gifts, but instead he picked every one in the temple, becoming evil in the process. Almost all of the party followed his example. Kasamir was also with them to get the power to resurrect her sister, and everyone else also picked this ability up.

Someone joked at the table they should just resurrect Strahd after they defeat him. Everyone laughed, but upon doing more research as they enter Castle Ravenloft, I realized it might just be possible to do exactly that; The description says Strahd does have remains left over after defeat.

So my question is how would anyone else handle this? The ending says the dark powers aren't likely to let him go, but then again it's another dark power essentially resurrecting him. Would he be free? Would he be able to leave Ravenloft? How would anyone else handle this? Thanks in advance!

[Naanomi]

The Dark Powers are pretty unified in their goals, I can't think of an example of real conflict between them. I'd say if they let you resurrect him it is all part of their larger plan to keep torturing him... tease him with the opportunity to escape, give him a happy home or the like; only to twist the knife and trap him again

[Spookykid]

He's been dead for to long for any resurection spells but the dark powers might be able to bring him back, as human. Would be great if he is trapped in barovia as a human, the mists wont let him leave.

[Specter]

Even if you could bring a vampire back to life, he's too old for anything but True Resurrection.

But the Dark Powers are the ultimate deus ex machina, so if you want it to happen it could.

[JackPhoenix]

Even if you could bring a vampire back to life, he's too old for anything but True Resurrection.

But the Dark Powers are the ultimate deus ex machina, so if you want it to happen it could.

Not necessarily. Revivify works on vampires just fine.... but he'll be back as a vampire

[Unoriginal]

The Dark Powers are bringing Stradh back anyway, no matter what the PCs do or not.

If escaping Ravenloft was that easy, a lot of people would have done it already.

Stradh's cursed to come back to life (or undeath), try his best at being the worst, and then fail again

[Smoothjedi]

Not necessarily. Revivify works on vampires just fine.... but he'll be back as a vampire


Even if you could bring a vampire back to life, he's too old for anything but True Resurrection.

But the Dark Powers are the ultimate deus ex machina, so if you want it to happen it could.

Remember, I'm not talking about just any regular resurrection spell; this is specifically the dark gift of Zhudun, the Corpse Star, granted from an amber sarcophagi in the same vault that supposedly granted Strahd his new unlife as a vampire. There is no time limit on this power per the book, and considering its origin, it seems like it could rival its peer's power.

[Mith]

I like the idea that it brings the host back as a Barovian shell, and all descendents of the resurrected individual will be born as shells.