Curse of Strahd DM Questions (Spoilers)

[Elurindel]

As a DM, I have a couple of questions about the Curse of Strahd adventure module, and how to rule some situations that I did not anticipate. I will add more if I feel the need:

1. When being confronted by the Vampire Spawn in Henrik's shop, the group managed to capture one. The group's Necromancer is a staunch believer that all sentient beings should have free will (he believes zombies and skeletons are merely material, with no free will to violate). So he offered the Vamp Spawn a way to be free: The group have friends on the outside that could help. If they find Vistani that are willing to take a delivery outside of the walls, with the Vamp Spawn staked in the back, will Strahd be able to say that she does not get to leave? She is not leaving under her own power, and if she is paralysed, she isn't capable of reaching out to her sire, AFAIK. How would you rule this working?

2. The group really wants ways to communicate over long range on a regular basis. However, Strahd has a chance to intercept all magical communication. I feel like it would be cruel to offer them the ability to purchase, for instance, Stones of Farspeech (seen on the popular podcast, The Adventure Zone) without them knowing their nemesis can listen in on everything they're saying, but at the same time, this is exactly the type of module where the DM can be cruel to his PC's. What do you think?

3. Strahd has given the Necromancer a necklace as a courting gift. The Necromancer is utterly under the impression that the necklace is a tracking device, designed to scry upon the party and alert him to their position. The necklace is utterly mundane, by Strahd to appear magical in such a way as to fool him into thinking it's actually useful, and nothing more, using Nystul's Magic Aura. What effect should I appear to bestow upon it?

[sithlordnergal]

1) I would let them try to free the Vampire Spawn, but ultimately fail. If I remember correctly, Strahd isn't the only one keeping people and beings in Barovia. If need be, have Strahd interfere in some way. Death isn't as big of a deal to the party in Barovia due to the respawn mechanic, let him kill the party when they try to let the vampire spawn escape and recapture the Vampire Spawn. Then turn the Vampire Spawn into a named NPC that wants to help the Party, but is being forced to serve Strahd against it's will. At first the party will think the Spawn is dead, but you could have the Spawn send a letter in secret, at great risk to itself. Have the letter tell the party that the spawn is grateful for their offer to help them, wants to get help, and will do what it can to help them in exchange for being freed and cursed of vampirism. Now, not only does the party feel their actions were worth something, but they also made an unintended friend, and they know they have an ally that was captured by Strahd. This gives them more motivation to stop Strahd, and gives them a cool extra bit of payoff when they save their vampire friend. Or a bit of drama when Strahd eventually forces them to fight their friend.

2) Let Strahd listen in, but don't tell them directly. If I remember correctly, Strahd makes some appearances to the party over the course of the book. When he makes his next appearance after they get their "secret" communication method, let him slip in things pertaining to whatever the party talked about. For example, if they were talking about allying themselves with the Werewolves to try and fight him with the Stones of Farspeech, let him slip in that he'll be keeping an eye on their werewolf friends. And that he'll make sure there's a change of leadership within their ranks soon enough. Remember, this is supposed to sort of be a horror setting. The players should never feel like they're totally out of Strahd's shadow. He should always be aware of them, and let them know that he knows. One of the best ways to create a sense of dread is to create a force that the player's can't see, can't fight, and can't escape.

3) Personally, I'd give it a faint/weak divination aura, with a strong necromancy aura thrown in as if to mask the divination. Now the players will be even more suspicious, because they'll be able to see that Strahd is purposely trying to hide a divination aura on the item.

[Glorthindel]

I'm not sure with Curse of Strahd whether the other Ravenloft domains are in existence, so my answer to the first problem kinda depends on that - are there other Realms on the border, or is it just the Mists?

If it is the former, then as long as Strahd doesn't block the Vistani for a different reason (which he probably wouldn't), then the plan should work. He isn't all knowing. However, if it is just the Mists, that is an entirely different problem, as Strahd doesn't control the Mists, he is as much their prisoner as anyone else is, and the Mists are all knowing, all powerful, and wouldn't allow any creature to pass beyond them without it being its will. Even with the Vistani power to navigate the mists, they could not smuggle any other being out with them unless the Mists wished them to be able to go (in which case it wouldn't be necessary). If they tried, they would likely open the box at the other end to find the vampire mysteriously gone, and said vampire would awaken in a misty ditch on some other random border of Barovia.

[Spore]

1. I don't know. The Mists for me are strictly a DM tool to railroad. The Dark Powers aka you decide of the spawn leaves or not.

2. Of course Strahd listens in. But be aware that Strahd is not supervising the heroes 24/7. He might have heard some details of their communications and will mock them with intimate details, bluffing that he knows more than he really does. It is not cruel in any stretch. The guidelines mention any magical communication is redirected to Strahd (it is not a chance, every communication can be decided by Strahd to be listened to or not). Cruel would be to overwhelm the party with an unwinnable inescapable fight. But feeling powerless vs. the evil enemy is part of how gothic horror works.

3. I agree with nergal here. Maybe just give it an aura of necromancy. This way the mage never knows if it is a helpful tool or cursed (like a necklace of strangulation).

[Elurindel]

Thanks for your responses, guys. I have another spoilery question.

In the village of Krezk, the Abbott is working on a Flesh Golem bride for Strahd. According to the book, the Abbott was given the knowledge of how to make a Flesh Golem by Strahd. Strahd got this knowledge from the Amber Temple.
According to what I can find, a Manual of Golems for Flesh Golems is 50,000gp. And Strahd doesn't even want a Flesh Golem bride:
1) Does anyone else think the Manual is really overpriced?
2) Strahd is dropping 50k just to screw with an Angel. Is that what I'm seeing here?

[SiCK_Boy]

He may not have paid for the manual in the first place... so it's more like Stradh is dropping a powerful (but useless to him) magic item to mess with an angel...

Even if he had wanted to sell it in Barovia, it's not like there's anyone in the whole land who has 50 K gold to spend on a book.

[Specter]

Thanks for your responses, guys. I have another spoilery question.

In the village of Krezk, the Abbott is working on a Flesh Golem bride for Strahd. According to the book, the Abbott was given the knowledge of how to make a Flesh Golem by Strahd. Strahd got this knowledge from the Amber Temple.
According to what I can find, a Manual of Golems for Flesh Golems is 50,000gp. And Strahd doesn't even want a Flesh Golem bride:
1) Does anyone else think the Manual is really overpriced?
2) Strahd is dropping 50k just to screw with an Angel. Is that what I'm seeing here?

Strahd's only reason for living now is corruption. He delights himself by thinking he broke an angel. This should also be his approach to the players, to torment and tear them apart before even thinking of physical conflict.

[SirGraystone]

The 50,000 gp doesn't mean much to Strahd since he didn't buy the book, neither as he anywhere to sell it. You also have to understand something about Strahd, he's been around a long time and he get bored. So he play game with the Abbot and with the players, he could just have fireball the groups a few time when he hear of them to get rid of the group, but where's the fun in that.

[Burnteyes]

The 50,000 gp doesn't mean much to Strahd since he didn't buy the book, neither as he anywhere to sell it. You also have to understand something about Strahd, he's been around a long time and he get bored. So he play game with the Abbot and with the players, he could just have fireball the groups a few time when he hear of them to get rid of the group, but where's the fun in that.

This is critical to remember in this campaign. Really, to Strahd the players are play toy rats in a maze that he messes with due to being old and bored.

[Elurindel]

Thanks for your feedback so far, everyone. I have something else that I wanted some advice on:

Patrina Velikovna is an Archmage, and as such could be even more powerful than Strahd, if she became a Vampire or Lich. I can see her doing just that if the PC's tell her of Strand's intentions for her. What do you think would suit her better, and once she has obtained that power edge, what should her next move be?