#agentstrahds

[agent-underdark]

Strahd makes you an offer... I’m sure it’s fine. 

[agent-underdark]

Strahd “defeated” with hugs

Also a general update of sorts

I’ve been DMing Curse of Strahd since August 2018. My players JUST finished the whole campaign Friday night. They hugged  Strahd. I’ve never as a DM witnessed several grown ass men - all veteran players - decide to use friendship and compassion on a villain and bizarrely succeed. And I’m so proud of them. 

There was still a battle with an aspect of a Lovecraftian outer god though, which is homebrew - though I’m seeing some DMs do similar. 

They obviously didn’t just hug him and it was all better. The whole time players had been talking about various ways in which they’d kill him. So for that not to happen was like...did you just reverse uno card the DM into a wholesome ending?  It’s a long story and one I’d like to tell in small parts, as the build up to why and how this worked is important. I know some DMs might not like this choice and that’s fair, but I prefer the world to respond to the culmination of players choices, rather than “Well he is evil anyway so nothing you do matters.” I am careful to do justice to Strahd as a villain, but with the players working so hard to rp so well, roll well, show up to every session online during the pandemic. Bro. Just let them solve this with compassion. We need more of that in the world. So, CoS stories to come! DROW STUFF TOO. Yes I know. I have been severely lacking in my drow content quota and I will repent for these sins. I’ve just been in a very different headspace lately. And then 2020 came in flexing how much of a fucknugget it could be. But I think my mana has replenished. Here’s a sneak peek WIP of hugged Strahd.

[agent-underdark]

Strahd - regretful and contemplative version. But don’t trust him completely, even if your players trick you into a redemption arc like mine did...Maybe he can change, maybe not. But he will always be dangerous. 

[agent-underdark]

Bathane; tiefling warlock/rogue. Another one of my players’ characters in Curse of Strahd. He considers himself the most tief of lings. 

Canon Curse of Strahd NPCs he’s charmed/seduced so far:

Stanimir - old Vistani man who lures them to Barovia in the first place

Alenka, Mirabel and Sorvia - Owners of the Blood of The Vine Tavern in Barovia village.

Vilnius the madman in the Amber Temple...

A Nothic monster....in the Amber Temple

Baba Lysaga...yes. Bathane rolled nat 20 and brought her a basket of strawberries and wine from Vallaki.

He does not discriminate. Only brings seduceration and loveration to the realms! Would he pass the vibe check?

[agent-underdark]

A character of one of my players in Curse of Strahd. He’s a dwarven cleric of Waukeen - goddess of trade/wealth. He constantly tries to make npcs sign contracts and is a wonderful shitlord. He plans to try trick Strahd into giving up his throne to take on a “thriving new bakery” in Vallaki. He’s decided his holy symbols are just stylised dollar signs. 

[agent-underdark]

An npc vampire, Levon, that my players found sleeping inside a kitchen pot as a bat, in Curse of Strahd. He was stuck…and didn’t know vampires were meant to sleep in coffins. He’s very new to vampirism. They didn’t trust him and questioned him so much he got distressed and half transformed into a bat: one leg bat, one leg human, and stumbled out the door. 

I made him up on the spot because the players got obsessed with this bat stuck in a pot that was literally just meant to be a regular bat. But they started yelling accusations at it and it was just too good to pass up.

[agent-underdark]

Elsa Fallona von Twitterberg: She had many followers

I won’t give context, even though it’s not really spoilery. But sometimes the canon names of NPCs in Curse of Strahd are amazing. 

[agent-underdark]

Oh also. In case of spoilers: #agentstrahds is the specific tag where I’ll share both canon and home brew stuff I’m doing for Curse of Strahd. In case you’re playing through it and don’t want spoils.