Curse of Strahd
Christopher Perkins
The proof of the adventure will be in the playing, of course, and I have just started DMing this campaign for a group of four friends. We’ve had two sessions so far, and they’ve just gotten through the “Death House” introductory adventure. But I have read through the book and really like it on the whole. The Gothic atmosphere of Barovia/Ravenloft is very well written, and Strahd is a great antagonist. Prepping for this campaign also got me to read Bram Stoker’s Dracula, which was pretty good. I’ve already done a little customizing, but by and large the adventure seems very usable “out of the box."
I’m very curious to see where my players will take this campaign. My one criticism so far is that the book makes Strahd out to be more totally evil than I would prefer him to be (and than I will play him as being). I think a more tragic approach is appropriate for a Gothic horror setting, and I also see a lot in Strahd’s backstory that makes him seem sympathetic at least in certain ways.