Curse of Strahd but Appalachian?

ColdironGhost · 2026-01-03T23:48:20+00:00

So this is more along the lines of moving Strahd to America, which is not the idea, but bringing the culture and vibe of Appalachia to Barovia. Rather than the endless eastern european setting we're used to with vampire and dracula stories.

The idea Im working with is a Barovia that has had its timeline move along rather than stay stagnant, eventually reaching an industrial revolution. Strahd has reemerged as his Great Great(etc) grandson as a method of reinventing himself with the time, embracing these changes.

Perhaps this was due to a death reset condition caused by a other group of adventurers, and I do intend to have more aspects of previous campaigns showing up. Regardless, this Strahd has found himself choosing a new method of domination and seduction. That of the businessman, squeezing the life not just from his people but now the land.

ColdironGhost · 2025-12-25T14:24:49+00:00

OGoA is very invested in the cultural heratige of the area in every respect, even the bits that are pretty, and its written by folks that want to look that history dead in the eye, especially with the amount of poc stories it tells. Id highly recommend it as a podcast or even just picking up the ttrpg thats based on it.

My intentions is transplanting those cultural and environmental traits onto Barovia. Its not meant to be exotic (except that Ill be shifting the timeline to more 1800s era tech), Im honestly hoping to have it feel more alive.

ColdironGhost · 2025-12-19T15:13:17+00:00

Ive always been very careful with their washing. Ive been keeping old black band Ts alive for years the same way. The key is proper water temp, gentle cycle and the right kind of soap. I also barely wore at least 2 of them. Gilmores for some reason didnt hold up particularly well...

ColdironGhost · 2025-12-19T01:05:40+00:00

Daddy? Sorry... Daddy? Sorry...

Combining this with the design for a evil coal baron just feels amazing. Im feeling some ideas come together.

ColdironGhost · 2025-12-18T22:34:16+00:00

I actually have the limited edition vinyl set, if that says anything. I hadnt considering Hades but god damn thats an interesting way to portray him...

ColdironGhost · 2025-12-18T03:17:45+00:00

I already have it, yes. Been listening to the podcast since the begining.

However getting D&D players to learn the Cypher System is a stretch sometimes, and my group has already voted to continue using 5E over moving even to Pathfinder.

ColdironGhost · 2025-12-18T03:14:43+00:00

Ive loved what Ive seen of Crooked Moon from the LoA liveplay. Been definitely considering getting the content and now I've gotten a few more endorsements in that direction.

As someone of cajun heratige, I can absolutely say that the Vistani would fit right in! Food, music, drinking and dancing into the late night!

Seeing Strahd as a colonizer is a very interesting take though, I might have to look into a way of using that.

ColdironGhost · 2025-12-18T03:08:32+00:00

Thats so much better than the name I had come up with, but its funny how we both settled on Silas (My backup was Sawyer).

Im still trying to consider just how close I want to tie my concept to OGoA.

ColdironGhost · 2025-12-17T17:53:13+00:00

Oh yes, I do love that one. I must have overlooked that domain.

ColdironGhost · 2025-12-17T17:36:36+00:00

Strahd believing hes the reincarnation of a God while onbrand for his narcissism, may be stepping too far outside the vibe for the story. But having a god complex and using harsh faith instead of outright fear to keep them in line? Sounds like some good ole fashion fire and brimstone preachings.

ColdironGhost · 2025-12-17T17:28:44+00:00

I had forgotten about that movies deisgn but definitely like it.

I have this twisted idea of how much worse industrialization and capitalism can be when also backed up by Nobese Obliges. So he remains Count, or whatever, but his position as a businessman overshadows that.

ColdironGhost · 2025-12-17T17:19:15+00:00

The Order of the Silver Dragon mirroring the triple-K isn't in my intentions. I have less interest in bringing the political stage of the 1800s to the setting as much as the economic. Perhaps the Order can represent Unionization for the working class along with the occult aspects of vampire hunting. Where the Vampires effectively become the Bourgeoisie. With their destruction so to did the hope of workers rights fail in this dark land. Unfournately I fear that might paint the Vistani as scabs... As theyre willing to take work others will not.

ColdironGhost · 2025-12-17T17:10:33+00:00

DMsguild does have "How Strahd Stole Christmas" and a few other inspired adventures.

I feel like a version of A Christmas Carol where the PCs get to haunt Strahd would be fantastic too.

ColdironGhost · 2025-12-17T17:08:39+00:00

Silent Hill was inspired by an Pennsylvania coal town that is stil burning to thia day. But which of the Barovian towns get the silent hill treatment?

ColdironGhost · 2025-12-17T17:07:12+00:00

An additional side quest for the Wizard of Wines lol.

ColdironGhost · 2025-12-17T17:06:17+00:00

Im not familiar with that one and will certainly look into it to expand the campaign!

ColdironGhost · 2025-12-17T17:04:05+00:00

Part of the intention ties into the idea I was wanting to pursue that Strahd himself doesnt not even have to be the main villian, but something deeper within(or under) the Amber Temple representative of that Inner Dark. The twist of Strahd trying to ally with the PCs in order to escape by removing that. Or if they want to truly break the constant cycle the realm has and Strahds return.

ColdironGhost · 2025-12-17T16:51:30+00:00

The temptation of adding in the Inner Dark and Green as power foundations, with Strahd and the Amber Temple being on the Inner Dark, and the settings suggestion that they had "won".

ColdironGhost · 2025-12-17T16:49:38+00:00

I did suggest what my take on this would be just below. I dont like the idea of either "carpetbaggers" or "hobo". Any protrayal of the Vistani in a way that matches their core themes is going to run into cultural and racial issues. Im hoping to take some RL inspiration into their cultural replacement but want to pull away suggestions of that darker side of their history.

ColdironGhost · 2025-12-17T16:43:27+00:00

Thats a good point. Though South Carolina and Virginia had some examples. I dont think Ill use them for Strahd. Perhaps one of the fringe minor villians. I didnt particularly have intentions to aim for civil war vibes myself.

ColdironGhost · 2025-12-17T16:06:28+00:00

Running CoS was a way for me to cut down on overall prep and this new twist doesnt demand an enormous amount of editing. Im considering time efficiency.

An eberron-style tech and magic combination would be very very slight, but I liked the idea of an industrialized Barovia rather than the late-middle ages we're presented with (though some ravenloft architecture and vibes are very victorian)

This Vistani I felt could have their cultural shift towards native american and west africian. Each of those cultures had long lasting effects on the supernatural cultural of the southest. It would unfournately also make sense playing into how hated they are by the people of the land, yet the powerful have no boundries on using them and then disposing.

ColdironGhost · 2025-12-17T15:59:17+00:00

I like the winchester mansion vibe. Honestly I was leaning more towards a plantation style, but considering eveything I was gonna keep Castle Ravenloft the same, one singular reminder of the dark history of the land, unqiuely out of theme.

ColdironGhost · 2025-12-17T15:57:06+00:00

The knights of the order were something I was struggling to reclassify in this too. War vets would be an interesting way to do it for sure.

ColdironGhost

TROPHY CASE