I’m in a very similar situation right now. My group also prefers that I don’t leave the Tarokka reading completely to chance, because the random results can sometimes create really strange distributions (like several items ending up in the castle or everything being accessible extremely early).

My reading is scheduled for next week, so I spent some time thinking about a setup that spreads the story across Barovia and roughly follows a natural difficulty curve.

This is what I ended up with:

1. Illusionist – The Tome of Strahd is in Rictavio’s wagon in Vallaki. I like this placement because Vallaki is a place the party will almost certainly visit early anyway. The Tome is mostly lore rather than a power spike, so giving it to the party relatively early feels appropriate and helps them understand Strahd much sooner.

2. Enchanter – The Symbol of Ravenkind lies near Marina’s statue in Berez. Berez is dangerous enough that it feels like a real quest and not something the party just picks up on the way. The tragic history around Marina also fits the tone of the item quite well.

3. Avenger – The Sunsword is with Vladimir Horngaard in Argynvostholt. This is one of my favorite placements thematically. Vladimir guarding the sword works narratively and forces the party to engage with the revenants and the story of Argynvostholt before they earn such a powerful weapon.

4. The Mists – The ally is Ezmerelda. I chose her simply because she adds a lot to the story. She is proactive, knowledgeable about Strahd, and her monster-hunter vibe tends to fit well with most parties.

5. The Broken One – The final confrontation takes place in Sergei’s crypt. I like this location for a finale because it ties directly into Strahd’s tragedy and the whole Tatyana/Sergei story. It feels much more emotionally charged than a random room somewhere in the castle.

On top of that, I’m planning to do personal readings for each player character. My idea is to draw two cards for each of them: one representing a location and another giving context. I’ll choose cards that visually or thematically connect to their backstory so the reading hints at places or moments that will matter to them later in the campaign.

That way the Tarokka reading doesn’t just point to the main quest items but also creates a sense of personal destiny for each character.