Strahd's SQUAD - Castle Ravenloft's Inhabitants || Running Curse of Strahd 5e

Let's look behind the curtain and get to know Strahd's roommates! We'll take a dive into the background history of the consorts, staff, and the freeloaders of Castle Ravenloft!
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In this guide, we'll talk about the NPCs that live in Castle Ravenloft with Strahd. Ludmilla is the brainy wizard, Anastrasya is the brawny noble, and Volenta is the sneaky rogue. We've got a surprise in store for Escher, and Lief's been working for Strahd longer than you think! And you won't want to miss what we've got in store for Gertruda and Mad Mary!
#rpg #dnd #dungeonsanddragons

[@Ravenovia]

Tiny detail I like to weave in: Cyrus, in his free time, often tries to rope the other members of staff into playing a weird dice game called “Caverns and Ogres” that nobody quite understands. He’s basically a Game Master himself, and after you’ve finished your Curse of Strahd campaign, you could potentially celebrate through a “Bunions and Flagons” styled one-shot, run by Cyrus, with each player taking on the role of one of Strahd’s servants. Have fun!

[@kimballbelliston5925]

When you made Escher a bard, I thought you were gonna make him be the "seduce the bbeg" kind of bard

[@LunchBreakHeroes]

The BBEG beat him to the punch.

[@jammie7822]

I love Getruda too!! I'm running her as a munchausens by proxy story. Right now the party believes they're looking for a 16 year old kidnapping victim -- what they'll find is a 20-something year old runaway

[@tremkl]

Was totally planning on going super helpful with Escher, too. Was thinking he’d try and assist them with rescuing Gertrude or Ireena, pretending it was out of the goodness of his heart, but it’s actually because the last thing he wants is another bride running around. Was going to play it that he was the newest, and would like to keep it that way for as long as possible.

[@owenfoxcroft9459]

Gurtruda has not yet made it to Castle Ravenloft. Instead the PCs find her at the Tser pool on her way to the castle. She is charmed and won’t be persuaded to abandon her true love, Strahd. We had an epic moment as the group approached the black carriage to see Strahd on his horse and Rahadin waiting for Grutruda. The PCs attempted to buy more time with Grutruda to convince her not to go to the castle. The PCs told Rahadin that Mad Mary was a terrible mother. Strahd said “Then bring me the head of this Mad Mary in 7 days when you bring Grutruda to her new home in my castle. If you do not hold your end of the bargain I shall claim your head (one of the PCs) in its place.” The players faces were priceless!

[@race-less9961]

May i ask what you did with Ireena in this Situation? Why is strads attention in Gertrude and Not by Ireena?

[@kr0n05gaming7]

THE DOGGO IS ADORABLE

[@Mineingsimmer]

Curse of Strahd is going to be the first game I DM and these videos have been so helpful for inspiration! Some of my players have already played COS and I wanted to surprise them, I even made Strahd a woman just to throw them off a little. I've taken inspiration from Anne Rice's vampire chronicles for Gertruda though, I like the idea of her running away quite young and Strahd turning her into a spawn to occupy her bored wives and give them something to dote on so they don't bother Strahd and will let her work in relative peace, though Escher - who has no interest in children continues to feel rather neglected and that's why he's so keen on helping the party.

[@robertmcginty4146]

Thanks for helping flesh out the consorts. They got overlooked in my first campaign. But they featured prominently in my second. Used the brides as mini bosses. I got the names mixed up from yours, but I used the Vampire variant stats in the Monster Manual, with the Warrior, Spellcaster, and made up a Rogue. The Warrior is toast after almost stealing the Sunsword. The group ran into Escher and he pointed them towards the Tome which was in a crypt. That's where the two remaining brides ambushed them.

[@andersschmich8600]

Another fantastic video, the brides definitely need to be expanded. What I'm doing is quite similar, Ludmilla as a powerful magic user, the only difference is Anastrasya more of a manipulator, and Volenta is a brute.

[@123thebigdog]

So I can’t remember what video I commented on about me running a one shot of strahd. They loved it!

[@TheRepublic4]

Outstanding Doggo, and the video was of course as wonderful as always. Keep up the good work!

[@LunchBreakHeroes]

Thanks, will do!

[@horacioaugustofilho6487]

The only thing remaining to do is to run and upload your own Ravenloft campaign! 😉

[@spencerwills7782]

Would love to see how he DMS

[@LunchBreakHeroes]

I think that might count as indecent exposure.

[@Nos4a2ed]

yep id love to watch this too

[@ratzeflummi6372]

my entire game had kinda become a comedy by that point anyway, so i played gertruda as a bit of an obsessed fangirl. strahd was very uncomfortable with having this child pine after him, so he did not want her to be in the castle at all. my party encountered her in strahd's bed, with an exasperated rahadin standing next to her, trying to explain that "no, you are not going to marry strahd. no, we do not have to hear what he has to say about it, because we already know what he thinks about it. how are you even here anyway? i kicked you out three times already, how do you keep coming back in?"

[@AleksiJoensuu]

Hey! Our group just started Curse of Strahd. We have been playing for almost two decades together, but this is my first GM run in maybe 10 years. I recently got an adult ADD diagnosis and started medication. It has helped me so much that I wanted to try my hand at GMing after such a long break. We've had our 0 session and our group have made it to "Durst manor's" (see that? ;) ) attic before we had to call it a day. My players gave me so much positive feedback, for the play style, the pacing, setting the mood. As did I them for building such creative, detailed characters with entertaining backstories and personalities. I've been on cloud 9 all day thinking about it, planning the adventure forward in my head. So I just had to come here and thank you. Before starting I listened to your videos on setting the game up and running it, and used your guide to update Durst manor. Subscribed with great thanks. You have certainly helped me (and thereby our group), to get going with CoS. Keep up the good work!

[@LunchBreakHeroes]

That’s great to hear, Aleksi! You and your group have an amazing adventure ahead of you.

[@austindoble8630]

I really hate how they don't give you ANYTHING on the consorts in the book. These characters can be so fun to interact with. I like to use them as kind of succubuses, toying with the parties emotions in an almost sexual way just like Dracula's brides in Bram Stoker's original novel

[@Vaestalol]

Funny to see how we did similar things to re-write the staff and consorts of the castle, but my scientist bride was Volenta instead haha

[@Alma_de_Lider]

Man, your videos were very useful to me, i put a lot of changes that i saw in them along with my own changes in the adventure and they improved my campaign by 1000%. great job! (english isnt my first language, excuse me any mistake.)

[@vonpepper3482]

Your guides have been helping me so much Currently I’m running curse of Strahd with two players Kimbal the rock lebrock (a dwarvin paladin) and Doyle (a giant blue Lionen who’s depressed likes poetry and is a tune master fighter) They’ve almost died multiple times and because of the extremes in barovia it really shows how much my PCs are willing to sacrifice/risk for the great or good Also before you have Anastrazia Attack valakie you should have the party encounter her on the roads at least 3 times that way they know who she is and the reveal actually makes since I had her pop out of Strahds carriage and call ireena (who was with the party) a whore before attacking them

[@LunchBreakHeroes]

A very good suggestion about revealing Anastrasya. In fact, each bride should be introduced before their encounter.

[@Nethar6]

In my game, Gertrude is a clear Expy of Sarah from Tanz der Vampire (my all-time favorite musical) She is in her late teens and a tat delusional. Her mother kept her locked up without ever telling her about the state of Barovia, keeping her locked up and ignorant. Gertrude's only idea of what life outside of her room was like besides children's fairy tales was a Romance novel a kind adventurer gave her when she was younger. The adventurer thought he and his party would defeat Strahd and free the people of Barovia, having a brief thirst with Mad Mary at the time, filling both her and her daughter heads with tales of Balls and splendor he would show them ones he took the throne from Strahd. He's never coming back contributed to Mary's descent into madness and keeping her daughter locked up even more tightly. The tales and the romance novel she hid from her mother have filled Gertrude's head with all the wrong ideas about castles, Lords, and far away kingdoms. Eventually, she broke out of her room unable to stand her imprisonment. While walking the town on her own for the first time in a decade and looking in amazement at the Castle above it she happened to come across Strahd who at the time was stalking Illiana at the time. Strahd was briefly amused by her ignorance and appreciation for his home and learning she was the child mad mary kept looked up decided on a whim to take her away. Just a little cruelty towards Mary and a brief game with Gertrude while his long time plans with Illiana progressed. He has fed her delusion of being a lady at court leaving her unaware of the true nature of the Castle she lives in now. He plans to snuff her out eventually ones this little game no longer amuses him, perhaps in a way that hurts others if possible.

[@LunchBreakHeroes]

I love it!

[@Nethar6]

@ My Strahd is a manipulative narcissist without any real desires like a sex drive. Sure he will use it to manipulate his "brides" and others but to him, it's just a tool in the toolbox. My Strahd is going through the motions. In my game there are actually serval ways Strahd could escape his curse, but they all require him to do the one thing he refuses to do. To face what he has done and admit he was wrong. So no he barely cares enough about Gertude to play with her feelings.

[@MystraRavenwind]

I always pictured Gertrude like Ophelia from Hamlet.

[@nightlord531]

I'm a simple dm really, I see a doggo in first few seconds, I hit like.

[@Princeps414]

Instead of making nameless vampire spawn, I came up with some vampire spawn of previous adventuring parties. Alek Polensky: Alek is a former fighter that loved coin, and hates his master Strahd. Valentina Janek: she was a former wizard that dabled in necromancy, and she was getting close with the Barovian witches, naturally strahd noticed and offered her grand power. She took the offer and nearly became a bride, but she wanted to overthrow Strahd, making her fall out of his good graces. Gargosh Groza: a former acolyte who wanted to fight Strahd, Strahd thought he had a strong mind. Gargosh hates Strahd, and regrets ever standing up for the greater good. Alyvia Crush: She was a cleric who was called to kill Strahd by the morninglord. In clear defiance to the morninglord, Strahd turned her into a vampire spawn Kirga Zalken: a vistani, Kirga was a spy for Strahd, and she was cunning. Strahd, seeing a good advisor, bit her.

[@grayanderson2761]

Gotta feel bad for poor Cirus. He's got the heart in it but not the technique ;(

[@xyphious]

Yet again he knocks of out of the park. Top stuff, your videos are always a highlight. Thanks for everything you do and please keep doing it! You’re a real asset to the D&D community 👍

[@LunchBreakHeroes]

Thank you so much!

[@hollyabair]

Fantastic as always!!

[@shelbylowry9316]

I love the extra info it’s really great if there some visuals to go with it would be amazing either way I liked the channel subscribing

[@gawby]

Another perfectly timed video. Much Thanks

[@thedisappointedoptimist6916]

I also aged her up. Same with Arabelle. We got Arabelle as the party friend, but instead of her being a useless companion, I buffed her a little bit and gave her some divination and healing spells. Now she's like a tiny Madam Eva and my party is in love with her. My party even decided that when Strahd is defeated, Arabelle should be the one to rule Barovia and take his throne.

[@mach2makoto]

Dang Dude! this is perfect. It also makes me want to rewarch Overlord. This character interaction is as flushed out as Nazarick

[@InLiquidColor]

I was just reading through this chapter last night and hoping that you'd start the series on it soon! 🥰

[@LunchBreakHeroes]

Perfect! Hopefully it proves helpful to you!

[@benbuzzy]

Will we ever get to see you run Curse of Strahd?

[@hunterjosey8027]

Highly recommend making Sasha Ivliskova more important. The way I'm running her is that she is freed from her crypt during dinner with the PCs and Strahd agrees that, if she does well, he'll release her permanently. She of course does her job perfectly. She cleans up her crypt and moves into the guest suite and lounge with Escher. The two end up having an affair and get married as soon as Strahd dies, unless a PC comes along first that one of them likes more. Great video as always. Lots of good stuff. Especially like what you did with Lief.

[@thedisappointedoptimist6916]

Thumbs up for the dog. You're always so fun and helpful. My group adores you

[@jennyangel6723]

Esher is my favorite. Although he never rolled above a 5 for history checks.

[@gentarokvarnstrom9159]

Great video as always!

[@LunchBreakHeroes]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@silvergryphon5858]

PUPPY!!!! Whole video worth it for that alone

[@brenosobral9500]

In my home game I made Escher basicly the sane as you, but he was a paladin before turned into vampire. He became the vallet for my player who was kidnaped by Strahd with Ireena and end up been turned in a vampire spaw. Ps: she was the party cleric.

[@RyanWBL]

Hey I'm on my lunch break trying to throw the last few sessions of CoS together in a hurry. Thanks for the summary!

[@Dan_Duran]

Thanks for your work! It's flawless as allways. I have left a question in the Amber Temple video that I will love you to read and answer please! Thanks again.

[@LunchBreakHeroes]

Answered!

[@sebastiancollins01]

Thanks for getting to this sooner rather than later. Regrettably I've needed to shelf my campaign. Hopefully I'll get back to it at some point. Anyway thanks.

[@LunchBreakHeroes]

No problem! Best of luck with picking things up again at some point!

[@JoeFlamenco]

That was a happy dog:) good to see in these trying times.

[@GetReadyforGameNight]

I just discovered your channel recently and I'm really enjoying it! Do you have any plans for expanding other campaigns after Curse of Strahd? If so, I'd vote for Descent into Avernus or Rime of the Frostmaiden.

[@LunchBreakHeroes]

Absolutely! We're working on some cool Rime stuff right now!

[@Nos4a2ed]

my curse of strahd game is going brilliantly it started as an accident because a player was missing and i had read the book now we hardly play the other game and everyone is loving it our usual dm is amazing but dousnt get to play much and i can tell he is thrilled to be enjoying playing for a change..... so thank you your advice helped no end

[@LunchBreakHeroes]

You're quite welcome!

[@Sytheduke]

I made two tweaks to Gertruda: I aged her up, but only to 19. I also made it so that the reason why she was locked inside her whole life was that her mother was overly protective of her because she had severe asthma. Barovia doesn’t have easy access to medicine, magical or otherwise, so children tend to get sick and die at a young age. Gertruda is only let outside when the weather is good, which is only about a week of the year. Otherwise, she was kept indoors inside a house that was kept as clean as possible to avoid triggering her asthma. The other Barovians know what her mom’s reasoning is, but they think she’s crazy for keeping her inside because of it. This is why she’s called Mad Mary. A month after she turns 19, Gertruda gets a letter from her secret admirer who saw her from her window. She writes back and forth with him for 4 months until she finds a perfect time to run away to meet him. This man, naturally, is Strahd himself. He needed fresh blood in his castle, and he does know a way to cure her asthma. Technically.

[@RavenfeatherTavern]

thanks again you helpt out way more then you can think of

[@LunchBreakHeroes]

Glad we could help!

[@ConorCarlisle]

Given how much i love Baldurs Gate 3 I'm replacing Escher with Astarion the next time I run Curse of Strahd. I figure Strahd is cruel enough to be an effective replacement for Cazador

[@TotallyTheradicalleft]

I ran COS and the players died, now I'm running the game again with a different cast of characters and modifying things to surprise them slightly.

[@bassett_green]

Leif enabled Strahd to pay only 750gp in taxes while in office

[@LunchBreakHeroes]

And the "comment of the year" award goes to...

[@GetReadyforGameNight]

This is pure gold. So timely. So funny!

[@maggoli67]

But the payroll taxes, oy...that was a kick in the tuckus!

[@rebeccareigh562]

I found Lumilla's stats in your Tsolinka pass guide but what about the other consorts do you have stat blocks for them? anyway thought I'd ask. maybe relice a PDF of your stat blocks for the characters and monsters in your guides?

[@wesley3421]

These videos are so perfectly timed. I am just about to run castle ravenloft in the next 1 or 2 sessions

[@LunchBreakHeroes]

Best of luck to you!

[@tylerclark1790]

My DM did the same thing with aging up Gertruda, though only about 4 or 6 years. (I actually didn't ever even know she was supposed to be that young) He portrayed her as a naive innocent. Our party had become hardened to the hardship of Barovia. She was meant to remind the gods characters of their morality, save her or let her become a thrall. My Light Cleric obviously wanted to save her. I persuaded her that she was in danger and gave her the special artifact My DM gave me, an orb that transformed into a celestial horse. We liked the setting so much that we did a homebrew Return to Ravenloft campaign. I played my characters son. Since he needed a mother, my DM suggested Gertruda.

[@symphony10]

I love your dog!!

[@teamcyeborg]

The way I've characterized the wives in my notes are as The Plastics from Mean Girls

[@Beerbones928]

10/10 would pet that DOGGO

[@alexandersandtorv3317]

what level did you have them at? did you just ad the abilities to the characters?

[@jonnathanojeda2871]

I'm currently going through Into The Mists and was curious. Is Anastasia Karetova the same person as Anastasia Karlova? Thanks in advance and love the content!

[@Ibra-fx1dy]

Do you plan on making a video about Vasili von Holtz?

[@wogboym8]

very helpful

[@LunchBreakHeroes]

Glad you think so!

[@TriptuneRadio]

I'm thinking of making Davian Martikov and Rahadin close friends, and when the party goes to Yester Hill to save Davians descendants, he'll join.

[@dracawyn]

12:04 no, I very specifically want Strahd to look like a creepy old pedo. I have party members who keep calling Strahd "Zaddy Strahd" and I need that to stop XD

[@ether4211]

My version of Gertrude is that she's a Strahd fangirl and DREAMS of being turned into a vampire! Mad Mary found her diary and on learning that she was planning to go to Castle Ravenloft having convinced herself that Strahd was her TRUE LOVE she fobid the match and had to take more and more extreme actions to keep her daughter away from him. The townspeople of course only hear the daughters side of the story that her mother is mad cruel and won't let her out of the house because she fell in love.... Of course they assume she is in love with a townsperson her age...not that she was obsessed with a far older man who was also a vampire. This way the party get to deal with the classic Twilight nonsense and explore the inappropriate relationships where Strahd is hundreds of years older then his 'brides' whe first meeting them.

[@samuelgodwin6196]

I’m about to run the dinner I’ll need this

[@LunchBreakHeroes]

Good luck!

[@tremkl]

Any chance the Patreon write-up has revised stat blocks for the brides?

[@LunchBreakHeroes]

It will soon. I can't believe I forgot to add stat blocks! At the very least, the Tsolenka Pass writeup has one for Ludmilla already.

[@VanVeghel]

My party met Strahd in the basement of Durst Manor. Before entering the warforged cleric had already met Mad Mary and vowed to help. So when Strahd granted the party a favour for clearing out 'that tiresome cult.' The cleric immediatly used it to have Strahd send Gertruda home. (Afterwards they tried to attack Strahd, and the cleric didn't survive). I'm planning on having the weeping Gertruda (attempt to) murder Mary for forcing her to return when she was finally happy.

[@aero33888]

Hi Pupper!! ❤️ 🐶

[@kryptonianguest1903]

I was an adventurer like you until I took two vampire fangs to the neck.

[@HeavyMetalHindu]

Where does it mention Gertruda's age? I couldn't find it when I ran it.

[@rolebo1]

It doesn't specify an age, it just says "teenager"

[@jbabylucus1641]

Ludmilla and Rhahadin I would write more experiences with their relationship, seems like there could be a lot more there.

[@ademiranda2]

Your dog is so cute

[@nickfrego6642]

I actually like the idea of Gertruda being a 16-year old. On one hand, it’s on theme for the module to be creepy and weird, and helps Strahd to be portrayed as a monster in more ways than one. Also, I thought of playing with her innocence a little, making her act like a princess and want to be doted on by Strahd because her mother never would. In my version, I’d think Strahd might just kinda go along with it because he figures “Eh, screw it. She’s weird, but this is a really different experience altogether.” Plus, Ludmilla might be curious to see what effects this girl has on Strahd, so she advocates for it too. Less “creepy pedophile” and more “weird adopted daughter(?)” vibe. Just an idea that I’ve juggled in my own head. What do you think?

[@LunchBreakHeroes]

It could definitely work either way. I think it’s a matter of preference. I like the image of a doe-eyes 30-year old with the mind of a naive teenager going on and on about her fairytale adventure, while sitting 30 feet from a tub of blood.

[@davidjacobs6626]

Dog won me over

[@Raven-xt2uw]

although this is a year late but big doggo but cute doggo

[@phizzhead53]

12:04 nah im making her a 14 year old people in power do this shit irl with people alot younger than 14 .... but under 12 is a bit too shocking

[@user-gi3hv4fm1u]

The game is based in medieval europe. At that time was "normal" to consider a woman an "adult" when "her first blood (period) came...that is at 12-13 yrs old. 💀💀

[@lainpilled39]

I like to genderswap a lot of NPCs in my games to create a more diverse and interesting cast. I thought of strahd as somewhat psychopathic, falling ‘in love’ with people only as they reflect aspects of himself and so he loves people who reminds him of himself. I also thought the book left it somewhat vague as to strahd’s sexuality as it says he takes both male and female vampirespawn who entertain him. As such, the three brides became his three grooms, one groom had strahd’s looks, one had his brains, and one had his love for blood. I thought it was cool because it extends strahd’s egotism to a new level and also distinguishes each character better than the brides. I also changed vallakai so the burgomaster was actually Lydia (my players would have got annoyed if every single burgomaster was male) with a ditzy and weak husband. Sometimes campaigns do get a bit tiring when all you do is rescue beautiful women from the clutches of strong powerful men. I want more female mercenaries and barbarians in my stories! Not every powerful woman needs to be physically weak, only able to be powerful in magic/witchery/poison!!! Wish it was a bit more progressive sometimes.

[@charleswilson5773]

I bought a Patreon sub and I can't seem to find Any content I am looking for

[@LunchBreakHeroes]

Message me on Patreon and I can point you in the right direction!

[@maggoli67]

SPOILER (maybe) DON'T read if playing. Okay: Any thoughts on the Belview/Morganthe connection?

[@gorillaguerillaDK]

Let me guess, the Bard guy tried to seduce Strahd?

[@RDR911]

DOG

[@LunchBreakHeroes]

CAT