Ok Normal Tag Time - Tumblr Posts

Okay, I'm really sick, but I really like these guys so I'm not going to wait any longer to write this, and hopefully it all comes out right.

The Lunchbox Heroes have good stuff for the main Brides, and I think Escher as well. Each of them had some new statblocks, with Ludmilla being a mage of some kind, Anastrasya was a noble from Vallaki, Volenta a rogue, and Escher a bard.

I'm pretty sure this is the video where they go over the changes, and the stat blocks and stuff are on their Patreon, though (last year I think?) the full pdf of their changes to the module was made pay-what-you-want for Halloween, and there's some good stuff in it.

Their stuff is what I used as a base when I first ran the module, though I built off it as needed, and am continuing to do so as I prepare my second run of the module.

Here's the most recent version of my Brides:

Ludmilla:

Oldest of Strahd's brides, more his Chamberlain than Rahadin (who's more of an attack dog of sorts), Strahd trusts her the most.

Mage/wizard (class to be determined), but one of the last lines of defense in Castle Ravenloft

Volenta:

Second youngest of Strahd's brides, a rogue

Former resident of the Village of Barovia

Generally resides in the torture chamber of Ravenloft, but occasionally goes out to torment people at Strahd's request

Responsible for making Doru a vampire spawn, and the whole affair was rather messy (assuming the players have helped Father Donavich), hence Strahd's distaste for her.

Anastrasya:

Second oldest bride, former Vallaki noblewoman, still participates in the politics there, in case you wanted to make Vallaki even more chaotic.

Out of all the Brides, she spends the least amount of time in Ravenloft, preferring to stay close to home, where she can get information to return to Strahd.

Typically only interacts with Strahd in person when he wants something from her, be it information, someone in Vallaki killed, or something physical.

Her disconnect from the Castle makes it easier for her to interact with the party in private.

Escher:

So he's now RvR's son, rather than Erasmus, and has received the most changes out of all the Brides.

Essentially, van Richten wasn't a great father, with high standards for Escher as he was growing up and training to become a monster hunter like his father.

After his mother's death to a vampire, Escher left home for Barovia, looking to earn his father's approval by killing Strahd von Zarovich, the First Vampire.

Once arriving in Barovia, he spent some time holed up in what was originally RvR's tower, doing research and preparing to face the Count.

Vasili von Holtz begins showing up, showering Escher with praise that he never got from his father, and it eventually culminates in Escher happily becoming one of Strahd's brides.

Currently, Escher is Strahd's youngest consort, and spends all his time in Castle Ravenloft at Strahd's request. Unlike the other Brides, Escher's job is essentially to just look pretty.

Happy to be a vampire, trying to ignore the many downsides of it, or the risks and dangers of his position.

A bard, though his adventuring skills are rusty

With a little work, any of the brides, aside from Ludmilla, would help the party out a bit, if not openly turn against Strahd as much as possible. Volenta is probably going to be trapped in the catacombs next, Strahd has completely given up pretending he still romantically interested in Anastrasya, and Escher is essentially just a trophy for him, and trapped within Castle Ravenloft.

Fellow CoS DMs (and players),

I call upon ye once more, to tell me all your Brides of Strahd lore!

There's nothing in the module. I do not know how to work with this.

(I do have some stuff for past love interest Patrina Velikovna and forgotten bride Sasha Ivliskova. It's the Main Three plus Escher I'm worried about.)

Thanks in advance team. ♡

I got to participate in the Secret Strahd/Santa on the Misthoppers Discord Server! (:

I was lucky enough to draw @irishandrogyne's Caspian! A reincarnation of Alek!

This was super fun to be a part of; Irishandrogyne, I hope you like it! (: