I, Strahd: Annotated

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I, Strahd: Annotated

Post by Ender »

I have an idea for a crowd-sourced community project, which I think could be fun! But first, some context.

There exists a tabletop roleplaying game known as Night's Black Agents, which is a vampire-centric spy thriller using the GUMSHOE system. It's a really cool game. Perhaps its crowning achievement is the Dracula Dossier, a massively open-ended campaign in which the ultimate goal is to learn all about the very real Dracula and destroy him. To do so, the players acquire a copy of Dracula: Unredacted which is a copy of Bram Stoker's Dracula that has been annotated by multiple individuals over the years to reveal the fact behind the fiction. The Director's Handbook takes each annotation and fleshes it out for the campaign. The Dracula Dossier is a huge Dracula sandbox with multitudes of leads and interesting information.

Now that you know that, let me return to my idea. I'd love to do something like this with Strahd. Curse of Strahd is the latest in the line of modules that is focused on a bit of Barovian exploration and ultimately with confronting Strahd. It's the iconic and quintessential Ravenloft adventure... but I think it's fraught with missed opportunities. One of the card readings is meant to point you in the direction of the Tome of Strahd, which gives the party Strahd's history, but that is done by giving them all of a one-page excerpt. This is... fine, adequate, but nothing special. There's one real good source for Strahd's history, though, and that's I, Strahd.

So what I'd like to do is take I, Strahd and strip away the framing device (the prologue and epilogue), leaving only Strahd's words. Then, treat it like Dracula: Unredacted, by annotating it with remarks from readers whose hands it passed through. In this way, it's similar to Azalin's comments in the Gazetteers. Who might have acquired the copy of the book and made notes within? I'd suggest Van Richten and Azalin at the very least. Perhaps the Weathermay Twins as a way of adding to / correcting Van Richten's notes and hinting at Van Richten's appearance in Barovia. There are many others that could be potential additions to the list. The annotations don't have to directly tie to something in Curse of Strahd, specifically, though I am thinking of doing this as one piece of a larger pet project that better fleshes out and redesigns Curse of Strahd.

I suppose then, what I'm asking is this: would anyone be interested in contributing to a project like this, combing through the I, Strahd text and annotating it?
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Re: I, Strahd: Annotated

Post by Dark Angel »

It is a cool idea, I could see Azalin's 'corrections' including bits and pieces he picked up from either Strahd himself back in the day or texts from Castle Ravenloft or even conversations from spirits within Barovia. Having then moved from Darkon to Mordent (more or less) and then fall into the hands of the Twins, they go through and add additional notes from their perspectives. Tactical weaknesses or analysis of possible vulnerabilities (like a psych profile) would be interesting. Very cool idea. Now cue my 'realistic' points

My concerns are annotations are great, but copyrighted material (which is like 98% of this project) would be an issue (and a lot of work) to put on this forum. My suggestion would be to place the direct annotations within this thread (maybe, ultimately being turned over to the Dark Powers that be for a Quoth article) and the matching page(s) the comments would be placed upon. A hardcover copy of the book goes for about $10-11 on Amazon right now and the paperback goes for a bit more right now. If one were so inclined, they could pulled the binding apart, take off the covers, find some faux leather and 'rebind' a copy with some strong adhesives into the new copy of the tome. It would be a project and a hell of a prop, but very cool. If one has multiple copies already, they would be better set in that regard. The final prop would be better done if one could emulate Azalin's script and a more flowing script of the Twins (I believe Gennifer tends to make the notes in the new guides anyways) with their initials following to clearly differentiate the source from the King of Darkon.
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Re: I, Strahd: Annotated

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Dark Angel wrote:My concerns are annotations are great, but copyrighted material (which is like 98% of this project) would be an issue (and a lot of work) to put on this forum. My suggestion would be to place the direct annotations within this thread (maybe, ultimately being turned over to the Dark Powers that be for a Quoth article) and the matching page(s) the comments would be placed upon.
I 100% agree. I suspect that differing publications might result in varying page/line combinations. Were this to truly become a collaborative effort, it might require choosing a specific edition, or at least making sure we can determine where an annotation should be placed without including the copyrighted text.
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Re: I, Strahd: Annotated

Post by Five »

Big fan of Night's Black Agents and the concept behind The Dracula Dossier. I haven't switched to hard copy yet but that's soon enough (I got other hard copy priorities right now so pdf will have to do).

Anyway, I like this idea to "do" Strahd. Not sure if I have the time to properly commit to such a project, but I'll throw my change on the table if nobody minds.

And speaking of which, few things comes to mind.

Love the generational aspect from (wouldbe) hunters point of view. Not sure if I'd spend too much annotation time from major RL NPCs (there's almost too much focus on such a small cast already IMO), yet I'd certainly "namedrop" them in a vague, coded sort of way. "I must get this information to the doctor!". Leave it to the audience's imagination make the connection. Maybe the DM (reader) can create their own major NPC from these loose hints..?

Use Kargat agent(s) instead of Azalin. Keep a cold war feel to the text. The simmering war between Azalin and Strahd should be a loose focal point, IMO. Or, one of the many threads of annotation. Plus, a vampire (or undead) reconnoitering another vampire (undead) would be a cool POV! A few cryptic notes from a not so obvious Azalin would be a neat touch, but too much and it's a sort of re-tread. Besides, if Azalin wrote notes about his nemesis then what are the odds that they got stolen/misplaced? Maybe a lesser thread "detailing" the theft (or as a refetence point) could work all the same...

I'll post more ideas later if you're interested. Work calls.
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Re: I, Strahd: Annotated

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Five wrote:Anyway, I like this idea to "do" Strahd. Not sure if I have the time to properly commit to such a project, but I'll throw my change on the table if nobody minds.
I don't know that this project requires any particular level of commitment. It's something I'd be doing anyway, but I figured contributions from a larger Ravenloft community would be beneficial. So if/when anyone has the time to just drop an annotation into the mix for review, I say go for it!
Five wrote:Love the generational aspect from (wouldbe) hunters point of view. Not sure if I'd spend too much annotation time from major RL NPCs (there's almost too much focus on such a small cast already IMO), yet I'd certainly "namedrop" them in a vague, coded sort of way. "I must get this information to the doctor!". Leave it to the audience's imagination make the connection. Maybe the DM (reader) can create their own major NPC from these loose hints..?

Use Kargat agent(s) instead of Azalin. Keep a cold war feel to the text. The simmering war between Azalin and Strahd should be a loose focal point, IMO. Or, one of the many threads of annotation. Plus, a vampire (or undead) reconnoitering another vampire (undead) would be a cool POV! A few cryptic notes from a not so obvious Azalin would be a neat touch, but too much and it's a sort of re-tread.
That's an interesting point. I'm preferential to using known NPCs in order to more directly tie the novel to potential important plot hooks (assuming it ties to an I6-based module), but I also like the idea of somewhat more amateur hunters/scholars stumbling across it. The White Wolf run of Ravenloft books introduced a couple new characters to the small cast. While the Gazetteers focused on S and Azalin, The VR Guides added The Weathermay Twins, but also a veritable treasure trove of correspondences they kept for research. Perhaps using NPCs in that manner might work: The Van Richten Society as a loose network may have been annotating the book?
Five wrote:Besides, if Azalin wrote notes about his nemesis then what are the odds that they got stolen/misplaced? Maybe a lesser thread "detailing" the theft (or as a refetence point) could work all the same...
To that I ask: well how did Strahd lose it in the first place? The question of why it's out there might be a mystery in its own right. How much of Strahd's text is factual? Are the annotations accurate? Did Azalin make notes, then release it back in to the wild knowing some errant adventurers would try to take out Strahd? Did Strahd try to steal it back at some point and it was lost in the Mists?
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Re: I, Strahd: Annotated

Post by Five »

Ender wrote:
Five wrote:Besides, if Azalin wrote notes about his nemesis then what are the odds that they got stolen/misplaced? Maybe a lesser thread "detailing" the theft (or as a refetence point) could work all the same...
To that I ask: well how did Strahd lose it in the first place? The question of why it's out there might be a mystery in its own right. How much of Strahd's text is factual? Are the annotations accurate? Did Azalin make notes, then release it back in to the wild knowing some errant adventurers would try to take out Strahd? Did Strahd try to steal it back at some point and it was lost in the Mists?
Interesting, that about Azalin intentionally 'educating" the masses...

amateur hunters/scholars stumbling across it. The White Wolf run of Ravenloft books introduced a couple new characters to the small cast. While the Gazetteers focused on S and Azalin, The VR Guides added The Weathermay Twins, but also a veritable treasure trove of correspondences they kept for research. Perhaps using NPCs in that manner might work: The Van Richten Society as a loose network may have been annotating the book?
Another possibility (as a prescursor):

In every timeline, listed under the year 528, is the note "Powerful heroes assault Castle Ravenloft and perish". Did they all perish? Or is it a fabrication by scholars to protect someone, persons, or thing? The greatest heist in the history of the world, but one that can never be spoken aloud. All guts, no gold or glory...etc, etc

A master thief who actually got through Castle Ravenloft without Strahd even knowing it (!). But one who carried guilt to their grave, with the blood of sacrificial "friends" staining their very soul. A master plan to keep the book in circulation as a sort of last ditch attempt at redemption.

The Society continues the cause (an extremely deadly game of hot potato!) through subterfuge in an attempt at education by candlelight (generational recruitment of monster hunters)..Azalin (through his agent or agents) intercepts it...and continues the cause (shared goal with no cost of undue thought or resources other than tracking/demasking the Society) by putting the thing back into circulation...!

Note, the Red Box says that 528's events refers to the module House of Strahd, so if you wanted to go with that then it's easy enough to include a sub plot for those wanting to role play the events in question: one of the PCs is the master thief with ulterior motives! The group gets separated at some point (Technique of Terror: Isolation) and the heist happens (hopefully) while the others are confronted by Strahd. Maybe even as a flashback session with the players role playing these bygone NPCs...just to guarantee results (the massacre and the theft). Increase the thief's level (much higher than the others) if you think it'd help stack the rolls and maintain some chance element to the session...;)
"A very piteous thing it was to see such a quantity of dead bodies, and such an outpouring of blood - that is, if they had not been enemies of the Christian faith."

- Jean Pierre Sarrasin, "The Memoirs of the Lord of Joinville"
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Re: I, Strahd: Annotated

Post by Five »

As to the unspoken question "how can The Van Richten Society exist before Rudolph van Richten was born?", that's a minor technicality.

Perhaps there was a society of monster hunters before the good doctor took up arms to combat the Darkness. Maybe he was a member, maybe he knew nothing about them (such was his single-mindedness/methodology in his dedication to the understanding and destruction of the forces of Evil).

The VRS could very well be intentionally created from the blueprints of this older goup, or it could be an unintentional "offshoot".

What happened to the older hands (society)? Did the Kargat eventually hunt them down to extinction and remove all trace of them from history (save Strahd's memoirs/the annotations)? Were they scared into hiding, only to (gingerly) step once again into the Light due to inspiration by the mammothly-heroic actions/legacy of van Richten (and subsequent tragedy of his disappearance)? Do these last remaining (senior) members carry shame for their inaction? Are they aspiring mentors for this new age of heroes? Surely they must have a library of knowledge to add to the war..? Or is their sole purpose to keep Strahd's memoirs (the sober "Truth" of this world; Barovia in the least) out of the hands of Evil (Strahd) and in the hands/minds of the truly exceptional?

Don't mind me. I'm just emptying my pockets here. Imagination grease...;) haha
"A very piteous thing it was to see such a quantity of dead bodies, and such an outpouring of blood - that is, if they had not been enemies of the Christian faith."

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Re: I, Strahd: Annotated

Post by Five »

Dark Angel wrote:A hardcover copy of the book goes for about $10-11 on Amazon right now and the paperback goes for a bit more right now. If one were so inclined, they could pulled the binding apart, take off the covers, find some faux leather and 'rebind' a copy with some strong adhesives into the new copy of the tome. It would be a project and a hell of a prop, but very cool. If one has multiple copies already, they would be better set in that regard. The final prop would be better done if one could emulate Azalin's script and a more flowing script of the Twins (I believe Gennifer tends to make the notes in the new guides anyways) with their initials following to clearly differentiate the source from the King of Darkon.
Interesting.

How about this: one hc copy is bought (I have my eye on one already, but will spring the second if it'll help the cause), and is shipped around for actual annotation. Idea being one person writes for each character/thread...just for handwriting "continuity".

Downside is that the text of the book itself is typed, so it's authenticity (as a prop) is more on the far-fetched side of things..as well as pretty much zero room for error..

Maybe it's not such a good idea. Nevermind
"A very piteous thing it was to see such a quantity of dead bodies, and such an outpouring of blood - that is, if they had not been enemies of the Christian faith."

- Jean Pierre Sarrasin, "The Memoirs of the Lord of Joinville"
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Re: I, Strahd: Annotated

Post by Ender »

Five wrote:
Dark Angel wrote:A hardcover copy of the book goes for about $10-11 on Amazon right now and the paperback goes for a bit more right now. If one were so inclined, they could pulled the binding apart, take off the covers, find some faux leather and 'rebind' a copy with some strong adhesives into the new copy of the tome. It would be a project and a hell of a prop, but very cool. If one has multiple copies already, they would be better set in that regard. The final prop would be better done if one could emulate Azalin's script and a more flowing script of the Twins (I believe Gennifer tends to make the notes in the new guides anyways) with their initials following to clearly differentiate the source from the King of Darkon.
Interesting.

How about this: one hc copy is bought (I have my eye on one already, but will spring the second if it'll help the cause), and is shipped around for actual annotation. Idea being one person writes for each character/thread...just for handwriting "continuity".

Downside is that the text of the book itself is typed, so it's authenticity (as a prop) is more on the far-fetched side of things..as well as pretty much zero room for error..

Maybe it's not such a good idea. Nevermind
Annotating an actual copy of the book might be a nice end product goal, but I'd definitely be compiling the annotations in one place for my own benefit, initially. I have a Kindle ebook copy in which notes can be taken.
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Re: I, Strahd: Annotated

Post by Five »

Ender wrote:Annotating an actual copy of the book might be a nice end product goal, but I'd definitely be compiling the annotations in one place for my own benefit, initially. I have a Kindle ebook copy in which notes can be taken.
I assumed as much. Naturally the book would end up in your hands (this IS your idea after all). I just thought it'd be a cool mimic, or, blend/parallel of fiction and non-fiction. The various "authors", the travel mileage of the book (and the inevitable abuse of the various postal services, which will give it a nice visual aside from the condition of the second-hand book itself haha)...things that your players may not know to initially appreciate but a cool little backstory to the project all the same.

As with it all, it's just an idea put to print. It's your sandbox. I'm just throwing stuff out in an attempt to help it along (for the simple reason that I think it's a great idea).
"A very piteous thing it was to see such a quantity of dead bodies, and such an outpouring of blood - that is, if they had not been enemies of the Christian faith."

- Jean Pierre Sarrasin, "The Memoirs of the Lord of Joinville"
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