Strahd von Zarovich is undoubtedly one of the most famous characters to ever emerge from Dungeons & Dragons, the iconic tabletop roleplaying game from Wizards of the Coast.
Strahd was introduced alongside Ravenloft, a gothic module for Dungeons & Dragons that debuted in 1983. Since the release of the original Ravenloft, the setting has been featured in several follow-up modules, video games, novels and more.
The 2016 adventure module, Curse of Strahd, remains one of the most popular adventures ever released for Dungeons & Dragons. The runaway success only heightened the legacy of Strahd within Dungeons & Dragons, giving him a status in the community that few non-player characters can boast.
Chris Perkins—former head designer of Dungeons & Dragons—recently weighed in on the legacy of Strahd during an interview with Wargamer.
Dungeons & Dragons, Forever Intertwined With Strahd Von Zarovich
“Vampires are an easy sell for people, because we can relate to them as human beings,” Perkins explained. “We can see something of ourselves in these monsters that were human but have descended and basically become the embodiment of hell in the mortal world.”
Gothic horror remains a popular muse for creatives, and vampires are a staple of the genre, dating back to Bram Stoker and Dracula. Perkins, one of the authors of Curse of Strahd, credits the original Ravenloft writers and Stoker with creating the ambience that allowed Strahd to shine in the 2016 module.
“Here you have this tragic figure who literally cannot see himself in a mirror. He can’t see himself, so he keeps making the same mistakes, because he doesn’t know who he is. There’s a psychological turmoil that broils within him and exudes from him,” Perkins continues, analysing Strahd. “He’s a stand-in for every abusive, power-driven human desire. He’s possessive, obsessive, and he embodies all the worst traits of humanity – so he’s relatable.”
Curse of Strahd is so popular precisely because it’s entirely driven by the depravity of one character, a singular focus that unifies the entire setting and unifies everything in the module.
“Strahd is entwined with D&D forever at this point,” Perkins proclaims. “Because it’s so resonant, I think there’s certainly an appetite for more. I don’t know if it would be a refresh of the original, a sequel, or something parallel. Because we need to be very careful with the 2024 rulebooks, you don’t really need a new Curse of Strahd for compatibility reasons, but you could certainly do it. Any business after 10 years would look at it and say there’s probably room for a revision.”
Ravenloft is indeed returning this year, with a new sourcebook, Ravenloft: The Horrors Within, releasing during the tabletop game’s Season of Horror, which runs from April to June. There has been some criticism from fans who believe the sourcebook is unnecessary and would rather have a new adventure module.
Chris Perkins now works at Darrington Press, the tabletop company founded by Critical Role, as a creative director.
- Original Release Date
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1974
- Player Count
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2+
- Age Recommendation
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12+ (though younger can play and enjoy)
- Length per Game
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From 60 minutes to hours on end.
