Witchcraft, also known as Wicca or Paganism, is a religious practice that has been around for centuries. It is a diverse and decentralized belief system that honors and respects nature, the divine, and the self. Witchcraft is often misunderstood and associated with negative stereotypes due to its portrayal in popular culture and historical events such as the Salem Witch Trials. However, it is important to separate fact from fiction and to recognize that witchcraft is a valid religious practice that differs from person to person. One of the central tenets of witchcraft is the belief in magick. Magick, spelled with a "k" to differentiate it from stage magic, is seen as a natural force that can be harnessed and utilized for positive purposes.
Duke Conall will do whatever is necessary to protect his kingdom from the damage and chaos left in the curse's wake. Even if it means rescuing the bride he never wanted.
At the end of the day, the core of Curse of Strahd is about the relationship that the players develop with Strahd and the land of Barovia, not the relationship that they already have with the land of Barovia or its history, or with other outsiders who might have wandered through the mists. Hadn t watched dawn break the over the cursed, impenetrable forest of thorns that had grown high enough to eclipse the Winter Palace and wide enough to stretch for miles in all directions.
Magick, spelled with a "k" to differentiate it from stage magic, is seen as a natural force that can be harnessed and utilized for positive purposes. It is the practice of using one's will and intention to create change in the world. Spells, rituals, and divination are common practices used by witches to tap into this magickal energy.
I'm revising Curse of Strahd: Reloaded—and I need your help.
Five years ago, I started writing Curse of Strahd: Reloaded—a campaign guide to Curse of Strahd aiming to make the original adventure easier and more satisfying to run. However, as I progressed, I kept coming up with new ideas about how to deepen and link the campaign—ideas that were often not reflected in, or, even worse, actively contradicted the earliest chapters.
On top of that, I've spent the past two years mentoring new DMs through my Patreon, which has really developed my understanding of the fundamentals of DMing and adventure design. That's been a blessing, but it's also been a curse, opening my eyes to a lot of design-based mistakes that I made on the first draft of Reloaded, as well as bigger problems that the entire campaign has a whole.
This past December, I started work on a wholesale overhaul and revision of Curse of Strahd: Reloaded, which I'm affectionately calling "Re-Reloaded" as a draft codename. My goals in doing so are to:
- enhance and supplement existing content to create a more cohesive and engaging experience,
- further develop the adventure's core strengths and themes, focusing the guide on what makes Curse of Strahd great instead of adding lots of additional content,
- organize the entire module into narrative-based arcs, minimizing prep time, and
- gather all Reloaded content into one, user-friendly PDF supplement.
This process, inevitably, lead me to reconsider one of the biggest aspects of Curse of Strahd: the campaign hook.
The original Reloaded uses an original campaign hook called "Secrets of the Tarokka." In this hook, the players are summoned to Barovia by Madam Eva to seek their destinies. Along the way, they develop an antagonistic relationship with Strahd, which eventually leads them to decide to kill him.
This campaign hook had a lot of strengths—it gave the adventure a more classic "dark fantasy" vibe, allowing the players to get more personal victories along the long and arduous road to killing Strahd. More importantly, though, it scratched a lot of DMs' desires to directly tie their players' backstories into the campaign. However, I've come to realize that it has major drawbacks:
- The individual Tarokka readings provided by Secrets of the Tarokka tend to distract the players from the true story of the module, which is killing Strahd in order to save and/or escape Barovia. It's a lot harder to make the players want to leave Barovia (i.e., kill Strahd) if they have unfinished business to do in Barovia (e.g., "find my mentor" or "connect with my ancestors") that Strahd doesn't really care about.
- The narrative structure of Secrets of the Tarokka makes it really difficult for the players to care about killing Strahd at the time they get the Tarokka reading. In practice, the players' decision to seek out the artifacts usually comes down to, "Well, Madam Eva told us to, so I guess the DM wants us to kill Strahd eventually." In order for Curse of Strahd to shine and the Tarokka reading to really feel meaningful, I truly believe that, at the moment the players learn how to kill Strahd, they should already hate and fear him and want to see him dead.
- At the end of the day, the core of Curse of Strahd is about the relationship that the players develop with Strahd and the land of Barovia, not the relationship that they already have with the land of Barovia or its history, or with other outsiders who might have wandered through the mists.
Re-Reloaded removes this hook entirely. Instead, it creates a new hook in which the players are lured into Death House outside of Barovia, which then acts as a portal through the mists—upon escaping, the players find themselves in Strahd's domain. Soon after, they learn from Madam Eva that Strahd has turned his attentions to them, placing them into grave danger, and are invited to Tser Pool to have their fortunes read. This gives the players a clear reason to want to kill Strahd (escape Barovia) and a clear reason to seek out the Tarokka reading (learn how to kill Strahd).
With that said. while discussing this change with beta-readers, though, I've learned that it tends to upset more than a few people. Lots of DMs really like Secrets of the Tarokka because it gives their players an instant emotional entry point into the module, giving them personal investment and making them feel like their backstories matter.
I totally get that! To that end, in trying to adapt the new hook to these DMs' expectations, I've outlined two new aspects of the hook.
- First, each player has an internal character flaw or goal (such as "redeem myself" or "escape the shadow of my family"), which primes them to organically connect with NPCs facing similar situations in the module and so develop their own internal arcs.
- Second, each player has something important they're trying to get to at the time that they're spirited away (such as "visit my ailing father before he dies"). The idea, then, is that the players are all already invested in the idea of "escaping Barovia" at the time that they get trapped.
But I'm not entirely satisfied with that, and I suspect that other people might not be, either.
So I want to ask you:
- How important is it that player backstories play a role in the campaign's hook?
- How important is it that player backstories play a role in the overall adventure?
- If you answered "fairly" or "very" important to either of those two questions, why is it important, and what role do you feel that those backstories should play in the "ideal" Curse of Strahd campaign?
- How do you feel about the two ways in which the new Reloaded tries to involve player backstories? Do you find them satisfying, or disappointing?
Thanks in advance! Sincerely appreciate anyone who takes the time to respond.
(PS: I haven't finished revising Re-Reloaded yet, but if you'd like a sneak peek, comment below and I'll DM you the link!)
Another key aspect of witchcraft is the veneration of nature and the cycles of life. Many witches celebrate the changing seasons and honor the natural world, viewing it as sacred and divine. They may perform rituals during solstices and equinoxes, as well as connect with the elements (earth, air, fire, and water) and the spirits of plants, animals, and ancestors. Witchcraft is also a highly individualized religion, with practitioners often creating their own unique belief systems and practices. There is no centralized authority or dogma, allowing witches to follow their own path and incorporate various traditions and beliefs into their practice. In recent years, witchcraft has seen a resurgence in popularity, particularly among young people who are drawn to its emphasis on self-empowerment, environmentalism, and the deconstruction of gender norms. Many witches also seek to use their magick for social justice causes, such as fighting against injustice and oppression. Overall, witchcraft is a diverse and complex belief system that has a rich history and continues to evolve today. It is a religion that celebrates nature, embraces personal autonomy, and seeks to connect with the divine in its many forms. It is important to approach witchcraft with an open mind, free from stereotypes and preconceived notions, in order to truly understand and appreciate its spiritual significance..
Reviews for "Witchcraft and Herbalism: The Use of Medicinal Plants in Spiritual Practices"
1. John - 2 stars
I found Witchcraft Religion to be quite disappointing. The book lacked depth and seemed to be more of a superficial introduction to witchcraft rather than a comprehensive guide. The author's explanations were often vague and left me with more questions than answers. Additionally, I was hoping for a more spiritual perspective on witchcraft, but instead found the book to be focused heavily on the history and rituals associated with the practice. Overall, I would not recommend Witchcraft Religion to someone looking for a deeper understanding of witchcraft and its spiritual aspects.
2. Emily - 1 star
Witchcraft Religion was a complete letdown for me. The book was riddled with spelling and grammatical errors, which made it difficult to take it seriously. Furthermore, the information provided was scattered and lacked cohesiveness. It seemed like the author was trying to cover too many topics without going into enough detail for each one. I also found the writing style to be dry and uninspiring, which made it hard to stay engaged with the content. Overall, I would not recommend Witchcraft Religion as a reliable or well-written resource on the topic.
3. Samantha - 2 stars
I was excited to delve into Witchcraft Religion, but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The book seemed to focus more on the author's personal experiences rather than providing a comprehensive overview of witchcraft as a religion. While personal anecdotes can be valuable, they should not overshadow the core teachings and practices of a religious belief system. Additionally, I found the writing to be repetitive and lacking in structure. It felt like the content was thrown together without much thought or organization. Overall, Witchcraft Religion left me feeling underwhelmed and seeking a more informative and well-structured resource on witchcraft.