diversion) and replaced with a duplicate with Nystul's magic aura (do not spend two weeks investigating Strahd before moving in). The Paladin who had his Holy Avenger secretly stolen during a midnight camp encounter (i.e. The Magic-User who died by his own lightning bolt because Strahd goaded him into using it between two stone walls (1E lightning bolt bounced and vampires were resistant or immune to lightning). The Thief-Acrobat who died by falling damage because he tried to grapple Strahd at the edge of the overlook. Players repeated threw down the gauntlet to see if they could beat I6.
I'm not normally a killer GM (I have only a handful of non-Ravenloft PC deaths over 35 years), but I always ran Strahd as ruthless, crafty, and resourceful.
