I’m running CoS for the second time with a group of players new to the game. I decided to take inspiration from Bram Stoker’s Dracula and have The Count himself roll up in his carriage to offer the players a ride to the village of Barovia. He introduced himself as Sergei, the coachman. While the party was suspicious at first, they began to chat during the ride. Strahd played the gracious and humble carriage driver perfectly, asking the characters about their homeland and telling them about the great and powerful ruler of this land. When they asked him where he was from, he got a thousand yard stare and lamented how much he missed his homeland and his family. The party actually began to feel sorry for him. Eventually he dropped the party off at the village and went along to the castle. When they met with Ismark and described their encounter, he paled and revealed to them that they had been in the company of the Devil Strahd the entire time. This was the first time I’ve had a player audibly gasp at my table, and it tickled me pink. Anyway, just wanted to share this. Anyone else have moments they were really proud of while running the game?