I recently saw the Robert Eggers retelling of the classic vampire movie, Nosferatu.

While my opinion of the movie as a whole is complicated, I thought the execution of Count Orlok in Nosferatu was incredible. I wished I had this movie as a reference BEFORE I ran my campaign.

What I am going to do is work my way down Strahd’s abilities and stat block, using the atmosphere of Nosferatu and Bill Skarsgård’s portrayal of Count Orlok as inspiration to run your campaign!

Light spoilers for the remake of Nosferatu (2024) below.

Run Strahd like Count Orlok in Curse of Strahd

You are imposing and not afraid to interact with players.

Count Orlok is not afraid of Hutter.

Come in, sit down. Maybe even have a drink and a bite to eat. I’ll be right over in a few minutes to suck your blood.

Bring the towering persona to the players early and often; use the deep, abyssal vocals. Command people to do things.

You involve yourself in the player’s affairs and use people.

Unlike many other villains who you will not meet until the end of an adventure, Strahd can and should involve himself in player affairs from the beginning.

Pay a visit to the party in the town of Barovia. Invite them to the castle for dinner. Make dark deals with them.

Use spells and abilities to augment your command over NPCs and players alike.

How to use Strahd’s Shapechanger

While not explicitly stated in the rules, I think it would be fun to flavor the mist form for Strahd as a shadow crawling along the walls of a room.

This is an iconic flavor for Count Orlok, and the creeping shadow doesn’t have a great analog elsewise in the abilities or spells.

How to use Strahd’s “Charm”

One of the most inspiring elements of the Nosferatu movie is how the charm and sleep components are handled.

Specifically, I love how the details are left out. It is almost as if all of the action happens offscreen.

One moment, Count Orlok is in one spot, the next he is on the other side of the room, the next, it is morning and Hutter has bite marks on his neck.

Use spells like Sleep and abilities like Strahd’s Charm to create a fever dream where the player doesn’t realize what is happening. Maybe a Sleep spell goes off and the characters wake up bitten. Maybe you don’t explain every detail of what happens when charmed.

How to Strahd’s “Children of the Night”

I didn’t understand the value of “Children of the Night” until I watched Nosferatu.

Throughout the movie, Strahd is joined by creatures. His three wolves congregate around him in Castle Orlok. His rats guard his corpse in the ship and spread plague to the townsfolk.

Had I watched the movie prior to running the campaign, I would have implemented this ability more early and often with Strahd.

How to use Strahd’s Spells

Some of Strahd’s most potent spells are the divination spells like “Detect Thoughts” and “Scrying.”

Had I done it again with my knowledge of Nosferatu, I would have flavored these spells similar to the interactions between Count Orlok and Ellen Hutter.

Collect the belongings of the players. Tell them or show them that they are being watched. Make them uncomfortable.

Finally, “Sleep” is another great and thematic spell, which can be used at low levels to the players or simply to put townsfolk to sleep. Show the players they are bitten if put to sleep.

Using Strahd’s Lair Actions in Castle Ravenloft

Found on page 239 of the Curse of Strahd book, the lair actions are an oft overlooked element of Strahd’s repertoire that empower him within Castle Ravenloft.

Castle Orlok in Nosferatu is dark, cold, dusty, and decaying. Review the environment from the film and play it that way.

It is not enough that you can pass through the walls, doors, and ceilings of Castle Ravenloft linearly. Use this ability to get behind players. Use it to remove the ability for a short or long rest in the Castle.

Opening and closing doors. This is referenced directly in the movie when Hutter visits Orlok’s castle, but this can be used to get strategic benefit. Separate the players. Corner them in rooms, where the only escape is a dingy window. Open the front door and slam it behind the players.

Create a shadow. So, Orlok’s imposing shadow on the walls is already pretty badass. But now, do the same thing with your players’ shadows! How cool would it be to see your fighters shadow creeping along the wall, alongside Strahd’s shadow!