Curse of Strahd: The Cool Version (Thursdays @ 7pm EST)
Dungeons & Dragons 5e | Campaign
$30.00
/ Session
Details
Weekly / Friday - 12:00 AM (UTC)
3-3.5 Hour duration
0 / 6 Seats filled
Requirements
Experience required: Beginner
Age: 18+
About the adventure
"Mists have mysteriously appeared... and a small number of adventurers have each become lost within them. They emerge to find themselves trapped together in the dreary, gray mountain valley of Barovia... with no clear way back home. Worst of all, something about Barovia feels... wrong. The mostly human populace appear listless and crestfallen, or worse - unhinged and violent; darkness blankets every corner of the valley, its deep shadows hiding evils long forgotten; nightmares plague those that hope for restful slumber; and overlooking this awful land is a dark, imposing castle said to be home to "the devil". Can these adventurers brave the terrors of this hostile domain and find some means of escape? Or will they succumb to the many horrors that exist within?" Hello, friends! My name is Cool Boy Shane! โ๐ I'm an artist, music producer, long-time nerd, and I specialize in running ๐ฆCurse of Strahd๐งโโ๏ธ! Curse of Strahd is the beloved retelling of "Ravenloft", the classic gothic-horror adventure module from AD&D, adapted for 5th edition and expanded into a full campaign! I've played and DMed it numerous times, and I've loved it every time. This adventure inspired me to get into animation and music, and to tell the story of my first time playing it on Youtube. Since then, I've dived headlong into the setting of Ravenloft, reading and studying the original material from older editions for personal enjoyment. After much trial and error, I've ironed out many of the mechanical and story wrinkles from the original book. I've also incorporated more material that helps enrich the world of Barovia for players, both from the older books and from the experiences of myself and other DMs. To clarify - this adventure is what's in the 5e book AND MORE! The complete experience! It's only missing one thing... a motley crew of one-of-a-kind protagonists to star in this story! What to Expect: ใฐ ๐ฅ 4 - 6 players ใฐ ๐ช Level 2 to 10 ใฐ โฑ 3 hour sessions ใฐ ๐ Session 0 is only $10 ใฐ ๐ฒ Roll20 and ๐ฎ Discord (microphone required, camera optional) ใฐ ๐จโ๐จ I will HAND-DRAW your character tokens! ใฐ ๐จ High quality custom art assets! ใฐ ๐ถ MUSIC sets the mood during game! ใฐ ๐ฃ Story/Roleplay Focused ใฐ โ Lethal Encounters ใฐ ๐ Mature Themes (CW: consent, abuse, violence towards minors and animals, unfair treatment of minorities)
We use a version of D&D 5e that is modified from the 2014 rules called "Cool 5e"! Most of the basic rules are the same, but there are a few notable changes, and many classes, feats, and spells have been changed. Cool 5e means to make the game more fun, interesting, and balanced - so please look over these documents before joining! Once you've had a look, if you're interested in playing, simply join the game and I'll reach out to you when I can! Cool 5e: Player's Guide https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_MiZP4_HnXMORQtr9b7_GpZ9BBKXVHjKA-5nZxRvla0/edit?usp=drive_link Cool 5e: Spells & Feats https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uj7FOxOJWyKt1UYcoZU32bdw7ShCgNQxRD6HPS2Sf88/edit?usp=drive_link Cool 5e: Gear & Crafting (still working on it!)
5.0
(8)
2 years on StartPlaying
126 games hosted
Highly rated for: Sets the Mood, Visual Aid, Voices
Additional details
How to prepare
~ NEED ~ ๐ฅ Computer with internet access ๐ค Working microphone ๐ฎ Discord account ๐ฒ Roll20 account ๐งพ Fill out Consent Sheet and return to me ~ HELPFUL ~ ๐น Webcam (optional, but I think it can add a lot to roleplay) ๐ Reviewing my house rules and homebrew options ๐ก Character design and/or backstory ideas ๐ Trust in me! Strahd is scary, but Shane comes in peace! โ
What I provide
๐จโ๐จ HAND-DRAWN character tokens! (tokens will be made after your 2nd session with me) ๐บ High-quality regional and battle maps! Some with dynamic lighting! ๐ Item and Lore handouts within Roll20! ๐จ A plethora of hand-drawn NPCs! (these seriously took me months to make) ๐ถ Curated playlists of music that play during our sessions! (plays in browser tab, volume adjustable) ๐ PHB, XGtE, and TCoE digital books available on Roll20! ๐ Expectations, house rules, and homebrew options made available as Google Docs! ๐คฉ The excitement of DMing my favorite published D&D adventure for you!
Gameplay details
When you join this game, you'll get access to a google drive link with the following documents: ๐งพ Consent Checklist (Please fill out the checklist first, and send it back to me.) ๐ญ Game Expectations ๐ Rules ๐งโโ๏ธ Character Creation ๐ฅ Spells ๐น Weapons ๐ง Crafting Session 0 is only $10 instead of full-price, and we go over these documents together. This game is LGBTQIA+, PoC, Disabled, and Neuro-Divergent FRIENDLY! If there are any conflicts with your checklist and this game's expectations, we can discuss whether or not continuing is advisable. Afterwards, we'll use the rest of Session 0 to discuss character creation and backstories more in-depth, and have them made in Roll20. One-on-one calls can be had to better define your backstory details and fill out character mechanics. Sessions will go for 3 hours (give or take 30 minutes). There will usually be at least one 5-10 minute break, typically after the first hour or two. I have an Open Door policy as well, in case someone needs to take their own break at any time. If this adventure affects your emotional state outside of the game, and you wish to talk about it after the session ends, I have provided a group chat on Discord for that purpose, and my DMs are always open. While this may be a horror game and thus will have its share of frightening and intense moments, at the end of the day I want you to be having fun and looking forward to each new session - not dreading them (that's for your character, not you!) โฐ Please prioritize our sessions when scheduling, and let me know as soon as you can if you are running late, or unable to make it to a session altogether. ๐จ I draw character tokens for players some time after the second session! So stick with the game and you'll have art of your character that matches the aesthetic of the world! ๐ถ I use RPGsounds to play music live during our games. I find it enhances the experience, and you can adjust the volume to your liking!
Content warnings
Safety tools used
โข Bleed
โข Breaks
โข Monte Cook RPG Consent Checklist
โข Open Door
โข Session 0
How will character creation work
Please wait to create your character until AFTER you gain access to the full "Character Creation" document! There are some specific limitations, reworks, and new material! ๐Key Points: - Point Buy (with a twist)! - Bonus proficiencies based on Intelligence score! - 1 Common Magic Item OR 1 Advanced Weapon (eligible item lists provided)! - 1 free feat at 1st level (that isn't "Lucky")! - Characters start at 2nd level! - New and reworked lineages, classes, subclasses, spells, and feats to choose from! - Characters MUST be made and updated in Roll20! Please read the full document for more details! ๐ซNot Allowed: - Murder-hobos, lone wolves, and "joke" characters (These playstyles are overtly disruptive and undermine the experience for others.) - Multiclassing into or out of Hexblade or Twilight/Peace Cleric (Twilight and Peace domains are too powerful as multiclasses, and I don't wish to roleplay 6 sentient weapons across my different games.) - Artificers (Curse of Strahd is not designed to accommodate this class.) - Critical Role content (Classes, subclasses, spells - most are setting-specific, and almost none of them are balanced well.) - Unearthed Arcana (Or any play-test/homebrew material I haven't reviewed first, for that matter.)
Players can expect
Combat / Tactics
Medium
Roleplay
High
Puzzles
Low
Experience level
Beginner
Platforms used
โข Discord
โข Roll20
โข Theater of the Mind