Curse of Strahd: A Beginner-Friendly Horror Play-by-Post

Curse of Strahd: A Beginner-Friendly Horror Play-by-Post

The mists of Ravenloft are ready to claim more in the name of their lord. Can you survive the Curse of Strahd in this PBP?

TYPE

Campaign

EXPERIENCE

Open to all

AGE

18+
1 SEAT LEFT
$10.00

/ Session

Details

Weekly / Tuesday – 11:00 AM UTC

Jul 29 / Session 38

1 Hour Duration

4 / 5 Seats Filled

Schedule

Tue, Jul 29 | 11:00 AM – Session 38

This game will begin once 3 players have joined

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About the adventure

Step into the gothic world of Barovia, where darkness reigns under the shadow of Strahd von Zarovich, an ancient vampire lord. In this Play-by-Post campaign, you'll navigate a land steeped in mystery and terror, facing deadly monsters, moral dilemmas, and the relentless grip of fear. This immersive, text-based experience allows you to engage with the story at your own pace, with daily posts driving the narrative forward and encouraging in-depth roleplay. The game emphasizes strong character development and decision-making as the story unfolds, with your choices shaping the course of the adventure. You'll explore haunted forests, grim villages, and the decrepit halls of Castle Ravenloft, all while unraveling the dark secrets that bind Barovia. Designed for those who enjoy flexibility, Play-by-Post offers the freedom to participate on your own schedule. Craft thoughtful responses, engage in rich character interactions, and experience the story without the need for scheduled sessions. As your Dungeon Master, I'll guide the narrative with consistent updates, keeping the game moving and the tension high. Starting at level 3, you'll journey through one of D&D's most iconic adventures, progressing based on narrative milestones over the course of several months. If you’re ready for a gothic horror experience full of challenging encounters and deep roleplaying, this Curse of Strahd Play-by-Post campaign is the perfect opportunity.

Meet the Game Master

5.0

(12)

Neurodivergent

2 years on StartPlaying

152 games hosted

Highly rated for: Creativity, Storytelling, Teacher

Average response time: Under 1 hour

Response rate: 100%

About me

An eager and Excited Game master that loves introducing people to the different games that he loves. Will always do my best to be a person that is able to help new players learn a game system, and veterans to feel like they are playing with some who knows what they are doing! Let’s all have a great time together!

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Character creation

Creating your character

As we prepare to step into the mist-shrouded world of Barovia, here are the guidelines to help you create a character who will thrive in this intense and immersive campaign. While the adventure will bring you into a gothic horror setting, your character does not need to originate from that world. Instead, focus on creating someone who can transition into Barovia's dark and eerie environment while still having a personal motivation for adventuring. Starting Level Your character will begin at Level 3, allowing us to bypass the traditional opening that starts at level 1. This lets you explore deeper abilities from the start and jump right into the thick of the adventure. Character Origin Characters do not start in Barovia but will eventually end up there. This means your character’s background can reflect any setting typical of the D&D universe. However, they should be adaptable to gothic horror, even if they are not explicitly prepared for it at the start. Character Theme No Joke Characters: While humor and light moments can certainly occur, this is a campaign designed to explore serious themes with depth. Characters should have meaningful motivations, personal goals, and the potential for growth. Please avoid creating characters that would break the tone or atmosphere of the story. Fun, Adventuring Spirits: Your character can be fun-loving, carefree, or even a little quirky, but they should have room to evolve as the story unfolds. They will face challenging decisions, dark encounters, and opportunities for moral and emotional development. Backstory and Motivation While your character doesn’t need a tragic backstory, they should have a reason for adventuring that ties them into the larger narrative. Whether they seek glory, knowledge, revenge, or redemption, their motivations should help them find a place in the unfolding horror of Barovia. Keep in mind that Barovia is a land where personal struggles will be magnified by the oppressive atmosphere. Craft a character whose personal journey can be tested and pushed forward by these challenges. Class and Race All official D&D classes and races are allowed, with no restrictions on subclasses. However, consider how your character’s abilities will manifest in a setting that transitions from a typical fantasy world to a place of dread and despair. Think about how your character’s class abilities might aid or hinder them in a horror setting. How might a bard, cleric, or rogue handle the oppressive nature of Barovia? This isn’t to restrict your choices, but to help you think creatively about their role. Personality and Alignment Alignment is a flexible tool in this campaign. You are free to choose any alignment that fits your character’s personality, but avoid evil characters. Be prepared to see how Barovia will test your character’s morals, values, and beliefs. The land is designed to challenge even the most steadfast heroes.

The current party

Come and join our active Curse of Strahd PbP! One of our members had to drop out due to changes in personal schedule, so we would love to have anyone interested be able to join! New players will join the current group at Level 6!

What to expect

Preparing for the session

Please make sure that you have a D&D Beyond account, as well as a discord account. Once approved I will be providing you with links to both the campaign and the discord server. To ensure that you have read these instructions clearly, and to the end, please place the phrase "picklejuice" somewhere in your application note. Anyone who does not place that into the introduction will not be considered for the game.

What Andrew G. brings to the table

I'm so excited to be playing through this classic campaign with all of you, and I'm really looking forward to helping you, through your characters, create a memorable story with which you will be talking about for years to come. In terms of what I will be bringing to the table: - D&D Beyond integration with a large portion of characters, classes, subclasses, races, and other important things unlocked. - Maps and tokens provided by the New D&D Beyond Maps, as well as official artwork from Wizard's of the Coast and their partners. - A dedicated Discord server for the campaign. This will be where all the action takes place, with a campaign chat, OOC chat, Rolls; as well as tabs for art, memes, and individual journal tabs for each player to be able to keep track of individual notes or to have one-on-one conversations with the DM(me) in game. - My experience from DM'ing for over several years, across a plethora of different campaigns and game settings; from Hoard of the Dragon Queen, Curse of Strahd, Several adventures from The Compendium Collections, as well as two of my own homebrew campaigns set in a world of my own creation. - A desire to always be attempting to learn more, or become better at what I do, and I can only do that through you!

Equipment needed to play

Computer

Internet

Safety

How Andrew G. creates a safe table

Before we delve into the dark and twisted world of Curse of Strahd, we'll have a Session 0 PowerPoint to set the tone and align on important safety guidelines. This will serve as a visual guide to cover essential topics and ensure everyone has a clear understanding of the game structure and expectations. The PowerPoint will cover: * Campaign Overview: A high-level summary of the world of Barovia and what to expect in terms of gameplay and narrative. * Character Creation: Guidelines for character building, including class options, starting levels, and how your characters fit into the grim setting. * Game Mechanics: How the Play-by-Post format will work, including posting frequency, roleplaying focus, and combat. * Lines and Veils: We'll discuss lines (hard boundaries that will not be crossed) and veils (content that can be present but will be handled off-screen or subtly) to ensure the horror elements remain engaging but not distressing. This game will explore dark themes, but we'll work together to identify topics that players may want to avoid or limit. Everyone will have the opportunity to voice their preferences, either openly or privately, to create a comfortable and respectful environment. Lines and Veils are essential for horror games like Curse of Strahd, where dark and mature themes are central to the story. These tools help balance the intensity of the narrative while ensuring no player feels uncomfortable or unsafe. We'll take the time to establish clear boundaries, which will be respected throughout the campaign. The Session 0 PowerPoint will also cover logistical details like pacing, how to approach character interactions, and the general tone of the campaign, setting the stage for a collaborative, respectful, and thrilling experience.

Content warnings

Safety tools used

Frequently asked questions