Curse of Strahd: D&D 5e [Play-by-Post] [PbP]

Dungeons & Dragons 5e | Campaign

About the adventure

Explore the wild and cursed land of Barovia, unraveling the story of Strahd von Zarovich and striving to release his strangling hold on all of realm. The realm is languishing, crying out for salvation! Will you be able to save it? "Curse of Strahd" is widely considered one of the greatest 5e has to offer. Note that this is a dark adventure, full of gothic horror. — Curse of Strahd official description: Under raging storm clouds, the vampire Count Strahd von Zarovich stands silhouetted against the ancient walls of Castle Ravenloft. Rumbling thunder pounds the castle spires. The wind’s howling increases as he turns his gaze down toward the village of Barovia. A lightning flash rips through the darkness, but Strahd is gone. Only the howling of the wind fills the midnight air. The master of Castle Ravenloft is having guests for dinner—and you are invited. — [Play-by-Post] Do you want to join a campaign but your availability prevents you from committing regularly? Does engaging at your own pace throughout the week without the pressure of the moment and with access to live chats with your Dungeon Master sound appealing? Well you're in the right place! The Play-by-Post (PbP) format is nearly as old as D&D and is a rewarding way to engage in this fantastic pastime. While it is true that the comradery of the kitchen table is lost in PbP, you gain the ability to plan without pressure, to refine your roleplay, to research your actions. And many see Play-by-Post as more immersive than live games, that the Theater-of-the-Mind is more easily engaged without the distractions of half-decent accents, the bell of midnight quickly approaching, and the smell of aging nachos. *Note: This adventure is Play-by-Post and will be conducted throughout the week at your pace. While live check-ins with me are available, the lion's share of the adventure will be conducted in Discord channels where we will also store concept art, maps, a compendium of magic items, a room for chit chat, and more. Please send me a message if you'd like to know more.

Game style

Play By Post

Play By Post refers to a game in which players interact with the story through messages and text posts. These games are typically played asynchronously throughout the week, which gives players time to consider what they want to do next, and engage with the story at their own pace.

Roleplay Heavy

“Roleplay Heavy” games place the focus on the story, the characters, and the world they live within, and tend to lean hard into the various roleplaying elements of the game. These games will frequently find the party talking with NPCs, exploring the personal elements of their backstories, or even having emotional moments around the camp fire.

GM Grant (he/him)

5.0

(53)

Teacher/Educator

2 years on StartPlaying

523 games hosted

Highly rated for: Creativity, Storytelling, Knows the Rules

Average response time: 24+ hours

Response rate: 100%

Additional details

How to prepare

You'll need a computer, laptop, or phone, of course. You'll also need an account with Discord. Maps will be shared by me through Owlbear Rodeo. Come with a rough idea of what you want to play but be flexible. If you're a beginner, let me know and we can work on this together! We'll use D&D Beyond for characters and the Discord bot Avrae rolling but you'll need to take your own notes.

What I provide

I'll provide a campaign link for D&D Beyond where I will share all character options from every publication (purchased by me). We'll run in Discord where I will house all character art, maps, notes, NPC info, etc. I'll run maps on use concept art for most exploration and roleplay.

Gameplay details

Players should expect room to stretch their roleplaying skills, faced-paced combat, and a Rules-as-Intended approach: "The rules serve you, not vice versa" (5e DMG 235). I know the rules of any system I run like the back of my hand but emphasize narrative, tension, and flexibility. I tend toward a serious-with-comic-relief tone but am adaptable to any tone desired. I enjoy getting into character and use voices for NPCs.

Content warnings

Safety tools used

• Breaks

• Monte Cook RPG Consent Checklist

• Open Door

• Session 0

• X, N, and O Cards

How will character creation work

We will have a Session 0 where we get to know one another, discuss the "truths" of the campaign, share our character concepts, and build character bonds together. We'll plan to come away from Session 0 with a number of questions to flesh out in order to more deeply flesh out our characters and bonds. I'll follow up on those questions throughout the first week to support you.

Players can expect

Combat / Tactics

Medium

Roleplay

High

Puzzles

Low

Experience level

Beginner

Platforms used

• D&D Beyond

• Discord

• Foundry VTT

• Owlbear Rodeo

READY TO START

$18.00

/ Session

Each player will be charged when a session starts.

Details

Weekly / Thursday - 2:00 AM UTC

2.5-3 Hour Duration

3 / 5 Seats Filled

Requirements

Experience required: Beginner

Age: 18+