Curse of Strahd: Within The Mists
Beneath the pale moon, Barovia's mists lure the unwary into Strahd's dark domain, where hope dies and escape is a vampire's lie
$20.00
/ Session
Details
Bi-weekly / Friday - 11:00 PM UTC
Mar 20 / Session 17
Session Duration / 3–4 hours
6 / 7 Seats Filled
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Schedule
Meet your party members
6/7
About the adventure
Adventurers are plunged into the nightmarish realm of Barovia, a gothic-horror sand box shrouded in eternal gloom and ruled by Strahd von Zarovich, a vampire lord who toys with fate itself. Survive haunted forests, crumbling castles, and tragic souls trapped in his web of torment, where every choice risks corruption, betrayal, or a gruesome end. Even hope, here, is a weapon Strahd delights in twisting against you.
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
5.0
(9)
1 year on StartPlaying
13 games hosted
Highly rated for: Creativity, Storytelling, Sets the Mood
Average response time: 19 hours
Response rate: 100%
About me
I live in Indianapolis, but I grew up in the Appalachian Mountains. I spent a lot of time camping out deep in forests and high on mountain tops. I traveled all over the south as a civil war reenactor. And, I even went up north a few times as well. My confederate unit was the 37th Tennessee, and my federal unit was the 23rd Kentucky. All the same great guys but we portrayed both sides of the conflict. When I moved to Indy, the landscape was quite different, and I became more of an indoor person. I was introduced to tabletop RPGs by a coworker, and the sense of adventure they gave helped to fill that void left from leaving the mountains. I started DMing six years ago and use my experiences from my days as a reenactor to help weave vivid narratives from simple travel through the wilderness, to titanic battles between clashing armies. I also have a love for the Golden Age of Piracy, and the maritime history of that era. I am currently developing my own pirate TTRPG. The game will be primarily a historical game with some elements of light fantasy that would relate to sailors' beliefs and superstitions of that era. It is a simple base d10 system and combines elements of both classic RPG and wargame playstyles. My scheduling for games is very open. But I do have a biweekly work schedule. For example, if I work Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday one week, then the next week I will work Sunday, Wednesday, and Thursday. So, if you want to play weekly, we would have to stagger the days a little like. Tuesday one week, then Thursday the next. However, if you wanted to play at 7:00 pm or later EST, then this would not matter, I would be free any day that I do not have any games scheduled.
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
Character creation will begin with session zero, but I will be available for assistance with character creation up to the start of session one and beyond. The starting level will be level 1 and players will roll dice for their stats. Rolling 4 d6 and dropping the lowest number. ( Results for the 4 dice...2,4,6,1 The one would be dropped for a total of 12) The books used are DnD 5e and 2024 edition.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
Players will need a mic, I do not require anyone to have a web cam if they're uncomfortable with being on screen. They will need to create a character through DnD beyond and I will provide a link to the campaign there in. It is not required that they have read the rules, as I welcome beginners eagerly, and the first couple of sessions will be used to help new players learn the basics if needed.
What Benjamin brings to the table
I am a rules light DM, meaning that if the rules prevent something interesting from happening, from either a narrative perspective or something the players want to attempt, I will make a decision in the moment that will override rules. I provide digital maps and tokens through DnD beyond, and custom digital portraits for your characters. I do character voices, and several different accents and my campaigns are roleplay heavy, and I tend to save combat for important moments rather than throwing out random encounters for the sake of filler. I want combat to have meaning and for there to be stakes involved in them.
Homebrew rules
I do have some homebrew rules, such as modified Critical Hits, Death Saves, and the risk of instant death. These rules will be outlined and described in great detail during session 0 when I go over my home rules.
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
Platforms used
Safety
How Benjamin creates a safe table
I do not have a Lines and Veils document. I don't mind adult situations, and I any subject matter that is off limits will be discussed in session zero. I will state however that I have a zero-tolerance policy for any type of discrimination. When we are at the table, all political and social issues are not to be brought in and discussed. I welcome everyone no matter what their political views, no matter their religion, their ethnic background, or orientation. However, I do not allow any of these things to be brought up or discussed because they can cause tension, so when we're gathered, lets focus on the game, and leave all the troubles of the real world there. We come here for fun.
Content warnings
Safety tools used