Grim Hollow; Tales of Light and Hope (One-shot, level 5)
A cave that seems to be spreading some sort of magical darkness is troubling the vampires of the crimson court. And they fear nothing...
About the adventure
Etharis is a land that has long belonged to the darkness. Yet there are still those few in this world who seek to leave it better than they found it. These are their stories... "Adventurers! A growing darkness permeates from the cave within the Stillborn forest. My scouts say it has grown between the times I sent them to oversee the situation. What's more, none of the soldiers I have sent inside have ever returned. Fix this issue and your lust for gold will be satiated. -Grand Duke Koshovek." Grim hollow is a dark fantasy 5e setting. From vampires that rule over a countryside, to corrupted gods, to packs of lycanthropes that control various territory throughout the land. These one-shots serve as self-contained adventures for anyone who wishes to experience a grittier 5e setting without committing to a full game. Whether you want to embrace your inner corruption, or try to hold on to hope, will you be the one to bring Etharis into the light?
Game style
Dungeon Crawl
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
2 years on StartPlaying
230 games hosted
Highly rated for: Creativity, Storytelling, Sets the Mood
Average response time: 24+ hours
Response rate: 50%
About me
Hey everyone! I've been playing 5th edition D&D for 7 years now and I've been DMing for almost all of that. I love all tabletop games in general, and am well versed in multiple, however D&D 5e has been my favorite since the beginning. I'm a voice-actor and all-around nerd. Aside from tabletop RPGs I also love videogames and anime. I am LGBTQIA+ friendly and welcome everyone. I love creating worlds for players to explore and watching them solve problems creatively. I can't wait to run a fun story for you!
View Profile →Reviews (25)
Proficiencies
Players say this GM is great at:
Creativity
Storytelling
Sets the Mood
Playing in a dark, open world campaign with Schmitty has been incredible so far. He combines rich world details, distinct characters and a deep knowledge of his setting to create a space in which the players can really explore and know they will find interesting and epic moments. Schmitty seriously considers our player backstories and shows an interest in where we want to take our story while at the same time giving us all sorts of fun and satisfying threads to explore in his world. A great DM for any player who enjoys character growth, unique combats and feeling like you’re a real part of the world.
Will is a phenomenal DM who expertly adapts to the playstyle of the party. Our group leaned heavily into roleplay, and he quickly adjusted to give us meaningful character moments, while still delivering well-balanced combat. He allowed room for character development as well as all the NPCs we encountered. He is an expert on the rules and hands random chaos, by incorporating it into the world. He does a perfect job balancing action and narrative. However, in his games, your actions will have real CONSEQUENCES as he builds the world around them—making the campaign even more immersive and fun. No matter your party’s style—whether you’re all about roleplay or focused on combat—you’ll get an unforgettable, well-rounded experience. Highly recommend!
Schmitty is a nice fella and a good GM. Outside the game Schmitty showed a lot of grace and understanding for his players, he created an exciting atmosphere to play the game. Schmitty does a great job at hyping up our characters, he will be your character's biggest fan, and will take the time to help you flesh out your backstory. in the game Schmitty is a solid story teller, his NPCs are always fun to interact with and I look forward to explore the world every week, but most importantly for me, he knows how to set the stage right for his players action to impact the world around them even in the early levels. The combat has been a lot of fun too, challenging and dangerous but also fairly balanced. and the enemy encounters always feel appropriate for the environment we are in. I will for sure recommend Schmitty as a DM
Schmitty is a solid DM that immerses your character’s story into the world which can lead to memorable moments that have a real impact in the game. Acts of creativity are rewarded and encouraged, especially when doing so with the character’s nature and motives in mind. Sessions can vary in amounts of roleplay or battle, but the levels feel appropriate for the context. Varied combat encounters are balanced with some juicy plot development. Either way, the group is always encouraged to pursue their own goals and desires. The game that I'm in with Schmitty now has been one of the most fun and consistent campaigns that I've ever been a part of. If you’re interested in games with meaningful roleplay, challenging combat, and engaging story development, then I would definitely recommend Schmitty as a DM!
Will is a fantastic GM. I've had so much fun playing his game, 17 weeks in and I haven't missed single session. While he's a really nice person, he also knows the game really well with great presence of mind. He's a super talented voice actor that brings so much life into his world and characters. I'm really glad we asked him to run a campaign for us!
If you are a player that likes to think outside of the box, Shmitty is more than accommodating for your creativity. He works with you in bringing your creations to the game, within reason of course, and will provide you the means to get it into the game. Also, I thought I had lost my character through combat, but Shmitty had made a world in which my character had a chance to be brought back. I was worried that my original character was gone but little did I know, Shmitty had other plans for my character. I look forward to what he has next for me and my character.
Character creation
Creating your character
Characters should be created ahead of the time. The level for each one-shot will be listed in the title of this listing. manual stats for rolling. I allow all WOTC published 2024 rules-compatible 5e races, all WOTC published 2024 rules-compatible 5e sub-classes, grim hollow races, subclasses, feats, spells, and backgrounds. You can gain access to the grim hollow materials for free in my discord channel.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
Once you join here on startplaying I will send you a link to join my discord server and a link to the owlbear rodeo room. If you haven't used owlbear rodeo before I can give you a very easy tutorial over discord. Please have your character made before the game starts.
What Will brings to the table
I bring a discord server for voice chat, on owlbear rodeo server for maps, and a fully prepared adventure to run with fully fleshed out NPCs that all have their own personality. No two-dimensional forgettable characters here.
Equipment needed to play
Computer
Microphone
Platforms used
Safety
How Will creates a safe table
Players who join can expect a quest that can be handled a variety of ways to fit a variety of playstyles. You'll get a taste of what its like to explore the strange and twisted continent of Etharis, parts of its story weaved within every quest.