The Crooked Moon: Folk Horror for 5th Edition!
An old black train is a-comin', and on its screeching rail it bears strangers into the gloom: are you able to face the horrors between life and death?
$22.00
/ Session
Details
Weekly / Sunday - 3:00 AM UTC
Dec 21 / Session 18
Session Duration / 2.5–3.5 hours
4 / 5 Seats Filled
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Schedule
Meet your party members
4/5
About the adventure
The Crooked Moon, an adventure by the acclaimed Legends of Avantris crew, is a folk horror adventure for 5th edition. Chock-full of camp, fun and fright, the characters will emerge into a realm caught between life and death, where the souls of the dead stalk the darkness in twisted form. Characters will travel the mist, discovering long-forgotten horrors: a crooked man in a crooked house, a horned beast that whispers from the dark forests, and spirits that emerge over endless night to take their revenge. With a panoply of character options, such as subclasses, spells and ways to weave character's stories into the narrative, the adventure through Druskenvald will be a way to explore fright & delight. With me, you'll experience a blend of comedy and frights: grisly descriptions and tantalizing imaginative horrors, and plenty of jokes to ease the tension. Come to immerse yourself in a hostile world, but bring the levity necessary to beat back the darkness. Know that the characters within are doomed, and allow that to shape their perspective on themselves and the world around them. We'll determine together precisely what experience we look for: a true to form horror campaign, where death lurks around every corner and beasts rise up too powerful to strike back, or a more campy romp through the sites of halloween fun (with still plenty of opportunity for select horror moments). I'm very flexible in this regard, and look forward to determining together what kind of experience we would like to have! This kind of game is best experienced by those who like to have a little fun, and get lost in the atmosphere of eternal darkness. Characters who are motivated by rich internal lives will excel here - the more emotional stakes, the better - and I am very happy to act as a guide to the mechanical complexities of 5th edition. Experience with the game isn't a requirement, but the willingness to engage with the content is. Come, wayward souls, and wander through the darkness.
Game style
Roleplay Heavy
Rules as Written (RaW)
Combat Heavy
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
5.0
(11)
1 year on StartPlaying
171 games hosted
Highly rated for: Creativity, Storytelling, Inclusive
Average response time: 4 hours
Response rate: 100%
About me
Hi! I'm an aspiring Game Master looking to branch out from my 5E roots. I love mechanical crunch, discourse about the game/hobby and love to improve. I have about 5 years experience running games, but frankly I would love to get that number even higher with more campaigns, with more systems! My Priorities: Run an engaging, fun and challenging game where players are expected to overcome hardship with creative and ingenious solutions! Foster a narrative where heroes are tested, their dynamics are at the forefront and their choices always matter! Facilitate a space where mistakes are made and being human is understood, while always striving for a better hobby space for all! Run an inclusive and celebratory space for BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ members of the community, including talkbacks, safety tools and honest communication! Finally and most importantly, always be learning! If it is a system or mechanic or rule or just how to be a better person/storyteller, I want to hear about it and discuss it! I love nothing more than learning and improving. I hope you do too.
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
Characters will be created using the 2024 5E ruleset, with preference given to the 2024 Player's Handbook content and the subclasses created for the Crooked Moon setting. Boasting 15 subclasses in the setting book alone, there are plenty of opportunities for a character to be tailor-made for this experience. I also have a plethora of horror-themed subclasses of my own design that I would love for you to test out at my table. I am, of course, more than happy to share all of these subclasses with you when you sign up for the game. Stat generation will follow one of the two arrays (your choice when you make your character): 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, and 8 -OR- 15, 15, 12, 12, 9 and 8. The Crooked Moon supplement also provides 13 species to select from made for the setting specifically, as well as many origin feats, spells and items. There is also a narrative structure put in place that will ingratiate your character into the plot in meaningful ways which we will discuss during session 0. Players should come prepared with a character class in mind that they're interested in playing, but a goal is to create characters with interwoven stories, and so we will be discussing party composition and setting-specifics during session 0.
Current Session: 4 We currently have a Cleric, Fighter, Monk and a Wizard, all level 3!
What to expect
Preparing for the session
You will need a Discord account, a microphone (and preferably a webcam, although that isn't required) and a steady internet connection to play the game. We will be using Foundry VTT for the game, which is all handled on my end. You'll need a browser window to put the game into when it comes to game time.
What Hamster Emperor brings to the table
My GM style is very responsive - I defer to the rules as written for the majority of my rulings, but am always happy to bend or break the rules when it would make the story more interesting. If players wish to achieve a goal with a class feature or a spell that is beyond the bounds of what is written, I am more than happy to reward creative thinking. If something is coming up short consistently, I am happy to discuss how to make it better so that a fantasy is lived to its fullest. I aim to stick as close to the published ruleset as possible, but have a few (common sense) rules that I personally abide by, which will be covered in session 0. More than anything else, I love to discuss how play is operating at the table. I want to know a) how much fun you are having, b) what is the most fun for you to have and c) how things could be more fun. As long as we keep those in mind, and keep things grounded, I think we will have a great time. Players can expect a world where choices matter, both in roleplay and in combat. Combat will be perilous, with enemies who are capable (and sometimes tactical) with objectives that are compelling and based in character wants. There will also be plenty of opportunities to engage in diplomacy and persuasion - intelligent monsters and persuadable humanoids can both be expected! Through the action and through the interactions you have with the friends, foes and denizens of the world, the world will be defined by you, and for you. Your character's story is one I cannot wait to tell with you!
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
Platforms used
Safety
How Hamster Emperor creates a safe table
- Survey covering Safety Tools and player/DM safety - Open and honest communication/availability for potential triggers and problems in/out of game - Discussion of gameplay styles, goals from the campaign, how much of a mix the group is - Aftercare post-session to discuss how gameplay is going and how things could improve! - I will be around to talk at any point, even outside of session time. Shoot me a message and I will make time for your concerns! - I promise to prioritize your fun, and to enshrine your character's story!
Content warnings
Safety tools used