Strahd (2024) | FREE Session 0 | Beginner friendly š³ļøāšš³ļøāā§ļø
You've found yourself in Barovia, at the invitation of Lord Strahd, for the most unwelcome party. Welcome guests!
$25.00
/ Session
Details
Weekly / Wednesday ā 3:00 AM UTC
Session Duration / 2ā3 hours
1 / 6 Seats Filled
Report Adventure
About the adventure
Ever played a campaign and overwhelmed by notes? I offer a dedicated website for all my campaigns that helps players organize their adventure so they can spend less time in recap and more time trying to escape their doom! Under sunless sky, the vampire Count Strahd von Zarovich stands silhouetted against the ancient walls of Castle Ravenloft. He looks over his land of Barovia, the residents of which will only refer to him as "The Devil". A title that he delights in. Far below, he looks to you. You, who has found yourself suddenly in a strange forrest surrounded by a wall of fog. You that has just entered his domain for reasons unknown. But, he knew you were coming and he knows why you are here. The master of this land has invited you to dinner.
Game style
Roleplay Heavy
Rule of Cool (RoC)
Sandbox / Open World
Theater of the Mind
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
5.0
(10)
1 year on StartPlaying
5 games hosted
Highly rated for: Teacher, Creativity, Knows the Rules
Average response time: 23 hours
Response rate: 100%
About me
Hello! My name is David (Evil Penguin). I've been playing D&D since 1985 with the original red box, i.e. I'm old. I went to college for creative writing. Then got a job in the film industry. So, I've pretty much built my whole life around the creative pursuits. Which makes me well suited for telling stories... my sessions that I have vary in type, but I try to mix elements of the big three: role-playing, exploration, and combat. Players will have an opportunity to at each of these at various times throughout a game. My general philosophy is that I, as a DM, have more fun when my players are having fun. Therefore, I try my best to give everyone at the table a chance to be the hero/anti-hero. Giving everyone a chance to shine... not just the OP fighter who min/maxed to be a killing machine... but also to the bard who just doesn't do that much in combat because their too busy talking their way out of most potentially hostile encounters. If you really want to get a sense of my GMing style, you can check out my youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@EvilPenguinRPG New players to experienced are welcomed. I believe in a diverse, LGBTQ+ friendly, and INCLUSIVE table. If you are a nazi, racist, homophobe, transphobe, or any other sort of bigot, please stay away from my table. I have a zero tolerance policy for that at my table. Any of that and you will be dropped immediately. If you have to ask whether this statement is about you, it is.
View Profile āCharacter creation
Creating your character
We'll have a FREE SESSION ZERO where character creation will happen. I try to encourage players to have a well rounded party with many different skill sets, so first come first serve. Character creation can happen on roll20 or dndbeyond (with beyond20 installed) and that's where you'll keep up with your character sheet. Some pre-generated characters will be available if you'd rather just get into it. Characters will start at 1st level. Use the 4xd6 method to determine ability scores. If you roll below the standard array of 27 total, you can choose to use the standard array instead. Additionally, you can optionally choose to take a flaw/gain a feat. It's not required. If you choose this option, we'll discuss flaws in session 0. All races and classes that exist in WOTC published core rule books are available to choose from. Character concepts will be discussed on discord before, during, and after session 0 with finalization to happen before the start of session 1.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
š§ Each player will need to have a Discord with working audio input and output. A webcam is nice, but not required. š§ Each player will have to have internet access and a supported web browser (Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, or Safari) š§ A free roll20 account
What EvilPenguin brings to the table
š§ A dedicated campaign website for session notes and MORE š§ 24/7 access to your character, the world, NPCs, maps, and everything your character knows š§ The ability to keep your own notes on anything you like and share those with others in the campaign š§ Personalized tokens š§ Voice acting roleplaying š§ Curated soundscapes to set the mood š§ Chat with me or others on in a discord community specifically for the campaign
Homebrew rules
House Rules: š§ Potions are a bonus action if using it for yourself, per 2024 rules, however, each character may only have two potions equipped at a time. Every other potion is considered "stored" and takes a full action to dig out of your bag and use. š§ Death saves are private rolls š§ During character creation, you'll roll for a random fear that your character has. This is not the same as a flaw. Mostly the fear is roleplay, but might occasionally come up for very specific circumstances.
Equipment needed to play
Computer
Internet
Microphone
Platforms used
Safety
How EvilPenguin creates a safe table
Safety is critical to everyone's enjoyment. In addition to session 0, where we will cover house rules and discuss boundaries, I will have a system of XNO. These can be messaged to me privately. Also, I'll provide one break per session and aftercare/debriefing to discuss anything that's on your mind. In between sessions, I'll be available via discord to discuss anything related to the campaign, personal or otherwise. I guarantee that any problem brought to me are important and will be addressed in a thoughtful manner. I have zero tolerance for racism, homophobia, transphobia, or bigotry of any kind. One strike and you're out for the safety and comfort of all players at one of my tables. **IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ** Curse of Strahd is a dark and brutal campaign adventure where character death or permanent injury is possible. This world is gritty and very much the stuff of psychological horror films. Please be prepared.
Content warnings
Safety tools used