🌑✨ The Crooked Moon: Weave Your Dreadful Folktale 🌕🕯️( 2024 )

Creating your character

🕯️✨ Character Creation Character creation will be a collaborative ritual, taking place during our Session 0 before the main campaign begins. We will meet together to discuss your character’s roots, personal hauntings, and connections to the mist-choked realm of Druskenvald. Whether you are a veteran storyteller or a first-time traveler, I will guide you step by step to ensure your character feels deeply woven into this folk horror tapestry. Starting Level: Level 1, with the campaign designed to take you up to level 13+ (and potentially beyond as the tale unfolds). Stats: We will use rolled stats, embracing fate and fortune as they shape your destiny. This creates characters who feel imperfect, unique, and alive — true to the spirit of folk horror. Species: You may choose from The Crooked Moon’s eerie and evocative options: Ashborn, reborn from flames and haunted by heat and hunger. Gnarlborn, bark-skinned forest folk bound to ancient trees. Curseborn, wolf-like souls forever running from (or toward) the Grey. Relicborn, skeletal echoes of lives long past. Deepborn, kin of ocean depths fleeing from abyssal terrors. Plus many other unique species (like Silkborn, Plagueborn, Threadborn, and more). Subclasses: We encourage thematic options deeply rooted in Druskenvald’s folklore, such as: Circle of the Old Ways Druid, who listens to the voices of the Elderwoods. College of Whistles Bard, whose tunes echo through haunted moors. Barrow Guard Fighter, a protector of forgotten tombs and grave secrets. Crimson Dynasty Sorcerer, shaped by cursed blood and moonlit visions. Backgrounds: Choose or customize one that ties to the mists, ancestral pacts, or folk rituals — like Ghostlight Passenger, Druskenvald Dweller, Wicker Weaver, or Reflected Wanderer. Books & Materials: We will primarily draw from The Crooked Moon Player and Digital PDFs, and the 5E SRD (System Reference Document). You may also incorporate thematic elements from other official 5E books, as long as they fit the folk horror atmosphere — no typical high fantasy “hero” vibes here. During Session 0, we’ll explore: Your character’s fears, desires, and secret oaths. What visions they see in the Crooked Moon. What haunts them in dreams or follows them through the mists. Any curses or fate-bound debts they carry. The focus will be on creating multi-dimensional, tragic, and folkloric characters who are ready to weave dreadful tales beneath the eternal night sky. 🌑 Players will be able to create these new species, classes, and subclasses directly through my shared content on Roll20.

Preparing for the session

🗺️✨ Preparation Before stepping into the mists of Druskenvald, there are just a few simple steps to prepare so we can weave our folktale together seamlessly: 🎧 Join Our Discord We play using Discord voice chat, in a friendly, supportive, and healthy environment. Once you join the game, you’ll receive a private message (PM) with an invite link to our Discord server, where we’ll handle introductions, Session 0 planning, and ongoing roleplay chatter. 🎲 Set Up Roll20 You’ll need a free Roll20 account (if you don’t already have one). I will provide shared content through Roll20, including: Thematic tokens crafted to match the folk horror aesthetic. Epic, richly detailed maps filled with eerie, ritualistic landmarks. All new species, classes, subclasses, and backgrounds from The Crooked Moon integrated and ready to use. 💻 Check Your Setup Please ensure you have a working microphone and a stable internet connection so you can fully immerse yourself in our tale. Optional: Headphones are encouraged for the best atmospheric audio experience. 🕯️ Session 0 & Beyond We will hold a full Session 0, where we’ll handle character creation, explore safety tools, discuss your character’s fears and folklore ties, and establish personal and group connections. Bring your questions, character seeds, and your willingness to get a little lost in the mist.

What DM Alex brings to the table

🌕✨ What I Provide As your DM, my goal is to craft an unforgettable folktale where every moment feels alive under the Crooked Moon. 🎲 Rule of Cool I embrace the Rule of Cool, which means creative ideas and cinematic moments always take precedence over strict adherence to every mechanical rule. If you dream up a hauntingly poetic maneuver, a desperate ritual, or a risky leap into the mist — I will find a way to make it work, and reward you for daring to push the story forward. 🌿 Healthy & Friendly Environment My deepest motive is to create a safe, welcoming, and supportive space for all players. We focus on building friendly relationships, encouraging each other’s creativity, and fostering group trust so that everyone feels free to explore their character’s darkness and humanity. 🗺️ Epic Visuals & Tools Fully thematic maps on Roll20, designed to evoke mist-shrouded woods, moonlit fields, haunted ruins, and more. Beautifully crafted tokens that capture the uncanny folk horror aesthetic of Druskenvald. Atmospheric, eerie background music and soundscapes that shift with the scene, from hushed forest whispers to thundering ritual drums. 🎭 Immersive NPCs & Voices I use distinct character voices for NPCs, bringing each villager, wanderer, and lurking horror to life. Expect to meet strange, morally ambiguous folk — each with secrets, old superstitions, and twisted motives. ⚔️ Tactical, Intense Combat When violence erupts, expect intense tactical encounters that challenge you to think, improvise, and adapt. Battles are designed to feel cinematic and dangerous, pushing you to weigh each choice as life, death, and fate hang in the balance.

How DM Alex creates a safe table

🕯️ Safety Your comfort and safety are my top priority. Folk horror explores intense and unsettling themes, but no one should feel unsafe at the table — real or virtual. 🗣️ Session 0 Discussion We will go over all safety tools and boundaries in detail during our Session 0 before play begins. This includes talking openly about any themes or topics you wish to avoid (Lines), topics that are okay but should be handled carefully (Veils), and what you’re excited to explore. 📄 Lines & Veils Document The key safety content is included in the game info and will be explained clearly at Session 0, but I will also provide a written Lines & Veils document for easy reference at any time. 🟢 X, N, & O Tools We will use digital X, N, and O tools — you can type or message privately at any time: X to stop or skip a scene immediately, no questions asked. N to signal you're feeling uncomfortable and want the scene to slow down or shift. O to indicate you're okay and ready to continue. These can be shared via voice, chat, or even a private message — whatever feels safest and most comfortable for you. 💬 Ongoing Check-Ins & Aftercare I encourage regular emotional check-ins, both during and after sessions, to ensure everyone feels heard and supported. After each game, we’ll have time to decompress, share thoughts, and check in with each other.