🌘🌘 THE CROOKED MOON PLAY BY POST BY DMALEX🌘🌘 (2024 rules)

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.

Preparing for the session

🧰 PLAYER PREPARATION Before the Feywild calls, there are just a few simple steps to get ready: 🗨️ Create a Discord Account This campaign is hosted on a dedicated Discord server with organized threads for in-character scenes, OOC chat, dice rolls, and private whispers. 📖 Create a D&D Beyond Account You’ll build your character using my shared campaign link. This gives you access to all official content I own and ensures your sheet stays updated and synced. 🦉 Create an Owlbear Rodeo Account (Free & Fast) We'll occasionally use Owlbear Rodeo for visuals during combat or exploration scenes. You don’t need to download anything — just make an account and you’re good to go.Everything is browser-based and beginner-friendly.

What DM Alex brings to the table

🧭 Flexible, Organized Play-by-Post – Designed for Busy Schedules Step into a rich, story-driven world where your imagination shapes the adventure — all on your own time. Whether you’re checking in once per day or several times throughout, the story keeps moving. 📅 Play Anytime – Post when it works for you: once or multiple times a day, on your schedule 💬 Ongoing, Organized Narrative – I maintain steady pacing with daily DM updates, structured threads, and clear prompts ✅ Join Anytime – No fixed start dates; new players can seamlessly enter the campaign at any point 🗂️ Streamlined Gameplay – Scenes, locations, and encounters are clearly organized in channels so you can jump in without confusion 🤝 Consistent DM Support – I’m active daily to respond, guide, and keep the world alive, so you’re never left waiting Whether you're in a different timezone, have a variable work schedule, or just prefer thoughtful storytelling over voice games, this format is crafted to support and engage you — reliably and at your pace. As your Dungeon Master, my goal is to create a living, breathing world where your characters matter — where the story reacts to your decisions, emotions, and wild ideas. This is a high-roleplay, story-rich campaign built around immersive storytelling, creative collaboration, and a strong emotional core. Every choice you make, every bond you build, and every truth you uncover becomes part of the world itself. 🎲 My DM Style 💫 Rule of Cool I lean into Rule of Cool over strict rules lawyering. If you come up with a bold, clever, or cinematic idea that fits your character and the moment, I’ll likely say “yes — and let’s make it awesome.” Story and style take priority over technicality. 🎭 Immersive Roleplay NPCs have distinct personalities, motives, and voices (yes — even in text!). Expect moral dilemmas, secret offers, personal stakes, and moments that spotlight your character’s voice and growth. 🧩 Puzzles & Fey Logic Expect medium-complexity puzzles, riddles, fey trickery, and strange challenges that reward creative thinking. This is the Feywild — logic is flexible, and the rules are often emotional, not mechanical. ⚔️ Combat that Moves the Story Combat is tactical when it matters, but always driven by the narrative. I keep fights cinematic, fast-paced (with initiative blocks), and responsive to your creative solutions. 🌈 A Living, Reactive World The world doesn’t wait for you — it reacts. What you do will change the story. Allies can become enemies. Forgotten memories might return. And bargains made in haste may shape your future. 🎓 Full Support for All Players I provide formatting help, post feedback, and onboarding for everything — from character creation to PbP posting style. Whether you're new to D&D or a veteran, you'll always feel guided and supported. In this game, your choices shape the world. Your story matters. And the only limit is your imagination (and maybe the occasional faerie curse).

How DM Alex creates a safe table

🛡️ SAFETY & CONSENT TOOLS Creating a safe, inclusive, and emotionally respectful space is a top priority — especially in a roleplay-heavy, character-driven campaign like this. We’ll cover all safety tools and boundaries during Session 0, before the story begins. Here's how it works: 🌀 In Session 0, We Will: ✅ Review a Lines & Veils document (a tool to define hard limits and fade-to-black topics) — everyone can add or adjust this privately or anonymously. 📫 Set up digital X, N, and O tools (via message, emoji reactions, or private DMs) so you can flag discomfort, slow down scenes, or give enthusiastic consent in real time. 🤝 Discuss comfort levels, tone preferences, and emotional boundaries as a group — including how we want to handle topics like horror, romance, memory loss, and moral dilemmas. 🧵 Establish private player threads for any out-of-character check-ins, feedback, or emotional debriefing (aftercare) following heavy or intense scenes. 🔄 Ongoing Support You can always message me privately if something doesn’t feel right, even after the scene has passed. I’ll check in occasionally with players after major events or intense scenes — especially if your character goes through something emotional or dark. Respect for players always comes before story — no exceptions.