Grim Hollow: Nocturne (D&D 5E 2024)
The sun is dead. Vampires rule. You are the next crime family clawing for power in Ostoya’s haunted underworld.
$15.00
/ Session
Details
Weekly / Saturday - 4:00 PM UTC
Jan 10 / Session 1
Session Duration / 2–3 hours
Campaign Length / 30–40 Sessions
3 / 6 Seats Filled
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Schedule
Meet your party members
3/6
About the adventure
Welcome to NOCTURNE, a Grim Hollow dark fantasy campaign set in the shadow-choked streets of the Ostoyan Empire, a nation ruled by the Crimson Court, a cabal of vampires who have kept the sun hidden for five centuries. The forests writhe with monsters, the cities choke on fear, and survival is a luxury only the powerful can afford. Five years ago, the vampire elite unleashed an intelligence network to destroy the criminal underworld that once thrived beneath their rule. Their purge wiped out the Black Claws, the heart of Ostoya's criminal empire, leaving the city in chaos. Entire families were executed. Safe houses burned. The streets ran red. Now, whispers of rebellion and greed stir once again. You are the founders of a new crew: criminals, smugglers, killers, and outcasts clawing your way toward wealth and vengeance in an empire that bleeds its people dry. BUILD YOUR CRIMINAL EMPIRE Your syndicate, your rules. Elite thieves? Feared assassins? Smugglers with connections everywhere? Information brokers controlling deadly secrets? You decide. Establish operations. Safe houses, front businesses, informant networks, alliances with corrupt guards and desperate nobles. Every resource expands your power, and paints a target on your back. Control territory. The docks. The undercity tunnels. Market districts. Every street claimed is power. Every rival displaced is a statement. Navigate deadly politics. The Crimson Court rules absolutely, but even vampires have rivals and secrets. Rival gangs fight for the Black Claws' scraps. The Church preaches order while hiding corruption. Noble houses scheme while bleeding the common folk dry. THE EXPERIENCE This campaign blends crime thriller, gothic horror, and grimdark intrigue. Tense heists into vampire manors, noble estates, the Crimson Court's vaults. Desperate deals with blood merchants, corrupt officials, rival gangs. Dangerous choices where morality is currency, betray contacts, burn districts, spare enemies who might kill you later. Character-driven storytelling. Your backstory isn't flavor, it's woven in. That mentor who betrayed you? Operating in the city. The vampire who destroyed your family? Sits on the Crimson Court.
Game style
Combat Lite
Puzzle / Mystery Focused
Roleplay Heavy
Rule of Cool (RoC)
Meet the Game Master
4.9
(8)
2 years on StartPlaying
Highly rated for: Creativity, Knows the Rules, Storytelling
Average response time: 2 hours
Response rate: 80%
About me
I'm Davi, a 4.9-star GM specializing in character-driven dark fantasy campaigns with professional production quality. I've been running D&D for 7 years, and here's what I've learned: the best sessions aren't the ones where everything goes to plan, they're the ones where someone does something completely unexpected, and suddenly the whole table is invested in whether it'll work. What makes my games different: I get obsessed with your character's story. You mention a complicated relationship with your mentor? They're showing up in Act Two with a morally questionable favor. I prep custom artwork for major NPCs and give them distinct voices. Your backstory isn't flavor text it becomes the plot. My campaigns lean dark fantasy with tactical combat where terrain actually matters. Chandeliers to swing from, explosive barrels, crumbling ledges, magical storms. And recurring villains? They learn from your tactics and adapt. I don't railroad. Want to sail to another continent instead of following the main quest? Do it. Just know the world doesn't pause, villains keep scheming, consequences keep building. Your choices reshape everything. What you get: Professional Foundry VTT with custom maps and dynamic lighting • All D&D Beyond content shared • Character voices for every major NPC • Session recaps within 24 hours • 1-on-1 character creation calls • Custom homebrew items tailored to your backstory • Active Discord community with between-session RP The vibe: My tables get loud. Laughing, shouting when someone crits, groaning when plans collapse. We take the story seriously but not ourselves. I've had players from different countries become genuine friends through my campaigns, that's what I'm after. If you want character-driven stories, tactical combat that feels cinematic, and a DM who'll care more about your backstory than you do, let's roll some dice. ⭐ 4.9/5 stars • 7 years GM experience • Running 6+ weekly campaigns • LGBTQ+ friendly
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
Character creation happens one-on-one with the GM before Session 1, using D&D Beyond. We’ll work together to weave your backstory into the living world of Ostoya. Level: 5 System: D&D 5e (2024 Ruleset) Allowed Content: Core Rules + Grim Hollow materials Stats: Point Buy or Standard Array Species & Class: Any, as long as it fits the grim, morally gray tone of the setting Bring me a concept: criminal, revolutionary, monster, or victim and together we’ll forge a legend in the dark.
The party consists of an Eldritch Horror the Eldritch Domain Cleric, Path of the Fractured Barbarian and Alchemist Artificer.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
Before playing, please ensure you have: 1. A Discord account (for voice chat and coordination) 2. A D&D Beyond account (for character creation and management) 3. Access to Foundry VTT (our virtual tabletop for maps and combat) Once accepted, you’ll receive links to the campaign Discord and Foundry server. A Session 0 will confirm boundaries, tone, and character hooks.
What Davi brings to the table
Professional production that immerses you in the world: - Custom Foundry VTT with dynamic lighting that shifts with danger - Atmospheric soundscapes, blood taverns hum with whispered deals, vampire courts echo with ancient dread - Character voices for every major NPC, you'll remember the blood merchant's rasp, the vampire lord's cold authority, the desperate informant's trembling words - Session recaps within 24 hours so you never lose the thread Character-driven storytelling where you matter: - 1-on-1 character creation calls, we build your criminal together Your backstory woven directly into the campaign, your mentor, your enemies, your debts all become real - Custom homebrew items tied to your character's journey - Between-session RP in Discord where schemes develop and alliances form My GM style, what to expect at the table: 70% roleplay and investigation, 30% brutal tactical combat. I balance cinematic storytelling with mechanical depth. Expect intense negotiations where reading your opponent matters as much as your Persuasion roll. Heists where planning determines success. Combat where terrain, positioning, and tactics decide who lives. I embrace the Rule of Cool when it fits the tone, your wild idea to swing from the chandelier while dual-wielding? Let's make it legendary. But consequences are real. Fail that Athletics check and you're crashing into guards. Make enemies and they remember. Burn bridges and allies turn cold. NPCs feel alive. They have goals, secrets, and agendas that don't revolve around you. Cross a blood merchant and they'll sabotage your next deal. Help a desperate noble and they'll owe you, but their gratitude comes with strings attached. Rival gangs adapt to your tactics. The Crimson Court watches those who rise too quickly. Your choices reshape the world. There's no predetermined path. Betray an ally? The underworld hears about it. Spare a rival? They might save you later, or stab you when you're weak. Burn a district? The ashes linger for sessions. The atmosphere is everything. Dread and beauty intertwined. Gas-lit streets where shadows move wrong. Blood taverns thick with smoke and conspiracy. Vampire courts dripping with ancient cruelty. Gothic architecture that feels alive and watching. Safety and comfort matter. Lines & Veils in Session 0. X-N-O Cards during play. Breaks every 90 minutes. Open door policy. This is dark fantasy, but your boundaries are sacred. If you've ever wanted to feel like you're living inside a gothic crime drama where every choice is yours and every consequence matters, this is that story.
Homebrew rules
Potions: Can be drunk as a Bonus Action Critical Hits: Maximize base damage, then roll and add the dice Grievous Wounds & Permanent Wounds Alternate Resting Rule
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
Headphones
Platforms used
Safety
How Davi creates a safe table
Your comfort and agency matter as much as the story. We use: 1. X-Card, Open Door, and Lines & Veils to set clear boundaries 2. Session 0 to discuss tone, expectations, and any content to avoid 3. Private check-ins after intense sessions for debrief and aftercare 4. Digital X/N/O system (via Discord or VTT) to signal in real time if something feels unsafe or if you’d like more or less intensity Nocturne is a dark world, but the table itself will always be a safe and respectful space for every player. That is my goal.
Content warnings
Safety tools used