Curse of Strahd - Upgraded
As the storm swallows the road and the mist tightens around your coach, the world itself seems to exhale—when it clears, the sun is gone...
$25.00
/ Session
Details
Weekly / Tuesday - 1:30 AM UTC
Session Duration / 3–4 hours
Campaign Length / 1–180 Sessions
4 / 6 Seats Filled
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Schedule
Meet your party members
4/6
About the adventure
I'm a casual DM and usually run with the rule of cool. If you think of something creative and you want to try and pull it off, generally if you succeed on a skill check, I'll let you get away with it. I've had players ruin entire encounters that I had planned out to ad infinitum, more times than I care to recount. The key, I believe, to DM'ing is adaptability and a willingness to allow your session to be de-railed because as long as you're having fun, I'm doing my job. Sometimes when players do stuff like that, you have to turn it on their heads. And throw some stuff at them that they haven't been expecting. In order to immerse yourself fully in the experience I recommend a second character to to make sure you're always in the game. We will be entering the mists, a pocket dimension on the far edge of the shadowfell. And coming under the domain of Count Strahd von Zarovich. How far you get, whether you can create lasting change in a domain of dread, or whether you end up being the outsider fighting so long you become the thing you hate is up to you.
Game style
Combat Heavy
Dungeon Crawl
Puzzle / Mystery Focused
Roleplay Heavy
Rule of Cool (RoC)
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
5.0
(6)
1 year on StartPlaying
Highly rated for: Creativity, Visual Aid, Rule of Cool
Average response time: 24+ hours
Response rate: 100%
About me
As a non-binary, pansexual GM, I am a walking contradiction and you cannot offend me. A a seasoned Dungeon Master with extensive experience in every edition except 4th, and a specialty with Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, I bring a unique blend of creativity and structure to every campaign. My passion for homebrew content allows me to craft custom adventures, unique settings, and original storylines that go beyond the standard modules, ensuring a fresh and immersive experience for all players. Whether it's designing new classes, creating intricate plots, or balancing challenging encounters, my focus is on fostering an engaging and collaborative environment. Join me in a journey where imagination knows no bounds, and every adventure is a new discovery!
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
With foundry charactermancer or with D&D Beyond and an import (I don't own any of the books on D&D beyond because I bought them all on roll20.)
You will roll for stats twice, rolling 4d6 dropping one and re-rolling 1's. This generally produces some epic stats. If you're incredibly unlucky I may allow you to re-roll a third time and 32 point buy is acceptable also. I like my players to feel exceptional, a cut above the NPC's. The stuff of heroes. You will start at level 5 with two extra feats and two uncommon magic items. I will expect a backstory of some sort that explains why you have these feats and items. The backstory is highly encouraged as I will work it into the game. Alignment is limited to neutral or good. Lawful evil is permitted provided the player regards the party as his "Family" in the most positive sense. He can be as evil as he wants to anyone else but heaven help someone who hurts his party. Think Paladins of Zhakran from Oath of the Prophet by Margaret Weiss and Tracey Hickman. Your choice, 2024 or 2014 ruleset. If you are playing 2024 then you must use 2024 spells if they have been republished, 2014 spells available to you that have not been republished are legal. Same with 2014. Silvery Barbs is banned and counterspell is 2024 version only.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
Join my shared discord community gaming server for this campaign. https://discord.gg/aHnzsEftgC
What Freedverse brings to the table
I do a little bit of amateur voice acting. I use nearly 100% animated maps and spell/attack assets. I use ambient music, ambient sound effect and localized sound effects. I try and tell a good story with monster's that back that up! I don't tolerate: 1. Drama Queens 2. A Hole Players I define A Hole Players as: -Conceals loot from other party members. -Acts in a manner disruptive to the party and it's overall goals. -Treat's other player or their characters like crap.) -Otherwise makes the game unenjoyable for others. You can be whatever alignment you want as long as you have a bond of loyalty to the party. 2. Rules Lawyers (Within reason, I will make a ruling in the moment.If you've got a serious problem about it we'll discuss it after the game.)
Homebrew rules
🩸 Gothic Horror Homebrew Rules 2024 Ruleset and Spells Only Welcome, adventurer. I homebrew a ton of items, boons, and monsters, and I like to push the envelope of what 5e can do — especially in a world steeped in gothic horror and mortal peril. These rules are designed to make gameplay more cinematic, dangerous, and rewarding. ✨ Class Perks 🛡️ Paladin: Your Aura of Protection extends Proficiency Bonus × 5 ft. Example: At +4 proficiency, your aura has a 20 ft. radius. 🔥 Sorcerer: You gain one additional spell known per level, plus four total at 1st level. This gives sorcerers greater flexibility and creative spell options. 🔮 Spell Modification Rules Any spell can be modified — the only limits are your imagination and your spellcasting skill. Greater alterations will naturally come with higher DCs. 📜 The Process Before casting, declare your intent to modify the spell. I will then: -Listen to your description. -Confirm I understand the intended effect. -Set a (hopefully fair) Difficulty Class (DC). You can then choose (after hearing the DC) to make a Spellcasting Ability Check against that DC. ✅ Success: The spell is cast with your intended modification. ❌ Failure: The spell functions normally without modification. 🧠 Mastering Modified Spells If you successfully cast the same modified spell in the same way three times without a failure, you permanently master that version. From that point forward, you may cast that specific modified version at will — no check required — for the rest of your sessions with me. 🕯️ Final Notes These homebrew systems reward creative spell use, resource management, and risk-taking. Magic in this world is powerful — but never without consequence.
Equipment needed to play
Computer
Microphone
Platforms used
Safety
How Freedverse creates a safe table
Session zero is where I address player comfort and familiarize them with my procedures for player safety. I carefully screen players and make sure I'm not triggering anyone.
Content warnings
Safety tools used