Image by Hassane O (@osslo99)
Learn Draw Steel! Curse-of-Strahd-Inspired Return of Von Glauer
The learned and mad agree: after a thousand years, Count Rhodar Von Glauer is returning to claim his ancestral homeland.
$20.00
/ Session
Details
Weekly / Wednesday - 1:30 AM UTC
Session Duration / 2–3 hours
Campaign Length / 1+ Sessions
1 / 6 Seats Filled
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Meet your party members
1/6
About the adventure
Have you been hearing all about how great Draw Steel is and want to try it for yourself? Do you love the concept and tone of Curse of Strahd, but find Barovia too familiar to give you a proper fright? This campaign might be for you. Now, I've seen some pretty solid criticisms that horror doesn't work in a lot of TTRPGs because the characters are too powerful and able to respond to the things meant to scare them. I've taken that as a challenge. Draw Steel characters are about as strong as the average X-man, but that doesn't mean they--and their players through them--can't experience the deep, existential terror makes the horror genre so enticing to the human psyche. The heroes will uncover mysteries and confront terrors in the Barovia-inspired realm of Rodavia, learning about the ancient vampire that once ruled it and discovering the truth behind the rumors of his return. This campaign will have intrigue and mystery, complex characters, overt and more subtle psychological horror, and fun, tactical combat in which the players will feel like heroes. The goal is for everyone to end up with a complex hero they enjoy roleplaying, capable of growing or overcoming their fears.
Game style
Combat Heavy
Roleplay Heavy
Tactical / Crunchy
Rules as Written (RaW)
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
5.0
(6)
Less than a year on StartPlaying
Highly rated for: World Builder, Storytelling, Knows the Rules
About me
Hello! I have been running TTRPGs for almost 25 years, starting with AD&D but moving quickly to 3rd edition DnD, continuing to Pathfinder, and on to 5th edition, trying out a number of other systems in-between. My most recent obsession is Draw Steel and am looking forward to adapting some classic adventures to it. My first official campaign setting was Dark Sun (because those were the books I was able to get from my older brother), but my favorite has always been Planescape. More than anything, I love homebrew and have designed many worlds -- most of which I've since forgotten. I've evolved quite a bit in two decades, and now focus on content that my players are actually going to see and interact with, including complex NPCs, well-conceived plots, and narrative consequences of player actions. Nothing makes me happier than when my players surprise me, taking a scenario I've conceived and flipping it on its head or interpreting it in some way I'd never considered. For my style, my favorite thing about TTRPGs is running difficult (often deadly), exciting combat that challenges my players, but even with that, I have to balance it with RP and a proper story, collaborating with my players, or I feel the TTRPG experience is undercooked. I want everyone at the table to have fun, and I take my job as gamemaster very seriously. Not about TTRPGs: I love my wife, my kids, and all of our pets.
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
I'll work with players to create their Draw Steel heroes, including a session zero and 1:1 sessions in which I can teach the basics of Draw Steel, answer questions, and ensure the character you have in mind has a solid hook into the campaign and fits the tone. I encourage everyone to think about their characters complexly, imagining their goals and flaws and fears. I intend learn what makes everyone tick, what elements of horror you're interested in exploring and what topics will be absolutely off the table. I will tailor the content using a mix of everything I hear from the players.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
- Make sure you have a Discord account - Mic and camera - Ideal if you have Draw Steel books -- if not, we can work around that - Will need to purchase the Codex (Draw Steel's virtual table top) -- available on Steam, currently $20 (it's pretty awesome)
What Adam brings to the table
- Rich, complex story in which the spotlight stays on the heroes - Complex NPCs (some distinctive voices, though I'm no voice actor) - Fun and challenging tactical combat - Well-executed horror elements
Homebrew rules
We will decide on any homebrew rules together, as a table.
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
Platforms used
Safety
How Adam creates a safe table
I will interview each player beforehand, inquiring about Lines and Veils, areas of interest, what horror elements they're interested in exploring, preferred style of play, etc. At session zero, we will formalize those Lines and Veils and agree on what topics are absolutely off limits. We will discuss how we want to debrief after any particularly intense sessions. And then players can share about their initial character concepts, so everyone can get excited and be inspired by one another. I will be gauging the group dynamic during that time, looking for any friction or signs that anyone might not be a good fit or might need additional guidance.
Content warnings
Safety tools used