Beneath the Devil's Shroud | Curse of Strahd

Image by Czepeku

Beneath the Devil's Shroud | Curse of Strahd

The mists have snatched you away to the land of Barovia, ruled by a vampire lord. Will you escape? Will you free the land? Will you embrace the dark?

TYPE

Campaign

LEVELS

2–12

LANGUAGE

English

EXPERIENCE

Open to all

AGE

18+
2 NEEDED TO START
$30.00

/ Session

Details

2 players following this game

Weekly / Sunday - 12:00 AM UTC

Session Duration / 2–3 hours

1 / 5 Seats Filled

Top Game Master

One of StartPlaying's top-rated GMs, a player favorite and highly recommended.

Magic Gemstone

Report Adventure

Money Back Guarantee

StartPlaying Money Back Guarantee

If your game doesn't happen, we guarantee a refund. Just reach out to StartPlaying Support. Refund Policy

This game will begin once 3 players have joined

Meet your party members

1/5

About the adventure

Step into a mist-shrouded land, where the sun never shines, wolves howl in the dark woods, and the hearts of villagers tremble in fear. Curse of Strahd is a gothic horror D&D 5th Edition campaign that blends chilling atmosphere, complex moral choices, and deadly encounters with iconic storytelling. What to Expect: A classic tale of horror, tragedy, and defiance against evil A brooding, haunted realm ruled by the legendary vampire lord Strahd Exploration of cursed villages, ruined castles, forgotten temples, and cryptic prophecies Moral dilemmas, supernatural mysteries, and moments of hope in the dark Will your party bring light to the land of Barovia—or become just another set of bones in Castle Ravenloft's crypts? The mists are calling, and you have no choice but to answer.

Game style

Combat Heavy

Roleplay Heavy

Rules as Written (RaW)

Meet the Game Master
Queer
Neurodivergent
Educator
Voice Actor

2 years on StartPlaying

32 games hosted

Highly rated for: Beginner Friendly, Storytelling, Sets the Mood

Average response time: Under 1 hour

Response rate: 100%

About me

I’ve been playing and DMing TTRPGs for over 16 years, and I love helping players create unforgettable stories together. My deepest experience is in Dungeons & Dragons 5e, but I’ve also run and played in a variety of systems including Daggerheart, Masks, D&D 4e, Epyllion, and more. At my table, the focus is on collaborative storytelling, immersive roleplay, and exciting encounters that challenge both characters and players in fun, memorable ways. Whether you’re a brand-new adventurer or a seasoned hero, I want to make sure everyone has a chance to shine. My games are inclusive, beginner-friendly, and LGBTQ+ friendly — I want players to feel welcome, comfortable, and celebrated for who they are. I love running for a mix of play styles, from tactical combat lovers to roleplay-heavy storytellers, and I tailor each game to the group’s vibe. If you’re looking for a DM who brings energy, flexibility, and a love of cinematic storytelling, I’d be excited to roll some dice with you!

View Profile →
Character creation

Creating your character

SESSION 0 WILL BE FREE Characters will be made at session 0 using D&D 5.5 (2024) rules. Stats will be chosen using point buy method. Characters will start at level 2. Create a free account on D&D Beyond- this is a great tool for making character sheets, as it makes things smooth and easy.

What to expect

Preparing for the session

You will need the following accounts, which you can set up for free: -Roll20: This is where I will be hosting the battlemaps, images, and music. -D&D Beyond: This is where we build character sheets. -Discord: This is where we will have our video chat during the game session. We will play with cameras on so that we can see each other's reactions and get more into the game. We will use the Deck of Player Safety at Session 0 so that everyone knows what to avoid.

What Johnathan (@d6HitDice) brings to the table

I have a Master Tier D&D Beyond subscription providing you with all of the books in my library, as well as a Pro subscription on Roll20 to do the same there. I play music to provide ambience during the game session to immerse us more fully. I enjoy the Rule of Cool when it is fitting. I want to create awesome stories with you! I try my best to make unique voices for my NPCs.

Homebrew rules

1) Death saves are replaced by levels of Exhaustion. When you fail a Death Save, you gain a level of Exhaustion. If you succeed three Death Saves, you are still stable at 0 hp. 2) Natural 20/Natural 1 on skill checks give a conditional +2/-2 on the final result of the roll. 3) When a creature rolls a Natural 1 on an attack roll, enemies within melee range of them can make an opportunity attack. 4) If you roll a critical hit, you double your damage done including modifiers. 5) Using a healing potion as an Action heals you the full amount. 6) I do not require multiclass requirements. Just a roleplay reason for the multiclass. 7) You can choose to give yourself Heroic Inspiration during a d20 test, but doing so gives me Villainous Inspiration. I can spend it to have you reroll a d20 test. 8) Counterspell: You make a spellcasting check (DC 10 + the spell's level) to interrupt the casting of the spell rather than the creature making a Constitution Saving Throw. 9) Hunter's Mark: When casting this using the Ranger's Favored Enemy feature, it does not require concentration, but is cast at level 1.

Equipment needed to play

Internet

Computer

Microphone

Webcam

Safety

How Johnathan (@d6HitDice) creates a safe table

You will need to fill out a Deck of Player Safety (DOPS) at session 0. This just lets me know where your hard lines of things that you do not even want in the game, and what might be hinted at but not outright said. I will discuss these with everyone so that we are all on board with it all. My X, N, & O cards are digital on Roll20, so they are pretty easy and obvious to use. After each session, I'll make sure everyone is doing okay, especially if any big emotions occurred doing the game. I don't want something that could have easily been avoided be something that drives you away from the game.

Content warnings

Death
Devils / Demons / Fiends
Language/Cursing
Paralyzation
Snakes
Spiders
Abuse
Blood
Body Horror
Child Abuse
Child Death
Child Abandonment
Cults
Deep or Large Bodies of Water
Domestic Abuse
Animal Death
Execution
Drowning
Emotional Abuse
Drugs (addiction, use, withdrawal)
Fire
Forced Blood Draining
Hostages
Kidnapping
Hangings
Mass Death
Memory Erasing
Mental Illness
Mind Control
Misogyny
Murder
Mutilation
Nightmares about Traumatic Events
Trauma

Safety tools used

Frequently asked questions