Image by C Wilson Trull
Curse of Strahd - Barovia Rise!
Once again, Ravenloft awakens. Tired of waiting to be saved, the youth of Barovia will find the courage to stand and face the devil Strahd themselves.
$10.00
/ Session
Details
Weekly / Tuesday - 12:00 AM UTC
Session Duration / 2–3 hours
Campaign Length / 30–60 Sessions
0 / 4 Seats Filled
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About the adventure
The walls to Barovia are closed. No hero is coming to save you. Legends tell of heroes from beyond the mists who wield great weapons, display incredible courage, and control powerful magics. Heroes who would free the people of Barovia from the devil Strahd's tyranny. But it's been decades since anyone has stepped through the mists, and hope fades quickly in the growing darkness. Now, once again, lights flicker in the highest towers of Ravenloft. Lamentations of restless spirits fill the night air. Howls pierce the deep woods as wolves close in among the hamlets. Villagers, straying too close to shadows, are disappearing with nothing but a splash of blood and fading screams. There is no denial that Strahd, Lord of Barovia, is rising to power again and will soon descend upon the land like a plague, seeking tides of gold and blood. The elders, in fear of the night, hide in their homes, whimpering prayers of protection to gods who no longer hear them. They have accepted their fate, that there is no escape except through death. But, secretly, they know, even death can be a prison of its own. Among the children, however, disillusionment has set in like rot to a neglected home, slowly caving in upon itself. Every child has witnessed firsthand what this nightmarish world offers, and they feel that the time of waiting for heroes is over. "Saviours from beyond the mists" is a lie, and only they can save themselves. You are a child of Barovia, born in the fiendish shadows of Castle Ravenloft. Driven by misfortune, fear, and anger, you and your companions venture out with one goal in mind. Freedom. Freedom from the devil Strahd.
Game style
Rule of Cool (RoC)
Meet the Game Master
5.0
(6)
2 years on StartPlaying
58 games hosted
Highly rated for: Creativity, Storytelling, Inclusive
About me
I started playing RPGs when my older brother invited me to join their D&D group in the early 80s. I introduced my friends to the game and became the forever DM - a mantle I've enjoyed for many years. I have run games D&D, DnD, Shadowrun, Tales from the Loop, Monster of the Week, Paranoia, Toon, Deadlands, Earthdawn, and many more. Since 2016, I've run most of my games through Roll20. I am an old-school gamer who runs games in a player-friendly space, with a play style focused more on the stories we can create than arguing over 'rules as written'.
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
Characters will be created during Session Zero. Players will first create Barovian commoners using homerules, then, after a brief session, they will evolve into level 1 characters. We will only be using the following Core books (Player's Handbook, DMG, MM, Curse of Strahd campaign book) and a Homebrew Handout for creating your Barovian Commoner.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
Roll20 for VTT and Player Sheets Discord for audio (Please have a headset/earbuds to prevent audio issues) NO cams needed
What C Wilson brings to the table
This will be a rules-light (Rule of Cool) campaign, heavy on the roleplaying and story exploration. There will be ambient music and sound FX, all original maps, and some original graphics. This campaign is set in an open-world Barovia, so there are no rails. Players are free to explore as they wish. You could attempt to attack Castle Ravenloft in the first session, but I would not recommend it.
Homebrew rules
Barovian Commoners as characters (species include Human [Barovian and Vistani], Dusk Elves, Dwarves, Half-Orcs, Gnomes, and Halflings). Scroll casting mechanics for Non-Magic Users. Secret Death Saves Flat Bonus for Natural 20s on Attack rolls
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
Headphones
Platforms used
Safety
How C Wilson creates a safe table
Safety tools include Lines and Veils, which help guide me as I tell the story. During gameplay, we will have breaks as needed and use X, N, and O to help if we venture into an area that makes you feel uncomfortable. We will have session 0 for character set-up and introducing your character. I like running combat quickly, but sometimes I get caught up in the fun and end up expounding on descriptive commentary during combat. As you might know, death can come swiftly in Barovia. How will we handle character death? It will depend on the player and where your character shuffled off the mortal coil. There are always "deals" to be made, but if your death is either narratively amazing or tragic, we might play it as permanent. I mean, who doesn't have fun rolling up new characters?
Content warnings
Safety tools used