Curse of Strahd: Director's Cut (Lv 3–10) | High Stakes, Deep RP

Creating your character

​📜 Ruleset: 2014 5e Rules. All official 2014 sourcebooks are available via full D&D Beyond content sharing. (Homebrew or Unearthed Arcana by consultation). ​📈 Level & Progression: Start at Level 3. Progression is narrative milestone-based. ​ ⚔️ Ability Scores & HP: 27-Point Buy. Hit Points use max HP at Level 1, followed by the fixed average each level thereafter (no rolling). 💡 Optional Gothic Immersion Mechanics (Voted in Session 0) To heighten the psychological stakes of Ravenloft, we can incorporate optional mechanics from Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft and the DMG if the group desires: 😱 Fear & Stress Mechanics: Rules from Van Richten's where horrific encounters and psychological tension impose escalating, temporary narrative and mechanical hurdles. 🫨 Sanity Ability Score: If the group votes to implement the optional Sanity score, character creation point buy will be expanded accordingly to accommodate the extra attribute so your primary stats are not penalized. 🧰 ​Barovian Survival Package (Starting Gear) You enter the mists prepared for danger. In addition to your standard starting class and background equipment, your character receives: ​1 Potion of Healing ​1 Common Magic Item (chosen from official sources to fit your character’s backstory) ​1 Gothic Trinket (a family heirloom, personal keepsake, or mysterious memento) ​ 🆓0️⃣ Free Session 0 Included Every player receives a complimentary Session 0. We will integrate your backstory into Barovia's lore, establish boundaries and safety tools, align group expectations, and ensure your sheet imports seamlessly into Foundry VTT.

Preparing for the session

📋 What You Need Before Session 0 ​💻 Hardware: A PC or laptop with a modern web browser (Chromium based browser recommended, example Chrome, Brave, etc...) and a stable internet connection. A functional microphone and headphones are required to minimize audio feedback. (Foundry VTT is not supported on mobile devices or tablets). ​👾 Discord Account (Free): Used for voice chat, campaign announcements, and our party hub. A link to the private campaign server will be provided upon joining. ​D&D Beyond Account (Free): Used to build and manage your character sheet. You will receive a campaign invite link granting full access to my sourcebook library. ​VTT Access & Character Import ​👩‍💻 No Software or Extra Accounts Required: We play on Foundry VTT hosted via The Forge. You do not need to install software or register for a Forge account (although I do recommend you make an account on the Forge); you can access the game directly via a web browser link. ​🔀 Automated Sheet Sync: Build your character on D&D Beyond using our campaign link, and I will import your sheet directly into Foundry VTT before Session 0.

What Lucy Moon brings to the table

What I Provide (Assets & Platform) ​High-End Foundry VTT Setup: Hosted 24/7 on The Forge with zero software installation required. Features animated battlemaps, multi-level line-of-sight lighting, automated spell effects, and layered ambient soundscapes tailored to Ravenloft. ​Full D&D Beyond Sourcebook Sharing: Complete unlocked access to core and expansion books (PHB, DMG, Tasha's, Xanathar's, Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft, and more) to build and level your characters. ​Dedicated Discord Hub: A private category for your party's session notes, lore recaps, and strategy talk, plus access to a broader community tavern to connect with other players. ​My GM Style at the Table ​Atmospheric Roleplay & Distinct NPCs: I lean heavily into gothic horror roleplay, using distinct voices, mannerisms, and psychological depth for Barovia’s inhabitants, especially Strahd. ​Cinematic, Tactical Combat: Combat is lethal and meaningful, not a repetitive dice slog. Enemies act with realistic intelligence, environmental hazards matter, and encounters are dynamically balanced to challenge your party without cheap, arbitrary deaths. ​Rule of Cool Within a Solid Framework: The 5e rules serve as our mechanical foundation, but narrative impact and player creativity come first. If you propose an inventive, in-character action that fits the fiction, we find a way to roll for it. ​Fail-Forward Momentum: A failed check or setback never stalls the plot; it raises the tension, complicates the scene, and drives the story forward.

Homebrew rules

​We use a few select quality-of-life adjustments and optional horror rules. Immersion mechanics are voted on during Session 0 to fit party preferences. ​Combat & Quality-of-Life (Active by Default) ​Bonus Action Potions: Drinking a potion yourself requires a Bonus Action. Administering a potion to an unconscious ally takes a standard Action. ​Critical Initiative: Rolling a Natural 20 on initiative allows you to choose your exact placement in the turn order once rolls are resolved. ​2024 Subclass Backporting: The campaign strictly runs on the 2014 core engine and progression (core classes, spell mechanics, and overlapping subclasses use the 2014 rules). However, if there is a subclass introduced in the 2024 rules that does not exist in 2014 (e.g., Bard: College of Dance), let me know, we can adapt the archetype features to function cleanly on your 2014 class chassis. ​Optional Gothic Immersion Mechanics (Voted in Session 0) ​Blind Checks: Checks where character knowledge is uncertain (such as Stealth, Insight, or Perception) can be rolled secretly via Foundry VTT so only the GM sees the result, preserving narrative suspense. ​Hidden Death Saves: Death saving throws are rolled privately between the player and GM. The party only knows a character is down, significantly heightening emergency triage tension.

How Lucy Moon creates a safe table

Curse of Strahd explores bleak, oppressive gothic horror, but table safety, respect, and player agency are strictly upheld. My games maintain a zero-tolerance policy for out-of-character harassment, discrimination, or hostility. ​Pre-Game Intake & Session 0 ​- Monte Cook Consent Checklist & Lines/Veils: Before Session 0, every player completes a confidential checklist covering hard lines, soft veils, and specific phobias. These boundaries are permanently integrated into encounter design with zero questions asked. ​- Dedicated Session 0: We establish table expectations, discuss tone boundaries, review content warnings, and ensure full group alignment before play begins. ​ Live Play Safety (Pause & Direct Communication) Rather than relying on gamified cards, we use direct communication and the Luxton Technique: - ​Instant Pause: Any player can call a "Pause" on voice or privately message me in Foundry/Discord at any moment if a scene crosses a comfort threshold. ​- Immediate Break & Adaptation: We immediately pause gameplay for a short table break. The player shares the issue with me confidentially in private, and the scene is edited, altered, or faded to black immediately before play resumes. ​- Scheduled Breaks & Open Door Policy: Every session includes a scheduled mid-point break. You are always welcome to step away from the call at any time if you need a moment, no explanation required.