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Curse of Strahd [5e]: The Dark, The Diabolical, & The Dead
Hidden behind misty veils Castle Ravenloft and its vampire master Baron Strahd Von Zarovich await those who find themselves in the land of Barovia.
$15.00
/ Session
Details
1 player following this game
Weekly / Thursday - 11:00 PM UTC
Session Duration / 3–3.5 hours
Campaign Length / 40–60 Sessions
0 / 5 Seats Filled
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About the adventure
Whether you're new to D&D or a multi-decade veteran like me, there's something for you in this campaign. Feel the weight of your decisions as your adventurers travel across the land of Barovia with the shadow of Strahd and his minions around every corner. Horror abounds through dark magics and ancient curses as the world itself slowly tries to pry apart your mind and humanity. Will you become the heroes Barovia needs to defeat the master of all vampires? Or will you become something far, far worse as the darkness of the mist seeps into you? This is the campaign for you if you like a little extra chaos in your game. I prefer a Rule of Cool style of DMing, allowing for scenarios to happen in less-than-traditional ways. If you enjoy having a higher level of artistic license with your character, if you want ingenuity as your ally in battle, NPCs with more depth than their basic stat block, and to feel the freedom to explore Barovia in your own way, then this is the campaign for you. Part of my goal as a DM is to reflect back at each player and give them life as they discover their own bravery, creativity, madness, and everything in between.
Game style
Rule of Cool (RoC)
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
5.0
(3)
1 year on StartPlaying
Highly rated for: Rule of Cool, Creativity, Inclusive
About me
I have been running games for a little over 20 years now. I played my first game of D&D at 13, and by 15 I began GM-ing my first group. I've played Dungeons & Dragons in every edition, Shadowrun, Pathfinder, Mutants & Masterminds, Pokemon United, and a dozen other systems. I'm not including the handful on my bookshelf that I'm sure I'll get to "one day". I've even built a couple systems myself and play tested those for a while. In my free time I enjoy creative writing, sketching, and reading. I have a background in stage theater as well and have spent time on a professional level dealing in negotiations and mediation. I enjoy horror movies, classic rpgs, and have a few anime I'm a diehard for.
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
I will talk to each player individually to ensure characters fit the tone of the setting. I want everyone to create a character they will enjoy, but for the sake of the group experience it's important that we are on the same page. - Standard Array (8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15) - No homebrew, as it simply causes too many balance issues
What to expect
Preparing for the session
You will need a D&D Beyond account both for maintaining your character sheet and utilizing Maps VTT. Discord will be needed for voice chat.
What Cody Powell brings to the table
- I specialize in Body Horror and Psychological Horror. We'll of course run the gambit of anything and everything Spooky, but in the twisting of Body and Mind is where I personally shine best. - It's not all doom and gloom. I love to laugh with my players as shenanigans go awry, cry with them when we're lucky enough to witness true heroism, and beam with pride when my players overcome daunting obstacles. - Combat encounters will be brutal and savage against monstrous beasts, dynamic and tactical against intelligent forces, and high-paced over-the-top action when confronted with a worthy challenge. - I love doing voices. I'm an actor at heart and it only feels natural to add a little bit of flavor to interactions with the world. I also want to add that the comfort and enjoyment of all players at my table is paramount to me. It should go without saying, but any language or actions of a bigoted nature won't be tolerated. Jokes sometimes cross lines, things get emotional, but lines are crossed when it gets intentionally cruel.
Homebrew rules
- Drinking a potion is a Bonus Action - Rule of Cool, meaning sometimes my determination of a rule will come down to what is best or most fun at that moment
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Microphone
Computer
Platforms used
Safety
How Cody Powell creates a safe table
There will be a Session 0 when the campaign starts and any player joining later on will have a 1-on-1 discussion with me before getting to the player table. We will go over anything that could compromise player safety and comfort, as well as the use of X, N, and O as an extra safety measure. I also keep an open door policy that my players can message me to talk about anything happening during games privately so that situations can be dealt with quietly and smoothly.
Content warnings
Safety tools used