Fairy Tales End at Twenty-One | Ravenloft D&D 5.5e

Creating your character

I'd prefer to talk through character ideas with everyone during a Session 0, but I know my fellow hobbyists well enough to know some of y'all are either champing at the bit to make that PC NOW or have a panoply of character ideas ready to go, so here are character creation guidelines for this mini-arc. - 2024 rules; no homebrew classes nor species, but any official splat (Artificer from the new Eberron book for instance) is fine. Unearthed Arcana 2024 stuff is case by case. - a mostly human party is preferred, but one or two gnomes, elves, orcs, dwarves, or halflings would be totally fine. - everyone should choose a "true" name (either chosen from a book, maybe, or faintly remembered from an infancy outside of the Mists) as well as a "wretched servant" name that Mother calls them (think "Wart;" "Lazy Daisy;" "Boogerboi;" "Trash") - as long as the party is balanced, I don't care about stat method with the following caveats: a) if someone uses a rolled set of numbers everyone uses that same set and b) this is Ravenloft, not Dragonlance... think about making a character who is vulnerable, NOT a superhero - the backgrounds in the PHB should be understood in the context of you having spent your whole life in the hag's Gurgyl (a "Merchant" might occasionally accompany Mother to market, for instance, as might a "Criminal" forced to collect her goodies)

Preparing for the session

What I Need From You: Tech Setup: A PC/laptop capable of running Owlbear Rodeo alongside video and audio via Jitsi Meet. A working webcam and headset are required as I run a CAMERA-ON table only. Eligibility & Mindset: Ages 18+. You should be excited by dark folk horror, comfortable with the bulk of the listed content warnings, and eager to engage in rich, collaborative storytelling. Table Culture: A kind, curious, and open-minded attitude toward all fellow players, regardless of background or perspective. Lifting up one another's fun whenever possible... alley-oop! Gameplay Fit: A narrative-first focus over mathematical optimization/tactical play. Character voices are optional, but operating from your character's perspective and playing to their weaknesses for a better story is profoundly encouraged!

What Christopher brings to the table

What I Provide To You: Professional Performance: As a Yale School of Drama–trained actor who has worked on TV, Off-Broadway, and in regional theater, I bring Mother Lorinda and the eerie inhabitants of Tepest to life with distinct voices, psychological depth, and vivid narrative pacing. Bespoke, Deep Lore: I adapt the plot between sessions around your PC's choices and backstory. Within the esoteric riddles and strange nursery rhymes of Tepest, hidden plot threads and juicy surprises will always reward the smart and curious player. Immersive & Simple A/V: Unsettling ambient soundscapes paired with a clean, lightweight VTT setup to keep exploration crisp without turning an imagination-centric hobby into a video game. Dedicated Focus on Exploration & Roleplay: I put as much prep or more into rich NPC interactions, eerie environmental mysteries, and meaningful character choices as I do into the combats. Fights are meant to be narrative events with stakes for the plot and the character rather than filler encounters to burn resources. Creative problem-solving and teamwork will reap rewards. A Kind, Collaborative Table: High-intensity horror requires a low-stress table, at least for my players. I provide a warm space welcoming of kind and tolerant people who want to tell a cool story TOGETHER. For everyone to feel safe taking creative narrative or performance risks, I make a place to lift each other up, root for each other, and to stay curious even when it's not "our turn."

Homebrew rules

Exhaustion on 0 Hit Points: Gain 1 level of exhaustion each time a character drops to 0 hit points. Flexible Healing Potions: Drink a potion as a bonus action for rolled healing, or spend a full action to regain the maximum possible hit points. Language of Story: number of languages is decided as normal, but you can "fill in" what languages you know as you come upon them in-game Study and Search In Combat: Analyze a monster or look for a hidden door as a Bonus Action if you like. Hidden Death Saves: The DM and player rolls that PCs death saves completely in secret. Stress Score: When a player has a Stress Score, they subtract that score whenever they make an attack roll, ability check, saving throw, or from their Spell Save DC. Tepest Magic: As with in any Ravenloft game, magic works differently behind the Mists, your Gods are very distant, and some divine AND arcane spells may be altered to reflect both the flavor and the dark fairytale logic of Tepest. I am not doing this to punish any player nor take away their fun, so feel free to speak to me at any point about your goals if you're playing a spellcaster.

How Christopher creates a safe table

Exploring dark horror is only fun when everyone feels safe at the table. Here are my ideas on how we keep the game comfortable and collaborative: Session 0: Talk through the game's dark themes, establish hard limits, and align on expectations. Setting Boundaries: We will explicitly outline what topics are off-limits (Lines) and what topics should happen off-screen (Veils) during our first meeting. I'll also provide and honor Monte Cook's RPG Consent Checklist. If a topic ever crosses a line during a game, any player can speak up, throw up a visual "X," or send me a quick private message to pause, adjust, or skip the scene, and I'll do so, no explanation needed, as soon as I clock it. Open Door & Check-Ins: You can message me privately before, during, or after any session if something feels uncomfortable. For instance, I love character voices, but if I stumble into a stereotype please don't hesitate to let me know you're not comfortable with that direction. Aftercare & Debrief: At the end of each session, we spend 5 minutes stepping out of character to chat, decompress, and share favorite moments so the dark themes stay strictly in the story.