Whispers in the Mist: Defying the Curse of Strahd

Creating your character

Session Zero: Our first session will be free and cover introductions, expectations, safety tools, and character creation. Character Level: Characters start at level 1. Ability Scores: Use Point Buy or roll for your stats. If your results are exceptionally poor (generally, more than half your scores are below average), you may take one mulligan. Additional rerolls require DM approval. Don't feel you need to reroll just because your character isn't perfectly optimized! Character Options: A D&D Beyond campaign with content sharing will provide access to almost all official character creation material. Unusual species, such as those from Spelljammer, may require approval. Third-party and homebrew content must be approved before use. Honesty: If rolling your stats, please roll honestly. The goal is a fun and fair game for everyone. Questions? If you're unsure whether an option is allowed, just ask!

Preparing for the session

To get ready for the game, you'll need the following: - Discord: You'll need a Discord account for voice chat. There will be a dedicated channel for our campaign where we'll meet for sessions and discuss the game. - Microphone and Internet: A working microphone and a stable internet connection are required so you can communicate with the group during sessions. - Foundry VTT: We'll use Foundry VTT to play the game. You'll access it through your web browser, and I'll provide the connection details before our first session. - D&D Beyond: I recommend creating your character using D&D Beyond. I'll provide a link to a campaign with content sharing enabled, giving you access to almost all the character creation options you'll need. Your character can then be imported into Foundry VTT. - Dice: Physical dice are welcome, but you don't need to own any. Foundry VTT includes digital dice rollers you can use during the game. Our first session will be a free Session Zero where we'll meet the group, discuss the campaign, go over safety tools and expectations, and answer any questions. You don't need to have your character completely finished beforehand; we'll have time to discuss character concepts and work through any questions about character creation together. If you need help setting up an account, creating your character, or connecting to Foundry VTT, just let me know!

What Zachary brings to the table

I want my games to feel like more than just sitting around a virtual table and rolling dice. I put a lot of effort into creating an immersive experience where the world, characters, and encounters feel memorable. You can expect: • High-quality maps, artwork, and hand-picked or custom assets to help bring the world to life. • Foundry VTT with quality-of-life features and custom tools tailored to the needs of the party. • Animated attacks, spells, and other visual effects to make combat feel dynamic and exciting. • Ambient music, sound effects, and other atmospheric touches to help set the mood. • A wide selection of official D&D content, along with additional content and options unique to the campaign. • Memorable NPCs, each with their own personalities, motivations, and stories. • Customized features and additions designed around the particular group and campaign. My goal is to create exciting encounters and epic moments while making sure everyone has opportunities to be in the spotlight. I generally follow the rules as written, but I don't believe the rules should get in the way of a great story or a clever idea. When a player comes up with something creative that isn't explicitly covered by the rules, I'm often willing to work with them and embrace the Rule of Cool. That doesn't mean every crazy idea automatically succeeds, but if you have a clever plan, I want you to feel encouraged to try it. Some of the most memorable moments at the table come from players doing something the I saw coming.

Homebrew rules

I use a homebrew rule for death saving throws called Death's Door. It gives changes to do things while making death saving throws so you are still part of the combat. More rules maybe added depending on how the group feels.

How Zachary creates a safe table

Character Stories & Roleplay I aim to give every character opportunities to develop their own story throughout the campaign. Your character may become involved in something significant, or their personal story might be explored through a smaller adventure. How involved your character's story becomes is partly up to you and how much you want to engage with it. I encourage everyone to roleplay, but I will never ask you to do anything outside your comfort zone. You don't need to use a character voice or put on an accent if you don't want to. If you enjoy going all-in with your character, that's great too! Safety & Session Zero One of the main themes of this campaign is gothic horror, so darker and potentially disturbing elements will appear regularly. There will be a free Session Zero where everyone can meet, discuss the campaign and its themes, establish table expectations, and go over safety tools and boundaries. We'll also create characters and answer any questions before the adventure begins. We will use Lines & Veils to establish boundaries. Lines are subjects you don't want to appear in the game at all; they are a hard stop. Veils are subjects that may exist in the game but should not be described in detail. If something behind a Veil comes up, we will simply fade to black and continue. X, N, and O Cards are available digitally through the VTT so you can communicate your comfort level during play without needing to interrupt the game or explain yourself. Open Door means you can step away from the game whenever you need a break, with no explanation required. At the end of each session, we will use Stars & Wishes. Stars are things you enjoyed, while Wishes are things you'd like to see changed, added, or explored further. This helps me adjust the game based on what the group enjoys. Code of Conduct - Respect your fellow players. No bullying, hazing, harassment, or deliberately picking on another player or their character. Everyone deserves to feel welcome and respected at the table. - No sexual content. Flirtation or sweet-talking may be used as a form of persuasion, but only with NPCs and within reasonable boundaries. - Give everyone a chance to participate. Don't shut down another player's ideas or actions. Everyone should have an opportunity to voice their thoughts and intentions. - Respect player agency. If you say, "My character will try...", I'll determine whether the action is possible, and then we'll play out the outcome. If the party is discussing what to do, everyone can contribute to the discussion and help decide how to proceed. There are no stupid ideas, and players should be able to suggest plans without fear of being mocked or shut down. - Safety comes first. These expectations never take priority over a player's comfort or safety. You can speak up, use a safety tool, or step away from the game whenever you need to. If something comes up during a live game that makes you uncomfortable, please speak up or use one of the s