Curse of Strahd - Barovia is hungry-heroes are its favorite meal

Creating your character

Will this happen during the first session, or before it starts? Ideally before season 1. Creating can be done on DnD beyond or in roll20. A game link will be provided to Roll20 to allow players to customize there token (or if you chose, provide me a description and I can have a token and image ready for you). How will stats be decided? Please generate stats by rolling 4d6 and dropping the lowest die to obtain your total. Perform this 6 times for your base stats. You can then assign stats based on your personnel preference. What will their starting level be? Players will start at level 1 and advancement will be via Milestone to minimize the book keeping. Where will the characters be created? Characters can be created in DnD Beyond or in Roll20. Link to Roll20 and Discord will be provided in the Startplaying information. Are there any specific books they should or shouldn't refer to? I have most core books to allow for a wide choice of classes/feats. Season 0 is free Roll20 Pro account for game play

Preparing for the session

Please have the following installed or available for use to participate in the game: Discord Link: https://discord.gg/2gudpYtPH Roll20 Instance: https://app.roll20.net/join/22061076/TZ4-Cw A working mic If you are using Firefox as your browser: ensure the Beyond20 browser extension is installed. if you are using Chrome as your browser: ensure the Beyond 20 browser extension. You will need to run two active tabs (one with your DnD Beyond character and one with the roll20 VTT). A steady internet connection is recommended, so as not to lag out. If you have any questions on setting please feel free to ask.

What Victor brings to the table

To bring the gothic world of Barovia to life, I use a dedicated Discord audio bot for atmospheric background music, environmental soundscapes, and haunting audio effects. You’ll also encounter custom visuals, detailed maps, and immersive handouts throughout the adventure to draw you into the mist-shrouded villages, decaying castles, eerie wilderness, and dark secrets lurking in the shadows. We’ll use Roll20 grid maps and built-in turn/initiative tracking to keep combat organized, visual, and engaging. Expect a mix of suspenseful action and tactical strategy—positioning matters, terrain can make the difference between life and death, and teamwork will be essential when facing the terrifying creatures of the night. Exploration, dread, and investigation are also central, so expect the environment and tension itself to be part of the challenge. The campaign combines dark fantasy, gothic horror, mystery, and heroic adventure. The dangers of Barovia are real, but the goal is to create a game where players can take risks, make meaningful choices, and ultimately become the heroes who stand against the shadows. Player comfort is a priority, so we will use the X-Card system to ensure everyone feels safe and supported at the table. Standard loot tables can be boring, so I actively tailor magic items and rewards to the party. Finding a powerful artifact or relic is much more exciting when it is something your character—or someone in the group—can actually use. I’ll also work with you to weave your character directly into Barovia's dark weave, whether you arrive with a detailed backstory or need help creating one from scratch. I have a Roll20 Pro account to support the campaign with enhanced virtual tabletop features like dynamic lighting and macro automation. I’m also available on Discord outside of sessions for questions, character creation assistance, build discussions, or anything else related to the game. Session 0 is free, giving us a chance to make sure I understand your expectations, play style, and safety boundaries before your descent into Barovia begins.

Homebrew rules

milestones, gold, other. ● Milestone leveling ❏ Increasing hit points: ● Players start with max HP roll for level 1 + CON bonus. ● After level, roll HP dice + CON modifier. ❏ Alignment: Useful for this module. You just cant be Evil ❏ Racial bonuses: as written (pre-gens can be 5.5e or 5e). The only book I don’t have is Eberron Forge of the Artificer, so you should have a wide option to select from. ❏ Race/class restrictions: Any race can be used. The only limitation is any creature that has the potential to fly, cannot use the ability until level 5. ❏ Encumbrance: Used within reason. You cannot carry all the things. If you want to have access to your entire arsenal/gear list, the use of porters is allowed. Remember that you may sometimes travel over frozen rivers/lakes and the more you carry the greater the chance of something bad happening. ❏ Critical success: ● double dice but open to Max Damage on one of the double dice to avoid feels bad moments… Example: you got a NAT 20! On your swing with a mace, with 13 STR. The mace used 1d6 for damage dice and +1 from STR modifier. You would get (6 + 1) + 1d6 + 1 = total damage. This prevents the feels bad moments of I roll a 1……. ❏ Critical failure: fumble with the item in question. I will ask that you select what happens on this. It could be as simple as, “the ice on my gloves made me loss my grip and I have to recover my weapon.” ❏ Inspiration: DM-rewarded. Inspiration can be cashed in for advantage on rolls for you or your party members. Must be used before the roll occurs and the new roll stands as final. ❏ Number of skill check attempts, group skill checks, other. ● Depending on the check, the party may get 1 roll. If it’s a door that is stuck, the party may try again at the same difficulty but the party will generate more noise as they try to open the door, possibly alerting the roving monsters of the parties presence. ● Items like locks/traps may be damaged beyond the ability to try again. ❏ Actions during combat: you get a sentence to communicate with the team/monster (if they even understand you). ❏ Bonus Actions: chug a HP Pot. Passing an HP pot to a party member. (to make the party member drink the pot, would be an action) ❏ Resting, health regeneration: Short Rest 1 Hit Dice worth of HP / Long rest restore to full HP.

How Victor creates a safe table

What will you go over in Session 0? Pick your class, set up your token and get a rough idea of your backstory. I also like go over any questions the player may have. How do you do aftercare? Discord for questions are welcome. Please reach out with any questions you may have. Comfortable/Uncomfortable: Use X in chat, X in voice or send a whisper to me. We can pause the game, I will check with the player to ensure I understand the problem and take action as needed to resolve it.