The Devil Upon The Mountain: THE CURSE OF STRAHD [5e/intro friendly]

About the adventure

The fell mists chill your bones as something howls in pain from the blackened forest / A greasy yellow lamp swings from a post, its creaking deafening in the oppressive silence of the town square / Echoes of chanting from ancient, profane rituals emanate from the catacombs / and above all, a pitch-dark dirge from a mighty pipe organ drifts down...from the battlements of RAVENLOFT! The dread waltz begins anew. The Devil STRAHD thirsts for the world's innocent and free. And as before, the mists part for a few travelers who would join Him in a dance... The Curse of Strahd, a true classic D&D adventure in high gothic horror style, is a must for spooky season. Pervasive dread, bizarre characters, beautiful and grim locations, a chilling prophecy, and a brilliant mastermind villain. We will start this adventure at level 1 (with a session zero to prepare), and we will play weekly at the same time.

Additional Details

How to prepare

Internet connection (Chrome/Firefox), mic & headphones, Roll20 account, Discord account, and Discord app required. Webcams and dice highly encouraged! No character creation necessary, although previous character concepts are welcome.

What I provide

All official 5e published content available through Roll20 compendium, the official "Curse of Strahd" adventure with maps, handouts, and art, a nicely appointed and friendly Discord server, and character art from me, a professional illustrator! Pre-gen characters also available.

Gameplay details

You can expect low-pressure roleplay, challenging combat, and a fun "B movie horror" atmosphere. The adventure will become more difficult as you progress, but thinking outside the box is highly rewarded! Open to all experience levels and available to schedule additional "office hours" to develop characters or ask questions! Character details and rolls will mostly be tracked through Roll20, although I encourage note-taking and I always love the sound of real dice! I run a light-hearted table, but have a zero tolerance policy for behavior that makes others unsafe or uncomfortable. We'll check in early and often about how you feel, and resolve conflict immediately, out of character.

Content warnings

(none)

Safety tools used

Aftercare
Bleed
Breaks
Lines and Veils
Open Door
Session 0
X, N, and O Cards

How will character creation work

I'll run one free full-length session 0 per chapter to come up with characters and expectations together! After the first adventure in the campaign, we'll check in per chapter to determine the group's comfort with adding new players.

Players can expect

• Find a game to join solo or search for a professional game master for you and your friends/coworkers/family.
• Book your session and wait for the Game Master to approve you.
• If you don't have a blast with your first game, your next game is on us.