To apply for this game, visit the Roll20 LFG Post here: <a href="https://app.roll20.net/lfg/listing/149934/curse-of-strahd-thursday-1-pm-eastern" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net/lfg/listing/149934/curse-of-strahd-thursday-1-pm-eastern</a> Welcome to Barovia. The Master is Waiting. Under raging storm clouds, the vampire Count Strahd von Zarovich stands silhouetted against the ancient walls of Castle Ravenloft. Rumbling thunder pounds the castle spires. The wind’s howling increases as he turns his gaze down toward the village of Barovia. Far below, yet not beyond his keen eyesight, a party of adventurers has just entered his domain. Strahd’s face forms the barest hint of a smile as his dark plan unfolds. He knew they were coming, and he knows why they came — all according to his plan. A lightning flash rips through the darkness, but Strahd is gone. Only the howling of the wind fills the midnight air. The master of Castle Ravenloft is having guests for dinner. And you are invited. This roleplay heavy gothic horror adventure is designed to take characters from level 1 to 10. It contains adult themes and some disturbing fantasy horror. I have played some form or another of D&D for 8 years now, and nearly two of those years I’ve known Loren. He is without a doubt the most creative and talented person I’ve had the pleasure of playing with. Not only are his games fun, but the decisions he makes for the characters in the game make sense (and usually lead to an interesting story I feel excited about uncovering). If you like action, suspense, and drama, Loren is your man. Thomas B. Game Information Schedule: Weekly, Thursdays at 1:00 PM Eastern (GMT-5) Game Length: ~3 hours per session. Pay to Play: $80 USD/player each month via Paypal. Session 0 is free. Campaign Setting: Ravenloft Starting Level: 1 Group Size: 6 This is not a PVP game. Actions against other player characters that create inter-party conflict (basically, any action that removes player agency) are not allowed. This isn't to say that characters can't disagree, but rather that D&D is a team-based game and behavior that breaks that team spirit is generally disruptive to the game. No bullying, sexism, racism, homophobia, or other intolerant behavior will be allowed. Behavior of this type has a zero-tolerance policy, and will result in (a) removal from the game and Discord server (b) no refunds for outstanding payment balances. Roleplay is strongly encouraged, including character voices, developing character backgrounds, etc.This module in particular lends itself to higher levels of role playing. Communication Methods: Voice is mandatory. Discord is required for game session audio as well as out of game communication. As a first time user of Roll20, I couldn’t have asked for a better DM than Loren. He is always well prepared and very welcoming of any questions, thoughts, or concerns during, before, or after the session. Would definitely recommend him to anyone, and hope to run more campaigns with him. - Chris E. Character Creation Details We are using D&D 5e rules. Character Creation: You can use the Player Handbook, Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide, Volo's Guide to Monsters, Xanathar's Guide, and Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes for character creation. I will consider some options from Ravnica and Eberron, but prefer the options from these books that fit in well with "general fantasy" rather than setting specific. I will consider other sources (such as Unearthed Arcana or well-reviewed classes on the DM's Guild) on a case-by-case basis, but prefer to stick to the published books with groups that are just forming. No monster templates (Lycanthrope, Vampire, etc.) from the Monster Manual. No evil characters - in my experience this generally leads to trouble within the group, unless everyone is on board and has discussed from the beginning. I encourage cooperation and a shared sense of adventure in my games. All characters start at level 1. Point Buy or Standard Array of 15,14,13,12,10,8 (for details on these methods, refer to your PHB). Stat roll will not be allowed in this game, to help keep characters balanced. Characters should be created prior to Session 0. Access to in-game character sheets will be provided once you have joined the game. A private Discord server will also be available to discuss character creation and part composition questions prior to Session 0 Backstory: While I highly recommend a backstory (and discuss backstory specifics for this campaign further below in the "Backstory and Barovia" section), I also suggest that it not be too involved or elaborate. Find one or two simple hooks that can define your character. Since we are playing a pre-built module, backstory will usually be secondary to the goals of the pre-written campaign we are working through, and is largely for flavor and roleplay as a player rather than major story beats. If you have very strong ideas about particular events or specific characters in a backstory, please make sure you run them by me before committing to them, as I will need to make sure they can fit into the world. I've played with Loren for over a year and a half. We've gone through a number of WOTC modules. Loren has done a great job of managing the stories but also adding things to it related to our character backgrounds. He comes up with voices and personalities for NPCs which are great; I believe he's been fair in any rulings on gameplay; he's always prepared. I would highly recommend Loren as a DM. - Brad Player Expectations: D&D works best when players share mutual respect and trust with each other. Being comfortable at the table is earned by knowing you can trust the players around you. To facilitate that, here are a few expectations I have from my players. I realize this campaign is designed for both new and experienced players, and will work to make sure everyone at the table has a good time, regardless of skill level. I will be on time to games, every week. My weekly participation is vital to the group's progression, safety, and overall enjoyment of the game. I realize that life happens, and am able to communicate on a timely basis anything that may come up to cause me to miss a session (but, seriously, I'm not going to miss any sessions). I will also be gracious to others in the group if they need to miss a session. I will stay engaged while we are playing. I will cooperate with the DM during the game and accept rulings that are made at the table. Unless it is something that can be resolved very quickly during the game, I'll talk with the DM afterwards instead of breaking the flow of the game if I believe a ruling is in error. I will not be rude or disruptive. I will assume that my character has a reason for adventuring with the others, and will act in general cooperation with them. I have a mic with good sound quality and a stable internet connection. I will download Discord for out-of-game discussion and communication. I will perform character sheet maintenance (such as leveling, etc.) outside of campaign hours. DM Expectations I will be on time to games, every session. I will communicate clearly and in a timely manner any schedule abnormalities or other issues. I respect all players equally. I will be thoroughly prepared for each session. I will be fair in my rulings. I will work to give each character opportunities throughout every session and the longer-term campaign to shine. I will listen to player feedback and tailor the gaming experience to the group's desires. I will provide a high quality collaborative experience which entertains and challenges. Loren is the best game master that I've had the pleasure to roll with because he puts his players first. For a year and a half, he has been dedicated to my fun, my character's story, and the creation and maintenance of a world that responds realistically and dynamically to every single bat-shit crazy scheme and plot that I throw at him. Loren is a master listener and will work with you to create the fully-realized gaming experience that you clicked on this listing to find. - James About the DM Hi, I'm Loren. My background is in film and television, and I bring storytelling front and center to D&D. I love helping my groups have epic adventures. My DM style tends to be collaborative and inclusive. I like to say "yes" to my players as a means to create exciting, memorable moments. I like to bring characters alive through voices (I'm always happy when I can pull out my Scottish dwarf voice), and I like to use music to set the tone for each scene. To me, the more I can do to emotionally involve my players, the more immersed in the world they will be, making the game better for everyone. Check out my Youtube Channel for Actual Play video to get a sense of what one of my games might be like: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3m12ps9Fs5NQvqazp_I3LQ" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3m12ps9Fs5NQvqazp_I3LQ</a> Quotes from Players: Loren is a fantastic GM, and I look forward to game night every week. He knows the modules he runs back to front, and prepares thoroughly by making his own maps and custom content. He's a very fair DM, with a great sense of humour. I can't recommend him enough! -Name Witheld A magnificent storyteller! Loren keeps the balance between a challenge and too easy perfectly. He blends fighting and RP with grace and allows us to explore things and keep true to our characters. He is prepared and ready for whatever random thing our group decides to do (you can talk to the townspeople about claiming that run down keep -- after all you did clean out the undead from it.) His maps are great quality, his characters unique with different voices and personalities. He makes decisions that make sense for the story or the character, and is willing to listen and discuss reasons why a character may or may not be able to know or do something, and we can always TRY and see what happens. (Roll those dice!) Truly a wonderful experience you do NOT want to miss out! -Finn Loren Is a great GM. I'm currently in a campaign with him and fully enjoying my time. His stories are well developed, his character voices are great, and he is more than happy to work with the players to make something happen. Give him a chance and you won't be disappointed. -Justin Why Should I Pay? Here are some very good reasons to pay to play in this game: No DM bailing. I'm here for the long haul, and your payment helps make sure of that. I run multiple on-going groups with long-term players. This is my full-time job, and I take it seriously. Committed players. Players who pay are invested in making this work financially. Everyone at the table has some stakes in making this a good experience. Avoid the difficulty of getting into a game. There are tons of players on Roll20, and significantly less DM's. A good DM. Let's face it - even if you get into a game, the quality levels of DM's can have a significant variance. Your payment brings you into a quality game. Quality preparation. Your payment not only helps pay for the session time, but also the preparation I put into the game. That includes not only things like thinking up fun new encounters or extending the pre-built story with custom content, but also stuff like answering your questions outside of game time, and helping develop your character as the game goes on. High quality Roll20 modules. Your payment also helps me purchase expensive Roll20 modules - like the one you are about to play! This is a beautifuly constructed module, with tons of handouts, great maps, and other bells and whistles. Pro Roll20 Features. I'll be using API scripts, dynamic lighting, custom music, and other Pro features that will enhance the gaming experience. Shared Compendium. I purchase all compendium content and share it with my games. This provides easy access to all official 5e resources that are currently supported by the Roll20 Compendium system. Obligatory Roll20 disclaimer: This game will require payment to the Game Master at a rate of $80 USD/player/month via PayPal. Roll20 is not responsible for any payment transactions and cannot enforce any private arrangements. Subscription and Refund Policy The monthly subscription to this game is $80. This is a discount from my standard rate of $25/Session. This discounted subscription takes into consideration that people will occasionally need to miss a game session for various life reasons, and refunds will not be provided for single missed sessions. Refunds for sessions will occur for the following reasons: If the DM is notified of an extended need for absence over multiple weeks (such as vacation, illness, etc.) If there are technical issues with Roll20 that cause the game to be cancelled. If the DM is forced to cancel a session for any reason. If holidays will create more than one skipped session in a month. At the DM's discretion for any other reasons. While I depend on subscriptions for my livelihood, I also understand that life happens. Like most things with D&D, open and clear communication is the best way to make sure everyone is having the best time possible, and this extends to payments for the game. If you are facing a specific issue or hardship regarding payment, please talk with me. As the DM, I reserve the right to accept, deny, or remove players from the game, as well as the right to cancel the campaign at any time. Should any of these extreme situations occur, outstanding subscription balances will be refunded in full to all effected parties. Holidays and Time Change This game will observe standard US Holidays and no games will be held unless otherwise determined by a group decision. Depending on the geographic group makeup, other holidays will be considered for inclusion in this list. Currently these holidays include: The weekend prior to Christmas through the weekend after New Years Day. (For 2019: Friday Dec 20 - Sunday Jan 5) Memorial Day (May 27, 2019) Easter (April 21, 2019) American Independence Day (July 4) Labor Day (Sep 2, 2019) The week of Thanksgiving (For 2018: Sunday Nov 24 - Sunday Dec 1) For 2019, time changes occur in the US on Sunday, March 10 and Sunday, November 3. Time changes for the UK occur on Sunday, March 31 and Sunday, October 27. This can cause some confusion for game scheduling if there are players in mixed time zones. We will be following the US time change for this game. Backstory and Barovia As you look at character building, I would recommend a character with flaws, possibly some tragedy or terrible event in their background, or a hidden secret or compulsion that drives them. This game in particular will push against your flaws, weaknesses, and strengths as a character, and this is a lot of the fun of the adventure. Your character can be from anywhere that fits within the "general fantasy" of most D&D campaigns. If you want me to help you find a home town or people to be connected to that is canon within the Forgotten Realms lore, I can help with that sort of thing. It is even ok if your character is from a different plane than other characters. Strahd doesn't care where you are from, so you don't have to fit canonically into previous D&D lore. Feel free to be somewhat creative. For instance, if you want to play a robot warforged, you can tap into Eberron lore, or craft your own story based on the character you imagine as you build the character. My goal as DM is to help you make high-investment characters. The game will be better if your character has some depths to plumb, because of the gothic horror nature of this adventure. Don't just stick to things like basic spoony bard concepts, but try to dig deeper. Here are some ideas: Develop hidden tragedies, impossible goals, and regrets into your characters’ past. Your PC doesn't need to be “dark and edgy,” but they should have some great desire informed by past mistakes, losses, or failures. These will likely fall into one or more of the three broad categories listed next (but feel free to explore past these to other ideas): This PC is a broken creature searching for healing or redemption. This PC is a lost soul searching for kinship or purpose. This PC has lost or been abandoned by someone or something important to them, and are attempting to regain it. How to Apply Please visit the Roll20 LFG Post and apply in the Applications Here thread . <a href="https://app.roll20.net/lfg/listing/149934/curse-of-strahd-thursday-1-pm-eastern" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net/lfg/listing/149934/curse-of-strahd-thursday-1-pm-eastern</a>
