Festerhelm Manor: A Darker Dungeons Campaign

Ruin has come to our family.

You remember our esteemed house, opulent and imperial, gazing proudly from its perch above the moor.

I lived all my years in that ancient rumor shadowed manor, fattened by decadence and luxury, and yet I began to tire of...conventional extravagance. Persistent unsettling tales suggested the mansion itself was a gateway to some fabulous and unnamable power. With relic and ritual, I bent every effort towards the excavation and recovery of those long-buried secrets, exhausting what remained of our family fortune on steady hands and sturdy shovels. At last, in the salt-soaked crags beneath the lowest foundations, we unearthed that damnable portal of ancient evil. Our every step unsettled the timeworn earth, but we were in a realm of death and madness. In the end, I alone fled, laughing and wailing through those blackened passageways of antiquity…until consciousness failed me.

Our house has become a festering abomination! I beg you, return to this place, claim this land and deliver our people from the ravenous clutching shadows of this evil. Steel yourself, and remember, there can be no bravery without madness. Your journey will take you to hell, but, in that gaping abyss, we will find our redemption.

-Lord Thornheart

Post Scriptum: You will arrive along the old road. It winds with a troubling, serpent-like suggestion through the corrupted countryside, leading only, I fear, to ever more ominous places. There is a sickness in the ancient, pitted cobbles of the old road, and on its writhing path, you'll face viciousness, violence and perhaps, other damnably transcendent terrors.

Description

This is a homebrew campaign with horror elements that takes inspiration from Darkest Dungeons and will be using parts of the Darker Dungeons ruleset. I will have a topic below with the PDF document for that ruleset as well as an outline of the key aspects and a few house rules (please read through at least the key aspects carefully so you know what to expect from the game as they change the pacing and certain mechanics and will result in a different and more gritty/realistic feeling than traditional high fantasy D&D). Only darkness and death await you here; if you succeed, though, the rewards will be fitting.

This is a low magic world. To clarify, that does not mean no magic (as I think that's how low magic is often interpreted or pushed). Most people know and believe in magic, but few have seen it first hand, at least at a powerful level. Even fewer trust it, as it is often associated with the supernatural or paranormal. What that means is all classes are workable in this world, but there are aspects that should be noted. I would recommend specifically looking at the burnout effects listed in Campaign Rules, as well as the increased length of long rests and the need to train with a mentor for level up. Otherwise, we can discuss how your character would fit and engage in this world.

We will start with you and your party having received a letter calling for aid from a long-forgotten acquaintance in the remote town of Festerhelm. Whether it be the promise of riches, glory, or salvation, you now find yourself in a carriage alongside other damned souls speeding towards your likely demise. At this point, the party has reached the town and is acquainting themselves with their surroundings, but they're still just getting started as they uncover what's actually going on in the town.

Notes About the Game:

• Game will be the time listed, 7 pm-11 pm EST Thursdays
• Weekly, over Discord for voice and video. As a small note here, since I've received some questions, I do not require players to use video, but I will be myself and highly encourage it as I think it gives back a sense of face-to-face play and it's far easier to work off one another while roleplaying.
• You will start at level 12, as the game is currently in it's mid-stage, with the scope of the campaign up to those in it. All official material is allowed for character creation, as well as most Unearthed Arcana. If something you're interested in is outside of that, just let me know and we can discuss it. We will roll for stats (4d6 drop the lowest), but you can take a 27 point buy if you prefer. We will be rolling during our one-on-one session 0, as well as developing characters and going over the rules then.
• I am looking for 1-2 active players for this campaign to fill out the party (which currently consists of a Wizard, Rogue, Fighter, and Paladin). I have run several year+ long-term campaigns and am committed to running all of my games as long as there are players interested in playing.
• While the game has started, l will still be doing 1-on-1 sessions with any new players before their first session to help develop their character as well as go over the systems of the game and answer any questions or concerns you may have.

Some General Rules:

• Looking for chill players who are looking to have fun and not take themselves (or the other players) too seriously.That being said, the horror elements of the game will lend itself to more tense sessions. If at any point an element of the game is becoming too uncomfortable, please let me know as soon as possible and I will be sure to adapt it. While there will be serious/dark themes in this campaign, this is still just a game and we're all here to have fun in the end.
• There is a bit of mature content in the campaign (violence, questions of morality, Lovecraftian horror, etc.), so I heavily prefer that anyone applying is 18+.
• Open to new players, as I'm always happy to help new people get into D&D. That being said, I ask for experience or a familiarity with the base rules of 5e as we will be adding on systems and a grasp of the basics will help with smoothing out any additions.

Payment:

• You will be invoiced shortly after each session for $10 for the next session.*
• Payment needs to be made no later than 48 hours in advance of the scheduled game time (Tuesdays by 7 pm EST).
• First session will be free.

• I ask that all players give 24 hours notice before missing a session otherwise the payment is non-refundable. If notice is given, previous payment will go to the next session.

  *Those that opt to pay on a monthly basis will be charged $35.

About Me:

• Been playing D&D for about a decade, DMing for 5 of those. I have generally run long-term campaigns, and am looking for dedicated players.
• I try to encourage roleplay and to set an example. This campaign will have central horror elements, and being able to roleplay and become invested into the world will significantly improve the experience.
• With several English degrees, I am definitely a storyteller (at least that's what I tell myself to validate that decision). While combat and related suspense will have a role in the campaign, there will also be a heavy emphasis on roleplaying and creating a narrative with the players. One of the things that first drew me to D&D was its ability as a medium for narrative and one of the passions that drives me as a DM is creating those stories with my players.
• Open to feedback and criticism. I think it's important to listen to players and adapt the game to their needs. If something isn't working for you, just let me know and we'll work it out. This is especially true as we shape the campaign and your expectations and wants from session to session.

The Brief List of Things Not to Do

• Meta/power/god gaming.
• Min-maxing to a degree that it's getting ridiculous (I get that for some people this is a big draw for them to make the best possible character and all that, but that really shouldn't be the focus).
• Being an asshole (just don't).
• Not being punctual. I ask that all players give 24 hours notice before missing a session otherwise the payment is non-refundable. I will give players 48 hours notice if I am to miss a session, with the payment for the week going to the next session.
• Not showing up. Believe it or not, it's hard to play if you're not there. If too many sessions are missed, I will have to drop you from the campaign. If something in real life is preventing you from regularly attending, please just let me know so we can have a conversation and see if we can reach an arrangement that will work for both of us.
• PvP. I am completely alright with tensions within the party and fully expect it in this campaign to a point. That being said, open hostility between characters will not be allowed without explicit consent from all players involved.

What to Put in Your Application

• Name
• Age
• Preferred Pronouns
• Experience (with roleplaying games, D&D, 5e, etc.)
• What playstyle do you prefer? What are you looking for in a game? What are your thoughts on roleplaying? Combat? Do you prefer taking the lead or going with the flow (or something in between)? What attracts you to this style of game?
• What is your favorite horror game/movie/tv show? Is there a specific genre of horror that interests you? Why?
• Anything else you'd like me to know
• Note: You may also include character concepts if you would like, but that won't be a focus here. I'd just like to know who you are as a player and what kind of game you're looking for and that it matches the game being outlined here. If we move to the next step, I'll start to ask for character concepts and how they might fit into this world.

(Side Note: I will be responding to all applications to let you know that I've read them as well as answer any questions you have. Feel free to also send your application or any questions by PM as several players have done. If you are selected, I will be sending a message with further info. I'll also be doing a brief interview with anyone I approve just to ensure that we'll mesh and everything fits both of our expectations ahead of time. We will also have a full 1-on-1 "session 0" with any additional players as mentioned above to develop your character, to start building relationships amongst the party, and their characters and to make sure the game matches your expectations. If you have any questions though, feel free to message me, and I'll respond as quickly as possible)

Please post your applications in separate topics, as it's far easier to track that way for me.