Curse of Strahd (Thursday)

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.

About This Game:
This is probably one of my favorite modules set to take a character from levels 1-10. I recently just finished running a different group through this game on Roll20 which took just under a year and got them to level 12. Depending how everyone is feeling about the game, there are definitely ways to extend play to higher levels as well. I enjoy characters that find unexpected solutions and that can make their own goals to progress the story. The characters will start at level 1 following the normal character creation rules and using the standard 27 point buy. I’m fine with all official material and will take Unearthed Arcana material on a case by case basis.

The game will run on Thursdays from 8:30pm EDT and will go for around three and a half hours to four hours with some being a bit shorter and others a bit longer.

About My DM Style:
I like to delve into the story and play off the strengths and weaknesses of each player. I prefer sessions to be focused and because of this, I’ll make calls on rules that might be fuzzy and aren’t immediately able to be found to keep the game moving. That said, I’ve been playing this system for a while, and I’m confident in my knowledge with most of the rules for combat, class abilities, etc. I think giving each player a chance to shine is important, so my sessions tend to be more tuned to what both the group and each of the members enjoy. My sessions vary based on the directions a character goes, and if your actions make sense and your goals are possible, I will not deny you the opportunity to step off the rails and forge a different path.

I enjoy getting to know the players in and out of the game to make sure that everyone is having fun and to improve areas where people aren’t. I consider myself to be adaptable, and I take criticism without issue. If you have a complaint or concern, I’ll work with you to address it. All I ask is that you approach the situation maturely

I work to make the modules I run unique to the party that is playing in them. If you’ve played through the campaign before, I’ll find ways to keep you on your toes. I do this through expanding the stories in the book, finding ways to include a personalized story for each PC, and playing off of the players’ leads to see where we all end up.

This Game is for You if:
*You enjoy a mix of Combat, RP, and Puzzles while also building relationships with the world around you.
*You are looking for a game that will last several months or more in order to fully tell the story.
*You enjoy creating a background for your character that is integrated into the story and developed throughout the campaign.
*You are willing to work as part of a team, share the spotlight with the rest of the players, and can communicate in a mature/respectful manner.

This Game is NOT for You if:
*You prefer hack and slash games with one dungeon after the next.
*You get bored easily during roleplay scenes and noncombat encounters.
*You cannot consistently make sessions each week.
*You prefer bullying other players to make the game go the way only you want it.

About Me:
I’ve been playing D&D and other Roleplaying Games since my early teenage years. I started with 3.0 and 3.5, then I skipped over 4.0 in favor of Pathfinder, World of Darkness, and Savage Worlds. I’ve been playing 5th Edition since it has come out playing through some of the published games and running a few others. I typically find myself in a DM role, and it is one that I enjoy especially with engaged players. I’m a writer at heart, and I enjoy working with players to tell the best story possible for each character.

My name is Chris. I’m 31 years old, live in Pennsylvania (that would be Eastern Time Zone), and find myself talking to strangers fairly frequently in my everyday life (apparently, I didn’t learn that lesson too well as a kid). I enjoy writing and reading mostly sticking to fantasy, science fiction, urban fantasy, and mystery types. I like being outdoors and love hiking and camping. I have a sarcastic side, and I think it’s important to be able to laugh regularly.

Why Pay for the Game:
As a lot of other paid games will say and anyone who has been playing RPGs for a while will tell you, D&D is an expensive hobby. By paying for the games, you are guaranteeing that you get a DM invested in making the game as engaging as possible, and players that are similarly invested in the game. I own a large number of the books on Roll20 as well as Dndbeyond, and I share my compendiums in games I run which will make character creation and finding rules much easier. I own all the rulebooks and a few of the campaigns on PDF already, so most material you’re looking for when making a character, I can help you find.

I only expect players to pay for the game they play. If you miss a session, you don’t pay for it regardless of notice. If sessions are being missed consistently, however, we’ll try to talk to figure out if this is still the game for you. Sessions will be $15 via Paypal or Venmo.

So, Where Do I Go From Here:
You can send me a message with the application information, or you can post down below if you would prefer. My biggest concern is that each player is a good fit to the game first, and then character decisions a distant second. We’ll be looking for a party of 6 for the game. I find anything higher than this becomes a bit too unwieldy. After I get your application, I’ll message you to talk and see what your ideas are and how we get along. Once there are enough players with ideas for characters in place, we’ll run a Session 0 (no charge for this) to see about getting to know each other as well as making any other adjustments for characters that are needed.

1)What’s your name, how old are you, and what time zone are you in?
2)What experience do you have with 5th Edition?
3)What do you think you do well in a game? What do you think that you struggle with at times?
4)Are there any foreseeable issues with the Game Time as scheduled?
5)What character concept are you thinking about using?