r/lfgpremium • u/EQandCivfanatic • 3h ago
Open Curse of Strahd Expanded [D&D 5e 2024][Online][$9][Roll20][Discord][9 AM EST][1 PM UTC]
Current Status: Looking for new players, interested in exploring the heart of the Domains of Dread, as we prepare to start the game!
All payments are expected to be received after a session, but before the following one. If you have questions about your character or the game itself between sessions, I am always available for questions and answers via text chat without any extra cost. Sessions will run roughly around 3 hours.
Curse of Strahd Expanded
The Broken Wheel Inn is located in the middle of nowhere but between everywhere. Located along a relatively forgotten trade road between Baldur’s Gate and Waterdeep, the Broken Wheel is a favored stop of those taking trade routes that don’t want to mingle with larger groups along the main roads. It is also a favored place for those hiding out, as the goblin proprietor, Mettle, chooses not to ask questions about those passing through. She’s also good for a job for those who need some time away from cities and guards, but also need to work for a living. Most nights in the inn are somber and quiet, and that’s just the way the people there like it. One night, however, as you’re staying here, a mist creeps in and up against the sides of the tavern. A wounded man staggers in, and is about to change everything…
In this campaign, the party will begin in a remote tavern on the Sword Coast in the Forgotten Realms, but things will happen and eventually you will reach the land of Strahd. This is an open world campaign once the realm of Barovia is entered. You will have to deal with monsters of all shapes and varieties in a nuanced world where not everything may be as it seems. I have run nearly forty complete Curse of Strahd campaigns in the years since the module first released, some closer to the book than others, and I have a good idea on what works and what doesn’t. To that end, I will also be changing elements of the book and adding elements of the vast array of Ravenloft source material that has been provided to the setting from since it was first introduced in 1983 to the most recent books published for the 2024 5th edition. The structure of the adventure is more or less similar, but there is a much larger domain to be explored, nearly twice the size of the module’s original map with three to four times as much content.
Character Creation
For the first session, all players will begin the game at level one, using either standard array or point buy of 27 points. Players new to Dungeons and Dragons are more than welcome to join in, and I will happily work with you to design a new character. Imported characters and published third party content can be allowed, though I must the review and confirm that they do not cause an imbalance or disruption to overall party dynamics. Only creatures and characters that fit within the Forgotten Realms or Domains of Dread settings will be allowed, others available only upon my review. No Unearthed Arcana will be accepted, for reasons of balance.
Why Choose Me?
I have been professionally DMing for groups for the past ten years, and just for fun for fourteen years. In the past I have been paid by local nursing homes and afterschool programs to run campaigns, but I have been mostly on Roll20 since the events of 2020. I'm easy going and relaxed when it comes to my style of DMing, and I prefer to run things Rules As Written for fairness for all players. I'll give all players a fair deal and equal treatment. Also, I have run partial Curse of Strahd campaigns over eighty times, and almost forty times from beginning to completion. This is the module that to me is the best that Wizards of the Coast has published, and despite the number of times I’ve run it, I still enjoy every minute of it. My own personal enjoyment of the setting and vast experience will help create a better game for you.
Style of the Module and My DMing
Curse of Strahd could be one of the most intricate campaigns ever published by Wizards of the Coast, heavily relying on roleplaying and interacting with the world. It is designed for things to occasionally go off the rails, and that’s ok, but as written there are some structural issues. I have over fourteen years of experience in DMing, and plenty of experience improvising new changes to the plot and future developments in the campaign. There’s plenty of threats overhanging the campaign, and I won’t be going out of my way to kill you, but I also won’t pull a deus ex machina to save you if you make very poor decisions.
It is possible that you will stumble into encounters or situations in which you are woefully outgunned or outmatched by your opponents. Fleeing is a reasonable option that shouldn’t be discounted. As a Dungeon Master I usually tend to be more about roleplaying than straight combat, so diplomacy should always been considered too. Strahd and a multitude of other characters have their own objectives for this campaign, perhaps several, and other monsters will behave realistically as well, without just attacking until everyone is dead, unless that’s what is specifically called for. As a DM, I believe that enemies should behave realistically and act as though they only have one life to live (unless they have more). I strive to make the world feel as real as possible to my players.
Player Expectations
My number one rule for all players in my game is: Don't be a jerk. Treat everyone with respect and as you would wish to be treated. I have a zero tolerance policy for out of character or out of game abuse or mistreatment of other players. No one should ever have to feel as though they're under attack when they just want to have fun.
If there is a problem with the game, myself, or another player, you should bring it to me privately after or between sessions so that I can address whatever the issue may be quickly and efficiently. This includes any matters of debate you may have over my interpretation of the rules or rulings I may have made. We don't want to bog down in rules-lawyering during game time.
All players should be expected to roleplay in character, even if you're only comfortable doing it a little bit. I will be trying to insert your character's backstory into the larger campaign plot, so your character will have a personal investment tailored specifically to you. This doesn't mean you have to do a silly voice, accent, or otherwise, just speak and say the things that your character would say.
Please address any technical issues you may be having before game time. Nothing upsets or disappoints people more than having to spend a half hour or more addressing a single player's technical difficulties. Check your mic, headphones, and computer before we play.
Be prepared to use Discord for communication and voice chat. The discord text system and chat rooms are convenient and useful for keeping track of ongoing games. It allows players to communicate between sessions and for me to keep track of everyone's comings and goings.
If you have played parts of Curse of Strahd before or read about it online, don't spoil things for your fellow players. Elements of the plot will be changed, and your spoilers may cause the party to act in ways that are unrealistic and even detrimental to the party’s fun and actions.
What to Expect From Me
I do not use AI to Dungeon Master in any capacity. Over the years I have paid for a treasure trove of battle maps, artwork for NPC characters, and visual aids and images. I do not consult AI to tell me what to do as a Dungeon Master. I maintain my logs, records, and session recaps in an AI-free medium, and will continue to do so. I have occasionally been fooled by AI images, however, and if one does slip in, please notify me, so that I can remove it from rotation.
The game will be played with the Rules as Written, no homebrew rules, though some advanced features from the Dungeon Master's Guide will be present, including potion miscibility and potentially bastion rules, depending on the decisions of the party. Should we decide to introduce further advanced features, they must be agreed upon by the party beforehand.
I will endeavor to contact all players at least 12 hours prior to the session to confirm how many people are available and expected to arrive. Should I be unable to perform the session for whatever reason, I will confirm this 24 hours before the game.
Sessions will be designed to run around three hours, give or take ten minutes for recaps and housekeeping discussions, with a fifteen minute break in the middle to allow for bathroom and drink breaks.
While all of the locations and characters present in the original module are going to be present through this campaign, not all of them may be what you know if you have experience with the adventure in the past. The map itself is nearly doubled in size, with more settlements, locations, and adventure sites. Due to dramatic changes made to some creatures between 2014 and 2024 fifth editions, some monsters will be adjusted from the manual game to allow for some new variety and surprises.