$25.00 / week
(Next scheduled session will be the fifteenth, with characters currently at level five)
Journey into the cursed land of Barovia, where the dreaded vampire Strahd rules with an iron fist of terror! Dive into the darkness to return hope to a land bereft of light.
This campaign will being at Level 2 and continue up to Level 12.
This is my first time playing an RPG. What can I expect?
This module is a combination of player and story-driven. The set-pieces are already in place, but is ripe for exploration. Character choices will have rippling effects and deliver consequences to allow players to shape the world. Your mission is to slay the vampire Strahd – how you go about it is up to you!
How do I prepare for the first session?
1. Click on the discord link to join my server. We will connect there to start brainstorming character ideas (Having trouble? Don’t worry – there’ll be pregenerated characters if you have a brainblock or are strapped for time.)
2. Download the “Fantasy Grounds Unity” demo available on Steam (or here) . It is FREE and once you connect to my server, it will provide many of the lore books required. No need for an additional service to look up spells, features, and more!
What does the DM provide?
1. A dedicated discord server for the campaign where players can discuss, collaborate, and ask questions of each other and myself.
2. A full Fantasy Grounds Unity license, able to hold character sheets, run combat, and holds many of the lore books (Player’s Handbook, Volo’s Guide to Monsters, Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, etc.)Â No need for players to buy elsewhere!
3. Other handouts and materials to enrich the gaming experience.
Character Creation Guidelines
Players will start at Level 1 and stats will be stat array/point buy. If these are new terms to you, no need to fret! All will be covered in the first session when we make our characters together. Characters should be heroic (or follow a “good” alignment”) and have a need for adventure for party cohesion.
Who will like this game?
1. Players who like to explore and seek out adventure on their own terms.
2. Players who enjoy combat that is thematic with pinch of tactical thrown in.
3. Players who enjoy interacting with colorful and fleshed out NPCS.
4. Players who enjoy teamwork!
GM Guidance/Details
This campaign is a swords and sorcery adventure with a backdrop of gothic horror. Horror is not the focus and moreso aimed to motivate the heroes to put these horrors to an end (with maybe a tingle along your spine on the way). Your characters are heroes, with the opportunity to bring light back to this dismal place and be heralded as bringers of a new age of prosperity. The campaign is designed to be challenging but not hopeless – while also encouraging players to create their solutions!
Beginners welcome!
I came into one of John’s campaigns relatively new to D&D and fresh out of a negative RPG experience. John seamlessly integrated me into the rest of the party and got me invested in the story, other PCs, and my own character instantly. I’d come in scared to voice when I was confused, but John patiently explained what was going on (several times, when needed) as I tried to figure out the nitty gritty of how D&D worked. He constantly checks in with his players and gives us tons of freedom to explore what we please. His stories are electrifying, his NPCs are diverse and wonderful, and his combats are incredibly dynamic. Absolutely the highlight of my week!
John has a talent for giving life to a setting and the people within them, encouraging players to think beyond themselves and really live into their characters and relationships. He knows exactly how to best challenge and highlight every player at the table, all while communicating openly and ensuring everyone is having a good time.
I came to our one shot with a goofball character concept and left mourning. Not just because some careful nudges on John’s part let our party feel historied and dynamic in so short a span of time, but also because it was established as a lethal one shot beforehand and my character died horribly! (RIP Erastus Longaevus Aeternus)
It was unironically one of my favorite experiences with Dungeons and Dragons, and there is no doubt in my mind that John’s future players will have unforgettable memories as well.
I joined one of John’s campaigns as a completely new player, no idea about gameplay other than the things I picked up from Critical Role. He made sure I got time to familiarize myself with the game and the character I was playing.
He’s welcomes creative ideas with skills, spells, character creation and conversation options and managed to somehow tailor-make an experience for everyone at the session! I later had the pleasure of joining a horror-themed one-shot he did and he made sure to check in with all players to see what their limits were and to make sure it would be fun for everyone.
the combat is always fairly balanced and even during times where the dice were completely against me, I left the session with a smile because it’s always a good time.
Just typing this makes me want to create a new character. Hope we can roll again sometimes 🙂
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