About the adventure

Under raging storm clouds, the vampire Countess Strahd von Zarovich stands silhouetted against the ancient walls of Castle Ravenloft. Rumbling thunder pounds the castle spires. The wind's howling increases as she turns her gaze down toward the village of Barovia.

Far below, yet not beyond her keen eyesight, a party of adventurers has just entered her domain. Strahd's face forms the barest hit of a smile as her dark plan unfolds. She knew they were coming, and she knows why they came - all according to her 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 campaign includes story changes and alternate encounters. Not every NPC has been gender-bent, but many have. Some characters simply swapped backstories or societal roles. While this adventure is marketed this as "A Genderbent Curse of Strahd," it's a bit more than that. There are changes to how horror gets depicted, and there are alternatives to the characters centered around racial slurs and ableist language. Maybe you'd like to see more women represented as more than just desired objects or hags? Perhaps you'd like to play a classic Dracula story with less targeted sexual violence? We can have TTRPG horror without the repeated use of prominent real-life horror.

My games are always LGBTQ+ and BIMPOC friendly. My goal as a GM is to make sure that everyone has fun in a safe and welcoming environment. It is not enough to be tolerated. Every player and character needs to be celebrated for what makes them unique. I like to include a balanced mix of social encounters, exploration, and combat. I try to embrace the rule of cool where I can but I always try to make sure the game stays balanced for all of the players. I occasionally like to throw in a puzzle here and there. I'm not afraid to wrap up an encounter if it starts to get stale. I am a firm believer that your characters should get to use their abilities to be awesome and do awesome things!

Additional Details

How to prepare

You will need a free account on Discord and Roll20. We will use Discord for voice chat during the game. Please make sure to use a headset with microphone. If you plan on using your computer's built in mic and speakers, please do your best to limit background noise or turn on "push to talk".

What I provide

A friendly Discord chat, Roll20 virtual tabletop with beautiful maps and tokens, and an immersive gaming experience.

Gameplay details

We will start session 0 with introductions and then go over house rules, lines and veils, the safety tools available during game play. Then we will discuss character creation including backstories and relationships. I will provide everyone with a clear and concise template to use during writing your backstory. If you are new to D&D, I will be sure to give you helpful tips and advice as well as teach by playing throughout the game. You can expect a break in the approximate middle of the session. I am always available via whisper or direct message during the game should anything or anyone make you feel uncomfortable. I'm also a participant in the game and lead by example. I won't hesitate to throw out an X-card if anything doesn't feel right to me.

Content warnings

Safety tools used

How will character creation work

You will be expected to create your character on Roll20 or D&D Beyond before session 1 starts. I am available on my Discord server for help with character creation and questions before the game begins. You can use any official species (formerly known as race) and class. I am open to unearthed arcana and published third party materials if you clear them with me first. You also get to choose 1 uncommon magic item at level 1.

Players can expect

Sign up Link: https://startplaying.games/adventure/cldje757z000a08mx8lepcf1h