In the dark realms of Ravenloft, a war had raged for several millennia between two individuals
The Lich, Azalin - and the First Vampire, Count Strahd von Zarovich. Both men are constantly trying to one up each other, and destroy each other.. but Azalin has had other goals in mind… escaping the prison that is the Mists of Ravenloft. He has tried everything from dark sciences, to manipulating prophecies and cycles of the moon and time itself, even working with his greatest rival - and none of it has worked. But.. he came close, and through utilizing a new occurrence in the lands nonetheless… objects known as Amber Sarcophagi, and would’ve escaped were it not for a band of adventurers and their meddling.
However, in Ravenloft, eyes are everywhere.. and in Ravenloft, someone is always watching. An astute scholar, mage and nobleman by the name of Firan Zal’honan learned of Azalin’s exploits, and seeks to replicate them for the greater good of the countless souls trapped for all eternity in Ravenloft and allow for their freedom - and more importantly to stop the damned souls from escaping into the outer worlds beyond the Mists and accomplishing their machinations.
Now, a group of adventurers has found themselves within the Mists, and Firan has his eye on them - knowing so daunting a task cannot be accomplished alone.
Who will step forward and set forth to free the souls trapped within the Domains of Dread?
Mr. CHU: a variant human druid, circle of mutation, Simic Scientist.
He doesn’t remember his true name or where he came from; all he remembers is the thrill of the hunt, a love of gold, and a craving for knowledge.
For some reason, he is not like a traditional druid—he can transform into animals with mutations that grant his animal forms traits of other creatures.
He can even access some of these mutations while in his human form.
Jirin never set out to be an assassin. He wanted to be good—a rarity for a Dark Elf, and an uphill battle from the start. He left the Underdark with dreams of seeing the sun, helping the helpless, and maybe getting through one tavern without someone assuming he was evil.
But the world, as it turned out, was full of difficult people. Bandits, bullies, corrupt guards, cruel nobles—each one seemed to insist on being awful, and Jirin had this unfortunate habit of... fixing problems with sharp objects. The first time, it was self-defense. The second time, technically self-defense. The third—well, the mayor did try to sell orphans for wine money.
Soon people began whispering about “Jirin the Quiet,” a mysterious figure who made the wicked vanish in the night. He tried to deny it—he really did—but it’s hard to argue when you’re caught polishing blood off your daggers. So he leaned into the role. If the world insisted on painting him as an assassin, he might as well pick his own targets.
Now, drawn by rumor and fate, Jirin finds himself in Barovia—a land that seems to specialize in terrible people. He came to do good, but here, “good” often requires a steady hand, a silent step, and a very sharp blade.
He still tells himself he’s a hero. And, in his own peculiar way, he might be right.
Species/Class: Human Fighter (Gunslinger, decided to take the CR class here)
Background:
Born of steel, born of bullet. The child of locked metal, of a trigger, gently squeezed. Man'drai, the one who looks ahead.
Man'drai was born, but he knows not where. Man'drai was raised, but this he has forgotten. Man'drai had family, but these have disappeared. And Man'drai had fifteen years of life, scattered by the winds.
Man'drai is a strange person -- everyone who's met him can attest to that. "Certainly smart," they'd say, nodding their heads. "Intelligent, but...strange." He has lost the first fifteen years of his life to the last six of his -- years of working, hard toil, building what he believes is the future. The two things he holds in his hands right now -- artworks of steel, precisely crafted to bring harm -- in the form of a small shard of steel. He has suffered -- finding himself has been a long journey. But he will not rest until he regains what he's lost.
Shards of memory plague his mind at night -- he speaks in his sleep, pleading to someone he's forgotten by the time he awakens. He is constantly given a sense of deja vu -- as if he'd been here before, done this before. But he remembers not.
He has built a shell of confidence around him, an exoskeleton that protects him from the outside. And, if he doesn't want to speak, his pistols will do the work for him. But there's always an air of the child beneath the layers, a tell that weakens his position. He wants to be more, but he can't quite do it. So he's here, proving himself. He is good enough, and he will find his lost past.
A professional goofball, writer, and frisbee player. Probably the best thing to happen to you since you woke up this morning. DM: Liquid Swords - A Historical Wuxia Campaign, In the Depths - A Fantasy Homebrew Flying Pig Cultist of the Cult of Flying Pigs (don't ask) You're amazing, don't you know that? All of you. Extended sig here, check it out!
The dice gods smiled. It's a sign to make a cleric.
Name: Lucky Race: Hill Dwarf Class: Cleric (Trickery) Background: Charlatan Sheet: https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/119267629/mW0yjf Backstory: Lucky grew up on the streets without much. But through grit pulled himself up from his bootstraps and made a man dwarf out of himslef--- through con games. However after a particular bad ending to one he found himself at rock bottom and prayed out to the gods to help him. And his prayers were answered. While he's not fully certain which god answered his prayers, he keeps an open dialogue with some of the big Trickery gods. (Leira, Mask, Tymora.) And he's used the divine graces he's been given to use the skills he learned in his old life to help others. Reason to Accept Quest: Azalin tried manipulating prophecies, moon cycles, time, and all yet failed. If Lucky could succeed where a lich could not in a task that seems to going against he cosmos themselves then that would be the greatest con to pull one over the Domains of Dread themselves.
FOR FOUR TO FIVE PLAYERS, STARTING AT LEVEL 3.
In the dark realms of Ravenloft, a war had raged for several millennia between two individuals
The Lich, Azalin - and the First Vampire, Count Strahd von Zarovich. Both men are constantly trying to one up each other, and destroy each other.. but Azalin has had other goals in mind… escaping the prison that is the Mists of Ravenloft. He has tried everything from dark sciences, to manipulating prophecies and cycles of the moon and time itself, even working with his greatest rival - and none of it has worked. But.. he came close, and through utilizing a new occurrence in the lands nonetheless… objects known as Amber Sarcophagi, and would’ve escaped were it not for a band of adventurers and their meddling.
However, in Ravenloft, eyes are everywhere.. and in Ravenloft, someone is always watching. An astute scholar, mage and nobleman by the name of Firan Zal’honan learned of Azalin’s exploits, and seeks to replicate them for the greater good of the countless souls trapped for all eternity in Ravenloft and allow for their freedom - and more importantly to stop the damned souls from escaping into the outer worlds beyond the Mists and accomplishing their machinations.
Now, a group of adventurers has found themselves within the Mists, and Firan has his eye on them - knowing so daunting a task cannot be accomplished alone.
Who will step forward and set forth to free the souls trapped within the Domains of Dread?
I’m keen. What rule set 2014 or 2024?
2014
Sounds interesting.
What sources are allowed, how would ability scores be determined, and what kind of posting rate do you expect?
All sources, the Mists take all. Manual/rolled, and just post whenever as long as it doesn’t take days
Link-Rollo Hartwood
Brass Dragonborn multiclass Ranger/Bard background hermit.
Rollo breathes fire talks to animals and knows some things best kept quiet.
Break out of the greatest prison the Domains of Dread, sounds like a good time.
SEA MISTRESS CREW
I would like to join.
Ability scores: 17 12 11 12 15 17
Half-elf Blood Hunter Order of the Profane Soul (undead patreon).
https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/84334630
Half orc monk Khaddim- Lost Mine of Phandelver (modern setting), Variant human ranger Frekor- The Darness Below, Half elf bard Callon, Aasimar life domain cleric/blood hunter Idris- Hunt for the 7, Tiefling warlock Charis- Ghosts of Saltmarsh, Goliath fighter Garrett- Ghosts of Saltmarsh
For some reason the picture doesn't show, but if you open it on another tab it does. Weird.
Half orc monk Khaddim- Lost Mine of Phandelver (modern setting), Variant human ranger Frekor- The Darness Below, Half elf bard Callon, Aasimar life domain cleric/blood hunter Idris- Hunt for the 7, Tiefling warlock Charis- Ghosts of Saltmarsh, Goliath fighter Garrett- Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Ability scores: 11 9 15 16 15 17
Ability scores: 9 12 14 15 15 14
Eve LaRouge. multiclass Thief/Sorceress (divine soul) background criminal
https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/153641042/paYwlC
https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/154324794?utm_medium=character_sheet&utm_source=ddb_mobile_app&platform=MobileIOS#:~:text=www.dndbeyond.com/characters/154324794/6VQ6Qa
Mr. CHU: a variant human druid, circle of mutation, Simic Scientist.
He doesn’t remember his true name or where he came from; all he remembers is the thrill of the hunt, a love of gold, and a craving for knowledge.
For some reason, he is not like a traditional druid—he can transform into animals with mutations that grant his animal forms traits of other creatures.
He can even access some of these mutations while in his human form.
Ability scores: 14 11 12 13 13 16
https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/154329555
Jirin, Dark Elf rogue
Background:
Jirin never set out to be an assassin. He wanted to be good—a rarity for a Dark Elf, and an uphill battle from the start. He left the Underdark with dreams of seeing the sun, helping the helpless, and maybe getting through one tavern without someone assuming he was evil.
But the world, as it turned out, was full of difficult people. Bandits, bullies, corrupt guards, cruel nobles—each one seemed to insist on being awful, and Jirin had this unfortunate habit of... fixing problems with sharp objects. The first time, it was self-defense. The second time, technically self-defense. The third—well, the mayor did try to sell orphans for wine money.
Soon people began whispering about “Jirin the Quiet,” a mysterious figure who made the wicked vanish in the night. He tried to deny it—he really did—but it’s hard to argue when you’re caught polishing blood off your daggers. So he leaned into the role. If the world insisted on painting him as an assassin, he might as well pick his own targets.
Now, drawn by rumor and fate, Jirin finds himself in Barovia—a land that seems to specialize in terrible people. He came to do good, but here, “good” often requires a steady hand, a silent step, and a very sharp blade.
He still tells himself he’s a hero. And, in his own peculiar way, he might be right.
Ability scores: 13 17 10 16 14 13
Is this going to be Discord or on the PbP forums? Count me out if it's the former.
Stats: 7 13 14 9 12 12 (editing post when I have a completed character)
Name: Man'drai
Species/Class: Human Fighter (Gunslinger, decided to take the CR class here)
Background:
Born of steel, born of bullet. The child of locked metal, of a trigger, gently squeezed. Man'drai, the one who looks ahead.
Man'drai was born, but he knows not where. Man'drai was raised, but this he has forgotten. Man'drai had family, but these have disappeared. And Man'drai had fifteen years of life, scattered by the winds.
Man'drai is a strange person -- everyone who's met him can attest to that. "Certainly smart," they'd say, nodding their heads. "Intelligent, but...strange." He has lost the first fifteen years of his life to the last six of his -- years of working, hard toil, building what he believes is the future. The two things he holds in his hands right now -- artworks of steel, precisely crafted to bring harm -- in the form of a small shard of steel. He has suffered -- finding himself has been a long journey. But he will not rest until he regains what he's lost.
Shards of memory plague his mind at night -- he speaks in his sleep, pleading to someone he's forgotten by the time he awakens. He is constantly given a sense of deja vu -- as if he'd been here before, done this before. But he remembers not.
He has built a shell of confidence around him, an exoskeleton that protects him from the outside. And, if he doesn't want to speak, his pistols will do the work for him. But there's always an air of the child beneath the layers, a tell that weakens his position. He wants to be more, but he can't quite do it. So he's here, proving himself. He is good enough, and he will find his lost past.
A professional goofball, writer, and frisbee player. Probably the best thing to happen to you since you woke up this morning.
DM: Liquid Swords - A Historical Wuxia Campaign, In the Depths - A Fantasy Homebrew
Flying Pig Cultist of the Cult of Flying Pigs (don't ask)
You're amazing, don't you know that? All of you.
Extended sig here, check it out!
Up front, I don't really know anything about Ravenloft. But here's Isolde, Path of the Storm Herald barbarian.
www.dndbeyond.com/characters/153636047/DZkCQ9
Placeholder Ability scores: 13 13 10 14 11 13
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
Ability scores: 13 14 15 16 12 14
let's see what the dice gods say
This is a signature. It was a simple signature. But it has been upgraded.
Belolonandalogalo Malololomologalo Tumagalokumagalo, Sunny
Eggo Lass, Bone and Oblivion
Tendilius Mondhaven Paxaramus, Drakkenheim
Silverwood Group 1 | Silverwood Group 2 | Hacking the Hackett
Get rickrolled here. Awesome music here. Track 51, 10/23/25, Viva La Vida
The dice gods smiled. It's a sign to make a cleric.
Name: Lucky
Race: Hill Dwarf
Class: Cleric (Trickery)
Background: Charlatan
Sheet: https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/119267629/mW0yjf
Backstory: Lucky grew up on the streets without much. But through grit pulled himself up from his bootstraps and made a
mandwarf out of himslef--- through con games. However after a particular bad ending to one he found himself at rock bottom and prayed out to the gods to help him. And his prayers were answered. While he's not fully certain which god answered his prayers, he keeps an open dialogue with some of the big Trickery gods. (Leira, Mask, Tymora.) And he's used the divine graces he's been given to use the skills he learned in his old life to help others.Reason to Accept Quest: Azalin tried manipulating prophecies, moon cycles, time, and all yet failed. If Lucky could succeed where a lich could not in a task that seems to going against he cosmos themselves then that would be the greatest con to pull one over the Domains of Dread themselves.
This is a signature. It was a simple signature. But it has been upgraded.
Belolonandalogalo Malololomologalo Tumagalokumagalo, Sunny
Eggo Lass, Bone and Oblivion
Tendilius Mondhaven Paxaramus, Drakkenheim
Silverwood Group 1 | Silverwood Group 2 | Hacking the Hackett
Get rickrolled here. Awesome music here. Track 51, 10/23/25, Viva La Vida