#also Outline October for those not interested in spooky stories :)

[novella-november]

today's countdown: 11 days 23 hours til Ominous October (see my pinned post), and 42 days, 23 hours til Novella November!

[greensagephase]

@sunsetdoodler thank you so much for everything, seriously!! It means so much to me, and I always enjoy reading your thoughts!! ❤️And haha, that line was so sweet and I’m so glad it came to mind at that moment. It’s really amazing how inspiration just strikes in the moment. I always have a rough outline of each part but the way those small details pop up when I’m writing is so awesome!! It’s like the characters speak for themselves in a way. And AHH – I’m so happy you found reader’s “Always” endearing! I probably shouldn’t say it but it’s going to be one of their things for the rest of the story!! 🥺Also, I cannot wait to see more of your art!! I just know I’m going to cry happy tears with all art related to this chapter!!! 😭

Regarding the slowburn – I agree! Each moment and interaction (and maybe I’m just being biased lol) is so much more special. I personally love slowburn, and writing a slowburn fic for the first time has been so enjoyable, especially because I think it fits Miguel very well if you try to stick to the mentality and front he’s putting up in ATSV, which leads me to the big softie this man is! That’s why I find Miguel so interesting and just endearing, even with his flaws and mistakes. He’s gone through so much that’s led him to put this tough front but this man is such a softie on the inside – thinking about it makes me want to cry!! And the height difference omg – yes! We’re all so tiny to him and I just love it so much even if means having to crane our necks for him lol!! 😂 The part with Miguel wanting her to stay despite feeling selfish and guilty – and then reader wanting to stay regardless of Jess asking her to – I really wanted to emphasize that these two have a special friendship and understand each other so much more than they even realize sometimes. I’m so happy to see you’ve found their progress realistic, too. I’ve said it so many times but that’s’ been one of my goals for this story, so I’m always glad to see readers finding it realistic!

And Miguel choosing to let reader be with Peter if he had the power – AHH. I was getting emotional myself writing that part. I just keep thinking to Miguel’s words from part 7 when he was telling reader Gabriel was the unselfish brother of the two – like Miguel!! You’re NOT selfish, here’s the proof!! 🥺 And agree! Miguel just deserves all the care and love in the world, and I can’t wait for him to receive and be open to it in the next parts. And omg, thank you SO MUCH! Reading you say that I’m doing Miguel’s character justice – CRYING!! To read that when it comes to one of my favorite – if not my top favorite – characters just makes me feel so happy and satisfied both as a fan and writer. Thank you so much!!!🥹❤️

And the drabbles will hopefully be out this weekend since I’m still working on part 10! I hope you enjoy them and find them cozy! And thank you, I’m trying to rest a bit as the last weeks were a bit hectic with family events. I’m also just realizing we’re almost hallway through October?! I’m going to plan some fun October activities and try to enjoy the spooky season as much as possible because I haven’t done a whole lot lol but thank you as always!! I truly appreciate your kind words and support, @sunsetdoodler !!!! I hope you have a wonderful weekend and that school is going well!!! ❤️✨❤️

Okay… I'm okay... I loved Nonviolent Communication part 9. Alondra, this part was such an amazing read, and I loved all the fluff! I actually re read this twice!!, that's how much I absolutely loved it! From every detail and description, it was such a joy to read this after all the heartbreak- it just warmed my heart reading about the way reader takes care of Miguel. yes I wholeheartedly agree, the amount of care I would show Miguel if given the chance- don't even get me started. The thought of seeing Miguel in this state still stings, but I loved the slow build of reader gently helping Miguel more and more within his recovery. I also loved readers interactions with Peter B. and Jess in this, everyone's just so caring for one another. And when Miguel asks reader if they have somewhere to be only for reader to reply back “I’m where I’m supposed to be" 🥺 it's perfect. I love how reader really doesn't want to over step Miguels boundaries despite everything because in all honesty I would feel the same. It still pains me reading both their thoughts on each other that they still keep on the inside, but at the same time I absolutely love the slow burn of it all. So much has been said this time around and yet I'm so excited to see how their friendship will evolve.

And the whole part with the hospital food! yeah same Miguel, same. When I read the coffee cups detail we were talking about before!!! oh my gosh I that was so cute to read it! (our continuous thoughts and questions about Miguel are important I swear!) and Miguel's reaction was so funny! honestly thank you for adding that in I don't know why small little details like this just make me so happy to read. Everything reader did for Miguel- from feeding him and just taking care of him, it was just so endearing to read. It was so satisfying to read Miguel's thoughts about how much warmth and care he felt from reader, because he truly deserves it all!! Can't imagine what it would be like not having that sense of care after so long. The whole face washing part was just so tender, and yes!! admiring his face from every wrinkle and line while treating him so gently 🥺 (also it's so cute imagining reader climbing on the counter just to reach his face) I love how you emphasized how reader really did all these acts out of care and friendship, wanting him to be comfortable. Also, it was so nice seeing Miguel open himself up to reader and trust them to be the only one who could actually take care of him in his vulnerable state. Miguel's still so caring to reader too despite being the one injured! being so worried and upset at himself after realizing he scratched them. 😭

Oh and Miguel watching reader sleep for a bit with Lyla teasing him about the whole situation!! yeah sure Miguel, just thinking... And when Peter B. caught reader staring too much at seeing Miguel's torso 😂 who wouldn't admire him, he's perfect. I found the whole part with reader helping Miguel get all cleaned up so endearing. Even reader wanting to get gloves just to respect his boundaries- but when Miguel didn't mind?! But again, I love how you emphasized reader's intentions to make sure he's not in any sort of pain, just really caring for him. Oh but the hair washing part... Miguel's little reactions to the sensations and everything. No really, it makes me so sad he hasn't had this kind of care and touch. And when reader started thinking back to her Peter again during all this... It's so heartbreaking reading how Miguel would never have reader in his life if Peter was still around because- they were such a pair. Peter was reader's no. 1 and they loved each other dearly. But it also makes me so sad that if Miguel had the choice he'd let you have your life with Peter, which just shows how much he cares and 😭 I'm okay, this is fine. Also Miles' card to Miguel! that was so endearing and needed for him. Miguel just needed to know that despite everything that's happened, he's still cared for- and the fact that Miguel called miles Mijo, that was too cute! can't imagine the look on Miles' face. 😂 Okay can I also just add when readers friends visit Miguel, that was so cute! especially Miguel talking to Lego Spiderman and giving him a tiny little lego balloon and flower- that's adorable!!

I just absolutely loved the amount of character development you've written for Miguel. Truly, you've expanded his character perfectly. His thoughts on how he feels like he's going backwards after thinking for so long that he only could only move forward by isolating himself from everyone. He's so broken from all the heartbreak but I'm so happy that in your story he is given this new opportunity to actually help him heal, and find hope once again.

Please don't be sorry for being late with the update, or the word count!! You put so much time and effort into this story that it's worth waiting for. ❤️✨ Seriously, thank you (I've said this before but I'll say it again) but your story is amazing and such a joy to read- every new part truly, truly makes my day, you never disappoint!. With the drabbles and everything, yes!! Miguel and Autumn just go together so well 🍂 he's just made for all things cozy!! and thank you for mentioning me at the end! you really didn't have to do that, but I appreciate it so much!! it's been so fun visualizing your story into these little drawings (much more to come!) Again, I've written way too much but Alondra, thank you, thank you for continuing your wonderful story and sharing it with everyone. You deserve all the support for it! So excited to see how the story progresses. Wishing you a wonderful week! and to do all the cozy fall things!! ✨🍁✨

I'm SO HAPPY you loved this part!!! Also, did you really read this part twice?!! 😭 Thank you so much, @sunsetdoodler !! Your support is always greatly appreciated ❤️ (I'm also so sorry for how long this is! I definitely wrote too much but couldn't help myself!)

I loved writing this part so much! I was looking forward to seeing reader and Miguel in a much more soft and intimate moment. And right?! The amount of caring I'd give Miguel on a regular basis without being hurt is already so high, so I'd be all over him if he was hurt! Writing Miguel like this was painful (especially the part when he died and him realizing he wouldn't be satisfied with his choices so far😭 I just want to give him a hug!!) but I hope I made up for it with the tender care by reader and his little moments like the grumpiness, the little grins, the chuckle after reader's comment about the hospital food being a crime, etc.

Also, I'm so happy you enjoyed the interactions with Peter B. and Jess!! I wanted to bring them in and include their dynamic with reader because I haven't done that in previous chapters and I just needed all the cozy and found family vibes for this one!! And omg, the "I'm where I'm supposed to be" line - that line came to me right in the moment and I had to stop typing and just compose myself because that was such a vulnerable thing for reader to say. Also, yes!!!! Sometimes I think I'm dragging this too much with them keeping so much of their thoughts to themselves regarding each other but this is a slowburn fic, and I hope that once these two express their thoughts, that you guys will find it worth the wait! I'm also very excited to get into their friendship dynamic now that they've addressed their friendship. It's going to be so much fun exploring their friendship!! 🥹

Haha, the hospital food part! I was living for grumpy Miguel and specifically that part when he tried not to make a face after eating the steamed carrot. 💀 I was like "I'm sorry, Miguel" but we need the grumpiness to recover from the last part. I can just imagine the face he'd make and I can't!! Also, once we talked about the coffee cups, I knew I needed to include it in this chapter. I love that your drawing made us think about this and just so much of the little details about Miguel! It just adds more his character!! His reaction to reader pulling up with two large coffee cups when he can never find any! You best believe reader will now find a way to get that large cup of coffee for Miguel, too. Regarding Miguel's thoughts on reader's care for him - I just wanted this man to feel loved and appreciated and to accept it after going so long without anyone or being cared for. I've said it too many times and I'll never stop saying it but I want to give this a man a HUG and just care for him! The face washing part - and reader just admiring and memorizing every detail of his face - it was one, a call back to part three when she mentions that she'd be able to draw Peter's face from memory if she was an artist! It was my way of putting it out there that she's memorizing and admiring Miguel's face the way she did Peter's. And two, I wanted to add it because I loved how Miguel felt breathless for a second at how tender reader was - I feel like he would really love and appreciate being treated like this because everyone probably thinks he's a big, tall, and tough dude that isn't interested in receiving tenderness and so he never receives such care. 🥺 And reader having to climb up the counter was a little detail I think most of us can relate with Miguel, haha! I just thought how I'd definitely not be able to reach his face at 5'2". 😭 But yes, I really wanted to emphasize that reader's acts of care for Miguel are done out of care and friendship. She just wants to be there for him, which can I talk about the part where she asks him to let her stay? I don't know if it's weird for me to be emotional over that part when I wrote it but yeah I'm emotional about it! And Miguel letting her, and trusting only her to care for him. 😭 Regarding the scratches he gave her - I was so looking forward to talking about them in this chapter and him being so caring and worried about it despite him being the one with the worst injuries and just feeling so upset over it. Also, him addressing reader's suit and knowing it's meaningful to her somehow so he just felt even worse about it. 😭 This man is a big softie and I cannot wait to write more of him like this!

Haha, Miguel and reader both getting caught staring at each other made me so happy! Lyla teasing Miguel about it and him just frowning and denying it, so cute but also, come on, Miguel, you're not fooling Lyla! And Peter B. grinning when he noticed reader staring at Miguel's torso - he knows! But also who wouldn't because he's perfect! Also, the fact that Miguel noticed but he didn't mind. 🥹

The shower part - LOVE! I really wanted to emphasize how much Miguel trusts reader, and that she genuinely just wanted to look after him and prevent him from experiencing further pain and just trying her best to make this situation as comfortable as possible without making him feel disrespected because of his boundaries. But then Miguel being okay with her touching him!!! It's a big step for Miguel but a step in the right direction and yet another sign of him starting his healing journey. Now, the hair washing part - AHH! Again, he's so unused to physical touch and care of any kind, it makes me so freaking sad but I loved thinking of how he'd react to it and just how tender reader is throughout it all like asking him to close his eyes and putting her hand on his forehead to prevent any water from getting on his face. SO TENDER! Also, the part about Miguel realizing reader would probably not be around if Peter was alive and feeling grief over it but still deciding that if he had the power to choose he'd let reader be with Peter even if it meant Miguel and reader wouldn't have a friendship. He has lost so much but to still think of reader first even if it him having no one? THIS MAN. Regarding Miles's card, I was looking forward to it and I agree that it was much needed for Miguel to see it in writing from Miles. I also thought it was very endearing from Miles, and very in character for him to forgive Miguel. 🥺 In the last chapter I wanted Miguel to have a closure with his family and knew that he'd need one regarding Miles and the events of ATSV and BTSV. Also, the way I pictured Miles's reaction to Miguel calling him "mijo" at last - SO CUTE!! I wish I could find a picture that could come close to what I imagined it in my head. As to reader's friends coming in at the end, I lowkey debated it but then it really all came together with Miguel's decision to start moving forward, and of course, I needed to add Lego Spider-Man giving him something from his universe, haha! I couldn't pass up the chance.

And omg, thank you!! 🥹 I'm so happy to see you love Miguel's character development!! His thoughts on feeling like he's going backwards was kind of hard for me write, not gonna lie, but I'm glad we're at this point in the story in which he's going to try and start his healing journey, and just accept the people in his life instead of pushing them away!

Thank you, @sunsetdoodler !! I'll try not to feel bad about going a while without an update or going overboard with the word count. I guess I overthink it sometimes lol! But I do want to try and update sooner and avoid going almost a month without updating. I really appreciate all the support this story has received and I just don't want to disappoint or keep readers waiting too long but thank you so much for your kind words, truly!! ❤️ As to the drabbles, I'll be working on one tomorrow, maybe even tonight if I have time but I agree, Miguel is made for all cozy things!! Also, of course!! I truly appreciate all your support and kind words, so I definitely wanted to mention you and your art, which I look forward to seeing more of!! I'm ready for it! 😭 Thank you SO MUCH for your support as always, truly!! It means so much to me and as always, I enjoyed reading your thoughts on the new update. I always look forward to reading them, so thank you for sharing them!! I hope you have a wonderful week, too, and hopefully you're doing cozy fall activities, too!! Thank you!!!!🍁✨❤️

-Alondra

[rpgmgames]

November’s Featured Game: Grimm's Hollow

DEVELOPER(S): ghosthunter ENGINE: RPG Maker 2003 GENRE: Indie RPG, Adventure WARNINGS: Discussions of death, losing a loved one, grief SUMMARY: Grimm’s Hollow is a spooky, freeware RPG where you search the afterlife for your brother. Reap ghosts with your scythe, explore haunted caves, and eat ghostly treats on your journey through death.

Download the game here! Our Interview With The Dev Team Below The Cut!

Introduce yourself! *BB: My name's Bruno and I did some of the music along with Nat! I’m super happy to have participated in this game! *NW: I’m Nat Wesley, a.k.a. Natbird! I’m a composer available for hire with a few projects in the works. I’m honored to have had the chance to work on the soundtrack to Grimm’s Hollow! *GH: Hello! I go by ghosthunter online; I started developing RPGs with a friend in school when we found out that we both enjoyed RPG Horror. I enjoy art, webcomics, cartoons and narrative-driven indie games a lot. I bought RM2K3 on sale and started pouring pixel art into it, before learning how to do things like chase scenes, cutscenes, etc. I used to fantasize about making my own game, drawing dungeons and ghosts in the back of my sketchbooks, before I finally started Grimm’s Hollow. Now I’m near the end of high-school, and I’m hoping the best for uni!

What is your project about? What inspired you to create this game initially? *GH: Grimm’s Hollow, originally, wasn’t as ambitious or personal. It was simply just going to be “my first game”, something that I could finally put my doodles and RM2K3 skills to. I wanted a game that a younger me would have enjoyed, back when I first discovered the classic RPGMaker games and replayed them constantly for those endings. That was my initial inspiration. It eventually evolved into an action turn-based RPG that relies on timing, yet it’s mostly narrative-driven. You traverse death in search of your sibling, and try to make an escape. There are unexpected pieces of me that ended up in this game, some of which I’m still noticing even now.

How long have you been working on your project? *GH: Since the summer of June 2018.

Did any other games or media influence aspects of your project? *GH: Standstill Girl, OFF by Mortis Ghost, Undertale, Over The Garden Wall, and the animation medium in general.

Have you come across any challenges during development? How have you overcome or worked around them? *GH: Many! Making your first game is such a giant learning curve, that the list of challenges goes on. I would say that the most difficult issue I encountered (and that, in some ways, I am still facing after release) is working around the limitations of the game engine I am using. I wanted to see whether creating an engaging but simple 1-party RPG in RM2K3 (without going completely custom) was feasible, and I experimented with quick time events as part of that. I worked around the engine’s built-in formulae so players could see progress when they upgraded their stats - although the game might display as defence as “10”, in reality the game stores it as 40 since the engine splits defence by 4. Since I did not want to create an RPG which was too complex for my first game, I also scrapped traditional staples such as armour or weapons. There were also issues such as having an appropriate “game over” handling event which wouldn’t shoot you back to the title screen after you lost a battle; getting RM2K3 to play a small cutscene where you faint and respawn somewhere else was tricky. I felt that if the player had to reload after a loss, it would disrupt the game flow.

Have any aspects of your project changed over time? How does your current project differ from your initial concept? *GH: Like I mentioned before, the game started off impersonal. I just had a soft spot for a spooky cute aesthetic, and I wanted to indulge in that. It was (and in its essence, still is) meant to be a short story, to keep the player invested for the short game length - nothing grandiose. The original draft did not have Baker play a role in the narrative - he was just an ordinary shopkeeper NPC. For a long time during development, Lavender did not even have a name. In the very first draft, she was a silent protagonist the player could name and customize. But she played a very active role in the final outline, so it was hard not to give her own unique voice when one emerged from the narrative naturally. I am glad I did; she grew on me quite quickly! Grimm was virtually unchanged from beginning to end. The only difference was that a close friend suggested that he seemed like he would be into drinking Oolong tea - so that’s what he offers you when you meet him. Timmy also did not go under massive overhauls like Lavender and Baker did, but his relationship with Lavender became much more fleshed out as I wrote the narrative. In other facets of the game’s design, there were not many changes to the original prototype.

What was your team like at the beginning? How did people join the team? If you don’t have a team, do you wish you had one or do you prefer working alone? *GH: It was just myself, doing the art, writing, programming, etc. But halfway through creating the second cave, I realised I would need a very specific sound for Grimm’s Hollow. So, I contacted Nat for music, but I also created a post on tumblr calling for a composer since there were many tracks to make. I met Bruno as a result! I am very happy with their work and I am so grateful I’ve got to work with them! (Some players are asking for an OST release, which is in the works).

What is the best part of developing a game? *GH: I really enjoyed the early stages of development: creating new tilesets, sprites and maps and piecing them together in the editor, then taking a small screenshot and sharing it with my friend over summer vacation … It was nice to see the game’s world slowly come together. I think that’s what I enjoyed the most from beginning to end: that sense of world-building, that sense of relaxation from making a small cosy game. The latter started to disappear as work and other responsibilities started to intrude, and pressure began to seep into development time - but I never stopped loving making the world and characters. I also want to say that, by lucky chance, I have met a lot of kind people from making my first game. I’m very grateful for that, so thank you to everyone.

Do you find yourself playing other RPG Maker games to see what you can do with the engine, or do you prefer to do your own thing? *GH: All the time! Other RPG Maker 2003 projects are great inspirations for pixel art tilesets, as well as how to code harder features such as custom menus. They’re also just fun to play.

Which character in your game do you relate to the most and why? (Alternatively: Who is your favorite character and why?) *GH: Lavender and Timmy are relatable to me in multiple ways. I can’t elaborate on Timmy since that would go into spoiler territory, but I somewhat relate to Lavender’s insistence on managing her life on her own - sometimes to her own detriment. I’d say the most fun character to write for was Grimm. He can be unintentionally silly while speaking in the most formal way, but also very caring too. Everything he does and says was easy to write, whereas I had to think harder for the interactions between everyone else - especially for very crucial scenes regarding their development. That being said, my favourite is still the game’s central two siblings. I can not pick between them for the life of me.

Looking back now, is there anything that regret/wish you had done differently? *GH: I wish I started testing even earlier! Not only does it give you a good sense of what’s missing, but seeing people enjoy what you’ve made yet get hindered by bugs is a very strong incentive to fix your game immediately. When I was lacking motivation or was stuck, I found that good feedback and support made me motivated again. I also wish that I could have pushed the deadline a little further, or perhaps released the game on Early Access since it will take me a while to refine post-release bugs - but as it is, the 31st of October really was the deadline for my game due to external circumstances (no, that deadline wasn’t just because it was Halloween!). Other than that, I wonder if using an updated version of RPG Maker would have produced the same game …? It’s hard to tell, but I hope people enjoy it for what it is - I will be working on that post-release patch soon!

Do you plan to explore the game’s universe and characters further in subsequent projects, or leave it as-is? *GH: There are no current plans, but I would be happy to have the opportunity to improve and expand on the game. As it is, the game’s released for free and done as a hobby, so I would struggle to do that by myself.

What do you most look forward to now that you have finished the game? *GH: Earlier on, I was really looking forward to players’ reactions. Games are made to be fun, and I would have felt distraught if my game didn’t achieve what it was set out to do. Yet it was not just about the gameplay; it was about the narrative. I hoped that what I found funny, the player would too; what was heartfelt to me, was heartfelt to the player as well. Like sharing a laugh, or just a good experience together. I hoped they would enjoy the feeling that went into it, despite the struggle of making it against circumstance and limitations. Now, I look forward to resting and sleeping once this over. I want to explore my other interests, improve, and explore new media. I want to relax, and refocus again like I was before the heat of development.

Is there something you’re afraid of concerning the development or the release of your game? *GH: Bugs! Some are easy to fix, but others are harder due to the limitations of the engine (e.g an error in one ending is caused by an overflow error).

Do you have any advice for upcoming devs? *GH: Show your game as early as possible, to as many people as possible. As soon as you have something playable, it’s ready for feedback. You’ll see if that game mechanic you spent hours refining works, or if it doesn’t work and why. You’ll understand what players enjoy and what they want more of, but also what they don’t like or don’t enjoy. And you will definitely encounter bugs. You’ll be able to pinpoint and fix minor problems early on that can easily become a larger issue later. You’ll be able to fine-tune your game so its best bits shine, and the difficulty is just right.

Question from last month's featured dev @dead-dreams-dev: Is there anything you’ve added to your game for no other reason than because you’re hoping fans will get a kick out of it? Fanservice, fourth wall breakage, references to other games, jokes, abilities that are just ridiculously overpowered and badass, etc? *GH: It’s hard to say; game design is trying to find the intersection between what’s good for the player, what the developer enjoys, and what’s feasible to implement. Every decision made should be conscious of that … I think a lot of the game’s early light-hearted jokes was not only made because I enjoyed it, but I hoped the player would “get a kick out of it” too. But more so, I think it’s because I would struggle to write a story which is serious and bleak from beginning to end. The game is a little self-indulgent in the narrative that way.

We mods would like to thank ghosthunter & team for agreeing to our interview! We believe that featuring the developer and their creative process is just as important as featuring the final product. Hopefully this Q&A segment has been an entertaining and insightful experience for everyone involved!

Remember to check out Grimm's Hollow if you haven’t already! See you next month! 

- Mods Gold & Platinum

[pixelgrotto]

A look at D&D’s Curse of Strahd

From about October 2018 to August 2019, I led a group of four friends through Curse of Strahd, the latest campaign book featuring a dive into the realm of Dungeon & Dragon’s most famous vampire, Strahd von Zarovich. It went well, and it was an interesting experience for me as a Dungeon Master, since this was my first time using one of Wizards of the Coast’s official modules. In the past I’ve always come up with my own homebrew adventures, and I still homebrewed a good chunk of Curse of Strahd, remixing characters and formulating story twists on the fly once I learned the ebb and flow of my group.

One of the things I love most about D&D, however, is that such behavior is encouraged, and pretty much all of the major 5th Edition releases outright tell DMs that they shouldn’t hesitate to make a campaign “their own” by only following the book when necessary. Thus, the version of Curse of Strahd that my players ran through was an experience specifically tailored to them - one where a motley crew known as the “Well-Doners” (like a well done steak...or a stake to the heart of a vampire!) were sucked into Strahd’s strange valley of Barovia and forced to ally together for the sake of survival...aided by a few key comrades, including a funny gnome mage who’d lost his magical mojo, the reincarnation of Strahd’s lost love, a grumpy monster hunter and a massive ranger and his dwarf wife. If I ever run Curse of Strahd again for another group, it’s very likely that many of these key comrades - as well as the general crux of the adventure - will turn out completely different.

To all enterprising DMs who might wish to run Curse of Strahd for their own groups, it’s worth first noting that this is very much a Ravenloft campaign. Ravenloft is the setting that sprouted from the 1983 module of the same name, originally devised by Tracy and Laura Hickman and then expanded upon during the heyday of D&D 2nd Edition. In a nutshell, it’s D&D’s horror setting, and the horror is very much steeped in the gothic tradition, with a heavy dollop of foes inspired by the Universal Monster Movies of the 1920s to 50s, sprinkles of Eastern European creepiness and a dash or two of dark romance to complete the mix. I quite like this combination because it reminds me of the melancholy yet deeply beautiful world of Mordavia in Quest for Glory IV: Shadows of Darkness, one of the formative experiences of my youth and a game that has a great soundtrack for the backdrop of any Ravenloft campaign. (Interestingly, Quest for Glory creators Lori and Corey Cole were D&D players before they went on to design computer games, which means that the gothic realm of Mordavia surely is a clear descendant of Ravenloft.)

But horror of any variety isn’t necessarily everyone’s cup of tea, and certain parts of Curse of Strahd - if run straight from the book - can veer quite sinister, because Barovia is ultimately a crappy place presided over by a crappy undead warlord. The introductory adventure of the module, dubbed “Death House,” actually deals with ghostly children who’ve died of starvation in a haunted manor due to the cultist ways of their mad parents. It’s entirely possible to make these kids untrustworthy antagonists in order to emphasize that the Ravenloft setting simply does not mess around, but since I was running this campaign for a group of four new players whose prior experience with D&D ran the gamut from limited to absolutely zero, I decided to make them into a spooky but still likable duo who could “possess” the players’ characters and offer sassy running commentary on the monsters infiltrating the manor. Like Casper but with a tad more snark, in other words - and the endearing nature of the children made the moment where my players had to lay their corpses to rest and confront their sad origins all the more compelling.

This act of balance - between ensuring that players recognize this as a dark adventure but also making sure that just enough light and humor alleviates the depression - is one that I tried to perform during every session of our game, and I’d encourage future Curse of Strahd DMs to do the same. I’d also encourage enterprising Dungeon Masters to perform a similar balancing act on the monsters and scenarios that permeate the adventure - specifically on the ones in the Death House opener as well as Strahd himself.

Death House, more specifically, is described in the book as a means to help the party quickly progress from levels 1 to 3, but played as is, it’s quite possible for players to get absolutely curb-stomped by everything within the manor - particularly a “final boss” that they’re technically not supposed to engage with, at least in a fair manner. Veteran RPG fans might relish the challenge, which is more reminiscent of Call of Cthulhu than D&D, but newbies might not like having to re-roll a character because their first one got wrecked by a Shambling Mound after only a few hours of play. So, retool Death House to suit the needs of your party - in my case, I limited the encounters somewhat to prevent a steady drip of HP and also gave my players a few tips on how to beat tricky baddies via those aforementioned ghost kids.

The opposite strategy goes for Strahd von Zarovich himself, who might be the big bad of Barovia but is surprisingly squishy when confronted by a hardy group of level 8 or 9 players, especially if they’ve found all the fancy sunlight-shooting artifacts of the adventure that can limit his powers. I can’t count the number of posts I’ve seen on the D&D Reddit or a Curse of Strahd Facebook group I’m in where frustrated DMs have written something like “Strahd was killed by my players within two rounds, where did I go wrong” - and in order to circumvent this from happening in the last session of a shared storytelling experience that had nearly spanned a year, I took a heavy pair of tweezers to Strahd’s stats and gave him three forms, each with their own HP. The first was his regular vampiric self, the second was him riding on his Misty Steed-summoned horse Bucephalus, and the third was basically Strahd going into berserker mode with black angel wings bursting from his back. (I stole the concept art of Satan from Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 for that. Worked perfectly!)

Speaking of Castlevania, I drew inspiration from the recent Netflix series - which I’ve written about here and here - when it came to developing Strahd’s actual personality, because even though the book updated his original Bela Lugosi-esque appearance into something more regal and fantasy-inspired, his essence is still something of a two dimensional bad guy, and the fact that one of his eternal missions in undeath is to make the reincarnation of his original lover fall for him is a problematic pill to swallow in 2019, even if it is meant as an ode to Dracula’s obsession with Mina Harker in Bram Stoker’s original novel. And so I decided to make my version of Strahd similar to the depressed, weary-of-life Dracula in Netflix Castlevania, turning him into a vampire of complexities - a guy who’s been immortal for so long that he almost wants the players to kill him, a man who believes he’s entitled to the love of a woman yet somewhere deep down realizes the inherent selfishness of that belief, and a lord who’s grown bored with his kingdom yet can’t quite relinquish the power he’s held over it for centuries. My Strahd, in other words, was still a bad dude, but at least a somewhat deeper bad dude that the cardboard cutout as presented in the book, and one of my players even described him as “a little like Kylo Ren,” which I took as a compliment.

Before I wrap this up, I’d like to return to the concept of the balancing act with regards to the structure and scope of Curse of Strahd, which is a true sandbox adventure. Players are not required to visit half of the locations outlined in the book, and the replayability factor is high, because the various artifacts that you need to defeat Strahd, as well as the specific non-player characters likely to assist you along the way, are dependent on a tarot card reading that occurs near the start of the adventure. The locations that I found the most important for my players were the towns of Barovia and Vallaki, the Wizard of Wines Winery, Yester Hill, Van Richten’s Tower, the Ruins of Berez, and Castle Ravenloft itself. Other groups online swear by Krezk, a third town that my players never bothered to visit (though I would have urged them to go there if we’d had any clerics or paladins in the party, since Krezk is a town with a giant church), and the Amber Temple, the lair where Strahd obtained his undead powers (a place I feel is best suited for players of neutral or evil-leaning alignments). Your mileage may vary, but if you’re going to DM this module, one of the best bits of advice I can give would be to see which locations your players are naturally inquisitive about, and then focus on those. Exploring every nook and cranny of Barovia can quickly turn into a slog otherwise.

With all this in mind, I think it’s time for the so-called “Well-Doners” to leave the world of gothic horror behind for a bit. They’ve somehow managed to find their way back to their home plane and the city of Waterdeep, and only one of the party was infected with a seemingly fatal curse after their stay in Ravenloft. What further quests await, I wonder, and what new campaign book will I hack apart to suit my players’ tastes? That’s for me to know, for them to find out, and for another long blog post examination...sometime in 2020, hopefully!

All photographs taken by me.

[mi6-cafe]

We are halfway through Occult October, so we thought it’d be a good time to remind people about our various events. Check out the rest of the MI6 Cafe’s October schedule!

Monthly Challenge: Occult October!  

What counts? Anything spooky, gothic, suspenseful, or supernatural; horror genre fancreations; or any Halloween-themed fancreations.

00Q, rare pairs, gen–everything is up for grabs. You can be inspired by canon, by artwork, by music, or by anything that grabs you and takes you down the path to Halloween horror or Halloween fun!

Not sure what to write? Check out our Halloween themed prompts here!

Be sure to tag your sexy fanworks with #mi6cafechallenge so we can find and reblog them! You can also use the tag #sp00qy, a wonderful tag created by @ato-the-bean.

Writer’s Workshop:

We held our third writer’s workshop, outline and resources here if you missed it. Stay tuned for the next one, which is about how to build original characters!

You can also join us from 11AM EST on Saturdays in the Slack for writing/drawing sprints, brainstorming, troubleshooting, and just plain helping each other get shit done!

MI6 Cafe Carving Spree

007 can show off his knife skills any time he likes, but those of us without a license to kill have to wait until October, when carving season is upon us.

This October, we’d love to see posts of any Bond-related pumpkins, turnips, or any other carved produce that 007 fandom can come up with!  

Autumn Recipe Exchange: October 16-23

@mi6caferecipes is at it again! This time, we’d love you to share your favorite autumn or Halloween-related recipes. Recipe exchange week is from October 16-23, but we will also be accepting Halloween treat recipes all through the month! Tag any recipes as #MI6CafeRecipes so we can find and reblog them!

Scary Story Readalong: October 28th

On October 28th at 8PM EST, we’ll ask you to join us in the MI6Cafe Discord with a scary or Halloween-related fanfic from Bond fandom! Suggested word limit for these is 3k or less, just so we can enjoy as many fics as possible–feel free to excerpt a passage from a longer fic if you like! Fics should also be rated M or under.

You can share a fanfic you’ve written or a fanfic you’ve read and admired, and in the grand tradition of telling stories around campfires, we’ll all gather around and read the stories aloud together. Lurkers are welcome–come join us for an evening of Bond Halloween fun!

Book Club: Thursdays at 9PM EST

The MI6 Cafe Book Club is reading Goldfinger and we are having an absolute blast. There are loads of giggles and snide jokes.

Interested in reading Bond books aloud, or listening to others reading the Bond books aloud, and having ridiculous fun while doing so? Come join us in the MI6 Cafe Discord on Thursday nights at 9PM EST! The new book is a great opportunities to try it out if you’ve been curious; lurkers are welcome! ^ ^

Movie Nights:

We have enjoyed some great movies so far and there are more to come.

Oct 22: Live and Let Die

Oct 29: The Man with the Golden Gun

Want to host a Bond or Bond-related movie? Just message @spiritofcamelot or @castillon02 so we can add it to the watch party calendar!

Rec Spotlights

We are always accepting recs to add to the MI6 Cafe’s Big Damn Rec List! You can fill out this google form to submit your rec OR you can edit the spreadsheet directly.

If you’re not sure what to rec,Occult October is a great time to give your favorite spooky fics some love!

[lizardat88mph]

October Country: Goal Breakdown

So here I thought I’d break down more clearly my high-achieving goals for October, as in order for them to be achievable, they need to be broken down into major parts, and then further down into tiny, almost-daily habits and tasks. 

So my goals for school/ career: 

1. To mold my education into what I need it to be

-alter my relationship with the people surrounding my education, and confronting my own sense of authority

     [Communicate with those who have disrespected me immediately, write down my own standards and goals and stick to that vision, set a priority list, assert my own expectations in what I need from people as a working adult, understand and be respectful of others faults but don’t budge on my standards, be okay to take self care and time away if needed]

-to take learning seriously and go above and beyond in what I allow myself to learn and study 

     [create that ‘goals’ scholarly schedule again and stick with it; get interested in documentaries, books, articles, TED talks, whatever will inspire you to learn about the world, the environment and culture; learn history; watch more movies and read more books you are interested in; go full deep overhead in novel research every single day and don’t be afraid to take time out of ‘homework’ schedule to do so]

-to take initiative in what is important to me to focus on, and what can be put lower down in the priority list 

     [create your own education and what is important this month, not what others want you to think is important, only you will know; remember that this is your education and you may choose to put your own things above their things; be congruent with your standards and really think them through, don’t just get pissy about others bossing you around, set your standards effectively and COMMUNICATE them]

-create distinct separations between my life life, and my school life, meaning doing things ‘other’ than school during my weeks

     [schedule other things other than school like gym time, events, friends, coffee dates and beers, mini trips, movie nights, potlucks, pj day, backwards day where you watch tv shows all morning, going to a class, etc; separate large chunks of time effectively and make proper use out of entire days off, AKA don’t just work for three hours on one thing and that’s it]

-create a proper routine/ schedule/ system around getting stuff done effectively 

     [every single week and every single day you should be planning out effectively, October is way too busy to be just ‘winging it’. When we don’t plan, we can waste so much possibly effective time (such as a break at school or a night off) which in turn will take time away from your own stuff, hanging out with friends, or having an actual night off completely. It will also in turn make you more stressed because you will find you are ‘always’ working, but it is because there is so much time you will waste not working productively or effectively and instead moving at a snails pace]

2. To construct a full and proper rough draft of my novel 

-make a proper outline/ storyboard

     [that means immediately. And go analog]

-actively exchange my novel with professors/ editors and peers

     [that means immediately. Get that story together, and don’t be afraid of being perfect, that ego needs to be let go if you are to be a real author]

-put entire novel in proper cohesive document, in order, with all missing and needing changes pieces

     [outline needs to get done, and re-envision--that means you will have to put this ahead of class readings and assignments]

-make a standard daily goal to complete

     [plan ahead. you will need your priority list as well because what will happen is that all the required shit for school like readings and assignments will budge themselves forcefully to the front, this is because you are the one setting your novel schedule and OTHERS are setting the assignments schedule. You need to be authoritative in your OWN schedule so that it levels up in importance]

-have a re-sit down/ brainstorm session to revisit entire vision

     [this is a good reason to take advantage of night work. This is also a good reason as to why you need a ‘home base’ where your work is laid out. This needs to be a HUGE priority, WAY above class readings]

3. To become an inspirational storyteller/ artist

-create my own standard routine/ process and not let anyone tell me how to manage myself

     [ASAP you need to create that priority list, ask yourself: what is important to me right now? What am I working towards? What is my own vision and my own assignment list. Everyone else’s assignments should come after. Remember this. Your English class is your elective, that’s all!]

-create a home space where I actively work 

     [home bases are important so that you are not heavily relying on just the coffee shop, it also helps because at home you can actively spread out your process and keep returning to it, without cleaning it up]

-amp up my presence on social media/ wattpad/ tumblr/ etc. to become more involved

     [if audience is important to you, then get back to your roots when you used to write fan fiction and be actively involved in that community, involve real people, share your knowledge and inspiration and writing in REAL time in order to disconnect from the university and connect with the actual world out there]

-to become more involved in the real world of storytelling, AKA meeting real authors, going to events, and researching about careers

     [Like before, set your own importances, not what others set out for you. Get active in the world, that is how connections are made and don’t be afraid to step away from the university, you don’t work there 24 hours a day every day, they do not hold a domineering leash over you]

-I need to hold my vision in my arms and learn to hold my own authority

     [really ground in that vision. Pretend you are a famous film director in charge of this whole team of film artists. What is your vision? It is important that you keep that vision in near sight at all times, or else the movie gets lost to the hustle and bustle of everyday life, the many MANY requirements and wishes of others around you and their influences, and with that you are in danger of producing an art piece pleasing the minds of many, instead of sticking to the original vision you held inside your heart as to why this was important to you. REMEMBER, YOU ARE THE DIRECTOR, you lead] 

And my ‘life’ goals: 

1. To become fit

-go on more walks/ hikes and get out into nature

-find a fun fitness activity to do in subset during the week of school 

-find a particular training activity that I like, and do it

-get into a yoga routine for the things I need aid in: stress, meditation, flexibility, stretching, and breathing

-I need to plan before each week and stick to those plans

2. To eat and fuel myself properly

-plan my weekly meals and meal prep to the best I can, or purchase healthy meals out if necessary 

-plan and equip myself with better snacks throughout the day 

-switch off having so much coffee (limit 2) and switch with tea or mushroom coffee

-make sure I am setting out a day to buy proper groceries

-have fun and try autumn cooking and baking!

3. To experience more out of my free time

-subset particular times for watching youtube videos, watching a tv show, social media 

-take advantage of the fact that it is AUTUMN, aka, your favourite month. This is the month of spookiness, autumn leaves, sweater weather, Halloween, horror and all things festive and romantic. Take advantage of it before it disappears. 

-take advantage of night time work/ play and ‘wasted’ time during the day 

-implement more ‘reading’ times 

-section out ‘large’ days more effectively

Anyways, that’s all I’ve got. It’s intensive, yes, but I am trying to go after substantial change, but in little daily changes

Daily, what to focus on: 

-make use of night time work/ play, don’t waste it

-plan out ahead of time (including work, play, food, fitness and clothes)

-make time for people and things not concerning school

-follow your own authority and your own path, be strong enough to not subside on your standards

-enjoy learning and growth, learn about everything

-take full advantage of autumn in everyway you can, say YES

-explore your field in all avenues

-go full steam ahead on your project, no turning back now, trust yourself and your vision

-SHOW people, it's time

-learn to find the little joys all around you, share them with friends :)

-learn to work for the audience, learn to be strong for those people and inspire them 

-communicate your expectations, stop hiding

-if you need self care, do it, do not let others speak for you

-get active and moving

-give all you’ve got in class

-become a scholar this month, in whatever this means to you

-don’t focus on those who don’t value you, or invest in you

-love getting up early

-TAKE care of yourself

-remember, school is never more important than your life or your relationships

-learn to write for pure joy again, and to create

and most of all; 

*turn this month around, this is October country now, and you are the director. That means no one tells you how to run your movie, you hold the vision and the story and you get to direct those in it. Don’t keep those who don’t share in your vision and value it, learn to understand others wishes without sacrificing your authority, keep your joy and love, treat others with respect, no matter how annoying, and keep trudging on through your work. Beware the autumn people, because they are more powerful than they believe. Quiet they may be, but loud in their dreams.

~Lizard the Dreamer