StartPlaying logo
Dungeon of the Mad Mage - For Doom or Glory! | Level 15

Dungeon of the Mad Mage - For Doom or Glory! | Level 15

Dungeons & Dragons 5e | Campaign

About the adventure

A dungeon complex beyond measure, 🏛️ And a mad mage who lives in its gloom. 🧙🏻 Will you behold limitless treasure? 🪙 Or will just find your own doom!! 💀 Below the bustling coastal metropolis of Waterdeep, lies Undermountain, a dungeon so deep and so vast, that myriad monsters roam its halls, deadly traps still wait to be sprung, and numerous factions vie for territory within. Whispered rumors speak of ancient vaults, magical laboratories, and even a small city within its depths. Many adventurers have come to Undermountain seeking wealth, glory, or secrets lost within its endless passages. Some of them have even returned alive. This time, it is your turn. You are about to enter Undermountain because you are brave, foolish, or perhaps a bit of both. It only costs one gold coin to enter Undermountain, but getting back out may cost you your life! This is a 5e campaign for 3-6 adventurers and will span from level 5 to 20. The campaign will use tactical maps for exploration and combats. This is a tale of exploration, danger, and deceit in a dungeon like no other!

Recruiting notes

Party Composition: (Level 15) Barbarian/Monk, Warlock/Rogue, Sorcerer, Wizard/Cleric (2014 rules) Challenged to three games by the Mad Mage himself, our heroes must rush to the thirteenth floor and the dangerous wasteland of Trobriand's Graveyard! Will you join them?

5.0

(41)

Teacher/Educator
Game Designer

3 years on StartPlaying

787 games hosted

Highly rated for: Creativity, Inclusive, Storytelling

Average response time: 3 hours

Response rate: 100%

Game Master Reviews (41)

Proficiencies

Players say this GM is great at:

Creativity

Inclusive

Storytelling

Elliot avatar

Elliot

Played 8 sessions

Completely new to DnD and him and the group I am with are all extremely fun and open to my lack of experience, 10/10

Ben  avatar

Ben

Played 150 sessions

I’ve had the privilege of playing with Josh for a few years and several different games now. He is the kindest and most welcoming GM you can find. Whether it is your first time at a table or you're already a dice goblin you never feel out of place in his games. The care he takes in making your character feel deeply rooted in the story shows that he truly listens to the ideas of his players. His capability for using some of the more outlandish ideas and reflavored mechanics and seamlessly weave them into the story amazes me everytime. The sense of community and friendship Josh fosters around his games will always be my favorite part. From stumbling into a game so long ago to now having a wonderful group of people I get the privilege to play my favorite with every week I’ll never get to thank him fully.

Jeffrey avatar

Jeffrey

Played 1 sessions

Joshua's GM style is incredibly fun and entertaining. He allows for player input and creativity and keeps things moving throughout the session. He made for fun and unique encounters that were different than I had experienced previously and that added new elements using the surroundings and player interactions. He incorporates character ideas well into his world. I would strongly recommend him to any new or veteran player and look forward to playing in one of his games again in the future.

GM Ryan A avatar

GM Ryan A

Josh is a welcoming DM who strives to ensure his players feel comfortable. I joined an adventure mid-campaign and was able to join easily. His NPCs are fun and memorable and help move the adventure along as needed. The combat is satisfying so far and makes good use of Roll20 maps. If you are looking for a DM who offers shenanigan-welcoming and fun atmosphere for your adventure, you should consider Josh!

Brian avatar

Brian

Played 25 sessions

Josh was recommended to me by one of his other players. Decided to give it a shot, I am not disappointed in joining his game. Captivating storytelling with just the right amount of pace to the adventure. Love it so far. ok here we are 25 sessions in and due to life I have had to reluctantly leave Josh's game. I have had an absolute ball playing with Josh and if not for the situation would still be playing with him. I can recommend highly enough Josh as a DM. You will not be disappointed joining one of his games.

Alexandria Seifert avatar

Alexandria Seifert

Played 53 sessions

Joshua is a phenomenal DM who has single handedly kept my love for D&D alive for the last 2 years. It is easy for me to say he is tremendously accommodating as a DM, but he is also a genuinely lovely person who is a delight to be around. I have never encountered another DM who is so ready to provide a compelling narrative experience and facilitate my high roleplay style of playing D&D, which just goes to show how he always ensures the enjoyment of his players at the table. There has never been an instance I have felt uncomfortable in one of Joshua’s games nor any issues that have ever arose that couldn’t be easily rectified. Trust me when I say the campaigns this DM manages to breathe life into are something you really need to experience for yourself because I wouldn’t be able to do the storylines, NPCs nor world under Joshua’s control proper justice with words alone. I would 100% recommend Joshua to absolutely anyone who wants an exceptional DM, he is structured, creative, fair, kind and knows his mechanical rules yet also how to bend them at times to deliver the best possible experience.

Additional details

How to prepare

A microphone is required to participate. A webcam is encouraged, but not necessary. I will have my camera on, and I'd love to see you too! We will be using Discord and Roll20 to play, so you will need (free) accounts for both of them. You might want to download the Discord client as well. Dice and character sheets will be handled within Roll20.

What I provide

As GM, I will provide the adventure itself, including maps and tokens. I will provide access to sourcebooks through D&D Beyond. I can provide pre-generated characters on request. Dice rolling may be handled through Roll20, through D&D Beyond (with the Beyond20 browser extension), or with physical dice.

Gameplay details

Dungeon of the Mad Mage is an adventure story of full of vile villains, desperate fools, terrible traps, and otherworldly menaces. This game will contain elements of violence and peril comparable to a PG-13 rated film. Please let me know if there are additional things I need to be aware of to maintain your comfort and safety. Racism, sexism, transphobia, ableism, and all other discrimination will not be tolerated.

Content warnings

• Alcohol Use

• Animal Death

• Blood

• Fire

• Illness

• Insects

• Memory Erasing

• Mind alteration

• Murder

• Snakes

• Violence

• Body Horror

• Character Death

• Death

• Mind Control

• Paralyzation

• Slavery

• Spiders

Safety tools used

Breaks

Lines and Veils

Open Door

Session 0

Stars and Wishes

X, N, and O Cards

How will character creation work

We will discuss character ideas and the party's backstory during Session 0. Please send your character sheet to me at least 24 hours before the Session 1 for approval. I am available to talk through character creation ahead of time, and can provide a pre-generated character upon request. Player characters are 5th level with starting equipment (and an additional 500gp). Use the Standard Array or 27 Point Buy for ability scores. Any officially published material is available for use, and homebrew and customization will be allowed, subject to review.

Players can expect

Combat / Tactics

High

Roleplay

Medium

Puzzles

Medium

Experience level

Open to all

Platforms used

Discord

Roll20

1 SEAT LEFT
$27.00

/ Session

Each player will be charged when a session starts.

Details

Weekly / Tuesday - 1:20 AM UTC

Mar 25 / Session 96

2.75-3.25 Hour duration

5 / 6 Seats filled

Schedule

Tue, Mar 25 | 1:20 AM - Session 96

Tue, Apr 01 | 1:20 AM - Session 97

Requirements

Experience required: Open to all

Age: 18+