Nights of Payne Town: Season 1 - The Personal Vein
In a city choking on secrets and smoke, your crew walks the line of justice chasing myths, dodging bullets, and digging graves one lead at a time.
$25.00
/ Session
Details
Weekly / Saturday - 2:00 AM UTC
Dec 20 / Session 46
Session Duration / 2.5–3.5 hours
5 / 6 Seats Filled
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Schedule
Meet your party members
5/6
About the adventure
The Nights of Payne Town is a story of crime, magic, and lost souls. Here, myths and legends are incarnated as gritty detectives and crooks, destined to reenact the drama of their ancient stories in a moody, modern, noir world. Bullets whistle through the air as street gangs and police exchange fire, only to be stopped by a knight’s shimmering armor or an old witch’s magic spell. We will be streaming part one of three: Nights of Payne Town cases break down into three "veins", or sub-plots: *1) The Personal Vein, cases trailing the personal tragedy of the victims of a scheme to slowly and painfully destroy the very fabric of society in the City. 2) The Mystical Vein, cases following a magical arms race, where a mystery collector will stop at nothing to gather every form of magical object and being in the City; and 3) The Criminal Vein, cases involving the rise of an unstoppable crime baron, a violent self-proclaimed monarch, and the struggle for power over the City streets. Greed, hatred, and a lust for power drive countless people to commit atrocious, but ultimately human, crimes: crimes of passion, crimes of pre-meditation, and crimes written in the stars. Their pain, and the pain of their victims, is glowing like neon in the night…
Game style
Theater of the Mind
Rule of Cool (RoC)
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
5.0
(47)
4 years on StartPlaying
149 games hosted
Highly rated for: Inclusive, Creativity, Storytelling
About me
Did a player just make a hilarious joke, or did I unleash an unspeakable horror on the party? Could be either. That’s part of the fun. I’ve been playing roleplaying games for over 25 years and running them for 15. I started with Dungeons & Dragons, but quickly fell in love with story-driven games like Call of Cthulhu, City of Mist, and many more. My specialty is introducing new players to roleplaying and helping veterans discover new systems they’ll love. Over the years, I’ve run long campaigns single session games, streamed games online in the UK and US, facilitated LARPs, and hosted sessions at conventions for renowned publishers like Chaosium and Hunters Entertainment from coast to coast of the US and Canada. I’ve also been a part of developing new digital tools to enhance the gaming experience — including RPG Stories, a virtual tabletop platform, and RPG Archivist, a tool that tracks your story and answers questions about your game while you play. Add in over a dozen playtests for new, pre-release roleplaying games and systems, and you’ll find I’m no stranger to picking up new players quickly and giving them a great time while they feel right at home. ⸻ 🎲 What I Offer ✅ A professional, experienced storyteller. ✅ Beginner-friendly games with clear explanations and a welcoming atmosphere. ✅ A safe, inclusive table. ✅ A chance to build a regular game night you’ll look forward to every week. ✅ Stories that range from epic fantasy to eerie mysteries, gritty noir, and cinematic horror. ⸻ ⭐ "This was hands down the best game session I've ever been in. I've been privileged to play with big names and many creators running their own games and adventures. I would play in a game run by MoraganJ over any of them" ⭐ “One of my favorite experiences at Gen Con 2024.” ⭐ "He took a group of new players to the game and led us through a captivating, suspenseful experience that introduced us to the game and told and amazing story." ⭐ "It felt totally organic in a way that I can say, without hyperbole, I’ve never experienced before in a one-shot like this." ✨ Let’s Roll Some Dice Whether it’s your first time playing or your fiftieth, I’d love to run a game for you. Let’s dive into new worlds, tell some amazing stories, and make sure every session is something you can’t wait to come back to.
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
Bring ideas about the four logos themes you started as. Which was the first to go? What mythos took root in you then? We'll create characters together at the first session. You may use any of the published mythos or logos themebooks: Logos Themebooks: Defining Event: LOSS OF A LOVED ONE, VALUED POSSESSION, OR SOCIAL STANDING • AN ACCIDENT • RISE TO GREATNESS • 15 MINUTES OF FAME • ENLIGHTENMENT Defining Relationship: A LOVE INTEREST • SOMEONE DEPENDENT ON YOU • A FAMILY MEMBER OR FRIEND • A TEACHER OR MENTOR • A TEAM, GANG, OR OTHER AFFILIATION Mission: PHILANTHROPY • REVENGE • A SWORN OATH • A JOB THAT MUST GET DONE • A PERSONAL GOAL • AN ONGOING SEARCH • AN OBSESSION Personality: CHARACTER TRAITS AND QUIRKS • PERSONAL STYLE • HABITS • SOCIAL SKILLS • LIFESTYLE • ATTITUDE Possessions: GUNS, LOTS OF GUNS • AN OUTFITTED VEHICLE • A TOOL SET • CASH, SAVINGS, OR ASSETS • A HOARD • TRINKETS Routine: A POLITICAL POSITION • A ROLE IN AN ORGANIZATION • RESPONSIBILITY OVER SOMEONE’S CARE • BUMMING AROUND • SCHOOL • CRIMINAL ACTIVITY Struggle: LONELINESS • MENTAL ILLNESS • MEDICAL CONDITION • FINANCIAL DEBT • INSECURITY • PENT UP EMOTIONS • LACK OF MEANING • ADDICTION • ABUSE • GUILT Training: EDUCATION • MARTIAL ARTS TRAINING • JACK OF ALL TRADES • AN APPRENTICESHIP • LIFE EXPERIENCE Turf: AN ONLINE FORUM YOU MOD • A STREET/NEIGHBORHOOD/DISTRICT YOU CONTROL • A JURISDICTION • A DESOLATE CITY AREA YOU CULTIVATE Mythos Themebooks Adaptation: A RANGE OF MAGIC SPELLS • ADAPTING TO HARSH ENVIRONMENTS • SHAPESHIFTING OR POWER COPYING • A MYSTERIOUS, UNPREDICTABLE FORCE Bastion: CONJURE AN ARMOR OR A SHIELD • INVULNERABILITY • MAGICAL PROTECTION • IMMUNITY TO VARIOUS KINDS OF HARM • BEING UNTOUCHABLE BY THE LAW Conjuration: CREATING BEINGS OR OBJECTS: THROUGH SORCERY • BY SUMMONING FROM DREAMS • FROM THE ENVIRONMENT • BY OPENING A PORTAL TO ANOTHER REALM Destiny: A PROPHECY • A CURSE • AN UNAVOIDABLE DUTY • A DEAL YOU MADE WITH THE DEVIL • BEING THE CHOSEN ONE • A DESTINY BOUND TO AN OBJECT • A FAMILY LEGACY Divination: CLAIRVOYANCE • SPECIAL SENSES • FORTUNE TELLING • A MYSTICAL SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE • COMMUNICATING WITH OTHER REALMS OR BEINGS Enclave: A DOOR THAT LEADS TO A LEGENDARY PLACE • A STREET THAT HIDES A MAGICAL KINGDOM • AN APARTMENT OR A HOUSE FULL OF MYSTERIES Expression: ELEMENTAL OR PHYSICAL PROJECTION (E.G., FIRE, ARROWS, THOUGHTS) • LEGENDARY STRENGTH • SUPERIOR WARRIOR PROWESS • HEALING POWERS Familiar: A GHOST DOG THAT CAN WALK THROUGH WALLS • A MAGICAL RIDING BEAST • A HOUSE CAT WHO IS ALSO A GUARDIAN LIONESS SPIRIT • A REAL-LIFE DRAGON Mobility: NIMBLE, GRACEFUL, OR DEXTEROUS MOVEMENT • SUPERNATURAL SPEED • RIDING ON MYTHICAL CREATURES • MAGICAL TRANSPORTATION Relic: A MAGICAL WEAPON, PIECE OF ARMOR, OR CLOTHING • A GIFT FROM ANOTHER REALM • A BAG FULL OF WONDERS • A BLESSED ITEM Subversion: INVISIBILITY • TRICKERY AND ILLUSIONS • THIEVERY AND STEALTH • HYPNOTISM AND SUBTLE MANIPULATION • SECRECY AND COUNTER-DETECTION
We’ve started the third and last case of the first vein, but joining now is a great time to get to know the system before we start the second third of the campaign! If you’re interested, let me know, and I can provide you with a character or help you make your own! We're playing the first of three "veins" in Nights of Payne Town focusing on personal connections: "Killing Her Softly: A Heartbreaking Case" "Carnival of Machines: A Creepy Case", and currently "Broken Glass: A Chilling Case" We also stream the game on https://www.twitch.tv/MythicJourneys
What to expect
Preparing for the session
Players will need a mic and either headphones or a quiet environment with push to talk. There are some great videos on YouTube and free guides online you can peruse at https://cityofmist.co/pages/downloads. If you don't have accounts on The Forge or Discord please sign up for free accounts there. Reading the rulebook is highly encouraged. The book is fantastic and has awesome narration and comics throughout!
What GM MorganJ brings to the table
First and foremost, since this campaign is underway, I'll be bringing a fantastic group of really welcoming players! :-) (Don't tell them I told you that!) I'll also bring all City of Mist products there are and a vast amount of enthusiasm, guidance, and patience!
Equipment needed to play
Computer
Headphones
Microphone
Internet
Platforms used
Safety
How GM MorganJ creates a safe table
We'll have a couple of sessions to set expectations and establish characters in the world.
Content warnings
Safety tools used