CALL FROM THE DEEP, A Swashbuckling Horror Campaign
Dungeons & Dragons 5e | Campaign
About the adventure
A strange object crashes from the sky, and the Lord's Alliance has called for some agents to go forth and investigate the crash from the sky! As the adventure goes forward, we discover the true nature of the crash, a devious and plotting cult, and a terrible foe looming in the dark depths of the Sword Coast. This adventure is a swashbuckling epic which builds quickly, before it transforms into a seafaring Lovecraftian story! You will find no shortage of choices to be made, places to explore, realized secrets, and fun to be had as the group uncovers the truth about the object that fell from the skies!
Game style
Rule of Cool (RoC)
“Rule of Cool” emphasizes creative story beats over sticking to a system’s rules as written. Players have the ability to push the limits of the rules or even break core rule mechanics at times if the Game Master thinks it is interesting, fun, or cool enough.
Combat Heavy
“Combat Heavy” games emphasize the combat mechanics within their systems over roleplay or puzzle solving. There are frequent and longer battles with enemies and a greater emphasis on tactical game play.
Roleplay Heavy
“Roleplay Heavy” games place the focus on the story, the characters, and the world they live within, and tend to lean hard into the various roleplaying elements of the game. These games will frequently find the party talking with NPCs, exploring the personal elements of their backstories, or even having emotional moments around the camp fire.
Theater of the Mind
“Theater of the Mind” uses little to no visuals for scene settings and combat. Instead, the narrative imagery comes from the Game Master’s descriptions and character action and movement comes from Players’ descriptions.
5.0
(25)
3 years on StartPlaying
266 games hosted
Highly rated for: Creativity, Sets the Mood, Storytelling
Game Master Reviews (25)
Proficiencies
Players say this GM is great at:
Creativity
Sets the Mood
Storytelling
Ron Hoover
Played 9 sessions
We had a great experience with Gavin for our group of 6 complete beginners to DnD. Gavin was very supportive, patient, and helpful while providing an immersive DnD experience. He had a well curated playlist to set the mood, and he made the virtual tabletop accessible and easy to understand for all the players. His game had combat, exploration, and roleplaying elements to serve as a good introduction for us to the game, and created a well-crafted one-shot that exceeded our expectations. He set up a compelling foundation for future DnD sessions, and our group is excited to continue an ongoing campaign with him. He was very professional, collaborative, and cooperative throughout the whole process of planning and scheduling. We would highly recommend Gavin for any first time players, or anyone looking for an immersive roleplaying experience!
Elliott
Played 2 sessions
Gavin did a fantastic job introducing our beginner group to D&D. He was a really engaging DM who created a lot of suspense and excitement, and he struck a great balance between guiding us and letting us make interesting choices. I would strongly recommend Gavin as a DM!
Stella
Played 21 sessions
Gavin is a very good DM to work with. In Character creation he allowed great freedom to create the character I wanted to bring to the table. He's also been very welcoming of me being in the campaign despite having already played through a good chunk of it. The games he's run have also been good fun to play in and am excited to continue the campaign further.
Christopher
Played 13 sessions
Gavin is a great storyteller and allows us to try to think outside the box when we are faced with difficulties.
secretID
Played 13 sessions
Gavin paints a vivid picture of the world and populates it with real, engaging characters. He has a great command of the rules and of the software he uses, so we never get bogged down in boring stuff. He always seems prepared and ready, but he doesn't railroad. I'm having a great time!
Harry Stone
Although I joined late to the group, Gavin made sure I felt included and was part of the story. He helped create the character and then his DM style was really impressive and inclusive. Anyone looking for a really fun time should consider Gavin as their DM!
Additional details
How to prepare
Here are the essentials to ensure our adventure runs smoothly: 1. **Discord, Mic, and Internet**: Make sure you're equipped with a Discord account, a reliable microphone, and a stable internet connection. These are our lifelines to seamless communication and epic storytelling. 2. **Webcams (Optional)**: While not mandatory, webcams can add an extra layer of fun to our gameplay. Feel free to switch yours on if you're up for it! 3. **Handout for Background**: To immerse you in the world we're about to explore, I'll provide a handy handout giving you a glimpse into the setting's background. Consider it your passport to adventure! With these basics covered, we're all set to embark on an unforgettable journey together!
What I provide
I will provide high resolution battlemaps via Foundryvtt during combat. There will also be ambient art works, music and character illustrations to help provide immersion to the game.
Gameplay details
Hey there adventurers! Welcome to our D&D journey! Here's how our sessions usually unfold: We kick things off by gathering on D&D Beyond, hopping onto Discord, and then diving into the immersive world of Foundry VTT. Once everyone's settled, we embark on our grand adventure filled with exploration, role-playing, and thrilling combat. If you're into a mix of gritty realism and high fantasy, you've come to the right place! I love blending serious storytelling with a dash of humor, and yes, expect some heart-pounding moments where character survival isn't always guaranteed. After all, navigating through encounters that range from manageable to downright perilous is what keeps the adrenaline pumping and the world feeling alive. Now, let's talk expectations: punctuality is key, and I do ask that everyone commits to the full session unless real-life emergencies crop up. Staying in character adds depth to our tale, and let's steer clear of metagaming to keep the immersion intact. This is a mature game, meaning any topic might arise during our adventures. If there are any boundaries you'd like to set, just shoot me a message, and I'll make sure we respect them. Oh, and don't worry about hunger or nature's call interrupting our fun – we'll take a 5 to 10 minute break mid-session for snacks, drinks, and bio breaks. So grab your dice and get ready for an epic journey!
Content warnings
• Alcohol Use
• Animal Cruelty
• Animal Death
• Blood
• Character Death
• Child Abuse
• Confronting Abuser
• Death
• Deep or Large Bodies of Water
• Drowning
• Extreme Violence
• Fire
• Genocide
• Gore
• Illness
• Insects
• Language/Cursing
• Murder
• Paralyzation
• Slavery
• Snakes
• Spiders
• Talk of Superior Race
• Violence
• Sexual Content
Safety tools used
• Aftercare
• Bleed
• Breaks
• Debriefing
• Lines and Veils
• Luxton Technique Discussion
• Monte Cook RPG Consent Checklist
• Open Door
• Session 0
• Stars and Wishes
• X, N, and O Cards
How will character creation work
- Players will be able to create their characters via DnDbeyond or Foundryvtt. - Each player will have the chance to roll for their stats once. If the player is unsatisfied with the roll, the player can use Point Buy instead. - Only official races and classes are allowed. Anything homebrew must have an approval by the DM first. - The characters will start as level 1 and will advance to level 12 by the end of the campaign. - Characters roll for HP beyond level 1, if the result is less than average, you may take the average result.
Players can expect
Combat / Tactics
Medium
Roleplay
Medium
Puzzles
Medium
Experience level
Beginner
Platforms used
• D&D Beyond
• Discord
• Foundry VTT
More upcoming games
$20.00
/ Session
Each player will be charged when a session starts.
Details
Weekly / Friday - 1:30 AM UTC
3-3.5 Hour Duration
2 / 6 Seats Filled
Requirements
Experience required: Beginner
Age: 18+