Shadows Over the Sword Coast: A Cinematic Saga Awaits! 🎬 | Perfect for Newcomers & Veterans 🎲 | Engage, Explore, Experience!

Creating your character

Embarking on a journey through the lands of the Sword Coast begins with crafting a character that will traverse its mysteries and dangers. Whether you have a fully fleshed-out concept or just the spark of an idea, the character creation process is designed to help you refine and realize your vision. This important phase will take place during our first session, ensuring that everyone starts with a character they are excited about and fully understand. Stat Determination and Starting Level We will use the standard array method for determining your character's statistics, providing a balanced foundation for all players. This method supports fair play and allows each character to have their strengths without significant disparities. Every character will begin their journey at Level 1, ensuring that players experience the full growth and development of their characters throughout the campaign. Tools and Resources Character creation will be facilitated through D&D Beyond, where I have shared all necessary resources from my collection. This includes a variety of rulebooks and supplements, excluding any content from Legacy editions to keep our play within the current framework of D&D 5e. Character Types The Sword Coast offers a vast tapestry of cultures and creatures, making it a vibrant setting for character creation. In this campaign, players are free to explore a wide array of character concepts and races. Whether you envision your character as a noble human knight, a cunning elf rogue, or even a less common race like a tiefling or dragonborn, the Sword Coast is a region rich with opportunity and diversity to support your choice. During our Session Zero, we will not only finalize our characters but also establish how they know each other and what their initial motivations might be. This collaborative setup helps create a cohesive group dynamic and a strong start to our adventure . With these guidelines, I aim to provide a structured yet flexible framework that supports your creativity and ensures your character is a joy to play throughout our campaign.

Preparing for the session

To ensure that you're fully equipped and ready to delve into a mysterious and immersive world, there are a few essential preparations to make before our campaign begins. Here’s everything you need to set up in advance: Technical Setup Webcam and Microphone: Our sessions will be conducted over Discord, allowing us to communicate and share moments in real-time. A functioning webcam and microphone are essential for full participation, as they enable both visual and audio interaction, enhancing the role-playing experience and maintaining group dynamics. Discord Account: If you don’t already have a Discord account, please create one. We'll use Discord for all our game sessions, discussions, and communications. It's free and easy to set up. Once you have your account, I'll invite you to join our private game server. D&D Beyond Account: We will use D&D Beyond for all character creation and levelling processes. Please create a free account on D&D Beyond if you do not have one. I will provide access to the necessary digital books and resources through this platform, which will allow you to craft and manage your character efficiently. Game Preparation Character Creation: While you are encouraged to think about what type of character you might want to play beforehand, the detailed creation process will take place during our first session. This ensures that everyone is comfortable with their character and fully understands their abilities and background. Familiarity with Basic Rules: It's beneficial if you have a general understanding of the basic rules of D&D 5e. You don’t need to be an expert, but a quick read-through of the basic gameplay mechanics on D&D Beyond can be incredibly helpful. This will help streamline our gameplay and allow more time for storytelling and action. By preparing these elements ahead of our first session, you’ll be set to start our adventure without any delays. I look forward to guiding you through the beautiful and perilous lands of the Sword Coast, where your choices shape the story in profound and exciting ways. Get ready for a D&D experience like no other!

What Gonçalo "Eugini" Oliveira brings to the table

Dive into the mystical realms of Dungeons & Dragons with me as your Dungeon Master, where every session is meticulously crafted to provide an immersive, cinematic experience. Utilizing the robust capabilities of Foundry VTT, I deliver custom maps and tokens designed to bring our adventures to life, ensuring every dungeon crawl and city exploration is visually engaging and strategically challenging. For character creation and ongoing development, I leverage D&D Beyond, sharing access to a comprehensive library of books to aid in your character's growth and evolution. This ensures that all players have the resources they need to fully realize their D&D characters. As a seasoned film producer and screenwriter, I infuse each game with a theatrical flair—employing a range of character voices, ambient music, and sound effects to mimic the feel of a high-stakes fantasy film. Foundry's advanced features allow me to integrate visual effects and sound directly tied to player actions, enhancing the narrative and combat scenes dramatically. Combat in my games balances tactical depth with character-driven storytelling. Expect encounters where strategy and narrative intertwine, offering challenges that may require clever tactics or bold heroics. While I cherish the 'Rule of Cool', it is balanced with adherence to the Rules as Written to maintain fairness and functionality within the game's world. Further pushing the boundaries of traditional gameplay, I utilize AI tools to create dynamic images that capture key moments and settings inspired by your actions, providing a unique visual recap of your adventures. This not only celebrates your achievements but also enhances the story's depth and personal connection. In summary, my games are designed for players who love deep immersion and cinematic drama, all within a framework that respects the mechanics of D&D. If you're eager to be part of a narrative where your choices have real impact, and where each session unfolds like a scene from a fantasy epic, then join me at the table for a truly dynamic adventure.

How Gonçalo "Eugini" Oliveira creates a safe table

Ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience for all players is paramount in my campaigns. To facilitate this, I implement several safety tools and practices, beginning with the use of the Monte Cook RPG Consent Checklist. Prior to our first session, I will send out a link to this document for all players to fill out. This helps me understand everyone's comfort levels and boundaries, ensuring that the content we explore together is enjoyable and respectful to all participants. Session 0: Setting the Stage Our initial meeting, Session 0, is crucial for setting expectations and building a solid foundation for our campaign. During this session, we will discuss the consent checklist results, establish the characters' backgrounds, and clarify how they fit into the world. We'll also go over any house rules, gameplay mechanics, and answer any questions. This session is designed to ensure that everyone starts the game on the same page and feels comfortable with the adventure ahead. Aftercare: Reflect and Respect After each session, I encourage a brief cooldown period where players can discuss their experiences and feelings about the session's events. This aftercare process is vital for maintaining a supportive gaming environment, allowing players to express any concerns and celebrate memorable moments. Safety and fun go hand-in-hand in my campaigns, and I strive to create a welcoming atmosphere where everyone can enjoy the adventure worry-free. Join me in this campaign for a D&D experience crafted with care and creativity.