Horror on the Orient Express | Save Humanity while Globetrotting
Who'd have guessed a luxury train company would provide a path across Europe so your allies could destroy a profane relic and save the world?
$20.00
/ Session
Details
Weekly / Wednesday - 12:00 AM UTC
Nov 26 / Session 20
Session Duration / 3–4 hours
3 / 4 Seats Filled
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Schedule
About the adventure
This grim adventure creates incomprehensible horrors surpassing the human mind. Welcome to Europe in 1923. You wouldn’t expect to encounter eldritch monsters and mythos monsters. You also wouldn’t expect that a quest with the fate of the world at stake to fall upon you. But alas, such is fate, or the fate of you and your friends, more specifically. It starts with Professor Smith, a kind and gentlemanly scholar who invites you and several friends to the world famous Challenger Lecture. At the end of the night you’ll have had a splendid time, met a handful of new people, made some connections, and be ready to enjoy the rest of your holiday. Soon thereafter you’ll realize your fate is now intertwined with your friends. You’ll search Europe and then much of the rest of the world for a profane artifact that is targeted by a slew of eldritch villains, classic monsters, vile spell casters, and at least one of the most infamous cults in all of Lovecraftian lore… This train ride will begin in London and go all the way to Constantinople. This leaves us with two questions: will you reach the end of your sanity before the train reaches its destination, and are you and your friends able to save the very world that you’re traveling across? If you're brave enough... ALL ABOARD THE ORIENT EXPRESS!
Game style
Rule of Cool (RoC)
Theater of the Mind
Roleplay Heavy
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
5.0
(42)
4 years on StartPlaying
376 games hosted
Highly rated for: Creativity, Teacher, Rule of Cool
About me
Welcome adventurers, investigators, monster slayers and detectives! I'm Inkblood Demon, a Professional GM who has logged over 2,000 hours on Roll20, GM’d over 275 games on StartPlaying, and draws upon well over a decade of experience in TTRPGs. My philosophy is that a good GM understands how to embrace the unique preferences of their tables. Every group will be different, and that’s the beauty of TTRPGs! I specialize in adapting to every table and tailoring content so players can play the game they want to play. Whether it’s a horror game like Call of Cthulhu, or a high fantasy adventure like D&D, the players will have engaging and immersive content. I have more details about how I run my games in the GM Style section. There's no wrong or right way to enjoy the contents of a game. Speaking of content, it's best to address that now. TTRPGs often contain harsh content. I will respect your boundaries to ensure your enjoyment. I've had a player with a bug phobia, players who don't like overly gory scenes, etc. We will communicate with one another and make it work. In my personal life, I’m an author, a former attorney, an uncle, a podcaster, and a family man. I love creativity, learning, and I love teaching. Many of the reviews I have received speak to my creative ability and penchant for teaching. This might be because I come from a long line of teachers, or my enthusiasm for game systems, but I love the gritty details of a game, as well as teaching new and lapsed players. I view part of my job as paying it forward: I was blessed to be brought into the TTRPG fold many years ago, and I want to do the same for others. However, I have plenty to offer veteran players as well. My games are not easy. You will be challenged in them, fairly of course, regardless of the system. I hope to see you at my table, and be sure to check out my GM Style Section below!
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
We will have what is referred to as a soft session zero. This means that per the group's choice, we do character creation through discord/one-on-one/group chats or meeting before the first paid session, or during the first paid session. We will use an official online tool to create characters, and then transfer that information into character sheets on Roll20. Specifically, the 'Point Buy Characteristics Method'.
This is a great time to join! We are early in the content and it would be easy to integrate yourself into the game through knowing certain NPCs and backgrounds. I do written recaps of each session so you would also have that resource to lean on. Join us!
What to expect
Preparing for the session
You will need the following: A Roll20 account (it's free, so no worries; A Discord account; stable internet; a working microphone/headset; and an account for the free online character creation tool via https://www.dholeshouse.org/Default
What GM Inkblood Demon brings to the table
My combat will be intense, descriptive, evocative and downright thrilling. We are playing for high stakes! The rule of cool will usually win out over system mechanics so long as it is reasonable, within the context of a TTRPG that is. Roleplay will be immersive and the player's strengths at RP, as well as their in game abilities will greatly matter. However, Call of Cthulhu is a game of dice for a reason. Success and failure should and will matter, though in my games inventive strategies and play is rewarded. Tangibly I bring the VTT, the campaign and the contents therein, the discord server, custom maps, tokens, voices, character creation tools, as well as music and other ambiance tools. Intangibly I bring four years' worth of Professional GM experience, experience in a long running CoC Actual Play, the experience of a published author, etc.
Equipment needed to play
Headphones
Computer
Internet
Microphone
Platforms used
Safety
How GM Inkblood Demon creates a safe table
This is a horror based game and a lot of the content is rough (view the content warning) and that is by design. We'll talk about triggers and content that we want avoided entirely or downplayed as a group. Please note that sexism, racism, and homophobia will be avoided. Lines and Veils - I will make it clear to my players that in this game, a lot of awful things will happen. Some of them cannot be removed for the story to make sense--scars and damage, even death, are a part of the game's mechanics, for instance--but others, if not most, can be fit under the lines/veil safety tool. Aftercare/Debriefing - these will both take place after the game. I'm usually available for at least 10 minutes at the end of each session. Players can also request to speak to me alone in a different discord channel if they're more comfortable with that; they can also message me after the game if that works better. Open Door and Breaks - I'll put it simply, if you need a breather, you're good. It's that simple. Just let me know, either by voice/message that you're taking a break and it's good!
Content warnings
Safety tools used