Shadows of War~ LANCER: No Room for a Wallflower

Creating your character

This game of Lancer will be short campaign set up to continue into further story lines if the players are interested. Characters will be created at LL0, and can be made independently or with my help. Pre-made pilots will also be available for those new to the game. Mecha in Lancer are a huge part of the customization for players, especially in regards to combat styles. For anyone new, pre-made options will be available to experience the game without need to dive into the wealth of options available. For more inspired players, I will be open to review any mech options and discussion of builds once you join the game's discord.

Preparing for the session

To participate in the chat on Discord, you'll need a mic. Webcams aren't necessary, but they can help improve communication. Discord accounts are free and you should install the software before the game. I'll provide a link to my personal Discord server for the game. Foundry will be hosted by me, and once you've joined the game we can set up a pre-session to iron out any potential technical set up such as connecting to Foundry. You don't need to know the rules beforehand. Lancer includes a complex system of statuses during combats and a narrative side that is easy to play with out any difficulty. I'll teach you the rules as we play, and I'll help you translate your intentions into the rules where necessary. Your only concern should be enjoying the game and bringing your character to life. You can use physical dice if you have a favorite set, and Foundry character sheets will include steps to help automated dice rolling.

What Travis D. brings to the table

I'll provide the voice server via Discord and the Foundry VTT campaign link. Foundry has full pilot and mech character sheets, tokens, and maps to set the stage for the game. While most of the game between combats will be Theater of the Mind, we'll use Foundry to set the ambiance and for interactive and complex battles. I have a great command of the system and love helping players get into a new game. I also enjoy helping people find their voice or style or roleplaying, and creating a comfortable environment we can explore together. Open-ended games like this require adaptability and on-the-fly adjustments, and together with the players I look forward to exploring the collaborative world we create. Expect cinematic styling, off screen reveals and an immersive story built around the PCs.

How Travis D. creates a safe table

Paraphrased from the Lancer website: "Lancer believes in a future where a better world is possible, has been achieved, and is expanding. Our house style is: earnest, smart, aware of power and the dynamics between the oppressed and their oppressors, and with an aim towards clarity. Lancer is soft science fantasy that wears hard science fiction's suits. Lancer thinks things can and should be better, and isn't afraid to write stories exploring what that looks like. Cruel and evil events can happen, but they shouldn't be celebrated — they should be stopped. You're playing as Lancers — the cavalry. Tell stories in settings and situations that call for some big damn heroes to get in there and help the right people; even if they don't save the galaxy, liberating a city is good work enough." This game will deal with issues of war, genocide and PTSD. While the history of the world may have tragic moments, throughout the game, the PCs, as Lancers, stand for a future which is brighter and rejects such evils. Lines & Veils will help us handle sensitive content and agree upon which subjects are off limits. The comfort of the table is a key priority in any game, and while this game will likely deal with topics not noted in the content warning section, every effort will be made to ensure player safety. This game will feature a heavy amount of Roleplay; That doesn't mean you must do character voices, or even speak in character if you find that difficult, but it does mean being invested in your character and their experience. Who are they? What would they do in this situation, might it be a bad choice, but the choice they'd make? How does whats unfolding around them shape their life, and where will they end up by trying to react to these happenings? It doesn't mean we need to know in advance these answers, rather much we'll be Playing to Find Out, and along the way guiding the story of these young heroes. Sharing the Spotlight and juggling the action, as well as the beats of the story, primarily fall in my responsibilities, but feel free to suggest alterations to scenes or exciting ideas. As long as we share the table respectfully and don't talk other each other, we're all taking on all the roles of director, actor and audience collectively in this game. And who knows what is fun to watch better than an audience themselves? Game will be held on Discord (Mic required, webcam optional but encouraged), with player aids, handouts and characters sheets on Foundry. The game will feature a mix of Theater of the Mind and Battle map scenarios. Lines & Veils handled with handout on Discord & Foundry, and Breaks will be 5-10 minutes at the top of the hour unless everyone is too caught up in the game (or we prefer a single break in the middle). Stepping away for any reason is also completely fine, but if able please check in if it's a slight pause the table can wait for or if you prefer not to interrupt the flow of the game. Post game debrief will occur wrapping up the session, but feel free to use StartPlaying to message any additional thoughts that occur later before the next game. Stars and Wishes can be discussed before stepping away as well, but will also have a Discord channel for the game so there is no stress to think of all the cool things you'd like to see immediately.