How to prepare

Players will need to use a browser such as Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, or Firefox. We require the use of cameras while we are playing a session - this not only helps me read facial expressions and body language, but it also helps me understand who is and is not actually paying attention, so I can keep the game fun for everyone. That means you'll need to have one of those three browsers, Discord, a webcam, and a microphone. Players will be expected to, at the very least, understand the basics of D&D 5e's rules; how to make an attack roll, how to cast a spell, how to track spell slots, how to rest, etc. When it comes to rules, we are all more than willing to help inexperienced players learn more about their actions, how to creatively approach and deal with a situation, and how to use their character sheet as a tool for more than just combat. New players are very much welcome! But we do expect at least some understanding of how to play. VERY IMPORTANT: Players will be expected to bring energy to the table. Not everyone is the greatest actress in the world, and I don't expect people to be able to do accents or perfect improv, but we have a demand that players be active participants. When people remain quiet all game unless they are personally called upon, they actively hurt the experience for everyone else at the table. That means we expect people to interact with their follow players' characters. If a player says their character is brooding in a corner reading a book, have your character walk over and ask them what they're reading. When a player is having a personal moment where they are physically struggling, rush over and give them aid. If a player's character doesn't know what to do in this situation, have your character talk them through it. If the DM is having an NPC hold a conversation with the party, don't just sit there wordlessly taking it all in all the time; converse back with them. We expect players at the table to bring an equal amount of energy as everyone else. Again, you don't have to be perfect; even if you're just spitballing lines and miss your target it's totally fine! But remaining dead silent until called upon all session is much, much worse. Please be an active participant at the table, and not just someone who is physically present in the Discord, waiting for their next round of combat.

What I provide

I bring to the table everything that is needed to run a complete adventure. The use of a VTT, personal server hosting, an optimized Discord server for all communications, every 5e rulebook, a vast reserve of digital sourcebooks from 3rd party publishers, tokens and materials to create tokens for my players, quite literally thousands of monster statblocks for immediate unplanned encounters, optimized addons with personal macros for immersive VTT maps and experiences, animated effects and tokens, personally recorded and edited sound files and voice lines, reference materials and websites that players can use to streamline their own creative processes, both paid and custom-made maps, as well as an array of Wintersong Games rules and products available for player use. I've been operating as a paid DM for online games for almost 5 years now, and in that time I've managed to acquire a lot of resources to help my players fully immerse themselves in their surroundings, even across literal oceans and time zones.

Gameplay details

Session 0 will cover details about the campaign, its themes, and content. The DM will personally work with players to craft characters that fit immediately into the story, and will incorporate their ideas for a backstory into the greater narrative. By the end of Session 0, players will know where their characters come from, understand their native culture, and have a fleshed-out idea of what their goals are and why they desire to stick with the party. We use X-Cards here. While the use of an X-Card is extremely rare, it should be stated that I personally encourage players to use the card whenever they are feeling moments of intense frustration or anxiety. That's why the tool exists. Do not worry about ruining other people's fun, play the card. It's why it's there. We take a 30-min break each session. After sessions that have intense character trauma, or involve a lot of graphic horror scenes, we will take a few minutes after the session to make sure everyone's chill and nothing crossed any boundaries.

Content warnings

Safety tools used

How will character creation work

We will handle character creation via Session 0. If this is a brand new campaign with no prior sessions, we will have a group Session 0 to introduce each other, see if player characters might have shared backgrounds or experiences, and undergo a quick 1-shot to bring all the characters together in one place. For creating characters, all 5th edition content is on the table, except for sci-fi content. Stats will be assigned either via Standard Array, or through a series of rolls. There are no limitations on lineage or subclass. All spells are on the table. Characters do not start the campaign with magical items, but if the campaign is dealing with new characters beyond level 5, they will receive extra starting gold that they can use to purchase a magical item with.

Combat / Tactics

High

Roleplay

High

Puzzles

Medium

Experience level

Open to all