![[Solo PbP] Band of Blade: Slash Corpses in Retreating Light](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fspg-images.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com%2F912bd0f2-11f5-48c0-b99f-571fd684f603&w=3840&q=75)
[Solo PbP] Band of Blade: Slash Corpses in Retreating Light
March through blood and ash, spend what little you have, and choose which heroes fall just to keep the last flame of hope alive.
TYPE
SYSTEM
EXPERIENCE
AGE
About the adventure
Note: This is an Asynchronous Play-by-Post game—no live sessions. You’ll participate by posting in Discord at your own pace (1–2 posts per day recommended). Expect 27-32 Posts every Session. This is a cinematic, emotion-first game. The Legion's sacrifice, moral ambiguity, and personal triumphs are highlighted, even in defeat. If you’re drawn to doomed heroism, tough calls, and leaving a mark before the candle dies, this war is made for you. The dead rise. The living fall. The Cinder King has razed cities, defiled sacred sites, and commands a swarm of rot that corrupts everything it touches, including the divine. In the wreckage, you remain. You are the Legion, a shattered army retreating north with a single hope: survive long enough to turn the tide. Band of Blades is a grim military fantasy where players rotate between the Command Staff and Soldiers on the front lines. Each role is critical to the Legion's survival. Infiltrate overtaken ruins, extract relics, scavenge supplies, and clash with the supernatural, selfish, and undead alike. Your actions ripple outward: success buys breathing room, failure feeds the enemy. Nothing is free. Everything costs. DM me or check the Discord Q&A after signing up for more details. You can also explore my GM Portfolio: https://www.notion.so/MaxSoulGMz-s-Portfolio-21d77900be6f80678797c6989726bde0 for sample scenes and past player feedback. The Legion marches. The last light flickers. Will you burn bright before the end?
Game style
Play By Post
Realm Building
Roleplay Heavy
Theater of the Mind
Rule of Cool (RoC)
Game themes
$30.00
/ Session
Details
Weekly / Sunday – 11:00 PM UTC
Session Duration / 4–5 hours
Campaign Length / 21–23 Sessions
0 / 1 Seats Filled
GAME MASTER
Brian, The MaxSoulGMz
he/they
5.0
(22)
Each player will be charged when a session starts.
Report Adventure
Meet the Game Master
1 year on StartPlaying
81 games hosted
Highly rated for: Creativity, Teacher, Knows the Rules
About me
Hello, I'm MaxSoulGMz, aka Brian. I've been coordinating games, especially asynchronous play-by-post, for over five years, running many storygames from Blades in the Dark to Grimwild, with a focus on cinematic, character-first and character-driven campaigns. Let's connect, build friendships, and learn from each other! Exhibit your creativity and retain absolute player agency. Expect a collaborative, emotionally rich table where meaningful choices pave the story. Transparent metachannels so everyone’s expectations—including mine—are understood and respected. Your feedback will always be heard. I thrive on being adaptive and committed to growth, both as a GM and as someone who values strong, lasting connections in and out of the game. 🧭 Want a peek at how you will play? Check out my portfolio for scene examples, testimonials, tools we'll use, and system breakdowns: 👉 MaxSoulGMz’s Portfolio: https://www.notion.so/MaxSoulGMz-s-Portfolio-21d77900be6f80678797c6989726bde0?source=copy_link If you love deep character arcs, cooperative storytelling, and a drama-rich narrative pace, you’ll feel right at home.
View Profile →Reviews (22)
Proficiencies
Players say this GM is great at:
Creativity
Teacher
Knows the Rules
Orlok
Played 22 sessions
Amazing job allowing the unexpected to happen! Tons of fun!
Darren
Played 22 sessions
Great to help you understand the gaming system.
Jabril Collins
Played 9 sessions
Great GM, fun atmosphere and great stories and worldbuilding. 100% recommend.
Doug the Aussie
Played 8 sessions
5/5 playing in his fallout game and let me tell you it is a blast!!!!!! So much fun and really puts in the effort. Most PbP gm post once or twice a day if your lucky but Max has matched the energy of the party and kept up with our wild posting.
BristerXD
Played 7 sessions
An absolute joy to play with. He’s well versed in the rules, flexible in their execution, and is very well organized. My first ever play by post gm and I couldn’t have asked for a better one. He’s a wonderful.
Xillias
Played 2 sessions
From the start Max here was great. Open to discussing in all the detail needed as well as moving past that which you don't really care about. He is great at teaching the rules and puts forth the effort to deliver what he promises. Certainly recommend him!
Character creation
Creating your character
We'll build your first Specialist before Session 1, fully async in Discord. Want a live walkthrough? Just ask. I'll guide you step-by-step. You won’t just make a character, you’ll help shape our version of the Legion, pick command staff, and define the other members of the warband. Expect war-torn, sacrifice-heavy archetypes: play loathing officers, numbed scouts, brutal warriors, or desperate medics. Your fears, flaws, and final stands are what shape this story. We'll use the Core Band of Blades Rulebook (PDF provided after sign-up). We rotate roles as the story demands. You’ll step into different boots, but every death leaves a mark. I'll help you tie in character goals, fears and regrets so that even a rookie's last stand shines its light in the dark. Lines & Veils, Writers’ Room, and optional Stars, Wishes, and Thorns keep this a safe, collaborative space." Full character & tone guide available after sign-up.
This will be an Asynchronous Play-by-Post game in Discord. Depending on your activity, I offer at least 2 messages/posts daily and more reactive/additional posts. My usual active time is 7.00 am to 11.59 pm (GMT+8). Nonetheless, I will do my best to ensure you have fun at the table! Players who play 2 or more Sessions with me may request an official PDF of the Band of Blades Rulebook registered under their email.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
You'll need a Discord account. StartPlaying sends the invite once you sign up. All play takes place there. We use Google Drive for character sheets, reference material, and safety forms. You’ll need a Google account to access shared docs. Dice rolling is handled via bots in Discord. “Mox” or “Roll'em” is used depending on group preference. A quick bot guide is pinned in #bot-spam. Reading the full rulebook is optional, but glancing through your chosen playbook (e.g., Heavy, Medic, Sniper) and the Legion sheet will help a lot. Everything you need will be provided or explained. 🎯 Before Session 0: ✅ Joined the Discord Server ✅ Reviewed the Lines & Veils form ✅ Chosen your first Specialist role (or pinged me for help) ✅ Checked the Band of Blades Onboarding Guide
What Brian, The MaxSoulGMz brings to the table
I provide the Core Band of Blades rulebook, a custom Onboarding & Tone Guide, and a shared Google Drive with everything you’ll need: a Character & Legion Keeper, cheat sheets, and random generators. The Discord server is fully set up for async Play-by-Post, with forums for Q&A and recaps, bot support from Mox and Roll’em, and dedicated channels for most aspects of the game. This is a sacrifice-heavy, cinematic campaign about a Legion on the run, where characters are tested by the Undead, dwindling supplies, and the emotional cost of survival. Even short-lived Rookies can leave their mark. I focus on introspective, character-driven scenes, where hard choices and grim victories ripple through the war. We’ll use Lines & Veils, Stars & Wishes, Thorns, and a collaborative Writer’s Room approach to keep the table safe, sharp, and emotionally tuned. You won’t just survive. You’ll define what survival means.
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Platforms used
Safety
How Brian, The MaxSoulGMz creates a safe table
Lines and Veils are tracked in a shared editable Google Sheet and must be filled out before Session 1. You’re free to update it at any time—just ping me if something changes. We also use Stars, Wishes & Thorns to keep everyone’s goals and comfort aligned throughout the game. Session 0 is fully async in Discord and covers tone, safety tools, shared expectations, and anything else the table needs to feel grounded. Since this game leans into emotional weight and player-shaped fiction, we use a Writer’s Room approach—everyone helps shape scenes, control intensity, and steer the emotional tone. I’ll check in via DM if you go quiet unexpectedly. If you need a break or pause, take it—no judgment. Between missions, “Back at Camp” scenes offer breathing room and reflection to keep the game balanced. War is heavy. Our table doesn’t have to be.
Content warnings
Safety tools used
Additional tables
2 available
Bi-weekly / Monday – 2:30 PM UTC
2 / 5 Seats Filled
Weekly / Thursday – 1:00 PM UTC
0 / 2 Seats Filled
