Endless Winter: Rime of the Frostmaiden

How to prepare

🎒 How Should You Prepare? To make sure we have a smooth and fun game, here’s what you’ll need before joining the table: 🖥️ Required Programs & Accounts: - Fantasy Grounds: We’ll be using Fantasy Grounds for maps, dice rolling, and character sheets. You’ll need to download the Fantasy Grounds Unity client (the free/demo version works perfectly if I’m hosting). - Discord: Voice chat will be through Discord. A working mic is required so we can all communicate clearly. Webcams are optional but welcome! 🎲 Character Creation: - We’ll create characters during Session Zero in Fantasy Grounds. I’ll walk everyone through the process, and I’ll have D&D 5e books available for content sharing. If you want to brainstorm ideas or get started early, feel free to reach out! - Stats: We’ll use Standard Array for ability scores. - Starting Level: Characters will begin at Level 1. 📖 Rules Knowledge: - You don’t need to be a D&D expert! I’m happy to help new players learn the ropes, but having a basic understanding of D&D 5e rules will help things move smoothly. - If you’re brand new, I recommend reading the D&D 5e Basic Rules before we start. 🛡️ Safety & Comfort: - We’ll be using X, N, O Cards, Lines and Veils, and regular check-ins to make sure everyone feels comfortable. Player safety and fun are top priorities! 🍕 Final Tips: - Bring your creativity, your favorite snacks, and a willingness to dive into the story. Whether you’re here for intense roleplay, tactical combat, or ridiculous antics, there’s a place for you at the table!

What I provide

⚔️🎲 What Will I Bring to the Table? 🎲⚔️ I run engaging, immersive, and player-driven adventures where your choices matter. My style blends deep roleplay, tactical combat, and cinematic storytelling, with plenty of room for creativity and humor. Whether you want high-stakes encounters or lighthearted moments of fun, I adapt to the table’s energy. I follow the Rule of Cool—if you have a clever or fun idea, I’ll let it happen (even if it makes my encounters suffer). Successes feel epic, and failures become memorable stories. I play fair, but I’m flexible. If you’re looking for a game where imagination, excitement, and a bit of chaos drive the narrative, you’ll feel right at home. --- 🛠️ Tools & Enhancements I Offer - 🎭 Character-Driven Roleplay: Dynamic NPCs with distinct voices and personalities that react to your choices. - 🔊 Immersive Soundscapes: Using Syrinscape for ambient sounds, music, and battle effects. - 🎲 Tactical & Cinematic Combat: Strategic fights mixed with cinematic moments—if you want to penguin-slide down a snowy hill, I’ll let the dice decide the outcome! - 🖥️ Fantasy Grounds VTT: Sessions run on Fantasy Grounds with dynamic lighting, custom maps, and streamlined combat tracking. - 📜 D&D Beyond Content Sharing: Access to a wide range of books and options for character creation. - 🎨 Custom Maps & Tokens: High-quality maps and tokens tailored to the adventure, ensuring tactical and engaging encounters. --- 🏴‍☠️ What My Players Say About Me 🌟 “Buck is a pretty welcoming and fun person. You might think he’s a bit brash (in a good way), but it just adds more flavor and fun to hang out with him. He makes well-thought-out campaigns and follows the Rule of Cool/Funny. One time he let me penguin-slide down a snow-covered hill, and because I rolled like shit, I had to roleplay how exactly I tasted a tree.” – WinterVR 🌟 "You're a very fair DM. Your biggest attribute is that you respect the Rule of Cool, even at the cost of your encounters. The triumphs are great, and the defeats are great too. Very descriptive and receptive to the energy at the table both in and out of game. Overall, 8/10. You don't get a 9/10 because I am tired of being clever girled." – Alienhookr --- 📌 Final Thoughts I run games full of energy, emotion, and a touch of chaos. Whether you want a serious and dramatic adventure or a mix of dark fantasy and absurd fun, I’ll tailor the experience to the table. If you love big roleplay moments, tactical combat, and pushing the limits of creativity, you’ll thrive at my table. ⚔️🎲 Grab your dice, light your lantern, and let’s dive in! 🎲⚔️

Gameplay details

🎲🛡️ Safety Tools & Gameplay Details 🛡️🎲 Player safety and comfort are essential at my table, especially in a campaign like Rime of the Frostmaiden, which explores survival, isolation, and horror themes. To ensure everyone has an enjoyable experience, I incorporate several safety tools and clear communication throughout the game. --- X, N, O Cards (Real-Time Safety Checks): - I use digital X, N, and O cards during sessions to give players control over their comfort in real time. - X: “Stop immediately.” If something makes you uncomfortable, use the X card to halt the scene or pivot away from the topic. - N: “I’m not loving this, but I’m okay to continue.” A way to signal discomfort without stopping the scene. - O: “I’m good.” Let everyone know you’re comfortable and enjoying the current scene. - These signals can be shared through chat messages, video cues (if on camera), or a simple private message if preferred. --- Lines and Veils (Session Zero Boundaries): - Before the campaign begins, I’ll share a Lines and Veils document where players can list themes they want to: - Line: Completely avoid (e.g., graphic torture, sexual violence). - Veil: Allow but keep off-screen or fade-to-black (e.g., romantic scenes). - We’ll go over this document together during Session Zero to make sure everyone is on the same page and to set clear boundaries. --- Session Zero Overview: In Session Zero, we’ll cover: - Tone & Themes: Discuss the survival horror elements of the campaign and how intense or light-hearted we want the game to be. - Safety Tools: Review how to use X, N, O cards and the Lines and Veils document. - Character Creation: Work together to build characters, tie backstories into Icewind Dale, and establish party connections. - Expectations: Discuss player agency, how character death will be handled, and how we’ll balance survival mechanics with fun. --- Debriefing & Aftercare: - At the end of each session, we’ll have a quick debrief to check in on how everyone felt about the session. This helps us address any concerns and highlight what worked well. - For intense or heavy scenes, I also offer aftercare, giving space for players to process any emotional moments and decompress before wrapping up the session. --- Breaks: - We’ll take short breaks every 60-90 minutes to stretch, grab snacks, or just rest our eyes. Players can also call for unscheduled breaks at any time if needed. --- Gameplay Approach: - I focus on immersive roleplay, challenging survival, and player-driven storytelling, while keeping safety and fun at the core of the experience. - The Rule of Cool applies—I encourage creative problem-solving and player ideas, even if they bend the rules a bit. - While Rime of the Frostmaiden has horror elements, my goal is to create a space where we can explore dark themes safely and still have an enjoyable, collaborative experience.

Content warnings

Safety tools used

How will character creation work

🛠️ Character Creation Process All character creation will take place in Fantasy Grounds before the first session. I’ll set up a Session Zero where we’ll discuss party composition, backstories, and how your characters fit into the world. If you need help building your character, I’ll be available to walk you through the process. 🔹 Starting Level: Characters will begin at Level 1. 🔹 Ability Scores: We’ll use Standard Array for stats. 🔹 Approved Sources: Players can use official D&D 5e books available through my Fantasy Grounds content sharing. Homebrew options may be discussed on a case-by-case basis. 🔹 Party Connections: We’ll collaborate to weave character backstories together, ensuring everyone has a reason to be part of the group. Fantasy Grounds makes character creation smooth and interactive, so I highly recommend hopping in early if you need help fine-tuning your build. If you have any questions or want to explore unique character concepts, feel free to reach out before Session Zero!

Combat / Tactics

High

Roleplay

High

Puzzles

Low

Experience level

Open to all