Image by Tobias Richter
Into the Deep: USS Sinclair
The Dominion War is over & Starfleet is rebuilding. New ships and crews seek out new life & explore the universe again. Will you answer the call?
TYPE
EXPERIENCE
AGE
About the adventure
The Dominion War is over! What will happen in its wake? Starfleet is short on ships and personnel... but exploration is the name of the game! Combining the best elements of tabletop and online role-playing, this campaign will take place in audio or video meetings, supplemented between games with player and character discussions, images, files, maps, and clues to expand the mythology, mystery and adventure! Star Trek Adventures is all about character, self-determination, dedication to the values of civilization... and high adventure! This campaign, like the Federation, strives for IDIC: infinite diversity in infinite combinations. All players are encouraged to consider this a safe space to explore, and enrich each others' worlds with their perspectives. I am a Rules Flexible GM, not a Rules As Written GM: in other words I follow the STA Second Edition rules but always put the story and the characters above strict adherence to the rules. I value backstory exploration, NPC interactions and growing character relationships. All levels of gamers and star trek fans are welcome, the only requirement is that you care about growing your skill in a cooperative session. Campaign art provided by Modiphius Entertainment. Used with permission.
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
Less than a year on StartPlaying
14 games hosted
Highly rated for: Creativity, World Builder, Storytelling
Average response time: Under 1 hour
Response rate: 100%
About me
Stories are my passion. I'm a writer, podcaster and voice actor but most of all I am a storyteller who values unique, immersive journeys. My goal is to create a comfortable, safe environment for players/characters to have fun exploring. Each session will be role-play heavy and rules-light, with a collaborative story giving every player a chance to shine. I will create our adventure from scratch to surprise, engage and leave you eager for the next session. If you're just starting out with RPG's or Star Trek Adventures I'll help you create the character, understand the basics and jump right in! I got my first D&D manual when I was nine, but I took a long break. Later I became a professional actor and Improv performer, then a narrator and producer of podcasts and audio-books. A friend re-introduced me to D&D during COVID, which reignited the passion to play. In turn, playing inspired me to run games for others.
View Profile →Reviews (9)
Proficiencies
Players say this GM is great at:
Creativity
World Builder
Storytelling
John's engaging and masterful at his control of the ship (get it)..... Anyways he works with his players and really tries to make sure everyone's having a good time as well on the same page. His delivery of the story is great and the way he makes connections with your various backstories fits together neatly, not lazily shoehorned in. Very pro level.
John does great world building with lots of detail for the universe the game is set in, but completely plays off what the players bring to help shape what the narrative is. He's also mindful of keeping the sessions on time since many of us have lives we need to attend to, yet he manages to end sessions on a satisfying conclusion or cliffhanger -- all while giving different players a chance for their character to shine. He checks in with the players before and after for feedback as well. High marks all around.
Character creation
Creating your character
The emphasis is on character creation, starship creation and mission parameters. This will be done during a paid 'Session 0' using BC Holme's excellent Star Trek Adventures character generator. Mid-career or department heads are preferred for this adventure ('Star Trek Adventures' also encourages the creation of 'secondary' characters of other ranks/ages. This lets you players get involved in different kinds of scenes, ranks or in different departments).
Popular (AVAILALBE) roles for a Star Trek campaign: XO/First Officer Tactical Officer (weapons specialist) Ops/Communcations/Specialist Conn (Pilot/Navigator) Chief of Security Or ANYTHING else you want to run by me. I'm open to making this game suit all of its players, not the other way around. This campaign takes place after the Dominion War. Ships and personnel are in short supply qne novice and intermediate player characters will be growing into new mid-level roles...and beyond! This campaign, like the Federation, strives for IDIC: infinite diversity in infinite combinations. All players are encouraged to consider this a safe space to explore, and enrich each others' worlds with their perspectives. I am a Rules Flexible GM, not a Rules As Written GM: in other words I follow the STA Second Edition rules but always put the story and the characters above strict adherence to the rules. I value backstory exploration, NPC interactions and growing character relationships. All levels of gamers and star trek fans are welcome, the only requirement is that you care about growing your skill in a cooperative session.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
Players are encouraged to prep a quiet environment and a good microphone (and headphones if preferred). Please create a Discord account prior to Session 0. The Star Trek Second Edition Quickstart guide is a free resource you can download to read up on the RPG. Search for it, it's a great start! Also: think about what you want out of your game/campaign. What kind of stories, emotions, characters? In 'Session 0' we will discuss the basics of role-playing, improvisation, team dynamics and consent issues. Gaming is supposed to be your happy place, so this is your chance to make sure 'Star Trek: Into the Deep' is a good fit for you. Let's all aspire to act like our Starfleet heroes (both in-game and above-table) to ensure an inclusive, positive and fun playing environment AND continuing adventure for us all! See you on board!
What JohnRunsGames brings to the table
Join us on our journey 'Into the Deep' for immersive, team-based roleplaying adventure! The most important skills in this game will be improvisation, communication. Pack your imagination, creativity, team spirit and enjoyment of role-playing and beam aboard! Campaign sessions will be held over Discord audio/text channels (free account required). Sessions will ALWAYS have a three hour hard limit.
Homebrew rules
People lead busy lives, so I cap my game nights at three hours. Sometimes, that means abridging the rules for time. When in doubt we follow the Star Trek Adventures Second Edition rules, though we may combine or skip steps where it makes sense for players to have a good time, and finish on time.
Equipment needed to play
Microphone
Computer
Internet
Platforms used
Safety
How JohnRunsGames creates a safe table
Players can expect rules-light, character-based, immersive adventure. Imaginative role-playing and team-building will be rewarded. Session 0 will cover character creation, the campaign setting and gameplay style, explore dice rolling and communication on our campaign server and when/how long breaks should last. Monte Cook's 'Consent in Gaming' is a free PDF that will be consulted.
Content warnings
Safety tools used
Additional tables
1 available
Weekly / Monday – 11:00 PM UTC
Jul 21 / Session 9
4 / 6 Seats Filled