[Play-by-Post] Ink & Shadows: A Collaborative Criminal Narrative

How to prepare

You will need a Discord account and roll20 account. Both are free Come with an open mind, willing to contribute to the creation of the world and narrative Willingness to embrace the unpredictable and actively contribute to the narrative Familiarity with Blades in the Dark rules is helpful but not required. Access to the core rulebook is recommended but not mandatory as I'll share essential information. Before our Session 0, spend some time thinking about what type of criminal you'd like to play and what your personal goals might be beyond the crew's ambitions. Be prepared to post at least once every 1-2 days to maintain momentum. Consider how your character might approach problems unconventionally—Blades rewards creative thinking and collaborative problem-solving. Most importantly, come ready to take ownership of your story; this game thrives when players actively drive the fiction forward rather than waiting for plot hooks.

What I provide

We will play over Discord and/or rolegate game. I also have Foundry and roll20 if needed. I will be checking the game multiple times per day. Complete virtual tabletop with maps and character tokens if needed. Visual references for NPCs and important locations. Digital tools for tracking resources and character states. Thematic ambient music and sound effects for different scenarios and settings. Experience facilitating emergent and non-linear narratives where your decisions have real and lasting impact. Willingness to improvise in response to your unexpected actions, embracing the unpredictable. Commitment to narrative depth and creative freedom. Some custom rules optimized for the play-by-post format may be needed for smooth gameplay. I am open to requests for other play-by-post games (you can see all the games I have GMed over 29 years in my profile).

Gameplay details

We will use the first week as our session 0. During Session 0 we will talk about any specifics of the game, express and clarify safety tools and go through character creation. The game will be asynchronous, play-by-post. This format allows us to explore narrative depth while accommodating different schedules. I check for updates multiple times daily and commit to responding within 24 hours.

Content warnings

Safety tools used

How will character creation work

We will follow standard character creation rules during our session 0. We'll work together to establish your crew type, identity, and reputation, then develop individual characters who complement each other. This approach ensures your characters are deeply integrated into the world from the start.

Combat / Tactics

Medium

Roleplay

High

Puzzles

Low

Experience level

Open to all