Risen Tide: Mystery and Adventure in the City of Storms

How to prepare

At a bare minimum, you'll need an internet connection and a microphone. While it would be nice to see you on camera, I don't require this - your comfort is more important. You should come with a D&D Beyond profile and a Discord account - this will let us dive straight in.

What I provide

We'll be using D&D Beyond for character creation and content access (with content sharing enabled), D&D Beyond Maps for smooth, integrated exploration and encounters, custom battle maps when appropriate, and custom tokens created for every character, so you always stand out on the map. I do *some* character voices, but more importantly, every NPC is brought to life with clear personality, motivation, and presence. Sessions will include ambient music and soundscapes to enhance the atmosphere. Combat is tactical and dynamic, but not bogged down by complexity. I love rewarding clever or out-of-the-box thinking, creative use of abilities, and improvised solutions. Rule of Cool is welcome. I'm happy to bend the rules in favour of cinematic moments, but I do keep things grounded enough to maintain challenge and consistency. Essentially: swing from the chandeliers, but don't try to suplex a kraken. My DM style is about making space for your characters' stories. I encourage roleplay, teamwork, and emotional investment. I balance plot with player agency, and I aim to keep things moving at a satisfying pace - no getting lost in endless downtime or filler fights.

Gameplay details

Every game I run begins with a Session 0, where we work together to build a foundation for the campaign. This isn't just to establish characters and story hooks, but to set expectations and boundaries and ensure player comfort. A key part of this discussion will be Lines and Veils: Lines are topics that are entirely off-limits. These will never appear in the game at all. Veils are topics that may exist in the world, but will be handled with care - implied rather than described, or happen off-screen. We'll discuss these openly as a group, and I will also provide a private way to share boundaries for anyone who prefers not to speak up in front of others. No justification is ever required - if something is a Line or a Veil for you, that's all I need to know. I also have an open door policy. If something ever makes you uncomfortable, even in the middle of a session, you're always welcome to send me a message or speak up. I will always pause, adjust, or fade to black if needed, no questions asked. Whether you're new or a veteran, your comfort matters, and your voice is welcome here.

Content warnings

Safety tools used

How will character creation work

I encourage players to come to Session 0 with at least a rough concept, whether that's a full backstory or just "I want to play a grumpy dwarf sailor". If you've already built a character, great, if not, I'm happy to help you develop your idea and shape it into something that fits the world and the party. Stats will be determined using the point buy system to keep things balanced across the board. That said, I'm open to a bit of flexibility if you need a tweak - just check in with me first. All characters will be created and managed using D&D Beyond, with content sharing enabled, so you'll have access to a broad range of options. You're welcome to draw from any official sourcebook - though we will be using the 2024 rules. The species in the setting are set, all of which will be shared as homebrew species on D&D Beyond, but if you've got a cool idea from somewhere else, something less standard, or want to reflavour something to suit your ideas, let's talk. If it doesn't quite fit or it doesn't fit the world, I'll work with you to find a fun and fair alternative. The important thing is that you're excited about your character. I'm here to make sure you feel supported and ready to jump in.

Combat / Tactics

Medium

Roleplay

High

Puzzles

Medium

Experience level

Intermediate