Storm Valley | Homebrew Dragon Western | 🏳️‍🌈GM

Storm Valley | Homebrew Dragon Western | 🏳️‍🌈GM

Have you ever wanted to combine Red Dead Redemption and Dragons? I have! Play as an outlaw band trying to survive the return of dragons and the law!

TYPE

Campaign

EXPERIENCE

Open to all

AGE

18+
About the adventure

Intro To The World Zine: https://drive.google.com/file/d/18rc7p-1m4Pzg6iYJkZepJJkMenWTzFvl/view?usp=sharing Free Session Zero! BIPOC and Queer Encouraged! Homebrew Friendly! Campaign Actively Adjusted To Suit Your Party's Taste! Welcome to Storm Valley! A lawless corner of Selkaani Territory, a fledgling country on a newly discovered continent in your larger world. In the last hundred years people have flocked rapidly to this new land hoping to strike it rich or find new lives in a world unknown. Though when the ships sailed west from the mother country no one had been prepared for the creatures that were hidden in this unsettled land. Centuries of worth of witch hunts and monster hunts had long thought to rid the rest of world of mythical beasts and mages. Churches and government alike outlawed the study of arcane arts to keep the people safe from the temptation of unnatural power. No one had expected this new land to be infested with dragons, a species that had been extinct so long that they were only bedtime stories these days. Are you going to join up with the incoming inquisition to send the dragons into extinction? Perhaps you'll fight in favor of the dragons, and send the governments and powers you fled back where they came from in order to keep this new land free of their fearful influence? Maybe you have no interest other than cash, guns, and survival? This campaign is homebrew, unpublished and written by me, which guarantees a fresh experience for every table. This is the style of GM-ing that is most fun for me because it allows a level of freedom for both me and my players. As a GM, my style typically leans towards the side of heavier roleplay with more of a focus on difficult combats over frequent combats. In addition, I typically pre-write out a central plot for all my campaigns, but it is up to the players how much they want to engage with that plot. For more details on my particular style, look at my profile.

Game style

Roleplay Heavy

Rule of Cool (RoC)

3 NEEDED TO START
$20.00

/ Session

Details

Weekly / Saturday – 5:30 PM UTC

3–4 Hour Duration

1 / 6 Seats Filled

GAME MASTER

A.J. Rizer

any/all

5.0

(6)

This game will begin once 4 players have joined

Each player will be charged when a session starts.

Report Adventure

Meet the Game Master
LGBTQ+
Queer
Neurodivergent
Game Designer

3 years on StartPlaying

Highly rated for: Creativity, Inclusive, Knows the Rules

About me

My name is AJ, I've been GM-ing various homebrew games for multiple groups both in-person and online. My first childhood dream was to be a fantasy author, and then as I got older I started pursuing a career in cinematography. TTRPGs feel like a perfect marriage between my two biggest creative passions in life. My mother was the world's biggest Stephen King and Lord of the Rings fan and thus gave me an incredible early fascination with all things horror and fantasy. As I got older, this fascination only got further nurtured through an aggressive interest in Greek and Arthurian legends. The community I grew up inspired a love of Westerns, I remember the way John Wayne always played on my grandmother's TV. I then entered the world of Sci-Fi through media like Tron, Love Death Robots, and various comics and instantly became obsessed with the way it broadened the horizons of the stories I could tell. All to say that I have an aggressive love for genre-heavy worlds, whether playing into/subverting tropes or mashing multiple genres together. About 5 years ago, a friend of mine who had recently gotten into Critical Role decided he wanted to play D&D, but was struggling to pick up the rules to GM. So I took matters into my own hands. I read through the entire book, started watching Critical Role & Dimension 20, and immediately set to work teaching our other friends how to play. I fell in love with the game incredibly quickly. After I got a few sessions under my belt from a small multishot, I immediately set to work building out multiple homebrew settings. One of which I'm still playing in a home game four years later. Homebrewing settings led to homebrewing my own monsters to homebrewing classes and subclasses. Eventually, it led to be building my own TTRPG system, which I'm playtesting, and a few other supplements for D&D. I primarily play D&D 5e(2014), however I own and am familiar with several other systems such as Blades In The Dark, Lancer, Wanderhome, Star Wars 5e, Vampire The Masquerade, and many more! Always willing to learn, and experiment with new systems if that's what the story calls for. Always welcoming to Queer and BIPOC players! Any experience level is welcome! I've mainly played with people who have never played before. Always want to encourage people to experience these games and make it as accessible as possible.

View Profile →
Reviews (6)

Proficiencies

Players say this GM is great at:

Creativity

Inclusive

Knows the Rules

Kit A. avatar

Kit A.

AJ is the best DM I've ever had. They have wonderful balance between serious, tension-filled dramatic story beats, and silly filler time for the party to unwind. Their storytelling ability is original, and you can tell how much passion and love goes into every aspect of their games. Collaboration is incredibly easy, and while some secrets are off-limits, they encourage their players to interweave their characters to the worlds they build. They're very beginner friendly, and as a seasoned player who was in a party with more beginners, it never felt like the playing field was out of sorts with the differences in experience. Worldbuilding is another strength of theirs, and the worlds that they've built as incredibly thorough and original while playing on many themes that the average DnD-player enjoys. Altogether, they're fantastic and I couldn't recommend them highly enough.

Naehmoid avatar

Naehmoid

If you're interested in a fascinating dark souls sequel experience, A.J is the perfect game master for you!!! Their gameplay enshrines you in a dark and riveting blood borne like world. A.J is vastly diverse in their storytelling ranging from sci-fi adventures all the way to the goofy and comical, to the classic medieval adventures DND is known for. A.J inspires creativity in their players and possesses a talent for engaging their players through interactive gameplay. Choose A.J as your game master for an experienced and breathtaking adventure across hand crafted worlds!!!

Kelyrrg avatar

Kelyrrg

A.J is an absolutely amazing game master! They have a mastery over descriptive story telling, and artfully curate a unique and diverse experience in their gameplay. From curating immersive plot, lore, and crafting an excellent experience for their players, A.J submerges you in a rich story and thoughtful, detailed worlds. You’ll be hanging on every word in suspense and wonder as your characters navigate the world around them. A.J is a charismatic game master, well spoken, and executed each and every game with tedious and careful understanding of each character. They understand plot, dialogue, and character in a truly remarkable fashion. You will be delighted if you choose the amazing A.J as your Game Master. Happy adventures dear travelers! And may your dice roll true!!!

Erik Day avatar

Erik Day

AJ is a fantastical storyteller and an effective GM, with a deep knowledge of D&D game mechanics and a love for homebrewing. They're amazing at crafting entertaining narratives and interesting NPCs, and they have a great sense for what makes D&D so fun and engaging. They truly have a way with words, and I love how effectively they draw you into the moment and immerse you in the game. AJ is also a great teacher for first-time players! AJ is very much responsible for my love of D&D, and their passion for creating emotional and exciting experiences inspires my own creativity.

Mateo Sof Allier avatar

Mateo Sof Allier

AJ is the first GM I've ever had- they made it a very easy and enjoyable experience for me. Although I don't feel shy with roleplaying, I tend to have a hard time wrapping my head around some of the technical aspects of DND. AJ was great at making sure that I didn't feel lost when it came to that. He would help me choose spells and abilities when leveling up that would enhance my abilities and make sense for my playing style. He was even kind enough to let me book a 1-1 session where I just learned the ropes of combat and how to best utilize my character. We had so many fun moments in the different games we've played- AJ is great at making opportunities for funny and crazy moments, while making sure that they appeal to all players. I can tell he really cares about telling a story that we can feel included in. He's attentive and will take any feedback to heart. If you're a first time player, make sure you have AJ as your GM.

Carter Riley avatar

Carter Riley

They helped me understand how to play DND, a great GM who commits to extensive world building. I always appreciated that they worked with us one on one to flesh out our characters and gave helpful suggestions and explanations for combat mechanics and how your character build can make it more fun!

Character creation
Creating your character

Characters will start at level 4. Players are more than welcome to make character sheets on their own, but I am also willing to walk you through it if you are a new player. It is however encouraged that you wait until after Session Zero to completely fill out your backstory. As long as it's approved by me beforehand, any Homebrew and UA is welcome at my table. I will most likely be incorporating some Homebrew rules myself(Potions are a Bonus Action). Given enough time I would even be willing to help you build something unique to your character.

What to expect
Preparing for the session

Things you will need to play: - A reliable wi-fi connection - A working microphone/headset - Webcam is optional but encouraged - Discord Account - A Roll20 Account

What A.J. Rizer brings to the table

🎥 Cinematic Storytelling Roleplay is king at my table. I think there are few things more important than putting the players in a position where they feel like they can see their characters experience a complete and satisfying character arc. Decisions should matter, and consequences should leave an impression on the story. 💣 Explosive Combat I would describe my style as 70% roleplay and 30% combat(this of course can be easily adjusted depending on the group). However, despite this, I love extremely tactical and difficult combat. My general philosophy is because combat takes such a long time typically that it should be extremely challenging and narratively relevant when it does happen. 🪤 Puzzles & Traps To me, there is nothing more fun than creating an ever-present sense of mystery and danger. Traps add unique terrain difficulties and can create a layered experience for parties. Puzzles are a favorite of mine, graphic design is a hobby of mine, and I like to create unique handouts and clues to send to the players so they can put it together in real time as a party. 🧭 Explore Worlds Unknown! I prefer to homebrew my own settings. Exploration is always encouraged, and I like to add as many layers of lore to my world as possible. I will always reward players who seek to learn more about the world they're playing within. 🕹 Change The Game To Your Groups Playstyle I pride myself on being adept at improvising scenes and characters. The world will change because of your choices, and how you play. I'm unafraid of doing super serious grimdark campaigns or a Looneytoons romp through the woods. 🌟 Rule Of Cool With Respect For The RAW I'm unafraid to say that I'm quite familiar with the rules, and while I do have respect for them. Players are encouraged to test the bounds of the known universe., and have fun with their storytelling. 🎼 Audio Sets The Tone Music, character voices, and silly sound effects are the lifeblood of immersion in my opinion. While I might not be the most accomplished voice actor, I will certainly try my hardest to make each character unique. 🏳️‍🌈 Welcoming To All Any sort of prejudice is completely unwelcome at my table. As a general rule of thumb, I will not be building any sort of racism, homophobia, transphobia, etc. into the lore of my games. I enjoy telling stories where diversity and queerness are completely normalized.

Homebrew rules

- I do stats rolling 5d6 drop the two lowest which leads to slightly higher on average stats, and players get a free feat at level 1., - Health Potions can be taken as a bonus action, but do max healing when taken as an action. When administered to an unconscious character however, it takes a full action and does not automatically do max healing., - Flanking does apply!, - When given inspiration, it allows you to add 1d10 to any roll you choose OR grant yourself advantage on a roll, - It is possible the substitute Points of Exhaustion for spell slots. If you agree to take a number of Exhaustion Points equal to the spell slot’s level, you can cast that spell, but more than five points of exhaustion is instant death., - A Nat 20 in initiative lets you pick your place in initiative after hearing where your teammates go., - Death Saving Throws are made in secret. - If you volunteer to do the session recap- you get a free inspiration! Open to Homebrew! Depending on the campaign I may introduce specific rules or if people ask homebrew classes/items/etc. are always an option! I have a few classes I've designed myself in the past, and am always willing to build something out with players!

Equipment needed to play

Computer

Headphones

Internet

Microphone

Platforms used
Safety
How A.J. Rizer creates a safe table

I'll be reaching out to all of the players beforehand with a Google form that can be filled out before Session Zero. This form will be where you communicate any accommodations you need, anything you want to talk about and submit the Monte Cook form privately. We can then have a one-on-one conversation if necessary, and we'll talk about player safety in general in Session Zero.

Content warnings
Alcoholism
Alcohol Use
Blood
Body Horror
Cannibalism
Classism
Death
Deep or Large Bodies of Water
Devils / Demons / Fiends
Drowning
Drugs (addiction, use, withdrawal)
Execution
Extreme Violence
Fire
Freezing
Gore
Guns
Hostages
Illness
Insects
Kidnapping
Language/Cursing
Lifechanging Injury
Mass Death
Medical Issues
Memory Erasing
Mental Illness
Mind alteration
Mind Control
Murder
Mutilation
Nightmares about Traumatic Events
Pandemic
Panic Attacks
Paralyzation
Police Brutality
PTSD
Snakes
Spiders
Suffocation
Torture
Trauma
Uncanny Valley
Violence
Safety tools used

Frequently asked questions

More upcoming games