The Lamplight Vigil | D&D 5e | Gothic Horror | Paid Play-by-Post

Creating your character

🛠️ Character Creation Guide Welcome to the game! Before joining the adventure, here’s everything you need to know to build your character correctly. 📚 Allowed Content When creating your character on D&D Beyond, please use the following settings: ✅ Use: • 2024 Core Rules • Expanded Rules (like Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, Xanathar's Guide to Everything) • Optional Class Features • Homebrew Content (Approval Needed) ❌ Disable: • Partnered Content (Critical Role, Rick & Morty, etc.) • Legacy Content (including 2014 Core Rules) ⬆️ Starting Level All new characters start at Level 3. ⚔️ Character Stats Use the Standard Array: 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8 Assign these numbers to your ability scores however you like. 🎒 Starting Equipment • Choose Standard Starting Equipment provided by your class and background. • You may not roll for gold or buy custom items at character creation unless specified by the DM. • You begin with a lantern that lasts 6 in-game hours per fill. • Keep a backup light source—trust us 📈 Leveling Up We use Milestone Advancement—you’ll level up at key points in the story, not by tracking XP. 🪝Pick a Hook (or invent your own) Tie your backstory to Greyhold or the Vigil using one of these optional narrative seeds: • The Disgraced Flamekeeper: You once guarded the Vigil’s light… until you failed. • The Monster Hunter: You came for rumors—things seen only in mirrors or fog. • The Folklore Scholar: You obsess over lost gods and dying rituals. • The Local Returned: You grew up here. But things weren’t like this before. • The Dreamer: You’ve seen the Vigil—again and again—in your sleep. 🔥 Required Backstory Elements Include the following in your character intro: • Why are you in Greyhold now? • What is your character’s relationship with the Vigil? • One superstition you’ve heard about the Vigil (real or invented). Example Superstitions “Never light a Vigil lantern with a match—only flame passed from another.” “Don’t look at your reflection after midnight. It remembers what you forgot.” “Each lantern lit is a name remembered. Let one go out, and the dead forget you.” (Optional) A memory, vision, or nightmare involving lanterns or the dark.

Preparing for the session

✅ What You’ll Need: A Discord Account • All gameplay happens on a private Discord server. • You'll receive an invite link once you're confirmed. A D&D Beyond Account (free) • Character sheets are tracked here (linked via Avrae bot). • Homebrew content is limited; ask the DM for exceptions. The Avrae Bot (in Discord) • No setup needed—just type rolls like !roll 1d20+2 in the correct channel. ✍️ Player Expectations: • Post at least once per day (twice or more encouraged for group momentum). • In combat or urgent scenes, respond within 12–24 hours. • Write in prose (first or third person both accepted); narrative depth is celebrated. • Respect the horror tone—this game focuses on atmosphere and mystery over combat crunch.

What S3tto Kaiba brings to the table

What You’ll Get: ✨ Persistent story with weekly reveals. ✍️ Deep character-driven writing + solo threads. 🕯️ Light as a mechanic: darkness changes everything. 🕵️ Interactive clues, lore, and ghostly encounters. 💌 Personal threads & DM-crafted dreams.

Homebrew rules

🔦 Light as a Resource • Every character begins with a lantern containing 6 in-game hours of oil. • Some locations reduce oil faster or extinguish light without warning. • Certain enemies react differently based on illumination. • You must track your light source—darkness is dangerous. 😨 Fear System • Supernatural events may trigger Fear saves (WIS). • Failing a Fear save may increase your Fear Level (0–3), causing: Haunting visions Hallucinations or loss of control at higher levels ✍️ Narrative Power – Dreams & Visions • Dreams, solo threads, and hallucinations may offer unique knowledge, temporary boons, or dangerous temptations. • You may unlock a limited-use power from a vision—but accepting it might increase your Fear Level. 🧃 Potions & Items • Drinking a potion is a bonus action. • Feeding a potion to someone else takes a full action. • Some consumables may interact with light or fear in unique ways. ☠️ Death & Dread •At 0 HP, Death Saves function as normal—except: If you die in total darkness, your soul may not return (DM adjudicated). • In rare cursed zones, automatic failures or vision-induced paralysis may apply. • Surviving a traumatic scene may leave a narrative scar (e.g., nightmares, lost memories, a Fear trigger).

How S3tto Kaiba creates a safe table

Players may contact me privately should they feel the need to address any specific safety issues.