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The Lighthouse--Learn to Play Dungeons and Dragons

The Lighthouse--Learn to Play Dungeons and Dragons

The beacon has gone dark, ships are running aground. It will take a few brave adventurers to uncover the secrets of The Lighthouse!

TYPE

Campaign

LEVELS

1–3

EXPERIENCE

Open to all

AGE

All Ages
About the adventure

Learn to Play Dungeons and Dragons! Beginner friendly adventure. Veteran players also welcome! *1-3 Session mini-campaign. *Characters, and their sweet loot, can be imported to any future game you join with me as DM! Thorne Island has two buildings: A lighthouse, and the small, outdated, Sokol Family Keep. The beacon has gone dark, ships are running aground, and there's no sign of the soldiers sent to guard the island. Rumors circulate that maybe the island is haunted! It will take a few brave adventurers to uncover the secrets of The Lighthouse. Welcome to "The Lighthouse," an adventure designed specifically for beginners! If you've always wanted to try Dungeons & Dragons but didn't know where to start, this session is perfect for you. No prior experience is needed—I’ll guide you through every step of your heroic journey. We’ll play using simple tools: -D&D Beyond: I’ll provide a shared campaign link so you can easily create your character or use a pre-made one. -Owlbear Rodeo: Our virtual tabletop for maps and tokens, accessible via any web browser—no downloads required. -Discord: We’ll use voice chat for clear communication and immersive storytelling. This 1 to 3 session mini-campaign is all about having fun, exploring the mysterious Lighthouse, and getting comfortable with the basics of D&D 5th Edition. Whether you're brand-new or just brushing up on your skills, you'll leave feeling like a seasoned adventurer. Gather your courage, sharpen your wits, and let’s dive into the world of Dungeons & Dragons together! -This will take place in "The Forgotten Realms," a popular setting among players of Dungeons and Dragons. -While zero experience is necessary, if you do know about character creation, you can use point-buy or the standard array. -The tone of the game is somewhat lighthearted, but the events themselves are certainly serious. Kind of like the D&D film, "Honor among Thieves" -Characters will start at level 1, since this is a "Learn to Play" game.

3 SEATS LEFT
$10.00

/ Session

Details

Weekly / Sunday – 10:30 PM UTC

Jul 17 / Session 2

2–3 Hour Duration

2 / 5 Seats Filled

GAME MASTER

Greg V

he/him

5.0

(10)

Schedule

Thu, Jul 17 | 10:30 PM – Session 2

Sun, Jul 27 | 10:30 PM – Session 3

Each player will be charged when a session starts.

Meet the Game Master

5.0

(10)

Teacher/Educator

Less than a year on StartPlaying

33 games hosted

Highly rated for: Inclusive, Creativity, Teacher

Average response time: 4 hours

Response rate: 100%

About me

I’d love to tell you all about me, but instead...let’s hear from a few NPC’s that know me the best: NPC TESTAMONIALS: “Greg V? Yeah I know him, he made me up on the spot!”--Steve the Town Guard “Sure! I can tell you about Greg V’s GMing style...he’s attentive and imaginative!”--Steve the traveling merchant. “Excuse me? No , I don’t have a ‘British,’ accent. I’m from Waterdeep.”--Baron Steve of Waterdeep BORING TALK ABOUT ME, WRITTEN BY ME: Played my first game of D&D back in 2017, and was delighted to have found a new hobby and obsession! Over the last 7 years I’ve been lucky enough to run games in person at both conventions and in game stores. The first time I ran a game online was in the early days of the quarantine. I’ve become familiar with Fantasy Grounds, Owlbear Rodeo, and a smattering of Roll20. Gaming online has become a total comfort zone for me, but I am very lucky to be able to continue gaming in-person with a few different friend groups. D&D 5e will probably always be my “baseline,” but I’ve also become interested in several other game systems as well. I ran a few “Learn to Play” slots of Alien RPG by Free League at a local area convention. If you’ve heard of the new MCDM RPG that’s in development, Draw Steel, I’ve play-tested it as a player and am eager to run it as a “Director!” Additionally, I ran Dungeon Crawl Classics for several months in 2024. Most recently I've become interested in the Delta Green RPG! In terms of the “hobby” of tabletop rpg’s, I do spend quite a bit of my free time listening to podcasts, watching YouTube videos, and reading articles about D&D, and Tabletop gaming in-general. TL;DR Enthusiastic, committed, friendly, and accommodating. Flexible and eager to run the games you want to play.

View Profile →
Reviews (10)

Proficiencies

Players say this GM is great at:

Inclusive

Creativity

Teacher

Amanda Reilly avatar

Amanda Reilly

Played 13 sessions

I can’t recommend Greg enough—if you’re considering booking a game with him, just do it. You’re in for a fantastic campaign with a top-tier DM who is a genuinely wonderful person. Greg is hands-down one of the best DMs I've had the pleasure of gaming with, as evidenced by the fact that I've joined three of his campaigns (one two-session one-shot and two shorter campaigns that are still ongoing) in the last two months even though I have very little free time. What sets him apart is his ability to navigate different play styles and experience levels with ease—whether you're a first-time player or a seasoned adventurer, Greg creates a welcoming, inclusive, and respectful environment. He goes out of his way to ensure that no single player dominates the game and he creates opportunities for each player to shine. His versitility, patience, and willingness to adapt to the group's needs are second to none—whether we're going completely off the rails or diving into deep roleplay, he rolls with it all while keeping the experience engaging and cohesive. He communicates in a clear and calm manner, listens closely to his players, respects everyone's time and ideas, is able to masterfully diffuse potential conflict, and fosters a table where fun, collaboration, and creativity really thrive. Greg also shines when it comes to rich and immersive world-building. The settings he creates feel alive and grounded, full of detail without being overwhelming, and he uses voices, music, and detailed maps to further immerse players. His stories are consistently engaging, emotionally rewarding, and full of opportunities for character development. He does a fantastic job of weaving player backstories and motivations into the larger narrative, giving our characters meaningful connections to the world and the plot. He also handles players joining or leaving mid-campaign with apparent ease and adjusts the story in a way so that it still feels natural and cohesive for everyone involved. Greg is a thoughtful, creative, and reliable DM who consistently delivers a great experience—don’t miss the chance to play at his table!!!

Brittens avatar

Brittens

Played 13 sessions

Played the Lighthouse - Learn to Play. Greg is a great DM and would absolutely recommend him especially for newcomers. Very knowledgeable about the 2014 and 2024 rules and the Lighthouse provided a great introduction into DND. Our group had a fun experience jumping in to learn as we play while the DM still kept the pace of the game moving well. He was also wonderful at adapting and reacting to player creativity and "rule of cool" moments to create a fun experience tailored to us. We will definitely keep a lookout for future games that Greg runs!

Logan Deuel avatar

Logan Deuel

Played 7 sessions

Greg is great at letting the story flow where it will and is amazing at being in character. I really enjoyed the campaign we did with Mines of Phandelver and look forward to hopefully continuing more adventures with Greg in the future.

Preston avatar

Preston

New review

Played 3 sessions

Greg ran an incredibly tight 3 session high level 5e24 game for three players in Durlag's Tower. He brought a chill welcoming energy to the table that helped everyone come together quickly, handled session 0 and safety tool disclosure with a high degree of care and professionalism, maintained the outlined pacing of the adventure, made room for us as a more rp heavy group within an quite tactical high level adventure and did manage to make us sweat and keep the tension up despite the adventure as written not being quite deadly for 2024 optimized 13th level characters. As someone who has been a forever GM, and never been a player above level 5 in any edition of D&D, Greg brought exactly the experience I was looking for, and gave me the most fun I've had as a player in a D&D system.

Moses avatar

Moses

Played 3 sessions

Greg is one of the most welcoming and down-to-earth DMs I’ve had the pleasure of playing with. From the moment our session started, he created an environment that felt safe, inclusive, and fun for everyone at the table. Whether you’re a veteran player or brand new to the game, Greg makes sure everyone feels comfortable, engaged, and part of the story. His storytelling is immersive without being overwhelming, and he balances the rules with creativity in a way that keeps the game flowing naturally. He listens to his players, encourages roleplay, and makes sure that every character gets their moment to shine. More than that, Greg has a knack for fostering a truly collaborative experience—he makes it clear that the game isn’t just about his world, but about all of us shaping the adventure together. If you’re looking for a DM who is kind, inclusive, and genuinely passionate about making D&D fun for everyone, Greg is the one to play with. Can’t recommend him enough!

Dan avatar

Dan

Played 3 sessions

Even though I am an experienced games master, I was still anxious about playing my first game with a new system. I couldn't have asked for a softer landing or an easier introduction. Greg is a really safe pair of hands and his experience as a GM shines through. Not only did he make everyone at the table feel relaxed and comfortable, at each stage he took the time to explain the rules in a way that kept fun at the centre of everything, and the pace of the game moving forward.

Character creation
Creating your character

1. Brand new players will be coached in creating a character during the first session. (Probably in D&D Beyond) 2. If players know how to create characters, and want to craft their character ahead of the first session...that's GREAT! 3. Once you join the game, I'll share my D&D Beyond Campaign link for players to create their characters, if they choose. 4. We'll use just the core 2024 Players Handbook. (If you have other desires, from other books, just ask, the answer will probably be yes.)

What to expect
Preparing for the session

1. You should have a free profile created on D&D Beyond, but not required. I can always provide you with character information if you prefer, but D&D Beyond is the best tool for new players! 2. You'll need a way to communicate in the Discord voice chat! (External or built in microphone) I can help troubleshoot that if you need assistance. No camera necessary. 3. Technically, Owlbear Rodeo and Discord, and D&D Beyond can be accessed from tablets and phones....HOWEVER...The most comfortable setup will be for you to have either a Chromebook, Macbook, or PC Laptop, or Desktop PC. (When I'm a player, I tend to use my Desktop PC for Discord, and for whatever Virtual Tabletop the DM is using. Then I use an iPad for D&D Beyond.)

What Greg V brings to the table

-D&D Beyond: I’ll provide a shared campaign link so you can easily create your character or use a pre-made one. (This means you should have a free profile created on D&D Beyond, but not required. I can always provide you with character information if you prefer, but D&D Beyond is the best tool for new players!) -Owlbear Rodeo: Our virtual tabletop for maps and tokens, accessible via any web browser—no downloads required. (This means our game sessions will be a mixture of "theater of the mind," and map-based combat with digital tokens.) -Discord: We’ll use voice chat for clear communication and immersive storytelling. (So you'll need a microphone plugged into your device. No camera necessary, but I'm always happy to appear on camera...or hide my hideous visage.)

Equipment needed to play

Microphone

Computer

Safety
How Greg V creates a safe table

This learn to play will begin with a discussion of my non-negotiables (also found in my DM Profile). Additionally, the discussion will include any important items that players want avoided in this brief campaign. The use of breaks will be used, not just as practical, "hey it's time for a quick break!" but also as way to reflect on where we've been, narratively, and to ensure players are comfortable. At the end of each game session, there will be a chance for another reflection on narrative themes and content. In general, I am always seeking player feedback to help make this the game you want to play.

Content warnings
Blood
Cults
Death
Violence
Safety tools used

Frequently asked questions

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