~Skin Deep~ A Cthulhu Mythos Saga
Amid three countries vying for territory, a diplomat is found murdered. Who could have committed this vile deed, and why? Only you can prevent a war!
About the adventure
Welcome to Harge! You arrive in this peaceful town with unfortunate geography: between a wealthy metropolis and an ancient empire. Diplomacy is a way of life, until the peace is broken by a series of murders! You and your companions will venture into a world where magic intertwines with mystery and the lines between the physical and metaphysical are thin. The story begins in a rich suburban herding town and trade-crossroads, filled with unique characters, secrets hidden in plain sight, and a complex society that functions just beneath the surface of everyday life. Then, we quickly delve under and out, exploring tunnels, deserts, caverns...and beyond. The world feels familiar but layered—suggesting that what people perceive is only part of a deeper, more fantastical reality. The story begins grounded in gritty reality but quickly unfolds to reveal that the mundane hides the marvelous. The choices you make will change the campaign, and the events you uncover ripple outward into broader consequences. Between wonder, intrigue, and a subtle sense of unease, this adventure rides the line between a modern fairy tale and neo-noir fantasy flavor. Rather than focusing solely on dungeon delving or monster slaying, the campaign emphasizes discovery, personal development, and the uncovering of hidden truths. It’s as much about solving mysteries and understanding one’s place in a surreal tapestry as it is about traditional heroism. Expect to encounter morally complex situations, shifting alliances, and the need to think beyond the obvious. This is a story where the surface world is just the beginning—and the deeper your party goes, the more vividly the hidden world reveals itself.
Game style
Roleplay Heavy
Rules as Written (RaW)
Meet the Game Master
About me
I love building worlds for others to play in, creating moral dilemmas, and being all the bad guys! I have a wide variety of interests and resources. I do, in fact, have my own homebrew world that has been growing over the past 5 years with new PCs and new locations. I also own many pre-written adventure modules, both WotC official and unofficial 3rd party, that I would love to adjudicate! The choice is yours! Feel free to message me with questions or requests. My schedule is flexible!
View Profile →Reviews (6)
Proficiencies
Players say this GM is great at:
Sets the Mood
Rule of Cool
Creativity
SpaceTear is a wonderful DM. First time I played was with him. He was patient with me and helped me understand what I was doing with spells. He made the game fun, even with just two of us playing. He added NPCs to our party to help give the story depth. When we discover a bad guy, the music would change to set the mood! You’d be surprised how much music really sets the mood to a campaign. He had great maps he made of our world and even of the house of the Big Bad Guy we faced off against. I’d really suggest him, especially for beginners who are unsure how to play. I had a blast and look forward to the next campaign he can lead.
Character creation
Creating your character
Characters will be created together as a group during session Zero. Players are encouraged to come with prepared concepts and desired traits, but with the knowledge that the GM will be introducing additional options specific to the campaign setting that are not available on Roll20. PCs will begin at level 1, and stats will be decided using the point-buy system. The setting is populated mainly by humanoids, though exotic races are not unknown. Few, if any, WotC-official options will be prohibited, but be prepared to have a narrative explanation for how and why your exotic race finds themself in a conflict between humanoid countries. Players are encouraged to research beyond just the 2014 Player's Handbook (though, sticking with the basic options is also perfectly acceptable). As previously stated, the GM will have a selection of additional options for PC races, backgrounds (with an emphasis on character Bonds that tie to the story), and subclasses that will be introduced during session Zero character creation.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
Speakers/headphones and microphone are required, webcam is optional. The GM will not be using webcam video regularly. Players must have an existing Roll20 account. Discord is encouraged for communications outside of scheduled game sessions, but not required. A working knowledge of D&D 5e from the SRD and/or PHB 5e/2014 is required. This is not an introductory campaign for players new to the game. Players need not be experts, but they are responsible for knowing their own character's abilities, spells, checks, and saves.
What SpaceTear brings to the table
I am a big fan of immersion and do my best to incorporate as many different sensory descriptions as possible. This may include, but is not limited to: ambient music, non-/combat sound effects, animated screen effects, in-character NPC roleplay/voices, battlefield/map effects and animations. I do my best to play enemies intelligently, using (or not, if the enemy has low WIS!) group tactics and environmental traps/advantages. Flanking is NOT available to all combatants, only if they have an ability that specifically grants that trait. I prefer realism, crunch and grit, and mainly stick to RAW...but I do love to reward creativity and inspired strategies. I also embrace absolute success/failure of natural 20/1 rolls, regardless of how ridiculous the context might be.
Homebrew rules
All characters have an additional Wisdom-based Skill and Saving Throw, called Yog-Sothothery. If any source grants proficiency in Arcana or Religion, you may substitute Yog-Sothothery instead. All characters have a pool called Ego Points, which represents your sanity and sense of self. This pool is equal to 5+WIS mod per character level. Spellcasters gain 1 additional point for each Spell Slot they have, regardless of the slot's level. Exceptionally, Warlocks gain 3 points for each Spell Slot. Ego Points = [(5+WIS Modifier) x character level] + #spell slots Characters slowly lose their Ego over time as they deal with supernatural events and assaults by creatures outside of comprehension. Spellcasting: To perform magic is to twist the laws of reality to your intent. Whenever a character casts a leveled spell, they lose 1 Ego Point. Mind Over Matter: As a bonus action, a character may sacrifice a number of Ego Points, minimum of 1 to a maximum equal to character level + CHA modifier, to obtain an equal amount of Temporary Hit Points; however, a character cannot willingly sacrifice all remaining Ego Points with this ability. Let's Get A Little Crazy: Whenever a character makes any type of d20 roll (attack, ability check, saving throw) and gets an unfavorable result, they may petition the GM to simply have the roll become a success. The GM may then require a number of Ego Points to be lost in order to achieve the success, depending on the difficulty of the task, the context, and the closeness of the original failure to the desired DC, becoming a conversation between the player and GM. Both reserve the right to end negotiations at any time, defaulting to the original result. Too Insane To Die: When brought to 0 hit points but before making any Death Saving Throws, a character may use their last moments of clarity to simply reject current reality and substitute their own. The character loses Ego Points equal to their character level to remain at 1 hit point rather than proceeding to 0. This option may only be used once per Long or Short Rest. Narrative Sanity Loss: From time to time, the GM will be required to inflict Ego Point loss to represent the characters' encounters with creatures and events beyond their minds' ability to comprehend. Narrative Soul Point losses per day do not exceed 2 + PC level. A character's mental stability may be regained by meditating or focusing on small things and earthly matters, to rediscover life's bright side and momentarily set aside about the looming chaos. At the end of a Short Rest, each character regains 1 + WIS modifier for each Hit Die that character expended. If a character is already at Max HP, they may expend any number of Hit Dice without regaining Hit Points in order to regain Ego. At the end of a Long Rest, a character regains an amount of Ego Points equal to their highest 'mental' ability score (WIS, INT, or CHA), representing how different characters recover from trauma.
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
Headphones
Platforms used
Safety
How SpaceTear creates a safe table
There is a zero tolerance policy for above-the-table bigotry, racism, homophobia, transphobia, religious prejudices, and discrimination of any kind. During session Zero, a Google Doc poll concerning Lines and Veils will be shared with all players, the results of which will be delivered to the GM only and will be considered and respected throughout the campaign. The GM reserves the right to contact each player individually to discuss any further details as needed to insure that all players are comfortable and know what to expect going forward. The GM also reserves the right to initiate discussion with the entire group about any issue that needs further detail/discussion while maintaining player/issue anonymity. No player will ever be publicly singled out for any Line or Veil they designate for themself. During gaming sessions, a virtual Deck of Player Safety will be made available to each player, which will allow any player to privately message the GM with a card indicating 'Stop (red),' 'Caution (yellow),' or 'Go (green)' as needed during the game. Players are encouraged to use this deck as needed. The GM may also periodically ask for all players to PM a card to him prior to a scene or situation known to contain possible triggers.
Content warnings
Safety tools used
Additional tables
2 available
Weekly / Tuesday – 10:00 PM UTC
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Weekly / Thursday – 10:00 PM UTC
0 / 5 Seats Filled