Ashes of Drakkenheim: A Play-by-Post Campaign

Creating your character

We're using 2024 rules and milestone advancement. Character creation is done using a combination of Discord tools and approved published content. Think about who your character is and what drives them. This is a dark fantasy setting. Ambition has a place here. So do desperation, secrets, and flaws. Consider what your character wants and why they've come to the ruins of Drakkenheim. Use species from the 2024 Player's Handbook or Monsters of the Multiverse. Legacy options are not permitted. All official classes from the 2024 Player's Handbook are permitted. Drakkenheim-specific subclasses are allowed. Homebrew must be approved before use. Stats are rolled in the campaign's Discord. You roll three sets and choose one. Once chosen, assign the numbers as you wish. Rolls must be made in the correct channel and must be verifiable. Take starting equipment from your class and background. Mundane equipment swaps are allowed with DM approval. No additional gold or magic items at character creation. Write a backstory of 150 to 300 words. Include a personal goal or unresolved motivation. Include a flaw, fear, or vulnerability. Explain why your character came to Drakkenheim. Your character can grow and evolve through play. When finished, post your character sheet and backstory in the Discord for review. Tone Note: This campaign features horror, contamination, and moral ambiguity. Joke characters and murderhobos will not be approved. Lone-wolf builds that ignore party dynamics will not be approved. This is a collaborative story.

Preparing for the session

This campaign is hosted entirely on Discord. After booking, you’ll receive an invite link. All gameplay—including roleplay, combat, downtime, and out-of-character chat—takes place in Discord channels and threads. A D&D Beyond account is highly recommended, but not required. All experience levels are welcome, but be prepared for a game that involves a lot of reading and writing.

What Jennifer brings to the table

This campaign is 100% play-by-post, hosted on Discord. Tone: Gritty dark fantasy with moments of levity and pathos. Horror is psychological and atmospheric, not constant gore. Combat: Tactical and dangerous. Combat is paced for PBP and uses initiative tracking and a minimalist map system via Avrae's !map utility and On The Fly Battle Maps. Roleplay: Written RP is the heart of the game. I encourage well-developed characters and complex motivations. Dialogue, descriptions, and downtime actions are all important. Rules: Rules-as-written form the foundation, but I will prioritize tone and drama over strict interpretation where appropriate. Rule of Cool is in play—but only if it fits the fiction and setting. Voices & Music: No character voices or audio. This is a written medium; the tone comes through the prose, not soundtracks. Pacing: I aim for consistent weekly momentum. This campaign moves best when players are proactive and communicative. I’ll check in if things slow down.

Homebrew rules

Flanking: Grants advantage on melee attacks when a target is flanked. Health Potions  • Bonus Action – Drink for standard healing.  • Action – Drink for maximum healing.  • Applies to NPCs and enemies as well. Spectacular Crits/Fails: Rolling double 20s on advantage or double 1s on disadvantage triggers a roll on the Spectacular Crits/Fails Table. Ammo & Components Simplified: Basic ammunition (arrows, bolts, etc.) and non-costly spell components (no listed gold value) are tracked loosely. You only need to resupply when it makes narrative sense or after extended use. HOMEBREW RULES, • Flanking Flanking grants a +2 bonus to attack rolls, but only if the attacker does not already have advantage. • Potions • Bonus Action – Drink for standard healing. • Action – Drink for maximum healing. • Applies to NPCs and enemies as well. • Spectacular Crits/Fails Rolling double 20s on advantage or double 1s on disadvantage triggers a roll on the Spectacular Crits/Fails Table. (Still in development.) • Ammo & Components Simplified Basic ammunition (arrows, bolts, etc.) and non-costly spell components with no listed gold value are tracked loosely. You only need to resupply when it makes narrative sense or after extended use. • Spellcasting Qualification A character only qualifies as a spellcaster if they possess the Spellcasting class feature. Innate spell use, racial traits, feats, or magic items alone do not qualify a character as a spellcaster unless they explicitly grant the Spellcasting feature.

How Jennifer creates a safe table

This campaign uses several support tools to ensure a safe and respectful environment: Lines & Veils: A shared document is provided to outline sensitive content. Players can add or update entries at any time, anonymously or through the DM. Open Door Policy: Players are free to step away from a scene or the game at any time, no questions asked. Your comfort always comes first.