Intro to Daggerheart: A Quickstart Adventure for New Players

Creating your character

No character creation is needed beforehand! This one-shot is designed to let us jump straight into the action with minimal prep. We will be using the pre-generated characters that come with the official Daggerheart Quickstart Adventure. You can view all the characters and their sheets for free on the official Daggerheart Demiplane site right now. This is a great way to familiarize yourself with the heroes before we play, but it is not required. At the beginning of our session, I will briefly introduce each of the five heroes: Marlowe Fairwind, the calm-until-she-isn't Elf Sorcerer and leader of the expedition. Barnacle, the Underborne Ribbet Rogue who gets into (and out of) any danger. Garrick Reed, the kind-hearted Human Warrior who defected from a distant military. Khari Nix, the loyal-to-the-end Giant Guardian with a dry sense of humor. Varian Soto, the "shoot first, ask questions later" Wildborne Katari Ranger. Once everyone has selected their character, we will take a few minutes to establish the connections between them as a party, and then our adventure will begin!

Preparing for the session

Getting ready for our adventure is simple! For a smooth start to our game, please complete the following steps before our session begins: Set Up Discord: We will use Discord for all of our audio and video chat. You will need a free Discord account and to join our server. The server link will be provided after you book your spot in the game. Create Your Free Roll20 Account: We will use Roll20 as our virtual tabletop (VTT) for maps, tokens, and rolling dice. Please create a free account on their site. Roll20 Link: https://roll20.net/ Create Your Free Demiplane Account: We will use Daggerheart's official digital toolset on Demiplane to manage our character sheets. Please create a free account so you can access your hero. Demiplane Link: https://app.demiplane.com/nexus/daggerheart Check Your Hardware: A working microphone and headphones are required. Using speakers instead of headphones often causes disruptive echo for the group. A webcam is optional but highly recommended. Seeing everyone's faces makes for a more personal and engaging experience! That's all the prep you need! At the beginning of our session, I will help you link your Demiplane and Roll20 accounts. No other software, purchases, or prior knowledge of the rules are required.

What Clifton Lambert brings to the table

What You Can Expect: A Professional VTT Setup: Our game will be run on a Roll20 game room, fully prepared with digital maps, tokens, and visual aids based on the adventure's content. Official Daggerheart Digital Tools: We will use the free character sheets on Demiplane, and I will guide you through using this official platform. Atmospheric Sound: I use hand-picked ambient music and soundscapes during the game to set the mood and enhance immersion. An Organized Community Space: Our Discord server is a friendly place for our group to connect and for me to share any necessary information. My Approach to the Game Roleplaying games are my life-long passion. With over 30 years of experience as a Game Master, I bring a deep understanding of how to make a game session come alive. As an RPG podcaster on the Arcology Podcast and founder of the Shadowcasters Network, I've produced hundreds of hours of actual play content, and I love sharing my craft with others. As a published RPG designer and writer, I enjoy exploring how new systems like Daggerheart create compelling stories. My focus is on strong narration and clear descriptions to build an immersive world. We will learn the rules as written to appreciate the game's design, but I always prioritize a dynamic, story-first experience where your creative ideas can shine. Come to the table ready for a great story, and you'll leave with a real feel for what makes this new system so special. I'm excited to explore it with you.

Homebrew rules

For this introductory one-shot, we will be sticking to the rules as written. Our goal is to learn the Daggerheart system together and experience the game as the designers intended. You'll find that the system itself is built to be flexible and story-focused, giving us all the tools we need for creative problem-solving and heroic moments without needing to change a thing.

How Clifton Lambert creates a safe table

While the adventure includes combat and scary monsters, we will keep the overall tone of this particular one-shot in the "PG" range. My goal is a heroic fantasy adventure that everyone can enjoy. My top priority is creating a safe, respectful, and comfortable environment for everyone at the table. We're here to build a great story together, and that starts with ensuring everyone feels secure. To do that, we will use the following tools: 1. Lines and Veils (Before the Game): Before our session begins, we will establish our Lines and Veils. Lines are hard limits and topics that will not be a part of our game. My established Lines are: Sexual Violence, and all forms of bigotry and hate speech. Veils are topics that may exist in the game world but will "fade to black" and not be described in detail. My established Veils are: Sex, Romance, Gore, Extreme Violence, and Harm to Children & Pets. You will have the opportunity to confidentially add your own Lines and Veils before we begin, no questions asked. 2. The X-Card (During the Game): We will use the X-Card, a tool that allows anyone to pause the game if they are uncomfortable. At any point, you can type an "X" into our private chat to me. I will then pause the scene and we will check in and adjust or edit the content as needed. 3. Our Table's Atmosphere: As a non-binary and neurodivergent person myself, creating a genuinely safe and welcoming space is personal and incredibly important to me. This is an enthusiastically LGBTQ+ and Neurodivergent-friendly table. My zero-tolerance policy for bigotry or hate speech is not just a rule, but a core principle of my games. We are all here to collaborate on a fantastic story, and that requires a foundation of mutual kindness and respect.