Adventures in Origin Eldunari Chronicles (5)

Creating your character

I typically run a session zero to go over the basics; How things are done, table rules, etiquette, house rules, submitting requests for custom items, creating and/or fleshing out characters, and everything in between. For brand new players, it's also a beginners guide session for how to play, what's involved, what to expect, and what's expected of them as players. At the end of session zero, once characters are finalized to a playable point, and if there's time- we dive right in and start playing! These first sessions, unless it's with a experienced players, are usually done with hand-holding and "playing with an open deck" until everyone gets the hang of things. When a party has first formed, most of the discussions about creating a character, available options, one on one talks, etc are done in the party discord in a private thread between myself and that player. There is usually, initially, quite a bit of work that goes into character creation for brand new players.

Preparing for the session

Since our game is fully virtual, here’s how we will handle communication and gameplay. Discord is our primary hub both during and between sessions. It will be used for voice and video chat during games, as well as sharing visuals such as maps, books, locations, and NPC portraits. It also serves as a space to track party inventory and funds, send private messages between the DM and players, and keep all group and table rules (both in-game and out-of-game) in one place. The server includes detailed session recaps, reference material, visual aids, maps, and even a thread for memes and shenanigans. It is designed to be highly organized and informative to make things easy for everyone. For character creation, we will use D&D Beyond. I share all of my content with players in the campaign, which means you will have access to all official sourcebooks I own. Outside content can also be used, whether it’s from physical books, digital sources, or older editions. Anything homebrew or adapted (such as a subclass from 3.5e, a magic item from 4e, or a custom spell) just needs to be reviewed and approved, and I will manually input it into your character sheet with 5e mechanics in mind. For combat encounters, I use D&D Beyond Maps as the Virtual Tabletop (VTT). Players can provide me with a detailed physical description of their characters, and I will create custom character art. These images can be used for character sheet portraits, battle tokens, Discord icons, or anything else the player wants. Outside of combat, the game is run through roleplaying and theatre of the mind. About 80% of the time I provide visual references to enhance immersion, such as showing players what a town looks like, what an NPC resembles, or how a magical item appears. I create custom images using Midjourney to bring the campaign world to life. For music, I have multiple curated Spotify playlists for different situations, such as exploration, combat, tavern settings, and dramatic moments. While I can share these playlists with the party, streaming music directly into Discord often causes more chaos than it’s worth during live sessions, especially when everyone is talking and roleplaying. However, this is still an option we can try if the group is interested. Google doc detailing gameplay style, mechanics, house rules, character creation, etc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10V_4wP0nQWv_IeVsQQejKzJjvYpDtYrM/edit?usp=drivesdk&ouid=101063684996151793211&rtpof=true&sd=true

What Captain Alexis brings to the table

Welcome to the table. I’m your Dungeon Master, and for the last 15+ years, I’ve been building worlds, running epic sagas, and crafting unforgettable character arcs across kitchen tables, Discord servers, and game shops. I don’t just run games; I build living, breathing worlds where your actions matter, your choices have weight, and your characters leave a mark. I'm a narrative-driven DM who believes player agency is the heart of great storytelling. My campaigns are reactive, dynamic, and tailored to your character’s background, goals, and decisions. Whether you’re unraveling ancient curses, falling in love in a doomed castle, or carving a path of vengeance through the underworld; your story is yours, and the world will remember it. I thrive on deep lore, immersive roleplay, and meaningful choices. I reward creativity, teamwork, and character-driven decisions. I balance cinematic storytelling with mechanical precision, blending the best parts of multiple D&D editions to suit the moment. If something from 3.5e or AD&D fits the scene better than 5e, I’ll make it work, seamlessly and sensibly. What do I bring to the table? A vast homebrew world that’s been refined and expanded for over a decade. Experience crafting and running both sandbox and narrative arcs, one-shots and epic campaigns. A cast of memorable NPCs, layered villains, moral dilemmas, and shocking twists. A collaborative, supportive space where your ideas are welcomed and woven into the world. A sharp eye for drama, tension, humor, horror, mystery, romance, and emotional payoff. Systems for downtime, crafting, custom items, familiars, mounts, and more. Legendary character moments you’ll still be talking about years from now. I’ll build with you, improvise alongside you, challenge you, surprise you, and celebrate your triumphs. You want emotional depth? Political intrigue? Monster-slaying? Tragic backstories? Absurd pirate chaos? A haunted love affair with a cursed sword? Good,I’ve got the tools, and you’ve got the spark. I don’t run cookie-cutter modules. I craft legends. And if you’re here, it means you’re ready to write yours. Let’s make history.

Homebrew rules

Google doc detailing gameplay style, mechanics, house rules, character creation, etc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10V_4wP0nQWv_IeVsQQejKzJjvYpDtYrM/edit?usp=drivesdk&ouid=101063684996151793211&rtpof=true&sd=true

How Captain Alexis creates a safe table

All players have a private thread in the Group Discord only visible to themselves and I. I am available on Discord at most any hour, and am open to talk about anything and everything related to a players needs, wants, feelings, concerns, or issues. I am extremely non judgemental, can de-escalate tense situations, and do not put up with any party PVP, in game or out of game. Most hard boundaries and rules, content warnings and things of the like are in the rules/overview section of the discord. There are a large number of things listed for triggers/content warnings for the campaign. This is by no means a "dark" campaign or world, but dark things can and do happen. Not everything listed may happen, or occurs graphically. Examples: If we're in the mountains, we might find someone frozen. If we go to a carnival, there may be clowns. If we find the poachers who have been killing animals, there may be parts or deceased animals at their camp. Everything has its place, is in context, and not done for shock value. The themes and images of the campaign can "lighten or darken" depending on the wants, needs, and playstyle of the party.