The City Takes Its Due – Blades in the Dark – Beginner Friendly
The lamps burn low, the ghosts whisper, and only the desperate thrive. Claim your turf in the haunted city of Doskvol.
$25.00
/ Session
Details
Bi-weekly / Tuesday - 3:00 AM UTC
Session Duration / 2–3 hours
0 / 4 Seats Filled
Report Adventure
StartPlaying Money Back Guarantee
If your game doesn't happen, we guarantee a refund. Just reach out to StartPlaying Support. Refund Policy
About the adventure
You begin in the gutter, half-starved and out of luck — but not alone. Together, you’ll form a crew of thieves, smugglers, or revolutionaries struggling against rival gangs, corrupt nobles, and the ghosts that stalk every shadowed street. Blades in the Dark is a game of daring heists, shifting allegiances, and supernatural reckoning. Every roll changes the story; every score leaves a mark. This campaign invites players who love teamwork, tension, and creative problem-solving. It’s about taking what the world denied you — and paying the price in blood and reputation.
Game style
Theater of the Mind
Rule of Cool (RoC)
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
5.0
(5)
1 year on StartPlaying
Highly rated for: Creativity, Storytelling, Voices
About me
Welcome to Vow & Void, where myth and horror entwine — and the only way out is through! My name is Matthew and I run theater-of-the-mind campaigns for players who crave story over stats, consequence over combat, and meaning over min-maxing. Whether it’s a dying knight’s last quest in Mythic Bastionland, a desperate heist under the gaslights in Blades in the Dark, or the final hours aboard a haunted starship in Mothership, every session is designed to leave a mark — on your character and on you.
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
Every crew starts somewhere — ours begins with Session 0, where we’ll build both your character and the bonds that tie the group together. You’ll receive access to our Discord hub and Roll20 room, where sheets and tools live, and where our story starts to take shape. If you’d like more time to flesh out your scoundrel’s motives or ties, you’re welcome to book a one-on-one session with the GM before we begin. Should you join the story already in motion (and it’s less than 48 hours before a session), you’ll jump in with a pre-generated character for that week’s score. A personal character creation call will follow soon after to weave your scoundrel properly into the ongoing tale. New players are encouraged to chat with the crew on Discord about ideas, hooks, or rivalries before locking in their final sheet.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
A Roll20 account and Discord account. A functional microphone is of course a must!
What Matt brings to the table
My focus is on collaborative storytelling and clear stakes. We’ll use Blades in the Dark’s flashback and position/effect mechanics to keep the pacing tight and the fiction coherent — no wasted rolls, no filler scenes. I encourage players to drive the fiction: propose daring plans, start trouble, and narrate success or failure creatively. I’ll meet that energy with strong world reactions and opportunities for character growth. Expect light ambient music, clear visual references on Roll20, and space for roleplay. I’m not a by-the-book GM — I’ll prioritize flow, emotion, and consistency over nitpicking mechanics. You bring your imagination and your ambition. I’ll bring a world that bites back. Also! For my home-games I've been capturing the audio and turning it into compelling dramatic write-ups and post-session breakdowns, if you consent to audio being recorded I can do the same for our adventures together.
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
Platforms used
Safety
How Matt creates a safe table
Life in Doskvol isn’t gentle. This game leans into R-rated themes — violence, language, and the darker edges of human ambition. That said, my priority as GM is always player safety and comfort. We’ll use safety tools to set clear boundaries, and I encourage open communication at all times. If something ever feels off or too intense, message me anytime or schedule a call. The story should challenge you, not harm you.
Content warnings
Safety tools used