A Curse of Salt and Shadow ☠️ Beginner Friendly 5e Campaign
Black Brine is a dark, character-driven D&D setting on the cursed island of Sedna shrouded in mist and ruled by superstition, secrets and larceny.
$20.00
/ Session
Details
Bi-weekly / Friday - 12:00 AM UTC
Session Duration / 3–4 hours
Campaign Length / 20–25 Sessions
0 / 5 Seats Filled
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About the adventure
In the port city of Black Brine, secrets are traded like coin and every tide carries the promise of adventure. You and your companions are an up-and-coming pirate crew that breaks the mold but the competition is savage! How will you rise to the challenge of competing crews to build your legend and make your fortune? Players can expect a setting steeped in salt, smoke, and intrigue—an original corner of the Forgotten Realms where smuggling crews rub shoulders with sorcerous cabals, sea-haunted ruins wait just offshore, and strange forces whisper from beneath the waves. Whether you’re hunting treasure, unraveling mysteries, or forging uneasy alliances with rival factions, the city offers countless ways to leave your mark. My GM style blends immersive storytelling with flexible pacing. I emphasize character-driven play—your backstories, choices, and relationships will shape the direction of the campaign and the evolution of the city itself. Expect rich lore that feels seamlessly tied to the Realms, atmospheric maps and tokens, and plenty of opportunities for roleplay, exploration, and tactical combat. I encourage collaboration at the table, weaving in player ideas and giving everyone moments to shine. If you enjoy a balance of intrigue, danger, and discovery, this style will resonate with you. At the heart of my philosophy is the belief that every player belongs at the table. I create a welcoming, inclusive space where diversity is celebrated, safety tools are respected, and everyone has room to play the kind of story they’re excited about. Themes often explore ambition, loyalty, survival, and moral gray areas, but always with the understanding that players control their boundaries. Come ready to bring your creativity, curiosity, and sense of wonder—you’ll find a table built to support it.
Game style
Combat Heavy
Realm Building
Rule of Cool (RoC)
Roleplay Heavy
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
5.0
(7)
Less than a year on StartPlaying
3 games hosted
Highly rated for: Storytelling, Creativity, World Builder
Average response time: 6 hours
Response rate: 100%
About me
Hi, I’m Stu! I started playing tabletop RPGs back in the 80s with AD&D, Star Frontiers, and Top Secret, and I was hooked from the first roll of the dice. From there it was Marvel and Champions, Pathfinder, Starfinder, and every flavor of D&D that’s come along since. No matter what else I was doing in life, I always came back to the table—because nothing compares to building a story together with friends. Over the years, I’ve poured myself into world-building, map-making, and character design. My pirate city setting, Black Brine, has become a sprawling playground of intrigue and adventure. Along the way I’ve also dabbled in just about every creative outlet I could find—producing music, designing tokens, building digital tools to make gameplay smoother, and even running a YouTube channel (CouchWarriorTV) where I shared immersive Skyrim stories for a decade. I’ve narrated an audiobook, produced original soundscapes, and spent countless hours shaping adventures that feel alive. Storytelling: https://youtu.be/NUhZIQeCmIc?si=eWEJP6zKQzRskdb8 At the table, I’m a storyteller first. I love weaving together character backstories, creating memorable NPCs, and finding ways to make every player shine. My style is collaborative and down-to-earth—I want you to feel like your choices matter, because they do. I enjoy taking the familiar comfort of settings like the Forgotten Realms and adding in my own creations so the world feels both grounded and fresh. What keeps me coming back is simple: I love watching characters grow, bonds form, and impossible moments unfold when a group of players leans all the way into the story. That’s what makes the game magic. -------------------------------------------------------------- ⚠️ My work schedule makes it difficult for me to respond to messages in real-time. If you send an inquiry and don't hear back from me right away don't worry, I check my messages at least twice a day! I value your time and appreciate your interest and will get back to you as soon as possible! -------------------------------------------------------------- SOME FUN STUFF: 1. Cool assets for games - http://prodigiousmaps.quest 2. Setting website - http://blackbrine.quest 3. My music - http://halcyonhum.com 4. Immersive storytelling in Skyrim - http://www.youtube.com/@couchwarriortv
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
Character Creation ♦️ Beginning at level 3 ♦️ Point buy attribute system ♦️ Multi-classes are allowed ♦️ DnD Beyond for character creation ♦️ Players will have access to all of my books ♦️ 2014 & 2024 rules allowed ♦️ I am open to all characters concepts following a discussion Black Brine Character Guide: http://blackbrine.quest/bbguide
What to expect
Preparing for the session
Requirements ♦️ Modern Computer ♦️ Microphone ♦️ Camera ♦️ DnD Beyond account ♦️ Owlbear Rodeo account ♦️ Discord account Play Setting Black Brine is a custom island setting within the Forgotten Realms universe. You will have access to all the lore and history of Forgotten Realms. D&D Beyond This is where we create and manage characters. It keeps track of your abilities, spells, equipment, and leveling up. Think of it as your digital character sheet — always up to date and easy to use during the game. Discord This is our voice and community hub. We use it for live voice chat during sessions, sharing announcements, and staying connected between games. Think of it as our virtual game table chat room. Owlbear Rodeo This is our virtual tabletop. Here you’ll see the battle maps, move your character token, and roll dice. Think of it as the shared game board where the action unfolds. 👉 Together, these three tools give us everything we need to run a smooth online game session: D&D Beyond (your character) Discord (our voices and community) Owlbear Rodeo (the map and dice) Black Brine Session Primer: http://blackbrine.quest/bbprimer
What Stu King brings to the table
📚 We are building an epic story together! I love to give my players innovative experience and the opportunity to make the world your own. I accomplish this by building EVERYTHING myself. The island, the city and all of the battle maps are created by me specifically for the setting. Imagine a session where we spend time adding furniture to your house or a secret door to your lair in real-time! 👉Want to build a ship to your specifications? We can do that! 👉Want to run your own business? We can do that! 👉Want to remodel that old carriage house into a hidden base? We can do that! ✨ My campaigns are a feast for the eyes and ears: 1. All original battle maps customized for you 2. Setting created and document by me over several years of play 3. Complementary tokens available if you need one 4. Custom tools for Owlbear Rodeo and Chrome to enhance game play 5. I sometimes use music1 All music composed and performed by me 6. Voice acting to make primary characters come to life 7. Custom designed and built mini-games for things like arcane puzzles, gambling halls and more 8. Comprehensive player web site packed with lore tools, character development guides, how-to guides, detailed city map with location markers 🏴☠️ Player Agency 1. Rule of Cool 2. Deep Role Play 3. Does the party want to buy a ship? Cool, let's do it! 4. Does the party want to build a base or start a business? Amazing! ⚔️ Encounter Variety 1. Tactical combat 2. Dark mysteries 3. Political intrigues 4. Skill challenges 5. Quirky humor For more on play style: http://blackbrine.quest
Homebrew rules
📜 I try to keep it simple! 1. Exploding dice 2. Rewards for creative coordination between players 3. Custom items that may cause you to change your party tactics 4. Flintlock pistols and muskets ARE allowed
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
Webcam
Platforms used
Safety
How Stu King creates a safe table
**Advanced Players: This campaign is open to all experience levels. If you are an advanced player, I expect that you understand and find great joy in helping to introduce new players into this wonderful game! 1. Lines and Veils Lines are topics or content that will not appear in the game at all. Veils are topics that may exist in the world but will fade to black or happen off-screen. This helps me understand what’s off-limits and what needs to be handled gently. 2. X-Card At any point during play, if something makes you uncomfortable or crosses a boundary, you can say “X-Card” out loud or type it in chat. I’ll immediately stop and move the scene in another direction — no explanation required. This is your emergency brake if something comes up in the moment. 3. Pause/Break If the tension is running high, or something in the story brushes close to a personal topic, you can say “Pause” or “Break.” This signals that you need a quick reset. We’ll stop the scene, check in, and either rewind or take a short break. Think of this as a softer safety tool than the X-Card, giving us a way to breathe if intensity runs too high.
Content warnings
Safety tools used