Demons of the Dirt Plains | Intro Campaign for Beginners
A bustling rural town on the edge of a magical forest is plagued by dirty cops and dark magic. Even a hotspot for heroes needs saving sometimes...
$25.00
/ Session
Details
Weekly / Wednesday - 11:00 PM UTC
Oct 21 / Session 42
Session Duration / 2.5–3.5 hours
Campaign Length / 30+ Sessions
5 / 6 Seats Filled
Top Game Master
One of StartPlaying's top-rated GMs, a player favorite and highly recommended.
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Schedule
Meet your party members
5/6
About the adventure
Welcome! My name is Ace. This is a D&D campaign that I created, specifically with new/beginner players in mind. Regardless of your experience level, anyone that joins this campaign, will increase their knowledge of D&D, improve their roleplay skills, and have a great time telling an exciting story in the process. Below is a description to give you an idea of the subject matter and tone of the campaign: “Located at the northern tip of the Dirt Plains, on the edge of the mystical woodland known as the Fey Forest, is the town of Dirton! It's a bustling, rural hotspot for adventure and those that seek it! Whimsical creatures and magical threats are the reason for the town's notoriety. However, those concerns often allow more sinister things to go unnoticed. Something evil is brewing here. When a few novice adventurers are referred to Dirton by their mysterious friend, they seem to be the only ones to notice that something is not right. Who will save this legendary town from an encroaching darkness? Statistically speaking, 3-6 weirdos with a little experience and a lot to prove 😅😂” The campaign takes place largely in one town. Your characters will uncover mysteries, explore magical terrain, and tangle with all manner of villains and monsters. They could do just about whatever you and your fellow players choose to pursue! The tone of the game will be overall comedic and lighthearted, but with plenty of dramatic moment, such as near-death experiences or dramatic confrontations. If you have any questions about this campaign, please shoot me a message! I would love to hear from you and I'm happy to discuss.
Game style
Roleplay Heavy
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
5.0
(109)
5 years on StartPlaying
440 games hosted
Highly rated for: Beginner Friendly, Inclusive, Creativity
About me
Welcome, friends! My name is Ace. I am a professional game master (or GM, for short). I primarily run games for Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition (D&D 5e). I love games like D&D for the unparalleled experience they provide to players. I run games professionally because I love nothing more than creating the framework for those experiences. I love games that are driven by roleplay and genuine investment in a fictional world, while still being grounded in game mechanics and the goal of an epic story. If that sounds like fun, I would love to run a game for you! Since I started GMing professionally in 2020, I have consistently been running one to four weekly campaigns at a time. In that time, I have also taught dozens of people to play D&D from scratch. I have livestreamed the games I run, edited/produced videos of them for my youtube channel, and made educational videos about D&D. I believe D&D can be for everyone and that there is a version of it that everyone can enjoy. That’s why I love teaching people about the game and introducing it to those that might not have experienced it otherwise. In that interest, I want everyone that plays in one of my games to be comfortable, have a good time, and never feel ostracized for lack of experience (or any other reason). Whether or not you choose to play in one of the games that I run, what’s most important to me is that you get to play and have a great time doing so! If you're interested in playing in a game that I run or if I can be of assistance in your D&D journey, don't hesitate to reach out.
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
I request that players not use A.I. as part of the games that I run. This includes writing backstories, creating character sheets, and generating character art. If you have questions about this or need special accommodation, please contact me. CHARACTER SHEET GUIDELINES: -Level 1 characters via DnDBeyond.com (DDB) using the 2024 rules. -Use standard array or point buy to set ability scores. -For more detailed instructions, follow this link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zV3PDaafE9F9NrxUnLsIg_y4d9oi5F7Krwpu0sGfeV4/edit?usp=sharing -Message me if you need help or have any questions! CHARACTER BACKSTORY GUIDELINES: -This campaign will involve character backstories as much as possible so I ask that everyone create a relatively detailed backstory for your character using the template that I will provide. -Your character must have both the motivation and ability to work collaboratively with the other player characters. -Your character must generally not be evil. -Your character must be from this continent. -Your character must have had bad experiences with authority and/or law enforcement, either directly or indirectly. -Your character will start this campaign arriving in a town that they are not very familiar with. They were recently at a huge turning point in their lives. Coincidentally, at the moment when they most needed direction, they met a mysterious, friendly traveller who referred them to this town. Please incorporate this into your backstory as well as why they were at a turning point in their lives and some motivations for coming to this town. -For more detailed instructions and the backstory template, follow this link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1l6BrfjM4YVYtVxpEBoGxKjqzoyF5vK-b5Tfyjn5nhMY/edit?tab=t.0 ADDITIONAL INFO: Players will create character sheets on DDB. You’ll need to make an account on DDB first, if you don’t already have one. It’s free to make an account and there are various methods to do so. Here is a link to sign up for an account: https://www.dndbeyond.com/create-account After you sign up for the campaign on SPG, you will see a link to my DDB Campaign under the "Prep Materials" section of the adventure. If you make a character in my campaign (using said link), you will have access to all the official D&D 5e Sourcebook material when choosing your character options. If you make a character on DDB, but not in my campaign, you will only have access to the most basic character options that are free on DDB. Players are encouraged to make character sheets on their own and just send them to me for review. However, for any new/beginner players, I like to schedule an extra one-on-one meeting prior to the game. We can use this meeting to review their character sheet together and/or talk through the process of making one.
We are looking for one more player to join us for the final stretch of this campaign! We currently have 6 players, but one will be leaving soon due to scheduling conflicts so we're looking for someone else to join us ASAP. It's a fun group of adults from different backgrounds that emphasize silly banter and drama in equal measure with combat. Our characters are currently level 7 and entering into the final 1/3 of the campaign. We probably have 20ish sessions left. You'll have a bit to catch up on in terms of the plot of the campaign thus far, but there's still plenty of fun and story left to be had! Since our characters are at level 7, this would be ideal for someone that has at least a couple sessions under their belt, but those of any experience level are welcome! We currently have a druid, a bard, a sorcerer, a fighter, and a monk. You are welcome to play any class you want from the core rules, but I recommend not choosing one of those.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
Prior to the game, each player should have the following: -A completed character sheet (level 1) in my DnDBeyond campaign. -A computer. -Functional headphones, a microphone, and a camera all connected to your computer and ready to use. -The Zoom app downloaded and ready to use on their computer. -A reliable internet connection. -A discord account with access to my discord server. -An idea for how to introduce/describe your character to the other players. -A picture to represent your character. -A completed character backstory, following the template I provide. Prior to the game, please send me: -Your character backstory (via google doc, ideally). -Your character's pronouns. -A picture to represent your character. You can send me a link to a picture via SPG or you can DM me on Discord. My discord username is: acethegm If you have the option, I recommend using an external microphone (such as from a pair of headphones) rather than the built-in microphone on your computer/laptop because the audio quality is usually much better, which makes it easier for everyone to communicate. For ongoing campaigns like this, I request all players join my discord server for consistent and organized communication. I have several discord channels on my server dedicated to communicating about this specific campaign. There is an “essential info” channel with a zoom link for us to connect via video call. There should also be a zoom link and a link to my DDB campaign in the prep materials section of this adventure, which you will be able to see once you sign up for the campaign.
What Ace the GM brings to the table
-Use of my DnDBeyond campaign with access to all the official 5e sourcebooks (with the exception of any recent publications). -A pro Zoom license for convenient and consistent video call quality. -A professional A/V setup to enhance the listening/viewing experience. -A robust world and story to take part in. -A play style driven by character choices, collaborative storytelling, and improv comedy. -Detailed, custom-made maps (where applicable) made and displayed in Photoshop. -Voice acting of various unique characters. -Background music, ambience, and sound effects to set the mood and help immerse you in the story. -Years of experience as a professional Game Master. -An inclusive and welcoming attitude 😀
Homebrew rules
Below is a link to a google doc that includes all of my key homebrew rules: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1A6QNXLi-Sj_brOUF7lui9gx_ZAEz6kJEv71omn5NOGo/edit?usp=sharing
Equipment needed to play
Computer
Headphones
Internet
Microphone
Webcam
Platforms used
Safety
How Ace the GM creates a safe table
When we meet first via video chat for our session 0, we will start by reviewing the functionality of all safety tools, getting to know each other a little bit, discussing house rules and preferences, and then (if we have time) transition into a practice session. I will explain the open door policy, when we will take breaks, the X/N/O system, and the process for post-session debriefs (including stars and wishes). For the X/N/O cards, I ask that everyone hold up their arms or hands on camera as the X/N/O symbols. If that does not work for anyone, we can easily find another method. Debriefs will happen at the end of each session. They usually take about 15 minutes so please allow for this extra time in each session. We will review what happened in the session and evaluate the session as a whole via the stars and wishes methodology. For more detailed descriptions of all safety tools, follow this link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NOSOhYA-140F58IMP-V_VBBuUolD0BFw2k7XZh7nnII/edit?usp=sharing
Content warnings
Safety tools used