Savage Tide
Sail from pirate havens to demon-infested isles in a high-seas campaign of mystery, monsters, and a race to stop a world-shattering abyssal threat.
$20.00
/ Session
Details
Weekly / Monday - 9:00 PM UTC
Session Duration / 4–5 hours
Campaign Length / 13+ Sessions
1 / 5 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
Meet your party members
1/5
About the adventure
Set sail from the bustling tropical port of Sasserine and plunge into a sweeping adventure that begins with street-level intrigue and erupts into full-blown nautical chaos. What starts as a simple investigation quickly spirals into clashes with pirates, lizardfolk, sea monsters, and stranger things that crawl from the deep—each encounter a step toward uncovering a shadowy threat moving beneath the waves. This campaign is designed for new or experienced players who can build a 3.5 character and are ready for a story with cinematic pacing. Expect a tone reminiscent of a Marvel movie: bold heroics, real danger, dramatic reveals, and a healthy dash of irreverent humor. Think epic swashbuckling moments punctuated with the kind of Monty Python absurdity that keeps the table laughing. As the journey continues, your party will journey to mysterious islands, face primeval horrors, infiltrate villainous strongholds, and ultimately confront the monstrous force behind the rising Savage Tide. Your choices steer the course—whether you play daring rogues, stalwart paladins, eccentric wizards, or someone who really just wanted a quiet vacation and got dragged into an apocalypse instead. This game is suitable for all ages, adaptable for all experience levels, and handled with careful respect for player comfort. Safety tools, boundaries, and session tone can be adjusted to ensure the adventure stays thrilling, fun, and welcoming for everyone. So grab your cutlass, tighten the rigging, and prepare to sail into danger—because the sea is calling, and something ancient is calling back.
Game style
Dungeon Crawl
Puzzle / Mystery Focused
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
3 years on StartPlaying
About me
Hi, I’m Cory—a GenX lifer in the TTRPG space, raised on rulebooks older than most streaming services and weaned on systems where a bad die roll meant rolling a new character. I run games that reward smart play, bold choices, and player agency. Whether you're navigating a derelict freighter in deep space or prying open dungeon doors in a dying realm, I offer high-stakes adventures where your decisions matter and survival is never guaranteed. My roots are in Alternity (1997), early D&D, and the OSR movement—but I love helping players new to these styles find their footing and thrive. You won’t find handholding here. What you will find is: 🎲 Tactical gameplay with real consequences 🧠 Encouragement of player creativity and critical thinking 📖 Rich, immersive worlds built around your decisions 💀 A healthy respect for the “one-bad-roll-and-it’s-over” philosophy I run one-shots, short arcs, and full campaigns. No prior experience needed—I’ll walk you through the rules, set expectations, and make sure the table feels safe, engaged, and invested. Yes, I use modern safety tools—Lines and Veils, X-Card, Open Door Policy—because I want every player to feel secure enough to go deep into the story. This is dark fun, not real trauma. So if you’re looking for a game that feels dangerous, grounded, and wildly reactive—grab your flashlight, check your ammo, and step carefully. You just might make it out alive.
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
We will have a free session zero where we create characters and have a short fetch-quest adventure to kick off the campaign and see if my style is right for you. "Savage Tidings," a series of background articles appearing in Dragon Magazine, beginning with issue #348, will assist you in creating appropriate backgrounds for your characters. I have links to these available in the Discord server for this campaign. Please check with me before using a feat or class from anything not published by WOTC or Paizo Publishing under the OGL for 3/3.5 D&D.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
Players will need a Roll20 account and should join the Discord server for this campaign. The server will be emailed to you upon signup!
What Cory brings to the table
I emphasize tactical combat, player agency, and exploration, but I also try to keep the roleplay segments fun with memorable characterization and unique vocals for each NPC. Rules as Written, mostly, but the Rule of Cool will apply for exceptional player creativity. If you enjoyed Pirates of the Caribbean and can laugh at the absurd; if you've always wondered what D&D monstrosity the petal-headed Demogorgon was named after and why the boys were so afraid of encountering it in season 1, episode 1... you're ready to play Savage Tide as run by me.
Homebrew rules
I do not use any homebrew rules at this time
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
Platforms used
Safety
How Cory creates a safe table
I utilize the safety deck provided with Roll20. If any action by another player or me triggers you, drop the appropriate card and we will move on. I am always available via Discord out-of-game to have a discussion about any Lines or Veils needed to make your experience better. In addition to the content warnings listed below, there appears within the game a culture inspired by Mesoamerican Empires (Aztecs, Mayans, etc). If colonial treatment of Native Americans is a trigger for you, or you feel that this amounts to cultural appropriation, then you may not wish to participate. I do not believe the content is handled inappropriately, but I wanted everyone to be aware it is in here.
Content warnings
Safety tools used