Dolmenwood Campaign - Dark Fairy Tale Hexcrawl 🌲🍄
Dreams and fairies walk between standing stones and dancing trees, slipping in and out of the mortal world as you or I slip through an open door.
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SYSTEM
LEVELS
LANGUAGE
EXPERIENCE
AGE
$10.00
/ Session
Details
Weekly / Sunday - 7:00 PM UTC
Session Duration / 2.5–3 hours
Campaign Length / 20–30 Sessions
1 / 5 Seats Filled
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Meet your party members
1/5
About the adventure
This campaign is a gateway to adventure in the beguiling realm of Dolmenwood — a swathe of tangled woods, fungus-encrusted glades, and foetid marsh on the wild borders of civilisation. Rife with intrigue, secrets, and magic, Dolmenwood draws travellers of adventurous spirit, daring them to venture within. Experience the acclaimed work of Gavin Norman, the creator of the Old School Essentials game system, and take the role of an adventurer in this British-folklore-inspired setting, where whimsy, horror, and wonder abound. At its heart, this is a hexcrawl sandbox: Roam freely through roughly 200 mapped hexes Choose your quests instead of being railroaded Follow rumors, explore ruins, meet bizarre and unforgettable NPCs Wherever you go, something unusual is waiting. And yes: sweet loot always lurks awaits away from the main roads.
Game style
Hexcrawl / Exploration
Dungeon Crawl
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
5.0
(15)
1 year on StartPlaying
26 games hosted
Highly rated for: Creativity, Teacher, Knows the Rules
Average response time: 24+ hours
Response rate: 100%
About me
Hello, adventurers! I’m Arturo. I’ve been running games since the ’90s, keeping them in my life through many changes. I love video games, but nothing matches the freedom, creativity, and shared experience of TTRPGs. Style – Meet in the Middle Exploration and a sense of wonder are my favorite parts of the game, but I also enjoy tactical combat and aim to include at least one each session. I believe a great game is half preparation and half discovery: your character as you envision it makes up 50%, and the other half is what happens at the table—how we create memorable moments together. I keep things fresh and adaptable by mixing things up and not planning too far ahead, focusing on presenting the game world and its challenges. What I Currently Run
 I focus on two main styles: Heroic-narrative games – a mix of official D&D 5e adventures, classic modules from earlier editions, and homebrew encounters. Sandbox exploration – open-ended campaigns using OSE rules. I’m especially excited about the upcoming Dolmenwood books. Technical
 I currently use D&D Beyond for character creation and maps: a clean, integrated VTT with maps from the source material or my own. For immersion, I use music and sound effects through a dedicated Discord channel, including some tracks I’ve produced. Rules
 I stick closely to rules as written to keep things clear and fair, but I’ll bend them for excitement or cinematic moments. As the campaign evolves, I may add custom rules, items, or spells—but always in response to your choices. Archetypes and Growth
 I’ve always been drawn to bold fantasy archetypes—from Lodoss War and Battle Chasers to the Final Fantasy series. My goal is to help you experience a hero’s journey through your character. That doesn’t mean plot armor, but I care deeply about seeing your story unfold in meaningful (and unexpected) ways. Outside the game, I’m a university professor; at the table, I focus on listening, encouraging creativity, and—most importantly—laughs. If my themes and schedule suit you, I’d be glad to welcome you and guide you on a fantastic journey. I’m just getting started, so your trust is greatly appreciated! Yours – Arturo
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
I offer a free Session 0 to create characters together. If you join the campaign later and already have experience with D&D or retro-clones, you’re welcome to create your character yourself and send it to me for a quick check. If you’re new to these systems, or if you just prefer doing it together, we can schedule a short call to walk through the process. It won’t take long!
What to expect
Preparing for the session
You’ll need a stable internet connection, a microphone, and a free Discord account. We use Owlbear Rodeo as our VTT—no account required.
What Arturo brings to the table
My focus is to let the story unfold from your choices, with no railroading. I want to be surprised by where most sessions lead. I’ll be using the maps from the Dolmenwood Campaign Guide, along with a selection of additional battle maps when needed. As a musician, I also create some (and sometimes all) of the session music myself. It plays through Discord in a separate channel, so you can adjust the volume—or mute it—as you like.
Homebrew rules
For progression, I use the alternative XP system from Feats of Exploration, which rewards discovery, travel, and clever problem-solving.
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
Platforms used
Safety
How Arturo creates a safe table
I will use Deck of Player Safety before the first session. If there are any other issues, reach out anytme - communication is key.
Content warnings
Safety tools used