Shadows of a Fallen Star: Dungeons of Drakkenheim Free Session 0
Delve into a ruined city of lost fortunes, dangerous magic, factions and unanswered questions. How far will you go for power, survival, and truth?
$17.00
/ Session
Details
Weekly / Monday - 12:00 AM UTC
Session Duration / 3–4 hours
Campaign Length / 40+ Sessions
0 / 5 Seats Filled
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About the adventure
In the scarred land of Westamär something old, dark and alien has been growing and feasting for the last 15 years. Drakkenheim is no more. Struck by a falling star, the city bathed in eldritch fire, on that woeful eve, the tumultuous aftermath brought chaos, families torn asunder, and the kingdom shattered under a civil war. Dungeons of Drakkenheim is a dark fantasy campaign set in the shattered remains of a once-great city now standing as a poisoned urban wasteland with streets choked with debris, towers warped by arcane contamination, and shadows haunted by monstrous things drawn to its heart. Yet within the ruins lie the immense riches, lost lore, and relics of terrifying power of the great houses that once ruled the kingdom, all waiting for those daring enough to claim or reclaim them. This game is about exploration under pressure, about hard decisions, and the cost of ambition. It’s not just a dungeon for you to “clear,” but a living, hostile environment shaped by rival factions, unstable magic, and moral compromise where every expedition carries risk, not only to life and limb, but to body and soul. In this campaign, characters may gain power and influence, but survival often comes with lasting consequences and the choices you make will shape both the fate of your character and the future of the ruined city itself. This campaign is perfect and friendly for both new players and veteran adventurers as an introduction to D&D and the Dungeon Dudes fantastical World. It is a great adventure that blends epic exploration, deep roleplay and challenging encounters. Along the way, you’ll encounter allies and rivals, twisted monsters and locations and face choices that ripple across the continent to shape your character’s legacy and their place in the conflict. But don’t worry, I’ll be there every step of the way to help you. Expect a well-written and well-paced adventure with balanced storytelling, combat and roleplay options, with plenty of room to decide how your character fits, grows and responds to the challenges ahead. Whether you’re new to adventuring, or a veteran, and whether you’re excited to swing a sword, cast powerful spells, or talk your way out of trouble, there’s always space at my table for your style of play, as long as it's respectful to everyone playing with you. But most importantly, this is a collaborative journey, you are going to be supported every step of the way and we’ll have a gradual introduction to the gameplay mechanics, a Session Zero for character creation, motivations and character dynamics within the group. If you’re looking for an accessible, story-driven D&D campaign, with a lot of room for laughter, suspense, memorable moments and comfy vibes, this is the adventure for you. So sign up now and let’s begin. All you need is your imagination; the rest, we’ll discover together.
Game style
Sandbox / Open World
Combat Heavy
Roleplay Heavy
Rule of Cool (RoC)
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
5.0
(14)
1 year on StartPlaying
38 games hosted
Highly rated for: Creativity, Sets the Mood, Knows the Rules
Average response time: Under 1 hour
Response rate: 100%
About me
Well met, fellow travelers. I’m Sam. Though I’m also known as Valkaza or simply Valk, in many realms. With over 7 and a half years of experience as a Game Master, I love to craft immersive tabletop adventures that blend rich worldbuilding, compelling narratives, and meaningful character arcs. My passion for mythology, legends, funny shenanigans and storytelling shines through in every session, guiding players on journeys where their choices truly matter. I welcome heroes of all skill levels, from first-time adventurers to seasoned veterans, and I strive to create a safe, inclusive, and collaborative table where everyone can embrace their imagination and, specially, have fun. While I’m not a professional voice actor, or anything of the sort, you’ll still catch me diving into character voices, sometimes epic, sometimes ridiculous; because nothing should stand in the way of a great story. Your story is waiting. So what are we waiting for? Let’s roll some dice, laugh out loud and journey together.
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
We’ll begin with a Session 0 dedicated to building your characters and their motivations together. I’ll walk you through the process step by step, introducing character creation using the Player’s Handbook 2024. All official Wizards of the Coast classes and subclasses are welcomed and so are classes and subclasses from Critical Role and the Dungeon Dudes content. That being said, I’m also open to reviewing homebrew options if you’d like to bring something unique to the table, as long as it fits our game. During Session 0, we’ll take the time to discuss your ideas, answer questions, and go through each part of character creation as a group until everyone feels confident and ready. Characters will start at Level 1, and your character sheets will be created and hosted in Foundry VTT (via Forge VTT). Don’t worry if you’re new to the platform, I’ll guide you through setting up your character sheet and show you how to use the tools available during play.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
All you’ll need to get started is a free discord.com account for voice chat and a microphone with speakers or a headset so we can hear each other clearly. While Discord does allow video, it’s completely optional. You’ll also need a free account on forge-vtt.com, which is the virtual tabletop we’ll use to roll dice, explore maps, and keep track of character sheets. Most importantly, come ready to have fun, work as a team, and dive into the story we’ll be creating together. A little knowledge of D&D can be helpful, but it’s absolutely not required. I'll walk you through everything step by step and make sure everyone feels comfortable, whether this is your first game or your fiftieth.
What Valkaza (Sam) brings to the table
You can count on my consistency, I guarantee to run sessions every week and bring a well-written adventure that weaves your character’s backstory into the adventure. As your DM, I aim to be imaginative, approachable and silly, and to encourage you to let your creativity shine, as long as it keeps the game fair and it supports your fellow players. To make the world come alive, I provide quality maps with immersive lightning, detailed tokens for players and monsters, ambient music, and even some animations. You can expect laughter, comfy vibes, safety tools and silly/goofy voices (I’m most definitely not a voice actor, but I’ll certainly try!). I believe this adventure is fantastic to explore what D&D can be, and I make sure beginners feel supported by myself and experienced players at the table. Most importantly, my goal is to create a fun, safe, collaborative and welcoming space where everyone can relax, have fun and build a story together. Oh, and one last thing… there will definitely be dungeons and probably dragons.
Homebrew rules
Well, first of all, drinking potions is a bonus action but administering a potion to others is an action. You can also spend a full action to drink a potion, guaranteeing max healing from it. We will be using 2014 Stealth and Stun condition rules. Death saving throws will be whispered to DM. For both players and enemies, flaking will give advantage on attacks.
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
Platforms used
Safety
How Valkaza (Sam) creates a safe table
Before the adventure begins, we’ll have a Session 0 where we introduce ourselves, talk about what we want out of the game, and set clear expectations. We’ll use tools like Lines and Veils to make sure certain topics are handled with care or skipped entirely, and I’ll also explain the X, N, and O cards system. These can be used at any time, out loud, in a whisper, or through a private message, to let me know if something feels uncomfortable. No explanations needed; when a card is used, we’ll simply adjust. During our sessions, we’ll take short breaks to relax and recharge, and after each game we’ll have a quick check-in together about what we enjoyed and what could be even better. My goal is always to provide a fun, friendly, and welcoming table where everyone can relax, have fun and build a story together. Respectful behavior is key and non-negotiable, so we can all focus on what matters most: having a great time together telling our story.
Content warnings
Safety tools used