In the Thrall of the Wyrm Gods (Grimdark Bronze Age Horror)

Creating your character

We Build Together (Session Zero) We will create characters collaboratively during Session Zero. Do not bring a pre-made sheet; we need to ensure the party fits the tone of the world. The Hook: Strangers in a Strange Land Your character is not from Orodeth. You are being pulled from your home world—a standard D&D setting—into the Iron Basin. All Official Content is Fair Game: Because you come from elsewhere, I am open to almost any Race or Class from the official books, provided you can justify it narratively. The Motivation: Your backstory is your anchor. Who did you leave behind? What life was stolen from you? This desire to return home will be your primary fuel. The Build Details: Level: We begin at Level 1. Stats: Standard Array or Point Buy. Equipment: You start with standard starting gear. Note: In Orodeth, your standard steel sword and chainmail are considered "Relics." You are bringing Iron into a Bronze Age world. This makes you powerful, but it also makes you a target. My Philosophy: I prioritize story over spreadsheets. I want characters with depth, flaws, and reasons to survive. If you have a wild idea, pitch it to me. If it makes the story better, we will make it happen.

Preparing for the session

Simplicity is Survival. I keep the tech stack minimal so we can focus on the story, not the software. Here is everything you need to play: 1. The Tech: Discord: We play entirely over a dedicated Discord server using Video and Voice. Please have the desktop app installed. Hardware: A decent microphone and a webcam are required. D&D Beyond (Free Account): We'll use the Avrae bot for dice rolling and other actions. This includes linking and sharing a character sheet. It's not totally necessary, but is highly recommended. 2. The Prep: No Pre-Generated Characters: We will build your characters together during Session Zero. Orodeth is a unique setting, and we need to ensure your character fits the tone of the world. Read the Primer: Once you sign up, I will send you the Discord invite. Please read the #lore-primer and #survival-guide channels before the first session. 3. The Vibe: Come ready to collaborate. This is a survival game; lone wolves die quickly in the Fog.

What That Weird Ghost brings to the table

First and foremost I care about storytelling. World immersion. Character development. Collaboration. I want to tell a story with you, one that takes you away from the world you live in and drops you into something dark and fantastic, frightening and exhilarating. I rely heavily on sensory details, on crafting scenes, and on pulling you out of yourselves and into your character. This means I usually spend quite a lot of time worldbuilding before I ever even run a session, and that yes, I do voices. Not for every single NPC you run into but for quite a lot of them. Combat is a big deal for me but I try really hard to not get bogged down in the mechanics of everything, because that just drags everyone out of play. I want combat to be visceral, action-packed, and quite honestly a little bit stressful which means I rely a lot more on the rule of cool than specific mechanics. I'm more interested in knowing what you want to do and how you think you're going to pull it off than relying expressly on the dice themselves. The dice are just there to facilitate things. Rules, for the most part, are guidelines and suggestions that exist in service of the story. Music is also a big deal and I try to make sure I've always got something going on in the background for ambience, especially during critical moments and scenes. Sometimes I even go a little bit overboard and curate whole playlists for sessions.

Homebrew rules

The Orodeth Survival System This campaign utilizes a lightweight, purpose-built ruleset designed to emphasize survival, resource management, and horror. While the core engine is 5th Edition, we use four specific modifications to bring the setting to life: 1. The Iron Rule (Combat): Not all weapons are created equal. Bronze and bone can incapacitate the monsters of the Fog, but only Iron can permanently kill them. Combat is a tactical puzzle of resource management. 2. The Silent Gods (Magic): Magic is dangerous. Casting powerful spells acts as a beacon to the enemy. Casters must weigh the risk of detection against the power of their spells. 3. Gritty Recovery (Resting): You cannot sleep comfortably in a war zone. Long Rests (full recovery) are restricted to safe sanctuaries (like the town of Ostergard). Camping in the wilderness merely staves off exhaustion but does not restore Hit Points or Spell Slots. 4. The Hope Die (Sanity): A streamlined mechanic to track your character's mental resilience against the horrors of the Deep Fog. 5. Guillotine and Fractures (Criticals): Modifications to Natural 20s and 1s, making them more cinematic and extreme. Note: These rules are designed to heighten tension, not to bog down gameplay with math. The Golden Rule still applies: Narrative flow and atmosphere always trump the rulebook.

How That Weird Ghost creates a safe table

Horror requires trust. Here is how we build it: 1. The Foundation (Session Zero & Lines/Veils): Before we start, we will collaborate on a shared "Lines and Veils" document. This is our roadmap. Lines: Hard limits. Topics that will never appear in the game. Veils: Topics that can exist in the story but will "fade to black" rather than be described graphically. I want to know your boundaries upfront so we can explore the darkness without stumbling into real-world trauma. 2. The Brake Pedal (X, N, & O Cards): We use a digital version of the X-Card system. X: If a scene hits a nerve, type "X" in the chat or say it aloud. We stop immediately and pivot. No questions asked. N: "Notice." We are heading toward a Line; let's pull back or fade to black. O: "Open." I may check in during intense scenes. A thumbs-up or an "O" lets me know you are terrified in character but okay out of character. 3. The Cool-Down (Aftercare & Debrief): After every session, we dedicate the last 15 minutes to a "Cool-Down." Stars & Wishes: We discuss what landed well (Stars) and what you want to see next time (Wishes). Decompression: Orodeth is heavy. We take a moment to shake off the gloom, chat as friends, and ensure everyone leaves the table feeling good. The Open Door: You are always free to step away from the table if you need a break. Your mental well-being is more important than the plot.