Icewind Dale: A Crown of Endless Winter

Creating your character

Characters will be created through D&D Beyond, I can share all content with you once you join the campaign. We’ll handle character creation before/through session 0 so we can start playing as soon as we can. If you have a pre-built character you'd like to workshop into the setting or need help I'd be glad to. Starting level: Level 1 (we’ll use mixed xp and milestone leveling). Ability scores: Point Buy will be used in character creation. Hit points: Fixed average Allowed content: Core 5e (2024) options and most supplementary 5e books are welcome. If you want to use something outside the standard or supplementary official books, run it by me; my goal is “cool, fair, and fits the setting.” Character fit: This is a survival-tinged, dark-fantasy adventure in a harsh frontier, so please make someone who has a reason to work with a team and engage with the world.

Preparing for the session

Players should have the following: 1. A Discord account 2. A D&D Beyond Account

What Chrome brings to the table

I use theatre of the mind in conjunction with D&D Beyond Maps. Roleplay & immersion: I lean into mood and tension with descriptive narration. I often use light ambient music/soundscapes to support scenes (towns, blizzards, eerie ruins), but it’s always kept low and never gets in the way of conversation. I do character voices (the best I can!). Combat & challenge: Combat is tactical and fast-moving; battlefields with enemies that act like they want to win. I like fights that reward teamwork and smart choices, but I’m not trying to “gotcha” or wipe the party. Survival elements (weather, travel, limited resources, planning ahead) show up mainly to heighten the setting, not to bog the game down. Rules style: I run mostly Rules as Written for consistency, with Rule of Cool when it creates a great moment and stays fair to everyone. If a rules question would slow the scene, I’ll make a quick ruling in the moment and we can double-check after the session.

Homebrew rules

Almost everything will be RaW or Rule of Cool, but a couple minor changes I find makes things exciting. Heroic Inspiration: 2024 Heroic Inspiration (reroll a die, must take the new result). I award it lots for good role-play or in-character decisions. Also, for teamwork! Help action: You can Help if you’re proficient or you describe a concrete way your character assists.

How Chrome creates a safe table

During session 0, we'll talk about ways to keep the campaign accessible and safe for all. A brief rundown of the system I like to use: My X, N, & O are simple and low-pressure: X = Stop: If something crosses a line, type or say “X”. We immediately pause and fade out/rewind/change the scene; no explanation needed. N = Not that / adjust: Type or say “N” to mean “I’m okay with the scene, but soften it.” We’ll pivot the description, tone, or focus. O = Okay: Type or say “O” to confirm you’re good, especially after a check-in or tense moment. We’ll use these in chat by default, but you can also say them aloud if you prefer (Sometimes its hard to check chat when I'm monologuing!).