Live from the Jaws of Hell! It's A Monster of the Week Campaign!
Producing a TV show is hard enough without constant attacks from eldritch horrors. But the show must go on, so get ready to kick some monster ass!
$15.00
/ Session
Details
Weekly / Sunday - 7:30 PM UTC
Session Duration / 3–4 hours
0 / 5 Seats Filled
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About the adventure
They said it would be hard to produce a show for the local public access TV channel. They just didn’t mention that nightmarish creatures eating the talent and wrecking the studio would be such a big part of the job. But you’ve got bills to pay and this is still an easier gig than retail, so it’s time for you and your coworkers to take down the myriad of otherworldly threats before the show goes live. Equal parts Welcome to Night Vale and Supernatural, this Monster of the Week campaign will put you in the shoes of the overworked and underpaid staff for a local TV station. It doesn’t matter whether you have a history of fighting supernatural forces or you’re just stumbling into this terrifying world, you and your team have slaying to do before the cameras turn on. And then you get to do it all again tomorrow. And the next day. And the next day. And… You get the picture. This homebrew campaign is designed for players of all levels. Monster of the Week, a Powered by the Apocalypse (PbtA) game, has a simple ruleset that can be taught while you’re playing, so no experience is required. And, while the system is inspired by media like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Hellboy, and The Dresden Files, you won’t be out of your depths if you’re not familiar with any of it. It’s my goal as a GM to make this a high-stakes campaign that anyone can join. Think you can save the studio and the town – hell, maybe even the world – from evil and still have a show ready when the director calls action? Then get ready, because we’re live in 5, 4, 3, 2…
Game style
Roleplay Heavy
Theater of the Mind
Meet the Game Master
5.0
(15)
3 years on StartPlaying
5 games hosted
Highly rated for: Inclusive, Creativity, Teacher
About me
Hi y’all! I’ve been running games across a variety of systems for a decade, spending most of my time with Powered by the Apocalypse games, though I’ve spent my fair share of time with D&D 5E. My work as a GM centers player agency and celebrates diverse players, characters, and worlds, with a particular focus on making space for the queer community. My biggest success in the TTRPG space is producing Moon Harbor Heroes, a Masks: A New Generation actual play podcast, with a rotating cast of 24 performers, and our spin-off series, Moon Harbor Extended. My expertise, as mentioned above, is in Powered by the Apocalypse games: Monster of the Week, Monsterhearts, Thirsty Sword Lesbians, Avatar Legends, Babes in the Woods, and, of course, Masks: A New Generation. I also love exploring more indie games, such as Yazeba’s Bed and Breakfast, Die Laughing, Honey Heist, Anyone Can Wear the Mask, and Don’t Rest Your Head. My newest interest is the Stormlight RPG; as a massive Cosmere nerd, I’m excited to explore that world. I’ve run a few one shots and am eager to play more of it. Whether you’re a new player looking to play a game for the first time, an experienced player looking to explore an unfamiliar system, or a veteran looking for games to join, I’m your girl! Reach out! I'd love to help bring your stories to life!
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
Character creation will take place during our first session, typically called a Session 0, but you are obviously welcome to come with ideas prepared. In that session, we'll also be working together to define the town, the TV station, and the team. My games, as much as possible, come from a place of collaboration and player autonomy, so we'll be creating the world together.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
Players will have to join a private Discord server, which I will send a link to prior to the session. We will have a channel specifically for this group so you can post character creation thoughts, memes, whatever you'd like (that's appropriate to the group, obviously). Players are welcome to play with physical dice, but there is also a dice bot in the server that you can use.
What Tess brings to the table
RPGs are collaborative stories. I encourage my players to take ownership of these worlds, because you're as much a creator of it as I am. If you tell me that you are a janitor who has a closet full of monster-fighting weapons, let's make sure your team is fully equipped. If you tell me that the CEO of the network is secretly a shapeshifter from a hell dimension, then I guess you're going to have to kill your boss. If you tell me that the cameras steal a piece of your soul every time you walk in front of them... You get the point. We are in this experience together, so I want you to feel that you have autonomy in it. Combat and roleplay are equally important in Monster of the Week, so I'll be giving both equal priority. Yes, you might have to stop a tiny little apocalypse now and then, but you still have a job to do and a show to produce. I'll be leaning into the complications of that; there will be hell to pay (literally) no matter which actions you take. I love finding ways to make things just a little harder (narratively) for the characters, because it makes the final outcome is all that much more worth it. Many of my players have started apprehensive about that but end campaigns with me asking me to make things worse; it's more fun that way, particularly in Powered by the Apocalypse games.
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
Platforms used
Safety
How Tess creates a safe table
I have a Google Form of common Lines and Veils that I will send out ahead of time that my players can fill out. At the top of the session, I will give a few minutes for everyone to add anything they missed or anything that has changed, then I will read those out loud and post them in the chat. I also use the X card, which I encourage players to either message me directly or just say out loud. Because this isn't going to be on camera (and I'll likely be looking at multiple screens), I won't be able to see a visual cue, but I'll immediately check a Discord notification.
Content warnings
Safety tools used