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Roots & Branches: A World of Darkness Module from Ghost Stories
Ghosts aren't real. Until one cries out to you, begging for help. Do you ignore their pain? Or do you awaken to the haunting darkness of your world?
TYPE
SYSTEM
LANGUAGE
EXPERIENCE
AGE
$15.00
/ Session
Details
Weekly / Sunday - 10:00 PM UTC
Session Duration / 3 hours
Campaign Length / 4+ Sessions
0 / 5 Seats Filled
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About the adventure
You are a human living in a modern world that is darker, grittier, and crueler than our own. Where the supernatural is a truth hidden from humanity. Yet you can still be a victim to the monsters in which you don't even believe exist. Welcome to the World of Darkness. This is "Roots and Branches," a module from the 1st Edition World of Darkness book "Ghost Stories." We will be exploring a classic ghost mystery horror story set in the city of Springfield, MA. The imagery, tone, and mood will be grim and dark, set in an uncaring world that prefers to ignore the mystical victims that haunt it. A slow burn and creepy horror story awaits you. How do you solve a supernatural mystery when you yourself have no power or knowledge of the supernatural? This is the main challenge of the game. Players will create normal people who are unaware of the monsters that hide in the dark. You will navigate the mystery at the heart of the game while trying to find a way to manage the ghosts that plague you.
Game style
Combat Lite
Puzzle / Mystery Focused
Theater of the Mind
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
5.0
(4)
Less than a year on StartPlaying
Highly rated for: Knows the Rules, Storytelling, Teacher
About me
I've been playing and GMing TTRPGs since 2001. The majority of my experience as both player and GM is with the World of Darkness and Dungeons & Dragons. But I have dabbled in a variety of other systems. In addition to TTRPGs I have been a Ren Faire actor from 2011 until 2021. I also participate in a monthly World of Darkness LARP since 2016 to this day. These experiences have helped me to develop more advanced improvisational skills and story pacing. I can quickly read my audience as they react to my performance and make adjustments to further enhance the story. I have a Bachelors in English Literature and am an avid consumer of books as well as media. I've spent the past two years looking for content creators online that speak about the mechanics of storytelling to further educate myself. As part of my IRL job experience, I have developed strong organizational skills as well. I work for a nonprofit mental health company. I focused on providing therapeutic support to youths until 2021 when I switched to a project management position. Tracking schedules, data, and deadlines while maintaining strong communication is what I do for a living and I bring that to the game table. As part of my LARP club I have been responsible for maintaining and enforcing out-of-character safety mechanics. Combined with the therapeutic training I've received I am highly proficient in maintaining a safe and open space for storytelling to flourish while respecting boundaries.
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
Standard character creation rules for a Mortal character from the 1E World of Darkness Core Rulebook (2004) + 35 XP. This makes your character "seasoned." I can provide a copy of the character creation rules as needed. No other WoD supplements nor any supernatural templates/merits allowed. We will have a free session 0 to discuss rules, character backgrounds and connections, and safety mechanics. The game itself will be 3 sessions of play. A robust background and connection to the setting will improve player experience as this is a game grounded in reality being broken by a supernatural threat. Your characters must live in or around the city of Springfield in western Massachusetts. Springfield is a mid-sized city (pop. 155,000) that intersects with major thoroughfares (Rt. I90 E-W/Mass Pike and Rt. I91 N-S) and the Connecticut River. Like a lot of New England towns, the factory boom has left behind an economy and environment that is run down and desperate.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
I will send a link to my Discord server once you sign up for the game, where we will play via video chat. Players can use physical or virtual dice, your preference. For the WoD system this means having a handful of d10's (10 is usually sufficient).
What Geo brings to the table
I will give access to a Google Drive folder that will contain safety mechanics, fillable character sheets, and background setting documents. PC backgrounds and sheets will be stored here too. Background music will be played via Kenku FM through Discord voice. Rules as Written for the Core WoD Mortal book. This is not a combat-heavy campaign. I am a sandbox GM, so there will be a lot of space for players to explore the setting and their characters. I am also very mindful of pacing and can find ways to naturally move the story along. Use of headphones and a dimly lit room are encouraged, but not required.
Homebrew rules
None at this time.
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
Physical Dice
Webcam
Headphones
Platforms used
Safety
How Geo creates a safe table
Prior to session 0 I will ask players to fill out the Monte Cooks Lines & Veils document. This will be found in the Google Drive folder for players. During session 0 we will review this document and discuss any further topics or concerns players have. X, N, and O's will be digital in the Discord chat or in DM's during the game session. Open Door will also be used as needed. We will end each game session with Aftercare as well as Stars and Wishes to help bring us back into the real world and to address any issues that arose during play. And to highlight favorite moments as well!!
Content warnings
Safety tools used