Phandalin: What Lurks Beneath

Creating your character

Phandalin doesn’t need legends. It needs capable people willing to step onto a dangerous road. ⚔️ STARTING LEVEL ONE You begin as adventurers with potential, not finished heroes. Growth is earned. 🧮 ABILITY SCORES: STANDARD ARRAY Consistency keeps things fair and balanced at a table that runs Rules As Written. 📘 PLATFORM: D&D BEYOND Characters will be created in D&D Beyond. A campaign link will be provided before Session 0. Please have your character drafted prior to Session 0 so we can refine backstories and connections together. 📚 ALLOWED SOURCES All official 5e content is welcome. If it’s in an official D&D book, it’s fair game with a few exceptions: ❌ No Grim Hollow or Cthulhu Mythos (the mines are dark enough!). ❌ No Rick & Morty, Minecraft, or parody content. Otherwise, if it appears in an official Wizards of the Coast sourcebook, it’s on the table. ✍️ BACKSTORIES MATTER Your character should have a reason to take a dangerous job for modest pay. Frontier towns attract: • Mercenaries • Wanderers • Ex-soldiers • Runaways • Treasure-seekers • Idealists Keep backstories grounded. Level 1 characters are skilled, but not world-famous. If you submit your backstory before Session 0, I will integrate at least one personal thread into the campaign. This is a living world. If you give me hooks, I will use them.

Preparing for the session

Before Session 0, make sure the following is handled so we can begin smoothly. 🗣️ DISCORD ACCOUNT REQUIRED All sessions are run through Discord for voice. • A working microphone is required • Please test your mic beforehand • Join the private server using the invite sent after booking Clear communication keeps combat clean and roleplay flowing. 📘 D&D BEYOND ACCOUNT REQUIRED Characters are created and managed through D&D Beyond. • You will receive a campaign link • All necessary official content will be shared • Please have a draft character ready before Session 0 You do not need to purchase any additional books. 🧭 FOUNDRY VTT ACCESS Combat maps, tokens, and dice rolling will take place in Foundry. • No license purchase required • You’ll receive a browser link before the game • A stable internet connection is recommended • Chrome or Firefox works best 🎧 TECHNICAL CHECK Before your first session: • Test your microphone • Use headphones if possible (reduces echo) • Join from a quiet environment • Log in 10–15 minutes early for your first session 🧠 COME READY TO ENGAGE This is a consequence-driven campaign. Pay attention to names. Take notes. Make decisions deliberately. The world will react.

What Kysa brings to the table

This is a campaign built on structure, immersion, and consequence. You bring the decisions. I bring the world that responds. 🗺️ HIGH QUALITY MAPS • Combat is run on detailed battle maps with dynamic lighting, line of sight, and terrain that matters. Positioning matters. Cover matters. Preparation matters. • Encounters are balanced RA, but intelligent enemies act intelligently. 🎧 CURATED SOUNDSCAPES • Subtle soundscapes support the tone without overwhelming the table. Frontier taverns feel lived in. Ruins feel empty in the wrong way. Underground spaces carry weight. • Atmosphere enhances tension; it doesn’t distract from it. 🎭 CHARACTERS & CINEMATICS I use distinct NPC voices and narrative pacing to give scenes texture and identity. Major NPCs feel different. Factions have presence. Locations have mood. You’ll know when a conversation matters. ⚖️ RAW + EARNED RULE OF COOL The system works. We use it. • Combat follows RAW for clarity and fairness • Adjudication is consistent • The rules apply equally to players and NPCs If you set up something clever, cinematic, or tactically brilliant, I will support it. Rule of Cool is not random chaos. It is earned momentum. 🧠 A REACTIVE WORLD This is the defining feature of my table. • NPCs remember how you treat them. • Factions shift in response to power changes. • Loose ends resurface. • Reputations form. If you destabilize something, the world fills the vacuum. If you protect something, it grows stronger. Nothing stays frozen between sessions. 🎲 TACTICAL COMBAT & STAKES Combat is not filler. It serves story and consequence. You may: • Negotiate • Intimidate • Investigate • Retreat But if steel is drawn, the fight matters. Enemies retreat when smart. They exploit weaknesses. They pursue goals beyond “reduce HP to zero.” Victory is earned. You bring a character with intent. I provide a world that reacts accordingly.

Homebrew rules

This campaign runs primarily Rules As Written. The system provides structure, balance, and fairness and we use it. That said, a few light table adjustments keep play smooth and cinematic without breaking the game. 🧪 POTIONS • You may drink a potion as a bonus action if it is already in hand. • Administering a potion to another creature remains an action. Efficiency matters in dangerous situations. ⚔️ CRITICAL HITS • Critical hits deal max weapon damage + rolled damage dice. This keeps crits impactful without turning them into swingy chaos. 🛡️ DEATH & CONSEQUENCES Standard 5e death saving throws apply. However: • Enemies may target downed characters if it makes tactical sense. • Retreat is always an option. Combat has stakes. Decisions in positioning and resource use matter. 🧠 CREATIVE PLAY Clever tactics, strong roleplay, or smart use of environment may earn advantage when appropriate. Not for theatrics, for strategy. Everything else follows standard 5e rules. Consistency builds trust. Trust builds tension. Tension builds memorable victories.

How Kysa creates a safe table

This campaign includes violence, moral tension, and gradually escalating unsettling themes. Your comfort matters more than any plot point. We play with intensity, not recklessness. 🎴 SAFETY TOOLS We use a simple, clear signal system during sessions: 🟥 Stop – Immediate pause. No questions asked. 🟧 Slow Down – Fade to black, soften tone, or redirect the scene. 🟨 Back Up – Rewind and approach the moment differently. 🟩 Clarify – Someone wasn’t heard or needs the moment reframed. These can be used: • Verbally • In Discord chat • Via emoji • Private message No justification required. Ever. 🕯️ SESSION ZERO Before the campaign begins, we will: • Establish Lines & Veils • Clarify tone expectations (heroic fantasy → gradual unease) • Discuss character boundaries (romance, rivalry, moral themes) • Review table etiquette • Confirm safety signal use Everyone should know what kind of story we are telling and what we are not. 🌙 AFTERCARE & CHECK-INS At the end of each session: • We take a short debrief • We separate character tension from player space • We identify any adjustments needed going forward Players are always welcome to message privately after a session if something felt off or needs revision. 📜 TABLE PHILOSOPHY & VIBES Conflict happens in the story. Respect happens at the table. We can explore dark themes without creating discomfort for the people playing. If something needs adjusting, we adjust it. Consent is ongoing.