Phandalin: What Lurks Beneath

Creating your character

🧭 STARTING POINT Phandalin doesn’t need legends. It needs people willing to step into a mess and see what happens. You’re not famous heroes (yet). You’re capable, a little scrappy, and figuring it out as you go. ⚔️ STARTING LEVEL We’re starting at Level 2. You’ve got some experience, but there’s still a lot of room to grow. 🧮 ABILITY SCORES We’ll use Standard Array to keep things simple and fair. 📘 PLATFORM We’ll be using D&D Beyond for characters. • I’ll send a campaign link before Session 0 • Please come in with a rough character idea (it doesn’t have to be perfect) • We’ll tweak backstories and connections together 📚 ALLOWED CONTENT All official 5e content is good to go, with a couple of limits: ❌ No Grim Hollow or Cthulhu Mythos ❌ No Rick & Morty, Minecraft, or parody content If it’s from an official Wizards of the Coast book and fits the tone, you’re good. ✍️ BACKSTORIES Give your character a reason to be here. Phandalin attracts people like: mercenaries, wanderers, ex-soldiers, runaways, treasure-seekers and people trying to start over. Keep it grounded: Level 2 means you’re skilled, but not famous. If you send me your backstory before Session 0, I’ll work at least one piece of it into the campaign.

Preparing for the session

✅ BEFORE SESSION 0 Please have the following ready so we can get started smoothly. 🗣️ DISCORD REQUIRES We use Discord for voice chat during sessions. • A working mic is required • Please test it ahead of time • You’ll get a private server invite after booking Clear audio makes everything easier for combat, roleplay, and general chaos. 📘 D&D BEYOND REQUIRED Characters will be made and managed through D&D Beyond. • I’ll send a campaign link • Shared content will be available • Please come to Session 0 with a rough character draft You won’t need to buy extra books for this game. 🧭 FOUNDRY VTT We’ll use Foundry for maps, tokens, and rolling. • No purchase needed • I’ll send a browser link before game time • Stable internet helps a lot • Chrome or Firefox usually work best I’m still learning Foundry too, so we’ll figure out the occasional weirdness together. 🎧 QUICK TECH CHECK Before your first session: • Test your mic • Headphones are preferred if you have them • Try to join from a fairly quiet space • Hop in 30 minutes to an hour early for your first session if possible That gives us time to fix any tech issues before we start. 🧠 WHAT TO BRING Please come ready to: • Pay attention • Engage with the group • Make choices • Roll with the chaos a little Taking notes helps, but you do not need to treat this like homework. We’re here to have fun and tell a good story together.

What Kysa brings to the table

🎲 HOW I RUN THE GAME This game has structure, but it’s not rigid. You make choices. I run the world and react to them. Sometimes things go exactly as planned… most of the time they don’t, and that’s part of the fun. 🗺️ MAPS & COMBAT • We use Foundry maps with lighting, line of sight, and terrain • Positioning and movement matter—but we’re not sweating every inch • Enemies act like real creatures, not just punching bags I aim for fair combat, but not perfect balance every time. 🎧 SOUNDS AND ATMOSPHERE • I use light sound/music to set the vibe • Nothing overwhelming, just enough to make scenes feel different 🎭 NPCS & ROLEPLAY I like to give NPCs personality. • Different voices, attitudes, and vibes • Some are friendly, some are problems • If something feels important, you’ll feel it ⚖️ RULES + RULE OF COOL I use Rules As Written as a baseline so things stay consistent. But -- If you do something clever, funny, or cinematic, I’ll usually roll with it. Rule of Cool is absolutely part of this table. We’re here to have fun, not argue over edge-case rules. 🧠 THE WORLD REACTS (but keep it chill) • NPCs remember what you do • Actions can have consequences • Things may come back later But this isn’t a hyper-punishing game. It’s about making your choices matter, not punishing you for them. ⚔️ COMBAT & CHOICES You don’t always have to fight. You can: • Talk • Intimidate • Sneak • Or just cause chaos But if a fight starts its going to it matters. ⚠️ NPC ROLEPLAY STYLE (Important) I fully act in character for my NPCs. That means: • Villains will try to win • NPCs will react strongly • I might cheer or react to dice rolls in the moment But this is all in good fun! I’m not playing against you, promise. I’m just making the world feel real. Out of character, I’m always on your side.

Homebrew rules

⚖️ RULES & TABLE ADJUSTMENTS We mostly use Rules As Written so things stay consistent—but this isn’t a hyper-strict table. I’ll bend things a bit when it makes the moment better. Here are a few small tweaks to keep things flowing: 🧪 POTIONS • You can drink a potion as a bonus action if it’s already in your hand • Giving a potion to someone else is still an action This just keeps combat moving and helps you stay in the fight. ⚔️ CRITCAL HITS • Crits deal max damage + rolled damage This makes big moments feel big without getting too wild. 🛡️ DOWNED CHARACTERS & DANGER • Standard death saves apply • Enemies might attack downed characters if it makes sense Basically: combat has stakes, but I’m not out to randomly delete your character. Running away is always an option. 🧠 CREATIVE PLAY If you do something clever, tactical, or just plain cool: 👉 I’ll usually support it (advantage, flexibility, etc.) You don’t need to argue rules to have a cool moment; we’ll make it work. 🎲 EVERYTHING ELSE Everything else follows normal 5e rules.

How Kysa creates a safe table

🛑 SAFETY & COMFORT This campaign can include violence, moral tension, and some gradually unsettling themes, but your comfort always comes first. We’re here to have fun, not make anyone uncomfortable. 🎴 SAFETY TOOLS We use a simple signal system during play: 🟥 Stop – Pause immediately, no questions asked 🟧 Slow Down – Fade out or shift the scene 🟨 Back Up – Rewind and try a different approach 🟩 Clarify – Something didn’t land right, we fix it You can use these: Out loud, In chat, With emojis, or privately. No explanation needed. Ever. 🕯️ SESSION ZERO Before we start, we’ll go over: • Lines & Veils (what’s in / what’s out) • Tone (starts heroic, gets a little weird later) • Character boundaries (romance, conflict, etc.) • Table expectations • How safety tools work Everyone should feel clear and comfortable before we begin. 🌙 AFTERCARE & CHECK-INS At the end of sessions, we’ll do a quick check-in: • Shake off in-character tension • Talk through anything that felt off • Adjust if needed You can always message me privately too; no pressure. 🤝 TABLE VIBES Conflict can happen in the story. Respect always stays at the table. We can explore heavier themes, but if something stops being fun, we change it. Simple as that.