Legends of the World Yet Unwritten: A Collaborative D&D Campaign

Creating your character

Character creation will take place after our world-building sessions. During the first one or two sessions we will collaboratively create the setting using The Quiet Year. Once the world has taken shape and the themes of the setting are established, players will create characters who live within that world. Characters will be built using the Roll20 Character Creator, where I have the following official sources available: Volo’s Guide to Monsters, Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes, Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, and Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons. We will be playing using the 2024 update, but players may feel free to use the 2014 character options, modified as described in the player's handbook. At this time I do not have any expansions released 2025 or later available in Roll20. Characters will begin at Level 3, allowing players to start with subclass features and a more defined identity from the beginning of the campaign. Ability scores will be generated using the Standard Array to keep character power balanced across the party. I also offer a free one-hour session for any player who would like help with character creation. During that time we can work on character concepts, connect your character to the world we created together, and make sure everything is set up correctly in the Roll20 character creator.

Preparing for the session

I use Discord for all communications that don't go through Start Playing Games. We will use Roll20 as our virtual table top. Please have an account for each of those platforms. I will supply the Discord link through direct message here on Start Playing Games. Links to the Roll20 page will be supplied in Discord. You are encouraged to make your own level 3 character after we build our setting, however, I am available to craft your character after we consult about your ideas. I have an array of pre-made characters as well, though they may be less useful in this custom setting.

What Diamat (Mat) brings to the table

My games focus on collaborative storytelling, player agency, and immersive worldbuilding. Because this campaign begins with players helping create the setting, I lean heavily into developing storylines that grow directly from the ideas the group brings to the table. Player decisions—both during worldbuilding and during the campaign itself—will meaningfully shape the direction of the story. I enjoy bringing the world to life with distinct NPC personalities, character voices, and atmospheric descriptions, and I typically use ambient music and sound to help set the tone of a scene. Exploration, mystery, faction intrigue, and character-driven storytelling tend to be major elements of my games. Combat will be present and meaningful, but it is usually story-driven rather than constant. When battles happen, they can be tactical and challenging, but they are rarely just filler encounters. I generally follow the rules as written, but I’m also happy to embrace the Rule of Cool when a creative idea makes the moment more exciting and memorable. Above all, I want the table to feel like a place where players can experiment, contribute ideas, and help shape the adventure. This campaign in particular is designed to reward creativity and collaboration, because the world—and the legends within it—will truly belong to the group that creates it.

Homebrew rules

We will use the 2014 version of wildshape when it comes to Hp. I do NOT like what they did using Temp Hp.

How Diamat (Mat) creates a safe table

Creating a safe and comfortable table is extremely important to me. Because this campaign begins with collaborative worldbuilding, we will establish boundaries early so everyone can participate confidently and creatively. I use several safety tools during my games. Players can use X, N, and O signals at any time to communicate if something needs to stop, shift direction, or if everything is going well. These can be communicated either verbally or through chat during the session. Since the setting for this campaign will be built collaboratively, I will also create a Lines and Veils document to help establish clear boundaries around sensitive topics. This document will be shared in a dedicated Discord channel, where players can review it and contribute privately if needed. This ensures the world we create together stays within everyone’s comfort levels. At the end of sessions, I like to use Stars and Wishes as a short debrief. Players can share moments they enjoyed (“stars”) and things they would like to see more of in the future (“wishes”). This helps the game evolve in ways that the group finds fun and engaging. My goal is to make sure everyone at the table feels respected, comfortable, and excited to participate in the shared story we’re creating together.