Image by Denis Belinski
Dawn of the Dragonlords – From Villagers to Legends
The gods have chosen you. With dragons at your side, you must tame a world ruled by monsters and lead humanity into its first golden age.
$20.00
/ Session
Details
Weekly / Sunday - 5:00 PM UTC
Session Duration / 3–4 hours
Campaign Length / 30–40 Sessions
0 / 5 Seats Filled
Report Adventure
StartPlaying Money Back Guarantee
If your game doesn't happen, we guarantee a refund. Just reach out to StartPlaying Support. Refund Policy
About the adventure
Before cities. Before kings. Before history—there were the Dragonlords. In the earliest age of humanity, before cities, kings, or written law, the world belongs to monsters. You begin as humble villagers—farmers, goatherds, and hunters—struggling to survive on wild islands inspired by Greek mythology. But the gods are watching. When they recognize your potential, they grant you a divine gift: the power of dragons. Human heroes will bond with young dragons that will grow alongside them into powerful allies and mounts. Non-human characters will instead discover their divine heritage, awakening as demigods and gaining unique powers tied to their godly parentage. Over the course of 30–40 adventures, you will unite scattered tribes, slay legendary beasts, and push back the monsters that rule the wilds. As your power grows, humanity will rise with you—from small tribes of hunters and herders to the founders of the first great civilizations. This campaign is heavily inspired by Greek mythology and focuses on heroic growth, exploration, and shaping the world itself. I use some homebrew rules, including a variant of the gritty rest system from the 2014 Dungeon Master’s Guide, to create a slower, story-driven pacing closer to long-form campaigns like those seen on Critical Role. In this campaign you will: - Bond with a personal dragon companion that grows in power with you - Explore mythic islands inspired by Greek mythology - Rise from humble villagers to legendary heroes - Hunt and defeat the monsters that rule the wilds - Unite scattered tribes and shape the future of humanity - Help lay the foundations for the first great civilizations - Let fate shape your hero with optional randomized character creation Your Dragon Companion The gods do not grant their champions power lightly. When they choose you, they grant you a dragon. These dragons begin as young creatures but grow alongside their riders throughout the campaign. Each dragon is custom-built by its player, choosing unique abilities from a list of possible traits. No two dragons will be the same. Your dragon is more than a mount—it is a companion, a weapon against the monsters of the world, and a symbol of the divine power guiding humanity into a new age.
Game style
Realm Building
Hexcrawl / Exploration
Roleplay Heavy
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
5.0
(6)
Less than a year on StartPlaying
Highly rated for: Inclusive, Storytelling, World Builder
About me
I am a very experienced GM who is still amazed by all the different ways my players manage to surprise me! When I find the right players, I prefer long-running campaigns where characters build a city, kingdom, or empire—but not every campaign or adventure has to be high stakes. I firmly believe that character choices should matter and actively influence the world around them.
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
During character creation, you’ll have the option to roll on tables for each step—background, species, class, and ability scores. If you enjoy randomness, you can let fate guide your character’s story. However, you’re never locked in. At each step, you may instead choose your preferred option, and ability scores can always be created using point buy. Players who embrace more of the random results will receive a small bonus as a reward for letting the dice shape their hero.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
We will use the following free tools to play: - Zoom – for voice and video - Roll20 – for maps and gameplay - D&D Beyond – for character sheets - Beyond20 – a browser extension that links D&D Beyond to Roll20 Before the first session, please: - Create a free account on Roll20 and D&D Beyond - Install the Beyond20 browser extension - Make sure Zoom works on your system - Test that Beyond20 can roll dice from D&D Beyond into Roll20 Beyond20 installation (Chrome, Firefox, and Edge): https://beyond20.here-for-more.info/install If you are new to any of these tools, I’m happy to help you set them up before the first session.
What Marco brings to the table
- Player-driven storytelling. Your characters are at the center of the campaign, and your choices will shape the fate of the world. - A sandbox world to explore. The islands are filled with locations, monsters, and mysteries that you can tackle in any order you choose. - A living world with real consequences. The world does not stand still while you act. Decisions matter, and your actions will change the course of events. - A civilization shaped by your characters. Over time, you may rise to rule a city-state or even a powerful kingdom. The culture and values of that civilization will be shaped by your choices and example. - Room for different playstyles. Whether you enjoy deep roleplay, tactical combat, exploration, or creative problem-solving, there will be opportunities for your character to shine. - Immersive gameplay tools. We will use battle maps on Roll20 along with ambient music and lighting to help bring the world to life. - Creative problem solving. I use the rules as a baseline, but I love when players come up with clever or unexpected ideas. If you think outside the box, the game will reward it.
Homebrew rules
I use a variant of the Gritty Rest rules from the 2014 Dungeon Master’s Guide. In practice, this means: - A night’s rest functions as a short rest. - A long rest represents a longer period of downtime, where weeks or even months pass in the world. These longer rests act as campaign turns, allowing time for your civilization to grow, recover, and develop. However, the world does not stand still—other powers may also advance their plans during this time.
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
Platforms used
Safety
How Marco creates a safe table
Session 0 – Lines & Veils Before the campaign begins, we will have a Session 0 where we discuss expectations and establish Lines and Veils together. This helps ensure that everyone at the table is comfortable with the themes explored in the game. Breaks During sessions we will take short breaks so everyone can stretch, grab a drink or snack, or step away for a moment. Cooldown At the end of each session we will spend a few minutes talking about what you enjoyed and what could be improved. This also gives everyone an opportunity to raise any concerns in a relaxed setting. Players are also always welcome to message me privately if something during the game makes them uncomfortable.
Content warnings
Safety tools used