The Wild Beyond the Witchlight 5e

Creating your character

The Blank Slate No Homework Required. Forget the character builders and the 10-page backstories. In this campaign, you don’t build a hero—you become one through play. What you need before Session Zero: -A Name & Race: Who are you in the town of Arzend? -Age & Sex: Just the basics. -A Simple Background: What is your mundane life like? (Think "Blacksmith’s apprentice" or "Local troublemaker" rather than "Exiled Prince"). What you DON'T need: -A Class: Do not lock yourself into being a Paladin or a Wizard yet. Let the carnival games and the tarot reading reveal your true calling. -A "Class Hook": You don't need to justify your future powers with a complex origin story right now. Whether your character is a happy-go-lucky farmhand or has a more serious, grounded past, their "heroic destiny" is something we will discover together at the fair. Let’s Connect: Once you’ve joined, I highly recommend sending me a quick message! Just let me know your character's name and a brief description of their appearance. This helps me get your tokens and VTT assets ready so we can jump straight into the fun.

Preparing for the session

To ensure we can jump straight into the magic of the carnival, please complete this quick technical checklist before our Session Zero. No financial investment is required—I have the content covered! Join the Discord: This is our hub for voice chat and out-of-character updates. Join here: https://discord.gg/QErwH7q9F2 Verify Your Identity: Once you join the Discord, please send me a direct message! Many players use different handles across platforms; letting me know your StartPlaying username ensures I can get you properly inducted into the right channels. Create a Free Roll20 Account: We will use this as our Virtual Tabletop (VTT) for maps and tokens. https://roll20.net/ Create a Free D&D Beyond Account: This is where your digital character sheet will live. Please do not buy anything! I will provide a campaign link that shares all my purchased books with you. https://www.dndbeyond.com/ Equipment & Sanity: Hardware: A Microphone and Headset are mandatory to prevent echo/feedback. (A wired headset/mic combo is also okay!). Webcam: Having a camera is genuinely preferable! It’s fun to see everyone’s reactions and it really heightens the party dynamics, but it is not strictly required. Sanity: If you have some spare sanity, please bring it along; I’ve lost mine somewhere in the Feywild. Summary: Have your accounts ready, join the Discord, and send me that DM. I’ll take care of the rest!

What Aaron Coates @DecisiveDM brings to the table

-A Bubbly British Host: You get my full energy, my accent, and a genuine passion for storytelling. I’m here to ensure everyone at the table is having a brilliant time. -A Cast of Characters: While I’m not a professional voice actor, I pride myself on bringing NPCs to life with distinct voices and personalities. From grumbling goblins to ethereal fae, the world will sound as alive as it looks. -High-Quality VTT Assets: I provide vibrant battle maps for every planned encounter. I’ll handle the tokens, too, though I’m always happy to use a custom one if you have a specific vision for your hero! -Atmospheric Soundscapes: Immersive music and ambient sound effects will follow you from the bustling carnival games into the deepest reaches of the Feywild to help set the mood and build suspense. -A Shared Digital Library: I have a significant collection of D&D Beyond content that I will share with the group, so you have all the tools you need at your fingertips. -Meaningful Stakes: I don’t pull my punches in combat. Actions have consequences, and the risk of character death is real—but in a land of magic, there is almost always a path to redemption for those brave enough to find it. (Death is open to discusiion, if you truly love your character then there is always a way to come back from death) -The "Rule of Cool" Balance: I play with a healthy mix of Rules as Written (RAW) and the "Rule of Cool." I’m flexible and prioritize the flow of the story and player creativity over rigid book-thumping.

Homebrew rules

- Deal with the Devil (Me) - At any point, a player may exchange a roll of theirs for a Nat20. However, I then gain the ability to do the opposite one time. [May only have one active deal at a time] - Potions are a bonus action to drink yourself, and an action to administer to another. If you use your action to drink it yourself, you gain the maximum effects rather than rolling for them. - Barbarians can use their Strength rather than Charisma for intimidation. - A 10ft difference in height or more offers an advantage or disadvantage in attacking. - If you can cause the desired effect of a spell (i.e. laughter IRL from Tasha's hideous laughter, then you will be awarded a crit). - Inspiration from me is a D12 or a re-roll and can be stacked and hoarded. - If I have any others that I have forgotten to mention, they will be in Session 0.

How Aaron Coates @DecisiveDM creates a safe table

I believe that the best roleplay happens when everyone feels safe, respected, and heard. To ensure a positive environment for our journey into the Feywild, I utilise the following tools: Pre-Game Conversation: Before the dice roll, we will discuss our collective boundaries (topics that are off-limits or should be kept "off-screen"). This ensures we are all on the same page regarding the game's content. Scheduled Breaks: We take scheduled breaks to stretch, hydrate, and decompress. This helps maintain focus and keeps the energy high. Open Door Policy: Life happens. If you ever need to step away from the table for any reason—personal, emotional, or otherwise—you are free to do so without judgment. Professional Empathy: I am a qualified therapist/counsellor in my professional life. While I am strictly your Game Master and not your therapist, my training means I am very aware of a table’s dynamics. Debriefing & "Bleed": Sometimes a character's emotions can spill over into the player (known as "bleed"). I am always open to post-game check-ins and debriefs to ensure everyone leaves the session feeling grounded and supported.