Light in the Black: A Dark Space Opera in a Galaxy Far Far Away

Creating your character

Character creation will be done in a group setting during a free session zero and then fleshed out afterwards before our first paid session. Players are encouraged to consider what kind of character they want to play beforehand, and to have a couple of concepts ready to flesh out. All characters are welcome, but everyone should have a reason to want to explore the mysteries of the Force. This is a light side game, and ultimately characters should reflect that. We'll use standard rules for character creation from the the Force and Destiny Core Rulebook, but as long as a character has a reason to join the adventure, all sourcebooks are available. The Oggdude Character Generator is a great tool, and its use is highly encouraged. Characters can be built in it and then exported to the Foundry VTT very easily.

Preparing for the session

Before we can begin, players will need to create free accounts on Discord and forge-vtt.com to be able to join the server and make use of the virtual tabletop. A short player's handbook covering the game scenario, as well as rules and expectations, will also be available to get some ideas going before the free session zero where we will make our characters.

What John brings to the table

I will always do my best to provide a tightly crafted narrative with a large cast of memorable characters, believable motivations, and lots of hooks to help players engage with a reactive world where their choices matter. I run a cinematic, theatre-of-the-mind style table, enhanced with character voices (as best I can!) and an atmospheric visual backdrop within the VTT to encourage an appropriate Star Wars vibe. I prefer to work from a Rules as Written starting point, but I like to maintain a sense of adaptability in exploring the Rule of Cool to find the approach that works best for the table as we play. I am also a compulsive writer for my games, and I like to maintain full quest logs, character profiles, and session summaries to make it as easy as possible for players to track the story and the world as the game develops.

Homebrew rules

We will begin our game running play Rules as Written, but the Complete Species Guide v6 will be made available for character creation. Any other homebrew must be approved before use.

How John creates a safe table

Player comfort and safety is of the utmost importance at my table, so to facilitate that we'll make a "Lines and Veils" document available before we start, which we will go over during the free session zero. We'll also cover content and tonal expectations at that time to make sure everyone is on the same page. Our primary tool for safe play will be the X card, which will be incorporated into the VTT through a module, and can be digitally or verbally signaled at any time. Other features will include a text channel for Stars and Wishes, and debriefs will be available at all times after and between sessions for open discussion of the game when players feel there is something they would like to bring up. I like to maintain a low pressure atmosphere, and if a player doesn't feel comfortable raising an issue openly at the table they can contact me privately in DMs at any time.