The Everlasting Winter (Rime of the Frostmaiden)

Creating your character

We will be hosting a session 0 where we will collaborate on character creation. But to preview, we will be using the 2024 rules with "SELECT" additional rules from genre appropriate sources. I ask that nobody fully build their character until we've had a chance to discuss themes, story threads, and what types of characters make great characters in Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden.

Preparing for the session

We will be playing over discord and using D&D beyond. You can sign up for both using free accounts without spending a dime. I suggest you have a web camera and a pair of earphones/headphones with a microphone, but I've run games where players have had to just use their phone for everything, so anything works. For a FULL campaign though, I suggest you invest in good camera and microphone if you can!

What Trent brings to the table

I have been running games multiple times per week for 13 years, hosting one shots and teaching new players of all ages and demographics. I've run multiple full campaigns, run games at conventions, and professionally both online and for teenagers at a boarding school. I use character voices of varying consistency and accuracy, love deep tear-jerking roleplay and tactical combat both, and tend to follow Rule of "Fun for the Players without Breaking the Game". I use ambient music from curated playlists, battlemaps through DnD Beyond's Maps, and find NPC portraits for the parties notes.

Homebrew rules

In session 0 we will discuss what homebrew rules we want to play with, possibly including things like "No long rests outside of a sanctuary." or "one level of exhaustion whenever you fall to zero hp and/or fail a death saving throw." I have a few more rules that help sell the gothic horror genre in the game, but it will be up to the party to decide if it adds to their experience in a fun way or not. Otherwise, I stick to rules as written with the exception of rule of cool, which means if something makes sense in the context of the story and adds to the fun of the game, I allow it.

How Trent creates a safe table

This is a table of love and acceptance. We will do everything we can to make everyone feel welcomed and safe. I will request any triggers before the game that we can stay away from, establish lines and veils of what is accepted in role play, and use X cards (or messages) to pause the game and check in with everyone. No homophobia, sexism, racism, or prejudice of any type will be tolerated. All that said, Rime of the Frostmaiden is built to be a horror story. If descriptions of horrifying things trying to kill you, violence against monsters, and evil manipulative villains, this might not be the best game for you. If in general you love that stuff, but have a specific problem with one or two of the content warnings, I can adjust to not include those. It's totally fine if you can't stomach animal abuse or drugs, but if you can't handle half the list, I might suggest finding a brighter, more heroic campaign.