Dolmenwood OSR: Dark Fairy Tale Hexcrawl Sandbox 🌈🧚
Unfurl the ancient scroll, follow the fairy lights, and plumb the crypt's depth in Dolmenwood, a deep old school fantasy setting!
TYPE
SYSTEM
LEVELS
LANGUAGE
EXPERIENCE
AGE
$30.00
/ Session
Details
Weekly / Thursday - 1:00 AM UTC
Session Duration / 3–3.5 hours
1 / 8 Seats Filled
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About the adventure
In the mossy reaches of Dolmenwood... 👑 Uncover lost treasure ⚔️ Navigate the threat of war 🧚 Resolve fey vengeance ✨ Dabble with ancient sorcery 🌒 Confront eldritch contamination And become legendary! Learn to play the Old-School Essentials Dolmenwood, a deep and dangerous fairy tale setting! Explore a lush, wondrous, and mysterious hexmap rich in dungeons, puzzles, and peculiar allies! Learn the secrets of fey lords, witches, the Pluritine Church, politicking longhorn nobility, a slumbering dragon, and more! New adventurers welcome! What is Dolmenwood? Dolmenwood is an old school homebrew setting inspired by British Isles folklore. It became a crowdfunding success and critical darling for its beautiful artwork, diverse factions, nigh bottomless lore, and more! Adventurers will be able to set their own goals such as becoming a powerful sorcerer with the Drune, parlay with fey lords and the powerful Cold Prince, or confront the dark malignancy Atunuwe the Nag Lord! What is West Marches? West Marches is a game style that can accommodate many players and even multiple GMs. Not everyone needs to be at the table at once (you're charged only for the ones you play). Adventurers recruit one another for specific quests and the GM crafts the details to meet those goals. This fosters a player-driven experience. Players can join some or all adventures, or maintain a stable of characters to pursue multiple questlines at once! Whether you're nostalgic for how TTRPGs used to feel or are brand new to the hobby, Dolmenwood offers an excellent setting for you! Your GM will have a new dungeon to delve each session, or you can hit the trails to forge your own path and toward your own goal! Resources Check out the free Welcome to Dolmenwood PDF: https://necroticgnome.com/products/welcome-to-dolmenwood. Join as a group for $5 off every session!
Game style
Hexcrawl / Exploration
West Marches
Sandbox / Open World
Rule of Cool (RoC)
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
Less than a year on StartPlaying
37 games hosted
Highly rated for: Inclusive, Teacher, Creativity
Average response time: 1 hour
Response rate: 100%
About me
I offer: 🏳️🌈 A welcoming, inclusive play style 🔥 Player-focused flair and action 🧭 Open-ended storytelling following player cues 🎭 In-game action, horror, awe, and comedy ⚖️ Settings with themes of justice and transformation 📆 Over a decade of game mastering experience 🖋️ Know-how with dozens of systems Even in the midst of death-defying adventure or bone-chilling horror, I aim to be a warm and welcoming game master. LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC players can expect respect at my tables. I've run games for children, seniors, and all ages in between. Safety tools such as the X Card are always part of my table. I suffuse hope, respect, and warmth into every session I run. That's why I go by the Gentle GM. At thirteen, three of us huddled around the Dungeons & Dragons 3e starter set, laughing at a natural 20 to breakdown a door with the fighter's head. In high school, I found the Call of Cthulhu rulebook and made investigators, still clueless how to actually play. In 2014 with the launch of D&D 5e and Call of Cthulhu 7e, I committed to running these games and an old love sparked brilliantly to life! I've since taught dozens their first TTRPG! I'm an inveterate game dabbler. If you're curious if I run a particular game, just ask! I'm up to the challenge to try something new you're excited to play. I run games full-time. You can expect preparation and dedication at my table. Local cafes and bars also host my game sessions and workshops. My newsletter and itch page also share game design reflections and projects. Images are used with permission from James' RPG Art, https://jamesrpgart.com.
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
During the zero session, we'll create characters, sketch backstories, cover rules basics, and play an introductory encounter. Create your own character at https://www.dolmenwood.necroticgnome.com/characters/ Pregenerated characters will be available for players, as well.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
Players will need 1) a Discord profile, as audio and visual will be handled over Discord; 2) a mic and headphones (webcam is welcome, but not required); and 3) a computer with internet connection for the Foundry VTT interface. Players can use physical dice if they prefer. Foundry VTT offers dice, rules, and character sheet integration.
What Caleb | The Gentle GM brings to the table
My players say it better than I can: "Caleb’s tables feel inclusive and safe. I love how he encourages player creativity. He tailors his games to the play group, so they are the right level of challenging and the right balance of battles and social encounters." - Cindy "I've been part of multiple table-top gaming groups in the past 10 years and Caleb's storytelling, world-building, knowledge of different systems, and ability to create an inclusive, safe space for every single player at the table is (and I say this with my whole chest) exceptional. If you are looking for a GM that will support, encourage, and wrap you up in the most amazing worlds, Caleb is that GM." - Jenna "When you sit down to play a game at one of his tables, you feel like you interact with the world and story better than I have felt anywhere else... it's like being given the keys to your dad's classic car on date night. Every game with Caleb is a breath of fresh air. I've played and run games for years now, and Caleb truly brings player involvement and agency to a different level than I see elsewhere." - Matt "Caleb taught me to play D&D when I was 11. I've played RPGs with him on and off since then, and I even started bringing my friends to play as well. 9 years later, and I’m playing every week with a group that never would have formed if it wasn’t for Caleb inspiring me with his storytelling." - Nyx Nackle You can expect: A story defined by the player characters and your choices Patience and support in moments of uncertainty Colorful characters and fantastical settings Theatrical acting for side characters with a touch of voiceacting Celebration of character success and plot beats Respect and consideration of my players and their consent
Homebrew rules
Old-School Essentials and Dolmenwood have a "rulings not rules" attitude. You can expect fluidity and rule of cool as we explore the world together. Additional Old-School Essentials compatible material may be incorporated if it is setting-appropriate and approved by the GM.
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
Headphones
Platforms used
Safety
How Caleb | The Gentle GM creates a safe table
For safety tools, you can expect: 1. The X Card hard pauses the session. No explanation needed. 2. Open Door: Step away or leave without penalty. 3. Content Warnings: These are in the listing. Any questions? 4. Rating: I'm expecting a PG or PG-13 game depending on player feedback. 5. Lines: What content do we want to exclude altogether? 6. Veils: What content do we want to fade to black? 7. Fast forward/Rewind: Jump ahead or revisit due to sensitive content.
Content warnings
Safety tools used