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Dark Matter Sci-fi 5e | Contractor Corp Campaign
Trade your swords for blasters in this gritty, 5E-compatible sci-fi campaign. Sign with a criminal syndicate, pull off wild heists, and survive!
TYPE
SYSTEM
LEVELS
LANGUAGE
EXPERIENCE
AGE
$15.00
/ Session
Details
1 player following this game
Weekly / Friday - 7:00 PM UTC
Session Duration / 3–4 hours
0 / 6 Seats Filled
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About the adventure
The Premise: Players take on the role of freelance galactic contractors or expendable muscle working for the largest organized crime syndicate in the 'Verse. The Start: The campaign kicks off with a high-stakes prison break from a transport ship bound for a lifetime sentence at the Void's End penitentiary. Home Base: Players operate out of Yokai-Flux, a gritty space-tavern-turned-biker-bar featuring cybernetic bartenders, equipment shopping, and a digital bulletin board for missions. Structure: Episodic, job-based campaign where missions function as self-contained capers on distinct battlemaps. Players can follow overarching syndicate "Contracts" to level up or pursue "Freelance" side-jobs for local factions. Mission Types: Features heists (safe-cracking, space-diners), record-deletion police raids, derelict ship alien infestations, and corporate skyscraper infiltration. Vibe: Gritty, high-stakes science fiction mixed with tactical crime capers and dark humor.
Game style
Rule of Cool (RoC)
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
5.0
(14)
1 year on StartPlaying
4 games hosted
Highly rated for: Inclusive, Creativity, Storytelling
Average response time: 4 hours
Response rate: 100%
About me
Welcome, come stay a while and listen! I am a long time gamemaster, and avid tabletop roleplay player. I have been running games for pretty much most of my life from ad hoc adventures in the park when I was a much younger for my friends, regular online sessions, to much grander in person immersive experiences. I always strive to foster a welcoming and safe space for all the people at my table, to allow all to enjoy their hobby. Game Philosophy: - Collaborative Story Telling - we are all here for the same reason, to tell amazing stories, including the gamemaster. - The world is a living one- I like to run games that are fully alive and that the characters are inhabiting, meaning that decisions have consequences, good or bad. - Rules are a framework for a game to enable great moments, if those rules need unique exceptions then so be it. - Player agency - my players are free to choose their own consequences as long as they do not take away from the others at the table. - Serious and Silly - I expect my players to take the story and characters seriously but that does not mean they can not be silly. Roleplay games are meant to be enjoyable, dumb jokes and comedy offers levity to the more serious notes in a story. Favourite Systems: - Dungeons and Dragons - Dark Matter - Call of Cthulhu - Pirate Borg - Alien RPG Thank you for reading this far, if any of this sounds like something you would enjoy then please check out my games or contact me.
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
Process: Built collaboratively during a dedicated Session 0 to establish starting level 1 characters and tie backgrounds together. System Options: Fully compatible with core D&D 5e (2024) rules, but highly encourages using Dark Matter rules for unique sci-fi races, subclasses, backgrounds, and the setting's custom class. Classes from other Hit Point Press books are also welcome with approval. Stats: Uses an enhanced stat array of 17, 15, 13, 12, 10, 8 to allow for deeper customization and early access to unique feats.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
Hardware: Reliable internet connection, and a microphone. Webcams are highly preferred for immersion but entirely optional if a player is more comfortable with voice-only. Platforms: Discord: Used for voice and video communication. Alchemy RPG: Used as the virtual tabletop (VTT). A free account can be made to access character sheets, campaign materials, and digital dice rolling.
What Rich brings to the table
I strive for an immersive experience, this includes ambient music, cinematic backdrops and occasional silly voices. Combat is a mix of tactical and free form depending what the situation calls for. I am of the school of Rule of Cool over the Rules as Written so if you have a creative solution to a problem then go for it. I expect players to want to engage with the story and engage with the other players collaboratively, but the characters are more the welcome to explore any aspect of the story they choose. Any abuse or inter-player conflict will not be tolerated, and I expect the players to expect the same from me.
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
Platforms used
Safety
How Rich creates a safe table
Table Rating: Classified as a 15+ movie rating depending on table comfort. Safety Features: Alchemy's built-in X-card system and Lines & Veils are utilized alongside a fillable document distributed by the GM. In-game "fade to black" triggers are used to bypass uncomfortable scenes. Post-Game: Offers private post-game follow-ups via text, video, or audio for any issues players wish to address. Content Warnings: Explicitly notes guns and language/cursing.
Content warnings
Safety tools used