ZEITGEIST | The Gears of Revolution

Creating your character

Character Creation Characters will be created before Session 1, and I will work with each player to ensure their character fits both the setting and the themes of the campaign. We will begin at Level 1. Daggerheart's standard character creation rules will be used, and all official Daggerheart classes, ancestries, communities, and domains are welcome unless otherwise discussed. New players are absolutely welcome, and I am happy to guide players through the entire creation process. This campaign places a strong emphasis on character backgrounds, personal goals, relationships, beliefs, and motivations. Your character is more than a collection of abilities—they are a person living through one of the most transformative periods in history. What they believe about progress, tradition, industry, magic, authority, revolution, and the future may become just as important as their combat abilities. I enjoy working collaboratively with players to develop meaningful backstories, connections to the setting, and personal story arcs that can become part of the larger campaign. The more invested you are in your character's ambitions, flaws, relationships, and ideals, the more opportunities I will have to weave them into the narrative. While combat certainly has a place in the campaign, ZEITGEIST is fundamentally a story about people, mysteries, politics, and a changing world. Characters with goals, opinions, convictions, and connections to the setting will thrive.

Preparing for the session

Preparing for the Game Before Session 1, players should: Create a free Discord account. Join the campaign Discord server. Have a reliable internet connection and a quality microphone/headset. Be granted access to rules and other content Read any campaign primers, setting information, or handouts provided before the game. No prior Daggerheart experience is required. Curiosity, initiative, and investment in your character are far more important than system mastery.

What Ashley brings to the table

# What I Provide My games emphasize character-driven storytelling, meaningful choices, immersive worldbuilding, and long-term consequences. I enjoy creating living worlds that react to player decisions and developing storylines that grow naturally from character goals, relationships, rivalries, and ambitions. Players can expect: * Deep roleplay and character development * Political intrigue and difficult decisions * Mysteries, conspiracies, and investigations * Memorable NPCs with their own goals and motivations * A world that evolves in response to player actions * Long-term story arcs built around the party I use ambient music, maps, visual handouts, character voices, and setting details to help create atmosphere and immersion. ZEITGEIST is a setting filled with competing ideologies, rising industries, ancient powers, and hidden conspiracies, and I strive to make those forces feel present in the world around the characters. Combat is important, but it is not the primary focus of the campaign. Many challenges can be solved through investigation, diplomacy, clever planning, negotiation, or creative problem-solving. Players who enjoy uncovering secrets, navigating complex situations, and shaping the future of the setting will find plenty of opportunities to shine. When rules questions arise, I prefer to make a quick ruling to keep the game moving and revisit the rule after the session if needed. I value consistency and fairness, but I don't like lengthy rules debates interrupting the flow of play. I generally favor a moderate Rule of Cool approach when it creates memorable moments and remains fair to everyone at the table. Most importantly, I build campaigns around the characters. Your backstory, goals, beliefs, allies, rivals, and choices will influence the direction of the story. This is not a campaign where the world waits for heroes to arrive—the world is already changing, and your actions will help determine what it becomes.

How Ashley creates a safe table

Creating a safe, welcoming, and respectful environment is important to me. Before the campaign begins, we will have a Session 0 to discuss expectations, table culture, character concepts, campaign themes, and any concerns players may have. I use a combination of: * Lines & Veils * X, N, & O Cards * Open Door Policy * Ongoing Check-Ins Players may communicate concerns verbally, through Discord messages, or privately at any time. No explanation is required to use a safety tool. If something makes a player uncomfortable, we will address it respectfully and move forward. ZEITGEIST explores themes such as political conflict, conspiracy, corruption, social change, moral ambiguity, violence, and competing ideologies. During Session 0 we will discuss what subjects are appropriate for the table and establish any Lines (subjects excluded from play) and Veils (subjects that may exist in the setting but remain off-screen). I also encourage feedback throughout the campaign. If something is not working, if a player has concerns, or if someone simply wants to discuss their experience, I am always happy to listen. My goal is to create a table where everyone feels comfortable contributing, exploring their character, and enjoying the story together. At the end of the day, we are here to tell a great story and have fun doing it.