Beyond the Emperor’s Light

Creating your character

Characters will be created before the first full session, with help available for anyone new to Wrath & Glory. This campaign uses Tier 3 characters, which means your character is already capable, dangerous, and important enough to matter, but not so powerful that the system cannot still crush them. Players may choose from appropriate Imperial, mercenary, renegade, or other approved character concepts that fit the campaign premise. The party should be able to work together under pressure, even if they disagree, mistrust each other, or come from very different factions. I will help make sure each character has a reason to be trapped in the severed system, a reason to stay with the warband, and something personal at stake. Character sheets will be handled through our chosen play platform, and I will provide guidance for archetypes, species, wargear, objectives, and background details.

Preparing for the session

Before the first session, players should have: 1. A free StartPlaying account. 2. A Discord account for voice and between-session communication. 3. A working microphone. 4. A stable internet connection. 5. Access to the virtual tabletop link once it is provided. 6. A basic character concept, even if it is only a rough idea. You do not need to own the Wrath & Glory books to start. I will help new players learn the core rules, including dice pools, Wrath, Glory, Ruin, combat, tests, and how consequences work. Players should come ready for a grimdark science fantasy campaign where trust is fragile, violence is common, and the setting is hostile. Teamwork is strongly encouraged, even when the characters themselves are suspicious, damaged, or morally complicated.

What Burt! brings to the table

I provide a prepared campaign framework, tactical encounters, NPCs with clear motives, atmospheric locations, mission briefings, and consequences that carry forward between sessions. I use a virtual tabletop for maps, tokens, handouts, and visual support where useful. My GM style is cinematic, consequence-forward, and player-facing. I like dangerous combat, tense negotiations, strange discoveries, and moments where the party has to make the best decision they can with incomplete information. I enjoy character voices and distinct NPC personalities, but I keep the focus on player choices and table momentum. I will teach the rules as needed and help players understand their options in play. I try to keep the game moving, make the stakes clear, and reward bold plans, strong roleplay, clever problem solving, and teamwork under pressure. Expect grimdark survival, faction tension, battlefield horror, desperate missions, and the constant question of what loyalty means when the Imperium cannot reach you.

Homebrew rules

This campaign uses the Wrath & Glory rules as the foundation, with light table rulings to keep play moving smoothly. When rules are unclear, I will make a fair ruling at the table and check the exact rule after the session if needed.

How Burt! creates a safe table

This is a grimdark Warhammer 40,000 game, so the setting includes violence, horror, oppression, fanaticism, corruption, and moral compromise. The goal is an intense and memorable story, not making players uncomfortable in real life. We will use a Session 0 to discuss tone, boundaries, character concepts, party expectations, and safety tools. Players can message me privately before or after a session if something needs to be adjusted. We will use Lines and Veils to define content that should be excluded or handled off-screen. The table has an Open Door policy. Players may step away, take a break, or message me at any time. I also use check-ins and debriefing when the material gets especially intense. The game can be dark, but the table should remain respectful, collaborative, and safe.