Doom Syndicate

Creating your character

🧙 **CHARACTER CREATION** Characters in **Doom Syndicate** are **evil-aligned**, but that does *not* mean chaotic, disruptive, or antisocial at the table. These are professional villains — people capable of working together when it benefits them. We will **build characters together**, not in isolation. Before play begins, we’ll discuss character concepts as a group to make sure everyone: * Gets to play what they’re excited about * Has a reason to accept the contract * Fits cleanly into the campaign’s tone * Avoids overlap unless intentionally desired Balance is optional, not required — but if the group *wants* to coordinate roles or party coverage, I’m happy to facilitate that conversation. Rules & Tools * **System:** D&D 5e 2024 * **Platform:** D&D Beyond (I will provide campaign access) * **Allowed Content:** * 2024 Core Rulebook * Official D&D releases beyond 2024 * *No homebrew or third-party content for character options* If something isn’t official, it’s off the table — but flavoring official options is absolutely encouraged. 🩸 Alignment & Playstyle Evil alignment here means: * Self-interested * Ambitious * Morally flexible It does **not** mean: * Random violence against party members * Disrupting play for shock value * Removing player agency Characters must be capable of cooperating for mutual gain — at least until the contract is complete. ⚔️ PvP & Consequences This campaign allows **consent-based PvP**, primarily in the late stages of the story. PvP will never be forced, and it will only occur if all involved players agree in the moment. Important note: **Character death is final.** There are no revivals, resurrections, or replacements. If your character dies, their story ends. Final Notes This is a short, high-stakes mini-series designed to explore villain dynamics, moral hypocrisy, and betrayal in a safe, structured way. You’ll have full agency over who your character is — and how far they’re willing to go when the alliance inevitably begins to crack. If you’re excited to play a villain who can scheme, cooperate, and choose when to cross the line — this campaign is for you. ---

Preparing for the session

1. Read the game listing so you understand the tone, themes, and expectations (this is an evil campaign, but I do believe that aspect means it requires a mature and professional mindset from GM and Players alike. 2. Create a free D&D Beyond account. I’ll send you a campaign link to build your character. 3. Set up a Discord account so I can add you to the game’s server. 4. Make sure you have a working microphone for clear communication. 5. Come to Session 0 with a rough character concept in mind (no need to finalize yet). 6. Think about any lines or veils you’d like to establish. We’ll review safety tools to make sure the game is comfortable and fun for everyone. 7. Be ready for dark themes: blood, gore, body horror, monsters, betrayal and horror.

What Josh brings to the table

I aim to create an immersive and collaborative storytelling experience where your choices matter. While I’m not the strongest at voices, I do try to give NPCs personality and distinction. I embrace the Rule of Cool and use improvisation to give players as much freedom of choice as possible. At times, players may even step into the roles of NPCs during improv scenes, so everyone has a chance to stay involved—especially when the story splits in different directions. I’ll set the scene with as much detail and mood as I can, keeping the focus on roleplay and player-driven narrative while still balancing combat when it arises. For tools, I provide a full setup with my own microphone, Discord server, and a D&D Beyond Maps account to keep the game running smoothly.

How Josh creates a safe table

We'll use Line and Veils for our safety system at the table. After our 0 session, I'll craft and send out a document to remind everyone of what we've decided on for them