Ember, A Shard of Fear | Beginner Friendly
Join the Strayhearth Caravan across the dangerous Arctus Plateau to Ordain, where a divine conspiracy waits to reshape the world of Ember.
$20.00
/ Session
Details
Weekly / Sunday - 7:00 PM UTC
Session Duration / 2.5–3 hours
1 / 6 Seats Filled
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Meet your party members
1/6
About the adventure
A continent on the edge. A city built on secrets. A conspiracy that spans from the shadows to the heavens. Your story begins aboard the Strayhearth Caravan, a resilient band of traders cutting a path across the rugged eastern coast of Aterica. Ahead lies the crown jewel of the continent: the sprawling metropolis of Ordain. But the road to prosperity is paved with peril. To reach the city gates, you must survive the winding, petrified trails of the Forest of Stone, brave the harsh expanses of the Arctus Plateau, and delve into ancient depths buried far beneath the surface. Yet, the true danger begins where the road ends. Once inside Ordain’s massive walls, you will be thrust into a complex web of mystery, faction rivalries, and ancient malice. Before long, you will find yourself rubbing shoulders with iconic heroes, facing down shadowy forces, and catching the eyes of the gods themselves. Every choice you make, every alliance you forge, and every blade you draw will forever alter the trajectory of Ember’s history. What the Game Looks Like An Endless Sandbox: Explore an imaginative fantasy setting featuring a colossal open world of over 25,000 hexes. This is an epic main story designed for years of gameplay, tracking time through a realistic solar, lunar, and seasonal calendar system. Your Story, Your Impact: Navigate an intricate web of non-linear quests and consequential choices. Your victories, lore discoveries, and milestones will be immortalized in a shared Codex to chronicle your achievements. Cinematic Tech & Visuals: Powered by Foundry VTT's Ember module, your journey features over 80 interactive and animated area maps, a dynamic and cinematic audio engine for total auditory immersion, and the stunning Vista system for cinematic visual storytelling. Unique Heroes: Craft your adventurer through an elegant character creation process featuring unique playable ancestries and cultures. Bring them to life with a Token Maker with infinite variation to customize your look on the fly. Who It's For: Whether you love deep roleplay, tactical exploration, or uncovering rich lore, there is a place for you here. Both total beginners and TTRPG veterans are welcome! The caravan is leaving. Will you answer the call?
Game style
Hexcrawl / Exploration
Puzzle / Mystery Focused
Meet the Game Master
4.7
(49)
4 years on StartPlaying
747 games hosted
Highly rated for: Sets the Mood, Storytelling, Voices
Average response time: 6 hours
Response rate: 100%
About me
With over four years of experience, I specialize in running prewritten tabletop RPG modules, creating immersive, high-quality experiences that are tailored to all players, including newcomers. Using tools like Foundry VTT, Syrinscape, custom artwork, and animations, I bring each adventure to life with dynamic visuals and interactive features. Whether you’re exploring dungeons, navigating political intrigue, or solving ancient mysteries, the world feels vibrant and alive through rich soundscapes, detailed maps, and engaging storytelling. I pride myself on being an approachable Dungeon Master who excels at guiding new players through the rules and mechanics of tabletop RPGs. I ensure that everyone, whether experienced or just starting, feels comfortable and empowered to roleplay, make meaningful decisions, and immerse themselves fully in the adventure. My focus on prewritten modules means the adventures are expertly crafted and easy to dive into, so players can enjoy rich, well-balanced stories right from the start. - Prewritten Module Campaigns - One-Shot Adventures - Weekly Sessions - Foundry VTT Integration for Seamless Gameplay - Syrinscape Audio for Immersive Soundscapes - Custom Artwork and Animations for Enhanced Storytelling - Player-Focused Narrative and Experience - Specializing in Welcoming New Players and Teaching the Rules Let’s embark on an unforgettable journey, whether you're a seasoned adventurer or stepping into the world of RPGs for the first time!
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
We will build characters during session 0. During this time we will utilize Foundry VTT to create the characters. There are special changes that this adventure brings with it like adventure specific species and backgrounds. We will use the character builder that the Ember module provides. This makes building your character and learning about each choice seamless and simple. During this time you will also be able to create your animated top down token using the built-in token builder. You will also be able to update your token's appearance as you play so your token always looks up to date with all your new gear.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
Players will need to have the following things ready to play: • Microphone • Discord • Internet Browser compatible with Foundry VTT
What Geoff brings to the table
As your Dungeon Master, I am committed to providing a highly immersive and memorable gaming experience. I will supply the adventure text for the Ember module and access to all necessary content on D&D Beyond (including the 2024 PHB and Heroes of Faerûn). To bring the world of Ember to life, I use high-quality digital assets and tools, including: • Foundry VTT: A dynamic platform with high-quality maps and lighting effects. • Dynamic Visuals: Animations for spells and effects to make every combat feel cinematic and impactful. • Custom Art: Visual aids for key locations, monsters, and important NPCs. • Immersive Audio: Dynamic soundscapes, music, and effects via Ember's dynamic audio to set the mood for tense exploration, thrilling combat, and discovery. • Detailed Storytelling: Consistent, voiced NPCs and a focus on keeping the narrative engaging, fair, and fun, while running the adventure as faithfully as possible to its challenging design.
Homebrew rules
This adventure uses changes to things like Species, Backgrounds and other added character effects specific to the adventure such as Attunements, Culture and Paths. The adventure will use the DnD classes and subclasses as written. The adventure also changes the way some resistances and vulnerabilities are treated adding flat modifiers.
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
Platforms used
Safety
How Geoff creates a safe table
While Ember evolves into a high-stakes adventure, the environment at our virtual table will be supportive, respectful, and safe for all players. I use specific tools to ensure everyone is comfortable and engaged, allowing us to confidently explore this story's themes: • Session 0 & Content Review: Our first session will be dedicated to a thorough Session 0. We will discuss the adventure's themes and potential content—which transitions from classic fantasy to cosmic horror and includes elements of body horror and mind manipulation—to ensure all players are aware of what may arise. • The Monte Cook RPG Consent Checklist: We will use this checklist privately to help you communicate your comfort levels regarding sensitive plot elements. This allows me to adjust the narrative to avoid any "hard limit" topics for a stress-free experience. • Stars and Wishes Aftercare: At the end of each session, we will briefly use the "Stars and Wishes" tool. This gives everyone a chance to share a Star (something they loved or enjoyed) and a Wish (something they would like to see more of, or a point of feedback), ensuring open communication and continuous improvement of the game experience. Your comfort is my priority, allowing us to delve into this epic, dangerous story with confidence and enthusiasm.
Content warnings
Safety tools used