Eberron: Junkers & Jockeys 5e D&D Campaign

Creating your character

Characters and mechs are built together at Session Zero as a group. This is intentional. The connections between pilots matter as much as the pilots themselves, and building together means everyone arrives at Session One with history already in place. During Session Zero we will: * Walk through the Cypher System together — no prior experience required, I'll teach you everything *Choose your Descriptor, Type, and Focus from the options in the Iron Horizon Player's Guide — all of which are custom-built for this setting *Build your Junker mech step by step — choosing your chassis, your mods, your paint job, and your mech's name *Establish your PC Connections — the threads of shared history that link your pilots before the campaign begins *Run through Lines and Veils and set up our safety tools together The Player's Guide contains all available Descriptors, Types, and Foci. These have been written specifically for Iron Horizon and its tone. If you have an idea for a pilot concept that doesn't quite fit what's on the page, bring it to Session Zero — I welcome suggestions for additional Descriptors or Foci that fit the setting, and we'll work it out together. Character creation uses standard Cypher System starting stats. No mechanical experience is required or assumed.

Preparing for the session

You will need a Discord and Roll20 Account, we will also use D&D Beyond so you will need an Account there.

What Avner brings to the table

What I Provide Every player receives the Iron Horizon Player's Guide before Session Zero — a custom-written document covering the setting, factions, pilot types, mech building, and everything you need to create your character. No rulebook purchases required. No homework beyond reading it and showing up with a rough idea of who your pilot might be. Sessions run on Foundry VTT on The Forge with a purpose-built campaign environment — maps, tokens, handouts, faction intel, and a living record of what your crew has done and who they've become. Ambient music and soundscapes run throughout every session, scored to the scene — quiet tension in the corridors of Juncture Station, something heavier when the mechs deploy. My GM Style I am a story-first GM. My job is to build a world that responds to who your character is, put them in situations that matter, and make sure every player leaves each session with at least one moment that belonged specifically to them. I track what your pilot cares about, what they're afraid of, and what they haven't dealt with yet — and I use all of it. I do character voices and distinct NPC personalities. The factions of Iron Horizon have real people in them — people with agendas, contradictions, and the occasional crisis of conscience. The Orion executive who believes in what the corporation stands for. The Blades of Talmor operative who has stopped being able to tell the difference between justice and revenge. The frontier contact who likes your crew more than is professionally advisable. These people will feel like people. Combat is cinematic and consequence-driven, not a tactical puzzle. I use the Cypher System because it keeps the action moving and the spotlight on the story rather than the grid. That said, your choices in a fight matter — positioning, cyphers, who you protect and who you leave exposed all have weight. I embrace the Rule of Cool when it serves the moment, and I will always find a way to make your best idea work. I will also never protect you from the consequences of your worst one. I run towards character moments, not away from them. If your pilot has unfinished business with a faction, I will use it. If your mech has a name and a history, that history will show up in the fiction. If you write a backstory hook, it will become a plot thread. The more you give me, the more the campaign will feel like it was built specifically for your crew — because it will be. What I Expect From You Show up. Be present. Be curious about the other pilots at the table, not just your own character. The best sessions happen when the crew is invested in each other, not just the mission. You don't need experience. You don't need to know the rules. You need to want to tell a story with a group of people who are all in on the same thing. That's the table I'm building. Come find out what your mech is called.

Homebrew rules

I will be using 5e rules as the base for this adventure leveraging existing rules in vehicle combat and crafting with some minor changes to add the mech mechanics into the game where they already fit seamlessly next to warforged and golems.

How Avner creates a safe table

I run a Session Zero before the campaign begins. We'll use Lines and Veils to establish what's off the table and what we handle with care, and I keep an open door policy — you can always step away without explanation, no questions asked. We use Stars and Wishes at the end of every session. Stars are moments that landed. Wishes are things you want more of. It keeps the game pointed at what the whole table actually wants and keeps communication open without anyone having to make it a big deal. This is a table built on trust, collaboration, and the shared goal of telling a story worth remembering.