As the mists clear... A Dragonbane Campaign!
As the mists clear, who will be the first to lay their hands on the treasures hidden among the ruins of a fallen dragon empire?
$20.00
/ Session
Details
8 players following this game
Weekly / Friday - 9:00 PM UTC
Session Duration / 2.5–3 hours
1 / 6 Seats Filled
Top Game Master
One of StartPlaying's top-rated GMs, a player favorite and highly recommended.
Report Adventure
StartPlaying Money Back Guarantee
If your game doesn't happen, we guarantee a refund. Just reach out to StartPlaying Support. Refund Policy
Meet your party members
1/6
About the adventure
The race to discover the Secret of the Dragon Emperor has begun! Mysterious cultists, the native orcs of the Misty Vale, an authoritarian order of knights, greedy adventurers blinded by the promise of gold, and more, are all after the same treasure! Where do you fit in? Dragonbane is a "new but old" fantasy role playing game, emphasizing fast-paced action, consequential decisions, and a pervasive sense of wonder and mystery in its world building. While it might seem darker and deadlier than some of the more well known heroic fantasy systems, heroes who survive their first few adventures quickly rise in power, as they gain not only valuable equipment but heroic abilities that rival those of the enemies they face. At the same time, there is a sense of whimsy that is both encouraged and enabled by the game designers. This is best evidenced in the inclusion of the "mallard", a race of humanoid duck, as a player choice, and the availability of improvised weapons in the environment like a wasp nest that can be thrown like a grenade! Finally, if you are not sold yet: if you have been cursed by the dice gods, this is the game for you! In Dragonbane, rolling LOW is the goal! A natural one is called a "Dragon", and it is a critical success! Bring your worst (virtual) dice out of jail and get ready to roll!
Game style
Dungeon Crawl
Roleplay Heavy
Rules as Written (RaW)
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
5.0
(210)
6 years on StartPlaying
1400 games hosted
Highly rated for: Knows the Rules, Beginner Friendly, Creativity
About me
Greetings, adventurers. My name is George, and I have been immersing myself in TTRPGs since around 2001. My journey into the realm of Game Mastering took a serious turn with the release of Pathfinder. My background in theatre, history, and education has been instrumental in shaping my GM style, which emphasizes dramatic conflict, challenging decisions, and character development. I’ve had the pleasure of engaging with a diverse and international player population, both online and in person. This experience has enriched my understanding of the game and its global appeal. The games I run are primarily drawn from official Paizo publications for Pathfinder, supplemented by key resources from publishers like Kobold Press and Sly Flourish. In each campaign, I make it a point to engage with the player characters’ backgrounds. This begins with a session zero where we collaboratively create characters that align with the theme of the campaign. Each campaign I run is a unique world unto itself. I strive to create a distinctive and consistent atmosphere for each one, whether it’s the dark and grim tone of a horror campaign or the epic battles of a high fantasy adventure. Some campaigns may include unique mechanics tailored to their theme. My games, even when played remotely online, aim to emulate the feel of a traditional tabletop experience as much as possible. I prefer to keep technology from overwhelming the gameplay, allowing us to focus on the human elements of the game - the people around our virtual table. I am always available to answer questions through this site. If you have any doubts before signing up for a session, please contact me. I am always eager to hear from established parties who are looking for a new GM. Whether you have already been gaming together, or you are a group of friends, coworkers, or a family group, I would love to embark on an adventure with you. I am also open to requests from existing/ongoing groups for a specific campaign for your party. Whether you have a published module in mind or just an idea that you’d like to develop, I’m here to help you play the game you want to play! Remember, the essence of tabletop gaming is to have fun and create memorable stories together. Let’s roll the dice!
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
Character creation for Dragonbane is very simple and quick - since it involves rolling dice, it will be done during our session zero. We will also discuss which of the optional rules we want to use. The only character choices not available to players for this adventure are the "nightkin", who are ill suited for this campaign for both narrative and mechanical reasons.
Brand new adventure party, no prior experience needed.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
Players will need to create a free Forge account, if they don't already have one, in order to access the virtual table top. For communication, during and between sessions, we will be primarily using Discord. Links will be provided when the campaign is ready to launch. Please make sure you have access to a computer during our sessions - the virtual table top is not designed to be used on tablets or smart phones.
What George brings to the table
All game material will be provided digitally through the virtual table top - character sheets, dice, maps, and visual aids. For players that are used to more traditional D20 fantasy stems, Dragonbane might be a bit of a shock to the system, but hopefully a welcome one. The game might feel a lot deadlier than D&D or Pathfinder, but you will quickly discover that the sword cuts both ways - with good decions, players can be just as deadly as their enemies. Dragonbane is lightweight and fast-paced, but it is also a highly tactical game in its simplicity - the ability to manipulate turn order, interact the environment of an encounter, and the "heroic abilities" players can acquire, which give them ways to perform feats normally only available to the monsters, create satisfying choices with consequences that go beyond creating the "perfect build".
Homebrew rules
Dragonbane's core rule book includes a range of optional rules, and we will discuss together during session zero which ones we want to be using.
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
Platforms used
Safety
How George creates a safe table
A digital version of the safety cards will be available through the virtual table top. We will be discussing our personal limits on game content during session zero, though players should not feel like that that will be their only opportunity to set boundaries. Any behavior that makes other players (including the Game Master) feel unsafe or uncomfortable at the table will not be tolerated.
Content warnings
Safety tools used