Syndicates of Crimson Gold - Thu

Creating your character

Character creation will take place before our first official session. We will collaborate directly in our campaign Discord server to coordinate backstories, family ties, and party composition. While I do not personally use D&D Beyond to run my games, you are completely welcome to use it to manage your character sheet or roll your digital dice if that is your preferred method. Stat Generation: To ensure a balanced and fair foundation for a lethal underworld campaign, character stats will be determined using either Standard Array or Point-Buy. Allowed Sourcebooks and Content Official Material: All official Dungeons & Dragons books are fully permitted for character creation, including all official classes, subclasses, races, backgrounds, and feats. Exclusive Discord Homebrew: When you join the campaign Discord server, you will find a dedicated section featuring custom-made homebrew classes and races tailored for this setting. You are completely free to use these options to build your character. Third-Party Homebrew: Any other outside third-party homebrew content or custom rules must be submitted to me for review and explicitly approved before you can bring it to the table. Thematic Guidelines Because Syndicates of Crimson Gold focuses on the operations of a unified mafia family, your character must have a foundational reason to be fiercely loyal to the syndicate and their crew. We are building an empire together, meaning lone-wolf characters who refuse to cooperate or who actively work against the family's interests will not fit this narrative. As you design your character, consider your role within the family enterprise. Are you the smooth-talking face manipulating high-society nobles, the master of espionage gathering blackmail, the arcane muscle, or the clean-up specialist handling the aftermath of a bloody hit? Turn up with a concept that is ready to bleed for the family business.

Preparing for the session

Join the Discord Server: Your first and most important step is to join our campaign Discord server. This will serve as our central hub for everything related to the campaign. This is where we will handle pre-game character creation discussions, coordinate backstories, post lore updates, and conduct our weekly live sessions. Prepare Your Hardware Microphone: Because this campaign heavily features deep roleplay, espionage, and character interaction, a clear and reliable microphone is required. We need to be able to hear your schemes, negotiations, and dialogue clearly. Camera Policy (Optional): There is absolutely no pressure or expectation to be on camera during our sessions. If you prefer to turn your webcam on, you are welcome to do so, but keeping your camera off is completely fine. We want you to be comfortable at the table. Bring Your Sheet and Dice You are responsible for managing your own character details and rolls. Before the first session, make sure you have: A Character Sheet: This can be a physical sheet on your desk, a fillable PDF, or a digital sheet via D&D Beyond. Dice: Bring a set of physical dice to roll at your desk, or have a digital dice roller ready to go (such as a browser extension or a dice bot within Discord). No Complicated Technical Setup Required. You do not need to buy, download, or create accounts for any complicated virtual tabletop software. I utilize a Tabletop Simulator setup to run our tactical combat maps and visual aids. I will stream this 3D tabletop environment directly into our Discord voice channel during game time. All you need to do is join the voice call, watch the stream, tell me where you want to move, and focus entirely on playing your character.

What BIGJose brings to the table

A Living, Reactive Sandbox You are not just stepping into a rigid, pre-written module. I provide a fully realized, dark fantasy metropolis that dynamically responds to your family's choices. If you shake down a merchant lord, blackmail a corrupt politician, or assassinate a rival capo, the power vacuum will be filled, and the city will actively shift around you. You will have the freedom to manage criminal rackets, carve out territory, and build a lasting underworld legacy from the ground up. Immersive Visuals and Presentation To completely immerse you in the stark contrast between high-society elegance and back-alley grit, I provide a high-end visual and roleplay experience: Streamed 3D Tabletop: Utilizing Tabletop Simulator streamed directly to our Discord channel, you will have a clear, front-row seat to highly detailed 3D maps, pristine noble ballrooms, and grim underground cells for precise tactical positioning. Character Voices and Distinct NPCs: I bring the metropolis to life with unique character voices, mannerisms, and distinct personalities for every informant, rival crime boss, crooked guard captain, and scheming noble you interact with. Deep Customization and Content I love tailoring the game mechanics to perfectly fit the narrative. Players in my games receive access to custom-made homebrew classes and unique fantasy-noir races designed specifically for an underworld setting. You can expect unique criminal mechanics, tailored magical items, and encounters built from scratch to challenge a high-stakes syndicate. My GM Style: Tactical, Cinematic, and Collaborative The Rule of Cool vs. Rules Framework: I believe a reliable rules framework gives your victories actual weight, but I will always lean heavily into the "Rule of Cool" when you orchestrate a brilliant, creative heist or an ingenious espionage play. If you come up with a cinematic plan that fits a master criminal, we will work together to find a path to execute it. Visceral, High-Stakes Combat: Combat in this underworld is fast, dangerous, and deliberately tactical. To emphasize the gory and lethal nature of a mafia setting, we utilize our Crunchy Crits house rule to ensure that natural 20s feel devastatingly impactful. Combat is a tool for territory and survival, not just a random distraction. Player-Focused Storytelling: I view myself as a facilitator of your story, never an opponent. My ultimate goal is to challenge your crime family, weave your individual backstories directly into the main political plot, and give your characters meaningful, high-consequence moments to shine, sweat, and bleed for the business.

Homebrew rules

Crunchy Crits: If you roll a natural 20 on an attack, it equals full damage dice plus the roll, including all your bonuses. For example: if your attack damage is 2D4 +2, you automatically do 10 damage, then you roll your 2D4 +2 and add the 10 to it. D4 Loot Rolls: Whenever you kill something with effort and you want to loot them, roll a D4, then roll a D100 for each number 4 and below. 4 = platinum pieces. 3 = gold pieces. 2 = silver pieces. 1 = copper pieces. Proficiency equals advantage on rolls. If you roll with advantage or disadvantage and you roll 2 natural 20s, you get double the max damage roll plus 2 rolls, or if it was on a check or save, you get an astronomically better result. The Rule of Cool: If you make it sound badass, it will dead ass happen! (if you roll high enough) If you say something that lets you see the DM's uvula, you get a D20 inspiration. If you get any of the DM's references, you get a D20 inspiration. If you do something cool enough, like role-playing or a cool move or anything the DM just generally likes, you get an inspiration varying in value depending on how much I like it. Advantages don't stack after the normal Advantage; anything else giving additional advantages is a +2. Cantrips are bonus actions. Even if you have DM inspiration, natural ones always fail.

How BIGJose creates a safe table

Establishing Clear Boundaries Because Syndicates of Crimson Gold explores dark, gritty, and often gory criminal themes, maintaining a safe, comfortable, and respectful environment at the table is my absolute priority. We are here to tell a compelling, high-stakes story together, which means every player must feel secure out-of-character, no matter how intense the in-character drama gets. Session 0 Setup Before the main campaign begins, we will host a mandatory Session 0. During this session, we will discuss the campaign's tone, establish our safety tools, and collaboratively set up our boundaries. We will review our expectations for the game and ensure that everyone is aligned on the level of violence, espionage, and moral ambiguity we want to explore. Lines and Veils Prior to Session 0, I will provide a digital, anonymous Lines and Veils form. Lines are hard boundaries. If a topic is listed as a line, it will not exist or be mentioned in our game under any circumstances. Veils are soft boundaries. If a topic is veiled, it can exist in the world, but we will "fade to black" or handle it entirely off-screen when it arises. This document can be updated anonymously at any point throughout the campaign if your comfort levels change. Real-Time Digital Safety Cards Since we play live over Discord, we will utilize a digital messaging safety system. You can type these signals directly into our session chat, or send them to me via private direct message if you prefer to remain anonymous to the rest of the group: X-Card: If a scene, description, or theme crosses a boundary or makes you highly uncomfortable, you can message "X". We will immediately stop the scene, edit out the element, and move forward with no questions asked and no explanation required. N-Card (Nudge): If you feel a scene is heading in a direction you are uncomfortable with, or if the intensity is getting too high, message "N". I will immediately pivot the narrative direction or wrap up the current scene quickly. O-Card: I will occasionally check in during high-tension moments. Replying with "O" signals that you are doing great out-of-character and are comfortable with the scene continuing. Aftercare and Check-ins Heavy roleplay and dark themes can be mentally taxing. At the end of every session, I leave the call open for aftercare and decompression. This is an informal, out-of-character space where we can wind down, chat about the session, highlight our favorite moments, and separate ourselves from our characters. I also maintain an open-door policy via Discord direct messages—you are always welcome to message me after a game to debrief, voice concerns, or suggest adjustments for future sessions.