Northlands Saga: Blood, Ice, and Runes

Creating your character

You will be asked to bring three ideas for characters (e.g., a Dwarven Bard who dreams of performing for a massive crowd) to a free Session 0 session and pitch these to your fellow players. As part of the character creation process, you will be tasked with creating a shared history with the other characters in the party. Once you have decided upon a character, you will build a level 1 character with character stats determined by point buy and following 2024 rules.

Preparing for the session

We will utilize a Discord server and D&D Beyond.

What Joseph brings to the table

The Hero You’ve Always Wanted: If wanted, I will guide the process for creating characters you’ve always wanted to play but haven’t ever been confident enough to do... play the character YOU want to play. A Curated Play-by-Post Experience: I provide a quality, structured PBP environment for all players... ensuring the story stays active and engaging for everyone involved, regardless of experience level. The Rule of Cool: I shall embrace the Rule of Cool... while we respect the system, your ingenuity and "cool factor" come first.

Homebrew rules

I am excited to help craft one-of-a-kind magic items for your character. I will be using excursion resting rules. Excursion resting rules only allow for a long rest in a safe haven (such as your home or a secure inn) or after three consecutive uninterrupted 8-hour rests in any other fixed location, for instance - a base camp in the jungle; a short rest is given after any uninterrupted 8-hour break I’ve developed supports to make crafting times shorter, and for martial characters to be able to utilize magic items that they would not normally be able to, using RAW. Silvery Barbs is not allowed. Magic items that are limited: Cloak of Displacement and Enspelled Weapons/Armor I allow potions to be consumed as a bonus action.

How Joseph creates a safe table

1. Session 0: Setting the Stage Before we roll a single die, we will hold a Session 0 to align our expectations. We will go over: Campaign Tone & Themes: The style of the story we are telling and what to expect. Safety Tools: A quick walkthrough of our Lines & Veils and Open Door policies. House Rules & Etiquette: How we handle scheduling, rule disputes, and table behavior. 2. Lines & Veils (Pre-Campaign) The Document: Before Session 0, I will send you a link to our digital Lines & Veils document. How it works: You can anonymously or openly list your Lines (topics that will never appear in the game) and Veils (topics that must happen "off-screen" or fade-to-black). This is a living document we can update at any time. 3. Open Door Policy (Active Play) Your real life and mental health always come first. You are welcome to step away from the table at any point to take a break, grab water, or decompress. You never owe me or the table an explanation for taking care of yourself. If a scene is making you uncomfortable, simply let me know you need to step away or pause, and we will pivot. 4. Aftercare & Post-Game Check-ins Open Inbox: My direct messages are always open. If something felt off during a session, you can message me privately afterward, and we will adjust.