Learn to Play D&D - Explore the Whimsical, Weird, & Wonderous
Step into the wonderful and whimsical world of the Witchlight Carnival, where things aren’t quite...right. Beginner, LGBTQIA+, woman/femme friendly
$20.00
/ Session
Details
1 player following this game
Weekly / Monday - 6:00 PM UTC
Session Duration / 1.5–2.5 hours
Campaign Length / 40–60 Sessions
0 / 6 Seats Filled
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About the adventure
In a magical carnival that only appears once every 8 years, rumors swirl that something is dreadfully wrong. Inside you find games, oddities, and prizes that are a little too good to be true. As you explore, you stumble on a hidden doorway to a fey realm. Getting through it is the easy part. What you find on the other side is where things get interesting. You and your friends will need to win over strange fey guides, navigate each twisted slice of the realm, and ultimately decide how to confront the those who have corrupted the fey realm and free the rightful Queen. And here's the best part for new players: you don't have to fight your way through. This adventure genuinely rewards curiosity, cleverness, and good roleplay — you can talk, trick, or puzzle your way past most threats. Combat is there when you want it, but it's never the only door. This campaign is built for players who are brand new to D&D 5e, or new to tabletop roleplaying altogether. No experience necessary, no rules mastery required. I'll walk you through character creation, teach mechanics as they come up in play, and keep the rules-heavy stuff light so you can focus on what matters: making choices, being curious, and having fun with your fellow players. If you've ever wanted to try D&D but felt intimidated by the rulebooks or worried about "doing it wrong," this table is for you. You’ll learn how to play and use the tools during our free Session 0.
Game style
Puzzle / Mystery Focused
Roleplay Heavy
Rule of Cool (RoC)
Sandbox / Open World
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
5.0
(6)
Less than a year on StartPlaying
Highly rated for: Beginner Friendly, Storytelling, Inclusive
About me
I’ve been playing and GMing since the mid-1990s. Back then I ran D&D and In Nomine in my dorm room. Today my bookshelves are filled D&D 5e, Old Gods of Appalachia, and a dozen other systems I’ll get around to playing with someday. My favorite genres are classic fantasy and folk horror.
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
You have choices when it comes to character creation! I will have a selection of pre-made characters available, you can bring your own, or we can create your character together (ideal for players new to Dungeons and Dragons / roleplaying). If you want to build your character before the campaign begins, you can do that in DnD Beyond. We will be using character options in the 2024 player’s guide and the Wild Beyond the Witchlight supplement (both provided when you join the campaign on DnD Beyond). All characters will begin at level 1. During Session 0 (free), we’ll go over everything you need to know to play: * The basics of roleplaying games and how they’re different from other game types * Simple Dungeons and Dragons rules * How to use DnD Beyond and Discord * Game etiquette and what to expect during the game and between sessions * Q&A - ask me anything! * and generally get to know each other and our characters.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
You will need a free account on DnDBeyond.com in order to create your character and join the game. We will also use a private Discord server for voice and video chat. Links to both will be provided when you join the campaign.
What Tricia brings to the table
My games focus on immersive, collaborative storytelling and learning to play. We will use a lightweight Virtual Tabletop system through DnDBeyond for visuals and character management. We will use Discord for chat (both in-game and between sessions). All materials are provided through DnD Beyond and on the Discord server. If tech isn’t your thing, don’t sweat it. I’ve chosen the simplest tools and will teach you everything you need to know to get playing. A webcam is optional but highly encouraged!
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
Platforms used
Safety
How Tricia creates a safe table
Once you join the game, I’ll send you a checklist of potentially touchy topics and ask that you mark each topic with a red, yellow, or green light and return it to me at least 24 hours before our first session. Once I’ve gotten checklists back from everyone (and filled out my own!) I’ll share a compiled list of topics with the group. This helps us all ensure a fun, safe experience for everyone. During the session, I also use X and O cards. We will go over the document and how to signal X and O during our first session. I’ve listed all potential content warnings. None of them are critical to the story, so if you have concerns, message me and we’ll figure it out.
Content warnings
Safety tools used