Lost Mine of (Fun)delver! *Expanded* <Beginner Friendly>

Creating your character

Before the game begins, I prefer to look through each player’s character sheet. This gives us a chance to clarify anything beforehand, so you can spend less time figuring things out during the session and more time playing. I recommend using D&D Beyond for character creation, as I have a variety of character options available for you to choose from. Your starting level will be 1, with a maximum level of 10–12, depending on certain outcomes during the campaign. If you prefer, I am also completely happy with traditional pen-and-paper character sheets or other character-creation tools. Homebrew classes and races are welcome! However, I will need to review and approve any homebrew content before you use it in the campaign.

Preparing for the session

For our games to run smoothly, two things are a must: DnD Beyond and a Discord account. During the session, we will be using DnD Beyond for its VTT as well as your Character Sheets (if you choose to make them on DnD Beyond) I have a private Discord channel which will be used only for this group; there we will communicate during our sessions. If you have trouble setting up either of these two, I will gladly help you out with the process and navigating through their UIs.

What DM Tom brings to the table

As a DM, I consider my biggest duty to be nurturing your character's development in ways that can hit close to home. This also means I often allow interactions during combat that might not normally be possible, provided there is a strong and clear purpose behind them. If you have a creative idea that fits your character or the situation, I want to hear it. I'll also introduce you to my Discord Bot, who can't really speak but can certainly make sounds. If you ever find the Bot too loud or feel that something isn't quite appropriate, a few tweaks here and there will have the Bot ambienting better in no time. I know “ambienting” isn't technically a word, but it sounded appropriate, so it is now a word. You may come across quite a few words like that during our sessions, and I encourage you to lean into it too. If a made-up word gets the job done, then congratulations: we have expanded the English language. I personally lean into roleplaying each NPC you encounter; I might be a bit more focused and out of character during combat.

Homebrew rules

NPCs that you find important, including the animals you befriend, get to roll death saving throws.

How DM Tom creates a safe table

It is very important to me that players feel comfortable expressing themselves at the table. Because of this, I establish expectations around boundaries before the game begins. I maintain a Lines and Veils text channel where players can review our established boundaries and table expectations. Players are also welcome to privately message me at any time to add or change a boundary. Lines, content that will not appear in the game at all: No sexual violence, including rape or rape jokes. No real-world racism, bigotry, or anti-LGBTQIA+ content. No unwanted crossing of personal or platonic boundaries between players. Veils, content that may exist within the story but will not be described explicitly: Torture and extreme violence toward creatures or NPCs. Safety tools I use the X and N system through private messages so players can communicate with me discreetly without having to interrupt the game or explain themselves publicly. X: A private message from a player means that something needs to change, be skipped, or stop immediately. I will respect this without asking the player to justify their decision. N: A private message means that a scene is approaching an uncomfortable area and should be toned down, redirected, or handled more carefully. During Session 0, I go over these tools, table expectations, the campaign's general themes, and any potentially sensitive content that may arise. I also encourage players to tell me what kinds of themes they enjoy, dislike, or would simply prefer not to have emphasized. If someone privately raises a concern after the session, I take it seriously and adjust future sessions accordingly. My goal is not to eliminate difficult or dramatic storytelling. It is to make sure that difficult moments happen because the players are enjoying the story, rather than because someone feels trapped in a scene they are uncomfortable participating in.