Eorath: The Hargraves Expedition

Creating your character

Create your character before the first session using D&D Beyond. I’ll check characters before the campaign begins so we can resolve any questions and make sure everyone fits naturally into the world. Stats are generated by rolling 4d6 on my discord server, rerolling the lowest die, then assigning the three remaining dice to any ability score. This gives players some freedom to shape the character while retaining the unpredictability of rolling. Characters should be grounded in a fairly traditional fantasy setting. The standard 2024 Player’s Handbook species and classes are preferred. I’m happy to discuss something outside those options, but unusual choices should have a reason to exist within Eorath and fit the campaign. I’m not looking for deliberately bizarre character concepts that exist mainly for comedy. If you want to use material from additional books or older editions, you’ll need to provide the relevant material for me to review. Homebrew and third-party material is not normally allowed, but I may consider individual requests if they fit the setting and the character. Starting equipment follows the normal 2024 rules. I’m happy to discuss reasonable alternatives where they make sense for a character’s background or the story. Before creating your character, I’d like a basic concept and background. This doesn’t need to be an essay. I simply want to know who your character is, where they come from, and why they have joined the Adventurers’ Guild in Tormunds Reach. If your concept needs something unusual to work, we can discuss it before you build the character. The intention is for everyone to arrive at Session 1 with a finished character. The opening of the campaign includes a session 0 element to establish expectations, introduce the group and deal with any final questions, but we won’t spend the main session creating characters from scratch. You don't need to own a collection of D&D books to play. D&D Beyond will be used for character creation, and I’ll provide any campaign-specific information you need.

Preparing for the session

Before the campaign begins, please complete the following: 1. Join the campaign Discord server. Discord will be used for group communication, announcements and anything we need to discuss between sessions. 2. Create or have access to a D&D Beyond account. Your character must be created there so I can review it before the campaign starts. 3. Send me a basic character concept before completing the character sheet. I want to make sure the concept fits naturally into Eorath and gives us a good starting point for your character's background. Standard fantasy concepts are encouraged; anything unusual should be discussed with me first. 4. Complete your character on D&D Beyond before Session 1. I’ll review the sheet and we can resolve any questions or changes before play. 5. Install the AboveVTT browser extension/plugin and make sure you can access the campaign from a computer before the first session. AboveVTT is the virtual tabletop we'll use for maps, tokens, combat and other game elements. A computer is required for the VTT. 6. You don't need to be an expert with AboveVTT. I'll provide the campaign link and instructions, and we'll make sure everyone can connect before play. 7. Read the campaign information provided after joining. You don't need to memorise Eorath's lore. Much of the world is intended to be discovered through play. You just need enough information to understand your character's immediate circumstances and why they have joined the Adventurers’ Guild in Tormunds Reach. 8. Make sure you have a reliable microphone, headphones/speakers and a reasonably stable internet connection. A webcam is not required. 9. Please arrive ready to play at the scheduled time. These are four-hour sessions, and I want to make the most of that time. We'll have a short session 0/introduction at the beginning to establish expectations, introduce the group and deal with any final questions before the adventure begins. You don't need to own a collection of D&D books to participate. D&D Beyond and the campaign tools will provide what you need for the game. If you want to use additional character options from books you own, we'll discuss those during character creation.

What Dead_One brings to the table

What I’ll provide is a game built around the idea that the rules are there to support the adventure, not get in its way. You’ll get a fully developed setting, a long-term story, detailed locations and NPCs, and a world that continues to exist and change around your characters. I’ll provide the maps, tokens, handouts and other material needed to run the campaign through AboveVTT, along with the information you need to understand your immediate situation. My games are strongly character and story focused. I want you to make decisions because they make sense for your character, rather than because they happen to be the mechanically optimal choice. Your character’s personality, relationships, background and decisions can all become part of the ongoing story. I’m comfortable improvising. If you come up with a solution I haven’t anticipated, I’ll work with it rather than trying to force you back onto the path I prepared. The world is prepared, but the story isn’t scripted. Your actions can change what happens, and consequences may appear much later. Combat is part of the game, but it isn’t the entire game. I prefer encounters that have a purpose and consequences rather than simply filling time with repeated fights. I’ll aim to keep combat moving while still giving players meaningful tactical choices. I use the Rule of Cool when it makes sense, but I’m not going to ignore the rules every time someone suggests something spectacular. If an idea is reasonable and fits the situation, we’ll work out how it can happen. If something genuinely needs a ruling, I’ll make a sensible call and keep the game moving rather than stopping everything for a lengthy rules debate. I don't rely heavily on character voices. Instead, I focus on descriptive narration, personalities, motivations and making NPCs feel like real people with their own agendas. You should be able to remember an NPC because of who they are, not simply because I gave them a funny accent. There will be music, ambience and sound effects where they add something to the scene, particularly during exploration, important encounters and dramatic moments. They won't be running constantly just for the sake of having background noise. You'll also get humour. I like games where players can laugh and have fun, but I won't undercut serious moments just to get a joke in. When something matters, I'll let it matter. Most importantly, you'll get a GM who is invested in the campaign and the characters within it. I want players to look back several sessions later and realise that something they did, someone they met or a decision they made has changed the story. The aim isn't to make you feel like you're playing through my story. It's to make you feel like you're living in yours.

Homebrew rules

I use a small number of house rules designed to keep the game moving, reward good descriptions and make actions feel grounded in the situation. Natural 1s: A natural 1 on an attack automatically fails and ends your turn. On significant checks, a natural 1 represents a meaningful failure where appropriate. Natural 20s: A natural 20 on a check is not an automatic success if something is genuinely impossible, but it always produces an exceptional result. A failed check may become an almost-success, while a successful check may produce an especially good result. Flanking: I don't use the standard flanking rule simply because two characters stand on opposite sides of a creature. Position matters when there is a genuine tactical reason. Attacking from behind, catching someone distracted or creating a situation where they cannot properly respond can provide an advantage. Sneak Attack: I expect players to create the circumstances for a sneak attack rather than simply announce it. If you're hiding, striking unexpectedly or exploiting a distracted opponent, describe how you're doing it. The normal 2024 Rogue rules still apply, but the situation matters too. Potions: Drinking a potion yourself is a Bonus Action and uses the normal healing roll. Spending your full Action to drink one gives maximum healing. Feeding another character a potion takes an Action and uses the normal roll. Roleplaying is encouraged but never requires you to perform in character or use voices. You can describe what your character says or does in character, in third person, or simply explain your approach. For example, instead of saying "I roll Persuasion to get the armour cheaper", tell me how Bob convinces the shopkeeper that selling him the armour at a reduced price benefits the shop. A good approach might give you advantage, reduce the difficulty, or even remove the need for a roll entirely. The principle behind all of this is simple: tell me what your character is actually trying to do. The character sheet tells me what they can do; your description tells me how they do it.

How Dead_One creates a safe table

Player comfort and safety are important to me, particularly in a long-running campaign where the group will spend a lot of time together. Before the campaign begins, we’ll discuss expectations, boundaries, campaign style, player behaviour and how we want the group to work together. I’ll provide a Lines and Veils document for players to complete before the campaign. Lines are subjects you do not want included in the game at all. Veils are subjects that can exist in the world but should be handled off-screen or without graphic detail. You can add, remove or change these boundaries at any point during the campaign. Eorath is a fantasy world and the campaign can involve violence, death, dangerous creatures, demons, disturbing situations and other mature themes. However, there is a difference between a dark subject existing in the story and making players sit through an unnecessarily graphic depiction of it. I will respect individual boundaries and use discretion when handling sensitive material. During play, you can privately message me if something makes you uncomfortable. You don't need to justify the request or explain why. If you need something stopped, changed or taken off-screen, I'll deal with it. During an intense scene there may occasionally be a short delay before I see a message, but the request will be acted on as soon as possible. We’ll also use the X, N and O approach privately: X means stop or remove this. N means change direction, reduce the intensity or move past it. O means you're comfortable continuing. Session 0 will cover expectations, boundaries, campaign style, player behaviour and how we'll work together as a group. After particularly intense sessions, I don't use a formal aftercare procedure. I'll check in with the group where appropriate and I'm always available privately if a player wants to discuss something that happened during the game or raise a concern. Respect goes both ways. Harassment, discrimination, bullying, sexual harassment, deliberately disruptive behaviour or behaviour intended to make another player uncomfortable will not be tolerated. Everyone at the table should be able to enjoy the game without having to defend their right to be there. You are never required to perform, reveal personal information or explain a boundary to the group. If something isn't working for you, tell me privately and we'll deal with it.