Call from the Deep - Into Darker Waters

Creating your character

Session Zero: Our first session will be a free Session Zero where everyone can meet the group, discuss the campaign and its themes, go over safety tools and boundaries, and ask any questions they have. We'll also cover expectations for the game, discuss character concepts, and go over anything else the group needs before the adventure begins. Character Level: You will be creating a level 1 character. Ability Scores: You may use the Standard Array or roll for your stats. If you roll, you may take one mulligan if your results are exceptionally poor. As a general guideline, this would be something like having more than half of your ability scores below average, but this is not a hard rule. Keep in mind that having a bad stat can make for a fun and memorable character, so don't feel like you need to reroll simply because your character isn't perfectly optimized. Additional rerolls will require DM approval. Character Creation Options: You will be provided a link to a D&D Beyond campaign with content sharing enabled, which will provide access to almost all of the character creation options you will need. Campaign-Specific Content: If you want to use character creation content unique to this campaign, it may need to be converted to 5.5e rules. Please check with me before using it. DM Approval: All characters and character options are subject to DM approval to ensure they fit the campaign. Honesty: If you choose to roll your ability scores, I expect you to roll honestly. The goal is for everyone to have a fun and fair game. If you're unsure whether an option is allowed or how something should be converted to 5.5e, just ask!

Preparing for the session

To get ready for the game, you'll need the following: - Discord: You'll need a Discord account for voice chat. There will be a dedicated channel for our campaign where we'll meet for sessions and discuss the game. - Microphone and Internet: A working microphone and a stable internet connection are required so you can communicate with the group during sessions. - Foundry VTT: We'll use Foundry VTT to play the game. You'll access it through your web browser, and I'll provide the connection details before our first session. - D&D Beyond: I recommend creating your character using D&D Beyond. I'll provide a link to a campaign with content sharing enabled, giving you access to almost all the character creation options you'll need. Your character can then be imported into Foundry VTT. - Dice: Physical dice are welcome, but you don't need to own any. Foundry VTT includes digital dice rollers you can use during the game. Our first session will be a free Session Zero where we'll meet the group, discuss the campaign, go over safety tools and expectations, and answer any questions. You don't need to have your character completely finished beforehand; we'll have time to discuss character concepts and work through any questions about character creation together. If you need help setting up an account, creating your character, or connecting to Foundry VTT, just let me know!

What Zachary brings to the table

I want my games to feel like more than just sitting around a virtual table and rolling dice. I put a lot of effort into creating an immersive experience where the world, characters, and encounters feel memorable. You can expect: • High-quality maps, artwork, and hand-picked or custom assets to help bring the world to life. • Foundry VTT with quality-of-life features and custom tools tailored to the needs of the party. • Animated attacks, spells, and other visual effects to make combat feel dynamic and exciting. • Ambient music, sound effects, and other atmospheric touches to help set the mood. • A wide selection of official D&D content, along with additional content and options unique to the campaign. • Memorable NPCs, each with their own personalities, motivations, and stories. • Customized features and additions designed around the particular group and campaign. My goal is to create exciting encounters and epic moments while making sure everyone has opportunities to be in the spotlight. I generally follow the rules as written, but I don't believe the rules should get in the way of a great story or a clever idea. When a player comes up with something creative that isn't explicitly covered by the rules, I'm often willing to work with them and embrace the Rule of Cool. That doesn't mean every crazy idea automatically succeeds, but if you have a clever plan, I want you to feel encouraged to try it. Some of the most memorable moments at the table come from players doing something the I saw coming.

Homebrew rules

We will be using a homebrew rule called Deaths Door which can let people still be part of combat when they hit zero hp though with added danger. Any other homebrew can be discussed with the group.

How Zachary creates a safe table

Character Stories & Roleplay You will be adventuring all over the Sword Coast, both as part of the main story and through side adventures. I aim to give every player some kind of personal story to explore. Maybe your character's story will grow into something big and important, or maybe it will be a quick adventure that gets resolved in a single session. How involved your character's story becomes is partly up to you and how much you want to engage with it. I encourage everyone to roleplay, but I will never ask you to do anything outside your comfort zone. You don't need to use a character voice or put on an accent if you don't want to. If you enjoy going all-in with your character, that's great too! Safety & Session Zero There will be a free Session Zero for the group to meet each other, discuss the campaign, and establish our table expectations and safety tools before we begin. We will use Lines & Veils to establish boundaries. Lines are subjects you don't want to appear in the game at all—they are a hard stop. Veils are subjects that may exist in the game but should not be described in detail. If something behind a Veil comes up, we will simply "fade to black" and continue the game. X, N, and O Cards are available during play so you can communicate your comfort level without needing to interrupt the game or explain yourself. At the end of each session, we will use Stars & Wishes. Stars are things you enjoyed, while Wishes are things you'd like to see changed, added, or improved. This gives me an opportunity to adjust the game based on what the group is enjoying. Code of Conduct Respect your fellow players. No bullying, hazing, harassment, or deliberately picking on another player's character. You are a team, and everyone deserves to feel welcome at the table. No sexual content. Flirtation or sweet-talking may be used as a form of persuasion, but only with NPCs and only within reasonable boundaries. Give everyone a chance to participate. Don't shut down another player's ideas or actions. Everyone should have an opportunity to voice their thoughts and intentions. Player agency matters. If you say, "My character will try..." I'll determine whether the action is possible and then we'll play out the outcome. If the party is discussing what to do, the group can decide together, either in or out of character. There are no wrong answers or suggestions. If something comes up during a live game that makes you uncomfortable, please speak up. The situation or action will stop immediately so we can address it and make sure everyone is comfortable continuing.