Adventuring can't be that hard, right?
How Hard Can It Be is a D&D 5E fantasy adventure about ordinary people who decide to take an extraordinary risk and become adventurers.
$20.00
/ Session
Details
Weekly / Saturday - 8:00 PM UTC
Session Duration / 2–4 hours
Campaign Length / 5–15 Sessions
0 / 5 Seats Filled
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About the adventure
They call it Haven. A ramshackle collection of huts and buildings atop a natural fortress on the edge of civilization. Home to all manner of misfits, drifters and discards with nowhere else to go. You grew up here. Every year, once the snows have melted enough for the trade road to open, bands of adventurers and fortune seekers arrive. They come chasing the Duke’s Bounty: gold, land and titles for those brave—or foolish—enough to push beyond the frontier and secure new territory for settlement. Many don’t make it back. Most of those who do return go home empty-handed. But five years ago, you watched Rickard the Red ride back into Haven with a fortune in his saddlebags. Within a month, the Duke had named him Baron of Edrin. Rickard the Red. The same Rickard who grew up on the neighbouring farm. The same Rickard who once lost a fistfight to the baker’s daughter. If that lout can become a baron, surely this adventuring thing can’t be that hard. Surely. So this year, when the snows finally melt, and the first caravans begin making their way along the trade road, you decide it is your turn. You have no great lineage. No legendary sword. No ancient prophecy. Just a few friends, whatever equipment you can afford, and the conviction that there has to be something better waiting beyond the edge of the map. And this year, something is different. The Duke has opened a new stretch of frontier. No one knows what lies beyond it. But whatever it is, you intend to find out. After all, how hard can it be?
Game style
Hexcrawl / Exploration
Rule of Cool (RoC)
Tactical / Crunchy
Roleplay Heavy
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
Less than a year on StartPlaying
About me
For more than 30 years, I've been exploring tabletop worlds—and for most of that time, I've been the one behind the screen bringing them to life. Lately, most of my games have been in Pathfinder 2e, but before that it was D&D and GURPS. I combine heroic storytelling, tactical combat, memorable characters, dangerous choices, and worlds that feel alive. I believe TTRPGs are about collaborative storytelling, and so I expect my players to do more than simply follow a plot — but help create it. Expect cinematic encounters, intriguing NPCs, mysteries to unravel, ancient ruins to explore, moments of heroism, and the occasional decision that makes everyone at the table wonder, "Are we really going to do this?" I run games using Foundry VTT, with immersive maps, dynamic lighting, and music to make online play feel as close as possible to sitting around a great gaming table. Mostly, my aim is to ensure that everyone has a great time. Whether you're a Pathfinder veteran looking for your next epic campaign or completely new to tabletop RPGs, you're welcome at my table. Bring your character. Bring your imagination. I'll bring the world.
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
There will be a Session Zero to discuss game themes, expectations, character background and generation rules. In short, will probably keep it simple (default to standard array and core books only) to make the game more accessible, but happy to go with a majority if people are keen for a specific feature.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
I will run on Foundry VTT and use Discord for voice chat and sharing images, campaign notes and documents. Links to be shared when needed.
What Shaun brings to the table
How Hard Can It Be is a D&D 5E fantasy adventure about ordinary people who decide to take an extraordinary risk. You grew up on the edge of civilisation. You know the people, the roads and the stories. Every spring, adventurers arrive chasing the Duke’s Bounty—gold, land and titles for those willing to push beyond the frontier. Most leave empty-handed. Many don't come back. Now it’s your turn. The campaign combines overland exploration, dungeon delving, investigation and objective-based combat, with the freedom to decide where you go and how you tackle the challenges you encounter. Exploration Beyond Haven lies a frontier that is only partially known. Travel through wilderness, discover settlements and ruins, follow rumours and decide which opportunities—and dangers—are worth pursuing. Your choices matter. Where you travel, what you investigate and which risks you take will shape what happens. Sometimes you'll find something valuable. Sometimes something dangerous. Occasionally, they'll be the same thing. Dungeon Delving The frontier is littered with forgotten ruins, abandoned settlements, ancient strongholds and places that were never meant to be found. Exploration will reward observation, resourcefulness and good decision-making. Of course, sometimes hitting something with a sword is exactly the right answer. Combat Combat follows familiar D&D 5E conventions, but encounters will generally have objectives beyond simply defeating every enemy. You may need to hold a position, rescue someone, retrieve an object, reach a location, escape an overwhelming force or prevent something terrible from happening. Preparation, tactics, the environment and a willingness to take risks can matter as much as your character abilities. Getting In Over Your Heads You aren't destined heroes. There's no prophecy, ancient bloodline or mysterious benefactor. You're adventurers because you decided the potential rewards were worth the considerable possibility of dying horribly. Things will go wrong. You'll encounter enemies stronger than you and plans will fall apart. The fun is figuring out what to do when you're in over your heads. The campaign is built around characters finding themselves in situations that look impossible—and somehow emerging triumphant. Your Choices Matter There is a story, but not a predetermined path. You might chase the Duke's Bounty, become involved in local politics, investigate an ancient ruin, help a frontier settlement or discover something far more important than the fortune you came looking for. There will be consequences either way. The Tone Expect classic D&D fantasy adventure: dangerous wilderness, forgotten ruins, strange creatures, treasure, ambitious villains, heroic deeds and desperate escapes. You may start in Haven with basic equipment, a few companions and an unreasonable amount of confidence. Where you end up is up to you.
Homebrew rules
I tend to use story milestones rather than XP for determining levelling up. In short, PCs will set goals and just working towards them earns them a token, achieving that goal earns two. Enough tokens and hey presto, you level. This usually requires some coordination with other players to ensure everyone has a good chance to progress. Happy to discuss during the Session Zero. Otherwise, happy to run with something if the group feels something is too powerful/not powerful enough.
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
Platforms used
Safety
How Shaun creates a safe table
I’ll post a Lines & Veils document in the game Discord and ask players to review it and contribute privately if they prefer. We’ll discuss expectations, boundaries and the campaign’s themes during Session 0, including tone, PvP, character conflict, content boundaries and how we handle uncomfortable situations.
Content warnings
Safety tools used