Viking Sagas meets Spirited Away | Roleplay-Heavy, Lvl 5

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Viking Sagas meets Spirited Away | Roleplay-Heavy, Lvl 5

Serve a queen trapped between worlds. Bargain with bureaucrat spirits, outwit feuding clans, and hunt the horrors leaking from Hel.

TYPE

Campaign

LEVELS

5

LANGUAGE

English

EXPERIENCE

Open to all

AGE

18+
2 SEATS LEFT
$23.00

/ Session

Details

1 player following this game

Weekly / Thursday - 6:00 PM UTC

Oct 15 / Session 3

Session Duration / 3–4 hours

Campaign Length / 10+ Sessions

3 / 5 Seats Filled

Top Game Master

One of StartPlaying's top-rated GMs, a player favorite and highly recommended.

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Schedule

Thu, Oct 15 | 6:00 PM – Session 3

Thu, Oct 22 | 6:00 PM – Session 4

Meet your party members

3/5

About the adventure

You are the Queen's Whispers: sworn agents of Queen Hanna Elveira who’s now trapped in a stasis between worlds. The clans have sworn an uneasy peace. The land has not. Here the gods are bureaucrats. Spirits govern everything from a candle's flame to a broken heart, and every one of them has rules, grudges and a price. Magic is almost unheard of among mortals, so if your character has it, they'd best keep it quiet. And to the north, the Scar, a vast wound in the earth, is leaking the chaos of Hel into the world. Your first mission: find the one shaman powerful enough to bring the queen back. Your road runs through a haunted rural town, rival clan halls where one wrong word could start a war, and a wilderness that wants you dead. What you'll do: - Negotiate, bargain and bluff with spirits, clan chiefs and worse - Hunt the horrors crawling out of the Scar - Choose which clans to trust, and live with the consequences - Chase personal subplots woven from your character's story You start at level 5, so you have real power from session one. Expect deep roleplay, character voices and ambient music, with tactical combat that has teeth. This is an open sandbox, and the story bends to your choices. The party so far: a Dragonborn Artificer (Goblin appearance), a human Paladin and a dhampir Fighter/Sorcerer. A skill expert or support caster would round things out nicely, but play what excites you. New to the setting? No homework needed. Everything you need is revealed in play.

Game style

Roleplay Heavy

Sandbox / Open World

Meet the Game Master

5.0

(12)

TOP GM
Neurodivergent
Published Writer
Artist

3 years on StartPlaying

147 games hosted

Highly rated for: Storytelling, World Builder, Inclusive

About me

Author of 'No Hope From Nowhere,' freelance creator, and part-time narrative designer. As a neurodivergent I'm also an advocate for accessibility rights, mental health awareness, and the LGBTQ+ community. My games endeavour to provide a safe space for people of all walks of life to engage and enjoy themselves without fear of judgment. As a GM, I've been running games for over two decades in a multitude of systems, alongside designing my own homebrew settings and publishing written works, including my debut novel. I prefer to encourage roleplay and character development first, with combat and puzzles secondary yet integral to the stories I help weave. If you'd like to know more or hire me to run a game for you, please don't hesitate to reach out. I'm always happy to offer a free consultation call to see if we'd be a fit. Rich

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Character creation

Creating your character

Sourcebooks Available: Arcana Unleashed, Players Handbook (2024), Dungeon Masters Guide (2024), Monster Manual (2024), Eberron: Forge of the Artificer, Heroes of Faerun, Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, Ravenloft: Horrors Within. The allowed (native) species are: Aasimar, Changeling, Dhampir, Dragonborn, Dwarf, Drow, Elf, High Elf, Wood Elf, Forest Gnome, Rock Gnome, Goliath, Halfling, Human, Kalashtar, Khoravar, Orc, Reborn, Shifter, Abyssal Tiefling, Chthonic Tiefling, and Infernal Tiefling. We currently have a Dragonborn goblin [Artificer], a Human [Paladin], and a Dhampir [Fighter/Sorcerer].

What to expect

Preparing for the session

Join our discord server, read up on some of the homebrew lore, prepare any pregame questions for the GM and get ready to enjoy your saga.

What Rich (Wiggy) brings to the table

I utilise character voices, ambient music and tactical combat. Where I can I like to apply the rule of cool. I am a story and world first GM who encourages character rp and character specific subplots.

Homebrew rules

- Potion: Drinking a potion is a bonus action - Spell Points: I use the spell points system instead of spell slots - Wisdom (Spirit): An additional ability check is available to Clerics, Druids, Paladins, Sorcerers, Wizards, Warlocks, or those with the Skilled feat. When interacting with the Realm-Beyond or spirits of the Pyramathian Bureaucracy, you roll Wisdom (Spirit). Additionally, with 10 minutes and an offering, you may make a Wisdom (Spirit) roll to commune with a spirit, with a DC equal to 15 + the CR of the spirit; a success allows you to commune with the spirit for 10 minutes. - Deadly Critical Hits: Modifiers are multiplied as well as the dice, and the values of base damage dice are maximised. - Dexterity Tiebreaker: Dexterity ability score breaks ties in Initiative. - Milestone: We use Milestone instead of XP - Encumbrance: Normal (max carrying capacity) - Currency weight included. - Initiative: Initiative automatically re-rolls every turn creating fluid, unpredictable combat. - Skills: Skills are not class restricted. At character creation you do not select from a restricted list, instead your class grants you 4 + Intelligence modifier skills, in addition to those gained from your choice of background and any species/feat skills.

Equipment needed to play

Internet

Computer

Microphone

Safety

How Rich (Wiggy) creates a safe table

I operate on a direct message (or group chat) identification of concerns and call this the Call-X, Call-N or Call-O method: rather than cards, a player can type either of these into the chat and no questions will be asked as to the reasons. I will simply change, rewind, or skip the aforementioned content in the case of a Call-X, or change or fade to black in the case of a Call-N. I also have the following above table, out of character rules, to help the game: RULES CONTENTIONS – STAY IN THE FLOW Short Rule: If I make a call during gameplay and no one’s character dies, the ruling stands until a break. Note it down and we’ll review it after the session or during a pause. Full Rule: If something seems off or incorrect, please trust that I’ve made the decision with good intent and the flow of the game in mind. Mid-session rule-checks break immersion, slow down our storytelling, and can cause unnecessary tension. This is a shared narrative. Let’s respect the pace and momentum of the table. Bring up concerns during a break or after the session, and I promise to review them fairly. --- RESPECT – OUR MOST POWERFUL MAGIC Disrespect, discrimination, or any form of harmful behaviour will not be tolerated at this table. Whether it’s about race, gender, sexuality, or anything else, there is no space for prejudice in this party. We are adventurers in the same fellowship, and every player deserves to feel seen, safe, and supported. If you act otherwise, expect a swift swing of the banhammer. --- COOPERATION D&D is, at its core, a game of collaborative storytelling. That means: • Share the spotlight • Support each other’s character moments • Build on each other’s ideas • Listen actively Interrupting roleplay, steamrolling scenes, or ignoring other players’ moments is a critical fail in my groups. We’re all co-authors of this tale, not solo acts. --- OPEN DOOR – ALWAYS WELCOME My (metaphorical) DM door is open. If you have a concern, want to check in, or simply chat about the game, reach out. I might not always reply straight away, but I will follow up. Think of me as a neutral NPC when it comes to disputes. I will mediate first, and rule second. The aim is always to keep this game a safe and welcoming place where everyone can thrive. --- TAKE FIVE – FOR WHEN YOU NEED A BREATHER At any point during the session, anyone (DM included) can call a “Take Five.” No explanation needed. We’ll pause, step away, and come back when everyone’s ready. There is no judgement for using this rule. It exists to protect the fun and ensure the adventure remains a place of joy and safety for all. NO PVP – ONE PARTY, ONE PURPOSE This is a PvP-free zone. Our game is about cooperation, not conflict between party members. If a situation looks like it might escalate into PvP, it is everyone’s responsibility, not just the GM’s, to address it. If the tension feels awkward, we can invoke the “Take Five” rule to pause, reset, and recalibrate.

Content warnings

Alcoholism
Animal Death
Alcohol Use
Character Death
Cults
Death
Devils / Demons / Fiends
Deep or Large Bodies of Water
Fire
Freezing
Gore
Hostages
Insects
Kidnapping
Murder
Snakes
Spiders
Violence

Safety tools used

Frequently asked questions