Pay the Toll of the Living | Lvl 3 D&D 2024 Horror One-Shot

Creating your character

Pregenerated characters only, 2024 Player's Handbook, level 3. If you have your heart set on one of the seven below, message me before the game to claim it. Otherwise, we roll at the table to see who picks first. All seven belong to the Lantern Company, so whoever sits down together already knows and trusts each other. - Fighter (goliath, Champion): the company's muscle. Hits hard, protects the party, carries a sword that glows in the dark. Left their clan to prove they could stand on their own, and measures every day by the hardest thing they faced in it. - Barbarian (orc, Path of the Berserker): the one the monsters have to hit. Most hit points in the company, rages, won't leave anyone behind. Can't walk past someone in trouble, which is how they keep ending up in fights. - Paladin (aasimar, Oath of Devotion): a sworn protector. Heavy armor, healing hands, radiant smites. Their order assigns them to the company based on a prophecy from their god. - Cleric (dwarf, Life Domain): Keeps everyone standing and calls down holy fire. Believes faith is proven by deeds, not sermons, and goes where the hurt is. - Rogue (high elf, Thief): the scout. Picks locks, finds traps, lands one big hit every turn. Grew up with nothing and intends never to be poor again; every job is a step toward a fortune. - Warlock (tiefling, Fiend Patron): Hex your foes and then blast from the back line. Made a pact for power and keeps looking for more; any mystery might hide something their patron wants. - Wizard (rock gnome, Evoker): Multi-target mayhem with out of combat utility. Wants to understand how everything works, especially magic nobody has figured out yet.

Preparing for the session

1. Join the Discord server: https://discord.gg/wRPjTtg3FM 2. Have a Forge account ready to go so you can join our FoundryVTT game. Player accounts are free: https://forge-vtt.com/account/login Note that Forge supports only certain web browsers: Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and non-GX Opera are supported. Chrome or chromium based browsers work best. Safari is NOT supported.

What Heidi brings to the table

- Foundry VTT in your browser: maps with dynamic lighting and fog of war, so the dark is as dark as it should be - Music and ambiance for every scene - Voice on Discord - Seven ready-to-play level 3 characters with swappable portraits, a reason to be there, and tactics notes written for people who have never played that class - An experienced DM who keeps the game moving and the rules out of your way I run lively sessions with a fast pace, welcoming all manner of players—whether you’re a tactical genius, an aspiring actor, or a wild card who loves creative solutions. While I generally run Rules As Written (RAW), I adore player shenanigans. Want to enact a crazy scheme that doesn't quite work with RAW? Tell me what you want to try, and we'll come up with a way to give you a fair chance to roll the dice!

Homebrew rules

Mostly Rules as Written. A few special ones: Snappy Play: During initiative, excessive indecision may cause you to lose your turn. Stay ready! Trap Detection: During combat Passive Perception checks to notice traps and secret doors are made at disadvantage. Actively searching for traps during combat requires a full action and cautious, half-speed movement. Traps: When you trigger a trap, I will announce, 'Click. What do you do?' No further information will be provided until you react. Declare your immediate reaction (e.g., jump backward, drop prone, shield yourself, etc.). Depending on the nature of the trap and your declared action, you may receive a bonus or penalty to the upcoming saving throw or outcome Short Rests: Short Rests are generally safe unless you attempt one in an extremely dangerous or obviously active location. Otherwise, you will not be interrupted. Inspiration: I award inspiration on a roll of a natural 20 on any D20 test. I may also award it for heroic acts or humor.

How Heidi creates a safe table

Before we begin, we will discuss whether or not the table is comfortable with swearing and how much we want to veil the descriptions of violence and combat-related gore in the game. The following content is strictly prohibited at this table, regardless of individual player preference: - Sexual assault, rape, or non-consensual sexual acts — not allowed in backstories, roleplay, implication, or description. These topics will not appear in any form and should not be introduced by players. If there are additional lines or veils you are concerned about, please message me in Discord (private DM) before any game, and I will socialize the rules with the rest of the table. You may message X, N, & O's to me in Discord or speak them out loud. If there is a safety issue, we will stop the scene immediately, take a brief break, & I will check in with you privately before we resume that session. Before the next session, I will reach out with any changes or clarifications that need to occur in order to create a safe space for all.