[Play-by-Post] PROJECT_LAMORDIA: Modern D&D Techno-Horror!

Creating your character

Character creation takes place before Session 1 starts on D&D Beyond inside our shared campaign link . Players can choose to build a full character starting at Level 3 or play as a Lamordian Survivor. It's highly recommended you use character options from Project_Lamordia, as this is a unique, modern-day setting! The Reborn Species: Play as a Reborn who died on Mordenheim Kinetics' operating table and awoke in a synthetic or reconstructed shell. Utilize the Reborn origin tables (Biomechanical Augmentations, Build Specifications, Glitched Memories) to define your lost memories and synthetic traits. 4 Techno-Horror Backgrounds: Choose from Discredited Neural Tuner, Fabricated Mind, Mutated Commuter, or Reconstructed Runaway. Dark Gift Feats: Gain specialized feats at a cost (Aberrant Anatomy, Echoing Soul, Gathered Whispers, Symbiotic Being). Stat Generation: Point Buy, Standard Array, or Rolled stats are all permitted per 2024 PHB rules. Starting Gear: Standard class equipment, specialized survival tools (flashlights, welding tools, engineer's toolkits), plus a 100 GP starting bonus. Pre-generated characters are also available upon request!

Preparing for the session

Players complete a straightforward 6-step onboarding process: Review Session Zero: Read the Discord Session Zero thread and complete a quick player survey. D&D Beyond Campaign Link: Join our D&D Beyond campaign link to access shared 2024 PHB and Project_Lamordia content! Avrae Bot Setup: Link the Avrae Discord bot to handle dice rolling directly in Discord text channels. Tupperbox Setup (optional): Create a Tupperbox character proxy so your posts display your hero's custom portrait and name. Owlbear Rodeo / Maps Account: Create a free account on Owlbear Rodeo or D&D Beyond Maps VTT to view tactical maps without permission delays. Private #secrets Channel: Access your personal 1-on-1 Discord channel with me to establish backstory hooks, lost Reborn memories, and AFK default combat actions.

What DM_Alex | Zoological Gardens brings to the table

As a librarian, writer, actor, musician, and veteran GM with over 390 hosted games and a 5.0 rating, I bring a patient, encouraging, and story-first approach to every table. In a Play-by-Post game, prose is our secret weapon. Using my own creative writing skills (gulp), boxed text, and tools like Dscryb, I provide vivid, sensory descriptions, from the hum of copper steam pipes and flickering teal monitors to the sterile echoes of ruined laboratory corridors. Through clear, punchy narration and present-tense storytelling, I set a cinematic tone that keeps suspense high without losing clarity. My games thrive on group drama: there are no main characters, only a team of survivors leaning on each other to stay alive. Whether you're a Reborn piecing together glitched memories or a modified survivor looking for answers, I weave your character's unique backstory, Dark Gifts, and personal motivations directly into the facility's overarching narrative. While I run games on a solid foundation of 5.5e rules, I embrace the Rule of Cool and creative problem-solving. Techno-horror is about survival ingenuity; if you want to jury-rig an engineer's toolkit to short-circuit a blast door, use a flashlight to blind a kinetic creation, or exploit the environment to escape an ambush, I will always adapt and find a fair, cinematic way to resolve your idea. When edge cases arise, I err on the side of the players to keep the momentum flowing. Combat encounters in PROJECT_LAMORDIA are fast-paced, atmospheric, and tactical. Instead of turn-by-turn slogs, battles emphasize movement, cover, stealth, and environmental interaction. Encounters are designed to feel perilous, rewarding clever tactics and group coordination over brute force. I use distinct voice conventions, thematic formatting, and dialogue styling in text, but you are never expected to RP in a specific way. Whether you write rich dialogue, use theatrical in-character posting, or prefer third-person descriptive narration, all roleplay styles are welcome. Finally, I cultivate an inclusive, LGBTQIA+ friendly, and neurodivergent-welcoming space. While the narrative inside the laboratory is full of gothic dread and survival tension, our out-of-character space is always warm, collaborative, and communicative.

Homebrew rules

Tailored specifically to keep asynchronous Play-by-Post fast, smooth, and exciting: Pre-emptive Rolls: Feel free to roll preemptively when describing actions (or roll both candidate skills if unsure). If you know the target DC, roll immediately so we can resolve the scene without waiting. Weekly Heroic Inspiration: Receive 1 free Heroic Inspiration at the start of each play week (stackable, player-tracked for straight rerolls). Critical Success Perks: Natural 20s trigger extra rewarding narrative moments, unexpected clues, or structural advantages, even out of combat. Transparent Counterspell: I always name the exact spell a monster is casting upfront so you can make clear strategic decisions. 24-Hour Combat Momentum: If a player is AFK for more than 24 hours during combat, the scene advances using pre-set default actions from your secrets channel so nobody is stuck waiting. In-Game Post Conventions: Present-tense narration, quotes for speech, OOC brackets for out-of-character chat, and spoiler tags for secret communications.

How DM_Alex | Zoological Gardens creates a safe table

Player safety and comfort are top priorities at my table. In addition to the initial session zero/safety tools survey, we use a structured X/N/O Safety Card system usable publicly in chat or via private DM without needing to justify or explain why: X (Stop): Immediately pauses the scene and pivots direction. N (Near): Signals approaching a content limit; proceed with caution. O (Okay): Out-of-character check-in confirming comfort during intense scenes. We establish clear boundaries in Session Zero, and each player has a dedicated private secrets channel with me for ongoing 1-on-1 check-ins and support.