Murder on Dead Gnoll Mountain

Dungeons & Dragons 5e on MapTool, Theater of the Mind, Zoom

About the adventure

You've been traveling for a week and are looking forward to a solid roof over your head, a substantial meal in your stomach, and a reasonably comfortable bed to rest your weary bones. You know the Homely Inn is close . . . just a few more turns of the road, a few more rises to climb, and you'll be there. Then you smell it. Smoke. And not the "here's a comfy camp fire and a pot of stew bubbling" kind. It's the ambush kind. You start to run.

Additional Details

How to prepare

Players will at minimum need a basic Zoom account and the Zoom app installed as well as a functioning mic and speakers; ideally you will also have also a webcam, and a larger screen could be useful to make best use of the digital maps I display on occasion for tactical purposes but isn't necessary (as long as you're not on your phone). Players will need a 20-sided die as well as dice appropriate to their character's abilities (usually this means at least one 4-, 6-, 8-, 10-, and 12-sided die) or use a dice-rolling app.

What I provide

I will provide the D&D Beyond campaign to host characters as well as all necessary rule books and other materials for game play.

Gameplay details

The adventure contains references to abduction, confinement, and some violence and/or death (human & non-human animals). I offer opportunities to register potential triggers and establish Lines or Veils in an anonymous Google Sheet; I always offer players the option to call Script Changes during play. Players can expect a rules-light game focused on collaborative storytelling and role-playing, puzzle-solving, and some combat.

Content warnings

(none)

Safety tools used

Aftercare
Bleed
Breaks
Debriefing
Lines and Veils
Monte Cook RPG Consent Checklist
Open Door
X, N, and O Cards

How will character creation work

The players are generating and submitting characters through my D&D Beyond account ahead of the game session; the platform provides the necessary guidance to players who already have some knowledge of the game system.

Players can expect

• Find a game to join solo or search for a professional game master for you and your friends/coworkers/family.
• Book your session and wait for the Game Master to approve you.
• If you don't have a blast with your first game, your next game is on us.