Welcome to The Great Expanse

About the adventure

In the world of Yokairra sits two large islands known as the Arrow Isles, the Kingdoms of Damlian, and the Frimhass Cove. Until explorers met each other a few centuries ago, there were histories of being all that was. After decades of strife and 20 years of war between the two, the last 87 years have seen a tenuous peace and trade. All this was brought about by new leadership and the people's will. In the memories of every living being and every ancient text, life was confined to these two islands or the seas they sat in. There seemed to be the Arrow Isles, the forever ocean, and the Maelstrom, a torrent wall of heavy rain, oppressive winds, and towering waves. 40 years ago, a joint expedition of the Arrow Isles Braved the Maelstrom and found an impressive landmass, The Great Expanse. Within that time, the evidence of a civilization, millennia removed, scattered about the fields and mountains. Ruins of monoliths and catacomb of a world beyond understanding and forgotten to time. The Great Expanse has brought all kinds of characters to its shores, from pilgrims looking to make it on their own away from their respective isles, merchants looking for new and plentiful resources, and missions of archaeologists and scientists arch-mages, and nobles. All of which can bring the worst of raiders, thieves, and scum, not to mention the untamed wilds and dangers the Great Expanse has in store. The Great Expanse is a vast continent that screams a far-removed civilization under every rock. An untapped and unrefined world of opportunity awaits! Venture forth to adventure, on your own or with any number of friends! Where will your desires and ideals take you through this land of eons past? This campaign is a "West Marches" style game where multiple groups interact with the world! Solve the roadblocks of new towns and governments, explore the ruins of the long-forgotten ancients, or lay stake to your own slice of the Expanse. Uncover the mysteries of what has befallen the once-great civilization; could their fate be the new world's future?

Additional Details

How to prepare

Players should create their characters either on their own after linking to the campaign and then gone over with the GM for the session zero or with the GM to help the process along. An account with DND Beyond is the most helpful and if time restraint dictate will be required for the GM to have access to character sheets, keep content fair and equal among players, and to have access to the online dice if home dice are unavailable. Will also require at least a mic, webcams are preferred but not required.

What I provide

Campaign, Source material and rulesets, as well as discord servers filled with all sorts of extras and recourses available for this campaign. Also background music and immersive ambience, I know that doesn't sound like much but it really makes a game.

Gameplay details

Before the Game Begins Session 0s are a great way to begin communication, set expectations on the kind of story and play, and introduce and discuss what safety tools will be used at the table. Lines and Veils- Lines and veils are used to set boundaries on content in a game. Lines are hard limits on content, things that the GM or the players don’t want to engage in. Setting up a line means that content won’t show up in the game at all. Veils are soft limits, things that are ok “behind a curtain” or when they “cut-to-black.” Setting up a veil means that the content might be in the game but not spotlighted or described in great detail. Lines and veils can be adjusted as needed throughout the game. For additional nuance in setting boundaries, you may also want to set up “Ask first” for content that is ok to show up in the game but requires a check-in before implementing, and “Yes please” for content you definitely want to include. Luxton Technique Discussion- In the Luxton Technique, have an open discussion between everyone at the table about potential trauma triggers. This is with the understanding that it’s not possible to identify every single possible trigger or trauma, and that there is no social pressure to go into details or individual justifications for a trigger. We will be using The RPG Consent Checklist resource for setting expectations and content boundaries. During the Game X, N, and O Cards- X, N, and O cards are check-in tools. They can be used by tapping physical cards, typing the letter in the chat function of the video conference software or virtual tabletop you are using, or using hand signals. Before the game begins, remind everyone that they are available and how to use them. The X card can be used at any point if a participant is uncomfortable with the content happening in-game. When the X card is used by tapping the card or typing an “X” in the chat, the group can change, rewind, or skip the content. The N card can be used at any point if a participant feels like they are headed towards an X. When the N card is used by tapping the card or typing an “N” in the chat, the group can change the content or have the scene “fade to black.” The O card can be used at any point if a participant wants to continue with the content. When the O card is used by tapping the card or typing an “O” in the chat, the group is ok to continue with the content. They can also regularly be prompted by a “O?” asked out loud or in the chat to check-in if everyone is still ok. Luxton Technique- With the Luxton Technique, when a participant comes across triggering content in play, they can choose to discuss it with the other people at the table. The participant is given complete control over that content, expressed as a need or want for how play will continue. This can include in-game directions for plot and characters, as well as out of game needs such as breaks. After the need and wants are expressed, everyone continues play to accomodate the requests. Open Door- The Open Door is the assurance that someone can leave or take a break from the game for their own safety and well-being without being judged. State this at the beginning and periodically throughout the game. Breaks- For games longer than 2 hours or games that have intense content, having a short built-in break is recommended to allow people to stay focused and process. Allow for discussion, bio breaks, or any other needs during this time. After the Game Bleed- Emotions and stress from the game can bleed over into post-game life. This can affect the enjoyment of the game, as well as out-of-game relationships between players and GM if not worked through. Being open and honest about where the game begins and ends, and being conscious of which feelings belong to the player and which are just bleed, helps to mitigate the effects. Aftercare- Together as a group after the game, check-in with everyone to see how they are feeling. This is an open way for everyone to emotionally decompress, talk through, and process the events of the session in a safe environment. Encourage everyone to practice their own forms of self-care and remind them that their mental health comes first. Debriefing- Debriefing as a group is a great way to reflect on the game, identify possible issues, highlight the fun things to continue, and work through potential bleed. Debriefing can happen right after the game or in the days following the stream. Stars and Wishes- Stars and wishes are used to reflect on the session and communicate feedback in a positive and forward-facing way. At the end of the game, go around and get everyone to state a star and wish. Stars are things that the participants really enjoyed and loved about the game. This could include a particular moment of roleplay, an encounter created by the GM, or anything else that stuck out as something awesome during the game. Wishes are things that the participants would like to see in future sessions. This could include particular interactions between characters, potential story moments and development, or anything else that could make the game even better in the future.

Content warnings

(none)

Safety tools used

(none)

How will character creation work

Character creation will be linked to the campaign in DND Beyond. this will insure everyone has access to the same tools and rulesets. If comfortable, character can be made with the GM present before session 0 to help realize the ideas and wants for the character. All ideas outside of the provided rulesets should be brought up with the GM.

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.