Table of Contents

Campaign Primer

What to expect

  1. If you're here, you're part of the group. That means you're invited to play. If you can't play now, you can always play later. If you say you'll be at a session, you should show up on time. You can arrive late or leave early, but if you can, let the DM know ahead of time if this will be a possibility.
  2. I am a gamist, rules-before-rulings DM. I love the game and I respect the rules. AD&D is great in part because there are many rules you can rely on. Rules you can use to gauge your chances in different scenarios. Rules that allow you and me to improve at the game. Rulings are great for all the ways a player can be creative that aren't covered by the rules. Often, a ruling becomes a rule.
  3. I respect the dice. I do not fudge rolls. I roll most dice in the open. When it's not already decided by the rules, I will tell you the number you need to roll, why, and what will happen if you succeed or fail. You are permitted to argue these chances, and sometimes I will agree.
  4. This campaign is not about your individual characters. It's about a world. AD&D is a campaign game about emergent gameplay and adventure that manifests when we roll dice together. Mortality will be high. With cleverness, teamwork, and luck, your character may make it to the next room, the next dungeon, the next level. The stakes are high and the odds are fearful. Be prepared.1)

Group rules

  1. Don’t mention real-world politics or religion.
  2. Treat everyone here with respect.
  3. Don’t share 18+/NSFW content. (You are welcome to swear freely, but unwelcome to post your nudes.)
  4. You must have a reasonably-clear microphone.
  5. We’d love it if you used a webcam. Webcams help me gauge the table, and I find that facial expressions are nice to have. However, if you do not use a webcam, no one will ask the reason and you will not be penalized. I trust that you will use one if you can and doing so does not make you overly uncomfortable.
  6. We use Foundry for its exquisite (and aurally-satisfying) 3D dice roller and decent drawing tools. All you need is a web browser.
  7. You must roll all dice in Foundry or in the #rolls channel of the Discord. A special exception may be made if you have a dice cam setup that is similar to mine and doesn’t slow the game down in any way. This is on a case-by-case basis, and in order to be considered for this exception you must have attended at least 4 sessions.
  8. We use Google Sheets for character sheets. You must keep your sheets updated at all times.
  9. If you are unfamiliar with any of the technology being used, let the DM know.
  10. You’ll need a copy of the Player’s Handbook (PHB). The Dungeon Master’s Guide (DMG) is also recommended, since many of the game’s rules are located in that tome. We also use spells and magic items from Unearthed Arcana (UA), but you don't need your own copy. For info on rulebooks and where to get them, see Demon Idol's Rulebooks Guide. We do not use OSRIC rules.
  11. Being bummed that your character is paralyzed/charmed/dead is understandable. Being mean, uncool, or extremely whiny with other players about it is not okay. The DM is a player.
  12. The final word is sportsmanship.

Additional notes

  1. It is assumed that all characters share information on adventure sites with one another – maps, key items, expedition reports, and the like. If you would like your character or expedition group to withhold something from other characters, make sure to inform the DM.

Creating characters

Now that you've read the Campaign Primer, it's time to roll some characters. You will begin the game with three characters in your stable. It will take about 30-90 minutes depending on your familiarity with AD&D. Message the DM to set up a time. You must roll these first characters with the DM, you can't do it solo.

If you don't message the DM, the DM will assume that you have decided against playing for now.

When first joining the campaign, you will be allowed up to 3 characters in your stable. After two real-life months of play and some success at the game, the DM may raise your limit to 5 characters. When rolling your characters in Foundry, make sure to post a message in chat before making any “test rolls” or rolling for fun. That way, it’s clear which rolls are your “real” rolls and there isn’t any uncertainty.

You must use our official character sheet, though you may modify it to suit your preferences.

See the campaign doc for the character sheet links, as they haven't been made public yet.

Now, you're off to Character Creation.

1)
This section was heavily influenced by Anthony Huso, whose writing on this matter I saw little way to improve.