In the near future I'll be running a Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition game called Blestem Viorea. For tone, picture Resident Evil Village meets Curse of Strahd . (Yeah, I'm playing RE8 right now and was inspired by the game's art direction- but I swear I'm not a hack. Listen to the premise before you judge me.) What I'd be asking of my players regarding characters is to play a character from an unfinished game or campaign, of which this hobby is rife. The backstory in that sense, would be that unfinished game, and the world these characters are being spirited away to will explore elements from those incomplete stories, offering closure to both the PCs and their players. You could kind of think of it as a kind of shared purgatory or dying dream, where the central conflict - unbeknownst to the PCs (but not the Players, obviously) - is searching for that closure. While the PCs explore the mystery of their world mysteriously changing, exploring the mystery of their fellow PCs whose disparate histories (probably) don't fit in with the worlds they know, the Players will be waiting with bated breath to see how those, thought lost, storylines are introduced, handled, and ultimately concluded. There's a lot of room for DM/Player cooperation before the campaign starts to discuss the incorporation of past, unfinished stories - say, if someone wanted to play a character from an unfinished campaign but wanted to have a personal NPC from a different unfinished campaign, we could throw that around, see what sticks. Finally, if you're a fresh-out-of-the-box, bright-eyed, innocent player whose never had their heart broken over a failed campaign (or just feel so inclined) you could make a brand-spanking-new character whose backstory would then be about an unfinished campaign you come up with. But that's the hook. The PCs are forgotten heroes. Rather, that will be the hook. If you've read this far, you've made it past the first metaphorical sieve (There are better ways I could have worded that, but I spent 20 minutes looking for that word so, by gallee, I'm gonna use it). That being said, there's more. You'll notice the post is an "LFLB." That's because I'm looking for someone specifically. Lizzie Borden . To be clear, Lizzie Borden is an alternate timeline name, so her real-life name might be something like Lindsay or Leslie or Elizabeth, etc. Lisbon, even. Doesn't really matter, I just know it would be something close to that. It's to complete a prophecy, and complete my main group (which won't be the group playing in Blestem Viorea ) with the legendary Tom3. I believe someone with a name similar to Lizzie Borden will be Tom3, but I may be misinterpreting the prophecy so I'll explain below what a Tom3 would look like, in case that's you or someone you know. Also, if you're not Lizzie but think you might know Lizzie, do her a favor and pass this thread onto her. You never know where you'll find those people whose very friendship deepens your appreciation for life. That's what this is about, really. I'm looking for another kindred spirit whom I could be as good friends with as Tom0 and Tom2, because they've added a lot of meaning to my life through their friendship and the stories we've told together. Now, let me dispel any misconceptions and elaborate on the mystery of Tom3. Tom3 isn't necessarily a woman. Again, there's just a prophecy that leads me to believe there's a Lizzie out there. Tom3 is really just someone who shares my tabletop values, those traits shared across all Toms that facilitate deep and meaningful storytelling at the table. I'd like to emphasize that there is a difference between having a value and possessing the quality itself. For instance, you might value Humility but actually have a bit of a prideful side. In that regard, you'd still fit that Tomian niche. (Tom0 is that way, and we get along great!) Inversely, if you were somehow humble but valued Pride (which is pretty hard for me to imagine), the disconnect there would be that very lack of understanding between us, which could make for interesting discussions but doesn't facilitate the level of emotional synergy necessary for collaborating on something as intimate as cooperative storytelling. Tabletop games are as good as you make them; the more you put into them, the more you get out of them. I'm looking for someone who wants to go all in, who's willing to take a piece of themselves, put it into their character, and trust me with their hopes for the story they want to tell with that spark of creativity they have inside them. In a sense, I'm looking less for a player and more for an artist, while not losing sight of the fact that this is an artistic game , in which we're meant to laugh and have fun and lose our minds over the unexpected twists of fate the dice determine would make for the best story (no matter how much I sometimes disagree with them QQ). Someone who respects the story, the dice, their fellow players, the hobby, the game, (optionally: themselves), and is ultimately looking for the same thing I am. The best style of D&D is the one that gives you what you're looking for. Tom3 isn't some objective standard of legendary roleplay potential but the person who fits into the small category of people who play D&D for the same reasons I, and my closest friends (whom I also met on Roll20), play for. Now, I'm going to speak to Lizzie, directly. I'm a strong believer in the idea that everyone has a creative side, or at the very least, everyone who has enough of an interest in tabletop gaming to be reading a forum post on a tabletop gaming website does. Sometimes, you just need the right means of expressing that creative side of yourself. There was this delightful video by a YouTuber whose videos I enjoy called Goat-on-a-stick. He makes Joel Haver-style animations, and he recently made one of those "Thank You for X amount of Subscribers" videos. In it, he addressed some of the criticism he gets for ripping off Joel Haver's style with humor but then a heartfelt thank you to Joel Haver for sharing the method of making those kinds of animations and "bringing out the artist in him." I mentioned RE8 and Curse of Strahd, but that little moment from that obscure, little video also inspired Blestem Viorea and this post looking for you. Maybe you're already a super-amazing artist, in some regard or another, but if you're looking on the LFG Forums, I imagine you're looking for a game that's actually satisfying and fulfilling, one in which all that creative potential inside you can truly shine. I want to do that for you. I want to give you that stage for you to shine. Wasn't that touching? Hahaha. Alright, so if you've been trying to parse whether or not I'm joking about the Lizzie Prophecy thing- good! If it gave you an absurd chuckle- even better! If you felt something- I'm glad. And if you don't mind the prospect of me calling you Lizzie regardless of the fact that you're a 40-year-old man named Hogarth- maybe you're the one (because I'm definitely going to do that, just like I call Tom2 Tom2 despite that not being her name). If you haven't guessed, the hidden purpose of this post was to tell you about me so that after you've finished reading you can determine whether or not I seem like the kind of person you want to get to know and play D&D with. It's multifaceted, too, because not only does it display my sense of humor, values, and heart, but it actually gives you an idea of what the narrative pacing of my games are like. They strike you with an interesting premise, tickle you with bold and baffling character while establishing an underlying mystery, then hit you with some genuine feels, and in the post-game we all wind down, with some open and insightful discussion about everything that just happened. You'll notice, I followed the Rule of 3 in this as well, to mention the thing I want you to notice and remember (despite the long read) by repeating Blestem Viorea 3, now 4 times. So much attention drawn to it amidst all the chaos, but what does it even mean? There is something you could learn about the name alone that is significant, but it would only have meaning with the context provided in the game itself. So now you've got my personality, my style, and my skill. You 'mirin'? Last segment, LB, I swear. While I think the above is sufficient for painting a picture of me as a DM and potential friend, I'll just throw out some general things about my playstyle that I probably take for granted. I don't use battlemaps. Pure theater-of-the-mind. It offers a lot more creative freedom, allows for more dynamic and mobile combat encounters (many of which I think in hindsight, There's no way that would have worked on a battlemap. ) For example, I had a monk making stealth checks in the interconnected boughs of colossal trees, hundreds of feet in the air, as she was being hunted by a giant archer shooting arrows at her large enough to snap tree branches she stood on; imagine Hawkeye Gough taking the place of the Anor Londo archers but in a giant-sized jungle. Or, that time I slapped down a CR 24 Hekatonkheires in front of the airship of a level 14(?) ur-conductor, forcing her to perform evasive maneuvers through an abandoned city as it threw buildings and trees at her so that it could crash the ship and eat her best friend who was unconscious in the hold. I use lots of music through a third-party website. It's great for streaming music to players, hassle-free, allowing me to give characters and locations dedicated themes. Music adds so much to an experience and the music you use can even change the entire feeling of a scene. If you want an example of this, search up on Youtube, "Darth Vader Music Really Makes A Difference." They play a romantic song over Darth Vader's arrival in A New Hope, and it's hilarious. Having particular music motifs also helps individualize campaigns, characters, locations, important scenes, giving everything its own unique identity. I like to collaborate a lot with my players, one of the biggest ways is by getting "hot takes" from the players about their PCs. Every so often getting a rundown of the psychology of a PC given the events transpiring in the campaign helps me understand where they're at, where they're going, and what I need to do to get them to the conclusion of their arcs and story. It inspires a great deal of what inevitably comes up in the campaign, allowing for a more personalized and meaningful experience. I do expect written backstories, much in the sense that I must protect you and the campaign from you if you're hoping for an amazing story and character arc without building blocks to work with. A fun fact about myself is that I wrote a 97-page novella for a Pathfinder game I'm in with an additional 20-some page Character Index, which I 100% do not expect or recommend. That was ridiculous, and I only did it because Tom0 kept making fun of me for going with an amnesia backstory (which is to say 0-page backstory) for my first campaign with him. Then, he got me back with a 75-page House of Leaves -style work of art of a backstory, seriously word art, and incomprehensible gibberish that I had to derive meaning from in order to flesh out his amnesia backstory and its subsequent plot. Really, though. You can be a reasonable person like Tom2 and write 2 - 10 page backstories and be grand. I think Tom0 and I have learned our lesson about egregiously long backstories. Less really is more. I'll note that I do like to joke around in good fun, so if you're easily offended or the sensitive sort, you're probably not looking for Tom1. Once again, this is all in consideration for a game where we could formally get to know one another. I picked 5e in the event you're new to tabletops or just feel more comfortable with something you're likely more familiar with, given its popularity. Simple, easy to run, and a well-enough way to become acquainted. I'd never run a paid game. I don't allow animal/monstrous races (skinwalkers are the closest exception). Also, I typically play on weekends in the evening EST. Schedule is flexible. The plan for Blestem Viorea is to play on weeknights, but I'd make weekends work for you. Sounds a little contradictory but the reason is that I'd rather Blestem Viorea not interfere with my current games, but Tom0 and Tom2 will understand if I tell them about you. [POV] You're Lizzie and you're down for some Blestem Viorea . What do you do? Tell me. DM me. Tell me what you like about tabletop gaming, tell me about your favorite character or favorite character concept you never got to play, or favorite character (PC or NPC) you've witnessed. Tell me about your favorite tabletop gaming experiences, or what you'd hope to experience in tabletop gaming. Tell me about your favorite stories, movies, and TV shows. Why do you like them? What do you like about them? This doesn't have to be exhaustive. You don't have to answer all of these, or in this order. Really, just tell me about yourself. The foundation of any good campaign is a good group. That's why I've spent 4 hours writing a post on Roll20 to tell people about myself in the hopes those willing to read the whole thing would in turn tell me about themselves. Worst case scenario, I have doubts about your Lizziness and direct you to the Discord server I'm hoping to build to help players find each other based on the same vetting process as this post, possibly even with some kind of recommendation system for players who might get along. I don't intend to have an application thread for this game, rather I know some players I don't regularly play with but appreciate that I mean to fill any empty spaces with (up to 4 players, including you). Therein lies the potential for finding players kindred to you, even if it turns out you're not a player kindred to me. Thank you for letting me share this with you, and... Blestem Viorea!
