Hi All, I've been running on Roll20 for a couple years now and I'm looking to add a game to my schedule. I'm definitely a world builder and I'm looking to (most likely) build something on top of the Eberron setting. Speaking for myself - I believe in story first, mechanics second. That doesn't mean I like "rules-light" or finding shortcuts - not at all. I definitely WANT to be as loyal to the rules as I can get (inventing a world is enough work - I don't also want to invent a game system when one is there already) but it does mean that I tend to make a call "now" and "learn later". My NPCs are all developed and in depth - my artifacts are historied and developed. My plots are complex and layered. The PCs typically only see the part of the iceberg floating above the water line - they may never know the underlying motivations of the major players or the moves that happened to create the current situation but I assure you - they are there if only for my benefit. I spent the first 35 years of my life (or so) acting in local and regional productions and the last 10 (or so) Directing. Pacing, story, character are all things I have had a ton of exposure to over the course of my life. So what am I looking for? I'm looking to start a 5e High Fantasy game. I run Zweihander and I love it - I think it's the perfect system but I don't want to corrupt that setting with High Fantasy tropes. But here's the important piece - I am looking for a specific group of people make up of a specific type of player who I will try to describe here. This player is 25+ : No offense to younger people and this isn't a "maturity" thing - it's about exposure to enough of real life that you have a sense for what the world is about. You may be in your early career, solidly out on your own and have some exposure to the larger world. Again, this isn't about your ability to "act like an adult" - it's about your experience BEING an adult. This player uses "I" when talking about their RP actions: We're dealing with a handicap with systems like Roll 20 in that it's audio only in most cases. There is an enormous component you lose when you can't see each other (and still, something is lost without being in the same room physically. Case in point - the difference on Critical Role when Ashley is a face on a screen or there in person). As such - being in character and playing in character is crucial to building some kind of immersion. This player is looking to evolve their characters mentally/emotionally - not just as stats on a page. This player is looking to evolve their relationship with the other characters in the party : This is very important and I've seen this missing from players (especially younger players) lately. The Paladin in your group has just taken an action in service of her god and it's counter to your freedom-loving self. How does your character react to that? How do you approach that situation? What if your character falls for another character in the party or an NPC? What do you do to develop that? Player-created story content is AS IMPORTANT as GM-created story content and it's an ingredient sorely missed in the "modern" style of RP. This player has never described their character as "the quiet type" - These are adventurers. These are people who are pushing at the edges of their realities to make their voices HEARD and their actions SEEN. These are not people who will quietly sit alone at a party unless they have something mental/emotional going on. To be clear - I am not necessarily looking for "actors". You don't HAVE to put on a different voice or know how to show emphasis in your speech to express emotion but you do have to know how to express yourself and how to have your character react honestly to things that affect them mentally/emotionally. I think that's probably enough to start a conversation. Other details: Pay to play: NO. I get that there is a shortage of GMs but give me a break. Paying for a game infers that the GM doesn't get anything out of running games. I enjoy running games. I do not need to be paid on top of that. I make enough money. World Anvil: I am a paying patron of World Anvil and I will be building a space out for this game. As such, I expect players to stay on top of things that are posted there. There will be information for backstory, region-specific information, NPC dossiers, etc. Audio : This game will be run using Discord and I do tend to record sessions. I have it in my head to turn this into a regular Youtube show at some point so some interest in that idea will make things easier down the line. Long Term : I don't like putting in a ton of work for a short lived series. My stories tend towards the epic size starting local and spanning continents. Be Patient : Leveling up will be based on story milestones and reflect the accumulation of experience. Some progression will happen "quickly" - some will not. Game time: I'm looking at either Friday evenings or Sundays (more flexible) in the -6 GMT timezone (Central Standard) Number of Players: 4-6 bearing in mind that if players can't make a specific night (and it happens - to me as well) I won't run for less than 4 to keep the story cohesive. Timeframe: I'm looking at probably one "Session 0" and about 3 weeks of prep. So there it is. If you have questions - ask away.
