I figured I ought to talk about what kind of action you can expect to run into during the course of this adventure. This is going to be a sort of a rambling post, so feel free to ask questions if something isn't clear. Firstly, this adventure is for characters of 1st to 5th level. So the characters will start out as fledgling, inexperienced adventurers looking to make a name for themselves. It isn't a super-long campaign - my Curse of Strahd campaign went from 1st to 10th level and lasted almost exactly a year. Currently, the time spot is going to be Friday evenings, though the exact time of day is yet to be set. Please do everything you can to ensure you will be active and ready during game time. I expect you to do your best to ensure your schedule is clear. Currently, I am expecting play sessions to be a bit on the shorter side - somewhere in the 2-3 hour range, though 4 or even 5 is possible if people are really engaged. I don't think I will do that for this group, but I'm open to feedback. The kind of content contained within is a bit of a mixed bag. I can very easily steer the flavor of the content in any direction you like, if you have a taste for a particular type of adventure. This module isn't intended to be a hack-and-slash adventure entirely (though there are definitely enough combat encounters to keep you entertained and I can definitely make more on the fly), and you will be expected to interact with NPCs, role-play, and do most of the thinking yourself. As you are mostly new players, I do have ways of steering the adventure if you guys get stuck, but I want you guys to feel like you are owning your own success. There will also be 'downtime' - not necessarily in the real world, but in the game world, there's going to be periods of time where the characters aren't engaged in active adventuring and managing their own personal affairs. Downtime can be used to engage in training, crafting items, making friends in the city or even running a business - and you will get a chance to do that last one, if you're so inclined, but I won't spoil too much yet... While it isn't required, characters can get mixed up with various different types of factions and guilds, if they like, at some point during the adventure. These factions will lend support to you in various ways appropriate to the faction - it could come in the form of intel on an enemy, an extra hand to help during combat, or helping the characters get in touch with influential people. In return, they will have missions for you to do that will allow you to build renown within the faction and earn rewards and other benefits that only members of that faction get. Again, this isn't a required element of play - the characters might not care to join a faction, each one can join a different faction (which can create some interesting roleplay opportunities depending on the choices!) or they can all join the same faction to keep things simple. It is entirely up to you. Factions will be discussed more heavily individually as I talk to players about the setting. Waterdeep is a massive city and there is a ton to see and do. I don't expect you to keep track of everything, but there are resources both in and out of game we can use to help you learn more about the setting if you're interested in that. More importantly, I want everybody to have fun . This is the single most important thing I want people to get out of this campaign - if there's an element to the campaign that's not jiving with you, please tell me and I can make changes. I am the game master and can and will do anything to ensure you guys are having a good time. That is my number one goal in any of this. So please for the love of Asgorath GIVE ME YOUR FEEDBACK! ASK QUESTIONS! GET INVOLVED AS MUCH AS YOU CAN! While I don't expect you to devote your life to the campaign, I do want everybody involved as much as reasonably possible. I am always willing to make accommodations of any type if that's what it takes. A fair bit of warning though; like the real world, the campaign can introduce some dark elements into the story. People being murdered, kidnapped, betrayal, racism and bigotry are things you might run into. I don't plan on involving anything more grotesque than that - if I do, it's going to be heavily implied and not detailed in any specific way. Waterdeep is not a city of sunshine and rainbows. Please remember that if an NPC treats your character in a specific way, that is absolutely NOT a reflection of how I personally view you or your character - I am merely roleplaying how I think that individual would act in that situation. If there's any type of situation you think will make you uncomfortable, or if there is something that happens that does make you uncomfortable, please tell me immediately and I will not use that element in the campaign from that point forward. However, I expect you to also be open-minded about certain topics and remember that above all else, it is just a game. We're all here to have fun, so let's do just that. Please provide me any feedback or questions you have either here or in Discord/Telegram! I may add to this post if there's something I feel like I missed.