Greetings! I am looking to begin a West Marches inspired game using D&D's 5e ruleset. I have lots of experience DMing and have always wanted to run a game of this type. " West Marches is a sandbox style of D&D campaign, created by Ben Robbins and popularized by Matt Colville, designed to facilitate player agency and reduce ‘mindless plot following’ by putting a large group of players (10+) in charge of where they go, what they do, and when they play." It's important to understand what West Marches is and how it can function. Here is a link to the original post by Ben Robbins, and Matt Colville's video . Gameplay Players will form their own groups from a pool of players who are available to explore and conquer the challenges of Runesbane. It facilitates games for players to decide what they do before the session even starts, and its flexible nature fits the difficult time-tables of active people. I want to host a game where players can explore vast webbing dungeons, eerie ruins, magical forests. I'd like to encourage players to join factions and get involved in world events, perhaps even building their own strongholds and keeps. I'd like them to find small details of an overarching story hidden in the depths of Runesbane, and make their own personal stories through their character's interactions with the environment. An overarching meta-plot will depend on players pushing for what occurs. They choose who to interact with, where to go, what to kill, and what to steal. The hidden story will be tailored as the players take interest and note in certain things. I am using some House Rules . Desired Player Traits Players who join this game will be expected to initiate sessions and craft post-session " write-ups " in which they describe what they did, what happened and what they saw or discovered. This is the lifeblood of a West Marches game. Without it, the creative and playful competition that drives West Marches forward won't work. A write-up doesn't have to be highly fancy, or highly detailed. I will be rewarding write-ups to encourage players to make them. I appreciate those who invest themselves in worlds, are excited about roleplay, and enjoy crafting a character's story as they explore and interact with the setting and themselves. A West Marches game isn't generally the setting for a rigid overarching story. It is, however, perfect for making a character's story. Injuries, accomplished background goals, victories and discoveries in the wild can all help craft a really rich character tale. I enjoy playing challenging enemies. Not deadly, but challenging. Those who enjoy strategy, planning, and executing skilled maneuvers on enemies will enjoy the combat in the game. Death is possible, but I am not an adversarial or "killer" DM. The threat of the enemies will be openly telegraphed. Crafty ideas to overcome dangerous challenges will be rewarded. Discord and a microphone are required. Setting In antiquity, Runesbane was home to a sprawling empire whose prowess in the arcane arts led to their complete annihilation. The ruins and artifacts they left behind have inspired many to explore the tangled rivers, mountains, and plains of Runesbane. The dwarves of Longstone made their attempt at taming the continent at Treasurehead and were snuffed out. The humans of the Emerald Empire made their attempt at Inkwatch and were ravaged by the undead. Now a coalition of allied kingdoms has made it their goal to settle Runesbane and expand their influence, and recover the lost secrets of their forerunners. The Sigelic Isles, Emerald Empire, dwarves of Longstone, and the Elves of Onagira have pooled their resources to conquer Runesbane. You can read more about the colony settlers here , and the landmarks of Runesbane here . How to Join If you understand how a West Marches game is, and you think you would enjoy trying it please read this . Here is a roster of the current players. When applying I would like to hear about what interests you about the game, your character concept, and available times. Remember, these games are highly flexible. My schedule is very, very open due to recent events, so don't be discouraged if you are in an odd timezone. I am on Pacific Time, or GMT+7. Please contact me on discord or post your interest below to apply! Sunny#2248