The mysterious and industrial city of Doskvol is one of the last havens for humanity in a world where the sun died a thousand years ago. Lightning barriers protect the city from the hordes of ever-hungry ghosts and wraiths that roam the deathlands outside. In the ink-black Void sea, great leviathans prowl beneath the waves, and brave hunters set out to harvest their blood that powers the machinery of the city, risking their life, limb (and soul). But the most terrible creature in Doskvol aren't the monsters outside; rather, it's the people inside the barrier. The nobility conspires to keep the masses poor, hungry, and fighting for scraps, the Lord-Governor is more concerned with his own pockets than the problems of the city, and the City Watch is nothing but the largest and meanest gang on the streets. You chose the crooked path of criminals because it is the only way to get out of the gutter in Doskvol. Become vice dealers, smugglers, killers for hire, spies, run a protection racket, or further the agenda of an obscure deity. Develop your gang and lair. Make allies, betray them and navigate your way through dozens of factions, gangs, institutions, and cults of Doskvol. We will play to find out if you have what it takes to subdue this city, or it will devour you like so many others, leaving nothing but a pile of ashes in the great oven of the Bellweather Crematorium? About me I am a 29 years old TTRPG enthusiast from the other side of the globe! That is, I live in Central Asia, in that faraway fairytale land somewhere between Russia and China. I have a background in social sciences and history, and a decade of experience working as an interpreter and a tour guide. English isn’t my first language, but I think I have a decent grasp of it both in word and in writing. I have been playing TTRPG’s since high school, and have started running them almost exclusively around 10 years ago: a lot of various homebrewed systems, DnD, and so on. A few years ago I have discovered Powered by the Apocalypse games, which have led me to the Blades in the Dark, and here I am. I fell in love with the systems and the way they allow the actual fiction to matter. At present, I run a few successful Blades in the Dark groups locally and online, as well as a persistent roleplaying project on World of Warcraft (five years and counting!). I love running games, I love storytelling and I love filling characters’ lives with adventure. Devilish Intrigue, Explosive Action, and Quiet Moments The title of this section basically says it all about how I run games: if there is intrigue involved, it’s cunning and clever; in a quiet personal moment there is always time to talk and to bond with NPC’s; and if the push comes to shove and it’s one of those do them before they do us situations - well, you can bet it will be fast and furious. The dark and mysterious city of Doskvol is cranked up to eleven, and you either will have to play your character like driving a stolen car © or fall by the wayside. I run my games like a show, full of drama and action . Rivalries come to the fore, friendships are tested, tempers flare… and there is always a clock ticking somewhere. I see it as my chief responsibility as a GM that everyone has fun and walks away from the table satisfied and eager for the next session. That doesn’t mean your characters are going to have it easy! I work for player enjoyment first and foremost and tend to stick to the Rules As Written usually, but if the game mechanics ever come into a direct conflict with fiction, the fiction always wins. It’s your city. It’s your story. So to sum it up, I run fiction-first , roleplay- /story-oriented , and player-facing games . For Those New to Blades in the Dark If you are just making your first steps, either with TTRPGs in general or Blades in the Dark in particular, I am more than willing to help you out If you have never played before, I am available on Discord to talk about the system, the style of play, or any and all concerns you may have. If you have experience with other RPG games, we can always discuss the specifics of Blades in the Dark, and how the game is different from other RPGs out there. Don’t hesitate to message me, and we can talk things over in PMs or schedule an hour or two for a voice/video-call - whatever you prefer. Joining up If you’re liking everything you’ve seen so far, great! Joining a game is really simple. Just send me a message on Discord! If you can include some specifics you’re looking for, like a crew type or a type of game, that’d be great. If not (or not yet), don’t worry - we can work it out later. There will be a Discord server for the games and group(s) that I run. As soon as I get at least 3 players together, we’ll discuss some of your expectations, safety tools, and other preliminaries. This part can be as long or as short as it needs to be, but it is critical for a successful game and a healthy group. We’ll then schedule a Session 0. At the moment I have one group full (Tuesday night). Looking to fill out another one - either on Wednesday, Friday or Sunday, around 7:30 or 8 PM CST. Session 0 Session 0 and the one after it are TOTALLY FREE . You can treat them as a sort of a demo version: that’s about 6 to 8 hours of gaming, during which you can get a feel for the system, the setting, the group, and me as a GM. Session 0 will be partially devoted to crew and character creation and introduction, and then off we go on our first score! Session 1 will be an example of a “typical session” that includes everything there should be in our Blades in the Dark episode. Beyond Session 1 Afterward, if you wish to continue your adventures with me as your GM, there’s a contribution of 10 USD or equivalent required per player per session. The specifics are discussed in the following section. The Coin: Hows and Whys Every scoundrel in Doskvol knows that money is the lifeblood of the city. Alas, the same is true for our own very real world. Everyone needs to eat (once in a while, at least). So what exactly do you get for the price? An experienced Game Master with in-depth knowledge and understanding of the system, a personal approach, and a desire to see everyone enjoying the game. I am here for you. The game extending beyond the online sessions: play-by-post for personal scenes or extra roleplay, or specific plotlines for your characters. Associated paraphernalia like Doskvol newspapers or postcards! And a text chronicle of your scoundrel-y shenanigans to remember what went down, who owes whom a favor, and why are the Bluecoats extra eager to make an example out of your crew. A place where you can enjoy the game: there are safety tools, and I both preach and practice strict adherence to expectations and no-gos established at the start. Doskvol can be a grim place, and events can take a grizzly turn. There are ways to have the best of both worlds. Why is there a price tag on this at all? At the moment, this is the job for me. I devote time and resources to crafting an enjoyable entertainment environment and deliver an experience to the best of my ability. I take care of organizing things, synchronizing timetables, and scheduling games aside from actually running them. Is this type of game right for you? Now, this depends. If you are just looking for a casual campaign to spend an odd evening, then you might feel you are not getting quite enough mileage out of my offer. Of course, that odd evening is going to be enjoyable, but you might want that money invested elsewhere. If you are looking for a more “serious” brand of entertainment, this might be right up your alley. I put “serious” in quotes because, well, you don’t really have to be all grim and businesslike; if you’re anything like me, you take the stories you experience close to heart and often have to go an extra mile to make sure they are good enough. Whatever you decide, thank you for reading this… and see you in Doskvol, scoundrels! Contacts: The Colonel#7185 or just reply here! Obligatory disclaimer: This game will require payment to the Game Master at a rate of 10$ per session, payable after the session by PayPal. Roll20 is not responsible for any payment transactions and cannot enforce any private arrangements.
