# [Weekly][Roll20][Homebrew World][Discord][Experienced DM] The World of Gaian: Chapter 1, Trouble at Chaur



## Raven Dungeon Master (May 1, 2020)

This is a D&D 5th edition homebrew campaign starting at level one and ending at around level eight at the completion of chapter one.  I have several games running right now and I'm looking to start up more, game times for future games will depend on player demand.

Our story begins in city of Highguard, where a caravan is assembling to make a journey to the nearby frontier town of Chaur. Normally, this would be an easy trip, but recent attacks from hobgoblin forces have left several caravans looted and burning. In response, the caravan has brought in mercenaries to help with the trip, offering them coin and passage in return for assistance protecting the caravan’s cargo and people. This is where you come in, a skilled adventurer who needs to get to Chaur, and could use a little extra money for your troubles. But take care, because this simple escort job may reveal a much more dangerous problem that threatens the safety of this border town and the simple people trying to survive on the frontiers.

The world of Gain is a deep, rich setting that's about 20 years old (real time). As such, it has a lot of history spanning thousands of years with the rise and fall of many civilizations whose ruins can still be found deep underground or in abandon areas of the world. Players will not only adventure within the world, but their decisions may shape society for decades to come.

About Me

I’ve been playing D&D for close to thirty years, primarily as a Dungeon Master.  For most of that time, I’ve designed and run my own world on a weekly basis.  I also worked in the video game industry and for Wizards of the Coast which has given me a lot of insight into game design and experience working on these type of projects.

If you're looking for a weekly, reliable DM with decades of experience and a proven track record with many happy players and many successful games, I'm the DM for you!

I’ve been using roll20 for about six years and am very familiar with the platform.

In addition to D&D (2nd through 5th), I’ve run Pathfinder, Dungeon World, Gurps, Star Wars, Whitewolf, Shadowrun, and Amber (though admittedly, my knowledge and experience running these is much more limited compared to D&D).  I love storytelling and game design, I often try to come up with new and unique mechanics to make the games I’m running more fun (though don’t worry, for this game, we’re mostly sticking to RAW).

My Style

I like to define my style as structured sandbox.  I have events taking place in the world which I insert players into and see how they change things. I don't believe in creating set solutions to obstacles, rather, I create the obstacles and let players approach them using their skills and abilities.

Suspension of disbelief is important to me, so I'm constantly trying to balance a believable world with fun gameplay. I want my players to feel immersed by the world and their RP, but I also want them to feel challenged by the gameplay aspect. When designing, I'm constantly balancing these factors against one another to try to create an immersive, challenging experience that players will enjoy in the moment and talk about later.

I enjoy working with and around player back stories, incorporating them into my world and giving their actions weight and substance so the player can feel like they’re part of a living, breathing world. Combat is important in my games, but there is also value to skills and RP ability as those can have a huge impact on the story.

I generally try to keep the game running smoothly.  If there’s a rule disagreement, I may attempt to look up the answer or I may make a calling and try to keep the story going.  If this happens, I appreciate players who can accept the call and speak to me about it later if it really bothers them.

The World

Gaian is a world strongly connected to the flows of magic that is constantly undergoing change. For an unknown reason, arcane fires ravage the surface of the world every four-thousand years, completely destroying anything in their wake.  To save themselves, the races of the surface flee into the depths of Gaian, waiting for a time when they can re-emerge and rebuild their great societies.  This destruction has created time periods known as cycles in which great civilizations rise and fall.  Perhaps one day a hero will put a stop to these cataclysms, saving Gaian from the never-ending cycles of destruction.

Gaian has quite a bit of history as it's existed for over two decades (real time) from second edition all the way through fifth edition.  Sadly, the world undergoes a cataclysm every four-thousand years; so many empires have come and gone.

*This game will require payment to the Game Master at a rate of $12 per person for a three-hour session made through PayPal. *

If you’re interested in joining the game, reply to this thread. (Or, you can send me a private message, whatever works best for you.)


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