Showing Up

This section isn’t about rules — it’s about how we make the game enjoyable for everyone. Showing up means being present, listening, reacting, and caring about what’s happening at the table. The more heart you bring, the more the world and this game will give back.

Presence and Participation

Games like these give back what you put into them. A good session, a good story, and those unforgettable moments only happen when everyone brings a little heart to the table. The DM has poured love and time into building this world — all we ask is that you meet it with some of your own.

Cameras On (If You Can)

It’s simply easier to connect when we can see one another — to read expressions, share laughs, and feel like we’re in the same room even online. It’s not about performance, it’s about presence. You don’t need perfect lighting or a fancy setup — just show up as yourself.

Stay Voice-Ready

Keep your mic on or ready to unmute quickly when it’s your turn, or when you’re in a scene. Small reactions — a laugh, a gasp, a “wait, what?” — are part of what makes this feel alive. Silence kills pacing, and your voice helps the table feel real.

Be Fully Here

Avoid multitasking. If you’re not fully available, it’s perfectly okay to reschedule. I’d much rather have everyone present and engaged later than half here and distracted now. We’re here to tell a story together — and that only works if we’re all actually together.

While In-Game

This is about keeping the story flowing and making sure everyone gets their moments. When we’re in the game, we’re co-authors of something we’ll only ever experience once. A little structure helps keep that magic alive.'

Campaign Info

While this campaign is mostly homebrewed, we might use pre-made campaigns (retextured, of course) depending on factors, so please let me know if there are specific pre-mades you would like for us to avoid.

Rulings, Not Rules.

We’re using D&D 5e (2014/2024) as our foundation, but our real goal is fun and flow, not legal debates. If something’s unclear, I’ll make a quick ruling to keep the story moving. We can always revisit it after the session.

Declare Intent — No Secret Rolls.

Say what you’re doing before you roll. I’ll tell you what kind of roll it calls for, if any, and the DC if applicable. If you roll before checking in, it’s void — no take-backs, no “but I already rolled.”

We Trust You 100%.

We can’t see your dice, so honesty is key. Rolling high feels so much better when you know it’s real. We trust that you’ll call your rolls as they happen — truthfully and in good faith.

Responsible for Self.

Track your own notes, inventory, and stats. The game’s smoother when everyone manages their own sheet. Like the oxygen mask rule: secure your own first before helping another PC.

Phones and Devices

Devices are totally fine if you’re using them for the game (like dice apps or D&D Beyond). Please keep general browsing, texting, or other distractions to breaks so we can stay focused on the table. If something urgent comes up, step away anytime — no problem.

Food and Drinks

Snacking is always welcome! I understand we're most likely playing at the tail end of dinnertime (6-ish, 7-ish, 8-ish PM), and not everyone can manage to have dinner before the session, so I'm totally OK if you go on camera and totally mukbang.

Now, if you are having a full meal with your family at your dinner table, maybe don't bring us with you, aka have the Discord running in the background to listen in. Mostly because it's rude to your family, while also not really being there for us either. So just go have dinner, and we'll meet up when we meet up -- it's all good.

Crosstalk

Let’s make sure everyone gets time to shine. Try not to interrupt or talk over other players during roleplay or combat. If you feel like you haven’t had as much spotlight, let me know outside the session — I’ll make sure you get more opportunities in future scenes.

Backseat Adventuring

Everyone gets to decide how their own character acts. Try not to pressure or correct someone else’s choices, even if you’d play differently. Suggestions are fine if asked for, but otherwise let each character live and grow in their own way.

Metagaming

You don’t need to stress about “doing it wrong.” If you make decisions as your character — even if they’re messy, funny, or risky — it’s very welcome if it makes the story more fun for everyone at the table. Metagaming (using player knowledge your character doesn’t have) is fine if you slip into it, but leaning into roleplay makes the game shine.

Above the Table

Before and after the dice hit the table, we take a few moments to check in as people, not just characters. These small pauses — a recap, a quick debrief, a boundary check — help keep the story strong and the group healthy.

Debriefs and Check-ins

We’ll start each session with a quick recap and wrap up with a short debrief.

The recap gets everyone back on the same page — what happened last time, what’s changed, and what you might want to do next.

The debrief at the end is a chance to talk out of character. Share what you liked, what didn’t land, or anything that felt off. It’s also a good time to check in on tone and comfort levels so we can keep the game fun and balanced for everyone.

These little moments help us stay grounded in the story and make sure everyone’s having a good time.

The DM Knows Everything.

Not just a power trip, I promise — I actually need to know everything.
Secrets and explosive plot twists are great, and I encourage them! Just share them privately first so I can help weave them in. If you want to reveal or change something about your past, check in with me before dropping it mid-scene.

The same way, I'll try to check in with you if I clock anything that you might want to reveal for later (but no promises, there's a lot of you and DMing is generally chaotic, so we need to work together here!)

Off-Limit Topics

Part of Session 0 will be making sure everyone feels safe with the story we tell together. We’ll go around and set boundaries about what topics we don’t want to see in the game (examples could include certain kinds of violence, relationships, or other sensitive material). If something feels uncomfortable to you, please let me know away from the table.