Love D&D but tired of playing the same old modules again and again? I present to you a refreshing break from all of that: Vathia. A setting of my creation that I have poured many dedicated months towards envisioning fully, and am confident in sharing with others to make their own impact here. Back before D&D came into popular appeal with many, a large amount of groups relied upon imagination to create their own settings prior to Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, and Greyhawk. This is one such setting with almost 100 pages of carefully crafted lore and a massive sprawling map of my own making.
You did it. This is the gravy train. You’ve been hired after an interview by Tander Gerdin, a Dwarf, and one of the founders of Gerdin mining co. & sons for a piece of cake job: Escort miners and dig hands to a company owned mine west of Daerden. From there, you’ll be one of several people who are to be called upon in times of emergency in case creatures make their way to the dig site. 100 gold for a month-long contract is a steal–that much money could easily set you up with a comfy home back in town. It even includes free meals as well as room & board! On top of it all, there’s even potential for renewing your contract on a monthly basis to boot! For exceptional service, extra commission is available as well on an as-needed basis.
According to Tander, he believes there’s quite an interesting bit of value hiding in this mountain–he can feel it. If this goes well, not only will their company’s value soar through the roof with the success of this operation, but you should be able to get rich too if you’re smart and quick enough.
Just to the east of the Grenmont mountains, situated in the free nation of Brumont, in the town of Daerden is where our adventure starts as our party begins the task of the simple escort and following freelance mercenary work. At the base of the northeastern Grenmont mountains is a dig site owned and operated by Gerdin mining co. & sons. It is here that our party of adventurers will be seeking out their fortune. During this time, what discoveries might our party unearth in these mountains known for the green sheen of copper that permeates them? What hides sequestered underneath this mountain may change your life.
Gorgeous maps and tokens, exciting soundtrack, DM with almost 7 years of experience.
Game Information
★ Schedule: Weekly, Tuesdays at 7:00 PM Central (UTC-6 or -5 depending on Daylight Savings).
★ The first session listed will be a session 0(free).
★ Game Length: 3-hour sessions.
★ Pay to Play: $10 USD/player each session via Paypal. Session 1 is also free.
★ Levels: The game will start at level 1, and will end at whatever level the game reaches a close at.
★ Group Size: 6
★ Communication: Voice is mandatory. Discord is required for game session audio as well as out of game communication. You will need a decent headset.
What is A5e?
A5e, known officially as Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition is developed and published by Enworld as an alternative to D&D 5th edition which became famous for it’s ease of access and style of rule sets which allowed newer and experienced players to both enjoy. While 5e’s open-to-interpretation rule set makes it very welcoming to both new and old players, there have been some who sought a way to deepen the flexibility of 5e without adding unnecessary complication. With completely changed classes, the addition of Combat Maneuvers, and revamped systems for equipment, weapons, and in-game interactions, the system adds a meaningful layer of depth without complexity that 5th edition is unable to provide without significant homebrew for players to memorize.
There is a Foundry VTT module in development, and it is currently in a satisfactory playable state.
Currently, A5e’s ruleset is available on their official content website which is in open beta right now. I have access to rulebook copies of my own, which I can also provide to my players to access. You can find the open beta content site here.
About the World
Vathia is a lovingly crafted setting I’ve poured countless hours into writing, with strong attention to detail in not only lore, but things like economics and such that are likely to be missed by most. The world would be considered a High-Fantasy, Low-Magic medieval feudal society. By ‘low-magic’ I mean that magic is not prevalent in society. Spellcasters are not common(of course, save for exceptions like our adventurers), and resurrection spells like Revivify do not exist. Things like dragons, demons, other planes of existence and the like do exist, but do not follow the same conventions you may be used to with settings like Forgotten Realms. The breakdown of demographics across the continent are as follows: The predominant race in Vathia is Humans(70%), followed by Dwarves(15%), halflings(5%), elves and half-elves(5%), and then the other races(5%, these include things like Orcs, Gnomes, Goblins, Kobolds, etc). In general in society, there is a large focus placed on home, family, community, and the gods. In order to keep with the setting, there are some restrictions to playable races and classes, however I am always able to make exceptions. If you’d like to read up on more about my world, check out my primer document free to anybody here.
Why Paid vs Free?
As someone who’s personally participated in several paid games as a player myself, and gone through the difficulty of finding players as a DM to be able to stick around for a free game online, I find that when there’s literal investment from everyone in the party, it leads to a much healthier, more focused game that people put a lot of dedication into. In my experience, the most satisfying and fun campaigns I’ve been happy to be a part of were all ones I paid to be a part of. It’s all too common that online games are more prone to have players not be as invested in the campaign’s success, and either miss sessions often or drop out without any word. Unfortunately, D&D is a game that can only give its players as much as they want to commit to its success. I hope this will give you an idea and hopefully help you understand my decision to make it a paid only game.
About the GM
Online I go by the handle Vilify. I’ve been playing and Game Mastering D&D for almost 7 years. I’ve been playing D&D 5e since it released. I am very well versed in the rules. As someone with Graphic Design experience, I am able to create custom miniatures, maps, and materials for the games I run. Due to my work background with Professional Development, teaching others new skills is something I am very comfortable with (Like D&D and how to use Foundry VTT).
My goal as a game master is to ensure each and every player “at the table” is having fun. Together we will build stories you will be retelling for the rest of your life.
Player Testimonials
“I’m in two of Vilify’s campaigns, and playing alongside him in another. Vilify will bring a life to the campaign with great voices, a great amount of dedication, and a bunch of fun sprinkled in. I’d recommend newer and veteran players to his games. He puts on the time as a DM to make sure everyone is enjoying the game. His ability to improv with allowing things to happen with pure chance according to the dice make every session interesting. He’s always open to hearing someone out as well. Overall he’s a great DM that takes the time out of his day to help us all have fun playing D&D.”
-Dawson
“I think Vilify’s a really fun DM with all the voices he gets into and the atmosphere he conveys. I feel more engaged with the campaign each session. Each NPC feels like a real person I’m interacting with. Those roleplay moments along with the fun times make for a great campaign I’m glad to be a part of.”
-Douglas
“Vilify is an enjoyable and well prepared DM that handles a great, realistic approach to D&D. He’s adaptable to whatever situation your party has put yourselves in and makes each session a blast for everyone.”
-Kyle
“When I first joined a campaign Vilify was running, I knew next to nothing about D&D. Over the many months I’ve played in two of his campaigns and being around for some of his prep work, I can confidently say that he is a great DM. Vilify shows patience for all types of players, creates a relaxed and fun environment for everyone involved, and puts immense amounts of effort into every session. I personally love his ability to role-play anything out, create realistic and detailed characters, and allow us to genuinely have fun with each and every interaction.”
-Emily S.
“Vilify is a great DM, all three campaigns I have been in of his were always efficient, fun and never ill-prepared. He always roleplays every character and creature really well and always makes me feel immersed in the campaigns, especially with the way he details events and actions there is never a dull moment. He’s also a really great teacher and even helped me become a DM myself. ★★★★★”
-Ryan
Player Expectations
★ This game is open to anyone interested in playing! No experience needed.
★ Be polite to your fellow players and GM, Wheaton’s Law Applies, “Don’t Be a Dick.”
★ Be punctual. Give 24 hour notice before missing a session otherwise the payment is non-refundable. Excessive absenteeism can result in removal from the group. Your teammates and the ongoing story rely on you.
★ Have access to a stable headset/microphone and Discord. If you need help setting up Discord and getting connected to our channel, just message me.
★ A fun, safe place to play. Racist, sexist, homophobic, or other intolerant behaviors are not welcome. Everyone deserves to sit down at the table and have a great time.
★ This is not a PVP game. Actions against other player characters that create inter-party conflict (basically, any activity that removes player agency) are not allowed. This isn’t to say that characters can’t disagree, but instead that D&D is a team-based game and behavior that breaks that team spirit is generally disruptive to the game.
Character Creation Guide
★ Character building advice help available via discord server.
★ Resources are allowed from: A5e Adventurer’s Guide, Gate Pass Gazette. Content can be currently accessed by anyone on their official website here.
★ 27 point buy system based on standard array (minimum 8 maximum 15).
★ All characters start level 1 with a feat. Lucky feat is not allowed.
★ Starting items will be normal starting equipment from class and background but may be traded in/sold.
★ If you have any additional questions regarding character creation please message me.
Payment Info:
★ Payment will be made through Paypal
★ $10 per player per session. Session 0 and Session 1 are free.
★ Payments must be received 24 hours before each session.
★ Obligatory Payment Disclaimer: This game will require payment to the Game Master at a rate of $10 USD/player/session via PayPal.
How to Apply
Please message me or reply to the post with the following information:
★ What name do you wish to be called, and what pronouns do you prefer?
★ What is your experience with tabletop RPGs?
★ What aspects of D&D do you enjoy the most?
★ What parts of D&D do you prefer to spend less time on?
★ What is your experience with Foundry?
★ Have you played or read this module or any other modules by WotC?
★ Are you playing in any other games right now?
★ If you are playing in another game, how long has that group played for?
★ Conflicts between players, including the DM, happen. How do you think conflict at the table should be dealt with?
★ What do you want to get out of a game of D&D?
★ Will you be able to attend weekly? Are you committed to being part of a long campaign?
★ Will you be able to make weekly payments?
★ What country and time zone are you in?
★ Do you have a good internet connection and a good microphone?
★ Is there anything else you want to ask or tell me?
And please introduce the character you would like to play!
★ Character Name:
★ Character Race:
★ Character Class:
★ Character Alignment:
★ Why does your character start adventuring?
Please tell me anything else that you would like to share about your character: