Session Zero Info
Date - 8 May 2026
Scribe - N/A
Location - Unnamed Tavern
Session Zero is designed to get everybody familiar with rules, create characters, go over do's and don'ts - there will be no (or very little) actual gameplay in Session Zero. This session is designed to ensure each and every player is fully ready to start playing at the beginning of Session 1.
If you have never played D&D or similar tabletop games, start here --> NEW PLAYERS. This will help you understand what to expect and where to begin.
Summary of Campaign, Sessions, Rules etc...
Ruleset:
D&D 5E (2014 version (original)) --> https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dnd/basic-rules-2014?srsltid=AfmBOooOIXsQYC4F36ICo0GecflOlMAe3o8aj1RLiS5zFYaOuPHc38IS .
But my take on rules is as follows : Fun first, rules second. Rules lawyers are fkin lame, but also familiarize yourself with the basics. We can practice a little bit at Session Zero also if needed.
Character Creation & Restrictions
Your characters will be starting at level 3. If you have a quirky character idea, let Kris (DM) know to approve as some races/classes/combinations simply do not exist in Valecar.
Any 3rd party content must be approved. Approved 3rd party content & homebrewed content will be posted here --> Approved 3rd Party or Homebrew Content
No evil characters.
Attributes
You can choose to use the Standard Array (Most balanced) of (15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8) or one of the below custom arrays.
15, 15, 15, 8, 8, 8
15, 15, 14, 10, 8, 8
13, 13, 13, 12, 12, 12
Starting Items & Wealth
Class starting Gold Pieces (GP) + 100GP + Normal Starting Equipment
No magic items at this time. (Except those earned in the Prologue)
Note: You may 'purchase' non-magical items, equipment, etc by subtracting the value of said items from your starting gold amount total.
Session interval and length
My Input/Recommendation(s)- Every other week and 4ish hours on Fridays, but willing to play longer/more.
Open to input/discussion from the players.
Character Sheets
You can be oldschool like me and do pen & paper, or use D&D Beyond, or whatever you want. D&D Beyond does alot of the calculations and math for you and is very useful/streamlined. Just note that from past experience I've noticed people get reliant on D&D Beyond doing all the work and don't know how to survive/play without it (usually when their PC/tablet etc dies and they forgot a chord or something) Be prepared to have your character sheet ready (and updated) when asked during gameplay starting from Session 1 onward.
Note: Something I learned recently is that I may be able to link your D&D Beyond character sheet to this website. Meaning any updates you make on D&D beyond will show on here...kinda neat.
Experience & Leveling
Milestone based, no EXP tracking necessary. TL:DR - I tell you when the you and/or the party levels to keep it simple. Math is hard.
Backstory
I request that each player write a backstory. It can be 3 lines, or 3 pages. Leave some open-ended things in there. Think about how I can tie your story into the world around you to create an additional layer of immersion. Players with more usable backstories will get more spotlight time in their own story arcs. You can even use AI to write this if you're lazy (or smart?).
Note: When creating your backstory, more specifically your "home" or where your character is from...just make it up. If it doesn't go against any norms in Valecar, then I will plug and play your 'home' into the world where it makes the most sense.
Character Recreation/Death
You get one freebie re-creation because I like to interweave your character's story into the world. Not everyone likes their first character, hence the freebie.
Subsequent recreations, or permanent deaths, are still allowed but with a penalty of being 1 level behind the party's current level average. (E.G. If the party's average level is 10, you will start your new character as level 9) Recreated/new characters require alot of work to weave into the world and usually lead to feeling a bit out of place in a world that didn't know you existed until 7 minutes ago. Additionally, I am a fan of making it clear that death has consequences to help eliminate completely reckless gameplay that typically would take away from the fun factor.
Player Absence
I am an advocate for the following rule: If 50% or more players are available, we play at the scheduled time.
I like to have larger parties (6-8ish) for this reason alone. I'm comfortable with DMing large parties so that isn't the issue, however smaller parties become problematic when it comes to scheduling and multiple people are unable to play.
A party of 8 guarantees a game of 4 players at the table. I'm not going to punish anyone for not showing up, we all have lives outside of the game. I also like to have a consistent schedule (once per month, once every 2 weeks etc) because preparation as a DM can be quite the daunting task. If you know, you know.
Roleplaying in Character
Completely up to you and is not obligatory. Its not for everyone, nor every situation. Do note that certain plot points or specific situations I may ask you to act in character to a situation. Do also note that good roleplaying will likely be rewarding and probably hilarious and unlock core memories....
Player, Behavior, Expectations, Misc Rules & topics
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The most important rule of all is to have fun. If anything is hindering this rule, I will address it appropriately. Be an adult and don't fuck up the game for anyone else.
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Meta Gaming is not allowed and will result in some type of penalty. Example: Just because you know in real life that Trolls are susceptible to fire, doesn't mean your character does. Delineate between the two archives of knowledge and don't cross streams.
Homebrew Rules
See Homebrew Rules for the most up to date Homebrew rule listing.