2 Player Minimum, Ages 10-15.
Weekly 90 minutes sessions.
Once you sign up, we can ‘pause’ your subscription while waiting for another player, games are more likely to fill when they see a player signed up.
The Story Set-Up
In this Phandelver and Below campaign for D&D 5e/2024, adventurers are drawn to the quaint mining town of Phandalin, where whispers of ancient secrets and hidden treasures abound. The town, once a bustling hub of activity, now stands on the brink of chaos as dark forces stir beneath its surface. The story begins with the discovery of a mysterious map leading to the Wave Echo Cave, a long-lost mine rumored to hold powerful magical artifacts. As the adventurers delve deeper into the cave, they uncover a sinister plot orchestrated by the Black Spider, a cunning drow seeking to harness the cave’s magic for nefarious purposes.
But the dangers don’t end there. Beneath the cave lies an even greater threat: the Underdark, a vast subterranean realm teeming with monstrous creatures and ancient evils. The adventurers must navigate treacherous tunnels, forge uneasy alliances with the denizens of the Underdark, and confront the malevolent forces that threaten to engulf Phandalin in darkness. Throughout their journey, the adventurers will face harrowing challenges, uncover hidden lore, and make choices that will shape the fate of Phandalin and the world above. Will they emerge as heroes, or will they succumb to the darkness below?
This campaign offers a rich blend of exploration, combat, and intrigue, providing players with an unforgettable adventure that tests their courage, wits, and resolve.
What you need to play
Please ensure that you have a working mic/headset and webcam (optional but encouraged).
You will need D&D Beyond (The FREE version).
You will also need access to Zoom. The link will be provided.
Materials Provided
The GM will provide you with access to all materials needed on D&D Beyond and Zoom.
What to Expect:
🎭 You (the player) will drive the story
🌐 You will explore amazing settings
🤝 You will learn to work as a team in solving problems
📚 You will learn to roleplay and tell compelling stories
🤖 You will have fun interacting with unique and interesting characters
Why you will enjoy this game
The story relies on collaborative storytelling about fantasy heroes adventuring in a world of magic, mystery and fantastical creatures.
This campaign is designed with a balance between combat, exploration, and roleplay. The intense exploration and combat drive the adventure, but the roleplay of the players determines the direction of the story and outcome.
If you like intrigue and story twists, you will like this game.
If you like exploration, puzzle solving, and roleplaying to determine allies and enemies, all while your character’s life is in jeopardy, you will like this game.
If you are looking to learn the game or if you are an experienced player willing to help others learn you will enjoy this game.
Character Creation Guidelines
You will need a Level 1 character using the D&D 5e or 2024 ruleset (Legacy and Expanded). Try to align your choices with the Story Set-Up but leave room for character growth. This is a full campaign. As a team, the group can finalize character choices and ideals as we begin the adventure. I will ask you why your character is with this group and why they have a common goal.
The Phandelver and Below campaign takes place in the Forgotten Realms, so you may prefer to stay within that realm for continuity’s sake. We can discuss exceptions that won’t unbalance the campaign.
Backstories and character concepts are encouraged. Keep it simple! A paragraph is usually enough to give you something to start with while allowing your character room for growth during the adventure.
Gameplay Themes/Content Warnings
This campaign includes violence, treachery, betrayal, and evil. Romance is not explored in youth games. Know that if you have specific lines and veils they will be heard and handled respectfully. There is a good chance of death in this particular adventure and due to the “Deathcurse” revival is not possible unless the Soulmonger is destroyed. Players should be prepared for character death and the eventuality of new characters.
John is an absolutely incredible DM. From immersion, to patiently explaining rules and walking us through the character creation process, to creative adapting to our shenanigans on the fly, he really does it all. I’d give him 5000000 stars if I could.
This is my first DND campaign. John has an excellent way of showing us, new players, how to get used to the flow of the game. In both combat and RP he has a great balance of teaching us the tools our characters have to succeed while still punishing our mistakes which makes the gameplay exciting!
John’s creativity, world building and attention to detail never cease to amaze me. If you haven’t already, you need to participate in one of his games. You won’t be disappointed! I first participated in his in-person games that he runs in our area and then joined in on this game that he runs on RPG club.
3 sessions played
John cares so much for the players, as well as the experience he is presenting. He goes above and beyond to be flexible with the player schedules, and works even among his groups to coordinate when scheduling is difficult. Thank you so much, John! You are an amazing human being.
19 sessions played
This is my first time I started playing D&D, and having a DM like John is like hitting the jackpot. John is absolutely excellent! I have a lot of questions about the game as a first timer, and he is very helpful. I am currently moving on to my 19th session, and I really enjoy playing John's "Vecna Unbound" campaign with my buddies. He makes me look forward to playing more and more every week. If you're looking to have a great time just chilling while also being on the edge of your seat as you're immersed in the D&D experience, I can't recommend John enough!
18 sessions played
Me and some friends started an online campaign with John in January 2025. For most of us, this was not only our first time playing but our first experience with DnD. John is an excellent DM and Teacher. He is always encouraging us to learn more about DnD and is always available if we have any questions regarding, our character, campaign, or just DnD in general. His world building, character interactions, and fights are also top notch. His ability to adjust and play along with our choices is excellent and it never feels like we can never phase him or throw him off his game when we make rogue decisions. I cannot recommend John enough to anyone whether you are a new veteran player, John is the DM for you!
1 session played
John is an absolutely incredible DM. From immersion, to patiently explaining rules and walking us through the character creation process, to creative adapting to our shenanigans on the fly, he really does it all. I'd give him 5000000 stars if I could.
18 sessions played
This is my first DND campaign. John has an excellent way of showing us, new players, how to get used to the flow of the game. In both combat and RP he has a great balance of teaching us the tools our characters have to succeed while still punishing our mistakes which makes the gameplay exciting!
John's creativity, world building and attention to detail never cease to amaze me. If you haven't already, you need to participate in one of his games. You won't be disappointed! I first participated in his in-person games that he runs in our area and then joined in on this game that he runs on RPG club.
This was a great game. I enjoyed the world building leading up the a ton of combat at the end. The GM was phenomenal at creating the setting and I followed easily with my imagination. So much fun, looking forward to additional plays with him. Definitely recommended as a GM, you will not be disappointed.
I've been playing with John for over a year in one of his in-person games. He is a masterful world builder who engages every character during each session. He does an amazing job of creating content that can engage the least and most experienced in our group. The details and story building that come out of the campaigns that he has written are impressive and always fun to play out!
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