Adventure in the Borderlands of Greyhawk. LGBTQAI+ Friendly DM
Forces of chaos press on the borders of civilization. If not for a stout few, many in these peaceful realms would not survive beyond the keeps walls.
TYPE
SYSTEM
LEVELS
EXPERIENCE
Details
Once / Thu, 12:00 AM - 3:00 AM (UTC)
Nov 19
$30 / Session
Ages 13 to 14
0 / 4 Seats Filled
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About the adventure
Heroes on the Borderlands is an open ended campaign setting. Characters will start at "The Keep on the Borderlands" located within Gary Gygax's* original Dungeons & Dragons world of Greyhawk. The Keep is a lone bastion of safety for those trying to create a new life far away from Greyhawks larger kingdoms and cities. The Keep and it's citizens try to maintain safety, while at the same time exploring the surrounding wilderness. There are forest, swamps, and caves to explore. In addition the remoteness of the nameless Keep means it also attracts unsavory characters trying to make a quick gold piece, while using the vast borderlands to hide from the keeps guards. Using conversations with Keep inhabitants, job postings by the guard, and wanted posters the players will choose different tasks to complete. As players enjoy more one shots they will be able to conplete other adventures and gain a better understanding of the Borderlands. One-shots are practically unlimited in this setting if players don't want to commit to a longer term campaign. *Gary Gygax and his friends were the original creators of Dungeons & Dragons, I played a version of this campaign in the early 1980's with my friends.
More details

Ages 13 to 14
The party will be made up of only kids ages 13 to 14, led by a vetted professional Dungeon Master. This game will be recorded for quality & safety purposes and saved securely for 90 days. To review the content allowed in this age band see our FAQ.

Plot & setting
On the edges of civilization a small outpost survives the wilderness with the help of adventurers like you. The Keep on the Borderlands stands, nameless, on the fringes of forests, swamps, and caves, all teeming with forces seeking to harass and abuse the citizens brave enough to call the Keep home. Using the Keep as a base camp players with venture out, using rumors, job listings, and wanted posters to explore the surrounding wilderness while helping the Keep to safeguard its people.

Education
Game style
Meet the Dungeon Master
Capt. Mick
5.0
(4)
Less than a year on Young Heroes
Highly rated for: Beginner Friendly, Inclusive, Creativity
About me
I’ve been running games for kids and young adults for the past 10 years. In most of that time I have used my own world. The game mechanics are based on D&D 5e, but have a custom pantheon and magic items that are uncommon and very special. Recently I have begun using a virtual gaming style using D&D Beyond and have been experimenting with some of the new classes and races in 5.5e. I have also jumped into the Humblewood campaign setting that I think is perfect for kids of all ages and adults who are young at heart. I’d love to bring Pugmire into some games also. I prize inclusivity, comfort, and fun above rules and game mechanics. Players can expect me to tailor my DM style to their experience level and imagination. I’m not great with voices, but you can expect me to try to differentiate characters with voice differences to the best of my abilities. Voices are something I am actively working on improving for my players. I also include background music when available. What I like best about D&D for kids is the ability for them to test out social skills in a safe, non judgemental space. It is also a perfect setting to really be who they are, to have a place to be nerdy and goofy, and imaginative problem solving at its best. I live on a small farm in north east colorado with my wife and youngest son. We have goats, sheep, chickens, ducks, turkeys, and dogs. We’re hoping to add a couple of barn cats in the near future. As you can probably tell I love the outdoors, nature, and animals. This love of all things animal and plant works well in the Humblewood setting which I hope to use to encourage children to have a more broadened experience with their own natural world. I started playing D&D in the 1980's. I got the basic box set for Christmas one year and have been playing since. I became a game master during my high school years when our group of friends couldn't find someone to lead us through an adventure. Another friend and I took turns DMing and playing. We progressed up to 2e with this party. I met a professional game master through another close friend and became a player for quite some time. Much of my GM style has come from his games. My five children, from the ages of 34 to 14, have played in D&D games with me at some point in their childhood or early adult lives. I have also run games for children of family friends. in 2015-2016 I was the dungeon master for an after school program at a private K-8 school in Boulder, CO. The program was so successful that the school asked me to return for the following summer to do week long camps for the middle school aged children. In the mornings we played D&D and in the afternoons we did "LARP," live action role play. We spent time making nerfed (foam and duct tape) weapons to go on adventures and battle each other with. Some of my favorite table top games are RISK, Stratego, Battleship, Magic the Gathering (pre-commander deck) and any kind of puzzles. My family is also big into Cribbage and plays any chance we get.
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Reviews from parents and guardians
What to expect
Preparing for the session
You will need a computer or tablet, a microphone, and a webcam. You will also need a D&D Beyond account, and the ability to log into a Zoom call. Young Heroes will send you the zoom link separately.
What Capt. Mick brings to the table
As the Dungeon Master I will supply you with all the materials needed for this series of one-shots. Once registered for the session I will share the Borderlands material on D&D Beyond. You will also have access through D&DB to basic D&D rule books. If you have not played before it is a good idea to have your parent or guardian send me a message through StartPlaying/Young Heroes. You should also look through the core rules to get familiar with role playing game concepts. In general I will use mood lighting, and character voices as well as background music to set the scene of the many adventures to be had in and around the Keep of the Borderlands. I will also prompt players with role playing opportunities by asking questions that lead towards a greater depth in the characters that the kids have created. The hope is that that players can drop into Borderland one-shots whenever they wish and continue to have adventures while developing a deeper understanding of their character and role playing.
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
Platforms used
D&D Beyond
D&D Beyond is the official digital companion platform for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition. It offers character building and management tools, content collection, navigation, and organization, and a suite of virtual tabletop tools like encounter builders, and maps in both 2D and 3D.
Zoom
Zoom is a videoconferencing software used for video and telecommunications around the world by businesses, governments, and of course, RPG groups! It's a simple, functional, and ubiquitous program for reliable video chat.
Safety
StartPlaying is committed to providing a safe and fun space for kids to break into roleplaying games with our team of professional Dungeon Masters.
Vetted Dungeon Masters
We review every Dungeon Master's application and require background checks for them to work with kids.
Reviews from parents
We require Dungeon Masters to submit at least 3 reviews from previous games they have run.
Recorded sessions
We record kids' sessions for safety and review. You can access recordings for up to 90 days after the session has run.
Identity Verification
Your Dungeon Master will verify each player's identity at the start of each session before letting you into the call.
Secure Payments
All payments are done through Stripe, one of the most secure payment processors in the world.
Dedicated Trust & Safety
Our team works to ensure that every player has a welcoming, safe, and fun experience. We are ready to assist if needed.
How Capt. Mick creates a safe table
All one-shots will begin with character creation questions and fine tuning, safety rules, code of conduct, player and DM expectations. I will use several ways to keep players safe and comfortable. In addition to observing and enforcing all of Start Playing and Young Heroes code of conduct and Dungeon Master guidelines I will implement recommended strategies to ensure players have in the moment resources if game play ever becomes to much for a player or players have in game situations that they wish to avoid. Once a guardian signs up a player I will send my Lines & Veils, and explanations of X,N, & O's. Players can also hold up their arms in an X shape if they don't remember any of the published safety tools. I will also have tokens the players can move onto maps that represent their needs for "stop" (X), "proceed with caution" (N, nearing X), and "Ok with" (O). This will be explained in the published document as well as in session 0. Each session will included scheduled breaks as well as breaks anytime anything or anyone needs time to process, ask questions or just needs to decompress. At the end of each session time will be given for a session debrief where players can talk about the session play, we can address any in game dilemmas, party dynamics, and Wishes & Stars (Plus/Delta, Roses/Thorns, etc.). During Wishes & Stars players can give me and other players things they "wish" were better or different and "stars," things they like or want more of.
Safety tools used
Additional tables
0 available
Frequently asked questions
$30.00
/ Session