02.1 - DM Rules

Booking a Session

Sessions are organised as an event in the Facebook group. You can put up an event for any time and any date, and players can sign up for it. Use the following format for the event name.

[Session Title] - Lv [x-y] - [OPEN/FULL] - [ONLINE/IN-PERSON]

As the DM it is up to you to sign people up for the game and update the description with the names and character info as people confirm themselves for the event. Online versus in-person is up to your discretion, as well as choosing the venue for the game.

The World

The setting of the East Ridings is sufficiently established and robust that it can handle anything thrown at it. Your game can use whatever elements are involved in the world already, or add anything to it. Any changes that are suitably major need to be communicated to the other DMs through the Rules or Setting channels on Discord. Try to stick to the established lore, at least at first. But also, let your imagination run wild.

Recording Session

After a session, the DM should complete a write-up in the event description on Facebook. This should also be copied to the DM Session Write-Ups Discord thread (be sure to request access to this before your first game as DM). This should be a summary of the events of the session and should also detail any Rumours that were picked up in the game by players. The intent of this is that other DMs can easily pick up a Rumour for another player by reading the session summary.

Session Content

If exploring a player’s Rumour it is always worth checking in with the DM who awarded the player that Rumour as they may have specific plans in mind. If they do not, the DM should feel free to use it as they see fit. Otherwise use the world and the rumour in whatever way best suits the game you want to run.

Exp, Gold and Loot

Players now award loot to themselves based on the level of their character after a  game. So exp and gold do not need to be recorded. Magic items should not generally exceed one per game, and should not exceed the stated rarity value in the following table.

Homebrew magic items are permitted but must be fully written and must be authorised by another DM before being handed to a player. The intent is that the item must be extremely clear to both player and all DMs as to what its rules are.

Extended One-Shots

Extended one-shots are possible. These are stories in the world that run across more than one session. These must be put out to the group in the usual way with an approximate length in mind (generally no more than 5). Players can sign up to these only if they can confirm all of the sessions and while the extended one shot is running they cannot join any other sessions. The level ranges and loot for these follow the normal rules, but the characters do not need to return home between sessions, only at the end of the series.

Workarounds in Case a Player Can’t Find a Session

The following are suggested workarounds for players being somehow unable to get in a game. These can only be done by a DM in exceptional circumstances and only after checking in with the whole DM group.

Player levels out of the range of a session they are booked into.

- Boot the player and open up the spot.

- Change the lv range of the game (this can only be done if it does not then exclude any other players, and must generally adhere to the viable range options).

- Allow the player to defer the effects of their level up until after the game.

Game cannot run due to lack of available players of suitable level.

- Cancel session.

- Other players can use temporary characters to join the required level of game. These are made with DM approval before the game, but preferably taken from the stable of existing ones in the DM google drive.

Player cannot join a game because there are no games running for their level.

- They can use a temporary character of any level to join any game.

Player wants to bring a guest along who will play a one-off game.

- The guest can use a temporary character of suitable level.

Temporary characters are only ever a last resort. They are only to be made or used when the alternative is to practically exclude a player from playing, or cancel a game. Temporary characters never gain exp or gold. They are, once made, available to all players or as NPCs. They are given lower priority in games than “true” characters because they should only ever be used when absolutely needed to save a game from cancellation or a player from not getting to play.