Shadow of the Demon Lord

Overview

Shadow of the Demon Lord is a grim dark-fantasy tabletop roleplaying game set during the last, doomed years before an apocalypse, designed by Robert J. Schwalb and published by his own studio, Schwalb Entertainment, in 2015 following a Kickstarter campaign.  It builds a d20-based system deliberately stripped of the modifier-stacking common to games in its weight class, replacing most situational bonuses and penalties with a single abstracted mechanic. Schwalb later returned to the same core system for a lighter, more traditional-fantasy spinoff, Shadow of the Weird Wizard, released via Kickstarter in 2023.

Description

Characters begin as ordinary commoners rather than destined heroes, in a world where the Demon Lord's return is already underway and survival - not glory - is the realistic goal of most adventures. The Game Master (GM) runs a setting that leans hard into body horror, corruption, and creeping dread, and the game states its demands plainly.  Characters can and do die, sanity can crack under the weight of what they witness, and doing what's necessary to survive can leave a permanent, mechanical stain on a character's soul. It's built for a table that wants
D&D https://groupmanager.gg/library/dungeons-dragons-5e-2014
-adjacent fantasy combat without D&D's heroic framing - closer in spirit to grimdark fiction than epic fantasy, with character death treated as a real and fairly common outcome rather than an exception.

Active games and players

SotDL
Shadow of the Demon Lord
Online
Oneshot
Shadow of the Forgotten God
Players
3/5
GM
1/1
Shadow of the Demon Lord
en English

Shadow of the Forgotten God

Homebrew
House rules, a custom setting, or a system the Game Master wrote themselves.
Roleplay focused
Conversation, character and story take up most of the table time.
I'm looking for 1-2 players to join an ongoing low-magic dark fantasy campaign set in a homebrew world. The kingdom is being torn apart by a cult that has already destroyed two cities with an army of beastmen, demons, and dark sorcerers. The party has uncovered the cult's plan to gather a series of magical relics that they believe are pieces of their god, and is now trying to secure the relics before the cult can get them. The campaign is focused on roleplaying, investigation, exploration, and interacting with a living world. Combat is dangerous and meaningful, but isn't the main focus (we've had combat in roughly a quarter of our sessions so far). When you're outmatched, fleeing is a perfectly valid option, although it may have narrative consequences. The world has its own factions and agendas, and your decisions can have lasting consequences. The world will continue to change and things will continue to happen even when the party isn't directly involved. NPCs typically have their own motivations and personalities rather than simply existing to provide information or quests. The tone of the campaign is somewhat grim, but it's not relentlessly bleak. There are still plenty of lighter moments and reasons for the characters to care about what happens. The campaign has already been running for a couple years now, but there are still two major story arcs remaining, which may take another year or so. Once we wrap up this campaign, I'll be starting a new campaign in the same setting, potentially using a different system. I'm looking for someone interested in joining the group rather than just the current campaign; the idea is that you'll join the existing campaign now and continue with us into the next one with a new character. We also have a separate channel in our Discord server for in-character conversations between sessions. These are entirely optional and left to the players' discretion. The Setting This isn't a setting where humans, elves, dwarves, and other fantasy races have lived alongside each other for centuries. Humans are the dominant population, and player characters must be human. Elves have only recently made contact with humanity and were previously thought to be mythical. Magic is rare and generally feared. Most people have little understanding of it, which is part of what has made the cult's attacks so devastating. Several religions exist, but the gods do not take an active role in the world, if they exist at all. There are also various fantastical creatures and phenomena, but the world isn't saturated with magic. What I'm Looking For I'm looking for players who enjoy taking initiative and making things happen, rather than waiting for the GM to tell them where to go next. You'll probably enjoy the game if you like: - Roleplaying and developing relationships with NPCs - Investigating mysteries and following your own leads - Exploring the world and discovering things for yourself - Making decisions that can have lasting consequences - Developing your character through play rather than having their entire story predetermined - A game where combat is dangerous but not the primary activity We're also looking for people who take the setting and narrative seriously while still being comfortable with humor and out-of-character banter. You don't need previous experience with Shadow of the Demon Lord. I'm happy to teach new systems, and I occasionally run one-shots using other systems as well. Characters are created collaboratively, and I'll work with you to give your character a natural place in the setting and a reason to join the party. Practical Requirements - Reliable internet and a computer that can run FoundryVTT and Discord - Working microphone and webcam - Regular attendance - Reliable communication between sessions when something requires your input - Some TTRPG experience OR a genuine enthusiasm for roleplaying and learning TTRPGs The existing group is roughly in their mid 20s to early 30s, so someone in a similar age range would be a good fit.

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