So I decided to start a thread and post every sessions notes to share with those that are interested in my first foray into being a professional Game Master.

For those who didnt see or read the first thread, the opportunity came to me to be a paid professional GM for this group of players on the west coast.  We are playing D&D and I am running the module Baldur's Gate - Descent into Avernus.

Session 0

So we had out session 0 last Monday and it went really well.  There are five players and we discussed a great deal about the game.  They were part way into the module when their old DM dropped out so we will be starting the module from the start.

They are a great group, all older professionals so I think things are going to go pretty well.  The sessions are only 3 hours and I am being paid $10 a session per person.  Hey, $50 is $50.

I also laid out a couple of things that were deal breakers for me:

1) If characters get killed, they get killed.  They could be recovered through the means described by the rules but if they perma-die (which its really hard to kill characters in 5e) they are dead.  No crying, just make a new character.

2) No Safety tools.  I don't go for that nonsense and I will never use them in my game. If you need me to use them I am not your man.

They were good with it.  A couple of players admitted they can be offensive so it looks like it's going to be a lot of fun.

We start next Monday with session 1 (first paid session) so I will continue to prepare and make sure I am ready for Monday.

After Session is finished I will post a log of what happened here.

Nice.  I will follow this.  What rulebooks are you using?  PHB, DMG, and MM only, or are you allowing for races and classes and other options beyond the PHB?

Also, what are the races and classes of the PCs?

Quote from: Crusader X on August 14, 2024, 08:54:14 PMNice.  I will follow this.  What rulebooks are you using?  PHB, DMG, and MM only, or are you allowing for races and classes and other options beyond the PHB?

Also, what are the races and classes of the PCs?

The Core three and Xanathar's.   Running a module which is nice because with Fantasy Grounds and all of the automation it makes it easier.

Looking forward to hearing about this ...

Quote from: Mishihari on August 14, 2024, 09:29:43 PMLooking forward to hearing about this ...

Ditto. Looks like a fun group & $50 is nice compared to the what the rest of us pocket running games for these ingrates

Session 1:

So tonight we had session 1.  It was a really fun session and great players.

The Cast:

Ashok Videl- Level 1 Warlock

Dawn Slight- Level 1 Sorcerer

Frank Stonepole- Level 1 Cleric

Lyra Silverleaf- Level 1 Bard

Sir Richard Hard- Level 1 Paladin

The story:

So the group finds themself stuck in Balder's Gate locked in by the Flaming Fist after the town of Elturgard disappeared into a hole. Worrying that Baldur's gate will be next and with refugees trying to enter the town, The Flaming Fist, a band of mercenaries have taken over watch of the city and protect it.

They are tasked with finding a Captain of the Flaming fist named Captain Zodge and do so and find him in the middle of a fistfight with refugees.

The Paladin jumps in and helps out until the crowd dies down.   They talk to the Captain who points them to a tavern called Elfsong Tavern where they can find Tarina who can give them more information on the Dead three, their targets.  The Dead three are the gods Bane, Bhaal and Myrkul.

They head to the tavern and find her on the second floor drinking.  Before they can speak with her eight pirates including their leader Captain Murosko Sessprin asks for the location of Tarina because she cheats at Baldur's Bones.  The reward for pointing her out?  A tall Glass of Ale.

Two bar patrons point her out and he moves towards her with the intent to kill her.  The players jump in and join the fight.  The players come out victorious, hitting the pirates with attacks and spells that makes a couple of them exploded.  Two pirates got decapitated with a long sword.

The group speaks with Tarina after the fight and she tells them the following "Several blocks northwest of here is a public bathhouse with a walled garden and frolicking nymphs carved into its front gates. Followers of the Dead Three have been seen coming and going from the bathhouse, and I'm told there's a secret door inside that leads to a dungeon. That's where the killers are hiding."

After quickly healing (The players received a good bit of damage in combat) they decide to take a long rest and check out the public bathhouse in the morning.

And that is where the game concluded.  Next game is next Monday and I look forward to it.  The group is a great deal of fun.

Sounds like a fun group.  The names clued me in immediately.  I hope it continues to go well

Yep, I knew when I first saw the characters names that safety tools were not going to be needed.

They also like to role play so it's fun to sit back and hear them do their thing.

What do you folks know about 'startplaying'?? They are making lots more than $10 per player.
i only stumbled across that site last week by accident.


and the DM gig is in my view, all about reputation.  even in the free realm of online games, i found that popular folks games filled up quick, whereas myself a pretty much unknown, had to cancel one session across from a more famous one, as no one signed up(and no one showed up either).

Quote from: orbitalair on August 20, 2024, 10:35:36 AMWhat do you folks know about 'startplaying'?? They are making lots more than $10 per player.
i only stumbled across that site last week by accident.

I have looked at it but at the time I wasn't really looking at being a professional GM.   I will probably take a look at it again.

There are probably people making more than $10 a person per session, but I have seen posts for sessions where it's $25 a person per week with no players.  It just depends.

Either way, $10 a person is a whole lot better than $0 an hour I make on my free games

Quote from: orbitalair on August 20, 2024, 10:35:36 AMand the DM gig is in my view, all about reputation.  even in the free realm of online games, i found that popular folks games filled up quick, whereas myself a pretty much unknown, had to cancel one session across from a more famous one, as no one signed up(and no one showed up either).

I agree.  Reputation is very important and the better your reputation, the better off you are finding players.

I am running two free games-  D&D5e every other Friday.  Right now two players had to drop out due to time constraints but usually the group is full at 6 players.

My Every other Wednesday OSE (Old School Essentials) game is full at six players and I have a possible player waiting for a spot.

I must do an OK job because my games stay full and I don't have trouble replacing people.