The Umbral Archives

session-planning

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Session Planning & Prep

🎯 Next Session Prep

Session 0 - Character Creation

Target Date: TBD Duration: 2-3 hours Focus: Character creation, world introduction, table agreements

Prep Checklist

  • Review Daggerheart character creation rules
  • Discuss character concepts with Andi
  • Prepare world overview questions
  • Review safety tools and table expectations
  • Set up digital tools (character sheets, dice, etc.)

Character Creation Goals

  • Create mechanically interesting characters
  • Establish character connections/relationships
  • Tie characters to campaign world
  • Define party dynamics and roles

Session 0 - Character Development Questions ✅

Completed: 2025-07-18 Focus: Character background exploration and campaign themes

Geoff’s Character Development Prompts

These questions emerged from Session 0 to guide ongoing character and story development:

Community Origins & Connections

  • If characters hailed from different communities, why did they leave?
  • What called them away from their original homes?
  • Do their home communities still exist? What remains of them?
  • How do these origins affect current motivations?

Oracle Sight & Aether Attunement

  • Are any characters burdened with burgeoning oracle sight?
  • This refers to those with attunement to aether
  • Potential elements include:
    • Visions of horrid things trying to break through the veil
    • Cthulhu-esque monsters attempting to breach reality
    • How these visions affect character behavior and goals

Core Character Goals

  • What is each character’s primary personal goal?
  • How do individual goals interconnect with party objectives?
  • Connection to larger campaign themes and story arcs

Implementation Notes

  • Each player should explore these themes in their character development
  • Geoff can weave answers into ongoing storylines
  • Oracle sight elements suggest cosmic horror undertones to campaign
  • Community origins may create opportunities for return visits or complications

🌟 Session Ideas & Hooks

Opening Scenarios

  • Scenario 1: [Brief description]
  • Scenario 2: [Brief description]
  • Scenario 3: [Brief description]

Character Integration

  • Ways to bring characters together naturally
  • Shared background elements
  • Common goals or motivations

📚 Research & References

Rules to Review

  • Character creation process
  • Basic mechanics overview
  • Combat basics
  • Hope and Stress systems

Inspiration Sources

  • [Source 1]: What appeals about it
  • [Source 2]: Elements to incorporate
  • [Source 3]: Tone or atmosphere ideas

🎲 Session Structure Planning

Session 0 Agenda

  1. Check-in & Introductions (15 minutes)
  2. World Overview (30 minutes)
  3. Safety Tools & Table Agreements (15 minutes)
  4. Character Creation (90-120 minutes)
  5. Character Connections (30 minutes)
  6. Next Steps & Scheduling (15 minutes)

Future Session Considerations

  • Typical session length: 3-4 hours
  • Break timing and frequency
  • Recap and wrap-up procedures

Created: 2025-07-18 Next Update: After Session 0 scheduling

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