Writing these posts still feels weird, but I told myself I’d write a pre and post for every session every week for this campaign (Descent into Avernus) and my homebrew (Chronomancer’s Gambit). If this is your first time stumbling across the blog: welcome. I’m a DM who’s been running games for years, mostly homebrew, and recently decided to document the process, both as a creative outlet and a resource for anyone who finds value in this kind of behind-the-screen thinking.
This week, I’m launching Descent Into Avernus. I’ll be doing it rules-as-written, which, in my case, means something specific. I don’t rewrite modules. I don’t throw out plots. I build inside the scaffolding. My job isn’t to replace the structure; it’s to fill in the gaps the book leaves open. And if you spend much time on reddit researching Descent, you’ll know that it leaves plenty.
Even in the opening chapter, you’re handed NPCs with half a paragraph of description. Locations that exist in name only. Choices that deserve stakes. I love that. That’s where I come in, creating character depth, custom maps, and sharper beats without blowing out the spine of the module. It’s still Descent Into Avernus. Just more alive.
We’re doing Session Zero this week: safety tools, expectations, icebreakers, and character creation. We’ve got seven players at the table, including three newcomers to my games. Some are brand-new to D&D. Others came here straight from Baldur’s Gate 3, which is both a gift and a challenge. It brought in interest, but it also brought baggage. But can I blame them? I get it, my Karlach EDH deck still refuses to cut Zariel for flavor reasons (and okay, she’s not bad in the deck either).So that’s a big part of the reason why I want to run the module. That and the cars. Cars in hell. And survival mechanics in hell when in the hell cars. I digress.
The hardest part might be building party cohesion that feels organic. These players are totally game to follow the story, I just want to make sure the characters have reasons to. Baldur’s Gate is a setting with sharp elbows and broken walls. If I can get the party inside that tone from the start, this campaign has the potential to be something special.