Session Zero – A Nest of Rats and a Vial
We kicked off Descent into Avernus this week, and somehow, against all odds, Session Zero wasn’t a trainwreck. In fact, it might’ve been one of the best I’ve ever run (seriously though).
Seven players. All made characters. All picked a shared dark secret. All managed to roleplay before the session ended. What the hell?
What We Did:
• Icebreaker — Asked what D&D means to them. Got answers that were weird, honest, and kind of lovely.
• Safety Tools — Ran through X/N/O, Open Door, off-limits stuff. (Didn’t need it in Tomb of Annihilation, but this campaign’s darker.)
• World Intro — Welcome to Baldur’s Gate. It sucks. Your
• Character Creation — Rolled stats, chose backgrounds, aligned on tone
• Dark Secret — They stole a vial both the Guild and Right Pashas wanted. Nobody will open it. Everyone hears it whisper. It’s amazing.
• Inter-party Connection Prompts — I made them roll who they’re linked to and pick prompts like “You were supposed to leave them behind.” They made a web of tension and backstory and I did nothing. It was art.
The Vibe:
By the final hour, we were in it. RP started with Flaming Fist grunts collecting them from wherever they were when conscripted. Ended with the party approaching the Basilisk Gate while riots boiled and Captain Zodge started punching civilians. Feels good to be back in Baldur’s Gate after BG3.
This group has momentum already. No one’s flailing. Everyone’s leaning in.
For Other DMs:
If you steal anything from this session, steal this:
Make them roll bonds between party members. Don’t just say “how do you know each other?” Give them hooks. They’ll build the web themselves.
Including some of the Dall-E art that I used if it’s helpful for ya’ll.
