Character Concept Guide (Optional)
I love building characters and coming up with crunchy ideas for role play. This guide is completely optional but if you find it helpful that’s a bonus! This process is based on a concept called the Circles of Character Conflict and is a tool I have used to great effect during more than a decade of telling stories on YouTube and podcasts. The steps will guide you through the framework and help you flesh out a concept that will align well with the TTRPG style of storytelling.
IMPORTANT: You do not need to have a character who grew up or lives in Black Brine but you should give some consideration to how they ended up there. We will talk about this as a group during session 0!
Example of the type of concept this helps to produce (for reference)
Rialla Voss, human rogue (Scout), ex-quartermaster. Want: clear the family name by exposing a bribery ledger. Fear: her kid brother, press-ganged by the Black Sashes, gets used as leverage. Duty: the old crew she left behind during a mutiny. Bonds: she scouts safe routes so the caster can set ambushes; she handles negotiations to spotlight the party face. Ties: owes a Twilight Society bibliomancer; knows every bribe-wharf in Salt Crown. Why now: the ledger resurfaced—and a Captain’s Council vote is in two weeks.
Step 1
Choose Your Spark
(10–15 min)
Goal: generate 2–3 distinct seeds you’d be excited to play.
Pick one thing that excites you about playing this character.
A personality trait (reckless, cautious, curious)
A role (fighter, scholar, thief, healer)
A vibe (mysterious wanderer, loyal knight, trickster rogue)
This is your anchor — don’t overthink it.
Step 2
Add Two Conflicts
(10-15 min)
Important: Lone-wolf concepts don’t play well. Build reasons to cooperate, hooks into the city, and two ways your character lifts others up.
Using the circles, pick two sources of tension your character struggles with:
Inside: fears, regrets, desires (“I want respect, but I doubt myself.”)
Between people: rivalry, loyalty, romance (“I swore to protect someone who doesn’t trust me.”)
Against the world: society, nature, fate (“Magic is outlawed, but I was born with it.”)
These don’t need full backstories — just a few sentences is enough.
Send me your concept!
Step 3
Connect The Dots
(15-20 min)
Goal: Now let’s put it all together.
Write 2–3 sentences tying your spark and your conflicts together:
“I’m a wandering healer (spark) who secretly fears losing another patient (internal). The town council has banned my remedies (societal), so I help people in secret.”
“I’m a thief with a silver tongue (spark). I crave freedom but owe loyalty to my crew (internal + interpersonal). The law brands me a criminal (societal), but I see myself as a liberator.”
That’s your character concept! From here, I will help refine it into the campaign.
Send me favorite ideas using the form below!
Quick Start Guides
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Step 1 – Create a Free Account
Click Sign Up Free in the top right.
You can sign up with email, Google, Apple, or Twitch.
Confirm your email address.
Step 2 – Join the Campaign
Click this link:
👉 click the campaign link in the email you received to join your campaignThis will connect your account to our shared campaign.
Once inside, you’ll be able to create a new character that’s automatically added to our group.
Step 3 – Build Your Character
From the campaign page, click Create a Character.
Choose Standard (or Quick Build if you want it done fast).
Walk through each step:
Race – what kind of person/creature you are.
Class – your role (fighter, rogue, wizard, etc.).
Background – where you came from.
Abilities & Equipment – the system will guide you!
Give your character a name and personality (you can keep it simple to start).
Step 4 – Save & Share
When you finish, your character will appear in the campaign page.
I’ll be able to see it right away and help you polish anything if needed.
💡 Tip: Don’t stress about making the “perfect” choices — this is about having fun. You can always tweak your character later.
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Step 1 – Create a Free Discord Account
Go to Discord.
Click Sign Up in the top right.
Enter your email, username, and password (or sign up with Google/Apple).
Verify your email address.
Step 2 – Download or Use in Browser
You can use Discord directly in your web browser, or
Download the Discord app(Windows, Mac, iOS, or Android) for a smoother experience.
Step 3 – Join Our Server
Click this invite link:
👉 https://discord.gg/pPnZWP5KIf prompted, choose to open in the Discord app (or browser).
You’ll land in our server — welcome aboard! 🎉
Step 4 – Get Set Up
Read the rules and welcome messages.
Update your nickname (usually set it to your character’s name + your own).
Explore the channels — you’ll see spaces for announcements, game chat, and roleplay.
💡 Tip: You can adjust your notification settings (right-click the server icon → Notification Settings) if the pings get too loud.
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Step 1 – No Account Needed
Owlbear Rodeo works directly in your web browser (Chrome or Edge recommended).
You don’t need to sign up or create an account — just click the invite link and you’re good to go!
Step 2 – Join Our Game
Click this link:
👉 you will receive an email containing a link to the roomEnter your name or character name when prompted.
Click Join Room to enter our shared game space.
Step 3 – Learn the Basics
Pan & Zoom the Map: Click + drag to move, scroll to zoom in/out.
Move Tokens: Click your token and drag it across the map.
Measuring Tool: Use the ruler icon to check distances.
Dice Roller: Click the dice icon to roll right on the screen.
Step 4 – Stay Connected
Keep Discord open while you’re in Owlbear Rodeo so we can talk and roleplay.
Use Owlbear for visuals, Discord for voice/video.
💡 Tip: If you ever get lost on the map, click the bullseye/crosshair icon to re-center.
The role of each platform
D&D Beyond
This is where we create and manage characters. It keeps track of your abilities, spells, equipment, and leveling up. Think of it as your digital character sheet — always up to date and easy to use during the game.
Discord
This is our voice and community hub. We use it for live voice chat during sessions, sharing announcements, and staying connected between games. Think of it as our virtual game table chat room.
Owlbear Rodeo
This is our virtual tabletop. Here you’ll see the battle maps, move your character token, and roll dice. Think of it as the shared game board where the action unfolds.
👉 Together, these three tools give us everything we need to run a smooth online game session:
D&D Beyond (your character)
Discord (our voices and community)
Owlbear Rodeo (the map and dice)
