Living Campaign
A Shared World for Adventure and Consequence
What is a Living Campaign?
Living campaigns are a shared campaign setting with a codified set of rules for the campaign that govern how to build and advance characters as well as how the campaign will handle rules elements of the setting. Campaign staff create, distribute, and manage new adventures in that campaign setting, and quite often administer a player database and promote various products. A living campaign lets players build and advance their characters, develop their personalities, and forge relationships. Live campaign games are run online on Roll20, Discord, or any other virtual tabletop that supports our game. The rules for character tracking allow a player to take the character they created for the campaign to any of these meetings and play it in the offered adventures.
Is this a Paid Game?
No, the OLC is not a paid game. Donations and subscriptions are available, but players are never required to pay upfront before joining a game. The only limits are time and seats at the digital table. Subscribers and donors are granted Ohrc Coins that can be spent on creating a stronghold, owning a home, or acquiring other in-game property. In addition, subscribers get access to our PC game library every few months—allowing them to choose a game to keep or trade in their PC game token for extra Ohrc Coins. Players can also earn Ohrc Coins and contribute to the community by submitting content and writing. Help us build our world, and you'll be rewarded for it!
Please note that when you support our community, you are NOT paying to play in a game. You’re helping cover the costs of the website, countless hours of design work, and even the fees for Roll20 itself.
Campaign Primer
WARNING - ADVENTURER! YOU'RE ABOUT TO DIE AND WE SALUTE YOU!
The world of Torches in the Dark demands a fundamental shift in expectations. This is not a tale of legendary heroes or grand adventures—it's a brutal chronicle of survival against relentless odds. Those who approach this campaign expecting the familiar comforts of traditional fantasy games will find their characters’ lives brutally short.
Here, your wit and cunning matter far more than any character sheet. When careful planning fails, all you'll have left is a well-crafted backstory that speaks to this merciless world. Every torch lit, every shadow crossed, and every word spoken carries weight. Inhabitants of this realm are driven by desperation—they'll deceive, steal, and kill without hesitation if it serves their needs. Remember: not every challenge is meant to be conquered; sometimes, retreat is the wisest choice.
Welcome to Ohr—a realm suffocating under the weight of civil strife, where society crumbles and prejudice festers like an open wound. Here, magic writhes like a wounded beast—unpredictable and feared. Life holds little value in these dark times. The very fabric of magic rebels against control. Those who dare to wield it must scour forbidden tomes and lost knowledge, never knowing if their next spell will manifest as intended or twist into something altogether different.
Making Calls, Not Consulting Tables
The essence of traditional gaming lies not in rigid adherence to rules, but in the fluid dance between player creativity and GM judgment. When a player declares, “I want to swing from the chandelier, kick the guard in the chest, and grab the key from his belt,” they aren’t searching their character sheet for “Chandelier Swinging 101.” Instead, the GM weighs the situation, considers the environment, and may call for a roll to see how this daring maneuver plays out. The rulebook serves as your trusted advisor—not a strict overseer.
Reading the Room (and Running from It)
Your GM isn’t your enemy or your guardian angel—they’re the lens through which you experience this dangerous world. That ancient dragon’s lair you stumbled into at level 1? It’s as deadly as it should be. The world doesn’t scale to your level. Smart adventurers know when to gather information—whether it’s from a grizzled veteran at the tavern or other clues—and when to live to fight another day.
Sharp Minds, Not Sharp Swords
Having +5 in Persuasion is meaningless if your entire negotiation strategy is “I roll to convince them.” True skill lies in how you approach challenges—gathering intel, understanding motivations, and using your creativity to turn potential into reality.
Heroes, Not Demigods
In this world, a sword through the gut is still a sword through the gut. At first level, you’re not much tougher than the town guard—you’re simply daring enough to explore ancient ruins. Even at higher levels, your power comes from experience, carefully gathered magical items, and hard-won influence. You’re remarkable, but not invincible. Even a dozen determined peasants with pitchforks can spell your downfall if you’re not cautious.
Embracing the Unexpected
This world owes you nothing—not level-appropriate encounters, not perfectly balanced challenges, not even a dice roll for every situation. Sometimes you’ll face creatures far beyond your capabilities; other times, a clever solution will let you bypass a challenge entirely. The joy isn’t in perfectly balanced encounters, but in how you and your fellow adventurers navigate this dangerous, uncaring world. Every questionable call, every moment of brilliance, becomes a tale for the ages.