Prep for the Campaign begins online before the Castle begins, with Alcuin guiding the players through building characters with strong individual narrative arcs tied to the story. No matter how epic the scale of the world and action, personal stakes will drive the story for the players.

His Campaigns are very challenging, without the implicit expectation that the characters are heroes and will ultimately succeed. Conflicts and obstacles can often be devastating and require failing forward and persisting. Horror and survival themes intermingle with culture clashes, doomed romances, and broken families.

Before beginning the Campaign there are detailed discussions of lines and veils, as the cathartic nature of collaborative storytelling pushes the emotional limits of the group. That being said, Alcuin is consistent and transparent with game mechanics, sticking to the D&D ruleset and allowing the dice and players to tell their stories.

Alcuin considers production value very important to the Campaign—music and ambient sound to score the adventure and deepen engagement. Combat formats are on a spectrum between theater of the mind and detailed maps and terrain with miniatures to balance pacing and tactical clarity.

Players from Alcuin’s Campaigns at the Castle emerge from their games bonded, shocked, awed, and moved.