Phase 3: Session Zero Execution

The actual Session Zero is where your campaign truly begins. This isn’t just character creation—it’s collaborative world-building that gives players investment from day one.

Setting the Tone

The first 15 minutes establish how your entire campaign will feel. Start strong.

Opening Ritual

Create a simple ritual that signals “we’re beginning something special”:

Tutorial Example: Opening Session Zero

“Welcome to Ironhold! Before we dive into character creation, let’s go around the table. Tell us your name, your experience with D&D, and one thing you’re excited about for this campaign. I’ll start—I’m [Name], I’ve been playing D&D for [X] years, and I’m excited to see how you all navigate the political intrigue I’ve prepared.”

[Light a candle, play theme music, or show campaign art]

“The last great dwarven city stands at a crossroads. Ancient traditions clash with urgent needs. The Hammer Crown is missing, the forges are failing, and five clans circle each other like wary wolves. Into this powder keg, you arrive—outsiders with skills the city needs but perspectives the clans fear. Your choices will determine whether Ironhold enters a new golden age or collapses into civil war.”

“But first, let’s talk about how we’ll play together safely and enjoyably…”

Establishing Safety

Make safety tools feel natural, not awkward:

“Before we create characters, let’s establish our boundaries. Think of this like setting the rating for our collaborative movie. I’m aiming for PG-13—violence happens but we don’t dwell on gore, romance can occur but we fade to black, and while the world has darkness, we’re ultimately telling a heroic story.”

“Does anyone have specific topics they’d like to avoid entirely? Remember, you can also message me privately later if you think of something.”

World Presentation

Don’t lecture—engage in conversation.

The Living Pitch

Instead of reading your world primer aloud, make it interactive:

Tutorial Example: Interactive World Building

DM: “So you’ve all read that Ironhold has five major clans. What I haven’t told you is that each clan has a different district with its own character. As outsiders, which district do you think your character would gravitate toward?”

Player 1: “My rogue would probably hang out in the Foreign Quarter.”

DM: “Perfect! Tell me—what’s one thing about the Foreign Quarter that would appeal to them?”

Player 1: “Probably lots of gambling dens where information flows freely?”

DM: “Absolutely! The Lucky Pickaxe is famous for its high-stakes dice games. What’s the buy-in?”

Player 1: “Has to be expensive enough to keep out riffraff… 50 gold?”

DM: “Done! The Lucky Pickaxe, 50 gold minimum buy-in. I’m writing that down.”

Managing Questions

Players will have questions that could derail worldbuilding. Handle them productively:

Types of Questions:

• Clarification: “Are there gods in this world?” → Answer directly
• Expansion: “What’s beyond Ironhold?” → “What do you hope is there?”
• Challenge: “Why don’t they just make a new crown?” → “Excellent question—what do you think?”

Character Creation

This is where collaboration truly shines.

Individual Concepts

Spend 10 minutes with each player on their concept:

Tutorial Example: Character Concept Discussion

DM: “Sarah, tell me about your character concept.”

Sarah: “I’m thinking a human wizard who came to study dwarven runework.”

DM: “Excellent! Ironhold’s runework is legendary. Which clan do you think would have the most interesting runes?”

Sarah: “Probably Deepguard since they’re the mystics?”

DM: “Yes! Though they’re also the most secretive. How did your wizard gain enough trust to study with them?”

Sarah: “Maybe I helped solve a problem they couldn’t?”

DM: “I love it. What kind of problem would mystical dwarves struggle with?”

Sarah: “Something requiring human perspective… maybe translating texts from an ancient human empire?”

DM: “Perfect! You translated the Scrolls of Ashmark, earning grudging respect. The elder who sponsored you is named…?”

Sarah: “Master Runekeeper Thorek Greystone.”

DM: “Writing him down. He’ll definitely appear in game.”

Mechanical Support

Help with mechanics while maintaining narrative focus:

“For this campaign, I recommend builds that have both combat and social options. Pure damage dealers might feel left out during political scenes, while pure social builds might struggle in the dangerous Undertown. What role do you see your character filling in a diverse team?”

Integration Forms in Action

Watch how players fill out their forms and build on their ideas:

Tutorial Example: Live Integration

Player fills out “One Fear: Being buried alive”

DM: “Interesting fear for someone heading to an underground city. Did something happen in your past?”

Player: “Maybe I was trapped in a mine collapse as a child?”

DM: “That could work! Or perhaps you’ve had prophetic dreams about being buried?”

Player: “Ooh, prophetic dreams! That ties into my warlock patron too.”

DM: “Excellent! Let’s note that your patron sometimes sends visions through earth and stone…”

Party Formation

The most critical part—turning individual characters into a team.

Building Connections

Use structured exercises to create relationships:

Tutorial Example: Connection Web

DM: “Everyone grab a piece of string. We’re creating a physical web of connections. Sarah, you go first—toss the yarn to another player and tell us how your characters know each other.”

Sarah: “Marcus, my wizard hired your fighter as a bodyguard for the journey to Ironhold.” tosses yarn

Marcus: “That works! And I recommended Tom’s rogue when you needed someone who knew the city’s underside.” tosses yarn

Tom: “Right, and I owe Lisa’s cleric a debt from when she healed me after a job went bad.” tosses yarn

Lisa: “Which is why I called in that favor to get your help with this consortium job.” tosses yarn back to Sarah

DM: “Perfect! Look at this web—you’re already interconnected. Now let’s add one shared experience…”

Connection Mad Libs

If players struggle with connections, use these templates:

Professional Connections:

• “I hired you as a [role] when I needed [service]”
• “We both worked for [employer] on the [incident]”
• “You’re my contact for [illegal/gray area activity]”
• “I’m your [supplier/fence/information broker]”

Circumstantial Connections:

• “You saved my life when [dangerous event]”
• “We were both investigating [mystery] and kept running into each other”
• “We’re the only two [profession/species/belief] in the Foreign Quarter”
• “We both got cheated by [NPC name]”

Social Connections:

• “We drink at the same [establishment]”
• “You’re dating my [relation/friend]”
• “We play cards together every [day]”
• “You’re the only one who appreciates [niche interest]”

Obligation Connections:

• “I owe you for [past favor]”
• “We made a pact to [shared goal]”
• “You know my secret about [background element]”
• “We’re both avoiding [organization/person]”

The Unifying Element

Instead of forcing everyone into the same backstory, build on the Starting Scenario’s recent events.

Important: This is post-hoc justification. The party being hired together is already a foregone conclusion—you’re just explaining why it makes sense. Don’t stress about making it perfectly organic. “The Consortium needed diverse skills and you all seemed competent” is totally sufficient. Players just need enough logic to move forward, not an airtight explanation.

Tutorial Example: Building from Recent Events

DM: “The Consortium has already hired you as a team. Looking at the recent events—the Market Brawl, the Brass Monkey Incident, and the Warehouse Job—what caught their attention about each of you?”

Sarah: “My wizard was taking notes during the Market Brawl, analyzing clan tactics. They need someone who observes rather than reacts.”

Marcus: “I evacuated civilians, including the Brightstone kid. Showed I can protect assets without getting tangled in politics.”

Tom: “I was running the rigged dice game at the Brass Monkey. Maybe they need someone who understands the criminal element?”

Lisa: “I exposed the cheating diplomatically—no violence, no scene. They’d value someone who solves problems cleanly.”

DM: “Excellent. And the Warehouse Job?”

Tom: “I was the one who walked away when it smelled wrong. Good instincts.”

Sarah: “I heard about it afterwards and correctly predicted which clan would retaliate.”

DM: “Perfect. The Consortium saw diverse skills: observation, protection, street knowledge, diplomatic problem-solving, and good judgment. They need outsiders who can navigate Ironhold’s complexity. What convinced them you could work together?”

Player: “Maybe their recruiter saw us all drinking at the same table after these events, not killing each other despite being on different sides?”

DM: “Exactly. In a city tearing itself apart, professionals who can separate business from personal? That’s rare.”

Capturing Everything

During Session Zero, actively document:

The DM’s Session Zero Notes

Keep a simple tracking sheet:

# Session Zero Notes - Ironhold Insurrection

## Party Composition
- Sarah: Human Wizard (Sage), studied with Deepguard
- Marcus: Human Fighter (Soldier), bodyguard/mercenary
- Tom: Halfling Rogue (Criminal), knows the underside
- Lisa: Half-elf Cleric (Acolyte), serves god of commerce

## Created NPCs
- Master Runekeeper Thorek Greystone (Sarah's sponsor)
- "Lucky" Finn Copperwhistle (Tom's underworld contact)
- Merchant Guildmaster Thora Brightstone (hired party)
- Young Dain Brightstone (nephew they saved)

## Created Locations
- The Lucky Pickaxe (gambling den, 50gp buy-in)
- Sanctuary of Scales (Lisa's temple to commerce god)
- The Scroll & Hammer (inn where party stays)

## Party Name: "The Consortium's Hands"

## Established Facts
- Party saved civilians two weeks ago
- Ironfoot/Goldbeard tensions especially high
- Deepguard has human texts needing translation
- Foreign Quarter has underground fighting rings

## Player Interests
- Sarah: Magical mysteries, ancient knowledge
- Marcus: Protecting others, earning respect
- Tom: Underworld politics, making connections
- Lisa: Preventing violence, building bridges

## First Session Seeds
- Consortium job investigating forge failures
- Ironfoot/Goldbeard tension escalating
- Thorek Greystone needs Sarah's help
- Lucky Finn has information to sell

Common Session Zero Challenges

“My character is a loner”

Response: “That’s a great background! What happened recently that made you realize you need allies?”

Example: “Grimdark the Lone Wolf works alone, trusts no one, and needs nobody!” “Cool! So last week when six thugs cornered you in an alley, who saved you? Points to other player Was it their cleric? And now you owe them a life debt? Perfect! Grimdark still doesn’t LIKE working with others, but honor demands it. Reluctant cooperation is great roleplay.”

“I want to play an evil character”

Response: “Selfish works better than evil. What does your character want that requires cooperation?”

Example: “I want to play a serial killer who collects eyeballs!” “Let’s refocus that. You’re a necromancer obsessed with the secrets of death. You ‘collect’ knowledge by studying the last moments people see - which requires fresh subjects. Fortunately, this city is full of people trying to kill the party! You’re not murdering innocents; you’re conducting important research on people who were going to die anyway. For science. Evil-adjacent, but party-compatible.”

“I don’t know what to play”

Response: “What kind of scenes excite you? Combat? Investigation? Negotiation? Let’s build from there.”

Example: “I dunno, I just can’t decide…” “Okay, imagine this: The party faces the corrupt magistrate. Do you want to: A) Punch him in the face, B) Blackmail him with secrets you uncovered, or C) Convince him you’re on his side while plotting his downfall?” “Oh, definitely blackmail!” “Great! You want information power. Rogue? Wizard? Warlock with otherworldly knowledge? Let’s build from there.”

“Can I play a [unusual race/class]?”

Response: “Help me understand how that fits our premise of outsiders investigating forge failures.”

Example: “I want to play a full-blooded demon!” “Interesting! So in this dwarven city that’s already xenophobic… how does a demon walk the streets without causing riots?” “Um… disguise?” “Perfect! You’re posing as a tiefling - already distrusted but technically tolerated. What brought a demon to investigate failing forges? Are you worried the sealed deeps might release something that threatens YOUR plans? Now we’re cooking with hellfire!”

Ending Strong

Close Session Zero with energy and anticipation:

Tutorial Example: Session Zero Closing

DM: “Let’s recap what we’ve built together today. You are the Consortium’s Hands—a human wizard who earned Deepguard respect, a fighter seeking honorable employment, a halfling with underworld connections, and a cleric building bridges between communities.”

“Over the past weeks, you’ve each made your mark in the Foreign Quarter—some as heroes, some as opportunists, all as professionals. The Merchant Consortium took notice. More importantly, they noticed you can work together despite your… varied approaches to problem-solving.”

“Next session opens with you meeting Thora Brightstone at the Brass Monkey Tavern. She has a simple request: investigate why the Royal Forge produced a batch of brittle steel. Easy diagnostic work… except the last team she sent never returned.”

“Session 1 is next Saturday at 2 PM. Bring your character sheets, dice, and prepare for your first taste of Ironhold’s dangers. Any questions?”

“Oh, and one more thing—between now and then, think about this: What’s one thing your character notices about Ironhold that disturbs them? We’ll start there.”

Phase 3 Output

After Session Zero, you have:

• Completed character sheets with full backstories
• Party relationship web documented
• 10-15 new NPCs created by players
• 5-10 new locations added to your world
• Clear party dynamic established
• Player interest notes for future development
• Shared anticipation for Session 1

Time Investment

• Actual session: 3-4 hours
• Post-session notes: 30 minutes
• Total Phase 3: 3.5-4.5 hours

Success Indicators

You know Session Zero succeeded when:

• Players talk excitedly after the session
• Characters feel connected to each other
• Everyone understands the campaign tone
• Players added elements to your world
• The group has inside jokes already
• Everyone knows when Session 1 happens

Next Step

With characters created and party dynamics established, move to Phase 4: Integration and Launch to transform player input into your first adventure.