Similar to the classic books Choose Your Own Adventure, Before the Storm starts a single character on their path to becoming a hero. It uses two to three options at each path, connects those choices to how the game of Dungeons & Dragons runs, and then rolls a d20 to see if you succeed or not.
There are five different characters, which seem to be the same options as the pre-generated characters for the current Starter Set – Dragons of Stormwreck Isle (at your local game store or DnD Beyond).
Weaving a familiar and simple pick-your-path story with the D&D mechanics is an excellent introduction to what D&D is. People unfamiliar with role-playing games should catch on fairly quickly. The cycle of the D&D process is pretty simple.
Action is described
You make a choice
Does it succeed?
What happens next
That fits a simple computer program easily.
What makes role-playing with a real person so much more interesting is that the stopes for Choice and What Next aren’t confined to pre-programmed options. They’re up to the people at the table, together.
What else makes D&D special is that, unlike Before the Storm, is that it captures that idea that a diverse group is vital to succeeding in life. Everyone has different strengths, different weaknesses. By working together your group is more than the sum of its parts.
Before the Storm is strongly recommended for people who think – I want to play Dungeons & Dragons but don’t know how.
My current campaign of episodic adventures is starting to get complicated. These notes are mostly for myself, so that the various threads and multi-session characters do not get out of control as people drop in and drop out. Uprising and Rebellion Campaign Two is crafted for that type of play, but pushes me to track NPCs and threads a bit more than typical D&D campaigns.
These are the Player Characters, some active, some dormant, and all controlled by not-the-DM.
Req (dwarf, paladin) — He travelled to Kirtin-on-the-Lake in an early wave of emigration from the Lands of the Ken. Part of the Society, he helped the Dock District get free from the Mayor’s influence. The dwarf has a penchant for ale, often forgets names of his friends, and is responsible for forming the Dock District Militia (mostly other longshoreman with glaives).
Seymore (halfling, rogue) — One of the constants in the Dock District is Seymore’s proselytizing for freedom for all. Working as a streetsweeper, he provided light in the darkness, now his words try to do more as he joins the Society and pushes back against the Mayor, the Ken, and the Empire of Daoud.
Gardar (human, warlock/sorcerer) — From the land of Mehmd, this one-time cooper and weaponsmith lost his first animal companion to tragedy, fled his former master and now seeks to rid the influence of the Dragons and their allies.
Keldrass (black dragonborn, monk) — An early traveler from the Fey Isles, he abandoned the quest of those people to study what makes the Kin special and unique. Still confused by these diverse societies without magic but with a love for animals.
Skrunk (goliath, wild barbarian) — The former coffee roaster lost control when infected with some kind of dragon-kin magic. He has two giant turkeys, a little bit of magic and a lot of rage. He was once plagued by gnomes and Paiddrois both. The Society have used his giant turkey-cart to help transport things.
Dormant
Habergeon (warforged, cleric) — The world’s first, and possibly only, warforged, Habergeon was crafted during the fall of a previous age back when magic was plentiful and those who are now gods walked the world as mortals.
Nerinmil (half-elf, warlock-rogue) — Also in the early wave of travel from Ken to the Land of the Everflow, Nerinmil stands against his ancestors in their quest to oppress the People of Fellowship.
Grera (mulgoblin, cleric) — Rescued from the jaculus encampment Grera joined the Society in efforts to learn more about the wide variety of peoples in the world. He is the primary connection between the Kon working in the back of the Rusty Clam and the active agents of the Society.
Roland (human, rogue-thief) — the former sage was recently fired from his position in local university. His teachings challenged Daoud’s control of Kirtin-on-the-Lake. He has a small cat that avoids all conflict.
Whym (halfling ranger-gloom stalker) — the former circus member is of noble heart and fights to protect those who are threatened by darkness. She has a huge dog, Kelb.
Galanodel (elf rogue-propagandist) — the former journalist in Ken has combined techniques learned while working in the lands of magic with the praktikum of the gobkons. Now he publishes broadsheets in Kirtin-on-the-Lake pushing warnings against his own kind as well as building support for an independent KotL.
Allies
Auger (goliath, professor) — One of Roland’s friends at the U, Odger is a font of knowledge. His library-classroom is a safe haven outside of the Dock District and reachable via a fountain and the sewers.
Penzer (human, bar owner) — He is the owner of the Rusty Clam, the impromptu headquarters of the Society. There is a once-secret backroom with a tar-tree powered printing press (the press can also be powered by the sap of the black dragontree). Penzer generally hears rumors around the Docks.
Gregr and Robare (humans, longshorefolk) — Two of the men armed by Req, they have crewed a boat requisitioned by the Society and helped rid the jaculus from the docks. They aren’t great fighters, and try to avoid conflict. They are willing to support the Society in all non-violent actions.
Wilkie (human, captain of Dock District guard) — No longer the only “full-time” employee of the Guard, this former Daoudian guardsman felt more familiarity with the Docks than the Mayor’s officials. He can be a source of knowledge about what’s going on in neighboring Districts or the Mayor’s forces.
He was captain with a unit of four full-time Warriors (2 human attackers, 2 halfling defenders). Their five dogs are one mastiff (Wiklie), two herding dogs, and two guard terriers (can set an Alarm as a ritual with no components). They wear chain shirts, glaives, a ruby dagger, and short bows. Wilkie has a longsword and shield. All but one of these died. Denny is the only remaining guard.
Lily Evertruse (elf, wizard) — Lily scared off the faerie dragon at the Mayor’s Three Fulls party. She seemed friendly with Habergeon and willing to aid the group in their efforts.
Thorbolt Moorcok (human, vintner) — The head of Moorcok manor and vineyard was befriended by Req as the dwarf helped the family cleanup and rebuild after a group of Dragonsworn attempted to kill the Professor Rollo Silverfin, a Scholar of Illusions.
Becca (human, conjurer) — She stole a few slates of conjuration to learn extraordinary magic, to include spreading certain spells (Infestation, Sword Burst, ???) to the general public. She is an ally, but also wants to spread magical knowledge to everyone.
Jasmyne (human, retired captain of Mayor’s guard) — Jasmyne and her monkey enjoy causing small troubles for the Mayor’s not-quite-allies. She also thinks the current Mayor is a buffoon who doesn’t match the strength of his father.
Resources
The Bundle of Illusion (a random number of books) and the Slates of Conjuration are in possession/control of the group. The Slates of Conjuration were accessed by Augr’s students, who eventually spread spells to the general public.
Req created the Dock District Guard (see Wilkie, above). There is also the ad hoc militia which are longshorefolk with bill hooks (uses glaive stats).
Seymore expanded his network of sweeps and lighters into Duskside.
The group also has significant influence over the broadsheet produced by two goblins and a mulgob in a backroom at the Rusty Clam.
Nerinmil has a significant piece of lore.
Habergeon holds a divine favor.
Adversaries
Qiddrot The Dark and Pathlean The Shadow (black dragons) — These hoarders of fellowship are breaking the companion bonds. Their adolescent companion was killed by the group in an ambush. They have met with the Mayor, who learned that the Blacks do not respect the treaty between the Dragons and the City.
Gnomes — A small group of bold illusionists that seem to be allied with the Blacks, these illusionists and enchanters willingly broke the Treaty in order to help steal joy and happiness.
Elmsday Fleet of Daoud — Settled just outside the city, the Elmsday Fleet is not under control of the Mayor. The Society has yet to interact with the Fleet as it looms to insert itself on the side of oppression.
Proctors of Grace — an Evoker, Abjurer, and Diviner that travel together seeking to remove magic from the Six Kingdoms. They are hunting the Scholars and the Lorebooks.
Former Mayor-Governor Roreldus Androouet le Riche, Servant of the Queen and Commander of the Northern Fleet and the 3rd Marines (human, banneret) — a weak man more concerned with power than justice. Will do nearly anything to maintain the place of prominence in Kirtin-on-the-Llake. The Northern Fleet are two boats that roam the lake and are maintained on Androouet Isle in the middle of the lake. The 3rd Marines no longer exist.
Tanazir the Greaty Wyrm — When alive this blue dragonwas influencing the mayor through promises of wealth. The deceit and corruption made Kirtin-on-the-Lake nearly unlivable as so many leaders and upper class were looking out for themselves.
Laudra (elf, rogue) — Discovered during the Mayor’s party she uses magic to drift among the Kin. A thief and general troublemaker who seems be ruling Rat Horn. She has two dwarf assistants and some amount of fandom within the working class.
Jaculus(group, all dead) — Req did capture a jaculus egg. These minor dragons stole fine art and gems from Dock District boots and retreated to an encampment to the north-east of Kirtin-on-the-Lake. The group fought off a few allied Ken.
Paper Drake (singular, dead) — The folding book drake that once rode in Habergeon’s book pouch escaped during a rest in Odger’s library-classroom. It was quite interested in his most special books on the highest ring of knowledge within the tower.
Paiddrois The Twilight(dead adolescent black dragon) — First of the Blacks to interact with the Society, Paiddrois was the least powerful and most aggressive of dragons to enter the city. His boldness was a herald of things to come, but also what lead to his death.
Clues and Portents
The dragontrees need at least one dragon and 8 other spellcasters to be reawakened. The Red Oak was the first of these and now geysers of flame spew out from it. No new egg has been seen yet. These ceremonies can only happen on when at least two moons are full. The next opportunity is in two days and coincides with a major Daoudian festival in the city.
Black dragons break the bond of companionship between the Kin and their beasts. At least three dozen of these bonds have been broken. All appearances are that the black dragons hoard these connections. Jaculus hoard gems and fine art. Paper drakes hoard knowledge and appear to want to raid the University of Kirtin. All dragons hoard something and the chromatics seem to hoard emotions. Five of their 11 gnome and dwarf allies have been killed. Four in Winterhome of Shamal and one at the Mayor’s celebration.
The trope that starts nearly every Dungeons & Dragons campaign is “So, you meet in a tavern.” Which is fitting. For most campaigns start with a diverse group of characters who don’t have strong connections throughout the group. They are a cross-cultural, cross-class, cross-Class, cross-everything group that wouldn’t meet at most places in the medieval-Renaissance-ish fantasy world that is D&D.
But the tavern, via the trope, has become a third place. It’s not home (though it often becomes that). It’s not work (though it often becomes that). It’s the place between. And these places between are frequently where subcultures within a society connect.
Various cultures have had different third places. For modern America it is now the coffeeshop and used to be bowling alleys. In the Ottoman Empire in the classical age had its cafes, where philosophy, music and political debate occurred.
In New England during the American Revolution public houses were the gathering point, for many at that time the first place was a co-located home with work and the second were churches.
The Greeks gathered on the steps of temples. Finns and Russians gather in bathhouses.
Sporting venues have been third places, before they became economically stratified. Travelling carnivals and festivals can be a third place.
No matter the type of third place, it tells you a bit about the culture.
Using third places as a character backstory tool
When creating a PC think about the place where you mingled with peoples unlike you. Where did your dwarf first meet an elf? Where did your farmer first meet a noble? Where did your follower of Lathander meet an unbeliever?
This decision will help tell you about your own history.
It will connect them to a place and associated behaviors that aren’t mechanics, but are fuel for the social pillar. Their own stories about a trip to watch a great debate between philosophers, a visit to the library, or the type of ale they enjoyed at the pub are stories that add more depth to the shared story that is D&D.
Adventurers have the place where they sleep (a cave, a cove, an inn), the place where they work (dungeons), and the places where they spend time meeting strangers with odd quests. Once they start their adventure they have the third place that was cross-cultural communication when they were growing up and now the place between — and that’s up to the whole party of different peoples.
Using third places as a world building tool
Dungeon Masters generally are more active in creating the world. There are a few ways they can use third places in that world.
Collect each players’ third places in your notes. Give them the opportunity to revisit them in new lands.
Start the campaign at the typical third place for the origin culture of the campaign. “So, you meet on the steps of the temple.”
When the group comes to a new land and looks for their comfortable third place (the tavern) demonstrate how that locale is different from their expectation and what the unfamiliar culture would use as their non-stratified place that welcomes outsiders.
Use maps of abandoned third places to show how different the older ages were from the one in which you campaign.
Have an NPC name-drop their favorite third place. This can show how they are familiar to most of the group, or different. Each NPC can have their own place, they should!
Have two third places in the same town share similarities but still be unique beyond their name. Maybe the Rusty Clam is a working pub and the Silver Nail is for the merchant class — and yet the players are welcomed at both.
These are flavor elements, but flavor is story in D&D. And story is what tables build together, usually because Dungeons and Dragons is now our third place.
Fantasy sports can be a fun way to add depth and cultural to a campaign world. One of my players in Uprising & Rebellion is playing a character from Mehmd and invented the sport of Goltoppa. He adapted some of the cultural touchpoints from the hidden empire, placing them into the common state of the game and has asked for it to be featured in a session soon. The character in question is not a Goltoppa player or coach.
The game is played on an open, flat, dirt field, generally free of rocks & debris, that is 360 feet long by 144 feet wide. The field is split lengthwise down the entirety of the center into 72 feet wide halves, and crosswise at 120 feet intervals. These six resulting areas are marked off with white paint borders. Particularly enterprising/wealthy teams have been known to pay to have the sections magicked to different colors. Straddling the centerline at each end of the playing field is a netted goal, 9 feet wide by 3 feet tall. One narrow end of the field is to be facing North, indicating the “head” of the field. Three referees patrol the playing surface to control the action during the run of play.
Players:
Goltoppa is played by two opposing teams, consisting of 9 starting players on each side. Teams are permitted to ‘dress’ 3 bench players for each contest, to be subbed into the game in the event of injury. Players may not be subbed into the game for strategic reasons or in the event of a player’s expulsion from the contest. A player’s uniform shall consist of a sleeveless tunic, belted at the waist & extending to mid-thigh, in the primary color of one of the six teams currently representing the league’s six social strata: Noble (violet), Military (red), Religious (white), Artisan (gold), Farmer/Fisher (green), Merchant (blue). Note that players are recruited to represent these strata, and need not be members of them. Additionally, players shall wear sandals that wrap up around their calves, with linen padding over their shins. Each team dresses one Left & Right “Slasher,” designated by a black sash that goes diagonally from either left or right shoulder to opposing hip, with the shoulder covered indicating which side of the field they may patrol. Players may wear short pants as well.
Play:
The game is played in two 36 minute halves. At the start of the game, a coin toss determines initial possession, which begins via kicking a ball onto the field from a position to the left of the goal which the possessing team is defending. The ball is traditionally made from a treated cow’s stomach filled with air, or a leather ball of approximately the same size . There are no goalies; all players may attempt to kick the ball toward or away from the goal, or to a teammate. Additionally, each team’s Slashers are allowed to catch the ball on the fly in their hands and run with it to the border of whichever section of the field they currently occupy, at which point they must kick the ball themselves unless trying to place the ball in the opposing goal. A Slasher with possession of the ball may be leg tackled by the opposing team. A successful leg tackle means the Slasher must kick the ball to a teammate (only) from the spot of the tackle. Tackling with one’s arms, striking a Slasher above the waist, or attempting to strip the ball from a Slasher’s hands by a player other than an opposing Slasher is not allowed. A ball that goes out of the field of play results in a change of possession, with the new possessing team kicking the ball into the field of play from the sideline spot where the referees determine the ball crossed out of the field.
Scoring:
A score happens whenever the ball is put into the net during the run of play, A ball kicked into the net scores 2 points; a ball placed into the net by hand scores 5 points.
Penalties:
Rough Play: Arm tackles; deliberate leg tackles of a non-Slasher; headbutts; intentional hands to the face or back of an opponent – Offending player off the field for 3 minutes.
Stripping: An attempt to pull the ball from the hands of a Slasher by a non-Slasher – Offending player off the field for 3 minutes.
Catching: Non-Slasher making deliberate contact with his hands to the ball, especially with an effort to control the ball – Offending player off the field for 2 minutes.
Scooping: Slasher attempting to pick the ball up off the field, rather than catching it on the fly. This includes a ball that bounces before being caught – Offending player off the field for 1 minute.
Offsides: Slasher maintaining possession of the ball beyond the area of the field where he caught it, or crossing from his designated half of the field – Change of possession from the spot; no kick to inbound the ball needed.
Belligerence: Fighting; intentional physical contact/intimidation toward a referee – Offending player ejected.
Playing Goltoppa at the table
There will be a series of contested checks to determine scoring. These will use the Tool Sports: Goltoppa and have a few skills that can connect to them.
My first thought is a way to generate scoring similar to what is described by JayDubTheGamer would be to have five contested checks by half. That’s a lot of rolling, but provides some variety of results and capability of multiple players participating.
Winning a check by 1-5 results in two points. Winning a check by more than 5 results in 5 points. Winning a check by more than 10 results in seven points and winning by 15 or more is good for nine points.
Losing a check by less than 5 results in two points for your own team. Any natural 1 means that you have given up a five-pointer or have committed a foul, rolling their next challenge at Disadvantage. Any natural 20 means that you have scored a five-pointer.
This should generate scores that look a bit like early 20th century American football or current rugby.
Applying skills
Acrobatics and Athletics will be the most used skills, most frequently connecting to Dexterity and Strength. It would also make sense for someone in a coaching position to use Intelligence with one of those and for a character playing the captain to use Charisma.
I would allow up to one role to use Deception in order to get away with a foul. That team would have Advantage on the next check, but if they lose that roll their next roll would be at Disadvantage.
An example:
Violet team
Blue team
Score
13
7
Violet 5: Blue 0
16
20 (natural)
Violet 2: Blue 7
9
15
Violet 0: Blue 5
12
12
Violet 2: Blue 2
4
15
Violet 0: Blue 7
1st half
9 points
21 points
2
9
Violet 0: Blue 5
20 (natural)
7
Violet 12: Blue 0
14
11
Violet 2: Blue 2
18
6
Violet 7: Blue 0
3
9
Violet 0: Blue 5
2nd half
21 points
12 points
FINAL
30 points
33 points
Yes, that’s ten rolls for a non-combat encounter. Which feels like a bit, but the descriptions are at most two sentences, show the shifts in momentum, and feel like watching a sport when including those descriptions especially around the nat 20s.
Coming out in just over two months Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is about to get another wave of hype. Today was the release of trailer two. In it we see more of the soon-to-be-famous rather than infamous adventuring party supporting each other while also taking shots at each other. It’s a typical dynamic in the game.
Rolling the dice as teen playing D&D in jersey city, I never thought I’d be a Barbarian in full on feature film adventure✨😜. So cool hope you like it🙃 https://t.co/UHlmhM5Bdb
Some day we’ll find out more about Rodriguez’ youth D&D game, but not today.
One of D&D’s consistent themes is found family.
“This film is about found family,” Daley said. “Despite obvious differences, what keeps them together is this desire to fix something that’s much bigger than themselves. And then, what ultimately keeps them together is this newfound affinity that they end up having for one another.”
When characters, or real people, undergo the stresses of surviving dragon attacks they bond in ways that go far beyond friendship. If Honor Among Thieves can pull that off, and the trailers lean that way (as do the actors’ histories in other movies) it will justify me seeing it three or so times on opening weekend March 31, 2023.
From Ars Technica we learn that Critical Role performers are part of the movie.
In the World of the Everflow all dragons have hoards. At this point of Uprising and Rebellion the group has met those that hoard books (paper dragons), jewels and fine art (jaculus), animal companions (black dragons) and strife (blue dragons).
Heading towards the final faceoff with the great wyrm blue dragon there’s a desire to connect the size of the hoard in that Wyrm’s sphere of influence to its power – subsequently allowing actions by the players to reduce the hoard.
This will be done by combining the Legendary Resistance and Legendary Action pools. Legendary Resistance will still be a use and lose item while Legendary Actions will be regained at the start of the dragon’s next turn. A pool of physical objects will symbolize the size of the pool. This will represent the intelligence the group learns about the Wyrm.
The Wyrm watches the d20 rolls
The Blue Wyrm currently resides in the mayor’s palace, having thrived off the strife caused by the rebellion and the Mayor’s corruption. But the heroes have shown that their rebellion is built on hope, a less stratified society and a city capable of trade again. Now just three dragons stand in the way of freedom, possibly.
Things the characters could do to reduce strife;
Healing, feeding Kirtin-on-the-Lake’s residents
Freeing animal companions bound to Shadow and Darkness, the two black dragons
Increasing trade of desired goods within the war torn city
Establishing a popular governance path after the Mayor’s abdication
Reducing the size of the 7th Fleet encampment outside of the city
Teaching utility cantrips
I’m certain the party will surprise me with other ideas.
Things that can increase strife;
War with the 7th Fleet
Teaching more attack cantrips
The Mayor reclaiming the seat of government
Open battle in the streets
They will again surprise me with ideas that create a less peaceful city.
The Wyrm is going to start with five legendary points in the penultimate session for this story arc. The session will be split between the plan to pick the territory of battle (palace, tunnel, cave) and preparations that could include reducing the Wyrm’s power.
This tweak to the standard rules should connect a social session to the grand combat ending the Wyrm’s arc.
Paths and ways in a fantasy world are not just occupied with masses of people walking with a few nobles on horseback. They are also clogged with carriages and carts delivering goods. In my own world one NPC used two giant turkeys to pull his coffee delivery cart. The players enjoyed the presence of this NPC so much they kept bringing him back up.
The cabbie or ferien are taxis for a world where there are dragons and very expensive teleport circles.
Cabbie
You help carry people and goods between neighborhoods and distances. Working in urban areas either on the land or water you know the paths between places and the peoples who inhabit them.
The cabbie may pull their own cart, use a pony or even have experience with a two-horse carriage. Often they have a stool to help their clientele into their car. Also willing to talk, even when the occupant isn’t interested, the cabbie can learn the happenings of a region or distract that occupant in such a way that they are susceptible to crimes.
Skill Proficiencies: Insight, Deception or Persuasion Tool Proficiencies: Vehicles (pick one of land or water) Languages: One additional language, often from a culture that is nearby the home of the character Equipment: Cart, carriage, rowboat, gondola, sailboat (pick one), a lantern with 3 flasks of oil, traveler’s clothes, a trinket, 2 days rations, pouch with 25 silver
Feature: Talk too much
You are a skilled conversationalist that frequently goes on and on. These long talks are often consuming and distracting. Some cabbies and feriens may have allies who use that speech as a distraction to pick pockets or similar events.
Additionally, you pick up the streets, rivers or flyways of a new city quickly almost never getting lost in natural urban areas.
Personality
Use the Folk Hero and Fisher for guidance.
Alternate: Ferien
First, let’s get this out of the way. There’s no simple gender neutral word for ferryman. Similar to Anagod on World Anvil, I appreciate the older English word ferien. As you expect the cabbie knows the streets of a city or the ways between villages, the ferien works the waterways of a land — rivers, canals, lakes and shores.
A scene in Venice – public domain
It’s pretty simple to make the Ferien version. Choose Vehicles (water) and then pick a rowboat, canoe, gondola or tiny sailboat for the vehicle. Nothing else needs to change.
Design Goals
Watching Shadow & Bone, or the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, you see that those who manage transportation are part of fantasy stories. Whether the carriage driver or the polemaster in a gondola, these characters deserve the opportunity to be heroes.
Maybe because I’ve been focused on the bog-city of Sheljar for Dungeon 23 I thought it was time to share this background publicly. The bog-city, or an island city, must have peoples who are dedicated to navigating the waters.
Custom Backgrounds for 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons
Tucked in the back corner of the underground portion of the Temple of the Lords of the End is an office space. The last dual head clergy were two halfings, so the office has two halfing-sized desks with chairs. The chamber is packed with bookshelves, cabinets, decorative wall coverings and, like the main chamber has some damage from a Tunneling Nightmare.
There are also a couple secret doors.
1 – This secret door (DC 15) is to a small safe that contains gems and ingots. The interior is free from dust and it looks as if one ingot is new (DC 10, History or Culture(Sheljar).
2 – One of the bookcases has a book-handle secret door system. It can be found with a DC 20 check. Behind that case is access to the alcove to one of Sheljar’s former ruling families, one that dedicated itself to Oun and Obscon rather than Quar. That chamber no longer has any remains.
We’re nearly done with the Temple of the Lords of the End. These two gods have a five chamber space that will be covered over three total entries. At this point there have been no monsters, but several hints that the Tunneling Nightmares, supposedly gone for several years, are active once again.
Also, the remains that should be around are not.
Maybe the death cult and the Necromancer were working together.
I’m doing Lore 24, an attempt to write small lore elements daily in the year 2024. Each element will be something that’s come up in play or will come up in play within my homebrew World of the Everflow — there will be actionable threads for PCs to grab onto and advance the story.
After the intrepid explorers find the formerly sealed secret door they descend down into a small chamber using a ladder. That chamber is connected to a catacomb with 36 remaining alcoves for remains, four small doors to private burial chambers and a double door.
The walls weep. Now somewhat below the waterline of the bog-city of Sheljar there is a heavy amount of moisture, plus the southwest corner is open to the brackish waters of the area. Outside of the open pool are a large pile of bones. It is clear that the opening is natural, not manmade.
Intelligence checks attempting to understand what could make such a large opening could use Nature, History, Culture (Sheljar) to understand that damage was done by a Tunneling Nightmare (DC 15).
Intelligence checks attempting to understand the alcoves and small doors could use Religion, Culture (Sheljar) to understand that the small doors are for former leadership of Sheljar (DC 10).
Inspecting the bones using Survival or Perception would find that they are recent to the area, not covered in dust (DC 10) and there are now 4 skeletons attacking the group.
Complications
If 50% of the group takes enough damage to fall unconscious making death saves the roar of a Tunneling Nightmare echoes, partially muffled by the water.
I’m doing Lore 24, an attempt to write small lore elements daily in the year 2024. Each element will be something that’s come up in play or will come up in play within my homebrew World of the Everflow — there will be actionable threads for PCs to grab onto and advance the story.
Of course I voted in the LEGO Idea x Dungeons & Dragons event. Back in high school I used LEGO’s castle and pirate sets while playing D&D. When LEGO announced the contest the one I liked best brought back those memories. But it also brought back memories of stereotypical D&D. And it won.
That may be a house, but it’s probably an inn or tavern. “You meet in a tavern” is a D&D trope.
Next is a bit of wilderness adventure. There’s a stream and a tree. Because you have to travel to the castle.
Inside that castle is also a cave system, with a Beholder. Beholders are giant floating eyeballs with extra eyeballs that shoot magic spells at you. They are one of the classic monsters in the game.
Of course there’s also a traditional castle. That castle’s tower is wrapped up by a dragon. Finally we have the dragon of Dungeons & Dragons. The party is split, of course, because despite the axiom to not split the party they frequently do split. One is climbing the exterior of the tower while another walks along the halls of the castle.
The six minifigs make a great party. Again from left to right, they look like a half-orc rapier wielding fighter/rogue, a Black human wizard or sorcerer, a likely elven bard, maybe a fire genasi barbarian, a tiefling paladin, and a rogue or ranger.
That’s pretty good variety of role, of identity and of mini-figs.
I cannot wait to get this. It will be great on my desk for me to look at or on the shelf behind me so that people on video calls can see it.
Full Moon Storytelling 