Tag: homebrew

  • Allies and Adversaries in Uprising and Rebellion

    Allies and Adversaries in Uprising and Rebellion

    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.

    Read: Common knowledge in the World of the Everflow.

    Heroes

    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.

  • Goltoppa, a Mehmdian sport in the World of the Everflow

    Goltoppa, a Mehmdian sport in the World of the Everflow

    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.

    Goltoppa

    by JayDubTheGamer

    Playing Surface:

    A goltoppa field created using Dungeon Scrawl

    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 teamBlue teamScore
    137Violet 5: Blue 0
    1620 (natural)Violet 2: Blue 7
    915Violet 0: Blue 5
    1212Violet 2: Blue 2
    415Violet 0: Blue 7
    1st half9 points21 points
    29Violet 0: Blue 5
    20 (natural)7Violet 12: Blue 0
    1411Violet 2: Blue 2
    186Violet 7: Blue 0
    39Violet 0: Blue 5
    2nd half21 points12 points
    FINAL30 points33 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.

    We’ll see how it runs at the table.

  • Integrating social narrative into combat – legendary points connected to a dragon’s hoard

    Integrating social narrative into combat – legendary points connected to a dragon’s hoard

    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.

    A blue-green dragon atop a mossy rock leers over a large d20. Behind it is a river
    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.

  • Cabbies and ferien – people moving backgrounds for 5e D&D

    Cabbies and ferien – people moving backgrounds for 5e D&D

    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.

    Image from page 270 of Medieval and modern times; an introduction to the history of western Europe form the dissolution of the Roman empire to the present time (1919)
    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

  • Catacombs of the Lords of the End | Dungeon 23

    Catacombs of the Lords of the End | Dungeon 23

    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.

    Created using Dungeon Scrawl.

    Possible learnings

    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.

  • Temple of Oun and Obscon, the Lords of the End | Dungeon 23

    Temple of Oun and Obscon, the Lords of the End | Dungeon 23

    After the quick, safe ride on the sky-cable, you arrive at the top of a small tower. On the isle with the City Center this temple was abandoned when all of Sheljar turned their backs upon Oun and Obscon. These twin gods of death, endings, and darkness were rejected when the dead started to walk the earth again.

    The gondola stops atop the pillar shape of the temple, in a haphazard wooden frame, with large hole knocked out of the roof.

    Map by Dyson Logos, released as part of his commercially available project.

    This narrow temple is cramped for hobgoblins, mulgoblins, goliath and large animals. These tight turns in the cold stone pass quickly as most try to exit the dark temple to dark powers as fast as they can. Though the Necromancer had nothing to do with Oun and Obscon the stench of death is too strong.

    On the ground floor a search can result in finding the sealed secret door with an Intelligence check (DC 18). Intelligence, Culture (Sheljar), Religion are proficiencies that may apply if the characters act in ways that would connect them.

    That secret door is sealed tight with iron bands. A Strength check (DC 20) can break through. Athletics and certain tools will help open it. Magic could be used as well.

    If there is a desire to see how long that secret door has been sealed those that succeeded on the various checks would know that the seal is 25 years old, just as the Necromancer was coming to power. Is there a connection? Why not open the door and find out?

    Learn more about the Faiths of the Six Kingdoms here.

    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.

  • Chupmolea Transit Center of Sheljar

    Chupmolea Transit Center of Sheljar

    When the Queen’s Fleet discovered Sheljar they landed in the NW suburbs where the cliffs become hills. There’s a cave system that they originally used to hide their aixips. Now, after the elimination of the Necromancer and the Tunneling Nightmares, their little neighborhood among the hills is a densely populated, for the Free City of Sheljar, space that is a transit hub by sea and sky. Each of the guilds are represented in the many dozen gobkons that have settled in the space.

    The main space where all peoples of the Everflow interact with these goblins, hobgoblins, and mulgobs is the Chupmolea Transit Center of Sheljar. It has space for seafaring vessels, multiple sky gondolla cables and a spire for airxips to dock as well.

    Chupmolea Transit Center of Sheljar

    Made with Canva’s Text to Image. The prompt was a “Leonardo da Vinci inspired transit center with airships, cable car gondollas and greasy smoke stacks.”
    The cable system scene connects the transit center to the Grand Entry of Sheljar.

    Paths

    1. A cable car gondola to the Grand Entry to the Free City of Sheljar.
    2. A harbor with regular small ferry service to the City Center.
    3. A cable car gondola to the City Center.
    4. Exit to the Chupmolea Square, the main plaza in the goblin suburb. There are hills to the Western Wildes beyond the plaza.
    5. A high, arcing bridge to a tiny island now occupied by a dwarven family.
    6. Swyns café.

    Peoples

    Chupmolea – Grand Mistress of cables, she rode with the Queen’s Fleet as part of a minor house. Her quick thought to connect the bog-city via sky-cable gondola earned her two flags. On her left shoulder are now five flags, two from her house and three she earned. She has a hook-spear used to guide gondolas to their spaces.

    Swyn – a mulgoblin that discovered the power of coffee. Their café is a center of gossip and a primary spot for non-goblins to meet goblins. Swyn is always in an oilcloth apron (effective as leather armor), has random burn scars from roasting coffee, and carries a small, for them, cup of coffee.

    Blerxa and Patha – two goblins of different guilds, these sisters are arguing over maintaining a connection to the Queen. Blerxa has many more flags on her left shoulder, nearly running out of space. Patha has a single flag for self and one for house.

    Umikdrael Honorfeet – one of the dwarves from the nearby isle. He seems a bit lost and flustered by all the damn noise. He is constantly glancing at his notebook and then at the skyline. There is a lantern drake sitting on his hat.

    Peculiars

    The air reeks of burning tar from tar trees. There are fresh trees in the hills. But here in the city they are burned to power numerous teknikal devices.

    A constant clamor of mekiniks hammers in the background and foreground. There are grinding gears, ratchets, pneumatics and other systems that cause this neighborhood always loud.

    Unfortunately the brackish waters of the bog-city in this area are covered with a thin film of soot and tar.

    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.

  • “Mom, where do dragonborn come from?”

    “Mom, where do dragonborn come from?”

    That’s a question I didn’t have an answer for. A player wanted to be a dragonborn, but they don’t exist in the world as I built it. That’s not always a great reason to not allow a race.

    When you build a limited world players either need to buy-in completely or you can work together to figure out how the character fits.

    When a player asked to be a warforged he came up with an incredible backstory. They were the only warforged, built by those that became gods. Wakened for unknown reasons (we knew it was because of the rediscovery of the powers that those who created them used) the warforged is an outsider who knows that the myths of the founding are reality, that idyllic times of the past can be recreated using the same tools that the past used.

    This also made sense because the player wasn’t familiar with the world as it is. Instead they created what it was and together the player and character learned the current reality.

    When I was approached about a player being a dragonborn I wasn’t ready. We worked the character in with no backstory, knowing that at some point it will come up again.

    Then DnDBeyond presented the following idea;

    The Rise of Dragonborn and Kobolds

    As the Dungeon Master, you can craft unique origins for draconic folk like dragonborn and kobolds. You could decide that the burst of magical energy released by a dragon’s death could lead to the spontaneous emergence of these people in nearby areas. Just as mysteriously as a dragon egg could appear, a dragonborn infant could be found napping among resting sheep. In such a case, would the party be responsible for ensuring the child’s safety? And what will they do or say if the child has been imbued with some of the dead dragon’s memories? Such an ill-fate could lead the child to grow up to resent the party and even become a villain themselves.

    What Happens When a Dragon Dies in D&D?

    Now, my brain started flowing.

    The dragonborn PC would be the ‘child’ of the first dragon the party had slain. They would be the embodiment of some part of the dead black dragon, with others born of the slaying being all of the evil parts. Some would even be able to bond and break bonds of animals. Black dragons hoarding bondings, making them incredibly hated in the World of the Everflow.

    The player took this up, learning about his characters birthing through play. The group has encountered a few other dragonborn, always black.

    This also gives the group something to think about — they’re about to fight up to three more dragons. What will that mean for the future dragonkin? Will they be mostly evil as the first dragonkin?

    Lessons for any DM

    • When a player approaches to play something unallowed in your world try to discover a lore path towards yes
    • Is it just the mechanics they want? Re-lore the banned item into something that makes sense
    • Use this opportunity to build a world together, rather than have it be only the DM’s world
    • Every thing you read is prep for your next session

  • Barbers and bloodletters – hedge healers belong in your D&D campaign

    Barbers and bloodletters – hedge healers belong in your D&D campaign

    Waterdeep, Tear, Dragaera City, Tajar, Zobeck — whatever the city in your world, there are barbers. The technology exists, and the art of Dungeons & Dragons provides a dazzling array of hair and beard styles that go well beyond those from the real world. But how would you play a barber or stylist in D&D?

    That’s easy, via backgrounds. They’re what you were before. Maybe some heroes, especially rogues and bards, would learn to use their common implements as weapons. But anyone could be a stylist or barber before.

    Get your shave and a haircut for two silver.

    Photo by RODNAE Productions on Pexels.com

    Barber

    Whether in a big city or travelling between cities, you are an expert at maintaining hair whether on face or head. With your scissors or razor you create art with hair. Additionally you are capable of non-magical healing. Depending on your practice you may use leaches, your blades or some other form of blood letting.

    Barbers, under any name, are also strong conversationalists. When others are in your stool or chair they feel welcome, sharing the conversation of the neighborhood and their own life.

    Skill Proficiencies: Insight, Medicine
    Tool Proficiencies: Barber’s Tools, Healer’s Kit
    Languages: No additional languages
    Equipment: Barber’s kit, two Healer’s Kits, two vials of perfume, a stool, pouch with 5 gold.

    Feature: Bloodletting

    Whether via razors or leaches, using an action the Barber grants a willing creature the ability to expand a hit die to heal or recover from certain non-magical conditions (Charmed, Frightened, Incapacitated, Paralyzed, Poisoned, Unconscious). The creature takes on a level of exhaustion.

    Personality traits would be similar to the Folk Hero, the Acolyte and the Fisher.

    Barber’s Kit

    Cost: 25 gp | Weight: 2 lbs

    Proficiency with Barber’s Tools means that you are familiar with how to style hair — cutting it, braiding it, etc. You can color it with various dyes as well. The kit includes a couple razors, scissors, a silver mirror, lotions, dyes, hair ties and other small items to help the barber.

    Photo by Nikolaos Dimou on Pexels.com

    Design Goals

    Once upon a time I read, played and DMed in al-Qadim. The Arab/Turk/etc-ish setting included a barber, part healer and part friendly ear. That barber and their role in post-Renaissance England as “surgeons” fits many of the worlds of D&D.

    They aren’t common in literature and games that inspire our games. That’s okay. They should be. Visiting a barber should be part of the story, even in magical worlds. Mending and Prestidigitation don’t trim your locks or beards.

    Have a conversation, look better, maybe get a tiny bit of natural healing (no, it doesn’t work like this in real life). Also, I really like my stylist Chamaine.

    Custom Backgrounds for 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons

  • Adding Feats to 5e Backgrounds

    Adding Feats to 5e Backgrounds

    Spelljammer is already on printing two. That’s because they need to make some changes to the Hadozee for reasons of insensitivity. They’re good changes and Wizards of the Coast is changing the processes that allowed the culturally insensitive material to appear first too. This new printing has other errata too.

    The one that sticks out is the addition of Feats to every Background.

    “These backgrounds each give a feat. If a character takes a background from elsewhere and doesn’t get a feat from that background, the character gains one of the following feats of the player’s choice: Magic Initiate, Skilled, or Tough.”

    Dragonlance will have something similar. For Dragonlance this was because these are characters in a war. They must be stronger, tougher, etc. In Spelljammer it kind of makes sense. Normal people aren’t space halflings and asteroid dwarves.

    Similar to the Dragonlance decision my world has an additional feat at first level. In the case of the World of the Everflow these choices are;

    • Kin get a Bonded Companion.
    • Ken get a feat that grants a cantrip.
    • Kon get Artificer Initiate and the Rock Gnome’s tinker ability.

    Similar to the Dragonlance decision to add Feats this was done to add flavor, speaking to the types of powers that people from various continents have.

    With One D&D’s playtest we know there’s a chance at adding Feats for everyone at 1st level.

    What if the One D&D system of 1st Level Feats was added to 5e now?

    You could add Feats to any character in the current game with a minor, but not overwhelming, increase in power with a few simple guidelines.

    1. Only allow Feats that don’t have a +1 to an attribute.
    2. Don’t allow the +5/-10 Feats.
    3. Don’t allow Lucky.
    4. Don’t allow Polearm Master

    That’s it.

    Now you can have flavorful feats in your 5e game at 1st level.

    Instead, attach Feats to Backgrounds

    Now, my current world attaches Feats to racial choices, but one could choose to go the path of Dragonlance, Spelljammer, and Strixhaven. Each of those books assigns their unique Backgrounds specific Feats for flavor.

    A more flexible system would be to attach Feats on a small curve. Those Feats would be selected to emphasize specific stories typically told regarding that Background.

    Using my most popular original Background, the Tinker, as an example. We’ll include the three default Feats from the errata — Magic Initiate, Skilled, Tough. Then only selecting Feats from the Player’s Handbook, Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, and Xanathar’s Guide to Everything since those are a core book and the two rules expansions.

    Actor reminds me of Paden Fain. Artificer Initiate seems obvious. Linguist fits the wanderer mold. Ritual Caster makes sense to capture the one who picks up hedge magic.

    Putting those on a chart with a curve using two dice can influence the commonality of the Feats.

    Roll 2d4 or choose your favorite.

    2. Magic Initiate
    3. Tough
    4. Linguist
    5. Actor
    6. Skilled
    7. Ritual Caster
    8. Artificer Initiate

    Since it looks likely that Before We Were Heroes won’t be ready before the 2024 edition, I’m thinking of adding that Feat guidance to each listed Background.

    Have another Background you’d like a Feat Chart for, ask in comments.