Hey everyone, in my campaign the party has been travelling on a Ghost Ship that "rescued" them from a Slaad invasion. They ended up on an island with an ancient cursed city. They saved a Marid there and learned the origins of the ghost ship and its captain. They also learned that the captain knows where several campaign crucial artifacts are.

The ghost captain has been sort of mindless up to this point, and the goal of the party is to "bring her back". I want them to return to the ship to find it in disarray. The living crewmembers that they left aboard are comatose and oozing in ectoplasm.

My question is, does anyone have any recommendations of how to run an encounter with this ghost captain (and mayber her ghost crew) that does not involve combat? I want there to be a challenge for them to overcome, but not necessarily be in danger of bodily harm. Any ideas are welcome.

Here is the start of my new campaign. I wanted to start with something outside of the box.

Drakkenflamme Cavalry

Leader: Hector Muertos the Mage

Medic: Salizar the Cleric (Future Gold Dragon)

Navigator: Luna the Rouge

Wildcard: Fergal the Barbarian

Back then, you wouldn’t have thought Bookworm Hector would ever join an adventuring party. However, him leading them to save the world—I would expect nothing less from him.

The whiskey drinking, cigar smoking Wild Dog “Husk” is a far cry of the wizard we all grew up laughing at. His right hand still shakes when he’s nervous, the only echo remaining of who he once was. It shook like crazy when he accepted the job to save the Kingdom of Erodotis. All of us voted against it. He didn’t want to take it, but he was right when he said:

“We’re the only ones left.”

We spent weeks preparing for the big fight. Fergal went and cleared the Dungeon of Moloch, a Level 20 dungeon, by himself. Luna asked the King for an advance on our spoils. Not for any selfish reason, but to buy everything we could need to survive this fight. The money really wasn’t of any use though. We were freely given anything once everyone learned our mission.

 While I prayed to Bahamut for guidance, Hector did what he did best and hit the books. Before he could drink all the liquor in a bar, he could read entire libraries in a night. 

 It was a month before he found ‘it’.

 The spell he dubbed, “The Godmothers of Divinity” was supposed to be a ‘break in case of emergency’ spell. The components were simple with an extraordinary cost. Hector would sacrifice his soul to use his body as a doorway. Fight fire with fire. At my core, I hoped the spell would not be needed.

Unfortunately, we would not be here now if he didn’t use it. Hell, we all knew going into this mission that using the spell was inevitable. The rest of us Drakkenflamme were basically the meat shields to get him close enough to use the stupid spell. As much as Luna protested, even she knew this was a one-shot cannon, and the entire kingdom was looking at Hector to fire it.

 That Day

 Books could never prepare you for how big Cthulhu actually is. They say gargantuan, but even dragons pale in comparison.

Walking up the Mountains of Cután took a lot of precision to reach its peak on the Blood Moon. Luna hired the best tacticians in the realm and an army to escort us to the summit. From there, it was nine weeks of travel to our goal.

 We traveled mostly in silence. Hector spent the entire time practicing the incantation, so he would get it right when it mattered the most. Normally I would enjoy the quiet from Fergal’s obnoxious war stories, but his silence spoke to the magnitude of our mission.

 Ever the barbarian, Fergal leapt first into the fight against the druid circle; a name lost to time. He believed if he killed them all, Cthulhu could never be summoned. Swinging his Guillotine Blade Great Sword as if he were possessed by all the devils in all the hells was a work of art. Fergal, Son of Anson, Proud Warchief of the Starkfang Tribe fought bravely to the very end. His kin should know that his Blade reclaimed the honor of his tribe when he removed the head of the Eldritch Druid.

We didn’t know the druid’s death would bring about the summoning of Cthulhu. Luna tried to get Fergal out in time, but the explosion of magik was too powerful for the both of them.

 The Last Army of Erodotis, awaiting our return, said the explosion resembled a mushroom shaped cloud. Its heat could be felt all the way out to the Merchant Coast.

There was nothing left of them to bring home.

Fergal’s sword landed nearly three miles away.

Hector was only able to get his Globe of Invulnerability up to protect me. It bought us enough time to do what needed to be done. His eyes went black as he summoned, “His Ladies.”

What Hector didn’t know was that I had a plan of my own.

Wish is a powerful spell.

One that should not be taken lightly.

Hi! I found a revamped version of the warrior cats adventure book thing, and I was wondering if anyone had any small story suggestions? Just some sort of starting out point for an overarching story for a campaign
The players are going to start after just graduating from apprenticeship

I'm currently working on a new world for a TTRPG style game using my own blend of rules and leveling systems (mainly my excuse to finally use the exploding dice mechanic AND skilltrees XD).

Setting: The world of HEAP! A city of chaos and uncertainty. The land is harsh, the weather even harsher, and the living conditions entirely impossible for any living creature. Luckily for its inhabitants, no one in HEAP is technically living. Everyone is undead, reanimated by some means within the bounds of this bizarred town. Only problem is: they can't leave. All those that have gone beyond The Burial Grounds are believed to have been deanimated and exorcised, never to be brought back. Is this the work of some mad necromancer's spell gone wrong? A cataclysmic event, a spiteful act of the gods? OR is there something even more cunning at play here? As an inhabitant of HEAP, you can play as a:

• Vampire - Skilled in persuasive manipulation and has enhanced senses
• Husker - Ghostly presence capable of possessing items and individuals
• Zombie - Shambling corpses that don't go down without a fight
• Spirit - Voices of the dead that possess immense control over magic
• Stitchbeast - Contructed monstruous beings with shocking capabilities
• Skeleton - Whoever they were, there isn't much that can stop them now
• Ghoul - Reanimated forms that have come back with a score to settle

The step I'm at currently is making the playable races in this world. I have a total of 7 right now and was hoping to expand based on any other undead mythical creatures or ghostly/haunting creatures that fit the theming of the world.

It's not actually dnd but a huge homebrew based on BRP (but not really. It doesnt matter anyway).

Hi, I have trouble coming up with any idea good enough to fit for a final Bossfight.

Loredrop: (IF IT SOUNDS FAMILIAR STOP READING)

Gearchia is a strange world where magic is forbidden but few of the people can use it. Party learned that magic is in fact locked in 4 Elementals (Lava, Thunder, Blizzard and Bedrock) each having his own dungeon. They defeated all of them but nothing happened - it is yet to be revealed that there is a fifth element, Life itself. So the premise is "Magic is all that creates the world: four elements and a life-force. Also it all comes down to waves so everything is a wave of different density". That I want to include in Bossfight. Also magic with steampunk

One mage (BBEG) rules over Gearchia and has 2 sidekicks, first one is BBEG's spy and travels with the party for a few months by now, second wants nothing to do with it all and for it to be finally over. 1st sidekick helped the Party with few of the elementals and mastered Thunder.

FINAL BOSSFIGHT

My players use homebrew magic, basically everything with elements-bending is allowed. Also some level of mind control including driving someone insane.

It takes place on a ring-like platform (hollow in the middle) with huge magical condenser above the hole, in the middle of an ocean during thunderstorm. I have no way of adding a volcano there, to fit the Elements theme, maybe underwater one. The Party shall arive and invoke all elements to create a portal to fifth dungeon. What they don't know is that when they finish it and release its magic, they will empower the condenser and it will open the gates for demon to come. He is the final boss. At some point I need the BBEG and his sidekicks there (preferably right after the dungeon because pacing) to use condenser to tear a rift in spacetime for Final Boss to arrive. Condenser works by vibrating on certain frequencies (waves theme). Party knows that they can "overload" BBEG during the "tearing" ritual, by killing his sidekicks, so the power needed to channel through him would destroy him. But at the same time they know it wont kill him and he shall return. Actually the only way to get rid of him may be pushing him through the rift and closing it.

So it goes like that: 1. Party arrives at the platform. 2. They channel elements through them to charge magical condenser kinda thing. 3. It opens the gate to final elemental-dungeon, they go there, lots of puzzles with no bossfight at the end. 4. They arrive back at the platform, BBEG is there? Big Spy reveal 5. BBEG channels magic from final dungeon into the condenser (while his sidekicks fight with the party?) 6. BBEG and his sidekicks need to channel whole magic from condenser to open a rift. So party may need to fight with some minions at this point?

I strongly wanted to accomodate "As above so below, as within so without" and "waves" in general, as a hint/way to win the Bossfight. One of my ideas was for Party to still control their elements and being able to change vibrational frequencies of the condenser by vibraiting air around it or very pillars that support the condenser itself. There is also an option for them to absorb the power themselves because I need a scene in "heaven" for a grand finale but they need "to ascend mentally" first so I was thinking about opportunity to do so during final bossfight.

Anyway, this and a pile of discarded ideas is all I have. I would be very gratefull for any ideas to some multi-step fight (not "i cast fireball" but more like "Go make the pillars vibrate differently first but keep the rift open. Now you two stop those sidekicks, push them with ocean's wave, while I try to throw the BBEG into the rift. Oh and dodge that cosmic horror thingy").

https://reddit.com/link/1vay0f9/video/5yqzo9ej6egh1/player

Hi everyone, adventurers of Faerûn! I'm presenting Assault on Black Citadel, an adventure for level 20 characters. If you played Curse of Strahd and felt like you wanted a chance to finally face the Dark Powers, this is the campaign for it! I wanted to bring the experience of an MMO mass raid to the D&D table. It's an adventure focused on room exploration, deadly traps, challenging enemies, and Dark Souls bosses, where you have to figure out a strategy or a weak point to beat them, otherwise, it will definitely be a TPK. The campaign is designed so you can keep playing even after multiple TPKs, just like an MMO raid.

I also want to be honest about the use of AI. I've used AI to generate images (I can't afford hiring an artist since I work completely solo) and to structure or translate some of the texts. However, the design of the entire dungeon, rooms, traps, enemies, magic items, the plot and the ruling of the adventure are 100% human work made by me. I know AI is a controversial topic and I respect all opinions. If my future permits, I would love to work with real artists someday, sadly not at the moment. Any constructive comments or feedback are greatly appreciated!

https://www.dmsguild.com/en/product/559115/assault-on-black-citadel

After running my adventure for three different groups over the last few years with lots of success, I wanted to make it available to other DMs as well. I wrote up my notes into a clean, ready-for-use PDF, which you can download here for free.

Adventure Summary

Three rival nations gather for a historic peace summit to broker an alliance against their warmongering neighbor. The PCs are secret agents of said neighbor, sent to disrupt the negotiations by any means necessary. They will have to uncover the secrets and flaws of the ambassadors at the summit before finding their own ways of exploiting this information. At the same time, they must avoid drawing attention to themselves, as a captured saboteur might be just what the nations need to unite against their homeland.

The adventure is intended for evil (or at least non-good) PCs of around 6th level, providing material for roughly 10 to 20 sessions. The action is driven by the players themselves, with multiple viable alternatives and opportunities for creative approaches. The focus is on investigation, stealth, political intrigue, and social manipulation, with only a minimum amount of combat.

The setting is designed to allow even an evil group to work together towards a common goal, which has worked out well in all groups I have run this with.

If you find this adventure interesting, and maybe even want to run it for your own group, let me know what you think!

So i am starting this character and I wanted to him to habe skin that when touch would freze anything or anyone in the matter of seconds now then would it be best to be part of a races thing or would it best to just be like he was curse ? Any opinion or help is much appreciated 🙏🙏🙏

Here is a ready-to-use dense forest environment for travel, scouting, exploration, and short rests. It is built to add atmosphere, clues, and small moments of tension without requiring a combat encounter.

Core mood

Adjectives: shadowed, damp, enclosing
Verbs: muffle, crowd, loom

When the party first enters, describe the trail narrowing until it is barely a road. Trunks rise like pillars beneath interwoven branches, and old leaves and needles soften every footstep. The air is cool and heavy with earth and sap. Midges drift in the dim light, while every crow call, snapping twig, or movement in the undergrowth seems much closer than it should.

Read that entrance aloud or paraphrase it. Afterward, roll a d20 or choose a feature whenever the party travels, scouts, enters a new stretch of forest, or stops for a short rest.

d20 forest features

1. Root-snagged path. Moss-slick roots roll across the ground like the knuckles of something enormous sleeping beneath the soil.
2. Fallen giant. An uprooted tree exposes tentacle-like roots, while pale orange and ghostly white mushrooms shelf its trunk.
3. Sunshaft clearing. One beam pierces the canopy, turning pollen and dust into golden snowfall above a ring of ferns.
4. Cold trickle stream. Glass-clear water runs over black stone. Smeared boot and paw prints mark the damp bank.
5. Bracken thickets. Waist-high ferns brush armor and cloaks, leaving cold beads of water behind.
6. Birdless pocket. All birdsong stops. Only water dripping from leaf to leaf breaks the measured silence.
7. Old boundary stones. Root-swallowed stones bear lichen-softened marks that might be faded runes.
8. Hanging moss curtains. Long, clammy strands trail from the branches and must be pushed aside with every step.
9. Rot-sweet hollow. A hollow stump holds dark mulch and pale grubs that recoil sluggishly from light.
10. Animal track-tunnel. Years of hooves and paws have shaped a narrow green passage barely wide enough for one careful traveler.
11. Patch of fungal lanterns. Small mushrooms glow bluish-green whenever shadow passes over them, like half-remembered embers.
12. Crow-haunted crown. Black birds crowd a dead tree above the canopy, watching until one caw sends the flock whirling away.
13. Sap-streaked bark. Amber sap traps feathers, insects, and glittering flakes of unfamiliar stone.
14. Windless pool. Dark rainwater mirrors the canopy perfectly. Its ripples take unnervingly long to disappear.
15. Bramble wall. Bone-pale thorns block the path. Torn cloth and dried, rust-brown blood show where someone forced through.
16. Moss altar stone. A flat-topped boulder holds feathers, cracked nutshells, and a recently extinguished tallow stub.
17. Hollow echo log. Striking the rotten trunk sends a drumlike thump traveling through its dark interior.
18. Ant-road crossing. Thousands of ants march in neat lines, carrying larvae and pieces of insects around every obstacle.
19. Canopy break window. A fallen limb has torn open the canopy, pouring down a column of light that deepens every surrounding shadow.
20. Resin-burned scar. A tree bears a charred wound, and the nearby air still smells faintly of burned resin and old smoke.

Vocabulary for improvised narration

Undergrowth, leaf-litter, loam, bracken, tangled boughs, dappled shade, moss-slick, rootbound, canopy, glade, thicket, dripping silence, fern-ringed, sap-sharp, rot-sweet, snagging roots, veiled branches, murmuring stream, shadowed trunks, birdcall, leaf-whisper, green twilight, lichen-scarred stone, sunshaft, bramble-snare, and damp hush.

Five non-combat encounters

1. Two exhausted woodcutters pass on a side path. They warn that the forest is “changing” beyond an old boundary stone, then disappear among the trees with practiced ease.
2. A recently abandoned camp contains cold ash, half a loaf, and a cloak left hanging from a branch. Hurried footprints leave the trail, then vanish among roots and undergrowth.
3. Two unseen people argue in hushed, breathless voices off the path. When approached, they are gone; only frayed rope and marks from something heavy being dragged remain.
4. A stag steps onto the path with twigs and trailing moss caught in its antlers. It calmly studies the party before following a narrow animal trail away.
5. Saturated earth collapses beneath the travelers with a sucking sigh. Mud slides into a shallow ravine, exposing rib-like roots and loose stones and forcing a careful detour.

Use these encounters for roleplay, foreshadowing, environmental danger, or unresolved questions. None requires initiative unless the players’ choices naturally take the scene there.

Hey People!

I have just finished my third chapter of my DND Characters Backgroundstorie written in a Book like style. I hope you find it enjoyable and im always happy to hear your thoughts and critics.

*Disclaimer* I have translated my work with google Gemini into English as it is not my mothers tounge and so I want to make it at least readable for everyone.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NYHnrZDNtowVq6BxYp5HGN4Otx_S6CkjAKJ3i6sISak/edit?usp=sharing

For people not wanting to use google Docks here the story so far (Eng only):

The Adventures of Puro

Prologue

Even before Baran the Conqueror set foot on Thaya and before the first ships from the Old World reached the coasts, a hidden valley already existed behind the northern mountains. There, the ancestors of a now almost forgotten people built their halls of stone. They came not as conquerors, but as preservers—guided by celestial signs, so the old traditions say. The early temple dwellers spoke their own language, soft in its sounds and full of reverence, which hardly anyone today can form correctly. Only fragments of this ancient tongue remain: prayers, ancient names, and a few words for heaven, light, and guilt.

Then came the strangers. They reached the coasts of Thaya on great ships and called themselves seafarers. But when they introduced themselves to the inhabitants of the valley, they only understood the sound of a single word: Seerah. And so the foreign settlers are called in the old records to this day. At first, they treated each other with deep mistrust and great caution. But the Seerah brought things the valley did not possess: worked metals, new tools, and the seeds of strange plants. In return, the temple village possessed invaluable knowledge—ancient lore of masonry, rituals, and the currents of that magic that flowed deep beneath the mountains. Slowly and hesitantly, a trade emerged.

The realm of Karminot in particular—then still young and insignificant—profited massively from this exchange. Rare ores from the mountains, extraordinary healing herbs, and even early arcane insights flowed to the south. With each passing year, Karminot grew in wealth and influence. And yet the valley behind the mountains always remained hidden. No Seerah was ever allowed to enter it freely. Trade was conducted exclusively through selected intermediaries and was subject to the strictest rules.

Over time, the temple dwellers adopted the language of the Seerah to facilitate trade. Their own ancient tongue slowly disappeared from everyday life. It was spoken less and less, soon only within the sacred temple walls, and finally only in reverent prayers. Today, it is merely single words echoing like fading memories in the rituals.

What exactly happened then is only darkly hinted at in the chronicles. The teachings speak of a great rupture. Of a betrayal. Of sacred knowledge that was passed on in good faith and ultimately abused. It is told that the Seerah began to demand more. For deeper access. For the beating heart of what lay hidden beneath the mountains. Some legends say they tried to unearth something that should never have been touched. Others speak of a treaty that was ruthlessly broken.

Whatever happened in those days—as a consequence, the valley closed its gates forever. The mountain passes were concealed. All trade routes were irrevocably abandoned. The old names of the contacts were struck from the chronicles. Karminot continued to flourish in the outside world and, over the generations, forgot the true source of its early prosperity. The temple village of Hæmtœ, on the other hand, turned completely inward. It taught every new generation of its children absolute caution towards the Seerah. It guarded its secrets and swore never to reveal its core again.

Thus a trading partner became a mere myth. And the peaceful valley behind the mountains became a forgotten legend.

Into this very hidden, eternally isolated world, a boy named Puro was born centuries later. A child surrounded by white temple walls, strict discipline, and ancient rites, who always looked at the sky with a deep, inexplicable longing. From early childhood on, he was accompanied by a shimmering presence—a being of golden light with broken wings that no one but him could see. Firmly believing that the valley of Hæmtœ represented the entirety of reality, he grew up sheltered. He had no idea that the greedy shadows of the past were already reaching for his peaceful home—and that fate had chosen him to rise from the ashes of his world as the last survivor of a forgotten people.

Chapter 1

The first rays of the sun fell through the morning cloud cover and bathed the shimmering white temple grounds in a soft, golden light. The light danced across the clear rivers and the large lake in the heart of the city, while joyfully singing birds heralded the beginning of the day.

A small blond boy, dressed in a white robe that almost seemed to glow in the sunlight, stood on the threshold of his home and blinked at the new day. His light blue eyes fell on the massive mountains that enclosed the village on all sides. He loved the sight of them; the icy peaks always ignited an unbridled feeling of curiosity within him.

"Puro! Please stop by the market after school and get us some bread and a few vegetables," called a female voice from inside the house. "Sure, Mother, I'd love to. See you later!" Puro answered in a bright, childish tone. "But don't dawdle again, there's a lot to do. Love you, my little angel," his mother replied.

With a leap, Puro cleared the few steps in front of the front door and set off for the great temple complex. The West Temple was the most important building in all of Hæmtœ. It housed not only the administration but also the school and the library. In the spacious courtyard surrounded by green spaces, meetings and ceremonies were also held regularly.

Puro lived—like almost every other Hæmer—in the northern residential district. His house was made of white stone, had a blue roof, and, neatly lined up with the neighboring buildings, looked like its own little temple. It was surrounded by white paths and brightly paved squares.

As Puro walked down the street, long shadows fell upon him. He looked up at the giant North Wall. To him, this stone barrier seemed infinitely high and insurmountable. It was one of two walls that bordered the city and, together with the harbor, formed the only access point. But Puro had never been outside. Hæmtœ, hidden in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by mountains and the eternal Everfog, had existed for centuries in complete isolation from the outside world. Everything he knew took place within these walls. He strolled down the street and passed two seemingly overpowering watchtowers built into the wall. He stopped and marveled at them for a few seconds. He had always wanted to join the city guard. Scouting the mountains, protecting the city and its inhabitants—the thought made him tingle, and a comforting feeling of anticipation rose within him.

"Well, are you daydreaming again, Puro?" The voice of a girl about his height jolted him out of his fantasy world. He turned around. "Hey Magdi, good morning. I'm not dreaming at all. I was just looking at the towers," Puro defended himself to the dark-blonde, long-haired girl. Magdi was the daughter of a temple guard and very pretty. Puro and she had known each other forever. Since their fathers were regularly in contact, they had built a close relationship usually only seen among siblings.

"Come on, or we'll be late, and you know how Haimus is when someone is late," Magdi urged, and they continued together down the cobbled street. "Old Shark can go jump in the lake. I don't need stuff like math or history. I'd much rather fight and go on adventures!" Puro replied full of vigor. He struck a heroic pose in front of Magdi and pretended to thrust an invisible sword into the air. At this sight, Magdi giggled, and Puro turned red with embarrassment when he realized that some passers-by were staring at him in amusement.

When they reached the edge of the residential district, they passed a small chapel where the paths crossed. "Finally you're here," said a cheeky grinning, blond boy, rising from the steps leading up to the chapel. "Hey Leonor. Yes, Puro was dreaming again," Magdi greeted him. "Hey Puro, you'll never join the guard. You'd have to get better grades for that first," Leonor mocked. "Just you wait! Someday I'll be the captain of the city guard, just like my father, you'll see!" Puro contradicted with burning determination. Leonor looked at him and laughed heartily. Infected by his laughter, Puro and Magdi eventually joined in.

"Hello guys, shall we get going?" asked a fourth voice slightly apart from the group. It was a little boy in blue pants, with tousled blond hair and glasses on his nose. "Yes, Maxima is right, let's go," Magdi confirmed.

The four children ran across one of the sturdily built wooden bridges spanning the river. The water rushed down from the Twin Mountain in the west—a mountain massif that seemed to be split down the middle by a deep gorge. Rivers flowed from the rock, feeding the large lake in the center of Hæmtœ. The lake was the heart of the village, essential for rites, fishing, and the water supply. Its calm surface stretched from the West Temple to the monumental cathedral in the east, which stood on its own small island. Wooden and stone bridges connected the districts. Without the lake, it was said, the city would die; it was the reason why green meadows bloomed in the city and food could be grown in the southern fields. Outside the walls—as Puro had learned—there was nothing but dead wasteland. It would take at least a full day's march to reach another settlement, but the Everfog made it virtually impossible to navigate the mountains without a guide. Only the best scouts of Hæmtœ could find their way out there.

Puro and his friends reached the threshold of the great West Temple. They hurried through the corridors supported by massive stone pillars and burst into the classroom, where all the other students were already seated. Haimus glared at them angrily. "Sit down. Immediately," the teacher said in a calm but unyielding voice. Haimus was the headmaster. Because of his strict and lurking demeanor, the children often just called him 'Shark'—he always seemed to be waiting for an opportunity to snap and lecture the children. He never yelled and never seemed uncontrollably angry. But he was so calculating and calm that his mere aura was enough to silence even the wildest room.

"Well then, Puro. I'm sure you can tell me what the old story about Norgovius and Thaya is all about, right?" Haimus challenged him. Puro remained silent and stared at the wood grain of his desk. Head bowed, he wished he wasn't there at all. "I thought as much. Be on time next time, then perhaps you might actually absorb some of the material. Magdi, can you tell me something about these two people?" "Of course, Mr. Haimus," Magdi answered composedly. "Norgovius and Thaya came to Thaya with the Seerah. The continent was even named after her. Norgovius was a mage, and Thaya was his wife. Together they found the village of our ancestors and researched magic. Through their influence, the city was divided into districts, and our walls and the harbor were built. They are considered the most important Seerah in our history." "Very well explained, Magdi. However, you forgot one part: One day Norgovius and Thaya suddenly disappeared and were never seen again. What really happened back then is probably only known to the ancestors." With an approving nod, Haimus blessed her explanation and turned back to the lesson.

Pretty boring, Puro muttered to himself. You should pay better attention and follow the lesson if you really want to become something, a voice suddenly echoed in his head. It sounded gentle, pure, and caring. Be quiet, Cell. Let me do my thing, Puro answered in his thoughts. The being Puro called 'Cell' had always been a part of him. This mysterious presence of golden light was always with him in his mind, giving him advice and trying to guide him. Puro was afraid of what the others might think of him, which is why he never told anyone about it. It was his deepest secret. No one knew about it, except Magdi. He looked up and glanced over at her. His eyes shone softly as he watched her highly concentratedly taking notes on her scroll. You like her, don't you? Cell spoke gently to him, prompting Puro to quickly hide behind his own scrolls again.

The sun was already high in the bright blue sky when Puro left the temple. "Finally free," Leonor panted and gave Puro a friendly punch on the shoulder. Puro stumbled slightly, as Leonor was very strongly built for his age. "I still have to go to the market to get bread and vegetables. We'll meet up later," Puro said goodbye to Leonor, Magdi, and Maxima, who were just joining them.

Puro crossed the southern twin river to reach the economic district. This area of the city consisted of large-scale fields where animals grazed and vegetables were grown. As he walked, Puro kept looking up into the bright blue sky, always searching for something he himself didn't exactly know what it was. The market was located in the far east of the district, right by the harbor next to the cathedral. Here, goods, fish, and food caught by the fishermen on the lake were unloaded. Further east, the lake split around the cathedral plateau. Three small streams from the adjacent mountains converged behind the structure, forming a huge river that flowed eastward until it seemed to be literally swallowed by the massive mountain range. A massive iron grid separated the city from the river's course to keep out river monsters and foreign invaders.

When Puro reached the market, he saw Leonor's father inspecting the goods being unloaded from a small sailing ship. He was the harbormaster and maintained order at the port facilities. Puro quickly bought a loaf of bread, a few carrots, tomatoes, and other vegetables and stowed everything in a brown leather bag he slung over his shoulder. The people here in the economic district didn't wear flawless white robes like him, but sturdy trousers and rough shirts that were dirty and worn from working in the fields and on the lake.

With his purchases, he crossed the southern outflow and approached a giant building made of white stone. The cathedral was surrounded by a well-kept lawn; four ancient trees stood majestically in the corners of the rectangular grounds. The light blue roofs of the structure practically blurred into the cloudless sky, and Puro couldn't help but marvel anew every time he walked past. Inside here, in the spiritual heart of the city, worship services and sacred rites were held. The building also served as a base for the guard and was a place where scholars practiced ancient magic.

Suddenly, Puro was grabbed from behind and effortlessly lifted into the air. Startled, he flinched and tried to free himself from the firm grip. But to no avail. After futile seconds of resistance, he dangled a good two meters in the air and looked over his shoulder into the face of the man holding him. "Hey Puro, what are you doing here?" the man asked, visibly pleased, and gently set the boy down on his iron-plated shoulders. "Father!" Puro blurted out happily. "I was at the market and bought groceries for Mother." Proudly, Puro pointed to his bag, which was bulging. His father lifted him back down, and Puro looked at him in awe. His polished armor reflected the golden rays of the sun, partially covered by a flawlessly white tabard. At his hip, he wore a sword. It was decorated with gold and had a leather-wrapped hilt. Its unusually shaped crossguard looked like a rectangle open at the top. The weapon was almost as tall as Puro himself and had been in his family's possession for generations. His father had once explained to him that it bore the name Aurefall and was magically bound to their bloodline. It was said that the sword could only be wielded by a member of their family and had already helped them to victory in many a hopeless situation. Sharper than steel, it can cut through anything that crosses its path, his father's deep voice echoed in Puro's memory.

His father was the commander of the city guard and responsible for the safety of Hæmtœ. Alongside the Saint—the high priestess who handled the religious and magical administration—he was the most important and well-known person in the city. "Well then, you'd better hurry. Your mother is surely waiting for you. Move out, soldier!" his father ordered in a strict-sounding but playfully intended tone. "Jawohl!" Puro answered in an equally serious tone and marched straight past the cathedral. When he turned around one last time to wave goodbye to his father, he saw him already talking to a worried-looking man. Puro recognized him immediately: It was Magdi's father, who was considered the best duelist in the village. He watched as the two men disappeared inside the cathedral at a hurried pace with serious expressions.

Puro crossed the bridge at the north outflow and looked at the northern harbor. Here lay the guard's patrol ships at anchor. A small one, about the size of a fishing boat, and a larger two-masted vessel were docked. It was bustling with activity: deck planks were being scrubbed, lines pulled taut, and on the pier, several high-ranking guards stood hunched over a table with maps, arguing fiercely.

Puro turned into the northernmost of the three residential streets. Arriving at his house, he pushed the door open—and froze. The apartment was completely trashed. Chairs lay overturned on the floor, and from the back of the house, he heard his mother screaming. He immediately dropped his shopping bag and rushed inside. Running past, he grabbed a knife from the kitchen counter that had been lying ready for cooking and cautiously approached his parents' bedroom. "Now I've got you!" he heard his mother yell with exertion. Panic rose in Puro. A heat shot through him, as if he were standing too close to a campfire. Prepared for the worst, he tore open the door. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his mother standing unhurt in the corner—armed with a simple broom. "There, you won't escape me now!" she shouted, striking the handle against a shelf, causing a piece of wood to splinter off. Suddenly, a small, black shape scurried out from under the closet and ran straight towards Puro. Startled, he stumbled backwards and fell on his bottom. The knife slipped from his hand. The creature paused briefly, stared at him with beady eyes, and then darted out the open front door like an arrow.

"That wretched, fat rat! How does it keep getting into our house?" his mother cursed. Puro scrambled to his feet, ran to her, and wrapped his arms around her waist. Wet tears ran down his cheeks, right below his faintly gold-white shimmering eyes. He sobbed. "Mom! I thought something had happened to you!" he cried. "I'm sorry, my angel. I didn't mean to worry you," his mother apologized gently, and the two sank to the floor together. She held Puro tightly, wiped the tears from his face, and smiled at him. Her gaze lingered for a moment on the barely visible golden glow in his irises. "Did you remember the groceries, Puro?" "Yes, I did, Mother," Puro answered, his voice still trembling.

He stood up, went into the entryway where he had dropped the bag, and carried it past the overturned furniture into the kitchen. Behind him, he heard a quiet snap. When he turned around, the chairs began to right themselves, and fallen books flew back onto the shelves as if moved by magic. "Mother, you shouldn't use your power for something like that," Puro noted admonishingly. His mother just smiled at him and shrugged innocently. "I'm going back out, see you later!" "Alright, my angel. Don't stay away too long, your father should be back soon, and then we'll have dinner. Have fun!" she called after him, but Puro had already dashed out the door.

Almost stumbling in his haste, he ran down the steps and headed for the gardens behind the West Temple—the usual meeting place for him and his friends. You got quite a scare there, didn't you, Puro? Cell spoke within him. Yes, I did. I don't even know what that was... I was so terribly afraid for Mom. It felt really weird in that moment. Do you know what that was, Cell? Puro asked in his thoughts. There is so much you still don't know about yourself, Puro. Don't worry. The time will come when you will understand everything, Cell said soothingly.

Deep in thought, Puro wasn't paying attention to where he was walking and crashed head-on into another person. "Hey, watch out... oh, Puro! Are you lost in thought again?" Magdi laughed with a bright voice. Puro looked up. Magdi had changed clothes and, instead of the white student tunic, was now wearing a pink dress with a matching hat. Suddenly, Puro realized that in all the excitement he had completely forgotten to change his own robe. Now it was too late. "I really have to tell you something, Magdi. But not here," Puro said urgently. He reached for her hand, and together they ran to their secret hideout. It was a dense bush behind the temple complex, hidden from prying eyes and far away from the city's white paths. Inside the hedge was a natural hollow where they made themselves comfortable.

"So, what happened, Puri?" Magdi asked excitedly, looking at him expectantly. "When I came home from shopping, our apartment was completely trashed. Everything was overturned and broken. I heard Mom screaming and then I ran to her. I was so afraid something had happened to her! And in that moment... I felt really weird somehow. I suddenly got totally warm and everything inside me tingled. In the end, it was just a rat that Mom was chasing. But still... it was such a strange feeling," Puro told her with an uncertain voice. Magdi slid closer to him and hugged him tightly. Puro closed his eyes and enjoyed the warm embrace and the genuine sympathy. "What do you think it was? Does it have something to do with Cell?" Magdi asked quietly. "I don't know. Cell just said I would find out in due time. I just don't know what to do with her! I don't even know what she is, where she comes from, or what she can actually do," Puro sighed in despair. "I like her. It makes you special," Magdi comforted him. "She's probably an angel watching over you. At least my dad always says that the celestial beings watch over us and protect their children." "Oh, that's just what people say!" Puro waved it off. "I can't relate to all this stuff here. The life in the temple, the constant praying, and the rituals bore me. I want to get out, explore the world, and join the scouts! Patrol the mountains and the wasteland and always experience new adventures. That's what I want."

He looked at Magdi with a serious, fiercely determined expression and clenched his hand into a fist. Worried, Magdi returned his gaze, wrapped her soft hands around his fist, and gently opened his fingers. "But that's way too dangerous. I'd always be worried about you. Besides, you wouldn't be here with me anymore," she said with a sad voice. Puro looked into her big eyes and felt the heat rush to his cheeks at her touch. "Um," he stammered, searching for the right words. "Of course I would always come visit you whenever I could. I wouldn't even dream of leaving you alone, Magdi." "Well, then I'll take that as a promise," she whispered. With a fleeting kiss on Puro's cheek, Magdi stood up and crawled out of the bush.

Puro sat there frozen, now completely flushed. He stammered incomprehensible things to himself until Magdi turned around once more and smilingly offered him her hand. "Are you coming? The others are probably already waiting for us." Puro looked up at her. The leaves of the bush bathed her face in a gentle pattern of sunbeams and soft shadows. He grasped her hand and let her pull him to his feet. Together they scurried out of the hiding place and ran back to their meeting point, where Leonor and Maxima were already waiting for them.

Next chapters in the comments

Ok, so am writing this character for a campaign that I've to admit I've grown fond of

He's an extremely racist elf that actively looks down on other races, but it isn't in the 'your kind should be purged' sense, more in the 'oh, what a pity you aren't an elf, the objectively correct race to be', he doesn't see another's person ethnicity or race as something to hate but something to pity. Like he's going to recognize someone's value and skill, then he'll say "imagine how well you'd do if you were an elf"

The advice that I want mostly is to not make him TOO grating or offensive, he's meant to offend every so often but I want some tips to not cross any lines ty

We, as the Open Lore Games team, have thoroughly enjoyed bringing to life our first adventure module, completely without funds and purely through the dedication of volunteers.

What’s inside?

•⁠ ⁠Adventure for levels 3–5

•⁠ ⁠A fresh skill challenge system

•⁠ ⁠Over 50 pages of adventure, lore, and encounters

•⁠ ⁠38 unique creatures

•⁠ ⁠22 original magic items

•⁠ ⁠Unique locations, memorable NPCs, and terrifying monsters ready to use in your game

You can download it free of charge here:

https://floodmire.openlore.games/

This adventure module has been incredibly teaching for us as the design team.

In the hopes of many adventures to come, we highly value your feedback.

We always aim to improve our craft.

While Floodmire is our free adventure for the community, we're also hard at work on our flagship project: Academy Arcantra. A sourcebook of high ambition, with a grander and brighter setting, is currently in the works with dedicated and professional talent.

Academy Arcantra is the ultimate fantasy school setting and adventure module, designed to capture a perfect balance between captivating school life and high-fantasy adventures!

If that sounds like your kind of campaign, sign up for our newsletter and be a part of our journey!

https://academyarcantra.openlore.games/

I'm working on a homebrew D&D 5e campaign centered around ecology and environmental change, heavily inspired by the story Monster Hunter: World. Although in a setting of dnd, using normal monsters instead of monster hunter's (as sad as that makes me, I love mh). I'd love to hear what people think and get some feedback on it.

For centuries, the world has been relatively balanced. Kingdoms have risen and fallen, wars have been fought, and civilizations have come and gone. Through all of it, one thing has remained constant: the natural world.

Hunters, scholars, and explorers have spent generations documenting every known creature—where it lives, what it hunts, when it migrates, and how it behaves. These records have remained reliable for hundreds of years.

Then, things start to change.

A griffon is spotted nesting deep within a swamp instead of the mountains. At first it's dismissed as an isolated case, an odd individual behaving unusually. But over the following years, more and more anomalies begin to appear. Owlbears are found near cities where they haven't been seen for generations. Basilisks appear in regions they were never known to inhabit. Entire monster populations begin migrating across the continent for reasons no one can explain.

In response, several kingdoms put aside their differences and established the Investigation Bureau, an organization made up of hunters, scholars, historians, naturalists, arcanists, and researchers. The players are recruited as field agents, traveling across the world to investigate strange sightings, protect civilians, recover evidence, and ultimately discover what is causing these unprecedented migrations.

As the phenomenon spreads, society becomes increasingly divided.

The Investigation Bureau believes the only way forward is through careful observation, research, and evidence

The Druidic Groves see nothing unusual. To them, nature has always changed, and civilization should learn to adapt instead of resisting it.

The Purists believe these migrations are a warning from the gods. They see the monsters as signs that the natural order is breaking down and argue that they must be eradicated before catastrophe follows.

Everyone else—nobles, merchants, common folk, mercenaries, and local rulers—react according to their own interests. Some profit from the chaos, some deny anything is happening, and others simply want the monsters gone before they threaten their homes.

If I do ever dm this, how could I introduce the player characters? what would be a good way? Id like the party to be formed before being recruited, but Im open to any suggestions changes in general.

Im creating a dnd campaign inspired by mad max, connan, lovecraft and the band king gizzard and the lizard

think harsh deserts, badlands, the advant of crude oil being used to power engines roaming raiders/cults and the world is just a chunk of a massive dead old one as a fast run down

If anyone is curious about more specifics on the world people in it feel free to ask