Hey everyone! Apologies for being so quiet this week, I've been nose to the grindstone working on the final bits and pieces of our Kickstarter!
Our last big push for Crucible Magazine, which is now approaching its last 24 hours before the project ends! I'm sure by now you're are aware of what we're making, but if not then
If you're interested in the Magazine, then backing the Kickstarter will give you access to the first 3 or 6 issues much cheaper than buying them individually each month once the Kickstarter ends. Each themed monthly issue will be available in Print, PDF and as a Foundry VTT Module.
Thanks to everyone who has already backed the project, you're all amazing and without you none of this would be possible!
Keep on the lookout for some exciting new adventures and content coming up soon!
~ TJ
2022-03-16 15:56:17 +0000 UTC
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Use your silver tongue and become a master of disguise to talk or sneak your way past anyone without needing to shed a single drop of blood. Convince even the most adamant of foes that you're actually their friend!
Roguish Archetype
At 3rd level, a Rogue gains the Roguish Archetype feature that defines the talents in which they excel. The following Con Artist option is available to you when you make that choice. It grants features at 3rd level and again at 9th, 13th, and 17th level.
Con Artist
Anyone with a quick hand can cut a coin purse from a passing merchant, but only a true con artist can get that same merchant to hand it over with a smile. Brooding assassins and second-story men must do their work in the shadows while the con artists use their wits and charm during the daylight. Through years of studying, you can play any role from beggar to noble, gaining the trust of your mark before disappearing without a trace, loot in hand. You are a master of the cold read, a virtuoso of disguise, and the stuff of legends the bards sing in taverns across the land.
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Explorer+ Patrons click HERE to download the Subclass PDF
2022-03-09 18:08:52 +0000 UTC
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Shockwing
Built from imp bones and imbued with arcane energy, shockwings blend effortlessly into the shadows. The necromancers who create these tiny undead often use them as spies, looking through their eyes. Despite their diminutive size, their arcane energy and fiendish bones make them resistant to magic and turn undead effects, making them difficult to defeat. They can fire a shock of lightning to stun their enemies when needing to flee.
Nimble. Flying from shadow to shadow, these tiny undead are extraordinarily elusive and difficult to catch.
Resistant. Shockwings are resistant to magic and turn undead effects.
Shocking Grasp. Shockwings can expend their arcane energy once daily to blast their targets with lightning. They use this as a last resort before fleeing from overpowering odds.
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Explorer+ Patrons click HERE to download the creature PDF
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Adventurer+ Patrons click HERE to download the VTT Token
2022-03-07 16:51:45 +0000 UTC
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The Shackled Ram Inn is a Fifth Edition adventure for three to five characters, optimized for a party of four characters of 3rd level. This adventure takes place in a small arctic town beset by a seemingly endless winter of polar nights, where the sun shines dimly for only four hours each day. Its formal location is left intentionally blank, so you can easily insert it into any campaign of your choice.
The inn in a lonely wooded town in the northern tundra has been abandoned for two years. Locals believe it is haunted. How did the owner really die, and what other mysteries does this ramshackle structure hide?
Background
The most recent owner of the Shackled Ram Inn was Dee Grütt, who was deeply indebted to the local chapter of a large crime syndicate. He was made to harbor criminals on the lamb, from unrepentant thieves to coldhearted killers hiding from authorities to the south. The syndicate also lent his basement to a secret cult of devil-worshippers, who eventually moved to a castle in another town.
Then the syndicate sent a special Transporter to bring the kidnapped and petrified scion of a wealthy and powerful noble family from the south to be hidden in this remote location. The syndicate murdered the Transporter, Grütt, and his staff to cover their tracks.
For a while, the fugitive guests of the inn secretly stayed behind to create the appearance of haunting, but it wasn’t long before real apparitions of their victims materialized and chased them away. Up until now, this has preserved the network’s secret, but the time approaches when they will need access to their prisoner.
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Explorer+ Patrons click HERE to download the Adventure PDF
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Dungeon Master+ Patrons click HERE to download the VTT Map Pack
2022-03-06 18:09:24 +0000 UTC
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Dragon Snail
The dragon snail, highly prized for its magical absorbing shell, is seldom found outside the faerie realms. A rainbow of colors dapples their mother-of-pearl shells, hinting at their magical quality. While slow in speed and temperament, dragon snails live up to their names with frightening breath attacks against their enemies.
Dragon snails are loyal companions and innate protectors, making them a favorite companion of sylvan noble children. Their favorite game is to race the snails around the palace grounds, dressing up as fey knights on their trusted steeds with ribbons, saddles, and other accouterments as they pretend to be knights-errant.
Absorb Magic. A dragon snail’s shell can absorb magic which it can then exhale as a breath weapon, reminiscent of a real dragon.
Climbers. While slow in speed, a dragon snail can traverse any terrain at any angle, including upside down on ceilings.
Impenetrable Shell. When a dragon snail retreats into its shell, it is impervious to most attacks.
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Explorer+ Patrons click HERE to download the creature PDF
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Adventurer+ Patrons click HERE to download the VTT Token
2022-02-28 18:06:26 +0000 UTC
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NOTE: Get the Adventure PDF at the bottom of this post FREE until 5/10/2022 before it reverts to patron only
Temple of the Hollow Eclipse is a Fifth Edition adventure intended for three to five characters of 7th to 8th level and optimized for four characters with an average party level (APL) of 7. An ancient temple contains a rift to the plane of madness that is corrupting the land into a deadly swamp. It has attracted the attention of a naga who has made the temple her lair, and her crazed lizardfolk cult is attacking caravans to pay her tribute. This adventure takes place in the Freelands campaign setting but fits into any existing campaign with an ancient ruin in a swamp with only a few modifications and name changes.
GM Note: This adventure includes references to the addictive nature and effects of imbibing hallucinogenic fantasy mushrooms. As addiction and drug usage may be a sensitive subject, please read the entire adventure and talk to your players to determine if this story is right for your table. As the GM, it is up to you to decide what should or should not be included in the provided adventure. We strongly encourage open communication with your players about topics such as these.
Backstory
The Order of the Hollow Eclipse was a group of mages dedicated to bringing about an apocalypse by merging the material plane with the plane of madness. They referred to themselves as Lunatics—literal moon fanatics. From their hidden keep, they conducted dark rituals that eventually backfired, destroying themselves and corrupting the land in the process. A century later, the Order is long forgotten, and the crumbling remains of their lair sinks inch by inch into the middle of a dark and deadly swamp now known as the Restless Marsh. In the heart of the ruin, the rift the Order managed to open continues to leak into the material plane slowly.
A moonchild naga named Sarkalsa discovered the sinking ruins and delved into its secrets as she claimed it for her lair. The residual magic still permeates the stones, and the naga is slowly becoming corrupted by the madness leaking from the rift within the ruins. A lizardfolk tribe living in the surrounding swamps has come under her spell and worships her as their god. They’ve begun to attack caravans traveling the area and bringing captives and loot back to Sarkalsa as tribute. While they have not been bold enough to venture further than the edges of the Restless Marsh, it’s only a matter of time before they expand further and threaten the nearby settlements directly.
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Adventurer+ Patrons click HERE to download the Adventure PDF
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Dungeon Master+ Patrons click HERE to download the VTT Map Pack
2022-02-25 19:44:14 +0000 UTC
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Frenzy in the Forest is a Fifth Edition adventure intended for three to five characters of 7th to 9th level and optimized for four characters with an average party level (APL) of 8. Pilgrims have been passing through Oakenhold all season, heading to a monastery in the Shimmering Forest. They weren’t seen again, but a Dark Unicorn had been sighted wandering amidst the trees. This adventure occurs in the Freelands campaign setting but fits any existing campaign with only a few modifications and name changes. This adventure is the second in the “Whispers of the Night” series but can be played as a standalone adventure without any changes.
Backstory
The Monastery of Nature’s Comfort was founded forty years ago by clerics that had tired of the near-constant Great War that had plagued the continent. They painstakingly built a sanctuary nestled in the Shimmering Forest’s wilderness to meditate and research the various properties of the many plants found in the forest. Over time, several individuals sought out the monastery to join them or seek training in spiritual or medicinal disciplines. Alanis, a Nightwhisper Hag with nefarious intentions, disguised herself as an apprentice healer from Summerfall and secreted herself into the clerics' midst. Initially, she used the monastery residents to help gather ingredients for her experiments, but it wasn’t long before the assistants became the subjects. Alanis seeks ways to bring the forest creatures under her control and has recruited a dark unicorn to act as her lieutenant.
Adventure Summary
Contact was lost with The Monastery of Nature’s Comfort, and there have been strange sightings in the surrounding area. The characters are asked to investigate and are attacked by beasts in the Shimmering Forest. After sighting and then losing track of a dark unicorn, the characters find their way to a monastery, which they find is quickly succumbing to the wilderness. As they explore the sanctuary, a treant confronts them. Noise from the crypt draws the characters underneath the monastery, and they find Alanis, a Nightwhisper hag, but she escapes through a portal. She left in a hurry, and the characters find a lot of evidence of her experiments and details of the Nightwhispers’ plans. The dark unicorn blocks their path out of the courtyard as the characters leave.
Note: An additional tree token has been created to add to the map in VTT for the treant in area 2. That token is attached at the bottom of this post and is free to all.
We've teamed up with The Reclusive Cartographer to bring you the stunning maps for this adventure! The Reclusive Cartographer creates content that you can drop straight into your campaigns, give your players a little more inspiration, and to help bring your adventures to life! Here you will find maps for Encounters, Dungeons, Settlements and whole Regions; everything you will ever need. Also, George is pretty rad so go check out his work, you'll thank me!
Explorer+ Patrons click HERE to download the Adventure PDF
Dungeon Master+ Patrons click HERE to download the VTT Map Pack
2022-02-21 03:10:30 +0000 UTC
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DOWNLOAD FILES AT END OF POST!
Greetings Adventurers!
We have some exciting news as we are launching the long awaited Crucible Magazine on Kickstarter! It’s a monthly magazine packed with over 80 pages of fifth edition content like adventures, subclasses, magic items, a four page comic, interviews, and more!
You've seen our issue with the demo layout but we've completed the full modern-style layout as well as the FoundryVTT module that you can download on our kickstarter page!
Crucible Magazine is reminiscent of the magazines of old with a next generation and modern look for a digital world. Each issue comes as a monthly printed magazine and PDF. Not only that, Crucible has teamed up with FoundryVTT and every issue comes built into a complete JSON module with all of the adventures and playable content included in one easy package!
Each 80+ page issue is packed with:
- Four adventures
- New Monsters
- Magic Items
- Player Options
- A four page full-color comic
- Industry Interviews
- DM’ing Advice Column
- And more!
The Crucible Kickstarter has a load of awesome add-ons and stretch goals, including:
- 3D Printable STLs of BBEGs
- Custom DM Screen
- Glowing Metal Dice Set
- Metal Pins
- Sticker Sets
- Limited Edition Boxed Set
- And so much more!
2022-02-16 18:59:55 +0000 UTC
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Hey everyone! After the last few weeks of handling family matters and finishing off the launch of our Crucible Kickstarter, it's been a busy time! We're working on getting back to our regular scheduled weekly adventure posting starting this Friday!
I wanted to thank Lydia and the DMDave team for stepping in and helping run this patreon for me while I was away. As you can see, the community gave me a lot of content to share with you all and they're so amazing for doing so that I can't find the words to express how awesome they all are. I hope you've been enjoying the content so far!
There were a few late additions to the community packs and I wanted to make sure you got them all so I'll be sharing them along with the normal DMTC content. Today we have an awesome 3 level tavern map with 5 total day and night variants and 10 tokens to pad out your adventures coming from my good friend Meditating Munky!
Make sure you check out Munky's patreon if you enjoy his work and subscribe to get access to a ton of amazing maps!
https://www.patreon.com/Meditating_Munky
2022-02-16 18:43:01 +0000 UTC
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Thank you to everyone for your kind wishes, please check out each of the creators who have made this possible.
Files are available for download at the end of this post.
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The Halls of the Frost Queen
The Halls of the Frost Queen is a Fifth Edition adventure designed for four to six characters of 10th to 13th level and is optimized for four characters with an average party level (APL) of 12. This adventure is setting agnostic and can easily be inserted into any setting or campaign of your choice, or it can be run independently of a campaign.
THE STORY SO FAR…
The Wailing Forests of the far north are inhabited by the kind of dangerous predators that both thrive in densely wooded forestry and are capable of withstanding the bitter cold of winter. With little in the way of civilization between major cities, locals and traveling merchants alike strive to avoid the carved paths through the growth and the forest’s wanton dangers.
As if to add to the danger, a self-proclaimed Frost Giant Queen has claimed the old ruins of Northmire Keep, at the glacial edges of the Wailing Forests. Bringing her own court of her two siblings and their pet elemental creatures with them, Queen Fregnald and her brothers Romuld and Vamund seek to form their own ordning and rise to their supposed rightful place in giant society.
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Check out the Night Owls!
From fetch quests turned awry to dragon hunts ending in epic battles, The Night Owl Odysseys' adventures cover every corner of what makes coming back to the table each week so much fun. Every adventure comes with its own custom battle maps, at least one new custom monster and magic item to fit the theme, and custom-composed musical tracks to bring it all together.
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Trouble in Paradise Casino
Trouble in Paradise Casino is a Fifth Edition adventure for four to five characters. This adventure is a predominantly social experience, intended for characters with an average party level (APL) of 5 through 11 to play through the adventure. This adventure is setting independent, and can easily be inserted into any campaign world where you would find a city with a robust sewer system.
This adventure is designed to focus on the development of a character with a background in nobility or knighthood. Throughout the course of the adventure, that specific character will be referred to as “The Noble” for ease of reference.
In this adventure, The Noble receives a missive from their family asking for help rescuing a peer or relative from an illicit gambling casino in the sewers of the city. Their peer has accrued substantial debt with the casino and is being held hostage until the family pays their debt. The family does not intend to bow to the demands of an illegal establishment and wants The Noble to retrieve their peer by any means necessary. Throughout the course of the adventure, that specific character will be referred to as “The Captive” for ease of reference.
BACKGROUND
The Paradise Casino is an underground gambling venue discreetly tucked away in the depths of a city sewer, obscured from prying eyes by powerful magic. The casino has been operating for 30 years without any major incidents with the city humming above it. It attracts high-stakes gamblers through a selection of taverns around the city that host their own gambling clubs.
The casino is owned by an ancient silver dragon that goes by the name Ziggy Hems. She uses the casino, which is functionally her lair, to fund and store ancient historical relics.
The Stone Troll’s Lantern is a recent addition to the casino’s repertoire of feeder taverns. Owned and operated by a woman named Alicia Rose, this unusual tavern is built into the bottom floor of a townhouse and has several below-ground floors, including direct access to the sewers.
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Check out Torchlight Press online!
Torchlight Press creates 5th Edition adventures, monsters, and more every month.
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2022-02-04 16:00:06 +0000 UTC
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Thank you to everyone for your kind wishes, please check out each of the creators who have made this possible.
Files are available for download at the end of this post.
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Thank you, Mark!
Mark Drummond J is a concept artist who also makes battle maps for Dungeons & Dragons and other VTT environments. Mark provided concept art for his ALTAR maps as well as 27 variants, all versions come in both gridded and gridless options.
NOTE: Due to Patreon upload limitations the maps from Mark Drummond J had to be uploaded elsewhere. To download Mark's maps, please click here.
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Thank you, Sliph!
Matias Bercht, aka Sliph, creates hand-drawn battle maps for D&D. Sliph provided maps of his Riverside Inn along with 31 variants, all of which come with gridded and gridless versions.
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Thank you, MAD Cartographer!
The MAD Cartographer is a team of folks dedicated to releasing D&D content each month around a specific theme. The MAD Cartographer contributed 54 maps to today's release, many of which are modular and can be used in a variety of different settings.
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Thank you, Tom!
Tom Cartos is a highly talented fantasy cartographer who produces high-quality maps for use in print or online. Tom contributed all of the maps to accompany the adventure Wrench in the Weave (also available as part of today's download).
NOTE: Due to Patreon upload limitations the print version of Tom's maps had to be uploaded elsewhere. You can download the print maps here. (VTT maps are included in the .zip file located at the bottom of this post.)
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Thank you, Alex!
Alex from Tavern Tales is an experienced adventure author and D&D veteran. Alex wrote the adventure Wrench in the Weave to accompany the maps provided by Tom Cartos. Print-friendly and full-color versions of the adventure PDF are both provided with today's release.
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Thank you, Venatus!
Venatus is an exceptionally talented artist who creates not just battle maps but also isometric maps, region maps, city maps, and more!
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2022-02-03 16:00:06 +0000 UTC
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Thank you to everyone for your kind wishes, please check out each of the creators who have made this possible.
Files are available for download at the end of this post.
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Thank you, Cze & Peku!
Cze & Peku are a couple who love making maps. They specialize in fantasy maps for roleplaying games like DnD. Their maps work in every VTT. Including Roll20, E+, Foundry and more.
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Thank you, Fantasy Atlas!
Matt is a talented illustrator creating maps for D&D. He releases at least 3 map packs a month full of unique lighting and weather condition variants.
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Thank you, Jelke!
Jelke is a talented graphic designer and contributor to the Questiary team on Patreon.
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Thank you, Matt!
Matt Henderson creates exquisite module maps for Dungeons & Dragons and other TTRPG systems.
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Thank you, Zach!
Zach Moeller is a map maker who creates fantastical VTT battle maps for Dungeons & Dragons.
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2022-02-02 16:01:02 +0000 UTC
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Thank you to everyone for your kind wishes, please check out each of the creators who have made this possible.
Files are available for download at the end of this post.
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The Green Blight: An Adventure for New Game Masters
This adventure is recommended for 4-5 characters of 1st level.
A mysterious plague threatens the northern town of Wildbirch. Players must explore the town, investigate, and combat the hidden enemy to solve the mystery. New Game Masters are supported every step of the way with helpful callouts.
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Check out Sword & Source Online!
Become a better Game Master, Worldbuilder, and Content Creator! After co-founding LegendKeeper, Adam now shares original TTRPG content, cool finds, and lessons learned.
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Tome of the Forgotten: A Sear for Everything That Has Been Forgotten
This adventure is designed for a 4-5 character party starting at level 3.
The party awakens to find themselves isolated in an unknown, populated demiplane. Any means of escape are forgotten to time, but a strange old man tells them of a book, The Tome of the Forgotten, which contains the secrets of escape—as well as everything else that’s ever been forgotten. Together, they must survive an escape room, open a portal, and defeat the guardian!
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Check out DM Yetti Online
DM Yetti wrote Tome of the Forgotten as his first published adventure and happily shares his knowledge and tools with anyone interested.
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2022-02-01 16:01:03 +0000 UTC
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Thank you to everyone for your kind wishes, please check out each of the creators who have made this possible.
Files are available for download at the end of this post.
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Thank you, Questiary!
The following has been contributed by Jelke/Questiary for today's release:
- 6 illustrated monster stat blocks
- PDF featuring 7 new monster stat blocks, descriptions, and illustrations (different than the 6 monsters listed above)
Jelke is a talented graphic designer and contributor to the Questiary team on Patreon.
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Thank you, Devin Night!
The following has been contributed by Devin Night for today's release:
- 151 color creature tokens for VTT use
Devin Night is a fantastic artist creating tokens for VTT use across different genres. If you need tokens for a game, be it fantasy, scifi, or other, he has a massive selection to choose from.
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2022-01-31 16:00:07 +0000 UTC
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Thank you to everyone for your kind wishes, please check out each of the creators who have made this possible.
Files are available for download at the end of this post.
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The Death of Magic
This adventure is designed for characters level 3-4.
The adventure is meant to be incredibly dangerous but could be comfortably played by characters of level 5-6 at the Game Master’s discretion.
Background/History
The small settlement of Graznia was accepted into the Rhal’kath Empire nearly 30 years prior, after its diplomatic surrender to rule. The settlement is one of many Rhal’kathian territories, including Gristwood, Brindon, Saliswahr, Malghool, and many more that have succumbed to the empire’s rule over the years. The imperial rule is not often thought about by citizens of Graznia. In fact, paying yearly tithes may be the only interaction with the empire a settlement may have; primarily if that settlement is any more than a few miles away from Bloodkeepe, the capital of the Rhal'kath.
Graznia has changed hands MANY times. It is the settlement on the edge of several countries with kings and warlords vying for power. A small settlement with little to offer apart from easy access to a few roads leading away, some farm fields, and (formerly) a small amount of craftsmen shops; the settlement usually changes hands with little bloodshed, hardly any concern from its inhabitants, or change of any kind.
But everything was different when war between the Rhal’kath Empire and the Blank broke out, resulting in the Blank invading vast swaths of the empire and occupying Graznia as a small but effective base of operations for expansion into other territories.
- The Rhal’kath empire can easily be replaced with a country, government, or organization of your own home game, but is provided here as a springboard for new ideas and lore to help populate your worlds.
The Problem
The Blank has locked the settlement down under martial law and set up a spell-seizure spire (often called a “seizure”) preventing spellcasters from using magic to escape, disguise themselves, or fight back. Arcanuum members have infiltrated the settlement, hoping to safely evacuate any spellcasters in the area, especially after word spread that the Blank commander in charge of the region (Brahnsun “The Butcher” Gronth) tied the local clerics to a pyre at the center of the temple and set them ablaze while ordering his underlings to open fire onto the church at the “heathens” worshipping at the shrines of “false gods of magic."
Brahnsun also ordered his troops to hunt down spellcasters or magic users in the area; and dozens of men, women, and children were brought forward for “crimes” as simple as possessing a potion of healing. All were publicly executed, and many of them were hung by the Blank in the center of the settlement while others were dropped in unmarked graves.
The remaining spellcasters and those possessing magical items in the region live in terror of Blank hound soldiers who patrol regularly, and their only hope is in the promise of an Arcanuum agent that has come to ferry them out of the area.
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Check out Critical Crafting on Patreon!
Critical Crafting is a team of three talented game designers, illustrators, and DMs who release custom 5e content including magic items, new spells, monsters, player options, adventures, and more!
2022-01-28 16:00:07 +0000 UTC
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Thank you to everyone for your kind wishes, please check out each of the creators who have made this possible.
Files are available for download at the end of this post.
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Thank you, One Page Mage!
The following items were provided for today's release by One Page Mage:
- 4 adventures meant to take a party of 3-4 players from levels 1 to 4
- 6 VTT maps
- Additional lore and information for The Purple Knife
One Page Mage creates clear, concise, easy-to-prepare adventures which can be dropped into any campaign or played in succession for a short narrative such as a side quest.
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Thank you Moonlight Maps & Kelfecil's Tales!
The following items were provided for today's release by Moonlight Maps:
- Dead God (Level 10 Encounter)
- Fire Forge (Level 10 Encounter)
- Village Ambush (Level 3 Encounter)
- Shady Exchange (Level 5 Encounter)
- Full-color VTT maps for each of the encounters listed above
Moonlight Maps creates gorgeous color maps designed for use with your VTT of choice. They release at least one map pack a month and for the encounters above partnered with adventure writer Kelfecil's Tales for quick, drop-in encounters to spice up any game without any extra preparation.
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2022-01-27 16:00:06 +0000 UTC
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Thank you to everyone for your kind wishes, please check out each of the creators who have made this possible.
Files are available for download at the end of this post.
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Thank you, Loot Tavern!
The following Magic Items were contributed for today's post by Loot Tavern:
- Amethyst Cosmos (Stats and illustration, can be printed as a card front and back)
- Bronze Bulwark (Stats and illustration, can be printed as a card front and back)
- Copper Cuirass (Stats and illustration, can be printed as a card front and back)
Loot Tavern releases monthly "Hauls" of magic items and wondrous wares.
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Thank you Rudok's Tavern!
The following Magic Items were contributed for today's post by Rudok's Tavern:
- Rudok's Compendium: A 23-page full-color supplement featuring more than 25 magic items and associated constructs or monster stat blocks.
Rudok's Tavern is a fantastic source of monsters, magic items, lore, and more for Fifth Edition.
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Thank you, Griffon!
The following Magic Item was contributed for today's post by The Griffon's Saddlebag:
- Staff of the Snail art
- Printable magic item card
- Digital magic item card
Griffon creates magic items for Fifth Edition daily and offers high-resolution art and item cards through his Patreon.
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Thank you, Jelke!
The following Magic Items were contributed for today's post by Jelke Ludolphij:
- Tome of Magic Items: A 37-page full-color supplement detailing more than 70 magic items
Jelke is a talented graphic designer and contributor to the Questiary team on Patreon.
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Thank you, Oixxo Art!
The following Magic Items were contributed for today's post by Oixxo Art:
- 19 magic items themed around the seasonal celebration of Imbolc
- 19 tokens for the Imbolc magic items
- 19 magic items themed around the seasonal celebration of Ostara
- 19 tokens for the Ostara magic items
- 18 magic items themed around the seasonal celebration of Beltane
- 18 tokens for the Beltane magic items
- 17 magic items themed around the seasonal celebration of Litha
- 17 tokens for the Litha magic items
- 21 magic items themed around the seasonal celebration of Lammas
- 21 tokens for the Lammas magic items
- 27 magic items themed around the seasonal celebration of Mabon
- 27 tokens for the Mabon magic items
- 21 magic items themed around the seasonal celebration of Samhain
- 21 tokens for the Samhain magic items
- 24 magic items themed around the seasonal celebration of Yule
- 24 tokens for the Yule magic items
Oixxo is a talented artist producing magic items, tokens, monsters, characters, and more for Fifth Edition.
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Thank you, AbyssalBrews!
The following Magic Items were contributed for today's release by AbyssalBrews:
- Blade of the Battle Hymn
- Edge of Alacrity
- Fatebound Belts
- Grips of Force
- Monster Slayer's Holster
- Paean's Protector
- Strings of the Cloud Hall
- Tectonic Treads
Each magic item includes not only item art but printable cards for each item as well. AbyssalBrews is a team of two producing weekly item packs for their patrons.
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Thank you, Dungeon Strugglers!
The following Magic Items were contributed for today's post by Dungeon Strugglers:
- Crystal Skull of the Hot Spring King
- Dragon Turtle Plate
- Ill Omen
- Messenger's Hat
- Misty Shiv
Tom and August of Dungeon Strugglers are both illustrators and game designers who have teamed up to bring you monsters, items, and more for your Fifth Edition games.
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2022-01-26 16:01:02 +0000 UTC
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Thank you to everyone for your kind wishes, please check out each of the creators who have made this possible.
Files are available for download at the end of this post.
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Thank you, Azzy!
Azzy from Tome Smith Press has contributed two sets of tokens for today's release:
- Casting tokens (10 tokens)
- Creature tokens(11 tokens)
Azzy is a Canadian artist and writer who specializes in character design and worldbuilding. Right now she produces tokens for VTT use on Patreon.
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Thank you, Forgotten Adventures!
Forgotten Adventures has contributed Hero Token Pack 6 for today's release which includes:
- 32 Dragonborn hero tokens
- 40 Dwarf hero tokens
- 35 Elf/Half-Elf hero tokens
- 18 Half-Orc hero tokens
- 10 Human hero tokens
- 17 Tiefling hero tokens
Forgotten Adventures is a small team of artists who produce tile sets, asset packs, map-making resources, and tokens for online play.
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Thank you, Jan Loos!
Jan Loos of Online Tabletop has contributed a pack of Guards and Soldiers which includes:
- 40 Soldier/Guard tokens
- 3 Warhorse tokens
- 3 Guard Dog tokens
Jan Loos is an artist from the Netherlands who makes top-down tokens that can be used to play D&D, Pathfinder, or other games online.
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Thank you, Dave's Art Tavern!
Dave's Art Tavern has contributed a massive set of Bandits & Bad Guys which includes:
- 15 Bandit tokens
- 1 Archer token
- 5 Barbarian tokens
- 3 Caster tokens
- 2 half-orc tokens
- 5 human tokens
- 12 Rogue tokens
- 4 Gravith tokens
- 9 Goblin tokens
Dave is an artist who produces NPC, monster, and character tokens for use in your next TTRPG adventure!
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Thank you, Underground Oracle Publishing!
Underground Oracle Publishing has contributed the following to today's post:
- 14 Awakened Familiar tokens
- 1 PDF detailing 20 awakened familiar Remarkable Lineages (16 pages)
Underground Oracle Publishing is an ENie-nominated, best-selling 3rd-party content creator for Fifth Edition. They make bi-monthly releases of supplements which include lineages, creatures, archetypes, locations, spells, and more.
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Thank you, Papelchemy!
Patricia Maldonado of Papelchemy contributed the following to today's release:
- 4 printable bookmarks
- Printable Model kit (includes 1 Big Tree, 1 Small Tree, 1 Pine Tree, 12 Bushes, and instructions to build the models once printed)
Papelchemy creates fantastic printable tools to run your in-person games for only $5 /month.
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2022-01-25 16:01:02 +0000 UTC
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This post begins the next two weeks of automated posts while TJ spends time with his family. The overwhelming contributions of community creators means that you, the patrons of The DM Tool Chest, will get access to tons of daily content for the next two weeks. None of the content is tier locked, so no matter what level you support TJ at, you will have access to each post with Community Creator Bundle content.
Thank you to everyone for your kind wishes, and you are encouraged to check out each of the creators who have made this possible.
Files are available for download at the end of this post.
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Thank you, McRoMusic!
Contributions:
- A City in the Sky (mp3)
- Defeat (mp3)
- Winter Village (mp3)
The above musical tracks were provided by Sean of McRoMusic! Looking for cool tunes to set the mood for your adventure table? Look no further than McRoMusic! Check him out on Patreon, Spotify, or Bandcamp.
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Thank you, Tabletop RPG Music!
Contributions:
- Clockwork Arcana (mp3)
- Celestial Memories (mp3)
- Desolation (mp3)
The above musical tracks were provided by Tabletop RPG Music. Need a soundtrack for your adventure? Tabletop RPG Music releases multiple tracks every month specifically written for use at the table. Enhance your game with evocative atmospheres, epic battle tracks, and much more in between. Sign up as a patron to gain access to rewards such as bonus tracks, seamlessly looping versions, a playlist of live composing VODs, custom track suggestions, and more.
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Thank you, Alex the Boy King of Idaho!
Contributions:
- Dusk at Lost River Falls (Peace) (mp3)
- For the Fallen (Peace/Sad) (mp3)
- Sascha's Bargain (Mystery) (mp3)
- The Crimson Dance (Battle) (mp3)
- The Pirate King (Battle) (mp3)
The above ambiance tracks were provided by The Boy King of Idaho. Need just the right soundtrack for a tense negotiation? A cursed forest? A pitched sea battle? A party in a pirate cove? Give Alex's work a try!
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2022-01-24 16:00:07 +0000 UTC
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Hey everyone, I'm writing this with a broken heart as I am working through the loss of my little brother, who passed away unexpectedly yesterday morning. I will be taking some time off writing to go back to New York to handle funeral arrangements and try to pick up the pieces.
A number of my friends in the D&D community have graciously offered to let me pass on some of their work to you while I am away. I'll be setting up automatic posts to share their content throughout the next week starting tomorrow. I am eternally grateful to all of them, and I know you’ll love their work as much as you enjoy mine.
I appreciate all of your continued patronage, patience, and understanding while I go through this difficult time. I promise that when I return, I have some fantastic adventures to share with everyone that I've been working on along with other projects that I’ve been quietly tinkering away at.
Thank you again! And please... if there is someone you love in your life, tell them each and every day. Hug them, hold them close to your heart, and cherish every moment.
~ TJ
2022-01-20 19:29:22 +0000 UTC
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Hey everyone! My good friend Darryl aka SplatteredInk has a kickstarter coming out next week on January 25th and he gave me some free goodies to share with you all! I had the pleasure of meeting Darryl in person just last month at PAX Unplugged and shared a booth while we promoted our upcoming work and I am happy to pass his awesome work on to all of you!
Seeds of Decay Kickstarter Preview
The Alwaysgreen Forest is a lush and beautiful land teeming with life and magic, full of ancient towering trees, life-giving waters and deep crystal lined caves.
The awakened Woodkin, majestic Deeret, Goblins, Ratkind, Dobbers of all traditions, and many more call it their home. They are friends to the forest, belonging to it just as a leaf does to a tree.
However, there is trouble in the forest.
A crack has formed in the darkness leaking rot and decay. Trees are withering and crops are failing to mature. Strange, twisted creatures have been seen in the shadows.
The Rot Weaver has returned, threatening all life in Dobberton.
The Alwaysgreen forest needs heroes!
Seeds of Decay is a 5th Edition campaign setting that covers the expansive Alwaysgreen Forest, meet new folks, build amazing contraptions and engage in a compelling adventure from 1st to 8th levels.
Follow the Kickstarter page now so you don't miss the launch! http://seedsofdecay.com
As an introduction to the dobberton world and seeds of decay campaign setting, we have a few goodies to give away:
- Six pre-gen characters of the various animal races introduced in the setting
- A 24-page introduction into the world and lore
- A full 24-page 5th-level adventure
2022-01-17 22:16:48 +0000 UTC
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Nemreth
The origins of the sentient plant lifeform known as nemreth are a mystery. A single host has enough spores to form armies under the control of a hivemind driven only by hunger and a desire to survive. Only one option exists when the reanimated corpses home to these spores are seen—run. Infected nemreth hosts vary in size and appearance and are typically humanoid corpses. While the nemreth can speak telepathically, it sees all living creatures as little more than meat and potential hosts.
Spore Strength. Whenever nemreth hosts are in close proximity to each other, their life force is combined. While an individual host can be destroyed quickly, the danger lies in when they turn into a pack.
Hive Mind. Although the nemreth may be divided into individual hosts, it remains a single sentient creature. When confronted with mind-altering spells and effects, each host has their mental resistance combined with others in the pack.
Toxic Spores. Virus-like nemreth spores are highly contagious and quickly take over a fresh corpse to bolster the nemreth pack.
Explorer+ Patrons click HERE to download the creature PDF
Adventurer+ Patrons click HERE to download the VTT Token
2022-01-17 21:57:55 +0000 UTC
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Qiphon
A qiphon is a small, evil demon that seeks to destroy everything that is good. Standing between 3 and 4 feet tall and weighing 40 to 50 pounds, their diminutive stature belies their destructive power. Their leathery skin ranges in hue from light violet to almost black purple, and their burning eyes are ever-present reminders of the chaotic eldritch energy within.
Qiphons have been known to raze entire villages to the ground, leaving smoldering ruins and death in their wake. They are prized for their ferocity by evil warlocks but are hard to control. Usually, a rampaging qiphon results from a warlock losing control before it destroys them.
Wrecking Ball. Qiphons charge recklessly into and through whatever is in front of them, goring enemies with their horns or bursting through walls just for fun.
Eldritch Blasters. Chaotic energy burns in a qiphon’s eyes and flashes brightly just before shooting out as eldritch blasts.
Rotting Presence. A qiphon corrupts everything around it with necrotic energy, slowly killing anything living that comes within close range.
Explorer+ Patrons click HERE to download the creature PDF
Adventurer+ Patrons click HERE to download the VTT Token
2022-01-10 19:15:36 +0000 UTC
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An undercover mission takes a turn when a corrupted tree crashes the party
The Fable of the Gallows Tree is a Fifth Edition adventure intended for three to five characters of 6th to 8th level and optimized for four characters with an average party level (APL) of 7. The Zenith Revelry is tonight, and several groups are taking the opportunity to indulge and take care of some other business. Unfortunately, they are blithely unaware that another more sinister presence has chosen the Gallows Tree where the Revelry is held. This adventure takes place in the Freelands campaign setting but fits any existing campaign with only a few modifications and name changes. This adventure is the first in the “Whispers of the Night” series but can be played as a standalone adventure without any changes.
Backstory
Four Lords is a hamlet at the crossroads of two major trade routes that has been established for as long as anybody can remember. Named for the four inns that sit at the intersection, it has also served as an out-of-the-way meeting place for many different societies and organizations that don’t want to advertise their presence in the world. Over time, secret meetings turned into social affairs. Time diluted the passions of the moment, and discussions of ambitious subversives have mostly given way to rebellious revelers, although nefarious elements still use the cover of the legendary parties to mask their involvement.
For those with the proper invitation (or the right coin to buy one), there is a gathering at the peak of each season held at the gallows tree outside of town. It hasn’t been used for its namesake in many decades, but the blackness of those deeds leached into the very soil. Eventually, a nightshade hag who was in disguise seducing a noble from Ashenvale for fun sensed that the corruption was starting to gather in the roots of the tree. So rather than let it ruin a good time, she beset the tree with an illusion and collects power from the fools that dance and plot above.
Adventure Summary
The characters have gained an invitation to The Zenith Revelry and try to obtain their required information. Things don’t go according to plan, but the resulting chaos is quickly forgotten as part of the horrifying truth about the tree is revealed. The characters find their way down through a secret passage to a crypt nestled amongst the tree’s roots. They discover all manner of strange things in the crypt, but none as odd as Leilatha, the nightwhisper hag who is one of four daughters of an Archfey set on taking over the material plane. Leilatha has captured powerful spellcasters and found a way to petrify them while using the tainted presence of the gallows tree to set them as anchors for the magic of her experiments. Since four has always been a problematic number for the coven, she has been seeking a way to imbue specific magics to items to aid in eliminating one of her sisters without it leading back to her. Her latest victim is the leader of one of the factions attending the Revelry, which brings the characters to her lair.
We've teamed up with The Reclusive Cartographer to bring you the stunning maps for this adventure! The Reclusive Cartographer creates content that you can drop straight into your campaigns, give your players a little more inspiration, and to help bring your adventures to life! Here you will find maps for Encounters, Dungeons, Settlements and whole Regions; everything you will ever need. Also, George is pretty rad so go check out his work, you'll thank me!
Explorer+ Patrons click HERE to download the Adventure PDF
Dungeon Master+ Patrons click HERE to download the VTT Map Pack
2022-01-07 14:01:03 +0000 UTC
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Hey everyone! It's been awhile since I did one of these so I'm long overdue! It's really important to me that all patrons are able to have some input into what's being produced here and I wanted to remind everyone that if you haven't already, please join our discord and hop in with your ideas, questions, or just to say hi! Just click this link and join in the discussions: https://discord.gg/sA8WrG3vFv
Now, that being said, I've been asked (more than) a few times about tips, tricks, and/or my general thoughts on DM'ing, adventure writing, encounter balancing, and a host of other topics. So much so that I've decided to start writing some articles on my thought processes and hopefully give some insight into the way I approach the process of adventure writing, monster creations, and other topics.
So... what should I write about? Choose as many topics as you'd like! If you don't see a topic you're interested in, feel free to leave a comment below! I'll leave this up until the end of the week.
As always, thanks for your continued patronage, without you none of this would be possible!
~ TJ
2022-01-05 22:53:52 +0000 UTC
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The beasts crazed eyes locked onto Sven as it roared a challenge through the drifting snow. The shivering warrior tightened his grip on the worn leather handle of his axe with a smirk and stamped his feet to get his blood flowing against the cold. He lost his cloak in the last skirmish and was in need of a new one...
Yeti Fur Cloak
Wondrous Item, uncommon (requires attunement)
A ferocious yeti's claws and fur adorn this ice-blue cloak. Wearing this cloak grants immunity to the effects of cold weather. While attuned, you have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks to hide in snowy terrain. In addition, you can use a Bonus Action to make yourself invisible in snowy terrain for 1 minute once per day. The cloak is adorned with 2d4+2 claws. When you take the Attack action and Attack with a melee weapon that you're holding in one hand, you can use a Bonus Action to destroy a claw and change the weapon’s damage type to cold damage.
2022-01-05 18:28:10 +0000 UTC
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Fallen Watcher
The fallen celestials known as watchers guard the souls of the damned. They typically stand between 7 and 9 feet tall with leathery wings protruding from their shoulders. Although most of their angelic features remain, the corruption from their fall has twisted them, forcing them to hide their faces behind masks out of shame. Most Watchers do not leave their duty stations, although they are sometimes used to track down errant souls who have escaped.
Blinding Gaze. Anyone meeting a watcher’s direct gaze is instantly blinded, often permanently unless magically restored.
Invisible Guards. Fallen watchers are prideful creatures ashamed of the corruption that mars their features. They hide behind masks and their innate invisibility abilities.
Immortal Nature. Fallen Watchers do not require food, drink, or sleep.
Explorer+ Patrons click HERE to download the creature PDF
Adventurer+ Patrons click HERE to download the VTT Token
2022-01-03 19:56:28 +0000 UTC
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Ice Golem
Ice golems are constructed in several forms, magically carved directly from frozen glaciers and shaped into giants. As they move, their bodies shimmer in rainbow iridescence as their icy bodies reflect and refract sunlight. These golems are typically found deep in the ice-covered mountains where they guard the frozen fortresses of wintery wizards or their long-forgotten tombs.
Frozen Heart. An ice golem's glacier heart emits a freezing aura that affects all living things. When creatures get too close, they find it harder to move and slow down as they begin to freeze in place.
Ice Breath. A blast of freezing breath from an ice golem can quickly freeze anything unfortunate enough to stand in its path.
Constructed Nature. A golem doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.
Explorer+ Patrons click HERE to download the creature PDF
Adventurer+ Patrons click HERE to download the VTT Token
2021-12-28 00:18:58 +0000 UTC
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The Falling of De’chra Kon’sie is designed for four characters with an Average Party Level (APL) of 5th to 10th level. Throughout the adventure text are notes on where to add additional creatures to encounters or extra rolls on charts depending on the party’s current level. While none of these changes are drastic, they are intended to keep the same level of intensity or sense of urgency as the base encounters for characters of 5th level APL. Throughout the adventure text, you’ll find helpful GM tips and roll charts. We encourage using these, but you are also welcome to select only those that you find most useful or interesting for your group.
You can run this adventure as a stand-alone experience or pair it with ‘Karma’s Call at Midnight’ for a complete story arc.
Backstory
De’chra Kon’sie literally translates to ‘Celebration of the Beginning and the End’ and revolves around the tale of two celestial beings, each representing seasons at odds with each other who fall in love. Hadzel, representing spring and rebirth, was a celestial loved by all who watched over the mortals in their care closely—interacting with them regularly and helping them to learn when to plant crops. Tahel, representing winter and death, was a celestial feared by all as they only came on the day of their death to help guide them to the afterlife of their chosen deity. Trying to respect the uneasiness Tahel created in mortals, they tried to limit their interactions but would fly over the fields at first snowfall to signal the end of the harvest season. Over the years, each time the pair’s paths would cross, their love grew until they could not deny it any longer. From their union, the seasons of summer and fall were born. De’chra Kon’sie celebrates Hadzel and Tahel’s second child Fall, mirroring Vela’seg Gi’ate (translating to ‘Celebration of the Heat and Yearning’), which celebrates their first child Summer. No one knows what happened to the celestials after their children were born, but most stories say they gave themselves to the world, becoming spring and winter. The festival of De’chra Kon’sie ends with a masked ball held in the streets of Voleubeuge called the Night of Filiolum, also called the Night of the End’s Kiss, or the night Fall was made.
Adventure Summary
The party arrives in town just in time for a week of parties, food, and games as De’chra Kon’sie kicks off. But what was supposed to be a relaxing week of fun quickly takes on a different tune as a series of strange things start happening to disrupt the merriment. The mysterious events appear to be linked to an eccentric noble's magical collection, and the characters have been assigned to investigate them. They will explore the city to investigate the strange happenings and talk to the locals to gather whatever information they can about what is happening. Eventually, they discover that the newest addition to Arxot Karma’s collection is the root of the problem just in time for disaster to strike as cultists descend to take the cursed item.
Explorer+ Patrons click HERE to download the Adventure PDF
Dungeon Master+ Patrons click HERE to download the VTT Map Pack
2021-12-24 21:22:34 +0000 UTC
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Dragontongue Crossbow
Weapon (heavy crossbow), rare (requires attunement)
This crossbow’s stock is warm to the touch, and a snarling red dragon’s maw forms the head. While attuned to this magic weapon and attacking with it, you can choose whether the crossbow fires a mundane bolt or a firebolt cantrip. The firebolt uses your Dexterity modifier for the ranged spell attack and deals 2d10 fire damage on a hit. A flammable object hit by the spell ignites if it isn’t being worn or carried.
2021-12-22 18:53:35 +0000 UTC
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