Fractals formed this realm, from the spirals that warped each wave to the geometric shapes carved into the bark; they exist both in the material plane and the spaces in between. A sudden plague has since marred this tiny land, Sinfodder, which was a microcosm of a far greater space that has now began its ruination. This corrosion beckons arms to action, seeking to end the rusting of this planescape– as denizens and structures that come into contact are encrusted into frozen statues. Beasts of burden twist into these rotted creatures, no longer in control, burdened with the weight of this blight that rapidly consumes and warps their physical forms into lupine-like creatyres. The once uniform and magnificent realm is in a rapid descent towards chaos and self-destruction, as the foundations that once created this world begin to corrode– strings and patterns lose form, untangling into chaos and dismantling the natural order.

The celestial body adorning the sky wanes, as the rust slowly consumes the very thing that paints the world in a radiant light and warmth. As day gets shorter, and nights grow longer, these rusted lupines stalk the planescape with a ravenous apetite. Orders for cities and bastions erected in high places, deep beneath the earth, or become seabound, seeking refuge from the beasts and plague that seek to destroy them. 

The ancient city of Pandora, atop the greatest quaking aspens is the hub for adventurers seeking the cure to the Rustbound, a bastion of trees that reach past the horizons, the corrosion has touched the edge of the forest and is slowly climbing towards the city. Though it will take centuries before it will reach the city, the stalwart denizens of Pandora are in rapid pursuit of a solution to save the oldest and largest clonal organism, Pando. The forest of identical trees that singlehandedly connected to one root system.

Whoever you are, you have been afflicted with the Rustbound, and it is consuming your very body. Within decades, you will join the bronze graveyard of frozen statues until you find the solution. A voice echoes in your dreams, singing you songs of bewilderment and spiraling you into bouts of madness, tracing lines to ever-branching paths of possibilities, and beckoning you to look between the hundred dewdrops of the many-legged’s web as answers are in the hands of the lost and mad Fairy King. 

This, is the journey to the Spiral of the Fairy King.

This campaign draws inspiration from Pixie Hollow, The Secret World of Arrietty, Redwall by Brian Jacques, Warrior Cats by Erin Hunter, Once Upon a Time, Guardians of Ga'Hoole, The Wheel of Time, The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, Unfettered by Brandon Sanderson, Patrick Rothfuss, Wanderhome, Elderwoods from LoL, Death Blossom from LoL, Flora Fatalis from LoL, Coven skinline from LoL, South of Midnight, other media.

OVERVIEW

System: 2014 D&D 5e (You are allowed to use 2024 weapon mastery rules, 2024 spells/features must be checked with dm beforehand)
VTT: We will be using Roll20 for maps and character sheets (D&D Beyond is okay, but a character sheet on Roll20 is also needed), please have something that can easily run Roll20 maps with dynamic lighting.
Date: Saturdays, bi-weekly (So June 27, July 11, etc.)- with opportunities to play certain thursday nights if everyone agrees up to a week in advance.
Time: 5-8:30pm CST

We play bi-weekly on Saturdays from 5pm-8:30pm CST (central timezone), hoping to run about 20 sessions. There are chances for cancellations as I tend to be busy and have events over the weekend, but a notice will be given.

This campaign will expect an encounter every other session or where it permits, I am looking for creative players that love roleplay and creating characters that are well integrated into a lore-heavy world. I will do my best to have backstories be integrated into the world and character arcs/plot hooks in backstories could be explored across this mini-campaign. If you are a player that likes to make conversations with the other players and NPCs, interact with the world I provide, are willing to follow a complex storyline that we are telling, and actively participate in the game, then this campaign is perfect for you! In terms of characters/players, I'm looking for characters that are capable of aligning/cooperating with the party; arguments, rivalries, and disagreements exist, but D&D is a cooperative storytelling game, and we honestly can't have that if your character isn't open to adventuring with the party.

I'm a lenient Dungeon Master and I'm open for most ideas! All I ask is that you communicate with me.

Due to the scope of the campaign being bi-weekly, I offer downtime inbetween sessions which can be done through roleplay threads done in-text using the discord bot, Tupperbox.

HOUSE RULES

• Critical Hits: Roll double dice (does not double any modifiers).

• Flanking: Allowed! When a creature and at least one ally are within 5ft of the same enemy on opposite sides, that enemy is flanked. Each of the creatures flanking gains advantage on melee attacks against it. You do not gain the effects of flanking if you are also being flanked.

• Opportunity Attacks: While typically D&D rules that only willing movement provokes opportunity attacks, I find it to be more fun to rule unwilling movement also does so. I think this allows players to use strategic thinking in combat when doing something that might alter an enemy’s position. However, this rule is a double edged sword, because it can also be used against you.

• Healing Potions: Drinking one yourself is a bonus action, feeding one to someone else takes an action. If a player dedicates an action to drinking a healing potion, they receive full benefits (max dice).

• Attack Rolls/Saving Throws: Meets it beats it. If you meet someone’s armor class, it is a successful hit. If you meet the DC of a saving throw, you succeed on the save.

• Initiative: Rolling a Nat 20 on initiative lets you choose what place you'd like to take in the initiative order.

• PVP: I will not allow harmful spells, attacks, or actions to be used on another player without first discussing the matter out-of-character. This also includes charm spells and attempts to steal from one another. I want all players to feel mutually respected, and so if PVP is something that feels like a natural progression of the story, please first bring it up with me and the other players involved so that everyone's thoughts can be heard and so that I can prepare accordingly.

• Inspiration: I award inspiration for doing the recap, answering one of the weekly character questions, or at my discretion for doing something especially cool in game. You may only have three inspirations at a time.

CHARACTER CREATION:

• Roll a 6th level character.

• Play either a Fairy, Goblin, Gnome, Firbolg (Nymphs), Tabaxi, Lupin, Owlin, Kenku, or Aarakocra. Your size is Tiny.

• Allocate these stats however way you see fit: 16, 16, 15, 12, 10, 8

• Start with 175 gold

• Fixed HP, no encumbrance. Milestone leveling.

• Tasha's rules for starting ability point bonuses.

• You may start with an additional feat, choose from the following options: Actor, Alert, Athlete, Chef, Dungeon Delver, Healer, Inspiring Leader, Keen Mind, Linguist, Observant, Prodigy, Poisoner, Skill Expert, Skilled

• Start with an Uncommon magic item

• All official and partnered content is allowed - if there's a feature/spell/etc. I don't allow I will let you know before taking it. I am open to looking over your homebrew, however I reserve the right to rebalance it if it gets too powerful. We are all here to have fun.

QUESTIONS

Please answer this google form: https://forms.gle/XpaR6isxSNggyKw19

I will reach out regardless after two weeks from the date of this post on whether or not we will be continuing further, I will not ghost. We already have two players, so we will be running a game with 6 players.