Hi all, I’m very excited to have you here and welcome you to my first game! I can’t wait for the chance to play with all of you. For the introductory basics: you can call me Kizzy (she/her) — or any iteration of my handle, or “DM,” or “Hey! You!” — and, as mentioned, I’ll be running Dangerous Designs. It’s a pretty short adventure that will take characters from levels 1-3, but with potential for us to to continue afterward if people are interested, and if I don’t make too much of a mess of things! And just to set up the ground rules and expectations, here are some of the basics of how I’m planning to run the game (if you have any questions or concerns about anything, definitely don’t hesitate to let me know):
1. Communication and respect are going to be the number one things here — I want to make sure that everyone feels welcome and free to share any concerns, and to respectfully address any topics that may arise. If something comes up in game (either from my end, or from another player’s), you are always, always welcome to message me to discuss. It’s important that, out of character, this game is safe and fun for everyone!
2. As far as character creation goes, content from the published D&D sourcebooks will be allowed, and of course Critical Role content will also be allowed. No homebrew at this time. For stats, if you’d like to roll, you’ll be rolling in this thread; you can also use point buy or standard array. And you do get a free roll, so if you roll for stats and and don’t like the outcome, you’re welcome to use one of the other two methods. You can also roll stats 3 times (all in this thread), but if you do so, you must choose one of those stat blocks and cannot replace with another method. And for the sake of this game, please choose starting equipment, and don’t roll for gold.
3. A lot of my rulings will indeed be RAW, but more important than that to me is your creativity. Tell me your wild plans! Let’s figure out how they can work (or fail gloriously) together! There’s always room for narrative joy, and I want to make sure we can always find a way into that together.
4. The expectation will be for everyone to post a minimum of once every 48 hours; I expect that there will be days where it’s more than that, and other days where things are quieter, because I realize life happens. If you think you’ll be gone for two days or more, it’d be great if you could just mention it in the thread! That way we can keep things moving.
5. This will not be a game that involves detailing the specifics of any sexual encounters in the main thread, but romance is welcome in the game, as long as both parties are up for it. (This includes with NPCs, just with the understanding that it isn't the main thrust of the game we're all playing.)
6. My plan is to help facilitate the building out of some pre-existing relationships (and of course you're welcome to find / work out some connections on your own!) between at least some of the characters, as in my experience that makes for an easier starting place. Depending on how everyone feels about it, this could involve some small prologue flashback scenes / very brief side adventures. And/or I may adapt some relationship-building questions/statements for players to use with each other’s characters, if that seems like the best way to collectively build some already existing bonds.
7. I would love to work on your backstory with you! If you have a few potential thoughts, or a vague outline, please feel free to send it over and I can either help match it to the setting or narrow down the best way into our story or anything else. I absolutely encourage folks to use (or simply be inspired by!) the Heroic Chroniclewhen creating characters — I’m happy to go through any/all of that with you, and definitely let me know if you’ve used it.
8. More details about format and technical game specifics will come later! I’ll add some brief Wildemount lore into the following post to try to sum up the most relevant set dressing details you’ll need, but if there’s additional information that seems important to the character you want to build, I’ll share that with you as well — or if you have any questions, please let me know and I’ll happily provide more details.
I’m sure there will be be more, but for now: welcome! I’ve set up this OOC thread for all of our planning and non-IC discussion, both pre-game and during the game, and I can’t wait to meet all your characters. Please, feel free to introduce yourself however you’d like, and let us know if you’re learning toward any particular types of character right now.
(And as a last personal note, both my mom’s birthday and Mother’s Day are happening this weekend, so this will be one of my least active weekends — I know, exceptional timing on my part, lol. Please be patient with me for the next couple days while I go do some family visiting, and obviously feel free more than free to discuss concepts and the like together, settle in, whatever!)
WILDEMOUNT LORE The two major players in Wildemount, particularly for the sake of this tale, are the Dwendalian Empire and the Kryn Dynasty. Recently, what began as long-simmering tensions between the Empire and the Dynasty have erupted into all-out war. Consider as you explore the lands of Wildemount the way your character might feel about this war, and what impacts your character has felt from it.
DWENDALIAN EMPIRE
The Dwendalian Empire has reigned over Western Wynandir for over twelve generations. Imperial rule is maintained through its powerful military, its policy of religious restriction, and the support of the secretive Cerberus Assembly. Though these institutions nominally exist to ensure the safety of the populace from foreign threats, terrible dangers that wander the wilds, and lingering evils that seep from the scars of the Calamity*, they also allow the empire to maintain strict social order within its territories.
King Bertrand Dwendal is now two months past his sixty-eighth birthday, and his iron will has not wavered with age. A tall, powerful man, King Dwendal rewards loyalty and swiftly punishes insolence and failure. His family has developed a totalitarian rule that reaps heavy taxes and looms over society with a military presence that only grows stronger with proximity to the capital city of Rexxentrum. While civic unrest does rise beyond mere mutterings from time to time, reminders of the dangerous creatures that live beyond the guarded borders of each city and the protections offered within the empire generally keep the populace in line. Those that rebel often find themselves in chains or forgotten in a dungeon.
Dwendalian society has a rigid caste system, in which denizens who have mastery over the arcane are considered elite members of society. Many Dwendalian ladies and lords came from a sorcerous bloodline or studied the arcane arts within the walls of the Soltryce Academy. Those who especially excel in their magics or were born into prominent families can come to hold power as a member of the Cerberus Assembly, a council of extremely powerful mages that works directly with King Dwendal and his councilors to develop and enforce laws throughout Western Wynandir. However, distrust between the king and the Cerberus Assembly runs deep, for they both wish to eliminate the other and enjoy uncontested power.
Most cities and townships throughout the empire are ruled by a local government under the leadership of a starosta, usually a native baron appointed by the Crown and the Cerberus Assembly. Reporting directly to the King's council, the starosta is given absolute control over local government, appointing and maintaining responsibility for the heads of the city guard (watchmaster), the regional military (warmaster), local commerce (coinmaster), infrastructure (pithmaster), religious practices (idolmaster), and the courts of law (lawmaster). Twice a year, tithe collectors (nicknamed "Reapers") visit each imperial city to inspect households for records and proof of income, collecting a percentage of their earnings in coin as determined by the tithe collector.
The empire's military force currently stands at around 35,300 Righteous Brand soldiers across all regiments, and 5,200 Crownsguard across all cities. The majority of the Righteous Brand forces were deployed to fortifications along the Xhorhasian border at the onset of the current war.
Soon after the Dwendalian bloodline came into power, there was a short-lived rebellion helmed by religious civilians. It was swiftly quelled and the rebel leaders were executed in an event known as the Admonition. The ruling class has regarded religion with suspicion ever since, believing that faith inspires the unworthy to rise above their station and spark fruitless rebellion. Instead of abolishing all religious practices, the empire regulates worship within its boundaries. All temples are owned and run by the government, and must be dedicated to deities approved by the Crown. Priests and clerics are on the Crown's payroll to preach only approved religious texts. Keeping private shrines or worshiping outside official temples is punishable by fines or imprisonment. The only deities that are approved by the empire are Erathis the Law Bearer, Bahamut the Platinum Dragon, Moradin the All-Hammer, Pelor the Dawn Father, Ioun the Knowing Mentor, and the Raven Queen, Matron of Death.
HUPPERDOOK Where our story starts!
Population: 12,090 (76% gnomes, 10% dwarves, 8% humans, 6% other races) Government: Starosta Emma Zezbok, who has ruled for two centuries, works with elected officials and the major houses of industry. Defense: A small number of Crownsguard are backed by a larger civilian militia of volunteer soldiers. Many war machines and engines also defend the city. Commerce: A strong industry around metals, mining, tinkering, and entertainment makes most basic supplies and some rarer goods available. Upper Hupperdook has many taverns, inns, and places of revelry. Organizations: Industrial families are heavily invested in the city and its business. Temples to empire-approved gods, especially Moradin, are easy to find.
The gnomish community of Hupperdook is built along the eastern base of the Silberquel Ridge, marked by the ever-rising columns of dark smoke and steam. Predating the empire, Hupperdook remained autonomous until the Crown absorbed the community through diplomatic agreements over two centuries ago. This smoke-stacked city is now the heart of industry in the empire, manufacturing technological marvels and large-scale weapons of war for the Dwendalian Empire.
The gnomish culture within Hupperdook prizes hard work and hard play. Family trades vary from coal mining and clockwork development to practical enchantment and the brewing of zesty libations. Within the bounds of the city, a general air of upbeat anticipation frames the day-to-day activities of residents as they bound their way toward dusk.
Note: Keep in mind that the Dwendalian Empire tends to be home to more of the classical "good" races: dwarves, elves, humans, halflings, etc., where the Kryn Dynasty (below) is home almost exclusively to more of the classical "monstrous" races. That doesn't mean you aren't more than welcome to jump into Hupperdook with a Kryn character (feel free!), but keep in mind that there will be a particular reception to them, and that many of them would likely be disguised in some way. (Happy to work on this with you, of course!)
KRYN DYNASTY
The Kryn Dynasty rules the northern wastes of Xhorhas, and has only revealed itself to the wider world within the past century. Centered around--and under--the ruins of Ghor Dranas in Eastern Wynandir, the dynasty governs many townships and small villages where the Kryn have helped establish a modicum of civilized living among the nomadic wastefolk. They believe that beings not yet beyond redemption can be turned to the light of the Luxon, and often struggle with the unruly denizens of the wastes, hoping to gain converts to their cause and faith. Those that do accept the dynasty often do so because they seek protection from the dregs of the Calamity* that wander the wastes, as well as the scouts of the Dwendalian Empire.
Dark elves are the most populous race within the Kryn Dynasty. The drow were the first people to uncover the first buried Luxon beacon many ages ago, in a time before they turned from Lolth and escaped enslavement from the Betrayer Gods. The dark elves claimed the dread citadel of Ghor Dranas as their own, as well as the massive network of underground caverns that make up the Underdark of Wildemount. The Kryn are stealthily becoming a force to be reckoned with.
The Kryn drow who emerged from the shadowed depths of the caverns beneath Xhorhas now endure periods of sunlight as part of their worship, though their cities are shaded by umbral magic during daylight hours. When hunting, or in times of conflict, the warriors of the Kryn don their signature chitinous armor. A series of small airways woven through this armor can be opened to emit a loud, clicking buzz to intimidate their foes as they charge. This noise has inspired outsiders to call the Kryn "cricks," referring to this cricket-like din. Artifacts left behind by the Luxon that hold its essence are known as Luxon beacons and are coveted by the Kryn Dynasty as central to their civilization. If a proven soul is ritualistically bound to a Luxon beacon, they can enter a process called the consecution: when a mortal bound to the Luxon dies within a hundred miles of a beacon, the beacon ensnares their soul from its intended afterlife and prepares it to be reborn in a new child within that same vicinity. When that child then matures into adolescence, they begin to recall subtle knowledge from their past life's experiences, a process called anamnesis. Through meditation with a guide, they can unlock the memories of their past lives and become a more complete being. When a soul has cycled enough to believe they are ready to greet the Luxon, they are called an Umavi, or "perfect soul," and are revered within the Kryn society. Some beings that naturally reincarnate, such as the phoenix, are considered holy creatures that carry a shard of the Luxon within themselves.
If a life continues long enough to achieve a state of clarity called achess, where they believe that they've learned all they can learn from their current life, they can choose to partake in a ritualistic termination of their current life, assisted by an Umavi in proximity to a beacon, thereby setting them on the path to a new birth. While considered an honor within the Kryn Dynasty, this practice is misunderstood and seen as barbaric outside their culture.
The Kryn Dynasty is a society restructured from the Lolthite history they rejected. The people of the dynasty stand under the first Umavi, known as Bright Queen Leylas Kryn. Beneath the first Umavi, there are twelve noble Dens that mark families of souls who have lived together through generations: Dens Kryn, Mirimm, Thelyss, Hythenos, Icozrin, Biylan, Tasithar, Duendalos, Daev'yana, Omrifar, Beltune, and Zolaed. When someone is believed to be experiencing anamnesis, they submit to a deep meditation with a guide trained in the ways of consecution. This process helps restore memories of the past life, which then mingle with current memories.
The awakened soul is then reunited with their Den. Dens do grow as new souls enter the consecution and join their ranks, and new Dens are established with each generation. The oldest Dens, especially those helmed by an Umavi, are held in the highest esteem, and generally answer directly to the Bright Queen. The older the soul, the more prestige it holds in the dynasty. Beneath the Dens of Rosohna, guilds and Den representatives govern the other cities of the dynasty that stretch across Xhorhas, spreading the faith of the Luxon and watching over all Xhorhasians who seek the safety of civilization.
This seemingly benevolent societal structure does have a dark side. A closely guarded secret of the highest Umavi is a challenge in the consecution called typhros: some souls that have undergone multiple cycles of the consecution are driven mad when their minds cannot reconcile the memories of many lifetimes. Those who fall to typhros are quietly removed from the dynasty and either left in the wastes or mercifully slain away from the beacons. Signs of madness are beginning to show in the Bright Queen herself, but those closest to her do all they can to shield others from such portents.
It is believed that the Luxon cherishes unity in community, but also values free choice and the power of the individual mind. For each soul to carve a unique path is the best way for a soul to learn about the world. Casting off the teachings of Fate and Destiny taught by some of the current pantheon, the followers of the Luxon are taught that the real power of the universe comes from the power of choice. Many possible futures all await your path, and the universe trembles with anticipatory power as you approach every decision. This power is called dunamis, the energy of potentiality, and the coalescing architecture of the multiple futures leading into each moment is released when an outcome is brought to reality. It is the energy that suffuses every Luxon beacon to prepare the lives to come, and it is the basis of the Kryn's unique divine crafts and arcane abilities.
The Kryn Dynasty has uncovered four beacons and is certain that more remain to be discovered. It is believed that once all the beacons are brought together, the Luxon will be summoned from their slumber to ask their children the great question and impart the truth. It is said that at this time, the Luxon will take those who entered the consecution and abandon this lesser world to start a new world elsewhere.
The Aurora Watch legionnaires of the Kryn currently number around 21,600 in total. Around 13,200 Aurora Watch are divided among the cities under the dynasty's protection, with another 3,300 Aurora Watch stationed in and around the capital of Rosohna--formerly known as Ghor Dranas--to keep the peace and defend the region. Approximately 5,100 soldiers are scattered throughout the Underdark beneath Wildemount at different locations of interest, many employing magically controlled purple worms to allow elite units to navigate the caverns quickly. The remainder of the watch is stationed along the border of Western Wynandir to prevent the empire's incursions--and to seize land from the empire as they advance.
*For more about the Calamity, and the founding/lore of Exandria in general, I would definitely recommend givingthis video a watch. Not required reading, just useful for a little context!
Hey, hey! I'm Cacs (she/her) and I'm very excited to play with y'all! :)
A quick heads up, I've never used the D&DBeyond forums before, so I apologize in advance if I mess anything up.
Character-wise, I'm thinking of an elf. I'm not locked on a class, but I've been thinking maybe a Cleric or Druid (not sure yet though). Also, I had never heard of the Heroic Chronicle until I signed up for this game, but I thought it was such a fun way to create a character! I've been playing around with it today and I rolled some really fun stuff on it and I'd definitely like to work together to see how it all fits with the world. :D
Hi Cacs! So glad to have you here — and no problem at all re: not having used the forums before. I’ll go into a few more specifics about formatting and dice rolling once we actually get the campaign underway, but we'll be keeping everything pretty simple. (You can also find a little bit of information about using some of the forum tools in the PBP Rulesand FAQ thread, but definitely don't worry too much about any of that. We can stumble through figuring new things out together!)
Anyway, all of that sounds great, and I'm so glad you've been enjoying playing around with the Heroic Chronicle! And I'll of course be more that happy to talk through fitting into the setting/world with whatever ideas you have.
(And thank you -- hope you have a nice weekend ahead of you!)
I'm also in the boat of having never used the forums before, but I've been playing 5e and pbp for about 5 years now. Also super excited to do a Wildemount campaign.
For a character, my original idea was a drow bard (probably a dancer rather than a musician) from the Kryn dynasty, but I'm fairly open to changing class depending on what everyone else does.
And yes, happy birthday and mother's day! Take your time; we'll still be here :)
Oh, thanks for the tools link. I'll give it a read this weekend. :)
I can't wait to work on some char. ideas! Question, are we allowed to send you Google doc links? I ask because then I can make a little table with my heroic chronicle rolls, so it's easier for you to see what I got and if anything doesn't fit in, and all that.
To keep the pattern going, I also haven't used the DnDBeyond forums before, and I have to admit it's been quite a few years since the last time I did any writing on a forum in this sort of format, but to be honest I'm kind of excited to get back to it. I don't have a ton of PBP experience (the few times I managed to get into a campaign they barely started or just fizzled out/were deleted within a week of starting), but I've done text based literate roleplays ever since I was maybe 10 (throwback to those Warrior Cats forum roleplays that started it, lol.)
I absolutely adore brainstorming with others and creating backstories and relationships with characters with others over just making a character all on my own without any interaction with others. So far I'm maybe thinking of some sort of Artificer, maybe? Probably some smaller tinkering than big creations, but who knows. I am a sucker for the less human races, and especially ones that might face some hardships for not being some of the most accepted ones in their place of living, but I'm not set on anything concrete yet.
Happy birthday wishes for your mum! Next week is basically when I'm going to be back at school doing 3 tests/official showing of skill -things that'll take up most of the days, but after those are done I should be able to ease up and relax more, and I'll still try to check in at least once a day :) Excited to get started with you guys!
Hi everyone, I’m vetallica or vet (he/him). Relatively new to the game but have been playing exclusively here on the PbP forums for my brief career so far. I’m undecided on my character direction at the moment, considering even entirely rolling on the heroic chronicle to see where it takes me. I’m excited to play in Wildemount with you all!
Hey everybody! I'm Yello (he/they). Pretty experienced with the game over several years and several short games and a few pbp ventures now. Haven't played on the forums yet either tho!
Would love to work with anyone on character ideas if someone is craving a shared backstory situation. I usually play martial classes but have been dabbling with more spellcasters & half casters lately and would not mind going for a bard/artificer. Though I am happy to fill any role seeing as others are interested in playing spellcasters as well lol. Very limited knowledge of the Wildemount setting so I may commit to rolling on the Heroic Chronicle tables as well
Either way looking forward to figuring things out and getting started :>
Ahh, hi everyone! Truly I could not be more delighted to have you all here. (And just FYI, there may still be one person joining, checking in now, but that’s our cap.) Also enjoying reading about the characters you’re thinking about! Feel free to share any of your Heroic Chronicle results here, or anything else you like. And don’t feel like you have to go too hard to deliver a precise party composition balance — I’d rather you chase the things that are really inspiring you, and let us go from there.
@Ares I really appreciate the understanding, and thank you! Wishing you a lovely weekend too.
@Cacs, you can definitely hit me up with Google doc links for all of that information! Your final/official character sheet will need to (also) be loaded on D&D Beyond itself for the ease of campaign log functionalities, etc. (though if this presents a huge problem for anyone, let me know and we’ll discuss), but I’m more than happy to look at things on a Google doc.
@Reko Oh man, Warriors RP forums! What an era. No problem at all re the busy days of course, and sending you the best of luck with that!!
@Vet Awesome, cheers for being guided by the dice gods!
@Yello I know I mentioned this earlier in the post, but definitely feel free to follow your heart re character choices! And also, if anything comes up (in the Heroic Chronicle or otherwise) that you’d like to know about, I’m happy to share.
Also, I realize people are still working out character stuff, but just an early note that, as I think I mentioned in the initial posts, I would love to include backstories within the world we’re building and the story we’re telling together (module or not). So even if there are specific details and/or moments and/or characters that you don’t think need to be explained in your backstory, or don’t quite fit in your telling, or just didn’t get much of a highlight, feel free to send those over to me! I’m delighted to fill in any blanks, but if you have any visceral images — maybe a vague concept of a sister who absolutely hates the gods, or an ex with a pirate ship and a vendetta, or a really memorable hole in the middle of a childhood bedroom, whatever, even if those things don’t feel essential to the main thrust of your character’s story — I welcome you to leave those with me. Obviously there are some limitations to the amount of things we can get into over the course of this one little adventure, but it’s nice to have something to build from, especially if we end up going completely off the rails and/or deciding to continue the campaign together. (And if there are specific things your character doesn’t know/understand that you as the player would also like to be left in the dark about but would be happy for me to fill in / pull the thread on, feel free to note those too. I’m happy to scheme!)
@Cacs, you can definitely hit me up with Google doc links for all of that information! Your final/official character sheet will need to (also) be loaded on D&D Beyond itself for the ease of campaign log functionalities, etc. (though if this presents a huge problem for anyone, let me know and we’ll discuss), but I’m more than happy to look at things on a Google doc.
Hey @tridentarii, no worries! I have no issues with making the character D&D Beyond. 👍 I just have the habit of making notes about my character/backstory on google docs at the beginning, cause it’s easy to share and edit and stuff. :D And here is what my Heroic Chronicle rolls ended up looking like. I decided to roll for everything and I kinda love it.😀
Hello new people! It's very nice to meet all of you, and I can't wait to start getting to know all the characters.
Speaking of character sheets, does anyone need access to stuff here? I can make a campaign or @tridentarii can so resources can be shared.
And I will also be doing a Google Doc at some point once I get some more backstory stuff figured out! If people are going to be from or around Xhorhas, definitely hit me up! My girl will be pretty easy going and should be flexible enough to meet up with people for any reason.
And here is what my Heroic Chronicle rolls ended up looking like. I decided to roll for everything and I kinda love it.😀
Love it! I was also wondering if we should openly share our prophecies & mysterious secrets or if keeping those hidden from the other players to be revealed as DM sees fit would make for a better experience
@Cacs Yay! Will be digging into the Heroic Chronicle rolls of everyone who's shared/sent later today, so very excited to have a look at those.
@Ares That's a great reminder -- everyone can now find the campaign right here. If you don’t mind sharing those resources, that'd be absolutely amazing (I'm afraid I don't have much in the way of my own at this point). Thank you!!
@Vet Totally up to you, but I'm more than happy to keep those secret with you for surprises down the line!
And for the record, as far as sharing character knowledge in general, I'm happy for each person to share as much or as little information as you like with the group! It might make sense to keep some backstory details to be revealed in game later, but honestly, whatever each player feels comfortable with on an individual basis is good with me. If you’d like to share more specifics in order to workshop potential relationships, etc. that’s fine (e.g. I’ve been in some fun games where people came in as siblings, or exes, so of course then the degree of shared information would be variable), or if you’d just like to send me over a completed (or draft, or outlined) backstory first and then I can sort of help coordinate and colocate people depending on those backstories, that’s great too.
Also, if people are inclined to try a stats roll, feel free to go ahead and do so whenever! If you've never rolled for stats on the DNDBeyond forums, this one's pretty intuitive (though the dice roller can be temperamental, so if you run into an issue, it's probably not you): just click the die icon, click on the ability scores tab (and leave everything as is), hit OK, and once you post the reply, you should have the stats. (You might want to make it its own post, because editing the post for anything afterward has the tendency to reroll them, as you can see with my example, lol.) So it should look something like:
Ability scores: 1491491715
Again, you can also use point buy/standard array, so no need if you'd rather not, but you do get a free roll regardless!
The link doesn't work for me at least, it just sends me to my own campaigns page. I haven't used the campaigns in DnDBeyond before so I'm not sure how they work, is there an invite link or something similar you can share to get us in?
That link worked and I have enabled content sharing! I should have most stuff for character creation, including Exandria/Wildemount specific things. For those you have to make sure the Critical Role content is enabled when you first start the character creation.
Hi all, I’m very excited to have you here and welcome you to my first game! I can’t wait for the chance to play with all of you. For the introductory basics: you can call me Kizzy (she/her) — or any iteration of my handle, or “DM,” or “Hey! You!” — and, as mentioned, I’ll be running Dangerous Designs. It’s a pretty short adventure that will take characters from levels 1-3, but with potential for us to to continue afterward if people are interested, and if I don’t make too much of a mess of things! And just to set up the ground rules and expectations, here are some of the basics of how I’m planning to run the game (if you have any questions or concerns about anything, definitely don’t hesitate to let me know):
1. Communication and respect are going to be the number one things here — I want to make sure that everyone feels welcome and free to share any concerns, and to respectfully address any topics that may arise. If something comes up in game (either from my end, or from another player’s), you are always, always welcome to message me to discuss. It’s important that, out of character, this game is safe and fun for everyone!
2. As far as character creation goes, content from the published D&D sourcebooks will be allowed, and of course Critical Role content will also be allowed. No homebrew at this time. For stats, if you’d like to roll, you’ll be rolling in this thread; you can also use point buy or standard array. And you do get a free roll, so if you roll for stats and and don’t like the outcome, you’re welcome to use one of the other two methods. You can also roll stats 3 times (all in this thread), but if you do so, you must choose one of those stat blocks and cannot replace with another method. And for the sake of this game, please choose starting equipment, and don’t roll for gold.
3. A lot of my rulings will indeed be RAW, but more important than that to me is your creativity. Tell me your wild plans! Let’s figure out how they can work (or fail gloriously) together! There’s always room for narrative joy, and I want to make sure we can always find a way into that together.
4. The expectation will be for everyone to post a minimum of once every 48 hours; I expect that there will be days where it’s more than that, and other days where things are quieter, because I realize life happens. If you think you’ll be gone for two days or more, it’d be great if you could just mention it in the thread! That way we can keep things moving.
5. This will not be a game that involves detailing the specifics of any sexual encounters in the main thread, but romance is welcome in the game, as long as both parties are up for it. (This includes with NPCs, just with the understanding that it isn't the main thrust of the game we're all playing.)
6. My plan is to help facilitate the building out of some pre-existing relationships (and of course you're welcome to find / work out some connections on your own!) between at least some of the characters, as in my experience that makes for an easier starting place. Depending on how everyone feels about it, this could involve some small prologue flashback scenes / very brief side adventures. And/or I may adapt some relationship-building questions/statements for players to use with each other’s characters, if that seems like the best way to collectively build some already existing bonds.
7. I would love to work on your backstory with you! If you have a few potential thoughts, or a vague outline, please feel free to send it over and I can either help match it to the setting or narrow down the best way into our story or anything else. I absolutely encourage folks to use (or simply be inspired by!) the Heroic Chronicle when creating characters — I’m happy to go through any/all of that with you, and definitely let me know if you’ve used it.
8. More details about format and technical game specifics will come later! I’ll add some brief Wildemount lore into the following post to try to sum up the most relevant set dressing details you’ll need, but if there’s additional information that seems important to the character you want to build, I’ll share that with you as well — or if you have any questions, please let me know and I’ll happily provide more details.
I’m sure there will be be more, but for now: welcome! I’ve set up this OOC thread for all of our planning and non-IC discussion, both pre-game and during the game, and I can’t wait to meet all your characters. Please, feel free to introduce yourself however you’d like, and let us know if you’re learning toward any particular types of character right now.
(And as a last personal note, both my mom’s birthday and Mother’s Day are happening this weekend, so this will be one of my least active weekends — I know, exceptional timing on my part, lol. Please be patient with me for the next couple days while I go do some family visiting, and obviously feel free more than free to discuss concepts and the like together, settle in, whatever!)
WILDEMOUNT LORE
The two major players in Wildemount, particularly for the sake of this tale, are the Dwendalian Empire and the Kryn Dynasty. Recently, what began as long-simmering tensions between the Empire and the Dynasty have erupted into all-out war.
Consider as you explore the lands of Wildemount the way your character might feel about this war, and what impacts your character has felt from it.
DWENDALIAN EMPIRE
The Dwendalian Empire has reigned over Western Wynandir for over twelve generations. Imperial rule is maintained through its powerful military, its policy of religious restriction, and the support of the secretive Cerberus Assembly. Though these institutions nominally exist to ensure the safety of the populace from foreign threats, terrible dangers that wander the wilds, and lingering evils that seep from the scars of the Calamity*, they also allow the empire to maintain strict social order within its territories.
King Bertrand Dwendal is now two months past his sixty-eighth birthday, and his iron will has not wavered with age. A tall, powerful man, King Dwendal rewards loyalty and swiftly punishes insolence and failure. His family has developed a totalitarian rule that reaps heavy taxes and looms over society with a military presence that only grows stronger with proximity to the capital city of Rexxentrum. While civic unrest does rise beyond mere mutterings from time to time, reminders of the dangerous creatures that live beyond the guarded borders of each city and the protections offered within the empire generally keep the populace in line. Those that rebel often find themselves in chains or forgotten in a dungeon.
Dwendalian society has a rigid caste system, in which denizens who have mastery over the arcane are considered elite members of society. Many Dwendalian ladies and lords came from a sorcerous bloodline or studied the arcane arts within the walls of the Soltryce Academy. Those who especially excel in their magics or were born into prominent families can come to hold power as a member of the Cerberus Assembly, a council of extremely powerful mages that works directly with King Dwendal and his councilors to develop and enforce laws throughout Western Wynandir. However, distrust between the king and the Cerberus Assembly runs deep, for they both wish to eliminate the other and enjoy uncontested power.
Most cities and townships throughout the empire are ruled by a local government under the leadership of a starosta, usually a native baron appointed by the Crown and the Cerberus Assembly. Reporting directly to the King's council, the starosta is given absolute control over local government, appointing and maintaining responsibility for the heads of the city guard (watchmaster), the regional military (warmaster), local commerce (coinmaster), infrastructure (pithmaster), religious practices (idolmaster), and the courts of law (lawmaster). Twice a year, tithe collectors (nicknamed "Reapers") visit each imperial city to inspect households for records and proof of income, collecting a percentage of their earnings in coin as determined by the tithe collector.
The empire's military force currently stands at around 35,300 Righteous Brand soldiers across all regiments, and 5,200 Crownsguard across all cities. The majority of the Righteous Brand forces were deployed to fortifications along the Xhorhasian border at the onset of the current war.
Soon after the Dwendalian bloodline came into power, there was a short-lived rebellion helmed by religious civilians. It was swiftly quelled and the rebel leaders were executed in an event known as the Admonition. The ruling class has regarded religion with suspicion ever since, believing that faith inspires the unworthy to rise above their station and spark fruitless rebellion. Instead of abolishing all religious practices, the empire regulates worship within its boundaries. All temples are owned and run by the government, and must be dedicated to deities approved by the Crown. Priests and clerics are on the Crown's payroll to preach only approved religious texts. Keeping private shrines or worshiping outside official temples is punishable by fines or imprisonment. The only deities that are approved by the empire are Erathis the Law Bearer, Bahamut the Platinum Dragon, Moradin the All-Hammer, Pelor the Dawn Father, Ioun the Knowing Mentor, and the Raven Queen, Matron of Death.
HUPPERDOOK
Where our story starts!
Population: 12,090 (76% gnomes, 10% dwarves, 8% humans, 6% other races)
Government: Starosta Emma Zezbok, who has ruled for two centuries, works with elected officials and the major houses of industry.
Defense: A small number of Crownsguard are backed by a larger civilian militia of volunteer soldiers. Many war machines and engines also defend the city.
Commerce: A strong industry around metals, mining, tinkering, and entertainment makes most basic supplies and some rarer goods available. Upper Hupperdook has many taverns, inns, and places of revelry.
Organizations: Industrial families are heavily invested in the city and its business. Temples to empire-approved gods, especially Moradin, are easy to find.
The gnomish community of Hupperdook is built along the eastern base of the Silberquel Ridge, marked by the ever-rising columns of dark smoke and steam. Predating the empire, Hupperdook remained autonomous until the Crown absorbed the community through diplomatic agreements over two centuries ago. This smoke-stacked city is now the heart of industry in the empire, manufacturing technological marvels and large-scale weapons of war for the Dwendalian Empire.
The gnomish culture within Hupperdook prizes hard work and hard play. Family trades vary from coal mining and clockwork development to practical enchantment and the brewing of zesty libations. Within the bounds of the city, a general air of upbeat anticipation frames the day-to-day activities of residents as they bound their way toward dusk.
Note: Keep in mind that the Dwendalian Empire tends to be home to more of the classical "good" races: dwarves, elves, humans, halflings, etc., where the Kryn Dynasty (below) is home almost exclusively to more of the classical "monstrous" races. That doesn't mean you aren't more than welcome to jump into Hupperdook with a Kryn character (feel free!), but keep in mind that there will be a particular reception to them, and that many of them would likely be disguised in some way. (Happy to work on this with you, of course!)
KRYN DYNASTY
The Kryn Dynasty rules the northern wastes of Xhorhas, and has only revealed itself to the wider world within the past century. Centered around--and under--the ruins of Ghor Dranas in Eastern Wynandir, the dynasty governs many townships and small villages where the Kryn have helped establish a modicum of civilized living among the nomadic wastefolk. They believe that beings not yet beyond redemption can be turned to the light of the Luxon, and often struggle with the unruly denizens of the wastes, hoping to gain converts to their cause and faith. Those that do accept the dynasty often do so because they seek protection from the dregs of the Calamity* that wander the wastes, as well as the scouts of the Dwendalian Empire.
Dark elves are the most populous race within the Kryn Dynasty. The drow were the first people to uncover the first buried Luxon beacon many ages ago, in a time before they turned from Lolth and escaped enslavement from the Betrayer Gods. The dark elves claimed the dread citadel of Ghor Dranas as their own, as well as the massive network of underground caverns that make up the Underdark of Wildemount. The Kryn are stealthily becoming a force to be reckoned with.
The Kryn drow who emerged from the shadowed depths of the caverns beneath Xhorhas now endure periods of sunlight as part of their worship, though their cities are shaded by umbral magic during daylight hours. When hunting, or in times of conflict, the warriors of the Kryn don their signature chitinous armor. A series of small airways woven through this armor can be opened to emit a loud, clicking buzz to intimidate their foes as they charge. This noise has inspired outsiders to call the Kryn "cricks," referring to this cricket-like din. Artifacts left behind by the Luxon that hold its essence are known as Luxon beacons and are coveted by the Kryn Dynasty as central to their civilization. If a proven soul is ritualistically bound to a Luxon beacon, they can enter a process called the consecution: when a mortal bound to the Luxon dies within a hundred miles of a beacon, the beacon ensnares their soul from its intended afterlife and prepares it to be reborn in a new child within that same vicinity. When that child then matures into adolescence, they begin to recall subtle knowledge from their past life's experiences, a process called anamnesis. Through meditation with a guide, they can unlock the memories of their past lives and become a more complete being. When a soul has cycled enough to believe they are ready to greet the Luxon, they are called an Umavi, or "perfect soul," and are revered within the Kryn society. Some beings that naturally reincarnate, such as the phoenix, are considered holy creatures that carry a shard of the Luxon within themselves.
If a life continues long enough to achieve a state of clarity called achess, where they believe that they've learned all they can learn from their current life, they can choose to partake in a ritualistic termination of their current life, assisted by an Umavi in proximity to a beacon, thereby setting them on the path to a new birth. While considered an honor within the Kryn Dynasty, this practice is misunderstood and seen as barbaric outside their culture.
The Kryn Dynasty is a society restructured from the Lolthite history they rejected. The people of the dynasty stand under the first Umavi, known as Bright Queen Leylas Kryn. Beneath the first Umavi, there are twelve noble Dens that mark families of souls who have lived together through generations: Dens Kryn, Mirimm, Thelyss, Hythenos, Icozrin, Biylan, Tasithar, Duendalos, Daev'yana, Omrifar, Beltune, and Zolaed. When someone is believed to be experiencing anamnesis, they submit to a deep meditation with a guide trained in the ways of consecution. This process helps restore memories of the past life, which then mingle with current memories.
The awakened soul is then reunited with their Den. Dens do grow as new souls enter the consecution and join their ranks, and new Dens are established with each generation. The oldest Dens, especially those helmed by an Umavi, are held in the highest esteem, and generally answer directly to the Bright Queen. The older the soul, the more prestige it holds in the dynasty. Beneath the Dens of Rosohna, guilds and Den representatives govern the other cities of the dynasty that stretch across Xhorhas, spreading the faith of the Luxon and watching over all Xhorhasians who seek the safety of civilization.
This seemingly benevolent societal structure does have a dark side. A closely guarded secret of the highest Umavi is a challenge in the consecution called typhros: some souls that have undergone multiple cycles of the consecution are driven mad when their minds cannot reconcile the memories of many lifetimes. Those who fall to typhros are quietly removed from the dynasty and either left in the wastes or mercifully slain away from the beacons. Signs of madness are beginning to show in the Bright Queen herself, but those closest to her do all they can to shield others from such portents.
It is believed that the Luxon cherishes unity in community, but also values free choice and the power of the individual mind. For each soul to carve a unique path is the best way for a soul to learn about the world. Casting off the teachings of Fate and Destiny taught by some of the current pantheon, the followers of the Luxon are taught that the real power of the universe comes from the power of choice. Many possible futures all await your path, and the universe trembles with anticipatory power as you approach every decision. This power is called dunamis, the energy of potentiality, and the coalescing architecture of the multiple futures leading into each moment is released when an outcome is brought to reality. It is the energy that suffuses every Luxon beacon to prepare the lives to come, and it is the basis of the Kryn's unique divine crafts and arcane abilities.
The Kryn Dynasty has uncovered four beacons and is certain that more remain to be discovered. It is believed that once all the beacons are brought together, the Luxon will be summoned from their slumber to ask their children the great question and impart the truth. It is said that at this time, the Luxon will take those who entered the consecution and abandon this lesser world to start a new world elsewhere.
The Aurora Watch legionnaires of the Kryn currently number around 21,600 in total. Around 13,200 Aurora Watch are divided among the cities under the dynasty's protection, with another 3,300 Aurora Watch stationed in and around the capital of Rosohna--formerly known as Ghor Dranas--to keep the peace and defend the region. Approximately 5,100 soldiers are scattered throughout the Underdark beneath Wildemount at different locations of interest, many employing magically controlled purple worms to allow elite units to navigate the caverns quickly. The remainder of the watch is stationed along the border of Western Wynandir to prevent the empire's incursions--and to seize land from the empire as they advance.
*For more about the Calamity, and the founding/lore of Exandria in general, I would definitely recommend giving this video a watch. Not required reading, just useful for a little context!
Hey, hey! I'm Cacs (she/her) and I'm very excited to play with y'all! :)
A quick heads up, I've never used the D&DBeyond forums before, so I apologize in advance if I mess anything up.
Character-wise, I'm thinking of an elf. I'm not locked on a class, but I've been thinking maybe a Cleric or Druid (not sure yet though).
Also, I had never heard of the Heroic Chronicle until I signed up for this game, but I thought it was such a fun way to create a character! I've been playing around with it today and I rolled some really fun stuff on it and I'd definitely like to work together to see how it all fits with the world. :D
(Also, happy early birthday to your mom! 🥳)
Hi Cacs! So glad to have you here — and no problem at all re: not having used the forums before. I’ll go into a few more specifics about formatting and dice rolling once we actually get the campaign underway, but we'll be keeping everything pretty simple. (You can also find a little bit of information about using some of the forum tools in the PBP Rules and FAQ thread, but definitely don't worry too much about any of that. We can stumble through figuring new things out together!)
Anyway, all of that sounds great, and I'm so glad you've been enjoying playing around with the Heroic Chronicle! And I'll of course be more that happy to talk through fitting into the setting/world with whatever ideas you have.
(And thank you -- hope you have a nice weekend ahead of you!)
Hello everyone, I'm Ares (she/her)!
I'm also in the boat of having never used the forums before, but I've been playing 5e and pbp for about 5 years now. Also super excited to do a Wildemount campaign.
For a character, my original idea was a drow bard (probably a dancer rather than a musician) from the Kryn dynasty, but I'm fairly open to changing class depending on what everyone else does.
And yes, happy birthday and mother's day! Take your time; we'll still be here :)
Oh, thanks for the tools link. I'll give it a read this weekend. :)
I can't wait to work on some char. ideas! Question, are we allowed to send you Google doc links? I ask because then I can make a little table with my heroic chronicle rolls, so it's easier for you to see what I got and if anything doesn't fit in, and all that.
(Have a great weekend too! :D )
Hi everyone! I'm Reko, (he/they).
To keep the pattern going, I also haven't used the DnDBeyond forums before, and I have to admit it's been quite a few years since the last time I did any writing on a forum in this sort of format, but to be honest I'm kind of excited to get back to it. I don't have a ton of PBP experience (the few times I managed to get into a campaign they barely started or just fizzled out/were deleted within a week of starting), but I've done text based literate roleplays ever since I was maybe 10 (throwback to those Warrior Cats forum roleplays that started it, lol.)
I absolutely adore brainstorming with others and creating backstories and relationships with characters with others over just making a character all on my own without any interaction with others. So far I'm maybe thinking of some sort of Artificer, maybe? Probably some smaller tinkering than big creations, but who knows. I am a sucker for the less human races, and especially ones that might face some hardships for not being some of the most accepted ones in their place of living, but I'm not set on anything concrete yet.
Happy birthday wishes for your mum! Next week is basically when I'm going to be back at school doing 3 tests/official showing of skill -things that'll take up most of the days, but after those are done I should be able to ease up and relax more, and I'll still try to check in at least once a day :) Excited to get started with you guys!
Hi everyone, I’m vetallica or vet (he/him). Relatively new to the game but have been playing exclusively here on the PbP forums for my brief career so far. I’m undecided on my character direction at the moment, considering even entirely rolling on the heroic chronicle to see where it takes me. I’m excited to play in Wildemount with you all!
Hey everybody! I'm Yello (he/they). Pretty experienced with the game over several years and several short games and a few pbp ventures now. Haven't played on the forums yet either tho!
Would love to work with anyone on character ideas if someone is craving a shared backstory situation. I usually play martial classes but have been dabbling with more spellcasters & half casters lately and would not mind going for a bard/artificer. Though I am happy to fill any role seeing as others are interested in playing spellcasters as well lol. Very limited knowledge of the Wildemount setting so I may commit to rolling on the Heroic Chronicle tables as well
Either way looking forward to figuring things out and getting started :>
Ahh, hi everyone! Truly I could not be more delighted to have you all here. (And just FYI, there may still be one person joining, checking in now, but that’s our cap.) Also enjoying reading about the characters you’re thinking about! Feel free to share any of your Heroic Chronicle results here, or anything else you like. And don’t feel like you have to go too hard to deliver a precise party composition balance — I’d rather you chase the things that are really inspiring you, and let us go from there.
@Ares I really appreciate the understanding, and thank you! Wishing you a lovely weekend too.
@Cacs, you can definitely hit me up with Google doc links for all of that information! Your final/official character sheet will need to (also) be loaded on D&D Beyond itself for the ease of campaign log functionalities, etc. (though if this presents a huge problem for anyone, let me know and we’ll discuss), but I’m more than happy to look at things on a Google doc.
@Reko Oh man, Warriors RP forums! What an era. No problem at all re the busy days of course, and sending you the best of luck with that!!
@Vet Awesome, cheers for being guided by the dice gods!
@Yello I know I mentioned this earlier in the post, but definitely feel free to follow your heart re character choices! And also, if anything comes up (in the Heroic Chronicle or otherwise) that you’d like to know about, I’m happy to share.
Also, I realize people are still working out character stuff, but just an early note that, as I think I mentioned in the initial posts, I would love to include backstories within the world we’re building and the story we’re telling together (module or not). So even if there are specific details and/or moments and/or characters that you don’t think need to be explained in your backstory, or don’t quite fit in your telling, or just didn’t get much of a highlight, feel free to send those over to me! I’m delighted to fill in any blanks, but if you have any visceral images — maybe a vague concept of a sister who absolutely hates the gods, or an ex with a pirate ship and a vendetta, or a really memorable hole in the middle of a childhood bedroom, whatever, even if those things don’t feel essential to the main thrust of your character’s story — I welcome you to leave those with me. Obviously there are some limitations to the amount of things we can get into over the course of this one little adventure, but it’s nice to have something to build from, especially if we end up going completely off the rails and/or deciding to continue the campaign together. (And if there are specific things your character doesn’t know/understand that you as the player would also like to be left in the dark about but would be happy for me to fill in / pull the thread on, feel free to note those too. I’m happy to scheme!)
Hey @tridentarii, no worries! I have no issues with making the character D&D Beyond. 👍 I just have the habit of making notes about my character/backstory on google docs at the beginning, cause it’s easy to share and edit and stuff. :D
And here is what my Heroic Chronicle rolls ended up looking like. I decided to roll for everything and I kinda love it.😀
Hello new people! It's very nice to meet all of you, and I can't wait to start getting to know all the characters.
Speaking of character sheets, does anyone need access to stuff here? I can make a campaign or @tridentarii can so resources can be shared.
And I will also be doing a Google Doc at some point once I get some more backstory stuff figured out! If people are going to be from or around Xhorhas, definitely hit me up! My girl will be pretty easy going and should be flexible enough to meet up with people for any reason.
Love it! I was also wondering if we should openly share our prophecies & mysterious secrets or if keeping those hidden from the other players to be revealed as DM sees fit would make for a better experience
@Cacs Yay! Will be digging into the Heroic Chronicle rolls of everyone who's shared/sent later today, so very excited to have a look at those.
@Ares That's a great reminder -- everyone can now find the campaign right here. If you don’t mind sharing those resources, that'd be absolutely amazing (I'm afraid I don't have much in the way of my own at this point). Thank you!!
@Vet Totally up to you, but I'm more than happy to keep those secret with you for surprises down the line!
And for the record, as far as sharing character knowledge in general, I'm happy for each person to share as much or as little information as you like with the group! It might make sense to keep some backstory details to be revealed in game later, but honestly, whatever each player feels comfortable with on an individual basis is good with me. If you’d like to share more specifics in order to workshop potential relationships, etc. that’s fine (e.g. I’ve been in some fun games where people came in as siblings, or exes, so of course then the degree of shared information would be variable), or if you’d just like to send me over a completed (or draft, or outlined) backstory first and then I can sort of help coordinate and colocate people depending on those backstories, that’s great too.
Also, if people are inclined to try a stats roll, feel free to go ahead and do so whenever! If you've never rolled for stats on the DNDBeyond forums, this one's pretty intuitive (though the dice roller can be temperamental, so if you run into an issue, it's probably not you): just click the die icon, click on the ability scores tab (and leave everything as is), hit OK, and once you post the reply, you should have the stats. (You might want to make it its own post, because editing the post for anything afterward has the tendency to reroll them, as you can see with my example, lol.) So it should look something like:
Ability scores: 14 9 14 9 17 15
Again, you can also use point buy/standard array, so no need if you'd rather not, but you do get a free roll regardless!
The link doesn't work for me at least, it just sends me to my own campaigns page. I haven't used the campaigns in DnDBeyond before so I'm not sure how they work, is there an invite link or something similar you can share to get us in?
Apologies, I may have pasted in the wrong link (possibly I'm trying to do too many things at once, lol) -- I've adjusted in the post, and it should be: https://www.dndbeyond.com/campaigns/join/54850844079904919
Let me know if you still run into any issues.
That link worked and I have enabled content sharing! I should have most stuff for character creation, including Exandria/Wildemount specific things. For those you have to make sure the Critical Role content is enabled when you first start the character creation.
Thanks so much for doing that, Ares! That's awesome.
Ability scores: 16 16 18 12 16 12
Testing! (Not real roll, just using this as a test space)
Note - had to add a space after the roll portion to get the numbers to pop up