Let me introduce myself first. I played D&D for 9 years when I was between 20-30. That was 3, respectively 3.5 edition. Time passed and life happened, and about 8 years later I find myself DMing session for my GF, her sister and her boyfriend. We had some pause, because of second child was born and now we want to resurrect our original campaign (Tomb f Annihilation). It does not go well, as players already have different parties due to the break. However I found out that I really like story telling, and while 5e isn't exactly optimal to me (its too forgiving and too magical), its system I know and there are stories i would enjoy to tell. So I am looking for direction and lore hints for a campaign.
Because I will be playing when I have spare time (and my friends of similar age as well) I will intend to do it as series of interruptible chapters. Semi-oneshots where players can join and leve but which are connected by single story line in the background.
wolrd of setting should be forgotten realms (for everyone knows them) The general overall idea of the players will travel and then find themselves in oligarichal city (I am thinking about something north of Haluraa, harvesting in mess) with surroundings and navigate through the net of shady jobs (shadowrun style).
Here is some of my creativity: I imagine outskirts of Haluran kingdom paitially devastated and deserted and these corporations mining and harvesting there forgotten magic & resources. While Halura still tries to reestablish itself, as it lost great part of population and might.
In the background, this will eventually get worse and worse as several sides of antagonists will infiltrate society. What I am looking for now are antagonists. I need some magic centered antagonists and what comes to mind are some sort of aberrations or undead cultists (either nether based or Velsharoon, orcus is also possible). Another thing I remembered are Tsochari which greatly fill the role of "The enemy within" however I don't know their current lore for forgotten realms and I need some hints for their motivation.
I wrote a bestseller supplement which details a Forgotten Realms magic-deep, super-smart, 'criminal' villain, a corrupted Gynosphinx. You can find it here:
Are you running 2024 or 2014? 2024 has some new cultist stats, one each, CR 8, for the Undead, The Aberrant, The Elemental, and the Fiendish. Any of them might be good as a magic-based evil cultist/warlock villain, but the Aberrant or Undead would work especially well with what you're suggesting. You could also look at some of the warlock stats in Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse, or adapt a spellcaster's stats/appearance to suit your needs (archmage, priest, etc.).
Side note: If you're focused on narrative and you have a playgroup willing to pick up a new game (yourself included), Darrington Press has a game called Daggerheart that's relatively new and has a focus on the narrative aspects of roleplaying. It's excellently designed and, if you're interested, i would absolutely recommend checking it out.
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He doesn't have much besides the skin on his bones. Me: I'll take the skin on his bones, then.
"You see a gigantic, monstrous praying mantis burst from out of the ground. It sprays a stream of acid from it's mouth at one soldier, dissolving him instantly, then it turns and chomps another soldier in half with it's- "
Thanks for a reply. I intend to use 2024 as it is more modern and players are used to it. However I will probably bend some rules and migrate some stuff from 3.5 ed just to have them available. What I am currently looking for isstats and latest lore on these abberations.
Thanks for book hints.
PS: I intend to run whoe adventure focused on semi-horror survival detective story.
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Let me introduce myself first. I played D&D for 9 years when I was between 20-30. That was 3, respectively 3.5 edition. Time passed and life happened, and about 8 years later I find myself DMing session for my GF, her sister and her boyfriend. We had some pause, because of second child was born and now we want to resurrect our original campaign (Tomb f Annihilation). It does not go well, as players already have different parties due to the break. However I found out that I really like story telling, and while 5e isn't exactly optimal to me (its too forgiving and too magical), its system I know and there are stories i would enjoy to tell. So I am looking for direction and lore hints for a campaign.
Because I will be playing when I have spare time (and my friends of similar age as well) I will intend to do it as series of interruptible chapters. Semi-oneshots where players can join and leve but which are connected by single story line in the background.
wolrd of setting should be forgotten realms (for everyone knows them) The general overall idea of the players will travel and then find themselves in oligarichal city (I am thinking about something north of Haluraa, harvesting in mess) with surroundings and navigate through the net of shady jobs (shadowrun style).
Here is some of my creativity: I imagine outskirts of Haluran kingdom paitially devastated and deserted and these corporations mining and harvesting there forgotten magic & resources. While Halura still tries to reestablish itself, as it lost great part of population and might.
In the background, this will eventually get worse and worse as several sides of antagonists will infiltrate society. What I am looking for now are antagonists. I need some magic centered antagonists and what comes to mind are some sort of aberrations or undead cultists (either nether based or Velsharoon, orcus is also possible). Another thing I remembered are Tsochari which greatly fill the role of "The enemy within" however I don't know their current lore for forgotten realms and I need some hints for their motivation.
I wrote a bestseller supplement which details a Forgotten Realms magic-deep, super-smart, 'criminal' villain, a corrupted Gynosphinx. You can find it here:
https://www.dmsguild.com/en/product/238720/forgotten-realms-villains-lorebook-zhelaan-corrupted-gynosphinx
(Available in a cheap bundle also)
Are you running 2024 or 2014? 2024 has some new cultist stats, one each, CR 8, for the Undead, The Aberrant, The Elemental, and the Fiendish. Any of them might be good as a magic-based evil cultist/warlock villain, but the Aberrant or Undead would work especially well with what you're suggesting. You could also look at some of the warlock stats in Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse, or adapt a spellcaster's stats/appearance to suit your needs (archmage, priest, etc.).
Side note: If you're focused on narrative and you have a playgroup willing to pick up a new game (yourself included), Darrington Press has a game called Daggerheart that's relatively new and has a focus on the narrative aspects of roleplaying. It's excellently designed and, if you're interested, i would absolutely recommend checking it out.
He doesn't have much besides the skin on his bones. Me: I'll take the skin on his bones, then.
"You see a gigantic, monstrous praying mantis burst from out of the ground. It sprays a stream of acid from it's mouth at one soldier, dissolving him instantly, then it turns and chomps another soldier in half with it's- "
"When are we gonna take a snack break?"
Thanks for a reply. I intend to use 2024 as it is more modern and players are used to it. However I will probably bend some rules and migrate some stuff from 3.5 ed just to have them available. What I am currently looking for isstats and latest lore on these abberations.
Thanks for book hints.
PS: I intend to run whoe adventure focused on semi-horror survival detective story.