Thank you so much for being willing to jump in as DM. We were really looking forward to playing before our DM went MIA.
I just looked up The Curse of the Usurper and it looks incredible! Do you think it would be too complex for PbP though? I think a lot of us are newer players as well. If you think we could do it, it looks like a lot of fun! If not, I'd be cool with another option.
I don't want to speak for the others but it seemed most of us were able to post a few times a day.
If you were happy with slow posting I'd certainly try to keep a steady pace going.
As for the complexity of the the Curse of the Usurper, I don't know yet. The first book is due (according to them) this month sometime (they said 3-5 days 4 days ago), so I know virtually nothing about the module - I do have the opening encounter for it though, which starts aboard ship and sets out the plot hook. I would need a little time to read through and familiarise myself with it - I am super excited about it though.
I've run Lost Mines of Phandelver before as PbP which went fairly well. Could easily do Phandelver and Below if you were wanting to keep things in the Sword Coast.
Alternatively, I also have a series of stand alone one shots that can take a party from level 1-10 that could be weaved into a campaign of sorts (if you were willing to act as a kind of adventuring guild)
I think I like the idea of going through the one shots as a possible campaign. Would we be able to help establish the introduction of our players? I think we all liked what we were starting with our last campaign. Our characters were at a gala thrown at my character Lysander Salvathor's vineyard estate outside Waterdeep. We were all going to happen upon each other there then set out on the campaign. If that doesn't work, totally fine.
The Lost Mines of Phandelver could be be good too for newer players.
I think the pace you set for the campaign would be fine.
I'd be happy to do either. With "Curse", if we started now, there is a risk that it could stall once we reach the end of the preview material. I'd be happy to take the risk in starting it - I suspect that the first book is very close to release. (Full disclosure, it's actually only releasing on Shard VTT initially, but that shouldn't be a problem.) Reading through it, it's actually set up to help new players learn the mechanics of the game during play, which is great.
The other option would be to wait a bit until the first book actually arrives and go from there.
Could you tell me a little about the gala you set up? I could work with that, and Waterdeep could easily fit as a background place to start (there would have to be a bit of a leap of imagination, as this is a world outside Faerun, but it could just be plonked off a few hundred miles off the coast - as if it's always been there!).
If you're all still keen I can set up a "Beyond" campaign page for you?
Also, while I would want to keep gameplay posting exclusively here (this would be explicitly to keep the pace at a manageable level), I can set up a discord server for OOC stuff, if that suits as well?
So here's a link for DDB Campaign. If you'd all like to add your PC's to that and I can go from there.
I've got a good idea how to start this now (involving your gala), but it would be good to have a look at your sheets to see where your characters are coming from. Backstory and whatnot. I'll just keep my fingers crossed that the first book will appear sooner rather than later.
So I guess, welcome to "Trouble in Havdir" to you all!
So this is how I see the campaign introduction. I've had to make a few assumptions, not knowing about your characters yet, but the broad strokes are quite likely to be as follows. The idea is that you will take the "job" and end up on board ship. If you want to discuss OOC below how this start might fit in with the gala, why you might want to take this job and how you all know each other that would be helpful in establishing you as a party (also thanks for those of you who have added your characters)
Trouble In Havdir
The sounds of merry making lasted long into the night. A beautiful night on Lysander's estate, the gentle sweet and spicy scent from the vines drifting over the cooling ground. Darkness had fallen hours ago, and the light from distant stars twinkled and danced in the warm night air. It was strange being home on the estate. So many guests to entertain, so many new faces, so many old ones. Some new friends, the shared stories of exploits from those few others who have the itch as well. The itch to journey, to see new places, for adventure. Life here on the estate just seems so...well...humdrum.
A cough interrupts your thoughts. A steward has approached, bringing with him a rather elderly and sickly looking dwarf who waits a short distance away. "This gentleman has petitioned to see you, sir." The steward looks back at the dwarf with a little distaste in his eyes, before continuing. "He seemed to think it was of the utmost importance that he speak to you. He was extremely insistent."
Before you have a chance to answer, the dwarf pushes forward quickly and gives a shallow bow, the movement seeming to take some considerable effort. He coughs, a painful racking cough, before speaking without preamble.
"My name is Vrormir. I must get to the city of Havdir as a matter of the utmost importance and urgency." He coughs hard once more, covering his mouth with a handkerchief. As he removes it you can see it is flecked with blood. "I am looking for people to escort me, who I can rely on to get me there. I have a ship out of Havdir awaiting me, the Tavernsbane is her name and she is docked here in Waterdeep now, but I must have protection for the journey." He bows again. "Your name was given to me as someone who is trustworthy and discreet. I have the means to pay any who would travel with me." Suddenly he is overcome with a bout of hacking coughs, and he turns away, almost doubling over in the process. It takes a minute or so for the coughing to subside, and Vrormir stands there panting a little and looking rather pale. "I must retire to my accommodation now. Please send word to the Blue Mermaid on Ship Street where I will be staying until the ship sails in two days. There is no need to escort me today, I have a carriage waiting for me here."
If you guys are happy with this as an introduction, I'll create the game thread with this post and we can begin. If there's anything that you feel might help, please let me know and I can amend it accordingly
I have also created a discord server (invite link in the campaign), which is a much better way to talk OOC, rather than trying to do it here on the forum.
I'm going to leave it up to you guys to explore the ship and interact with each other and the crew.
If you've not already done so, please join the campaign and the discord (link is on the campaign page) - more importantly the discord where I will be posting images/maps and whatnot.
Guys I am so sorry for the late response on my end. I would look very to play as well. I will probably be slower than precious but definitely once or twice a day.
Guys I am so sorry for the late response on my end. I would look very to play as well. I will probably be slower than precious but definitely once or twice a day.
You were part of the original abandoned group? Please feel free to join the campaign link - it's perhaps a good idea to check your notification settings. If the very top box is checked, ddb doesn't send out notifications in real time. It bundles them up and sends them all at the same time, usually days after for some reason!
That’s not a problem. We’re only a few posts in from the start, so you’ve not missed anything, really. If you want to play, please join the campaign page in ddb here:-
Thanks for adding your PC to the campaign. There's a link there to join the discord server in the notes there as well, if it doesn't work, let me know and I'll PM you a new link - sorry I've made a slight error and messed with your sheet (although reduced her back to lvl 1) - you might need to go through and reselect some options on it - sorry about that. Entirely my mistake due to mistaken identity
Thank you so much for being willing to jump in as DM. We were really looking forward to playing before our DM went MIA.
I just looked up The Curse of the Usurper and it looks incredible! Do you think it would be too complex for PbP though? I think a lot of us are newer players as well. If you think we could do it, it looks like a lot of fun! If not, I'd be cool with another option.
I don't want to speak for the others but it seemed most of us were able to post a few times a day.
I agree with Lysander, I also due to,work can post 1 or twice a day, and I am a new player, but The curse of the Usurper,seems vey interesting
If you were happy with slow posting I'd certainly try to keep a steady pace going.
As for the complexity of the the Curse of the Usurper, I don't know yet. The first book is due (according to them) this month sometime (they said 3-5 days 4 days ago), so I know virtually nothing about the module - I do have the opening encounter for it though, which starts aboard ship and sets out the plot hook. I would need a little time to read through and familiarise myself with it - I am super excited about it though.
I've run Lost Mines of Phandelver before as PbP which went fairly well. Could easily do Phandelver and Below if you were wanting to keep things in the Sword Coast.
Alternatively, I also have a series of stand alone one shots that can take a party from level 1-10 that could be weaved into a campaign of sorts (if you were willing to act as a kind of adventuring guild)
I think I like the idea of going through the one shots as a possible campaign. Would we be able to help establish the introduction of our players? I think we all liked what we were starting with our last campaign. Our characters were at a gala thrown at my character Lysander Salvathor's vineyard estate outside Waterdeep. We were all going to happen upon each other there then set out on the campaign. If that doesn't work, totally fine.
The Lost Mines of Phandelver could be be good too for newer players.
I think the pace you set for the campaign would be fine.
Curse of the Usurper sounds neat! I'm a relatively experienced player, so I could help explain things if there's any confusion.
Let's do it! What do you all think?
I'd be happy to do either. With "Curse", if we started now, there is a risk that it could stall once we reach the end of the preview material. I'd be happy to take the risk in starting it - I suspect that the first book is very close to release. (Full disclosure, it's actually only releasing on Shard VTT initially, but that shouldn't be a problem.) Reading through it, it's actually set up to help new players learn the mechanics of the game during play, which is great.
The other option would be to wait a bit until the first book actually arrives and go from there.
Could you tell me a little about the gala you set up? I could work with that, and Waterdeep could easily fit as a background place to start (there would have to be a bit of a leap of imagination, as this is a world outside Faerun, but it could just be plonked off a few hundred miles off the coast - as if it's always been there!).
If you're all still keen I can set up a "Beyond" campaign page for you?
Also, while I would want to keep gameplay posting exclusively here (this would be explicitly to keep the pace at a manageable level), I can set up a discord server for OOC stuff, if that suits as well?
I tkink that we should try and see how it goes. It really sounds interesting.
I’m down, can’t wait to see where this might lead!
Well sounds like we've got a plan.
So here's a link for DDB Campaign. If you'd all like to add your PC's to that and I can go from there.
I've got a good idea how to start this now (involving your gala), but it would be good to have a look at your sheets to see where your characters are coming from. Backstory and whatnot. I'll just keep my fingers crossed that the first book will appear sooner rather than later.
So I guess, welcome to "Trouble in Havdir" to you all!
Might help if I actually posted the link *facepalms*
https://www.dndbeyond.com/campaigns/join/5362310337637658
So this is how I see the campaign introduction. I've had to make a few assumptions, not knowing about your characters yet, but the broad strokes are quite likely to be as follows. The idea is that you will take the "job" and end up on board ship. If you want to discuss OOC below how this start might fit in with the gala, why you might want to take this job and how you all know each other that would be helpful in establishing you as a party (also thanks for those of you who have added your characters)
Trouble In Havdir
The sounds of merry making lasted long into the night. A beautiful night on Lysander's estate, the gentle sweet and spicy scent from the vines drifting over the cooling ground. Darkness had fallen hours ago, and the light from distant stars twinkled and danced in the warm night air. It was strange being home on the estate. So many guests to entertain, so many new faces, so many old ones. Some new friends, the shared stories of exploits from those few others who have the itch as well. The itch to journey, to see new places, for adventure. Life here on the estate just seems so...well...humdrum.
A cough interrupts your thoughts. A steward has approached, bringing with him a rather elderly and sickly looking dwarf who waits a short distance away.
"This gentleman has petitioned to see you, sir." The steward looks back at the dwarf with a little distaste in his eyes, before continuing. "He seemed to think it was of the utmost importance that he speak to you. He was extremely insistent."
Before you have a chance to answer, the dwarf pushes forward quickly and gives a shallow bow, the movement seeming to take some considerable effort. He coughs, a painful racking cough, before speaking without preamble.
"My name is Vrormir. I must get to the city of Havdir as a matter of the utmost importance and urgency." He coughs hard once more, covering his mouth with a handkerchief. As he removes it you can see it is flecked with blood. "I am looking for people to escort me, who I can rely on to get me there. I have a ship out of Havdir awaiting me, the Tavernsbane is her name and she is docked here in Waterdeep now, but I must have protection for the journey." He bows again. "Your name was given to me as someone who is trustworthy and discreet. I have the means to pay any who would travel with me." Suddenly he is overcome with a bout of hacking coughs, and he turns away, almost doubling over in the process. It takes a minute or so for the coughing to subside, and Vrormir stands there panting a little and looking rather pale. "I must retire to my accommodation now. Please send word to the Blue Mermaid on Ship Street where I will be staying until the ship sails in two days. There is no need to escort me today, I have a carriage waiting for me here."
If you guys are happy with this as an introduction, I'll create the game thread with this post and we can begin. If there's anything that you feel might help, please let me know and I can amend it accordingly
I have also created a discord server (invite link in the campaign), which is a much better way to talk OOC, rather than trying to do it here on the forum.
This looks amazing, excited to play already man!!!
Alright. Here we go!
This is the campaign thread with the introduction post.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/d-d-beyond-general/play-by-post/195014-trouble-in-havdir-curse-of-the-usurper
I'm going to leave it up to you guys to explore the ship and interact with each other and the crew.
If you've not already done so, please join the campaign and the discord (link is on the campaign page) - more importantly the discord where I will be posting images/maps and whatnot.
Go for it guys :)
Guys I am so sorry for the late response on my end. I would look very to play as well. I will probably be slower than precious but definitely once or twice a day.
You were part of the original abandoned group? Please feel free to join the campaign link - it's perhaps a good idea to check your notification settings. If the very top box is checked, ddb doesn't send out notifications in real time. It bundles them up and sends them all at the same time, usually days after for some reason!
Yes, I was part of the original group. I've not had internet access for a few days. I'm gonna read back through and get caught up.
That’s not a problem. We’re only a few posts in from the start, so you’ve not missed anything, really. If you want to play, please join the campaign page in ddb here:-
https://www.dndbeyond.com/campaigns/join/5362310337637658
Thanks for adding your PC to the campaign. There's a link there to join the discord server in the notes there as well, if it doesn't work, let me know and I'll PM you a new link - sorry I've made a slight error and messed with your sheet (although reduced her back to lvl 1) - you might need to go through and reselect some options on it - sorry about that. Entirely my mistake due to mistaken identity
I guess I missed my chance to join the new campaign, what a shame, I was busy doing interviews for some jobs and didn't have the time to log in T_T
Best of luck to everyone, hope you will have fun!