The desert sands of Osirion conceal an untold number of ruins and tombs, lost to memory over the millennia-long span of the nation’s history. Even today, the fickle winds of sandstorms can reveal structures hitherto unknown for thousands of years, and seemingly untouched by time. Such unplundered tombs can be an archaeological windfall, but would-be explorers should exercise caution, for the pharaohs of old jealously guarded their possessions against intruders with traps, unliving guardians, and potent curses.
In the depths of the Osirian desert, a sandstorm has recently uncovered a mighty pyramid that was buried beneath the sand for ages. Lost for centuries, the pyramid has not yet revealed its secrets, but one crumbling papyrus scroll found in the Great Library of Tephu contains references to the tomb of an ancient Osirian king known only as the Pharaoh of Sphinxes. Word of the pyramid’s discovery has spread far and fast. Archaeologists, explorers, and tomb robbers from across the Inner Sea are gathering in Osirion’s taverns and inns to plan expeditions into the desert, each vying to be the first to plunder the tomb’s treasures.
Greetings! This is a short, one-shot dungeon crawl for level 3 PCs. Originally created for PF1e, I’ll be running it with the new DnD 5.5 ruleset! I’ll select 4-6 characters, depending. Since character options are limited to the new PHB, and not everyone has that book, you don’t have to have a character sheet completed for your application (although you certainly can). I’ll turn on content sharing with the campaign once the gang's together.
Character Creation Guidelines
AvailableSources: Only the 5.5 PHB (2024) may be used.
AbilityScores: Standard Array
CharacterLevel: 3rd (there won’t be any leveling during this adventure)
StartingGold: 200gp, with which you may purchase any non-magical gear from the PHB.
Format
The game occurs across three formats. First, gameplay will be conducted on these boards in play-by-post format. Character Sheets will be maintained here as well. Second, Battlemaps and tokens will be handled with Roll20(you’ll need an account, which is free to create). Third, all out-of-character discussion and certain resource management will take place via Discord chat. Frequent and regular use of Discord chat is therefore required. If you aren’t able or willing to use Discord, please skip this one.
Posting Expectations: 5+ posts per week. I am hoping for a fast-paced dungeon crawler. I am in US Eastern Time and am most active on weekdays.
Application
For your application, please provide the following info. Character backstories are limited to 200 words. No need to create a character sheet just yet.
Character Name:
Class and SubClass:
Race:
Background:
Backstory (200 words or less):
Recruitment runs now through Wednesday, March 19. I'll make my selections on Thursday and the game will begin shortly after.
Backstory (200 words or less): Mikki always thought the Mayor and his office were inept. After witnessing them blunder through the years ignoring the needs of the town and it's people Mikki found that the best way to oppose them was by taking up a life of crime. From his position within the Thieves' Guild he was able to foment dissent among the people and now more people hate the Mayor than support him.
His efforts to bring about the downfall of the Mayor didn't go unnoticed as it drew the attention of Hyrsam, Prince of Fools. The powerful Archfey saw potential in Mikki and offered to share some of the power of the Feywild with him through a warlock pact. Being like-minded and rebellious Mikki accepted the pact and gained the knowledge of ancient eldritch magics.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"A rightful place awaits you in the Realms Above, in the Land of the Great Light. Come in peace, and live beneath the sun again, where trees and flowers grow."
— The message of Eilistraee to all decent drow.
"Run thy sword across my chains, Silver Lady, that I may join your dance.”
Character Name: Ophelia Character Class and Subclass: Sorcerer (Wild Magic) Race: High Elf Background: Wayfarer Backstory: (With apologies to Hamlet, Ozymandias, The Expanse, and Annihilation, and yes it's all one sentence on purpose).
Wild madness became Ophelia when first drifted the dreams swimmingly, swimmingly up, calling to her like starlings newly hatched, twisting and winding, the strangling fruit snaking through the shattered visage upon the sand to bring forth the the seeds of the dead and share with the worms who gather in darkness, surging, surging in the black water beneath the midnight sun, lies the Pharaoh dead and gone, my lady, dead and gone, at his head growingly, growingly grass-green turf, at his heels a stone, larded all with sweet flowers which bewept to the ground, blossoming, blossoming within the skull, expanding the mind beyond what any man can endure or woman bear, to reveal the fatal softness of the Earth, whence round the decay of that colossal Pyramid, boundless and bare, yet beckoning, beckoning to her, the lone and level sands stretch far, far away, sweets to which the sweet must stray.
Character Name: Satina Cindermark Class and SubClass: Fighter, Champion Race: Human Background: Soldier Backstory:
Satina was born into a well-off noble family, and she lived with them for many years. Yes, she was not nearly as clever as her siblings and sometimes tended to be clumsy. But she was strong and athletic and developed a number of talents in those areas. Suddenly though her life changed. She was thrown out and forced into service as a soldier. Just a basic soldier, forced to earn her own pay. All she ever knew was there was some dispute between her parents. A few whispers got to her that she was somehow different from her siblings. But she never really knew any real reasons. Having to support herself, she worked hard to develop her fighting skills and be a good soldier.
Recently though she has longed for something more than just the life of a soldier. She harbored hopes that her family would take her back one day. But a few encounters with some of her siblings in town convinced her otherwise. They completely shunned her and gave no sign of knowing her. She feels the need to head somewhere new. Hopefully she can gain some wealth and prestige that will eventually eclipse her parents' house.
Name: Nephthys Race: Human Class: Celestial Warlock Background: Wayfarer Backstory: Born into a tribe of desert dwelling bedouines, young Nephthys was her fathers jewel and great pride, learning early the life of the desert nomad. Then tragedy struck and the tribe crossed paths with a ruthless warlord. The battle was fierce but in the end only Nepththys survived and was left for dead. A ragtag band of tomb robbers found her as they scavanged for what was left in the bedouine encampment and they brought the young one with them to serve and send her into the smallest of crevices and the most dangerous of tombs. In a forgotten tomb deep into the Osirion desert she came upon an ancient tome that bore a sentience, a celestial entity of enlightenment that offered to set her free from her captors if she agreed to do it's bidding. Since then Nepthys, now a young woman, has searched for long lost knowledge to bring it into the light instead of some noble's hidden vault. When she is reached by the rumour of the pyramid of the Pharaoh of Sphinxes, she knows she needs others to help her win the race for the forgotten knowledge of the ancients, and together with her Sphinx of Wonder familiar Thoth she is ready for another adventure in the sands.
Backstory (200 words or less): Oblak worked for years as a bartender making ends meet and putting up with rowdy customers. The customers with too much to drink were simple enough to deal with by throwing them out on the street dodging and sloppily thrown fists. The customers that he struggled with the most were those who couldn’t be satisfied no matter what, always demanding to see his manager. Pushing down a rage that continued to grow he would put on a smile and get the manager. The day the rage boiled over came when a customer that always had an issue demanded to see a manager because the ale wasn’t full enough. Dumping the ale on the customers head before storming out Oblak ran into a party of adventurers needing some muscle so he joined up, finding a cathartic release in using an axe on anything in his way. After a few successful adventures the party went their separate ways with different ambitions, shortly after which Oblak learned about the recently discovered pyramid and has set off to join those looking to explore the tomb.
I have access to view the 2024 rule books but haven't purchased them yet for creating the character.
Hey folks—just checking in! We’re about halfway through recruitment. Very cool submissions So far! Recruitment continues through tomorrow and I’ll bring the group together on Thursday. Looking forward to playing with you!
Naiya_Verma, thanks for your submission! Unfortunately, it looks like you've chosen options (subclass, race, and background) not allowed. Player options are limited to only the 5.5 (2024) Player's Handbook. I can still consider your submission, but you'll ultimately need to choose options from the new book.
Character Name: Zahirah al-Ashari Class and Subclass: Druid (Circle of the Land) Race: Tiefling Background: Hermit Backstory: Zahirah al-Ashari was born in the vast desert of Osirion, where the shifting sands concealed the forgotten remnants of ancient civilizations. As a child, she was captivated by the ruins around her, feeling an innate connection to the land and its mysteries. Seeking deeper knowledge, she withdrew from society in her early adulthood, retreating to the harshest corners of the desert to meditate and study. For years, Zahirah lived alone in the desert’s isolation, immersing herself in the arcane forces that flowed beneath the sand. She communed with the spirits of the land and learned to wield the primal magic of the desert. During this time, she encountered a powerful desert spirit—an ancient being who had once ruled the land—and through their guidance, Zahirah’s connection to the desert deepened, awakening her druidic powers. In solitude, she uncovered cryptic prophecies and ancient secrets, one of which spoke of the Pharaoh of Sphinxes, an ancient ruler whose tomb had been buried for millennia. With the recent discovery of the pyramid, Zahirah believes it is her destiny to uncover its secrets. Leaving her hermitage behind, she now ventures into the wider world, guided by the desert’s magic and her thirst for ancient knowledge.
Backstory: Aziel was born under prophecy but abandoned to the streets. Surviving as a thief and smuggler, he learned that destiny meant nothing without power. Everything changed when he stole a golden scarab from a forgotten temple. That night, his dreams were filled with shifting sands, towering monuments, and the gaze of something ancient. When he awoke, his shadow whispered in a language he didn’t understand.
Now, whispers spread of a newly uncovered tomb—the resting place of the Pharaoh of Sphinxes, a ruler erased from history. Aziel’s visions have only grown stronger, calling him to the burial site. He doesn’t know if it's fate, a curse, or a trap, but he can’t ignore the pull. Somewhere within the tomb lies the truth behind the scarab’s power—and perhaps, the answer to the darkness creeping into his soul.
Jabril was raised on a farm by his father, a human soldier, and his mother, a Tiefling whom his father met while in the employ of a regional lord. His mother was killed in a minor lord's uprising when Jabril was 6. His father blamed himself for not protecting them enough, rejoining the army to crush the uprising before returning to raise Jabril. He did his best, but only really knew combat, farming, and very basic morals (which he followed strictly).
Jabril knew there was something lacking in the routine of work, train, rest, repeat, but his father was too hurt by his wife’s death to do any more. Jabril’s father eventually died of disease and various injuries when Jabril was 18. Since then he’s traveled, occasionally a guard or soldier, occasionally a student or a laborer, trying to figure out what he’s missing, searching for meaning in his life. The mysterious pyramid of the Pharaoh of Sphinxes intrigues him, and he hopes to find some greater knowledge there, lost in the sands of time.
Fair warning, this would be my first time playing DnD and PbP. I've had a good amount of exposure, but there's probably stuff I'm just not aware of.
The desert sands of Osirion conceal an untold number of ruins and tombs, lost to memory over the millennia-long span of the nation’s history. Even today, the fickle winds of sandstorms can reveal structures hitherto unknown for thousands of years, and seemingly untouched by time. Such unplundered tombs can be an archaeological windfall, but would-be explorers should exercise caution, for the pharaohs of old jealously guarded their possessions against intruders with traps, unliving guardians, and potent curses.
In the depths of the Osirian desert, a sandstorm has recently uncovered a mighty pyramid that was buried beneath the sand for ages. Lost for centuries, the pyramid has not yet revealed its secrets, but one crumbling papyrus scroll found in the Great Library of Tephu contains references to the tomb of an ancient Osirian king known only as the Pharaoh of Sphinxes. Word of the pyramid’s discovery has spread far and fast. Archaeologists, explorers, and tomb robbers from across the Inner Sea are gathering in Osirion’s taverns and inns to plan expeditions into the desert, each vying to be the first to plunder the tomb’s treasures.
Greetings! This is a short, one-shot dungeon crawl for level 3 PCs. Originally created for PF1e, I’ll be running it with the new DnD 5.5 ruleset! I’ll select 4-6 characters, depending. Since character options are limited to the new PHB, and not everyone has that book, you don’t have to have a character sheet completed for your application (although you certainly can). I’ll turn on content sharing with the campaign once the gang's together.
Character Creation Guidelines
Format
The game occurs across three formats. First, gameplay will be conducted on these boards in play-by-post format. Character Sheets will be maintained here as well. Second, Battlemaps and tokens will be handled with Roll20 (you’ll need an account, which is free to create). Third, all out-of-character discussion and certain resource management will take place via Discord chat. Frequent and regular use of Discord chat is therefore required. If you aren’t able or willing to use Discord, please skip this one.
Posting Expectations: 5+ posts per week. I am hoping for a fast-paced dungeon crawler. I am in US Eastern Time and am most active on weekdays.
Application
For your application, please provide the following info. Character backstories are limited to 200 words. No need to create a character sheet just yet.
Recruitment runs now through Wednesday, March 19. I'll make my selections on Thursday and the game will begin shortly after.
May you walk forever on golden sands.
His efforts to bring about the downfall of the Mayor didn't go unnoticed as it drew the attention of Hyrsam, Prince of Fools. The powerful Archfey saw potential in Mikki and offered to share some of the power of the Feywild with him through a warlock pact. Being like-minded and rebellious Mikki accepted the pact and gained the knowledge of ancient eldritch magics.
Character Name: Ophelia
Character Class and Subclass: Sorcerer (Wild Magic)
Race: High Elf
Background: Wayfarer
Backstory: (With apologies to Hamlet, Ozymandias, The Expanse, and Annihilation, and yes it's all one sentence on purpose).
Wild madness became Ophelia when first drifted the dreams swimmingly, swimmingly up, calling to her like starlings newly hatched, twisting and winding, the strangling fruit snaking through the shattered visage upon the sand to bring forth the the seeds of the dead and share with the worms who gather in darkness, surging, surging in the black water beneath the midnight sun, lies the Pharaoh dead and gone, my lady, dead and gone, at his head growingly, growingly grass-green turf, at his heels a stone, larded all with sweet flowers which bewept to the ground, blossoming, blossoming within the skull, expanding the mind beyond what any man can endure or woman bear, to reveal the fatal softness of the Earth, whence round the decay of that colossal Pyramid, boundless and bare, yet beckoning, beckoning to her, the lone and level sands stretch far, far away, sweets to which the sweet must stray.
Inge(Barbarian2):Krayveneer's After the Fall| Seri(Cleric1/Sorcerer1):Uhtred's Windward Isles| Xarian(Fighter2):NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(Cleric4):Vos' Beyond the Veil| Soren(Druid5):Bartjeebus' Ravenloft| Nivi(Rogue4):Raiketsu's CoS| Ophelia(Sorcerer4):Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(Fighter6):NotDrizzt's Simple Request| Toa(Barbarian6/Fighter4):MrWhisker's Dark Lord's Return| Sabetha(Monk3):Bedlymn's Murder Court
Name: Zephirah
(Sub-)Class: Glamour Bard
Species: Chthonic Tiefling
Background: Entertainer
Backstory (As sung by her in spoiler below):
In desert sands beneath darkened skies,
A child born where shadow lies.
Bound by chains no eyes could see,
Dancing slave to Hekate.
(A little girl whose voice enchants,
With beguiling eyes and graceful dance.)
Whispers taught by hag's own hand,
Magic born in Feywild land.
Draw them close, my child, my dear,
Sung in sweetness, steeped in fear.
(A little girl ...)
Then came heroes, blades of light,
Hekate slain beneath the night.
Yet frozen, silent, she could not fight,
Afraid to rise, afraid to strike.
(A little girl ...)
Chains fell shattered, spirit torn,
Haunted heart, guilt reborn.
Songs she sang now changed their tune,
Healing scars beneath the moon.
Now a bard, she walks anew,
In golden sands, her truth pursue.
Facing tombs and ancient fears,
Redeeming hope from silent tears.
(A little girl ...)
[Fading out]
A curse reclaimed, a heart set free,
A little girl sings her melody.
I'm away May 11 to 16 and might post sporadically (or not at all)
|| Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Valerian - Elf Rogue - Wildnis || b'Reh - Stig Cleric - Humblewood || Rowan - Halfling Giant - Runewarren || Khazela - Spiritfarer Dervish - Tribute || Arista - Frost Sorcerer - Old Keep || Zephirah - Demonic Bard - Sands || Merry - Gifted Surgeon - Short || Marasatra - Blood Mage - Avernus || Lan - Dwarf Dragon - Wuxian ||
Character Name: Satina Cindermark
Class and SubClass: Fighter, Champion
Race: Human
Background: Soldier
Backstory:
Satina was born into a well-off noble family, and she lived with them for many years. Yes, she was not nearly as clever as her siblings and sometimes tended to be clumsy. But she was strong and athletic and developed a number of talents in those areas. Suddenly though her life changed. She was thrown out and forced into service as a soldier. Just a basic soldier, forced to earn her own pay. All she ever knew was there was some dispute between her parents. A few whispers got to her that she was somehow different from her siblings. But she never really knew any real reasons. Having to support herself, she worked hard to develop her fighting skills and be a good soldier.
Recently though she has longed for something more than just the life of a soldier. She harbored hopes that her family would take her back one day. But a few encounters with some of her siblings in town convinced her otherwise. They completely shunned her and gave no sign of knowing her. She feels the need to head somewhere new. Hopefully she can gain some wealth and prestige that will eventually eclipse her parents' house.
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi ||
Neital Rhessil, Wizard || Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Satina Cindermark, Fighter || Meira Dheran, Rogue
Name: Nephthys
Race: Human
Class: Celestial Warlock
Background: Wayfarer
Backstory: Born into a tribe of desert dwelling bedouines, young Nephthys was her fathers jewel and great pride, learning early the life of the desert nomad. Then tragedy struck and the tribe crossed paths with a ruthless warlord. The battle was fierce but in the end only Nepththys survived and was left for dead. A ragtag band of tomb robbers found her as they scavanged for what was left in the bedouine encampment and they brought the young one with them to serve and send her into the smallest of crevices and the most dangerous of tombs. In a forgotten tomb deep into the Osirion desert she came upon an ancient tome that bore a sentience, a celestial entity of enlightenment that offered to set her free from her captors if she agreed to do it's bidding. Since then Nepthys, now a young woman, has searched for long lost knowledge to bring it into the light instead of some noble's hidden vault. When she is reached by the rumour of the pyramid of the Pharaoh of Sphinxes, she knows she needs others to help her win the race for the forgotten knowledge of the ancients, and together with her Sphinx of Wonder familiar Thoth she is ready for another adventure in the sands.
I have access to view the 2024 rule books but haven't purchased them yet for creating the character.
Hey folks—just checking in! We’re about halfway through recruitment. Very cool submissions So far! Recruitment continues through tomorrow and I’ll bring the group together on Thursday. Looking forward to playing with you!
Naiya_Verma, thanks for your submission! Unfortunately, it looks like you've chosen options (subclass, race, and background) not allowed. Player options are limited to only the 5.5 (2024) Player's Handbook. I can still consider your submission, but you'll ultimately need to choose options from the new book.
Character Name: Zahirah al-Ashari
Class and Subclass: Druid (Circle of the Land)
Race: Tiefling
Background: Hermit
Backstory:
Zahirah al-Ashari was born in the vast desert of Osirion, where the shifting sands concealed the forgotten remnants of ancient civilizations. As a child, she was captivated by the ruins around her, feeling an innate connection to the land and its mysteries. Seeking deeper knowledge, she withdrew from society in her early adulthood, retreating to the harshest corners of the desert to meditate and study.
For years, Zahirah lived alone in the desert’s isolation, immersing herself in the arcane forces that flowed beneath the sand. She communed with the spirits of the land and learned to wield the primal magic of the desert. During this time, she encountered a powerful desert spirit—an ancient being who had once ruled the land—and through their guidance, Zahirah’s connection to the desert deepened, awakening her druidic powers.
In solitude, she uncovered cryptic prophecies and ancient secrets, one of which spoke of the Pharaoh of Sphinxes, an ancient ruler whose tomb had been buried for millennia. With the recent discovery of the pyramid, Zahirah believes it is her destiny to uncover its secrets. Leaving her hermitage behind, she now ventures into the wider world, guided by the desert’s magic and her thirst for ancient knowledge.
Name: Aziel
Class and Subclass: Rogue (Thief)
Race: Aasimar
Background: Criminal
Backstory: Aziel was born under prophecy but abandoned to the streets. Surviving as a thief and smuggler, he learned that destiny meant nothing without power. Everything changed when he stole a golden scarab from a forgotten temple. That night, his dreams were filled with shifting sands, towering monuments, and the gaze of something ancient. When he awoke, his shadow whispered in a language he didn’t understand.
Now, whispers spread of a newly uncovered tomb—the resting place of the Pharaoh of Sphinxes, a ruler erased from history. Aziel’s visions have only grown stronger, calling him to the burial site. He doesn’t know if it's fate, a curse, or a trap, but he can’t ignore the pull. Somewhere within the tomb lies the truth behind the scarab’s power—and perhaps, the answer to the darkness creeping into his soul.
Character Sheet: https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/143513913/L5K48m
Jabril was raised on a farm by his father, a human soldier, and his mother, a Tiefling whom his father met while in the employ of a regional lord. His mother was killed in a minor lord's uprising when Jabril was 6. His father blamed himself for not protecting them enough, rejoining the army to crush the uprising before returning to raise Jabril. He did his best, but only really knew combat, farming, and very basic morals (which he followed strictly).
Jabril knew there was something lacking in the routine of work, train, rest, repeat, but his father was too hurt by his wife’s death to do any more. Jabril’s father eventually died of disease and various injuries when Jabril was 18. Since then he’s traveled, occasionally a guard or soldier, occasionally a student or a laborer, trying to figure out what he’s missing, searching for meaning in his life. The mysterious pyramid of the Pharaoh of Sphinxes intrigues him, and he hopes to find some greater knowledge there, lost in the sands of time.
Fair warning, this would be my first time playing DnD and PbP. I've had a good amount of exposure, but there's probably stuff I'm just not aware of.
Thanks everyone for your submissions! I really enjoyed them all. I have contacted the selected players. I'll reach out if there's another opening.