Story and Concept Ideas for D&D

Coming next week to DMs Guild - GODSEND - The Death of Gods as a Narrative Tool in Theros and Beyond

Hey everyone, I’m excited to announce that my next DMs Guild title will be released next week! Godsend is a piece that looks at how to tell stories focused around the deaths of gods, in Theros and other D&D settings.

Inside you’ll find rules for the weapon Godsend from the Theros setting, a simple mechanic system for representing a character killing a god, and loads of suggestions of what a god’s death does to the world. All this is accompanied with stunning mosaic-style art by @stickyhunter​​!

Look out for Godsend next week on Dungeon Masters Guild! 

Lumi Medium humanoid, lawful neutral Armor Class 19 (plate, shield) Hit Points 26 (4d8 + 8) Speed 30 ft. Str 13, Dex 8, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 10 Damage Immunities necrotic, radiant Condition Immunities blinded Senses darkvision 60 ft. passive Perception 12 Languages - Challenge 1 (200 XP) Illumination. The lumi sheds bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light in an additional 10 feet. Floating Head. The lumi’s head floats a few inches above its shoulders. It can’t be decapitated. Innate Spellcasting. The lumi’s spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 12). The lumi can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: At will: light 3/day each: cure wounds Actions Multiattack. The lumi makes two melee attacks. Morningstar. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d8+1) bludgeoning damage.

These radiant warriors hail from the Positive Energy Plane, where they live in glowing tower-cities built from glass, worshiping the cleansing and revealing power of light. They are known for their candor and expect the same from others. There is nothing the lumi despise more than lying. They will ally themselves with good-aligned creatures in quests to destroy negative-associated creatures such as undead or necromancers, but their strict morality controls their behavior, and they will not hesitate to slaughter those who defy it. The lumi consider the Material Plane to be a plane full of liars, and wish to invade and cleanse the place of deceivers. They do not yet have an army capable of such a thing, but their numbers are growing. 

The faint rose-dusted blush that graced onto Prili’s cheeks was obvious to everyone but the tall orcish woman who had unwittingly brought it about.

“It seems to hurt whenever I try to flex it…” she mumbled, flexing her bicep and wincing softly at the subsequent shocks of pain.

Prili gave a little nervous cough and walked over to her patient to look at the arm. Her petite gnomish fingers, nervous but fairy soft, traced over the defined bicep presented.

“A-ah, Miss Saurfang, Or Agga, Or uh– well it seems to be a pulled muscle,” Prili managed to squeak out.

This was the third day this week that Agrob Saurfang walked into her humble office in the Labor District of Waterdeep, each day she presented with some small ailment whether it be headache, muscle pain, what have you. And Miss Saurfang’s visits hadn’t gone unnoticed. Each time she came in, sheepishly asking to see “Lady Prili”, the younger half-elf nurse that Prili hired, Lænia, would be privy to a very entertaining show of “Lady Prili” coming out personally to blush furiously, stutter some diagnosis, and inviting her into the back room for a prayer to Mishikal and treatment. Lænia’s grin deepened as Prili continued.

“So if you’ll follow me back here, uh, um, Miss Saurfang, I have a prayer, and I can-well..” Prili gave up on talking and simply held the door open to her office.

Agga walked right into the office and, once the door shut behind them, she spun around and pulled Prili up into her arms. Prili squeaked in mild shock, but instinctively let herself cling to Agga’s neck.

“I thought I said you could call me Agga…” she mumbled softly, pressing her cheek into Prili’s sweet-smelling vestments.

“S-sorry..hey wait!” Prili said suddenly, “I thought you said your arm hurt?”

Agga glanced away to avoid Prili’s look, “It does.. I wanted to hold you more…”

Agga’s face burned, but in turn, so did Prili’s. They hugged briefly if only to hide their blushes from one another, but ultimately, Prili pulled away and asked to be put down.

“Well let me take a look..” Prili said, motioning Agga to sit down on a little chair.

Obediently, Agga submitted to another examination, letting Prili touch her arm, and feeling the muscle while distending and flexing the bicep. Her light touch felt like the lightest gossamer silk woken together into the most beautiful tapestry of majestic golds and blues. Normally, Agrob wasn’t a very vain woman. She didn’t own a mirror in her little room at the boardhouse, and she only really paid attention to the growing number of ancestral tattoos growing on her arms and chest. When the Lady Prili touched her, however, she wanted so badly for Lady Prili to be impressed. How she secretly hoped Prili felt her muscles and thought they were nice. Agga wanted Prili to think that she was nice. She was pleased when Prili lingered on the curve of muscle, or traced old scars with her little delicate fingers.

After a thorough investigation, Prili began her prayer. Sung in celestial, Prili’s prayer floated on the air and completely captivated Agga. It was always so overwhelming to hear her super high angelic voice. She was beautiful and full of life, and Agga couldn’t help but gaze in admiration.

When she finished her song, Prili let the notes offer a healing word to Agga. Trying the range of motion again, Prili looked up into Agga’s eyes and asked, “Was that helpful?”

“..Yes, thank you so much, my lady.” Agga said in her gravely intonation.

Prili, seemingly feeling a little emboldened, looked up with a little smile. “I thought I told you to call me Prili?”

“Hello stranger. Keen on browsing an old traveler’s wares? Just prepared five new plot hooks this week. *Opens trench coat* Take a look.”

***

1) While walking through the city, you hear the blood curdling scream of a woman on the far side of the block. Upon your arrival, there are already two guards on site, staring down at a commoner who is frantically grasping at cobblestone street. When asked what has happened, she has little more to say but the following: “My son William…He fell. I saw him fall. Straight through the ground…I swear it. Oh God William.”

***

2) Reports of a bizarre though rather benign phenomenon has made its way across the countryside. It seems as though a small forest on the outskirts of a humble mountain town has seen some… changes: For the past few months, the trees have started to take on the shape of animals and people, and hunters claim this strange procession of natural statues leads deeper into the woods for miles and miles.

***

3) No one ‘used’ to complain about the rickety old tavern by the docks. However, for the past few months, ever since it has come under new management, those who work there refuse to quit; ever. Neither friends nor family can compel them to stop working there, even if the pay is abysmal. It’s one thing to like a job: It’s another to be obsessed with it…

***

4) Something strange and dark has been seen wandering through the woods. No one knows what it is, because…well… no one has gotten a good look at it. It is said that you can only catch a glimpse of it in the corner of your eye, because the very instant you glance at it directly, it disappears. Nevertheless, from the various reports, there is at least a common descriptor: it walks on four legs, and only appears during the full moon.

***

5) During a procession, whispers of gossip reach your ears as you listen to a bard announce the birthday celebration of the King and Queen’s soon to be one year-old daughter. The whispers seem to hint at the fact that the baby actually went missing for over a week many months ago, before ultimately being discovered by a hunter in a circle of flowers in the forest. While some claim it to be an ill omen, one thing is for certain: The Royal family is willing to pay a handsome reward to those who are capable of silencing the naysayers once and for all…

***

Pickpocketing v1.2

The Initiative Tree

I just showed up to my buddy’s house for our weekly D&D Night, and he pulled out this awesome creation that he built.

Lodestone Marauder  Large aberration, unaligned Armor Class 19 (natural armor)   Hit Points 115 (11d10 + 55)   Speed 30 ft., burrow  20 ft., climb  20 ft.   Str 23, Dex 13, Con 21, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 8 Senses darkvision 60 ft. passive Perception 11   Languages -   Challenge 8 (3900 XP)  

Magnetic Defense. Melee weapon attacks made against a lodestone marauder have disadvantage if the weapon used to make the attack is made from metal.   –Actions– Multiattack. The lodestone marauder makes three attacks: two with its claws, and one with its bite.   Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d8+6) piercing damage.   Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d6+6) slashing damage.   Magnetic Attraction (Recharge 5-6). The lodestone marauder creates a pulse of magnetic energy, drawing metal objects towards it. Each creature within 30 feet who is wearing metal armor or is holding a metal object (such as a weapon for example) must succeed a DC 15 Strength saving throw.  On a failure, creatures holding something metal have those objects pulled from their grasp, sticking to the lodestone marauder’s body, and creatures wearing metal armor are pulled 5 feet closer toward the lodestone marauder. A creature adjacent to the lodestone marauder can use an action to pull a metal object off of its body by succeeding at a DC 15 Strength check.  

Lodestone marauders are aberrations that wander the wastelands, hungry for flesh and metal. It is rumored that, long ago, they were bred as guardians, and some still serve that purpose. However, most have escaped into the wild. Lodestone marauders eat metal, in a way similar to rust monsters, and it usually has several objects stuck to its carapace, from which it feeds. It stands about 10 feet tall, weighing in at around 3,500 pounds. Its bulky body can sometimes be heard creaking as it moves, and its rusty carapace is covered in jagged spikes.

For when you want some variety for your tabletop RPG.  These events will also give your players a chance to use character skills they don’t often have opportunities for.

Natural Disaster - Have the town the PCs are in catch on fire and see what they do!  Do they cut their losses and run?  Do they heroically try to save trapped townspeople?  What do they do about the aftermath?  Natural disasters are an interesting challenge because there can be lots of danger and drama without necessarily having a villain.  It may also get your PCs to use skills they don’t commonly have a chance to.  You could also try floods, earthquakes, raging storms while at sea, etc.

Powerful Fortress - Put one of your party’s goals in a location where they won’t be able to prevail through combat alone (Example: a fortress where they are vastly outnumbered).  Your players will have to rely on either stealth or guile (or both) to accomplish their goal.  The pacing of such events can be frustrating to some players, but few sessions are as rewarding as a creatively executed heist or infiltration.

Dangerous Crossing - Give them a dangerous physical obstacle to overcome.  A canyon, or a raging river, or quicksand or an old battleground littered with traps and mines.

Festival - Have the PCs encounter a festival or tournament!  With lots of contests! This could be a good opportunity for them to build their fame and fortune (especially if you allow gambling).  Some of my favorite sessions have involved festivals.

Entertainment - Put the PCs in a situation where they have to entertain someone.  What do they come up with?

Letter - Have one of the PCs receive a letter, either from an NPC they’ve dealt with before or from someone involved with their backstory.  This is a good way to make the consequences of their actions seem more real.  You can also use it to introduce new plotlines/sidequests.

Crafting Challenge - Put the PCs in a situation where they need to craft something in order to accomplish their goal.  Maybe they need to make something in order to fix a mechanism?  Or in order to satisfy some local gift-giving custom?  Or they need a forgery?  Maybe as part of an exchange for something else they need?

Lost and Found - Have your PCs discover someone or something that is clearly lost.  Maybe they find an infant in the wilderness.  Or a key with a strange inscription, or some kind of talisman.  Throw in a clue or two to present your players with a tantalizing mystery.  

Inhospitable Wilderness - Have the PCs go somewhere it’s an effort just to survive.  A barren desert, a treacherous swamp with poison gasses, a forest so dense the ground never sees the sun, or even the bottom of the ocean.  Test their endurance and survival skills!

Dinner Party - Have the PCs be summoned to a formal event!  Test them on the battlegrounds of social grace and etiquette!  Even better if it’s in a dangerous environment or an alien culture.

Thief - Have something important stolen from the PCs.  See how they handle it.

Needle in a Haystack - Give the PCs something very difficult to find.  Like a single specific housecat in a sprawling metropolis, or a legendary weapon of which there are many fakes/copies.