It’s been a while but i’m finally running a Dungeons and Dragons campaign again. It’s just over a year since the last time I ran or played in a game after some upheaval in my personal life I’m finally back playing again.
What’s the campaign all about?
I’m running a modified pre-published adventure, The Shattered Obelisk: Phandelver and below. The adventure is set in the Sword coast in Faerûn of the Forgotten Realms. I’ve ran several campaigns on the Sword Coast before and will be using a few modifications to the standard Faerûn lore.
Nothing major, just some faction and NPC changes which came about as of previous campaigns. The Shattered Obelisk begins largely using the Lost mines of Phandelver which was part of the original 5th edition starter set. I have ran this before a long time ago but none of the existing campaign party have played it before…as far as I know.
A Re-learning curve
For my online games i use a mix of Discord and Foundry with characters made in DnD Beyond. It’s been over a year since the last time I ran a game and it’s been almost 2 years since I had a new campaign to set up and apparently I can’t remember how everything works in Foundry.
I’ve spent a good chuck of the last couple of weeks trying things and tweaking settings to get things just right and I am sure i’ll be spending some time before the next session changing things.
Who is Playing?
There are curerntly 5 players playing and a couple more which will be joining in the near future. 7 Players is a lot and it tends to slow down cmbat and make it harder to balance but my games often seem to grow to 6 or 7 players, occasionally 8. As long as everyone is having fun, that’s all that matters. The current 5 are:
Kran
Kran is a Dwarven Fighter. Kran and his brother Nokk have spent years traveling the land, working as bodyguards for various high-profile individuals, from politicians and merchants to even minor royals. Their most recent client was an ambitious mage named Nezznar. One night, while Kran was on guard duty outside Nezznar’s private apartments, a loud commotion erupted from within. Kran, knowing his brother was inside discussing the next day’s plans with the mage, broke down the locked door with other guards. The room was empty except for Nokk’s axe and shield, and Nezznar’s wand. A faint trace of magic lingered, but a search revealed only a letter addressed to Nezznar, with the simple words “I know who you are”
Desperate to find his missing brother and client, Kran, with no other leads, than a passing comment from Nezznar mentioning Phandalin, Kran hopes to find some clue as to what happened and where they might have gone. He fears the worst, given the threatening letter and the sudden disappearance of both his brother and the mage.
Durik Greybane
Durik, a halfling ranger from the Crystalvein Enclave, discovered a dark artifact called the Shadow Veil, which left him with a physical scar. Raised by his grandmother, Elsira Gemweaver, Durik has a strong connection to nature and a faithful panther companion, Moonshadow. Despite being ostracized by some in his clan because of the mark, he initially sought acceptance. However, realizing the danger the Shadow Veil posed to his grandmother, he chose to leave the enclave to protect her.
Driven by his grandmother’s wisdom and the desire to find a cure, Durik embarks on a quest for redemption. His journey is not only a search for a cure but also a journey of self-discovery, where he must balance the allure of the Shadow Veil’s power with his commitment to protecting others. Drawing strength from Moonshadow, his grandmother’s lessons, and new friendships, Durik strives to uphold his family’s legacy while forging his own destiny.
Geffwyn aka “Patch”
“Patch” is a Human Fighter, a 22-year-old drover, grew up learning the trade from a young age, managing livestock and navigating the dangers of the road. By 14, he was experienced in handling animals and threats, earning his nickname from the frequent bandages he wore. Though not one to instigate violence, Patch is skilled in using his whip and tactics to resolve conflict. His itinerant lifestyle has instilled in him an easygoing charm, a bawdy sense of humor, and a wealth of stories, making him a popular figure among fellow drovers, merchants, and tavern regulars.
Patch works independently, taking on various droving jobs or acting as a guard. While respected for his skills, his stubbornness and tendency to encounter trouble have earned him a reputation as “bad luck.” He is wiry and weathered, with a lean build and a young face marked by scars and stubble. A unique quirk of his is collecting a small token at the start of each journey – a rock, feather, bead, or coin – which he carries until the journey’s end, using it as a form of fortune-telling and a symbolic way to close the loop of travel. He carries a pouch of tokens from journeys he didn’t finish or couldn’t let go of.
Vaelen Lightbloom
Vaelen is an Elven Cleric. Vaelen Lightbloom grew up on a small farm in a village near a sacred grove. The light of Lathander, the Morninglord, blessed the land, making it warm and fertile. Vaelen felt a special connection to the sunlight from a young age, using their developing powers to heal animals, protect crops, and help the earth. This peaceful life was shattered when raiders attacked, destroying Vaelen’s family farm. Although their light protected the villagers from total destruction, the peace they knew was gone.
With their home ruined, Vaelen felt Lathander calling them to travel beyond their village and groves. They were to understand the true purpose of their divine gift. Now, Vaelen travels the world, sharing the Morninglord’s light. They yearn to restore balance and peace, heal the land and its people, and discover the divine mission Lathander has for them.
Dredd Liverking
Dredd is a Goliath Monk with a Nihilistic attitude to life and a relentless urge to keep moving and find the next drink. Dredd found himself washed up on the shores of the Sword Coast surrounded by the wreckage of the ship The Iron Wraith. What happened to the ship to cause the wreckage and what happened to the crew did they mutiny or did something more sinister befall them.
His wanderings led him to the Order of the Hollow Wind, a crumbling monastery perched on a cliff overlooking the sea. These monks embraced nihilism not as despair, but as freedom: existence has no purpose, so one must seize their own. Their teachings sharpened Dredd’s mind as their training honed his body into a tempest of muscle and will. Yet, his sailor’s restlessness—forged in the lawless churn of the ocean—clashed with their quiet ways. He left the monastery, craving action over stillness, determined to defy the indifferent cosmos with deeds of reckless good.
Isn’t that a bit melee heavy?
A little bit yeah. It will be interesting to see how the group manage range threats. The first aprt of the adventure is relatively straught forward and who knows by the time they start to arrive at the tougher encounters the other 2 players may have joined and could offer more ranged support. I say may because i have no idea what they are going to play yet.
How did the session go?
It went ok, not stellar but everyone seemed to enjoy it. updates to foundry and me forgetting things made it less smooth than it could have been but it’s been a while since we played. So i have 2 weeks to make sure everyones backstory is tied into the campaign and make sure the session runs smoothly.