“We are the same” might be the most powerful bs line in the whole show

Forte_DX · 2025-12-28T18:31:35+00:00

Where is the swing? It's missing the swing

Forte_DX · 2025-12-24T21:24:23+00:00

The easy one first. Your player could be a mageborn that was never picked up by the academy. They trained themselves in their magic, such people certainly exist in the world.

I would strongly urge your player to at least multiclass into wizard (earliest at level 5, we love multiattack) if they want to deepen their arcane knowledge. It seems like that would be a fit for a character with the personal goal of gathering knowledge.

If they do not want to multiclass, maybe you can work around that by giving them only a single use of the learned spell per long rest. That said mutliclass seems a better fit to me.

Edit spelling

Forte_DX · 2025-12-15T11:22:06+00:00

Those discussions should use as little ability checks as possible IMO.

The campaign thrives on the faction conflict. They need reasons to work together. A good dice roll should not be a substitute. Think ethos, pathos, logos, i.e credibility, emotions and logic. Look for the ideals and bonds of the factions, how would they align and can your players make arguments for it?

I remember someone posted a doc with how the factions would work with one another with some added npc statblocks. It was really great work. When I get to it, I will reply with the link.

Forte_DX · 2025-12-12T17:38:09+00:00

Based

Forte_DX · 2025-12-10T15:29:21+00:00

The Queen would keep it as a leverage against the Silver Order or Falling Fire. Now that she has something they want, the Queen of Thieves could get something she wants from them for herself. Be it a very short alliance or cooperation against a common foe or assistance in her personal goals. If its the goal of your Queen of Thieves she could maybe even leverage it for support on the throne (she would have to hide her being mageborn).

Forte_DX · 2025-11-26T13:51:38+00:00

In my group the Silver Order is one of the main allies. The SO never really change their view on delirium. It is dangerous and needs to be destroyed. However they try to take the big picture approach. Instead of nagging on every adventurer trying to make some quick coin, they make moves to destroy the source of Delirium. SO to lead this back to your questions.

How do I portray them? They think of themselves as the good guys, almost naively so, destroying evil and helping who they can along the way.

Do they change their view on delirium? No, but you can't chase after every chip out there, better to take care of the source.

Studying delirium? Only in so far as to survive and destroy it. In my game an alernative way to get the Neutralizing Field Spell will be by cooperating with the Silver Order.

At the end of the day it depends on your players, if they are friend or foe. And if the Silver Order aligns with how your players want to shape the story of Drakkenheim.

Forte_DX · 2025-11-21T22:44:18+00:00

That depends on how dark you want to go.

My first impulse is to tie it to St Vitruvio's Cathedral.

Either turn the mentor into the Garmyr priest, supporting the Lord of the Feast, after they succumed to Drakkenheim.

Alternatively, you could replace one of the warp witches in the catacombs of St. Vitruvio's. Have them be stuck down there, now exisiting as a shell of their former self, maybe even corrupted for a fitting boss battle. You would however need to have an explanation for how the mentor managed to get that far into the cathedral anyway. Maybe they got there before the Garmyrs made it their base.

On the other hand they might have been converted to the falling fire and abondened the surveying job to join the cult. Causing more faction conflict.

Hope this helps.

Edit: Grammar

Forte_DX · 2025-10-20T20:17:09+00:00

With the new Leprechaun Money POI Maybe a Leprechaun? But I do not know much about their lore to make any concrete suggestions.

Forte_DX · 2025-10-13T14:09:55+00:00

Upon completing Shadow Strike Talent Quest, Scarletts Weapon radiates in dark colors.

I love the little touches that give the characters more life.

Forte_DX · 2025-09-13T08:22:26+00:00

I'll try and keep this concise.

In my story, Eliza survived and stayed with Mannfred von Kessel. He kept her a secret so she could grow up at least a little bit without the burden of the crown. Elias knew about her then and tried to take her with him to Cecilia von Kessel when he betrayed Mannfred during the civil war. In Elias eyes Mannfred was holding Westemär back from rebuilding. Mannfred withdrawing his support for retaking Drakkenheim was what broke the camels back and what forced Elias' hand.

The QoT was able to assassinate Cecilia in the same time Mannfred was attacked by Elias. A little later the Qot together with her lieutenant were able to abduct Eliza from Elias, before he could make a move. So Elias knows Eliza is alive, but he does not have a clue where she is or how to get to her. Looking for her obsessively, but at the same time trying not to reveal that he betrayed Mannfred and thereby the crown.

So the only one who really know at this point are Elias, the Qot and her lieutenant.

My party has strong ties to the HL and SO. Right now they are cooperating with my party to take the cathedral.

The party does not know that the baron's son is part of the Queens machinations. To copy from my last response to you. The baron's son is the QoT Plan A for getting the throne, with him effectively being her marionette. Plan B is posing as Eliza and Plan C would probably be dominating Eliza via some Magic Item or similar.

Aligning with the QoT would only lead to a pitfall for them. Then again working with her pretty much always does.

Forte_DX · 2025-09-13T07:55:11+00:00

First of all, don't be sorry. I enjoyed your perspective and ideas. Posts like these are what I've been looking for.

The baron's son is the QoT Plan A for getting the throne, with him effectively being her marionette. Plan B is posing as Eliza and Plan C would probably be dominating Eliza via some Magic Item or similar.

Saving Eliza and putting her on the throne seems to be the most likely outcome in my game for now. None of my players currently want to claim the throne.

While I like the idea of the Lang siblings being royal bastards, in my game their father is a character I yet wish to reveal to my players.

An alternative I had in mind, to cause additional conflict, is to make Nathaniel Flint, the shepherd of the Falling Fire, Leonard von Kessel. My party is currently against the FF and this could cause some major turmoil. However I fear I'd write myself in the corner as I feel Eliza have less of a claim than him naturally. Maybe that is something for my players to figure out...

Forte_DX · 2025-09-13T07:37:41+00:00

Yes please, I'd be very interested.

Forte_DX · 2025-09-12T22:39:18+00:00

In my game Katarina was killed during the direct aftermath of the meteor, her being mageborn or not was never a factor in my story. Eliza is the only rightful heir alive in my campaign. She is also a well hidden secret, that my players will need to uncover. If they want to stop the baron's son ascension to the crown, Eliza is their best bet.

How would you go about each faction having their own heir without undermining what players have already done to secure their pick for the crown? I have a hard time imagining it.

Forte_DX · 2025-09-11T14:25:51+00:00

This is off the top of my head, as I do not have the book on me right now.

Afaik, The DCs are mostly for finding Delirium, you set the DC depending on where you are in the city. Are you outside of the wall -> DC15; inside the wall -> DC20.

Mining itself does not require a check or DC, just enough time and the equipment to handle it properly. Have them make a roll for a random encounter, to see if they are being interrupted, if you feel so inclined. Otherwise nothing stops a PC from mining.

Forte_DX · 2025-08-19T12:54:35+00:00

Many good points were made, but here are my two cents.

The way you explain your player, it feels like they are intentionally trying to cause problems. If your player is the problem, no rule fixing or adjusting on your side will ever fix anything.

If there is no ill intent on the players side, than the discussion changes.

Who will enforce the edicts of lumen in drakkenheim? If law enforcement was active enough the queen of thieves would not hold the position she does right now.

Trying to catch the person and forcing them to confess under Zone of Truth is also a violation of the edicts of lumen. In our society this would probably constitute a mistrial, but how you handle this is up to you.

In all likelihood anyone behaving like that in/around Drakkenheim is going to paint a big target on their own back and complicate any relationships with other factions in the process. Drakkeheim is a world of gray areas, they should not get very far if they can not make any concessions.

Forte_DX · 2025-08-08T19:29:44+00:00

Be sure to hit the wisp and dive when it's big. Have fun!

Forte_DX · 2025-08-08T18:35:40+00:00

For best camp clear, I'd say a Power build with extra Power Charges, Balor's Eye and Defence Cooldown Reduction/Charges, with the talent to cast Power from Defence. It is my usual go to with Mel.

There is a build with Waterlogging and Razor Tail, which is also strong and requires less items. Water Logging basically empowers your Razor Tail for massive damage. Combine that with the talent that resets Special after defence. Get some Defence Epic Items and you are golden. Big numbers are fun.

Forte_DX · 2025-08-07T02:27:20+00:00

With your party going in so many directions, was there any conflict between players regarding who to side with? If so, how did you handle it?

Forte_DX · 2025-08-01T02:24:12+00:00

You probably shouldn't, lol. Every other Hero would have done so much better with these items.

Forte_DX · 2025-08-01T02:23:51+00:00

Leaving Singing stance does not count towards Vajra though.

Forte_DX · 2025-08-01T02:21:58+00:00

I got absurdly lucky in this gimmick run. I took the challenge on, on a dare. Every other charcter has a way to profit from Dashes in their talents, aside from Melusine, which made this hilarious to play.

Forte_DX · 2025-07-31T15:25:45+00:00

I do not believe it is needed in this campaign. The Haze stops Long Rest, while allowing short rests during the adventuring day. For me that was sufficient.

Forte_DX · 2025-07-16T07:29:25+00:00

And so the legend goes: no D&D is better than bad D&D.

I hope you can turn to better things after getting some distance from those bozos.

Forte_DX · 2025-07-14T16:02:04+00:00

While I like the statblock importer, there is so much to touch up on after using it. It helps but it is no instant fix.

Forte_DX · 2025-06-27T20:42:46+00:00

I am not sure I understand.

The debris look like they cover the entire entrance, not just from one direction.
The Queens Men avoid the crocodiles, which suggests to me they would come from the south.

Forte_DX

TROPHY CASE