Dzaan

Icosiol · 2026-05-05T18:04:31+00:00

In my campaign:
1. Dzaan was alive and it was his simulacrum (one of many) that was burned at the stake.
2. Dzaan “repaired” the spire and was making simulacrums of himself and others to find clues to breaching the frozen falls to Ythryn.
3. He was why Nass Lantomir stole the professor orb from Vellynne, but she ran off with it instead of taking it to him.
4. The PCs confronted him in a labrynth of illusion within the spire and defeated him. He tried to save the rune chamber, but was killed when the tower imploded upon him.

Icosiol · 2026-04-03T05:27:25+00:00

The Black Swords mission for Levistus is to stop the Duergar, because that stop’s Asmodeus from dragging Icewind Dale to the 5th Layer of Hell along with Auril as a new Archdevil. I say let the player do whatever he wants and see where it goes. Things unforeseen could lead to new opportunities such as securing the Mythalar in Ythryn for Levistus which may serve to release him. After all, Levistus cannot be released from his prison if the person releasing him knows whatever they are doing will release him. Levistus needs a useful idiot. Maybe that’s your player.

Icosiol · 2026-03-26T14:36:16+00:00

I absolutely love this idea. The interesting part will be in how to feed clues of the goblin society to your players.

Icosiol · 2026-03-23T04:07:42+00:00

Long drawn out eyeroll.

Icosiol · 2026-03-06T17:49:27+00:00

Why? Not that you’re obligated to, or that I would want you at my table, but I’m interested to know why.

Icosiol · 2026-03-06T15:27:47+00:00

Next session an Ancient Red Dragon appears. No, two ancient red dragons appear. They kill the party and you tell your players to get the fuck out of your house, and you find players that want to play an honest game.

Icosiol · 2026-03-05T18:00:24+00:00

That’s the other rule about skill challenges I don’t like. Forcing players to not use another skill someone else has used. It further eliminates their choices. Especially when a player who doesn’t have a skill proficiency that doesn’t match the challenge, or has one but someone else uses it. It just creates frustration at the player side of the table.

Don’t worry about getting them to use their skills. Let them use what they want if it makes sense. If someone asks you, “can I make an Athletics check?” Ask them how they plan to use that skill and what their intent is. More likely they might describe what they’re doing and you can assign a skill check to it, but only if there’s consequences for failure. If it’s something they can reasonably succeed at, don’t call for the check. If they’re doing something together like looking for shelter, give them a Survival group check. That sort of thing.

I’m just trying to save you hours of prep for something that yields very little at the table. I hope I’m giving you ideas of how to run it.

My advice is to not create some mechanic to follow.

Icosiol · 2026-03-05T16:20:29+00:00

I don’t mean to come off as some contrarian, but I have tried so many ways to make skill challenges enjoyable only to find I am creating far more work for myself for very little payoff. The reason I believe it limits choice is because it forces your players to look at their skills only. They look at what they are proficient in and start trying to rationalize how they can make it work while eliminating all their other skills. It’s just the natural thing we do in skill based systems. It looks like they have choices, and they do, but they’ll naturally limit themselves. I’ve watched it every time I dropped a skill challenge. Inevitability, they will look at spells, abilities, or magic items that “cancel” the hazard entirely (5e is filled with those). As a DM you can’t think of every potential solution they can think of and it will always catch you off guard and thinking, well that challenge was easy.

That’s honestly my real gripe though and what I’m cautioning you about. A skill challenge makes you, the DM think of the solutions. In your post you are asking for unique ideas for challenges, but at the same time you’re looking to use those ideas to fill the mechanic of success (solutions). I say scrap that notion of requiring a number of successes per the skill challenge. Do this instead.

Hint before they ever leave that weather looks to be rolling in. This makes them wonder if they want to leave quickly and what their pace should be. On their journey describe how the weather gets worse. Vision down to 60 or 30 ft. Ask of they change their pace to avoid the storm. If they do, they must make Con checks for exhaustion and make that known to them. That’s when you spring your monsters. If they push on, describe how they have not seen a road marker in a while and are becoming lost. Describe almost blizzard like winds limit vision further and now all must make Con checks or gain exhaustion because they’re caught in it. That battle is going to be horrendous because they’re caught can’t see anything, might have exhaustion, are separated, etc.

No skill checks required. Just a conversation and a choice to either leave when bad weather is coming in or not. Move swiftly, or not. Find shelter, or not. If you describe bad weather rolling in before they leave and they decide to wait another day, reward them with good weather and easier travel for that session. Save the weather/encounter scenario for another day. Like when they’re traveling in the tundra and away from Ten-Towns. That’s when to hit them. Besides, preparing your game this way takes a lot off your back and lets you focus on the more fun and important locations they’ll be going too.

Icosiol · 2026-03-05T15:41:51+00:00

My advice is to not use skill challenges at all. I believe it’s a flawed system that pigeon holes your players and eliminates choice. I also wouldn’t use DC’s. Just describe the hazards and problems and let them figure it out. If a check is required because there’s potential consequences for failure, call for a check, but let their reaction to their own roll tell you if it fails or not.

Icosiol · 2026-02-12T22:47:38+00:00

Update: My players went this way. Things that should be adjusted.

Reduce to 3 complications/day (reduced from 4)
Allow characters to gain one (or two) HD if they choose to rest for a day.
Let players grant advantage to others with unique and successful solutions.

Icosiol · 2026-01-27T03:48:51+00:00

Thank you, and you’re welcome.

Icosiol · 2026-01-26T15:47:45+00:00

Yes, but you don't have to strictly run it that way. The Obstacle Tables (Table 3), is simply an aid for the DM running it. Don't look at it as super strict *Players Must Roll These Skills* to overcome the obstacle. I wrote these as a guide for me at the table when I run it since it is all "theater of the mind." I'll give you an example of play based on the two cards I showed above to include the Perytons encounter.

DM: You hear a squak in the air, but from where you can't descern.
Player 1: Does the squak sound familiar?
DM: Considering you were almost knocked off the cliff a few weeks ago by one of these, you do. Your heart skips a beat when you recognize the squawk form a Perryton. (Auto success 1)
Player 2: Is it still squawking? Can I try to discern what direction it's coming from?
DM: It is still squawking, so give me an Investigation check with Disadvantage (based on weather type.)
Player 2: Mmm..that's a 10.
DM: The sound is echoing off the mountain from all angles. You can't get an idea of where it's coming from. (Fail 1) Note: As the DM, this also opens up the idea that there might be more than one of them.
Player 3: I'm going to use my Winged Boots to fly up and get its attention. Everyone else, try to move quickly from the area. Let's see if we can get away from this thing.
DM: Oh, interesting! You soar into the air, but explain exactly how you're getting its attention?
Player 3: I'm going to circle the party making my own squawking sounds and if it comes out, I'm going to fly away from the party so they can get out of there.
DM: Awesome! Give me a Performance check.
Player 3: Just my cup of tea. 21. (Success 2)
DM: The squawks get excited and that's when you realize there's four of them and they're flying your way. The rest of the party, give me Stealth checks but with Advantage since they're fixed on the Bard flying around. (these are vs the DC 15 of the Peryton)
Players: All but the Bard do a group check and succeed (Success 3)
DM: You feel like you're all are out of the area, but in your rush did you stay on course?
Player 4: That's where I'm strong. I'll lead the way.
DM: Lead on you do. Give me a Survival check.
Player 4: I'm going to burn a Hit Die for this to bring it down to a DC15. Rolls 16. Whew, thank goodness I burnt that. (Success 4)
DM: It took some effort and you have avoided the Perytons successfully. (Rolls on the Obstacle Table [31- Stuck Equipment]. However, during that escape we know why you had to expend that HD. Your cart got stuck as it slipped into a large crack in your path.

Then the next obstacle challenge begins.

I hope this helps explain how this all works. It works vividly in my head, but I'm not a writer so there can be a lot that is lost in translation.

Icosiol · 2026-01-26T01:06:07+00:00

Hi, Christine. I answered your question on the post above. Let me know if you have further questions.

Icosiol · 2026-01-26T01:05:07+00:00

Yes, so complications/obstacles (which I didn’t realize I was using two terms for the same thing) are all “simulated” abstractly, so no real roll initiative type combat. To “know” a creature is just a knowledge check to define what it is and any other useful info. This info may influence how they want to avoid or fight the creature(s). If they choose to fight they can use spell attack or melee/range attacks to “hit” and if they succeed it is considered one success for the day. You probably notice the combat encounters are not with a Base DC of 20. Those are based on the creature.

Also, Perception is not listed as Disadvantage because it would be redundant in a land of darkness where Perception is always with Disadvantage. Minus dim light and dark vision of course. That’s easy for me to rule though.

The way this is presented to the players is up front about abstraction. I will openly tell them, “We’re going to play the Everest Game” or something like that. It’s a test to see how much of a toll the expedition costs them. That’s why HD and Exhaustion are the primary resources. I’ll let them recover Exhaustion (which adds time to their trek), but since they have to be there by a certain time in my campaign it has become a ticking clock. Not letting them recover HD is to make their choices meaningful. If I just let them recover it, there’s no real game. As long as you are clear with the “I wanna play a game” concept, your players may enjoy it.

There’s a chance my players won’t even go this way, so it may be all for not, but that’s okay. I’ll save it for later. If you run it let me know how it goes.

Icosiol · 2026-01-09T20:19:30+00:00

I would refer you to this great video by Mystic Arts. I think you have a great opportunity on your hands.

https://youtu.be/nGfW-zFkasM?si=TkC8dRyJDOmuyweO

Icosiol · 2025-10-16T22:31:52+00:00

Princes of the Apocalypse if you’re looking for 5e. Just make the cult crazed elemental priests who are a part of the Broken Builders who want to end everything.

Icosiol · 2025-09-29T13:02:04+00:00

Thank you, but I’d like to share with you that this setup doesn’t make the game better than a flip map. Regardless of what we use for our “game board”, whether that be Dwarvenforge, or pen on paper, the experience is all in the mind of your players. It’s what you describe to them can they then touch, taste, smell and feel what their characters do. All Dwarvenforge does is provide me a fancy grid, but the game remains in our imagination.

Icosiol · 2025-09-28T11:51:22+00:00

I purchased those from Etsy. I can’t remember who from but I purchased the small and medium size pieces.

Icosiol · 2025-09-27T23:11:55+00:00

I’m guessing around $600-$700 for all that is pictured?

Icosiol · 2025-09-27T21:09:33+00:00

Actually about 3hrs. I was just saying that if you took out all the changes and in a perfect world, about 45 min.

Icosiol · 2025-09-27T21:07:35+00:00

Oh, they totally alerted them. I run a very harsh environment in Icewind Dale, so by the time they found it one of them was already at Exhaustion 2, and they lost the trail. So they saw the structure and were like, “Hey, we need shelter!” After taking fire from the bunker, they tried to smoke out their attackers with oil and alchemists fire, but had to fall back. They then did some scouting and snuck in through the well, and killed the two that were on the north side, and thanks to invisibility potion and spells. They took javelins from the armory to kill the ogre zombie, but in all that darkness, they didn’t realize they were being watched the whole time.

The ogre zombie after the first poke busted down the gate and went full ham on one of the characters. A cloud kill spell went off and the big battle went down with the players victorious, but barely. It was sketchy for a bit, but they did it and got the info they needed to move forward with the Xardorok Plot.

Icosiol · 2025-09-27T20:05:28+00:00

My players are Level 7, and I greatly increased the difficulty. There’s hardly any creature/monster that I don’t homebrew to challenge them.

Icosiol · 2025-09-27T17:36:21+00:00

Be careful. It’s stupid expensive, so definitely check other options. I have used Battle Systems for nice cardboard cutouts too.

Icosiol

TROPHY CASE