[Closed] Cragmaw Castle Vignette [D&D5e]

aquafina presents...
Cragmaw Castle



✅ The Game System and Rules Version. Dungeons & Dragons 5e.

✅ The Pitch. The Cragmaw goblins have kidnapped Gundren Rockseeker, a famed dwarven adventurer and treasure hunter! His grizzled old human adventuring partner, Sildar Hallwinter, has recruited your adventuring party to go rescue him and defeat those dastardly goblinoids! The last adventuring party to attempt this quest failed miserably, but you got this! ... right?!

✅This is a vignette. What the heck does that mean? This is a vignette, where we are cutting right to the chase. It's a small part cut out of a larger adventure (in this case, "Lost Mine of Phandelver", though I have tweaked the dungeon to better fit PbP and speed things along). These kinds of small adventures are the perfect opportunity to try new things and meet with new people on the site. Got a weird/fun/quirky character you'd like to test run? This is the place! However, do not expect special individual character moments or groundbreaking character development. Unfortunately, due to the short nature of this game, we'll have to cut straight to the action!

✅ Game Duration and Post Frequency. This is a vignette. It will consist of exactly one small "dungeon", and that is it. I hope to finish this vignette in about a month or two of real time. I will expect at least four-ish posts per week to keep this game moving quickly. However, I understand life gets in the way, as I'm sure it will for me at some point during this game as well. Just please communicate. Also, with Halloween, Thanksgiving, and potentially Christmas coming up soon for us US folks, expect decreases in posting frequency during holiday times.

✅ Adult Content or Controversial Themes. This game will certainly feature violence, but no need for intense gore or any controversial themes such as sexy time, drug use, self-harm, etc etc.

✅ Specialized Software and Resources. If the consensus of the entire group would rather do OOC discussion on discord, I will gladly make a server, but I will not require it.



✅ Character Restrictions. Characters will be level 4! Any and all officially published content is allowed, including Wildemount, Ravnica, and Tasha's optional rules, but excluding Eberron (though Tasha's Artificer is okay). In fact, I ENCOURAGE using Tasha's optional ability score flexibility and class features/replacements. No Unearthed Arcana or homebrew (except for a few preapproved fixes for existing things such as Way of Four Elements monk and adding sorcerer/ranger subclass spells to all sorcerer/ranger subclasses, inquire for full list of approved fixes). And pretty please, no edgelords or loners lol

✅ Player Experience Requirements. New to PbP? This is a perfect introduction game! As far as PbP games go, this game will have a very short runtime, so no intimidating commitment to a yearlong campaign. New to D&D 5e? Starting at 4th level for people brand new to D&D 5e might be a little confusing and daunting, but I would be glad to help you through it!

✅ Welcome Marginalized Groups! As evidenced by my profile picture, this game is explicitly friendly to LGBT and any other minorities or marginalized groups. All are welcome to fight their way through this dungeon together. If you have any disabilities such as color blindness or anything like that, let me know so I can accommodate! :)

✅ How to Apply. The recruitment for this game will not be first-come-first-serve! If you played in a previous game of mine that I had to shut down prematurely, I might give you preferential status for this one! I will select players based on interest expressed both in this recruitment thread as well as PM if that makes you more comfortable :)

In order to apply, just express your interest to me and let me know what you expect from this game by answering the following question: what is it that you would most like to see in this game? Be it crazy action, complex combat, a whimsy theme, loads of cool and perhaps overpowered magic items, let me know! You have a chance to change how I run the game with your answer! :)

If you would like, though it is NOT required, go ahead and drop a quick character concept too! Remember that your characters will already know each other and be part of the same adventuring party, we have no time for awkward icebreaker luncheons! And try to lean into silly ridiculous medieval fantasy tropes if you can!

I will be taking about 4 players :)


(above video curtosy of GP user @adam, appreciate you dude)

I’d love to give this one a go. Running a LMoP game on here right now where the crew is just getting ready to head the castle. If chosen I’d love a game with some OP magic stuff, rarely get a chance to play with stuff like that. Think I’d probably play a Cleric of some sort, maybe a Palidan…

If I am ever to play a monk, it's going to be in a vignette.

And some OP items could be an interesting spin. Like this is not a group of heroes storming the castle, but some legendary magic items and their wielders.

Actually, if you are not going to run with this idea, I might turn it into a vignette later on :D

I would be interested in joining this vignette game...I am currently just playing 3 D&D 5E games from 4...the Icewind Dale campaign got kaput...can I use a previous character concept?

I'm down to just one active game at the moment, so this would be great.

What I'd most like to see in the game: A sympathetic villain, or villains. They might be doing things that are evil, but I'd like to get the sense that they're doing them for what they see as good, or at least necessary, reasons.

I don't think I've played a Sorceror yet in 5E, so that could be fun.

It sounds like you guys really liked the OP magic items idea :) would you guys like to start with something powerful or start with basic equipment then find them all during your exploration?

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I don’t see why not. :) As long as they are level 4 and aren’t a superdark loner edgelord lol

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I think I can work with that :)

Recruitment is still open!

I would say start with the items.

👆

I like this idea, I’ll give it a shot! And if you want to make your own vignette with this idea as well, even after this one gets off the ground, no problem :)

So everyone who’s expressed interest, hold off on creating your characters quite yet (Mormegil you’re okay). Once I invite people to the game, you will tell me which class you are thinking about playing. I will then give you a list of a couple legendary-ish items that fit that class, you will choose one to keep and you can build your character around it. There will still be other magic items to find in the game as well :)

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We have 4 interested persons so the game will happen, but I will leave recruitment open until tmrw morning EST. I will then close this thread and send out invites :)

I just wanted to wish you good luck to you and all your players, aquafina! I was really tempted to put my hat in the ring. Enjoy!

What Len said. I was really REALLY tempted! Have a great game, folks!

Yeah, I have no inclination to make an edgy character like Batman after Joker killed one or two of his Robins ^^

Here's the link to my character concept from the recently defunct Icewind Dale campaign I joined here a while ago: Reika Mourncrest

Just replace the Icewind setting with the setting where this Vignette game takes place.

LOL. She speaks Halfling! ;)

Thank you @Len and @jabes!

Alrighty, recruitment is now closed! I have sent out invites!

:)