CLOSED: 5e Adventures on the Nyr Dyv

The Nyr Dyv, also known as the Lake of Unknown Depths, is the largest freshwater lake on the continent of Oerik. It is a place of commerce for the lands around it and of piracy. The Rhennee barge folk call it home. Those that think they know the lake speak of the best ports and how to take advantage of the lake's currents. Few speak of what lies beneath in those unknown depths. They just hope to avoid its notice. You were the same. Until you found the map of course.



So, what brings you to the Nyr Dyv? Treasure hunting? Salvage operations? Elemental research? Nostalgia for your homeland on the lake's bed? Do you hope to find the lost Isles of Woe where once the wizard-priest Yagrax ruled with the power of the Codex of the Infinite Planes before they sunk beneath the waves? Or does the hunt for the mythical Aquirinix, half dragon, half kraken, stir you to the hunt? Perhaps it is time for the depths to be less unknown.

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So this is an interest check for a water based campaign set on the Nyr Dyv of Greyhawk. I am thinking of a mid-level start around level 5-7 to let you start with some water breathing magics. I don't have a grand adventure planned out at this point so we could go anywhere from a straight forward privateer and salvage company to all sorts of funky weirdness hidden under the lake waters.

Let me know if this kind of game would interest you and what sort of direction you would want such a game to take.

Loves the water and wants to do some swimming. Treasure hunting in the waters sounds like so much fun! Do count me in on this.

This sounds like fun. I'd be interested.

Splashes water on ZeroCool to blind him and then drowns him in water... Ignore the fingers coming up counting....

Yes! Water and ships are great.

I am thinking sea elf rogue.

Water adventures are fun! And the mid levels might be my favorite in D&D5e. All of the adventure seeds you laid out are interesting, but salvage operations / treasure hunting appeals the most to me at the moment.

That sound compelling

Mysterious depths? Sounds good to me.

Never really had a chance to to water. Definitely a new challenge. I would be interested!

I'm with Jabes here. Salvage / treasure hunting is most (moist) appealing

Well that is certainly enough interest to go forward. Give me the weekend to think on it and I will get a recruitment thread up.

Awesome m8 looking forward to it!

Having some Real Life issues but I will hopefully have something up over the weekend.

No worries. Life is important.

Yeah. Life. But UNDEAD has its advantages... :)

Are we going to have a group of Reborn's that are returning to their lost ship?

I have in mind a Fathomless Warlock. Race to be decided depending on what sources the DM will allow. I hadn't considered Reborn but wow that fits so well!

That would be fun!

LOL. Somehow I don't think that all was what the GM had in mind. or UNmind as the case may be.

Ooh an all undead campaign. That could be weird and fun. Except for vampires. Those are over done.

Undead seafaring isn't overdone? The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise would like a word. 🤣

Definitely not what I had in mind, but I did put weird things under the lake as an option. I could be persuaded. For people pondering ideas, I am generally fine with all WotC published content with the caveat that I need to make it make sense for my version of Greyhawk. If I don't own the book in question, the player needs to get me the rules somehow. I generally don't allow third party/homebrew content but I know at least one of you was looking that way so like above, send the rules for review and I'll make a decision.

What sort of tone are you going for, Verrain? Dark vs. Whimsical, Humorous vs. Serious, Heroic vs. Bleak, etc. etc?

This would definitely be an adventure to remember!

This is absolutely a good one- overdone or not!

Hmm. As this is an adventure premise that can go in many different directions, I was going to see what interested the players more and go in that direction. Since you asked though, I was thinking of an Indiana Jones vibe where things start as a simple treasure hunt and then you discover the wider and weirder world that you've stumbled into. The trick of course is that we need characters that would take that as a challenge to explore deeper as you could all decide that what's down there is too scary and go find a safer body of water.

Sounds great! Looking forward to it!

Indiana Jones on the water treasure hunting.
I can see the swashbuckling fun already.
This would be a really interesting game.

Sounds good to me too.

On- and under-water pulp adventure. Sounds fantastic. Ready to work with my fellow players to make an interesting group with strong ties.

Woot. Have to get me a waterproof hat...

Yeah, if there's room and y'alI will have me, I am absolutely getting in on this!

You know the state between dreaming and awakening? I rarely get to experience it, but this Saturday morning I did, and a character concept came to mind.
My character stands between good and evil. She is an aasimar, so she has her angelic family whispering in her ear. She has picked up a terrible weapon, destined to be a part of the apocalypse. Her main mission is to hide this weapon where no one can find it, and the bottom of Nyr Dyv is a prospect that she will be investigating.
The weapon has unfortunately bonded to her, and it is whispering desires of violence, blood and mayhem in her mind. It is properly because of her angelic protection that she haven't lost her mind and will to this weapon.

There is a lot of artwork out there from the witchblade comic that I can use, that is clearly catering to the horny teenager, but I still like the concept

[ +- ] images

I'm thinking a hexblade warlock with pact of the blade.

Question: Why is she carrying this terrible weapon?
Answer: So nobody else has to.

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Second concept, tied to Jabes.plays.RPG professor concept.
A reborn that awoke in an abandoned laboratory alongside complex designs for clockwork organs. Found/activated by the professor of archology. This reborn became the professors assistant as his/her past was totally blank.
The primary class will be sorceror with clockwork soul subclass. But during the game I would like to have remnants of his/her past life emerge. I part from speaking a dead langue when not paying attention
Domine, hunc librum quaeris?
Professor, is this the book you are looking for?
Provoked by events in game, the class before this clockwork transformation will be revealed. At present, I am thinking of Paladin that was about to take the oath of the Antients

I said:
Verrain said:
Say no more! Here is Jenos Idanian, formerly an archeologist specializing in lost sunken cities, mysteries, and treasure. Drowned while exploring, reborn as a servant of unfathomable powers of the deeps.

Sea Elf swashbuckler. Yeay. Adventure on boats and water.

lol no pressure @verrain no pressure at all!

I still can't shake the idea or playing a reborn. Perhaps the plucky assistant of the archeology professor?
I'll put my creative juices on ice untill game invites are sent out

I have just hope for a simpler fighter type water going race. And a waterproof 'Indiana Jones' hat of course.

I'm just going to do something basic. Security minded sailor type. Someone has to watch the ship!

I was thinking about a marine life reborn researcher or a grung that is in search of the secrets of the depths.... Those monsters somehow got big right? I bet they're hiding how they did it!.

So at the moment we have eight interested people. How do you all feel about a group that large?

Woot. Bring it on!

It's really your comfort level. If you are okay with a large group I'm all in. It can be challenging. Here is a concept 2 groups of 4. Rivals

On the player side, I don't mind a large group, but if the DM has an issue that is understandable. If you decide it is too much, I would not be offended to be cut. others have strong character ideas I haven't given it much thought.

I don't mind one bit from a player side... my IRL group is about that large on an average night.

That said, how do you -- the GM -- feel about it? Please don't feel any obligation to take on more than you're comfortable with. As much as I'd really like to play, if I have to be cut for group size... well, I'm an adult, I can handle it. Lol

On one hand, 8 sounds about right for a ship's crew / salvage crew. On the other hand, that number can be cumbersome in PbP if not everyone's a daily poster. But as others have said, that's really up to how comfortable you'd be managing that number, Verrain. And as others have also said, absolutely no hard feelings if I don't make the cut! 😄

I agree

When I started my Spelljammer Academy game I had 10 interested players. I made two games and ran them in parallel. It was only 120% effort compaired to just running one, as there was so much I could reuse. There is 4 chapters in the game, and at the end of each chapter I asked if people enjoyed themself and wanted to go on. By the end of chapter 2 a few players had to step out due to IRL stuff, and I merged two 5 people games into one 7 people game.
I feel that the game flow has been hampered a bit by so many players.

My suggestion to you @Verrain is don't go over 6 players pr game. Make 2 games of 4 players or one at 6, but don't go for 8

I wouldn't mind playing in an 8 people group. But DMing such a big group would be a challenge, I think.
I like the suggested approach of 2x4 and merge when people inevitably drop

Invites sent. I decided to take you all in and try the two groups of four.