IC 5E, Book of Ebon Tides / Tales from the Shadows

The haunting landscapes and phantasmagoric cities of the Plane of Shadows exist on the periphery of the mortal world. Though the Plane of Shadows has existed for as long as the mortal realm, it is much less understood due to its impermanent, transitory properties.

While, in the mortal realm, mountains, rivers, forests, and cities tend to stay put, in the Plane of Shadows, the only constant is inconsistency.

Mountains are broken down to sand and swept away, forests rearrange themselves around shifting rivers, and sometimes even cities are moved from one location to another. The powers that create this chaos are known as the ebon tides—uncontrollable and unpredictable tides of shadow that reshape the realm.

---

Would anyone be interested in a Book of Ebon Tides D&D 5E game?

The Book of Ebon Tides and its adventure companion, Tales from the Shadows, is a third-party setting set in the Shadow Plane. It is filled with dark fey and similar stuff.

The vibe I am going for is dark fairytale, and the Ebon Tide is all that: dark fairytales. Content will fit in this genre. I generally prefer to have as few lines and veils in place as possible to not limit anyone in storytelling.

Characters would begin at level 1 and go through a series of episodic adventures to level 8.

Character creation would be based on the PHB 2014, Tasha's, and Xanathar's, as well as all the races and subclasses from the Book of Ebon Tides. This includes the new shadow magic spells.

We can update to D&D 2024 if all players agree to that, but I would like for the PHB to be released first on September 17th.

I aim for 3 or 4 posts a week. I am looking at ways (and am open to any tips and tricks) to speed up combat. I am a first-time PBP DM and I believe the rules should serve the story, not the other way around.

Anyone who is interested in this, please leave a message below. I am searching for 4-5 players.

Please note that while I have read a lot about it, I haven't actually bought the books yet. I first want to make sure that there is enough interest. So I can't answer all questions about the setting with 100% certainty yet.

I would be interested in playing a game with the 2024 rules
I would also be interested in this setting - sounds intriguing
What is this?

It is a list of new spells, mostly illusions and light/darkness themed and several subclasses to that focus on them.

cool - It somehow slipped my attention

Oh god yes.....yes.....so very much yes. Hard to say re: D&D 2024 rulebooks and I wasn't completely convinced I was going to get them, but I'm happy to go with the majority on this one

Do you have a link to where I can lean more?

I googled Book of Ebon Tides and this is the description I found. I defently wanna play in this setting! thinly veiled aggression? life may very well depend on proper etiquette? Oh yes :)

Publisher
https://koboldpress.com/kpstore/product/book-of-ebon-tides-for-5th-edition/

DnDbeyond
https://www.dndbeyond.com/posts/1784-kobold-presss-book-of-ebon-tides-takes-you-to-the

Detailed review
https://nerdarchy.com/book-of-ebon-tides-holds-a-dark-mirror-up-to-your-dd-world/
https://gnomestew.com/book-of-ebon-tides-review/

The setting certainly sounds like it would be fun and different. I'm definitely interested in some shadow fun (or light fun - Light Weaver has a cool ring to the subclass and I don't know anything about it at all :)

Looks fun. I would be good with any ruleset :)

I'd very want to join. Would probably prefer the older rule-set, but that's mostly I'm not sure how compatible all the old stuff is with the new rule set so that might mean issues, otherwise would happy to do either.

That is actually a very valid point. Maybe it would be best to stick to 2014. Not mixing up 3th party with 2024 yet?


Anyhow, it seems like there is a lot of interest. I shall set up something over the coming weekend.

I may be interested. I presume we would need to purchase a copy of the "Book of Ebon Tides" ruleset to play? As for 5 vs 5.5/6, I am in agreement with AnonGL in that we know it's compatible with 5. With 5.5/6, who knows?

WoTC insists that 2024 rules are compatible with 2014 adventures and that is the main reason why they are not calling it D&D5.5 or D&D6

In 2024 Monster stats have a different layout, but should contain the same information
Spells works as in 2014, unless a newer version have been introduced in 2024
Character abilities and progression is the main thing that have changed.
And some of the combat rules have been reworked. I particularly like the new exhaustion and surprise rules.

I know that @adam have played with the UAplaytest rules in his games.

It is D&D 5e.
The ruleset contains player options such as new species and subraces and spells.
You can always create a character that doesn't use any of the options.
I plan to give a brief intro to classes and species. If one interests you I can share them.
Sharing up all 82 spells might be a thing.
So there is no need to buy Ebon Tides, but if you want, you are free to do so of course.

If there is no need to buy neither Book of Ebon Tides nor Tales from the Shadows I would also be interested
Though I would like to ask how do you mean "I believe the rules should serve the story". Just to double check - I as a player except all spells and class/subclass features to work as described and not be banned by DM even if they interfere story in the way unexpected or even undesired by DM. Depending on your interpretation of "story over rules" I may not be best player for you

Is this not referencing the rule of cool? "The short version of the rule of cool is that the story and characters matter more than the mechanics. So if you need to bend (or break) the rules to enable what’s happening at the table, go for it."

Yes, very much the rule of cool.

I once played a Diviner wizard. She had the Eldritch Adept feat to cast Detect Magic at will with the invocation. Because she was so trained at it. But the DM made me justify it to be an occult spell as the feat says that is the source of the invocation.
I am not that kind of DM.

If you cast mage hand for a nice back scratch, go for it. Even if that isn't part of the spell's description.

Reminds me of the single best illustration in the AD&D 1ed DMG, back when fun was a key component :-P

I perfere having the rules supporting the story and not the other way around.
I have a loose idear of a dwarf warlock, something about being endarkened instead of enlighted.

LOL - I remember that illustration. Still have my original copy of the DMG. I'm old :)

I think fun has always been a key component, but when your 10 and barely understand the rules, you just make a whole lot of stuff up as you go and all your characters miraculously have no stat below a 16. I still have old, hand written character sheets from back then with 5 - 18's and a 17. I was such a cheater!!

I don't have any thoughts yet on a character, although I'm definitely reading up on Light Weaver :)

@Shorty will you be sending out invitation or should we apply directly to the game, or how do you want to proceed?

And if I haven't said it before, then: Feel free to ask any GP/GM questions and I will be happy to answer to the best of my abilities.

I am interested in a shadow realm adventure too. Kobold press has good quality books.

I'd be interested, I like fairytales... I've currently no intention of picking up the 2024 PHB as I'm generally drifting away from D&D, but I still like it with a good concept.

3 days offline? Have we lost Shorty?

I'd not start worrying yet. This was an Interest Check and based on the first post it looks like Shorty was not quite ready for an immediate start. Obviously quite a bit of interest, so hopefully this will move forward at some point.

Last couple of weeks of summer, lots of kids going back to school (at least in the US) and a holiday next week so I know things here get quite busy this time of summer.

I'm happy to wait as long as it takes, am very interested in the game :)

At this point I think I am full up on games and so I would like to rescind my interest; at least until I can determine that it won't unduly affect other games in which I am active. Thank you.

I'm still interested :)

Hello there.

This setting sounds really interesting and I would like to join if this is still going to happen. I hope the DM comes back!