Freyja’s Tears - Martials and Partial Casters
The campaign will be Freyja’s Tears. I apologize for length, and if I restate thing repeatedly. Sometimes, I have an idea, get writing, and then, then and there, think of additional info, so write it where I'm at. NOTE, please read over this important disclosure, straight from the module:
As the adventure takes place in a brutal Norse setting, it contains graphic and gory components which may not be suitable for all players. The game is meant for mature audiences, and includes graphic scenes ranging from human sacrifice to self harm. As such, please look over each chapter and get the consent of your players before starting the game.
I don’t have such issues, but I want to open the campaign to whomever is interested in a Norse style setting of a campaign, so don’t have an issues making changes, as needed.
Gameplay and house rules at a glance
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System: D&D 5e (2024 rules). If a subclass lacks a 2024 counterpart, you adapt with the new changes; e.g., weapon masteries. If you like the 2014 version, example, Gloom Stalker, we can discuss. Must stick with version.
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Power level: Martial/partial (1/2 or 1/3) caster focus. Full casters are not allowed. This is a theme I've wanted to experiment with, for some time...and I figure that will be a little easier for a new GM!
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Classes allowed: Fighter, Barbarian, Rogue, Monk, Ranger, Paladin, Artificer, Blood Hunter.
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Races/traits: No fly-capable races; no flight in play. Races with subrace/transformations for flight disallowed. The races themselves, like Aasmirs or Tieflings, are fine. Grounded Echo Knight, by design.
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Weapons and items: Guns allowed with appropriate balance considerations, gunner feat allows for handgun “bonus action,” like crossbow expert; attention to visibility and tracking by mobs. Only "renaissance era" guns; no modern or sci-fi (eg, anti-matter rifles). Attunement considerations for magic items; consumable magic items will be commonly available early on.
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Resource tracking: Mono-classing; track ASIs, features, and spell slots.
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Combat pacing option considered: PbP cadence with a calendar; combat will be organized to fit players’ posting windows.
Character creation options
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Ability scores: I'm looking to use a 35 point buy. If you wish to roll for equivalent (your responsibility to convert), for those that like it, can do so. If you need help, you can use this calculator. You'll probably want to select custom race. Max 18. Min 6. Remember that backgrounds define your stats, and provide you with one origin feat. If building off of 2014, you can pick one of the origin feats.
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Backgrounds: All listed backgrounds are allowed, from listed sources, restrictions as noted. If using Custom Lineage, it will essentially play like the 2024 human, but with the option to pick a skill, or DV.
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Alignment: No Evil; only Chaotic Good in party. Emphasis on teamwork and avoiding “murder-hobo” play.
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Sidekicks: GM-controlled sidekicks (Warrior, Expert, Caster) can appear, at various points, but only 1 at a time, for at least T1 - T3; they’re beginner/lite NPCs with limited control. Warrior Hook: Spirit infused stone gollum, with limited telepathy. Communicates with Common Sign Language (any American/International Sign Language people?). Expert is a Sacred Statue souled entity. Caster will be an Avatar of Death, with Cleric Spells, interested in your campaign between Freyja and Hel.
Story and setting
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Core conflict: Hel vs Freyja in Svilland. Hel’s followers threaten to invade Freyja’s realm; the party may influence outcomes through exploration, diplomacy, and combat.
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Chapters (tiered by level):
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The Beginning of the End (levels 1–3)
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In Search for Solidarity (levels 4–6)
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The New Path (levels 7–11)
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To The Cursed City: Gurbolruhm (levels 11–14)
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Into the Darkness (levels 15–20)
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Magic items and loot philosophy
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Xanthar’s primarily, with some items found or bought. Consumables first, with attunement considerations. Clear tiering: uncommon (1–4), rare (5–10), very rare (11–16), legendary (+17). Major/minor item categories help with balance.
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Magical ammo:early play testing has shown this to shew the game, so is on hold.
Other notes and ideas
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Vows and goals: I’m incorporating Ironsworn-style goals (minor and major) for Tier 1. When we get to higher Tiers, more goals can be created. Some goals, you bring in via your RP. Others, I’ll look to weave into the journey.
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This will mainly be a realistic style campaign, although some light hearted moments are welcome.
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If players can post every couple of days, that would be great, but will be flexible.
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Resources used: PHP, MM, DMG, Xanthar’s and Tashas. I will also use info off of 5esrd.org, https://dnd2024.wikidot.com/, http://dnd2014.wikidot.com
Expanded information.
General Gaming Info:
This will be using the 2024 D&D 5e, or “5.5” rules. If your character’s subclass doesn’t have a 2024 counterpart, you will adapt the classes new changes (eg, weapon masteries). If you have a preference for the 2014—example, Gloom Stalker Ranger—I may allow some flexibility; pick a version, and stick with it, please. Similar with races; pick one, and stick with it...I'm used to calling them races, so if that "offends you," then this game isn't for you, as I've played 2014 longer. I use what's before me, so when talking about things, such as Rune Knights or Giant Barbarians, using the 2014 wiki, I'll most likely use races. When talking about the World Tree Barbarian or new 2024 Eldritch Knight, I'll probably use species.
For anyone looking at a Paladin: I will consider a compromise on Divine Smite. It will be a rider, as opposed to a spell. BUT, it can only be done once per turn. This means that if you want to use another Smite, it must be one of your other Smites, which I believe they can be counterspelled, but Divine cannot. That limits you to 2 per turn.
Flight. Sorry, not doing so in my first campaign. No races that fly. Magic items. Spells. Any or all the above. Want to play an Echo Knight? You’re Echo will have to remain grounded. No flying Tiefling Variant. Aasmirs can’t use any flight from a transformation, but can use the other aspects...maybe someone will pick a Rune Knight, or Giant Barbarian, and hurl a paladin to double smite flying mobs (that's what I mean, when I say tactical)...Since I don’t have anyone to co-GM, I want to keep combat, when it happens, easy for me to manage. Of course, being PbP, I want to keep a good amount of exploration, social, and general RP, to keep the game flowing. I’m also looking to implement a few things, to try to help with making sure combat does flow smoothly.
I am using a 35 point buy. Feel free to use this calculator. 18 Max, 6 min. You’ll want to select “custom race.” You must decide how to modify rolling or SA. Remember, 2024, backgrounds set your + stats. The background also provides your origin feat. If you’re going for a 2014 subclass, pick the background you want, with origin feat. Look over the above 2024 wiki. There are a ton of backgrounds with origin feats. You could have started as a farmer, with tough, for extra hp. Maybe you're an Eldritch Knight or Rune Knight, and you pick the scribe background, for tools and Skills, to craft potions and scrolls. A very clever player may choose to be a human or custom lineage, with the Musician (I reflavor mine as “story teller”), and Tireless Reveler (look them up on the 2024 wiki, Exotic Background tab!).
No evil characters. Only chaotic good...too many want to play “chaotic neutral” as chaotic evil. My game is for the heroic party, facing off against Hel, working together for their success...not looking for a player/pc to be “all about me,” and taking actions that can sabotage the others...no “murder hobos!” I’ve also considered some ideas for Tiamatt, Sul Khatesh, and maybe some others, who may show, or not...if I do, someone may want to be at least proficient with the arcane...I’m really wanting a tactical game. No Cleric, bard, or druid healer? Maybe Way of mercy monk? Banneret? A paladin that does more than smiting? Maybe someone will be a Chef (feat)?
Story Overview:
Death plays a vital role in Svilland, both in the daily life and in the mind of a Svillander. Even a small child recognizes, accepts, and behaves with the knowledge of death. In this wild land of tough people, death is not always as sad as it might be in other places. Svillanders are not afraid of death in battle, since Valhalla awaits them with all its glory and magnificence. However, not all in Svilland who have no fear of death seek to grace the halls of the great one eyed God; there are also the followers of Hel.
Following the path of Hel is taboo for most Svillanders. Most fear Hel and her cold realm of pain and misery. After Balder fell into Helheim because of Loki and Hel, some people became more fearful about their future; thinking none can escape this fate if the most beautiful God of all himself could not.
In this adventure, heroes will find themselves in the midst of an ongoing conflict between two powerful deities: Hel and Freyja. Hel’s followers are gathering their strength to invade the land of Svilland with an army of Helheim’s creatures. To do
so, they are planning to trap Freyja in Helheim just as Hel has done with Balder.
Freyja is more than just a deity for Svilland, and more than a ruler in her realm of Folkvangr. Freyja is life itself in both; she is the land, the rain, and the sky in Svilland. As Freyja loses her powers, Svilland also loses its liveliness. The land becomes
more and more barren, and sickness and death plagues the animals and people.
Chapters Overview:
Chapter 1: The Beginning of the End (For characters of levels 1-3). *
Chapter 2: In Search for Solidarity (For characters of levels 4-6).
Chapter 3: The New Path (For characters of levels 7-11).
Chapter 4: To The Cursed City: Gurbolruhm (For characters of levels 11-14).
Chapter 5: Into the Darkness (For characters of levels 15-20).
*Note. My first campaign, so we’ll start at 1. How long we’ll stay here depends on how well we flow and get our bearings. Once we’re all comfortable, I’ll bump us to 3, to get subclasses. Additional level ups will be in milestones, based on how the game flows. Some level ups may be faster than others.
Additional Tools:
While I will mainly be using Freyja’s Tears, there may be times I swap out or around certain aspects, using parts from 1-Page Adventures, 5-room dungeons, or similar, as appropriate.
I will be using PHP, MM, DMG, Xanthar’s and Tashas. I will also use info off of 5esrd.org, https://dnd2024.wikidot.com/, http://dnd2014.wikidot.com/, and maybe a few other sources, like on GM Binder; this last will only be at my discretion, and is mainly for options to shorten times and costs on spell scrolls, and for magic ammo options. If your race, subclass, etc, isn’t in one of these, then at as this is my first major campaign, the answer will be a no. Also, only mono-classing...there must be a good and compelling story reason to multiclass, such as becoming a Runic Titan. But overall, keeping it to one will be easier for me to track. You will be responsible for keeping track of your resources, ASIs, features, etc. No UA, homebrewing. Also, while I really like the idea of spell points as an alternative to spell slots, as the GM, handling slots will be easier, especially with this being my first real campaign.
I will be using the Mythic GM Emulator, to help me along the way (Did I mention I am a new GM!). PbP will give me a bit more leeway, but I figure it’ll be a good help, as well.
Whose On First?
The one thing I’ll borrow from Nimble’s rules (when in doubt, rule for the heroes!), heroes go first. Whomever is ready, will go first. After your turn, you’ll wait for the rest of your party to go, then the mobs, only being able to use any of your reactions, either from general nimble, or from you class/subclass. The main exception will be if mobs surprise the heroes; remember, we’re using 5.5e’s rules with surprise, hiding, and such.
Due to unstable anomalies, PCs may be “zapped in and out of existence.” Call it “The Hel Factor.” So, for those who aren’t able to contribute at the current fight, one of two options: either the fight happened so fast, they didn’t get to contribute—no in game giving that PC a hard time on it!--OR they were simply were taken out of the material plane for the moment. This can be a great RP option. Were you taken to the astral plane? Come across Mind Flayers or Giths? Maybe you saw friends or family in Hel’s realm. Take a moment to relay, internally and externally, what just happened. Maybe it only happens for a round, so you have to RP not only the mental disorientation, but then, having to immediately get back into battle. This can be a good character development point and RP.
I am allowing guns in this campaign; any gunks? Remember that what you can use, mobs can use. I also don’t believe in “punishing” guns, while not “punishing” magic. Fireball is supposed to produce a low/dull roar. Further, the visibility of smoke from a gun maybe goes out to, at most, a few hundred feet. From the size of it, a fireball is this huge blast of light, which can be seen from the same distance, and probably more...and if it’s used at night, definitely more. You essentially just lit off an explosive beacon. You’re going to be much easier to track down by long distance mobs with that, than by a gun. Of course, with a gun, you could be using it more than once, and that sound can help them potentially track you, so be aware. Of course, if you use bows or crossbows, that won’t be an issue.
If you choose to take the gunner feat, then it will be just like the crossbow expert feat, in that you can take the “bonus action” attack with a hand gun. However, to get the full range, without disadvantage, you’ll need sharpshooter, to go with either feat. You could take all 3, if you wish. Make sure you’ve read the differences between 2014 (5e) and 2024 (5.5).
If you choose custom lineage, from what I’ve noted on DDB, and others, is that it’s essentially like the 2024 Human, with the difference being that you get the choice of the extra skill, or DV. That means you get 2 origin feats, and heroic inspiration once per long rest.
Magical Items.
I will be using Xanthar’s, mainly, as my guide. Some items can be found. Some will be bought.
Generally, for levels:
Un/Common: 1-4.
Rare items: 5-10.
Very rare items: 11-16.
Legendary (or artifacts): +17.
Xanthar’s also uses a category of major and minor.
Expect most magic items to be consumables, for 1-offs. Initially, I’m more likely to give a potion of giant strength, as opposed to a belt of giant strength, especially in the start of the campaign, up through T1, possibly through mid/end T2. That’s not to say that the finding a wand of magic missiles, alchemy jug, or necklace of fireball is out of the question, especially when mob casters become a thing...we’ll see how it goes. Keep in mind that many major magic items require attunement.
I’m open to creative ideas: if you somehow decide to take a cantrip that does psychic damage (vicious mockery, or maybe mind sliver), and have a fire breath potion, and you want to do a burn that is physical and mental, I’ll probably let you.
As I mentioned above, I’ll be using things like 5esrd, and some other sources. There are some options for magical ammo, besides just the +1, walloping, or similar. I may allow an item that is a bullet, bolt, or arrow, to be reskinned as one of the other options. However, after extensive testing the magic ammo, damage most likely won’t be a “rider,” in addition to whatever damage normally comes from using the weapon/ammo. Damage done by an arrow, followed by damage done from say fire, led, overwhelmingly, to skewed combat, even against casters. This was only tested up to L5, so there may be room for additional tweaking, and maybe doing so, at higher levels won’t skew things so much.
Vows, goals, oaths…
I recently came across Ironsworn. So, I’d like to adapt that, here, sorta. For now, for all 4 levels of Tier 1, I’d like you to include at least 1 minor and major goal you want for your PC, and related to your character’s growth, beyond getting to the next level, weapon, spell, or whatever. A minor goal could be to elaborate on a weapon mastery, and what your PC does, for that mastery. RP it. A major could be finding clues for someone missing. Some of them, you incorporate into your posts, for your growth. Some, I will incorporate, not only for your PC and the party, but towards the overall story.
Sidekicks
No, this isn’t about the film, with that name, at least, that’s not my intention. Maybe there’s some people who were interested in that, but that’s for a different forum...squirrel?
For the game, at various points, you’ll come across the GM controlled (potential) sidekicks allies. These are “beginner/lite” characters: Warrior (a bit of Barbarian with Fighter), Expert (skill money, sort of like a Bard+Rogue), and Caster (has one of the full caster spell lists, but only the core spells, no subclasses). They will come and go, with their own agendas, and how long they will stay, will be at random...but I won’t have them leave in the middle of a fight, exploration, or other key moment.
The Warrior will be a “Stone Gollem Statue.” Unable to speak (low stats), so will have telepathy, but only able to communicate with images, maybe a few words. If anyone is interested, or has knowledge of International or American Sign Language, and wants to include Common Sign Language as one of their PCs languages, there’s some RP, here.
The Expert will be a Sacred Statue. Like the Warrior, a soul is inhabiting and controlling the NPC. Due to higher stats, this one will be able to communicate.
Caster. I saw these on a couple of YT channels for sidekicks, and decided it would be great to make an Avatar of Death a sidekick...who just so happens to use Cleric Spells. This sidekick is fascinated with your quest between Freyja and Hel, but is it Hel that this Avatar of Death represents, or is it from a different pantheon?
Posting and Play
While the various RP parts won’t be as vital to time constraints, combat still can be. I would like people to be able to post daily, but recognize that there are times when people simply can’t, due to IRL commitments. To solve that, I was thinking of a game calendar. You would be able to include when you could be available to post. Based on that, I would gear combat around that timeframe. Possibly, when a situation arises, that splits the party, I can split it around party members that have a close timeframe, so that they can collaborate their attacks.
The game will have up to 6 players. If there’s enough interest, I may also have 2 games. However, don’t expect for PCs from different games to come together...maybe at a high level, in a battle against Hel, Tiamatt, Sul Khatesh (or other Abyss Mobs)...it comes down to how confident I feel, as a GM, to handle that, and at this point (did I mention being a new DM?), unlikely...but by the time we hit late T3 or get to T4, who knows...
Well, now, that was a long load of loony tunes! I think that’s got quite a good deal covered. Let me know if you’re interested, and any feedback, people wanting to make various magic items, something from one of the source materials...or “how to bribe the GM...”
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