As with any newly discovered dungeon, you will want to tread softly so as not to awaken the monsters inside. Light a torch, unsheathe your dagger, and make sure you have plenty of snacks for the expedition.
Disclaimer: Children of the Ampersand is not responsible for the consequences of splitting up the party, swimming in a Elder Brainpool, trying to seduce the dragon,eating lunch with the Fey,failing an Ability check by 10, or casting a Fireball while in the Phlogiston.
A D&D campaign inspired by Vecna Lives!, Vecna Reborn, Die Vecna Die!, Eve of Ruin, and thematic elements from Stranger Things Season 5.
Vecna is not merely returning—he is editing reality. Across worlds, memories vanish, gods falter, and a psychic shadow-realm bleeds into towns and minds. The characters uncover that Vecna has learned from every defeat: godhood failed, rebirth was incomplete, and apotheosis drew too much attention. Now he seeks something subtler and more permanent—to become the principle that governs secrets themselves, collapsing the barriers between worlds to do it.
He is led, as always, by the pain and bitterness of his Mother’s memory.
Vecna’s mother in Dungeons & Dragons lore is named Mazzel, a witch from the Flan city of Fleeth (or Rastlinburg in some versions) who secretly taught young Vecna magic, leading to her execution by authorities for witchcraft, a tragedy that fueled Vecna’s thirst for power and revenge. She was a significant influence, teaching him that power was paramount, and her death directly inspired his path to becoming a powerful lich and god of undeath.
But now his Mother manifests directly to him through his dreams, directing and guiding him on how to remake reality so that humanity may be punished but more importantly so she can be with him again.
He will do whatever it takes to be reunited with Mother once again.
The Eve of Ruin
A familiar pattern repeats: disappearances, possessed innocents, red‑tinged visions, and a creeping parallel realm. What begins as local horror escalates into multiversal crisis.
SESSION ZERO
📌 Players make two first level characters.
📌 Discuss normal Session Zero topics.
📌 Make it very clear that they each have two characters: their main character and an alternate. The main character is played in Chapter One throughout the majority of the campaign. The alternate, however, is played in Chapter Two and only in select scenes to follow.
📌 Briefly discuss Vecna’s background as a D&D character. This could be created as a player handout resource
Important Details
His mother was publicly executed for practicing witchcraft in front of him when he was an adolescent.
As a wizard, Vecna sought secrets others feared to learn. He mastered necromancy, mind-magic, and forbidden lore, murdering his teachers and stealing their spellbooks.
In time, he became the student of the Demon Prince Orcus who led him through the process of becoming a lich.
Vecna rose as a lich-king, ruling a vast empire through surveillance, informants, and terror. This is how he gained the moniker “The Whispered One” because if someone spoke his name aloud, he was able to magically spy on them.
He recruited a general for his armies, Kas the Bloody Handed, who ultimately betrayed him. Kas seemingly killed Vecna, leaving only his severed left hand and left eye. Thus the relics known as The Eye and Hand of Vecna were born
Bound to his artifacts and remembered in forbidden texts, Vecna endured. Each time someone spoke his name, his power grew. Over time, cultists whispered him back into a corporal, tangible form.
Through apocalyptic rituals and cosmic manipulation, he stole divinity itself, ascending as the god of secrets. He is literally able to devour the power of a revealed secret to fuel his divinity.
Vecna was trapped in Ravenloft by the Dark Powers who imprisoned him as a Darklord in his own domain, Cavitius. He remained trapped for many years.
Intervention from cultists in Sigil, the City of Doors, allowed Vecna to not only escape Ravenloft but nearly allowed him to defeat and replace the Lady of Pain.
The Lady of Pain then stepped in to repair the reality-bending damage Vecna caused, imperfectly restoring the multiverse, which served as the in-universe explanation for the shift from D&D 2nd Edition to D&D 3rd Edition.
Vecna was banished back to his home plane, the World of Greyhawk, where he remained as a god but remained hidden and scheming until now.
CHAPTER ONE
The characters begin at 1st level not 10th.
This adventure begins when Lord Dagult Neverember summons the characters to his modest villa in Neverwinter.
He knows the characters are established but inexperienced adventurers. He hires them to look into the kidnapped victims.
The adventure unfolds as normal in the Neverdeath Graveyard.
Since the PCs are only 1st level, use common sense to nerf the encounters as they are written for 10th level characters.
The “Fight’s End” section tears open a rift to the Shadowfell but don’t have them get “sucked in.” Still have Eldon, Kendri, and any remaining cultusts get sucked through into the other dark realm beyond.
The PCs can see through the rift and they watch as it “heals” forming a thin membrane sealing off the rift.
When the PCs evidently search the dead cultists, they discover a strange glowing stone in a pouch that had been worn by Kendri Nex. When they inspect the stone, it shoots up into the air, flares with red-purple light, and blasts the PCs with psychic energy.
Their heads fly back, eyes roll back in their heads, and a psychic link is established between Vecna’s Hive Mind and the PCs. (Refer to the “Link to Vecna” section. They are aware of a network of several minds all overseen by Vecna’s mind. They can tap into the network, but must be careful doing so not to be detected.)
Skip the Evernight section for now.
The Cult Scatters and What’s Next is still used. The characters report back to Neverember. They are rewarded. The authorities, as well as, citizens of Neverwinter know them now. So do the other cultist cells.
Level up to 2nd level.
Time passes. A few weeks or a few months before Chapter Two begins.
Inform the players that in Session Two they will be playing their alternate character who is still Level One.
CHAPTER TWO
📌 This chapter has significant changes from the book.
Time has passed. This chapter begins sometime after the characters’ adventure in Neverwinter—days, months, or years, at your discretion.
The players are using their alternate characters for this Chapter.
📌 The chapter begins In Medias Res (Latin for “in the middle of things”) is a narrative technique where a story starts in the midst of the action, not at the chronological beginning.
These characters were hired by Lord Neverember, too, and are raiding a Vecna Cult cell in the Neverwinter sewers. They’ve been in the sewers for an hour now, exploring the cell’s base of operations.
Have each player make a DC 10 CON saving throw. This is a quick homebrew mechanic to determine if their character has taken any damage during the last hour. A failed roll means the player reduces their character’s HP by 1d4.
They have made it through the sewer complex and are standing outside the door to a ritual chamber where they have already confirmed cultists are gathered, whispering chants to Vecna.
Use C26 from Chapter One for this encounter, making the same changes as before, remembering the module is written for 10th level characters. I recommend 1 cultist per PC. Also, change the name of the captive here.
This time things are different. This time things go sideways.
As DM, understand that you’re taking control of the narrative. The players will try to interrupt, use their character’s abilities, and want to make dice rolls. But your role as DM is to introduce Kas the Betrayer. That’s the important part of this Chapter and this encounter.
And so, right when the players think they’re going to kill the lead cultist again and expect a rift to open … things go bad
📌 The lead cultist cries out to Vecna and the room shakes. A red-purple crack opens on the floor, and rips open with a fleshy squelching sound as a NOTHIC climbs out of the rift followed by other Nothics. In total, there is one Nothic for each PC.
Play through a round of combat. The PCs automatically win initiative and act first. Make sure to note how many HP each character has when the Nothics act.
Again, as DM you’re taking firm control of the narrative now. You don’t make rolls and the players don’t either. You describe exactly what happens: the Nothics tear the PCs apart … Mostly.
Describe how the Nothics use their Necrotic Rotting Gaze, searing the PC’s flesh then the swarm them like bees, rending their bodies with razor sharp claws and teeth.
Inform the players that their characters each have 1 HP remaining. As they prepare to act, however, Kas arrives.
Kas emerges from the same rift, slicing the membrane open with his sword. Describe how he moves through the battlefield with swiftness and grace, cutting down three of the Nothics by himself. He raises a hand, and warm energy washes over all of the PCs. They each heal 3d8 HP.
Then it is their turn. Play through one more round of combat. Let the PCs beat on the Nothics if they can. Then have Kas strike one more Nothic down with the Sword. After that, all of the remaining Nothics flee back through the rift.
Explain to the players that the man introduces himself as Kas the Bloody Handed.
“I have come to once again oppose my former master, Vecna. Please take me to Lord Neverember. I must speak with him.”
Summarize the rest of the scene. They take Kas to Neverember. The heroes are rewarded.
Using Frontstory to Grow Your Characters After Every Session
I’ve been playing D&D for a long time and I’ve been the Dungeon Master for about 75% of those games.
The best backstory isn’t pages long. It should be no longer than three sentences. Those sentences explain species/race, the chosen background, and the class of the character. For example:
“Darius is a Human from Greyhawk City. He grew up in the Thieves Quarter as a beggar. He is a Rogue who aspires to join the Guild of Assassins some day.”
Any other backstory should be created with the DM during a discussion. Otherwise, your character might not fit well into the new campaign and you may be handicapping the DM.
But I’ve seen players spend hours developing pages and pages of a character’s backstory only to abandon all that work at the table by not using each session of the campaign to develop their character.
Most players treat character development like an archaeological dig. They keep brushing sand off the backstory, hoping the past will magically deepen the present. Backstory matters, sure. It’s the bedrock. But the real fireworks happen in the frontstory: the living, breathing evolution of your character at the table.
Frontstory is what your character becomes because of what just happened. It’s the emotional scar that forms between sessions. It’s the new habit, fear, rivalry, or obsession that didn’t exist last week.
Each session of a campaign is an opportunity for developing your character through frontstory. Think back over what happened during the session and consider how those experiences affect and effect your character.
How do those events change your character?
Did anything happen to your character that changes how they relate to the other playing characters?
Did something happen that could develop into a subplot or expand an ongoing subplot?
You spent time writing an extensive backstory with passion and excitement. Why throw that away once the game actually starts?
Session notes are just additional information added to your backstory.
If backstory is the seed, frontstory is the fertilizer, water, and sunshine. And wise players cultivate it deliberately.
What Frontstory Development Actually Means
After each session, something should be different about your character. No, not necessarily their stats. Their trajectory.
Frontstory development is the practice of asking:
What did this session do to my character? What belief got reinforced or shattered? What new behavior might emerge next time?
You are not rewriting the past. You are letting the present leave fingerprints. And you are cultivating the morsels of storytelling that the DM serves up to you each time you gather to play a game session.
This turns a static character sheet into a slow-burning character arc that hopefully breeds excitement, engagement, and breathes life into the game.
The DM can’t keep the game going without the players being excited and engaged. It’s literally beating a dead horse.
The Post-Session Goldmine Most Players Ignore
Every session hands you raw material. Most of it gets mentally tossed in the campfire and forgotten. Instead, mine it. Right after the session (or before the next one), take five minutes and scan for:
Emotional Spikes When did your character feel fear, pride, shame, rage, relief? Big emotions are evolutionary pressure.
Unexpected Choices Did your character do something slightly out of pattern? That is not a mistake. That is growth. That is a change. That is development.
New Relationships Trust formed. Trust broken. Rivalries sparked. These are frontstory accelerants.
Consequences That Linger Physical scars are obvious. Psychological ones are premium fuel. Your character did a lot of things during the session. Consider the consequences of those choices.
You are looking for moments that whisper: “My character is not exactly the same person anymore.”
A Simple Frontstory Update Loop
Identify the Session’s Impact
Choose one visible shift
Inform the DM
Translate into role-playing opportunity
Step 1: Identify the Session’s Impact.
What happened that might develop my character? What changed my character emotionally or psychologically this session?
Keep it specific.
Bad: “They are more cautious now.”
Better: “After nearly drowning in the sewer collapse, they now hesitate before entering tight underground spaces.”
This specificity creates playable behavior: my character remembers something bad happened the last time they entered a sewer.
Step 2: Choose One Visible Shift
Frontstory works best when it shows up at the table during the following sessions.
In fact, point it out to the other players: “Hey guys, your characters might notice that Darius is cautious entering the sewers and gives off a vibe of discomfort. Thus is because of what happened last time during the sewer collapse.”
Your choosing to do this at the table might influence other players to pick up on this behavior and mimic it with their own characters.
Pick one of the following to tweak:
A new habit.
A new fear or suspicion.
A new goal or short-term obsession.
A changed attitude toward an NPC or faction.
A new coping mechanism (healthy or not)
A new or different way of doing something routine
Resist the urge to overhaul everything. Real change doesn’t come from extreme changes. Small adjustments reap long term results.
Avoid the pitfall of a “Instant Personality Rewrite.” If your character flips worldviews every session, they feel like a mood ring in a thunderstorm.
Let changes accumulate gradually.
Step 3: Inform the DM
Your DM hopefully includes little things in each session for each individual character. I know I do because during a campaign I try to have a subplot going on involving each character. So if you start to use the content of the game sessions to add frontstory and development to your character, that should make the DM feel good. I know I really appreciate when players don’t look at the game session as simple entertainment. It’s a cooperative experience, not a tv show.
Strp 4: Translate Into Role-playing Opportunity
Lastly, use your character’s frontstory and development to create role-playing scenes at the table.
Ask the magic question:
How will I make sure the other players notice this?
Again, you probably need to start by blatantly pointing it out to the other players: “Hey guys, your characters probably notice this new thing about my character. He’s very uncomfortable about going into underground spaces now. This is because of the session we played when the sewer collapsed.”
Then when the opportunity comes to describe exactly how this is noticable, take a little time to describe it. No need to go on and on about it. Just something like: “Darius waits at the entrance to the sewers while everyone else goes in then finally, when he’s last, he sighs and cautiously enters at the rear.”
If the frontstory only exists in your notes or your thoughts, the table never feels it. Frontstory must leak into your character’s behavior.
If no one can see it, it’s not making the game better. None of this requires prewriting a grand arc. The arc emerges with just a little thought.
In the end, your character starts to feel alive because they are reacting to events the same way real people do: incrementally and sometimes messily.
Magic Time
As a DM, you hope that “magic time” happens during each session. But sadly, it often doesn’t.
“Magic Time” is when the players take control of the game’s steering wheel for a little while.
Next session, pay attention. You’ll be at the table and the DM will have started the session. They are in the middle of explaining something or setting up a scene with a description, and suddenly one of the players stands up and wanders off to get a snack or a drink. Then there’s suddenly crosstalk about last night’s episode of Popular TV Show. The DM stops talking because he’s lost the audience.
But if “Magic Time” happened then the players don’t need to be an audience. The players know what they need to do, and start doing it.
“Hey, guys, we already know that this session is about us going to Silver Falls. The DM posted in Discord that we have horses and a wagon. So I say we start out and describe what we’re doing during the ride to get things started…”
At the very least, the players might sense that it’s about time to get started and one of them might speak up and say: “Hey guys, let’s start out by introducing our characters. I’ll go first…”
This might seem like a small thing, but it’s every DM’s dream. The players are invested, engaged, and being proactive.
That’s “Magic Time” for every DM.
When players consistently develop frontstory, something subtle but powerful happens in the game.
The GM stops having to push for drama. The party dynamics start generating it naturally.
Moments land harder because everyone watches the character become who they are.
By the time the campaign reaches its later chapters, your character will not just have a history.
Nellix is a medieval city hierarchy with Mayor, City Council, and a Parliament of Peers acting as a political power dynamic.
The Parliament of Peers, a group mainly composed of nearly fifty city nobles of the aristocracy, making recommendations on issues of city law and governance. Once the parliament comes to a majority decision on a matter, usually after much heated debate, it presents its position to the Council of Six. The Council also votes on matters, and in the case of a tie, the representative from Institute Hill vote counts as two.
The Six
“The Six” is a council of the Nellix district managers, one from each neighborhood. The Six report to Mayor Andre Huffman. And the mayor is responsible directly to His Most Lordly Grace Karll Lorinar, the Duke of Urnst.
Common belief holds that many Parliament members, and possibly one or more of the City Council, can be bribed for their votes. Corrupt Parliament members don’t wish to be caught taking payments, usually not out of fear of legal reprisal, but of being perceived as incompetent among their peers. The perception is that one who can’t be trusted to receive something as simple as a bribe likely can’t be trusted to manipulate the city’s intricate social web. Such leads to the common farce of officials buying cheap jewelry or fake art objects with their bribe money (usually in the form of platinum coins or jewels) hidden inside.
The final stage of the power hierarchy (although unofficial) are the aristocratic nobles of Institute Hill. They are the elite upper class of the city, a rank defined largely by money and lines of vague, increasingly inconsequential heritage. Many nobles claim generations of lineage, dating to the earliest days of Nellix. Their money funds industries and lines political pockets, but their names allow them to wield influence throughout the city.
Some nobles are economically-minded individuals who rise early and spend their days in meetings and negotiations. They fund expeditions into dangerous locales and hire explorers to map uncharted territories. Others manipulate the city’s power players through diplomacy and intrigue. They spend their days flitting from theater performances to private balls, while quietly making and breaking the alliances that underwrite the city’s structures.
Among the common folk and criminal element of the city, nobles have a reputation for callousness. Common wisdom holds that aristocrats are out of touch with everyday life and value citizens’ lives cheaply. For some nobles, this assessment holds true. These aristocrats are class-conscious dilettantes who spend their money on frivolous bets, debauched entertainment, and risky business ventures. For this callous lot, the common people are nothing more than fools to be bilked, clods undeserving of comfort and wealth due to their lack of comfort and breeding.
Some good-hearted nobles have been known to venture into the Northern Slums and even the Old City to volunteer with the disadvantaged or share their wealth. Even in disguise, though, these nobles are usually quickly identified and become targets of the Eye, Brimstone Club, or some other criminal network. More than one noble on a mission of mercy has disappeared into the Slums, never to be seen again.
“Reform does not destroy tradition—it perfects it. Those who fear change profit from stagnation. Ask yourself: who benefits if nothing changes?
The Purple Hand is a sinister, pervasive cult dedicated to the Chaos God Mabelrode (Changer of Ways) operating as hidden agents within the Empire, manipulating events through corruption, intrigue, and blackmail to sow chaos and destabilize authority, especially aiming to install puppets on the Imperial throne.
The Nellix Secret Police have a dossier about the cult but there are few details available.
The Dossier collects the following:
Introduction
Over the past eighteen months, investigators have identified a loosely connected pattern of political agitation, coordinated messaging, and predictive information leaks within Nellix. No single organization has been conclusively identified. However, evidence suggests the presence of a distributed influence network operating across civic, artistic, mercantile, and legal spheres.
This dossier compiles verified observations, unresolved anomalies, and witness reports. No conclusions regarding foreign powers, criminal syndicates, or cult activity have been formally established.
Believed to be a loose network of political clubs, philosophical salons, charitable foundations, and artistic societies throughout the Nellix districts of Institute Hill and West End. However, these fronts conceal their True Allegiance to a Chaos Lord: Mabelrode.
Goals
Their primary goal is thought to be to destabilize Nellix authority, manipulate succession, and ensure no truth remains uncontested. Victories in Nellix could lead to widespread campaigns throughout The Duchy of Urnst. Their symbol is confirmed as astylized purple handprint, often hidden in marginalia, wax seals, or embroidery. Their cult motto is: “Truth is a matter of perspective.”
Philosophy
Their core philosophy is that the Purple Hand does not preach Chaos openly. Instead, it spreads their ideals subtly. Authority is inherently corrupt and must be reformed—endlessly. Knowledge should never be complete; certainty is tyranny. Progress requires disruption. Fate can—and should—be rewritten.
Most low to middle level cult members rarely know they serve Chaos at all. Most think they are political reformers, activists, scholars, civic visionaries, and social dissidents. Only highest ranking members, the inner circle, knows the truth.
Their tactics are subtle.
They use subversion over violence. Frame innocents for commissions of needful crimes. Engineering scandals that expose real corruption—but at the wrong time. Leak forged documents alongside real ones.
Enchantment and trickery above all else. Weave charm spells into public speeches. Arcane glyphs hidden in legal texts and stage scripts. Profane rituals disguised as festivals or theater.
False Enemies are necessary. Sacrifice pawns on the battlefield. Reveal rival Chaos cults to appear helpful to city authority. Frame scapegoats to cover crimes and plots. Feeds the City Watch accurate information—selectively. Use truth as a weapon.
Symbolism
The color purple
Repeated appearance of a purple five-fingered hand motif, rendered crudely or stylized.
Messages marked with purple seal featuring a five fingered hand
Found in ledger margins, stage props, wax seals, and cellar beams.
No known guild, noble house, or foreign faction claims the symbol.
Officer Recommendations
Continue discreet surveillance; avoid mass arrests.
Do not publicly link subjects without corroboration.
Monitor cultural institutions as closely as mercantile ones.
Treat anonymous intelligence with caution, regardless of accuracy.
Final Word
This network demonstrates restraint, patience, and a preference for indirect outcomes. Direct confrontation may provoke backlash disproportionate to the apparent threat.
Instability may be the objective rather than the consequence.
Rarity: Uncommon A crystal sphere packed with unstable alchemical fluids.
Thrown (20/60 ft); explodes in a 10-ft radius.
Creatures make a Dex save (DC 12) or take 2d6 force damage (half on success).
Objects and constructs take full damage automatically.
Psionic Feedback Circlet
Rarity: Uncommon A thin silver circlet humming with restrained psionic energy.
Once per day, when you take Psychic damage, make aWis save at DC 12. A successful save allows you to take a Reaction to inflict 1d6 psychic damage to the source that injured you.
Mutagenic Survival Injection
This small injector is used when a creature suffers from the Poisoned condition. Injecting the faintly glowing alchemical fluid causes 1 level of Exhaustion unless the creature succeeds on a DC 12 Con save. Removes the Poisoned condition and prevents it for 12 hours.
Necro-Geiger Rod
Rarity: Uncommon A wand-like rod that clicks faintly in corrupted areas. It was created before the Rain of Colorless Fire.
Detects undead, fiends, or planar rifts within 60 ft.
Once per day, grants advantage on an Arcana or Religion check related to corruption.
Goggles of the Emerald Sniper
Rarity: Common Green-tinted lenses etched with sigils of range and movement.
Targeting aid.
Grants +2 to ranged attack rolls against targets within 30 ft.
Cannot benefit from this bonus if blinded or obscured.
Ring of Kinetic Recoil
Rarity: Common A reinforced leather bracer with magical shock-absorbing runes.
Once per short rest, when hit by a melee attack, reduce damage by 1d4 as a reaction.
Mothman Amulet
Rarity: Artifact
A blackened cord suspending a carved obsidian moth with faintly glowing red crystal eyes. When worn, it is always cold to the touch.
Once per long rest, the DM may warn the wearer of imminent danger (ambush, trap, structural collapse, betrayal) with a cryptic vision or phrase.
Grants Advantage on one Initiative roll or Perception check tied to that danger.
Enhances Initiative by +5 a number of times equal to the wearer’s Proficiency Bonus.
Gain darkvision 60 ft. (or +30 ft. if already present).
In dim light or darkness, gain advantage on a Stealth check a number of times equal to the wearer’s Proficiency Bonus.
The necklace vibrates when within 60 ft. of undead, fiends, abominations, or unhallowed sites.
When a creature within 30 ft. would fail a saving throw, you may grant them a +1d4 bonus, potentially turning failure into success. This ability may be used a number of times equal to the wearer’s Proficiency Bonus.
A running chase scene is a fundamental narrative device where characters pursue one another on foot, often characterized by high tension, physical exertion, and a variety of predictable “obstacle” clichés. While frequently used for action, they can also serve as tools for character development, revealing how protagonists handle extreme fear or exhaustion.
The Momentum Chase System
✔ Crunchy but fast ✔ Player agency every round ✔ Clear win/lose states ✔ Terrain matters ✔ Logic beats random tables
Modiphius uses an abstract space guide instead of tracking specific distance in feet. This makes sense in a “chase scene” situation at the table. These include: Engaged, Short, Medium, Long, and Extreme.
🎲 1. Beginning the Chase 🎲
📌 Start the chase at a band determined by the situation within the game: Sudden pursuit? Engaged or Short. Ambush gone wrong? Short or Medium. Tail through crowds? Long.
🎲 2. The Chase Turn 🎲
🦶 Roll initiative as normal. 🦶 Establish Chase Turn order. 🦶 Assign Band Space distances. Each character starts with 0 Strain.
🎲 3. Movement Choices 🎲
To keep it simple there are 3 choices of movement.
🟢 Maintain Pursuit
No check. You neither gain nor lose distance.
🟡 Push Harder
📌 Gain 1 Strain. 📌 Describe what the character does. 📌 Make an Athletics or Acrobatics check depending on description. DC 13. 📌 Failure: maintain Band Space. Success: improve by 1 Band Space. 📌 Strain Saving Throw
🔴 Risky Maneuver
📌 Gain 1 Strain. 📌 Describe something bold (vault stalls, burst through a tavern, sewer slide, rooftop leap). 📌 Make an Athletics or Acrobatics check depending on description. DC 15. . 📌 Failure: maintain Band Space. Success: improve by 1 Band Space. 📌 Strain Saving Throw
Do not: calculate Speed, allow the Dash Action, or track movement on an actual miniature map.
🎲 4. Chase Actions 🎲
Actions must be logical while in motion and depends on the Band Space.
🎲 5. Terrain 🎲
Use prepared terrain complications when designing the scene. However, if you’re making this up on the fly use the following guidelines common with a cinematic chase trope: (1d10)
Scooby Doo revolving doors.
The inevitable baby carriage
Oblivious Person with Stuff in the way
Crowd of people to dodge through
Laundry Lines in the way
Alleys and Shortcut routes
Barriers, Walls, Fences
Bananas and slippery stuff in the road
Trips, falls, and wipeouts
Knocking over stuff to clutter the road
🎲 6. Strain 🎲
📌 Escalating Fatigue.
Taking any Action within a pursuit causes Strain. Too much Strain causes escalating fatigue. Too much fatigue and you pass out.
📌 Save vs. Strain
Every point of Strain stacks until the chase ends or you pass out. Each time a point if Strain is gained, make a CONSTITUTION SAVING THROW with Disadvantage. Each point of Strain adds an escalated -2 to these rolls. Failure results in becoming Incapacitated.
📌 Short rest clears all Strain.
🎲 7. Ending the Chase 🎲
📌 The chase ends when: Target reaches Band 5 (Extreme) and escapes. 📌 Pursuer reaches Band 0 (Engaged) and restrains target. 📌 Target is incapacitated in some way. 📌Target or Pursuer chooses to give up.
For nearly a century, House Vanthampur has managed Nellix’s aqueducts, pumping stations, storm drains, and deep sewers. Their place of business, Pump House No. 3, sits atop one of the oldest sewer junctions in the city.
Publicly, they are respected civic engineers and financiers. Privately, they understand that whoever controls the water controls the city—and whoever controls the sewers controls what the city never sees.
In the shadows, they bribe city engineers and inspectors. Quietly undermine reformist policies that would improve infrastructure. And use “accidents” to discredit rivals, including Andre Huffman.
West End Sewer Collapses are not random. Vanthampur-backed contractors deliberately delay repairs to discredit city authorities and create unrest. And evidence always stops just short of implicating the family directly.
New rumors abound that the Vanthampur family actively takes bribes from the city’s Brimstone crime families, allowing the sewers to be used to smuggle illicit goods and avoid city law enforcement.
House Vanthampur represents the Old City, the version of Nellix that existed before reforms, councils, and “public accountability.” They believe: “The city worked better when it belonged to families who understood it.”
Vanthampur does not attack Mayor Huffman. They try to own him.
Thalamra Vanthampur
Thalamra is the iron-willed head of the Vanthampur family and Director of the Nellix Water & Sewer Authority. She is a fixture of city council meetings, endlessly pragmatic, dismissive of “superstition,” and obsessed with efficiency.
Amrik Vanthampur
Amrik handles contracts, labor negotiations, and “emergency funding.” He is charming, charismatic, and influential in Nellix taverns, guild halls, and counting houses.
Mortlock Vanthampur
Mortlock supervises the most dangerous sewer crews—dredgers, jacks, rat-catchers, and collapse teams. Scarred and blunt, he is widely feared by laborers.
Thurstwell Vanthampur
Thurstwell maintains sewer maps, pressure logs, water flow charts, and inspection schedules. Sickly and reclusive, he rarely appears in public.
Grognard Notice: The Vanthampur family is featured in the Avernus module. I have lifted them and shoved them into my own Greyhawk campaign.
In the World of Greyhawk, the Celadon Forest is important because it endures—it is one of the great ancient Elven woodlands that quietly shapes politics, magic, and history in the central Flanaess.
The Celadon Forest is the traditional home of the Celadon Elves, an insular and very old elven culture that predates most human nations in the region. These elves are not imperial or expansionist; instead, they act as guardians of ancient ways, preserving pre-migration Flan history, elven magic, and woodland traditions that are largely lost elsewhere. Their continued presence is a reminder that Humans are newcomers to the Flanaess.
Celadon is saturated with primal and fey magic. Druidic circles, ancient standing stones, forgotten Elven mythals, and hidden fey crossings. Magic tied to nature, moonlight, dreams, and memory is often stronger here, and the forest is sometimes portrayed as subtly aware of intruders. This makes it a natural refuge for druids, rangers, fey creatures, and exiles fleeing more civilized lands.
Strategic Buffer
Geographically, the forest lies between several Human-dominated regions. As a result, it serves as a natural political buffer. Armies avoid it, trade routes skirt its edges, and rulers generally respect its boundaries—partly out of tradition, partly out of fear of provoking the elves. When someone does violate the forest, it often signals desperation, corruption, or looming war.
The Celadon Forest serves as a stalwart natural and political landmark between the Duchy of Urnst and the Kingdom of Nyrond, shaping how both realms view borders, security, and identity. Rather than a surveyed line of stones or forts, Celadon functions as a living boundary. Its dense woods, broken hills, and fey-touched interior make it nearly impassable to large forces. This has allowed Urnst and Nyrond to define their frontier not by constant patrols, but by mutual understanding: the forest itself is the border. Few formal markers exist, and none are truly necessary.
Denizens of the Celadon
The Celadon Forest is not a single realm ruled by banners or walls, but a living mosaic of peoples, orders, and ancient powers, each occupying a place in a carefully balanced ecology. Its denizens are bound less by law than by tradition, instinct, and an unspoken understanding that the forest itself must endure.
The High Elves of Celadon are scattered in small, semi-nomadic tribes rather than great cities. These enclaves are hidden in high bough-villages, moonlit glades, and ancient stone rings reclaimed by moss. Each tribe acts independently, yet all share ancient accords governing the forest’s protection. They serve as historians, spellwardens, and quiet arbiters, intervening only when threats endanger the balance of Celadon as a whole. Outsiders may pass unnoticed; those who seek to exploit the forest do not.
Along the forest’s fringes live hardy Human woodsmen, trappers, charcoal-burners, herbalists, and hunters who have learned to survive without provoking the forest’s wrath. These folk thrive on mutual respect—they take little, leave offerings, and follow paths older than Urnst or Nyrond. Many act as guides, smugglers, or intermediaries between civilized lands and the forest’s denizens. Some families have lived on the margins for generations and quietly possess half-forgotten pacts with elves, druids, or spirits.
The Wood Elves dwell in the outer woods, forming the first true line of defense within Celadon. Their settlements are fluid—tree platforms, camouflaged halls, and thorn-hidden paths that shift with the seasons. They are the forest’s scouts and hunters, watching roads, borders, and human movement. Wood elves deal with outsiders more readily than their kin deeper within, often serving as messengers or enforcers of forest law when subtle warnings are ignored.
Deep within Celadon roam the Wild Elves, fierce and untamed, bound to the forest in body and spirit. They ride great Mist Wolves, moving silently through the darkest reaches where even wood elves tread cautiously. These elves shun permanent dwellings and rarely speak Common. To encounter them is to be judged instantly: friend, prey, or passing shadow. They are the last answer of the forest—called upon only when Celadon faces existential threat.
On the western and northern borders, the Urnst Rangers patrol narrow roads, river crossings, and known forest paths. Officially tasked with preventing banditry and incursions, they also serve as a buffer between Urnst and the forest, discouraging over-harvesting and illegal settlement. The best among them maintain discreet working relationships with wood elves and human woodsmen, exchanging warnings rather than steel.
In the eastern and southern woods, the Order of Thorn, a druidic circle loyal to Nyrond, tends the land. Their charge is not domination but stewardship, ensuring the forest remains healthy and that Nyrond’s interests do not fracture its ancient balance. They commune with beasts, mend blighted groves, and negotiate carefully with elven elders. While respected, they are also watched—power within Celadon is never granted lightly.
At the heart of Celadon lie the Tree of Life, an immense, radiant oak whose roots drink from the world itself. Beneath its branches sleep the Unicorn King and Queen, ancient beyond reckoning. They are not rulers in the mortal sense, but living embodiments of the forest’s will. When they stir, omens ripple outward—flowers bloom out of season, predators fall silent, and intruders feel an unshakable sense of being watched.
The unicorns rarely intervene directly, but their presence anchors all other accords. Elves, druids, and spirits alike recognize their sovereignty. To harm the Tree of Life or threaten the unicorns is to invite the full, terrible unity of Celadon.
Together, these denizens form an unwritten pact. No single group commands Celadon, yet all serve it. Borders are patrolled, deep secrets are guarded, and ancient powers sleep—so long as balance is kept. For adventurers, the Celadon Forest is not conquered or claimed; it is entered, judged, and remembered.
Sacred Herbs
Below are seven magical herbs unique to the Celadon Forest, shaped by its ancient elven stewardship, druidic tending, and the quiet presence of the Unicorn King and Queen. Each herb reflects a different layer of the forest—from its borders to its deepest, oldest heart.
First and foremost, The Deep Woods holds a sacred, hidden grove known to be the only place the herbs that are used to Keoghtom’s Ointment is found growing naturally.
Next is Moonlace Fern. Pale silver fronds veined with soft blue, unfurling only under moonlight. Found high in the boughs near High Elven glades. Properties: When brewed as a tea, Moonlace Fern sharpens memory and grants clarity of thought. Elves use it in rituals of remembrance and oaths. In potion form, it can grant Advantage on Intelligence or Wisdom checks for a short tim Crafting : Using an Herbalism Kit, spend 8 hours of Downtime collecting raw materials. Then spend 10 gp to brew, bottle, and preserve the Moonlace Potion.
Nextis the Thornheart Briar. A low, crimson-veined vine bearing thorny black blossoms that never fully open.Found in the outer woods tended by Wood Elves and the Order of Thorn. Properties: Crushed petals strengthen the blood and harden resolve, granting resistance to fear and charm effects. When misused, it causes painful fever and paranoia. Crafting the mash requires an Herbalism Kit, 8 hours and 5 gp for materials. Lore: Thornheart only grows where blood has been spilled in defense of the forest.
Wolfsage is a dark green leaf edged in grey, with a sharp pine-and-musk scent used by Wild Elves before a hunt.Fiubf in the Deep woods patrolled by Wild Elves and their Mist Wolf companions. Properties: When burned or chewed, Wolfsage heightens senses and grants limited communication with wolves and other canines. Overuse can cause feral behavior and loss of speech. Crafting the gum requires use of an Herbalism Kit, 8 hours, and 5 gp for materials.
Starbloom is a pale violet lichen flecked with pinprick lights like a night sky.found growing on ancient standing stones and forgotten elven waymarkers. Properties: A potent divinatory reagent. When distilled, powdered, and dissolved in water, and consumed it grants brief prophetic visions or auguries. Crafting Stargloom powder requires an Herbalism Kit, 8 hours, and 10 gold for materials.
And lastly, Unicorn’s Mercy is a single white flower with gold-tipped stamens, warm to the touch found near the roots of the Tree of Life or within soft patches of moss used by the Unicorn King and Queen to bed down for a night’s rest. Properties: A powerful restorative—when prepared correctly as a potion, it cures disease, neutralizes poison, and provides healing vitality. (Heals 2d12+12 hit points) To Craft the potion, you must use an Herbalism Kit, 8 hours, and 25 gold for materials.
“If we tear this rot out by the roots, the city will bleed to death.”
Fletcher is a seasoned intelligence operative with decades of service to the Emperor and now to Duke Karll Lorinar. At age 60 he’s semi-retired but entrusted with the security and intelligence network for the entire Duchy — based out of Nellix.
Before settling in Nellix, he served as a high-ranking military advisor and strategist, with a storied career that gives him gravitas among spies, nobles, and the city’s elite. His worldview is shaped by pragmatic realism rather than idealism.
BACKGROUND
The Duchy of Urnst is an independent feudal monarchy within the Flanaess region on the continent of Oerik.
William Fletcher, codenamed “The Fetch“, served Oerik’s Emperor, Karl Franz, for forty years as a military tactician, confidant, and advisor. His authority was vast, extending throughout all of the Flanaess.
When he went into retirement ten years ago, the Emperor made him the High Spymaster of the Realm. He was assigned to the Duchy of Urnst due to its politically and militarily strategic position within the Flanaess.
Now, at the age of 60, William lives in the city of Nellix and operates the highly successful Comeback Inn. The inn is an effective front for his covert activities as Spymaster.
RESPONSIBILITY
He and his 80 agents are responsible for guarding the kingdom’s frontiers, spying on enemies, and thwarting hostile foreign agents. His true loyalty remains to the Emperor but now he reports directly to His Most Lordly Grace Karll Lorinar.
As High Spymaster, Fletcher coordinates with his agents in to collect, analyze, and deliver intelligence and counterintelligence information to Duke Lorinar so he can make sound decisions to protect the Realm.
PHILOSOPHY
Fletcher’s core belief is that the true threat to society isn’t external forces like barbarians or invaders — it’s internal corruption, crime, and hidden influence.
“The enemy is not knocking at the gates. It is already here, walking among us.”
Fletcher genuinely believes criminality cannot be defeated—only contained, redirected, and weaponized. To him, crime is a geopolitical reality, like famine or plague: abhorrent, but exploitable. Where heroes want to expose and defeat criminals, Fletcher wants to manage them. He refers to the criminal element as the Enemy Within.
He sees Nellix—and the wider Duchy of Urnst—as fragile systems held together by secrets, compromises, and invisible violence. From his perspective: Public order matters more than moral purity. Stability is more important than justice. Truth is a weapon, not a virtue.
The Enemy Within isn’t just criminals—it’s fear, ambition, and human weakness. Killing criminals won’t end the threat. Replacing them with predictable evils might.
Where law enforcement want to expose the Enemy Within, Fletcher wants to manage it.
THE MAYOR
Fletcher knows that Andre Huffman desires to be the next Duke of the Duchy of Urnst. As a protector of the Duke, Fletcher stands in rigid opposition to the Mayor and his political saber rattling.
He opposes the Mayor of Nellix not because the mayor is evil, but because the mayor represents a dangerous kind of legitimacy—the kind that can shelter corruption, accelerate the criminal element, or expose secrets Fletcher believes must remain buried.
Instead of secrecy for control, Fletcher believes that controlled transparency and strategic manipulation of information prevents greater disasters.
Fletcher supports the Duchy and Duke Lorinar but Huffman seeks expanded authority for Nellix — potentially the Duchy itself. This puts Fletcher and the Mayor on opposite ideological paths, even if they sometimes share goals.
THE GUARDIANS
Fletcher is keenly aware of the Mayor’s special task force, its base of operations, it’s unmitigated abuse of power, and its grifting of the entire city and Duchy.
He opposes the Nellix Secret Police. Fletcher doesn’t see them as enemies—he sees them as loose ordnance. He views them as reckless. Every criminal cell the party destroys creates a power vacuum—and vacuums invite worse things.
CURRENT MISSIONS
Fletcher has remained idle for far too long. In his opinion, he and his agents must now take action.
He is actively opposing the Mayor and the Council of Six in political campaigns. He’s bribing city law-makers to stall and dead-end legislation and regulation.
Fletcher is aware of foreign threats to the Duke. He is actively moving against Nyrond and the Bright Desert to eliminate these threats.
Fletcher is aware of a growing Evil below the streets of the city within the Grimestone Sewers. He is influencing and encouraging Nellix law enforcement to be confront this domestic danger.A
And finally, he holds creditable intelligence suggesting that exposing everything would trigger civil war, invasion, or catastrophe for the entire nation of Flanness.
A TRAGIC FLAW
Fletcher’s greatest weakness is certainty. Meaning that having absolute conviction in one’s own views can be a major flaw because it often leads to a closed mindset, a lack of adaptability, and an unwillingness to consider alternative perspectives
An over-reliance on certainty can cause individuals to dismiss new data or feedback that contradicts their established beliefs, hindering learning and growth.
Certainty can lead to hasty decisions without adequate deliberation or consideration of potential risks and alternative solutions. It may result in an inability to adapt when circumstances change.
When a person is certain they are right, they are less likely to listen to team members’ ideas, which can damage collaboration and prevent the exploration of innovative solutions.
IN CONCLUSION
“You think you’re burning out the rot. You’re just ripping off the bandages. When the city bleeds out, remember—I tried to stop you.”
If the Enemy Within wins, Fletcher loses everything he’s built. He’s fighting it—on its own terms, which may be the most dangerous stance of all.
Recently, Fletcher has flagged mysterious subterranean activity and wants it monitored quietly by law enforcement, without public panic.
Whether he’s right—or whether his compromise fed the Enemy Within all along—is for the future to reveal.
“You think exposing every secret will make the city safer,” Fletcher murmurs from behind a curtained desk. “But Chaos walks in broad daylight. It’s what we choose to hide — and when — that keeps Nellix standing.”
The Circle of Eight operates primarily from Castle Greyhawk, the infamous dungeon-fortress founded by the mad archmage Zagig Yragerne, once Lord Mayor of Greyhawk.
Castle Greyhawk lies just outside the Free City of Greyhawk, perched atop a low hill overlooking the Selintan River. To common folk it is a ruined, half-collapsed fortress sealed by iron gates and superstition.
At its heart is the legacy of Zagig Yragerne, mad archmage, demigod, and once-Lord Mayor of Greyhawk.
Zagig constructed Castle Greyhawk centuries ago, ostensibly as a defensive stronghold and wizard’s residence. In truth, it was: A vast magical experiment, a trap-filled prison for extraplanar beings, and a testing ground for heroes.
Zagig eventually used the deepest levels of the dungeon to capture and imprison nine demigods, siphoning their divine essence to fuel his own apotheosis. This act elevated him to godhood as Zagyg, deity of madness, unpredictability, and arcane inspiration.
Some sages argue Zagig didn’t create Castle Greyhawk’s madness—he built it atop it, amplifying a churning Chaos rift.
Now, however, the Circle of Eight9 uses the castle for its base of operations. Mordenkainen primarily used Castle Greyhawk (also known as the Ruins of Castle Greyhawk) as a safehouse to monitor the cosmic balance of the Multiverse.
Mordenkainen views the castle as a critical juncture for his “Enforced Neutrality” philosophy. He monitors the site to ensure that no single force—whether Good, Evil, Law, or Chaos—gains a permanent advantage.
Rather than living there as a permanent resident, he uses the ruins as a base for his shadowy operations and to sponsor adventuring groups to complete tasks that further his goals of stability.
The castle is used by three other organizations: the Wizard’s Three, The Wizard’s Six, and Valor’s Call.
Valor’s Call is a noble adventuring party founded by Strongheart, a resolute human paladin committed to destroying Chaos wherever it rears its ugly head. Strongheart alone determines who can become a member of this prestigious group, which has more members than those described here. Strongheart is always on the lookout for courageous heroes who are willing to devote themselves to a good cause. Only good-aligned characters are allowed to join Valor’s Call. Notable members are Strongheart the Paladin, Elkhorn the Dwarf fighter, Mercion the Cleric, Molliver the Inquisitive and Ringlerun the Wizard.
The Wizard’s Three is a cadre of mages from different worlds in the Multiverse. Simply put, these three men get together occasionally to share information, drink a fine wine, and fellowship. The three are Elminster the Mage of Shadowdale, Dalamar of Krynn, and Mordenkaiden the Mighty.
Lastly are the Wizard’s Six, a cadre of wizards expanding on the tradition of the Wizard’s Three and serving to watchdog the Multiverse for potential threats. Members include: Elminster the Mage of Shadowdale, Dalamar of Krynn, Mordenkaiden, Tasha of the Cauldron, Alustriel Silverhand, and Malaina van Talstiv.
Finally, somewhere in the deepest depths of the castle’s dungeons stands the heroic Arturos of Highmoon. He stands guard over the imprisoned Vecna, defeated after the events of The Eve of Ruin. Arturos is a man “out of time” having travelled from his own time in 580 CY to the present day of 576 CY.
Aurturos is a Hero of the Multiverse and servant of the Cosmic Balance. Mordenkainen calls him “The Warden” as he chooses to safeguard the castle’s Godtrap Dungeon, housing a menagerie of villainous demi-gods.
Godtrap contains the following inmates:
The Whispered One, an avatar of the god Vecna from the future, 580 CY.
Wastri’s Shadow, the Crooked Judge, the Flan demigod of “Law Without Mercy.”
The Chain-That-Dreams, a demigod captured from the Temple of Elemental Evil.
The Mirror Prince (Archfey)
The Laughing God, a Goblin Trickster demigod.
The God of the Final Door, an Undead creature that claims it is Nerull.
All in all, Castle Greyhawk is an important bastion in the Flanaeness. In the initial years after the Castle was abandoned, few if any adventurers approached the Castle because of rumors that it lay under a powerful curse. Eventually, a group of Northern barbarians forayed into the area and pillaged a large amount of treasure. The story of their success attracted groups of Dwarves, Elves, and other adventurers to the area, and over time the Castle’s dungeons became a major site for adventuring on the Flanaess. The influx of trade, travelers, and treasure associated with this phenomenon has provided significant economic benefits to the nearby City of Greyhawk.
A “TV show bible” is a comprehensive document writers create to sell a TV series, acting as a blueprint detailing the show’s world, characters, tone, and future storylines to prove it has long-term potential (“legs”) beyond a single pilot episode, serving as a key sales tool for networks and studios, and a reference for the writing team. It’s also known as a pitch bible, series bible, or extended pitch, and typically includes a logline, character breakdowns, world-building, and season one arc.
I maintain a large binder with several print outs that I call my “Campaign Bible.” These sheets include chest sheets, artwork, adventure notes, Dragon Magazine articles, charts, critical hit databases, and other nifty stuff.
I plan on posting a series called “Campaign Bible” that shares some of these lovely items for your own use.
First is M.D. Massey’s Fight Scene Cheat Sheet. I found it on Pinterest.
In Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), an animal companion is a loyal beast that aids adventurers, most notably for Beast Master Rangers in 5e and Druids in older editions, growing stronger as the player levels up, unlike fleeting familiars. While traditionally class-specific (Ranger/Druid), Dungeon Masters (DMs) can grant companions to any class or use optional rules for party-wide allies, with examples including wolves, bears, panthers, or unique creatures, providing combat support, utility, and flavor.
An Animal Companion is typically a creature that fights alongside a player character, gaining benefits from that character’s level. While the term originally referred to a specific Ranger feature, 2025’s current rules—including updates from Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything—provide several ways to gain a loyal pet and even use it as a Sidekick.
GROGNARD NOTICE: (The images below are ones I’ve collected recently on Pinterest. I did not create them but credit is given in each image.)
Even if you aren’t playing one of the subclasses that grants you an animal buddy, you can obtain a companion through magic or feats:
Find Familiar Spell: Available to Wizards (or through the Magic Initiate feat). Familiars like owls, cats, or ravens cannot attack but can scout and use the “Help” action. At the discretion of the DM, familiars can advance in levels just like a Sidekick.
Find Steed / Find Greater Steed: Paladin-exclusive spells that summon an intelligent, loyal mount like a warhorse, pegasus, or griffon.
Pact of the Chain (Warlock): Allows for special, more powerful familiars like Imps, Quasits, or Pseudodragons.
Sidekick Rules: Detailed in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, these rules allow any low-CR beast (like a wolf or panther) to gain its own levels and stay viable alongside the party.
Urchin Background: This background grants a pet mouse that lives with you, though it has no combat abilities.
Long ago, there existed a fellowship of powerful archmages known as the Citadel of Eight. This was not a place, but a conclave—a secretive alliance of eight wizards who sought to shape the course of history through arcane mastery and careful intervention.
The Citadel of Eight operated in the shadows during the early centuries of the Flanaess, acting as advisers, manipulators, and hidden defenders against threats too great or subtle for kingdoms to face alone.
Several situations eventually caused conflict within the group and ultimately led to its dissolution. The final straw was the death of Serten the Cleric. He asked his companions to join him in fighting the Temple of Elemental Evil. When they refused, Serten went alone. He was slain during the Battle of Emridy Meadows fighting the vile army of Tharizdun, the Chained God. Heartbroken and angry, the group went their separate ways in 569 CY.
But from the ashes of the Citadel would rise the powerful Phoenix of the Circle.
⭕ RISE OF THE CIRCLE ⭕
In 571 CY, Mordenkaiden formed the Circle of Eight, the modern heir to the ideals—and mistakes—of the Citadel of Eight. It exists to preserve cosmic balance across the Flanaess. Unlike many wizardly orders, the Circle does not serve good or evil, but instead acts to prevent any single force from becoming dominant.
The Circle intervenes sparingly. When they do act, it is often through agents, manipulated events, or carefully chosen adventurers rather than open displays of power. Being keepers of great power, the Circle does not want to be the cause of disrupting the fragile balance of power between Law and Chaos.
While secrecy surrounds the Circle, sages and informed nobles commonly name the following as members or recent associates:
1. Mordenkainen, the leader of the group and a mighty master mage. He spends his time wandering the Multiverse. He is also a member of the infamous “Wizard’s Three.”
2. Bigby the Gnome is an archmage. He is best known for his signature, iconic spells, especially the giant, spectral “Hand” spells, and his cautious nature.
3. Tenser is a military-minded battle-mage known for potent magic spells, often mapped dungeons, and was a strong advocate for Law in the Circle of Eight.
4. Nystul is an Illusionist and genius military tactician. He is also the most famous native of the Duchy of Tenh. 5. Drawmij the Elemental Mage, is a master of water magic and planar studies, focuses his studies on the theories of chronomancy, magic involving the manipulation of time. He spends a lot of time within the Elemental Plane of Water.
6. Otto the Bard, the Enchanter and subtle manipulator, is a short, rotund man, with shoulder-length, curly hair, and a well-groomed mustache. He tends to dress in fine, expensive garb.
7. Otiluke, the Rainbow Mage, is a specialist wizard focusing on protective magic. He was the headmaster at the College of Magic in both the Free City of Greyhawk and the City of Nellix.
8. Alhamazad the Wise is a thin, elderly human wizard who wears a brown robe and a grey turban. He is a master of conjuring and summoning. His primary goals are the maintenance of modern Baklunish culture, society and power.
Membership has changed over time due to death, disappearance, or betrayal, and rumors persist that not all members fully trust one another.
The Circle of Eight operates primarily from Castle Greyhawk, the infamous dungeon-fortress founded by the mad archmage Zagig Yragerne, once Lord Mayor of Greyhawk.
Cities establish City Guard departments to maintain public order, ensure community safety, and uphold the law within specific city or town limits. As the primary law enforcement agency for a local jurisdiction, they serve as the first line of defense for residents and visitors.
Nellix established and maintained City Guard to uphold public order, protect residents, and ensure that the community’s laws and norms are meaningfully enforced. At the most basic level, a City Watch exists because a community recognizes that written laws and shared expectations require an organized, legitimate body to apply them fairly and consistently. Without such an institution, enforcement would fall to individuals or ad hoc groups, which historically leads to vigilantism, unequal treatment, and cycles of retaliation. The Watch centralizes the authority to use force, placing it under public oversight and legal constraint rather than leaving it dispersed and uncontrolled.
The Nellix City Guard is a trained military organization of uniformed soldiers responsible for defending the city and patrolling its surroundings. There are roughly 1200 Guardsman within the city limits of Nellix. Each district has their own allotment. Standardly, rookies are assigned for Training Week within the Northern Slums. Conversely, older and retiring Guardsmen are assigned to eke out their days on assignment in Institute Hill.
The City Guard serve many purposes related to defending the city. Within Nellix, the Guard protect the city walls, gates, and its important buildings, as well as provided escorts for government officials. It also patrolled the harbor and the roads leading in and out of the city districts.
A typical City Guard patrol usually consisted of twelve members, whose commanding officer was called the Sergeant. They use whistles to announce their presence in moments of trouble.
The Watch operates out of the Citadel, a massive keep built into the Upper City’s walls. In times of crisis, bells at the High Hall and the Citadel are rung simultaneously. If the ringing continues for more than a few minutes, every Watch member is required to rally at the Citadel or appointed guard posts. The function of the bells is common knowledge.
In a medieval city like Nellix, the City Watch functions as an early form of police force, though its activities are more limited, informal, and communal than modern policing. The Watch existed primarily to preserve order, protect property, and uphold the authority of the city’s rulers rather than to investigate crime in a systematic way. Its duties reflected the realities of medieval urban life: dense populations, narrow streets, limited lighting, and a strong emphasis on local custom and communal responsibility.
One of the Watch’s primary activities is guarding the city itself. Members of the Watch patrol the walls, gates, and towers, especially at night, to watch for fires, enemy attack, smuggling, or unlawful entry. Gates were opened and closed at set hours, and the watch checked travelers, collected tolls, and ensured curfews were obeyed. In times of unrest or war, the city Watch are reinforced by militia members and serve as a first line of defense until the full levy could be raised.
Night Watch patrols are central to the City Guard’s role. Guardsmen walk assigned routes after dusk, often carrying lanterns, spears, or halberds, and calling out the hours to reassure citizens and deter wrongdoing. They are expected to challenge strangers, break up fights, escort drunken or disorderly individuals home, and raise the alarm by using emergency whistles if a fire, riot, or serious crime occurred. Because fires were one of the greatest dangers to medieval cities, spotting smoke or flame was as important as stopping thieves.
Guardsmen also enforce local laws and customs. This includes arresting thieves caught in the act, detaining brawlers, and apprehending people accused of crimes until they could be brought before a magistrate, lord, or city council. Punishments were usually swift and public—fines, time in the stocks, flogging, or banishment—and the watch played a role in escorting prisoners and carrying out sentences. Investigation was minimal by modern standards; guilt was often determined by eyewitnesses, reputation, oaths, or ordeals rather than careful evidence gathering
The Watch have the right to dispense immediate justice, should they witness a crime in progress. In unclear situations, or when a person of influence is involved, the accused is jailed until a trial can be set. Nobles and other powerful individuals are usually placed under house arrest, except in dire circumstances. Commoners await their trial in the City Jail. On occasion, a vigilante or hired mercenary will break an accused commoner out of prison in order to ensure the accused’s safety until the trial date.
Another key activity is maintaining public order and morality. Guardsmen enforce curfews, control taverns and alehouses after dark, and suppress gambling, prostitution, or other activities deemed disruptive or sinful by local authorities. They occasionally break up unauthorized gatherings, watch over markets to prevent cheating or fights, and ensure that festivals, processions, and executions occurred without disorder.
The Watch works closely with the community itself. Many medieval systems relied on the “hue and cry,” requiring all able-bodied citizens to assist in pursuing a criminal when an alarm was raised. Guild members, householders, or rotating citizens often served in the Watch as a civic duty rather than a full-time profession. This meant the watch’s effectiveness depended heavily on local cooperation, shared norms, and fear of communal punishment.
Overall, the activities of the Nellix Watch focus less on solving crimes and more on prevention, visibility, and rapid response. By patrolling streets, guarding gates, enforcing curfews, and raising alarms, the Watch helped maintain a fragile sense of order in crowded and combustible cities where the line between peace and chaos was often thin.
In Greyhawk lore, the Egg of Coot is not an object but a sinister, semi-legendary villainous entity—one of the oldest and most dangerous powers in the Flanaess.
The Egg of Coot is the drifting, bloated, godlike remnant of a once-mighty wizard, now reduced to a vast, pulsating, egg-shaped mass. It rules the Land of Black Ice, a frozen and desolate region far to the North. Though physically helpless, the Egg is immensely intelligent, magically powerful, and utterly malevolent, commanding armies through fear, domination, and dark sorcery.
The Egg governs through its sons—powerful servitor-warlords often referred to as the Spawns of the Coot. These lieutenants act as generals, governors, and agents, leading monstrous armies, humanoid tribes, and enslaved peoples in the Egg’s name. Its long-term goal is conquest of the Flanaess, pursued through patient manipulation, proxy wars, and corruption rather than open invasion
Children of the Ampersand 
