The Nameless God (2023 - 2024)
- Jun 5
- 4 min read
A Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition role-playing game set on the continent of Faerûn, 30 years after the Second Sundering. Eight of the gods of the Pantheon worshipped by humans summon five heroes to a rift that defies both space and time. Not wishing to cause further major upheaval in the Forgotten Realms, given that Mystra has only just resumed her place amongst them, they ask the heroes to investigate a curious thief. Someone has apparently stolen a fragment of Ao, the God of Gods. By upsetting the balance of the Whole to the point of severing the bond between the deities and their devotees, a new god now seeks to carve his name into Toril’s already all-too-bloody history.
A decidedly hardcore campaign aimed at a group already well-versed in DnD rules, where—keen to avoid falling into a pattern of RPG sessions where a single combat takes up three of the six-hour session— I wanted to encourage the players to consider approaches other than constant confrontation. By granting them three lives each through the blessing of the gods, a prologue featuring a Jade Dragon (adult green dragon) as the final boss was just what was needed to set the tone...
Summary
The campaign will take place in the year 1515 and will draw on events from the Forgotten Realms, Neverwinter Nights and Baldur’s Gate (references to Baldur’s Gate 3 will, of course, be kept to a minimum to avoid spoilers).
However, there’s no need to brush up on the entire history of Faerûn. Here’s what you need to know about the world you’re about to enter:
The Sundering took place 30 years earlier. The land shook, the world was reshaped, and with Mystra’s return, magic began to flow once more as it should. The Eternal Winter has ended, but much remains unrepaired.
Take the relations between the races, for a start: the hatred towards the creatures of the night, though pushed into the background by the orcs’ actions during the Fracture, persists. Worse still, the drow and duergar themselves continue to slaughter one another. On the side of the light, the corruption that plagued Baldur’s Gate and the disappearance of Ulder Ravengard have shaken the already tenuous trust between humans and high elves.
As for the githyanki and the illithids, their recent actions have confirmed what everyone thought of them… But the wars of the Sundering severed the most important bond: that between the gods and the living. Whilst they still occasionally communicate with their apostles, Faerûn now moves forward in a deafening silence.
Until one day – or rather, one night. Suddenly, a heart-rending cry rang out across Faerûn, echoing in the minds of every sentient being on this land. The following morning, priests, clerics, paladins and druids across the world noticed the same thing: their powers were waning. As for the occultists, many of them descended into madness.
One thing was certain, at any rate: the gods were now silent.
Game Design
As all five players work in animation movie and/or video games, I wanted to challenge them to draw at critical moments and, above all, within extremely tight time limits. So, I suggested they add an extra stat to the standard attributes: the Creativity stat.
This stat would serve two purposes: firstly, to determine the time they would have to draw if they failed a key roll and had to ‘make up for it’ (in which case they would have to draw the scene of their failure live); and secondly, to calculate the power of their character’s inherent ability.
Thus, U. A. was a drow who had become a Paladin of Bahamut through a series of dubious circumstances and who had developed a passion for flowers during his travels:
3 times per long rest
Field of Roses of Forgetfulness: You summon a circle of roses of forgetfulness, forcing all creatures within the radius to make a Wisdom saving throw at -3 or suffer amnesia/confusion for 2 turns.
Field of Dandelions: You summon a field of dandelions, healing any living creature by 1d6 per turn spent within it.
Field of Explosive Spores (BG3): Your knowledge of the underworld allows you to cover the ground with explosive spores, which require only a light flick to create a magnificent fireworks display (2d6 fire damage + 1d6 acid damage).
1 time per long rest (Ultimate)
Roll 1 to 15 (critical failure) > Corpse Flower: You summon an extremely aggressive corpse flower that attacks everyone within its range, enemies and allies alike.
Roll 16 to 20 > ‘Song’ of the Plant Dragon: Your bond with Bahamut allows you to summon the most powerful of all plants, the Plant Dragon. A loyal ally, it will fight by your side until the end of the battle.
Out of Battle
Field of Bellflowers: You cover the surrounding ground with bellflowers, which will alert you and your companions to the presence of enemies whilst you sleep. A roll of 1 to 5 causes the bellflowers to ring out immediately, which may attract nearby enemies.
Each character thus had their own specific traits, to which I added a few small rules that I usually include in my RPGs:
URGENCY
When a situation is deemed ‘urgent’, the player will have only 15–30 seconds to decide on their action. If they fail to do so, their turn may be cut short, delayed or even skipped in the most critical cases.
DIVINITY (specific to this RPG)
If you accumulate enough favour with your patron god and obtain a ‘Divinisation’ token, or if you find yourselves in an extreme situation (1 HP/all party members knocked out/etc.), you can enter a trance that allows you to use your unique power at ten times its normal strength.
FOOD
Eating is important! In every major restaurant in the cities you visit, don’t hesitate to ask for the menu: Possessed Apricot Juice, Dark Blood Stew, Medley of Grumpy Vegetables, Rainbow Soufflé of Disappointment, etc... The dishes vary depending on the day and the location – roll a die and see what your stomach makes of it!
Permanent bonuses/penalties, buffs or debuffs, a way to regulate players’ economies and, above all, to have a good time – how can you avoid this mealtime?