Call of the Netherdeep

Resurrection Rules: Fading Spirits [from Tal'dorei Campaign Setting Reborn]

If magic is used to bring a character back from the dead (except for the revivify spell; see below), everyone present becomes part of a resurrection ritual. Up to three characters present for the ritual - typically members of the deceased's adventuring party - can contribute to the ritual by attempting to call their ally's spirit back. This could involve delivering a stirring speech, playing a song from their shared childhood, goading a rival back with a display of sword skills, confessing undying love for them, or anything else that the players or the DM consider emotionally stirring.

Participating in the Ritual. Each of the participating characters makes an ability check. A player can tell the DM what kind of check they want to make, but ultimately the DM decides what check is appropriate based on the character's contribution to the ritual. The baseline DC of this check is 15, but the DM can raise or lower the DC (typically anywhere between 10 and 20) if the contribution seems particularly appropriate or particularly insincere.

For example, praying to a fallen paladin's god for mercy might require a participant to make a DC 10 Intelligence (Religion) check, whereas shouting at a dead friend's corpse to get back up and stop lazing around might require a DC 20 Charisma (Intimidation) check. If the contribution is roleplayed in a particularly touching way, the DM can grant advantage on the check - even if the check's DC remains high.

Resurrection Check. After all the characters' contributions are completed, the GM rolls a single, final resurrection check with no modifier. The base DC of this check is 10, but it is modified in three ways:

• The DC is increased by 1 for every time the character has returned to life before, as the soul's connection to this world is slowly eroded by repeatedly dying and returning.
• The DC is reduced by 3 for each successful contribution from the other participants in this ritual.
• The DC is increased by 1 for each failed contribution to the ritual.

If the resurrection check is successful, the character's soul is returned to their body (if the soul is willing, as usual). If the check fails, the soul does not return - and the character is permanently unable to be raised from the dead.

True Miracles. If a character is brought back from the dead by the true resurrection or the wish spell, or by a god, they instantly return to life without the need for a resurrection ritual. Additionally, if a character has been permanently lost due to a failed resurrection ritual, the GM can allow a casting of true resurrection or wish to begin a last-chance resurrection ritual - one that can't be repeated if failed.

Revivify. If a spell with a casting time of 1 action is used to restore life to a creature (including the revivify spell), no one but the caster can participate in the resurrection ritual. The caster makes a quick resurrection check by rolling a d20 and adding their spellcasting ability modifier, against a DC equal to 10 + 1 for every time the character has returned to life before. On a failure, the character's soul is not lost, but the resurrection fails and increases the DC of any future resurrection checks by 1. Further attempts to bring the character back to life must involve a spell with a casting time longer than 1 action (including raise dead or resurrection).

Firearms

Black powder weapons are not available for purchase to the general public. Only military engineers and special regiments within the Dwendalian armies and the Concordian navy have access, though some are now finding their way into the Xhorhasian military.

Exandrian firearm rules can be found in DnDBeyond (look for the "Exandria" tag). The notable point here is the misfire chance.

Fighting underwater

This is not a house rule but will become important later on: Underwater Combat Rules ;)

Milestone levelling

I'll let you know when you level up. It's connected to specific milestones in the story. You will get inspiration if you roleplay your level-up with a training or studying montage :)

The Premise and the Promise

Races

The Kryn Dynasty is led by drow, and the majority of inhabitants of Dynasty settlements are monsterfolk such as bugbears, goblins, hobgoblins, and orcs/half-orcs, as well as a few tieflings, humans, and dragonborn. There are many other races that have migrated to the Dynasty, however, and all are welcomed into the light of the Luxon.

Across Xhorhas there are many tribes of various races. Goliaths may be found in the mountains of the Ashkeeper Peaks, for instance, or lizardfolk in the Brokenveil Marsh. The Iothia Moorland to the south of the Kryn Dynasty has tribes that include humans, goblins and orcs/half-orcs, with the occasional aasimar or genasi. In southern Xhorhas, halflings inhabit the Lotusden Greenwood, and dragonborn have built the settlements of Xarzith Kitril and Charis following the destruction of the great floating city of Draconia a quarter century before.

On the Dynasty's western border, the vast Dwendalian Empire spans central Wildemount. The most common races within the Empire are humans, dwarves, halflings, and elves/half-elves. Close to the border between the two nations, there are settlements of gnomes in Hupperdook, orcs in Bladegarden, and dragonborn in Talonstadt.

East of Xhorhas, isolated by the Penumbra mountain range, lies a sparsely populated strip of land known as Blightshore. This cursed land is warped by elemental energy, and is a safe haven for outlaws, thieves, and smugglers of various races. Some inhabitants of Blightshore that died rose again as hollow ones. This supernatural gift is described in Explorer's Guide to Wildemount.

From more distant lands, tabaxi and tortles are native to the southwesterly Menagerie Coast of Wildemount, firbolgs to the northern Greying Wildlands, and eisfuura/aarakocra to the distant lands of Marquet. Automatons (warforged), created by archmages in an era known as the Age of Arcanum, have recently been discovered from excavations of ancient cities. The magical woodlands of Xhorhas may contain gateways to the Feywild, through which fairies, harengon, satyr, or owlin could travel through.

Religion

The Current Time

The War of Ash and Light. After a tumultuous eight months, the war between the Dwendalian Empire and the Kryn Dynasty has ended. The stolen Luxon beacons have been returned and both armies cautiously stood down. Tensions remain, but the mood across Xhorhas has lifted and most have a sense of relief that things did not escalate any further.

The current year is 837 P.D. You can find a calendar with the current events listed at this link.

The Adventure Hook

Jigow was built from the sweat of its founders' brows, the strength of their muscles, and the music of their voices. In Jigow, any chance to show off one's physical, social, or intellectual prowess is a welcome one, and there's no opportunity better than the annual Festival of Merit. On this day, friendly and not-so-friendly contests between residents are settled. Every public space is filled with festival games, food stalls, or other amenities for the merrymakers, and plenty of shops and private residences have flung their doors wide to join in the revelry.

What better way to relax after a successful venture as an adventuring group? Your party is on the road, a couple of days before the festival, to get some well-earned rest and have fun with a bit of low stakes competition!

Creating characters

Backstory

If you want an alternative way to make your character's backstory, the Explorer's Guide to Wildemount has a system called The Heroic Chronicle. If you wish to use this, let me know and we'll go through it together, as some tables are not especially relevant to the campaign.

The following questions are meant to stir ideas, they aren't homework. Use them however you feel is best.

Individual Questions

• What's one small heroic deed you've already accomplished?
• Do you give your trust easily, or do people have to earn your trust?
• Do you have any enemies?
• What's one thing you want more than anything else? How will being an adventurer help you achieve it?
• How old are you?
• What would somebody see at first glance (i.e. height, weight, skin color, eye color, hair color, physique, race, and visible equipment)?
• What additional attributes would be noticed upon meeting (i.e. Speech, mannerisms)?
• Do you have any distinguishing marks (birth-marks, scars, deformities)?
• Do you have any personality quirks (i.e. anti-social, arrogant, optimistic, paranoid)?
• Where were you born? Where were you raised? By who?
• Do you have any other family or friends? Proper Nouns are helpful.
• Did you grow up poor, middle-class, or upper-class and wealthy?
• What is your moral code?
• Do you have goals?
• Are you religious?
• What are your personal beliefs?
• What do you fear?
• You need a reason to adventure! Anyone can be a tailor, or a smith, or a farmer, but the few, the proud, those are the adventurers. So why do you do what you do? Why can't you go back? See here for ideas.
• Why did you become the class you are? Family tradition? Just fell into it?
• Who taught you your class's skills?

Group Questions

We can decide on these during or after session 0.

• Why is the group together?
• What is your common goal?
• Do you have a leader?
• Have you been together long enough to have a name?