Dungeons of Drakkenheim [OFFICIAL] - DM Rax edition

Dungeons of Drakkenheim [OFFICIAL] - DM Rax edition

Dungeons & Dragons 5e | Campaign

1 NEEDED TO START
$15.00

/ Session

Details

Bi-weekly / Friday - 1:00 AM UTC

3-4 Hour duration

2 / 4 Seats filled

Requirements

Experience required: Intermediate

Age: 18+

This game will begin once 3 players have joined
About the adventure

The Dungeons of Drakkenheim 🏰 is a fantastic adventure set in a gothic renaissance ruined city. The campaign is designed with four player characters in mind. We will play Drakkenheim as a series of loosely-connected exploration quests with unpredictable narrative filled with faction conflict. The campaign will challenge characters from 1st to 13th level. # Intro 🔥 DRAKKENHEIM IS NO MORE. An eldritch storm of falling stars devastated the city on that woeful eve, leaving behind a meteorite that would have lasting effects. Fifteen years later, Drakkenheim is a dismal urban wasteland contaminated by otherworldly magic and haunted by hideous monsters. Fantastic wealth, lost knowledge, and powerful artifacts lie ready for the taking by adventurers brave or foolish enough to venture into the ruins. However, even those who survive the dangers of Drakkenheim may not return unmarked by its terrors! EXPLORATION 🗺️. Characters embark on dangerous expeditions into monster-filled ruins, haunted streets, decrepit gardens, shattered mage towers, baroque cathedrals, and ancient castles to plunder treasure and solve mysteries. INTERACTION 💬. Five rival factions clash over the ruins of Drakkenheim. A tangled web of secrets, subterfuge, and sabotage awaits when the factions’ opposing objectives and your characters’ personal goals come into conflict! COMBAT ⚔️. Beyond fierce warriors dispatched by the factions, all manner of otherworldly horrors inhabit Drakkenheim. Characters battle undead husks, predatory beasts, mutated monstrosities, and terrifying abominations produced by the mysterious meteor. Delerium 💎 Iridescent crystals of vast magical potential are found throughout Drakkenheim. Known as delerium, these lambent stones emanate unnatural energies that induce madness and monstrous transformations. Despite these dangers, delerium is ideally suited to crafting magic items and fuelling mighty new spells. Sorcerers, warlocks, wizards, and all manner of occult magicians crave its supernatural power, thus delerium commands a high price within arcane circles and underground markets alike. Many prospectors risk everything to collect a few fragments, but the true origins of the strange mineral remain unknown. The rival factions stand divided over whether the crystals should be destroyed, harnessed, or worshipped, and their simmering disagreements threaten outright war. Broken Realm 🏚️ Drakkenheim was the cosmopolitan capital of Westemär, ruled by the imperious House von Kessel. A decade of bloody civil war erupted after the city’s destruction. The realm was left shattered and the royal line broken. Now, the political order of the wider world lies in shambles, torn apart by religious schism and military conflict, and only a faint hope remains that the city can be rebuilt and the nation restored. Rival Factions ⚜️ In Drakkenheim, five major factions vie for control and influence over the ruined city and its precious resource.

Game style

Combat Heavy

“Combat Heavy” games emphasize the combat mechanics within their systems over roleplay or puzzle solving. There are frequent and longer battles with enemies and a greater emphasis on tactical game play.

Dungeon Crawl

A “Dungeon Crawl” is a scenario where players navigate a dungeon or labyrinth-like environment for the entirety of the adventure. It emphasizes battling monsters, collecting loot, and avoiding traps to survive to the end!

Rule of Cool (RoC)

“Rule of Cool” emphasizes creative story beats over sticking to a system’s rules as written. Players have the ability to push the limits of the rules or even break core rule mechanics at times if the Game Master thinks it is interesting, fun, or cool enough.

Recruiting notes

Are you ready to dive into the ruins of a gothic-renaissance city teeming with intrigue, horror, and hidden power? Join us for a Drakkenheim campaign like no other! Here’s what to expect: Adventure Tone: A blend of grim fantasy and dark mystery, underscored by political faction conflict and eldritch threats lurking in every alley. Player Roles: We welcome creative, team-focused adventurers who enjoy discovery, roleplay, and tactical challenges. Party Collaboration: Because the city itself and its rival factions are main characters in this story, your backstories and motivations can deepen the drama. We encourage creating personal ties to Drakkenheim or to each other for maximum immersion. Campaign Progression: Expect a mix of exploration, interaction, and formidable combat scenarios as you unravel secrets, cut deals with (or double-cross) factions, and confront arcane horrors. House Rules: We apply special critical hit mechanics, exhaustion on being downed, and optional battle scars for the truly dramatic moments. Detailed notes will be provided before we start. Platform & Tools: We play on Foundry VTT, with a pinned link in our Discord channel once onboarding is complete.

Artist
Voice Actor
Game Designer

3 years on StartPlaying

53 games hosted

Highly rated for: Creativity, Visual Aid, Inclusive

Additional details

How to prepare

You will need a mic, a discord account a D&D beyond account and internet access. I recommend watching my introduction to Drakkenheim as the campaign trailers: https://youtu.be/wN3oiWw8tts

What I provide

You’ll have access to almost every sourcebook on D&D Beyond, so feel free to create any character of class you can imagine! I incorporate a lot of improvisation, voice modulation, music, and sound effects to make our sessions immersive. I can’t wait to roll some dice and spin an epic tale with you! Prepare yourself for incredibly detailed, multi-level maps designed to test even the most seasoned adventurers. Immerse yourself fully with stunning visuals, immersive sounds, and music tailored for every moment. Be ready to celebrate victories, face defeats, cheer triumphantly, shed tears, meet your demise, and rise again. This is a D&D experience you'll never forget!

Gameplay details

Safety Tools & Session 0 🛡️ Lines and Veils 📝 We use a shared Google Doc (or another collaboration tool) listing our Lines (topics that will not appear in the game) and Veils (content that might appear but in a “fade to black” or off-camera way). Before Session 0, I’ll send a link to this document so everyone can review and add or remove items as needed. We’ll confirm these details together in Session 0, ensuring all players feel comfortable. X, N, & O Cards ❌🔶✅ We use X, N, and O signals to communicate comfort levels during live sessions. X (No): “I’m not okay with this; please move on immediately.” N (Maybe): “I’m feeling uncomfortable; let’s steer the scene away or modify it.” O (Okay): “I’m good to continue or even delve deeper.” These signals can be sent via chat messages if you prefer privacy or held up on video if you’re comfortable. I’ll keep an eye on them throughout the game. Session 0 Discussion 🗣️ In addition to reviewing Lines & Veils, during Session 0 we will: Review Themes & Tone 🎨 – We’ll discuss the gothic, urban-wasteland feel of Drakkenheim and any boundaries related to horror elements. Go Over House Rules ⚔️ – We’ll confirm our critical hit and exhaustion rules, as well as any other custom mechanics. Character Creation & Backstories 📝 – We’ll talk about how our characters might know each other and introduce personal plot hooks. Faction Involvement ⚜️ – We’ll check which factions your characters might lean toward or oppose. This helps set up future encounters and story arcs. Scheduling & Communication 📅 – We’ll confirm how we’ll schedule sessions, if we’ll use a shared chat or server, and any additional tools. Technology Setup & FoundryVTT 💻 – We’ll provide a brief tutorial on using FoundryVTT, show you how to import your character from D&D Beyond, and make sure everyone’s comfortable navigating our virtual tabletop environment. Aftercare 💖 Post-Session Check-Ins 🤝 – We’ll spend a few minutes after each session to see how everyone’s feeling and address any concerns or triggers that might’ve come up. This can be in a group chat or as private messages, depending on comfort. Feedback Loop 🔄 – If any adjustments need to be made for future sessions—such as adding a new line or revising how we handle intense content—we’ll do so before the next game. Additional Gameplay Details 🎮 Scheduling & Pacing ⏰ – Expect sessions to last about 3–4 hours. We’ll try to incorporate breaks every hour or so. Player Agency & Factions 🏰 – Your choices regarding which faction to support or undermine can drastically alter the story. Don’t be afraid to experiment—your group’s actions have a lasting impact on Drakkenheim’s fate. Level Progression 🎉 – We’ll be advancing characters from 1st to 13th level; we can decide together whether that’s milestone-based or XP-based. Loot, Downtime & Delerium Research 🔮 – We’ll handle complex tasks, research and crafting during downtime or via short “side” sessions if needed, so the main sessions keep a steady pace of exploration, roleplay and combat.

Content warnings

Safety tools used

• Bleed

• Breaks

• Debriefing

• Lines and Veils

• X, N, and O Cards

How will character creation work

We’ll begin at level 1, with new levels gained nearly every session until reaching level 3. After that, expect increases roughly every other session until you reach level 5, then about every third session until level 8, and finally every fourth session thereafter. Use any legal method to create your character using any non homebrew available race/class in D&D beyond. I can help you create it in discord 30 minutes before the session starts or we can find a time the day before the session to get you all set up.

Players can expect

Combat / Tactics

High

Roleplay

High

Puzzles

Low

Experience level

Intermediate

Platforms used

• Foundry VTT