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Gimbel's Final Gift - Level 20 One-Shot
A twisted dungeon crawl through a mindflayer colony, infected with holiday spirit.
$25.00
/ Session
Details
Once / Saturday - 8:00 PM UTC
Jun 14
Session Duration / 4–7 hours
5 / 6 Seats Filled
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Meet your party members
5/6
About the adventure
In The Final Gift of Gimbels, you and your party find yourselves standing at the edge of a mindflayer colony where the stakes are higher than ever. But the real threat isn’t just the usual psychic horrors of the hive. Deep within the colony lies something far more terrifying—a creature birthed from a horrific union of mindflayer psionics and ancient draconic power: an Elderbrain Dragon. The mindflayers are no longer the greatest danger here; most of them have already been rendered harmless, but not by you—no, the culprit is Gimbels, your eccentric mindflayer guide, who infiltrated the hive with an insidious weapon: Christmas cheer. Gimbels, once a bold adventurer who sought to destroy this monstrous Elderbrain Dragon, was tragically infected by the very horror he sought to vanquish. As a result, he was transformed into an illithid, cursed to carry the mindflayer curse while keeping his own fractured memories of his past. His journey to infect the colony with an overwhelming festive joy is not some twisted desire for power—it’s his deep, burning desire to kill the dragon that enslaved him and turned him into one of the very creatures he once sought to eradicate. Decked out in a garish, peppermint-striped hat and a cloak adorned with jingle bells on his tentacles, Gimbels has infected the colony with a joy so powerful that it’s twisted the mindflayers into blissfully oblivious versions of themselves. But beneath the sugary sweetness lies his true agenda: to use the power of the hive and the dragon's psionic link to fulfill his quest for vengeance. He seeks to find and kill the Elderbrain Dragon that transformed him into an illithid—a creature he despises—and end the nightmare that began his descent into madness. This high-level one-shot is designed for experienced adventurers who are ready to battle through a mindflayer colony twisted by Christmas cheer, navigate psychic traps, and confront a terrifying, draconic abomination. As you push through the last remnants of the colony, uncover the tragic history of Gimbels’ transformation, and come face-to-face with the terrifying Elderbrain Dragon, you’ll have to decide: will you help Gimbels complete his mission and end the reign of the dragon, or will his quest for revenge pull you all into a far darker future than you ever imagined? It’s a game of high-stakes combat, tricky moral choices, and absurdity wrapped in a holiday package—perfect for testing your wits, powers, and resolve. Prepare for a battle that could alter the fabric of reality itself.
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
4.9
(37)
1 year on StartPlaying
297 games hosted
Highly rated for: Creativity, Storytelling, Rule of Cool
Average response time: 2 hours
Response rate: 100%
About me
I'm currently a House DM at The Kobold Lounge, where I run 3 homebrew campaigns for adults, as well as an introductory game for kids and another for teens. I started with a weekly game at my house. Shortly after I learned to play, I had to move. To keep up with my new hobby, I found and joined ahome game that was posted online. It was a terrible experience. Nobody at the table was having fun except for the DM, who delighted in playing against his party. His players looked and sounded bored, almost miserable; I never went back. Instead, I decided to start my own game with one goal: to make sure everyone has fun! -- If money is an obstacle, please DM me. I care more about us having fun than making money. I put a lot of effort into becoming the DM I am today, I make immersive, creative content that literally over a hundred players have loved & that's why I'm here. I'd like to make a living doing this, but I care about my players & that's never going to change.--- I started running my first homebrew D&D campaign in 2016. Since then I've engaged in collaborative storytelling with a ton of amazing players. I enjoy being a Sandbox DM, and I love players with unique ideas they want to try. My tables, physical and virtual, are the place to try out that crazy character idea or homebrewed subclass. I want to DM on StartPlaying to reach a wide player base, bring people together to have a blast, and provide opportunities for players everywhere to participate in my games.
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
Rolled stats, REROLL ALL 1's...you'll need the HP Pretty much no content is off-limits.
This is gonna be a beast of a one-shot. I expect us to play for several hours. People are welcome to drop in / drop out throughout.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
What You’ll Need to Join: 🖥 A Free D&D Beyond Account – We'll use D&D Beyond for character creation and management. (I’ll provide a campaign link to share sourcebooks!) 🎲 D&D Beyond Maps (VTT) – This is the virtual tabletop we’ll be using for battles and exploration. No extra downloads required! 🎙 Discord for Voice Chat – A mic is required for communication.
What DM Nug Gnome brings to the table
In The Final Gift of Gimbels, you can expect a fully immersive, high-stakes adventure shaped by my Rule of Cool GM style. While the core mechanics will always be respected, I believe in embracing creativity and the unexpected, giving players the freedom to craft their most outrageous, bold, and epic moments without getting bogged down by the minutiae. Expect intense, tactical combat with meaningful choices where every decision could make the difference between life and death. I bring a rich atmosphere to the table, utilizing ambient music that heightens the tension, captures the eerie and festive vibes of the adventure, and draws you into the world we’ll build together. Whether it’s the unnerving hum of the mindflayer colony or the ominous echoes of the Elderbrain Dragon, music will guide you through every twist and turn. Custom maps and tokens will be used to bring the environments and combat encounters to life, allowing you to feel the eerie dread of the colony and the looming power of the dragon in full detail. I also fully integrate D&D Beyond, utilizing custom content and maps to help streamline the game. You’ll be able to track your character’s progress with ease, while I ensure that the story unfolds with seamless integration of the tools that make it easy to focus on the fun. Your adventure will be well-supported with everything from monster stat blocks to homebrew magic items and spells tailored to your story. Expect me to take character voices to the next level, breathing life into your NPCs and villains with distinct, memorable personalities. Whether it's Gimbels’ oddly festive and sardonic tone or the cold, calculating speech of the Elderbrain Dragon, I’ll ensure every interaction feels alive and meaningful. Above all, I strive for collaborative storytelling—this isn’t just my world, it’s ours. You’ll have the agency to influence the direction of the story, make impactful decisions, and bring your character to life in ways that feel true to them. Expectations for Players: Engaged Roleplaying: Dive into the roleplay and interact with the world, NPCs, and each other. This isn’t just about rolling dice; it’s about making choices that matter and creating a rich, engaging story. Tactical Combat: Prepare for intense, high-level battles. We’ll use D&D Beyond for quick combat tracking, but expect plenty of strategizing. The encounters will be designed to push your party to think critically and work together. Creative Freedom: Embrace the Rule of Cool. If you can imagine it, we’ll find a way to make it work. Expect to see epic moments, surprising twists, and unconventional problem-solving. Atmosphere: With ambient music, custom maps, and immersive world-building, this game will feel like more than just a session—it’s a fully realized world that will draw you in from start to finish.
Equipment needed to play
Microphone
Internet
Platforms used
Safety
How DM Nug Gnome creates a safe table
Open door policy, video or virtual X card
Content warnings
Safety tools used