Image by Rob of Wonder
Devil in the Bright City | A Fiendish and Terrifying Mystery
A hilltop mansion. A mysterious merchant. A lavish gala. Strange disappearances. What connects these things? It'll be a devil of a time finding out...
$25.00
/ Session
Details
Weekly / Thursday - 12:30 AM UTC
Session Duration / 2.5–3 hours
Campaign Length / 6–8 Sessions
0 / 5 Seats Filled
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About the adventure
In the bustling trade hub of Brightport, a charismatic new power has emerged. Gabriel Breunig, the city’s most eligible bachelor, has risen from obscurity to opulence in less than six months. His sprawling, eccentric manor overlooking the docks hosts the most coveted parties in the city, where the elite scramble for political influence and social status. But beneath the veneer of wealth and revelry, a shadow hangs over his sudden prosperity, and the source of his fortune remains a disturbing enigma. Not everyone is charmed by Breunig’s smile. The leader of the Guild of Thieves has noticed patterns that the City Watch ignores—specifically, a string of silent disappearances among the lower classes. Rumors usually whispered by servants have reached the highest echelons of the criminal underworld, suggesting that something eldritch and sinister festers behind the manor’s closed doors. The Guild needs answers, and they have hired you to find them. You will enter Breunig Manor as deniable assets, tasked with uncovering the truth without getting caught. This investigation will demand more than just brute force; it will test your deductive reasoning, social maneuvering, and combat prowess against terrors that defy natural explanation. Success promises a king's ransom in coin and favor with Brightport’s underworld; failure means total disavowal, or worse, becoming another statistic in the city's missing persons ledger. Prepare for The Devil in the Bright City, a taut, intense short campaign spanning 6-8 sessions, designed for players who crave dark fantasy, political intrigue, and creeping horror. The secrets buried within the manor threaten the very soul of the city, originating from places no one has thought to look. Welcome to the party—getting in is simple, but getting out alive might just be murder...
Game style
Dungeon Crawl
Puzzle / Mystery Focused
Rule of Cool (RoC)
Roleplay Heavy
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
5.0
(23)
3 years on StartPlaying
226 games hosted
Highly rated for: Storytelling, Creativity, Inclusive
About me
Greetings! With 30+ years of experience as a player, GM, writer, actor and storyteller; experience running multiple TTRPG systems including D&D, Pathfinder, Maelstrom, AFF, Doctor Who RPG and MERP; and as the owner, head writer and primary artist at Eye Wonder Artistry & Games I like to prioritize collaborative storytelling over strict adherence to rules and emphasize the players as the protagonists and heroes at the center of the story. However, I'm certainly not a stranger to a more traditional dungeon crawl or a more mechanics heavy approach. My main goal is to make sure that my players get the experience that they want and that everyone is having fun. Whether you're looking for an extended campaign, a one-shot adventure or something in between and whether you're a beginning or experienced player, I'll tailor a game for your needs. At the end of each campaign I create commemorative character sheets for the players, complete with original character art.
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
We shall discuss the exact character creation method at Session 0, picking from a menu of options that he pary wishes to work with. WIth so many options now on the table for variant rules from both official and third party sources, we'll make a collaborative decision with the group as to what sources we will use for this particular campaign. The Core 2024 Rules will be our starting point and a document will be provided at or prior to Session 0 with other options for character creation and additional House Rules for the Campaign. After this has been decided we can roll up characters either at Session 0, time permitting, or between Session 0 and Session 1, which can be done in individual calls, a special character creation session or via DMs on our Discord channel.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
Join my Discord server (invite provided upon joining the campaign) and have your mic ready to go! Video is optional on the game calls and Foundry VTT runs right in your browser, with no membership or signup required!
What The Rob of Wonder brings to the table
I will provide the tabletop (no licences needed by the players), the voice acting for the NPCs, the adventure (written by me for the "Reflections of Theria" module book six years ago, and refined since then), and a safe environment for the players to experience a collaborative storytelling experience in a disturbing and dark fantasy world.
Homebrew rules
We'll agree as a group which homerew and house rules to implement from a list that I'll make available prior to Session 0.
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
Platforms used
Safety
How The Rob of Wonder creates a safe table
Links will be provided to a document containing the agreed upon Lines & Veils after Session 0. Safety tool modules will be installed on the Foundry VTT for player use during sessions. I am always available between sessions for aftercare and addressing concerns or problems at the table and will always keep any concerns anonymous if desired. I encourage feedback including Stars & Wishes between sessions.
Content warnings
Safety tools used