Tales of the Yawning Portal - White Plume Mountain

About the adventure

White Plume Mountain has always been a subject of superstitious awe to the neighboring villagers. People still travel many miles to gaze upon this natural wonder, though few will approach it closely, as it is reputed to be the haunt of various demons and devils. The occasional disappearance of those who stray too close to the Plume reinforces this belief. Thirteen hundred years ago, the wizard Keraptis was searching for a suitable haven where he could indulge his eccentricities without fear of interference. He visited White Plume Mountain, going closer than most dared to, and discovered the system of old lava-tubes that riddle the cone and the underlying strata. With a little alteration, he thought, these would be perfect for his purposes. The area already had a bad reputation, and he could think of a few ways to make it worse. So he disappeared below White Plume Mountain and vanished from the knowledge of the surface world. Today, the once-feared name of Keraptis is not widely known even among learned scholars. Or it was not widely known, that is, until several weeks ago, when three highly valued magic weapons named Wave, Whelm, and Blackrazo r disappeared from the vaults of their owners. Rewards were posted, servants hanged, even the sanctuary of the thieves' guild was violated in the frantic search for the priceless arms, but not even a single clue was turned up until the weapons' former owners each received a copy of the following note: Search ye far or search ye near You'll find no trace of the three Unless you follow instructions clear For the weapons abide with me. North past forest, farm and furrow You must go to the feathered mound Then down away from the sun you'll burrow Forget life, forget light, forget sound. To rescue Wave, you must do battle With the Beast in the Boiling Bubble Crost cavern vast, where chain-links rattle Lies Whelm, past water-spouts double. Blackrazor yet remains to be won Underneath inverted ziggurat. That garnered, think not that you're done For now you'll find you are caught I care not, former owners brave What heroes you seek to hire. Though mighty, I'll make each one my slave Or send him to the fire All the notes were signed with the symbol of Keraptis. White Plume Mountain has tentatively been identified as the "feathered mound" of the poem. The former owners of Wave, Whelm, and Blackrazor are outfitting a group of intrepid heroes to take up the challenge. If the adventurers can rescue the weapons from this false Keraptis (for who can believe it is really the magician of legend, after thirteen hundred years?), the wealthy collectors have promised to grant them whatever they desire, if it is within their power to do so. Set in the Forgotten Realms, near the city of Neverwinter, White Plume Mountain is designed for a group of level 8 adventurers. Players will need both brain and brawn to successfully complete their goals. White Plume Mountain, by Lawrence Shick, was originally published in 1979 as an adventure for the first edition of the D&D game. Shick related in the 2013 compilation Dungeons of Dread that he wrote the adventure as a way of persuading Gary Gygax to hire him as a game designer.

Additional Details

How to prepare

Webcam and mic are both necessary. Familiarity with the rules is welcome but not required. Sessions will be hosted on Discord. Bring your dice, some snacks, and send me a copy of your character sheet. I make use of physical rulebooks, dice, battle-mat, and miniatures. Feel free to use digital options at your own preference.

What I provide

I grew up playing D&D with minimal means and I still enjoy the nostalgia this provides. I make use of a physical battle-mat, hand painted 3-D printed miniatures, and the occasional silly voice to emulate the experience that you would typically find if you were seated together around a table. I sometimes make use of props, and I will often need to share documents & images with you online.

Gameplay details

6 Rules: 1.We are here to have fun. 2.We all come from different backgrounds, enjoy the game for different reasons, and have different takeaways from roleplay experiences. 3.We will agree to enter into a safe space of escapism, and respect each other’s privacy and preferences. 4.Respect one another, the DM, and the sanctity of the game. 5.If there is a real world or roleplay problem affecting gameplay, bring it to the DM in private to work on a resolution. 6.Since we are playing virtually we will be using the honor system for dice rolls, if you cheat you are also cheating yourself and your fellow players (including the DM). Hard/Soft Limits & Nopes: If you have any phobias, triggers, or topics you wish to avoid in roleplay please let me know and I will add it to a list for your group and let everyone know it has been updated. Your submissions will be entirely anonymous and will stay between you and I. This list may grow as we get to know each other and as we develop as human beings. If in doubt, refer back to the 6 Rules. Violations of these limits could result in you being automatically kicked from the game.

Content warnings

(none)

Safety tools used

(none)

How will character creation work

Feel free to use whatever method you are most comfortable with to create your character. DnDBeyond is a great tool, and I more than encourage that for newcomers to the game as it will walk you through the character creation process. I prefer to roll for stats, 4d6 drop the lowest, over the over point buy method. You will be sent some "prep material" pending approval of your application. You should create 8th level characters following 5e Dungeons and Dragons character creation rules. I will be available on Discord throughout the process to assist you with any guidance or questions about the process. There are no hard character creation limits however setting specific options might need adjustment for use in this setting. All published 5e WotC content is acceptable. UA is generally okay (unless it has since seen published revisions by WotC), and homebrew content needs to be run past me first.

Players can expect

• Find a game to join solo or search for a professional game master for you and your friends/coworkers/family.
• Book your session and wait for the Game Master to approve you.
• If you don't have a blast with your first game, your next game is on us.