Unkind Rule (D&D 5e: Humblewood)

About the adventure

First session free! Standing alone and separate from the forest is a tree called Spiteroot It is a blight upon its neighbors, and those who live beneath its canopy struggle to grow anything in the darkness of its shadow and the poison of its soil. But, in the branches of Spiteroot, the nobility live colorful and lavish lives under the rule of King Saeva. The crowning jewel of the Spiteroot is the King's own palace, and each year it grows more and more lavish as the taxes grow higher and the soldiers more grasping. With a King who cares only for his own wealth and image, and courts that care only for the power of the nobility, it falls to those outside the law to fight for justice, equality, and common decency. It falls, in short, to you.

Additional Details

How to prepare

You'll need Discord and a mic (no video), and a roll20 account won't hurt (don't worry, they're free). I tend to use Discord as my main communication hub, but roll20 is pretty useful for maps and everything. We'll be using a dice parser, so no dice required. Enthusiasm and a suspension of disbelief help, too.

What I provide

I'll bring the rules, the set up, the adventure, and enthusiasm for a world of bird outlaws fighting the Unkind Rule!

Gameplay details

It's Robin Hood with birds! (And other animals) A typical session will likely involve a local problem affecting people and an opportunity to heroically solve it, either with a fight or quick wits. Sessions should feel a bit like episodes of a TV show, usually self contained stories, but occasionally entering into chained narrative as the struggle continues. While some of the issues presented are reasonable fears and potentially bleak (police brutality, authoritarian rule), the aim is to make the overall experience PG. Not all fights need end in death, torture and other horrors are left implied if in at all, and the characters should be standing against evils rather than perpetrating them. We'll have a discussion about lines and veils before the game begins, and utilize the X card during game just in case something unexpected pops up.

Content warnings

(none)

Safety tools used

(none)

How will character creation work

Characters will start at third level, as already accomplished heroes and outlaws. We'll be using the races found in Humblewood (don't worry, I've got the book if you don't), though the world may not be quite the same as presented there. The first session will be a session zero where we will talk about the game itself and about characters. You can have characters made beforehand, but we'll hammer out as much as we can during session 0.

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.