I’d like to stay and taste my first champagne
So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, goodbye
I leave and heave a sigh and say goodbye — Goodbye!
I’m glad to go, I cannot tell a lie
—from So Long, Farewell by Oscar Hammerstein II and Richard Rodgers
It is time to say farewell to the Nentir Vale campaign. Once we wrap up the last section of the Slaughtergarde (and thus having completed the treble by saving the Vale from a Fey invasion, a Shadowfell invasion, and, hopefully, from this pending Abyssal invasion), we’ll be putting the Vale on the shelf. Lots of reasons…mostly running this game has become a chore for me…work…not an enjoyable hobby. I’m no longer “engaged” in the campaign and, to be honest, I don’t think most of the players are either.
I’m offering some alternative campaigns below the break, mostly published WotC adventures. Take a read through the provided blurbs and let me know privately (so as to not influence others) via text or email your preferred ranking of the choices where a 1 is your first choice and a 5 is your least preferred choice. Please provide your ranking to me by Friday (3/18).
If you are not interested in continuing to play, please let me know that too. I suppose if I don’t get a response from you by Friday, that’s also an indication that you are not interested in playing anymore.
Below are the options, in alphabetical order, with brief blurbs describing each campaign. Obviously, there is a lot of material out there for the WotC campaigns. As usual, I strongly encourage you to not read or watch the available material as it will detract from your enjoyment while playing the adventure due to, as River Song might say, “Spoilers.”
Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus: Welcome to Baldur’s Gate, a city of ambition and corruption. You’ve just started your adventuring career, but already find yourself embroiled in a plot that sprawls from the shadows of Baldur’s Gate to the front lines of the planes-spanning Blood War! Do you have what it takes to turn infernal war machines and nefarious contracts against the archdevil Zariel and her diabolical hordes? And can you ever hope to find your way home safely when pitted against the infinite evils of the Nine Hells?
Call from the Deep: After crash-landing onto the Material Plane, a strange, otherworldly ship brings with it an unexpected wave of piracy, hideous creatures from the bottom of the Trackless Sea, and a notorious foe who has been awakened from the deep, intent on destroying the world as you know it.
The adventurers must set sail along the Sword Coast, fending off the pirate attacks while putting together the fractured puzzle that will reveal the true villain.
Curse of Strahd: Under raging storm clouds, the vampire Count Strahd von Zarovich stands silhouetted against the ancient walls of Castle Ravenloft. Rumbling thunder pounds the castle spires. The wind’s howling increases as he turns his gaze down toward the village of Barovia.
Far below, yet not beyond his keen eyesight, a party of adventurers has just entered his domain. Strahd’s face forms the barest hint of a smile as his dark plan unfolds. He knew they were coming, and he knows why they came—all according to his plan.
A lightning flash rips through the darkness, but Strahd is gone. Only the howling of the wind fills the midnight air. The master of Castle Ravenloft is having guests for dinner. And you are invited.
Icewind Dale: The Rime of the Frostmaiden: In Icewind Dale, adventure is a dish best served cold.
Beneath the unyielding night sky, you stand before a towering glacier and recite an ancient rhyme, causing a crack to form in the great wall of ice. Beyond this yawning fissure, the Caves of Hunger await. And past this icy dungeon is a secret so old and terrifying that few dare speak of it. The mad wizards of the Arcane Brotherhood long to possess that which the god of winter’s wrath has so coldly preserved—as do you! What fantastic secrets and treasures are entombed in the sunless heart of the glacier, and what will their discovery mean for the denizens of Icewind Dale? Can you save Ten-Towns from the Frostmaiden’s everlasting night?
Pretzels and Beer: So this last one isn’t really a campaign and I swapped the order from Beer and Pretzels to Pretzels and Beer make it last alphabetically because it doesn’t really fit with the others.
Pretzels and Beer is just adventure after adventure, mostly hack-n-slash with no real emergent story and certainly no plot or metaplot (i.e., no overarching storyline that binds together events in the official continuity of a published adventure). Most likely published short(er) adventure or just a random dungeon with random monsters, kill them, and take their stuff sort of thing. Maybe something along the lines of the Deadliest Link stuff we did…oh my…almost seven years ago, but probably nothing that elaborate. Something that doesn’t require either you or I engaging with a campaign or much prep on my part.
So those are the options for you to choose from. I suppose that if there is some published 5e campaign that you all really, really want to play that isn’t among these, we can discuss it.
If you have any questions about the options, let me know. Otherwise, please let me know your ranked preferences (1=most preferred to 5=least preferred) by Friday (3/18) so I can get settled on what’s next and start preparing for it when the Nentir Vale campaign wraps up in, I’m guessing, no more than two or three weeks.
I like a lot of them!!!! FYI