From a gameplay perspective, the Alimus campaign will be campy, off-beat, and grim. It is a 5e (2024) D&D game in a homebrew urban setting, where the vast majority of the game will take place in the sprawling megacity of Alimus. The game will start fairly sandbox-y before the plot blossoms, but plot hints and rumors will abound from the very first session. The narrative will be very player-focused, ensuring that as the players work together to stop greater evil, they also spur one another on towards their personal goals.
Broadly, the setting takes heavy inspiration from official D&D lore, especially since the pantheon of gods is that of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting. However, from there, specific details may vary - for example, I do not plan on incorporating elemental planes into this campaign. If you are ever confused about particular details, please let me know. I may even add a page to this wiki to address a certain question.
Now, what do I mean by campy and off-beat?
Campy
Being campy means this game will parody on all sorts of tropes, and stories and events might be more exaggerated than a typical fantasy swords and sorcery game. I yearn for a game with a compelling story and emotional depth that is also full of whimsy.
This will often manifest as strange cosmological phenomenon in the region around Alimus as the crystals of Mount Fyr amplify the energies of the cosmos (and the will of the DM, mwahaha). Another example of a planned campy scenario is I would love for the party to go shopping for furnishings for their bastions once they have all acquired one - at the fantastical furniture store Kiyaya (a place way better than the real-life Ikea, of course).
Off-Beat
While the main pantheon of this setting is that of the Forgotten Realms, because I think their lore is rich and I like the plot implications of the many deities, it will often feel like a slightly different brand of D&D than that which is normal. I love exploring lesser-known lore tidbits and facets of the game we love, and that may be most noticeable in the enemies that you face.
For example, a bread-and butter D&D game may see your characters facing off against creatures like zombies, water elementals, purple worms, and red dragons. In this game, you will face off against enemies like skaabs or flesh golems, ale-mentals, bookworms, and redacted dragons…
Grim
This game will heavily feature some fear and horror tropes. This focus exists to bring a spooky life to the game, and to further highlight the party’s adventurous exploits in contrast to the darkness that seeks to consume Alimus. These are most felt in the new fear and sanity mechanics. The mechanical weight of fear and sanity encourage players to roleplay their character naturally, as if they are truly facing frightening sights and terrible horrors. And they also exist to highlight some of the good in the world, giving players boons for spending time worshipping their god or relaxing in their favorite places with their close friends.