Deep Rock Castle – Introduction

I recently moved to Copenhagen after 21 years in London.

In time I would love to start up a D&D campaign (either following on from an existing one or a new one), but since I do not know anybody here in Copenhagen, I want to test out the waters with oneshots first before launching a full scale campaign.

While I do find it fun to run the same oneshot multiple times, I am aware that Copenhagen’s population is only 600.000, which means I am likely to have return players at the table. I know I will have one for sure: My wife. So with that in mind, running the same oneshot is not smart as it would be boring for the players,

But I would like to have some continuity for both my own sake, but also for those return players to feel they are interacting with the same world.

Same town, different stories

I’ve really enjoyed our current campaign that takes place in the town of Daisygate. We’ve run two different adventuring parties with a mix of same and different players. the adventures of the two parties has overlapped and influenced each other and indeed, today they are one and the same storyline.

So my first idea was to have Castlebridge as the common grounds for all oneshots.

But I wasn’t sure it was enough to bring that connection and serendipity.

Help from a stranger

So to make it more explicit, I plan to make all the oneshots take place in the same location: Deep Rock Castle, which would narrow freedom of movement and thus make it more likely one game influence the other game.

But it needs more, so I am adding a specific mechanic that I haven’t completely nailed yet, but it goes something like this:

  1. When the party enters Deep Rock Castle, they will see a pedestal with a helpful item and a note. For the very first game, I, as DM, will decide the item and write a note.
  2. The note will give some hints to the party as to what lies ahead. For example: “Watch out for the tunnel with the lions head at the entrance. Within the tunnel lays a hungry beast in hiding waiting for its next meal”. The item can be something tactical like a Healing Potion, or something strategic like a Key.
  3. Once the party have accomplished their mission and prepare to leave the cave, they should be encouraged to leave an item and a note for the next party.
    • Maybe this is left entirely up to the players.
    • This might either be enforced e.g. the door out will not open until you leave said items.
    • or Encouraged, maybe an old mysterious man appears telling the party this is the way or they will be faced with 7 years of bad luck.
    • Or as they leave they start turning translucent as they are slowly becoming Wights the further they get away from the gate. (probably with some forewarning script on the pedestal about those who think only of themselves are doomed to wander the earth never getting anywhere).
    • Or maybe Bebbie tells them off in the tavern once it realises the party didn’t leave something for the next party.