Dungeons & Dragons Campaign Design
Since I was in high school, I loved creating D&D campaigns for my friends to play. Over time my skill creating them improved, and it quickly became one of my favourite hobbies. Other than playing videogames, D&D has been one of the biggest influences towards my love of game design.
Alchemical Cataclysm
The most recent and most developed campaign I have built is called "Alchemical Cataclysm" and is a multi-year spanning campaign in D&D 5e. The storyline takes place in the region of Planistald, the tip of a larger fantastical continent. The players start in the city of Kaldred (Located in the bottom left of the map), initially hired to patrol it. They soon discover they've been duped into defending against the Kingdom of Magnis's invasion. As they try to escape with another group, one of the members betrays them, attempting to prevent anyone from leaving the city. After overpowering this foe and discovering a letter detailing their orders, they stumble upon rune-covered crates filled with lead ingots in the undercity. Before they can delve deeper, a vast alchemical ritual spanning the entire city activates, knocking them out. Waking up amidst the ruins, they learn from a passing merchant that three months have lapsed and both Kaldred's inhabitants and the invaders have vanished. Now bearing mysterious shoulder tattoos from the ritual, they embark on a quest to various cities, following the clues left from the letter, unravelling the purpose and culprits of these strange alchemical events.
The Last Tower
The last tower is one of my favourite creations within the Alchemical Cataclysm campaign. It is located deep within the cursed desert of East Planistald, an imposing figure emerging from the golden sands. The Last Tower is the relic of the age of magic, built centuries before the current events of the campaign. Its true purpose is unknown, but many believe it to harbour countless secrets, vast treasures and immense power. So it is like a beacon to any and all adventurers, brave and foolhardy alike that seek eternal glory. The tower is split into eight sections as depicted in the picture, and each layer has its own unique trials to overcome. Although at first glance it seems classically video-game like in its simple reason to exist, each level is justified if looked through the correct lens. This tower was built by an ancient civilization to function as a bunker against most external catastrophe. Each layer functions as part of a luxurious ecosystem that can ensure not only the survival of a species but its prosperity. The Respite provides clean water, food and other natural resources, the High deep provides rare ingredients (from the fauna and flora) and minerals, the Infinite Library provides easy to access knowledge, the Chamber of elements provides power for the tower to function, the Crypt of the Ancients provides for accommodation, some forms of entertainment as well as healthcare, the Observatory provides access to the possibility of research and finally the Throne Room is the main control hub for the tower. Each level has its use within the structure, but also doubles as a security measure of some sort if an intruder lacks the proper authorization, as seen through the dangers that lurk within.
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Additional D&D Design
In my work for Powerwash Simulator, one standout creation I crafted using Homebrewery is the Oni-Slayer fighter subclass. While it stands as an independent design, it heavily draws inspiration from the renowned manga and anime, Kimetsu no Yaiba. The foundational traits of the Oni-Slayer mirror those of the official DnD samurai subclass, but it also introduces unique mechanics. For example, an aspirant must craft a distinctive sword to qualify as an Oni-Slayer. Moreover, upon vanquishing a demon, they have the opportunity to harvest demonic larvae from the corpse. These can be traded for a profit or repurposed as crafting materials.
Additionally, for the Alchemical Cataclysm campaign, I conceptualized a new playable race set in the northern expanse of Tunsen Sköd. Dubbed the Cold Orc, this race is an imaginative twist on the classic Orc from DnD 5e. Depending on their lineage, Cold Orcs possess varied traits: Cold Orc Ice Shapers command cryomancy, while the Cold Orc Pure-bloods exhibit enhanced endurance and constitution.