DM’s Tool: The Wild Beyond the Witchlight Player’s Guide

Jan 3

This is a guide for DMs to hand out to their players before session zero for the 5e Dungeons & Dragons campaign The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. Feel free to copy the text below, place it in your word processor, and make changes that match the adventure you want to run. You can also send the link to this article to your players if that is more convenient for you.

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Session Zero

We will get together and create the characters for the campaign as a group. Come with a couple of character concepts (race, class, and background combinations) that you want to play. Together we will come up with the backstories to tie the characters together and create a cohesive party.

The adventure ultimately takes place in the Feywild, a land full of the fantastical and lethal. This land of tricksters is bathed in constant twilight. A shrewd party of adventures might never have to draw their swords or cast an offensive spell to successfully complete their goals. It all starts in the port town of Lurray.

The Town Where it Starts

Lurray sits at the end of a major caravan route. Its port is constantly hustling as goods are loaded onto and off of ships. It is a crossroads at the edge of several kingdoms and is a potpourri of different races, backgrounds, and social classes. Some have come to Lurray to find a new beginning and others have been born here. The town has opportunities for both honest and nefarious purposes.

The Carnival has come to Town

It has been eight years since the last time the Witchlight Carnival has been in Lurray. Everyone is all a buzz and ready to go to the opening night. You have all been to the carnival before and look forward to seeing the spectacle of the fey-infused entertainment. Tonight is going to be magical.

Two New Races

There is the Fairy, who is a small fey that has innate magic and can fly. The Harengon is a small or medium humanoid rabbit folk race with a bit of fey luck that keeps them a few feet from danger.

Who Are You?

You are a group of adventurers that have ties to the Witchlight carnival. Whether it is from having visited the carnival in the past or from having been more influenced by your time amongst its attractions. Here are some ideas for character builds:

You may have been enchanted by the Witchlight Carnival and decided to stay with the troop and became a Witchlight hand. You spent the last eight years traveling with the carnival and tonight is special because you will be in your old hometown.
Growing up as an Urchin on the streets of Lurray, you snuck into the carnival eight years ago. It was a magical night and maybe you can recapture the good time you had and maybe find something that was lost.
You were inspired to become an Entertainer the last time you saw the attractions of the Witchlight Carnival. Maybe the carnival is looking for someone of your unique talents.
The sights and sounds of the carnival might be an opportunity for a Criminal such as yourself to part a few distracted patrons from their coin.
You were Fey Lost as a child. You disappeared from your hometown of Lurray and found yourself in the Feywild. Since your return to Lurray, your recollections of your time in those fantastic lands are fading. Perhaps a night at the Witchlight Carnival will spark some old memories.