Greetings, fellow adventurers and lore seekers! Embarking on a new campaign is an exhilarating experience, filled with boundless possibilities and untold adventures. I’ve recently began a new campaign in the captivating realm of Critical Role’s Call of the Netherdeep. With each new campaign I undertake, I’ve developed a penchant for tailoring specific starting magic items for each character. This creative approach allows me to help shape the narrative around a character, delve into their backgrounds, and establish a thematic connection that feats and class features simply cannot achieve.
Now, let’s address a pertinent concern that might flicker across your mind as you peruse these extraordinary artifacts—I assure you, these enchantments might appear, at first glance, astonishingly potent. Yet, let us remember that the final arbiter of balance and power lies in the hands of the dungeon master. In my realms of high power and lofty fantasy, I embrace a narrative that brims with grandeur, where heroes and heroines can wield formidable might and unfurl tales of legendary valor!
While it’s true that starting with potent magic items can tip the scales of balance, it’s essential to maintain a delicate equilibrium between power and challenge. As the DM, I continuously assess the game’s difficulty and adjust encounters accordingly, ensuring that the presence of these items doesn’t render encounters trivial. The thrill lies in striking the perfect balance, where the party’s newfound power is met with appropriately heightened opposition, cultivating a gripping and gratifying gaming experience.
Abyssa Neptune, Sea Elf Sorceror White Dragon Anscestor – White Dragon Scale Amulet.
Now, allow me to present you with one such extraordinary artifact: the White Dragon Scale Amulet, bestowed upon Abyssa Neptune, a Sea Elf Sorcerer and descendant of white dragons. This amulet, pulsating with the raw essence of glacial powers, serves as a spellcasting focus for sorcerers, unlocking a trove of benefits exclusive to those bearing the lineage of the white dragon.
This amulet carries the cold powers of a white dragon. It can be used as a spellcasting focus for sorceror spells, and grants the following benefits to a sorceror with a white dragon ancestor while it is worn. Sorcery Points. You gain a number of additional sorcery points equal to your PB. Ice Magic. You know the ray of frost and frigid blade cantrips. You also know Chaos bolt, but when you hit with it, it always deals cold damage. Additionally you also know Rime's Binding Ice. You can cast either of these spells using a number of sorcery points equal to the spells level, or spell slots as normal. Spirit of the Ice Dragon. As a bonus action you can expend a sorcery point to summon a tiny draconic spirit to help you or an ally within 60 feet of you that you can see. The spirit floats around in the chosen creatures space for 1 minute or until you use this propery again. For the duration, the first time the creature hits with an attack on each of its turns, the spirit deals 1d6 cold damage to the target of the attack. Additionally, you can cast touch spells as if you were in the chosen creature's space
Firstly, the amulet bestows additional sorcery points upon its wearer, empowering them to manifest their sorcerous prowess with even greater potency. Furthermore, Abyssa gains mastery over ice magic, becoming well-versed in the chilling incantations of ray of frost and frigid blade cantrips. Additionally, she attains mastery over Chaos Bolt, a spell capable of delivering icy devastation to her foes. And, lo and behold, whenever she casts Chaos Bolt, its wrath is unyielding, as it unfailingly inflicts cold damage upon her targets. Moreover, Abyssa gains access to Rime’s Binding Ice, an area-of-effect spell from Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons, offering her a reliable means of unleashing frosty devastation upon her adversaries.
But that’s not all, my friends! Through the Spirit of the Ice Dragon, a unique property provided by this amulet, Abyssa gains the power to summon a diminutive draconic spirit, harnessed from the very essence of her ancestry. With a mere flicker of a bonus action and the expenditure of a sorcery point, she can unleash this spectral companion to assist her or an ally within 60 feet. For one minute, the spirit dances around the chosen individual, dealing icy punishment—1d6 cold damage—whenever the target lands a successful attack. Additionally, this ethereal entity enables Abyssa to cast touch spells as if she were in the space of the fortified ally, extending her healing powers to reach those who stand in dire need.
Lastly, in consideration of Abyssa’s augmented use of sorcery points, I ensured she possessed ample reserves to fuel her magical endeavors. As a parting note, it’s worth mentioning that most of my meticulously crafted starting items tend to provide additional uses for certain abilities, reinforcing the uniqueness and distinct playstyles of each character.
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In crafting this particular item, my aim was to breathe life into the fantasy of Abyssa’s dragon lineage, enhancing the thematic essence that the Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer features often fall short of achieving. With a focus on early-game options for unleashing frigid fury, I selected ray of frost as an iconic cold spell from the basic rules. To enrich her arsenal, I incorporated the Frigid Blade cantrip, an exquisite spell hailing from Magehand Press’s Complete Warmage PDF and the upcoming Valda’s Spire of Secrets. As for the first level spells, Chaos Bolt, a beloved sorcerer spell from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, presented itself as a perfect fit, with the added twist that it would exclusively inflict cold damage—a delightful touch to emphasize her lineage. And lastly, the inclusion of Rime’s Binding Ice from Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons offered a reliable means of unleashing a frosty storm upon her foes, evoking a sense of power and mastery over the chilling arts.
Thank you, fellow adventurers, for joining me on this exhilarating journey of thought and imagination. It has been an absolute pleasure to unveil my creative process and insights with you all. Your thoughts, comments, and personal experiences are greatly valued, so please do share your reflections on running Critical Role’s Call of the Netherdeep, or embarking on its epic quest yourself. Let us weave together a tapestry of shared stories, forging a bond that transcends the boundaries of our gaming realms.
Until we meet again, may the dice be ever in your favor, and may the realms of fantasy forever ignite your imagination!