jdnd/sections/summaries/01-Introduction.md

Introduction Summary

Campaign Premise

The PCs are imprisoned in a donjon after drawing cards from the Deck of Many Things. They must escape, help NPCs affected by the Deck, and ultimately confront Green and uncover the truth about who created the Deck and why it exists.

Key Plot Points

The Deck's Unusual Behavior

• Normally appears every few hundred years, dispenses chaos briefly, then vanishes
• This time: hundreds have drawn cards, the Deck isn't disappearing
• Has flooded the economy with gems, magic items, and wishes, warping reality itself

Green's Scheme

• Green runs a profitable operation: others draw cards while he takes cuts of wishes and gems
• If someone draws three wishes, one must be used on Green's behalf
• Green takes 25% of gems by weight
• He's using wishes to become stronger, smarter, more magically talented, and ultimately to become a dragon
• Morally grey: exploitative but provides honest warnings and honors contracts

The Gods' Concerns

• Tymora (goddess of Good Luck): fears a more powerful luck deity exists, threatening her position
• Beshaba (goddess of Bad Luck): hates Tymora, sees the Deck as potential bait to lure and kill her sister
• Omta (Inventor of Randomness): the true creator of the Deck, asleep in the far cosmos

The Power Players & Their Motives

Omta (The Hidden God)

• Ancient deity who invented randomness to make the predictable universe more interesting
• Planted randomness secretly, then fled and fell asleep in the far cosmos
• The Deck is his avatar (not a mere artifact), sent when randomness is threatened
• Now a greater god but still sees himself as tiny and fragile
• Monitors the multiverse unconsciously, reacting instinctually to threats against randomness

Tymora

• Young goddess lacking confidence in her position
• Sees the Deck as proof of a rival luck god threatening her portfolio
• Not violent by nature, but must protect her divine role or die
• Losing respect as people attribute the Deck to a more powerful deity

Beshaba

• Lives only to hurt Tymora, driven by despair, envy, bitterness, and spite
• Maintains worship through threats and a protection racket
• Doesn't fear the Deck's creator; sees it as useful bait to lure Tymora to the Abyss

Rennick (Theoretical Fortunologist)

• Fraternity of Order member, casino regulator by day
• Made a breakthrough: can predict random events (roll outcomes)
• Understands this threatens randomness itself and could be weaponized
• Received the Deck when he made his breakthrough; studied it instead of drawing
• Figured out Omta's existence and that Omta is asleep
• Trying to wake Omta to fix the problem with the universe
• Deliberately misused the Deck by creating a predictable income stream (Green's operation) to provoke Omta

Green

• Entrepreneur who runs a casino in Sigil
• Rennick gave him the Deck with instructions never to draw himself
• Created the card-drawing operation that has made him wealthy
• Morally grey: exploitative but ethical about warnings and honoring deals
• Not the "Big Bad" - has a conscience and can be reasoned with
• Ultimate goal: accumulate enough wishes to become a dragon

Important NPCs (Deck-Touched)

All drew story cards and are connected via telepathic link:

• Borghan (the Caged Beast) - Drew Beast card, transformed into animal hybrid
• Sam Link (the Chosen One) - Drew Sun card, granted divine spark and healing powers
• Alyssa Varn (the Squatter) - Drew Bricklayer card, compelled to live in a structure the Deck built
• Balanestra (the Wish-Keeper) - Drew Moon card (three wishes), advises Green
• Pig (the Ogre King) - Drew Throne card, became king; also drew Jester (nobody takes him seriously)
• Brunna (the Antiquarian) - Drew Comet card, can see the past when touching objects
• Asatya (the Astral Sleepwalker) - Drew Void card, trapped in permanent sleep
• Rackle (the Punching Bag) - Drew Euryale (fear of monsters), Ruin (destroys valuable items), Rogue (perceived as criminal)

Card Mechanics

Card Structure

• Each person draws exactly 3 cards in this manifestation
• First card: player chooses best of 3 good cards
• Second card: player chooses least bad of 3 bad cards
• Third card: always Donjon for PCs

Good Cards (8 total)

• Owl - Increase Int/Wis/Cha by 2
• Tiger - Increase Str/Dex/Con by 2
• Knight - Receive magical weapon/armor (max 5000gp)
• Star - Receive wondrous item (max 5000gp)
• Vizier - Monthly divination ability
• Key - +5 to skills for one mundane career
• Gem - 5000gp in gems after Green's cut

Bad Cards (7 total)

• Euryale - Fear of monsters, WIS save to attack creepy species
• Idiot - Lose 2 Int/Wis/Cha
• Cripple - Lose 2 Str/Dex/Con
• Fool - Lose an important feat/skill
• Ruin - 5% chance to destroy valuable items touched
• Skull - Summon avatar of death
• Jester - -5 to persuasion/intimidation

Story Cards (9 total)

Transformative, make people "deck-touched":

• Sun - Divine spark, potential godhood
• Moon - Three wishes
• Throne - Become king/queen
• Bricklayer - Deck builds structure, compulsion to live there
• Void - Permanent sleep, dreams of other deck users
• Beast - Transform into animal hybrid, lose rationality
• Donjon - Cast into inescapable prison
• Comet - See the past when touching objects/people
• Rogue - Perceived as criminal everywhere

Deck Side Effects

1. Deck Awareness

• Deck-touched individuals see each other's cards as illusionary images overhead
• Actually a telepathic connection broadcasting between all deck-touched people
• Non-deck-touched cannot see the cards

2. Deck Immunity

• Cannot draw from Deck again after first draw
• Immune to other people's card effects (direct only, not indirect)
• Items created by Deck phase through other deck-touched people
• Exception: three wishes can affect other deck-touched individuals
• Loophole: items sold to third parties become real and usable

3. Deck Dreaming

• Dreams show visions through eyes of other deck-touched individuals
• Continue until all deck-touched NPCs are encountered
• Another manifestation of telepathic link

Character Creation Requirements

• Level 2 start, will reach approximately Level 8
• Must be desperate/willing to risk extreme danger for reward
• Cannot have flight ability at start
• Must accept Green's job offer to be part of campaign

Player Expectations

This campaign requires players who:

• Accept help from NPCs (essential for success)
• Care about NPCs and want to protect them
• Enjoy investigating mysteries
• Are comfortable with potentially many non-combat sessions

Initial Session Structure

• Each PC solo roleplays accepting the job at Castle Green
• Green explains terms, warns of risks, demonstrates moral greyness
• PC draws 1 good card (choose best of 3), then 1 bad card (choose least bad of 3)
• All PCs draw Donjon as third card and are imprisoned together
• This begins the main campaign

DM Notes

• Deck cards differ from DMG version intentionally - signals "what you know may be wrong"
• Cards are blank ivory tablets that hover in a ring when tossed
• Never reveal symbolism/NPCs for cards players didn't draw (important for later quests)
• Deck curses resist normal magic; require wish, divine intervention, or special quest
• Green must be portrayed as morally grey, not pure evil - PCs will need to negotiate with him later