Tales from the Yawning Portal - Player Campaign Guide

General Summary

Campaign Hook

Prevent Acerak the fallen angel from corrupting the free will of all mortals.

Truths of the World

Acererak was a celestial angel many centuries ago, but was corrupted by a dark god who promised him immeasurable arcane power over mortals. Acererak renounced his divinity and fell from the heavens.
The Yawning Portal is a tavern in the capital city of Waterdeep that offers diplomatic immunity to those inside. The proprietor, Durnan the pirate lord, is a man blessed with a seemingly limitless life span by treasures he brought back from his expedition to Undermountain over two centuries ago.
Undermountain is a vast labyrinth of dungeons first built by dwarves and drow and then further excavated by Halaster the wizard many centuries ago. The only entrance is through the ruins of the wizards tower, a circular stone shaft that resembles a large well, at the center of the Yawning Portal tavern constructed around it.
Durnan tells tales of a once-proud castle that fell into the earth many centuries ago. Now known as the Sunless Citadel, its ruins stand above a subterranean grove dominated by a Gulthias tree that spawns evil, but also magic healing fruit. Durnan is commissioning your adventuring group to acquire this fruit for him.
300 years ago, King Theric I selflessly sacrificed himself in a heroic feat to end the 100 year War of Humanoids. Thanks to his heroics, the peaceful underwater Kingdom of Aquatica was established along with a vast network of international trade routes across the continent.
A cult of Thayan Wizards are rumored to meet every 100 years at Thangorodrim, a trio of active volcanoes in Mournland that were raised by a dark god in an age long past. The meetings are usually accompanied by a solar eclipse and it's rumored that the wizards cause the eclipses with their dark rituals.

Building Characters

Character Creation:
- Anything officially published in a book by WotC.
- Standard Array or Point Buy ability scores.
- Level 1 normal starting equipment.
Write down and share with DM:
- Character Name:
  - Backstory:
  - Motivations:
  - Desired types of magical items:
  - Character sheet link:
Build characters towards cooperative adventuring:
- Define the characters relationship with the party patron.
- Build characters with a clear reason to adventure with the rest of the party.
- Avoid "Why would my character spend time with you jerks?"
Tie Characters Together:
- Interesting bonds that can easily connect two or more characters in an adventuring party:
  - Sibling of…
  - Saved by…
  - Served with…
  - Protected by…
  - Adventured with…
  - Friendly rival of…
  - Childhood friend of…
  - Magically bound to…
  - Survived with…
  - Escaped with…
  - Apprentice of…
  - Acolyte of…
  - Idolizes…
  - Drinking buddies with…
  - Business associate of…
  - Lost a bet to…
  - Indebted to…
  - Trained by…
  - Dueling partner of…
  - On the run with…
Character Background and Personal Goals:
- Character Hooks.