The Crooked Moon/Threads of Fate

Threads of Fate are possible personal story arcs that can be woven into the adventure of The Crooked Moon. Each Thread provides a goal for a character to pursue, plot elements to incorporate into their backstory, player choices that personalize the experience, the call of adventure that sets the character on the path to Druskenvald, and six Narrative Touchpoints throughout the adventure that provide a full character arc and rewards for resolving each step.

For ease of use, each Thread of Fate has thematic and narrative connections to one of the thirteen new backgrounds. However, any character can select any Thread regardless of their background.

Thread of Apocalypse

A character bound by the Thread of Apocalypse has lost their memories and forgotten a large portion of their past. Stranger still, the tune of an unknown yet familiar song triggers terrible visions of an impending apocalypse that only the character can prevent.

Goal.

The character must discover who they are and the meaning of their apocalyptic visions to stop the doom coming to Druskenvald.

Personalization.

Determine the nature of the song that heralds the visions of doom. Which genre of music is it? What are the lyrics about? How does the song relate narratively or thematically to the character? What hints about a past life are in the song?

Call to Adventure.

The character inadvertently hears the triggering song, which is unknown to them but sounds strangely familiar. They are stricken with a vision of an entire world and the countless souls within being disintegrated and reformed into twisted abominations, followed by the premonition of a ghost train emerging from the fog wherever the adventure begins.

Associated Background.

Amnesiac

Thread of Ascendancy

A character bound by the Thread of Ascendancy strives to rise to greatness and become an otherworldly monarch. They are guided by the inane ramblings of the spectral head of a fool, imperceivable to anyone else, whose cryptic rhymes contain surprising wisdom and even a prophecy of an ascendant rebirth.

Goal.

The character must decipher the ramblings of their fool and discover what must be done to ascend beyond mortality and be reborn into a powerful supernatural entity.

Personalization.

Determine the otherworldly nature of the desired ascension. Does the character wish to become a lord of the heavens, the hells, the Fey lands, or the deathly realms? Did they seek this type of ascension before encountering their fool or was it instigated by the spirit? Why does the character pursue such a transformational rebirth?

Call to Adventure.

The character is present during or even accidentally causes the beheading of a fool, whose bodiless spirit haunts them. They soon realize there is truth and prescience woven through the specter's often incoherent ramblings, and a single strange rhyme of fools, monarchs, rebirth, and ascension points to a particular gloomy time and place where the adventure begins.

Associated Background.

Reveler

Thread of Deliverance

A character bound by the Thread of Deliverance seeks an inherited family heirloom of great importance and power that was broken apart and lost during a previous trip they took aboard the Ghostlight Express. They follow a soul-powered compass that they hope will lead to the artifact's pieces and the truth behind its fateful purpose once made whole.

Goal.

The character must find all three of the pieces of the fractured artifact and restore it to discover its origin, true power, and how to harness it for themselves.

Personalization.

Determine what type of item the family heirloom is and why it's special to the character. Who was the family member they inherited it from, and what was their relationship like? Which Druskenvald province was it retrieved from and how did they first find it?

Call to Adventure.

After the character retrieved the inherited heirloom from Druskenvald, their return trip aboard the Ghostlight Express was interrupted by a hooded, lantern-bearing figure that stole the artifact, split it into three pieces, and ejected the character from the train into the Shroud. The character miraculously survived and emerged somewhere in the mortal realms with strange, broken compass in their possession. Time has since passed, but one night, the compass glows with ghastly energy, its needle pointing toward wherever the adventure begins.

Associated Background.

Ghostlight Passenger

Thread of Duality

A character bound by the Thread of Duality has a soul that they severed in two in the hopes of expunging their mortal sins, vices, and flaws. A near-exact duplicate born of sin itself commits increasingly wicked acts under the guise of the character, working toward a nefarious goal that only the character can stop as they communicate with their doppelganger through mirrors and other reflections.

Goal.

The character must track down their sinful duplicate, uncover the nature of the copy's wicked plot, and find a way to mend their severed soul to bring an end to their counterpart's vile and catastrophic machinations.

Personalization.

Determine how the duplicate both mirrors and differs from the character in appearance and behavior. What sin most defines the doppelganger, what is their greatest moral flaw, and why did the character so drastically act to purge them? What did the soul severing process require? How does the character now behave differently?

Call to Adventure.

The character receives news of or discovers heinous acts allegedly committed by them. Following the trail of sin, they eventually see a reflection of themselves, but something is off, and the eyes are full of menace. The doppelganger speaks to the character with taunts and threats, mentioning catching a train and leaving clues that point toward where the adventure begins.

Associated Background.

Reflected Wanderer

Thread of Evolution

A character bound by the Thread of Evolution believes themselves to be the next stage of evolution for mortal species, having undergone a transformational experiment to become closer to "perfection." However, they are still not satisfied and follow the notes of a renowned researcher to transcend the limitations of natural biology.

Goal.

The character must unlock the potential of the experiments conducted on them, discover how to blend science and magic to achieve the final stage of evolution, and become the ultimate lifeform.

Personalization.

Determine the nature of the experiments conducted on the character. Did they experiment on themselves, or did an external figure do it? What sort of physical limitations were they seeking to transcend? Who is the researcher they idolize, and what were they seeking?

Call to Adventure.

The character has hit a dead end in unlocking the next stage of their personal evolution and has sought out the researcher who inspired their pursuit. When they finally discover the laboratory or place of study, it is mostly destroyed. Piecing together a fragmented collection of notes that still remain, the character determines that the researcher sought out the location where the adventure begins.

Associated Background.

Experiment

Thread of Immortality

A character bound by the Thread of Immortality seeks a remedy for an incurable, magical disease through the lost arts of blood, vital energy, and the soul-stuff of anima. Aided by an enigmatic, alchemical being in a flask, they seek the truth, and with each new discovery of strange alchemy, they come closer to perfecting a grand elixir and unlocking the secrets of immortality, eternal youth, and invulnerability.

Goal.

The character must master the alchemical arts of life essence, discover the recipe for a grand remedy of immense power, concoct a cure for their magical malady, and unlock the secrets of immortality.

Personalization.

Determine the nature of the incurable disease. What are its symptoms and how was it caused? Does the character have the affliction themselves or does one of their loved ones? Does the researched remedy take the form of a potion, a stone, or something else entirely? What is the appearance and personality of the oddity in the flask?

Call to Adventure.

The effects of the magical disease that the character contends with continue to worsen, and all attempts at remedying it have failed. Their study of alchemical practices leads them to the ruins of an ancient city said to have once conquered death. There, they uncover a strange entity in a flask that claims to know the truth of immortality. The being is not openly forthcoming with many details but speaks of the time and place where the adventure begins.

Associated Background.

Crimson Aspirant

Thread of Kindred

A character bound by the Thread of Kindred searches for a family member who went missing in Druskenvald after experiencing a series of worsening nightmares. Following clues in a dream journal left behind by their loved one, the character knows that a terrible, crooked fate awaits their kin and only they can bring salvation.

Goal.

The character must track down their loved one's location, uncover the malign forces they've been mixed up with, and rescue them before they suffer a terrible fate.

Personalization.

Determine which family member the character seeks. Are they from one of the thirteen primary provinces of Druskenvald or from the mortal realms? How was the relationship between them, and how did the worsening nightmares affect their bond?

Call to Adventure.

The character's family member had confided in them about terrifying nightmares of a man with a crooked grin that continued to get worse, causing loss of sleep and fraying sanity. One night, the character arrives at their loved one's home and finds them gone. There are clear signs of a struggle. Left behind is a dream journal, which paints a terrifying picture of the nightmares and clearly depicts where the adventure begins.

Associated Background.

Druskenvald Dweller

Thread of Liberation

A character bound by the Thread of Liberation has made a deal with a powerful entity that now owns their soul, and what awaits them in death is not pretty. Their only hope to escape their fate seems to be in the hands of their shadow, which seemingly has a mind of its own but can be persuaded to help through games of chance.

Goal.

The character must seek help in outwitting the entity they made a deal with, find a way to break the supernatural chains that bind them, and reclaim the mastery of their own fate once more.

Personalization.

Determine the nature of the entity that has claimed the character's soul. Are they fiendish, fey, deathly, or something else? What is their personality, and what relationship do they have with the character? How does their influence affect the appearance and behavior of the character's shadow? What deal was made, and what did the character receive in exchange for their soul?

Call to Adventure.

The character's luck is running out as the deal they've made with the entity has gone bad, and they've been reminded of the terrible fate that awaits them. Seeking a way to get out of the bargain, they return to the place where the deal was made, and the character's shadow suddenly springs to life and wordlessly challenges them to a game of chance. The character is victorious, and the shadow guides them to where the adventure begins.

Associated Background.

Crossroads Gambler

Thread of Malediction

A character bound by the Thread of Malediction is truly cursed, as is their entire family line. The curse that hangs over their bloodline spells doom and a fate worse than death for all whom they hold dear. Only through delving into ancient secrets and forbidden, profane knowledge of strange origin can they hope to break the curse that afflicts them.

Goal.

The character must seek the forgotten secrets that whisper of their curse, obtain the occult knowledge of how to break it, and take the necessary steps to free themselves from the malediction that afflicts them and their line.

Personalization.

Determine the nature of the curse that afflicts the character. Were they cursed themselves, or was it inherited from an ancestor? What sort of otherworldly force originated the curse, whether it be fiendish, cosmic, fey, or other eldritch forces? To which fate is the character and their line doomed by this curse?

Call to Adventure.

The looming threat of the curse has driven the character to constant research, seeking any knowledge that might lead toward a solution. After numerous dead ends, the character discovers a secret society with access to an esoteric library. After gaining access, the character steals a mysterious page before escaping and follows it to wherever the adventure begins.

Associated Background.

Scholar of the Forbidden

Thread of Pilgrimage

A character bound by the Thread of Pilgrimage holds a strong, mystical connection to the spirits of the dead and can feel their emotions innately. Guided by augury, which grants divination, the character is drawn to places of great spiritual unrest, where they erect sacred monuments to bring a final peace to the tormented dead.

Goal.

The character must make a pilgrimage to locations of great spiritual significance, erect cleansing monuments at each one, and complete the sacred formation to soothe and put to rest the countless tortured spirits of the realm.

Personalization.

Determine the nature of the character's duty to the spirits. Is it motivated by religious, primal, occult, or other ends? What is the character's relationship with the dead, and how has the emotional connection shaped them? How does the character practice augury, whether it be through stone, bone, antler, or other methods? What do their sacred monuments look like?

Call to Adventure.

While performing sacred rites to honor the dead, the character is overwhelmed by the tortured agony of countless souls somewhere beyond the mortal realms. Believing that such a profane affront to the departed cannot stand, they perform their spiritual augury, which points to the time and place where the adventure begins.

Associated Background.

Rest Warden

Thread of Rapture

A character bound by the Thread of Rapture zealously serves a deity or other greater power as their chosen prophet. They hear the voice of their god, who wishes to gain a foothold in a godless realm by enacting a great feat of divine intervention in the hopes of leaving their mark upon the land and its people, who must be converted into the fold.

Goal.

The character must spread the word of their deity throughout the land, convert a following of devotees, break the barriers of the divine's influence, and bring about an act of their godly intervention.

Personalization.

Determine the nature of the character's deity. What is their godly domain, and what are their tenets? What do they demand of their followers, and how does the character showcase their commitment to them? What divine intervention do they seek to enact in Druskenvald and why?

Call to Adventure.

While the character is spreading the word of their god, they have a near-death experience but are brought back from the brink by their deity. The character hears their god speak directly to them, telling them of the holy quest they must undertake to gather the faithful in the land of death and establish a foothold for their divine will. The deity guides the character to where the adventure begins.

Associated Background.

Cultist

Thread of Rejuvenation

A character bound by the Thread of Rejuvenation upholds the sanctity of the natural world and the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. Through communion with the green world and following the wisdom of the trees, they seek to purge the land of rot and corruption to usher in a new age of flourishing.

Goal.

The character must find the area of the natural world that are suffering, discover the extent of the corruption that afflicts the land, learn how to bring about the necessary healing, and fully purge the corruption to initiate a great regrowth.

Personalization.

Determine the nature of the character's guardianship of the wilds. How did they first favor the natural world over civilization? What relationship do they have with the trees and the green places? Do they serve the cycle individually or as part of a group? Which season do they favor and uphold as their ultimate charge?

Call to Adventure.

While walking through the woods during their favored season, the character stumbles upon an ancient hollow, and the trees of the deepest wood communicate with them. They learn of a landscape corrupted, rotten, and crooked in a realm devoid of the cycle of the seasons, pleading for the salvation of these wilds. After the character accepts the mantle of warden, they hear the wisdom of the trees and are guided to where the adventure begins.

Associated Background.

Wicker Weaver

Thread of Slaughter

A character bound by the Thread of Slaughter is a consummate hunter and holds a reverence for the art of killing. Called forward by the appearances ofagreat spiritual beast, they leave the hunting grounds of the mortal realms to seek the deadliest prey, seeking to become the ultimate predator.

Goal.

The character must hunt and kill the foulest creatures of the eternal night, discover what it means to be an apex predator, and undergo the transformation to become the most feared beast that stalks the dark wood.

Personalization.

Determine which great beast the character embodies and follows. Are they a predator of land, sky, or water, and how does its spiritual form appear to the character? What about this beast does the character find kinship with, and which of its traits do they strive for? What set the character on their path of bloodshed?

Call to Adventure.

Following the success of the greatest hunt the character had experienced, they are stillleft unsatisfied by the kill. In that moment, the spectral form of the spiritual beast they have kinship with appears before them, and with a look, the character understands that they must seek deadlier hunting grounds. The character instinctively knows where and when the adventure begins.

Associated Background.

Night Stalker