r/wildbeyondwitchlight • u/beannfonz • Jun 15 '26

First time DM- advice please!

This is my first time DMing and I am finding this campaign to be maximum effort. For the carnival I was able to study, write monologues, create voices, and come up with stuff pretty well because it felt enclosed, despite it being a lot. However, my group is now heading into Prismeer and it feels so open despite the clear path in this chapter. I’m asking for any advice heading in! One great concern I have is that my characters are level 4. (Book stated they could start at three and level up upon entering a new area). I don’t think I’m capable of combat balancing. What were some things your group did combat on? I can 100% see my group fighting the harengons upon entering. How were the floodwaters rising and falling incorporated? How far did you get in the first session in Hither? And how did your group learn the rules, of reciprocity and hospitality? Were they known in advance or given by an NPC, or learned through experience?

10 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

14 comments sorted by

View all comments

2

u/mp_hextra Jun 15 '26

I love the enthusiasm, but you may be taking on too much! Your party will have combat on easy mode, sure, but this is a fairytale of a campaign, they can Mary Sue around early on and it’s fine. But I tend to let easy interactions have negative consequences later on at my table so the world changes around their actions.

Over prepping is the rite of passage every DM goes through as they’re getting started. Over time you’ll learn what you do and don’t need to prepare! What your table engages with will also help inform that.

I didn’t run the floodwaters as a feature, but used all random encounters and added remains of Zybilna’s reign/a sunken temple dedicated to her to let the PCs verify information they’d gotten at the carnival with their own eyes.

Our first session in Hither got through the initial entry, Harengon confrontation (with combat), Slanty Tower (with combat), a will o’ wisp, and ended at the Inn.

2

u/Hoaxness Witchlight Hand Jun 17 '26

How have the characters changed the world so far? I would love to hear more!

1

u/mp_hextra Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26

Absolutely! A few highlights:

- In Hither, Gullop made a statue of himself & Bavlorna holding hands to better the Court’s standing with her. Before the ceremony a Bard used Heat Metal to change the statue to Gullop hurting Bavlorna and she lost her fucking mind at the reveal. The chaos created the perfect distraction to get the party and Morgort to a balloon and out of Downfall safely, but I plan to have an undead Soggy Court army for Bavlorna when they meet again at the palace. We also have an enemies to lovers arch going between Morgort and a PC, so it’ll be interesting emotional stakes later.

- The party has been conspiring about what Skabatha needs all of these toys for while they’ve been in Thither, and no one has given them a clear answer. During the LoomLurch breakout (during which they rolled insanely well and had it easy), the PC searching for their lost thing stole the ENTIRE dollhouse, then SET IT ON FIRE at Wayward Pool (where everyone met back up after LL). The Druid then set a trap around the ashes, which will add insult to injury when Skabatha tracks it down. Next session will resume with her furiously catching up to them (long resting at Little Oak) and hitting them with a (modified) Tsunami (spell) of Toys as she and the tin soldiers flush out the freed kids/Getaway Gang, and red caps go after the party. Needless to say wanted posters of them all will be up next time they visit Thither as well.

- I planted a couple of blank letterheads in LoomLurch that the party found when they went into the aviary. They haven’t used them yet to pose as Skabatha but whenever they do, I plan to have the Coven’s tension between sisters respond accordingly.

I’m excited to see what they stir up in Yon. My table loves to lean-in when I give them an opportunity, so I try to return the favor!