Eyes Unclouded
Crit Academy discusses Eyes Unclouded a Dungeons and Dragon 5th Edition an anthology of adventures for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, inspired by classic Japanese animation. Entreat with the Cat King of the Feywild, learn the truth behind a curse affecting an ancient forest, race by airship to find a lost sky fortress and more!
Eyes Unclouded is a full-colour 180 page digital PDF that includes 11 original adventures for players of level 1 – 14. In addition, we've included 8 recipes inspired by the adventures that can be made at home.
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Segment: Main Topic: Eyes Unclouded
“You must see with eyes unclouded by hate. See the good in that which is evil, and the evil in that which is good. Pledge yourself to neither side, but vow instead to preserve the balance that exists between the two.”
Hayao Miyazaki
“We may be biased, but we feel comfortable stating that the works of Hayao Miyazaki have an above average density of lessons for how to be a better human being. Regardless of the age you’re fortunate enough to experience them, these lessons form a sort of curriculum. This curriculum shows us that it’s noble to have respect for your planet and sometimes you need to step up and defend it. It says that women can do anything, and that nothing is as important as believing in yourself. It says that magic is everywhere if you know where to look, even if tanuki are straight up terrifying. There is wisdom in taking those lessons with us wherever we go.”
Delivery Witches Apply Within
I like this adventure to start because it can work with a small adventuring party. And if you have a larger one, it asks you to split the party up into separate groups, which is a wonderful failsafe. Even the recommended challenges that the party will run into are comical and are very lively, which is par for the course so far. The iconic moment of pulling out the bicycle is also done very well with a strength check and then a properly done dexterity saving throw.
It ends on a beautiful note on whether you succeed or fail, and you can definitely see how being in a delivery service can be jarring a scary, but oddly fun and mystical in the world of spirits. (Also, the reward is pretty nice too!)
A Wealth Of Flames
I’m a huge fan of Howl’s Moving Castle. The inspiration for this fantastic movie is clear as day.
The adventure is laid out very well. It begins with the party being invited to the Empyrean Spires to investigate a mystery in the wizards’ court. During the investigation, they learn that the wizards have traded away their hearts in deals made with flamewreaths, a race of fire demons. The pernicious greed amongst the wizards allows dark, insatiable creatures to manifest and slaughter many of the court. The party must then venture into the Starscape—and after learning of the demi-plane's history, they face the Jaws of Avarice, in combat or in peace, to save the wizards’ hearts.
Court politicking is a personal favorite of mine, as it allows the characters to interact with many different characters each with their own motives and goals. The conversation becomes the focus, learning the many petty issues noble’s tend to have in a court setting, to entire house wars. This adventure captures the gilding of tension very well, something not easy to do. It leads up to a final encounter with a big bad that is full of more than just sword and spells.
Lastly, and honestly one of my favorite features of the adventure is the inclusion of details for a spellcaster in the party to make a pact with the flamewreaths if they wish.
Further details to touch on.
Continuing the Adventure! Each adventure has further details included on how the DM can expand on the story and allow it to turn into a full campaign.
Unearthed Tips and Tricks!
Character Concept:
Fatesinger
“The Song of Heroes resonates in your soul. Until you can join the chorus, you share the wonder of its music with the world.”
In the darkest days of the divine war against the primordials, when those agents of oblivion seemed fated to tear down the divine works and unravel creation itself, the gods’ heralds joined voices and spurred mortal champions to fight back. Their song made heroes of common folk, giving them the resolve to stand fast against the tide of enemies around them. These early heralds live on still in the legends and tales of their descendants, and without their emboldening song, the world might have come to an end.
You have studied the Song of Heroes, and you know that all great champions still hear its melody. They might not be aware of it, but at some point they, like you, caught a faint note of it. The distant strains of this ancient song—hidden in an uplifting tune, perhaps, or half-remembered in a stirring call to action—provide the inspiration that mortals need to rise above the mundane and become legends.
-D&D4e PHB2-
Monster Variant:
Agent of Treachery When destroying enemies, most think of using brute force. To some, that means swinging the largest axe with as much muscle behind it. Others may be how much magic can be brought to bear. To kingdoms how large of an army can you muster. There are some that prefer more subtle means, instead of breaking enemies, to unravel them by tugging at threads. The agent of treachery is adept of the arts of manipulation. Choosing to turncoat their enemies against their allies when it best suits their needs. This makes them powerful assets for subterfuge. They can use their magic to create an illusory appearance, taking on the forms of those can help leverage their treacherous goals.
Origin: Green Hag
Lost Features. Amphibious, spell list, darkvision, fey,
New Features:
Spell List
At will: Minor Illusion, Thaumaturgy
1/day each: Crown of Madness, Suggestion
Claws become a longsword
Reaction. When the agent of treachery is hit with a ranged attack, it can use its reaction to command any creature charmed by it to immediately use its reaction to move up to half its speed and make one weapon attack, adding 1d4 to the attack roll.
Encounter:
Twisted and Deformed
Orick Fireforge (M, dwarf, guard) is seeking adventurers to investigate the recent increase in twisted and deformed monstrosities coming from forge valley, a common passage between his town of Durnatel, and the rest of the kingdom. He informs the characters that there has been a steady increase in calls to deal with these “disgusting beasts”. It has kept him and his contingent too busy to properly defend the town, chasing them into the valley caverns to finish them off. The caverns litter the valley though, and more are spotted than he’s managed to slay. He requests that the characters find the source of the ugly things and kill the last of them.
When the characters investigate the area, a successful DC 14 Wisdom (Survival) check reveals the tracks of some sort of giant, with footprints that are disfigured. Into the caverns, the characters discover the corpses of mangled and dismembered humanoid monstrosities. A successful DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals the deformed dead are dressed in a variety of garments. Many are that of merchants, travelers and farmers. A successful DC 18 Intelligence (Arcana) check reveals subtle clues to a powerful fey curse cast upon the victims. An elf character immediately recognizes the curse that is the result of the battle with the fomorians. A fomorian stalks the characters, attempting to ambush them with its Curse of the Evil Eye at the best opportunity. It stumbled upon the caverns and discovered its rich source of food wander through the twisting valley at the center of the cavern.
Magic Item:
Sword of Mind and Body
“A unique weapon with mirrored twin-blades. One, an emerald green, the other as blue as the sky.”
Weapon (sword), very rare (requires attunement)
You gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. While attuned to this weapon you have resistance to poison and psychic damage. When you hit a creature with this weapon that is under a magical effect, any spell of 3rd level or lower on the target ends.
As an action, you can use this weapon to cast Mordenkainen’s Faithful Hound. You cannot use this feature again until the next dawn.
Dungeon Master Tip:
A Magical World!
When building your world, if you’re wanting it to feel magical, consider allowing magical effects to be used to achieve mundane tasks. Such as a bartender/servants using the mage hand spell to deliver drinks and meals in a tavern. While visiting a noble’s house, the characters spot a magical broom that sweeps and cleans on its own. Spotting random stuff floating around may be common where many can use the unseen servant spell to handle deliveries or shopping. Whatever the case, in worlds, towns, or just a mages tower; D&D is a magical place. Make it feel magical.
Player Tip: Don’t be a Dick
Go Along With What The DM Tells You (Gabe Kleinert)
Sometimes when you're in the middle of a session, the DM might have something happen that involves your character, with or without your knowledge. Maybe you were replaced with a Doppelganger, or you've unknowingly failed a save against a Dominate spell, or someone is using Ventriloquism to sound like you while you're separated from the group.
If the DM tells the rest of the party that your character does something, your gut reaction may be to interject. "I wouldn't do that!" This is a natural reaction- your agency as a player is one of the most important aspects of the game.
However! Sometimes the DM is trying to do something and they need your cooperation. It would be best if they told you ahead of time or somehow explained to you what they were doing, but that's not always an option. So the lesson is: Trust your DM. If they say your character does something, try to go along with it.