D&D 5E [SPOILERS] Enhancing Tomb of Annihilation

I'm only just starting chapter two, but one interesting thing I noticed was the location of the baths in the Merchant Prince's Villa; they're located in the public sitting rooms of the apartments, rather than hidden in special closets like modern day houses. This suggests that casual nudity is common in Chultan society; when it notes that the merchant prince might greet the players in the baths to indicate friendship and familiarity, should we imagine that everyone strips off first? I think that makes more sense than assuming the Chultans have invented bikinis.

I mention this for two reasons. Firstly, I'm deeply immature. But more usefully, this can be an excellent way of highlighting real cultural differences between Chult and the North (i.e. the Sword Coast, effectively the Western culture of this setting). Describing things (language, art, plants) differently can only get you so far in emphasising just how far from home the players are. Having them suddenly expected to strip naked to have a conversation with a local authority figure will be memorable, if something to carefully judge for player discomfort.

Also, it'll be funny for the inevitable "But I never take my armour off!" responses. Which does lead to another benefit - if you refrain from Sudden Assassin Attacks while they're in the meeting, you can set the precedent that taking off armour doesn't always lead to attacking the characters while they are vulnerable, which I think is helpful because then you can earn the trust of the players to have 'un-armoured character' scenes in the future.

Na N'buso, Bay statue of the Great King.

I'm having fun fleshing out Port Nyanzaru. And if I sailed into the city, that thing would intimidate the shiatsu out of me!!!

Jobal, Merchant Prince of Nyanzaru

Camp Righteous

ArwensDaughter said:

I realize that there are plenty of tables for whom the published curse mechanics would be appropriate and fun. But my table isn't one of them. Since I doubt my table is the only one in that boat, I thought I'd share my (our) ideas.

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I like your ideas, and I like the fact that if they seem like the curse isn't strong enough, you can easily amp them up, like "Now that the curse has been in effect for this long, you find that your rests are even less restorative than before" and up the healing penalty. Seems more flexible and "realistic" than starting out with big penalties and having to dial them back because they are too threatening.

Nebulous said:

Camp Righteous

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Is that from a PDF?

If there is no Standard Map of Chult (because you have to roll randomly for what is in each hex / square), then you could have a local "used-car salesman"-type offering maps of the interior for sale.
Most of the maps are random, beyond whatever territory is common knowledge (such as the area near town)
One of the maps could be accurate.
One of the maps might have been generated by a group that played into the campaign earlier but got TPK'ed before reaching the end - so it's a partial.
One map might be really useful to a botanist or resource-harvester, but not for finding the way to the Tomb.

dropbear8mybaby said:

Hmm, correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Chult essentially based on African jungle mythology?

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I do not claim to be an expert on the IRL background evoked by Chult. It does seem like the "Deepest Darkest Tropical Africa" of the Victorian era (and the old game Space:1889).
I suppose you could put in a "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?" scene into the adventure - do your PCs ever need to be rescued? - just to see if any of your players are a 'History nut' like me.

is the picture of Ras Nsi ... whitewashing?

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Please stop dropping invitations to argue into a game meant to be played among friends.

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