D&D General Ending a Campaign

[BookTenTiger]

Last night we wrapped up the 5e Campaign I've been playing in for the last 3 years.

We did something fun for our epilogue: each player described a scene of their character, or NPCs connected to their character, in the future... Then rolled a d20 to see the results!

For example, one character was a Druid who throughout the campaign had turned against the witches he once served. In his epilogue, he described traveling the land, staying off the radar of the witches... But he rolled a 5! So instead his character is battling and fleeing the forces of the witches forevermore.

On the other hand, I described a young traveler setting up shop in a town, and he was revealed to be a member of an order of traveling scholars my character had founded... And I rolled an 18! So this order was known throughout the land.

We all went around and told two to three scenes each. It was a really satisfying way to end the campaign.

Do you have any rituals for ending a campaign?

 

[R_J_K75]

Intentional rituals?, No. But unintentional, campaign either implodes because of real life reasons or DM or players do something stupid causing a TPK. In either case drinking beer is the usual ritual. Hey everyone's dead lets drink the rest of the beer. Hey I know Bill, Bob and Ben cant play anymore rest of you guys want to drink some beer tonight? So does drinking beer count?

 

[John R Davis]

Each person narrates their own epilogue.

 

[iserith]

Each person narrates their own epilogue.

Same here.

 

[Retreater]

TPK or getting burned out?

 

[Shiroiken]

In general the DM provides an epilogue, usually tailored to the primary PCs (i.e. the ones who bothered to engage in the game beyond combat). Now that we have a great group, everyone gets an epilogue. Depending on the campaign and situation, the epilogue can provide closure, or leave an opening for future adventure.

 

[Swarmkeeper]

Count me in for "player's narrate their PC's epilogue" method. Our last campaign ended with two characters dying but each player got to prepare an epilogue all the same. In the case of the dead PCs, the epilogue involved how their 20th level PCs were memorialized as heroes. We specifically called out proud accomplishments and bitter regrets as part of the campaign epilogues. It was a fun way to wrap things up.

Aside: Not sure I fully understand the OP epilogue rolling mechanic. What was the DC for the rolls for those PCs @BookTenTiger?

 

[BookTenTiger]

Count me in for "player's narrate their PC's epilogue" method. Our last campaign ended with two characters dying but each player got to prepare an epilogue all the same. In the case of the dead PCs, the epilogue involved how their 20th level PCs were memorialized as heroes. We specifically called out proud accomplishments and bitter regrets as part of the campaign epilogues. It was a fun way to wrap things up.

Aside: Not sure I fully understand the OP epilogue rolling mechanic. What was the DC for the rolls for those PCs @BookTenTiger?

The players set the DC!

My wizard wound up forming a group of extra-planar scholars to study and battle a big evil. I rolled a 14 and decided that the group wasn't successful yet, but set a precedent that future members would continue to follow.

Another player decided that 1-10 was dramatic failure, 11-20 was dramatic success.