The Space Between Stories

A Message from the World Between Chapters

With the Fire Portal nearly extinguished and your return to Red Larch drawing closer, you now stand at the threshold between chapters. The curtain is about to fall on the first act of your journey—on elemental cults, cursed ruins, prophetic threats, and personal scars. But before the second act begins, before old wounds reopen or new terrors rise, there is a breath.

This is Intermission. Not the end. Not a pause. But a space.

A space for your character to reflect, rest, experiment, or transform in ways they couldn’t while the world was falling apart around them. You finally get to choose how to spend your time. The world slows—but doesn’t stop. And what you do with this moment may echo far beyond it.

The Intermission will last no less than one ten-day (10 days) and no more than three ten-days (30 days). At least one mandatory party mission will take place during the Intermission. Its timing is uncertain and may interrupt—but not end—your chosen downtime activities.

What Is the Intermission For?

This is your chance to explore personal growth and independent goals. You’ve been surviving. Fighting. Reacting. Now your character gets to ask a deeper question: “Who am I when no one is trying to kill me?” During the Intermission, you might:

• Learn a new skill, language, or tool
• Travel somewhere new—across the map or across your own memories
• Forge, fix, or break a relationship
• Seek wisdom, redemption, revenge, or clarity
• Take a leap you’ve never dared before
• Simply live like a person for a few weeks instead of a hero

This isn’t just about power or plot—it’s a moment for character development, choices, and quiet victories. The kind that can reshape the road ahead.

Solo Downtime Sessions (1-on-1 with the DM)

To support these personal arcs, each player will receive a solo session with the DM during the Intermission. These sessions are your time to explore, roleplay, and take meaningful action without the full party present.

Scheduling Notes:

• These solo sessions will be scheduled once the party finishes the Fire Portal arc and returns to Red Larch.
• The arc is still ongoing and may take 2 to 5 more group sessions to complete.
• Once Intermission officially begins, there will be a two-week break from regular sessions to accommodate the solo sessions.
• The usual Saturday night game will be cancelled during that break, and solo sessions may be scheduled on weeknights or weekends depending on your availability.

What To Expect:

Each solo session is tailored to your character’s plans. It may include:

• Roleplay-heavy scenes
• Investigation or travel vignettes
• Skill checks or downtime mechanics
• Conversations with important NPCs
• All sessions will be recorded privately and shared only with you.
• Afterward, you must present a brief narrative summary of your downtime during the next group session.

You decide how much to reveal to the others—just the results, partial truths, or nothing at all.

What You Need to Submit

To prepare for your solo session, each player must submit a written Intermission Downtime Plan. This does not need to be an essay. A short paragraph or a clean, focused list of ideas is enough. However, the submission must have a clear primary focus for the solo session.

A scattered list of minor errands will not provide a meaningful story. Think about what matters most to your character right now and build from there.

Submission Format

Use the following format. You may write in-character (journal, letter, monologue) or out-of-character (summary). Either is fine—just be clear.

INTERMISSION DOWNTIME SUBMISSION FORMAT

Character Name:

(e.g., Angelica, Divine Champion of the Gauntlet)

Planned Duration:

How long will your downtime take? (e.g., 20 days / Two ten-days)

Downtime Location(s):

Where is your character during this time? List any relevant towns, cities, ruins, temples, libraries, or wilderness locations. Include expected travel time if applicable.

Downtime Activities:

What is your character doing during the Intermission? Be specific. Examples include:

• Research or magical experimentation
• Physical training or learning a new tool
• Personal quests, pilgrimages, or reflection
• Crafting magic or mundane items
• Investigation, espionage, or social manipulation
• Reconnecting with NPCs (or pursuing new ones)

Be sure to include any skills, spells, proficiencies, or resources involved.

Goals and Desired Outcomes:

What is your character hoping to gain, change, or understand? What does “success” look like in their eyes?

Resources or Costs Willing to Spend:

Gold, time, magic items, emotional strain, reputation, or personal risk—what are they putting on the line?

Backup Plan or Contingencies:

• If the mandatory mission interrupts their downtime, how do they handle it?
• Will they resume where they left off? Abandon their effort? Shift goals entirely.

Personal Notes (Optional):

A space for in-character thoughts, letters, or introspective writing. Helps show your character’s state of mind going into this quiet chapter.

Submission Deadline

Your Intermission Downtime Plan must be submitted before the start of the group session on Saturday, June 28th. The earlier you submit, the easier it will be to design your solo session and schedule a time that works for you.

If you do not submit a plan, your character will remain in Red Larch, resting and quietly assisting around town. You will still receive a solo session, but it will be more limited and reactive rather than driven by your goals.

Final Thoughts

This is your character’s moment to act with intention rather than reaction. There is more ahead—more monsters, more prophecy, more power. But what you do in this quieter moment will shape what kind of person meets that next chapter. Use this time well.

— The DM