Update – Advent 2025: The Darkness of Blighted Hearts

Posting a quick update on The Darkness of Blighted Hearts 2025 DnD Advent Calendar Story. This is also an explanation for why I have not posted since Day 7. 

The Calendar's story is quite involved, and I have not found it easy to summarize the happenings and progress. But I have been documenting that progress by copying from the calendar site and pasting excerpts into a Google doc. As of today, up through Day 21, I have just under 50 pages of content. This includes the story notes, my dice roles and choices, and the results of said rolls and choices. So, while I stopped the daily posts, I have kept up documenting along the way.

Anyway, since Day 7, I have gained a familiar (Yrsa, the bear), traversed the Bifrost, journeyed through Niflheim, battled giant icy hounds on the bridge called Gjallarbrú, exchanged words with Módgudr and Nott, uncovered Sigyn's potential treachery, skirted the roiling center of Hvergelmir's waters, pulled a great black fang (of Jormungandr) from the eye of the maelstrom, and descended the Eversteps where I found the glittering Seed of Ygdrassil. 

Phew!

Along the way, I've received various dice as my daily gifts from the Calendar. As well as three more non-dice gifts:

• Day 15: Bear figure
• Day 20: Warrior figure
• Day 21: Mjölnir pin

Bear, Warrior, and Mjölnir for days 15, 20, and 21

Only a few days left to complete this Calendar ... and its epic story.

Day 7 – Advent 2025: The Darkness of Blighted Hearts

Continuing with The Darkness of Blighted Hearts 2025 DnD Advent Calendar Story.

Day 7: Yesterday, on Day 6, the Bifrost opened. This had the effect of transporting me from familiar waters to ... well, read today's prelude:

...The horizon shimmers into a greying dream, and the bright waters haze and blur into shadow and shade. All is lost... and yet the rough wood of the deck beneath your feet still rocks with the motions of the restless sea. What wearied world is this? 

I was directed to ROLL FOR THE REALM using the d6 from Day 7 on the calendar. I rolled a 5.

Brand new d6 for Day 7

So, where in the nine worlds did I end up?  

The air hangs thick with the scent of decay. A swirling fog, the color of old bone, obscures the horizon, where the sea churns in a violent, chaotic dance. A biting wind howls, carrying with it a silent promise of oblivion. Yet, beneath your feet, the deck is still. No waves disturb these waters. The silence is heavy.

This is Niflheim—Land of Mist and Ice.

What will happen in Niflheim? Tune in tomorrow when I continue to Day 8.  

Day 6 – Advent 2025: The Darkness of Blighted Hearts

 Continuing The Darkness of Blighted Hearts 2025 DnD Advent Calendar Story.

Day 6: I set sail, and...

...suddenly, directly in your path, the horizon tears from the top of the sky to the depths of the seas! A bright multihued waterway falls away at an impossible angle. The Bifrost is opened! 

I was directed to roll the d20 from today's calendar (Day 6). After submitting my roll, the result was compared to a secret number (between 1 and 20) representing the task's difficulty. Exceeding that secret number indicates successfully navigating the Bifrost. 

I rolled a 15.

The "15" I rolled on the new D20 in the calendar's Day 6 slot

When I submitted my result:  

SUCCESS! Your ship dips and wheels as the chromatic waves crash over you, sending salted spray over the bow and nearly foundering in the chaos waters. But she shakes loose and emerges from the waves into altogether different waters...

What I find in those waters will have to wait for Day 7.  

Day 5 – Advent 2025: The Darkness of Blighted Hearts

Continuing The Darkness of Blighted Hearts 2025 DnD Advent Calendar Story.

Day 5: A stranger meets me at the longboat. Whose favor have I drawn, and what gift have they offered? I open Day 5 on the calendar...

Frigga, the All-Mother herself, stands before you in all her glory! In her hands she holds the Spindle and Distaff, and at her neck are the keys of wood and metal that are her symbol... she places around your neck the runic keys she wore at her neck. 

The favor of Frigga is with me. I write her name on my journal sheet. Will her favor be the "key" to my success in this quest?

There is no preview for Day 6 on the journal sheet. I wonder what awaits!

Day 4 – Advent 2025: The Darkness of Blighted Hearts

 Continuing The Darkness of Blighted Hearts 2025 DnD Advent Calendar Story.

Day 4: What will be the token of your beloved that you will carry on this journey? Roll the D4 that was today's gift. I rolled a 4 and...

You pick up the small flower you plucked and dried when first you fell in love. Its beauty, preserved from the moment of your union's beginning, reminds you of the lengths you would go to for the preservation of the beauty your union has brought. You place this memento into your tunic near your heart… 

I wrote "Dried Flower" on my journal sheet and added the D4 to my Inspiration Pool as instructed. 

The opened calendar with Day 2's gift and journal

Next up ... Day 5!

Day 3 – Advent 2025: The Darkness of Blighted Hearts

Continuing The Darkness of Blighted Hearts 2025 DnD Advent Calendar Story.

Day 3: Now that I have my weapon, I must choose from "the wall of armaments, arrayed in orderly rows... There isn’t time to don all - One piece must suffice."

 ... by rolling the D8 that was today's gift. I rolled a 6 and...

You pull your heavy grey cloak from the wall and fasten it around your shoulders. Your way may be long, and stealth and warmth never go amiss… 

I wrote "Heavy Grey Cloak" on my journal sheet and added the D8 to my Inspiration Pool as instructed. 

Next up ... Day 4! And a talisman!

Day 2 – Advent 2025: The Darkness of Blighted Hearts

Second day with The Darkness of Blighted Hearts 2025 DnD Advent Calendar Story.

Day 2: I chose to heed the call presented on Day 1. So, I was invited to choose a weapon ... by rolling the D6 that was today's gift. I rolled a 4 and...

You pick up your Atgeir from the corner where it leans. Its sharp hungry blade stands above your head, flickering in the torchlight. Its weight feels familiar in your hand. This will serve you well.

You pick up your shield and turn to the wall of armor...

Per the instructions, I wrote down my weapon on the journal sheet. I also added the D6 to my inspiration pool. (Note: I downloaded and printed a spare sheet from the website so I can leave the included postcard-sized original unscathed). 

Next up ... Day 3! Looks like I'll get my armor. 

The opened calendar with Day 2's gift and journal

Day 1 – Advent 2025: The Darkness of Blighted Hearts

From my mother-in-law: The Darkness of Blighted Hearts 2025 DnD Advent Calendar Story.

Day 1: I'm one of many sent to seek out the cause of a blight upon the World Tree. WILL YOU HEED THE CALL? Choose either DAY 2 OR Go Back To Bed...

1st gift: Viking longboat pendant in a small drawstring bag.

The opened calendar with Day 1's gift

There's even a journal for documenting stats and such along the 25 days:

Journal for the Adventure

This is going to be fun.