The Sky Knights of Aard - D&D 5e CLOSED

[Rummy Tum Tum]

Very well. In that case I shall make use of thus and have the biggest numbers in the smallest body. Finding a male goblin who isn't Goblinating an elf, woman, or elven woman is harder than it looks.

Tell me about it smh. Love the idea of orphan friendship-Oath goblin tho

Also, that art is badass and I will be stealin it for a future game

[Laughing Hyena]

Tell me about it smh. Love the idea of orphan friendship-Oath goblin tho

Also, that art is badass and I will be stealin it for a future game

It's the Tarnished Bloody Wolf from Elden Ring

[Rummy Tum Tum]

Right, unmistakable Elden Ring/Souls game vibes right there. I somehow forgot this armor was in the trailers. I need to find it in-game and get my fashion on

[c0i9z]

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

Varnarla was a devout follower of Twi. She'd been for years. Her previous un-split hadn't been, though, and neither was her sister. That had come years later. And somewhat as a surprise, but she followed without fail, day in and day out, learning the teachings. Or relearning them. Or remembering them. It was difficult to tell sometimes. And slowly, she had risen in the ranks and even gained a small devotion. And she could do more, she knew. Much more. She felt a duty to do so. But then... but then, the letter came. A letter she had once fervently hoped for. It had been the cause of her un-split's split, allowing her to apply to the Knights and her sister to... she no longer remembered. But now, she was finally accepted, but now, she had her devotion and her duties. So she was split between the two.

She was split... so she split.

For a few moments after the split, the two sisters were the same. Identical in all ways. The shared the same thoughts, the same selves. And so, there was no need for words, no need for great thought. One was slightly closer to the door, so that was the one who left. The one who remained took the name Varla and would one day become a great priestess of Twi. But this isn't her story. This is the story of the one who left. Narla, for now. She would add to her name, as she added to her experiences, as the time grew. Varla was the one who took her old life, so Narla would be the one to forge a new path. A path that lead to Knighthood and the skies. And while she still followed Twi, still followed the paths of knowledge, the ways of a priestess weren't for her any longer. No... no, she decided that, instead, she would follow half-forgotten knowledge of magic, reach for more directly applicable knowledge, like some of her previous un-splits had done again again, each forgotten before being done anew. This was Narla's first true decision as herself, a decision, as nearly all first decisions did, that would set her path until she had added to her name and the time came, once more, for one to become two.

Race: Slime

Class: Wizard (Chronurgy)

[Captain America]

Fintan, Barbarian/Goliath

Hailing from the Queendom of Lys, Fintan, is descended of giant's blood, from the wars of the past. Compared to most, he is as large and hard of build, as the mountains he comes from. While most content to be alone in forests and mountains, he is always willing to assist his fellow trainees as he can. He works hard at exemplifying the ideals his instructors attempt to instill, and ensuring the safety of those he is here to protect.

When time permits, he can be often be found participating in gladiatorial bouts and arena fights, or near a fire with drink in hand as he listens to and shares the songs and stories he so cherishes of ages and battles past.


164102   Noone or Anyone   2023-04-01 01:56:10   At 2023-04-01 01:56:10, Elf (uid: 55165) rolls: 4d6k3 Result: 13
164101   Noone or Anyone   2023-04-01 01:56:03   At 2023-04-01 01:56:03, Elf (uid: 55165) rolls: 4d6k3 Result: 10
164100   Noone or Anyone   2023-04-01 01:55:56   At 2023-04-01 01:55:56, Elf (uid: 55165) rolls: 4d6k3 Result: 12
164099   Noone or Anyone   2023-04-01 01:55:48   At 2023-04-01 01:55:48, Elf (uid: 55165) rolls: 4d6k3 Result: 15
164098   Noone or Anyone   2023-04-01 01:55:40   At 2023-04-01 01:55:40, Elf (uid: 55165) rolls: 4d6k3 Result: 10
164097   Noone or Anyone   2023-04-01 01:55:27   At 2023-04-01 01:55:27, Elf (uid: 55165) rolls: 4d6k3 Result: 16

[PhantomPistoleer]

I want to throw in a bard.  :o

Roll ID: 163975
Owner: PhantomPistoleer
Viewer: Noone or Anyone
Time Rolled: 2023-03-31 07:14:50

Summary: At 2023-03-31 07:14:50, PhantomPistoleer (uid: 3619) rolls: 24d6 Result: 90

Full Result: PhantomPistoleer rolled: 24d6
Comment:
Result: 2, 1, 3, 3, 1, 2, 5, 4, 5, 4, 5, 5, 4, 5, 3, 6, 2, 3, 2, 6, 4, 5, 5, 5,
Total: 90

I rolled these yesterday for this game.  Not great, but not terrible.

[Muse]

I'd like to play, please! *Bows* 

Cleric or possibly droid riding a Pegasus coming forth shortly. 

[pdragon]

Alright, since we've gotten a good handful of submissions, I figured I'd run through and give some early feedback.

@Shengami
I think it's a really interesting concept, and I like that you chose to run with a bad roll and integrate it into the character. Also from a lore perspective it hadn't actually occurred to me that outside travel to the continent wouldn't have really been possible until the surface cleared up, so that was a cool bit to include.

@Rummy Tum Tum
I really like the creativity and detail here, and tying all the various background elements together in a way that really makes sense. The idea of honoring a Goddess often associated with nature by creating machinery is a very cool angle compared to the usual anti-technology druid stance.

@queenkam234
I like her, though I think the response to her making a pact with a demon is a bit "light". Demons in this setting are especially reviled, and at the time she would have been the child it would have been unheard of for a demon to be anything but pure evil actively seeking to destroy everything around them. As such the idea of them letting her stick around in the village, let alone use her powers around other kids, is a hard stretch. I think it could work if either A. the patron she made contact with was something besides an actual demon, thus it wouldn't pose the same level of threat to keep her around, or B. she managed to keep the demon part a secret and they just assumed she had awakened to her new powers like a sorcerer.

Ironically she'd actually be more accepted in Voltania now, after she's already left, because the new Queen Consort is a demon, so the people are more open to the idea of them being good.

@Foxgirl Jay
Absolutely awful, get this out of my face  ;p

@Angie
I like him. A former criminal using the Sky Knights as a way to reform is good idea, and I think helps embody the spirit of the group. And admittedly the idea of a tiny halfling riding on a giant flying mount is just delightfully entertaining.

@Revelation
I really like her backstory and complicated relationship to the Sky Knights. The only problem, and this is 100% on me, is that the timeframe and ages are a bit off. The civil war over Gaal Gundren was only 3 years ago, thus why the Knights are still urgently rebuilding. I could have sworn I had put that in somewhere, but when I looked over it I realized I hadn't put it any of the sections discussing the matter, so that's on me. Unfortunately that means at her current age Lucia couldn't have been a teenager during the war. That would also make the wound of losing the war and her father considerably fresher, which might be a concern as well.

@Laughing Hyena
The idea that this insanely cracked chad with ungodly stats is a little red goblin is fucking hilarious. Truly inspired. No notes.

Also

I'm sorry

@c0i9z
I like her. I think you did a good job trying to capture the sort of confusing and alien experience of slime reproduction. I absolutely love the  name splitting idea. It's relatively simple yet ties into everything so well in a way that feels very meaningful.

@Captain America
A big strong boy for sure. While he wouldn't be descendant from the giants of Aard, since they've presumably all been wiped out, having ancestors from Lyse works just fine. It actually adds an extra element to things, as he would basically be one of the only people with giant blood on the continent at this point. There's potential for interesting things down the road there.


@Everyone
These are some really strong concepts guys. I'm liking them a lot. I'm considering bumping the group size up to 6 (I might back track on that though), and as such I'll allow 2 more submissions before I cut things off.

[Revelation]

@Revelation
I really like her backstory and complicated relationship to the Sky Knights. The only problem, and this is 100% on me, is that the timeframe and ages are a bit off. The civil war over Gaal Gundren was only 3 years ago, thus why the Knights are still urgently rebuilding. I could have sworn I had put that in somewhere, but when I looked over it I realized I hadn't put it any of the sections discussing the matter, so that's on me. Unfortunately that means at her current age Lucia couldn't have been a teenager during the war. That would also make the wound of losing the war and her father considerably fresher, which might be a concern as well.

Ah, sorry, I read the Aard information and the sky knights stuff mentioned Ryburn taking power a decade ago, so I thought the civil war would have happened a bit earlier. In which case - and I am totally fine with doing this, is adjusting her timeline so the years match up. This would obviously replace some of her backstory (She would likely be training to be a soldier, perhaps even actively fighting - though perhaps for Aslan and technically against her father as she feels that would have been the right thing to do), and having lost her eye relatively early on in her life rather than a military accident. I am also fine with her fighting on Ryburn's side as well, or perhaps fighting for him initially but opting to surrender instead, not wishing to throw her life away for a tyrant.

Of course, if these things are too convoluted to handle, I am fine with reworking her entire backstory - I just really jived with the idea of a Sky Knight who had a complicated history with the Knights.

[pdragon]

Ah, sorry, I read the Aard information and the sky knights stuff mentioned Ryburn taking power a decade ago, so I thought the civil war would have happened a bit earlier. In which case - and I am totally fine with doing this, is adjusting her timeline so the years match up. This would obviously replace some of her backstory (She would likely be training to be a soldier, perhaps even actively fighting - though perhaps for Aslan and technically against her father as she feels that would have been the right thing to do), and having lost her eye relatively early on in her life rather than a military accident. I am also fine with her fighting on Ryburn's side as well, or perhaps fighting for him initially but opting to surrender instead, not wishing to throw her life away for a tyrant.

Of course, if these things are too convoluted to handle, I am fine with reworking her entire backstory - I just really jived with the idea of a Sky Knight who had a complicated history with the Knights.

I think either of those revisions would work just fine, so go with whichever you'd prefer.

[Muse]

  Still familiarizing myself with the lore.  :)  You really can't throw a cleric on paper before you read about the gods!  *Smiles* 

  This is a really awesome setting and a great group!

[Revelation]

Edited Lucia's backstory and unfortunately it got a bit wordy - I am not normally one for detailed backstories so I apologize for that, but I wanted to keep the weight of her joining the sky knights despite the situation. Hopefully it flows better with the timeline? Since Aslan took the throne 3 years ago, that should put Lucia as 20-21 rather than a teenager.

[c0i9z]

I'm glad you like! I was worried I might have made up too many details, since you seemed to have a strong idea of what slimes are like, like the word un-split and things like that. I have a bit of a tendency to make things up about races and cultures when i make characters.

[pdragon]

Edited Lucia's backstory and unfortunately it got a bit wordy - I am not normally one for detailed backstories so I apologize for that, but I wanted to keep the weight of her joining the sky knights despite the situation. Hopefully it flows better with the timeline? Since Aslan took the throne 3 years ago, that should put Lucia as 20-21 rather than a teenager.

Not a problem, it looks great.

[pdragon]

I'm glad you like! I was worried I might have made up too many details, since you seemed to have a strong idea of what slimes are like, like the word un-split and things like that.

It's all good. I think they fit pretty well. Also considering slimes are so old and so spread out, there's more room for different interpretations and terminology. Just because one line of slimes see things one way, or describe the process in certain terms, doesn't necessarily mean it applies to all of them. There'd be a wide variance in cultures and philosophies in a race that's been around for so long.

[Laughing Hyena]

@Laughing Hyena
The idea that this insanely cracked chad with ungodly stats is a little red goblin is fucking hilarious. Truly inspired. No notes.

Also

I'm sorry

@Everyone
These are some really strong concepts guys. I'm liking them a lot. I'm considering bumping the group size up to 6 (I might back track on that though), and as such I'll allow 2 more submissions before I cut things off.

Hehe, that is also hilarious with the shrunken down bloody wolf. My only concern is my inability to use discord now that I was point to the fine print. This phone is that ancient. Still wanting to play but if I get passed over, I understand completely.

[pdragon]

Hehe, that is also hilarious with the shrunken down bloody wolf. My only concern is my inability to use discord. This phone is that ancient.

That may end up being a deal breaker unfortunately. The other game I'm running uses the discord a lot, including for some cannon scenes, and I was planning to run this more or less the same.

[Laughing Hyena]

That may end up being a deal breaker unfortunately. The other game I'm running uses the discord a lot, including for some cannon scenes, and I was planning to run this more or less the same.

I understand completely. It was worth rolling and I had fun making this little knight. :)

[Rummy Tum Tum]

@Rummy Tum Tum
I really like the creativity and detail here, and tying all the various background elements together in a way that really makes sense. The idea of honoring a Goddess often associated with nature by creating machinery is a very cool angle compared to the usual anti-technology druid stance.

Thank ya. I was all over the place with classes until I remembered artificers exist, then I saw the steel defender and homunculus and thought it'd be a neat way to further the "lifebringing" ideal. And I just had to focus on the Ava aspect after I read the Changeling lore. That changed everything.

Also, one of my first ideas was to make a creepy but friendly Madame Muerta worshiper. Guess I switched from one wife to the other lol

My only concern is my inability to use discord now that I was point to the fine print. This phone is that ancient. Still wanting to play but if I get passed over, I understand completely.

Damn that sucks, especially with those godly stats you rolled. And that lovable gobby was definitely worth making

[pdragon]

I understand completely. It was worth rolling and I had fun making this little knight. :)

He's definitely a cool character. If I was another DM hosting a game I'd definitely let you carry those rolls over.

[pdragon]

Thank ya. I was all over the place with classes until I remembered artificers exist, then I saw the steel defender and homunculus and thought it'd be a neat way to further the "lifebringing" ideal. And I just had to focus on the Ava aspect after I read the Changeling lore. That changed everything.

Also, one of my first ideas was to make a creepy but friendly Madame Muerta worshiper. Guess I switched from one wife to the other lol

Damn that sucks, especially with those godly stats you rolled. And that lovable gobby was definitely worth making

Yeah it's all cleverly integrated.

And if you had been a Muerta follower you could have been a cool

Skeleton Nun

[Muse]

For plenty of concepts I wouldn't mind a 6 and a 7 if i had two 16s instead of 1.  For a cleric this doesn't particularly fit.  :)   At least, not with what I'm currently thinking of playing,  (I mean, one of my druid concepts, or a paladin/warlock.  :)  )

At 2023-04-01 15:41:19, Muse (uid: 16) rolls: 4d6k3 Result: 13
At 2023-04-01 15:40:55, Muse (uid: 16) rolls: 4d6k3 Result: 11
At 2023-04-01 15:40:33, Muse (uid: 16) rolls: 4d6k3 Result: 14
At 2023-04-01 15:40:15, Muse (uid: 16) rolls: 4d6k3 Result: 6
At 2023-04-01 15:40:02, Muse (uid: 16) rolls: 4d6k3 Result: 16
At 2023-04-01 15:39:43, Muse (uid: 16) rolls: 4d6k3 Result: 7

[Rummy Tum Tum]

[...]if you had been a Muerta follower you could have been a cool

Skeleton Nun

Dayum, she is stylin' on all other nuns

[Hexed]

Vashe Highroot
Variant Human Shadow Sorcerer

Vashe was born on Constel Island and for the longest time she thought it would be where she met an early grave. It was incredible fortune that the sickly child was born to a fairly wealthy family and not the average farming family. Much of her early childhood was contained within a few rooms with constant visits by priests, alchemists, and herbalists yet none of them were able to do much against her strange illness. She was eight one of the priests mentioned that the illness seemed more a curse then a disease which took the books that had been her constant company and turned them into possibly something more. She dug into lore both familial and arcane seeking how or why such a thing could be leaving her in a pattern of living broken only by her family making sure she didn't hurt herself and her constant battles with her dreaded foe the common door.

Her biggest break came to be  one night as she matched star charts to the night sky, for she was supposed to be well rounded and couldn't just learn history and curses. The chart swam before her eyes and the sky through the window grew till it was all she could see. Morning found her sprawled upon her table with Starshine Academy scrawled upon everything in ink. While her parents were leery of letting her out of their sight they eventually relented and she was allowed to seek entry to the school. There it was a good thing being a wizard wasn't her goal as not even the teachers could explain how her attempt to create light turned into a cloying darkness that filled several rooms for an hour or how an attempt at a cleaning cantrip left her spewing rotten ink for hours. Instead she explored both the library and the school grounds till she gathered and found all that had been shown to her.

With everything ready on a moonless night she gave prayer to Twi and The Librarian before making her way into the bowels of the floating island to a room both cold as ice and where the shadows seemed to swallow any light brought within. With as much care as she was able a ritual was set and conducted, her limbs trembling and her voice hoarse by the end of it. Whereupon she promptly began vomiting a cloying and roiling sludge that billowed upwards to become a shadow wreathed version of her that promptly attacked. The only thing that saved her when she was on her back with the thing straddling her as it choked her to death was the power that finally and properly responded to her will. The fight swung back and forth as both did their best to kill the other but eventually she stood over her shattered copy watching as it melted into shadows. Despite the fight she was overjoyed as she could finally manipulate her mana as she wanted and her body recovered so much easier then it once had. Gathering up her things she dashed up the stairs to share the joy with her brother who also attended only to plaster herself against the door as they were still beyond her. Luckily she had enough injuries that she was able to leave that part out of her tale to her family.

She was 17 when the One Night War happened and while the concept of the organization taking such lengths was a touch worrying to her it was easily understood that leaving Ryburn upon the throne would have caused massive trouble for so many of the islands. With her condition mostly cured and the Knights seeking to restore lost numbers she waited till the day after she turned 18 before making her way to them and volunteering. While her physical strength still lacked and the ritual had left her odd to most folk she had her magic and an odd collection of knowledge, although her instructors possibly wish she'd ask less questions about everything.




Found a picture that completely undid my starting concept so here's a shadow sorcerer with a grudge against doors. :D

Now to see how nicely the mechanics play with the concept.

[shengami]

@Shengami
I think it's a really interesting concept, and I like that you chose to run with a bad roll and integrate it into the character. Also from a lore perspective it hadn't actually occurred to me that outside travel to the continent wouldn't have really been possible until the surface cleared up, so that was a cool bit to include.

Ahhh, I was worried if that was a bit presumptuous, but it seemed the logical ramification. I was less certain if the floating isles had any outside contact for that period of time as well. Depending on their locations in Aardia, and where other continents are in relationship to Aardia, the travel could be a real pain with only air travel as a resource. Did any of the islands think to establish some type of naval port? Well, other than the one established on the backs of giant flying turtles?

Also, giant flying turtles, squeee~~