Meanwhile, Back in the Dungeon... (Pulp Fantasy-inspired 5E D&D)

[greenknight]

Thoughts on a Herger-inspired character. Marine isn't a thing; I think swapping out land vehicles for water vehicles as a soldier or a gaming set for navigator's tools for a sailor might work. Still looking at the traits involved. Any heartburn with the idea?

Not that I'm all in on the marine idea, I'm just looking at options. Would a nautical background fit the campaign you're laying out?

If not, I'm looking at a possible raider background. Mix in a little soldier and outlander and see what comes out.

[Chulanowa]

Kath, I kinda like hte second-to last.

Green, I'm not planning on running things at sea (maybe hte ocasional river or lake, somewhere?) but nothing wrong with a Sailor background (or, for that matter, the Mariner combat style out of the Waterborne Adventures UA)

[Admiral J]

Aelfric Greygloves is a middle-aged half-elven charlatan and trickery priest of Olidammara.  He has piercing steel-blue eyes that are as ringed by laugh lines as they are by dark circles, shoulder-length black hair that has gone the color of polished mythril at the temples, a well-groomed van Dyke, and a broad, if wry, grin that seems to be as inward facing as outward.

Aelfric’s tale is brief, but it is preceded by an extensive prologue, for a novitiate priest, so we’ll tell the expurgated version.

A master rogue once hailed from the Great City of Azygos, on the western shore of Kanverre, where he grew up on the streets, made a name for himself as a talented second-story man, and for twenty-odd years was the Master of the Thieves’ Guild.  He was so highly regarded by his shadowy fellows that the rumor went that he was Olidammara’s consort.

He was known as Dirk, then, having had little taste for his birth name, and on most drunken evenings Dirk was smart enough to leave the lurid storytelling to others, when it came to the potentially divine contents of his bed.  But on the night when, under his direction, the Thieves’ Guild had achieved its most telling victory, and a long-standing member of the Guild sat on the city’s ruling council for the first time, Dirk foolishly joined in, regaling the tavern crowd in some graphic detail about his conquest of the Laughing Rogue.

Predictably, one of the young rogues who shared his bed that night was more than he seemed, and in a moment of desperate lust, got Dirk to swear away his formidable thieves’ skills for nine times nine years, in exchange for -- ahem -- immediate gratification.  The following morning, the young man was nowhere to be found, and much to Dirk’s surprise, the vaunted guildmaster was no longer a thief.

Fleeing Azygos was an immediate necessity, as Dirk no longer had any of the skills that had kept him alive for so long in the face of a respectable roster of enemies (and less-than-honorable allies).  Fortunately for Dirk, or Aelfric as he was now known, Olidammara is not a cruel god, and it was not long before Aelfric realized he had been granted certain other abilities, for use in spreading Olidammara’s particular brand of mirth throughout the known world. 

Aelfric also discovered that failing to use these abilities meant another visit from Olidammara, this time in his dreams, where the god would ride his reluctant servant into blissful exhaustion, robbing him of the benefit of a good night’s sleep.  Aelfric has a love affair with coffee almost as torrid as the one he has with the Laughing Rogue.

Dirk’s tale is over -- Aelfric doubts that he’ll live to see his 163rd birthday, and even if he does, Azygos will be a very different place by then.  But Dirk had a good run, and one that ended in the same way he had lived.  He survived many of his human colleagues, and packed four score years of life full of experiences and joy.  Aelfric may not have chosen the life he lives now, but he’ll be damned if he’s not going to make the most of it in the same fashion.

[[Still working on a picture and a character sheet, but I feel like this is the important bit.]]

[CeruleanSerenity]

I'm currently thinking of going with a sorceress... a formerly-sheltered princess of a distant civilization that was destroyed by (insert villain here)'s hordes. Still need to decide if I want her to be more naive and optimistic or haughty and commanding, but whatever style I go for, she'd have plenty of motivation for adventuring to get revenge and rebuild her kingdom. I've been short on time, though, so not sure when I'll be able to finish up a proper submission...

For the villain, do you have any planned that I should use, Chulanowa? Or should I leave it as something vague like "an orcish warlord" and let you fill in the details later?

Edit: Oh, and Kathyan's pictures... I guess I'd say I'm partial to the third and fifth, but any could work well.

[Chulanowa]

Well, if everyone's from Far, Far Away, how and why are they here?  I do not have any central villain planned; I invite you guys to fill in your little corners of the world. Which I will then loot and pillage for my own negarious ends.

[AndyZ]

Ahem. it's not first-come first serve. I'm gonna consider all characters, and pick six to run with come next Tuesday. So no worries on that end, if peopel want to submit characters, like I said, door's wide open 

AndyZ, might want to aim more for a "general background," and save the team-building for when everyone's on board.

Dumb question on my end.  Sorry.

Well, if everyone's from Far, Far Away, how and why are they here?  I do not have any central villain planned; I invite you guys to fill in your little corners of the world. Which I will then loot and pillage for my own negarious ends.

Would it help if my tribe was closer?  I'm flexible on that.

[Admiral J]

Well, if everyone's from Far, Far Away, how and why are they here?

It was the first boat out of Azygos Port. 

"Number Two, congratulations, you're the new Guildmaster; bye forever."

"What?  Why?  Where are you going?"

"Nowhere.  If anyone asks, I fell off a roof into an ale cask and died a happy man."  *just stands there*

"What... why are you just standing there?"

"Shit, I tried to use my bonus action to dash!"

"...You had better go."

[Admiral J]

Aelfric Greygloves' character sheet

[Hexed]

Right. Little later then I'd intended. And I've still not quite got the hang of putting backstories together. :(

But here's an Archfey warlock traveling to find... Things! And send them back to her tribe if they're not too dangerous. And gold o' 'course. She doesn't need or care much 'bout it but it sure comes in handy for her tribe when they trade during their travels.

Do have a question though. They're rather vague on magic focus. Can a staff version be built into a quarterstaff and thus usable as such or should I find a different focus or weapon?

Curious Ice

A young Tabaxi from a nomadic tribe that roams around Ellmoore from mountain top to along the rivers. Life for her was of constant travel and even adventure even if the adults do make younglings stay back when trouble calls. A knack for nature and an almost instinctive pull towards magic led the tribe's shaman to having great hopes for her coming of age ceremony. Hopes realized in ways the tribe didn't expect. It was not the gentle breeze or the babbling brook that granted young Ice her name but the frigid and mischievous wind come from the deepest ice. Though the fey whispered not the secrets of shapeshifting in her ears it didn't take long before she quite willingly followed the tune of mischief from the darker winter. Not that her pranks were dangerous to her tribe. That just wasn't done. Travelers and others however were fair game. Eventually her ways parted with her tribe due to her wanderlust growing unsatisfied with the tribes paths and the cold whispers urging her on to poke at ruins and other things. All for the tribe's benefit of course.

[CeruleanSerenity]

Well, if everyone's from Far, Far Away, how and why are they here?

Treasure hunting, I bet. Who would want to live in a land where you can walk five steps without tripping over the secret entrance to some lich king's golden tomb? Scaredy-cat peasants, that's who. (No offense meant to any local tabaxi by the expression.)

More seriously... well, if I go with the concept I posted above, I guess my character would be looking for fame and fortune. She fled her land when it was destroyed and is hoping to reclaim it and rebuild, and that will take more than a little charisma and a few fireballs. I'll see where my character goes when I'm working on the sheet, though...

How long do we have before you close this to new submissions? I wasn't able to get much done last week at all, so I haven't started mine properly yet...

[TheLaughingOne]

Qquuueeeessstttiiiooonnn.. still taking characters..?

[Chulanowa]

Qquuueeeessstttiiiooonnn.. still taking characters..?

Yup! All through Tuesday (since I work and stuff)

[Blinkin]

I'm so very, very, very tempted, but I don't know if the swashbuckler class found here would be accepted. I have a general concept, but I may be too late to submit it if I wait for an answer.

And, as you know, An image is just beyond my ability...

Harlo, the youngest son of Viscount Laredo Glazer, like all youngest sons, was forced to make his own way and fortunes in life. Casemated with the blade from a young age, by the time that  Harlo had reached his majority, he had developed a reputation in the capital as something of a promising duelist; with the attitude to go with it.

Never one to take life too seriously if he didn’t have to, he perfected a devil-may-care attitude toward the vagaries of societal conduct and proprieties. This isn’t to say that he didn’t understand the rules of behavior and etiquette… only that he usually chose to ignore them in favor of whatever tripped his fancy at the moment. The only time that he really observed said rules of civilized behavior was when it was necessary or required; even then only as far as necessity required. Some might have called him a rogue, others a fop with too much gold and too little sense… but Harlo was a keen observer and found that portraying himself such served his aims better than being the son of a minor noble would.

Unfortunately, wisdom is often wasted on the young and Harlo ran afoul of a duke one night when he was caught with his daughter in an inappropriate situation. There was nothing truly improper happening, but scandal would surely ruin the girl’s reputation and the Duke had plans for his daughter to perhaps someday be Queen. Needless to say, Harlo faced grave circumstances until the King took matters into his own hands. In return for the Duke dropping all charges, Harlo would be stripped of all titles… not that he actually had any, and would be exiled from the capital and its environs.

The King had other plans for the young man and approached him with an offer. He needed good men who could be trusted with duties that required the abilities that Harlo displayed; people to secure the Realm from within, gathered information that would help the crown protect the people from themselves and… occasionally… bring the Crown’s justice when the normal rules of law could not be employed. In short, he wanted a spy and Harlo was currently in an excellent position to do just that.

Over the next several months, Harlo perfected the image of a wastrel, a fop with little care for anything beyond Wine, Women and Weapons. He learned how to listen and how to find what people didn’t want found and in the end, to bring the Crowns Justice to a baron who planned treason… all while hiding the real man and mission under the image of a fool.

Character sheet, of a sort

AC: 18            HP: 30/29
Character Name: Harlo Glazer   PLAYER NAME: Harold Phibbs
CLASS:Swashbuckler       ARCHETYPE:
RACE: Half-Elf         GENDER: Male
AGE: 19            Ht/WT: 5’10/188
LEVEL: 1         EXP: 0
PROFICIENCY BONUS: +2   ALIGNMENT: CG
SPEED: 30’         INITIATIVE:+4

Ability Scores:
STRENGTH: 13
SAVING THROWS:  +1
DEXTERITY: 18
SAVING THROWS: +6
CONSTITUTION: 15
SAVING THROWS: +2
INTELLIGENCE: 14
SAVING THROWS: +2
WISDOM: 14
SAVING THROWS: +2
PASSIVE WISDOM (PERCEPTION):
CHARISMA:17
SAVING THROWS:  +5

HIT DICE D8
HP MAX: 10      CURRENT HIT POINTS:10
TEMPORARY HIT POINTS: 0

Weapons:
NAME: Rapier
ATTACK BONUS: +6
DAMAGE/TYPE: 1D8+6/Piercing

NAME: Hand Crossbow
ATTACK BONUS: +6
DAMAGE/TYPE:1D4+6/Piercing

NAME:Dagger (x2)
ATTACK BONUS: +6
DAMAGE/TYPE: 1D4+6/Piercing

ARMOR:
Name: Leather
Weight:
AC: 12

Skills:
ACROBATICS(DEX): +6   
DECEPTION (CHA): +5
Disguise Kit (INT) (+4
Investigation (INT) +4   
PERCEPTION: (WIS) +4
Perform: (CHA) +5
Persuasion (CHA): +5
STEALTH(DEX): +6
Thieves Tools: +6

OTHER PROFICIENCIES & LANGUAGES:
Darkvision: See 60’ in dim light, see as dim (Bllack and white) in darkness.
Fey Ancestery: Advantage on saves vs. charm and immune to sleep effects.
Languages: Common, Elven and Orc
Armor: Light, medium, shields and  and Buckler
Weapons: Simple, Rapier, Shortswords, scimtars, Bows and Crossbows
Tools: Gaming Set (Dice), Navigator’s toolst, Disguise Kit,
Saving Throws: Dexterity and Charisma

FEATURES & TRAITS
Background Skills: Perception and Stealth
Mission:  Coordinates (Directions) To a hidden artifact)
Feature:  Echo of The Great Game
   Years of stealth and trickery have taught you how to not draw attention to yourself. The way you walk, talk and move are deliberately forgettable, and utterly unextraordinary. While you are wearing common clothes, no one can remember your face nor any features about you, unless they actively make an effort to do so.
In addition, you know how to write in a special code that can only be read by people trained in deciphering it.
Secret Identity: Develops a costumed alter-ego; all creatures unaware of the disguise take disadvantage and a -3to attempts to descern identy. If a creature succeeds, character may make a DC 15 charisma check to to make the character believe that it is mistaken for 1
swashing point.
Swashing Points;2 Used to add effects and get 1D4 after short rest, or all after long rest.

Artful Swordplay: May add CHA mod to attack, up to your proficiency. For 1 SP, add mod to damage.

Sure Footed: Reduce movement penalties for rough terrain by ½. May spend 1 SP to disengage as bonus action and move ½ your movement

TREASURE:

PP:
GP: 10
SP:
CP:

EQUIPMENT:
Clothes, common
Disguise Kit (10 Uses)
2 daggers
Rapier
Hand crossbow
20 bolts
Leather armor
pouch
Explorer’s pack

Story Section:
CHARACTER NAME Harlo Glazer
SKIN: Fair
EYES: Moss Green
HAIR Black

ALLIES & ORGANIZATIONS: Member of The King’s Raven’s.

CHARACTER APPEARANCE

BACKGROUND
PERSONALITY TRAITS:
I have a habit of listening in on the conversations of others.
IDEALS:
Knowledge: He knows something, and I need to know it too.
BONDS:
I fell in love with someone I was spying on.
      FLAWS:
Some people want to kill me, to make sure I never tell a secret they'd rather have untold.

The stats were rolled using actual dice, and witnessed by another person, just to make sure that I was honest... I so dearly missed the randomly generated scores.

On a side note, because I didn't catch the reroll 1's thing, I didn't reroll 1's... but I'm happy with the set. If dicebot is required, I'll reroll them, but they're pretty much in line with what I've seen so far.

[TheLaughingOne]

Yup! All through Tuesday (since I work and stuff)

Well in that case!! Ill get it moved onto board proper, but heres a character ive had a play for.. stats might need a reroll, heh, i actually rolled those on 3d6!

http://the-kindly-ones.wikidot.com/ephabia

[TheLaughingOne]

New Proper sheet! http://the-kindly-ones.wikidot.com/ephabia-bitd

Strength

At 2017-04-25 11:08:20, TheLaughingOne (uid: 60096) rolls: 4d6k3 Result: 15

Full Result: TheLaughingOne rolled: 4d6, keeping 3 dice
Comment:
Result: 5, 5, 2, 5,

Total: 15

Dexterity

At 2017-04-25 11:11:15, TheLaughingOne (uid: 60096) rolls: 4d6k3 Result: 12

Full Result: TheLaughingOne rolled: 4d6, keeping 3 dice
Comment:
Result: 1, 5, 2, 5, (1 rerolls as 5)

Total: 15

Constitution

At 2017-04-25 11:07:12, TheLaughingOne (uid: 60096) rolls: 4d6k3 Result: 17

Full Result: TheLaughingOne rolled: 4d6, keeping 3 dice
Comment:
Result: 6, 4, 5, 6,

Total: 17

Intelligence

At 2017-04-25 11:02:02, TheLaughingOne (uid: 60096) rolls: 4d6k3 Result: 10

Full Result: TheLaughingOne rolled: 4d6, keeping 3 dice
Comment:
Result: 2, 3, 5, 1,

Total: 10

Wisdom

At 2017-04-25 11:14:27, TheLaughingOne (uid: 60096) rolls: 4d6k3 Result: 7

Full Result: TheLaughingOne rolled: 4d6, keeping 3 dice
Comment:
Result: 1, 5, 1, 1, (!?!?!? OOOOWWWWW!!!!!)
Total: 7

1's reroll to...  At 2017-04-25 11:16:18, TheLaughingOne (uid: 60096) rolls: 3d6 Result: 11

Full Result: TheLaughingOne rolled: 3d6
Comment:
Result: 1, 5, 5,
Total: 11  End result 15. (do.. Do i reroll the new 1..?)

Total: 15

Charisma

At 2017-04-25 11:04:17, TheLaughingOne (uid: 60096) rolls: 4d6 Result: 20

Full Result: TheLaughingOne rolled: 4d6
Comment:
Result: 6, 2, 6, 6,

Total: 18

As a young girl Ephabia grew up in some small no name village on the outskirts of some minor kingdom. They made their living through lumber, hunting, and the other little dailies most people never think of. Amazingly stout and tough for her age she took to exploring the area of the village quickly, finding the old haunts and oddities of the land that the people had forgotten long ago. The villagers gossiped of how she would grow up to make a fine ranger for the area, though many insisted she would get bored to quickly, and wander off into the world to disappear.

Things continued as the norm for a long while, her family seeing an increase in their life style by selling off the small trinkets and items she found while exploring to merchants and passer throughs making their way towards the bigger cities. The best of these she kept for herself, an old but still sharp dagger of a stone handle, a book of text she couldnt decipher as the letters kept changing, the hilt of a broken sword with a crystal blade, and a small black obsidian urn, that no matter how hard she tried, she couldnt remove the lid of despite it being loose and rattling about.

Around this time the villagers spotted her laughing and playing by herself with some imaginary friend, nothing unusual, though they hoped this time it wasnt another bear. What they didnt notice was how items had gone missing around the village, candles, chalk, special herbs and other materials.. Ephabia had been stealing them at the insistance of her new "friend", the voice from the urn that always sounded so happy, and would at times just start laughing for no reason.. It had shared with her special powers, the ability to make small things happen, sounds, illusions, make small fires start or go out, a magical servant that would do her chores so she could go out and play, and the most amazing, through gestures and words make bolts of black lightning appear from her hands striking at a distance with enough force to kill even the small beasties that had menaced her while exploring.

In exchange, it only asked her to get the materials, and follow its instructions for them, and it would give her so many more great powers. Young and naive she followed its instructions, unsuspecting that she was readying a ritual to free the Thing inside, some ancient horrible being that had been locked away so very long ago. With preparations complete Ephabia began the ritual with the "Laughing Ones", as she had begun to call it, directions. The tiny lid began to rattle and shake, like something inside was fighting to get out, while the urn struggled to keep it contained. Things much to big to fit inside started crawling out, insects that were missing their shells, and were nearly the size of dogs, some larger. Once free they quickly scuttled out of the small shack and into the village which erupted into screams of chaos and violence. And Death.

In a panic Ephabia tried to break off the ritual, but some outer power forced her to continue until her struggles became so intense she kicked over the materials ruining the setup and breaking the spell. But it was to late, some Thing dragged itself out of the urn, not the full being, but some shattered part of itself, much of its power and strength lost as it pried itself free of confinement. The shock of seeing such a horror so close, the sounds of the villagers dying, the sheer amounts of power robbed Ephabia of her senses as the thing, The Laughing One, began to cackle madly in triumph.

She awoke sometime later, the village in ruins, the villagers in pieces. The things that had escaped the urn still scuttles around the ruins, shyong away from Ephabia, at least after she had blasted a few. The Laughing Ones gift still with her even after it had left. She continued in the ruins for some weeks, scavenging what she could from all that was left and exterminating the remaining things until a small party of adventurers that had been hired to investigate what had happened arrived.Taking an interest in what had how she had survived took her in and began teaching her to fight and survive as she began looking for clues as to where the Laughing One had gone so she could get revenge.

[CeruleanSerenity]

Yup! All through Tuesday (since I work and stuff)

All right. I'll see if I can get mine done today, then... it might not be until later tonight, but hopefully I can manage it in time.

[Bibliophilia]

I added Ix's history to her write-up on page 1.  She's all done now, aside from my possibly rolling for a trinket, which could be some worthless thing she stole from someone at some point and kept...just because she decided she liked it.

[Chulanowa]

Alright, thus far i have submitted...

Ixelshasi 'Ix', Tabaxi rogue - Bibliophilia
Terengrath, human wizard - countdown0
Katrianna Tyrannofang, wood elf druid - AndyZ
Silaqui Siannodel, wood elf cleric - AribethAmkiir
Buchseite, tabaxi barbarian - Kathyan
Aelfric Greygloves, half-elf cleric - Admiral J
Curious Ice, Tabaxi Warlock - Hexed
Ephabia, Human Fighter - TheLaughingOne
Harlo Glazer, Human Swashbucklery Thing - Blinkin
Kayanna Starfall, half-elf warlock - RedPhoenix
Raz the Black, half-orc monk - NightLux

And also awaiting a sorcerer(?) from Cerulean.

That's a lot of people to just pick six out of! I'm sure i'll manage 

[CeruleanSerenity]

I'm sorry, but I don't think I'll be able to get a character finished tonight... I haven't been feeling well, and I've been having trouble finding inspiration for the game besides. Maybe it would be better if I back out for now.

[Chulanowa]

I'm sorry, but I don't think I'll be able to get a character finished tonight... I haven't been feeling well, and I've been having trouble finding inspiration for the game besides. Maybe it would be better if I back out for now.

Well, sad to hear that  I plan on giving this theme and world a second run at some point in the future, so maybe then!

[Kathyan]

I'm sorry, but I don't think I'll be able to get a character finished tonight... I haven't been feeling well, and I've been having trouble finding inspiration for the game besides. Maybe it would be better if I back out for now.

Sorry to hear that, hope you feel better soon and well I guess I still can't say I'll miss you here since we are still before the final selection of players.

By the way I was having few time lately so I wasn't able to go more in depth with my character's background and stuff though I must say I also prefer to do that knowing I'm in so I'll wait till selection is done to think about it

[Blinkin]

If the swashbuckler class isn't an option, I'll go with a straight rogue with the same story and demphize the roguish aspects for a more combat orientated light fighter with some flash and style. The character sheet would only take a minor amount of alteration... a couple of ability score swaps and skills rethought.

[CeruleanSerenity]

Thank you... I will be keeping an eye on things, in case a spot opens up or you start recruiting for another group. I just seem to be having trouble getting into much right now, but I hope the game goes well for everyone.

[Chulanowa]

If the swashbuckler class isn't an option, I'll go with a straight rogue with the same story and demphize the roguish aspects for a more combat orientated light fighter with some flash and style. The character sheet would only take a minor amount of alteration... a couple of ability score swaps and skills rethought.

Yeah, either that or the duelist-style fighter (maybe Mariner archetype?) would work. The homebrew swashbuckler you linked seems a little over the top, honestly.

[Blinkin]

I'm looking at a rogue with a faction agent background, but I'll look at the fighter with the duelist. The story will be the same in either case. Do I need a character sheet tonight/?